The Chico Air Museum became a reality in 2004. Located on the flightline of the Chico Municipal Airport (Northern California), the Museum consists of an outdoor aircraft display, as well as an indoor display of interesting and historic aviation artifacts. The museum is open Thursdays 10AM to 2PM, Fridays 9AM to 5PM and Saturdays 8AM to 4PM.
The Northern Sacramento Valley is extremely rich in aviation history. Beginning in 1913, 16 year old Thaddeus Kearns built and flew a powered aircraft in South Chico. In the 1940's and 50's, Chico Army Airfield was a major training site for thousands of pilots, both as a primary training base flying BT-13's, and for advanced gunnery and multi-engine training in P-38, P-39, P-63, B-17, B-29's.
The North Valley is also
the birthplace of Aerial Fire Fighting. Chico Municipal Airport is the home of Aero Union Corporation, a world leader in air
tanker operations and the manufacture of fixed & rotor wing retardant delivery systems.