UNITS

Aviation Park

Mission of the Unit

For the purpose of imbuing people of the city, region and country with love of aviation and improving aviation-related knowledge, and ensuring them to support aviation development:

To design educational programmes and have science communication on subjects regarding aviation,
To exhibit aircraft, objects and information of aviation heritage as contributors with historical value to the improvement of aviation,
To introduce and honour the aviation heritage pioneers in our country and the world.

Vision of the Unit:

To become a lifelong learning oriented university of world-class.

History:

On December 16, 1997, the Aviation Park and Museum was started and managed by the Provincial Foundation for Environment Protection (İl Çevre Koruma Vakfı) with the support of various public and private institutions and organisations such as the Air Force Command, the 1^st Air Supply and Maintenance Centre Command, Anadolu University, Alp Aviation and Eti. The exhibition hall was put into service on May 28, 1999.

After the Foundation was closed on December 31, 2005, the management of museum was handed over to the Air Force Command on February 1, 2006. In 2007, the Aviation Museum Command was established and personnel were assigned to the Aviation Park spanning over about 39.000 square metres. The Eskişehir Aviation Museum Command serves as the Aviation Park pursuant to its museum status of non-first-class unlike the Aviation Museums in İstanbul and Ankara.

The official museum status had never been granted until the handover to Anadolu University since its establishment. The park status has been acquired in accordance with the directive issued in 2015 by Anadolu University.

The Aviation Park has been under the responsibility of Anadolu University since September 22, 2011, when the handover protocol was signed between Anadolu University and the 1^st Air Supply and Maintenance Centre Command. With the intent to serve better, establishment committee has been constituted by our Rectorate. As a result of the works and studies carried out by the units of the University, it has been ensured to landscape and to introduce additional planes and vehicles to the collection. In accordance with the existing status, the Aviation Park was opened to visit in September 2012 following the restoration of the administrative building and addition of the Parachute Tea Garden.