Our history
The Roots
The Erickson Aircraft Collection didn't start in a boardroom; it started in the logging camps of the Pacific Northwest. Jack Erickson, born into a family of Oregon loggers, spent his youth seeing the forest from the ground. But in 1952, he earned his pilot’s license in a single-engine Luscombe, and his perspective changed forever.
Jack became a pioneer in heavy-lift aviation, founding Erickson Air-Crane in 1971. He took the massive Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane and turned it into the world’s most versatile tool—fighting fires across six continents, airlifting HVAC units onto city skyscrapers, and even hoisting the Statue of Freedom off the top of the U.S. Capitol Dome.
From Passion to Preservation
While Jack was busy revolutionizing the helicopter industry, his personal passion remained with the piston engines of the 1940s. In 1983, he purchased a P-51D Mustang. He didn't want a trophy to sit in a climate-controlled box; he wanted a machine that breathed.
One plane turned into five, and five turned into over twenty-five aircraft. By 1991, the collection had found a home in the massive wooden WWII blimp hangar in Tillamook, Oregon. For over two decades, the salty air of the Oregon coast surrounded these legendary warbirds, but the mission was evolving. Jack and his grandson, Mike Oliver, realized that for these planes to truly live, they needed more than just a roof—they needed clear skies
The Move to Madras
In 2014, the collection made a historic move. In a massive aerial migration, the airworthy fleet was flown from the coast to the high desert of Central Oregon. We settled at the Madras Municipal Airport, fittingly, a former WWII B-17 training base.
The arid climate of Madras is more than just scenic; it provides the perfect conditions for preserving vintage airframes and offers 300 flyable days a year. Here, we shifted from being a "museum" to a "collection." The difference? Museums often show you what was. We show you what is.
Our Mission Today
Today, the Erickson Aircraft Collection stands as one of the most significant private vintage squadrons in the world.
We are a Flying Collection: Most of our 25+ aircraft are maintained in airworthy condition.
We are a Living History Experience: Through our Living History Flight Experience program, we give you the chance to leave the ground in the same seats where heroes once sat.
We are Preservationists: Our on-site restoration team works daily to ensure that the craftsmanship of the 1940s survives well into the future and beyond.
We believe that history is best experienced at 200 knots with the roar of a radial engine in your ears. Welcome to the hangar.
Contact Us
Erickson Aircraft Collection
2408 NW Berg Drive, Madras, OR, 97741
(541) 460-5065
We are located at the Madras Municipal Airport on NW Berg Drive. To get to the hangar, take the NW Cherry Lane exit just off highway 26 and turn right on NW Berg. If you are navigating to the museum using Google Maps or other mapping services, just type in "Madras Municipal Airport" and follow NW Berg all the way down. In most cases, NW Airport Way has yet to be changed to NW Berg.