A year ago, the Kelch Aviation Museum crew hung the Rose Parrakeet biplane from the ceiling of the Wagner Welcome Atrium. We thought it might be easy… It took three days, multiple mechanics, and a lot of patience.
Larry Steenstry built the Parrakeet from the original 1929 factory plans and flew it for many years, and when he donated it to the museum in 2022, we all agreed it would look perfect as the “wow” statement piece that greets visitors when they first arrive. With special engineering in the building’s architecture to bear the additional weight (only 603 pounds, however), and some highly specific equipment, we were excited to hang it up as soon as the atrium was finished. Special thanks to new volunteer Kerry Nielsen, a retired crane rigger, who brought the right equipment and made sure nobody got hurt. He wore out a new pair of work gloves by pulling the pulley chain so much.
Now, the Rose Parrakeet is safely perched above the museum gift shop, where it can be admired from inside the museum or outside on the road. Come on out and see it for yourself!
Check out this time-lapse video of the hanging process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06odOsVXBVU
Watch a video of the Parrakeet’s builder, flyer, and donor Larry Steenstry, landing the Parrakeet to deliver it to the museum in 2023: https://youtu.be/8lEvSQLLKns
