report for community services committee november...

2006CSW053Attachment 1

The City of Edmonton

Support to the

Alberta Aviation Museum Association

Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society

November 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface – Executive Summary

1.0 Introduction 11.1 Study Background 11.2 Purpose and Objectives 11.3 Comparative Organization 2

2.0 Study Methodology 22.1 Project Planning 22.2 Current State Assessment 3 2.3 Recommendations & Plans 4

3.0 Current State Assessment 53.1 Corporate Structure and Governance 53.2 Facility Management 63.3 Collection 83.4 Displays 93.5 Library and Archives 93.6 Programming 103.7 Education 103.8 Marketing and Promotion 113.9 Visitors 113.10 Admission Fees 123.11 Gift Shop 123.12 Food Services 123.13 Memberships 133.14 Membership Fees 133.15 Staffing 133.16 Volunteers 143.17 Donations 153.18 Public Funding 16

4.0 Recommendations and Plans 164.1 Long Term Viability 164.2 Strategic Direction 174.3 Objectives and Strategies 184.4 Functional Plans 21

Appendix 1- Detailed Pro Forma Budget 28Appendix 2- Comparative Aviation Museums 31Appendix 3- Interviews and Focus Groups 37

Alberta Aviation Museum Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

STUDY BACKGROUND The Alberta Aviation Museum Association has built an impressive collection of vintage aircraft since 1993 when it relocated to Hangar 14. The museum has 32 aircraft on display, making it the fifth largest collection in Canada. As well, there are another three aircraft under restoration. The museum also has the largest aviation library and archives in Western Canada. The 50 to 60 volunteers are very committed to the restoration, preservation and display of the aircraft and other artifacts. In total, they contributed about 22,000 hours to the museum in 2005. The museum had about 15,000 paid admissions in 2005 including about 2500 grade six science students.

Hangar 14 is a provincial and national historical site that was built in 1942 for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The hangar is the only remaining double wide double length hangar built in Canada. The hangar has become a community center for aviation related associations. There are 13 active aviation membership organizations including veterans, cadets and other member groups in the hangar. As well, the facility is utilized for community events. The facility is managed by the Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society with a separate board. While the city owns the facility, it has not historically provided financial assistance to the museum or the society other than specific capital projects. The City of Edmonton has contributed about 10% of the $2.4 million in restorations and upgrades since 1993. The activities at the hangar generated an estimated 75,000 to 80,000 person visits in 2005.

STUDY METHODOLOGYThe project plan was designed in three phases. Phase 1 focused on project planning while Phase 2 centered on the comprehensive assessment of the market, strategy and business plan, finances, operations (e.g. collection and facility), volunteer management and governance. Interviews were conducted with the leaders of the Alberta Aviation Museum Association, the Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society, the City of Edmonton, and other external stakeholders. As well, two focus groups were organized with the membership of the society and the volunteers. Comparisons were made with other museums in Alberta and elsewhere. (Aerospace Museum of Calgary, Reynolds Alberta, Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, and the New England Aviation Museum near Hartford, Connecticut). Conclusions on the viability of the association/society were made and recommendations for municipal support were developed in Phase 3. As well, recommendations to enhance the strategy and business plan, marketing plan, financial plan, artifacts and facility management, volunteer management, and governance were made. The recommendations take into consideration lessons learned from other aviation related museums in Alberta and elsewhere.

VIABILITYThe museum is an undiscovered gem in Edmonton with significant potential to be self sufficient with three year operating support from the city. The support would assist the

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museum/society hire full time staff to enhance existing museum displays and educational programming, invest in marketing and promotion, and establish fund development.The museum and society have three full time staff, including an admissions/gift shop manager, an office manager, and a newly hired executive director. The museum needs a curator, a director of education, and a volunteer coordinator to achieve long term viability. Some of the comparable museums had 50,000 to 65,000 paid visitors per year. We project that with some interim operating assistance the museum’s paid admissions could reach 40,000. Projected paid admissions would be less than 10% of the 500,000 visitors a year to the Telus World of Science.

A three year operating grant of $180,000 in 2007, $120,000 in 2008, and $20,000 in 2009 would allow the museum to achieve long term financial sustainability by 2010. The City of Calgary has made a three year operating commitment of $100,000 to the Aero Space Museum of Calgary. Both the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (Hamilton) and the New England Aviation Museum are self sufficient.

Following is a summarized pro forma plan for the Alberta Aviation Museum Association and the Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society. The assumptions and a more detailed pro forma are included as Appendix 1.

Alberta Aviation Museum and Alberta Heritage Society*Actuals and Budget (in $000)

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011EAHS Aviation Museum Total

Total Revenue 138 110 248 304 388 511 641 762

Total Programming Expenses 48 77 125 365 387 405 430 434

Total Building Expenses 96 24 120 116 120 122 124 126

Total Expenses 144 101 245 481 507 527 554 560

Net Income (Loss) 3 -177 -119 -16 87 202

Total Capital Expenditures 604

2005

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONThe Alberta Aviation Museum Association/Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society has developed a new strategic direction. The strategic direction incorporates the vision, mission, values, and goals of the organization.

VISIONTo be recognized as the leading aviation museum in Edmonton and Alberta

VALUESThe museum/society has a number of core values that reflects how it conducts its business and treats it employees, visitors, members, volunteers, donors, tenants, and the citizens of Edmonton. These values are:

Valued employees Importance of volunteers to organizations future

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Preservation of artifacts Quality of the visitor experience Partnerships with corporations, educational institutions, and other science

and aviation museums Accountability to the taxpayers of Edmonton Fairness to tenants of Hangar 14 Membership services

MISSIONThe Alberta Aviation Museum/Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society preserves and promotes the appreciation of the aviation heritage of Edmonton and the North.

Visitors: The visitors to the museum include families, students, veterans and military personnel, and other individuals. While some of the visitors may be aviation enthusiasts, the majority may have limited knowledge of aviation.

Market: The primary market is the residents of Metro-Edmonton. Visitors to Edmonton from Alberta, Canada, and other countries are the secondary markets.

Products and services: The museum collects aircraft and other artifacts appropriate to its mission; restores aircraft; maintains its building, airplanes and other artifacts and library collection; exhibits it collection; educates its visitors; rents facilities and equipment as appropriate; and operates a gift store.

Collection: The artifacts include military and civilian aircraft, uniforms, aircraft parts such as engines, and personnel memorabilia relevant to the history of aviation in Edmonton and the North.

GOALSThe Alberta Aviation Museum Association/Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society has four goals:

To educate residents of Metro Edmonton and other Albertans about Edmonton’s contribution to aviation

To promote the understanding of the science and technology of aviation To protect and display Hangar 14, airplane collection and other artifacts To achieve financial sustainability

OBJECTIVESThe Alberta Aviation Museum Association/Edmonton Heritage Society has established long term objectives that are critical to the achievement of the organization’s goals. These long term objectives are:

To grow the number of paid admissions and revenue To increase the number of members and membership revenue To manage the facility and public access to the museum efficiently To ensure the continuity of volunteers

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To develop a governance structure that ensures public accountability To enhance public awareness of the Alberta Aviation Museum To build the competencies of the museum staff and ensure their health and

welfare To expand the educational programs To enhance the visitor experience To increase annual donations and other support

STRATEGIESThe Alberta Aviation Museum/Edmonton Heritage Society has developed strategies to achieve its long term objectives. These strategies are:

Expand the educational programs to include K-6 through partnership Market the corporate membership program Increase the prices for admissions and memberships Enhance the display of exhibits Enhance museum programming Enhance the communication and marketing program Establish one governing entity for the Alberta Aviation Museum

Association and the Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society Hire core additional full/part time staff Formalize the volunteer program Establish a fund development program

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 STUDY BACKGROUND The Alberta Aviation Museum Association has a large collection of vintage aircraft.

