Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:38 pm
Please read this important update from the National Aviation Heritage Invitational:
April 11, 2016: Washington, DC
National Aviation Heritage Invitational (NAHI) to suspend 2016 competition
The National Aviation Heritage Invitational, the nation’s premiere vintage aircraft competition, announced today it will suspend its 2016 competition and is making plans for its 2017 competition. The competition will not be held this September at Stead Field during the Reno Air Races.
The National Aviation Heritage Invitational has been a prominent feature on the ramp at the Reno Air Races for the past 17 years. During this time, NAHI has hosted nearly 400 of our nation’s finest restored vintage aircraft and been visited by tens of thousands of aviation enthusiasts and race fans.
The 2016 event would have been NAHI’s 18th anniversary at the Reno Air Races and its 22nd overall competition.
Ken Perich, Executive Director stated; “Due to its resounding acceptance by the aviation community, The National Aviation Heritage Invitational has outgrown the ramp space and resources allocated to it by the Reno Air Races”. Perich went on to explain “NAHI and Pathways to Aviation, formerly known as the Reno Air Racing Foundation, have been working together for several years and have been sharing the same footprint on the Reno ramp. Both organizations have been very successful and grown significantly in recent years and we have literally run out of room on the Reno ramp. We are in discussions with the Reno Air Racing Association and Pathways to Aviation to determine if additional space and support will be made available to NAHI in 2017 and beyond. ”
Susie Reinke, NAHI Operations Director added: “It was a difficult decision to make but we were faced with either severely compromising the mission, scope and 17- year history of the event by significantly reducing the number and types of aircraft we could host on the ramp at Reno, or suspending the competition for this year to explore all potential venues which meet our event criteria.”
Looking ahead, Colin Powers, NAHI Chief Judge noted, “Our judging staff, volunteers and sponsors are poised and excited for the next competition. Vintage aircraft owners and restorers who are interested in competing should continue to visit the NAHI web site (http://www.heritagetrophy.org) for updates on the date and location of the next competition.”
The National Aviation Heritage Invitational is a Limited Liability Company and was founded in 1998 by four prestigious aviation organizations, including:
• The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
• The National Aviation Hall of Fame
• Rolls-Royce North America
• The Reno Air Racing Foundation
For more information, please contact:
Connie May, Director – Communications
Phone: 775-530-2297
E-mail: cpardew@att.net or ConnieMay@heritagetrophy.org
Ken Perich, Executive Director
Phone: 703-615-3018
E-mail: kenperich@heritagetrophy.org
Ron Kaplan, Deputy Director
Phone: 937-256-0944
E-mail: rkaplan@nationalaviation.org