Welcome to the Coastal Bend. Whether you are a winter Texan, a visitor on vacation or live and work here full time we are so happy that you’ve taken the time to skim through our Visitor’s Guide and we hope that you will take advantage of the many positive events and delightful attractions, restaurants and businesses that serve Aransas Pass, Ingleside, and Ingleside on the Bay.
As a Detroit native and recent New York transplant, I have learned to use my skills as a journalist to be inquisitive, opening my eyes to many talented individuals and groups here that con tribute a wealth of knowl edge and expressions of warmth and kindness. There is no real ‘hustle and bustle’ here, and that’s truly how the community seems to like it. Whether the people you encounter are here season ally or year-round you’ll find them engaged, optimistic and resolute.
Shrimping is no longer a major economic driver in the region, but no matter where you go, you’ll encoun ter a fascination with the remnants from that bygone era, especially in the annual ‘Shrimporee’ this summer that celebrates its 74th year commemorating and hon oring those who helped put our area on the map globally. The event is one of the larg est public festivals in south Texas and attracts thou sands who enjoy carnival attractions and tasty meals – all focused-on shrimp.
Whether you like sport or recreational fishing, a
kayak ride in a tranquil setting, observing hundreds of species of marine and bird life during their migratory travels, or just want a water view with your cocktail and dinner – you’ve come to the right spot.
This is also a fami ly-friendly area with options that include bowling, roller skating, Gulf Coast excur sions to see dolphins or live entertainment or the most recent film releases – our three communities offer something for everyone –including history.
A hidden gem tucked away at our local airport is the Maxine Flournoy 3rd Coast Commemorative Air Force Museum, a treasure trove of military memorabil ia and artifacts that include a Youth Cadet program for kids and teens who want to learn how to fly! And, starting this summer the non-profit will also begin offering public flights about one of its vintage aircraft, sure to be a thrilling once-inlifetime experience.
Don’t forget to check out our many unique artisans, craftsmen and entrepre neurial businesses that offer unique products and one=of-a-kind gifts for your home, office or an upcoming special event or celebration. Our residents have come from near and far, but all chose to be here for a reason. We know that you did, too.
Enjoy your stay. We hope that in some small way we’ve helped to make it a pleasant one.
TThe Southern coastal bend of Texas is one of the premier places to visit, site see, vacation and fish all wrapped up in an area that any family of any size can enjoy. Premier fishing and pristine beaches make for great vacations and permanent living.
Fishing the azure waters any time of the year is excellent, whether from a boat or the beach or the many piers from Fulton to Cor pus Christi, with Aransas Pass/Ingleside being right in the center of it all. Still small town living at its best with parades, community events and access to Port Aransas with a short ferry ride.
Fishing on the coastal bend is some of the best is Texas, where redfish and trout are plentiful and the clean clear grass filled waters are full of dolphins, herons, pink ibises, and a multitude of species of coastal wildlife.
There is also many great fishing guides and kayak guides for all levels of fishing, multiple harbors and bait shops make it simple to get on the water or along the miles of accessible shoreline.
Kelley Burnett Dolphins love ‘play’, says Burnett, often racing ahead of supertankers that navigate the La Quinta ship ping channel. Many of the marine mammals have become so familiar with Burnett’s boat they will come within arm’s reach of visitors she brings to see them.
Her career spent as an educator taught Kelley Burnett a valuable lesson, to spend her retirement outdoors. Now 65 the San Anto nio native calls Ingleside on the Bay home where she owns and operates Dolphin Connection Ingleside, her 6-passenger boat docked at Bahia Marina on Bayshore Dr.
‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath pre pared for them that love him,’ Burnett quotes from the Bible in 1 Corinthians, chapter 2, verse 9. Raised an atheist, ‘Cap tain Kelley’ – as she is known these days – has embraced spirituality over time and even attends services at Summit Church in Corpus Christi – the group professing to be ‘non-de nominational’.
But the Biblical passage has a very personal meaning for Burnett who spent 20 years as an English teacher in a ‘basement’ and never expected to retire to a part-time business that got her and her customers so close to ocean mammals and nature.
‘I had no idea that God had a boat or a Captain in my fu
ture, Burnett remarked, adding that some people sarcastically spout ‘they’re living the dream’, adding with sincerity, ‘I’m living the dream.’
