volunteer-powered Special – A volunteer-powered airlift organized by Textron Aviation is set to fly nearly 1,000 Special Olympics athletes and coaches to Minnesota for the 2026 USA Games, reducing travel stress through private plane support and weather-backed planning.
On the day Nicole Henderson headed toward Minnesota for this summer’s Special Olympics. the fear wasn’t competition—it was the travel itself. Henderson competes in bocce and bowling. has won gold medals in those events. and also takes part in swimming. alpine skiing. basketball. and track and field. For an athlete balancing training with accessibility needs, the trip can feel like another test.
“I’m a little nervous and excited and happy, and proud to do this,” Henderson said.
Her excitement comes with a rare kind of help: a planned. private airlift that is bringing athletes and coaches into the Twin Cities area with less hassle and fewer moving parts than a standard commercial itinerary. This effort—organized by Textron Aviation. a Wichita-based general aviation manufacturer—brings together small aircraft owners and operators to transport nearly 1. 000 athletes and coaches free of charge.
The operation uses around 120 private planes. It is scheduled to serve participants headed to the Special Olympics this summer, with the games taking place in Minnesota primarily in and around the Twin Cities through June 26.
The airlift is not a one-off. It has been running for 40 years, after beginning with a small number of flights to get a few athletes from Kansas to the games. Over time, it grew into nine successive airlifts, now coordinated as an “on-purpose planned lift.”
Textron Aviation coordinates the effort while AccuWeather provides forecasting support to inform weather-informed decisions. Ahead of travel. athlete delegations are surveyed about their interest in participating. and then athletes are assigned to available seats once aircraft volunteer rosters are finalized.
One of the pilots lending his aircraft and time, Christopher Clawson, said the goal is straightforward: using private aviation to give back. Clawson, a pilot for Prent Corporation in Janesville, Wisconsin, described the flights as support for the mission of the company.
“It’s giving back. All the other flights that we’re on, you’re supporting the mission of the company,” Clawson said. “This is a true way to use our aircraft to give back to our community.”
Clawson said this was the first Special Olympics airlift he is participating in. On June 19, he flew seven athletes from a flag football team and two of their coaches from Indianapolis to St. Paul as part of the effort.
Travel stress matters more for athletes who face accessibility complications. Textron Aviation CEO Ron Draper said the first airlift started 40 years ago to help a few athletes get from Kansas to the games, and that it sparked the idea of doing a planned lift designed specifically for them.
Draper said the effort now transports close to a thousand athletes and their coaches and relies on volunteers: pilots and aircraft owners who cover the fuel, pilots, and related costs. None of the participating athletes have to pay for their flights.
“Most of these aircraft we really can’t take wheelchairs in them,” Draper said. “I wish we could fly 100% of the athletes; we’re probably only flying 20% of the athletes, offsetting their costs.”
That limitation changes who benefits. Athletes who rely on custom mobility devices still have to fly commercial or find another way to get to the games, which can bring the risk of damage to wheelchairs.
But for athletes who can use the airlift as it is configured, the difference can be immediate. Henderson said the experience itself has felt like more than logistics.
“It’s like being part of a family. You get to cheer your teammates on, the coaches get to cheer us on, and it’s given me the strength to be myself and be part of a family and get married,” she said.
Behind the scenes, the airlift takes years of planning. With more than a hundred planes landing one by one every few minutes. Textron Aviation coordinates with the Federal Aviation Administration. local airport authorities. pilots. and athletes. The airline-style schedule also requires coordination with Special Olympics organizers to ensure athletes are accommodated appropriately.
Draper said Special Olympics supports riders with needs ranging from noise reduction to mobility issues.
“When there’s an athlete that needs special help, whether it’s noise reduction or mobility issues… Special Olympics really works on that for us,” Draper said.
The games themselves offer more than in-person competition. Information about how to attend events in person is available through the Special Olympics, and broadcasts are available primarily on ESPN+.
For the athletes who can board a volunteer plane. the airlift represents a quieter kind of preparation—fewer worries about timing. stress. and getting there safely. In a travel window that runs through June 26 in Minnesota. Henderson is among those who get to show up with more energy left for the competition.
Special Olympics Textron Aviation private airlift AccuWeather Minnesota Twin Cities aviation volunteers sports travel