FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAXWELL AFB, Ala. — Civil Air Patrol has signed a corporate partnership agreement with VTS Inc. (www.vtsweb.com), a Minnesota-based aviation training company. VTS develops and produces flight training devices, training curriculum and computer-based training materials for the general aviation community.

While terms of the agreement were undisclosed, VTS will provide Civil Air Patrol with financial and promotional support in 2004. In return, VTS will receive the right to use the CAP name and corporate supporter mark in the company’s advertising, marketing and promotional programs during the year. Financial support from VTS will be used to fund Civil Air Patrol cadet programs.
Through its cadet programs, CAP builds strong citizens for the future by providing leadership training, technical education, scholarships and career education to young men and women, ages 12 to 21. CAP offers orientation flights through its cadet program and activities that include flying in glider as well as powered aircraft.

“Many of our cadets join because of an interest in aviation,” said Major General Richard Bowling, CAP national commander. “And while we want to help them achieve their dreams of flying someday, we also want to promote safety first. We’re proud to have a partner like VTS on board.”

According to Tom K. Kenville, CEO of VTS Inc., "The CAP-VTS relationship is win-win for both parties. VTS supports a good cause and CAP utilizes Cessna aircraft for which VTS builds instructional software and flight training devices."

"VTS offers to our members another source of training information on some of the most popular general aviation aircraft," said Al Allenback, executive director, Civil Air Patrol. "The company is an excellent fit for CAP as it provides information for both our senior member pilots as well as our future aviators, our cadets."

Civil Air Patrol is a nonprofit organization with some 62,000 members nationwide. It performs 95% of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited last year by the AFRCC with saving more than 140 lives. CAP volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. Members take a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the almost 27,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 60 years.

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