MINI NEWSLETTER #41.1 NOV 29, 1993
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORATION 13527 Crescent Road, Surrey, BC V4P 1J5 Phone (604) 535-1115, FAX (604) 635-3292
ATOMIC ENERGY CANADA INSPECTS MUSEUMS
This November the Museum was visited by John DeJong, a consultant for Atomic Energy Canada. John spent 3 days at the museum with Geiger counters searching for signs of radioactivity. This is part of a Canada wide program to catalogue and control any possible sources of radioactivity. It seems that the government has sent people to all the aviation museums across the country because older aircraft instruments have glow in the dark faces that were painted with radium..
Admittedly the amount of radiation from an instrument is small and some of the radiation cannot even make its way through the glass face but Atomic Energy Canada has some concerns about large concentrations of instruments and those which have been broken. They worry that museum staff may be working for extended periods of time in close proximity to a collection of stored gauges. If the instrument face is broken or burned the dust from the glow in the dark paint may float away and could possibly be ingested.
John had to contend with plenty of garden. variety dust as he took his Geiger counters throughout the museum. He noted all the radioactive instruments for us and put some of them in plastic bags and moved them to a shelf in the library. His greatest concern was for an instrument that was sitting disassembled on the window sill in the lunch room. For a distance of a couple of inches around the dial face the window sill had become contaminated by radioactive dust. John cleaned the area up for us and took the contaminated parts away for disposal. To his surprise he also found a couple of old switches that for no apparent reason are slightly radioactive.
John will take the results of his survey to his employers at Atomic Energy and we expect to hear some sort of recommendations from them. It was mentioned that perhaps we should collect all the suspect instruments together and store them in bags in one of the storage buildings. John examined the aircraft on display and determined that there was no threat of any kind to museum volunteers or the public. He was kind enough to take an old civil defence Geiger counter, that had been recently donated to the museum, to a technician he knew for possible repair to operating condition. This would allow museum volunteers to determine for themselves if gauges are active or not. The aviation museums in Canada are concerned about the governments intentions with regards to the storage of the gauges on museum sites. Atomic Energy Canada requires a radio isotope storage site to be licensed and pay an initial fee of $700 plus a yearly fee of $350. These licences were meant to encourage people who deal commercially with these materials to behave in a responsible manner. However, for a publicly supported institution like a museum the fees are quite a burden.
The CMFT President, Jerry Vernon, was involved in a discussion on this matter at the 1993 meeting of the Canadian Aviation Preservation Association. The feeling there was that the Atomic Energy folks may treat the museums a bit differently. Our museum, along with many others, has sent a letter to Atomic Energy Canada asking for Educational Institute Status which would exempt us from the fees.
An article from Time Nov 8 93 GEE WHIZI
The U.S. military has often been criticized for such excesses as buying a $600 toilet cover, but it seems the Pentagon once lost a $20 million dollar plane for the lack of a glitch-free urinal. While flying an F-16 out of Incirlik, Turkey on Sept. 8, 1992, Lieut. Colonel Don Snelgrove felt a call of nature. Following the standard procedure for such emergencies, he put the fighter on autopilot, released his lap belt and prepared to use the “piddle pack,” a dry sponge in a plastic container. But when he released the lap belt, one end fell unnoticed between the seat and the side of the cockpit. When Snelgrove raised the seat, it jammed the belt against the fly-by-wire joystick, sending the plane into an uncontrolled roll. As the jet spiralled downward the pilot ejected, saving his life but literally, um, piddling away the fighter.
- A Environment pilots
- B Recovery chute
- C Data recorder
- D Chute Risers
- E Oxygen Bottle
- F Oxygen gauge
- G Inertia reel knob
- H Safety Lever
- I Radio Switch
- J Survival Kit
- K Flush Handle
- L Paper Dispenser
- M Lap belt
- N Oxygen fitting
CAPA MEETING HELD IN WINNIPEG
by Jerry Vernon
On November 6th and 7th Jerry Vernon, as President of the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation, attended the 1993 meeting of the Canadian Aeronautical Preservation Association which was hosted by the Western Canada Aviation Museum in Winnipeg. Special thanks go out to AIR B.C. who flew Jerry to Winnipeg on a complimentary ticket.
The members of CAPA present included the National Aviation Museum, Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Western Canada Aviation Museum, Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum, Reynolds Aviation Museum, Calgary Aerospace Museum, RCAF Memorial Museum and Air Heritage Park.
The group discussed a wide variety of topics related to aviation museums. One topic that relates to the Hampden currently being restored on the CMFT site involved Restorations Standards. Museums like the N.A.M. preserve rather than restore and restore rather than replace and replace parts only as a last resort. Any parts they do replace get marked with a special stamp. The Hampden is not being subject to such a rigorous policy so the question exists as to how we should placard the aircraft. Is it a restoration, a replica or a mockup?
While talking about inter-museum co-operation the N.A.M. announced that it does have a policy regarding loans of their aircraft to other museums. They may make an exhibit available if the institution requesting it can meet certain fire safety and exhibit security requirements. The members also would like to communicate their restoration project needs to each other in a CAPA newsletter.
The members also discussed the various methods they use in storing their collections. This involved explanations of everything from new building construction costs to using time expired semitrailers as storage.
The legal and ethical implications of selling artifacts was debated. A consensus was reached regarding this issue and CAPA will circulate a statement of “General Practice” that would govern de-accessioning and selling of cultural artifacts. The CMFT would like to make it known that we are not currently selling any aircraft despite the claims made by some self appointed middlemen.
Other topics discussed were Liability and Insurance, Volunteer Expenses, Radio Isotope Licence, Tax Deductible Receipts and Financial Aid. A complete report of the event is available at the museum.
Jerry enjoyed a tour of the W.C.A.M. facilities which included their large library, graphics department, and artifact storage area. Thank-you to W.C.A.M. for hosting C.A.P.A. 93.
NOTICE OF MEETING
WINTER DINNER/ GENERAL MEETING FRIDAY, FEBURARY 18 1994
Yic’s Dinning Lounge, 13639 104th Ave at King George Highway, Surrey, BC
NO HOST BAR 6:00 DINNER – 7:00 GENERAL MEETING 8:00
Great selection of Chinese and Western food, soup, and good deserts, Smorgasbord style.
$12 per person including taxes
GUESTS AND FRIENDS WELCOME FRANK QUIGG WILL TALK ABOUT HIS AROUND THE WORLD ATTEMPT!
YOU WILL NOT BE TELEPHONED ABOUT THIS MEETING. PLEASE PHONE AND MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW. 535-1115
MEMBERSHIP DUES DUE?
Please check your address label, which lists the expiry date of your membership at the top right corner. If you are overdue, or nearly so, please send your cheque, and any extra you can spare. We need you!
Dues are $20 for general membership, $10 for Friend $30 for family, or $300 for Lifetime. Membership entitles you to free admission to exhibits during the open season, a subscription to our newsletter, and (except for Friend category) a 10% discount on most gift shop purchases.
MUSEUM’S GIFT SHOP/BOOK STORE OFFERS HUGE SELECTION OF ITEMS FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND YOURSELF.
If you haven’t visited it yet, make a point of it. We have a superb selection of aviation related gifts, toys, clothing, books, games, models, art prints, posters, lapel pins and so much more. Hours after Oct 11 Fri/Sat/Sun 10 -4