Collings Foundation Bombers B17, B24 and B25

jhor9 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 15, 2005 4:39 pm

Would you help to keep the Colljngs Foundation bombers flying?

The Collings Foundation B17, B24 and B25 permit to fly the planes for 30 minutes with paying passengers (to help defray the costs of flying and maintaining the aircraft ) will expire in 2 weeks. To help getting the permit renewed please write to the follwing and include in your letter the specifc info that I will enumerate.

Marion Blakey, FAA Administrator e-mail marion.blakey@faa.gov
Ida Klepper, Office of Rulemaking e-mail ida.klepper@faa.gov

Collings Foundation exemption letter 6540
B 17 N93012
B 24 N224J
B 25 N3476G

It would be a terrible thing for living history to go down the drain, and to deprive future generations of the WW2 era. My generation will not be around too much longer, so please write and help to keep them flying

Would you please send me a copy of your letter and also mention where you reside

Eureka181 · **Joined:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:27 pm **Posts:** 182

Let's keep those bombers flying! It would be terrible if the younger people will never get to experience living history. Those bombers helped us win that war!

Keep 'em flying!

Eric

p51 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:32 pm

I think it's a nice idea, but a bunch of warbird buffs writing e-mails to FAA people won't do a thing.

MX304 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:42 pm

p51 wrote:

I think it's a nice idea, but a bunch of warbird buffs writing e-mails to FAA people won't do a thing.

A bunch of Warbird fans / owners / operators NOT writing in won't do anything for sure.

Eric Friedebach · **Posted:** Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:35 am

Does anyone have a Postal address?

Old-fashioned letters carry a lot more weight than an email. Ask for a response.

Originalboxcar · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:46 am

So what exactly is the holdup with the FAA in renewing Collings passenger permits? Ryan?

regards,

t~

warbirdguy · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:10 am

I don't believe Collings knows what is holding up the process. They have sent in requests and have asked for extensions on the current papers but they have had no response what so ever. On a side note isn't the FAA trying to eliminate these sorts of rides.

Mike Prentiss

Jack · **Joined:** Wed Jun 29, 2005 3:34 pm **Posts:** 45

The FAA could be waiting on the final outcome of NPRM 4521. If it passes as written there will be no more siteseeing rides in old airplanes of any kind. We have been fighting this for a while. Google it if you want details, there are plenty out there.

PJ · **Posted:** Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:54 am

I flew with the Collings Foundation in both the B-24 and B-17 this summer. You sign a waiver saying you waive any liability if something happens...once again it is the government's heavy hand trying to control a citizens own judgement. Next the highway people will make citizens sign off to drive their own cars. I felt like the flights were handled with the utmost safety and the planes themselves are probably better maintained and checked than some commercial airliners I have flown.
PJ

skymstr02 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:44 am

It is because the aircraft are certified in the "Limited" category, which means that they may not be used as carrying passengers for hire. As of now the operators have a waiver for this, but the waiver is expiring. The FAA is not being hardnosed about this issue, they are just doing their jobs. Its hard to justify renewing the waiver with the rate of warbird accidents. This is just my opinion.

RickH · **Posted:** Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:53 am

Accidents in the general warbird community have no real bearing on the exemption letters. None of the bomber aircraft with exemption letters have ever been involved in a fatality.

If the premise of not reissuing exemption letters is based on the accident rate why did they just issue a brand new exemption to the Liberty Belle this summer ?

Originalboxcar · **Posted:** Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:54 am

Driving to work is risky too. Maybe the "gubment" can convince my employer that I should telecommute everyday

"you pays your money and takes your chances".

regards,

t~

skymstr02 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:58 am

Rick, I said it was just my opinion. If you want a more detailed answer, mosey over to EFD and talk with Fred Maupin and get his opinion too.

What I'm saying is that the bad publicity is not helping anoyones cause.

warbirdguy · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 10:17 am

Great News! I just received an email from the Collings Foundation that the FAA renewed the exemption papers, and are good through November 30, 2007. I'm so happy that the bombers will be flying in 2006.

Mike Prentiss

Eric Friedebach · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 10:22 am

Glad to hear that!

Any idea what the delay was?

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Collings Foundation Bombers B17, B24 and B25

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