According to the executive director, the association has the fifth largest collection in

Canada with about 15,000 paid admissions per year. Many volunteers supporting the

aviation museum are aging. The collection of is housed in hangar 14 near the Edmonton

City Airport. The hangar, a municipal and provincial heritage building, has space for

displays, a workshop for restoration, a large hall, and a gift shop. About 13 active aviation

related membership organizations, including veterans, cadets and other member groups use

the hall. As well, the facility is utilized for community events. The facility is managed by

the Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society with a separate board. The museum is rapidly

running out of space and has aircraft outside behind the building. While the city owns the

facility, it has not historically provided financial assistance to the museum or the society

other than specific capital projects

1.2 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of the study is to support the Alberta Aviation Museum Association and the

Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society. The support will involve an opportunity assessment

and development of a plan for both the association and society with recommendations with

respect to the sustainability of the organizations. The study objectives are:

to assess the market and make recommendations to enhance the marketing plan of

the association

to evaluate the collection, condition and restoration, and display of artifacts and

make recommendations for improvements

to evaluate volunteer management and develop a plan to replace aging volunteers

to evaluate the future of the facility, given its age and condition

to assess the financial viability of the museum and society and make financial

projections

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to evaluate the governance of the association and society, and make

recommendations to enhance governance structure and processes

to support the City of Edmonton in their consideration of the future sustainability of

the museum and the level of operational support required

1.3 COMPARATIVE ORGANIZATIONS The assessment was conducted considering the market for aviation museums and best

practices for their governance and management. With the input of the steering committee,

we selected several Alberta aviation museums for comparison as well as two located in

other parts of Canada and the U.S. We compared their collections and facilities, volunteer

management, marketing, finances, and governance. In Alberta, the Aerospace Museum of

Calgary and the Reynolds Alberta Museum were selected for comparison. The Canadian

Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton and the New England Aviation Museum near

Hartford, Connecticut were selected as well.

2.0 STUDY METHODOLOGY

The project plan was designed in three phases. Phase 1 focused on project planning while

Phase 2 centered on the comprehensive assessment of the market, strategy and business

plan, finances, operations (e.g. collection and facility), volunteer management and

governance. Conclusions on their viability and recommendations for municipal support to

the museum and society were developed in Phase 3. As well, recommendations to enhance

the strategy and business plan, marketing plan, financial plan, artifacts and facility

management, volunteer management, and governance were made. The recommendations

take into consideration lessons learned from other aviation related museums in Alberta and

elsewhere.

PHASE 1: PROJECT PLANNING

The detailed project plan was developed in Phase 1. The tasks in Phase 1 included:

Initial meeting with the steering committee to understand the history of the

museum and society, to identify background documents and key stakeholders, and

to make any necessary adjustments in the work plan

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Background document review including the website, business plan, marketing plan,

by-laws of the association and society, board minutes, financial statements, facility

assessment, and inventory of artifacts

Review of the web sites of aviation museums to identify emerging trends and to

develop a short list of aviation museums for comparison.

Initial interviews with key individuals including the executive director, chair of the

Alberta Aviation Museum Association, chair of the Edmonton Aviation Heritage

Society, and municipal officials

Interviews with key stakeholders such as the Kingsway Business Association,

Edmonton Airports, NAIT (avionics), Alberta Museums Association, and the Telus

World of Science.

Identification of key issues related to the review such as lack of space, aging

volunteers, rising visitor expectations, and dual reporting relationship of the

executive director

Detailed project plan for the assessment and plan review including guidelines for

focus groups with volunteers and society members and the format for collecting

information on comparable museums.

PHASE 2: CURRENT STATE ASSESSMENT

The current state assessment focused on identifying the strengths/weaknesses of the

existing operations and plans. Comparisons were made with other aviation related

museums in Alberta and Canada. The tasks in Phase 2 include:

Market assessment including target markets; visitor trends and profiles; visitor

expectations and ratings; services; promotion and communication; and pricing

Review of artifact inventory and management including the number, type, and

condition of aircraft; restoration activities; related artifacts such as memorabilia;

and displays

Financial analysis including admissions and memberships, gift shop revenue,

donations and grants, and expenses

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Review of facility management including a tour, discussion of the facility review

with the city, a focus group (1 hour) with society members, and comparisons of the

space, features, and maintenance with other aviation museums

Review of volunteer management including the recruitment, training, scheduling,

and recognition of volunteers. Twenty-two volunteers attended the focus group (1

hour) session.

Governance review including the dual reporting of the executive director and the

relationship of the two societies that are interrelated

Preparation of the Phase 2 report on the current state assessment identifying

strengths/weaknesses of current plans and operations. As well, any

barriers/constraints to realizing the opportunities were identified. The Phase 2

report was reviewed with the Steering Committee and their comments/suggestions

were incorporated into the final report.

PHASE 3: RECOMMENDATIONS & PLANS

The long term viability of the museum and the society were assessed and recommendations

were developed with respect to financial support from the City of Edmonton. As well,

recommendations were made with respect to the strategy and business plan and supporting

functional plans of the association and society. The functional plans include governance,

marketing, facility management, human resources, volunteer management, museum

management, and finance. The tasks in Phase 3 included:

Viability assessment including market potential with five year financial projections

Strategic planning workshop to develop the vision, mission, values and goals for

the museum and the society

Identification and evaluation of strategic options. Strategic options were identified

based on the assessment, stakeholder input, and comparisons with other aviation

museums.

Development of the strategy and business plan and supporting functional plans

Recommendations with respect to support from the City of Edmonton considering

the long term viability and City of Edmonton polices

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Preparation of the draft report, including the recommendations and strategy. The

report contained the identification and evaluation of options for enhancing the

viability of the museum and society, and recommendations with respect to

governance and financial support from the City of Edmonton. The rationale for any

enhancements and recommendations were identified.

Final report. The draft report was reviewed with the steering committee and their

comments / suggestions were incorporated into the final report. As well, the power

point presentation, appropriate for presentations to city council, was developed.

3.0 CURRENT STATE ASSESSMENT

The current state assessment was conducted considering various dimensions of museum

operations and management: governance; facility management; museum management;

marketing; staffing; volunteer management; and fund development.

3.1 CORPORATE STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE

The Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society and the Alberta Aviation Museum Association

are two distinct not-for-profit societies. The Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society has the

long term lease with the City of Edmonton for Hangar 14 at the municipal airport. The

society is governed by a 22 member board with each of members having at least one

member serving on the board. The society has experienced difficulty recruiting members to

the board and maintaining quorums at meetings.

The larger members of the society such as the Alberta Aviation Museum can appoint two

members to the board of the Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society. The museum has only

two directors on the society board even though it occupies over 2/3 of the space. There

have been conflicts between the strategic direction of the society and the museum in the

past. When the society was established, the museum only utilized 10% of the space.

Currently, the museum uses over 67% of the space in hangar 14.

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The Alberta Aviation Museums Association has a 12 member board that is elected from

among membership. As well, the association has numerous committees involved in the

management of the museum.

Recently, the Edmonton Aviation Society and the Alberta Aviation Museum established a

business group to manage the day to day operations of the hangar and the museum. The

business group is composed of the president and treasurer of each organization, an

independent chair, and the executive director. The executive director with responsibility

for marketing and fund raising for the society and the association was recently hired.

The executive director has a contract with both the society and the association and reports

to the business group. The formation of the business group has helped to resolve the

previous conflicts between the two boards and member organizations and is viewed as the

first step in the creation of a unified governance structure. The current governance

structure is confusing especially to external stakeholders. As well, the number of decision

making units is not conducive to clearly defining responsibilities and accountability

reporting.