Nineteen of her 20 years in a classroom for Burnett were spent at Claudia Taylor Johnson High School in San Anto nio, named after the former First Lady, most knew or can remember as ‘Lady Bird’. But Burnett’s first-floor teaching quarters had no windows, and she vowed that whatever she did next in life ‘it would be out doors’. A committed educator, Kelley said she worked 70 to 75 hours a week in her profession, but the lack of sunlight was taking its toll.
‘I went to school in the dark and I came home in the dark,’
she lamented of those first 19 years in education.
‘I needed a connection with the outside world,’ Burnett ex plained, recalling her childhood where her family traveled each summer to Corpus Christi, vaca tioning on N. Padre Island. Just before Burnett retired from teach ing, she transferred to the Corpus Christi ISD and began looking for a home near the Gulf coast.
Along with a Realtor she had retained for the search, Burnett scouted everywhere – including the island, but found the cost of owning a condominium far exceeded her financial resources at the time. So, she kept looking in Flour Bluff, Aransas Pass, Port Aransas, and Rockport when she found herself turning on to Star light Dr. in Ingleside on the Bay by pure circumstance.
‘I didn’t even realize Ingle side on the Bay existed,’ Burnett acknowledged and one of the first things she spotted was a purple
house. There, she noticed a ‘For Sale’ sign stuck up underneath a garbage can, wrote the number down and made a phone call.
‘It was like a hostile takeover,’
she laughed, recalling the odd conversation which followed. The woman who owned the house was being convinced by her sisters she should move, but
clearly wasn’t happy about it. Twelve days into the negotiating process about the sale, Burnett said the owner blurted out, ‘Well, I guess you’re going to want the boat, too?’
Surprised, but intrigued, Bur nett bit – hook, line, and sinker. She ended up acquiring an exist ing dolphin excursion business and hired Capt. Pat Fitzgerald to pilot her boat until she could obtain her own license.
That chore still makes Burnett laugh. Required to spend 360 days on the water and complete a fulltime class to obtain her mariner’s credentials, Kelley said she spent many days with ‘old salts’ – all men – most with bad attitudes towards women and foul mouths to match.
‘I have to admit, it was intim idating,’ she recalled, reminded of the ‘dirty jokes’ the older guys shared publicly, all she declined to repeat because they were too ‘spicey’.
‘I made it,’ Kelley said. ‘I made it through,’ she laughed, relieved to have succeeded despite the challenges of the male-dominated program.
‘The boat lives under the house,’ Burnett explained of the 24-foot vessel she uses for the 90-minute trips that begin in Ingleside Cove and continue into the La Quinta boat channel. Fares are $65 for each adult and $45 for every child – deposits are required in advance and full payment upon arrival. Both rates are $5 above what they had been due to inflationary expenses.
There’s no schedule, per se. Captain Kelley explained her business is dependent on weather – no one wants to sail on choppy seas. And the peak period is June, July and August after dolphin mating season, one of the more fascinating times Burnett enjoys most because the newborn mam mals are more prevalent now through May. Since hers is a ‘bou tique business’, as Kelley called it, she customizes each trip out based on her customer’s wishes.
That personalized service has won Burnett continued praise and positive reviews with online search engines, including Google maps – she offered.
Now in her fourth year, Burnett remains confident she’ll continue Dolphin Connection Ingleside even though the pan demic has proved the biggest challenge to its sustainability.
‘Since Covid, it’s gone down,’ she lamented of the numbers of passengers she’s carried and ‘inflation isn’t helping.’
There’s no voicemail in Bur nett’s business model. If you call (361) 776-2887 you’ll hear her an swer. When a trip is booked, she reminds passengers in advance via text message of their expected arrival and departure times. Ev eryone gets a safety briefing, and children aged 12 and under are required to wear life jackets.
Travelers also receive training on how to spot and identify dol phins, Burnett explained. While she pilots the boat, towards the stern (back), passengers are in the bow (front) and her pre-trip educational briefing allows riders to help Captain Kelley navigate
towards the dolphin’s her passen gers discover.
Known as a ‘pod’, dolphins –Kelley said – ‘love to play’, recall ing how it’s a common sight to spot them racing ahead of giant super tankers in the La Quinta Channel.
Of course, there are passenger ‘favorites’, Burnett acknowledged, dolphins who are seen again and again because of their distinctive markings. ‘Rodeo’, is one, she said, named because of a noticeable ‘rope scar’. There’s also ‘Mortal Combat’ because it appears someone tried to slice the dolphin in half.
