Museum of Mountain Flying
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PROVIDE HISTORY OF MOUNTAIN FLYING IN THE NORTHERN ROCKIES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
- Income
- $331,896
- Spending
- $106,868
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 50.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 63%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 75
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 50.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 68% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 167% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 52 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $97,376 spent. The Museum held the events and participated in the activities described below to promote, educate, and inspire current and future generations of people and to generate interest and insight into the world of aviation as well as to promote the Museum of Mountain Flying and its projects.On March 17, 2024 a Celebration of Life was held at the Museum of Mountain Flying in memory of Charles Richard Dick Komberec, a founder and Board Member of the Museum. The celebration was well attended. In addition to the Museum in Missoula, the Museum maintained a hangar at the Stevensville airport with expanded storage for artifacts for the first five months in 2024. The Stevensville hangar was sold May 15, 2024. Miss Montana, on May 4, 2024, flew to Hamilton, MT for a special Youth Expo Event. Miss Montana, on Memorial Day, May 27, 2024 flew with veterans and their spouses on four separate flights which included a low pass flight over the Missoula Veterans Cemetery and around the Missoula Valley.Miss Montana attended and helped Honor the 75th Mann Gulch Anniversary on August 4-6, 2024. Additionally, Miss Montana flew two groups of Mann Gulch family members over the Mann Gulch area.The Museum of Mountain Flying & Fishing Camp, organized by member Kaye Ebelt was held August 5-9, 2024 for students who learned about and completed projects about EAA Flights, designed parachutes, and participated in a smoke jumper scavenger hunt, as well as aspects of aviation regarding flight. Campers learned how to identify fish, learned fishing regulations and participated in fly-fishing activities. The 2024 Museum of Mountain Flying & Fishing Camp added an overnight camping experience as well. The camp was funded through registration fees. Miss Montana, on August 10, 2024, flew two Memorial flights for veterans and their spouses over the Ronan and Darby Cemeteries. Miss Montana attended the Anaconda Fly-In and Car Show annual event on August 24, 2024. Miss Montana flew over the Grizzly home football game on August 24, 2024. Miss Montana flew a special memorial mission for a family on September 14, 2024. Miss Montana flew over Grizzly Stadium for the Military Appreciation Griz game on September 14, 2024. A Fly-In was held at Sky Ranch in Kalispell on October 4, 2024 to encourage participation of Kalispell area members and guests in the Museum's activities. Miss Montana flew U of M alumni and Monte around the Missoula Valley on October 11, 2024. The Museum was gifted a Tractor; Wheeled, Aircraft G.S.E. Towing NS 32 A-30, Technical Manuel NA-19-40-45, Serial Number 006 from Two Bears Management, LLC. Miss Montana made low pass fly-over a new Tunnel To Towers home in Stevensville, MT in honor of Trooper Wade Palmer on December 12, 2024. In celebration of the Red Sleighs Over Montana project the Museum held an open house with free admission on December 15th, 2024 to encourage members to participate. The community was invited to visit the Museum, see Santa, and enjoy hot cocoa, candy canes and holiday shopping. The Red Sleighs over Montana project focused on children located in the Stevensville and Arlee areas for distribution of gifts in 2024. Gifts were delivered by a helicopter which carried Santa and Mrs. Claus. Additional gifts were delivered by automobile. For the 5th year the Museum gathered toys, blankets, 39 quilts,12 knitted hats, 4 pillowcases, a homemade teddy bear, and other necessities and distributed them to rural communities where families in need had been identified. Several Santa, Mrs. Clause, and elf volunteers from the Museum traveled by helicopter or car to deliver the gifts.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1994.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.