Good news announced today that the UK-based B-17G 44-85784 (G-BEDF), otherwise and better known as Sally B, has been cleared to fly by the UK CAA and the US FAA. This is the statement as released on the B-17 Preservation (operator of the airplane) website:

“You will recall that five weeks ago the American FAA issued an airworthiness directive (AD) to B-17 Operators, to check the main spar fittings for cracks, meaning that all flying B-17’s were grounded. This happened a few days before the beginning of the 2023 flying season, and although we were disappointed, we had no other choice than to ground the aircraft and do the checks. Because Sally B had left her winter home in hangar T2 North at IWM Duxford a few weeks earlier, we now urgently needed hangar space to complete the checks. And guess what – the Imperial War Museum came to our rescue allowing our B-17 into their vast Airspace Hangar, thank You IWM. Once inside, the volunteer Sally B engineering team led by Chief Engineer Daryl Taplin and his deputy Steve Carter stepped up, and soon the wing spar was ready to be inspected by the “Non-Destructive Testing” specialists. After a lot of work, the Engineering Team finished the structural repairs on the wing and wing ribs – a massive job. The results containing the great news were then sent to the CAA and the FAA, who today gave us the go-ahead and our aircraft is now airworthy again. Thank You, all of you who made this happen. Our B-17’s first flight will be test flying and crew training at Duxford and Cambridge tomorrow, Friday 23 June, followed by the Duxford Summer air show on 24 and 25 June. A full list of shows can be found on our website under Flying programme.“

As a fine point, I was incorrect in earlier postings that, technically, the FAA Airworthiness Directive did not apply to UK-registered aircraft. I was corrected in my ways and it turns out that there is a UK regulatory provision that states “Aircraft on the UK Register are required by law to comply with applicable Airworthiness Directives (ADs) issued by the UK CAA, EASA, and the National Aviation Authority (NAA) of the State of Design.” Thus, the UK-based B-17 was required to comply by the issuance of the FAA AD for the U.S. designed aircraft. (Thanks to Archer on the WIX forum that dug this out.)

So, of the four B-17s that were technically airworthy on May 31, but grounded on June 1, three are again airworthy: Sally B, Sentimental Journey, and Ye Olde Pub. No word yet on the inspection status of the fourth B-17, that being Yankee Lady as operated by the Yankee Air Force out of Ypsilanti, Michigan. It does remain grounded as of now.

There are three other B-17s, Aluminum Overcast (44-85740), the once-named Thunderbird (44-85718) and the informally dubbed Shady Lady (44-83785) that are in long term maintenance to return to airworthy status. They will also need to comply with the provisions of the June 2023 AD prior to flying again.