Friends of Flying Santa, Inc. was formed in 1997 to help ensure the future of the annual Christmas flights to New England’s USCG units and lighthouses. The aerial visits of Flying Santa to lighthouses and lifesaving stations have been a New England tradition since 1929. Capt. William Wincapaw of Friendship, Maine – an aviation pioneer – began the flights as a gesture of recognition to the dedicated lighthouse keepers and their families as well as the crews of the lifesaving stations. Capt. Wincapaw and his son, Bill, Jr., continued the flights for close to two decades. The father and son team eventually recruited legendary author and historian Edward Rowe Snow to assist them with their expanding list of lights and boat stations. After Capt. Wincapaw’s passing in 1947, the mantle was passed to Mr. Snow, who faithfully carried on the tradition for over four decades. With the help of his wife Anna-Myrle and their daughter, Dolly, the isolated residents of lighthouses throughout North America continued to receive visits from the “aerial St. Nick”.
