News......... Our Flag will be flying at the RM of Gimli Office on 2nd Ave Gimli Glider Day, July 23, 2025 We are open from 11 - 4 PM Special guests are: Chris Blair, Restorer of the rare 6 ft cutaway Model of FIN 604 Glen Hooper, Lead on the restoration of the retuned Flight Deck
Our Summer Hours FRIDAY 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM SATURDAY 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM SUNDAY 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM MONDAY 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
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WHAT’S HAPPENING SUMMER 2025 NEWS
The Gimli Glider volunteer team is so pleased to announce that we have been successful with the acquisition of the cockpit section of the famous Gimli Glide fuselage.
It has long been our hope that we would at some point be successful with the return of this section of the aircraft – the front of the aircraft where the 21 minutes of “handling” the critical situation at hand for the pilots, with no engine power supporting the huge airliner in flight 41,000 feet in the air.
With the generous donation from a local resident giving momentum to achieve the funds to purchase Fin 604’s cockpit section, we pressed forward with the purchase and now we await its imminent arrival tomorrow back into Canada.
Captain Robert Pearson, credited with the skill, training and knowledge of how to bring the 69 passengers back to earth safely, immediately expressed his wish to greet the artifact upon the return.
The world-famous history has brought visitors from around the globe to our Exhibit and we have heard stories from limitless numbers of those visitors about their personal experiences with that July 23rd, 1983 landing upon a racetrack in our town.
As this visitation has grown over the years many voiced the wish that the cockpit would become another addition to our collection of items and operational equipment from the famous plane. Additionally, we were asked over and over again about access to the landing site where people could experience where the aircraft came back to earth in a never before maneuver used for a huge aircraft, especially in a critical situation.
The restored section will be installed in this area at a COMMEMORATIVE PARK in a manner suited to the landing appearance of that summer evening. The quickly named “Gimli Glider “, arriving unexpectedly on the decommissioned airstrip, filled with race car drivers and their families at the finish of a racing day.
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DINNER TICKETS ~SEPTEMBER 6, 2025
Now available for ordering through our website by tap on the poster, or pick up at the Gimli Glider Exhibit during our hours of operation. Our summer months this year are so very busy with handling all the details around the restoration, installation of the recently returned Gimli Glider aircraft COCKPIT SECTION-aka “flight deck”. The popular, always sold-out EVENT OF THE YEAR, has been moved to Saturday, September 6, Guest speaker Brendan Yanta, Director Systems Operation Control, Perimeter Aviation, has an extensive career within the industry and is speaking on the timely subject of “CHALLENGES FOR TODAY’S AVIATION INDUSTRY” The Gimli Glider Pilot, Capt. Bob Pearson and passenger Pearl Dion will also be present. Updates on the details, progress of the current project of establishing the Commemorative Park within the landing area, restoration and installing of the famous flight deck will also be topics for questions and answer period. This exciting time with the next stage of expansion of the history, made possible with the artifact recovery, is keeping the volunteer team as busy as the early development and creation of of the Museum/Exhibit. The annual Fundraising dinners are always an important event that support our ongoing operation. We encourage and look forward to your contact with us so we can answer all your questions and arrange for ticket purchase. One lucky guest will be awarded with a 767-200 Air Canada model of the Gimli Glider signed by Capt. Pearson
DONATIONS IN SUPPORT OF RESTORATION & INSTALL AT COMMEMORATIVE PARK
Work is underway preparing the site for presenting the cockpit section for public visitation.
The Province of Manitoba, through the R.M. of Gimli has made this land available to the Gimli Glider Museum, a non-profit, federal charity operating as the Gimli Glider Exhibit.
The Park area is located near the landing of the famous Gimli Glider history and will be free access to the visiting public.
RESTORATION: After 25 uneventfully operating, but sought out by the public to fly upon, the famous aircraft was retired from service. She was flown to the Mojave Desert boneyard where decommission passenger planes go for the next stage of their lives. Planes are often “parted” out for sale to world airlines looking for working instruments or parts to refurbish their models in use.
After many years of storage and a failure to sell the famous aircraft the owners began this stage of selling off “parts”. The Glider’s operational parts are gone – we have acquired the large fuselage section to elevate within the air. Her body needs work, painting back to the 1983 colour story she few with.
