“Buona Serata” That is to say good evening! It’s been a long day! Although not in terms of flight time but just in general and I’m worn out, I have just recovered from the dreded COVID it was good to get back up into the skies. So I was up early and prepared with another lateral flow test booked at the World Freight Terminal at Manchester for a date with The Queen! Although it’s felt like an age since I walked around her and to see her showing off her new colours was simply a sight to behold. This morning I pre-filed the flight plan for the morning before I even got in my car, and with some time to kill on the apron as the tech staff inspected and checked various systems I grabbed my first officer and it was a trip to the Greggs outlet for a bacon barm and coffee. Taking my seat on the left hand side I always take a moment just to “take it in” and although she’s been in hangerage for a few months it was a thrill to be sitting on her flight deck again.
So why on earth am I up early to pull out a 747 for a trip to Italy with a completely empty freight deck? Well as the title says I have some planes to pickup and bring home. Over the last few months we have been working on a restructure we agreed to lease out the Premier 1A and Cessna C441 out to some friends who have had to send their aircraft in for maintenance, they have been flying in and around Greece and Italy, this week the lease comes to an end and the aircrasft will be joining the tech staff here at Naples to be prepared for the trip back to the UK, a third aircraft will also be accompaning the others back to the UK, that will be the durable Cessna C208B Cargomaster…. It’s taken me a while but it’s been secured…. HAPPY DAYS!!!
Take off initially was pretty uneventful, the weather proved to be a blessing with views right across the country, but something was possibly missed by the tech staff or the hangerage took its toll. The EICAS (Engine Indicating Crew Alert System) chirped in and displayed “[ ] PACK 2” warning. The QRH book and e-checklist was quickly consulted and after a couple of system resets the fault cleared itself. It quickly reminded me that anything can happen in flight and I was thankful that the 747 has 3 pack systems! The fault was recorded into the Tech Log and the cheif engineer was made aware to inspect the system on our arrival in Naples.
The plan is a simple one (the best ones usually are). I am going to leave the 747 down in Naples in the care of the First Officer and tech staff to load the return aircraft on to the main deck and prepare the ancillary equipment and next week end I will return to Italy to collect the Cargomaster from Bari and return it to Naples before we fly back to the UK with all three aircraft loaded. But for now I’m comfy with Game of Thrones on the hotel room TV, pizza in my belly and a bottle of Moretti in my hand. Booked an early flight back to Manchester for a week at work.
HANGER UPDATE!
Oh I almost forgot, I’ve had word from Blackpool regarding the progress of our new hanger, all the heating and supporting pipework has been installed, although we’re now waiting on the electrical work to be completed, and I can say that the doors have been installed. Here’s a picture to see
