A Gift That Impacts Generations
Because of You, Bob, Columbine II Could Fly Again
Creating a Legacy That Will Live for Generations.
Bob,
We’d welcome the chance to share the full impact of a Founding Gift.
When we look at your career, your service, and your contributions to aviation, it is impossible not to see how perfectly your story aligns with the mission of restoring the First Air Force One.
You have spent more than 30 years shaping the world of aviation. You’ve flown more than 50 different aircraft, earned advanced instructor ratings, and before that, you showed courage in the skies as a Vietnam Helicopter Pilot.
You served your country with distinction, earning the Bronze Star for Meritorious Service, the Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement in Aviation, 22 Air Medals, and the Master Aviator Award. The values that carried you: honor, responsibility, loyalty, and pride in country are the same values embodied by the aircraft we are fighting to restore.
It is one of the most meaningful pieces of aviation history this country possesses, and yet it came shockingly close to disappearing forever. People like you are the reason it didn't.
You understand better than almost anyone what it means to bring an aircraft back to life. You know the complexity of avionics replacement, the challenge of sourcing rare components, the realities of aging systems, and the technical and financial lift required to maintain authenticity while meeting safety standards. You know that returning Columbine II to its rightful stature is a task that only the most committed leaders can undertake.
And because of who you are, what you’ve done, and what you’ve built, your involvement would mean more than you may realize.
A Founding Gift at this level provides the leadership and technical momentum needed to ensure Columbine II is restored with the precision, respect, and aviation excellence this aircraft deserves. It moves the project out of vulnerability and into a phase of real progress, national visibility, and long-term impact.
Your Founding Gift Will:
Advance Complex Restoration Work
Provide the resources needed to stabilize the airframe, address aging structures, and move the aircraft into the next stage of professionally managed restoration — work that requires deep aviation expertise and disciplined execution.
Restore Critical Flight & Systems Components
Fuel the detailed restoration of the cockpit, avionics, and engines — reviving the systems once entrusted with carrying a President and reflecting the level of precision and accuracy expected by those who understand aircraft at this caliber.
Expand National STEM & Leadership Education
Transform Columbine II into a mobile learning platform that brings aviation science, Cold War history, leadership principles, and real-world technical problem-solving directly to students across the country.
Preserve Veteran Stories & American Memory
Capture and protect the stories of pilots, crew, and veterans connected to this era — ensuring their service, sacrifice, and legacy remain part of America’s living history and shared national identity.
Imagine, years from now, standing with your grandchildren and telling them that you helped save the first Air Force One.
That you played a defining role in preserving a national treasure.
That you helped restore an aircraft that carried a president through some of the most consequential years of the twentieth century.
That you ensured this history — your history — will be remembered.
Your entire life has been defined by aviation, service, and excellence. A Founding Gift of $1 Million allows that legacy to be connected to an aircraft that shaped America, connected to the values President Eisenhower championed, and connected to the heritage of pilots who served with courage and purpose.
This is more than restoration. It is the preservation of American identity, aviation history, and a story that belongs to all of us.
We would be honored to discuss what your support could mean for this mission.
With Sincere Gratitude,
Rob Clapper, Executive Director
