Puddle Jumpers in the Machynlleth Loop
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Leon ...
All to do with Leap Seconds ...
Best ...
Coff.
The name ’’Herstmonceux’’ comes from Anglo-Saxon hyrst, "wooded hill", plus the name of the Monceux family (French) who were lords of the manor in the 12th century.
The Earth’s rotation is monitored by a variety of means, including satellite laser ranging (SLR). The British facility is located in the old solar dome at Herstmonceux and is operated by NERC (Natural Environment Research Council).
Best ...
Coff.
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 14th Sep 2013 at 21:10.
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"Sitting on parachutes"
I'd be very interested to see how these 'pilots' think they would ever put a parachute to use if something went wrong towards the end of this clip. Where exactly did they go?
It's all very well doing the correct admin on the ground, but there is a lot more to consider here. Perhaps this video would be more appropriate in the Wannabees' Forum Cpl Clott?
It's all very well doing the correct admin on the ground, but there is a lot more to consider here. Perhaps this video would be more appropriate in the Wannabees' Forum Cpl Clott?
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Leon, re your Defford in a HIRTA, is that an old half mil you have or some mil version? On mine it just says aerials. The laser site at Pershore is marked on.
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Force for good! I see that you are quite rightly upset by the bulldog flying at low level because the 'wannabes' might not be able to use their parachutes if things went wrong. With this in mind, I thought I had better alert you to a video in the 'Cranwell' thread where there is yet another single engine aeroplane whose 'so called pilot' is flying at a very low altitude indeed. Maybe you'd like to retrospectively chastise this pilot too?
furnace rats,
When I was a student on Bulldogs we were forbidden from low flying over terrain where a successful forced landing would have been impossible. I remember one particular UAS summer camp to Kinloss where a low flying chart had been stuck on the planning room wall with a big chunk of the flying area scored out using whiteboard markers and labelled "LF forbidden". We were allowed to do GH over these areas but always remaining at least 3000ft agl, which in theory allowed a bit of time to try to identify a suitable field or valley floor area before reaching the 1500ft agl minimum abandonment height. And if the engine did quit over such an area, it was a mandatory jump for solo students, and if dual the brief was to jump by 1500ft agl unless the QFI was damn certain that the forced landing was looking good (well, as good as it can...). I think these rules were made up by the sqn cdr rather than being "generic" but they certainly seemed like good sense.
Nothing wrong with LF over less-severe terrain in a light piston - a quick zoom to 1000ft and choose a field. That is not really an option somewhere like the Loop.
When I was a student on Bulldogs we were forbidden from low flying over terrain where a successful forced landing would have been impossible. I remember one particular UAS summer camp to Kinloss where a low flying chart had been stuck on the planning room wall with a big chunk of the flying area scored out using whiteboard markers and labelled "LF forbidden". We were allowed to do GH over these areas but always remaining at least 3000ft agl, which in theory allowed a bit of time to try to identify a suitable field or valley floor area before reaching the 1500ft agl minimum abandonment height. And if the engine did quit over such an area, it was a mandatory jump for solo students, and if dual the brief was to jump by 1500ft agl unless the QFI was damn certain that the forced landing was looking good (well, as good as it can...). I think these rules were made up by the sqn cdr rather than being "generic" but they certainly seemed like good sense.
Nothing wrong with LF over less-severe terrain in a light piston - a quick zoom to 1000ft and choose a field. That is not really an option somewhere like the Loop.
Last edited by Easy Street; 15th Sep 2013 at 11:19.
I tend to agree. Mountain flying is dangerous as one never knows what downdrafts one is going to get. I had a good friend who flew up a valley in a Piston Provost, only to find the ground rose faster than he could climb. He was badly burnt in the resultant crash.
My Bulldog climbs at 1000 fpm; downdrafts are often greater. One does need to plan one's escape route and be aware of where the downdrafts are likely to be. Moreover, a parachute is useless at 250 ft.
I have flown through the mountains. In my Jaguar I flew at 420 kts or more. In my Bulldog, I fly at 120 kts; not much spare energy there. And I certainly don't fly at 250 feet, unless I am over the ridge and flying downhill into flat lands.
