Flying in Scotland
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Flying in Scotland
Hi guys,
Where do people post PPL usually fly in Scotland? To make the question more specific, the prettiest places to fly to me would be over the Cairngorms, the central Highlands, the Great Glen etc. However, does flying in these areas not have the inherent risk of:
A. MoD flights caning through the mountains who you may end up repainting; and
B. General mountain flying being riskier than bimbling around south England (where i'm learning to fly).
Thanks in advance.
Swerve
Where do people post PPL usually fly in Scotland? To make the question more specific, the prettiest places to fly to me would be over the Cairngorms, the central Highlands, the Great Glen etc. However, does flying in these areas not have the inherent risk of:
A. MoD flights caning through the mountains who you may end up repainting; and
B. General mountain flying being riskier than bimbling around south England (where i'm learning to fly).
Thanks in advance.
Swerve
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there is a slight more risk in some ways but in others there is less risk.
More risk
Enviroment and lack of forced landing fieds in the highlands
Wx
Mountain flying
Mil aircraft low level
Less risk.
Alot less traffic
virtually no controlled airspace above Perth.
Scottish Info gives you a very personal service. (you getting your destination wx if you want it or not :-) )
The enviroment and the scenery more than outway the differences.
As for fast jets tanking round. There are a few but they are extremely low level so unless the yanks are about with thier girlie 1000ft agl low level flying you will be looking down on them. Its actually quite a nice flight going past Tain range watching the tonkas bombing. Tain range are a decent lot and arn't tight with the airspace if nothing is needing the range.
As for where folk go.
Orkney is well worth a trip
Oban Mull etc (don't worry about the thread runnning they don't eat none locals)
Barra, Benbecular, Fair Islies for the folk that don't mind flying over water.
Inverness, Dundee PIK hold nothing to worry about, GLA EDI and ABZ are a bit pricey but nothing impossible.
And for once I won't take the piss out of Fife its actually quite a pleasant little airport to visit.
More risk
Enviroment and lack of forced landing fieds in the highlands
Wx
Mountain flying
Mil aircraft low level
Less risk.
Alot less traffic
virtually no controlled airspace above Perth.
Scottish Info gives you a very personal service. (you getting your destination wx if you want it or not :-) )
The enviroment and the scenery more than outway the differences.
As for fast jets tanking round. There are a few but they are extremely low level so unless the yanks are about with thier girlie 1000ft agl low level flying you will be looking down on them. Its actually quite a nice flight going past Tain range watching the tonkas bombing. Tain range are a decent lot and arn't tight with the airspace if nothing is needing the range.
As for where folk go.
Orkney is well worth a trip
Oban Mull etc (don't worry about the thread runnning they don't eat none locals)
Barra, Benbecular, Fair Islies for the folk that don't mind flying over water.
Inverness, Dundee PIK hold nothing to worry about, GLA EDI and ABZ are a bit pricey but nothing impossible.
And for once I won't take the piss out of Fife its actually quite a pleasant little airport to visit.
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Hi guys,
Where do people post PPL usually fly in Scotland? To make the question more specific, the prettiest places to fly to me would be over the Cairngorms, the central Highlands, the Great Glen etc. However, does flying in these areas not have the inherent risk of:
A. MoD flights caning through the mountains who you may end up repainting; and
B. General mountain flying being riskier than bimbling around south England (where i'm learning to fly).
Thanks in advance.
Swerve
Where do people post PPL usually fly in Scotland? To make the question more specific, the prettiest places to fly to me would be over the Cairngorms, the central Highlands, the Great Glen etc. However, does flying in these areas not have the inherent risk of:
A. MoD flights caning through the mountains who you may end up repainting; and
B. General mountain flying being riskier than bimbling around south England (where i'm learning to fly).
Thanks in advance.
