Toys For Tots Event Takes Flight at the CAF - KWES NewsWest 9 / Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX: newswest9.com |

By Jen Kastner
NewsWest 9

MIDLAND- The Commemorative Air Force Museum held a Toy Fly-In on Saturday.

Pilot-to-be Nacoma Sauls attended the event. After just a short flying lesson, the boy was ready to get his wings.

Sauls tells us, "You can do spins and circles in the sky and you think you're so cool in the air. It feels like you're flying like a bird."

For the event, the Commemorative Air Force Museum, Experimental Aircraft Association and the Amateur Modelers came together under one roof.

Steve Clinton with the Experimental Aircraft Association says, "We have decided to join forces. All three groups are very large organizations in the aviation community. We figured we're all here for the same thing so we're joining forces."

They spent the day showing off their skills as folks dropped by to give them toys, all of which will go to Toys for Tots.

Mike Hendrick with the Commemorative Air Force tells NewsWest 9, "Our mission with the CAF is primarily education of the younger generations honoring the older generations that have fought in the wars."

Little kids and big kids flew remote control planes and toured the museum.

Hendrick says, "We have seven airplanes that we operate here that are from WWII for the most part. They're vintage."

Lots of these kids had never seen anything close to what they've seen at this event.

"General aviation is having trouble with the price of fuel and everything. [It makes it harder] for people to get into it. We're trying to get the young kids eager to get into aviation so this is our way of doing that," Clinton said.

To older pilots who attended, the act of flying simply makes life better. 

"It gives you a freedom you don't get on the ground and you're at peace when you're up in the air," Clinton said.