How often did you have to divert to an alternate A/D ?
Join Date: May 2001
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Diverted once for a steak 
IFR in California, decided we were hungry, and only 20 miles from Harris Ranch, a fly in steak restaraunt, so we cancelled IFR, and Oakland Centre gave us vectors. Best steak ever.
Mind you try that in Euroland and you'd have a £1000 bill to deal with. In the US it is easy to divert - you just do it.
IFR in California, decided we were hungry, and only 20 miles from Harris Ranch, a fly in steak restaraunt, so we cancelled IFR, and Oakland Centre gave us vectors. Best steak ever.Mind you try that in Euroland and you'd have a £1000 bill to deal with. In the US it is easy to divert - you just do it.
I've been forced to divert twice, and chosen to a number of times more.
The first forced one was on my PPL QXC in Florida. Flying west from Fort Pierce, the cloud was getting lower and lower, and I went with it down to about 400' (silly inexperienced student!) I decided at this point, finally, that this was a bad plan and turned around, heading south away from the cloud to land at Pahokee and check weather for an alternate route onwards. On returning to Ft Pierce my instructor pointed out that technically my landing was illegal as he had to sign me off in advance for any airport I wished to land at, but agreed it was the right decision! It was during this landing that I came very close to having a 'dog strike', as a I recall...
The first forced one was on my PPL QXC in Florida. Flying west from Fort Pierce, the cloud was getting lower and lower, and I went with it down to about 400' (silly inexperienced student!) I decided at this point, finally, that this was a bad plan and turned around, heading south away from the cloud to land at Pahokee and check weather for an alternate route onwards. On returning to Ft Pierce my instructor pointed out that technically my landing was illegal as he had to sign me off in advance for any airport I wished to land at, but agreed it was the right decision! It was during this landing that I came very close to having a 'dog strike', as a I recall...
Last edited by Katamarino; 17th Oct 2008 at 11:10.
Join Date: May 2001
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On returning to Ft Pierce my instructor pointed out that technically my landing was illegal as he had to sign me off in advance for any airport I wished to land at, but agreed it was the right decision!
I was never IMC, but I was pretty low! And this was the view that both he and I took; common sense decisions over safety should take precedence over the technicalities of the legislation.
Four times in 320 hours, each time due to UK weather. I was looked after exceedingly well on three occasions (Cranfield, Denham and Sherburn), and the fourth time no-one knew as it was after closing hours (won't say where)!
And as regards legality, the captain is always, above all, responsible for the safety of his aircraft, passengers and self - if he doesn't look after those, THEN he is "endangering the safety" and that's illegal (and worse than any "technicality", I submit)!
And as regards legality, the captain is always, above all, responsible for the safety of his aircraft, passengers and self - if he doesn't look after those, THEN he is "endangering the safety" and that's illegal (and worse than any "technicality", I submit)!
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Twice.
Once due to meteo conditions, landed at a military airfield.
The other time I couldn't find the farmer strip I was meant to spend the night at and diverted to big airport when it got too dark to continue searching
Once due to meteo conditions, landed at a military airfield.
The other time I couldn't find the farmer strip I was meant to spend the night at and diverted to big airport when it got too dark to continue searching
Join Date: Dec 2005
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I find it hard to believe anybody would divert to have a wee. Why not carry a plastic bottle?
I find it hard to believe anybody would divert to have a wee. Why not carry a plastic bottle?
Join Date: Oct 2005
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I find it hard to believe anybody would divert to have a wee. Why not carry a plastic bottle?
You try working it out in a small single seat cockpit in severe turbulence and see how you fare.
Join Date: Sep 2003
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Don't worry, IO has one of the new long range TB20's soon to be adopted by easyjet. He struggles to understand why the rest of us don't enjoy sitting in a spamcan for 6hrs peeing in a coke bottle in aid of getting to where ever he is heading non stop.
Personally I prefer to meander in my general aviation flying and the journey along with all with all of the stops is what makes the trip worthwhile.
Personally I prefer to meander in my general aviation flying and the journey along with all with all of the stops is what makes the trip worthwhile.
Join Date: May 2001
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I have never tried. Not sure I could aim that straight. 
Mind you there are plenty of pi**ing competitions on here so I bet some of us are better than others .
I have suggested it to my wife and a couple of other girls including my daughter that like to fly even explaining the finer detail, but when they looked absolutely horrified at the idea, I gave it up completly and have had to promise never to mention it again.
I should add thats them doing the pi**ing, not me, in one of those contraption specially designed for the lady in your life I am told.
Mind you I will always remember taking my son on the flight to Manchester or some where like that when he was very young in the days they didnt have a loo on board - perhaps they still dont. Of course his first question was where is the loo Dad. he was equally horrified to be told there wasnt one. Rest assured the hostie was at pains to say she had had to deal with far far worse.
Hope you had a good trip Bose.
