Building an Aviation Dream
The life of Stanley Hiller Jr and building the Hiller Aviation Museum
May 26, May 27, May 28 and June 5
All presentations are at 11AM
Event included with Museum admission.
Stanley Hiller Jr. was a man born ahead of his time. He possessed two important traits that helped lead him to success: visionary engineering insight, and brilliant business sense.
Flying was in Stanley’s blood. His father, Stanley Sr., was a pioneering aviator flying aircraft of his own construction in the early years of flight. Stanley Jr. had his first company at 14 years of age and set out to design and build his first helicopter at age 17. The company he founded went on to build over 2,000 helicopters and employ over 3,000 people. After his aircraft career he became a successful Silicon Valley venture capitalist before anyone knew either Silicon Valley or venture capital by those names, investing in and turning around over 30 companies, all while keeping his hand in aviation sitting on the Board of Directors of the Boeing Aircraft Company and several futuristic aircraft startups.
Stan Hiller did not originally set out to build a museum, but even after leaving aerospace he saved and preserved many of his old helicopter prototypes, and collected many other unique aircraft. He had a private museum warehouse in Redwood City that he established in the 1980s to house his growing collection. For years he looked for the right place to open a museum for the public, ultimately finding it at the San Carlos Airport. The Hiller Aviation Museum opened its doors to the public for the first time on June 5, 1998.
As part of the museum’s 20th anniversary celebration, Willie Turner, VP of Communications and Operations will give a presentation on Stanley Hiller Jr. and the early days of the museum. Willie has been with the museum since its formative years and he has witnessed firsthand its ongoing evolution into the world class museum and education center that it is today.
presents
Biggest Little Air Show
Saturday, June 2, 2018
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Flight demonstrations from 10:30 am – noon!
Big things come in small packages in an amazing aerial display at the Hiller Aviation Museum!
Celebrate the Hiller Aviation Museum’s 20th Anniversary at the Biggest Little Air Show. This year’s show will match a thrilling aerobatic performance by airshow pilot Rich Perkins in the Yak-54 Russian Thunder along with demonstrations of exceptional radio controlled models.
It’s OK to bring a small, portable folding chair for your viewing comfort!
San Carlos Airport will close to regular traffic from 10:30 am to noon to allow realistic jet- and propeller-powered model aircraft to roll down the runway and into the sky to take their part in a unique aerial extravaganza including aerobatic helicopters, drones, quadrotors and more!!
Performers are scheduled to include:
- Rick Perkins in the Yak-54 Russian Thunder
- The Bay Bombers Formation Flying Team
- The RC Flyers model aircraft demonstrations
- Aerobatic gyroscopic routines
- 3D aerobatic helicopters
- DRONES
- Quads
- Jets and other RC aircraft
Flight Demonstration Schedule*
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Opening ceremony
WWII Warbirds
Future Fight – Star Wars
Dueling Bi-Planes
Drone Race & Freestyle Demo
IMAC 3D Aerobatics
Parachute Jump by Alan Eustace
EDF Jets
Combat Planes
Turbine Jet
Red Stars Formation Flying Team – full size planes
Yak 54 Russian Thunder flown by Rich Perkins
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Drone Demos in the Drone Plex
Nano and Mini Drones in the Nano Cage in the Atrium Room
*Schedule subject to change without notice
Rich Perkins and the Yak-54 Russian Thunder
Rich is a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and CEO of Attitude Aviation. He is a former U-2 pilot, an internationally known air show performer, and an award winning instructor pilot.
Rich holds the highest aviation ratings in both the military and civilian worlds: US Air Force Command Pilot wings and the Airline Transport Pilot license for both land-based and seaplanes. He has over 10,000 hours of flying time in over 120 different aircraft, and he is equally at home soaring serenely somewhere in the stratosphere or upside down fifty feet off the ground at five hundred miles per hour.
RUSSIAN THUNDER IS BACK!
There is only one Yak 54 in the western hemisphere, and this Big Bad Yak is ready to roll the thunder again. Familiar to airshow fans throughout the U.S., Russian Thunder was campaigned by the late Eric Beard in the early 2000’s. Now, after a complete rebuild, a new engine and paint, Russian Thunder is back, with veteran airshow performer Rich Perkins at the controls. Rich flies the Yak 54 to its limits in a high energy fully aerobatic performance, with lots of smoke and, yes, Thunder.
Promo video from last year’s event
Beautifully detailed radio control model aircraft will be on display at the Museum from 10 AM to 1 PM, with air show flight demonstrations from 10:30 AM to 12 PM.
Event is included with Museum admission—no charge to Museum Members! Capacity is limited. Tickets available at the door.
