Barton to Caernarfon vfr
Thread Starter
Barton to Caernarfon vfr
Thinking of planning a vfr flight from Barton to Caernarfon routing via Formby Point, Point of Ayr, and The Great Orme. Its a new one for me, and not confident enough to go over the top of the hills just yet, any advice from fellow pprune's would be much appreciated. cheers
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Once you hit Formby pt keep the green on the left blue on the right. if you hear an Irish accent then head 090°
Seriously done the trip several times myself.
Talk to Liverpool on the way past then give Valley a call.
Think there is a recomendation of not above 1300 ft or something like that when going past the Meni Strait (check in the Poolies guide)
Fantastic trip, have fun, very good museum there too !
SP
Seriously done the trip several times myself.
Talk to Liverpool on the way past then give Valley a call.
Think there is a recomendation of not above 1300 ft or something like that when going past the Meni Strait (check in the Poolies guide)
Fantastic trip, have fun, very good museum there too !
SP
Last edited by Squealing Pig; 7th Jul 2004 at 22:21.
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I planned that same journey last weekend, and after phoning Liverpool ATC I was told there was a good chance of getting a transit Kirkby - Neston. Wx prevented the trip but this would have cut down considerably the over-water time for an extra distance of 8 nm. After that part, of course, it's easy
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What will you be flying gingernut?
Call in at Ince £2 landing fee (i think??) and a good bunch of guys.
BTW Liverpool will usually always give you a transit Warrington, Runcorn, Chester not above 1500' you can then track up the west side of the Dee estuary and avoid crossing the mouths of the Mersey and Dee. They are both quite wide and at high tide especially The Dee is a long crossing at 1999' QNH !!
I am sure you have recently been made aware of the perils of water crossings in single engined aircraft - especially there!!
Also, be aware of 'wave' if there is a Westerly component to the wind. Particularly as you get around Colwyn Bay area. One second you can be in an elevator of air mass going up at about 400' minute and the next minute full power could be needed to stay at altitude. No big deal as long as you are aware of it and don't get too alarmed at your VSI descending suddenly at 400' / minute - just react positively.
As a previos poster advised, give Valley a call at Colwyn Bay and they will hand you over to Caernarfon.
Tony
PS - Toasted sausage and egg with lashings of Daddies is highly recommended in the caf.
Call in at Ince £2 landing fee (i think??) and a good bunch of guys.
BTW Liverpool will usually always give you a transit Warrington, Runcorn, Chester not above 1500' you can then track up the west side of the Dee estuary and avoid crossing the mouths of the Mersey and Dee. They are both quite wide and at high tide especially The Dee is a long crossing at 1999' QNH !!
I am sure you have recently been made aware of the perils of water crossings in single engined aircraft - especially there!!
Also, be aware of 'wave' if there is a Westerly component to the wind. Particularly as you get around Colwyn Bay area. One second you can be in an elevator of air mass going up at about 400' minute and the next minute full power could be needed to stay at altitude. No big deal as long as you are aware of it and don't get too alarmed at your VSI descending suddenly at 400' / minute - just react positively.
As a previos poster advised, give Valley a call at Colwyn Bay and they will hand you over to Caernarfon.
Tony
PS - Toasted sausage and egg with lashings of Daddies is highly recommended in the caf.
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The 'Warrington - Runcorn - Chester' route is a good idea as tonyhalsall says. Nav is dead easy from Chester as you just follow the coast 'till you get there.
I got caught in rotor turbulence downwind of Snowdonia a while bak on this trip. It was VERY unpleasant and also unexpected, since surface wind at Caernarfon was about 5 knots. There must have been a venturi effect over the mountains, with very high windspeeds resulting - we were thrown around violently (in a Chipmunk) and there were definately times I wasn't in control. Rotor cloud was forming and dispersing below, above, and around us. Very nasty, but in years of doing that trip it's the only time I've encountered it. If you start to get into it, head out over Anglesey, away from the hills.
If the weather is good, with either no cloud or high cloud, and little wind, try the direct route over Snowdon. That is just superb. The scenery from 5000 feet is breathtaking, and Valley's hawks look like little black minnows skimming down the valleys way below.
SSD
I got caught in rotor turbulence downwind of Snowdonia a while bak on this trip. It was VERY unpleasant and also unexpected, since surface wind at Caernarfon was about 5 knots. There must have been a venturi effect over the mountains, with very high windspeeds resulting - we were thrown around violently (in a Chipmunk) and there were definately times I wasn't in control. Rotor cloud was forming and dispersing below, above, and around us. Very nasty, but in years of doing that trip it's the only time I've encountered it. If you start to get into it, head out over Anglesey, away from the hills.
If the weather is good, with either no cloud or high cloud, and little wind, try the direct route over Snowdon. That is just superb. The scenery from 5000 feet is breathtaking, and Valley's hawks look like little black minnows skimming down the valleys way below.
SSD
Thread Starter
Thanks for the tips, I appreciate the advice. I'll be taking a C172n with 1 passenger. I'm a "low time" ppl, but have had a few different land away's so far. This will be my most challenging trip as yet, in terms of possible wind effects, nearby high ground and the water crossing.
Looking at the weather forcast, I will probably delay things this weekend, depending on whether my own personal minima are forcast. I'm trying to strike the balance between stretching myself and maintaining safety, and I tend to err on the side of caution.
Perhaps a trip to somewhere more familliar this weekend !
Looking at the weather forcast, I will probably delay things this weekend, depending on whether my own personal minima are forcast. I'm trying to strike the balance between stretching myself and maintaining safety, and I tend to err on the side of caution.
Perhaps a trip to somewhere more familliar this weekend !
The Original Whirly
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Looking at the weather for this weekend, I'd say that's a good decision! But when we get good weather, it's a lovely trip. It really isn't that challenging in good weather either; I learned to fly at Welshpool, and my first trip after actually getting my PPL was over Snowdonia to Caernarfon, and back round the coast. You'll love it!
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If you route via Chester you should talk to Hawarden 123.35 mhz as you will route through the ILS approach to 23, they can also advise you on gliding activity at RAF Sealand which operates most weekends.
Time to spare, go by air.
Hen Ddraig
Time to spare, go by air.
Hen Ddraig
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This is a regular trip for us from EGCC. My route is down to Crewe, then Wrecsam. Over a bit of a hill to Rhyl, then down the coast.
It's really nice to come back over the mountains to Wrecsam on a clear day...
Enjoy!
It's really nice to come back over the mountains to Wrecsam on a clear day...
Enjoy!
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The LPL- Caernarvon trip is a favourite one of mine with passengers, but mid-week when Valley is operational they like you to stay below 1500' through the Menai Straits and that can be like flying through a washing machine, especially if the wind is from over Anglesea. Not one for nervous passengers in those conditions.
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G,
If you fly to Caernarfon over a weekend call Valley but don't be surprised if there is no reply. They are usually shut over the weekends.
Have fun when you go.
Caernarfon airfield is OK but a trip into town makes it a nice half day out.
FD
If you fly to Caernarfon over a weekend call Valley but don't be surprised if there is no reply. They are usually shut over the weekends.
Have fun when you go.
Caernarfon airfield is OK but a trip into town makes it a nice half day out.
FD
