Blackpool

[PhilD]

I'm planning to fly from Blackbushe to Blackpool and back tomorrow, which will be my first venture north of Watford Gap (leaving the BB circuit in a northerly direction is a bit of an alien concept)! Planned route is pretty much direct (skirting around the Birmingham zone, and either a transit through Liverpool D or down the low level corridor between Liverpool and Manchester).
Anyone got any tips for the route or Blackpool aerodrome?
As a recent IMC graduate I was thinking of asking for an ILS approach (assuming 28), or the NDB DME on 10 for a bit of practice. Any tips for these (I've got the plates from the AIP).

Thanks

[long final]

Hi Phil,

Both routes are simple, though Liverpool may not let you through if they are busy, rather ask you to route round WAL and the coast. Entry to transit is via VRP Neston direct to VRP Seaforth ( the docks area )

Woodvale are on the coast NW of Liverpool and are often operating.

As soon as you are passed Woodvale call Warton MIL for MATZ pen. if they are open.

The radio can get a bit busy, but Warton will pass you to BPL while still in their zone. Saturdays and Sundays are busy, so get your calls in quickly.

BPL uses 28 predominantly, so a Left base join from the south ( Right for 10 ) is the fastest and easiest. It's big and easy to see so an overhead is not always necessary.

If you have the plates ILS is to 28, but with the recent East wind and Saturday traffic it may be tight. NDB for 10 can take you some 6 miles out over the sea - something to consider!

Good Airport though ( then again I am bias ) Tower are very understanding and helpful.

Enjoy the trip.

Regards
LF

[poetpilot]

Just to confirm, most w/e's Warton goes inactive, but call em anyway.

Low Level Route (LLR) is recommended if you're VFR-ing it - LPool may be a bit shirty (they seem to have one controller who can be very sarcastic).

But the LLR is easy enough.

Over Crewe, head to Winsford descending to 1250 max on the Mcr QNH, optional call to Mcr on 119.4 for traffic information and let them know you are there, or just keep a listening watch for traffic in the LLR if they sound incredibly busy.

Hint - prob best to be a little below 1250' - most punters go down there attempting to stay spot on at that height. I often go down it at 800 feet or so, staying clear of most others.

From Winsford, head to Northwich, keeping the factory chimneys just to your right (watch out - there are two sets of chimneys - they should BOTH be to your right), then to Warrington and keep going.

Have a nice one! Dont forget your Kiss Me Kwik hat.

[Fujiflyer]

Hi Phil

I've flown Shoreham to Blackpool a few times now. Its quite an exhilarating trip to make. Expect to be pretty tired by the time you get back, particularly if you do the ILS at BPL (which is not charged for). The TWR and OPS (the fire brigade) are very helpful and fuel is comparatively cheap there.

As far as advice goes poetpilot & long final have given good advice. My comments would be:

(a) At weekends expect Warton and Shawbury LARS to be closed. Hang on to Brize 'til they can't help you any more, call Birmingham APP for FIS but don't expect to hear much from them. If you go the coast route call Hawarden APP then Liverpool, Woodvale, then BPL APP.

(b) The coastal route from Point to BPL is quite a significant water crossing with little chance to glide to a safe landing place if you have an engine failure. (Remember the class A 2000' upper limit due to am airway into Liverpool).

(c) If you use low level corridor expect it to be quite bumpy.

(d) Be careful around the North of the Oxford area - It gets busy with several types of activity (parachuting, gliders etc), in addition there are a few restricted areas you'll need to navigate around. Once you get clear of here though, the trip becomes more relaxing.

Good Luck, take care

Fujiflyer :) :) :)

[long final]

Did you make it Phil?
Hope you had a good day whatever.
LF
:)

[Spiney Norman]

I think he did cos I reckon I spoke to him on 119.4 on the way back home in the evening going through the low level route. Sounded happy!

Spiney Norman:)

[PhilD]

Thanks for the help on the posts. We had a great trip (my first visit to Blackpool!). Climbed above the murk around London on the way out, with tops at FL62-FL67 above Brize, then found a hole as they cleared further north and came down to 2500 as MRs PhilD gets bored up there and likes to look at the houses. I planned to stop at Welshpool on the way up, but couldn't raise them on the radio, so routed overhead to be met by...an empty airfield! Anyone know what is going on there?
Fortunately (good planning?) I had already planned the next sector, coast out at Rhyl, descent to 2000' along the coast and direct from Point of Ayr to Blackpool, straight onto left base for 28 and in. Very helpful RT from Liverpool and Blackpool.
On the way back we took the LLR visual to SWB helped by Manc on the RT, then direct Blackbushe at 3500. Met a Grob (I think) in the LLR going in the opposite direction (was that you Spiney?), and a lot of paragliders just to the south.
Good trip.

[poetpilot]

There are (have been) threads on Welshpool recently - I think its avialable but unlicensed at the moment. The previous flying establishment has appaprently been booted off by the airfield owners but I think the consensus is that it will operating again soon. All bits that I've picked up by the way, not gospel.

Glad you enjoyed the trip.

[PhilD]

I remember seeing one of the threads a couple of weeks ago, so I suppose I should have telephoned first. However from the air on Sat a.m. it looked completely deserted and absolutely no response of the radio, so I took the view that it was unwise to land (especially as I've not been there before). Hopefully I'll make it there another time.

[Spiney Norman]

Hi PhilD.
No..I was doing Manch Approach at the time on yet another sunny day when I would have liked to have been up giving my old aeroplane an airing! LLR wasn't so worrying as I bet you thought it would be when you planned the trip eh! The Grob was one of the Barton boys on their way home for tea.

Spiney

[Aussie Andy]

Just saw this on Flyer (http://www.flyer.co.uk/news.php?HtmlStoryButton=772) dated 15th April saying that "the airfield will be operated from today by the landowner on a PPR basis" and that Avgas will be available from Wednesday 17th.