As you ponder your own economic circumstances don’t forget that non-profit groups are especially feeling the pinch and the good work they do in all facets of aviation is at risk. For instance, volunteers at Keystone Heights Airport in Florida are aggressively fund raising to build a warbird restoration center, and they’re raffling off a Diamond DA40 XLS with the help of Premier Aircraft Sales. “The tough economic climate has put a damper on our raffle sales even though we have received a lot of interest and support,” spokeswoman Susan King told AVweb.
King said the plane will be raffled Feb. 22 when the tiny airport hosts the Collings Foundation’s Wings of Freedom tour. Keystone Heights has a warbird them to most of the events it hosts, which is considerable for a small airport with an all-volunteer organization staff. In the past year they’ve hosted a Women Air Service Pilot reunion, promoted oral history projects in local schools and spearheaded an aviation and aerospace science fair initiative.
