Light aircraft down in Dundee
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I bet the BMAA wish he had stayed in bed. You can just imagine the AAIB guy getting stuck in yet again with comments like “unsafe culture”, when it was just one guy with no ability to plan his fuel.
Rod1
Rod1
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"when it was just one guy with no ability to plan his fuel"
Not sure thats a fair summation Rod1? Sounds like there's a whole bunch of 'no ability to's that could feature in the report. However the ability to survive them is quite something.
Not sure thats a fair summation Rod1? Sounds like there's a whole bunch of 'no ability to's that could feature in the report. However the ability to survive them is quite something.
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Surely there was enough room...
BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Pilot: Biggles tale saved me
A single engine light aircraft like this? Must have been able to land it on a fairway... "But I was surely going to die..."
Oh dear.
A single engine light aircraft like this? Must have been able to land it on a fairway... "But I was surely going to die..."
Oh dear.
small aircraft - big landing run
I did once overshoot a half mile field on a hang glider. But it was my very first high flight, I hit a thermal, and did not recognise it. My total flying time up to that point was about five minutes. 
Red On, Green On
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Had the donk stopped before his landing?
I'm not sure what purpose the AAIB report will serve, to be honest. It will catalogue the series of accidents-waiting-to-happen that eventually did happen, it will give us transcripts, show his track, demonstrate his poor pre-flight planning, poor judgement etc., but to what end? Most who read it will laugh, and those who will make similar mistakes in the future probably won't even read it.
It'll cost Ł1,000s, be completed with utmost professionalism by the AAIB staff, but will it prevent another similar incident? No, because AAIB have countless others in the files, and they didn't prevent this one.
I'm sending him an email asking if I can use his Lotto numbers, though
I'm not sure what purpose the AAIB report will serve, to be honest. It will catalogue the series of accidents-waiting-to-happen that eventually did happen, it will give us transcripts, show his track, demonstrate his poor pre-flight planning, poor judgement etc., but to what end? Most who read it will laugh, and those who will make similar mistakes in the future probably won't even read it.
It'll cost Ł1,000s, be completed with utmost professionalism by the AAIB staff, but will it prevent another similar incident? No, because AAIB have countless others in the files, and they didn't prevent this one.
I'm sending him an email asking if I can use his Lotto numbers, though
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Biggles flies undone*
"Algy, I don't like it here one bit" shouted the intrepid aviator to his trusty but blind navigator. " We seem to be in the thick of it!"
" I thought that maybe by routing across the Forth, just to the east of the airport we might avoid these heavies around Edinburgh, slip under the Leuchars radar and have a clear run to sunny Kinross, somewhere near bonny Dundee." Trilled the Algy.
" aye, right...." came the dulcit tones of the ATC " ...what the **** do you think you are doing? You've completely screwed up my approach!"
"Wilco, roger.... oh , erm... request FL90 routing via somewhere near Dundee to Kinross, I think, on a heading of....uhm...Northish" responded Algy whose right finger was following a thick chinagraph line haphazardly drawn on a A-Z Map of Scotland. " at least that's what the GPS says."
" Are you sure Dundee Airport has bunkers and trees, old boy? I'm thinking we should maybe pop in for a spot of fuel and maybe, check our directions? According, to my flight plan we should be visual with Inverness by now. Bugger, more of that low cloud!" Biggles turned to Algy, whose white scarf billowed in the wind as he gingerly stepped out of the aircraft onto the shaking bough of a rather sturdy oak tree.
" It's Okay Capt. Good news! These chaps out here say that we're in a wrecked airplane forty feet up a tree. Bad news, is that the club captain says they have a dress rule and a Ł5 fine for wearing dayglo vests!"
"phew....for one awful moment there I thought I might have to make an emergency landing onto these rather fetching fairways - on such a lovely clear day, perfect for golf. I hope we didn't put anyone off their stroke" replied Biggles, surveying the scant remains of his latest aerial mount " Still, once we get this kite patched up we should still make Kinloss for tea!"
"Kinloss? questioned Algy as he tripped carelessly towards the 15th green, "I thought were going to Kinross! If I had know you wanted to fly over the Cairngorms I might have filled the tanks this morning! It can get a bit edgy up there you know."
"never mind old bean, I'm still new at this game, we'll have another go in the morning"
* Title courtesy of Mony Python
" I thought that maybe by routing across the Forth, just to the east of the airport we might avoid these heavies around Edinburgh, slip under the Leuchars radar and have a clear run to sunny Kinross, somewhere near bonny Dundee." Trilled the Algy.
" aye, right...." came the dulcit tones of the ATC " ...what the **** do you think you are doing? You've completely screwed up my approach!"
"Wilco, roger.... oh , erm... request FL90 routing via somewhere near Dundee to Kinross, I think, on a heading of....uhm...Northish" responded Algy whose right finger was following a thick chinagraph line haphazardly drawn on a A-Z Map of Scotland. " at least that's what the GPS says."
