The National Aviation Heritage Invitational, a vintage aircraft competition, will suspend its 2016 competition, with officials making plans for the 2017 competition.
The National Aviation Heritage Invitational has been a feature on the ramp at the Reno Air Races for the past 17 years. During this time, NAHI has hosted nearly 400 restored vintage aircraft and been visited by tens of thousands of aviation enthusiasts and race fans.
The 2016 event would have been NAHI’s 18th anniversary at the Reno Air Races and its 22nd overall competition.
“Due to its resounding acceptance by the aviation community, The National Aviation Heritage Invitational has outgrown the ramp space and resources allocated to it by the Reno Air Races,” said Ken Perich, executive director. “NAHI and Pathways to Aviation, formerly known as the Reno Air Racing Foundation, have been working together for several years and have been sharing the same footprint on the Reno ramp. Both organizations have been very successful and grown significantly in recent years and we have literally run out of room on the Reno ramp. We are in discussions with the Reno Air Racing Association and Pathways to Aviation to determine if additional space and support will be made available to NAHI in 2017 and beyond. ”
Susie Reinke, NAHI Operations Director added, “It was a difficult decision to make, but we were faced with either severely compromising the mission, scope and 17-year history of the event by significantly reducing the number and types of aircraft we could host on the ramp at Reno, or suspending the competition for this year to explore all potential venues which meet our event criteria.”
Looking ahead, Colin Powers, NAHI Chief Judge noted, “Our judging staff, volunteers and sponsors are poised and excited for the next competition. Vintage aircraft owners and restorers who are interested in competing should continue to visit the NAHI website for updates on the date and location of the next competition.”
I was at Reno this year and was shocked to see there was no classic aircraft display. Next to the Unlimiteds it’s my favorite part of the weekend. With only 11 Unlimiteds and a no show by NAHI it made for a rather disappointing weekend. Thank goodness for the Blue Angels!
Stead is a big damn airport there’s plenty of room, RARA and NAHI work something out for 2017.
Sad to see they won’t be at Reno this year but awesome to see how much they have grown. I wish there was a way they could make more room on the ramp there at Reno. Down toward the end there seems to be unused pavement in the military display area.
As always, great to see success in general aviation, but particularly where it preserves GA’s heritage and brings it to new generations. Regarding NAHI and Pathways to Aviation, I was with the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority for some years, handling, among other matters, the Reno Air Racing Association’s various leases and permits. Wonderful that its historical arm needs room to grow.