How long since you've flown, because of bad wx..?

[big.al]

I now haven't flown since early October, due to seven consecutive cancellations for bad weather. Last Sunday the wx was beautiful - clear skies, light winds - perfect I thought. Except that the airfield was closed because the grass runway was too wet from the recent rain...:mad:

Now I (rightly) need a check-ride with an instructor under club rules, as I'm outside the 28-day currency. The check-ride leaves me a little nervous because I'm out of practice, but without it I'll not get back into current practice. All being well perhaps I'll get to go up this weekend....

There must be loads of us in this situation - anyone care to share their frustration, or tell me whether you've been "out of action" for as long (or longer) purely because of weather..?

[tired-flyboy]

I'll join the disgruntled gang.

Having only flown 45 hrs in 3 years (mixture of work, bust ac, and wx) i can sympathise with you!!!

Well recently joined new club - been scrubbed by wx 3 times, instructer no show twice and frozen ac twice. God how are you meant to get anywhere!
:mad:
:confused:

you know what they say - flyings fun - WHEN YOU CAN GET IT!!

[28thJuly2001]

If the weather is too bad to do any serious touring I usually just potter about the circuit for half hour to keep current.
The longest I have gone without my flying fix due to the weather is 24 days and the weather has to be particulary bad to stop you/me/one doing a few circuits, why don't you try that?

28th,,

[Number Cruncher]

Here's my biography....

Started training PPL in early October (weekends only).

Had ideas of qualifying by Christmas!!!!! Boy was i in for a shock!

Last lesson was 24 November!!

Had 4 lessons booked every weekend (2 Sat, 2 Sun) since then, all cancelled due weather!! And that's training in apparently the best part in the UK for climate?!?!

Last weekend was the best wx in ages, only problem was my instructor was on the other side of the planet!!!!

Next lseeon is booked for Saturday. Forecast is looking good, still, what's the odds there'll be frozen fog or fronts coming in from the Atlantic...............

Still, good to know i am not alone in my frustrations!

Chrs

[maggioneato]

Went to the strip today, feeling very optimistic about getting airborne, not having flown for three weeks. the aircraft was covered in ice, even under the wings, the doors were frozen shut, viz dreadful, and it started to snow. The strip was frozen solid,so I should have stayed in bed. Can't imagine what made me optimistic, I could'nt get in my car,the doors were frozen shut.:(

[rotorcraig]

Before this weend I'd not managed to fly since Mid-November, something like 10 booked flights cancelled bad wx.

I was worried about the check ride too, but it went really well and left me with the confidence to get two more flights in over the weekend :D

Apparently the worst December in [can't remember big number of] years for low cloud / poor viz.

[TheKentishFledgling]

October 5th :(

tKF

PS Was sposed to fly on Sunday, but got weather off. Trying for Kemble this Sunday though

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

I thought last year was pretty good weatherwise - up until early October. But I've managed to get airbourn fairly regularly even since then.

But last weekend was just superb ;~)

SSD

[Ian_Wannabe]

Add me to the list of fustrated pilots!

Before last Sunday I hadn't flown for over two months because of poor weather. If it wasn't too windy, the vis was too low and vice versa - very fustrating!

Coincidently I went solo on Sunday which was a bit scary after not flying for so long!! :D :D

Ian

[MikeSamuel]

October 19th at the controls, last Sunday in the back...15 hours in 18.5 months. It's been stressful, there's always a reason not to fly sadly whether it be weather, bad timing, lack of money etc...
When I do get to fly though, I appreiciate it all the more :)

[VP8]

got a circuit check in today finally after 7 weeks inactivity due bad wx and aircraft availability....good fun scud running at 500ft not!!

Any way got the plane for a couple of hours tomorrow subject to wx!!

Runway no probs it's frozen

VEEPS :)

[What a Loop]

3rd November for me, was 4 hours into my IMC course, and had a slot booked every weekend but no joy.

Starting to get fidigty not having had my fix.

Probably have to review most of the first few hours again, good fun though this instument stuff, did my first SRA on the last lession (3rd Nov) great to finally look up and see a runway, eventhough the instructor was giving me the speed and Alt refrences it still looked good.

Can't wait to get back but can't get it set up till end of Jan due to Instructor or plane availability.

December is usually poor but this one seems to have been a bit OTT.


Look on the bright side summer is just around the corner:D :D :D


WAL

[Goldenchild]

Still learning to fly but increased my two lessons per week to three in October and managed, on average, 1 lesson per week. Some weeks were dreadful with no flying whatsoever. The instructors didn't like sitting about either.

