13/04/2013 XM558 Crew Pre-Season Training

On a wet and windy Saturday, 558's crew and a couple of guests arrived for their pre-season training session on XM655, happy and smiling despite the weather.

left to right are Bill Perrins, Phil O'Dell, Martin Withers, Tony Blackman (guest),
Bill Ramsey, Mike Pollitt, Andy Marson, Nick Dennis (guest) and Barry Masefield.
Copyright© Av Magill.

Of course, the 655MaPS volunteers had to get into the act too!

Copyright© Av Magill.

Following one drills session including engine runs, a simulated aborted take-off (which included "streaming" XM655's non-existent parachute) and an aircraft emergency landing and abandonment, an electrical problem at the commencement of the second session prevented further engine runs, and the remaining drills had to be simulated rather than live.

The team reset the Tail Brake Chute door
Copyright© Clive Hanley.

On Sunday we had a working party and started to investigate the electrics problem that we had been left with, and are quietly confident that we will be able to fix the problem next Saturday.