Unlike other excursion busi nesses that just take passengers out to sea for what some might describe as a ‘show and tell’, Bur nett stops her boat and allows for interaction between dolphins and her guests. The species, she ex plained, are highly intelligent and because she bought the business from another operator, her vessel is actually recognized by the mammals who stop, too, watch ing and observing – still with a sense of reserve and caution. But it may be the pinnacle of any voyage because passengers see nature up close as perhaps never before in their lives.
‘I’m also an artist. I do fish painting,’ Burnett revealed of her off hours hobby, replicating the work known as ‘gyotaku’ that originated in Japan. Using (dead) fish, she paints them and then makes a ‘print’ of the image on a canvas. Unusual at it may sound, her artwork has been noticed in local circles and art galleries.
Editor’s note: Dolphin Con nection Ingleside has a Facebook page, or you can also visit her website: www.dolphinconnec tioningleside.com
I had no idea that God had a boat or a Captain in my future, Burnett remarked...
Conn Brown Harbor is a summertime hotspot for Aransas Pass.
From the sunrises saying good morning to the city, to the pure joy people have at the park during the day, to the nighttime fishing along the water’s edge, and more, Conn brown Harbor offers an abundance of opportunities for fun, relaxation, and downhome hospitality. Whether visitors wish to drive around to check out the natural landscape of the Flats, which neighbors the harbor; utilize the biking/walk ing path for leisure time or visit the bait shops to find out the good fishing spots, there is something for everyone in the family to soak up.
Also rich in history, Conn Brown Harbor is home to a renowned shrimping community where hundreds of shrimp boats at one time called the harbor their home. While times have changed and the harbor now offers many recreational uses, shrimping will always live on in the harbor through stories and good eats. Erickson & Jen
There’s something for everyone at the harbor, and with acres of undeveloped land the potential for growth is exponential.”
A child enjoys fishing on the pier at Conn Brown Harbor, as his father tries a nearby spot in the background. Ample opportunities for fishing are found throughout the general harbor area.
sen Seafood Packers is the sole survivor. On a self-walk ing tour of the harbor, visitors may stop near the fishing pier where there is an historical plaque which details the local shrimping history. The local shrimp industry dates back to 1913 when Bill Minter shipped a barrel of shrimp to a San Antonio fish market for resale as fish bait but when he found they were good eats, he began to promote the delicious seafood and both his business, and the shrimp industry blossomed from there.
Shrimp, other seafood, burgers, and more are offered at Coaster’s, a waterside eatery which opened in 2021. Boaters may cruise on in from a day’s fishing the South Texas waters and tie up to the dock just outside of the food establishment. Coaster’s is flanked by Capt. Cady’s Bait Shop and Redfish Bay Boat House. A small substa tion to the Aransas Pass Police Department for water patrol, marine shops, additional bait shops, such as Harbor City Bait, bring added life to the harbor.
Another harbor attraction is Seamen's Memorial, an 80-foot tower which stands at the harbor's entrance, and honors those lost at sea.
Conn Brown Harbor is used as a gateway to the coastal waters, as visitors may visit Chandler’s Landing for last-minute fishing trip needs or to book a fishing guide adventure. A quick visit down the road to Hand some Sailor Yacht Charters will also provide Conn Brown Harbor guests with ample opportunities to enjoy the beautiful views and to fish the waters for some reds, black drum and other species.
There’s something for everyone at the harbor, and with acres of undeveloped land the potential for growth is exponential.
Rialto Theater owners Steve and LuAna Martin have been busy trying to preserve the rich performance and visual arts history the theater has held since its inception in 1937.
Tucked behind the storefront’s baby blue walls is a quaint welcoming space for guests where they may pay their entrance fee. A Rialto Theater logo is imprinted on the golden floor which leads up to the main theater room, equipped with a cozy bar area, high-top tables with fashionable stools and a 100-seat auditorium for an abundance of performances.
The Martins plan to keep the original exposed brick walls, the dark stage, perfor mance posters that outline the theater and all comforts previous Rialto patrons had grown to love. Some flare Has been added to include two large-screen televisions in the bar area, and eventually the couple would like to upgrade the lighting, add solar panels for an efficient energy source, and add a commercial kitchen when they are able to cut out a small section
of the wall leading to the adjacent property. Since performing arts and dining in the same space “is an up-and-coming thing,” Mrs. Martin said they’d be delighted to add that service to complement the bar and entertainment space.
