Dundee

[Golf--Lima--Papa]

Hi boys and girls,

I'm doing some hour building from Dundee over the next 6 months before doing my CPL course.

I'd appreciate info from anyone experienced in flying in that neck of the woods. Having done my PPL at Cumbernauld I know the central belt quite well, however I'd like some suggestions for some Nav exercises from Dundee maybe within an hour or two from Dundee.

Thanks in advance.

[Crash one]

Kingsmuir if you like grass, 20 mins south make yr own coffee. Oban west ~1hr. Eshott (south among Geordies) ~1.25hr. Bute ~1.5hr grass, nice views but short & scary for anything heavy. 90knots. If you've got a Tornado reduce the times as req & don't try Bute!!.

[Golf--Lima--Papa]

Thanks Crash One for taking the time to post them.

['India-Mike]

I'd also suggest some navigation that has direct practical application to the CPL, such as Dundee-Lanark-St Abbs-Dundee; or up to Aboyne then over towards Dalwhinnie and back to Perth. It'll give you the variety of open FIR and controlled airspace use, together with decision-making skills (especially in wintertime over the highlands) that will build the confidence needed to manage a Commercial flight, and make your CPL training much more relaxing

Try not to think of it as hours-building. Think of it as experience-building. Anyone can drill 150 hours-worth of holes in the sky. Make it count (ie don't forget general handling skills too; and don't forget to use the available radio-navigation aids to assist your VFR flight - and I don't just mean GPS)

Good luck

[sammypilot]

Last time we were in Dundee it was very much like the Land that Time Forgot. We spent 20 minutes wandering around the apron trying to pay a landing fee. Eventually spoke with a fireman/baggage handler who told us they couldn't take the fee as they were unloading/loading a commercial flight. A further 15 minutes passed before we could pay and then we discovered that there was no chance of a drink of any sorts. Just hope it has improved since but we aren't going back to check.

[dont overfil]

Sammypilot,
Pay the firemen at the big C, £15 ? Better than what is usually paid at a handling agent, then walk to the flying club for snacks and drinks. Tayside Aviation, 200 mtrs. (Busy flight school and club)

Snacks are also available in the terminal or walk to a restaurant 500 mtrs west.

Discovery 1 mile East for a bit of culture, and city centre about the same. It's not just your flight you have to plan.
DO.

[airpolice]

Sammy, why did you not use the radio to ask ATC where to pay?

[mad_jock]

Never had a problem myself there both GA and commercial.

If you do go back if you pay at the big C just under the tower then exit the terminal turn left as you come out and with in 5 mins walk there is one of those Brewers Fayres that do the pub grub. If you want a longer walk turn right and walk down the road past the playing fields and you will come to a food stop that does takeaway from a old railway carrage or sit down overlooking the railway bridge and Tay.

There is a half decent coffee shop in the ground side bit of the terminal. The flying club has a couple of machines for snacks but nothing special.

If you want to go into town its about 8 quid in a taxi or there is a bus that goes from outside the terminal.

Dundee I have a soft spot for. Spent many an hour waiting for a 50hour check to be done and also on diverts when the wx in Aberdeen is pants.

Yes the firemen are multi tasking and they will go and do the very few commercials first. Its revenue!!! If Dundee did shut it would be a right pain in the bum for GA. Its the only cheap airport on the east coast where you can get fuel from 6:30am until late at night when the likes of CUM and Perth have shut up shop.

Security are friendly, greet you with a smile and if one is given back make the whole proccess a none event unlike some other commercial airports with GA. Although I must admit most of the regional airports in scotland this applies to.

[Captain Smithy]

Agree with MJ, nice airfield, also has an ILS, NDB and lighting should you ever need it.

Plenty of space and places to go for sightseeing and Navexes in the Central belt as said before. Try a zone transit through PH and go down to the Borders if its a nice day and the cloudbase is decent, or go North, e.g. Pitlochry, Loch Tay etc. Also you'll need to fly down the length of the bonny banks of Loch Lomond.

