Warbird Information Exchange

Chris,

If it’s your dream to start a new CAF wing, why wait? The first step of writing up a business plan that clearly defines exactly what the group’s plans and intentions are will cost you nothing but your time. Read through the CAF regulations regarding new wing or squadron formation if you think it’s a critical must to be a part of that organization in the beginning or at all. The second step will again cost you very little to nothing and will indicate if there is any community interest in the idea. With your business plan in hand, go to you local airport(s), post flyers, talk to people and pitch your idea. Run adds in local news papers. Create a reoccurring meeting date and place where meetings are to be held. Invite people from other local aviation groups to attend. Meet at the local FBO if they will have you, in your garage or at a public location that offers free meeting spaces like a library. Key targets will be other warbird operators who may be willing to take you in, at the very least in your early formative stages. They may want to go farther too, who knows?

When you have enough people to move forward, plan the group’s first fundraising event…since warbirds are what you like, make it a nice little pancake breakfast with a local warbird or two, maybe a very small static show with fly-by or two. Grow from there. Most importantly remember that everything you do to raise money does not have to be aviation oriented. In fact, it should not be. Maybe 1% of the population is interested in aviation. Of that 1% maybe half of them want anything to do with warbirds. As you can see the pickin’s for a paying audience starts to get mighty small. On the other hand you have the rest of the 99% of the population that has money and is willing to spend it on other types of entertainment (Use your imagination…but keep it legal!). Before you know it you will have a hangar and an airplane to put in it.

The bottom line is its hard work and takes a lot of dedication to make it happen. Learn to press flesh and sell your idea. I’ve helped start organizations from nothing but a pen, piece of paper and a donation jar at chili feeds. That organization now holds one of the finest static/fly-by shows in the Minneapolis area and owns a BT-15 project that will fly in the next year or two. Plus they have found some great partner’s with similar interests who are willing to help the group realize its goals.

Don’t think you have to start with a hangar and an aircraft to have a viable CAF Wing or warbird organization. It is motivated people that will make those objects a reality and not the other way around. Waiting will gain you nothing but lost time. Self initiative will yield the results you are looking for.

John

When did they disband? They were quite active at AirSho last year when I was there.

I think the problem the CAF's had is that we have been seriously lacking in recruitment strategies. I think we're starting to see that change however and maybe we'll start to see the various levels of membership (Colonel & Life aren't the only levels), the Cadet program, and the Angels get pushed more and be able to bring in more people. The biggest problem is getting people to join at a younger age because the old folks aren't getting any younger and it's only us of the younger generations that will be able to keep organizations like the CAF going into the future. Thankfully at the DFW wing, we've got some good recruiters and we are getting more younger members so I know that we're moving forward, and I know that other areas are too, so hopefully it'll get out more that the CAF (and other museums) aren't just for retired old farts.

John, and to everybody, I thank you for your interest and support. I don’t know if having a few warbirds fly in would be possible right now but it would certainty be a possibility if I could raise that kind of scratch.

Maybe, B-25 "Miss Hap"
FG-1 "Sky Boss"

I’m gonna ponder on my next move to increase the awareness of the airport, its history, and what can come of it.

Chris

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Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

I stand corrected, and I’m glad to hear they’re still around!

Back in the day, I asked some folks in Harlingen about a membership for my girlfriend at the time. It seemed like they were going on hiatus or something. I think I ended up getting her a regular membership so she could fly with us on the plane to airshows (and do aircraft tours and sell PX stuff all weekend long, LOL).

There’s good advice in previous posts in this thread. As for starting a Wing, one thing I would add is finding out what the core group would want for their effort. Even before my CAF days, we kicked this around and settled on the “Three Fs”; Fellowship, Fun and Flying.

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Commemorative Air Force
Experimental Aircraft Association
Warbirds of America

What are you waiting for? Join us!

Best way to contact me- email my last name @gmail.com

Warbird Kid,
If you're really interested in starting up a new wing, call HQ 432-563-1000, ext. 2226 and talk w/Keith Lawrence. He can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about this but were afraid to ask.