Flying 'Vera'

摘要

Unlike many historic aircraft operators, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM) flies its machines on a regular basis. The Lancaster in particular can be seen aloft almost every weekend as part of the Bomber Crew membership scheme, which allows enthusiasts to sample flights in the aircraft. In order to be flown this regularly the aircraft needs to be kept in tip-top condition, and more than 25 years after it returned to the skies the aircraft remains in excellent condition. Among those responsible for C-GVRA's on-going maintenance is crew chief Randy Straughan. "Lancaster maintenance is ongoing throughout the flying season," he explains. '"VRA requires a lot of attention and the maintenance programme starts prior to every flight with the daily inspection (DI) and walk around." The DI begins with checking and charging the pneumatic system to 300psi. Next, the main tyres and tailwheel are checked for pressure and all four Packard Merlin engines will have the oil tanks dipped and coolant level checked. The hydraulic tank is also checked for the correct oil level and finally the windscreen is cleaned of all bugs. "The walk around is primarily the pilots' responsibility" says Randy, "but as crew chief it's good practice to have a look beforehand for anything that seems abnormal."