An Cosantóir

| 9 www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE • C295 Aircraft Familiarisation Course (Airframe & Powerplant) • C295 MPA Familiarisation (Mission Equipment) • Material & Logistics Course • C295 General Maintenance Program and Technical Publications The initial training was familiarisation on the aircraft and powerplant and each aircraft system was examined in detail. Everything from fuel to electrical, landing gear and hydraulics were all examined in turn. Next up was the Mission equipment. The army loves its Acronyms and we were not disappointed on that front. FITS, EOIR, LIDAR, are only small fraction of the acronyms we had to learn as a gateway to the aircraft mission equipment. This equipment is what forms the backbone of this aircraft truly becoming a Maratime Patrol Aircraft. The suite of sensors, cameras and lasers allow the aircraft to monitor our precious resources on land and at sea. Our third section was Material & Logistics. This gave us an understanding of the parts supply channel within Airbus Mili- tary. For an aircraft this complex it is important to keep the correct parts to hand and we were taught how to calculate which parts are needed and when to order. Our aircraft were supplied with an IPL (Initial Provision List). This list of parts was discussed and we learned how to keep this up to date based on aircraft utilisation. The final 4 days were spent on Maintenance Planning and Technical Publications which were the most important sec- tion for us personnel working in Technical Services. This training was invaluable in teaching us to provide Continuing Airworthiness for the C295s. We're back to this "Continuing Airworthiness" again! Also key to this was learning how to integrate the myriad of manuals into the Air Corps technical library. For me personally it was amazing to see the advancement in technology particularly in the mission equipment. The aircraft has a full glass cockpit up front and a fully integrated tacti- cal console and sensor console in the rear. Practically any camera image, radar return, sensor return or radio signal can be displayed on any screen in the cockpit or on the tactical or mission screens as needed. It really is a marvel of modern technology. Currently the CN235s are still performing maritime duties while the C295 comes fully on line. It will still take consider- able work to get our pilots and aircrew, technicians and all ground support crews fully operational. If you see the new aircraft they will be distinguishable by its winglets and its new paint scheme. The older MPA were blue but the new aircraft are painted a more modern grey similar to the Pilatus PC12 Aircraft. The team in Tech- nical Services and I look forward to providing Continu- ing Airworthiness support for the new aircraft and look forward to seeing them in the skies working their way to 20,000 flight hours and 30 years' service with the Air Corps. Safe Flying! 284 Directly overhead bristling with antennas and sensors F/Sgt D. Ryan, Sgt D. Skelly, Cpl K. Roche, Sgt D Rogers at the training facility in Seville 284 Gear and Flaps down. Landing at Casement Aerodrome The original CN235 aircraft now retired but still working as "Gate Guardian" outside the factory in Seville

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