After the holidays, however, I have flown on Monday and Tuesday with another lesson booked in on Friday. Great conditions with clear skies, slightly cold and Fife was a bit icy on Monday.

Other than that, hopefully the weather will remain similiar over the next couple of months before the clouds and rain begin to appear.

[FlyingForFun]

Managed just a few throughout the whole of Nov and Dec. But last weekend was absolutely beautiful - logged a couple of hours this year already!

The really frustrating thing has been night-flying. I've attempted to night-fly almost every weekend since the clocks changed, and so far I've managed 2 hours. Oh well!

FFF
----------

[Wycombe]

....not since early October for me also. Not all as a result of the bad Wx for me, but frustrating nonetheless.

I'll be wanting to do a full check-out after that gap (which I'm sure the Club would rightly insist upon anyway).

To those of you that are trying to progress Flying Training at the moment in this part of the World, you have my sympathy :(

[pulse1]

In order to maintain currency yesterday, I spent over an hour de-icing the aeroplane for 15 minutes of circuits.

It would have taken me much longer but a very nice young lady from the local professional flight school loaned me their de-icing kit. If she happens to read this - thanks again.

If we have much more of this I am going to start flying a low wing aeroplane

[Kolibear]

28th December was my last flight. Coincidentally it was also six years to the hour since my first solo too. Prior to that it was some time in October.

The only solution that I can suggest is - if the weather is good - go for it! In the same way that I didn't last weekend :( :(

Unfortunately, the weather is stunning right now, I'd love to fly over a snowy landscape, but I'm at work and the runway hasn't been cleared.


We seem to be moving into a situation where all flying training needs to be concentrated into a six month summer period. I feel very sorry for those clubs on a grass strip, perhaps I should buy shares in a runway-building company?

[Fly Stimulator]

I hate to tarnish such a reassuringly gloomy thread with a happy story, but I had a delightful flight from Lydd to Deauville and back yesterday, in spite of the snow storms in the south east.

Lydd escaped the snow and after dodging a spot of cloud on the way out we had a beautiful trip down in bright sunshine followed by a fine lunch in Honfleur. The Lille, Paris and Deauville frequencies were almost silent, and we were the only aircraft at Deauville.

We came back via the Cherbourg - IoW route, enjoying some beautiful cloudscapes in the setting sun at 7,500'

By the time I drove back to London at about 7pm all the motorways had been cleared, so there were no delays there either.

Goes to show that miracles can happen, even when it comes to flying and weather. :)

[vancouv]

Hadn't flown since 23rd Nov until last Monday, when I managed 2 flights in one day - a check-out and a night flight.

As I'm writing this the weather is nice and sunny but wind 15G25 - even down the runway I don't fancy that.

I had a terrible time during the summer generally - managed to fly a fair bit myself, but nearly every time I had a pax it had to be cancelled. Most of my mates are wondering why I bothered getting a license as I can never use it!!!!

One day in particular had relatives from the north visiting, and we set out in beautiful sunshine to sit in the plane while gusting 35kt winds howled around us. Some people flew though - never seen a Cessna have such a short takeoff run!

[skygazer]

27th September. Had lessons booked in Oct and Nov, cancelled due to Wx. Didn't even try in December!! However, sitting at my desk now looking out the window, the sun's shining, blue sky........I feel a call to the school coming on!!!

[Lawyerboy]

I claim the worst story - last flight was my QXC on 16 September, haven't flown since.

[AerBabe]

I know I'm invading this thread, but it might make you all feel better... The last time I flew in command was October 19th. Since then I've been up once, RHS (many thanks again if you read this!) in November. It's not wx though, it's £. Not likely to get any P1 in for the foreseeable future either. I need a fix!!! :(

[PilotOnline]

Ok then, I'll go too! I haven't flown since October 2001 (apologies for moving away from the weather reason!) I took out a loan for my PPL, then the salary amongst other things took a bashing and haven't flown since. I am just about to start again next week and have a fair bit to revise for the check flight but hopefully it'll all come back to me!! That is if the weather permits me to get airborne this side of April!!:)

[rustle]

vancouv

Interesting comment:

"...the weather is nice and sunny but wind 15G25 - even down the runway I don't fancy that..."

Would you fancy it more if it was 0G10 down the runway?
(Genuine interest here :))



Last flight - last Sunday - it was fantastic. Cold, clear (after a low-cloud start), stable.

Prior to that, mid-December.

[Hersham Boy]

I'm gagging... passed GFT in early October and haven't been able to go up since! If it's not the Wx, then it's waterlogged grass runways, lack of aircraft or lack of instructors (I need one to convert onto a club PA28).

