Hi Fly, a leading global wet lease specialist and charter operator, has recently put its two newly added Airbus A330-200s through their paces. Before the additions could join the fleet, both aircraft (registered 9H-HFK and 9H-HFJ) had to pass functional flight testing. This is a contractually mandatory procedure that Hi Fly has the expertise and capability to perform in-house. At Beja Airport in the south of Portugal, Carlos Mirpuri, Vice Chairman of the Hi Fly Group as Commander and Marcos Braga as Captain were in control of the multi-mission flight testing. “We have specific protocols to follow and execute, ticking off items on customary checklists,” explains Carlos Mirpuri.

The series of thorough tests included a number of flight control checks flown at altitudes between 10,000 and 20,000 feet (about 3000 to 6000 meters), followed by low-speed checks. Another task was functional testing of the landing gear, even including a gravity gear extension as an additional safety feature, which is extremely rarely used in regular flight operations. As conclusion of each aircraft’s check program came runway fly-overs and a touch-and-go manoeuvre. After ticking off the required checks one by one, Carlos Mirpuri was highly satisfied: “The aircraft are as good as new and ready for revenue service. We found absolutely no faults.”