Crossing the Andes by frog

[Fly Stimulator]

I don't know if anybody else remembers the Python's Ripping Yarns episode called 'Crossing the Andes by Frog' but I think I'm about to undertake the aviation equivalent.

I'm flying a near 30-year-old Cessna 150 from London to Alicante for a friend who's spending the winter down there. In spite of the fact that, what with the relaxed performance of the 150, the forecast headwinds and the short days, I would almost certainly be able to get there quicker by car, I'm rather looking forward to it.

As Captain Oates said, "I am going outside and I may be some time".

[DubTrub]

30 Year old 150, eh? A new aeroplane, then.

If it's 0-200 powered, don't cross the Pyrenees...go round via San Sebastian (aircraft carrier in the bay, cheap fuel) or Perpignan.

If it's Brit reg, don't forget you need customs between France & Spain, despite Shengen.

[Dewdrop]

Fly Stim

I look forward to the pics !!

[Fly Stimulator]

I got back today having flown the little Cessna 150 from London down to Alicante. It took 15 flying hours spread over three days to get there, and 2 flying hours to get back in an EasyJet 737. No prizes for guessing which was more fun!

Day 1 - Departed Redhill late morning for the short hop to Le Touquet in order to get Customs formalities out of the way right at the start and allow for more flexibility for the rest of the day. I climbed up through the overcast as soon as the London TMA allowed and enjoyed some nice sunshine above the clouds until I had to go back down again to cross into French airspace mid-Channel.

http://www.theflyingschool.co.uk/spaintrip/England.jpg

I was the only light aircraft on the apron at Le Touquet which was a novel experience. Quick refuel and then off again. I was hoping to make Macon, but the headwind made that impracticable. I tried for Dijon Darois instead but as the sun started to go down a carpet of fog crept northwards and so I ended up stopping at the small airfield at Semur En Auxois, about 25 miles west of Dijon.

Day 2 – I spent the first hour scraping several millimetres of frost off the aircraft at the deserted airfield and then ringing ahead to find an airfield within range which had fuel and wasn’t fogged in. I settled on St Yan and set off in that direction, but again found that the headwind had brought my groundspeed right down. When I came over a ridge to see another great expanse of fog in front of me I decided that it wasn’t wise to continue, since by the time I reached St Yan at the speed I was doing I probably wouldn’t have had the fuel to divert if it too had fogged in. I turned round and landed at another small field at Saulieu. It was minus 3 degrees and completely deserted. I ended up sitting on the ground for a couple of hours until somebody arrived who was able to unlock the clubhouse and sell me some fuel.

By then the mist ahead had dispersed so I flew down to Saint Etienne, enjoying some wonderful views of the Alps bathed in sunlight 100 miles to the east and rising above the fog-filled Rhone valley.

http://www.theflyingschool.co.uk/spaintrip/alps.jpg

http://www.theflyingschool.co.uk/spaintrip/alps2.jpg

With full tanks again it was a two hour flight due south over the mountains of the eastern Auvergne to Montpellier. I was impressed at the airfield at Montpellier-Mediterrnée, especially the very smart GA terminal, and of course the very low landing fee!

http://www.theflyingschool.co.uk/spaintrip/Auvergne.jpg


Day 3 - I got up early and took a taxi from the centre of Montpellier back out to the airfield as it was getting light. No frost this time, so I was able to get away in good time on a SVFR clearance in misty conditions. As soon as I climbed away the visibility improved and it was then a simple matter of following the coast all the way to Barcelona. I just beat some nasty frontal cloud coming from the west as I passed Perpignan, and it was a little bumpy passing the Pyrenees, but two and-a-half hours after leaving Montpellier I landed at Barcelona Sabadell in nice warm sunshine. An hour on the ground there refuelling myself and the Cessna and then I was off again for the final leg.

http://www.theflyingschool.co.uk/spaintrip/Pyrenees.jpg


The first leg from Barcelona down past Reus was very rough because of the strong westerly blowing down over the coastal hills. The combination of turbulence and the rather extreme crab angle required to counter the crosswind meant that my groundspeed got down to a dispiriting 45 knots at one stage, and I thought I’d have to stop at Valencia for more fuel. Fortunately things improved after Reus. I was able to climb to 5,000’ and I spotted some lenticular clouds ahead. Dredging up my 20-year-old gliding experience I headed for where I thought the lift would be and sure enough I was soon surfing down the coast at a speed which was almost respectable. It’s certainly the only time I’ve had an O-200-powered Cessna 150 doing over 100 knots while at climbing at 1,100fpm!

http://www.theflyingschool.co.uk/spaintrip/Calpe.jpg

http://www.theflyingschool.co.uk/spaintrip/Javea.jpg

The prospect of having to make the extra stop now receded and after a mere 3.5 hours Alicante and the end of the journey came into view.

http://www.theflyingschool.co.uk/spaintrip/Alicante.jpg

Altogether a really enjoyable trip. I do like flying nice modern machines, and I wouldn’t want to always have to go quite so slowly, but there is a great sense of satisfaction to be had from doing a long trip in a simple aircraft without autopilot, glass cockpit or any other modern conveniences, apart from my Garmin 196 which sat on the seat next to me and did make a number of useful contributions from time to time.

Don't you just love this flying business? :)

[Aussie Andy]

Fabulous photos FS :O

Andy

[treadigraph]

Corrrr - cracking pictures FlyStimulator - love that one of the Alps! is that really 100 miles, or were you using a longish lens?

Cheers

Treadders

[Fly Stimulator]

Thanks!

It really was 100 miles (just checked with my map) but I was using a zoom as well. I took several shots of that view, most of which captured the inside of the door, the underside of the wing, a patch of ground or a bit of sky. Not easy to take photos with one hand in bumpy conditions!

The other tool which I found essential for the trip was a mobile phone with a web browser. Being able to get weather maps, TAFs and METARs etc even in the middle of nowhere was extremely useful.

[FNG]

Sounds like a very satisfying experience Fly Stimulator. Thanks for an excellent tale well told and well illustrated. Have your tried to interest one of the magazines in a print version of the story?

[JABI]

Stunning pictures, great trip......

[GroundBound]

Fly Stim

great report and super pictures. Must have been HUGE fun :) :)

I'm green with envy.

Well done!

[Fly Stimulator]

Thanks again everybody.

I think turning it into a proper article would be stretching it a little, but I have now done a fuller write-up with a few more pictures for the club site. You can find it here. (http://www.theflyingschool.co.uk/spaintrip/spain.htm)

And yes, it was huge fun! :)

[ChrisVJ]

Outstanding pictures, makes a chap just want to rush out there and do it.

Thanks.