Liberty Foundation B-17 grounded in Oklahoma

[Jet Mech]

I have been by Wiley Post Air Port and viewed a B-17 parked there since last week. Scuttlebutt is that she is grounded by FAA for an AD on prop inspection which was not done. Supposedly an ex-employee call the FAA and made a comment about the prop inspection being over due just after it got airborne to Oklahoma. After landing she was visited by FAA inspectors and grounded till prop inspection was complete. She is sitting with no props on the engines currently since I first saw the bird on Saturday. Has anyone heard any news on this?

Jet Mech

[Jet Mech]

Here is photo I took today of the propless bird!

[/img]

[phil65]

Thanks for the info, All the Props needed the AD done?

Phil

[Oscar Duck]

obviously a 'loyal' employee......

should be done but............

[mustangdriver]

That sucks. When they were here in Pittsburgh,they all seemed like such nice people. Too bad this happened to them.

[RickH]

Happened to them ? It didn't just happen to them, we all live with this particular AD, it's a time compliance item on Ham Standards, the clock is always ticking.

[mustangdriver]

I meant that it came about the way tat it did.

[RickH]

Yeah, that type of thing is never good, regardless of who it happens to. Don't wish anyone ill will but this type of thing can shed a negative light on the whole exemption program.

[Chuck Giese]

:shock: I have been by Wiley Post Air Port and viewed a B-17 parked there since last week. Scuttlebutt is that she is grounded by FAA for an AD on prop inspection which was not done. Supposedly an ex-employee call the FAA and made a comment about the prop inspection being over due just after it got airborne to Oklahoma. After landing she was visited by FAA inspectors and grounded till prop inspection was complete. She is sitting with no props on the engines currently since I first saw the bird on Saturday. Has anyone heard any news on this?

Jet Mech

Well, as with most internet rumors, there is a little truth in it, although the scuttlebutt has it wrong. Yes, it's sitting there with props off doing the AD, they found a shop that could turn around all 4 in one week. They all originally came out of the shop at the same time, so they are due at the same time. However, there was no ex-employee (we get paid for this? ), no phone call, no FAA inspectors. However, until the props get back she will sit on the ground.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an employee of the Liberty Foundation, and am not speaking for them, although they do let me play with their airplane from time to time. I *do* know whose hanger to walk into and ask a few questions.

Geez, stuff like this seems to come up every time it heads west. What's up with that?

[ZuluEcho]

Chuck.. just saw your website.. nice stuff u got there!!

[Robbie Stuart]

Chuck, thanks for shedding some light on the situation. I just couldn't see Don letting that thing ride around with a past due AD note. Yall take care.
Robbie

[astixjr]

Jet Mech was just reporting some "scuttlebutt" and did use the word "supposedly" in his post and request for more information. It's nice to see that nobody blasted him for the posting a "rumor seed" on the forum.

Still, I'm curious how this kind of stuff gets started. There is an ocean of difference between "Liberty Bell got ramp checked and busted by the FAA who were tipped off by a disgruntled employee/volunteer" vs "it was time to pull the props for the AD and they decided to do it when it got to Wiley Post".

I'll try one. Eric Downing's Skyraider is actually a highly modified AM-1 Mauler.

[Mike]

Eric Downing's Skyraider is actually a highly modified AM-1 Mauler.

Romour has it that this only came to light during a check of part numbers on parts fitted to the aircraft.

[K5DH]

Eric Downing's Skyraider is actually a highly modified AM-1 Mauler.

Romour has it that this only came to light during a check of part numbers on parts fitted to the aircraft.

. . .which was being performed by some detail-hungry visitor at an airshow. . .

[bluethunder28]

Geez, stuff like this seems to come up every time it heads west. What's up with that?

Because you don't gp far enough West? Waiting to see you in SoCal