A nice route is to follow the corridor between Edinburgh and Weegie past Falkirk, Motherwell and Strathaven (watch for the microlight strip there though) and pop in to Prestwick. Plenty nice Wx and scenery down there too.

Smithy

[Slopey]

Dundee is a great airport to fly into GA, and always something going on given the air cadet training they do out of there.

The only gotcha is that it closes stupidly early on a Saturday (1630), allegedly to send the fire crews home to save cash as there are no commercial flights after that.

That meant we had to divert into EDI after Aberdeen dropped below minima on a recent trip back from France, which was an expensive diversion (and it was a nominated alternate so couldn't try and get a wx diversion discount), but hey ho - not many options up the NE coast.

(Although I believe you can get an out of hours exemption for Dundee?)

[Crash one]

You can certainly get an out of hours indemnity for Perth.

[sammypilot]

Thanks for the up to date information. Pity nobody was available to pass this information on to us on the day. We did in fact speak to ATC who told us to go to the Fire Station. That was totally deserted. As said earlier when was asked about refreshments we were simply told by the guy who eventually took our money that there was nothing available. When we asked what the passengers did for a drink the answer was that they went without.

Always prepared to give a place a second chance.

[Golf--Lima--Papa]

Thanks all for the information, that gives me something to play with.

[airpolice]

Try this lot at 2,000 - 3,000 feet.

Dundee - Balado - Forth Bridge - Edinburgh o/h - Cobbinshaw - Lanark - M74 - Strathaven - Loudon Castle - Kilmarnock Prison - Prestwick

Prestwick - Kilmarnock Prison - Loudon Castle - Strathaven - M74 - Strathcyde Park - Cumbernauld o/h - Falkirk Wheel - Kincardine Bridge - Knockhill Racing Circuit - Balado - Glenfarg - Dundee


Dundee - [MATZ crossing from Leuchars] - St. Andrews - Crail - Bass Rock - East Fortune - Dalkieth - [Zone Transit from Edinburgh] - Ski Slopes - Kirknewton - Bathgate - Follow the new railway line to Airdrie - Cumbernauld o/h - Stirling Castle - Dunblane - Gleneagles - Friarton Bridge - Errol - Dundee


Dundee - Edzell - Lintrathen - Perth o/h - Glenfarg - Dundee

[Golf--Lima--Papa]

Cheers Airpolice.

Had a great flight last week consisting of :

Dundee - Newburgh - Auchterarder - Dunblane - Loch Lomond - GLA ZONE - Baillieston - Polmont - EDI ZONE - Musselburgh - North Berwick - Crail - Arbroath - Dundee

Logged 2hours 10mins.

[mad_jock]

perverts (extra cause of the minimal post limit)

[Floppy Link]

How about a longer range trip to challenge you?
Dundee to Barrow (no refuel)
Barrow to Kinloss
divert to the Caird Park golf course in Dundee
Fly into tree. It's a recognised technique...it was in a Biggles book after all.


http://www.pprune.org/private-flying...wn-dundee.html

[serious]
p.s. if you're doing your CPL course at Dundee make sure you visit Perth once or twice to get familiar, chances are that's where the flight test will be.
[/serious]

[zimbo565]

I believe the 'C' has now moved to Tayside Aviation so you can pay at the Club.

[fisbangwollop]

Had a great flight last week consisting of :

Dundee - Newburgh - Auchterarder - Dunblane - Loch Lomond - GLA ZONE - Baillieston - Polmont - EDI ZONE - Musselburgh - North Berwick - Crail - Arbroath - Dundee

Think we spoke on 119.875....

[MIKECR]

If your planning on doing your CPL then I would make sure you know where(and what they oook like!) Drymen and Tynrdum are. A certain local examiner is most keen on them for CPL tests!