US WARBIRDS DOOMED???

[bobbysocks]

someone sent this to me in an email and though it could be construed as "political" i think it has more to do with planes than politics....anyway i will risk posting it. if it has been posted already my apologies..

from the site:



Warbirds Facing Doom? | Pacific Flyer

Historic warbirds could be grounded if a Congressman gets his way, a group of pilot organizations warned.

EAA and the Warbirds of America are joining with the Commemorative Air Force, Collings Foundation, and other warbird groups in opposition of a proposed amendment to the House National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4310) that could have a devastating effect on the fleet of civilian-operated historic military aircraft, the organizations announced.

The amendment introduced by Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH) would bar the Department of Defense from loaning or gifting any U.S. military aircraft or parts to any entity except those that would put the aircraft on static display, such as in a museum. The amendment would preclude the aircraft from being loaned to private individuals, associations, or museums where there is any intent of flying the historic vintage warbirds, even at air shows or demonstrations of support for veterans.

Pacific Flyer attempted to e-mail the congressman to ask about his thinking behind the amendment but his web address will not accept any mail that does not come from his district.

Rep. Turner's district includes Dayton, Ohio, home of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, which has been adamant in its attempts to ground former U.S. military aircraft, EAA said. Ironically, Dayton is the same site where last monthmore than 20 B-25 bombers - preserved and flown by private groups and individuals - gathered in a public spectacle to honor the 70th anniversary of the famed Doolittle Raid on Japan.

Military branches such as the U.S. Air Force often do not donate aircraft to private groups outright; they instead "loan" them under a Defense Department provision, Section 2572 of Title 10, to individuals and groups for indefinite periods. These private individuals and groups usually restore and operate the aircraft at their own expense to demonstrate these pieces of flying history to events such as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

"The Department of Defense has made numerous attempts through the years to preclude any former military aircraft from being flown in civilian hands," said Doug Macnair, EAA's vice president of government relations. "This view has never been supported by any safety or security imperative and is currently being couched as a move to supposedly 'preserve' rare military aircraft.

"We can be assured that the U.S. military has neither the funding nor the mandate to preserve these aircraft in flying condition, which would leave the only option for them to be used as static museum displays. That would truly be a tragedy and a loss of our aviation and military heritage."

EAA and the other warbird groups are working with the staff in the House's Armed Services Committee and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as well as the House General Aviation Caucus as the Defense Authorization Bill goes into initial committee review and to the House floor in early May. Although the exact language of the amendment has not been shared with the aviation community or widely on Capitol Hill, Rep. Turner plans to push the amendment despite initial congressional opposition.

EAA and Warbirds of America recommended that members contact their congressional representatives, urging them to voice their opposition to the Turner amendment and in support of maintaining the private ability to restore and fly these historic aircraft.


so you may wish to write your congressman/congresswoman and express your feeling about keeping these birds in the air where they belong.

[gumbyk]

WOW!! I'm surprised they haven't played the terrorist card on this one....

[evangilder]

That is a huge bill, by the way. To track the bill, go here:

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (H.R. 4310) - GovTrack.us

[evangilder]

And by the way, this is a poorly worded article. There are a number of former military aircraft that are in private ownership. There was a time when you could buy aircraft from Davis-Monthan, but now those days are pretty much gone. There are, however, a number of aircraft that are on "loan" to the CAF and those could be in jeopardy.

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

[GrauGeist]

Why do we keep these "representatives" in office when they aren't serving the public interest?

Warbirds are a direct link to our history, and sticking them away in a museum would be like killing and stuffing endangered animals to "preserve them" for all to see...which is total bullsh!t.

There definately needs to be public awareness over this situation.

[meatloaf109]

Senators are idiots mostly, junior ones especially.

[gumbyk]

Looks like it has been withdrawn.
Anti-Warbird Amendment Withdrawn | Pacific Flyer

[proton45]

If legal institutions can't preserve these historic warbirds...then only criminals will fly fighters (their was joke in their someplace). But really, WTF?

[evangilder]

I had a feeling this would get withdrawn, there is way too much riding on it, and the Senator's home district is in Dayton Ohio, for crying out loud! Not far from Wright Patterson AFB and the Air Force Museum is Carillon Park, which has the original Wright Brothers bicycle shop. There are a lot of aviation folks in his district, and the CAF, EAA and other large and small organizations around the country have rallied around the cause.

[Night Fighter Nut]

I would venture a guess that the congressman's proposal was "shot down" and "flamed" all the way to the ground. For a congressman of his district to contrive such a proposal is clear evidence that he is no longer in touch with those he is suppose to represent.