Sponsors
Building an Aviation Dream
The life of Stanley Hiller Jr and building the Hiller Aviation Museum
May 26, May 27, May 28 and June 5
All presentations are at 11AM
Event included with Museum admission.
Stanley Hiller Jr. was a man born ahead of his time. He possessed two important traits that helped lead him to success: visionary engineering insight, and brilliant business sense.
Flying was in Stanley’s blood. His father, Stanley Sr., was a pioneering aviator flying aircraft of his own construction in the early years of flight. Stanley Jr. had his first company at 14 years of age and set out to design and build his first helicopter at age 17. The company he founded went on to build over 2,000 helicopters and employ over 3,000 people. After his aircraft career he became a successful Silicon Valley venture capitalist before anyone knew either Silicon Valley or venture capital by those names, investing in and turning around over 30 companies, all while keeping his hand in aviation sitting on the Board of Directors of the Boeing Aircraft Company and several futuristic aircraft startups.
Stan Hiller did not originally set out to build a museum, but even after leaving aerospace he saved and preserved many of his old helicopter prototypes, and collected many other unique aircraft. He had a private museum warehouse in Redwood City that he established in the 1980s to house his growing collection. For years he looked for the right place to open a museum for the public, ultimately finding it at the San Carlos Airport. The Hiller Aviation Museum opened its doors to the public for the first time on June 5, 1998.
As part of the museum’s 20th anniversary celebration, Willie Turner, VP of Communications and Operations will give a presentation on Stanley Hiller Jr. and the early days of the museum. Willie has been with the museum since its formative years and he has witnessed firsthand its ongoing evolution into the world class museum and education center that it is today.
Drone Meet
Event Schedule
Sunday, May 13, 1 PM – 4 PM
Relay Race
Sunday, June 10, 1 PM – 4 PM
Precision Landing
Sunday, July 8, 1 PM – 4 PM
Loop-the-Hoop
Sunday, August 5, 1 PM – 4 PM
Relay Race
All competitors must be at least 8 years old to fly at the Drone Meet.
Fly a multi-rotor drone in one of several different skill-specific competitions held in the Hiller Aviation Museum Drone Plex.
Join a Drone Competition!
Fly with the best of the best in a thrilling series of multirotor competitions. Each Drone Meet event focuses on a different skill in quadcopter flight, and utilizes the Hiller Aviation Museum’s Drone Plex facility. Drone Meet events include:
- Preflight briefing
- Practice with a drone flight simulator
- Competition using a Museum-provided Drone appropriate for the event
Each Drone Meet features rounds at 1, 2 and 3 PM. Events are included with Museum admission, but space for each round is limited. Competitors must register at the Invention Lab (10 AM – 1 PM) or Drone Plex (1 PM – 4 PM) on the day of competition.
Event Descriptions
Precision Landing (March 11): Master low-speed hovering and precise multirotor flight. Practice landing on a designated target, then complete by flying to and landing within the smallest possible distance from the target in the time available!
Loop-the-Hoop (April 8): Take on the challenge of flying up to, around and through an obstacle! Learn the maneuvering needed to pass safely through a target loop, then race the clock to cleanly fly a loop routine in the shortest possible time!
Relay Race (May 13): Fly like the air racers of old, completing a circuit around pylons spaced around the Drone Plex. Fly in teams to complete the race without crashing ahead of the competition!
Water Rocket Rally
Upcoming dates:
Wednesday, June 13, 11 AM – 12 PM
Wednesday, July 25, 11 AM – 12 PM
Event included with Museum admission.
Discover the world of rockets!
Bring along a recycled 1- or 2-liter soda bottle or purchase a new water rocket body in the Museums Gift Shop ($1/bottle) and join the rocket workshop! Use a variety of common craft materials to convert a bottle into a high performance rocket vehicle, then test fly it across the Museum’s Courtyard on a fountain of compressed air and water.
Event is included with Museum admission.
Participants must bring a clean, empty soda bottle (water bottles are not suitable for this activity), or may purchase one in the Museum’s Gift Shop on the day of the event.
Happy Birds
Upcoming dates:
Wednesday, June 20, 11 AM
Wednesday, July 18, 11 AM
Wednesday, August 8, 11 AM
Event included with Museum admission.
Join a feathered frenzy with the Happy Birds! This elite team of parrots, macaws and cockatoos takes wing for a dazzling performance featuring wild and trained behaviors of all sorts. Arrive early for best seating and take flight on the wild side with these popular parrots and their friends.
These avian performers have been featured on The Tonight Show, Pet Star and The Ellen Show. Their repertoire includes: animal impersonations, singing opera, crying like a baby, and even a song called Clementine!
