Glacier Park International Airport could soon land an aviation museum.  

Officials with the Flathead Valley transit hub are working with the Museum of Mountain Flying to plot a course toward a museum and classroom space on the airport’s campus. 

Flathead Municipal Airport Authority Commissioner Giuseppe Caltabiano said the museum will be built toward the far north end of the airport’s property, located near the southbound lanes of U.S. 2. The project comes with a $4 million fundraising goal. 

“At the moment, it's two major hangars — mostly wood, steel and glass. So ideally, driving on the highway, you can see the airplanes through the glass from the road ... and in the middle there will be a big hall, which will have classrooms, a cafeteria and offices,” Caltabiano said.  

Pointing to a workforce need in the region, Caltabiano said the forthcoming museum and classroom space will host an airframe and powerplant mechanic program. He said organizers have discussed developing curricula for airplane mechanics and avionic engineering with Flathead Valley Community College.  

“They've done the nursing program very successfully, which is obviously a strong vocational curriculum ... Flying schools are easy, there are already quite a few in the area, but the mechanics, they're hard to find. So, that's the mission,” Caltabiano said.  

The Museum of Mountain Flying, which also has a location near the Missoula International Airport, will showcase a collection of antique aircraft, according to airport officials.  

The aircraft that will be on display includes the famed "Miss Montana" — a restored C-47 military transport that was flown to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day — a 1940s World War II bomber and a Douglas A-26 Invader used in the 1989 Steven Spielberg movie “Always,” which was filmed in Libby. 

Museum of Mountain Flying President Eric Komberec touched on what people can expect to learn about when they visit their museum, including the history of smokejumpers and firefighting, starting with Johnson Flying Service out of Missoula. Founder Bob Johnson was tasked with helping the U.S. Forest Service with aerial firefighting resources.   

“So that's kind of the history of this country in aviation and pioneering, and then obviously there's a lot of new modern history, like the A.L.E.R.T. program, which was the second Life Flight helicopter in the United States,” Komberec said.  

Komberec’s father Dick was a founder of the museum in 1993, along with Stan Cohen and Steve Smith. They built a museum near the Missoula International Airport in 2002. The museum is home to some novel aircraft in aviation history, including a Stinson Voyager 150, a 1929 Travelair 6000, a 1931 DeHavilland Gipsy DH Moth and a Grumman Avenger TBM.  

Komberec said they’ve outgrown their space at the Missoula International Airport and have been searching for three years to find a second location. He’s from Kalispell and knows the area boasts its own large and passionate aviation community, so he began looking at Glacier Park International Airport. After talks with airport Director Rob Ratkowski, the group was able to sign a lease for land on the far north end of the airport’s property.  

“We’re excited to welcome the Museum of Mountain Flying to the Glacier Park International Airport,” Ratkowski said in a statement. “The museum’s combination of aviation history and hands-on educational programs perfectly fits our goal to make [Glacier Park International Airport] the region’s focal point for all things aviation. The location, combined with community enthusiasm, ensures this will tremendously benefit the Flathead Valley.”  

In 2020, the Flathead Municipal Airport Authority board passed a resolution to offer a reduced land use rate for educational facilities, allowing the Museum of Mountain Flying to secure the property at a significantly reduced rate, officials said.  

Mead and Hunt, the architect firm that designed the recent expansion and renovation of the airport’s terminal, will design the museum and education building. Caltabiano said they expect to release design plans for the building in the coming weeks.  

The outdoor area is expected to feature an observation tower modeled after a historic lookout tower, providing visitors with panoramic views of the airport.  

Caltabiano said they want the museum to appeal to families, so it will include a playground with a merry-go-round, climbing structures, slides and monkey bars.  

Komberec said they’ve been overwhelmed by the support from local businesses and residents. In addition to the $130,000 raised, businesses and professionals are already stepping forward to offer services free of charge to help get the museum up and running. Officials said Mead & Hunt offered pro bono design and rendering services to help bring the museum’s architectural vision to life. 

“It’s clear that there’s a strong desire to see this project succeed, and we welcome anyone who wants to contribute,” Komberec said.  

Residents interested in volunteering their time or contributing financially to the museum can contact Eric Komberec at [email protected]. For more information about the Museum of Mountain Flying, please visit www.museumofmountainflying.com.  

Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4433 or by emailing [email protected].