One museum, two locations
Visit us in Washington, DC and Chantilly, VA to explore hundreds of the world’s most significant objects in aviation and space history. Free timed-entry passes are required for the Museum in DC.
Visit
National Air and Space Museum in DC
Udvar-Hazy Center in VA
Plan a field trip
Plan a group visit
At the museum and online
Discover our exhibitions and participate in programs both in person or virtually.
What's On
Events
Exhibitions
IMAX
Dive deep into air and space
Browse our collections, stories, research, and on demand content.
Explore
Stories
Topics
Collections
On demand
For researchers
For teachers and parents
Bring the Air and Space Museum to your learners, wherever you are.
Learn
Programs
Learning resources
Plan a field trip
Educator professional development
Education monthly theme
Be the spark
Your support will help fund exhibitions, educational programming, and preservation efforts.
Give
Become a member
Wall of Honor
Ways to give
Host an Event
Sport Aviation
It's not for military, commercial, or business - sport aviation is all about flying for pleasure.
Sport aviation is personal flying for pleasure rather than for military, commercial, or business purposes. Sport pilots fly gliders, sailplanes, hang gliders, ultralights, homebuilts, and other types of aircraft that date to the earliest days of aviation. The growth in popularity of ultralights—the most economical powered airplanes flying—is an important trend.
At the turn of the 21st century, Beechcraft, Cessna, Piper, and other companies were still mass-producing designs nearly a half-century old. By contrast, designers of homebuilt aircraft use the most advanced ideas in aerodynamics, propulsion, and structures. Their airplanes often perform better than assembly line models and usually cost less to construct and fly. Burt Rutan exemplifies the creative talent often seen among homebuilt designers. His VariEze, on display here, is one of the most innovative and influential homebuilt airplanes.
Location in Museum
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
Plan Your Visit
Related Topics:
Aviation
Ultralights
Aircraft
General aviation
Sports aviation
Technology and Engineering
Air Racing
What is General Aviation?
You may also like
Aerobatic Flight
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Ultralight Aircraft
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Images from the 1961 All Woman’s International Air Race
March 30, 2016
General Aviation
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Stay up to date on the latest stories and events with our newsletter
Privacy
Terms of Use