An open hangar door at the Heritage Flight Museum reveals a T6D Texan, Hog Wild Gunner. [Credit: Meg Godlewski]
Key Takeaways:
The Heritage Flight Museum, located at Skagit Regional Airport, was founded in 1996 by Apollo 8 astronaut William “Bill” Anders (famous for the "Earthrise" photo) and his wife Valerie, as a family-run institution dedicated to honoring veterans and preserving aviation history.
The museum features a growing collection of airworthy military aircraft, historical artifacts, and exhibits, including "The '68 Experience" which highlights the cultural impact of Anders' iconic photograph.
Despite the recent passing of its co-founder Bill Anders, the museum continues its mission to keep aviation history alive, foster community involvement, and develop aerospace-related STEM programs, building on his lasting legacy.
These days it is getting harder to find a family-owned FBO at airports. It’s even more difficult to locate a family-run aviation museum unless you head to Skagit Regional Airport (KBVS) in Burlington, Washington, home of the Heritage Flight Museum.
The museum was founded in 1996 by astronaut and retired Air Force Major General William “Bill” Anders and his wife, Valerie.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![An open hangar door at the Heritage Flight Museum reveals a T6D Texan, Hog Wild Gunner. [Credit: Meg Godlewski]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/FLY0226_2.1-Heritage.jpeg)
