Another cancelled QXC

[In Altissimus]

Third time unlucky...

10/07-16Z 23005KT 9999 FEW025 TEMPO 1016 8000 SHRA PROB30 TEMPO 1116 4000 +SHRA TSRA BKN025CB=

Maybe I really should try Florida?

(Sorry - just had to get that off my chest)

[Lawyerboy]

I know how you feel; I've been waiting to do mine for nigh on four months...

[Field In Sight]

How flexible is your place of employment? Ask them if you can take a day off at short notice i.e. a day were the weather is quite nice. I am sure there will be an instructor that can sign you off.

Or you could check the weather for the next day in the late afternoon and develop a case of the "sniffles" ;)

[In Altissimus]

I think my employer has been quite understanding over the past few months - letting me take 'fair weather options' on holiday on many occasions :) Unfortunately I think they'd notice if I threw a sickie on a flyable day (there are so few of them - especially when you take into account availablilty etc...)

I'm beginning to wonder exactly what the point of the basic PPL is anyway - when would I actually be able to fly with it???

[Evo7]

Bloke - you have my sympathy. A very similar TAF has just cancelled my navex for today. :(

[Who has control?]

I was hoping to get up to Duxford on friday, but its looking increasingly unlikely.

Whats the METAR decode for 'absolutely pi55ing down'?

In my limited experience, about 30% of all planned flights in summer and 50% in winter get cancelled due to weather. Theres condition where you definitely don't fly and othesr when you must fly. There is also a grey area in between when you think it might just sort of possibly be OKish to go maybe.

Anyway, I hope that you all manage your respective flights soon.

[Whirlybird]

Bloke,

This has been an incredibly bad year for flying so far. I'm trying to learn to fly a flexwing microlight, been available every evening, and managed just over two hours so far. I'm thinking of starting a thread on it to cheer you all up - but wasn't going to in case I prove to be as slow at it as I was at learning to fly both f/w and helicopters, but who cares, maybe I'll start it. :D But seriously, while weather is always a problem in the UK, I think it's been exceptionally bad this year.

[Aussie Andy]

I agree - its dire this summer, and it wasn't great last year in the "rainy" season we had either...

Yet in a funny sort of a way, I can see a positive side to this as well... By learning here in the UK we get much more practice at dealing with the realities of making operational decisions based on the vaguaries of the wx, and so maybe we're in a better position to cope with these conditions than if we'd learned abroad?

I've only had my license about a year, but I've already had to use some of the skills we were taught in the PPL course (a180 on the AI on one occasion, and a "real-life" weather diversion with pax on another). I think this has given me the opportunity to learn how to deal with the realities of VFR in a less-than-benign environment, such as ours.

Just trying to see the bright side! :)

[In Altissimus]

Thanks for the sympathy everyone - at least I know I'm not alone.

AussieAndy - the trouble is that I don't think I'd know what to do in CAVOK any more. Imagine: no clouds to 'fix' against, no more 'low level navigation', no CB to divert around, a real horizon!, spotting the home field before I'm overhead... :rolleyes:

[G SXTY]

Erm, what’s CAVOK?;) If it’s any consolation, I’ve been waiting to do my QXC for about 6 weeks now. I’m worried that East Anglia will be below sea level by the time I get to visit Norwich . . . :eek:

At least it’s convinced me to get an IMC as soon as I can after the PPL.

[Aussie Andy]

... and maybe a float-plane conversion!? ;)

[foghorn]

'Erm, what’s CAVOK?'

Occasionalyl happens in winter on one of those clear high pressure days that are gone in the blink of an eye. Other than that, never heard of it ;););)

[Evo7]

CAVOK? That's the bit after 18032G45kt, isn't it... :rolleyes: :(

[sennadog]

You have my sympathies BlokeInAnArcher. I did mine a couple of weeks ago and I just had to jump at the chance to do it but if you think that's bad I was planning a trip over to California at the end of August for some hours building.

That's looking decidedly unlikely now so I'll probably end up sailing instead but given that I don't think I can complete the last hour of solo and the GFT in time, plus get my licence back from the CAA.

Mrs.Sennadog is relieved though. For some reason she wasn't looking forward to a guided tour of the States with me flying.:rolleyes:

[tacpot]

My sympathies to Lawyerboy and BlokeInAnArcher. It's a bummer that the QXC takes so long to fly - it means you need a pretty big window of opportunity to complete it safely.

However I am dead lucky with weather, and as I will be on holiday from 29th July, the weather will be excellent from then on for five days. :D So book some time of then!

[Who has control?]

CAVOK = Cloudy, Awful Visibility, (Only Kidding!)

What gets me is that I get up, pull back the curtains and its brillant blue skies, not a cloud to be seen, the trees are vertical - absolutely beautiful flying weather. And you know full well that in few hours it will be a howling gales, horizontal rain and zilch vis.!!!:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[ETOPS773]

Was absolutely beautifal around Shoreham yesterday evening.
What was funny,below 1000 ft it was really gusty,ATC said something like 210/18,but above it,near enough smack on 1000ft,it was lovely and calm..like and on/off switch.

British weather...love it!!! :p

[In Altissimus]

Guess what guys and gals?

Pre-planned at home this morning, got to the school, just finishing planning off and - 'sorry - cloudbase too low now' :mad: :mad: :mad:

Four and counting.

[Carlito]

It's not much better in Ireland. I don't think we've had 2 rain-free days in the last couple of months.
It's nowhere near good enough to head off on a long XC.
Like someone said, good experience of shower-dodging though.

Carlito

[Who has control?]

BlokeinanArcher,

Where are you flying from?? I can see Canary Wharf clearly from Laindon and the cloudbase looks about 2000' But Stansted & Southend are both forecasting rain this afternoon. Shame because its actually not a bad day today.

[Penguina]

I heard a rumour we've got some better weather coming.

(Cynical snort.)

Well, we'll see, won't we...

[In Altissimus]

WhoHasControl

Flying from E Herts and planning on pretty much doing a loop round Essex. Clubs rules are 3500' minimum cloudbase for QXC though.

[Kirstey]

Blokeinarcher - don't worry about it - it'll be so worth it when you get to do it! all the frustration goes in a second - was the highlight for mem including skills test and 1st solo!

[vancouv]

I've just got my PPL, but it has taken me 20 months due to the number of weather cancellations.

I was waiting about 2 months to do my QCC. When I did do it the vis was awful - but it will all come together in the end.

[Whirlybird]

Th QXC was the highlight of my PPL(A) too. And it's worth doing it when you have good wx, so you enjoy it rather than cloud dodging and being terrified - time enough for that later. :D Hang in there bloke, it'll happen eventually.

[Ace Rimmer]

Just looked at the met page and it's not looking too bad for the weekend, although Sunday might be better - gawd I hope so, Mrs Rimmer wants to do a Le2K run tommorrow (there's a shop in the Rue StJean she just has to go to)

[Who has control?]

Well, BlokeinanArcher - put us out of our misery -

Did you get to do your qxc?????

[In Altissimus]

WhC

Don't be daft :rolleyes: the only weekend this month I couldn't fly (family committments...) and the weather god gets to hear about it...

Some things are just not meant to happen.

[merronys]

:) :) :) It finally happened! :) :) :)