Compared with other aviation museums, the governance structure of the society and the

museums is complex and cumbersome. The other museums have a unified governance

structure and operate without executive committees. The museum boards have also

appointed executive directors to whom they have delegated overall management of the

museum.

3.2 FACILITY MANAGEMENT

The Alberta Aviation Museum and the other members of the Edmonton Aviation Heritage

Society are housed in Hangar 14 at the Edmonton Municipal Airport. The hangar was built

in 1942 for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. It was one of the largest air

training facilities and was double the width and length of comparable facilities in Canada.

The hanger has 84,000 square feet of space. Hangar 14 is a designated Alberta and

Canadian historical site. The City of Edmonton owns the hangar and has contributed about

10% of the $2.4 million invested in upgrading in the facility since 1993. The Government

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of Alberta as well as other organizations has also contributed to the restoration of the

building and improvement of the grounds.

The Alberta Aviation Museum is the major tenant in the hangar with over 2/3 of the space.

There are fifteen other aviation related not-for-profits societies located in the hanger.

However, may of these organizations are or will be experiencing a decline in membership

as many of the members of the organizations are veterans. The only organizations that are

stable or are increasing membership are the air cadets, army cadets, and the Canadian Air

Search and Rescue Association (CASARA).

The Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society also rents the auditorium and other space with

the hangar to outside groups. The revenues from rentals were $43000 in 2005, above

comparable aviation museums except for the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. The

hangar is better located that most aviation museums. Hangar 14 is located at the Municipal

Airport near the downtown Edmonton while most aviation museums are located at

international airports. The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is a new facility that is

rented out for weddings, birthdays, corporate functions and special events. Facility rentals

and catering revenue exceeds $400,000 per year.

The Asset Management Department of the City of Edmonton has recently conducted an

assessment of the facility and has identified preventative maintenance requirements and

capital improvements that will be needed over the next five years. Preventive maintenance

of $90,000 per year will be required. If the maintenance committee completes some of the

work, the costs may be somewhat lower. Capital improvements of $674,000 have been

identified. The major costs relate to the replacement of the HVAC system and wiring

upgrades. The capital improvements will be needed toward the end of the five year period.

The comparable museums have 20,000 to 100,000 square feet of exhibit space. Except for

the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, the museums are housed in refurbished hangars

and training facilities. Some have erected temporary buildings to protect their collections.

As well, most museums have moved their restoration department, and in some cases, the

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archives offsite in order to expand their exhibit space. The Canadian Warplane Heritage

Museum in Hamilton had a fire in 1993 and invested almost $12 million in a purpose built

facility to replace its hangar.

3.3 COLLECTION

The Alberta Aviation Museum has built an impressive collection since moving to its

present location in 1993. The museum has 32 aircraft on display with three aircraft under

restoration (excluding the Ventura). As well, the museum has one aircraft in offsite

storage. It also has been offered an aircraft on which it must make a decision. The Alberta

Aviation Museum has the fifth largest collection of aircraft in Canada. The Canadian

Aviation Museum, one of the national science museums, has the largest collection

followed by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and the Reynolds Museum.

The collection of the Alberta Aviation Museum consists of military aircraft from World

War I and World War II, as well as an historic collection of civil aircraft. The civil aviation

collection includes early planes used by bush pilots as well as a Boeing 737 donated by Air

Canada. The 737 has advanced avionics and is used for emergency training by the RCPM

and the Edmonton Police Service and the avionics students at NAIT. While the collection

is focused on aircraft important to Edmonton, Alberta and Western Canada, there is no

collection policy. In addition, the donation of one airplane has not been formalized.

Over the last decade, the volunteers have restored many wood and fabric aircraft. The

Alberta Aviation Museum has benefited from the expertise of its volunteers. Few

comparable museums have as much expertise in the restoration of wood and fabric planes.

Given the age of the members of the restoration committee, expertise in wood and fabric

will be a diminishing competency. Recent donations are primarily metal aircraft and the

members of the restoration committee have limited expertise in sheet metal.

Some of the aviation museums also have collections of radio equipment, aircraft engines,

uniforms, and personal memorabilia. Except for the collection of 20 aircraft engines, most

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of the exhibits in the Alberta Aviation Museum relate to the aircraft. There is no radio

room and few uniforms or memorabilia.

3.4 DISPLAYS

There are 32 aircraft on display at the Alberta Aviation Museum. While the collection of

aircraft and the restoration of those aircraft is impressive, the collection is poorly displayed

compared with some other museums. Many visitors to aviation museums are not aircraft

enthusiasts and may not be familiar with the science or technology. Unlike many aviation

museums, there is no introduction to the science of flight in the Alberta Aviation Museum.

While the majority of aviation museums organize their collection around themes, there is

no evidence of its application to the displays in the Alberta Aviation Museum. The Aero

Space Museum in Calgary, for example, organizes its collection around four themes: trail

blazers, pioneers, heroes, and adventurers. Another common practice-easy to read story

boards-has not been introduced. Most museums also have audio tours or interactive

exhibits with audio and video clips. While the Alberta Aviation Museum has some

interactive video exhibits, it does not have an audio tour. The exhibits at the Alberta

Aviation Museum are permanently on display with no rotation of exhibits. Comparable

museums attempt to have a new exhibit every three to four months using artifacts from

their collections. The museums selected for benchmarking also have both static and fully

operational flight simulators in their exhibit halls. The Alberta Aviation Museum has three

vintage flight simulators.

3.5 LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES

The Alberta Aviation Museum has one of the largest reference libraries in Western

Canada. It has a collection of over 4000 books, 6000 periodicals, 1000 technical manuals,

and 20,000 photographs. The collection is currently being catalogued. The archive is not

housed under environmentally controlled conditions.

The comparable aviation museums have libraries and archives. Often the archives are

housed in the library. The libraries and archives are normally staffed by volunteers under

the direction of the curator. The New England Aviation Museums has the largest library

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and archives with over 20,000 books, 97,000 periodicals, 5000 technical manuals, 21,000

photographs, and 1000 audiovisuals, and thousands of personal papers. All of the museums

have or are working towards an electronic catalogues. As well, the archives are

environmentally controlled.

3.6 PROGAMMING

The programs of the Alberta Aviation Museum are very narrow, compared with the other

museums studied. The programming consists of three events (Air Fest, Remembrance Day,

and the Battle of Britain), educational programming for grade 6 only, and tours. In

comparison, the leading aviation museums have extensive programming. Events include

open cockpit days, aircraft ride days, modeling workshops, scouting events and scavenger

hunts. As well, their educational programs are extensive. Other programming and services

include aviation movie nights, speakers, artist/writer in residence, and hands on activities

for kids. As well, their web sites provide additional information on the aircraft and the

aviation pioneers to interested visitors.

3.7 EDUCATION

The Alberta Aviation Museum developed a grade 6 program to teach students the theory of

flight. About 2500-3000 students complete the program each year. The course is taught

primarily by retired pilots.

The comparable museums have extensive education programs. All of them have an

education director. Their educational programs generally include social studies and science

programming for K-6 as well and junior high/middle schools. The programs are integrated

into the curriculum and cover such topics as the theory of flight, air craft design, pioneers

in aviation, engines, forces, and properties of materials. Many of the programs include

hands on activities. Some have pre-visit educational materials that are available to teachers.

The museums have established educational partnerships with corporations that fund the

educational programs. The New England Aviation Museum also has a summer program.

The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and the New England Aviation Museum

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provide educational programming to about 12,000 and 20,000 students respectively per

year. The New England Aviation Museum receives over $175,000 U.S. from corporations

to support its educational program.

