This evening, as part of a long standing training arrangement with City Airport Manchester (Formerly Barton Airport) seven Bolton MRT Call Out list members were guests of the Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Service, for a training session on light aircraft accident awareness (Post crash management)
Attending were Team Life Vice President Alan James, Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, Training Officer Dave Marsh, Gyles Denn, Dave Cook, John Dickinson and Trainee Team member Martin Battersby.
They were met by Airport RFFS members Steve Pilling and Les Ravenscroft, who gave our seven a thorough tour and briefing whilst visiting three of the aircraft hangers at the airport, closely examining the different types of light aircraft based at the airport, including flexiwings, three axis microlights, sports aircraft and light aircraft.
Aircraft construction was covered, including carbon fibre, aluminium and fabric fuselages, fuel types and cut off systems and aircraft door opening types.
Of particular mention, and of potentially specific danger, was much discussion, including examples in use on based aircraft at the airport, of Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS) / Ballistically Deployed Emergency Parachute Systems. (Essentially a ballistically projected parachute recovery system for the whole aircraft in some types or a part of the airframe containing the persons on board on other types)
The visit concluded with a tour of the operational Airport Control Tower, with thanks to on duty controllers Gareth White and Dale Harrison for their hospitality.
In the control tower, our members were given an overview of aircraft emergency incident procedures at the airport.
The team would like to thank Mark Knowles, Airfield Duty Manager, for agreeing to this informative and interesting visit, and for the Airport RFFS and Duty Control Tower staff for being so welcoming to our members visiting this evening.
Next week, on Wednesday evening, 5th June 2013, a second group of Bolton MRT members will be visiting City Airport Manchester for the same awareness training.
