Donating aircraft has become somewhat of a family tradition for the King family. On a recent Sunday, Danny King and his wife, Liz, donated their 1969 Beechcraft Baron to Wings of Hope.
Danny is the second of three generations to pilot the plane. Danny’s father, who bought the plane in 1977, and his son, DJ, have also flown the plane. This is the second plane the family has donated. Several years ago, Danny’s father donated a small aircraft to Middle Tennessee State University.
Wings of Hope receives about 20 donated aircraft every year. In recognition of their generosity and heart for service, we present each donor with our highest honor: the Order of the Aviator. Wings of Hope uses some of these donated planes in the field. Those we can’t use in the field, we sell and use the proceeds to support our programming.
Don Hoerstkamp, Wings of Hope Chief Pilot for aircraft retrieval, met the Kings at Gatlinburg Pigeon-Forge Airport on October 29 to pick up the plane.
“Without these donations, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do,” Hoerstkamp said.