Simviation Forums

13th October 2007 - TVOC
Are we now beginning to achieve the un-achievable!
Ah well the end of another long week of functional set ups and paperwork, so where shall I begin?

Most of this week has been taken up with the set up and independent checks on the Flying Controls which was finally completed in the early hours of Thursday morning.  With the last of the functionals complete the aircraft can be finally panelled up for good!

The final preparations are also being carried out such as fitting the Brake Parachute and servicing the aircraft (topping up all the gases etc) ready to hand over to the aircrew for the ground handling checks, these will consist of general handling, a slow taxi, a medium taxi and a fast taxi run taken over several days.  Only when these have been carried out and the aircrew are happy with the aircraft will first flight be considered.

The later part of the week saw 558 outside a couple of times, Thursday the aircraft was pushed just outside the hangar to be refuelled ready for the taxi tests and for the aircrew to have some familiarisation time on the new systems as well as brushing up on the old!  Friday morning saw 558 taken out to the runway to show her where it is and to carry out a confidence compass swing to ensure the compasses are pointing in the general direction!

Of course the majority of the week has been taken up with clearing the remaining 250 work cards.  With most of the cards cleared and the remaining cards put in as a limitation on the aircraft, 558 was released to the aircrew late on Friday afternoon to carry out the first of the taxi trials.

So around tea-break on Friday afternoon XH558 moved off the engine running pan under her own power and made her way to the runway, whilst on the runway she made a couple of slow taxi runs up and down the runway before being handed back to the ground crew to be towed back in.

As we now have a serviceable aircraft, we are beginning to achieve the un-achievable and next week will see us hopefully completing the rest of the paperwork along with the runs and all that will remain then is the authority to take to the air!!!