Photos of private flying
Game of Thrones setting
Ballintoy Harbour in North Antrim, Northern Ireland. Picture by the late Bob Hamilton, taken with Nikon SLR from the DV window of my Paro in 1984. The harbour hasn't changed much since then (as it hasn't for the last 100 years) but Game of Thrones enthusiasts may recognise it as Port Pyke in the Iron Islands. It has attracted a steady stream of visitors ever since.
Last edited by Geriaviator; 21st Mar 2021 at 11:23. Reason: replace link
Intrepid photographer Billy Craig, then 16, was strapped into the front seat kneeling backwards for this shot of Torolf Sogn being launched from Newtownards. To the south is the Ulster Flying Club's superb local flying area of Strangford Lough.
Last edited by Geriaviator; 21st Mar 2021 at 12:57. Reason: renew link
Join Date: May 2001
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Valentines night flight over Dubai
One of the bonuses of being able to fly is taking your better half on a personal night flight around Dubai, bagging 3 international aiports at the same time was an added bonus!
Taken at around 11oooft.
Join Date: Nov 2017
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Was taken over Slapy dam, Czech republic
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Cessna 152 OK-BKN
Over LKBE
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Doing the San Francisco Bay tour
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Cessna 152 OK-BKN
Over LKBE
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Doing the San Francisco Bay tour
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A socially-distant hangar visit at High River, Alberta (CEN4). I went to look at the new toy that I hope to be flying later this year. This will be the fifth single-seater I’ve flown, but the first one with an engine!
A lot of other expensive toys in the hangar, including my club’s ASW-19 and DG-1000S, and a Beechcraft Travelair, belonging to a club member.
A lovely Spring day too. I wish we were flying.
A lot of other expensive toys in the hangar, including my club’s ASW-19 and DG-1000S, and a Beechcraft Travelair, belonging to a club member.
A lovely Spring day too. I wish we were flying.
Last edited by India Four Two; 28th Apr 2020 at 21:48. Reason: Photo spacing
Monday was a fun day.
On Monday, I had a great day’s flying, towing at the Alberta Fall Wave Camp at Cowley Alberta. I had forgotten how much fun it is to tow in the wave.
Elapsed time was 4.1 hours and my altitude gain was 60,000’ - 15 x 4000’ tows and I’m pleased to say everyone connected with the wave. I was particularly pleased that I launched two potential Diamond Altitude* flights. For one of them, it was his first ever wave flight and he did it in style, reaching the top of the Livingstone Block at FL280.
The day started off with blue wave and relatively light winds by Cowley standards - less than 20 kts! By the end of the day, the wind on the ground was in excess of 30 kts and clouds had developed.
The rotor turbulence also increased and at one point, I hit a -2g gust which would have bounced me off the roof, except I had fortuitously tightened my straps a minute before. However, the turbulence was mild by one of our long-time tow pilot’s standards - “The rotor is not rough unless it rolls you inverted.”
Here are some photos I took, plus one from one of the Diamond altitude flights. I’ve also include a satellite image of the area. The Livingstone Range is a 20 mile long N-S limestone ridge with a high point of 8400’, approximately 4500’ above the elevation of Cowley airfield, which is shown as the red icon on the image.
* The FAI Diamond Altitude badge requires a gain of height of 5000 m (16,400’), which means at Cowley, a peak altitude of typically 24,000’ or greater.
Mid-afternoon, looking west:
Livingstone Range, with Centre Peak (8400') at the middle right:
End of the day, looking north:
Photo taken during one of the Diamond Altitude flights. Altimeter reading 20,430' (about 16,000' AGL):
Cowley airfield is marked by the red icon, 10 nm east (downwind) of the south end of the Livingstone Range:
For anyone who would like to learn more about wave flying in southern Alberta, I can recommend:
Stalking the Mountain Wave
Elapsed time was 4.1 hours and my altitude gain was 60,000’ - 15 x 4000’ tows and I’m pleased to say everyone connected with the wave. I was particularly pleased that I launched two potential Diamond Altitude* flights. For one of them, it was his first ever wave flight and he did it in style, reaching the top of the Livingstone Block at FL280.
