You know it’s summer when the Commemorative Air Force starts making rounds across the country, bringing its magnificent and rare World War II aircraft to airports and selling rides.
There is hardly a pilot out there who at least once has not been envious of the flight crews who travel around the U.S. in these rare warbirds. Many wonder how to land what may be the ultimate summer job for the WWII aviation enthusiast.
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John Smutny, a Washington state resident who will be spending at least part of the summer as chief on the B-17G Sentimental Journey, offers his tips for success.
“The first step is joining the CAF and a unit that has the aircraft you’re interested in,” said Smutny. “Each unit will have their own path developed, in addition to minimums set by CAF headquarters, to achieve the goal of crewing one of the 180-plus warbirds we operate. Airbase Arizona operates our B-17G Sentimental Journey and to be a flight crew chief (FCC) requires participating in at least two annual condition inspection cycles of the aircraft. Once you’ve demonstrated competency and understanding of the aircraft’s systems and airbase procedures, you may be invited to become an FCC crewmember if there is an open slot.”
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You don’t necessarily have to hold an FAA certificate to be part of the crew.
“However, one has to be willing to put in the time and effort to learn the 80-year-old systems and modern maintenance procedures used to keep our aircraft flying and safe for the public as we offer Living History Flight Experience flights,” said Smutny. “CAF has required annual training for those working on aircraft and Airbase Arizona holds annual training sessions for FCCs and pilots together and then specific airframe training for the FCCs.”
Smutny holds a repairman certificate for sport aircraft and is a private pilot. He often flies the Stinson Reliant that belongs to the CAF Rainier Squadron in Washington state to local airshows.
Since most of the training to be part of the CAF takes place on the job, he noted he has spent the past few summers as the flight loadmaster on tour with the B-17G and B-25J.
“That’s another crewmember position that is responsible for passenger safety and monitoring engines, gear, and flaps for unusual issues as seen from the rear fuselage windows,” said Smutny. “During the 15-20 week summer tours we’ll spend one week at each stop. After arriving on Monday, the airplane is cleaned, [and] postflight inspection and contact is made with local support resources for anything we may need for servicing the airplanes.
“Tuesday through Thursday we’re open for walk-through tours, as the airplane is configured to allow the public to climb up the forward hatch and then crawl, squeeze, and walk through to the tail. We interact with them, answering questions and passing along the stories of the young crews that flew these old airplanes into battle.”
Airbase members take turns in two-week stints with the airplanes while on tour. The aircraft are often hosted by an aviation museum or FBO. Rides are done Friday through Sunday. Advance reservations usually sell out quickly for the 15-20-minute flights.
Often the passengers on these flights have a personal connection to the aircraft. Their fathers or grandfathers served on one during the war, or their mothers or grandmothers helped build them. Sometimes grandma was a WASP and ferried the aircraft to a training base.
It is not uncommon to see adults tear up as they look at these aircraft, recalling a family story. It can be an emotional experience to fly on one of these planes, and the crewmembers know this—and that is why safety is key.
“We start early with a lengthy preflight inspection, configuring the aircraft for flight, crew briefs, and then conduct three or four ride flights,” said Smutny. “The FCC sits in a third seat behind and between the pilots and runs the checklists, monitors engines, systems, and manages the propellers during the flight.”
When rides are done for the day, the aircraft is reconfigured for walk-through tours until late afternoon. On Monday the crew packs up and ferries to the next location.
If you would like to be part of a crew on a CAF warbird, find the nearest unit and ask what the process is to reach the role you want to undertake. Whether that is crew chief, mechanic, pilot, or ground support, it is attainable to those that want to put in the effort.
Getting an ‘In’ With Warbirds
A job that allows you to be around vintage aircraft, specifically warbirds, is the aviation version of running away to join the circus. Everyone thinks about it at least once in their life.
Jim Harley, a lifelong warbird fan, spent 16 years with the Collings Foundation after answering a want ad on the Warbird Information Exchange forum (warbirdinformationexchange.org). At the time the Collings Foundation, based in Stow, Massachusetts, flew World War II aircraft (a B-17, B-24, B-25, and P-51D) around the country selling rides.
“We visited 110 cities in 11 months,” Harley said.
It was the late 1990s and early 2000s, so it was not uncommon for the tour to encounter WWII veterans who often turned up in uniform to ride aboard the aircraft they flew as teenagers and 20-somethings.
Getting a job near warbirds can help you get your foot in the door, according to Chris Henry, director of the EAA Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Henry had a few different aviation jobs before joining the museum as a member of the customer service team.
“The biggest thing is to get in the environment,” Henry said. “Once you’re there, you work hard and build your reputation, and put your ego aside. Let your hard work speak for itself. The rest will fall into place.”
EAA AirVenture relies on warbird volunteers to make the show run, according to Nora Leigh from EAA Warbirds of America. The organization has approximately 1,100 volunteers serving throughout the year.
For technical jobs, such as moving aircraft, the more experienced are assigned a “shadow” who will receive on-the-job training and mentoring. The work begins well ahead of AirVenture in late July as weekend work parties come out preseason to help prepare the grounds for the influx of airplanes and fans.
This feature first appeared in the June Ultimate Issue 971 of the FLYING print edition.