Warbird Information Exchange

Who here on WIX volunteers at an aviation museum? And what is your favorite part of volunteering?

_________________
"Keep 'em Flying!"

Talking to Vets.

_________________

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

Too far from an aviation museum to volunteer.

Volunteer every summer on Oshkosh Warbird Line Crew.

Two "best parts"...

Talking to vets (and seeing them react to seeing "their" aircraft.

Helping "strangers" appreciate warbirds and getting young people excited about the aircraft and their history.

I started doing it because I liked the planes, but the other two items became more important fairly quickly.

As with any volunteer activity, the comraderie of spending time with other like-minded people becomes more important over time.

Uh.... Looking at planes? Stroking warbird/airline pilot egos? Getting dehydrated and sunburned? Having my wife ask why I spend so much time at the airport? Ruining perfectly good shirts from oil stains? Sliding off the wing of the Super Corsair? Having someone accidentally jab me in the hand (almost down to the bone) with a pair of needle nose pliers when they slipped off of a cotter pin? Having another volunteer use MEK to wipe down the new Plexiglas I just spent the day carefully cutting out and installing in the B-25 nose escape hatch?

I'll keep adding to the list as I get time!

I volunteer at the Air Museum/Planes of Fame in Chino. I enjoy the people, the airplanes and the mission in which we work together to keep or get as many flying as we can..... It's a great bunch of people and an amazing place that just keeps getting better. If you haven't been there for awhile, its worth a trip---especially to catch the Airshow May 20 and 21!

_________________
Tom N

I have been a regular at Lone Star for the past 7 years. There is a really great group of people there and I have made some good friends with a real variety of backgrounds whom I never would have met otherwise.

In addition to getting up close with all the great toys I would have to say nothing compares to the feeling of going to a show and seeing someone get the faraway look in their eyes as they look up at the nose of the B17 and are transported back in time to their youth spent in the sky's over Germany or Japan fighting for their life. On several occasions I have had a veteran tell me stories about his experiences in combat as if he were actually still there and to top it all off their wife/kids would come over afteword and make the commit that "in the 50 years we have been married I have never heard any of this".

Of course- on a more shallow note- taxiing up to show center at Oshkosh and jumping out of a B17 with a crowd of folks looking on jealousy is also pretty darn cool.

Steve

For me it was Volunteering my services as a mechanic,to be used for anything remotely related to turning wrenches.I even said"give me a parts brush,a can of gas and some greasy parts and I'll be happy.getting up Real early on a number of saturday mornings and then when I arrived ready to rock, I was handed a broom each time and told to sweep away.That was real fun! Wheeeee! It doesnt get any better than that. Tim.

_________________
"WHAT ME WORRY?"

My friends and I do a spot of 'plane scrubbing at the Shuttleworth Collection. It's our way of putting something back in return for the enjoyment we get from the shows.

Whilst the cleaning (particularly metal polishing) is very satisfying in its own right, the cameraderie and the banter make it all a great deal of fun. It's also good to chat to the visitors who stop to talk whilst we're working. During the last couple of years I've had the pleasure and honour to meet people who flew, built and repaired many of the planes that we look after. The experience is made much richer from these encounters.

_________________
My Flickr Photo Album

PlaneTalk Forum

The only problem with volunteer work is you can never volunteer enough, plus you learn so much, and as a bonus, you enjoy the experience. If you're married with a family, you only have "X" number of hours to spend on working Warbirds. We are having our Spring Air Show (Lone Star) this weekend and I'm leaving early (5:00 A.M.) in the morning to help. It will be a good day because he Lone Star "Guys" are great. We'll have a great weekend.
Tom

I've been a volunteer at 2 museums - Planes of Fame and Quonset. Both bring different things as they are drastically different museums. The main reason I volunteer is to give something back and show my appreciation for the men and women who have given their lives for our freedom. I also enjoy the comraderie and the people I get to meet. At POF I have done anything from working on the website for many years to helping at the airshow and working in the motor pool. I value the many friendships I've made and can't even count the number of vets I've had the pleasure of talking with. At Quonset I do anything from helping with the restoration of the Sky Knight to my more recent activities of giving talks to differnt groups that come in for tours. But the main reason I volunteer.....I dig aviation!

Great thread, I volunteer with the Wings Over Houston Airshow operating the Heroes & Legends autograph tent. My duties range from contacting veterans and confirming attendance, arranging trans., hotel res., dinner plans (my favorite) and making sure they have a good time! Thanks to all volunteers who make these shows possible. Pics. from last year http://wohairshow.blogspot.com/.

Tim

Tim, you've seen my hangar... I don't even own a broom!

W.O.H.....Great legends story on link Tim......Tom

I volunteer as a docent at the Kalamazoo Airzoo. I'm in my 6th year. I enjoy the contacts with our visitors...typically those that take the tour want additional information, and I enjoy being able to share that with them.

John

I volunteer for Wendover airfield and there really isn't much I don't enjoy about. Wait, the frustration I experience in finding financial support is the only part I find not so great.

The vets, the planes, the smell of AVGAS and JET A, the history, oil on your shirt, well intentioned volunteer staff, its all part of the great experience.

Tom P.
www.wendoverairbase.com