A vintage military aviation group known for its historic planes, air shows and education will move its headquarters from West Texas to Dallas.
Officials with the nonprofit Commemorative Air Force on Tuesday announced plans to relocate to city-operated Dallas Executive Airport. The CAF is currently based at Midland International Airport.
Organizers sought access to a larger metro area and considered airports in more than 20 cities. Messages left with Midland city and airport officials were not immediately returned Tuesday.
The group plans a museum at the Dallas Executive Airport. It says money must be raised for the project and city support has been promised -- but city officials say the plans are not yet final. Mayor Mike Rawlings said it could attract a hotel and other development nearby.
Some neighbors are not so pleased. Helen Harts, who lives in the flight path to Dallas Executive Airport, said she knew nothing about the plan until she read about it in the newspaper. She went to the announcement event and confronted the mayor with complaints about future noise and traffic.
The city officials say they are convinced it will be a good project that is a good neighbor.
What began as the Confederate Air Force was chartered in 1961 in Texas to restore and preserve World War II-era combat aircraft. The CAF in 2002 changed its name to the Commemorative Air Force, currently with about 9,000 members and a fleet of nearly 160 decommissioned military planes.
