'Stand-Down' Is Part Of The Foundation's Agreement With The FAA Following B-17 Accident

The Collings Foundation will proceed with its 2020 "Wings of Freedom" tour, but it will do so without offering the opportunity to fly aboard its historic warbirds.

The Hartford Courant reports that the voluntary "Stand-Down" has been put in place as part of an agreement with the FAA following an accident last year that fatally injured seven people and destroyed the Foundation's B-17.

Collings Foundation Hunter Chaney said that for now, only ground tours of the organization's B-24 Liberator bomber and P-51 Mustang fighter will be available to the public. However, he told the paper that the revenue from the flight experiences is vital to the maintenance of the aircraft, and he hopes that the "living history" flights will resume "in the near future."

The foundation is still promoting the flights on their website.

There were 13 people on board the Collings Foundation B-17G when it went down while making a landing attempt at Windsor Locks, CT last October. The plane hit runway approach lights and then veered into a building containing de-icing fluid before catching fire. Seven were fatally injured, while six on board the airplane and one on the ground were hurt.

In December, Collings Foundation Chief Pilot Robert Pinksten requested an update from the FAA on the status of an exemption for the Living History Flight Experience (LHFE).

According to FAA documents, Mr. Pinksten was advised of ex-parte rules, and requirements to post the conversation. Also explained were restrictions preventing the FAA from commenting on the status of the exemption, other than to note it is in the system, it could not be confirmed during the conversation if the Collings November 8, 2019 request to add an additional B-17 had made its way into the petition currently in process.

Mr. Pinkston also noted the need to expedite their petition, as the foundations new B-25 was ready for an initial LHFE inspection.

During this conversation, Mr. Pinksten noted the B-17 would not be ready for an inspection in the next month or so. He was advised the FAA currently does not have a history of inspecting aircraft not ready for LHFE service. Mr. Pinksten will discuss with his management group the issue of the late arrival of the new B-17 and advise AFS-800 of their intentions either to withdraw the B-17 and add later, or allow the process to continue with the B-17 addition in the current request. AFS-800 will coordinate with AFS-350 for the B-25 once the location and contact information is provided by Collings Foundation.

(Image from file)

FMI: Source report
www.documentcloud.org/documents/6596231-Collings-Foundation-Record-of-Conversation.html