Silverstone

[greenarrow]

Well boys another mass air miss over!
Did'nt Turweston do well! all without slot bookings, coming in from all directions, ATC polite and very helpful and unregulated.
The weather for Silverstone was regulated by the lowest common denominator the AOC holder with a single engine aircraft who is only allowed 5ks viz and 800ft agl cloud base.
So to ease the problem why did they not allow twins only until the weather improved? and operate under special VFR.
I'm sure this will raise a few hackles and points for the post operation brief.:)

[StevieTerrier]

VFR / Special VFR whatever. You still have to be able to see where you are going and avoid everybody else, no matter how many engines you have got. Unless you are suggesting that flying a twin gives you superior powers of vision?????

[Earpiece]

I've heard that the viz was good for the first part of the morning but it was the cloud base of +/- 600 feet on Silverstone QNH that caused the closure of the heliport. What did that make the cloud base elsewhere?

A flow control from the feeder sites for twin engine helicopters would have been safe enough - well to the southern heliport anyway - especially with the reduced numbers. Where was the usual invasion of Scotia and Schreiner?

The A 43 was the real winner but at least one can stay at home next year and watch it (Wimbledon) on television!:p

[magbreak]

Earpiece, the cloudbase at Finmere was around 1000 ft agl for the whole morning.

I didn't have any problems seeing Silverstone when I got airborne to go to another feeder site, and the constant stream of aircraft (both singles and twins) through the Finmere over head enroute to Turweston at 1000ft and above would have to question why Silverstone was closed so long.

On a side issue what limits does the helitele fly to?? I assume they need the same 800ft and 5k. The timing of the heliport opening just before the race, about the time heletele was due to get airborne, must raise a few questions. Perhaps if I write ITV on the side of my aircraft.... :)

Perhaps Octogan got there wish and proved to the powers that be that they can get everyone in by road with no delays. Next year could be fun again when they are back up to a capacity of 90,000. :)

[mdownes]

I can guarantee that helitely remained planted on the ground until the heliport opened proper. Only Moss and Medevac were allowed operations using their police AOC and special flight exemptions.

Infuriating as it was, the regulations were complied with, using information from a cloud base recorder verified by Moss.

Good point raised about the twins versus singles though. Worth a look at.

[nonradio]

The viz was fine in the a.m. Was it not that electronic means were used to measure cloud base and hence no human could make a judgement? Anyway I think they stressed the lack of road congestion a little too much......

[EESDL]

Fine over at Anyho aswell.
Good old 'progress' - cloudbase meters!!
Wonder how many times in the past a tolerance of 100-200 ft has been given?
Didn't stop rotary and fixed-wg traffic busting numerous ATZs around the area - W#*kers
It's amazing how many 'immortal' pilots there are out there.

[Special 25]

"Good point about the twins - Worth a look at" - Don't be looking into it too hard. Fine, if the weather is 600ft agl its OK to operate a twin into Silverstone but not with 100 other twins wanting to get in aswell. I personally quite like the ability to say to my pax "Sorry, the airport is closed" Pass the buck - End of problem !