94th AeroClaims-Aviation Consultant Group Observes And Reports On American Airlines and Miami International Airport Aircraft Recovery Drill Conducted With A Former, Donated Fedex Boeing 727-200

Former Fedex Boeing 727-223 N277FE, serial number 22042 serving Miami-Dade County Aviation Department at Miami International Airport as a trainer aircraft

The master blaster of Miami International Airport air side operation Mr. Lonny Carvin giving a last minute review of the events as to how they shall play out with Miami-Dade airport fire fighters 

The 2013 aircraft recovery drill in process with Miami-Dade fire rescue boarding N277FE through the L-1 cabin door and dealing with the evac-slide which was deployed to add a sense of operational realism toward the drill, which encompassed various Miami-Dade County first responses units 

94th AeroClaims-Aviation Consultant Company Founder and CEO Benny Benitez standing next to the Miami-Dade fire rescue Bell 412 helicopter which took part in the aircraft recovery drill in the medical evacuation of a George T. Baker Aviation student who played the roll of seriously injured passenger

Shown is George T. Baker Aviation School Principle, Dr. Sean Gallagan and Ms. Viviana Jordan from the Miami-Dade School Board who witness and observed the aircraft recovery with the participation of the George T. Baker Aviation School students who acted as airline evacuation passengers during the drill

The recovery aircraft with its nose gear purposely stowed, as the nose section rests upon sandbags so as to simulate an aircraft that land, ran off the runway and embedded itself within runway surface area

Dr. Gallagen shown center with a white ball cap surrounded by his students who played a roll within the aircraft recovery drill. Once the students played there role as the passengers and were rescued by Miami-Dade fire rescue, they observed the aircraft recovery from the observation bench on the side lines 

Shown are the many air control valves used to inflate the air-recovery bag that will stabilize the rear of the aircraft while the forward position airbag shall raise the nose section, thus allowing the nose gear to be dropped (free fall) and locked into place

The many air fill lines leading to the forward / nose section airbags are properly separate and spread out, as each lines leads to various sections and individual air compartments within the airbag unit and which are filled one at time and which will lead to a fully deployed / inflated airbags underneath the aircraft 

Positioned above atop of maintenance stand shows a birds eye view of N277FE as she sits with her nose purposely collapsed in simulating an incident requiring the application of a recovery 

With the nose section recovery airbag slowly filling up compartment by internal compartment the nose section of N277FE is slowly raised and will be raised to an optimal height in which the nose will be dropped and will clear the ground so as to swing into place

Miami International Airport Miami, Florida 24th September 2013: With the sense of low humidity in the morning air and the warm rays of the South Florida sun gleaming down on Miami International Airport, the stage was set to what was going to be a successful aircraft recovery drill, which was being conducted by American Airlines. The 94th AeroClaims-Aviation Group was present to observe and report on this event, which brought together various Miami-Dade County rescue / first responses agencies working in unison. 

Under the watchful and coordinated eye of Miami-Dade County Aviation Department as represented by their on site team leader Mr. Lonny Carvin, we observed nothing less than a shear display of utmost professionalism and true command and control for what could one day be a real world situation at the airport, but thankfully this time it was a finely choreographed training event.
American Airlines being the largest operator at Miami International Airport (MIA) with over 300 daily departures is responsible with the ground recovery of not only their own fleet aircraft, but any aircraft which may succumb to such an incident as simulated in the above photos.
The aircraft used for the event was a former Fedex Boeing 727-223, which was donated to Miami-Dade County by Fedex who in the recent years has purged their fleet of the venerable Boeing 727. The George T. Baker Aviation School under the leadership of their Principle Dr. Sean Gallagan are also beneficiaries of "donated commercial aircraft's" such as American Airlines MD-82, N234AA (with no engines) in 2010 and the fully equipped Boeing 737-200, N205AU as provided by the 94th AeroClaims-Aviation Consultant Group in 2011 also participated in the aircraft recovery drill. Eager and willing adult students from the school participated in acting as airline passengers who needed to be evacuated from the simulated stricken aircraft. One lucky students was deemed as the most "simulated" severe medical case and got a ride on board the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Bell 412 Helicopter.  Finally, once the rescue of the passengers was accomplished the technical prowlers of American Airlines recovery team took over to secure the aircraft by placing air recovery bags and raising the nose of the Boeing 727 and getting the aircraft back onto its nose landing gear.
All in all a successful training event for all who participated and great exposure for the student who took part in the drill.