ANN has received a number of copies, from concerned readers, of the following missive from the Collings Foundation. Collings operates a number of historic warbirds under FAA exemptions allowing them to fly these amazing treasures. The letter is published below for your edification and potential comment.

To Friends of the Collings Foundation:

HIGHEST LEVEL OF URGENCY: EFFORT TO KEEP THE B-17, B-24, & B-25 FLYING

Good evening everyone. You are getting this email because you signed up for the Collings Foundation’s eNewsletter and have shown an interest in helping to keep our historic aircraft flying for many years to come. We are sending this letter to you in the hope that you will find time to help us fight the latest issue that would potentially devastate our ability to fly the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, and B-25 Mitchell.

These three aircraft operate under a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Exemption letter that allows The Collings Foundation to fly these aircraft for “flight experiences” where you may actually fly in the aircraft for 30 minutes. These flights are the primary fundraising effort and are literally the driving force that keeps the bombers flying.

These exemption letters are issued for two years and then are renewed at the end of each term for the organization that wishes to continue it. We have done so for many years without a problem.

Our current exemption letter expires on Oct 31, 2005 and we are reaching a very high point of urgency. Despite having a request at the FAA Office of Rulemaking for the past nine months for renewal of the exemption letter that would continue allowing us to offer flights in the B-17, B-24, and B-25, the FAA still has not issued a renewal or an extension of the exemption letter. We are two weeks away from the expiration of the letter and bureaucracy has tied the process up and no one has given us an answer, nor has been able to give us the status of this request.

We need your help! Please contact anyone at the FAA that you feel could/should help, including:

• Marion Blakey – FAA Administrator – marion.blakey@faa.gov
• Ida Klepper – Office of Rulemaking – ida.klepper@faa.gov
• Or your local representatives or senators.

Make sure and reference the FAA Exemption Letter 6540F and note this is for The Collings Foundations B-17 (N93012), B-24 (N224J), and B-25 (N3476G).

If you can help, we ask you to please carbon copy email your letter to bob_collings@collingsfoundation.org. Thank you for your help to “Keep ‘em Flying!”

Best regards,
Bob Collings, Collings Foundation

FMI: www.collingsfoundation.org