Aircraft type
Guest
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I really think we're drifting off topic here, but since Tiger Cub cares to make an issue of it, I'll give the full details, and you can judge as you see fit.
I'd planned a midday flight about 70nm to lunch. Forecast was early mist, clearing about 1030-1100 becoming 10km visibility and 8/8 at 2,500ft - nil Wx forecast. That forecast was on the TAFS for 4 airfields within 10 miles either side of track, wind was about 10 knots.
I got the aeroplane out at 1000, by 1100 the cloudbase was about 1500ft, and visibility cleared to around 6km. I got airborne, sat in the overhead for 2 minutes surveying the Wx and decided that it was pretty much as forecast bar a slightly lower cloudbase.
10nm on track, the cloudbase started dropping, it became apparent that this was not a localised problem, so I turned back to my departure point - cloudbase was a dodgy but legal 600-700ft at this point. Unfortunately the cloud had dropped onto the ground behind me.
Re-planning, I ded-reconned to a motorway (successfully) and turned towards my No.1 diversion, which was about 7nm from me. Halfway there, the cloud decided to start dropping and drizzle started. I decided that I wasn't going to make my diversion, and set myself up downwind for a ridge parallel with the motorway. Cloudbase was about 400ft, Viz was down to about 3km.
At the end of downwind, the cloud dropped onto the ridge, and the drizzle worsened, giving me a 1500m viz. So, I picked the only flat field still available to me, did a 250ft circuit and landed in it.
After I'd calmed down, I borrowed my passenger's mobile and phoned the police, and my destination. Then hitched a lift home to get a trailer.
Damage - £5 to replace a bolt I dropped in the mud whilst derigging, and a box of Chocolates to the farmers wife who gave me a lift home. Landing roll, 70m - I regularly practice both forced landings and short spot-landings, I now know why!
G
I'd planned a midday flight about 70nm to lunch. Forecast was early mist, clearing about 1030-1100 becoming 10km visibility and 8/8 at 2,500ft - nil Wx forecast. That forecast was on the TAFS for 4 airfields within 10 miles either side of track, wind was about 10 knots.
I got the aeroplane out at 1000, by 1100 the cloudbase was about 1500ft, and visibility cleared to around 6km. I got airborne, sat in the overhead for 2 minutes surveying the Wx and decided that it was pretty much as forecast bar a slightly lower cloudbase.
10nm on track, the cloudbase started dropping, it became apparent that this was not a localised problem, so I turned back to my departure point - cloudbase was a dodgy but legal 600-700ft at this point. Unfortunately the cloud had dropped onto the ground behind me.
Re-planning, I ded-reconned to a motorway (successfully) and turned towards my No.1 diversion, which was about 7nm from me. Halfway there, the cloud decided to start dropping and drizzle started. I decided that I wasn't going to make my diversion, and set myself up downwind for a ridge parallel with the motorway. Cloudbase was about 400ft, Viz was down to about 3km.
At the end of downwind, the cloud dropped onto the ridge, and the drizzle worsened, giving me a 1500m viz. So, I picked the only flat field still available to me, did a 250ft circuit and landed in it.
After I'd calmed down, I borrowed my passenger's mobile and phoned the police, and my destination. Then hitched a lift home to get a trailer.
Damage - £5 to replace a bolt I dropped in the mud whilst derigging, and a box of Chocolates to the farmers wife who gave me a lift home. Landing roll, 70m - I regularly practice both forced landings and short spot-landings, I now know why!
G
Guest
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Nice one G T E
A lot of pilots think they are good because they fly around in CAVOK and have never been in a situation where a divert or land out was necessary. UK weather is like that.
It is when this situation happens that we learn how good an aviator we are, in other words prior planning prevents p... poor performance. The work rate goes up in this situation. A well performed diversion or landout is v satisfying and more experience under your belt. WELL DONE.
[This message has been edited by skywatcher (edited 16 November 2000).]
A lot of pilots think they are good because they fly around in CAVOK and have never been in a situation where a divert or land out was necessary. UK weather is like that.
It is when this situation happens that we learn how good an aviator we are, in other words prior planning prevents p... poor performance. The work rate goes up in this situation. A well performed diversion or landout is v satisfying and more experience under your belt. WELL DONE.
[This message has been edited by skywatcher (edited 16 November 2000).]
Guest
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RightStuffer....I have been watching and waiting for someone to say that - I knew it would come.
Problem is that I have met Genghis and have listened to his painful "I know everything there is to know about aviation" chat for far too long.
Second problem is that I simply do not believe his story - but was prepared to stay quiet.......until you brought it up.
So, knowing that the Met office store their TAF's and Actuals for many moons before binning them I would suggest that I will scan the receipt for a donation of £500 (and that will hurt) to the charity of Genghis's choice (assuming it is not pro animal abuse) if he will prove the story.
By proof I would want to see the lat/long of his departure, the destination and the point that he made his landing. I would also want to see a copy of his letter to the CAA explaining why he found himself in such conditions (following a good weather forecast) - note...he does admit continued flight into worsening (and illegal) conditions whilst carrying passengers...why not put down earlier before being pushed to under 300 feet in a flight vis of 1500 meters (Cat 1 ILS stuff).
I would also want to see copies - posted here - of the TAF's that he got for the time of the flight and the Actuals that support his claim to the weather.
