FIFI TO FLY

[Taylor Stevenson]

7-8 years IIRC

[ZRX61]

Didn't come to Europe either,

The one at Dx flew in & was promptly anchored to the ramp....

[Dan K]

How many years has it been since FIFI took to the skies? 5?

Pat, Fifi last flew at Airsho 2004.

[richkolasa]

Just whatever you do, please DO NOT attempt to taxi FiFi with a hot apu in the back that's being gravity-fed gasoline from a 5-gallon can suspended above it.

Please?

Like anyone would be dumb enough to do that...please!

Rich

[JDK]

Didn't come to Europe either,

The one at Dx flew in & was promptly anchored to the ramp....

C'mon ZRX, I know you know better than that. Firstly that B-29 wasn't called Fifi.

Hawg Wild was made 'ferryable' and indeed flew to Duxford from the US. It would've taken a lot more work to make it fully airworthy (see Taigh's account on his website of Hawg's state) and rather than being 'anchored to the ramp' it was 'uplifted' from an uncaring owner to get it onto public display as the only B-29 in Europe.

i was very excited this morning., for some reason.., then I heard that the flight test is being postponed..,apparently someone released this event to the press without the CAF having an Airworthiness Certificate in their hands for FIFI!

WOW.., I would be out of a job in my line of work if I F'd that one up!

On most restorations there's a schedule for required paperwork to come it, and that's dependant on getting applications in which are dependant on previous workshop actions taking place. Trust me, you don't want to try and be organising that. The failure to get an expected 'vital' chit could be any number of causes, and at best the return of the permission ("your cheque is in the post" style) is always at least in part outside the control of the restorers and operators.

The paperwork sweats happens a lot, and no one is likely to get canned over such a hiccup.

Regards,

[b29driver]

How many years has it been since FIFI took to the skies? 5?

FIFI last flew 4/24/2006. I was flying when we got the chip light in the traffic pattern at MAF.

[Dan K]

How many years has it been since FIFI took to the skies? 5?

FIFI last flew 4/24/2006. I was flying when we got the chip light in the traffic pattern at MAF.

Well, I potched that question. I either forgot or didn't realize that Fifi had flown after the cancelled 2005 season.

b29driver: How much flying did she do in 2006?

[b29driver]

Less than 8 hours. We had chip lights going off like a pinball machine.

[b29flteng]

There we were, three of four engine chip lights flashing like a pinball machine. The flight engineer's hands were flying trying to keep her running. The cool, calm pilot called for the emergency checklist. The copilot was on the verge of a panic until the pilot calmly touched his arm to calm him down. The tower sent everything including the kitchen sink out to line the runways. With his last ounce of strength, the last bit of airspeed, the pilot saved the crew and airplane and set her down on the runway, like a feather on water. The tower called to say "welcome home boys". As we taxied in we glimpsed the frown on the crew chief's face, we could tell by the look, he knew he would be spending a long night ahead, tearing into the "inards"of each engine to determine the damage. With luck, the ship would be ready for the "mission" in the morning....

[bdk]

...apparently someone released this event to the press without the CAF having an Airworthiness Certificate in their hands for FIFI!

That aircraft has had an Airworthiness Certificate for many years. Can you tell us what happened to it?

[whistlingdeath77]

boy i hope she will be cleared and ready for the skies

[ZRX61]

Didn't come to Europe either,

The one at Dx flew in & was promptly anchored to the ramp....

C'mon ZRX, I know you know better than that. Firstly that B-29 wasn't called Fifi.

Hawg Wild was made 'ferryable' and indeed flew to Duxford from the US. It would've taken a lot more work to make it fully airworthy (see Taigh's account on his website of Hawg's state) and rather than being 'anchored to the ramp' it was 'uplifted' from an uncaring owner to get it onto public display as the only B-29 in Europe.

But it *could* have been done.. especially considering where it's now located.

Could have been the Worlds only flying Washington

Anywho, derail over..

[Pogo]

There we were ....

DANG boy, you should write a book or something...........

[T-28mike]

Brandon,
The Major modifications associated with the powerplant switch likely necessitated the issue of a new special airworthiness certificate and associated (and appropriately revised) operating limitations. As the aircraft no longer conforms to "approved and applicible military technical orders"...

[Jack Cook]

sounds like a DER was involved.........