04-11-2011 Testflight PH-BQD

[Chr!s85]

Hello all,

Today I had the honour to be on board of the test flight of KLM's PH-BQD. It was a great experience that I'll never forgot!
Hereby some pics taken during the flight. Tips and trics for taking pictures through the windows are wellcome.

1. Taxiing to RWY 18L for the start of the flight.


take-off movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yswrPtMgNf8

2. Buisy apron at H11.


3. After arriving above the Northsea the testcrew started with some flap/slats testing.


4. Fuel jettison testing.


5. Lots of fuel went overboard.


Fuel jettison movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E6dup0JrOI

6. An empty cabin for once.


7. A cabin pressurization test is performed here. Resulting in falling oxygen masks. The redclips prevent complete opening of the PSU panels and thereby lots of folding work.


8.


9. Some of the clips where removed to assure that the system is working properly.


10. In the descent to Eelde airport for a missed approach with landing gear extend in the altenate mode (gravity does the work). City of Groningen can be seen in the background.


11. Airport Eelde with it's local spotters.


12. The patern of the last hour. Now heading for Schiphol.


13. TT assen.


14. Landing on 18C so unfortunately backlit in the cockpit.



15. Also the RAT (RamAirTurbine) was deployed during the flight.


I hope you enjoyed.

If by accident one of the photographers in Groningen can send a picture of the missed approach to my PM I would be very grateful for that!

Enjoy the weekend!!

GrtZ Chris.

[Aircolours]

Hello all,

Today I had the honour to be on board of the test flight of KLM's PH-BQD. It was a great experience that I'll never forgot!
Hereby some pics taken during the flight. Tips and trics for taking pictures through the windows are wellcome.

Great report!

Brgds, Peter

[Polecat]

Very interesting report Chris, and good pics too!!

[LarsEHAM]

Looks very nice!

[Blokkie]

Hi Lars,

Nice set of picture`s.

Blokkie

[LarsEHAM]

Blokkie I think you mean Chris?

I could only dream being on that flight

[Blokkie]

Sorry,
A mistake in the date
Chr!s 85, you made made a great job at PH-BQD.
@Lars It was for the nightshots in another EHAM day.

Blokkie

[Heron]

Nice pictures!
But I wouldn't call that the local spotters in picture 11... they are on the wrong side looking into the sun!
Besides... since 2001 we are not allowed onto the airport anymore

With a title like yours, why would I send you a private mail, as the pictures can just as easily be shown here. That way more people can see 'm

1 all the cars (but one) are parked in a no-stopping zone...


2 the lowest of the four we've seen this fall:


3 and a recognizable shot of Eelde:


Greetingsenzo,
Bert.

[TNCB]

Chris, very nice shots from the other side! I believe you right away that it was an experience that you will never forget.
I was the one sitting on top of the airport-1 (yellow car) and of course I have a shot to share aswell. The one Bert posted as shot #2 illustrates how INSANELY low you guys were, I love it! By far the lowest low approach I've EVER seen, job well done by the crew!

My contribution to this thread:

[Chr!s85]

Thank guys for the nice comments!!

Nice pictures!
But I wouldn't call that the local spotters in picture 11... they are on the wrong side looking into the sun!
Besides... since 2001 we are not allowed onto the airport anymore

With a title like yours, why would I send you a private mail, as the pictures can just as easily be shown here. That way more people can see 'm

2 the lowest of the four we've seen this fall:


Greetingsenzo,
Bert.

I totally agree with you Bert. I had to do that in another way, like you did! Sharing with the rest, the more the better it is!! My mind was still in the clouds I suppose

Regarding picture 2: The radioaltimeter showed an altitude of 4 feet if I'am correct that's something more than 1 meter

GrtZ Chris

[Ger]

Very nice report Chris and what a nice pictures of the approach to Airport Eelde.

Rgds, Ger

[Chr!s85]

Thanks Ger!

Some additional movies I want to show:

Just after throttle up of the engines in Groningen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBzS4Tg2p3c

RTO movie on RWY 22. Speeding to take-off speed and then brakie brakie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhhkb9-dBuM

(taken through cockpit window) Before crossing the 18L the PH-BQC departed. This one we had three weeks earlier in the hangar, coincedence?!


GrtZ Chris

[TNCB]

Nice movies Chris! Next time I'll try to take one aswell.
Judging the pics it's hard to believe you were over 1m in height, but the pics might play tricks on our eyes, not sure. Either way, very impressive!

EDIT: My colleague made a short movie clip with his phone, see here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8RT1MzLDks

Action starts at 0:50.

[frank kramer]

Judging the pics it's hard to believe you were over 1m in height, but the pics might play tricks on our eyes, not sure.

No tricks of the eyes, I would say... that REALLY was low! The height above ground given by the radio altimeter is dictated by the location of the altimeter. Undoubtedly, it is located in the fuselage and therefore higher up than the landing gear... judging by the pics, the MLG might have been as low as 40-50cm... not much difference there between a missed approach and a touch and go ! Nice report, everyone !

[patrick@tediek.com]

nice pictures and videos... unfortunately the video of the smoking breaks is no longer available