How easy/hard will it be to fly to Cork?
Guest
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Hi,
There's some good advice in this thread, esp with regards to the horizon, or lack of it often, when flying over water. (I recently had the AI fail on me in a C152 half way over the channel and was glad to reach the other side!)
Don't forget, in winter (and other times of year) if you end up in the water, you'll die within a short space of time unless you can get out of the water (that means a liferaft).
Also unless you are found soon (very soon if you haven't got a liferaft) by SAR you'll die. In anything but a slight sea-state visually finding someone in the water, with only a lifejacket for reference is going to be...difficult. My advice would be to buy an ELT and a strobe beacon, they can be bought fairly cheaply, will last you years and could save your life.
Have fun and let us know how you get on when do your trip.
There's some good advice in this thread, esp with regards to the horizon, or lack of it often, when flying over water. (I recently had the AI fail on me in a C152 half way over the channel and was glad to reach the other side!)
Don't forget, in winter (and other times of year) if you end up in the water, you'll die within a short space of time unless you can get out of the water (that means a liferaft).
Also unless you are found soon (very soon if you haven't got a liferaft) by SAR you'll die. In anything but a slight sea-state visually finding someone in the water, with only a lifejacket for reference is going to be...difficult. My advice would be to buy an ELT and a strobe beacon, they can be bought fairly cheaply, will last you years and could save your life.
Have fun and let us know how you get on when do your trip.
Guest
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Thanks evreryone again for all your valuaed comments and advice!
UKPPL: Good point about people being hard to spot from the air.... many (16!) years ago I was in the RAAF as an electronic engineer / avionics tech and went along as an additional Observer on a SAR mission over Bass Strait (the scary bit of water between Victoria and Tasmania). I basically spent some 10 hours that night peering out the back of a Herc 1000' above very choppy seas looking for the crew of a sunken trawler. We had the aid of some infra-red and gyro- stabilised binoculars etc., but it was pretty hopeless.
Amazingly, as the dawn broke and the boss had just made the decision that we were nearing the end of our endurance, ready for return to base about 500 nm away outside Sydney, I suddenly spotted a red flare...! We came around and over-flew roughly where the flare had been, and to my absoulue amazement eventually spotted a tiny, tiny yellow spec in the ocean below... which turned out to be a liferaft (one of those enclosed ones) with three very lucky souls on board! We dropped emergency rations, radio etc. to them, and they were subsequently picked up by other trawlers in the area (less than 10 nm away!) who would have had ABSOLUTLEY NO CHANCE of seeing the raft unless they ran into it.
So it is with this experience in mind that I am feeling pretty cautious about the prospect of overflying water in this part of the world...
I have resolved to go the first time with an instructor, and will be sure to enjoy it and let you all know how it went.... probably later in the summer.
Thanks again to everyone,
Andy
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"Andy sang, Andy watched, Andy waited 'til his billy boiled..." (It was written for me!)
UKPPL: Good point about people being hard to spot from the air.... many (16!) years ago I was in the RAAF as an electronic engineer / avionics tech and went along as an additional Observer on a SAR mission over Bass Strait (the scary bit of water between Victoria and Tasmania). I basically spent some 10 hours that night peering out the back of a Herc 1000' above very choppy seas looking for the crew of a sunken trawler. We had the aid of some infra-red and gyro- stabilised binoculars etc., but it was pretty hopeless.
Amazingly, as the dawn broke and the boss had just made the decision that we were nearing the end of our endurance, ready for return to base about 500 nm away outside Sydney, I suddenly spotted a red flare...! We came around and over-flew roughly where the flare had been, and to my absoulue amazement eventually spotted a tiny, tiny yellow spec in the ocean below... which turned out to be a liferaft (one of those enclosed ones) with three very lucky souls on board! We dropped emergency rations, radio etc. to them, and they were subsequently picked up by other trawlers in the area (less than 10 nm away!) who would have had ABSOLUTLEY NO CHANCE of seeing the raft unless they ran into it.
So it is with this experience in mind that I am feeling pretty cautious about the prospect of overflying water in this part of the world...
I have resolved to go the first time with an instructor, and will be sure to enjoy it and let you all know how it went.... probably later in the summer.
Thanks again to everyone,
Andy
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"Andy sang, Andy watched, Andy waited 'til his billy boiled..." (It was written for me!)
Guest
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I went to a PFA "Airmanship Awareness Day" and one of the speakers had survived a ditching in the sea. His advice was forget the liferaft, you will be very lucky indeed if you can get into it in these waters. His advice was that an immersion suit is better as you are already wearing it.
As has already been said, in the sea around the UK you will be incapable within minutes and dead shortly afterwards without an immersion suit, or the luck to get quickly into a life raft. An exception to this might be in the height of summer, but don't bank on it.
I seem to remember that under ideal conditions (height of summer)_you can survive long enough in an immersion suit to die of dehydration !
Buy an ELT - If it saves you life once, its a bargain.
s/h immersion suits cost about £100.
As has already been said, in the sea around the UK you will be incapable within minutes and dead shortly afterwards without an immersion suit, or the luck to get quickly into a life raft. An exception to this might be in the height of summer, but don't bank on it.
I seem to remember that under ideal conditions (height of summer)_you can survive long enough in an immersion suit to die of dehydration !
Buy an ELT - If it saves you life once, its a bargain.
s/h immersion suits cost about £100.
