The Swift Museum Foundation is a 501(3)c non-profit, member supported organization. Membership details are available by contacting the Museum Headquarters. Membership benefits include sharing over 60 years experience in the care and maintenance of the Swift by thousands of owner members.
Charlie Nelson, Founding President of the International Swift Association.
The Swift Museum Foundation was started by Charlie Nelson, our President, over 40 years ago with an ad in Trade-A-Plane to Swift owners inquiring about any interest in forming a type club. It started as the International Swift Association, grew and ten years later became the only type club to purchase the FAA Type Certificate for it’s aircraft. It also acquired with the Type Certificate the original factory tooling, the remaining parts inventory and the original manufacturing plans. This allows us to have FAA PMA parts manufactured to keep this great aircraft flying for the foreseeable future.
In 2000 the Swift group started a formation training program called the Swift Formation Committee (SFC) and it was the first non-warbird formation program recognized by the FAA. In 2007, SFC was accepted by the F.A.S.T. formation group as a signatory and member.The Swift Museum Foundation is now in a building program at the McMinn County Airport (MMI) to build a new home for the Museum’s display aircraft.
