There were a number of developments at the museum which are in the early stages of planning in 2002.

We received a sizeable donation from the Royal Canadian Air Force when we were raising money for the museum and we have decided to use this money to build a memorial garden dedicated to the Canadian airmen who were lost here. The Nissen hut took up most of our time this year, but it would be nice to have the garden finished sometime thereafter. Would anyone like to help with the garden, either in design or construction?

Do we have any artistic types who could help to produce a guide to Ronaldsway’s surroundings to be installed at the museum? What I have in mind is a low semi-circular table with a simple outline panorama of the surrounding horizon with places of interest indicated. Several spring to mind immediately; Crok ny Irrey Laa (several crash sites), South Barrule (more crash sites), Ronaldsway Aircraft Factory (aircraft component makers on the site of the wartime air station HQ), the Airport Terminal, the Control Tower, the torpedo sheds, the various derelict wartime buildings to the north, the gunnery butts, wartime hangar, Derbyhaven and King William’s College (site of the Island’s first air crash). This should make an unusual and informative exhibit but who has got the talent to make it happen?

Has anyone got any ideas for things of interest for children? We have talked about this before, with suggestions of flight simulators on a computer, replica cockpit sections etc. With the museum in its present form we simply don’t have the space indoors to accommodate the first suggestion and no-one has come up with the goods for the second. Whatever we do must be simple – there’s no point in installing a computer game that takes hours to explain – and above all whatever we install must be safe. We also have to bear in mind that we are desperately short of people to staff the museum so these "sideshows" must be capable of being run without continual attention.

We need material for fitting out the Nissen hut. We have got a reasonable amount of funding with which to buy materials but it will help us to conserve funds if you can donate spare items like pieces of wood, picture frames, pieces of glass (especially toughened glass which is found in secondary double glazing), melamine-faced chipboard, electrical fittings, Mineral felt etc. We can probably find a use for virtually anything so clear out your garage and help the museum at the same time.

All the hoop irons are now in place and the brickwork at both ends is complete. The internal horizontal corrugated sheeting is in situ (mostly new sheeting), along with two window frames. Shortly the external cladding, again all brand new, will commence and the double doors and frames at either end will be fitted. This work when completed will weather proof the building and allow work to continue inside over the Winter months.  What do we now need to consider? Lighting (general), alarms, display layout, display cases/stands, display lighting, painting, signs etc. It's going to be a busy few months, but the benefits to the Museum of all this extra space will be immense. Remember skills are not necessary, often that extra pair of hands assisting can make all the difference.