DC-Niner

Hello to all members of this forum!
I'm a newbie here requesting some advice and help.
I'll be part of a crew flying a MD82 from Barcelona to Keflavik then Goose Bay in Canada. The aircraft is Rnav equipped but does not have HF radio, which means we should avoid such airspace. Are there any “preferred routes” to fly over Europe? How’s the weather like around mid October?
Any advice or recommendation on my trip would be much appreciated, have never flown in Europe, so far the US and South America.

Thanks in advance!

Cheers.

galaxy flyer

I've crossed w/o HF radios via the Blue Spruce routes. You have to enter Iceland airspace from Scottish, not Shanwick, so plan to enter at 60N or north. You might have a VHF outage over the Davis Dtrait, but if a remark in Block 18 is made," Negative HF", Gander will be ready. Check with your flight planner.

chubbychopper

Spruce routes yes. At your levels I would expect VHF coverage all the way. I have done it several times without HF.

I've often wondered why the name "Spruce" was given to these routes?

westhawk

I've wondered that too. My favorite theory is based on what Gann wrote in Fate Is The Hunter about his early experiences flying the North Atlantic as a part of what later became MATS. At that time, the US had not yet become actively involved in combat operations against Germany, but were making preparations for a major deployment of troops and war materials. Part of this included working with Canada, Denmark and Iceland to open routes to Europe through the establishment or improvement/expansion of airfields connecting the Eastern US with England. A series of these fields carried the designation Bluie and were numbered between one and eight. Thule was Bluie West one I believe. Anyway, that's as good a theory as I've ever heard, but of course I'd appreciate knowing the whole story if it's out there. As for "spruce", it's quaint isn't it?

DC-Niner

Thank you very much for your kind response to my message! Very interesting knowledge of history with the ¨spruce routes¨!
My trip kit should be arriving soon with charts and appr. plates, but in the mean time, what airports would you recommend as route and destination alternates? Comes to my mind about 2 in France, one North, one south, same for the UK, one in England, one in Scotland, should have customs and ILS.
Thanks again for your kindness and advice! All ideas are very welcome!
Regards!
DC-niner