" Are you sure Dundee Airport has bunkers and trees, old boy? I'm thinking we should maybe pop in for a spot of fuel and maybe, check our directions? According, to my flight plan we should be visual with Inverness by now. Bugger, more of that low cloud!" Biggles turned to Algy, whose white scarf billowed in the wind as he gingerly stepped out of the aircraft onto the shaking bough of a rather sturdy oak tree.
" It's Okay Capt. Good news! These chaps out here say that we're in a wrecked airplane forty feet up a tree. Bad news, is that the club captain says they have a dress rule and a Ł5 fine for wearing dayglo vests!"
"phew....for one awful moment there I thought I might have to make an emergency landing onto these rather fetching fairways - on such a lovely clear day, perfect for golf. I hope we didn't put anyone off their stroke" replied Biggles, surveying the scant remains of his latest aerial mount " Still, once we get this kite patched up we should still make Kinloss for tea!"
"Kinloss? questioned Algy as he tripped carelessly towards the 15th green, "I thought were going to Kinross! If I had know you wanted to fly over the Cairngorms I might have filled the tanks this morning! It can get a bit edgy up there you know."
"never mind old bean, I'm still new at this game, we'll have another go in the morning"
* Title courtesy of Mony Python
CRX's comments earlier about the increased work load put on ATC are dead right!!...for the controller to be confronted with an ultralite aircraft flying through the middle of her IFR traffic as she tried to sequence it for arrival to Edinbugh is glady not a daily occurence....she did a brilliant job but then one as to be expected ...
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"A light aircraft has made an emergency landing in a school playground in the US state of Arizona.
The plane came down at Villa de Paz Elementary School in Avondale after developing an engine problem.
No-one was injured in the incident"
BBC NEWS | Americas | Plane lands in school playground
No doubt the pilot was wrestling with the controls to avoid the golf course and made a text book approach on to the school playground to give the kids some fun
Sounds a bit like the tree or the golfcourse
The plane came down at Villa de Paz Elementary School in Avondale after developing an engine problem.
No-one was injured in the incident"
BBC NEWS | Americas | Plane lands in school playground
No doubt the pilot was wrestling with the controls to avoid the golf course and made a text book approach on to the school playground to give the kids some fun
Sounds a bit like the tree or the golfcourse
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Having seen the BBC Biggles piece, I hope our hero is as gushingly expansive about the whole flight preceeding 'so there I was, above the fairway'.
Money on a lot of UK pilots being in conversation with family, friends, and colleagues very soon.... "did you see that bit on the BBC News last night.... right at the end?". I think I'll take a day off.
Money on a lot of UK pilots being in conversation with family, friends, and colleagues very soon.... "did you see that bit on the BBC News last night.... right at the end?". I think I'll take a day off.
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Mariner,
Except it wasnt open FIR it was the Scottish TMA, 9000-10000 ft over the Forth Road Bridge (which is where the first of the chaos ensued) is controlled airspace. Hence the workload issue.
Also for the record, although I fly to pay the mortgage, a good chunk of my income goes into owning and flying an aircraft of similar weight if not less than Captain 'Biggles' dropped. Anti-'ultralite' I am not. Open FIR fly as high as you like.
CRX.
FISBANG could pick up the details regarding airspace and the like, such as did he have permission to enter the TMA or not.
Except it wasnt open FIR it was the Scottish TMA, 9000-10000 ft over the Forth Road Bridge (which is where the first of the chaos ensued) is controlled airspace. Hence the workload issue.
Also for the record, although I fly to pay the mortgage, a good chunk of my income goes into owning and flying an aircraft of similar weight if not less than Captain 'Biggles' dropped. Anti-'ultralite' I am not. Open FIR fly as high as you like.
CRX.
FISBANG could pick up the details regarding airspace and the like, such as did he have permission to enter the TMA or not.
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"Greg Martin said: "It's incredibly lucky. The pilot has not just saved his own life, but avoided a catastrophe. "It is a miracle he is alive. He must have been pretty capable at handling that aeroplane."
Heavens don't let this get out, they'll all be doing weight and balance calcs next....
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The televised interview was pretty cringeworthy.
Unfortunately deluded psuedo-pilots like this are free to transgress any controlled airspace that they are probably unaware of.
It struck me in the interview that he thought his actions were somehow praiseworthy
Sorry, but every daft old coot that operates like this just heralds more and more pressure to enact further legislation, which unfortunately adversely affects the majority who do make an effort to be a teensy weensy bit professional in their recreational aviation.
If you see it from the viewpoint of professional aircrew forced to share his airspace, or the ATC bods having to deal with the actions of this clown, it really isn't so funny.
Unfortunately deluded psuedo-pilots like this are free to transgress any controlled airspace that they are probably unaware of.
It struck me in the interview that he thought his actions were somehow praiseworthy
Sorry, but every daft old coot that operates like this just heralds more and more pressure to enact further legislation, which unfortunately adversely affects the majority who do make an effort to be a teensy weensy bit professional in their recreational aviation.
If you see it from the viewpoint of professional aircrew forced to share his airspace, or the ATC bods having to deal with the actions of this clown, it really isn't so funny.