The saying, 'There are superior pilots who use their superior intelligence to avoid having to use their superior skill' rings true here.
My Bulldog climbs at 1000 fpm; downdrafts are often greater. One does need to plan one's escape route and be aware of where the downdrafts are likely to be. Moreover, a parachute is useless at 250 ft.
I have flown through the mountains. In my Jaguar I flew at 420 kts or more. In my Bulldog, I fly at 120 kts; not much spare energy there. And I certainly don't fly at 250 feet, unless I am over the ridge and flying downhill into flat lands.
The saying, 'There are superior pilots who use their superior intelligence to avoid having to use their superior skill' rings true here.
When a Kiwi family friend was stationed at Chivenor (as Senior Navigator, I believe), he organised a flight for me in the back of a Hawk. After a perfunctory medical check (the MO was late for his leaving lunch in the mess), I was briefed, dressed, strapped in and away we went. Presumably, we flew the Machynlleth loop as we zoomed over the Bristol Channel, ascended to cross the coast, and then negotiated the valleys past Brecon before turning left towards Aberystwyth. In the process, I saw more places to walk the dog than you can shake a stick at.
Somewhere heading north over Wales, we suddenly jinked left and I saw a blur as an aircraft passed us on the starboard side heading the other way. "What was that?" I asked rather too anxiously for my liking. "Only a Harrier from Valley," my aerial chauffeur replied. "Did you know about him?" I asked. "No, but they're always around here somewhere," he responded in a matter-of-fact voice. To this day, I'm not sure whether he was serious.
We then headed back to base and landed after a short series of aerobatics during which I was impressed by (and grateful for) my G-suit's ability to react faster than I could. Our family friend and his wife, who had taught in RAFG with my wife, returned to Godzone to grow grapes some time ago but we still keep in touch.
Somewhere heading north over Wales, we suddenly jinked left and I saw a blur as an aircraft passed us on the starboard side heading the other way. "What was that?" I asked rather too anxiously for my liking. "Only a Harrier from Valley," my aerial chauffeur replied. "Did you know about him?" I asked. "No, but they're always around here somewhere," he responded in a matter-of-fact voice. To this day, I'm not sure whether he was serious.
We then headed back to base and landed after a short series of aerobatics during which I was impressed by (and grateful for) my G-suit's ability to react faster than I could. Our family friend and his wife, who had taught in RAFG with my wife, returned to Godzone to grow grapes some time ago but we still keep in touch.
Shark infested custard
Yup, we all do silly things when we are young. Luckily some things don't bite and we grow older. Then we don't do silly things anymore!
The previous post reminds me of 'letterboxing'; ie scudding along in the 'Bona Jet' just below the cloud base, 2ft 6" off the ground, through the mountain passes when one spies the proverbial letterbox. That little gap between cloud and ground to enable one to stay VMC over the ridge.
One such letterbox presented itself to me once in my Jaguar and as I passed thro this proverbial 'eye of the needle' I missed another Jaguar coming in the opposite direction. We passed some 6 feet from each other with a closing speed of about 900 kts.
If we had hit, neither of us would have known anything about it. What fun!
The previous post reminds me of 'letterboxing'; ie scudding along in the 'Bona Jet' just below the cloud base, 2ft 6" off the ground, through the mountain passes when one spies the proverbial letterbox. That little gap between cloud and ground to enable one to stay VMC over the ridge.
One such letterbox presented itself to me once in my Jaguar and as I passed thro this proverbial 'eye of the needle' I missed another Jaguar coming in the opposite direction. We passed some 6 feet from each other with a closing speed of about 900 kts.
If we had hit, neither of us would have known anything about it. What fun!
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"Nothing wrong with LF over less-severe terrain in a light piston - a quick zoom to 1000ft and choose a field"
If memory serves me correctly...120Kts EFATO ...the result of a "zoom climb" was about 150 feet to esatblish in a glide at 75kts or turn level through 90 to 120 degrees.
