Scilly Isles

[rogerbucks]

Taking Mrs RB down to Cornwall in a couple of weeks with newly-acquired Reims Rocket. I have always fancied a trip to St Mary's; presumably require a flight plan, together with a call to Culdrose prior to coasting out?

Any tips folks?

[Flyluke]

It's easy, and on a good-weather day beautiful.
Take a trip around the Islands and 'lighthouse before you land - gorgeous.
The islands are very flat, so don't expect to see them until you are about half-way across!
And beware the runway - it's a bit like a hump-back bridge!
But there isn't much traffic there, so ATC will probably let you have a look at it from 'circuit' height before you commit to an approach.

Enjoy - it's on my list to go back to.
(As is another trip round St Ives bay from 200' feet!)

[Fuji Abound]

No a FP is not required as the SI are within the UK. You can file if you wish, but the sea crossing is very short and you will be in radio comm. the whole way.

The usual comment about the SIs is the runway is a little different siting on the top of a dome shaped hill as it does. This means you cant see half the runway and so it appears a great deal shorter than it actually is. The perspective is also different. The cliffs can also make for some sporting sheer and turbulence if some conditions.

It is a great flight and well worth the trip.

You can give Culdrose a call if you wish but they arent usually operational at week ends - just check the NOTAMS.

[robin]

Don't bother with Culdrose - speak to Lands End before coasting out and Scillies will pick you up 1/2 way.

The ask if you are DME equipped or flying a GPS route and reporting points are given to you in the air.

Nice trip, but better in good vis.

[Squawk 2650]

Worth a call to Scillies ATC, they are a real friendly bunch, and will give you a quick brief prior to your arrival.

Def worth a quick flight around the islands before you land as its such a beautiful place.

If you coast out via Landsend make sure you fly over Sennen Bay as this time of year you may see a Basking shark or two!!

Have a great trip.... wish I was coming!!

Post some pics if you get chance.

S
:cool:

[Mariner9]

Fuji wrote: No a FP is not required as the SI are within the UK.

Whereas, the AIP entry for Scillies says: Aerodrome Regulations:
a) Flight Plans should be filed for all flights to and from Scilly Isles/St Mary's aerodrome. (my bold)

Not sure whether "should" makes it mandatory though....Bookworm?

As for friendly ATC, I rang up for PPR after 1st filing the flight plan only to be bollocked for not phoning for PPR before filing :*

[jkl]

Been lots of times (10+) in a C172, never once filed a FP however I always phoned for PPR & a 'chat' prior to dispatch, very friendly helpful bunch at Scillies ATC.

It is still one of my fravorite places to fly in & it is must to fly around to have a good look at the islands while you are there, check the availability of AVGAS too as I am sure it is pretty limited if none at all, not sure these days!

It is more than long enough but some caution is required due to gradient, different sufaces e.t.c!

Enjoy :cool:

[trex450]

Just remember it is a 15 - 20 minute over water leg so a flight plan is worth thinking about as should the unwanted happen you do want to have everything going for you to assist any SAR effort. Also be aware that there is a scheduled helicopter (S61) operation from Penzance to the Scillies and Skybus operating Twin Otters and Islanders from Land's End and Newquay. You don't want to get caught in the wake from an S61. Otherwise enjoy the experience, the scenery is great the people very friendly.

[IO540]

It's like an olde English council estate, with Ford Escorts, Cortinas, half melted ice cream, you name it. Quite pleasant on the whole :)

[Talkdownman]

<<Not sure whether "should" makes it mandatory though....Bookworm?>>

Hey, we don't need Bookie for this one! should doesn't equal must. Even a simple ATCO can work that out.

It is all Class G airspace. That IAIP entry must be the result of someone with delusions of grandeur. Probably the same jobsworth who dreamt up the Mickey Mouse 'Land's End Transit Corridor which is a declaration of an AIAA to all intents and purposes. I'm surprised at the CAA printing it. Far better to be in direct RT contact with an appropriate agency should the worst happen.

Whatever, it's the South's best kept secret and a piece of cake to operate to and from.

[Blink182]

see ......... YouTube - Isles of Scilly Flight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb9zawiIsdo)

Superb place......... if you intend to stay overnight, make sure you have your accommodation booked !

Freindly ATC , the controllers will phone for weather actuals on the mainland before you depart.

[goatface]

It is all Class G airspace. That IAIP entry must be the result of someone with delusions of grandeur. Probably the same jobsworth who dreamt up the Mickey Mouse 'Land's End Transit Corridor which is a declaration of an AIAA to all intents and purposes. I'm surprised at the CAA printing it. Far better to be in direct RT contact with an appropriate agency should the worst happen.

Talkdownman - don't be such an idiot.:ugh:

Filing a FPL is highly recommended for a sea crossing such as this, no one is saying you have to do it.
Even if it is short it is over as tricky sea conditions as you'll find, even on a nice day.
The FPL merely means that the details of the intended route, how many on board and what emergency equipment is on the aircraft can be made available at very short notice to those who, hopefully, will never have to fish you out of the water.
Anyone who has ever had to make a forced landing in the sea will tell you how unlikely it is that you'll have time to transmit this information, just as anyone who does do SAR will tell you how invaluable FPL information can be in making the difference between recovering someone alive and finding a corpse.

[Talkdownman]

I didn't say don't file a Flight Plan. All I said was should doesn't equal must.

From CAP493

10.4 A pilot may file a flight plan for any flight.

10.5 A pilot is required to file a flight plan:
a) for all flights within controlled airspace, which are conducted in accordance with IFR;
b) for flights within Class C and D airspace conducted in accordance with VFR;
c) when he wishes to receive an ATAS (Class F airspace);
d) for all flights which will cross a UK international FIR boundary;
e) for any flight where the destination is more than 40 km from the aerodrome of departure and the aircraft’s maximum total weight authorised exceeds 5700 kg.

