After more than two months of being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center has reopened to the public.
Doc’s Friends closed the facility at Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas, in March as a precaution to protect the health and safety of its volunteers and flight crew teams during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reopening the hangar to the public is the first step in a phased approach to return to full operations for B-29 Doc, officials noted.
The phases will include an eventual return to full operations for the Doc team, with the resumption of B-29 Doc Flight Experience rides and a modified 2020 tour schedule, which Doc’s Friends expects to be implemented by mid-to-late-June, pending adherence to the state’s reopening plan.
“We are excited to launch our plan to get back to work and carry out our mission of operating B-29 Doc as a flying tribute to our nation’s heroes, as well as to allow the public to get up-close and personal with a piece of history,” said Josh Wells, Doc’s Friends executive director and general manager. “We are taking the reasonable precautions and implementing best practices related to COVID-19 sanitizing and social distancing in order to protect our volunteer team, our flight crews and the public.”
“Of course, our focus is always on safety and we have a renewed commitment to ensure the resumption of our public access to the hangar, as well as our ability to offer B-29 Doc Flight Experiences, meets or exceeds the recommendations of health officials in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he continued.
Visitors to the 42,000-square-foot facility, which is an interactive experience for all ages, will notice additional hand sanitizing stations through the facility, as well as the practice of social distancing protocols. All volunteers and visitors must wear masks.
Initially, large group tours will not be allowed in order to comply with reopening mandates by local and state health officials.
The facility will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
B-29 Doc Flight Experience rides are scheduled to resume June 20 and 21 in Wichita. Tickets still remain for these two dates that were originally part of Doc’s 2020 tour schedule. Tickets can be purchased for these flights at B29Doc.com/Rides.
“We are working to schedule more ride flight days, as well as add additional tour stops and airshows to our 2020 schedule but due to the uncertainty of the long-term COVID-19 situation, those details are not yet known,” Wells said. “It’s vitally important that we follow the reopening guidelines set forth by public health officials while we continue to work with event planners and tour hosts across the nation regarding our 2020 schedule for Doc. I’m confident we can find opportunities to share B-29 Doc with warbird enthusiasts while doing it with reasonable precautions in place to fight the spread of COVID-19.”
Great experience, a must see be sure to pay a little extra to climb aboard. Many knowledgeable volunteers to answer your Questions.