Light aircraft crash reported Mull Of Kintyre
 

Light aircraft wreckage has been found on Mull Of Kintyre yesterday afternoon
No mention of type or POB
Can't see it posted anywhere else, sorry if already covered.

light aircraft crash west Scotland
 

Reported on ITV news as a PA28 with a "library picture."��
Talk at Glenforsa yesterday was that it was a helicopter.
I heard nothing on 127.275.

One source mentions two fatalities but sounds a bit vague - two passengers? Two persons on board? Two crew?

https://www.obantimes.co.uk/2017/05/...ash-off-arran/

My thoughts are with family and friends. I know the details as this was very close to me
but not preparred to divulge on here.......never nice to lose a customer so feeling pretty down today.

Not much info available on this one yet. The Oban Times article mentioned that the aircraft had left Oban but hasn't been confirmed elsewhere. Wreckage was reportedly found near Skipness. I wonder if they were intending going to Islay/Campbeltown judging from the direction.

There was sea fog in the area yesterday morning. Came on very quickly. Won`t speculate. Sad day for GA. :-(

Latest update....
Two men dead after light aircraft crash off Kintyre - BBC News

FBW

I am so sorry to read about this tragedy and can well understand your feelings.

As someone who has often had the benefit of the excellent service that you and your colleagues provide, I'd like to express my thanks for that and the hope that this awful tragedy won't impact any of you too much. You make the skies safer for all of us and I thank you for that!

My deepest sympathies to all those connected with this tragedy.

Jonzarno...
Thank you for those kind words, much appreciated. We are all one big family in the GA world, pilots and ATC. Sadly flying over Scotland, despite its beauty does have its perils, quickly changing weather and challenging terrain. I am sure both myself and my colleagues try our best to reduce any possible hazard by providing the service that we do. Today is another day and we must just get on with the task, a planned fly-in to Mull should keep us all on our toes doing the job that we all enjoy so much.
Safe flying to you all.

We are planning a trip to Glen Forsa in July. We will be in the area for a week, island hopping. I have allowed 2 weeks, so if the weather is at all duff, we will hire a car and sight-see. As fisbangwollop says, the weather can be brilliant or dodgy. Mind you, it is important to have a plan B when flying and it helps if you have an instrument rating (I have). But in Scotland, some clouds have hard centres and quite often there is nasty ice about. I remember, years ago flying down a valley on the west coast and entered cloud. Lucky for me both burners took me to 20,000 feet in no time at all. Sadly now, my puddle-jumper cannot do that. Scotland, especially the west coast, is magical. But one needs to know what one is doing. That mountain ridge looks wonderful, but what about the downdraft of 1500 fpm?

sharpend I agree.
Last month on a gin clear day at 5000ft downwind of Arran, my head hit the roof, headset came off, loose articles everywhere. Ten seconds later dead smooth.

A little bit of rotor.!!!! Wait till it rolls you upside down

I spoke to students in 70's who were navex-ing over the Pennines out of Barton . They were on the lee side at full climb power and climb attitude and descending 2-300fpm. Secret was not to keep puling back, not get too close to the up slope, accelerate and turn & run to a more friendly place and find another route over the top or climb higher first and then route well over the crest.

Flying directly downwind will quickly get you out of the sink of mountain wave. Personally I feel that when the wave is running isn't a good time to do a navex.

Yes, the Highlands can be, er, "interesting" at times. Especially when the wind is from the South >30Kt it can be like being inside a tumble dryer below 3k. Over the Black Isle it can be murder sometimes.


One of the worst airfields I've flown out of was Kinloss. Once on departure on a windy day (20G30 from SSW IIRC) we had a 30 degree wing drop first left then right climbing through 2500'. Then lovely smooth air up to 5k. Returning on downwind we lost 300' literally in the blink of an eye, the approach to 25 was rather lively. Lots of mechanical turbulence from hangars, trees etc.


Have also had a few squirrely aerotows out of Feshiebridge too, slap bang in the Cairngorms.


Flying in this part of the country requires quite a bit of wariness especially towards Wx. One of my favourite books is "Mountain Flying" by Sparky Imeson - its written specifically for flying in the mountainous parts of The States but there's a lot of good tips in there that are still applicable.


Again very sad news for those involved. :(

Flying in the Highlands and Islands, particularly in low wing loaded aircraft like microlights and the Kitfox, can be bumpy at times.


And the wind does not even have to be that strong. My most difficult approach (2) and landing (1) (*) at Glenforsa was last Friday with no more than a 15 knot crosswind (from the SE, of course)!


I have sometimes had to climb to 7-9000 feet to get above the turbulence particularly south of Inverness is a southerly/south-westerly.


Having said that, the worst turbulence I have ever experienced was in the valley north-east of Ambleside in the Lake District.


Also got an American book on mountain flying somewhere: remember tips like crossing ridges at an angle and flying on the upwind side of the valley but if the worst happens, slowing down, tightening your straps but not over-controlling and turning downwind to get out of it. Invaluable advice.


(*) Actually (2) after a big bounce following the second approach!

There is a useful website that glider pilots use to see what the weather might be:

UK RASP Soaring Forecasts

And even old Sparky the guy that literary wrote the book on mountain flying ending up pushing daisies due to flying in the mountains.

Guys all good stuff, but the Mull of Kintyre is not mountainous, nor anywhere near the Highlands. At the Mull, the highest point is 1464 feet.