FAA Airworthiness Directive to Ground all B-17s

[awal2049]

Rumors have begun circulating that the FAA will soon release a directive requiring all B-17 Flying Fortresses to be temporarily grounded. This has to do with wing spar issues that have been discovered in multiple airframes. The Yankee Air Museum has already preemptively grounded "Yankee Lady" and has announced that it will not fly during the 2023 season.

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/com ... thy-b-17s/

[Adambadger88]

Air Adventures <[email protected] Sat, Apr 15 at 8:17 AM

Hello,

The Yankee Air Museum decided to proactively cease flight operations of the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Yankee Lady. Recent inspections of other B-17Gs have discovered wing spar issues. As a result we expect a mandatory Airworthiness Directive to be issued by the FAA in the next few weeks regarding the matter. Out of an abundance of caution, we are temporarily ceasing our B-17G flight operations and awaiting direction from the FAA regarding necessary inspections and repairs that will be required. It is expected that the B-17G will not fly during the 2023 flying season. Please note that this only affects the B-17.

All other aircraft flight operations are not affected. --What does this mean for your B-17G Air Adventure? This means that we will not be able to fly you on the B-17 this year and are thus fully refunding your order. These refunds will be processed over the next few weeks. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we get through the refunds. Can I fly on other Yankee Air Museum aircraft? Yes! The B-25 Rosie's Reply, C-47 Hairless Joe and Huey Helicopter are still flying this year. If you are interested in flying on these amazing aircraft, please check out our website for more information: https://yankeeairmuseum.org/fly/

[Adambadger88]

EAA is continuing its repair and restoration work on its 1945 Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Aluminum Overcast (N5017N) and is working closely with the FAA as the agency considers the best path forward to safely getting these treasured aircraft back in the air.

This past weekend, the Yankee Air Museum announced that its 1945 Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Yankee Lady (N3193G) would be grounded “out of an abundance of caution” and is not expected to fly in 2023. That also means the aircraft will not appear at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 as previously announced. Those who had already booked flights on the aircraft during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh will be contacted directly by the Yankee Air Museum regarding refunds.

https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-airv ... ure-impact

[Flightline Uk]

Many of you will have heard the rumours about the impending FAA mandatory Airworthiness Directive (AD) on the wing spar issues on all airworthy B-17s.

While we are aware of the wing spar issues - and concerned that the FAA could issue an Emergency Airworthiness Directive, which would affect us all - we will not speculate but wait until the EAD is issued.

In the meantime, our Chief Engineer, Daryl Taplin, is in contact with the FAA, the CAA, and some US B-17 Operators via the B-17 Co-op.

As I write this, we hope that the 2023 season will go ahead as planned. Sally B will leave the hangar at Duxford by the middle of May for engine ground runs followed by test flying and crew training a few weeks later. Her first display is on the 27 May, followed by our tribute to the many at the American Military Cemetery, Madingley on Memorial Day.

The wing spar and the spar caps have been the subject of earlier AD’s for more than twenty years. Each winter, our engineers complete a comprehensive CAA-approved check with the help of NDT (Non-Destructive Testing) specialist Kearsley Airways.

Also, our pilots have flown Sally B very gently, with low G loads for many decades.

We trust that our B-17 is structurally sound and can hopefully fly for many more years.

Elly Sallingboe
Aircraft Operator & Chairman of Trustees

https://www.air-shows.org.uk/2023/04/ai ... a-b-17-ad/

[n33d4sp33d_85]

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today issued a preliminary Airworthiness Directive (AD) which will affect the operation of Boeing B-17E, F and G Flying Fortresses. The AD addresses a significant, wing-related issue which other B-17 operators are presently confronting. While this news may be a shock to some, it is not exactly surprising. Indeed, the Yankee Air Museum’s April 15th message announcing the voluntary grounding of their own B-17G, Yankee Lady (44-85829), left little doubt about the matter, all-but-confirming the FAA’s imminent action regarding the type…

“The Yankee Air Museum decided to proactively cease flight operations of the B-17G Flying Fortress ‘Yankee Lady.’Recent inspections of other B-17s have discovered wing spar issues. As a result we expect a mandatory Airworthiness Directive to be issued by the FAA in the next few weeks regarding the matter. Out of an abundance of caution, we are temporarily ceasing our B-17 flight operations and awaiting direction from the FAA regarding necessary inspections and repairs that will be required. It is expected that the B-17 will not fly during the 2023 flying season. Please note that this only affects the B-17.“



The complete AD is available for review HERE, but the executive summary reads as follows…

“The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Boeing Model B-17E, B-17F, and B-17G airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report indicating that the left front spar lower fitting had completely separated at the wing-to-fuselage joint, and the equivalent joint on the right side of the airplane was cracked. This AD requires inspections of the wing terminal-to-spar chord joints, and repair if necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.”

While this is just a preliminary AD, and one still open to public comment, it seems likely that all present B-17 operators will have to ground their aircraft until they have both performed the necessary inspections and addressed any issues discovered. This will be a costly endeavor, for sure, but given the present situation, it seems the only prudent course of action. Hopefully, the other B-17s will pass their inspections without the need for any economically untenable repairs and can return to the air show circuit sooner rather than later. We will be sure to report any further details when we learn them.

https://warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/ ... fleet.html

[Adam]

This is an excellent post. It explores in considerable detail - with diagrams - what the problem actually is, and gives a clear, measured assessment of what the practical implications of the EAD will (and won't) be.
https://www.aerovintage.com/2023/05/17/ ... ne-1-2023/

[Adam]

Sally B has cancelled displays between now and the 11th June.

After careful consideration it has now been decided to ground our beloved B-17 until the ongoing wing spar issue is sorted.

As I write this, we are working flat out to complete this difficult task, helped by our devoted team and many friends.

Thank you IWM Duxford for giving us space in the AirSpace Hangar to carry out the required work.

More news will follow shortly.

It's worth noting that a UK EAD has not yet been issued. However, the FAA EAD gives an exemption for aircraft that have already undergone comparable checks within the last 2,500 flight hours. Perhaps Sally B's owners have specific inside news of an impending EAD, or perhaps they decided to pre-emptively carry out those checks now, so that if an EAD is issued in future at a more disruptive point in the year, they should be able to continue operating without a hitch.

Either way, good to see that their current plan has them flying shows again in under 3 weeks.

[kalamazookid]

Some positive news on this front. It appears Sentimental Journey has passed inspection and is now heading back out on tour. In addition, Ye Olde Pub has not been affected by the AD and is in line to make its airshow appearances later this summer!

https://www.aerovintage.com/2023/06/10/ ... e-10-2023/

I don't want to make assumptions about other B-17s since you never know what might be found during an inspection, but the article seems optimistic about the immediate future of B-17s already in the inspection process or under restoration.

[Adam]

I don't want to make assumptions about other B-17s since you never know what might be found during an inspection, but the article seems optimistic about the immediate future of B-17s already in the inspection process or under restoration.

More good news on this front, yesterday at the Cosford Airshow the commentary team said Sally B was expected to resume flying "imminently".

Bodes well for her making her next scheduled airshow appearance on the 24th of this month.

[Adam]

Sally B has been cleared to resume flights.

She is scheduled to make several training flights tomorrow, ahead of this weekend's Duxford Summer Airshow. We'll be livestreaming those flights on YouTube: