Civil Air Patrol

Civil Air Patrol Volunteers serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures. Established in 1941, Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the U.S.
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Air Force and as such is a member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 555 single-engine aircraft and 2,250 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and performs about 90% of all search and rescue operations within the contiguous United States as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Often using innovative cellphone forensics and radar analysis software, C

AP was credited by the AFRCC with saving 108 lives last year. CAP’s 56,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. As a nonprofit organization, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace education using national academic standards-based STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education resources. Members also serve as mentors to over 23,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs.

When powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, hospitals and emergency responders faced an urgent need for medical supplies...
08/29/2026

When powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, hospitals and emergency responders faced an urgent need for medical supplies to help treat thousands of injured survivors.

The request for support reached educators, students, and volunteers across Puerto Rico, who put 3D printing technology to work producing splints, IV bag hooks, and other medical devices that could be delivered quickly to those in need.

Among those volunteers was Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Cadet Zahir Vázquez-Calderón. Working alongside fellow students and educators, he contributed to an effort that demonstrated how local communities can come together to help people far beyond their own borders.

The project brought together schools, volunteers, and organizations from across Puerto Rico with a shared purpose: using the skills, technology, and resources already available to help others during a time of crisis.

Read more about Zahir and the humanitarian effort that connected communities in Puerto Rico and Venezuela:

https://www.primerahora.com/noticias/puerto-rico/notas/tengo-el-honor-de-ayudar-estudiantes-utilizan-impresoras-3d-para-dar-la-mano-al-pueblo-venezolano/

Source: Sara R. Marrero Cabán, Primera Hora, July 5, 2026.

✈️ A first solo flight is a significant moment for every new pilot. It's also a proud milestone for the Certified Flight...
08/26/2026

✈️ A first solo flight is a significant moment for every new pilot. It's also a proud milestone for the Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) who helped make it possible.

Every CFI has spent hours teaching procedures, reviewing flight plans, correcting mistakes, building confidence, and reinforcing good habits. A solo endorsement is a vote of confidence earned through preparation, proficiency, and trust.

Civil Air Patrol's (CAP) National Powered Flight Academies give cadets the opportunity to develop the skills, discipline, and decision-making abilities instructors look for before approving a first solo flight.

While a solo is never guaranteed, roughly 60% of academy participants earn one during their time at the program. For others, weather, scheduling constraints, or individual readiness may simply mean more training is needed before taking that next step.

➡️ Click through to see what this unforgettable achievement looks like at a CAP National Powered Flight Academy.

Need more details on our cadet aviation programs? https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/cadets/activities/cadet-flying

👀 Are you a CFI looking for a meaningful way to give back? CAP flight academies rely on volunteer instructors to help cadets pursue their aviation dreams and achieve milestones like a first solo flight while inspiring the next generation of aviators.

🛫 A first flight in a single-engine aircraft is a memorable experience.For some, it's exhilarating. For others, intimida...
08/19/2026

🛫 A first flight in a single-engine aircraft is a memorable experience.

For some, it's exhilarating. For others, intimidating. Some feel a little airsick. Some can't stop smiling. Many discover a lifelong passion. More often than not, it's an exciting mix of all those things.

🛩️ This National Aviation Day, we're celebrating first flights and the volunteers who make them possible.

Recently, volunteer pilots and ground teams came together in North Texas to help 32 Civil Air Patrol cadets experience their first CAP orientation flight. While some of those cadets may eventually earn pilot certificates or pursue aviation careers, all of them now share something with every aviator: the memory of that first takeoff and the feeling that comes with it.

Civil Air Patrol's orientation flight program gives young people the opportunity to experience aviation firsthand, from the front seat and at no cost to their families. For generations of cadets, it has been their introduction to a world of possibilities in aviation related career.

Read more about the orientation flight event:
🔗 https://www.cap.news/p/volunteer-aviators-get-civil-air-patrol-cadets-into-the-air-during-orientation-flight-blitz

⤵️ Tell us about your first flight in a single-engine aircraft. What do you remember most?

From first flights to lifelong careers in aviation, inspiration often begins with a single look toward the sky.This Nati...
08/19/2026

From first flights to lifelong careers in aviation, inspiration often begins with a single look toward the sky.

This National Aviation Day, Civil Air Patrol celebrates the pilots, aircrews, educators, mentors, and cadets who keep the legacy of aviation moving forward.

Here's to chasing horizons, finding new perspectives, and taking to the skies. ✈️

🇺🇸 Why do symbols matter?Think of your favorite emoji,school mascot or a flag.On their own, they're just images.What giv...
08/18/2026

🇺🇸 Why do symbols matter?

Think of your favorite emoji,school mascot or a flag.

On their own, they're just images.

What gives them meaning are the stories behind them.
Lt. Col. Phil Kost discovered that firsthand at Camp Alamo in Afghanistan.

When local troops asked about a mural of the Alamo, a conversation about Texas history told the story of courage, sacrifice, and service that resonated across cultures, continents, and generations.

➡️ Swipe through to learn how a legendary battle, a mural, and one Civil Air Patrol member's journey became a powerful lesson in why symbols matter everywhere.

💬 What symbol holds special meaning for you, and why?

Explore more stories from our America 250 series at https://www.cap.news/p/remembering-camp-alamo-and-other-stories-of-military-service

The Federal Aviation Adminstration's Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is one of aviation's most prestigious honors, re...
08/15/2026

The Federal Aviation Adminstration's Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is one of aviation's most prestigious honors, recognizing pilots who have demonstrated professionalism, aviation expertise, and a commitment to safe flying over at least 50 years.

This year, Civil Air Patrol Col. Joe Smith joined that select group.

Behind the award are more than five decades of flying and more than four decades of partnership with fellow Civil Air Patrol volunteer and leader Col. Harriet Smith.

Together, the Smiths have shared the joy of flight with future aviators while continuing to serve CAP members, missions, and communities across the American Southwest.

✈️ Master Pilot. Master Wingman.

Read more about this achievement here: https://www.cap.news/p/civil-air-patrol-colonel-honored-as-wright-brothers-master-pilot

🚨 You've watched the medical dramas.The patient is trapped. The rescue team arrives. Treatment begins. The patient makes...
08/14/2026

🚨 You've watched the medical dramas.

The patient is trapped. The rescue team arrives. Treatment begins. The patient makes it out. Everyone survives and somehow manages to look their best on the worst day of their life. Then the credits roll.

Real emergencies don't come with credits.

🚑 What is real are Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadets and future emergency responders building the knowledge, judgment, and confidence needed when someone needs help.

Medical Orientation Training School (MOTS) places advanced CAP cadets in emergency medicine, rescue operations, patient care, and incident management scenarios where decisions matter and teamwork drives the outcome.

One moment, cadets are gaining access to a trapped patient.

The next, they're assessing injuries, stabilizing the patient, coordinating an extraction, transferring care, and reviewing the response alongside emergency services professionals.

The mission doesn't end when the patient reaches safety.

Medical operations, communications, logistics, and command functions all contribute to a successful response. MOTS helps cadets understand how those pieces fit together and how multiple agencies coordinate during complex incidents.

For eligible participants, the experience may also lead to National Registry Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) certification, providing a nationally recognized credential and a strong foundation for future opportunities in healthcare, EMS, public safety, and emergency management.

Some teens binge-watch medical dramas.

Others learn the skills behind them.

Here is more about the MOTS program: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/cadets/activities/national-cadet-special-activities/explore-the-ncsas/medical-orientation-training-school

For other outstanding programs for advanced cadets, check out all of our National Cadet Special Activities: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/cadets/activities/national-cadet-special-activities

🩸 America is facing only its second national blood crisis. Your donation can help change that.When we launched the 100 D...
08/11/2026

🩸 America is facing only its second national blood crisis.

Your donation can help change that.

When we launched the 100 Days of Summer Call for Blood 56 days ago, the need was significant. Today, it's critical.

According to American Red Cross, blood donations have reached a four-year summer low, Type O blood supplies have fallen below a one-day inventory, and hospitals across the country are relying on donors to help close the gap.

If you donated when our campaign began, you may be eligible to donate again right now.

One donation can help save up to three lives. In a time of national shortage, that impact matters more than ever.

📅 Check your eligibility. Schedule your next donation. Save lives.

🔗 Learn more about our 100 Days of Summer Call for Blood:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1569218631916300&set=pcb.1569218831916280

Many people take a moment to thank active-duty service members and veterans with a "Thank you for your service." More of...
08/09/2026

Many people take a moment to thank active-duty service members and veterans with a "Thank you for your service." More often than not, the response is "You're welcome" or "It was my honor."

💬How would you react to hearing, "You're worth it"?

Those three words, spoken during an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., sparked a moving conversation between Gary Lewis and the wife of a fellow Vietnam-era veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. It brought a little peace and healing to both of them.

Gary Lewis's response speaks to what drives the hearts of many who serve in Civil Air Patrol (CAP): People are worth it!

➡️ Click through to discover more about what drives Gary Lewis to serve with CAP.

Civil Air Patrol’s America 250 Series highlights American hero members and their service in this series leading up to the America 250 celebration. More stories here: https://www.cap.news/t/america-250-series

A single orientation flight sparked a dream.On June 24, 2026, Cadet Capt. Sebastian Vargas earned his private pilot cert...
08/06/2026

A single orientation flight sparked a dream.

On June 24, 2026, Cadet Capt. Sebastian Vargas earned his private pilot certificate, becoming the 200th CAP cadet to reach that milestone through a James C. Ray Foundation Scholarship.

Named in honor of World War II aviator James C. Ray, these scholarships help aspiring young pilots pursue flight training while reducing financial barriers for families.

The Ray Foundation's support of CAP aviation programs has helped nearly double the number of young pilots earning their wings, creating opportunities for cadets like Sebastian to achieve their goals.

"The Ray Foundation funding helped take the burden off my parents financially, and we are forever grateful for that."

Congratulations, Sebastian!

For more behind Sebastian's experience to becoming a certificated private pilot, check out the full story here: https://www.cap.news/p/another-civil-air-patrol-milestone-pilot-this-is-texas-wing-s-sebastian-vargas

For more on the James C. Ray Foundation Scholarship program, click here: https://rayfoundation.us/james-c-ray/?utm_campaign=another-civil-air-patrol-milestone-pilot-this-is-texas-wing-s-sebastian-vargas&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=www.cap.news

Address

105 S. Hansell Street
Montgomery, AL
36112

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 7:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+18772279142

Website

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