Airworthiness Certificate Has Been Delayed By "Scheduling"

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.

CAF FIFI File Photo

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.

It's been a while since FIFI got some airtime... The B-29 was originally fitted with the Wright R-3350-57AM engine, which had a less-than-desirable reputation since its inception. True to this reputation, FIFI has experienced numerous problems with her engines in the 30-plus years she has been flying with the CAF.  Following the discovery of metal shavings in the engine oil, the B-29/B-24 Squadron held a lengthy series of meetings with CAF personnel and experts in the field of aircraft restoration and the decision was made to not fly the plane again until it could be fitted with engines that are a custom built combination of the R-3350-95W and R-3350-26WD engines. The refit required reworking the engine mounts and some of the engine cowling, making it a lengthy undertaking. 

CAF FIFI File Photo

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.

FMI: www.cafhq.org