3.8 MARKETING AND PROMOTION

Compared with other museums, the Alberta Aviation Museum does not have the

programming nor has it been well promoted. The museum is visible from Kingway

Avenue, a major arterial. However, many people likely have driven by not even realizing

that the museum existed. The signage on the building was not put up until the summer of

2006. In What’s on in Edmonton, the Alberta Aviation Museum is listed under museums

instead of under attractions where the Telus World of Science is listed. All of the other

listings under museums are for art galleries. While museum brochures have been

distributed to Edmonton Visitor Information Centers, the museum is not profiled on the

Edmonton Tourism web site. However, special events have been well advertised and

received good media attention. The Alberta Aviation Museums does not have any

partnerships with other science or aviation museums for cross promotion.

The comparable museums have a more extensive marketing and communication programs.

The programs include: brochures distributed at tourism booths; displays at airports and

other high traffic locations; audio visual presentations to outside groups; contests such as

aviation art or a sponsored trip to Cape Canaveral; high profile dinners; and gift shop items

such as books and other publications, posters, mugs and shirts. These museums generally

have established partnerships with science and other aviation museums for cross

promotions.

3.9 VISITORS

There is significant community use of the facility by the cadets, other tenants and rentals.

Attendance at special events such as Air Fest, the Battle of Britain and Remembrance Day

celebrations is as many as 15-20,000 additional visits per year. The cadets and other

tenants account for 25-30,000 visitations per year. In total, the usage of the facility is as

many as 75-80,000 person visits per year.

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The Alberta Aviation Museum has the fewest paid admissions of the museums studied. It

has an estimated 15,000 paid admissions. The Aero Space Museum has about 25,000

annual visitors while the Reynolds Museum, the Canadian Warplane Aviation Museum,

and the New England Aviation Museum have 50,000 to 65,000 visitors annually. The

Telus World of Science in Edmonton has about 500,000 visitors a year. Some of the visitor

numbers may be inflated by volunteers or event attendance. Some museums are installing

technology to obtain more accurate counts.

3.10 ADMISSION FEES

The average revenue per visitor is low at the Alberta Aviation Museum. The entrance fee

for individuals is $7 compared with $7 to $11 at comparable museums. As well, the

museum provides much larger discounts for seniors and students than other museums. As

well, at special events such as Air Fest, the entrance fee was only $2. Admission revenues

at the Alberta Aviation Museum were $54,732 in 2005, which is approximately $3.60 per

visitor. Admission revenues at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and the New

England Aviation Museum are about $275,000 to $300,000. At the New England Aviation

Museum admissions accounts for 25% to 30% of total revenue.

3.11 GIFT SHOP

The Alberta Aviation Museum and its comparables all have a gift shop. The gift shop is

normally located outside the entrance so that the public can buy gifts without paying the

entrance fee. In 2005, the gift shop revenue was $77,000. However, with the allocation of

the admissions/gift manager to the gift shop, it only broke even. While the revenues were

greater than the Aero Space Museum, gift shop receipts were below those of the other

comparable museums. Some of the other museums had revenues in the $180,000 to

$400,000 range. The gift shop is frequently staffed with volunteers achieving margins of

25% to 50%. Some aviation museums have their gift shops on line.

3.12 FOOD SERVICES

The Alberta Aviation Museum has a coffee shop with access by staff and volunteers only.

Museum visitors expect food services at aviation and other science museums. Many of the

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comparable museums have a café or small dining area. As well, they often have a picnic

area and arrange for food vendors at major events. While it would be too expensive to

renovate the existing kitchen for food service, automatic vending machines may be an

option. Kingway Avenue with its many restaurants and the food services court at Kingway

Mall provide an alternative for visitors.

3.13 MEMBERSHIPS

The Alberta Aviation Museum has fewer members than the comparable aviation museums.

The association has an estimated 225 members. Some of the comparable museums have as

many as 1000 to 2000 regular members. The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum also

has special memberships associated with a particular warplane. As well, the Aero Space

Museum and the New England Aviation Museum have corporate memberships as well as

family and individual memberships. The Alberta Aviation Museum has recently

established additional membership categories including life, crew, and corporate

memberships that will help to build overall museum membership. The member

organizations of the Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society have an estimated 1000 adult

members and 1500 adult and youth members.

3.14 MEMBERSHIP FEES

The memberships to the Alberta Aviation Museum are very inexpensive relative to the

other aviation museums. A family membership is $35 compared with $40 in Calgary, $60

U.S. in New England, and $150 in Hamilton.

Memberships contributed $4478 or about 2.5% of revenue to the Alberta Aviation

Museum. The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum has the largest membership with

revenues of $300,000 followed by the New England Aviation Museum with revenues of

$100,000. Memberships account for about 10% of revenues at the comparable museums

Members are also one of the largest sources of donations to aviation museums.

3.15 STAFFING

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The staffing of the aviation museums varies significantly. The Alberta Aviation Museum

has the smallest staff. In 2006, the museum hired an executive director with financial

support from the City of Edmonton. The recently appointed executive director is expected

to focus on marketing and fund raising. There is also an admissions/gift shop manager, an

archivist, and an office manager. Comparable museums have six to 30 full time

equivalents. The key positions include an executive director, a curator, an education

director, a volunteer coordinator, a fund development officer, an admissions/gift shop

manager, and administrative/office manager. Larger museums also may have an archivist,

librarian, marketing manager, and a communications officer. Museum staff is normally a

mix of part time and full time staff. Maintenance is normally contracted out.

3.16 VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are critical to the success of aviation museums. The Alberta Aviation Museum

has core group of 50 to 60 volunteers who are primarily senior citizens. The volunteers

donated about 22,000 hour to museum activities and programming. The number of

volunteers by committee is found in the table below.

Committee Number of Volunteers

Restoration 20-23

Display 4-6

Education 8

Tour guides 6-10

Library 5-6

Archives 2

Coffee shop 3

Maintenance 4-5

While restoration is the largest group, many of its members have expertise in the

restoration of wood and fabric aircraft. Future restoration projects will likely focus on

metal aircraft. Additional volunteers are needed in the archives, the gift shop, and displays.

As the archives and the gift shop are staffed, potential volunteers may not be aware of the

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opportunities to contribute in these areas. Members of the Edmonton Aviation Historical

Society, especially the cadets, volunteer at special events. The Edmonton Aviation

Historical Society has an estimated 150 to 180 regular volunteers.

The volunteer program at the Alberta Aviation Museum is informal in its nature.

Volunteers are recruited through friends and word of mouth. As well, there is volunteer

form at the entrance. However, association does not always follow up on the volunteer

applications. The volunteers are aging as many are veterans. The Alberta Aviation

Museum will need to build relationships with organizations such as L3 (successor to Spar

Aviation) and other aviation companies, the NAIT avionics program, and the Cold Lake

Air Base to maintain its volunteer base. Many museums expect that volunteer recruitment

and retention of the next generation of volunteers may be especially challenging.

The communication channels with volunteers include the newsletter, email, bulletin board

notices, and informal discussions in the kitchen. Volunteer appreciation includes an annual

dinner, profiles in the newsletter, naming of artifacts, and certificates of appreciation.

Comparable museums have formal volunteer program frequently staffed by a volunteer

coordinator. Many foundations, such as the Wild Rose Foundation, provide funding for

volunteer coordinators. While the Alberta Aviation Museum has fewer volunteers that the

museums studied, its total volunteer hours are impressive. Some of these museums have

several hundred regular volunteers. As well, the comparable aviation museums have a

more diverse group of volunteers and are less reliant on senior citizens.

3.17 DONATIONS

The Alberta Aviation Museum/Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society receives few

donations compared with the other museums. Its main source of funding is its casinos.

Both the association and the society organize casinos. The comparable museums have two

major sources of funding including membership donations and educational partnerships.