Until the commercial kitchen is built, the husband-and-wife team’s food truck will be parked outside of the theater during hours of operation.
“What we don’t want to do is take away from the building,” she said, as she added the couple’s goal is to register the 327 S. Commercial St. property with the State of Texas as a historical place. “We want people to feel like they’re home here.”
Their vision for the Rialto, however, is endless. Mrs. Martin would love to see a wed ding take place on stage, while Mr. Martin would like to offer the space as a support group for veterans, including amputees, such as himself. That passion for the theater and the arts enables the Martins to share that with the Aransas Pass community.
Instead of merely offering occasional shows, the Martins will create a plan to offer a unique experience each night. Nightly themes may include school performances, karaoke, open (dry) comedy night, im-
prov-style comedy, family matinees, and additional offerings. Mrs. Martin said one thing will stay for sure- the theater’s open mic night each Tuesday.
The Martins own the building and their food truck business, but the Rialto Theater Group is a nonprofit and the building’s tenant.
Locals and visitors to the Coastal Bend area looking for added family nighttime fun have enjoyed monthly Movies in the Park and the new Music in the Park series at N. O. Simmons Park, at State Highway 361 and Avenue J.
Movies began at sunset, and featured titles for the whole family, from “Encanto” to “Dirty Dancing” to “Ju rassic Park” and more, while the new Music in the Park Series featured solo performers and musical groups from throughout the Gulf area who offered rock, tejano and pop genres, among a slew of others. The efforts were brought forth by Ingleside Community Events, which has sought to be more engaging with the com munity and provide reasons for locals to have fun close to home and for guests to make their stay a little longer.
For all such community events, guests may arrive at the parks early and lay out blankets or chairs and enjoy the park’s amenities as they await the start of each movie. N.O. Simmons Park offers a basketball pavilion, 15,000-square-foot skate park, walking trails, sports fields, an interactive playground, splash pad, ample seating and restroom facilities.
Ingleside also offers additional park facilities throughout the city. Cove Park, nestled between Ingle side and Ingleside on the Bay off of Highway 1069, is five acres of a fisherman’s dream, complete with boat ramps, a fishing pier and plenty of shoreline casting opportuni ties. Visitors may relax with plenty of seating in picnic areas, cook summertime favorite foods on provided grills, utilize the hiking and biking trail, and soak in the scenic coastal views.
Other opportunities for fun will be found at Live Oak Park, a 90-acre park full of the namesake oak trees,
plenty of open fields, baseball fields, pic nic areas, barbecue pits, an 18-hole disc golf course, tennis courts, a basketball court, a playground, miles of trails and a freshwater lake perfect for catching glimpses of coastal birds.
Coming up is one of the largest and engaging celebrations in the City of Ingleside, and it’s housed right at Live Oak Park. The annual “Light Up Live Oak” event will be held Dec. 2 and 3 at Live Oak Park, and will feature Christ mas light displays and decor to help get the community in the holiday spirit. Attendees will be able to drive through the park to see a variety of displays, and enjoy several fun-filled family activities, such as the Saturday morning breakfast with Santa, which is free to the first 150 people. A green eggs and ham breakfast will be served, and The Grinch will make a guest appearance.
Additional features for the event include: Santa’s workshop, a petting zoo complete with pony rides, musical en tertainment, craft vendors, food trucks, a holiday ugly sweater contest, and buildand-take gingerbread houses. Saturday’s festivities will conclude with cookies and hot cocoa with Santa, as he reads a story to children.
The community will be encouraged, not required, to donate items for Blue Santa and the Ingleside Fire Depart ment, which will help local children have a Merry Christmas. Light Up Live Oak is a joint effort of the Ingleside Chamber of Commerce, the City of Ingleside, Ingle side Independent School District and the Ingleside Police Department.
Meanwhile, additional Ingleside Parks highlights include: Oak Terrace Park on Eighth Street is a semi-residential park with a small playground area, seating and much shade. Whitney Lake is 70 acres of protected wetlands and upland buffer areas designed to offer recreation opportunities and environmental edu cation.
Faith Park has undergone extensive renovations, which have been featured throughout the summer and fall months. The six-acre park will feature a swim ming pool, garden center, playground area, walking trails, ample seating, picnic areas and barbecue pits, baseball fields, a basketball court and more.
The Aransas Pass Aquatic Center made waves of fun for families throughout its 2022 season.