Swerve
A = You get used to hearing things like "pop up traffic, 2 miles, high speed heading in your direction". Not much you can do other than turn all the lights on and try to make yourself as visable as possible. Mostly Monday to Firday nowadays and a good look at the NOTAMs will keep you clear of the worst of it.
B = Consider the met carefully. Will be bumpy on a windy day, consider the effects of the hills on local cloud formation, always be aware of your MSA. If your worried you can get to most of the nice places skirting around the edge of the hills. Oban and the Western Isles are stunning, Great Glen & Moray Firth are very nice. Wick and further up are....interesting (The locals I mean!).
Perth is one of the nicest GA airfields around, Aberdeen is definately not...well to GA anyway. Ben Nevis is cracking....here's a video taken a few years ago:-
Basically plenty to see and enjoy! Scotland has by far the best scenery in the UK but also some of the most changeable weather and hostile terrain.
Regards
UA
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Scotland is one of the best countries in the world to fly. The scenery, the destinations and the uncrowded skies are hard to beat.
The military are seldom an issue as they are usually 250ft or less outside the exercise areas.
Flying in mountains is a skill that is often covered to some extent in the PPL in Scotland. The weather that forms over them is the biggest risk but the good news is that they can help with navigation. On a good day you can see both coasts from 6000ft. In some parts of England you can't even fly at that altitude!
And then there are the great guys at Scottish Information who can give you a very personalised service.
Get out there and enjoy it. Fabulous destinations like Glenforsa, Plockton, Oban, Kirkwall and a mass of smaller grass strips.
You can even fly seaplanes in Scotland. You need to be related to the Queen to do that in England.
Go on go on go on go on.
D.O.
The military are seldom an issue as they are usually 250ft or less outside the exercise areas.
Flying in mountains is a skill that is often covered to some extent in the PPL in Scotland. The weather that forms over them is the biggest risk but the good news is that they can help with navigation. On a good day you can see both coasts from 6000ft. In some parts of England you can't even fly at that altitude!
And then there are the great guys at Scottish Information who can give you a very personalised service.
Get out there and enjoy it. Fabulous destinations like Glenforsa, Plockton, Oban, Kirkwall and a mass of smaller grass strips.
You can even fly seaplanes in Scotland. You need to be related to the Queen to do that in England.
Go on go on go on go on.
D.O.
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Thanks for the replies guys. As a Scotsman i'd love nothing more than to be flying over the Highlands. And i agree that navigation would be easier as topography has always served me well even on the hills.
UA: That video is class. I dread to think of the thermals that accumulate from the westerly's coming over Ben Nevis!
Has anyone experienced the beach landing at Barra? May be a silly question but is there any form of differences training required to land on a beach?!
Swerve
UA: That video is class. I dread to think of the thermals that accumulate from the westerly's coming over Ben Nevis!
Has anyone experienced the beach landing at Barra? May be a silly question but is there any form of differences training required to land on a beach?!
Swerve
Highland aviation at Inverness do a beach landing course and also a mountain flying course intended for more experienced pilots. I believe it's the only place in the UK that does beach landing courses.
I just flew down the side of Hoy with my girlfriend and an instructor. 350 metre cliffs with waterfalls down the sides; seas raging below... Hard to beat. Also a fan of the oil rigs near Invergordon and the castle at Lochindorb. I'd personally tend to fly down the coast, which avoids most of the military airspace (which often isn't in use), and which means that cloud at 2000 feet is much less of an issue.
I just flew down the side of Hoy with my girlfriend and an instructor. 350 metre cliffs with waterfalls down the sides; seas raging below... Hard to beat. Also a fan of the oil rigs near Invergordon and the castle at Lochindorb. I'd personally tend to fly down the coast, which avoids most of the military airspace (which often isn't in use), and which means that cloud at 2000 feet is much less of an issue.
Last edited by abgd; 2nd Feb 2012 at 15:49.
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Nah its a bit different and alot lumpier than you would expect.
