Engineering Marvel

By 430A on Sunday May 2nd I was awake, enjoying my first cup of coffee and ready for the day to get underway. My mom, who had driven down from Tigard for the morning event, and I arrived at the Aviation Museum a few minutes before 5A. As we walked back to the West Patio of the Aviation Building with our camping chairs, blankets and winter coats, you could feel the excitement in the air. Slowly the West Patio began to fill with the familiar faces of staff and volunteers who had dragged friends and family out of cozy warm beds on this crisp Spring morning to witness an engineering marvel. None of us were disappointed.


As the day slowly brightened and the sun spread its rays across the parking lot the 747 was slowly lifted off the ground and a round of clapping could be heard. Although in my mind I was ready to clap after the placement of jet and not before. Getting the plane off the ground seemed to be least of my concerns and I couldn’t help but hope that the pedestals would hold the plane. The 747 is the biggest plane to sit atop a building and the biggest plane that has been lifted onto a showcase.

By 7A most of the excitement was complete and the jet was resting at a permanent altitude of just over 50 feet. Many of us were headed to breakfast and perhaps ready to curl in for a lengthy morning nap, but we left behind a construction crew with a long day ahead. Workers were quickly bolting the aircraft into place atop specially constructed pedestals and a framework that would hold its 180,000 pound weight. It was several hours of welding before the huge Campbell Cranes released it completely and backed away.

The water park has been named Evergreen Wings and Waves Water Park after a contest was held to name this addition to the Evergreen Family of Companies. The winner was Bob Dean, a docent at the Museum and the Thursday Day Captain. Set to open in Summer 2011 the attraction will feature both fun and learning areas to include a wave pool, play areas, water slides and interactive exhibits. Four water slides will actually depart from the planes emergency exit doors before descending down through the roof of the building and into the water park below.