Thiruvananthapuram: An Air Force Museum, built in the shape of an aircraft, was inaugurated on Friday at Akkulam Tourist Village, Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas inaugurated the Flight Simulator Museum (Air Force Museum) on the occasion of the 89th Foundation Day of IAF, set up by the Department of Tourism with the technical support of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
‘This project will be beneficial not only for Akkulam and the capital district but for entire Kerala Tourism. The museum gives an opportunity to know more about Indian Air Force. The aircraft-model museum and the flight engine will be a novel experience for visitors, the Minister said.
The project was conceived by Kerala Tourism in collaboration with Southern Air Command of IAF, whose headquarters is located close to the tourist village. This aims to create awareness among the visitors about IAF and importance of national security. The inauguration ceremony was attended by other prominent people, including MLA Kadakampalli Surendran, Mayor Arya Rajendran and Air Marshal J Chalapati, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Air Command.
A Defence spokesperson said that the idea of building a museum was conceptualized at Southern Air Command in 2018, and permission was given in 2019. The work was completed in two phases. An amount of around Rs 98 lakh was spent in the first phase, for landscaping and creating a flight model structure. Administrative sanction for Rs 99 lakh was allotted for the construction of museum interiors and other related works, in the second phase.
An official statement by Kerala Tourism said that, the two-floor aircraft-model museum includes all the best modern facilities, for attracting tourists on a large scale. A flight cockpit model with simulator and rest room facilities has been set up on the ground floor, and the top floor has a Motivation Room to inspire visitors, photographs depicting the glorious history of IAF and an exhibition of IAF machinery.
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