The day started off with blue wave and relatively light winds by Cowley standards - less than 20 kts! By the end of the day, the wind on the ground was in excess of 30 kts and clouds had developed.
The rotor turbulence also increased and at one point, I hit a -2g gust which would have bounced me off the roof, except I had fortuitously tightened my straps a minute before. However, the turbulence was mild by one of our long-time tow pilot’s standards - “The rotor is not rough unless it rolls you inverted.”
Here are some photos I took, plus one from one of the Diamond altitude flights. I’ve also include a satellite image of the area. The Livingstone Range is a 20 mile long N-S limestone ridge with a high point of 8400’, approximately 4500’ above the elevation of Cowley airfield, which is shown as the red icon on the image.
* The FAI Diamond Altitude badge requires a gain of height of 5000 m (16,400’), which means at Cowley, a peak altitude of typically 24,000’ or greater.
Mid-afternoon, looking west:
Livingstone Range, with Centre Peak (8400') at the middle right:
End of the day, looking north:
Photo taken during one of the Diamond Altitude flights. Altimeter reading 20,430' (about 16,000' AGL):
Cowley airfield is marked by the red icon, 10 nm east (downwind) of the south end of the Livingstone Range:
For anyone who would like to learn more about wave flying in southern Alberta, I can recommend:
Stalking the Mountain Wave
Last edited by India Four Two; 7th Oct 2020 at 06:23. Reason: Editorial and photo additions
Spring* is in the air in Alberta! It's gliding season again.
The Alberta Soaring Council's Scout PCK towing Cu Nim's ASK-21B two-seater XCN.
The town of Black Diamond is in the foreground and Turner Valley (home of the Western Canadian oil industry) is beyond the still-frozen Sheep River. The Rocky Mountain Highwood Range is 25 miles away. Black Diamond ground level is about 4000' and the peaks are about 8000'.
Extensive wave activity above 15,000'.
Credit: Ben Hornett
*For those unfamiliar with the Prairies, I should point out that although it's warm enough to spend the day on the gliding field, we won't see any green grass or flowers for two more months!
The Alberta Soaring Council's Scout PCK towing Cu Nim's ASK-21B two-seater XCN.
The town of Black Diamond is in the foreground and Turner Valley (home of the Western Canadian oil industry) is beyond the still-frozen Sheep River. The Rocky Mountain Highwood Range is 25 miles away. Black Diamond ground level is about 4000' and the peaks are about 8000'.
Extensive wave activity above 15,000'.
Credit: Ben Hornett
*For those unfamiliar with the Prairies, I should point out that although it's warm enough to spend the day on the gliding field, we won't see any green grass or flowers for two more months!
Not often you see a demiplane.
A follow up from the last post.
PCK has been sitting in a hangar, looking sad and asymmetrical, after an unfortunate incident involving rolling backward down a slope and colliding with a car.
The right aileron was destroyed and two outboard ribs were buckled. Luckily there was no spar damage. The wing and new aileron are back and we are just waiting for our AME to come over and carry out the reassembly.
I had never seen a Scout or Citabria with a wing off before and I was surprised by the tiny spar carry-through structure. Not much bigger than 1” square section tubes.
PCK has been sitting in a hangar, looking sad and asymmetrical, after an unfortunate incident involving rolling backward down a slope and colliding with a car.
The right aileron was destroyed and two outboard ribs were buckled. Luckily there was no spar damage. The wing and new aileron are back and we are just waiting for our AME to come over and carry out the reassembly.
I had never seen a Scout or Citabria with a wing off before and I was surprised by the tiny spar carry-through structure. Not much bigger than 1” square section tubes.
