QDM Aviation

[maxdrypower]

Troops , I recently read on here a lil bit of a hullabaloo regarding the condition of services offered by QDM at Caernarfon . This was addressed at the time however I would just like to add my tuppeny's worth . I spent a week in N wales last week for the wakeboarding festival and thought it might be nice to try to hire an aircraft to have a bit of a pleasure flight round the gorgeous llyn peninsula . I went to QDM and was impressed by everybody there , the cafe was clean the staff friendly and my mrs assures me the cheese and ham panini was excellent . I took a quick check ride with resident instructor Daffyd and two days later disappeared off round abersoch and criccieth delightful . The MD Sam and the rest of the staff bent over backwards to assist with anything they were asked to do , I would like to extend my thanks to all it was a thoroughly enjoyeable visit to an excellent facility and will definatley be repeating the experience , any bad press they may have recieved in the past is certainly no longer justified
Thanks again

[Footless Halls]

Thanks for posting this. I remember that hullabaloo (is that the correct spelling) and the owner's very impressive response and I was planning on making an 'out and return' there. Your posting has stimulated me to plan the trip.

Starting to think about that, anyone like to comment on two questions:

1) Approaching from the Midlands, what are the merits of a) Going direct, I guess typically IMC, over the mountains, b) routing to the South of the REALLY high ground, or c) routing up past Hawarden and along the N Wales coast in VMC?

2) I suppose I could always phone the Tower at Valley, but is it feasible to circumnavigate Anglesey (with a FIS)?

[maxdrypower]

Footless , Not sure if that is the correct spelling but hey you knew what I meant . Glad your going to have a look at Caernarfon the flying round there is fantastic . I would suggest from the midlands wait for a full vmc day to get the most of the excellent scenery. Snowdon is particularly nice from the air but be aware that a lotof microlights helis and light aircarft go to look there at weekends so keep your eyes on stalks . Perhaps a routeing over welshpool -llanbedr then up the coast through criccieth pwllheli abersoch then across to caernarfon . Up the coast if you keep the Nebo Mast to your east on a coastal track you will fly right into Caernarfon . Valley radar will give you a FIS during the week but i think they close at 1700 weekdays and dont usually work weekends so you wont get any service other than a A-G from caernarfon . If you go during the week the area is awash with fast moving little black jets so again eyeballs . It is more than feasible to circumnavigate anglesey there is no high ground and you can see one end from the other . Again weekends there will be no atc service and weekdays valley will accomodate with an fis they are very obliging .
I would really say you should fly one of the coastal routes preferably south to north just for the views . The thing that caught me was not being used to an A-g service I am used to liverpool and being told what to do, came as a shock
Hope you have a good flight

[Footless Halls]

Thanks for that posting. I think your etiquette where these names is concerned is right - Mr. Halls sounds awfully formal and it obviously could be someone's name (not mine - that derives from 'footless halls of air', etc.).

I really want to make this trip but have to be prepared for IMC as I am likely to have to book the a/c some days in advance and sadly cannot book VFR conditions in advance...

[maxdrypower]

And here was me thinking you had parents that disliked you

[qdmaviation]

Thanks for that.

The airport looks forward to seeing you again.

Please phone me if you have any questions on joining at Caernarfon.

Thanks

Sam