According to the Collings Foundation, you can see their historic aircraft at airshows largely because of specific exemptions granted by the FAA, but that could soon change for them and similar organizations and your chance to comment ends June 18. In March of 2011, the FAA put a moratorium on issuing the exemptions and they are currently under review, so your voice matters. Hunter Chaney, director of marketing for Collings, told AVweb Thursday that it’s now unclear whether the FAA will issue new exemptions for newly restored aircraft or even reissue current exemptions. That, says Chaney, could cripple the ability for organizations like Collings to bring their historic aircraft to airshows and share them with the public. Click here for more details and to hear our conversation with Chaney.
The exemptions in question allow operators of historic aircraft to recover some of their costs of operation by offering the public the chance to purchase rides on the aircraft. Chaney told AVweb Thursday that the revenue pays to bring the aircraft to the airshows. Without it, Chaney said, that sort of operation could stop. The FAA has opened the issue for discussion and is accepting comments. To learn more and contribute your thoughts, click here.
