Lycoming vs Curtiss

[4RNB]

We were travelling recently, unable to fly, so wanted to work in something related as a fun day.

I really wanted to stop in and see the Lycoming factory, have been flying one of their engines. Early one Monday am we submitted a request for a tour that Wednesday at 2 pm. Had not heard back from them on Tuesday so tried to call, could not get through to a real person. Rather than sit around all day Wednesday hoping we would get in we stopped by at the factory. Things were locked down pretty tight, two security guards behind fancy glass and doors, they did not move that much answering questions. They had ZERO knowledge of anything pertaining to factory tours, did not know who to contact, did not even try to call anyone. No help. So, we left the area. Thus far, nobody has responded to our tour request. https://www.lycoming.com/tours Now, we did reach out on a day that some might consider a holiday, and we did not request 72 hours in advance, but it just strikes us as a PR issue. No help in person, no response to online form submittal.

We then set sights for Hammondsport NY for the Glenn Curtiss museum. WOW! We spent almost 3 hours there, the looping intro video was a must watch. Neat specimens, history, context. Great old motorcycles. Visibly open workshops. Other period and local items appropriate for such a museum. The only thing that would make it better would be if it were on an airport akin to First Flight. Our key takeaway is this dude did more for aviation than the Wrights. https://glennhcurtissmuseum.org/

Thumbs down Lycoming
Thumbs up Curtiss

 

[Timbeck2]

Maybe Lycoming just isn’t that in to you. Shrug

 

[Steamflyer]

Curtiss Museum is a jewel. He basically invented the modern airplane with ailerons while the Wrights went to France in an attempt to be secretive and perhaps have more patents on the airplane. Believe it all became moot in WWI when The Airplane Company was formed as a holding company for all the patents.

Years ago the museum was right in the village of Hammondsport in a few connected rambling houses/buildings. Had amazing charm, but really wasn't very accessible. So it was moved a mile or two south - there's actually a small private strip next door so one can even fly to it with prior permission and walk the 1/2 mile north.

Curtiss' seaplanes were flown right off Keuka lake adjacent to the village, and there's a Curtiss flyer at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome nominally the same as the one he used to fly down the Hudson in 1910 from Albany to NYC, which was the first true cross-country flight of about 150 mies.