10.6 A pilot is advised to file a flight plan:
a) if his flight involves flying over the sea more than 10 miles from the UK coast or flying over sparsely populated areas where SAR operations would be difficult; or
b) if he intends to fly into an area in which SAR operations are in progress. The flight plan should include the expected times of entering and leaving the area and the details must also be passed to the parent ACC. The ACC is to notify the ARCC concerned.

I don't see any 'shoulds' in there. Why should there be any 'shoulds' in the UK IAIP? The UK IAIP is the definitive publication. Either a FPL is required or it is not. Simple as that. The pilot still retains the option to accept advice. Should has a different meaning entirely and is poor guidance.

[welkyboy]

Please, they are the Isles of Scilly. You upset the locals by calling them Scilly Isles..............

[snips]

The Landsend Transit Corridor dimensions are changing. It will start at St Ives and go up to 3000. The Latest AIRAC has the exact details.

St Mary's is PPR by phone, use the opportunity to pick their brains if you're uncertain about anything rather than just blundering on down.
:}

[Dave Zipair]

Was there last week in my TB10. Also went there last year in the Reims Rocket from Cardiff.

According to St Mary's, a Flight plan is not mandatory although, I filled one anyway on the way out but not on the way back.

St Mawgan is now known as Newquay and is not a MATZ any more. I flew from Cardiff down the West coast and called London on 124.75 after crossing the English Coast. My next contact was Newquay where I flew overhead then steered to the West of Perranporth where I picked up a heading for Pendeen Lighthouse avoiding Lands End. Newquay will pass you onto Culdrose who will take you through to mid channel where you will pick up St Mary's ATC. Keep on a heading for St Martins Head to join a 3 mile final for Rwy 15 or maybe down wind left for Rwy 33. If they are not busy they will let you fly around the Islands which is fantastic.

Runway 15 has a Hump in the middle which starts off level then drops off
downhill and is up hill on 33, which is no problem either way with the Rocket. Red Taxi bus is mostly there which costs £2 each down to the Town.

Hope you have a good time.
Dave.

[dstevens]

Just remember that St Mary's is shut on a Sunday, so it is either a long weekend or a Saturday day trip!

[englishal]

The Landsend Transit Corridor dimensions are changing. It will start at St Ives and go up to 3000. The Latest AIRAC has the exact details.
The Land's End Transit corridor is a funny thing. I was talking to one of our group recently who said "you have to cross at 2000'" - thinking it was a mandatory route. Bollocks to that I said to him, I'll be crossing at FL60-65 talking to Culdrose for a traffic service if possible. Why not? Go as high as possible, there is no airspace above and you're less likely to run into any helicopters or other flights.

[Talkdownman]

<<The Land's End Transit corridor is a funny thing.>>

Funny peculiar. Which is what I was alluding to earlier before I got my ear bent by someone. This Toytown corridor has no status within Class G airspace, no special rules, no mandate, and IMHO is a joke. Somebody at Scillies must have dreamt this up and submitted it for inclusion in the UK IAIP along with his/her flight planning desires and it has slipped through the proof readers' net. There should be no compulsion nor co-ersion to operate over water in accordance with conditions dreamt up by such misguided individuals. The sooner it is withdrawn the better.

Englishal, I totally concur, FL60 and descend QFG if I want. Clearly your colleague has been duped by 'the corridor'. How many others, I wonder....

[goatface]

The Lands End Transit Corridor was implemented for the same reasons that many helicopter corridors exist between the mainland, offshore instillations and other instillations, to advise the military that the airspace is regualrly used by civillian helicopters and other aircraft up to a certain level.
It isn't mandatory to fly in, it isn't mandatory for anyone to avoid and there aren't any mandatory levels but usually they are from sea level up to 2000ft amsl, however the MOD do strongly advise their aircraft to avoid it if at all possible.

Flying such routes, keeping in touch with ATC and filing a FPL helps you if things go wrong, if you don't want to, you don't have to, but I can't see why any pilot would decline to do so.

[dublinpilot]

Flying such routes, keeping in touch with ATC and filing a FPL helps you if things go wrong, if you don't want to, you don't have to, but I can't see why any pilot would decline to do so.


I can see why a pilot would decline to do so.

Having an engine failure over water at FL65 is a lot more preferable than at 2000ft.

At FL65, I can glide about 9nm, giving me an 18nm stretch that suddenly is within gliding distance of land.

If land doesn't happen to be within those 18nm, then I can set up for a slow desent. At 400ftpm that's over 16 minutes out of the water. 16 minutes to get a mayday call out, giving a precise position. Time to get radar identified (which might not be possible at 2000ft). Time to get S&R into the air and making it's way towards me. 16 minutes that I'm not in cold, killing water.
16 minutes also gives me lots of time to trouble shoot the problem, and prepare (again) for ditching.


Compare that to 2000ft, when I've only got 5 minutes before hitting the water, or a 3nm glide.

I appreciate that with UK weather FL65 might not always be available to a VFR flight, but when it is, I'd use it in preference to the 2000ft route.

dp

[englishal]

If anything the LETC should be a place to avoid! maybe that is the intention by having it drawn on the chart, but some PPLs look at it as a mandatory route?

I think that more value than a FP is actually taking to ATC, especially if they have radar. I'd file one if requested by Scilly ATC otherwise I wouldn't bother.

[Talkdownman]

Idiot or not, I rest my case ;)