You will see fantastic birds showing incredible skills, including:
- RIDING A BIKE
- THE SHELL GAME
- RIDING A SCOOTER
- TALKING AND SINGING SONGS
- PLAYING BASKETBALL
- ANIMAL IMPERSONATIONS
- RAISING THE FLAG
- 360 DEGREE SWING
- SKATEBOARDING
- FLYING TRICKS
- OPENING DRINKS
- AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
- AND MUCH MORE!
Kids’ Carnival
Sunday, May 27, 10 AM – 12:30 PM
Sunday, June 24, 10 AM – 12:30 PM
Sunday, July 22, 10 AM – 12:30 PM
Sunday, August 26, 10 AM – 12:30 PM
Event included with Museum admission.
Join the excitement with special activities just for kids! Paint the Cessna Cardinal, check out in an airplane or helicopter, build a flying craft project and more in a morning of high-flying fun.
Kids’ Carnival Activities
May 27
- Penguin Airplane Assembly
- Paint a Plane
- Bounce House
- Wind Tunnel Exploration
- Glider Construction
- Model Train Exhibition
June 24
- Paint a Plane
- Build a Glider
- Scorpion Helicopter Open Cockpit
- Rig-a-ma-Jig Construction
July 22
- When Pigs Fly – Meet a Pig in a Plane!
- Paint a Plane
- Paper Copters
- BD-5 Airplane
Sponsored by
Paper Airplanes
Upcoming dates:
Wednesday, June 20, 11 AM & 1 PM
Saturday, July 7, 11 AM
Wednesday, August 15, 11 AM & 1 PM
Everyone loves paper airplanes. We turn into test pilots just by folding sheets of paper. We make them to see how fast they will go or how far they will fly, we even try to do aerobatics with them.
One of the top paper airplane makers in the country (and world record holder), John Collins, will join us for an expert demonstration of the wonder, delight and aeronautic capabilities of hand made paper gliders. John is world distance paper airplane record holder and a master paper airplane builder. John has written a number of books on building paper airplanes that will be available at the event and John will make sure he personalizes it just for you.
John’s discussions and demonstrations will last approximately 45 minutes. No reservations are required and the event is included with your museum admission.
John’s creative designs include planes so light that simply holding it above your hand and walking makes it fly. He has planes that perform unique aerobatics and even planes that become two when thrown in the air.
Paper Airplanes
Upcoming dates:
Wednesday, June 20, 11 AM & 1 PM
Saturday, July 7, 11 AM
Wednesday, August 15, 11 AM & 1 PM
Everyone loves paper airplanes. We turn into test pilots just by folding sheets of paper. We make them to see how fast they will go or how far they will fly, we even try to do aerobatics with them.
One of the top paper airplane makers in the country (and world record holder), John Collins, will join us for an expert demonstration of the wonder, delight and aeronautic capabilities of hand made paper gliders. John is world distance paper airplane record holder and a master paper airplane builder. John has written a number of books on building paper airplanes that will be available at the event and John will make sure he personalizes it just for you.
John’s discussions and demonstrations will last approximately 45 minutes. No reservations are required and the event is included with your museum admission.
John’s creative designs include planes so light that simply holding it above your hand and walking makes it fly. He has planes that perform unique aerobatics and even planes that become two when thrown in the air.
Nano Drone Workshop
Drone workshops ages 10 – adult
presented in partnership with:
Saturday, May 19
Saturday, June 30
Saturday, July 28
Saturday, August 25
Afternoon Programs 1 PM – 3:30 PM
Learn to fly a tiny, camera-equipped drone using First Person View (FPV) technology in a special workshop at the Hiller Aviation Museum!
Nano Drone Workshop ($199 – $179 Members)
Micro-scale drone racing is the fastest, easiest way to become a drone sports pilot. This special 2.5 hour program presented by Aerial Sports League and the Hiller Aviation Museum features a tiny but powerful quad-rotor helicopter with integrated camera and FPV googles, a screen system that provides a drone’s eye view of flight to the pilot at the controls. Each program features:
- Introduction to drone operations
- Nano drone systems and flight preparation
- Flight training using drone flight simulators
- Progressive flight training in the Museum’s Drone Plex
- Complete FPV nano drone flight system, including aircraft, camera, radio, goggles and more
Students learn the basic by building their own micro-drone from scratch, with hands-on help and guidance from ASL’s professional pilot instructors. Students then learn to fly, starting with basic hover-and-land skills to more advanced racing techniques.
Registration includes admission for the participant (minimum age 10) and one guest. Pilots ages 10-14 must be accompanied by an adult. All equipment needed to operate the nano drone including, battery and charging equipment, is included.
Nano Drone Workshop
Program Dates
Saturday, May 19
Saturday, June 30
Saturday, July 28
Saturday, August 25
Register
Space for all programs is limited to provide the best experience for all participants.