I'm now out of both 90 day CAA currency AND 60 day club currency and due to the ground conditions can't evwen go circuit-bashing to remedy this.

And what REALLY makes me frustrated is looking out the window right now - it is BEAUTIFUL... and I'm at work.

I'm due to fly 9am on Sunday. Get your brollies out chaps - it's going to rain, fog and blow a gale all simultaneously! :D

[Dop]

I just managed to scrape one brief lesson in at the beginning of December by booking for a day off and barely getting four circuits in before it got dark (the sun had set before I landed), and that was it for December.

Last Saturday (5th Jan) was pretty good. Bloody cold when doing the pre-flight checks, but the plane practically leapt off the ground in the cold air, and the view was superb.
Flew around for a bit, came in, did a touch & go, then after landing my instructor got out and I did it all over again, just getting back before the clouds rolled in. Made a complete pig's ear of parking the plane though. Differential braking doesn't really work when the ground is so wet and muddy that your wheels slip along in the mud.
Still. good flying day.

Weather forecast for sunday isn't looking too good though...

Mind you, this time last year I didn't get a lesson in for over two months...

[Kingy]

Hi
Just to ad a positive note to this gloomy thread. Ive managed to fly quite a lot over the last month. My home strip must be only field where it is often impossible to drive to but you can fly from! .. it's perched on the top of a hill (ok.. it IS a hill) and drains perfectly.

The trouble is - I've got nowhere to go as unless I visit a proper airfield with a hard runway (not my idea of fun) all my favourite destinations are waterlogged!

Kingy

[distaff_beancounter]

Right folks .... I have just had a good look at the weather, for SE England for the coming weekend, to see if it will be flyable:-

The Good News: It should be a lot warmer :cool:

The Bad News: It will probably be very foggy :(

[eveepee]

I thought I'd add my 2p worth.... I went solo on the 24th October and, although I have had 2 lessons since then the runway was 'out of bounds' for circuits, so I ended up practising PFLs and steep turns instead:eek: My instructor suggested we try Lydd for circuits but even that was cancelled due to high x winds on the day !
Kolibear kindly took me along "for the ride" on 28th December and very nice it was too so I am managing to get my fix :)

Trouble is that its been so long since my 1st solo I'm beginning to panic and wonder if I'll be able to do it again (and again) !

[MLS-12D]

Haven't flown since December 27th. The ceilings have been very low on most days since.

Last weekend would have been good, but the wife had other plans for me! :(

I plan to go out for a couple of hours on Sunday. Current forecast:" A MIX OF SUN AND CLOUD. LOW MINUS 8. HIGH MINUS 4." Time will tell!

[Dewdrop]

Early November for me. Bad weather + Instructor doing IMC.

[Ace Rimmer]

Err well a bit of Arrer flying at the beginning of October then a play with a ATR72-500 (work thing) brand new too, it still had the plastic covers on the pax seats.

Then some more Arrer at the beginning of November then some sim time (ERJ145) on a work trip then (this sounds like bragging but what the hey) some DHC8-100/300 sim time followed by a bit of real thing (up north of the Arctic Circle no less) Then a bit in the Arrer the week before Xmas (HAD to use it to make a meeting that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

Had planned to do a bunch of flying over the Xmas break but like everybody else got stiffed by the wx finally got an hour in last Sat, glorious wx and everybody and their brother flying down at Shoreham (ended up having to go-around four times but still, good practice).
Planning to fly both days this weekend if the wx gods agree...

[Rallye Driver]

I can't complain.

I flew 10 sectors in November over 6 days, though as I was using up leave I was able to fly during the week, which worked out well.

Only once in December (partly because I was awy) - a pleasant hour on New year's Eve in a Bulldog to get my 150 hours P1.

Twice so far in January, with another booked for Sunday (fingers crossed).

Commiserations to everyone who's waterlogged.

RD

[phnuff]

Last flew (with an instructor), just before christmas, in IMC and at night. Due up tomorrow.

Boy am I just dreaming of clear skies, low winds and a view to bore you all with

[big.al]

Well low and behold - woke up this morning raring to go after a good weather forecast last night, and hey presto! - fog outside so thick you could knit with it.

I doubt it will clear in the next hour so it now looks like 8 consecutive cancellations.... at this rate will I ever get to fly again....?

[Goldenchild]

Hang in there Big Al.

I managed my third lesson yesterday, another solo nav, this time to Lanark and Peebles. Clear skies, lots of traffic (I think everyone and their aunt was flying) and beautiful views of the Scottish countryside.

Have another three lessons booked for next week and keeping fingers crossed.