Just like in the film Battle of Britain..
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: South of France
Posts: 1,035
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just like in the film Battle of Britain..
Well, there we were on Saturday, nice day etc. Departed 09.30Z from an airfield somewhere North of Southend for Calais. FIS on SND..no one else to be heard outside the circuit. 09:50, FIS from Manston...just us again as we crossed the Garden of England. Into Calais, deserted.
Lunch and 4 crates of cooking from Cite later, 1300z departure. Manston, like puppies wanting a fuss, happy to hear from us again. We called coasting in, we called North Kent Coast, we said goodbye..again, no one else around..just us and a few clouds. In a Larry Olivier moment, I said to Mrs Strake ' that's it, they've gone, we've won.' She, oblivious, remained asleep.
And so it continued, all quiet on the eastern front.
Is anybody there...??
Lunch and 4 crates of cooking from Cite later, 1300z departure. Manston, like puppies wanting a fuss, happy to hear from us again. We called coasting in, we called North Kent Coast, we said goodbye..again, no one else around..just us and a few clouds. In a Larry Olivier moment, I said to Mrs Strake ' that's it, they've gone, we've won.' She, oblivious, remained asleep.
And so it continued, all quiet on the eastern front.
Is anybody there...??
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Apa, apo ndi kulikonse!
Posts: 1,757
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ignorance is bliss.
Saw up to 30x 7000 squawks on the radar at any time between BIG-DET-LAM, Sunday morning between 0930-1030
All showing 2000-2400 feet..........
It is nice to have a worry free flight though!
Saw up to 30x 7000 squawks on the radar at any time between BIG-DET-LAM, Sunday morning between 0930-1030
All showing 2000-2400 feet..........
It is nice to have a worry free flight though!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: South of France
Posts: 1,035
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Saw up to 30x 7000 squawks on the radar at any time between BIG-DET-LAM, Sunday morning between 0930-1030"
But what about Saturday....SND-DVR..same time..??
And, I'm afraid you'd have to prove it
I think the UK's brave aviators were frightened by the nasty breeze......
Taking cover...
But what about Saturday....SND-DVR..same time..??
And, I'm afraid you'd have to prove it
I think the UK's brave aviators were frightened by the nasty breeze......
Taking cover...
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Apa, apo ndi kulikonse!
Posts: 1,757
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not sure fella - we get quite a few joining through the Thames area nowadays. Easy for us to get you up to 3000 feet if you are going SE. (Unless KB/LC are busy then we need the levels)
Generally easy to do: but we need to get a strip from the Asst, get a DM done, and get a strip over to the TMA S. Just becomes tricky when really busy with other higher priority tasks.
The only one I had on Sunday was some poor lady who had a FPL in, and we got joining clearance only for her transponder to fail and have to return to TR.
A real bummer as TC_LTN handed her over under a RIS primary only, I got her through the zone and as it was still not working she was refused entry to the Airways system. (last month we had a dep of LCY who got turned back by the French as the Mode C was inop - despite West Drayton/Swanwick approving it).
I hope she got it fixed.....
Generally easy to do: but we need to get a strip from the Asst, get a DM done, and get a strip over to the TMA S. Just becomes tricky when really busy with other higher priority tasks.
The only one I had on Sunday was some poor lady who had a FPL in, and we got joining clearance only for her transponder to fail and have to return to TR.
A real bummer as TC_LTN handed her over under a RIS primary only, I got her through the zone and as it was still not working she was refused entry to the Airways system. (last month we had a dep of LCY who got turned back by the French as the Mode C was inop - despite West Drayton/Swanwick approving it).
I hope she got it fixed.....
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: UK,Twighlight Zone
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
her problems started at LFAT with 2 flight plans as well as the TXPDR failure. cancelled a return to Southend and went elsewhere VFR if it was the same woman in an N reg I was sat behind.
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: South Norfolk, England
Age: 58
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Isn't that what they say the BoB was like though? ... Hundreds of aircraft up there, but in an instant you could find yourself all alone!
Enjoy the moment!
SS
Enjoy the moment!
SS
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: UK,Twighlight Zone
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It was her, she sat in the hold at LFAT for 15 mins, landed and had lunch and then filed 2 flight plans one IFR and one VFR before cancelling the IFR to Southend and returning VFR to Elstree.