CAF Superbase news

[Enemy Ace]

The idea of a large hangar/museum for the CAF at a more central location than Midland is starting to sound more and more like a good idea. Here is the latest from the CAF:

The Commemorative Air Force is pleased to announce the eight final locations under consideration for the home of the new CAF National Airbase. The search for a new headquarters began in May of 2013 with more than 25 interested and viable locations. After careful consideration of each potential location, the General Staff has narrowed the list to (alphabetical by airport):

Alliance Airport, Ft. Worth, Texas
Collin County Airport, McKinney, Texas (Dallas Metropolitan)
Dallas Executive Airport, Dallas, Texas
Ellington Field Airport, Houston, Texas
Lackland/Kelly Airport, San Antonio, Texas
New Century Airport, Kansas City/Olathe, Kansas
North Texas Regional Airport, Sherman/Dennison, Texas (Dallas Metropolitan)
Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport, Smyrna, Tennessee (Nashville Metropolitan)

"Each of these eight locations has the potential to help propel the Commemorative Air Force to a higher plane of awareness and national impact," said CAF President/CEO Stephan C. Brown. "Our mission is Education - such that Americans will value and support the contributions of military aviation in assuring our nation's freedom. In order to reach and impact the largest audience possible, the CAF is in need of a strong location that offers a significant permanent population as well as a thriving tourism opportunity."



The CAF National Airbase facility will feature a year-round aviation attraction, house Headquarters staff and member-volunteers who will organize and execute an annual warbird Airshow and fly-in, and be a base of operations for some of the CAF's most significant flying vintage military aircraft.



"We were excited to see strong interest from many communities across the country which our team carefully evaluated," said Brown. "The General Staff worked closely with international real estate and consulting firm, Jones Lang LaSalle to host a bidders' conference in Dallas in early June where 23 locations were represented. Within the few short weeks following the conference, the General Staff received 18 inquiries from across the country. After carefully scrutinizing each location, the board narrowed potential sites to these eight strong prospects. Over the next few months, the General Staff will conduct an extensive investigation, proposal and negotiation process to further narrow the potential sites and ultimately select a new location."



At the CAF Annual General Membership Meeting in October 2013, the CAF membership will vote to give the General Staff the authority to select the location of the National Airbase from the list of finalists. While the members will not directly vote to select the final location, CAF members will authorize their member-elected Staff to make the best decision for the future of the CAF. The formal voting process will require three-fourths approval of the voting membership. At the conclusion of an externally-audited vote, the General Staff will begin the next stage of the selection process.



Each of the eight locations will be thoroughly analyzed to ensure the final selection accommodates all of the criteria put forth by the General Staff. The home of the new CAF National Airbase and Headquarters operation will be located in a major metropolitan area with a minimum population of one million with ease of access to tourists and CAF membership through a nearby major international airport and an infrastructure of interstate highways. Other criteria include:

Approximately 150 to 200 acres adjacent to an airport capable of supporting CAF facilities, operations and a significant fly-in or Airshow
Strong local demographics and easy access to a large pool of potential visitors and members
A major reliever airport with limited scheduled carrier activity
Open airspace around and above the airport
Runway length of 7,000 by 150 feet or more
Visibility and ease of access
Room and ability to grow
Cooperative airport management and tower
Runways, taxiways and ramp areas capable of handling the aircraft of the CAF fleet



Brown said the General Staff envisions this new National Airbase as the pinnacle of the organization's 60 existing facilities currently spread over 28 states and maintained by the CAF's 10,000 member-volunteers.



"The CAF National Airbase will house and serve as a stage to share a rotating group of the most significant military aviation assets in history," Brown concluded. "For more than 55 years we have been restoring, maintaining and operating the world's largest fleet of flying vintage military aircraft and we expect this Airbase to become a premier destination for the chosen host city."



Stephan C. Brown
CAF President/CEO

[JohnB]

It would be nice if they had the money to build a first-class facility like Weeks' Fantasy of Flight. Also, too bad Yeagan's nice buildings are so far east...

[cco23i]

It would be nice if they build the flightline area to look like a WW2 flightline.

[Mudge]

I, selfishly, vote for Smyrna, TN 'cause it's the closest to me. Not to mention that a lot more people could get there, easily, than they can to Midland.

Mudge the planner

ps. Of course it ain't gonna' happen in my lifetime so what does it matter?

[Warbird Kid]

Would it be feasible / logical / possible for the CAF to buy, dismantle, and transport Yagen's hangars to wherever this new location will be? Then rebuild them?

[ryguy135]

Boeing is selling their 747 hangars in Wichita, Ks....just sayin...

[Rob W]

While we're throwing any and every location out there, I'd like to put in a plug for my own backyard.

[p51]

Ii'm surprised Ellington was on the list, would make for great airshows if they threw in with NASA...

[aerojock]

I would think Ellington is too close to the salt air that they stated as one reason to leave the Valley. If they want salt air move back to Harlingen.

[dinghao]

San Antonio for my 2 cents:

The number one tourist destination in the state.
I think there is plenty of growing space at Kelly/Lackland.
Tons of former Air Force personnel, including A&Ps.
Easy access from anywhere in the city.
Relatively moderate weather...few tornados, we do get hail couple times a yr.
good flying weather...that's why they put Randolph AFB; Kelly and Brooks here.
Fairly low cost of doing business / living.
I think SA still hosts many military reunions.

[StangStung]

There are eight options.

Four of them are in North Texas/DFW Metroplex.

The other four seem like gentle nods to "also rans."

Where do you really think they want it to wind up?

[Obergrafeter]

Where do you really think they want it to wind up?

Hmmmmmm.........................let's see, the B-29 is where?

[Lynn Allen]

Look Ober, they want to move to San Antonio, again...

[Nathan]

The CAF wouldn't be the same if it moved out of Texas. Keep the heritage and keep the CAF in Texas! Besides I hope someday Texas becomes it's own country and well they will need an airforce. The CAF is ready!

[K5DH]

I realize that I'm biased, but I'm going to toss in my two cents' worth. Fort Worth Alliance Airport would be a great location for the "Superbase" for a variety of reasons:

The airport itself is not all that busy, and it has two great big parallel runways designed to handle jumbo jets.

It's right on IH-35W and not far from several major interstate highway interchanges.

It's just a few miles north of Fort Worth, with all of its tourist attractions. (and just a few miles from VFM!)

The airport staff and local law enforcement are well versed in hosting large air shows, since they do a huge two-day show every year that draws about 250,000 people.

Lots of empty land adjacent to the airport to build on.

Excellent road access from both sides (via IH-35W on the east side and State Highway 156 on the west side).

The surrounding area is rural, so there would be few noise complaints.

There is a lot of relatively flat, open farm land in the area, in case an off-airport landing is required (that really is something important to keep in mind when operating vintage aircraft).

And, as someone else has already pointed out, the CAF is a Texas tradition.