Support for Grounded Flight Instructors

The social and financial interruption of the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic has hit many of us and our friends and communities hard. The Wings of Carolina Flying Club has had to make the difficult decision to close its flight operations to protect the safety of its members and its community. WCFC is blessed with its association with a robust corps of independent flying instructors who, to one degree or another, rely on operations of the Club for their family income. 

Some of these instructors have indicated that they will likely remain financially sound through a foreseeable future of this pandemic but others are placed in more dire straits by this financial downturn. Members of the Wings of Carolina Flying Club community have started this GoFundMe campaign to provide a mechanism to provide gifted financial assistance to these instructors in need: In and of itself, looking out for our community, but also in hope that these gifts can help us retain this talent and resource for the Club and for the future of flight instruction in the area.

We have established a $10,000 goal for this campaign to at least give these instructors some financial breathing room in their lives over the coming month or two. If necessary, we hope to continue this gifting into the future to any Club flight instructor(s) who identify their need, but hope that the financial effects of this disease will lessen soon and flight operations can resume more normalcy. Funds gifted will be disbursed evenly among all instructors who have indicated financial need. Recipients of these gifts will remain anonymous and donors can choose to make their donation anonymous but we will provide full accounting of receipt and disbursement of funds here on this fund’s page in the future.

We ask for your generous gift in this time of difficulty to help fellow aviators and educators out. WFCF members who’ve had their monthly dues reduced during this most difficult time of flight operations closure might consider that a portion of that savings could help a fellow member out in a time of need. Please share the link of this GoFundMe page with your flying friends. Thank you for choosing to help. Thank you for being a supportive member of the flying community! 


If you are not familiar with Wings of Carolina Flying Club, please check out the website http://wingsofcarolina.org/ 
 
At Wings of Carolina Flying Club, our mission is to provide safe aeronautical training, low cost aviation education, inexpensive hourly aircraft rates, and flying fun.  As a not-for-profit organization, Wings of Carolina is able to provide aircraft for member use at a low hourly rate compared with profit driven operations. Our classes, seminars, and other events are open to the public. Membership is open to any individual who agrees to support the Club and its mission. 
Founded in 1961 (formerly the Chapel Hill Flying Club), Wings of Carolina is one of the oldest flying clubs in the nation.  Our membership includes men and women of all ages, from teenagers to retirees. Levels of experience range from brand new students to active professionals flying transatlantic 777 jets. This broad membership provides great camaraderie and an environment where we all learn from each other.  We have approximately 200 active flying members and 15 active flight instructors, but we are not a flight school so WCFC is unable to pay the instructors directly; our dedicated instructors work as independent contractors (a group less able to apply for government relief funds during this trying time).  All donations will go directly to those of our flight instructors who are least able to survive the immediate loss of income they have suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will insure they do not miss a rent payment, electric bill, water bill, etc.  A little bit can go a long way and every donation helps. As the fundraising is progressing and members are pulling together generously during this difficult and uncertain time, it makes us proud to call ourselves part of Wings of Carolina Flying Club; an aviation cohort committed to the safety and wellbeing of the club and the community it is comprised of. We plan to withdraw funds and distribute to instructors by Friday April 3 and continue as necessary.  This fundraiser was created by individual members of the Wings of Carolina Flying Club for the benefit of individual and independent instructors who teach at Wings of Carolina Flying Club and is not an activity of the Club itself.