Test Flights!

[night_ice]

Was very surprised to see the new jet flying over TYS this evening. Made several touch & goes...had to be at least 5 touch & goes that I counted. Really a beautiful plane! From the ground, looks like a mainline jet. (No flaming)

Anyway, I wonder why TYS is a test pad?

 

[usfliboi]

for starters landing fees....

 

[night_ice]

Landing Fees are paid even w/o pax?

 

[4lowed]

When you mention new aircraft, I am going to assume you mean the CRJ700 that PSA has acquired. The EMB170 is finished doing proving runs, and is no longer doing any touch and goes. More than likely they are using TYS because it is a PSA base, and should have maintenance near by if there are any issues.
4lowed

 

[night_ice]

Not so. It was the EMB170. The wings (winglets?) and engines under the wings would indicate it was not the CRJ700. Here is a link to the pik of this same aircraft:
http://www.jetsite.com.br/mostra_galeria.asp?tipo=139
I was next to the airport watching it do touch and go's, so trust me on this one, it was *not* the CRJ700...it was the EMB170. What does PSA have to do with MAA?

 

[BoeingBoy]

One possibility comes to mind, but it is just a guess. TYS is not far off the route the planes would take from Fla to PIT, so it could have been a delivery crew having a little fun.

Jim

 

[geo1004]

TYS is not far off the route the planes would take from Fla to PIT, so it could have been a delivery crew having a little fun.

That's got to be good for US's profits (or lack therof). Pilots joyriding and burning fuel witha $$$ multi-million plane.

 

[Cfm56]

Could have been required training/check-out for newly typed pilots. Depending on simulator type used in training, sometimes actual landings are required before a pilot gets his type certificate on the equipement.

 

[<./']>]

More than likely they are using TYS because it is a PSA base, and should have maintenance near by if there are any issues.

No PSA mx in TYS. One of the E70 sims is in CLT, maybe what cfm56 says is true.

 

[BoeingBoy]

geo,

I thought about that but so far it is contract pilots doing the delivery flights, not MAA pilots.

Cfm,

Thought about that too, but you would think they could have found somewhere closer to Pit if that was the case - like PIT.

Maybe someone who knows will let us all in on the real scoop.

Jim

 

[USHenry]

I saw a USAIR Dash-8 doing this ~ a month ago in PHF. Did they get a new one

:blink:

 

[a320av8r]

The EMB-170 sim's are not yet approved for the entire type rating. The pilot must do some approaches and landings in type to earn the type rating. TYS is out of the way to expedite the flying.

 

[4lowed]

The emb170 sims have been fully certified for the type rating since December when we all got typed.
4lowed

 

[AviationNewbie]

Touch and gos are fairly common out here in TYS, both for the Air National Guard and Cival Aviation.

ExpressJet has one of their larges MTC facilities out side a CO hub city here and Pennical was building one, don't know if they still are though. Combine that with 3 FBOs, 2 flight schools and an airport with some pretty impressive facilites for it's size and location you have a pretty good training airport for some practical hands on style training.

That's at least assuming that they were training and not joy riding.

 

[autofixer]

They were joyriding...everyone knows a 121 operation can go and do just whatever you feel like, whenever you feel like. It is always those pesky flyboys fault.