The way the crow flies, the distance is only about a mile.

But the trip Wil Shellenberger is arranging involves an aircraft, not a bird.

And careful steps are being taken to make sure the journey goes without ruffling any feathers.

Shellenberger, president of the PBY Memorial Foundation, is working with the City of Oak Harbor, the Navy and Skagit Valley College to ensure a safe passage for the PBY Catalina to its new home.

The foundation secured a lease with property on Pioneer Way to place the iconic aircraft. It is on the former site of Boyer Chevrolet across the street from the PBY-Naval Air Museum’s present home.

“Essentially, it will make our museum complete,” Shellenberger said. “It will be a major visual attraction in the downtown area.”

Though still in the preliminary stages, agreements in principle were made with the city, Navy and college to move the aircraft from its location on the Seaplane Base to the new spot on Pioneer, Shellenberger said. The hope is for the move to take place in January or February 2015.

“Now, we have to go in and show them the details of the route and make sure everybody signs off on it,” Shellenberger said.

The plan is to remove the wings of the World War II era plane and tow it through the lower campus of Skagit Valley College, on to Pioneer Way, then Bayshore Drive and back on to Pioneer before reaching its final destination.

Since the tail reaches as high as 20 feet, the foundation will work with utility companies to avoid overhead lines. Certain maneuvering, such as raising the nose of the aircraft, also can aid this process by lowering the tail, Shellenberger said.

The preliminary idea is to start moving the aircraft at around midnight to reduce the impact on downtown. How long it might take is up for debate.

“I’m guessing just because we have to move it so slowly, it could take somewhere between two-to-four hours to complete the move,” Shellenberger said.