The New England Aviation Museum and the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

15


receive donations of $200,000 and $1,000,000 respectively from their membership.

Educational partnerships can fund up to $175,000 per year and cover all the direct and

indirect costs of the educational program.

3.18 PUBLIC FUNDING

Many aviation museums receive almost no operational funding from public sources. The

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is not subject to property tax by the City of

Hamilton. The New England Aviation Museum receives funding from the State of

Connecticut for its summer programs as well as funding from the Hartford Arts Council.

The Aerospace Museum normally receives support from all three levels of government.

The City of Calgary has committed $100,000 per year in operational funding. Through

Alberta government programs, the aviation museum in Calgary expects to receive

$100,000. Normally, the museum also is supported by $50,000 in grants from the

Government of Canada. However, the Aero Space Museum was unsuccessful in its 2006

application for federal support. The Reynolds Museum is operated directly by Community

Development and is funded primarily by the Government of Alberta. The ‘Friends’

organization is able to apply for grants and enter into community partnerships to

supplement the programming at Reynolds. The Aviation Hall of Fame, which is associated

with the Reynolds, also has corporate partners that provide financial support.

4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS AND PLANS

The long term viability of the museum and the society were assessed and recommendations

were developed with respect to financial support from the City of Edmonton. As well,

recommendations were made with respect to the strategic direction, long term objectives

and strategies and supporting functional plans of the association and society. The

functional plans include the governance, marketing, facility management, human resources

and volunteer management, and museum operations.

4.1 LONG TERM VIABILITY

The Alberta Aviation Museum/Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society has the potential to

achieve long term sustainability. The Alberta Aviation Museum/Edmonton Heritage

16


Society will need interim financial assistance for staffing, marketing, and new displays, as

well as building improvements from the City of Edmonton. Both the Canadian Warplane

Heritage Museum and the New England Aviation Museum are self sufficient. The financial

projections show that the museum can become self sustaining within five years. We

recommend that the City Of Edmonton provide $180,000 and $120,000 in operating grants

for 2007 and 2008, respectively. We would also recommend that the City consider

assuming responsibility for the capital costs of the hangar to ensure that the building is

maintained to a standard that is appropriate for a public facility and a designated historic

site.

4.2 STRATEGIC DIRECTION

The Alberta Aviation Museum/Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society has developed a new

strategic direction. The strategic direction incorporates the vision, mission, values, and

goals of the organization.

VISION

To be recognized as the leading aviation museum in Edmonton and Alberta

VALUES

The museum/society has a number of core values that reflects how it conducts its

business and treats it employees, visitors, members, volunteers, donors, tenants,

and the citizens of Edmonton. These values are:

Valued employees

Importance of volunteers to organizations future

Preservation of artifacts

Quality of the visitor experience

Partnerships with corporations, educational institutions, and other science

and aviation museums

Accountability to the taxpayers of Edmonton

Fairness to tenants of Hangar 14

Membership services

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MISSION

The Alberta Aviation Museum/Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society preserves and

promotes the appreciation of the aviation heritage of Edmonton and the North.

Visitors: The visitors to the museum include families, students, veterans and

military personnel, and other individuals. While some of the visitors may be

aviation enthusiasts, the majority may have limited knowledge of aviation.

Market: The primary market is the residents of Metro-Edmonton. Visitors to

Edmonton from Alberta, Canada, and other countries are the secondary markets.

Products and services: The museum collects aircraft and other artifacts appropriate

to its mission; restores aircraft; maintains its building, airplanes and other artifacts

and library collection; exhibits it collection; educates its visitors; rents facilities and

equipment as appropriate; and operates a gift store.

Collection: The artifacts include military and civilian aircraft, uniforms, aircraft

parts such as engines, and personnel memorabilia relevant to the history of aviation

in Edmonton and the North.

GOALS

The Alberta Aviation Museum/Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society has four goals:

To educate residents of Metro Edmonton and other Albertans about

Edmonton’s contribution to aviation

To promote the understanding of the science and technology of aviation

To protect and display Hangar 14, the airplane collection and other artifacts

To achieve financial sustainability

4.3 OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

4.3.1 OBJECTIVES

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The Alberta Aviation Museum/Edmonton Heritage Society has established long

term objectives that are critical to the achievement of the organizations goals.

These long term objectives are:

To grow the number of paid admissions and revenue

To increase the number of members and membership revenue

To manage the facility and public access to the museum efficiently

To ensure the continuity of volunteers

To develop a governance structure that ensures public accountability

To enhance public awareness of the Alberta Aviation Museum

To build the competencies of the museum staff and ensure their health and

welfare

To expand the educational programs

To enhance the visitor experience

To increase annual donations and other support

4.3.2 STRATEGIES

The Alberta Aviation Museum/Edmonton Heritage Society has developed

strategies to achieve its term objectives. These strategies are:

Expand the educational program to include K-6 through partnerships.

Educational program are key to the success of aviation museums. The

museum should develop teacher material and programming that supports

the social and science curriculum of kindergarten to grade 6. Educational

programming is the key to corporate partnerships and donations. In the

longer term, the Alberta Aviation Museum should evaluate the advantages

and disadvantages of expanding the programming to junior high and

possibly high school.

Market the corporate membership program. The Alberta Aviation

Museum has recently established a corporate membership program. The

museum should target 40 to 50 corporate memberships with membership

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fees of $250 to $1000 each. The benefits of memberships should be linked

to the fee. The Alberta Aviation Museum should target Edmonton head

offices, major Alberta corporations, and aviation related businesses.

Increase the prices for admissions and memberships. The annual

membership fees should increased from $35 to $50 over the next five years.

The admission prices should be raised over the next five years to be

comparable with other aviation museums. The discounts for seniors and

students should be reduced. Normal admission prices should be charged at

events.

Enhance display of exhibits. The Alberta Aviation Museum needs to

enhance its displays to improve the visitor experience. On the aviation

museum locator website, the Alberta Aviation Museum only had a three and

a half star rating out of five stars. Some of the comparable museums had a

four or four and a half star ratings out of five.

Enhance programming. Programming is critical to increasing the number

of visitors and memberships. Compared with other museums the Alberta

Aviation Museum has limited programming with only three annual events.

Enhance the communications and marketing program. The

communications and marketing program needs to be enhanced to support

growth in admissions, memberships, and donations.

Establish one governing entity for Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society

and the Alberta Aviation Museum. A unified governance structure will

need to be enhanced in order for the museum to qualify for municipal

operating support and to be successful in fund raising. The existence of two

organizations is confusing to external stakeholders. As well, the existing

structure with two societies, the creation of a business group, and the

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executive director under contract with both societies is incompatible with

the best governance practices of not-for- profit organizations.

Hire core additional full/part time staff. The Alberta Aviation Museum

will not be able to move to the next level of maturity without a core group

of full and part time staff. The museum needs an education director, a

curator, and a volunteer coordinator.

Formalize the volunteer program. With the recruitment of a volunteer

coordinator, the Alberta Aviation Museum can formalize its volunteer

program. The volunteer program needs to focus on succession planning for

the current volunteers who are aging.

Establish a fund development program. Aviation museums depend upon

donations for their ongoing operations. The Alberta Aviation Museum

needs to establish a formal fund development program. Comparable

museums have found that their individual and corporate members are their

largest source of donations. Corporations prefer to donate to educational

programming. Some foundations such as the Wild Rose Foundation will

support the recruitment of volunteer coordinators.

4.4 FUNCTIONAL PLANS

The functional plans include the governance, marketing, facility management, human

resources, volunteer management, museum management, and financial management.