Until then, I will reserve my judgement that the story - written after my original comments - is a load of b******s.
Prove me wrong, by all means - and you'll get my apology.....or, let it go - and we'll agree to disagree.
<<edit was to add phrase ".....or, let it go - and we'll agree to disagree."
[This message has been edited by Bear Cub (edited 18 November 2000).]
Problem is that I have met Genghis and have listened to his painful "I know everything there is to know about aviation" chat for far too long.
Second problem is that I simply do not believe his story - but was prepared to stay quiet.......until you brought it up.
So, knowing that the Met office store their TAF's and Actuals for many moons before binning them I would suggest that I will scan the receipt for a donation of £500 (and that will hurt) to the charity of Genghis's choice (assuming it is not pro animal abuse) if he will prove the story.
By proof I would want to see the lat/long of his departure, the destination and the point that he made his landing. I would also want to see a copy of his letter to the CAA explaining why he found himself in such conditions (following a good weather forecast) - note...he does admit continued flight into worsening (and illegal) conditions whilst carrying passengers...why not put down earlier before being pushed to under 300 feet in a flight vis of 1500 meters (Cat 1 ILS stuff).
I would also want to see copies - posted here - of the TAF's that he got for the time of the flight and the Actuals that support his claim to the weather.
Until then, I will reserve my judgement that the story - written after my original comments - is a load of b******s.
Prove me wrong, by all means - and you'll get my apology.....or, let it go - and we'll agree to disagree.
<<edit was to add phrase ".....or, let it go - and we'll agree to disagree."
[This message has been edited by Bear Cub (edited 18 November 2000).]
Guest
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Bear Cub - whoever you are, I have presented the facts as I recall them. If you choose to disbelieve me that's your privilege, but why should I lie in an anonymous forum? I spent a long time afterwards going through all that happened and couldn't find much I could have done differently bar possibly trusting the Met Office, which is a habit that has got me into trouble once or twice (on the other hand more often it's had me cancelling flying to end up doing DIY on a perfectly flyable weekend).
I recalled the incident only to illustrate the changeability and predictability of British Weather - something I think I adequately proved.
G
I recalled the incident only to illustrate the changeability and predictability of British Weather - something I think I adequately proved.
G
Guest
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Oh to hell with it, if you want to donate £500 to charity.
Brakes off 1130Z, 14 Nov 1999 - so probably took-off about 10 minutes after that.
Take-off 5108.33N/W00125.28W 292ft amsl
Landed in a field just East of the M3, about 3 miles south of Popham at 1155. Called Hampshire Police about 15 minutes later to notify them, Sandown (my destination) (who reported CAVOK and couldn't understand my problem) about the same time.
TAFs I got were Odiham, Southampton, Bournemouth, all gave early mist clearing to 9999 8/8-2500ft, nil Wx.
If you wish to find the full TAFS (I got them about 0900) please feel free. No I didn't report myself to the CAA. My favourite charity is the RAF Benevolent Fund, which is only cruel to Sting, who doesn't count.
Have fun doing your homework.
G
[This message has been edited by Genghis the Engineer (edited 18 November 2000).]
Brakes off 1130Z, 14 Nov 1999 - so probably took-off about 10 minutes after that.
Take-off 5108.33N/W00125.28W 292ft amsl
Landed in a field just East of the M3, about 3 miles south of Popham at 1155. Called Hampshire Police about 15 minutes later to notify them, Sandown (my destination) (who reported CAVOK and couldn't understand my problem) about the same time.
TAFs I got were Odiham, Southampton, Bournemouth, all gave early mist clearing to 9999 8/8-2500ft, nil Wx.
If you wish to find the full TAFS (I got them about 0900) please feel free. No I didn't report myself to the CAA. My favourite charity is the RAF Benevolent Fund, which is only cruel to Sting, who doesn't count.
Have fun doing your homework.
G
[This message has been edited by Genghis the Engineer (edited 18 November 2000).]
Guest
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Bear Cub,
Call me old-fashioned, but if you call somebody a liar it’s up to YOU to prove that this is case. Even though it’s an anonymous forum, you shouldn’t just sling around c@*p like that and then challenge your target to prove you wrong.
Better pilots than you and I have been caught out by unforecast weather; many have lost their lives as a result. I think it would be more constructive to learn from their experiences than to simply write their actions off as stupidity.
HP
Call me old-fashioned, but if you call somebody a liar it’s up to YOU to prove that this is case. Even though it’s an anonymous forum, you shouldn’t just sling around c@*p like that and then challenge your target to prove you wrong.
Better pilots than you and I have been caught out by unforecast weather; many have lost their lives as a result. I think it would be more constructive to learn from their experiences than to simply write their actions off as stupidity.
HP
Guest
Posts: n/a
Bear Cub,
Your attack on Genghis is based on the fact that he was prepared to fly in weather conditions that are perhaps beyond your personal experience. He wasn't; he landed out rather than continue. What would be your alternative plan of action?
Some of us have made a long-term living from legally flying at low level in conditions similar to or worse than those described.
So what is the problem?
Your attack on Genghis is based on the fact that he was prepared to fly in weather conditions that are perhaps beyond your personal experience. He wasn't; he landed out rather than continue. What would be your alternative plan of action?
Some of us have made a long-term living from legally flying at low level in conditions similar to or worse than those described.
So what is the problem?
