Seven Dead In Collings Foundation Flying Fortress Crash (Updated) - AVweb

Firstly - let’s be clear about the human factor - it is a tragic loss of life. No one WANTS to be there - however fully or peripherally involved. Heart goes out to all touched by this event.

I’ve flown with the Collings Foundation - though not in 909 - in one of their P-51’s. I was briefed, understood clearly and assumed my share and responsibility of accepting risk. In return an opportunity to fly an iconic warbird. Some risk mitigation you have to take on faith (plane in annual, preflight by someone more experienced in the mark than you). Other risk mitigation - you are still able to assume. How well does the pilot look me in the eye, how firm is the handshake, do they sound competent, does the cockpit drill look good. You can call “stop” right up to the hold short. After that - welcome to life.

There WILL be more danger this morning attempting to make a left turn across speeding traffic out of our condo onto the main road trying to get to work - than crossing the hold short and taking off on 04 at my airport three miles down the road. I can mitigate it somewhat by turning right and going a half mile out my way down to the right and getting turned around there. Some mornings I do. But if I want to go to work - I have to get on the road.

No one wants what happened to have happened. But such is life and as soon as the weather breaks I will take my plane flying. I’ll accept the risk there too after I’ve done everything I can to mitigate it.

Put them in a museum? There are plenty there. They will sit, unable to be boarded and looked at, where you will be unable to see and touch and taste and smell and begin to get the slightest inkling and glimmer of comprehension as to what it was like to fly and fight one. No way! Put them on the ramp to be crawled over and keep them flying.