For the Jet Age Museum, age is definitely an issue. Our youngest volunteer is 16, our oldest in his 80’s. The average age is nearer the top end of that scale than the bottom. Pleasingly, there is a trickle of new blood coming in, including a couple of apprentices who work in the aerospace sector locally. I’m sure, in the fullness of time, they’ll be directly involved in restoration activities although it is unlikely, of course, they’ll have the skills that built our Gamecock.
None of our airframes is, or ever will be airworthy, which lowers the benchmark somewhat but the ingenuity with which our small restoration team have faced the considerable challenges they’ve encountered never ceases to amaze me. There are a couple of regular volunteers on that team under 45 who will almost certainly be around for many years to come but they all have full time day jobs, which limit their availability to the museum. Our visitor numbers have far exceeded our expectations, as have the donations that has generated but we’re still a very long way from being in a position to employ the expertise or skills we need.
Targeting the collection to the audience is very important too, especially if you expect to draw volunteers from it. Our Gloster collection is, almost certainly the most significant representation of the Company’s products in preservation but Jeepman hit the nail on the head. Does Joe Public need another Meteor preserved? Probably not (and, yes, there is a plan to mate our F.3 cockpit to one of the T.7’s)
In summary, there are some glimmers of hope coming through but a significant number of challenges ahead too.
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