Virgin Australia ATR Evacuation Flights

[LiamR]

Virgin Australia ATR Test Evacuation Flights

I was sitting here trying to write some amazing introduction, one that is whitty, intelligent, and makes you think. But then I realised that I'm no TonyHancock and that people would proabley just want to see the pretty pictures I took. So let me jump right into it...

The day started with samh004 and myself sitting in a room amongst everybody else helping out today, casually chatting with the cabin crew who told us "We have no idea what's going on today either!" Yes. Doesn't that fill you with confidence?

The Cabin Crew were telling us that all ATR flights are going to be full service, as there is no space in the galley to accommodate different items to sell,as well as flexi fares, and speaking of flexi fares.... I asked what kind of meals they will be offering on these flights, to which the flight attendant said very honestly to me... "Well they are going to be a hell of a lot better than Flexi meals!"

That can only be a good thing!!

Shortly afterwards, we were issued with these pieces of paper...



Although we weren't actually going to Port Macquarie, I thought giving out some boarding passes made things a little more fun.

We were split up into two groups, luckily, most of us made it into group one. The ATR can handle 68 pax, and there was 20 in each group as well as 8 CASA inspectors. Meaning there was going to be plenty of free seats.

Just think how much easier it is to argue with the Velocity Platinum for my 10SCs for this flight now...

After a little waiting we were ushered into the meeting room and told the key rules, don't go running onto the tarmac, don't get lost and of course...

Apparently, we weren't actually taking part in an "evacuation drill", where there is a simulated emergency and we all get to go down the slides (Yay the emergency slide!) instead we were just bodies, and this was more for the crew to test their emergency procedures and show they know what they are doing to CASA. Was a bit of a let down, rather than going down the slide, I had to walk orderly to the rear of the aircraft and exit via the stairs.

The most important rule, was that this is not a real evacuation, so the two emergency windows at the front should remain closed, don't open them and go jumping outside the aircraft.




After signing away out lives from all liability, we went out to the hangar to see the ATR and boarded it soon afterwards. What a lovely aircraft it was. Compared to the QF Q400s, they seem a lot more spacious, with a lot more legroom and much wider seats. I usually don't like leather seats, but these didn't seem to bother me at all.

 

[LiamR]

Virgin Australia ATR Test Evacuation (Part 2)

Upon boarding, I found myself in quite the dilemma. As I wondered down the isle, boarding pass in hand (We've gotta pretend it's a real flight here folks) looking for 7E, I got quite confused. I could see a 7D & 7F, but no 7E. It appears I've been assigned a seat that doesn't exist. Minor teething error. Since the aircraft is mostly empty, I'll just take another seat. I hope they correct this before the launch of the real product.

Mmmmmmm. Smells like a new airplane!



The cabin as obviously brand new, and I quite liked the interior.






I'm a fairly tall person, and I found there to be plenty of legroom to stay comfortable. Moving the safety card upwards creates a lot more legroom.

 

[LiamR]

Virgin Australia ATR Test Evacuation (Part 3)

All settled in they started to do the usual safety announcement, I thought I better pay attention to this, since there was going to be a likely event of an emergency. I took a moment to flick through the Safety Instruction Card... Am I the only one that noticed something wrong with this?



Say what? The oxy masks won't drop automatically? The Cabin Crew need to come and unlock them for me? Geez, I hope they can do 17 rows in a hurry!!

Anyway, back to our impeding crash. The captain was going to simulate what would really happen with the upmost amount of realism. This came over the PA.

"Engines starting,
Taxi onto runway
Takeoff
Large Bang Noise
Breaking
Smash
Engines on Fire"

The Cabin Crew started jumping into their routine, "YOU YOU CHECK OUTSIDE, IS IT SAFE? IS IT SAFE?"

After what felt like an internity of awkward silence.... The crew advised us to "stay seated and remain calm" even though the captain just said the engines are on fire. Try sitting in an aircraft after you heard that and then everything goes silent. Un Ha. Awkward!

After a while the crew shouted EVACUATE!! To which I got up to head to the rear of the aircraft

mickyc747 was in 1F which is an emergency exit row, his window was covered in red to simulate that it was on fire and he shouldn't use it.

The gentlemen in 1A couldn't contain himself and opened the Emergency Window, which he was instructed not to do. Skywest men in fluro jackets came to catch the door so it didn't fall onto the ground and damage itself. It was funny in this 'tense' moment seeing that and we all started laughing. I'm not sure if CASA were expecting to see this.

