Strange encounter in the clouds tonight
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From: Glens o' Angus by way of LA
Strange encounter in the clouds tonight
Went out for a flight tonight at 8pm, fancied climbing up to 5000 and having a mess around in the clouds just to keep my hand in. It was a beautiful summer evening, but as I entered a rather wispy cloud I see rain but nothing was hitting or staying on the windshield, it was like really dry snow??? , I turn out of the cloud and for the next 1/4 mile it continued to " fall" but appeard to be coming at me vertically when viewed out the side window, strange indeed. Finished the evenings flight by flying over a local beach town where the local RC guys had commandeered a football pitch for a camp-out and flying their machines. So nothing else for it than pull the power, drop the flaps and stop in for an excellent display of an enthusiasts 4 stroke Gypsy Moth doing aerobatics. The club members snapped some pics of the Maule parked next to there models and I was off home with no more "snow" in the clouds !!!
Last edited by piperboy84; 24th July 2015 at 23:05.
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From: Glens o' Angus by way of LA
Quote:
Went out for a flight tonight at 8pm, fancied climbing up to 5000 and having a mess around in the clouds just to keep my hand in.
VFR I presume? How does that work? It's certainly verboten where I fly.
Went out for a flight tonight at 8pm, fancied climbing up to 5000 and having a mess around in the clouds just to keep my hand in.
VFR I presume? How does that work? It's certainly verboten where I fly.
I know it is not advisable but is it illegal ?
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From: EGJJ
" So nothing else for it than pull the power, drop the flaps and stop in for an excellent display of an enthusiasts 4 stroke Gypsy Moth doing aerobatics. The club members snapped some pics of the Maule parked next to there models and I was off home with no more "snow" in the clouds !!!"
I should imagine landing on a football field unannounced was more illegal than flying in cloud!!!
I should imagine landing on a football field unannounced was more illegal than flying in cloud!!!
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From: In an ever changing place
It was a beautiful summer evening, but as I entered a rather wispy cloud I see rain but nothing was hitting or staying on the windshield,
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From: Cambridge, England, EU
So long as the aircraft is certified for IMC flight, and you have at least a valid IMC/IR(R), no.
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From: Glens o' Angus by way of LA
ak7274 Was it fun?
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From: Enzed
SRD is correct, all certs and kit in order but that does raise an interesting question, my understanding of the required equipment for IFR flight is your aircraft must have the equipment necessary to utilise (navigate and land) the navaids on your intended route of the flight, destination or alternate, but what if you only had access to an aircraft with a wet compass and a six pack and no nav radios or gps nav and just wanted to practice holding headings and altitudes in the clouds but outside controlled airspace and your take off and destination fields were reporting VFR for miles
I got the impression from the tenor of the original post that the flight was a local flight not conducted on an IFR plan nor on IFR routes and outside controlled airspace. Was I wrong?
If not I cannot see how this is a smart idea or even legal. What if some other idiot is doing the same thing in the same piece of cloud?
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From: Scotland
So you're saying the flight was also conducted on an IFR plan using promulgated routes?
I got the impression from the tenor of the original post that the flight was a local flight not conducted on an IFR plan nor on IFR routes and outside controlled airspace. Was I wrong?
If not I cannot see how this is a smart idea or even legal. What if some other idiot is doing the same thing in the same piece of cloud?
I got the impression from the tenor of the original post that the flight was a local flight not conducted on an IFR plan nor on IFR routes and outside controlled airspace. Was I wrong?
If not I cannot see how this is a smart idea or even legal. What if some other idiot is doing the same thing in the same piece of cloud?
Oh, and to piperboy, I'd guess what you were seeing was ice crystals. I've seen them myself. Quite beautiful and mesmerising.
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From: Down at the sharp pointy end, where all the weather is made.
Collision risk in IMC OCA
I think I'm right in saying that there hasn't been a SINGLE mid-air between 2 light aircraft in the UK outside controlled airspace in IMC since the 2nd World War. In fact, statistically, from a mid-air point of view, it's FAR safer to be IMC outside controlled airspace than VMC.
Of course, it's common sense to obtain a RADAR service of some kind when IMC, but not necessary to file a flight plan or follow a designated route.
The big problem with IMC, is flight into the terrain, not bumping into each other. This is where training and following simple procedures, such as being 1,000' above any obstruction within 5NM comes in. Fairly easy in the UK, more difficult in places like New Zealand...
TOO
Of course, it's common sense to obtain a RADAR service of some kind when IMC, but not necessary to file a flight plan or follow a designated route.
The big problem with IMC, is flight into the terrain, not bumping into each other. This is where training and following simple procedures, such as being 1,000' above any obstruction within 5NM comes in. Fairly easy in the UK, more difficult in places like New Zealand...
TOO
Last edited by TheOddOne; 28th July 2015 at 07:14.
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From: In an ever changing place
27/09
So you're saying the flight was also conducted on an IFR plan using promulgated routes?
I got the impression from the tenor of the original post that the flight was a local flight not conducted on an IFR plan nor on IFR routes and outside controlled airspace. Was I wrong?
If not I cannot see how this is a smart idea or even legal. What if some other idiot is doing the same thing in the same piece of cloud?
So you're saying the flight was also conducted on an IFR plan using promulgated routes?
So you're saying the flight was also conducted on an IFR plan using promulgated routes?
I got the impression from the tenor of the original post that the flight was a local flight not conducted on an IFR plan nor on IFR routes and outside controlled airspace. Was I wrong?
If not I cannot see how this is a smart idea or even legal. What if some other idiot is doing the same thing in the same piece of cloud?
So you're saying the flight was also conducted on an IFR plan using promulgated routes?
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,115
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From: Yorkshire
So you're saying the flight was also conducted on an IFR plan using promulgated routes?
I got the impression from the tenor of the original post that the flight was a local flight not conducted on an IFR plan nor on IFR routes and outside controlled airspace. Was I wrong?
If not I cannot see how this is a smart idea or even legal. What if some other idiot is doing the same thing in the same piece of cloud?
I agree with DeltaV, TOO, and ATC.
MJ
Last edited by Mach Jump; 28th July 2015 at 07:59.