Jun 14 - The Starfleet Academy Experience
and the Canadian Aviation & Space Museum
Today is the day to pick up our US visas. We headed off to Canada Post in Ottawa mid-morning. Traffic wasn't bad but it seemed most of the drivers on the road had some place to go in a big hurry.
After Canada Post, it was the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum. The museum offers the Starfleet Academy Experience for those of us who qualify. We were both kinda ho hum on it, but decided why not. Well, I gotta tell you this was extremely well done.
Before we entered, we were given our Star Trek "bracelets" so we could record our "development" as potential Star Fleet officers. But first off, we had the opportunity to "become" an alien life form. What fun!!
There were 5 main areas that we had to master. The first one was learning a bit of Klingon. Well that was a bust – Jen didn't even try. I did but batted 0 out of 3. Oh well on to the next step.
There were many interactive and static displays. A lot of wardrobe displays as well. Unfortunately most everything was behind glass and with the lighting, it was a waste of time trying to take pictures – too much glare and reflection.
I always wondered what Dilithium crystals looked like, maybe you did too, so here you go.
So how did we do. Well of course you have to know that Bedford is COMMAND material.
Me? Ah, who cares? Oh, you do; that's nice. Well, I'm ENGINEERING material.
If you are in the Ottawa area anytime soon, we highly recommend the Star Fleet Academy Experience. It was very informative and a lot of fun!
After our Star Trek experience, we visited the Aviation and Space Museum. It is divided into sections such as WWI, WWII, bush flying, etc. There are a number of notable airplanes such as this Lancaster bomber and Spitfire from WWII.
Here are other perhaps familiar planes from WWII.
The museum even has 3 North American Harvards. I remember these as a kid growing up in Downsview (the absolute north of Toronto back in the '50s). Their familiar sound I still remember to this day. Of course, I forgot to take a picture of the actual airplane.
Here is the nose section of the Avro Arrow CF105. All of the prototypes were cut up and sold for scrap thanks to the Diefenbaker Conservative government of the day. My dad worked at Orenda Engines on the Iroquois engine that RL206 was fitted with, and about to fly with. Sadly it was not to be. If RL206 had flown, it would have shattered most of the existing records of the day – the US didn't want that to happen and Diefenbaker…., well, enough said.
The Bomarc missiles that replaced the Arrow never lived up to expectations and less than 7 years later, new fighters were ordered from the USA.
Makes me wonder what could have been.
We then went into the Space Museum where we saw this superb, very large model of the International Space Station.
I did not realize the ISS was as big as it is.
A lot of interesting information about living and working on the ISS was on display; all very interesting.
I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a picture.
Jen and I really enjoyed our visit to the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, especially the Star Trek Starfleet Academy Experience. Don't miss this if you are ever in the Ottawa area.
In a couple of days, we travel south to Smiths Falls to catch up with friend Mary in her new digs. We're there for the weekend, then we head south and east into the Eastern Townships of Quebec. See you there.