4.4.1 GOVERNANCE

The Alberta Aviation Museum Association and the Edmonton Aviation Heritage

Society need a new governance structure. The new governing entity could be built

upon the business group. The Legal Department of the City of Edmonton will need

to work with the association and the society as the rental agreement for hangar 14,

is between the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society. The

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board members should be selected for the experience and competencies rather than

membership or representation of a specific group. The board will need to seek

expertise in facility management/engineering, marketing, fund development,

museum management, education, and financial management. The board should not

be so large that an executive committee is required. Not-for profit boards require an

audit committee at a minimum made up of board members with significant

financial expertise. Most not-for-profit boards also have governance and

compensation committees. An advisory committee made up of the members of the

society other than the museum should be established. The day to day management

of the organization should be delegated to the executive director.

4.4.2 MARKETING

The recently appointed executive director is responsible for marketing. He has

already taken some initiatives to enhance the marketing and communications

program and has established partnerships with Global TV for promotion and

coverage of key events. As well, the executive director has met with Tourism

Edmonton and made arrangements to profile the Alberta Aviation Museum on

website in 2007. The Aviation Museum has an existing brochure promoting ‘The

Hanger on Kingsway.’ The Alberta Aviation Museum needs a new visual image. A

new brochure incorporating the new image should be developed and distributed

through the Telus World of Science, the Royal Alberta Museum, and Edmonton

visitor information centers. The museum should be advertised under attractions in

What’s on in Edmonton. As well, the gift store should have posters and other items

with the new image.

To support the growth of the educational program, a marketing program focused on

teachers will be needed. The marketing program should consider direct marketing

to teachers, presentations at schools, sponsorship of the school science fairs, and

booths at teacher conventions. Testimonials from grade six teachers may be useful.

4.4.3 FACILITY MANAGEMENT

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Volunteers have been active in the maintenance of hangar and planning of building

improvements. The maintenance committee believes that they can complete some

of the deferred maintenance that the city has identified in its recent assessment of

the facility. It was estimated that with the utilization of volunteers that they can

reduced the deferred maintenance cost from $95,000 to $25,000 per year. Capital

improvements of $674,000 have been identified. However, the estimate does not

include the cost of an environmentally controlled space for the archives.

Consideration should be given to relocating the archives to the City of Edmonton

archives. The Alberta Aviation Museum has had visions of expanding the

collection and acquiring Hangar 15 from Edmonton Airports. As the museum

acquires airplanes that are consistent with its strategic direction, consideration

should be given to relocating the restoration area to increase the exhibit area.

4.4.4 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The museum and the society currently have three staff and one project-funded

archivist. The three staff positions include the Executive Director, the Admissions

and Gift Shop Manager, and the Office Manager. In order to achieve its long term

objectives and move toward the fulfillment of its goals, the Alberta Aviation

Museum needs a core group of competent staff.

The Executive Director has a business background and according to the position

description will focus on marketing and communications and fund development.

The new board will need to delegate the day to day management of the museum to

the executive director. All of the existing and new positions should report to the

executive director. The critical positions are the curator, education director, and

volunteer coordinator.

An experienced curator is needed to finalize some of the existing donations, define

the collections policy, enhance the exhibits and displays, develop new museum

programs and manage the volunteers in the library and archives. The archivist

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position may not be needed especially if the aviation archives are moved to the City

Archives.

Education programs are the core of museum programming. A full time education

director is needed to expand the programming from grade 6 to K-6. It is assumed

that a program for an additional grade is made each year. The educational director

will need to work with the executive director on marketing the educational

programming.

We believe that a half time volunteer coordinator is needed. Most of the 50 to 60

existing volunteers are over seventy years of age. The volunteer coordinator is

needed to recruit the next generation of volunteers. Some foundations have funding

for volunteer coordinators.

4.4.5 VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT

The volunteer coordinator will formalize the volunteer program. The volunteer

program will initially need to focus on succession planning given the age of the

existing volunteers. The volunteer coordinator should develop partnerships with

school boards, NAIT, the Canadian armed forces especially the Cold Lake Air

Force Base, the University of Alberta, and the aviation related businesses at the

downtown and international airports. These organizations may provide the next

generation of volunteers. The volunteer management program should build on the

existing program and include recruitment, selection, training, communication, and

recognition of volunteers.

4.4.6 MUSUEM MANAGEMENT

The curator will take the lead role in managing and displaying the collection and

developing museum programming. An introduction to the theory of flight would

enhance the visitors understanding of aviation and the artifacts. The collection

should be organized around themes as is common in other museum. The museum

also requires simple story boards and interactive exhibits or audio hand sets to

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enhance the visitor experience. Materials from the archives could be used to add

some variety to the exhibits.

Programming should consider the new events, speakers, aviation movies, kids club

with hands on activities, photography and artistic displays related to aviation, and a

rides program. The investment in static and fully operational flight simulators

would also add to the visitor experience.

4.4.7 FINANCIAL PLAN

The combined revenues of the Alberta Aviation Museum and the Edmonton

Aviation Heritage Society were almost $250,000 in 2005. We project that the

organizations could achieve revenues of about $500,000 by 2009 and over

$750,000 by the end of five years. Operating grants will be required from the City

of Edmonton for 2007 and 2008 as the museum builds core staff and programming.

The major assumptions driving the revenues are:

Admissions grow from 12,500 to 28,000 with admission prices increasing

from $3.50 to $8

Participation in student programs grows from 2,500 to 12,000 with student

prices increasing from $4 to $8

Memberships grow from 225 to 1000 with the price of a season pass

increasing to $50 by 2011

Addition of ten new corporate members per year at an average price of $500

Gift shop sales of $5 per visitor with a 25% profit margin

Facility and equipment rentals by outside groups increasing from $43,000 to

$73,000

Educational partnerships of $25,000 starting in 2007 and growing to

$100,000 within five years

Members donations of $20,000 increasing to $100,000 by 2011

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Provincial and foundations grants of $20,000 in 2007 and growing to

$100,000 by 2011

The major assumptions driving the expenses are:

Wages and salaries of $50,000 growing to $200,000

Exhibits and displays of $50,000

Utility charges of $56,000

Marketing programs of $25,000

Repairs and maintenance of $25.000

Insurance $10,000

Displays $100,000

The capital plans include:

HVAC $275,000

Various structural repairs $329

Following is a summarized pro forma plan for the Alberta Aviation Museum and the

Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society that incorporates these assumptions. A more detailed

pro forma is included as Appendix 1.Alberta Aviation Museum and Alberta Heritage Society*Actuals and Budget (in $000)

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011EAHS Aviation Museum Total

Total Revenue 138 110 248 304 388 511 641 762

Total Programming Expenses 48 77 125 365 387 405 430 434

Total Building Expenses 96 24 120 116 120 122 124 126

Total Expenses 144 101 245 481 507 527 554 560

Net Income (Loss) 3 -177 -119 -16 87 202

Total Capital Expenditures 604

2005

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Appendix 1 – Detailed Pro Forma Budget

2007- 2011

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Alberta Aviation Museum and Alberta Heritage Society*Actuals and Budget (in $000)

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Notes EAHS Aviation Museum Total

RevenueDonationsCash donations 3 12 15Project related grants 36 36Education Partnerships 25 25 50 75 100Provincial and foundation grants 20 40 60 80 100Member donations 3 20 40 60 80 100Sub-Total - Donations 51 65 105 170 235 300

Admissions 1 55 55 62 94 131 174 224Education Fees 4 4 12 24 36 48 48Gift Shop (net) 2 3 3 6 24 32 39 47 51Rent from tenants 16 16 16 16 16 16 16Facility and equipment rental 3 43 43 55 67 69 71 73Casino 50 50 50 50 50 50 50Other revenue 20 20 20

