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Hi Lads,
Sorry, just got in. Boy has this thing taken off. Give everybody a little encouragement and look what happens. I had no idea that the archeological recovery issue was waiting in the wings. Great!
Perhaps we should divide up the duties somewhat. My initial thoughts were more directed at an emergancy response/preservation effort. In that light, we should try to gather a list of all qualified warbird pilots here in the US. Next, warbird owners private and foundation. Then the most important step is to querry them to see if they are onboard with the concept. If we get poo-pooed by them, this part of the project is junk. We need them to be on board in order to make this work. Most probably know each other anyway, and for all the input that we are trying to create a half-assed bunch of pilots to commandeer warbirds, bear in mind that we are trying to create a data base of talent to be at the disposal of the owners and museums that need help in as short a time as possible.
If someone can direct me to who may have the "lists", I will draft a letter explaining our concept and post it here for review. Then I will mail to all appropriate, at my cost, to see where we go and report back to the WIX Foundation. (by the way, can we call this an official WIX project? Did we get permission? Hey, just had a stupid thought...does everyone think that I am "THE Scott" WRG creator? I'm just a schmuck in Milwaukee)
I think that the media thing is great and perhaps someone else can take on the role of contacting all warbird related publications to get mention in their next issue. That means we need an official "address" to publish so if this thread is good, should that be the contact point for readers of the magazines?
Fund raising: I really think that corporate sponsors are a viable option and would be willing to coordinate an attack on some of them as well. If you take the vendor paper from Oshkosh this year, I could write hundreds of letters. Remember, it's easier to get $10 from 1000 people than $1000 from 10. Let me know what you guys think.
RE: the big picture of salvage, man that is going to be a project. Coordination of wreck location and the bureaucracy battles...whew I'll leave that to you experts. I think my head would explode. That is grounds, however, for big preservation money. Getting them out of the "deep" is one thing, where they go from there and who can/is willing to do the restorations may be another. I think that some real prioritization is required here to decide which wrecks to focus on. One great success, like "Glacier Girl" really makes a statement of credibility and opens more doors. Who would be the ultimate "owner" of the salvaged aircraft?
Are there any lawyers among us that can shed light on what it takes to actually create a tax exempt foundation to do what it is we speak of?
So....my brain is spinning. Oh yeah, what's a "sticky"?
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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."
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