Leadville update 12/08/08

[Grant]

Having spent many, many, many years sitting in telemetry and controlling the course of the engine failure testing, here I was on a trial with an aircraft that had a spare seat!

So now I get to see, first hand, what the aircrew have to deal with and how the aircraft is controlled internally, and externally with other airfield traffic. An interesting couple of flights and a big thank you to the crew for taking me along for the ride.

Her is the view from the jump seat as we establish on the runway for a first light take-off.

Here is the view south, looking down the Arkansas Valley, on the downwind leg.

The view along rwy 34, with the mist in the distance hanging over Turquiose Lake.

A little later in the day, here is a view of the airport buildings, including our temporary tent hanger and the local, white (!?), firetruck providing our fire cover, as we reef it around on a short circuit, coming in for a refuel.

cheers

Grant

[merlin101]

you lucky ***!! Hope all going well there? Not missing much here apart from rain!!

Dave

[Grant]

I certainly did get lucky! There were specific things I wanted to see, but timing and weather meant I was onborad for 3 flights, for a grand total 6hrs 15 mins! I haven't counted the number of engine failure events in that time - 'cos we were dliberately failing an engine not 'cos they kept failing, you understand! Must be around 40 ish.

2 testing mornings left for me on my stint on this trial, and about 1 days work left, so we should finish, and on program too!

As for the weather - you should see the Tstorms were get here. One blew through a couple of nights ago, and being so high we were right in the middle of it! Managed to catch a lightning bolt on camera! Bit faint as it was in the middle of the cloud, and the window was covered in water, but a Tbolt on film nevertheless.

cheers

Grant

[Mike]

Some lovely atmospheric shots of the flying there Grant As Dave says, you lucky person... :bah-humbug: