Just curious if anyone knows what the CAF rules are regarding weather for flying Fifi. She's scheduled to be here in Albany today but they postponed the inbound flight from Rochester due to weather. The TAF this morning made it look like it's flyable later on today, but it occurred to me that they may have more restrictive rules.

They no longer do IFR proficiency checks in FIFI because they took so long and cost so much to do, so she is now VFR only.... And the minimums for the rides for hire exemption are higher yet....

I rode in Fifi in Oklahoma City one day that I don't think the ceiling was much over 1000 feet.

Thanks, Doug. I suspected that she was VFR only. Do they use higher minimums than basic VFR for repositioning flights?

That would be at the discretion of the crew, but flying a 100,000# plus airplane at 180+ knots in a 1000 & 3 would generate some belly acid.....

1000 and 10 seems workable though.

The next time your home drome is reporting 1000 ft overcast, go out for some pattern work....

Laser ceiliometers measure the distance to the point where if you are in the cockpit, you can see down to the approach lights below. At that altitude, there is usually no over the nose visibility.... Typically a 1000 OVC report means that at 800 feet I feel like I am starting to get into the soup....

I do lots of VFR X/C in Warbirds, and there was a time when the reports were 1000 ft along the route, I was on my way.... I have matured, and now I want 1500 at most stations, and I might tolerate a 1200 report is the vis is greater than 6, but if there is any 1000 ft reports, it is going to have to be real flat terrain, and real good Vis or I will sit it out. If the Vis is restricted at all, then I want 1500 ft reports everywhere....

Doug, I'm actually surprised that you'd fly with weather that bad! I figured with that much money invested in a rare old aircraft, CAF would have operating limitations for Fifi.

There have been plenty of windows for them to do the repositioning flight with better than basic VFR minimums, but not much better. Thunderstorms are in the forecast for tomorrow, so it looks like they're going to skip Albany on this tour.

I dont fly Fifi, so I cant comment on what a particular PIC will or wont do, and if I was flying her, it would depend on the local terrain and how well I knew the area.... There are hills out there where you are. My statement about 1500 is for flat country like out here where I live. In the hills, obviously the mins would be higher....

You are correct, an abundance of caution is warranted.... and 1000 ft ceiling in that lumbering beast would not be cautious, nor fun.....

Just found out that there were also maintenance issues keeping them grounded. Fingers crossed they get it fixed quick and cheap.

I was at KASH (Nashua, NH) today, where Fifi is now. I talked with a warbird pilot, and their whole entourage today as we waited for Fifi. They cancelled Albany for weather, and were a day and a half late on getting from Rochester, NY to Nashua, NH. They do not departed unless ceilings are 2,500'. No IFR, or MVFR for them. Head over to KASH, it's not very far!