Originally Posted by
piperboy84
When did that happen, what are the new rules?
As for a PPL making the long crossings, as said above get some straight and level training. Twice on the Weymouth to Jersey crossing with good VFR forecast I couldn't see a damned thing thru the sea mist apart from the odd glimpse of the whitecaps.
A few years back I was talking to an ex BA captain from Belfast who flew his RV regularly across the water to Scotland, me being a novice asked him what he thought the best crossing altitude was. He was of the firm opinion that no more than 200 AMSL was his preferred height because if the engine quits he did not want to endure the long period of time it took gliding down from say 8000 while running the bitter recriminations and regrets about life including cursing his ex wives and girlfriends over and over while dawdling along at best glide. He'd much prefer going straight into the drink and be done with it.
A long time ago! There used to be a low level VFR corridor from Dover to Cap Gis Nez at 1,500 ft ( I think!). In the 60s there was a lightship on the route! However these days one flies in the open FIR outside of controlled airspace, which means higher altitudes are available. That said, there are a lot of miiliary danger zones in the wider bit of the channel and a radio call is needed to cross them. Occasionally they say no so sufficient fuel is needed for detours!