Mind you there are plenty of pi**ing competitions on here so I bet some of us are better than others
.I have suggested it to my wife and a couple of other girls including my daughter that like to fly even explaining the finer detail, but when they looked absolutely horrified at the idea, I gave it up completly and have had to promise never to mention it again.
I should add thats them doing the pi**ing, not me, in one of those contraption specially designed for the lady in your life I am told.Mind you I will always remember taking my son on the flight to Manchester or some where like that when he was very young in the days they didnt have a loo on board - perhaps they still dont. Of course his first question was where is the loo Dad. he was equally horrified to be told there wasnt one. Rest assured the hostie was at pains to say she had had to deal with far far worse.
Hope you had a good trip Bose.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Trust me, I would win any pi**ing competition, with the amount of practice I've had. Twice today, at FL050
Piper.Classique, my apologies
I agree, but how do you square that with all the various rules about where one can and cannot land. PPR, PPR for Customs, PPR for this and that. Some places (in Europe) you will get into only by declaring a mayday. Tricky! BTW I believe that most airports that are "PPR" are probably acting illegally.
Piper.Classique, my apologies
And as regards legality, the captain is always, above all, responsible for the safety of his aircraft, passengers and self - if he doesn't look after those, THEN he is "endangering the safety" and that's illegal (and worse than any "technicality", I submit)!
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I can remember five of them over 360 hours:
One because of low visibility on a VFR flight shortly after getting my PPL
One return to home, VFR, because of a failed alternator
Twice on alpine VFR flights because of cloud obstructed passes
One going IFR to Zurich (LSZH). The weather there was below CAT I minimas, and did not lift as expected.
One because of low visibility on a VFR flight shortly after getting my PPL
One return to home, VFR, because of a failed alternator
Twice on alpine VFR flights because of cloud obstructed passes
One going IFR to Zurich (LSZH). The weather there was below CAT I minimas, and did not lift as expected.
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He struggles to understand why the rest of us don't enjoy sitting in a spamcan for 6hrs peeing in a coke bottle in aid of getting to where ever he is heading non stop.
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Anyway, returning to the subject......
There was another time I diverted - spent a long time planning a return route from the Florida Keys up to the north and out of Florida. Got the weather - was told CAVOK or thereabouts until northern Florida. Took off from KLey West. Got as far as Marathon (which is the next airfield). Noted rather large CBs ahead. Landed, called for an update on the weather. Told CAVOK on route. Hmmm I said, that is strange because there appear to be a whole load of CBs ahead. When they updated their weather radar they agreed with me!!!! So stopped a night there and tried again next day. Storms moving in, were to the north west of Florida. So decided to hotfoot it up into the north of Florida and keep updated on their movement. Got as far as Pensacola I think it was, before deciding those large CBs were getting a little too close. Landed, nightstopped and got out next morning. It was a bargain too - free car, and abouit $20 for a large motel room in town.
There was another time I diverted - spent a long time planning a return route from the Florida Keys up to the north and out of Florida. Got the weather - was told CAVOK or thereabouts until northern Florida. Took off from KLey West. Got as far as Marathon (which is the next airfield). Noted rather large CBs ahead. Landed, called for an update on the weather. Told CAVOK on route. Hmmm I said, that is strange because there appear to be a whole load of CBs ahead. When they updated their weather radar they agreed with me!!!! So stopped a night there and tried again next day. Storms moving in, were to the north west of Florida. So decided to hotfoot it up into the north of Florida and keep updated on their movement. Got as far as Pensacola I think it was, before deciding those large CBs were getting a little too close. Landed, nightstopped and got out next morning. It was a bargain too - free car, and abouit $20 for a large motel room in town.
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I too have diverted to make use of facilities only to find there were none and a quick scamper off to the nearest bushes was the best option.
Flying with a full bladder is one of the most stressful experiences of my life and I will always divert rather than suffer.
At 6ft,4 the thought of using a recepticle in a light aircraft does not appeal to me and I dont think my passengers would appreciate it......
Anyway, the diversion was into Plockton whilst routing to Broadford (Isle of Skye). For those in the know there is only a few minutes between the two but the situation was becoming desperate.
Another was into Oban whilst routing from Inverness to Islay, this time it was a squeemish passenger that spent too much time staring into their camera and not enough time looking out at the scenery.
Flying with a full bladder is one of the most stressful experiences of my life and I will always divert rather than suffer.
At 6ft,4 the thought of using a recepticle in a light aircraft does not appeal to me and I dont think my passengers would appreciate it......
Anyway, the diversion was into Plockton whilst routing to Broadford (Isle of Skye). For those in the know there is only a few minutes between the two but the situation was becoming desperate.
Another was into Oban whilst routing from Inverness to Islay, this time it was a squeemish passenger that spent too much time staring into their camera and not enough time looking out at the scenery.
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Bose - you are not conceeding that you are not up to the pi**ing competition are you?
