Fundraiser celebrates Alaska's aviation history: salmon and vintage planes on the menu.(Alaska This Month)

Certain aspects of Alaska's history are inseparable from a spirit of adventure. Its rugged beauty, size and extreme climates make this a fact. An integral part of that adventuresome past is directly tied to aviation and the brave, free spirits who ventured across the state on cold wings of sometimes questionable durability.

This month, the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum invites everyone to honor the state's aviation history with an annual celebration. The Great Alaska Salmon Bake and Fly By is scheduled July 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at museum grounds at Lake Hood in Anchorage. The proceeds from this event will go toward new exhibits currently under development at the museum.

"It's just a fun day for the family to come out and enjoy," said Shari Hart, director of marketing and development for the museum.

Highlights of the day will include several vintage aircraft flying overhead, including a Grumman Goose, Hart said. The pilots are friends of the museum and volunteers who support its efforts. Aviation book signings by Arnold Griese, Jack and Sandy Webb, Steven Levi and John Cloe are also scheduled.

John Hume, an Alaska aviation artist, will be signing his prints, and live music will be provided by Mountain Echo and guitarist John Anderson. Ellen Paneok will be showcasing her aviation-themed ivory belt buckles along with other crafts.

This year, a silent auction will be held with a variety of unique items on the block. Visitors also will be able to view the museum's own collection of vintage aircraft and exhibits and try piloting the newest addition to the exhibits, a flight simulator. "It's pretty popular," Hart said, and was a busy part of the celebration at last year's event.

The museum has become a well-known stopover for aviation fans and tourists interested in learning more about Alaska's past. Planes dating from 1924 to 1960 are located at the museum and were painstakingly restored, and are situated next to recorded entries and information about their use and pilots.

Pioneer aviators' gear and brief biographies are in the main building. Placard after placard relates stories of these aviation heroes, many of whose lives were ended prematurely by their dangerous occupation. WWII artifacts and accounts are there also, giving testament to the prominent role Alaska played during that war. The museum has a theater, an observation deck and a gift shop. The exhibits include a historic Fairchild American Pilgrim and a Stearman C2B, the first plane to land on Mount McKinley back in the early 1930s. Volunteers are working to restore many of the planes and are eager to talk shop.

Admission to the Salmon Bake and Fly By is $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 5 to 12. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling 248-5325. The menu will feature fresh salmon from Bristol Bay along with hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, soda and dessert.

The museum's summer hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. The museum's winter hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

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