WE ARE SEEKING DONATIONS for this restoration stage and the coming Installation costs to mount her into the air at the landing site.
Donations of any amount are most welcome. $20 or higher will receive a CRA Charitable Tax Receipt. $500, $1,000 or higher will receive personal acknowledgement at the site. More details on this acknowledgement can be given with contact through our gimligliderinfo@gmail.com address.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO BE A PART OF THIS PROJECT? Press the Big Red Button and become a donor through Canadahelps.ca. Leave a note to direct your donation to the Cockpit Restoration & Install Project. A CRA Charitable Tax Receipt will be issued for your donation. You will be recognized as a supporter of the Gimli Glider Cockpit Restoration & Install Project. OR you can contact us directly by email listed below or call 204-642-5577 and we can assist with the donation process. Acknowledgement for those that have now made the acquisition, restoration and installation of the cockpit possible will be present at the site as will acknowledging donors. If you have additional questions or interest, please contact us at our email gimligliderinfo@gmail.com
Barbara Gluck, President & The Gimli Glider Volunteer Team
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GREETINGS! We are delighted to tell you of ‘breaking news” happening at the Gimli Glider Museum. We have purchased the largest of C-Gaun 604 artifacts, the cockpit. The cost always exceeding our ability to pay, we were determined the cockpit had to be saved. If you wish to be part of the restoration project to her 1983 appearance when she landed here, we are beginning the fundraising. Placement of the famous aircraft artifact within the Commemorative Park at the landing site will provide another link to the history. This Park will encourage visitors to see where the outstanding aviation event took place and be accessible outside of Exhibit operating times. The RM council has supported our project with an agreement for land usage. The cockpit will be installed on a pedestal. Included in the design will be an interactive experience with the history. Some photo signage interpreting the history is also planned. When the artifact is returned to Canada, it will be placed in a local area hangar for restoration. Skilled aviation workers have volunteered their time and talents for this stage, eager to work on the Glider. If this news encourages you to be part of the final stage of enhancing and honouring the presence of the history, while attracting even more visitation from around the globe, please consider being a part of this memorable stage of the Gimli Glider story.
| THE GIMLI GLIDER EXHIBIT VOLUNTEER TEAM WANTS TO THANK SUSAN AND PETER HOLFEUR FOR ALL OF OUR ADDITIONAL ICE FEST VOLUNTEERS, WHO MADE OUR TWO DAY EVENT SO SUCCESSFUL. MONDAY AT THE EXHIBIT WAS ANOTHER EXTREMELY BUSY DAY AND WE ARE CATCHING OUR BREATH AND TAKING CARE OF "BUSINESS" AS THEY SAY WITH A SHORT BREAK. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WONDERFUL FEEDBACK AND WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN THIS FAMOUS GIMLI HISTORY! A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR MAJOR SPONSOR RONA NORTH GROUP, OWNER MARC PALSSON. NOURA HOSTING US AT THE LS AIRWAYS HANGAR, AND THE AMAZING WINNIPEG SPORTS CAR CLUB WHO HAVE BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR 50 YEARS FOR PROVIDING THE GREAT SUNDAY EVENT AT THE LANDING SITE OF THE GIMLI GLIDER. THANK YOU TO OUR MLA DEREK JOHNSON, TRAVEL MANITOBA PRESIDENT AND CEO COLIN FERGUSON, WESTSHORE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION PRESIDENT DAVID DOUGLAS, COUNCILLORS ANDY DAMM AND RICHARD PETROWSKI FOR GIVING US THEIR TIME TO PARTICIPATE AT THE FUNDRAISING DINNER SATURDAY. GIMLI GLIDER EXHIBIT TEAM AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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 | The Gimli Glider Exhibit is looking for summer volunteers... IT’S NO SECRET-
We are busy greeting guests from everywhere. VOLUNTEERS are the core of our Exhibit and we require some additional staff. No aviation background experience is needed, just a desire to meet visitors with an interest in this famous history.
For more information please email gimligliderinfo@gmail.com or call 204-671-0090 |
