EVERETT, Washington – Puget Sound Flyers (PSF) is part flying club, part charity. For the first part, the club has three airplanes based at Paine Field (KPAE). For the second part, Puget Sound Flyers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides scholarships to children who survived cancer for post-secondary education.
The Flyers’ goal is to raise money for scholarships for young people from families of limited means, who have survived cancer as a child, so they can go on to college or other schools and be contributing members of society.
PSF President Richard Newman told me, “My own child, Carli, survived cancer and we got wiped out. Fortunately, we were in a position to make a come-back. Not every family is so fortunate.”
Incidentally, Carli will graduate from high school this June as Valedictorian and has received a full scholarship to Reed College in Portland, Ore., where she will devote her future to biomedical research to find a cure for cancer. Further, Richard asked me to make clear that Carli is not eligible for any of the funding to come from the raffle.
“So, as a bunch of flying nuts, we thought we would make our effort to give to the community in this way: Raise funds for the young folk, put a plane into the hands of some young aviator to go fly with, or get someone who is not a flyer to have their own plane and become part of a great crowd.”
Puget Sound Flyers will raffle a fully refurbished Cessna 150M that is in the process of being made like new again. The club found a C-150M that was really haggard and in need of love.
“We took it apart down to the last screw and bolt,” said Richard. “We soda blasted parts and Sunquest Air Specialties of Paine Field made it all looks gorgeous. Then back to us. Every screw, nut and bolt is brand new. A whole list of all new stuff is going into this plane and a couple of changes to make it better than ever. Yes, NEW GLASS TOO! You had to file IFR just to sit in the plane and day dream the old glass was so bad.”
Raffle tickets are $50 each. PSF will sell just 3,000 tickets before the June 1, 2019, drawing. Washington State law limits Puget Sound Flyers to in person sales only, to anyone 18 or older. PSF will be making the rounds of Washington airport breakfasts and lunch venues. Of course, you can also stop by their offices at 2909 100th St SW, Suite A, Everett, WA 98204. Learn more at their website or by calling 425–777-0671.