Another awkward moment, queuing to de-board the aircraft knowing it is potentially on fire. I remember standing next to samh004 thinking, hmmm, this is probably how I'll go. Standing in an aisle during a plane crash. (Cue new idea, Priority Disembarkation for Platinums. Good idea, yeah?)

Before I could reach the exit a whistle blew and we all returned to out seats, apparently we passed the test. We sat onboard the aircraft waiting for CASA to finish some paperwork before disembarking.

 

[LiamR]

Virgin Australia ATR Test Evacuation (Part 4)

Shortly afterwards we had a debrief with CASA where we talked about what needed to improve, as well as any final questions. I held back the urge to ask about earning status credits with these flights...

Of course, we came all the way to the airport, so it would be a shame not to head to the lounge for a "post evacuation discussion"

Samh004 walked into the lounge with his 'boarding pass' from earlier on in the day, showing the man at the desk, who made several attempts at looking it up in the system. He said "Strange, your flight number is wrong." We tried to tell him it was a joke but he kept typing away trying to find our mystery flight.

"Sorry, I can't find your flight... you'll have to take this to the service desk!"

Has to be one of the more memorable moments of the day.

It was a great day, and I enjoyed meeting some new AFF'ers, as well as catching up with some familiar faces. An experience like this doesn't come around every often, so i was glad I could take part in it!!

 

[samh004]

Excellent TR!

I ended up staying in the lounge till about 8pm, having a few drinks and lunch/dinner. It was a nice experience, but I find I need a lot of water now, strange?

I registered as soon as that proving flight email came in, so I hope I got on!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Thanks Liam, great account. The emergency window issue is why they do these drills. No matter how much you might think everyone understands the required proceedures, it's a given that at least some will misunderstand the requirements and that's really where the crew need to display skill and attentiveness.

I'm envious that I had to work, but do I see a memento of the day hanging around your necks, or did you have to give those back??

 

[samh004]

I'm envious that I had to work, but do I see a memento of the day hanging around your necks, or did you have to give those back??

We got to keep the boarding passes, but the lanyard contained our clearance for the airport area, as long as under escort, and only for the day, so we had to give them back at the end.

 

[markis10]

but the lanyard contained our clearance for the airport area, as long as under escort, and only for the day, so we had to give them back at the end.

Otherwise known as a temporary ASIC

 

[samh004]

Otherwise known as a temporary ASIC

Yes, one of them. Couldn’t keep it at the end.

 

[LiamR]

Otherwise known as a temporary ASIC

Mine said that keeping it after the expiration date could result in imprisonment. :shock:

 

[nlagalle]

Otherwise known as a temporary ASIC

I wonder if I had have been able to go that I could have used my current one instead?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Mine said that keeping it after the expiration date could result in imprisonment. :shock:

Gawd Liam, you must have spent the day reading every bit of fine print you could find! That's the sign of a dedicated AFF representitive.....always looking for a hint revealing future planned surprises in the fine print

 

[TonyHancock]

Great stuff LiamR.

Shortly afterwards we had a debrief with CASA where we talked about what needed to improve, as well as any final questions. I held back the urge to ask about earning status credits with these flights...

Love it!!

 

[dk4]

Re: Virgin Australia ATR Test Evacuation Flights

The Cabin Crew were telling us that all ATR flights are going to be full service, as there is no space in the galley to accommodate different items to sell,as well as flexi fares, and speaking of flexi fares.... I asked what kind of meals they will be offering on these flights, to which the flight attendant said very honestly to me... "Well they are going to be a hell of a lot better than Flexi meals!"
...
Compared to the QF Q400s, they seem a lot more spacious, with a lot more legroom and much wider seats. I usually don't like leather seats, but these didn't seem to bother me at all.

With Skywest heading East, to start operations on behalf of Virgin Australia, perhaps it’s a good time (for those of us in the east) to check-out the service standards which Skywest is use to providing to its guests.

Consider an old promotional video, detailing Skywest’s experience as a premium full service airline.
[video=youtube;vWA9cj2Pjks]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWA9cj2Pjks&NR=1[/video]

 

[straitman]

We saw the ATR in SYD taking off on RW 25 immediately ahead of us today.

Looked very clean and swish.

I do hope it stars that way.

 

[QF WP]

Thanks LiamR, definitely an unusual TR