Total Revenue 138 110 248 304 388 511 641 762

Operating Expenses 4

Salaries and wages 5 31 19 50 200 209 214 226 226Exhibits and Archives 37 37 100 103 106 109 112Marketing and advertising 2 2 4 25 26 27 28 29Telephone and internet 6 6 6 6 6 6 6Office expenses 5 9 14 14 14 14 14 14Legal and accounting 4 5 9 9 9 9 9 9Education Program 3 3 9 18 27 36 36Other 2 2 2 2 2 2 2Total Operating 48 77 125 365 387 405 430 434

Building Expenses 4

Utilities 56 56 56 57 58 59 60Repairs & Mtnce 6 14 17 31 25 26 27 28 29Insurance 7 7 14 14 14 14 14 14Rental costs (wages, security) 7 6 6 8 10 10 10 10Building security 4 4 4 4 4 4 4Parking lot maintenance 4 4 4 4 4 4 4Waste management 3 3 3 3 3 3 3Other 2 2 2 2 2 2 2Total Building Expenses 96 24 120 116 120 122 124 126

Total Expenses 144 101 245 481 507 527 554 560

Net Income (Loss) 3 -177 -119 -16 87 202

Capital Expenditures 8

HVAC 275Various structural repairs 329Total Capital Expenditures 604

Notes

1. Assume that paid admissions (including students) increases to 41,000 and 500 corporate memberships are sold by 2011.2. Assume $5/visitor sales and a 25% gross profit margin. Fixed costs are covered by current sales.3. The number of days of facility rentals increases to 180 full day and partial days. Prices are increased annually by 2.5%.4. Assume 2.5% cost increase per year.

Add building maintenance (.5) in 2008. Assume a 2.5% salary increase per year.6. The City identified 90,000 per year of preventive maintenance costs. Using volunteers staff estimate the cost to be $25,000 per year.7. If rentals increase, janitorial and other costs will also increase8. Based on City's building assessment. Costs may be less if projects are undertaken by Heritage Society and Aviation Museum volunteers.

* The Alberta Aviation Museum and the Alberta Heritage Society are separate entities. We have consolidated the two for presentation purposes.

2005

5. In addition to 3 existing staff, add .5 volunteer co-ordinator, 1 FT education curriculum person, curator and .5 administrative support.

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Alberta Aviation Museum and Alberta Heritage Society*Salary and Wage Details

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Salaries and Wages FTEAnnual

salary ($000) Salary & Benefits

Executive Director 1 60 60Gift shop and admissions 1 14 14Office Manager 1 16 16Current 90

New:Volunteer co-ordinator 0.5 26 13Education and Curriculum 1 65 65Curator 1 36 36

Total 5.5 90 204 209 214 220 226

2006

Alberta Aviation Museum and Alberta Heritage Society*Price and Volume Assumptions 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Inflation 0.025

Usage numbersGeneral admission 12,500 15,600 18,700 21,800 24,900 28,000Students 2,500 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000 12,000Seasons pass 225 380 535 690 845 1,000Total admissions 15,225 18,980 25,235 31,490 37,745 41,000

Corporate membership 0 10 20 30 40 50

Charges ($)General admission average 3.5 4 5 6 7 8Students/seniors 4 4 5 6 7 8seasons pass 20 40 40 40 44 50corporate membership 0 500 500 500 500 500

Gift shop ($5/person) 5Contribution to revenue 25%Gift shop revenue 77,000 94,900 126,175 157,450 188,725 205,000Contribution to revenue 23,725 31,544 39,363 47,181 51,250

Education ProgramCost/student $3Charge/student $4Revenue $12,000 $24,000 $36,000 $48,000 $48,000Cost $9,000 $18,000 $27,000 $36,000 $36,000

Facility Rental# Days Rate Hours Total annual

Parade area-full days 35 1150 40,250Parade area-partial days 125 45 3 16,875Museum area (evening) 20 250 5,000Equipment rentals 5,000Total 180Total 67,125Rental Costfull days ($150/event) 5250Part days ($30/event) 4350

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Appendix 2

Comparative Aviation Museums

30


Comparative Aviation Museums

Reynolds- Alberta Museum

Aero Space Museum

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

New England Air Museum

Location Wetaskiwin At Calgary International Airport

At Hamilton International Airport

Bradley International Airport, CTMidway between Hartford and Springfield

Ownership Government of Alberta

The Aero Space Museum Association of Calgary

Canadian Warplane Museum Heritage Society

Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Association

Mission Preservation, research, and exhibition of mechanical heritage in transport, aviation, agriculture, and industry

Promote the appreciation of western Canadian contributions in aviation & space

Acquire, document, and preserve and maintain that were flown by the military from WW2 to present

Teaching and preserving aviation history and technology focusing on Connecticut

Visitors 51,000 visitors, 25% from Edmonton, 5% from Wetaskiwin, 18-19% from Calgary50% from out of province/ country.Admission is to the Museum and Aviation Hall of Fame

25,000 to 30,000Include rentals, volunteers etc.System being installed for counts

66,000 visitors, including 12, 000 students

60,000 visitorsIncludes rentals, volunteers etc.

Hours 10 Am to 5 Pm, closed Mondays, except May – Sept, 7 days a week

Open 7 days a week10 Am to 5 Pm



Entrance Fees Family $25Adult $9Senior $7Child $56 and under are free

Family $18Adult $7Senior $4.50Student $4.50Children $3.50

Adults $10Seniors $9Students $9Children $6

Adults and students $9Children $5 Seniors $8 Audio tour $3.

Memberships Family $40Individual $25Senior $20Student $15Life $500

2000 members3500 special membersFamily $150Individual $100Senior $75Student $30Lifetime $1500

Family $60Individual $50Patron $100Benefactor $500 Lifetime $1000

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Corporate sponsorships

Stan Reynolds donated the majority of the collection. He restores aircraft off-site in his own facility at no cost to the museum.Partnerships for specific exhibits (e.g. Honda for motorcycle exhibit)

44 corporate sponsorsFocused on education, special events, restorationIn-kind donations as well

Few corporate sponsorshipsContributing member $250Supporting member $500Benefactor $1000

55 corporate sponsorsBusiness associate $250 Business fellow $500 Business partner $1000Business patron $2500

Volunteers 300 volunteers20,000 hours

16000 hoursFlexible scheduling & trainingVisitor services hostEducational tour guideInterpretive tour guideSpecial eventsRestoration & maintenanceAmateur radio operatorVolunteer profiles

Several hundred regular volunteersEducationToursLibraryArchivesPilots & crewsRestorationsFund raisingGift shopSpecial events

175 volunteersDocent/tour guideRestorationSpecial eventsGift shopExhibit developmentFund raisingLibraryCuratorial assistanceApplications sent to museum director

Operating budget

$1,900,000Building Operation is an additional $1.3 million, for a total of $3.4 million

$480,000 $3,000,000 $1,000,000

Revenues Admissions $250,000

Admissions $47,000Memberships $20000Education $20000Rentals $30000Casinos $75000

Admissions $270000Memberships/donations $1000000Catering $400000Shop $400000Flying $200000Fund raising $300000 Events and other $400000

Admissions $275000Memberships $70000Corporate memberships $30000Rentals $30000Shop $180000Members donations $200000Educational partnerships $175000Other $75000Trip $25000

Facility 43,000 sq ft in main building,81,000 sq ft in warehouse (autos, farm equipment)

20000 sq ft in drill hallTemporary building erected (25000 sq ft)

112,000 sq ftNew facility cost $12 million with $9 from governmentDofasco Dome shaped

Five buildings erected in 1981Three display buildings with 100,000 sq ft of

3. 32

16,200 sq. ft. in Aviation Hall of Fame

Plan for 25000 sq ft addition Exhibit hallLibraryArt galleryGift shopOffsite city storageSpace

room for meetings, receptions, and starting point for educational toursCaféWestinghouse Gallery with Lancaster bomberRolls Royce Theater

display spaceMilitary exhibit, civilian exhibit, and showcase areaB29 hangerActivities corridorOutside storage areaGift shopSmall dining area

Governance Government operated. Contract with ‘Friends’ for gift shop, restaurant, and interpretive services

15 member not for profit board



Staff 25 full time staff, 7 of which are employed by the ‘Friends.’Building maintenance is contracted by AB infrastructure.

