Massachusetts Wing's Air Intercept Mission Part of Smithsonian Channel Documentary

The Smithsonian Channel has produced a new documentary series — “On the Fly: Adventures at Altitude.” Its focus is on all things general aviation — “following regular people as they turn their curiosity, excitement, and love of the skies into extraordinary feats of aviation.”

CAP's Massachusetts Wing and the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard are featured in a segment of the documentary series, scheduled to air at 9 p.m. EST Dec. 10. The episode, “A Game of Cat and Mouse,” details how the wing partners with the Air National Guard as part of the 104th’s Aerospace Control Alert/Airborne Intercept mission. The Smithsonian Channel filmed the training in Massachusetts this summer.

The episode will cycle between the CAP/104th Fighter Wing mission and a segment on the Reno Air Races to another segment on buying an affordable aircraft.

View Previous 'On the Fly' Episodes

CAP NCO Corps: 'We Take Care of People'

CAP's Noncommissioned Officer Corps provides adult members and cadets an invaluable resource — access to an entire lexicon of knowledge based on the depth of the NCOs’ military backgrounds.

Many NCOs continue to serve on active duty or have a long career in the military with a special emphasis on helping brothers and sisters in arms be successful. That expertise pays dividends for CAP’s adult NCO corps and for mentoring cadets.

CAP members of any age or grade can turn to the NCO Corps, 439 members strong, as a resource for leadership lessons and advice on life skills and future careers, whether in the military or the private sector.

“Our NCO Corps members bring in a refined sense of military life through mentoring, basic military knowledge, life and leadership skills, and their own experiences,” said National Command Chief Master Sgt. Todd Parsons (pictured above with Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass).

“We are member-focused,” Parsons said. “We take care of people. When people succeed, the mission succeeds.”

More About the Corps and its Mission

New CAP Pilots Praise Cadet Wings Program

Cadets from the California, Georgia, and Louisiana wings recently earned their private pilot certificate through the Civil Air Patrol Youth Aviation Initiative's Cadet Wings program.

The new CAP pilots, pictured, from left, are:

Cadet 2nd Lt. Wesley Felice of the Louisiana Wing’s Lake Charles Composite Squadron;
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Samuel Low of the California Wing’s Santa Cruz Composite Squadron 13; and
Cadet Col. George Powell of the Georgia Wing’s Ellijay Composite Squadron.

More About Felice, Low and Powell and their Future Flight Plans

Center for International Maritime Security Features CAP's Blazich, History Book in Podcast

CAP's national historian emeritus, Col. Frank A. Blazich, Jr., was interviewed in a recent podcast hosted by the Center for International Maritime Security.

Blazich joined the CIMS Sea Coast program to discuss his book, “An Honorable Place in American Air Power”: Civil Air Patrol Operations, 1942-1943.

Published in 2020 by Air University Press, the book covers the founding of CAP and its maritime missions. In the one-hour podcast, Blazich also shares observations about how this history provides lessons for the present and how CAP might be better employed today.

More About CIMS and its Sea Coast Program

Listen to Blazich's Interview

NHQ News

Donate by Dec. 31 to Elevate Dreams

Your year-end gift can help deserving Civil Air Patrol cadets attend encampments, create cadet scholarship opportunities, and fund teachers and aerospace and STEM education.

Your donation of…

$35: Trains a K-12 teacher in aerospace education.
$50: Fuels one child's aerospace education.
$125: Provides an hour of flying time.
$250: Supports a cadet for summer experiences.
$500: Brings aerospace education to a classroom.
$1,000+: Funds academic or flight scholarships for cadets.

Elevate Dreams by Giving Today

Help Civil Air Patrol Reach 30K Units of Blood

With less than 400 blood units to be collected/donated and only 25 days until the end of the year, CAP's Operation Pulse Lift needs your help in reaching its year-end goal of 30,000 units of blood.

Be a part of the humanitarian mission's “Season of Giving” with a lifesaving blood donation during the holidays. Both adult and cadets (over 16 years of age with parental permission) can donate. If you need help finding a blood donor site, go to this link or check into your local blood donor registry.

Report Your Blood Donation to CAP

Silvered Wings Series Continues with Aeronca LB

Maj. Ron Finger's second series of vintage aircraft artwork — the Silvered Wings Series — continues with this 15th installment.

Debuting in August 2022 and continuing into 2023, the series features the work and writing of Finger, a volunteer staff member on the Marketing and Communications team who serves as CAP's national artist.

Check out the latest vintage CAP aircraft in this Silvered Wings Series, as posted on CAP.news:

15th Series Installment: Aeronca LB

Holiday Greeting Card,

Tree Ornament On Sale

In case you missed it, here’s the beautiful 2023 Civil Air Patrol holiday greeting card.

While previous cards have been aviation-centric, this year’s edition by Maj. Ron Finger offers a more human touch featuring a mission pilot from the North Pole Composite Squadron.

Cards, and a collectible tree ornament with the same art, are now available through Vanguard Industries while supplies last.

Order a 5-Pack of CAP's Holiday Card