GA into 'real' airports!

[double_barrel]

I just did touch and go's in a little C172 using the ILS onto a 13,500 x 148 feet runway. That was fun. The tower seemed happy to oblige, I guess they were bored.

Making the most of COVID!

[Dave Gittins]

I did a visual into Colorado Springs 13,501 x 150 at Christmas in a 172, not Covid just a normal quiet day.

I've also done a couple of visual approaches to Gatwick (10,879 x 150) lately, none below a few hundred feet. I don't want the bill for a touch and go landing on my doorstep thank you.

[jmmoric]

9,219 x 196... have been flying on this for more than 15 years now.

Those old US Airforce runways are really wide....

Still remembering the first landing I made on it, slammed her really hard after flaring way too early :)

But controllers like having something to do, so in most cases they'll gladly accept small aircraft as well... even with a little traffic around... spacing in VFR is part of the joy.

[Pilot DAR]

So this is your chance!... If you have more free use of very long runways, practice your forced landings, to a landing. Tell the tower what you'd like to do, and if they're okay with it, fly a high, close downwind, and gently, smoothly, respecting the engine, reduce the power to idle. Pick a runway marking a third to a half way down the runway, and see how good your judgement was. You're going to land out of the forced approach, your judgement of the approach will dictate where!

If you can't land power off somewhere along a 10,000 foot runway in a 172, hang your head low in shame. If you do a great job, just not where you thought, practice! Likely you'll find yourself overshooting your selected touchdown point, rather than undershooting it.

I know that "normal" airport use generally precludes the opportunity to practice forced landings, so this it your chance! Pilots seem to satisfy themselves of their skills, with a glide to a few hundred feet, then a go around - that's not good enough, practice to touchdown! Now you have the opportunity! I've done it number of times while type training pilots. In particular, I remember being very well accommodated in Bergen, Norway, where the controller told me that we had the airport to ourselves until a scheduled inbound in 40 minutes. Similarly, when we stopped in Osijek, Croatia, we had the airport to ourselves, and the controller said he was enjoying watching us!

[double_barrel]

So this is your chance!... !


Good idea, I will try that. They seem to have virtually no traffic during the day, just one or two proper aircraft coming in during the evening.

[Less Hair]

Newark, JFK and LGA in one flight:
https://youtu.be/LgppNdSEAag

[BDAttitude]

Newark, JFK and LGA in one flight:
https://youtu.be/LgppNdSEAag
Lucky guy ... they won't let us have any fun over here:

EDGG EDDS CONTROL ZONE (CTR) A4146/20 From 17 Jun 2020 12:57 until 31 Jul 2020 23:59 VFR RESTRICTION WILL TAKE PLACE FOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS.
FOLLOWING AIRPORTS ARE AFFECTED: EDDW, EDDH, EDDV, EDDB, EDDT,
EDDE, EDDC, EDDP, EDDG, EDDL, EDDK, EDDR, EDDF, EDDS, EDDM AND EDDN.
VFR FLIGHTS SHOULD AVOID AIRSPACE D CTR FOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS
AND VFR FLIGHTS ARE RESTRICTED TO THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM DUE TO HEALTH
AND SAFETY COVID-19 MEASURES IMPLEMENTATION. EXPECT DELAY FOR
ATC-CLEARANCES FOR ENTERING OR LEAVING AIRSPACE D CTR OR EXPECT
ATC-CLEARANCES ONLY FOR VFR FLIGHTS FLYING DIRECTLY FROM AND TO AN
AIRPORT WITHIN THE CTR. FOLLOWING FLIGHTS ARE EXEMPTED: EMERGENCY,
SAR AND HUMANITARIAN FLIGHTS, GOVERNMENT FLIGHTS, MILITARY FLIGHTS,
POLICE FLIGHTS.

Buggers. Nothing to do all day and even too lazy to handle some crazy GA VFR guys working thier bucket list during COVID times.

[treadigraph]

D-B, presume that was Embakasi?

A couple of decades back, I had a ride in a Stinson with a low pass down the Shuttle runway at Cape Canaveral - three miles long and 400' wide including the shoulders - it didn't look particularly long but at Stinson speeds it took a while!

[double_barrel]

D-B, presume that was Embakasi?



Hi there treadigraph. It was Jomo Kenyatta International - that's in Embakasi, but I thought Embakasi refers to the Eastleigh airforce base, I certainly would not have been welcome there!

This was my track. Not a very square circuit and I see that I never actually got to the upwind threshold!


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/864x620/screen_shot_2020_07_01_at_11_46_57_am_png_68abe8e5c728cf537b ddeb480de0394a59bfa6d8.jpeg

[jmmoric]

So this is your chance!...

I surely hope people would be able to do that! Even on a way shorter runway!!

[Forfoxake]

Newark, JFK and LGA in one flight:
https://youtu.be/LgppNdSEAag
Fantastic!