Six full time staffExecutive directorCuratorEducation OfficerAdministrative officerVolunteer ManagerFund development and Communications Officer

19 full time staff15-16 part time staffCEODeputy DirectorControllerGroup Tour CoordinatorMuseum Gift Shop ManagerCatering ManagerMarketing ManagerVolunteer CoordinatorDirectorEducational DirectorLibrarianCuratorCommunications OfficerFlight Coordinator

Four full time staffFour part time staffExecutive directorAssistant executive directorEducational DirectorAdmissions and Gift Shop ManagerDevelopment OfficerRestoration managerAdministrator 58 BW MemorialSummer program manager

Aircraft Collection

70 vintage aircraft.An additional 70 are being restored and will likely be donated

24 aircraft from WW1, WW2, post war military, civil aviation, recreational, helicopters displayed3 under restorationAircraft engines

40 WW2 aircraft to present with 30 in flying conditionRadio room and real time operating radio

80 aircraft form WW1, WW2, post war military, civil aviation, helicopters125 aircraft enginesUniformsPersonal memorabilia

Notable aircraft

1928 American Eagle Biplane 1943 Staggerwing DehavillandAvro

LancasterTwin OtterVodoCF100Vampire

LancasterSpit fireB25

Sikorsky VS 44A (flying boat)B29 bomberSilas Brooks Balloon Basket

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Hawker Hurricane, Each aircraft is special or distinctive in some way

Barkley GrowDC 3Under restoration (Hurricane, MosquitoCessna crane)

Bunce-Curtis PusherSikorsky helicopterKaman K-225

Display Programming is stronger for automobiles and farm machinery. Primarily a collection of aircraft supplemented by biographical storyboards in the Hall of Fame

Themes-trailblazers, pioneers, heroes, adventures

Interactive audio & video displaysEasy to read panelsRotate displays every three monthsThemes – fighters, trainers, fighter jets, bombers, army co-operation

Landmark artifacts that changed historyStories of veteransPrinciples of flightImpact of Connecticut (balloons, space suits)

Other exhibits Hands-on exhibits, primarily auto and agriculture related

TrainersFlight simulatorsAmateur radio stationSpace agency counselsBCATP

WW2 trainerWW2 radiosFlight demonstrations

Static flight simulatorsFully operational flight simulator

Library Theme related books from the late 1800’s to the present, trade literature, shop and owners manuals, automotive and agricultural newspapers

Periodicals of 321 titles, booksNew computer based collections catalogue

4000 booksSeveral thousand periodicalsManualsLibrary run and staffed by volunteersWorking on electronic catalogue

John W. Ramsay Research Library20000 books97000 periodicals5000 technical manuals7000 sq ftStaffed by 17 volunteers

Archives Documents, technical drawings, photographsLimited search, more extensive requires a visit

Photographs (3000)InsigniaUniformsMedalsAircraft partsUniformsFilms and videosPapers

Archives part pf libraryAudi visual (1000) Photographs (21000)Papers of aviation pioneers

Education programs

Aviation Nation- manipulate the controls of a vintage aircraft (grade 6)Rocket Science- design and build a rocket (grade 6)

Kindergarten, aircraft assembly, history of flight, theory of flight, aircraft structures and forcesLinks to grade 1,2,4,6,7 curricula

Junior Aviators Program (k-3)Science of Aviation (4-6)History of Aviation (7-10)

Pre-visit educational handbookThematic tours such as evolution of flight, pioneers in aviation, aircraft design, Connecticut’s

34

contributions to flightStudent Outreach Aviation Resources Elementary and middle schools social and science programsLessons and activities delivered independently or to support museum visit through websiteBuild and fly activitiesScout activities & badgeSummer programs

Other services Biplane rides, operated by Central Aviation Inc.

Writer in residenceArtist in residenceMovie nightsHands on craft activity for kids

Ride programsGuest speakers

TalksHands on craft activity for kidsKids clubSnack area and picnic tables

Events Fathers dayAviation Days

Numerous special events

Open cockpit daysWomen in flightConnecticut’s role in aviationModeling workshopsScavenger huntsVeterans dayFood vendor on site for special events/exhibits

Marketing & Communications

$70-75,000 budget. Media sponsors.Print/electronic, no television.Distribute materials through visitor centre.Included in provincial advertising

NewsletterAdvertising special eventsAwards dinerLogos on mugs, shirtsDisplay at PetroCanadaBooks and publications

HMS Prince of Wales Patron of MuseumAudio visual presentations to groupsNewsletterBrochure distributed at tourism boothsLimited advertising

NewsletterAnnual dinerOn road eventsAviation art contestBooks, posters, audio tapes, DVD

Funding Province pays operating and capital costs.

Exhibit signage sponsorship package

Patron Donor CouncilCornerstone ($100000)Wing of Platinum

TributesStockMatching

35

‘Friends’ apply for funds from CFEP and STEP,Corporate donations

Education sponsorsAnonymous donorAnnual support of$100000Project funding $50000 for restoration

($50,000)Wings of Gold ($25000)Wings of Silver ($10000)Wings of Bronze ($5000)

corporate donationsIn-kind giftsPlanned givingCorporate and foundation grantors (18)

Public Funding

Majority is paid by the province

$100000 three year commitment from the City of Calgary$100000 in provincial funding$50000 in federal funding normally, but not in 2006

No operating fundingHamilton does not tax property

Connecticut Department of EducationGreater Hartford Arts Council

Partnerships Stan Reynolds, Central Aviation

Calgary Flight Training CenterCalgary CoopCalgary Airport Authority

DofascoVoortman CookiesWestinghouseRolls Royce

Education partnerships ($175000)

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Interviewees

Gerry Osmond Alberta Museums AssociationDavid Dusome Reynolds-Alberta MuseumMarleen Kankkunen Community Services, City of Edmonton Lynda Nelson Asset Management, City of EdmontonKim Krushell Councillor, City of EdmontonMichael Phair Councillor, City of EdmontonJim Powell Executive Director, Aerospace MuseumPamela Richards Deputy Director, Canadian Warplane Heritage MuseumDave Heathcote Avionics Program, NAITMichael Speciale Executive Director, New England Aviation MuseumAndy Shanks Manager, General Aviation, Edmonton AirportsTom Hinderks Executive Director, AAMA and EAHSPat Fahy President, EAHSRod MacLeod President, AAMARobert Smith Professor, University of AlbertaDon Grimble Executive Director, Kingsway Business AssociationGeorge Smith Telus World of Science

Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society Focus GroupPat Fahy Civil Aviation Search and Rescue Association (CASARA)Graham Pilkington Edmonton Aviation Heritage SocietyRod Macleod Alberta Aviation Museum AssociationTerry Champion Edmonton Aviation Heritage SocietyJim Williams Ex-RCAFPaul Squires Ventura Memorial Flight AssociationEric Dudzica 504 Air CadetsPaul Charles 418 SquadronCrimson Star Experimental Aircraft AssociationJim Want Alberta Aviation Museums AssociationAlex Richards 700 Wing Air Force AssociationAlex Nagorski Balloon ClubChris Pludek 180 Royal Canadian Army Cadet CorpsBernie Sheppard 418 SquadronTom Hinderks Executive DirectorWilly Williams Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society

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