Guest
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Hi,Oz
Don't forget to have a good time when you get there.The residents of the People's Republic of Cork are very welcoming.Land,tie down aircraft,go to town,enter Long Valley pub,drink Murphy's Stout(repeat this step),wake up next day,repeat steps 3-5,go home next day.Simple.
regards
TDD(Corkman)
Don't forget to have a good time when you get there.The residents of the People's Republic of Cork are very welcoming.Land,tie down aircraft,go to town,enter Long Valley pub,drink Murphy's Stout(repeat this step),wake up next day,repeat steps 3-5,go home next day.Simple.
regards
TDD(Corkman)
Guest
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attack angler: Point well taken, and nicely put too 
My original post was asking how much experience I should probably wish to have before embarking on this kind of trip. The first time I do the Cork journey, I'll do it with an Instructor, as suggested above.
Meanwhile, I am now planning to get a good half-dozen land-locked X-countries under my belt once I get the licence - please take a lok at my post about AIAA's at http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/For...ML/000289.html
Cheers, and thanks again to everyone who has given advice on the crossing to Ireland.
Andy
My original post was asking how much experience I should probably wish to have before embarking on this kind of trip. The first time I do the Cork journey, I'll do it with an Instructor, as suggested above.
Meanwhile, I am now planning to get a good half-dozen land-locked X-countries under my belt once I get the licence - please take a lok at my post about AIAA's at http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/For...ML/000289.html
Cheers, and thanks again to everyone who has given advice on the crossing to Ireland.
Andy
Guest
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Flying in Ireland is wonderful, all the good advice previously given applies, the Fly in Ireland guide very useful, particularly for numbers for ais @ Shannon who have brilliant met men. Can reccomend a trip with an instructor the first time, Ronaldsway and most large Irish airfields offer substantial discounts for training flights, subject to availability, just be aware operating hours are often limited especially at weekends.
Guest
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No-one has answered the question about Special Branch. Details in Pooley's somewhere, but basically: If you are going from mainland Britain to the IOM, Ireland, Northern Ireland, or the Channel Islands but not France, you must get clearance at a Designated Airport - otherwise you get shot. However, your local club may have an arrangement with the local Constabulary for clearance from your own field on 24 hour's notice.
Hope this helps.
PS. I know the Irish Sea - you won't last long!
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Yaberdaberdoo
That's OK Boo-Boo
Hope this helps.
PS. I know the Irish Sea - you won't last long!
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Yaberdaberdoo
That's OK Boo-Boo
Guest
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DoT,
Both except in Ireland, of course where, to be sure n'all, we wouldn't know what you're talking of, now would we Shamus? The standard Pooleys is actually a UK and Ireland Guide and contains all you need for a first trip. I'm a bit parsimonious about paying good money to scribblers. I think it's better spent on flying. You will have to buy the Irish chart for the west of Ireland. The CAA only provides a free charting service for the eastern half of Ireland. Everyone is friendly and helpful, not at all like the hot air balloonist found when he was unsure of his position. Seeing someone in a field, he dropped low and shouted, "Where are we? Where are we?" Paddy looked up from his work and smiled. "Aaaah, you can't fool me", he shouted. "Oy know where ye are." " Yer up there in thaat there ballon thing." It is not a strange land; they just get the Atlantic weather before we do and get if worse. Read Neg G, he's got it sussed. Good luck.
[This message has been edited by Yogi-Bear (edited 08 February 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Yogi-Bear (edited 11 February 2001).]
Both except in Ireland, of course where, to be sure n'all, we wouldn't know what you're talking of, now would we Shamus? The standard Pooleys is actually a UK and Ireland Guide and contains all you need for a first trip. I'm a bit parsimonious about paying good money to scribblers. I think it's better spent on flying. You will have to buy the Irish chart for the west of Ireland. The CAA only provides a free charting service for the eastern half of Ireland. Everyone is friendly and helpful, not at all like the hot air balloonist found when he was unsure of his position. Seeing someone in a field, he dropped low and shouted, "Where are we? Where are we?" Paddy looked up from his work and smiled. "Aaaah, you can't fool me", he shouted. "Oy know where ye are." " Yer up there in thaat there ballon thing." It is not a strange land; they just get the Atlantic weather before we do and get if worse. Read Neg G, he's got it sussed. Good luck.
[This message has been edited by Yogi-Bear (edited 08 February 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Yogi-Bear (edited 11 February 2001).]
Guest
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Fellow 'Dragger of Tail',As I highlighted in an earlier posting on this thread,be very wary regarding the Arran Isles,ALL 3 are like opperating off a carrier, wind direction/shear often plays a part in the excitment as well.
If in doubt call into Connamara just to the north ,the guy who runs the 'strips' operates
Islander flights to and from the Isles from there,if anybody knows the do's/dont's he will.
GOOD LUCK
If in doubt call into Connamara just to the north ,the guy who runs the 'strips' operates
Islander flights to and from the Isles from there,if anybody knows the do's/dont's he will.
GOOD LUCK
Guest
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If you are thinking of going to the Arran Islands, well go in summer. It is on the wrong side of the Atlantic after all. There is not a lot there but it is good to have been. Galway has good night life and can sell you duty free fuel when returning home. I have found that the guy on the tower there is only too willing to give you the weather and a go/no go indication, from England I mean. Cliffs of Mohar about 30 nm SW are worth a visit at 500' for 400' cliff top! Pilot mag published a good article or two some years ago, both about visiting and the Air Arran op out of Connemara. Colour photocopies on application to Pilot mag: www.pilotweb.co.uk/ If no luck, email me with details and I'll copy you mine in b&w.
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Yaberdaberdoo. It's OK Boo-Boo.
[This message has been edited by Yogi-Bear (edited 09 February 2001).]
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Yaberdaberdoo. It's OK Boo-Boo.
[This message has been edited by Yogi-Bear (edited 09 February 2001).]
