Intrepid had three massive elevators for moving aircraft between the hangar deck and the flight deck: one forward in the center of the deck, one aft on the starboard edge of the flight deck, and one amidships on the port edge of the ship. These elevators were essentially inoperable after Intrepid was decommissioned in 1974, but the portside aircraft elevator was returned to operation during the museum's 2006-2008 restoration. The effort began after Jack Rudin, chairman of Rudin Management and a supporter of Intrepid, learned of the goal of restoring the elevator during a lunch at the Four Seasons Restaurant while dining with leaders of the Otis Elevator Company. Otis then undertook the challenge of bringing the outdated technology back into service, with the cost generously underwritten by the Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust, and the work was completed when the museum reopened in November 2008. Fully operational again, the portside aircraft elevator lets visitors experience how Intrepid personnel moved aircraft between decks and allows disabled visitors to move freely between Intrepid's decks.