From 2016 (YouTube Edition): Hear the Story of the CAF B-29 Named “FIFI”…

While at EAA AirVenture 2016, our ANN video crew headed out to get some shots of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) B-29, known as “FIFI”. We met up with Steve Zimmerman, who was the aircraft commander for “FIFI” on this year’s trip to AirVenture. Zimmerman provides a great overall background of the airplane, how it flies, and what kind of original equipment it still has installed. As Zimmerman describes the various items, our camera crews do a great job of picking up exactly what he was talking about. You’ll also see some great World War II film clips of the B-29’s in action.

Pilot Reported That He Purchased The Airplane Earlier That Day

Analysis: The pilot reported that he purchased the airplane earlier that day and completed a condition inspection that afternoon. The previous owner suggested performing a couple of touch-and-go landings and some air work in preparation for the planned flight to the airplane’s home base. The pilot stated that the takeoff, climb, crosswind, and downwind legs of the traffic pattern were normal. While on the base-to-final turn, the airplane was high, and when the pilot reduced engine power, it developed a high sink rate. He did not correct the sink rate with additional power, and the airplane landed short of the runway.

Aero Linx: WW1 Aeroplanes, Inc. WORLD WAR 1 AEROPLANES was founded by Leo Opdycke in 1961 and incorporated as a federally recognized 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation in 1979, organized and operated for educational purposes relating to early aviation, from pre-World War I to 1940. 

On-Course Indication An indication on an instrument, which provides the pilot a visual means of determining that the aircraft is located on the centerline of a given navigational track, or an indication on a radar scope that an aircraft is on a given track. 

Good News, Bad News... It's ALL News

As the preeminent online aviation news resource out there, the editorial staff at Aero-News sees a large number of news releases. We look at all of them, and can usually tell whether something merits publishing consideration within reading the first couple of paragraphs. Often, however, a new and innovative product can be overlooked because of the very words written to promote it, by the very people who created it.

“Setting eight speed records this quickly following its August entry into service is a powerful testament to the tremendous capabilities of this aircraft. We are already seeing overwhelming interest and demand for the G800 and are pleased to be showcasing it in Dubai this week. The Middle East continues to be a strong region for Gulfstream, and we are looking forward to meeting with our customers as well as prospective customers.” Source: A little justifiable crowing from Mark Burns, President of Gulfstream, as the G800 went out and clobbered a number of records. 

New Glenn Follows in the Footsteps of SpaceX’s Starship Mega-Rocket

Blue Origin finally logged a clean booster recovery with New Glenn, giving Jeff Bezos’ company something it has been publicly chasing for years: proof that its heavy-lift rocket can reuse components the same way SpaceX has since October 2024. The flight also shipped two NASA satellites towards Mars as New Glenn’s first paying-customer science payload.

Drone Maker Set to Join the FCC Covered List on December 23

Just over a month ahead of its potential ban in the US, DJI has launched its lightest and most compact drone to date… and for obvious reasons, it won’t be coming stateside anytime soon. The Neo 2 succeeds the Neo, which launched last year and quickly became a favorite among beginner pilots and creators due to its affordability and ease of use.

Velis Electro, Explorer, and Velis Cub Earn Type Certificate Validation

Pipistrel recently announced that Transport Canada has validated the type certificates for its Velis Electro, Explorer, and Velis Club aircraft. The decision opens doors for Canadian operators looking for sustainable trainers and marks a notable step for Pipistrel’s ever-expanding presence in regulated training environments.

Five Individuals Recognized During a Ceremony at the EAA Aviation Center

A group of five recreational aviation trailblazers was honored on November 12 as the newest members of the EAA Sport Aviation Halls of Fame. The initiation ceremony and dinner were held at the EAA Aviation Center in Oshkosh, bringing together families and longtime friends to recognize the contributions that have made flying what it is today.