Nearest equivalent here would be visiting Edinburgh, Glasgow and Prestwick Airports in one trip. Visiting Prestwick is never a problem and I have previously done a very low approach and go-around along the main runway at Glasgow (touching down would have cost a fortune!). But maybe I should ask to do the same at Edinburgh Airport before all the jet traffic returns?

[Pilot DAR]

I surely hope people would be able to do that! Even on a way shorter runway!!

I would also hope that pilots could fly a power off landing from downwind into a runway not much longer than that in the "landing distance" performance table for the airplane... Though I read from time to time pilots stating a lack of opportunity to practice power off landings due to traffic, and thus the skills of precision fade. Now, there's an uncommon opportunity to practice!

[VictorGolf]

Jomo Kenyatta International was called Embakasi before the name change. Eastleigh is the military base.

[treadigraph]

Hi there treadigraph. It was Jomo Kenyatta International - that's in Embakasi, but I thought Embakasi refers to the Eastleigh airforce base, I certainly would not have been welcome there!

Showing my age! ;) It was still Embakasi when I lived there, I presume it was named for Jomo Kenyatta after he died? I don't recall ever going near Eastleigh though we may have done

I recall the terminal was on the north side of the runway back then and you passed the hangars on the way - and, just surfaced from the deepest recesses of my mind, there was a Vampire or a Venom in a little compound, used for fire training I think. Pretty sure most of the housing to the north must be a relatively recent development, it seemed you passed through a stretch of open land along the Mombasa road before reaching the airport turn.

[Fostex]

Fantastic!

Nearest equivalent here would be visiting Edinburgh, Glasgow and Prestwick Airports in one trip. Visiting Prestwick is never a problem and I have previously done a very low approach and go-around along the main runway at Glasgow (touching down would have cost a fortune!). But maybe I should ask to do the same at Edinburgh Airport before all the jet traffic returns?

Don't know about Edinburgh and Glasgow but I had a bill in the post from Prestwick for doing an ILS approach and go-around. Wheels didn't touch tarmac but I got charged £30 for the privilege. This is no means unique and I understand that a handling charge is often in place at busier airfields for the cost of the controller handling the approach. However when I did the approach Prestwick was deserted!

[Forfoxake]

Don't know about Edinburgh and Glasgow but I had a bill in the post from Prestwick for doing an ILS approach and go-around. Wheels didn't touch tarmac but I got charged £30 for the privilege. This is no means unique and I understand that a handling charge is often in place at busier airfields for the cost of the controller handling the approach. However when I did the approach Prestwick was deserted!

Did not know there was a navigation charge for a practice ILS at Prestwick but pretty sure there is no charge for a VFR low approach and go-around.

I have even landed and parked at the south side club (Prestwick Flying Club) by arrangement for about £10- very good for a big international airport. But avoid going to the main apron!

[VictorGolf]

Jambo treadigraph. I remember the Venom. I tried to get close enough to take a picture but was chased off by a couple of askaris before I could get one. Rumour had it that it went u/s on detachment from the Middle East and was never collected.

[cavuman1]

1976 - KSSI (St. Simons Island,Georgia) - It was the day of my final check ride to obtain my PPSEL and I was a nervous wreck. The day was severe clear with light and variable wind. My check pilot, a WWII glider pilot whose own license had been signed off by Orville Wright, climbed aboard N757 WW, a Cessna 152 better known by the tower as "Double Shot". Bill, who knew everything about flying, took me through the the motions of airwork and seemed pleased. He directed me to set a course for KBQK, (Glynco) which was four miles away and featured an 8,001' x 150' concrete runway. As I turned long final for 25, he said: "I want you to demonstrate a soft field landing." Flaps full, nose held off, squeaker. "Now a short field takeoff." Barely airborne: "Now a short field landing." A lurch as the mains French-kissed the runway. "Now a soft field takeoff." I marveled at my hands and feet as they danced instinctively across the controls without hesitation.

In less than one minute and 4,000' of runway used, Bill said: "Let's go home. Congratulations! You're a pilot!" That was forty-three years ago and I relive those precious moments almost every day.

- Ed

[treadigraph]

Jambo treadigraph. I remember the Venom. I tried to get close enough to take a picture but was chased off by a couple of askaris before I could get one. Rumour had it that it went u/s on detachment from the Middle East and was never collected.

Habari, VictorGolf. I have been trying to find a pic of it, beginning to think I'd imagined it! Somewhere I've got a 1970 book "Vintage & Veteran Aircraft" by Leslie Hunt, which purported to list all the world's wrecks and relics but in hindsight barely scratched the surface - I'll see if the Venom graced that. It had the Messenger I recall in a garage forecourt near Helston. Proper job!

[charliegolf]

I've done Hawarden and Cardiff in a 150; and Luqa in a microlight. Not a big boast, but I enjoyed it!

CG

Oh, and Hamburg in a Puma!