"FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

[AirDOGGe]

"...The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) says the world's only flyable B-29 Superfortress FIFI, will return to the skies Tuesday, June 29, at 0800.

The CAF Airpower Museum will open its doors at 0700 on Tuesday and Wednesday of that week..."

Original article link. Click for full story and details:

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=25eecf87-fb34-4a3e-9caf-5c6356bd316d&

[Guest]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

Very good news, indeed! Back in 95, I spent 100+ volunteet hours rewiring her Flight Engineer panel while she was being refurb'd in SEA for 50th anniversary of 20th Air Force. As a "Thank You", I got a chance to crawl thru tube in flight and sit right seat for a couple minutes while doing a "bombing run" over Bangor Nuclear Submarine Naval Station...tears in the eyes that day.

Can't wait to see her again. Thanks for sharing AirDOGGe.

Owen

[AirDOGGe]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

And thank YOU for sharing your time to help keep her flying. Many KUDOS to you...

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

Great job by all. It would be nice to see it @ Reno with a flight of P38s during the heritage flyby.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

UPDATE: Test flights delayed.

The CAF said Monday that all test flights scheduled for the Commemorative Air Force's B-29 Superfortress FIFI, on June 29 and 30, have been postponed until further notice.


Due to a scheduling conflict, the FAA says it will not be able to issue a new Airworthiness Certificate for the B-29 Superfortress FIFI until next week at the earliest. The certificate is required for FIFI to begin test flights.


The CAF said in a statement that they will release information as it becomes available regarding the re-scheduling of the first test flights, and that they apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

F3 (Fifi's First Flight) has been delayed again:

FIFI's First Flight Postponed Again

Weather, FAA Are The Culprits


The Commemorative Air Force has been frustrated again in its attempt to fly FIFI, the last remaining flying example of a B-29 bomber.

The CAF had planned to fly the re-engined historic warbird on Monday, but television station KOSA reports that they ran into a couple of problems along the way. First, the weather didn't cooperate, but perhaps a bigger obstacle is that the FAA has determined that the test flights will require a crew of six rather than four.

With the volunteer crew for the B-29 spread all over the country, it's not easy to call them in on short notice for the test flights.


Those who came out to see the airplane's first flight with more reliable engines ... part of a $1.5 million restoration on the WWII era bomber ... were given free tours of the airplane including its cockpit.


The CAF still hopes to fly FIFI this week.

I wonder....why do they need 6 people on board for a primary test flight? Gotta make sure those 50 cal.s still fire?

[f1-69]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

its the other way around caf wanted six crew members and the faa is only allowin 4

[T. Adams]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

According to WIX, the regional FAA office in Washington has approved the CAF's request for a crew of 7 on these initial test flights. So hopefully it happens soon.

[flyingsailor]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

According to WIX, the regional FAA office in Washington has approved the CAF's request for a crew of 7 on these initial test flights. So hopefully it happens soon.

Unfortunately things took a turn today. We don't know when the FAA will approve our request to fly. As of now, OSH and Thunder over Michigan are off. I will update you here when we get approval, or maybe just after we successfully fly.

I am off to have a drink now.
Chris

[Airracer75]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

For the first time in the history of the FAA they are to busy to certify an airplane, sounds fishy to me. Out of the forty some years Ive been flying I never seen the FAA busy.

[Race5]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

FAA living up to the old motto of "We're not happy 'till you're not happy!"

[Race 22 mech]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

Yea, they get busy when they want to be busy.

I had a SAAF T-6 that I was doing paperwork on. The day we bought it and ferried it home, I went to my maintenance contact at the local FSDO and set out my plan and time line for it. He asked several questions and we were off and running, the time line was about a month and a half to get everything done and ready for inspection.

I dropped by his office to give him updates on progress and get info over that period of time about three times. With the aircraft ready to have the inspection, I dropped by his office to set up a time and he, very proudly, said that at this point we could set up an appointment and with their backlog and considering how busy they were, we were about six months from him actually getting to the airport to start the inspection.

I setup a DAR and ferried it to him and made plans to meet him when he wanted to pull panels and do the inspection. On the appointed day, when we arrived to help the DAR, the FAA showed up at the DAR's shop to "do some training on a few of the new guys in the office and he thought that our T-6 would be a great learning tool for them.

Just remember the FAA's new slogan, We're not happy until your not happy.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

Just remember the FAA's new slogan, We're not happy until your not happy.

LOL Chip and it makes it so hard knowing that some of our best friends are with the FAA....

[split-s]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

Interesting to consider: Even were it possible to get a B-36 flying, the government probably would disallow it, the Peacemaker being capable of intercontinental delivery of ordnance. I know that's been an issue hovering over resto efforts in the past.

"Fifi" is probably the largest warbird the US would ever certify for civilian use.

$

[RAD2LTR]

Re: "FIFI" to fly once again on Tuesday

Interesting to consider: Even were it possible to get a B-36 flying, the government probably would disallow it, the Peacemaker being capable of intercontinental delivery of ordnance. I know that's been an issue hovering over resto efforts in the past.

"Fifi" is probably the largest warbird the US would ever certify for civilian use.

$

It would be cool to see a B-36 in the air however. As for intercontinental delivery, yeah it could do it, but it throws such a HUGE radar signature that everyone would know its coming, and its so slow (compaired to todays standards) that they might as well make an announcement that they are coming since everyone will already know.

If I had the means and $ to try to get a B36 flyable, I'd give it a shot.

Will