Redstone Chapter

Army Aviation Heritage Foundation

Happenings over the last year

Several accomplishments have been made over the last year

the OH-13 is going back together (thanks to Tony Hill) and a home with the Huntsville Veterans Museum has been identified
a suitable hanger for the in coming TH-55 is located and provided for as a donation to the chapter by the Madison County Airport Authority
Acceptance of the TH-55 - it’s airworthiness and transition to the chapter is being worked
Support provided to National in the established airshows

Membership

The current membership listing shows that the chapter now has 49 Members (7 Life, 9 Potential, and 34 yearly).
This is up about 4 members over the last year.
To this point the chapter was working to grow the membership as the aircraft grow, and thus far we have been predominantly quiet about membership.
As the presence is known more and more, we are working to increasing the membership by at least 15-20 members in the next year. The big driver to this is the TH-55 and any additional aircraft that we can get as a draw

Goals and Efforts for the up coming year:

· Continue to work with a consultant to solicit corporate sponsorship

· Hangar Hunt – Continue the efforts to get the permanent home for the chapter with adequate space for multiple aircraft (100’ x 100’ hangar costs approximately $800,000) through corporate sponsorship.

· T-hanger –continue to with the MDQ Airport Authority to set up the T-hangar up in preparation for the TH-55’s “temporary home”

· TH-55 – Maintenance help will be needed in getting this aircraft certified

· OH-13 – The OH-13 finished reassembling and move to Veterans Museum

· Airshow participation – We need to get the flying TH-55 at airshows to get the chapter demand use up and have a set of 2-3 routines for use at airshows. Some of the initial plans have been completed. Lets face it a TH-55 is not going to impress anyone with it’s sexiness like a Cobra, Beautiful sleek lines like the OV-1, or it’s pure raw power so it needs a unique routine.

· RSA Open house and local Fly In participation need to be supported increased to accelerate the chapters growth

· Recruit additional members to grow the chapter

· Support to National in the airshows as they are scheduled

· Get three chapter members qualified in the Black Cobras

Goals and Efforts for the Following year:

· Continue to work with a consultant to solicit corporate sponsorship

· Get the large permanent hanger home built

· Secure additional aircraft (UH-1, a Black Cobra and possibly a fixed wing to support chapter and national airshows)

· Continue to grow the membership in the chapter.

To sum it up the Chapter is moving and we all need to keep the inertia going to keep it moving and growing.