FIFI! in jeopardy

cashflyer · 06-09-2012, 04:33 PM

Congressman Michael Turner, an Ohio Representative, is gunning to ground the only flyable Boeing B-29 Superfortress in the world, FIFI!

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) and other leading organizations in the Warbird and General Aviation Community are joining voices in opposition.

More here:
http://www.planeandpilotnews.com/2012/Plane_&_Pilot_May_2012.pdf

widgeon13 · 06-09-2012, 04:43 PM

The article doesn't make it clear to me why Turner is pressing for this law. There is nothing more impressive than seeing a warbird lumbering through the air.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Article doesn't show...

Neilk · 06-09-2012, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by widgeon13

The article doesn't make it clear to me why Turner is pressing for this law. There is nothing more impressive than seeing a warbird lumbering through the air.

hmmm, perhaps this "Rep. Turner is a former mayor of Dayton, Ohio, home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF)."

Hopefully it won't pass... I saw it fly outside my office in Plano, TX and was awestruck... Joeaksa apparently has a friend who pilots Fifi. Hopefully he can give us more insight on what is going on.

Neil

cashflyer · 06-09-2012, 05:42 PM

In my opinion, Turner is just being the tool of the NMUSAF. Passing this legislation would allow the NMUSAF to take FIFI! without the costly, drawn out, and high profile litigation they undertook to get the F82 from the CAF.

TimT · 06-09-2012, 05:58 PM

Read the article...

Wtf regarding the reasoning?

Quote:

The amendment to H.R.
4310, “Title 10,” would bar
the Department of Defense
(DoD) from loaning or gifting
any United States military
aircraft or aircraft parts to
any entity except those that
would put the aircraft on
static display, such as in a
museum. Organizations like
the CAF would no longer be
allowed to conduct fl ight
operations in these DoD
“loaned” vintage aircraft in
an effort to teach history
and remind Americans of
the sacrifi ces for freedom.

Joeaksa · 06-10-2012, 05:57 AM

Been following this for several weeks. Good friend of mine is one of the pilots on FiFi and we are doing all we can to shut this jerk down...

widgeon13 · 06-10-2012, 06:22 AM

The USAF museum is very impressive. I have been through it with a friend who has flown more than fifty of the aircraft on display. Seeing them in static display is impressive but seeing them in the air is a marvel and something that just defies description. I have seen a B-17 take off and do a low pass over the field, it just seems to hang there. I remember as a kid seeing B-47's T/O with jato assist, it takes your breath away. Seeing a P-38 or P-51 fly is music to my ears. I've flown in a C-47.

Old planes that can fly safely should fly as long as there are pilots to pilot them. If this is stopped it is forever, they will never fly again because the skill will be lost. Flying these planes was a skill, flying planes today is just going through the motions and 100% of the experience can be simulated on the ground. That's great for cost control but I can't understand why this guy wants to ground these planes.

fanaudical · fanaudical's Garage

Joeaksa - Is there an online petition or "e-mail a Congressman" drive to stop this silliness? If so, can you please share the info?

Superman · 06-10-2012, 07:41 AM

Michael Turner (R).

Neilk · 06-10-2012, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fanaudical

Joeaksa - Is there an online petition or "e-mail a Congressman" drive to stop this silliness? If so, can you please share the info?

+1... How can we help?

With the amount of money the CAF brings to various Congressional districts with their airshows, it seems like it should be pretty easy to shut Turner up, unless he heads some kind of committee.

KNS · 06-10-2012, 08:39 AM

The US Navy behaves in an even worse manner. They claim that every former naval aircraft is still rightfully theirs (if it hasn't been stricken from the books), no matter how much time has passed.

Several cases where someone has spent a fortune on bringing an old Helllcat, TBM, etc, up from the bottom of a lake and then the Navy steps in and says: "Thank you, we'll take that now, it's ours".

944Larry · 944Larry's Garage

An Ohio congressman-and Fifi is based in Texas? Doesn't he have some Ohio business to tend to?

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Mike is just being a good congressman. His constituents want him to pass a law and he's doing his best to do it. That's how it works.
It's a pretty good racket. Loan someone something, let them sink millions into it, and then demand to have it returned. Anybody want to borrow a 911?

944Larry · 944Larry's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Mike is just being a good congressman. His constituents want him to pass a law and he's doing his best to do it. That's how it works.
It's a pretty good racket. Loan someone something, let them sink millions into it, and then demand to have it returned. Anybody want to borrow a 911?

Pat, can't argue that but the plane is based in Texas. The Ohio constituents need to get over it. Seems like the air force museum had a B29 at it. The museum is well worth a trip from anywhere to see.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

There are a couple of B 29s and a B 50. I have no idea why the museum would want another one. The museum and Turner's district are only about 10 miles west of me and it isn't a public issue around here, no one talks about it. It's basically between the air force museum foundation and Turner.