Cathay Pacific's New Training Devices Arrive

Following a nighttime journey from the docks (wide loads can only make the journey across the bridges between midnight and 6am) Cathay Pacific's new cabin emergency evacuation training (CEET) devices arrived at 7am this morning. Fortunately, the weather was nigh on perfect with hardly any wind, temperature around 20 deg and clear blue skies. With six sections of B777 and 5 sections of A330 and the B747 door trainer to be unloaded and lifted into position, time was of the essence.

Two sections of the B777 CEET waiting to be unloaded.

At 730am, the unloading and lifting began.

It was vitally important that each section was unloaded and lifted into the Cathay Pacific Flight Training Centre (FTC) in the right order.

The first section to be lifted in was the B777 cockpit.

The cockpit section waiting for transfer into the 7th floor of the FTC.

The view from the inside of the FTC.

The team from Tai Wah making the final adjustments before the cockpit section is lifted moved on rails into the building.

The B777 cockpit section being manoeuvred into position.

The final part of the manoeuvring process.

Throughout the day, the lifting and manoeuvring process continued - quite literally running on rails when it was required!

One of the last sections to be lifted - section two of the A330 CEET.

This section didn't leave any room for error; things were a bit tight to say the least!

The tight fit continued - good job the EDM team had got their measurements right!

One of the EDM team members starting to unwrap the cockpit section as soon as it was in position.

The sections of the B777 CEET being unwrapped and moved into position. The first three sections already joined together as part of the installation process.

The cockpit section of the A330 CEET waiting for section two to be lifted and manoeuvred into position. Time now 16:45 - it's been a long day but there are still three sections to go and the new B747F upper deck service door trainer!

With dusk falling, the big box of air conditioning pipes was lifted into the building.

Almost dark and the first section (platform section and safety rail) of the B747F door trainer being lifted; time now 18:40

Now dark and the door trainer is almost in.

The door trainer being moved into the building.

Door trainer in, all that remains is to rehang the tarpaulin across the hole in the wall and remove the rail tracks; time now 20:05!

A great effort by all the teams involved; Cathay Pacific, Tai Wah who did all the lifting and manoeuvring and of course the EDM team who wasted no time in starting to assemble the sections together. The windows and structure of the building will be refitted on Monday and work will continue for the next three weeks or so with a ready for training date expected to be in the week of 13th March. More to come as the installation and commissioning process continues. What a day....!