558 post engine change test flight

[Mayfly]

She's airborne!!!

[Jigsaw]

Bound for church fenton apparently

[Mayfly]

apparently flew over Scunny Jigs!

Edit: there are reports she isn't doing a PD due to engines problems - however it appears she is continuing with the air test, so not sure what the situation is.

[Grapefruit]

Would be nice to see it come over Derby, whos the crew today ?

[Mayfly]

Martin Withers, Bill Ramsy, Barry Masefield and Andy Marson

[Nickolas]

Martin Withers, Bill Ramsy, Barry Masefield and Andy Marson

A 'Safe set of Hands'. Well done everyone at Finningley. Both on the ground and up in the air.

[Mayfly]

and down again......

[Grapefruit]

This has just come up on twitter

XH558 has carried out an initial test flight. Back on pan, engines shut down and crew out for a de-brief. More news in newsletter today ...

[Dee]

I was there She did a wonderful howl, was gone approx an hour and landed safely! In the mena time a Globemaster/ Galaxy was doing circuits!

[Sploosher]

Thats excellent news indeed................

[Jigsaw]

I appologise for the quality of these images. I am sure Dee will back me up that it was gloomy to say the least. Where were you Dee? I would have said hello

Edit: I heard she came over Scunny Pam but I was already at Finningley when I responded to you initial post. We pulled up just as she was rolling

[Ipso]

Good to see.

[Ray C]

Wonderfull news, so where and what time should I go to view her Friday air test ? bear in mind I'm only 5'5" tall !!

[Mayfly]

Jiggy nowt wrong with those pics - as I keep saying it''s not the quality that matters to me it's willingness to share a captured moment others don't have a chance of seeing.

Wonderfull news, so where and what time should I go to view her Friday air test ? bear in mind I'm only 5'5" tall !!

Depends where you live Ray - she should be on her way to RIAT Friday.

[Hihonyr8811]

Pics look great to me
Would have liked to have been there, but sadly couldn't make it

Might be up that way tomorrow but I bet the contents of my purse she stays on the ground (Just kidding).

Hope eveything went well and continues to go well for the rest of the tests

[Dee]

Jiggy i was up the lane, not far from the wind sock, i was there on my own for about 2 hours till everyone else started piling in the pics are great BTW

[Grapefruit]

Jiggy nowt wrong with those pics - as I keep saying it''s not the quality that matters to me it's willingness to share a captured moment others don't have a chance of seeing

I could not agree more the most sensible thing posted on an avation forum in weeks, thanks for posting the pics, aint it nice to see 558 flying again well done to all the air and ground crew involved, any news on what time it might take off on Friday im unable to go to Fairford but might be able to make Finningley.

[Jigsaw]

I think she will be up before friday mate. They have 3 (?) PD's to do as well as crew currency flights before RIAT. A grown up (PAM) will be along shortly to advise if I am correct or not

Dee, I went down the lane to watch her return as well.

[Mayfly]

Jiggy nowt wrong with those pics - as I keep saying it''s not the quality that matters to me it's willingness to share a captured moment others don't have a chance of seeing

I could not agree more the most sensible thing posted on an avation forum in weeks, thanks for posting the pics, aint it nice to see 558 flying again well done to all the air and ground crew involved, any news on what time it might take off on Friday im unable to go to Fairford but might be able to make Finningley.

*faints*

Some actually thinks I'm sensible!!!!!

[Mayfly]

I think she will be up before friday mate. They have 3 (?) PD's to do as well as crew currency flights before RIAT. A grown up (PAM) will be along shortly to advise if I am correct or not

Dee, I went down the lane to watch her return as well.

Lots of assumptions here....and how long is a piece of string?

MW & BR are current now they flown, and it is reported that one display was carried out at CF and one at Elvngton, so if MW did both he has 2 under his belt already so it could be that Martin will only need to do 1 more and that could be Friday on the way to RIAT - It all depends on who is scheduled to display at RIAT, it could be Kev [and Martin & Bill simply took the opportunity whilst they were airborne] it also assumes the rules haven't changed since DT was flying her.

EDIT: Just had a thought there is of course Farnborough to cover too....so perhaps an extra sortie or two may be on the cards, it all depends as they haven't flown her for months and who is available.

[Jigsaw]

I think she will be up before friday mate. They have 3 (?) PD's to do as well as crew currency flights before RIAT. A grown up (PAM) will be along shortly to advise if I am correct or not

Dee, I went down the lane to watch her return as well.

Lots of assumptions here....and how long is a piece of string?

MW & BR are current now they flown, and it is reported that one display was carried out at CF and one at Elvngton, so if MW did both he has 2 under his belt already so it could be that Martin will only need to do 1 more and that could be Friday on the way to RIAT - It all depends on who is scheduled to display at RIAT, it could be Kev [and Martin & Bill simply took the opportunity whilst they were airborne] it also assumes the rules haven't changed since DT was flying her.

EDIT: Just had a thought there is of course Farnborough to cover too....so perhaps an extra sortie or two may be on the cards, it all depends as they haven't flown her for months and who is available.

Told you a grown up would be around soon Thanks Pam I only mentioned the 3 PD's because it was mentioned in the latest Newsbytes. I will copy that into the XH558 thread.

[Mayfly]

I think she will be up before friday mate. They have 3 (?) PD's to do as well as crew currency flights before RIAT. A grown up (PAM) will be along shortly to advise if I am correct or not

Dee, I went down the lane to watch her return as well.

Lots of assumptions here....and how long is a piece of string?

MW & BR are current now they flown, and it is reported that one display was carried out at CF and one at Elvngton, so if MW did both he has 2 under his belt already so it could be that Martin will only need to do 1 more and that could be Friday on the way to RIAT - It all depends on who is scheduled to display at RIAT, it could be Kev [and Martin & Bill simply took the opportunity whilst they were airborne] it also assumes the rules haven't changed since DT was flying her.

EDIT: Just had a thought there is of course Farnborough to cover too....so perhaps an extra sortie or two may be on the cards, it all depends as they haven't flown her for months and who is available.

Told you a grown up would be around soon Thanks Pam I only mentioned the 3 PD's because it was mentioned in the latest Newsbytes. I will copy that into the XH558 thread.

That's cheating!!!!!

[Jigsaw]

Cheating? Not really because I obviously didn't read it properly

[MOD]

Thanks for those pics Kev.

Three cheers for all the XH558 team. I know the aircrew normally receive the plaudits, and quite rightly in this case as this was in effect a 'Test Flight', and the back seaters must have had a few 'collywobbles' as they took to their stations but the engineers yet again pulled off a great achievement in a very short time frame.

Hip Hip Huraaaaaay.

Mod

[Dee]

It was hinted that she might do a flight tomorrow, dont shoot the messenger if its wrong tho!!