Unable To Conduct Fundraising Sorties From Reno-Stead Airport

The Collings Foundation is well known for offering the opportunity to fly in vintage WWII aircraft as a fundraising effort. The group tours the country conducting flying and static displaying their B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, and P-51 Mustang, and at most stops, the group publicizes that members of the public can have an opportunity to ride in one of the iconic aircraft as a way to raise money to keep them flying.

But not at Reno-Stead Airport in Nevada.

The group was scheduled to make such a visit to the Nevada airport June 3rd through the 5th, but were told that while they could put the airplanes on static display, there would be no flying because of concerns about their insurance.

Reno television station KRNV reports that The Collings Foundation said that they have $15 million policies on the bombers, and carry policies amounting to a half-million dollars per passenger. But the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority said that they needed a minimum of $1 million per passenger before flights would be allowed, according to the Foundation.

The airport authority confirmed that they had grounded the flights because of insurance concerns, but would not say specifically what their requirements were.

(Image provided by the Collings Foundation)

FMI: http://renoairport.com/airport-authority, www.collingsfoundation.org