Both required an underwear change at Low Level
Are you a man or a mouse Trenchard ?
EEEH EEEH pass the cheese!
If memory serves me correctly...120Kts EFATO ...the result of a "zoom climb" was about 150 feet to esatblish in a glide at 75kts or turn level through 90 to 120 degrees.
Both required an underwear change at Low Level
Are you a man or a mouse Trenchard ?
EEEH EEEH pass the cheese!
Last edited by culloden; 15th Sep 2013 at 19:48.
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As per post no. 15
7.6.82 XX627 Pu/t Cpt. "Culloden" SKN - SKN 1hr 15 ex 16 LL
With us two on board we'd have been lucky to zoom 50'
Blue Anchor next week for the pre-match warm up?
We did low level in the 'dog down to 250' and that doesn't leave a great deal of scope for an engine failure whatever the location.
With us two on board we'd have been lucky to zoom 50'
Blue Anchor next week for the pre-match warm up?
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Ha! Ha!........ I suspect it would still be a problem.
Was it really only 31 years ago....seems like yesterday.
Unfortunatly cannot make the reunion.
It would be interesting to know who is wearing the Waddington sailing club tie!!!
Have fun.
Was it really only 31 years ago....seems like yesterday.
Unfortunatly cannot make the reunion.
It would be interesting to know who is wearing the Waddington sailing club tie!!!
Have fun.
Last edited by culloden; 15th Sep 2013 at 20:12.
Whenever I think about how cool it would be to valley fly in a 'bug smasher' I always remind myself of this accident that killed an ex-RAF Nav...
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...pdf_502490.pdf
Have a sweep through the AAIB website and it is riddled with the occasional accident where a low performance aircraft is outclimbed by terra firma either in VMC or during an IMC abort.
The wisest words I have seen on this thread are:
And there lies the issue - you could do this type of flying and get away with it, but eventually Lady Luck will lose her gaze. If you run out of luck at 1,500ft+ AGL then you have options, below 1000ft you are really limited in a light aircraft unless your area of flight is flat(ish). Flying in the Mach Loop in a bug smasher for this reason alone may well be a Darwinian moment!
LJ
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...pdf_502490.pdf
Have a sweep through the AAIB website and it is riddled with the occasional accident where a low performance aircraft is outclimbed by terra firma either in VMC or during an IMC abort.
The wisest words I have seen on this thread are:
My Bulldog climbs at 1000 fpm; downdrafts are often greater. One does need to plan one's escape route and be aware of where the downdrafts are likely to be. Moreover, a parachute is useless at 250 ft.
LJ
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Boys will be boys.
The video brought back memories. To my shame, I recall how I (and others) used to do exactly the same around Snowdonia, flying Spitfires and Vampires from Valley (20 Sqdn, 63 years ago).
I remember often squeezing my Vampire through the "slots" between mountain top and cloudbase, and the routine low pass over the Snowdon summit cafe. There we'd exchange good-natured waves with the tourists (outside to admire the views). Memories could stretch back ten years in those times.
Of course, we had Wales more or less to ourselves then. Happy days !
As I don't think anyone has mentioned it so far, it's pronounced (approx): " MacCunthller".
D.
The video brought back memories. To my shame, I recall how I (and others) used to do exactly the same around Snowdonia, flying Spitfires and Vampires from Valley (20 Sqdn, 63 years ago).
I remember often squeezing my Vampire through the "slots" between mountain top and cloudbase, and the routine low pass over the Snowdon summit cafe. There we'd exchange good-natured waves with the tourists (outside to admire the views). Memories could stretch back ten years in those times.
Of course, we had Wales more or less to ourselves then. Happy days !
As I don't think anyone has mentioned it so far, it's pronounced (approx): " MacCunthller".
D.
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Furnace Rats...
I would argue that there is a distinct difference between low flying for operational training purposes as opposed to low flying through a busy military flying training route for the sake of getting some spotters to take your photo for free and make 50 friends on YouTube.
Maybe you'd like to retrospectively chastise this pilot too?
