Meet our museum curator Al Denn.

Al is a life member of the WNC Air Museum having joined as soon as he and his wife Sandy relocated here from Wilmington, N. C. close to fifteen years ago. He has always had a love and fascination for aviation. Al is quiet and unassuming and really doesn't like talking about himself or being in the spotlight. It has taken over a year to get him to tell his story. But as Al said once, 'I am somewhat eccentric and at times more than a little crazy'.

Al's first flight was when he was just two years old with his dad in a J-3 Cub. Through his early years, he would read anything and everything he could find on airplanes. He would constantly pester his dad to take him to the small town airport, in Frederick, MD, so he could watch the airplanes come and go. When Al turned fourteen, he joined the local Civil Air Patrol Squadron as a brand new Cadet Airman.

At the same time he secured a weekend job at the local airport as a ramp boy or rampy. He loved being around all the different airplanes and pilots. His job would have him moving airplanes around the apron, tying them down, washing them, and fueling them up. He once got to gas up Arthur Godfrey's plan and Al says Arthur cussed like a sailor. In the winter when there was snow, he would arrive early so he could sweep the snow off of the wings and tails of aircraft sitting on the ramp. As part of his wages, he would get one half an hour flying time with an instructor. Slowly he began to build his flying time and piloting skills. He says that the happiest day of his life up till then was when he soloed in a Piper-Colt on his sixteenth birthday. Another year and a half brought his private ticket and multi-engine endorsement.

Al stayed with the C.A.P. cadet program finishing as Cadet commander. He then transferred to the Senior Squadron and became a certified search and rescue pilot. Many of the missions he flew were searching the Chesapeake Bay for ships or boats in distress, overdue boats and people, and working with the Coast Guard to insure safe maritime operation of those on the Bay. Al also flew missions along the Blue Ridge mountains searching for downed aircraft, forest fires, and illegal marijuana farms and reporting any such observations to the appropriate authorities. Al professes to have aviation gas in his veins and airplanes in his soul. Through his long and colorful career, Al has had the opportunity to fly a number of interesting aircraft. Among his favorites are the Cessna 02 sky master (mix master), the Cessna L-19 Bird Dog, and the venerable deHavilland Beaver. These are but a few and he has enjoyed many others. Al no longer flies but instead has turned his many talents to being curator for the museum which he admits to be the main focus in his life other than his family.

A veteran and officer of the U. S. Army as well as the Air Force Aux. C.A.P. Al pursued his education in science through such prestigious organizations as The National Institutes of Health, the Armed Forces Institutes of Pathology, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He is the author or co-author of forty odd peer reviewed scientific articles and a contributor on two medical texts. He retired from civil service as a bio-medical research scientist and scientific clinical program analyst. With a strong background in pathology, he was involved in research of hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola, Plague, and Anthrax as well as others. After Al's retirement and relocation from Maryland to Wilmington N. C., he joined the laboratory system of New Hanover Regional Medical Center. As a member of the Pathology Department, his years of expertise were put to good use.

Once he and Sandy were established here in Henderson County, he joined the W.N.C.A.M as a docent and spent his time learning about the museum, its collections, and fellow volunteers. It wasn't long before he took over the task of redesigning and operating the museum gift shop. From there, Al was appointed curator for the museum and went on to design and develop the museum to what it is today. Al is quick to tell any and everyone that he has not accomplished this alone but has had the help of many talented and gifted volunteers to get to where we are now. He says that we have made tremendous advancements in bringing the museum back from the brink of collapse after Hurricane Helene. We are now much better than we have ever been and we plan to continue to grow and prosper as a main visitor event venue in Hendersonville.