~ Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society ~
| Airliners International 2002 Houston, Texas |
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| Airliners International 2002 Houston, Texas |
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On June 20-22, 2002, Houston hosted the annual meeting and convention of the World Airline Historical Society, known as Airliners International, at the Sheraton North Houston Hotel near George Bush Intercontinental Airport. As the official air museum of AI 2002, the 1940 Air Terminal Museum welcomed thousands of airline history enthusiasts and airline artifact collectors from around the world to our home town.
The 1940 Air Terminal Museum set up a "mini-museum" on sight throughout AI 2002 featuring a sampling of the artifacts and photos in our exciting museum collection. Our mini-museum featured museum volunteer training sessions and aviation history presentations throughout each day of the event on topics such as Houston aviation history, flying for Trans-Texas Airways, the history of Braniff, the production of a documentary on Pan Am and the history of aviation weather forecasting. We also displayed the latest blueprints and models of the first phase of restoration for the 1940 Air Terminal Museum. (See the photos below.)
One of the most exciting aspects of AI 2002 was its keynote speaker Captain Robert Buck. Capt. Buck is the author of two aviation classics, Weather Flying and the Art of Flying, and recently released his memoirs, North Star Over my Shoulder. Bob Buck's life and career encompass the history of American commercial aviation. Capt. Buck set speed records in a Pitcairn Mailwing as a teenager. He was hired by TWA in 1937 as a DC-2 copilot. He retired as TWA's seniority number 1 Captain flying 747s. In North Star Over my Shoulder he shares his incredible life of flight with the world. The 1940 Air Terminal's mini-museum hosted Capt. Buck's book signing of copies of North Star Over My Shoulder
AI 2002 featured hundreds of vendors selling all manner of airline collectibles, from books and prints, to models, postcards, uniforms, time-tables, airline silverware and dishes, toys. Activities included an airline model contest, an airline photo contest, and exciting tours to aviation venues around the Houston area.
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