Honor-Preserve-Educate
HONOR - PRESERVE - EDUCATE
Mark Corvino - President - Project Manager Curtiss Hangar Restoration
Mr. Corvino is a lifetime resident of Stratford, Connecticut and is a construction specialist with 25 years experience designing and planning residential, commercial and industrial projects. Mr. Corvino is currently the project manager for the Curtiss Hangar Restoration. Mr. Corvino’s dedication to the restoration project and the pride he takes in his work is inspired by the many members of his family who all worked at Chance Vought. In particular, his mother worked as a “Rosie the Riveter” on the Corsair hand riveting the center section, while his father worked in the transportation department driving trucks moving parts and equipment and his uncle was a lead materials handler.
Jerry O'Neill – Vice President - Author - Photographer - Airdales Ltd.
Jerry O'Neill needs no introduction to aviation fans from New England. He is a published author and photographer for numerous aviation related magazines and newsletters internationally. Jerry also owns and operates his well-known business in the airshow community called Airdales Flight Line Operations. Running ground operations at airshows all over the country, Jerry and his team have handled some of the biggest, most expensive, and most rare aircraft in the world.
Jerry was the Producer and Air Display Coordinator of the fantastic 2005 Corsairs Over Connecticut Airshow. Jerry also produced the Wings N Wheels show in 2010 & 2011, all at our own Sikorsky Memorial Airport along with numerous other shows. Jerry is also a very active member at the New England Air Museum, and is also involved with many other similar Aircraft Organizations nationwide. He was instrumental in helping get the FG-1D Corsair BuNo: 92460 removed off the pedestal for restoration.
Len Roberto – Secretary - Events Coordinator - Education Outreach
Len spent his first few years gazing at airplanes at Sikorsky airport on his grandfather's knee. Currently employed in the trade show industry, his background is in audience development and database marketing for media companies. A scale modeller since childhood, he also works at airshows around the country in ground operations with Jerry O'Neill's Airdales.
Andrew Kosch – Educator – Gustave Whitehead Expert
Mr. Kosch has been a dedicated biology teacher at Platt Technical High School for many years, an ultralight pilot, martial artist, and one of the leading authorities on Gustave Whitehead and his achievements to the aviation history inside and outside of Connecticut.
Dennis Soltis - Archivist - Machinist - Memorabilia Collector - Model Builder
Dennis graduated from Bullard Havens Technical School with a diploma in Auto Mechanics, with his employment record being mainly in the machining and aerospace manufacturing industry. He worked for twenty years at Avco-Textron Lycoming until moving to Arizona in 1998. He was then employed at Ultra Electronics Measurement Systems Inc. for a further 20 years where he was a machinist in the Prototype and Development Lab. He also worked on the production floor assembling joysticks, control grips, hand controls, and soldier portable controls for the military and civilian markets. Now retired, Dennis is the Archivist for the Connecticut Air & Space Center. Dennis’s interest in aircraft and collecting / preserving artifacts and memorabilia from World War II and Connecticut Aviation was inspired from his father’s love of aviation and pride for serving in the Pacific in WWII as a top turret gunner on B-24 Liberators.
Christopher Soltis – Curator - Exhibit Designer - Model Builder
Christopher joined the CASC in 2005 and has used his graphic design abilities to work with the Connecticut Air & Space Center. He’s currently titled under head display designer (conceptual design / execution / outsource & resource operations / installation) marketing manager, advertising consultant, model display builder, restoration aid, PR representative, period living history re-enactor, and a host of other responsible occupations under the small museum organizational umbrella.
Rich Jersey – Fabricator - Operations - Workshop - Machinist
Rich Jersey, a retired 28-year US Army, Air Force Veteran, and Sikorsky retiree has been a member and very active volunteer with the CASC since it's inception. He's been involved in every single project that happens here and has put thousands of hours into the operation and advancement of the CASC.
Rich was a member of the restoration of the Vought-Sikorsky VS-44A Flying Boat in the 1980’s-1990's, and was probably the youngest member of that crew at the time.
Tadd Shiffer Jr. - Engineer at Lockheed Martin – Aircraft Restoration – Machinist
Tadd Shiffer Jr. attended Daniel Webster College in Nashua, NH for aeronautical engineering. In the summer of 2019, he began work at Sikorsky, A Lockheed Martin Company, with their conceptual design group. Not long after he joined our Corsair restoration crew providing machining assistance with his college machining background. Tadd has become our liaison to Sikorsky facilitating many things such as our Camp Sikorsky demonstrations and the donation of two S-76A’s. In 2023 Tadd joined our Board of Directors as the aircraft restoration crew representative helping to better facilitate, communicate, and oversee the restoration work on our exhibits and to help make sure our dedicated crews have the resources they need to get the job done.
PAST BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Eugene E. Madara, Esq.
Morgan Kaolian – Pilot – Former Airport Manager
Jim Collins – IT – US Navy Vet
Ed McGuinness - Hubbell
Brad Hittle – Two Roads Brewing Company
James (Jamie) Gelder - United Aero Group
Bill Rock
Charlie Kuintzle
Doc Gunther