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Captain Playstation
Do you have a link to a clip of that interview?
I must admit to feeling sorry for the guy earlier on.
A very low time pilot getting into a mess and having a hard lesson of an accident from which he would learn and grow to be a better pilot through it.
he should have slunk off with his tail between his legs to lick his wounds with a degree of humility.
But to create an accident which is totally your own fault and to then try to claim credit for handling that accident is totally inexcusable and doesnt bode well for his future as a pilot.
In that regard the guy is a menace.
Pace
Do you have a link to a clip of that interview?
I must admit to feeling sorry for the guy earlier on.
A very low time pilot getting into a mess and having a hard lesson of an accident from which he would learn and grow to be a better pilot through it.
he should have slunk off with his tail between his legs to lick his wounds with a degree of humility.
But to create an accident which is totally your own fault and to then try to claim credit for handling that accident is totally inexcusable and doesnt bode well for his future as a pilot.
In that regard the guy is a menace.
Pace
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I'm torn on this one.
We all have to learn and only by pushing our own boundaries will we progress. This guy, by all accounts, is still relatively inexperienced and he was making a fairly long X country flight in unfamilier airspace - but, there has to be a first time.
His judgement must be questioned and perhaps so does his training. The NPPL isn't or shouldn't be seen as some easy ticket. Unfortunately, the standard of airmanship exhibited by the pilot here does not inspire confidence.
As Air police correctly points out, the most obviuos and direct track from Walney Island would route well to the west of Dundee. I don't know the actual track but there is anecdotal information relating to conflict with EDI approach and his crossing of the Forth. Whether this was through, to the east or west of the Edinburgh CTR has not been established, however, the best track would have avoided it completely.
The pilot mentions a diversion due to poor weather. If we give him the benefit of the doubt, this may have taken him East towards Dundee and let's suppose he was trying to return to his original planned track when his fuel state became an issue. However, I just can't understand how he got to where he ended up without considering, as he was passing with Perth on the port wing and Dundee to starboard, whether he had enough fuel to get him over the mountains to Kinloss - or for that matter, almost twice the distance, around the coast.
Simple maths pre flight and ATA compated with ETA would indicate if his endurance expectations were within limits or not. A quick stop for fuel may take an extra half hour but serve as a useful break for such any pilot, novice or not. Get theritis strikes again!
Opportunities came and went. FREDA checks were probably repeated by rote without thought. Navigation and radio work perhaps filled the pilots mind whilst his aeroplane gradually ran out of fuel - or is this man going to claim unexplained engine failure?
A grand day out very nearly became his last. The fact is that guys like this pose a greater danger to themselves than others but it does the rest of us a disservice when anyone, inadequatley prepared, takes to the air and has an accident. There are some very bright people who are just not cut out as pilots that's why aptitude testing can be so useful. We all know folk like this man and we shouldn't ignore their inadequacies as pilots nor seek to have them banned. Educate them. Fly with them. Spend time helping them. share your experiences and they will grow as pilots.
We all have to learn and only by pushing our own boundaries will we progress. This guy, by all accounts, is still relatively inexperienced and he was making a fairly long X country flight in unfamilier airspace - but, there has to be a first time.
His judgement must be questioned and perhaps so does his training. The NPPL isn't or shouldn't be seen as some easy ticket. Unfortunately, the standard of airmanship exhibited by the pilot here does not inspire confidence.
As Air police correctly points out, the most obviuos and direct track from Walney Island would route well to the west of Dundee. I don't know the actual track but there is anecdotal information relating to conflict with EDI approach and his crossing of the Forth. Whether this was through, to the east or west of the Edinburgh CTR has not been established, however, the best track would have avoided it completely.
The pilot mentions a diversion due to poor weather. If we give him the benefit of the doubt, this may have taken him East towards Dundee and let's suppose he was trying to return to his original planned track when his fuel state became an issue. However, I just can't understand how he got to where he ended up without considering, as he was passing with Perth on the port wing and Dundee to starboard, whether he had enough fuel to get him over the mountains to Kinloss - or for that matter, almost twice the distance, around the coast.
Simple maths pre flight and ATA compated with ETA would indicate if his endurance expectations were within limits or not. A quick stop for fuel may take an extra half hour but serve as a useful break for such any pilot, novice or not. Get theritis strikes again!
Opportunities came and went. FREDA checks were probably repeated by rote without thought. Navigation and radio work perhaps filled the pilots mind whilst his aeroplane gradually ran out of fuel - or is this man going to claim unexplained engine failure?
A grand day out very nearly became his last. The fact is that guys like this pose a greater danger to themselves than others but it does the rest of us a disservice when anyone, inadequatley prepared, takes to the air and has an accident. There are some very bright people who are just not cut out as pilots that's why aptitude testing can be so useful. We all know folk like this man and we shouldn't ignore their inadequacies as pilots nor seek to have them banned. Educate them. Fly with them. Spend time helping them. share your experiences and they will grow as pilots.