Water aerobics, water walking and other exercise programs which are gentle on the joints were offered from 8 to 11 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, as a means to offer a more semi-private time outside of busy openswim sessions, family nights or weekends.
It was a busy season for swim lessons for people of all ages. Although lessons are most often comprised of younger children, all are welcome. Safety in and around water will continue to be a top priority at the aquatic center.
“Being at the aquatic center is a place for families to have new experiences, and a huge piece of that is education and safety training which is made a huge priority with our lifeguards,” said Kaylynn Paxson, Aransas Pass Director of Community Enrichment. “That
ripples into the community. We encour age people to perfect their swimming and be active in the water. It helps us enjoy it and enjoy it safely.”
Paxson said was happy with the center’s “amazing” 2022 season, which had kicked off wonder fully with morning exercise classes, weekend swim and plenty of future offer ings and plans. When guests arrived at the center, they may have seen an updated retail area, spruced up concession area, two beautiful murals of the flats which surround the aquatic center, and poolside games for people to enjoy who may want a quick break from the water.
One highlight Paxson said she was thrilled about was the addition of one more family night. Family nights were offered from 6 to 9 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays throughout the 2022 season. The additional night was added, she said, based on feedback from consumers in 2021.
The aquatic center offers a kiddie pool, water slides and large pool with two diving boards in the deep end, among additional amenities and opportunities for fun. Open swim was offered from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, as well as from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Also offered were picnic par
ties, private parties, private and group swim lessons, lifeguard classes, and the invitation for all to participate in the June 23 Guinness Book of World Records World’s Largest Swim Lesson attempt.
The center opened in 2004 and Paxson said she hopes the most prosperous season is yet to come.
There is no admission charge for children ages two and younger, non-swimmers are admitted for a $3 fee, children ages three to 17 are $5 to get in, and the fee for adults ages 18 to 54 is $8. Senior citizens ages 55 and up may enter the center for a $5 fee, as well as military members with a proper identification card. For more information, including other fee structures and a list of acceptable items for guests to bring to the facility, people may call the center at (361) 758-7770, or visit aptx. gov/pool. The aquatic center is located at 400 E. Johnson Ave., Aransas Pass.
Tucked away in one corner of the property, off a service road that leads to San Patricio County’s McCampbell-Porter Air port is a hidden gem filled with local and U.S. history. Inside, it’s a time capsule of American might and know how, a treasure trove of priceless and irreplace able artifacts, some dating as far back as nearly a century ago. The Maxine Flournoy 3rd Coast Squadron Commemorative Air Force Museum is family friendly and a must see when visiting the Coastal Bend.
‘I had no idea it was here,’ admitted Colonel Rick Butler, the title only a ceremonial one asso ciated with his role as head of op erations for the non-profit C.A.F. facility, located on land that bor ders Ingleside and Aransas Pass. He only discovered the museum through circumstance, flying in and out of the airport – some thing he still does – having retired as a Lieutenant Commander with the U.S. Navy, last serving as head of a training wing for the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.
From FM 1069, just before the El Original Mexican restaurant, travelers will find a green Texas DOT placard pointing towards the service drive to the airport.
The C.A.F. hosts a pancake breakfast the first Saturday of ev ery month, outdoors if the weath
er permits. Funds raised from the $8 a plate event from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. helps pay for ongoing aircraft restoration and educational outreach. Starting this summer, the museum begins carrying passengers aboard their signature historical aircraft, a World War 2 vintage Boeing Stearman, with prices starting at $200 per person and up – literally – depending on the length of the customized flight. In its era the biplane was a mainstay of training for military aviators. Visitors will ride in the open-air seat, goggles, and all – and be carried above the Gulf coastline for a once-in-a-lifetime exciting adventure.
The museum runs tours with the aid of volunteers and youth are strongly encouraged to be come part of their Cadet program to learn about historic aircraft restoration and participate in related activities.
Butler isn’t just interested in aviation; he’s inspired by it. And his passion for flying reaches even greater heights than the clouds. As a child, he’s wanted to travel to outer space and the reaches of the galaxy.
‘Ever since Star Wars came out in 1977,’ Butler said with a broad smile. ‘I wanted to be ‘Han Solo’. I wanted to fly the ‘Millenni um Falcon’, he added.
A fascination with ‘tinkering’ is what helped motivate Butler to
learn how things worked. In the Navy, becoming a highly profi cient pilot, he even considered entering the military’s program that drew potential astronaut candidates from various branches of service.