You have to make sure you keep moving even during power checks otherwise the vortex off the prop digs a hole that your nose wheel will drop into.
T/O is a bit sticky depending how close you are to the tide coming in. The surface tension sucks the wheels down which can cause a bit of a bum clincher.
And then you have the task of getting all the sand and salt off the machine when you get back.
Jump on the EZY for a weekend to Inverness and do a few hours you have everything scenery you could need within 20 mins of the airport.
You have to make sure you keep moving even during power checks otherwise the vortex off the prop digs a hole that your nose wheel will drop into.
T/O is a bit sticky depending how close you are to the tide coming in. The surface tension sucks the wheels down which can cause a bit of a bum clincher.
And then you have the task of getting all the sand and salt off the machine when you get back.
Jump on the EZY for a weekend to Inverness and do a few hours you have everything scenery you could need within 20 mins of the airport.
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No special skills needed to land on sand. There are usually enough features to help with height judgement in absence of edge markers. I've not done it at Barra but have at Sollas.
Of course you do have to factor tides into your flight planning.
D.O.
Of course you do have to factor tides into your flight planning.
D.O.
Uisgebeathamadadhrua on Youtube
I've put videos of landing at several Scottish airfields, including Barra beach, Benbecula, Broadford, Inverness, Longside, Oban, Stornoway and Wick, and Sollas beach, Dornoch, Easter, Insch, Kingsmuir, and Knockbain strips. Also of flying in the hills.
I've put videos of landing at several Scottish airfields, including Barra beach, Benbecula, Broadford, Inverness, Longside, Oban, Stornoway and Wick, and Sollas beach, Dornoch, Easter, Insch, Kingsmuir, and Knockbain strips. Also of flying in the hills.
Last edited by Maoraigh1; 3rd Feb 2012 at 14:40. Reason: Addition
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Not flown in Scotland but what's the score on weekdays with the big block of red on the map to the West, the Highlands restricted area.? Doesn't that put a crimp on the flying in that area?
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Mad Jock..
Just trying my best to take care of you!! :-)
Scottish Info gives you a very personal service. (you getting your destination wx if you want it or not :-) )
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Thing.....
Its active up to 5000ft from 1400-2200( Summer) 1500-2300 (Winter) Monday-Thursday. That said you can book in through the Mill Low Flying cell if you wish, check out the Info in UKAIP........Its there so the Mil can go blind flying at 250ft AGL....their systems know where the lumps of granite are but not the little Jodel tootling around at 1500ft. 
Not flown in Scotland but what's the score on weekdays with the big block of red on the map to the West, the Highlands restricted area.? Doesn't that put a crimp on the flying in that area?
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I loved Plockton last year...
https://picasaweb.google.com/1155379...landSpring2011
https://picasaweb.google.com/1155379...landSpring2011
The restricted area is no problem - it's hours are as stated by FBW. It is essential to read the Notams, however, for ground attack and high level parachute areas, and occasional rescue searches. Small areas, but essential to avoid. (The little Jodel stays out of the HRA during it's active hours, and away from temporary notamed areas, FBW.)
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Done Barra and Sollas (with Dont Overfill). Nothing too different about Barra, just remember to wait until the tide goes out 
According to the Fireman there the beach at Barra is like concrete and you could drive a 40 ton truck across it. The only slight challenge is indentifying what counts for the notional runways. There are poles at either end to help lining up but not easy to see.
Other than that my advice would be to head west. Coll and Colonsay are fabulous. As is Glenforsa, Plockton and Oban.
Barra Beach Landing - YouTube
According to the Fireman there the beach at Barra is like concrete and you could drive a 40 ton truck across it. The only slight challenge is indentifying what counts for the notional runways. There are poles at either end to help lining up but not easy to see.
Other than that my advice would be to head west. Coll and Colonsay are fabulous. As is Glenforsa, Plockton and Oban.
Barra Beach Landing - YouTube