View Full Version : I'm amazed at the silence......
Monocock
31st Mar 2003, 02:06
It's amazing that after 2 weeks of haze that the first CAVOK day brings so few stories of fantastic flying.
I took my wife and two youngsters to Shobdon for a lovely trip today. The wind was steady, the Chezzer flew like a dream and I could see for miles.
Any other good days out by flyers?
phnuff
31st Mar 2003, 02:21
Well last tuesday, I took advantage of my last day 'gardening leave' to whizz up from Luton, over towards Cambridge in the afternoon. It was a wonderful aftrnoon for flying east - about 6k vis, calm and not too many other aircraft around. On the way back though, another story. The sun was going down and reduced vis to about 3k - not quite so nice. I elected for an ILS approach to Luton and having locked on somewhere over Stevenage, could not make out the runway lights until I had gone down to 650 feet on the QFE.
(I am not not complaining though - I loved it).
Mr Wolfie
31st Mar 2003, 02:35
Monocock,
It seems like everyone and there dog were at Shobdon today.
I too made the most of the first good viz for weeks and finally managed to to my QXC today (first leg to Shobdon). The bod in the tower who signed off my form remarked that I had done well in an unusualy busy circuit (even for Shobdon). I must admit it was perhaps the busiest circuit I have ever flown, including a near wheels-up landing by a Piper Arrow pilot who had to be reminded over the radio to get his wheels down when apparently over the threshold (yikes - diversion on QXC due to accident on runway, anyone?).
Rest of the journey was fine except being asked by the controller at Swansea to orbit twice whilst a a scheduled commercial twin turbo prop got itself sorted (new crew and not familiar with Swansea had started to make an approach on a disused runway rather than the active). Having managed this fine then made a shocker of a landing. (With a bounce like that I should have been charged 2 landing fees).
Anway pleased to have got over the QXC hurdle at last.
And Monocock you are right - it was a lovely day for flying.:D
Mr. W
matspart3
31st Mar 2003, 02:39
I had a most enjoyable pootle down the Severn then up the Wye Valley to Ross in my Cub this morning. Overflew the strips at Eastbach, Ledbury, Berrow and Defford, waved to a few walkers on the Malverns...but didn't see a single other aircraft until I rejoined the circuit at Gloster...greaser of a landing too :D
Fantastic start to the day
Had a delightful trip to Kemble in an Aztec (thanks, T) and met a couple of others there - all unplanned. Delightful afternoon out. We were all incognito, so if there were loads of PPRuNers among the smiling faces sitting around AV8, sorry we missed you.
Wasn't it a pity the "all day food" advertised on the menu stopped before we got there at 3pm!
vancouv
31st Mar 2003, 15:25
You're all making me jealous!!! CAVOK on the TAF didn't arrive at Shoreham, the viz was dreadful. Was supposed to be taking pax up, they couldn't understand why we cancelled when the sun was shining!
I don't think viz got above 4K. This morning, sitting in an office, it looks clear with lovely blue skies - AAGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!
Kolibear
31st Mar 2003, 15:49
Took the Koliber up to Fenland and back via Bourn. A nice easy pootle, due north all the way.
The last time we went onto Bourn's old frequency, we could hear Popham. Now they have changed to a different one, I was talking to Paris Ground Control as well as Bourn.
Pardonez moi monseiur!
The vis. is even better today.
Andy_R
1st Apr 2003, 00:28
vancouv ... know exactly what you mean. Sat here all day looking longingly at the CAVOK all day .... still I do have a plane booked tomorrow a.m. so let's pray Shoreham doesn't attract fog tonight!!!
vancouv
1st Apr 2003, 18:18
cloud69 - If by tomorrow you meant 1st April, I guess you didn't get off the ground??? Shoreham's TAF couldn't be much worse.
Bootlegger
1st Apr 2003, 19:01
Took the father to Skegness yesterday...visited Butlins. Weather fine, but re-routed twice around R313 (Red Arrows training). Hope the good weather continues. :)
Andy_R
3rd Apr 2003, 00:31
vancouv - you are right there! Mega depressions :( was really looking forward to it after a long break. Anyone know the forecast for next Friday 11th ?
Anyone know the forecast for next Friday 11th ?
Bit too far in the future. The best I know of is the 144-hour precipitation rate forecast here (http://www.phd.nl/aviation/wx/) (it has isobars superimposed, so it gives you a bit of an idea - no fronts though)
Spent today drinking tea with Speedbird252 while the 34030G40KT wind slowly decreased and veered so as to give an almost-constant but too-high crosswind. Still, I guess we found every aerodrome in the south of England with a north-westerly facing runway while we were waiting. :)