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Becoming a Volunteer

There are several areas you can volunteer in.

Stewards

Stewards work in Admissions and are the initial ‘face’ of the Museum when visitors arrive. They create the first impression people have when they pass through our gates. Stewards need to be confident at dealing with members of the public, from selling tickets to advising on where to find particular exhibits and facilities. They need to understand the ethos of the Museum and how important it is to offer a warm welcome.

Engineering

Our volunteering engineers work under the guidance of our full-time Aviation Conservation Manager and play a vital role in restoring and maintaining our collection of aircraft. Tasks include repainting aircraft, carrying out repairs and working on longer-term projects. They are also involved in the live-running of some of our machines. It would be advantageous to the Museum if potential volunteers had previous engineering experience and relevant skills.

Collections

The Museum has an impressive Collections and Archive Department and volunteers play a vital role in this area. They help maintain, catalogue and record items donated to the museum and make sure they are protected for future generations.

Do I Need to be an Expert on Aircraft?

Absolutely not. For many of our roles, the main qualification is the ability to interact with members of the public in a friendly and engaging manner. All our volunteers need to be positive, approachable and passionate about the Yorkshire Air Museum, its aims and ambitions. You do need to be 18 or over to volunteer.

What are the Benefits?

While volunteering brings no financial return, it does offer a range of benefits. Interacting with visitors is something our volunteers find particularly rewarding. Others find the chance to work on historic aircraft challenging and satisfying in equal measure. Being a volunteer at the museum is a great opportunity to make friends, to be involved in a growing attraction and a chance to make a visitor’s time with us truly exceptional.

So how do I start?

Just fill in the contact form below. If you wish to talk to someone in person contact us to arrange a visit or a call. Note: you must be 18 or over to volunteer.

INITIAL CONTACT FORM

Blackburn Mercury Monoplane 1911 (Replica) AH (BAPC) 130 YAM Jan.1995

The Blackburn Mercury Monoplane is regarded as the first truly successful aircraft made by Blackburn at their factory in Leeds. The Mercury I, powered by a 50 hp Isaacson radial engine, was displayed at the Olympia Aero Show in March 1911 and made its debut flying from the beach at Filey with the newly formed Blackburn Flying School. In May 1911, it flew from Filey to Scarborough and back in 19 minutes at an average speed of 50 mph, reaching an altitude of 1200 feet.
This aircraft crashed the next day when the engine seized and the propeller flew off! The Mercury I was followed by two Mercury II aircraft powered by 50 hp Gnome engines, and six Mercury III aircraft, with a number of different engines. Sadly, a Renault powered Mercury crashed at Filey in December 1911, killing an instructor and passenger.
The Museum’s replica was built for Yorkshire Television in 1979 for the Edwardian drama series ‘Flambards’, and was taxied with a car engine. It came to YAM on 10th January 1995 and after a long period in storage it was painstakingly restored to a superb display standard, and was unveiled in June 2000 by Professor Robert Blackburn, grandson of Robert Blackburn, the aviation pioneer.

AVRO 504K ‘H1968’ (Replica) AH (BAPC) 42 YAM Oct. 1994

The Avro 504 first flew in 1913. In the opening phases of the First World War, it served with front-line squadrons in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service for bombing and reconnaissance, but from 1915 onwards the aircraft entered the training role for which it is most celebrated.

Over 8,000 Avro 504s were built. In 1918, the Royal Air Force had about 3,000, of which 2,276 were trainers.

The Avro 504 was stationed at many Yorkshire airfields, including Tadcaster near the A1/A64 junction, where a period hangar can still be seen.

The Yorkshire Air Museum’s replica was built by apprentices at RAF Halton and appeared at the Royal Tournament in 1968 to commemorate what was then fifty years since the end of the First World War. The aircraft was refurbished in early 2015 to be transported to Thiepval, Northern France, for the Somme Centenary commemoration event, on request of the British Government. In May 2018, it was also displayed at the impressive Hotel Les Invalides in central Paris for a joint RAF / French Air Force event to mark the Centenary of the Royal Air Force and over 100 years of British and French Air Force collaboration.