CrazyScientist
11th Sep 2018, 00:10
Hello
There is another thread with a similar question slightly further down the page but I felt my query was unique enough to warrant opening a new thread.
I recently completed my CPL QXC (Liverpool-Cambridge-Gloucester-Liverpool), which I think came to 333NM. Very happy to have gotten it out of the way, however I do have a concern.
On the day, there were areas notified by NOTAM of intense gliding activity due to the competitions going on at the time. One of them was right in the way of the route I planned to fly from EGGP to EGSC. However, I departed with no change to the plan as the weather forecasts all indicated that there would be plenty of room to fly well above (1000ft+ above the top of the NOTAM'ed area). As luck would have it, I approached the area and found the forecasts were way off and there was no way I would be able to fly over. The radar unit I was in touch with confirmed intense activity, and I did not have a death wish. So I put the airplane into an orbit and plotted a diversion. To reduce workload, I plotted a diversion via DTY VOR, and after identifying it (by way of the morse identifier) I set a heading for it then continued to track an inbound radial. I then continued outbound from the VOR to another visual fix and then onto EGSC as planned with no further issue.
After landing, I had some nagging doubts about what I'd just done. The CAA are pedantic. The requirements for a CPL(A) state explicitly that the trip needs to be a VFR trip, and that it needs to be a 'cross-country' trip. I'm worried I've stumbled when it comes to these two requirements. With the diversion, as I flew via the VOR by way of tracking it using the CDI, am I right in saying this is technically IFR, not VFR? Secondly, could the fact that I diverted itself be an issue? The definition of 'cross-country' according to EASA is:
"...a flight between a point of departure and a point of arrival following a pre-planned route, using standard navigation procedures."
I fear that as I made an unplanned diversion, that particular leg no longer counts as a cross-country flight in the eyes of the Authority.
What are other people's thoughts? I know I'm nit-picking, but I have no doubts whatsoever about the CAA's ability to make my life a misery, and I don't want to make things difficult for myself when I eventually come to apply for a CPL(A). TLDR: should I just bite the bullet and repeat the trip?
CS.
There is another thread with a similar question slightly further down the page but I felt my query was unique enough to warrant opening a new thread.
I recently completed my CPL QXC (Liverpool-Cambridge-Gloucester-Liverpool), which I think came to 333NM. Very happy to have gotten it out of the way, however I do have a concern.
On the day, there were areas notified by NOTAM of intense gliding activity due to the competitions going on at the time. One of them was right in the way of the route I planned to fly from EGGP to EGSC. However, I departed with no change to the plan as the weather forecasts all indicated that there would be plenty of room to fly well above (1000ft+ above the top of the NOTAM'ed area). As luck would have it, I approached the area and found the forecasts were way off and there was no way I would be able to fly over. The radar unit I was in touch with confirmed intense activity, and I did not have a death wish. So I put the airplane into an orbit and plotted a diversion. To reduce workload, I plotted a diversion via DTY VOR, and after identifying it (by way of the morse identifier) I set a heading for it then continued to track an inbound radial. I then continued outbound from the VOR to another visual fix and then onto EGSC as planned with no further issue.
After landing, I had some nagging doubts about what I'd just done. The CAA are pedantic. The requirements for a CPL(A) state explicitly that the trip needs to be a VFR trip, and that it needs to be a 'cross-country' trip. I'm worried I've stumbled when it comes to these two requirements. With the diversion, as I flew via the VOR by way of tracking it using the CDI, am I right in saying this is technically IFR, not VFR? Secondly, could the fact that I diverted itself be an issue? The definition of 'cross-country' according to EASA is:
"...a flight between a point of departure and a point of arrival following a pre-planned route, using standard navigation procedures."
I fear that as I made an unplanned diversion, that particular leg no longer counts as a cross-country flight in the eyes of the Authority.
What are other people's thoughts? I know I'm nit-picking, but I have no doubts whatsoever about the CAA's ability to make my life a misery, and I don't want to make things difficult for myself when I eventually come to apply for a CPL(A). TLDR: should I just bite the bullet and repeat the trip?
CS.