A Flight Experience is an exciting and historic opportunity. The B-17, B-24 and B-25 have been known worldwide as the backbones of Allied airpower of WWII and now is your chance to fly aboard! Some of the questions you may have may be answered below.

What is a Flight Experience?

A Flight Experience on the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator, or B-25 Mitchell is a 30 minute (start-up to shut-down) experience in flight aboard the aircraft at one of our 125+ locations we stop at per year.

What is the cost?

Each 30-minute Flight Experience requires a $425.00 donation per person (for B-17 & B-24). B-25 flights are a $400.00 donation per person for seats in the forward fuselage and $325.00 donation for seats in the rear fuselage. The Collings Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation.

How many people can the planes hold?

A flight must have a minimum of 6 riders to be dispatched and a maximum of 10 riders on any flight on the B-24 or B-17. The B-25 must have a minimum of 4 riders and a maximum of 7 riders. A flight cannot be confirmed until the minimum amount of riders is reached.

How can I schedule a flight?

Please review our schedule online. You should call us at 800-568-8924 in advance of the visit to schedule a spot on an upcoming flight at a given location. Most flights occur in the early morning before 9 am or later in the afternoon near 5 pm. Flexibility is key to scheduling a flight as weather and passenger loads may change. If you call and are given a voice mail recording, please leave contact information and the coordinator will get back to you as soon as they can. If you are calling to schedule a flight while the aircraft are at the stop in your area, we recommend calling the flight coordinator via cell phone at 978-618-6626 to get the fastest response. The coordinator travels with the aircraft and communicates via cell phone.

I would like to give a flight in the upcoming year as a gift, how can I do this?

A flight certificate can be purchased from the Collings Foundation headquaters. These high-quality certificates are perfect for gifts and special occasions. Flight certificates can be used for any flight at any location, however you will still need to call to schedule a spot on a flight at a location. Please visit our online PX for ordering info.

What is the sequence for each flight?

Upon Arrival:
Please arrive one hour prior to your scheduled flight time to get aquainted with the aircraft and crew. You will be asked to fill out a form and pay at this time as well.
Preflight:
Your flight engineer for the flight will discuss aircraft safety with you and the other riders beside the aircraft 20 min prior to engine start. All seating and flight procedures will be discussed at that time. You will then be taken aboard the aircraft and seatbelted for takeoff. All passengers must be seated and secured for engine start, taxi, and takeoff.
In Flight:
Once the aircraft is airborne, you will be allowed to walk about the aircraft as you like. Take this time to visit the various compartments of the aircraft like the nose, cockpit, waist, and tail sections. Explore as much as you like and feel free to take pictures and video. You will be allowed into the cockpit section during the flight to observe the pilots, but will not be allowed to sit at the controls or interfere with the pilots during the flight.
Landing:
A signal will be given to secure yourself for landing. All passengers must be seated and secure for landing, taxi, and engine shutdown. The flight engineer will help you exit the aircraft after shutdown and securing the aircraft.

What should I bring or wear?
Please try not to bring baggage of any type onboard as space is tight. Cameras and camcorders are allowed. Smaller snapshot cameras tend to work best as the tight spaces may be difficult for larger 35 mm cameras and equipment. We are sorry, but the Collings Foundation is not responsible for the loss or damage of items such as cameras in flight. You may consider bringing foam ear plugs for hearing protection as the flight is quite noisy. The aircraft can be drafty at times, so you may consider bringing a light jacket or sweatshirt for the flight.

For any other questions, please contact the Collings Foundation (click here for contact information)