- The Pilot Shortage and the 1500 Hour Rule - 2023-03-04
- More Frequent VFR Chart Updates - 2020-04-17
- Becoming a Better CFI - 2020-04-08
The October 2, 2019 crash of the Nine-O-Nine, B-17 operated by the Collings Foundation, was certainly a tragedy on its own. The recent release of the FAA’s rescission of their Living History Flight Exemption has me thinking about the implications, which could be far more reaching than just one operator.
Warbird tours are a wonderful thing, exposing people to history in a much more meaningful way than reading about it or watching it on television. To be able to touch and look inside these machines that were built to defend freedom from tyranny at a time before most of us were even born is something that can’t be adequately described. And not everyone lives within easy driving distance of the Smithsonian or Air Force Museum. Groups such as at the Collings Foundation bring that history to us.
But it takes money to maintain these planes and travel around the country to display them. The people involved are usually volunteers, those who love it so much that they freely give their time and expertise so others might experience some of their passion. The historic warbird community raises money through donations and merchandise to fund their mission, but the one thing that really sets them apart from museums is passenger rides. What an incredible way to learn about history, to actually fly in a plane that flew over Europe or the Pacific in World War II. You can’t get that on Netflix.
Unfortunately, an accident involving one of these eighty-year-old airplanes will inevitably lead to negative reactions. Arguments range from the age of the aircraft to the fact that it wasn’t built to today’s safety standards. Of course, any time something bad happens, there will be nay-sayers. This time is no different. In the wake of the Nine-O-Nine accident, some have been calling into question whether the FAA should impose more regulation on these warbird flight experiences or whether they should allow them to continue at all. But in spite of the age of the aircraft, warbird flights have a pretty good safety record. In fact, Collings Foundation claims that this was its first accident in thirty years of giving passenger rides.
The FAA already regulates warbird passenger flights. Operators must apply for an exemption from the Federal Aviation Regulations regarding the carrying of passengers for compensation or hire. To qualify, aircraft and operators must adhere to maintenance and training requirements above and beyond those required for general aviation flights.
According to the FAA report, it appears the Collings Foundation did not meet those requirements and that may have contributed to the accident. If that’s the case (the final NTSB report hasn’t been released yet, so I don’t want to jump to conclusions), then those individuals responsible should be held accountable, not the warbird industry as a whole. The preliminary reports point to poorly maintained engines as the primary cause.
As pilots, whenever we take off, we are responsible for our passengers’ lives, whether they are paying or not. We take that responsibility seriously. No pilot I know would knowingly risk his own or his passengers’ lives on poorly maintained aircraft. I have to believe that the pilots were confident in their engines. But at some point, we have to trust that our A&P’s are doing their jobs.
I have read people making excuses that the engines are old and hard to maintain. To me, that excuse just doesn’t fly. Every plane has it’s maintenance requirements. Some are more difficult to maintain than others. That’s no excuse to skimp. I really hope that was not the case here. The people in the warbird community that I’ve met are passionate about their aircraft. They care for their planes and don’t want to see anything happen to them. It just doesn’t make sense to me that someone who put so much time and money into a plane like a B-17 wouldn’t take care of it.
Regardless of the reason, events like the Nine-O-Nine accident often lead to increased regulation. That usually translates into higher operating costs. Warbird flights are already expensive enough, with thirty-minute flights in a B-17 costing almost $500. Increase that much more and far fewer people will be willing to shell out their hard-earned cash for the privilege. It could jeopardize the viability of warbird operators everywhere.
History is too important to let it slip away. With everything fighting for people’s attention today, we have to work harder to keep history alive. Interactive and participation experiences are a great way to accomplish that. They attract more than just us aviation geeks. Events like the warbird tours educate everyone about our past and to lose that would be a whole new tragedy.