Originally Posted by
DaveReidUK
I make it 264 nm - where do you get 200 from ?
The straight line distance is 264nm ( broken down into 89nm before coasting out.....then a potential 131nm across the water to the UK Coastline & then a further 43nm to Cardiff ) on the 131nm sector after 54nm Guernsey would have been under them on a straightline course, but I think we have all realised that the routing on the Flightplan would have included IFR waypoints like BRILL ( which would explain it being near Casquets in some reports ).
I am at a loss where Malabo got his 200nm figure from? It is still conjecture that the route would have been a straight line so the 264nm could quite easily be a 300+nm journey, at this time nobody knows ( well, Cardiff ATC & Nantes ATC will have the Flightplans filed & will know exactly what route was filed )
I think now it is assumed that Sala was collected from Nantes to fly to Cardiff on the 18th by N531EA Eclipse & then as he wanted to return on the 19th the Malibu N264DB was organised to do the 'jolly' to say " Goodbye " to his ex team mates etc.
Supposition would be that having had the Eclipse Jet on the 18th Sala was probably expecting the same class of aircraft on the 19th & when being given the Malibu he possibly thought " Ah well, not as nice as that jet but will do? " Which would back up the message of: " It is the same company operating the flight " from the flight organiser
It is Horses for courses because if Sala had been flown across in a PA32 on the 18th he would have thought " This Malibu is an upgrade " on the 19th but because he had been in the Eclipse on the 18th he would think the Malibu was a downgrade.
Anyway, it will all be investigated & I am sure some heads will roll.... it looks like a case of buck passing, somewhere Dave Henderson & Willie McKay will be made accountable and I think I know who will end up the 'scapegoat'