‘That career path didn’t work out for me,’ Butler said, still proud of what he’s achieved otherwise.
Orofino, Idaho is a long way from the ‘final frontier’ of travel beyond the heavens. But it’s where Butler called home and was raised until he enlisted in the Navy, eventually settling in Portland, Texas with his second wide and seven children, two girls and five boys. He shared that his aspirations keep him engaged with the idea of wearing a space suit, one day, where he’s dreamed
of piloting the space shuttle, America’s first reusable space craft program that has since been abandoned.
‘Maybe, one day going back to the Moon, or Mars,’ Butler hoped, acknowledging that he will always be fascinated by the possi bility. Elon Musk and the billion aire’s Space-X company still helps him keep that dream alive.
In the meantime, Butler’s leadership is commanding the introduction of new programs and hopes of raising awareness, participation, and most of all –financial support for the C.A.F.
Two of Butler’s sons are already signed up to join the new Cadet Program. Open to anyone who becomes a member aged 14 to 23, cadets will be allowed to
Full military uniforms and the inspiring stories behind the men and women that wore them in service to their country also make a fascinating attraction to spend time to visit and learn about our American history.
participate in activities, includ ing flying, without the need for parental chaperones. Those aged 14 or younger, with membership and parental consent, would be considered for active roles on a case-by-case basis according to Butler. The absolute minimum age for flying is 12, and a paid sponsorship and accompanying uniforms are required by all.
Col, Rick Butler, Manager of Operations for the Maxine Flournoy 3rd Coast Squadron Com memorative Air Force Museum sits in the open cockpit of their signature attraction, a World War 2 vintage Boeing Stearman biplane. The aircraft was once a mainstay for military aviator training and will soon fly again above the Coastal Bend when the museum starts visitor excursions this summer.
But it’s the ‘mission’ of the $200 a year Cadet Program, Butler stressed, that is less about membership costs and appearance. He outlined the new initiative is designed to, ‘inspire our youth through flight and living history experiences, including restoring to flying condition and preserving historic military aircraft. To instill pride and patriotism in our youth through our museum and these living history experiences. To perpetuate in their memory and in their hearts the commit ment and sacrifice endured by our local men and women who designed, built, maintained, and flew these aircraft in defense of this great nation. To reinforce the lessons learned from the defining moments in American military aviation history’, he shared via email.
Maxine Floury, the C.A.F.’s Tex as namesake is now 100 years old and is a former W.A.S.P. (Women’s Airforce Service Pilot) who flew
Part of the new attraction of the museum’s first Saturday of the month pancake breakfast is a car show that features both contem porary classics as well as vintage models where visitors can meet the owners and checkout great American engineering at its finest.
during World War 2. Her military history is now accessible through a new, high-tech program in stalled at the museum offering visitors a self-guided audio and visual tour using a smartphone App.
Exhibits throughout the ex pansive facility are awe inspiring. Dozens of handmade scale model military aircraft hang from wires protruding from the ceiling, rest on stands inside of showcases or on top of display cases. The mu seum pays tribute to aircraft used in all 5 military branches, features vintage uniforms and even stateof-the-art technologies – for their times – like bomb sights used by aviators in campaigns against the Nazis or the Japanese. To help raise money, the museum offers a large selection of collectible items, from embroidered patches to replica aircraft kits and lapel pins. There’s even a flight simu lator that can be programmed to recreate the cockpit experience of almost any aircraft.
A hangar with examples of vintage aircraft the museum preserves, and flies also doubles as a special events venue Butler
explained is available for rental by the public, citing a recent event hosted by the Ingleside Chamber of Commerce.
Butler, excited by the opportu nity of offering a customized tour of the facility, remained com mitted to its survival – and the C.A.F.’s growth. With his two dogs in tow, Butler’s engagement with the subject at hand was never distracted by the pet’s attention, following him every step of the way.
‘I think kids is where it’s at,’ Butler said, hopefully. He looked at the Cadet Program as a catalyst that he believed would help, ‘keep the history alive.’
Editor’s note: The C.A.F. Maxine Flournoy 3rd Coast Squadron Museum is located at 3201 FM 3512, in Hangar 11 at the McCampbell-Porter Airport. They are open to the public every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Col. Rick Butler will always be happy to help you plan your next visit or book your flight aboard the historic Boeing Stearman biplane. You may contact him at (361) 596-3490.
