Hebrides tour for Bulldogs
 

Hi Guys. We are two Bulldogs touring Scotland next week. Route is Kemble - Woodvale - Prestwick - Oban - Glenforsa - Skye- Plockton - Oban - Glenforsa - Lossie - Perth - Carlisle - Leeds East - Sywell - home. Apart from what is in the AFE flight guide and NOTAMs, anyone like to offer advice? We are well aware of clouds with hard centres and mountain downdrafts. We will avoid water as much as possible, but carry LSJs. We have 4 x GPS.

Woodvale and Lossie - make sure you have Crown Indemnity document with you, or expect a surcharge. Telephone on the day to check that your PPR will be honoured (things change quickly).


Prestwick - mandatory handling so try and make an arrangement with the club beforehand and tell ATC. The club was closed when I diverted in and handling was about £90 (landing fee was refunded due to weather divert).


Oban - Paul Keegan who runs the fuel operation is the local weather expert. If conditions are changeable (i.e. most of the time) he will predict a window for the short run to Glenforsa.


Glenforsa - the airfield slopes down to the Sound of Mull. Land and taxi on the 'uphill' side as it can get boggy on the 'wet' side, even though the grass looks inviting.


Skye - low level flight along the cliffs on the eastern side of the island highly recommended.


Plockton - walk into the village for lunch (20 minutes).


Carlisle - consider Kirkbride as a lower cost, GA friendly alternative.


Sounds like a great trip. Take a camera!

Listen out and report on Scottish low level common freq when away from airfields. It's used by RAF fast jets and other low level traffic.

Link:
https://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/vhflowlevelfrequencytrialinscotland.cfm

Link doesn't work, but I presume you're talking about 'Safetycom' on 135.475 which the CAA are allowing the RAF to use in Scotland only in addition to its primary purpose which is for blind calls in the vicinity of airfields which have no allocated frequency.

Check Woodvale will accept visitors - runway is in poor condition and some operations (cadet flying) are suspended though I believe others (UAS flying) are continuing.

Leuchars are very helpful. Fuel probably cheaper than Perth as well

Take Midge repellent spray.

Sherburn EGCJ 4 miles south of Leeds East has far more to offer (good restaurant, 6 runways,cheap fuel,friendly welcome) than ''Leeds East''.
(I'm biased having been based at Sherburn for 18 years).
G-XLTG

Agree with nearly all of this. At Prestwick, Prestwick Flyig Club is the cheapest place to visit (and there is a Bulldog based there) but if no-one is available to escort you there from airside, try the Prestwick Flight Centre near tower- still much cheaper than the apron and a full-time operation.

Plan to arrive or depart Oban within published hours or they might report you.

Do not miss a run up the Great Glen!

I'm guessing you want to go to Lossie because of a particular military connection but as Tall Guy said it may be expensive and inflexible. Alternatives in that area are:
Shempston Farm
Kinloss via Moray Flying Club

For Prestwick call Prestwick Fight Centre on 01292 476523 to get cheap rates on landing fees for visitors.

Forget Leeds East, Sherburn if you need food and fuel. Breighton if you only need fuel. Self service and quick.
Fuel at Perth outrageous but sometimes you have to.

New operator at Perth. Fuel 1.80 ltr which is average for the area.
Budget hotel on the airfield, maintenance and a resident Bulldog.

Hey, Bluntie, I guess it won't be your first run up the Great Glen ;) ?

I recall chasing a pair of Jags up the Great Glen on one exercise...got a bit carried away with the burners and actually saw transonic jump on the altimeter...:\

Sorry, Mr & Mrs Osprey!

Sounds like a good trip - hope the weather will be kind to you!

Wot, in a Bulldog? ;)

No, an F-4.


.........

Well they were a couple of XJ6 on the road below, so Beags in his Bulldog had to go to full power to keep up

Thanks guys for all your advice. Keep it coming. The destinations are specific: Woodvale is where XX614 started it's RAF life. We have clearance. Prestwick is where it was born. Lossie is for a big Sqn reunion, so have permissions (both Bulldogs have Crown Immunity). Leeds East (Church Fenton) is where I did most of my Bulldog QFI stuff. I am using Prestwick Flt Centre, for ease (club possibly not open), but yes it is expensive. So is 15 hours flying in a Dawg. Su is the professional aviation photographer, but Jayne in the other Dawg is very handy with a camera. Standby for blogs.

Plan now to use Kirkbride, thanks tall Guy. Plan for 8 days, expect many changes due weather.

Could have been me Beegs. Will be a bit slower this time.

According to the link, the trial ended a year ago. Is that frequency still in use?

It was still being used a couple of months ago by Lossie crews. How wide spread its use is amongst GA, I couldn't say.

I suppose we can't object to the use of Safetycom on safety grounds, but it does go against its originally intended use and extended use by military aircraft in Scotland might 'block' a civil aircraft in Scotland/North of England from using it for its intended purpose.
The RAF should have requested another frequency in my opinion, rather than 'pinching' one which many people in the civil aviation/GA community fought for many years to get allocated.

IT is still being used by quite a number of GA pilots and some military. Its effectiveness is perhaps a matter of speculation and the gentleman who kicked it all off and was largely responsible for pushing it through has long since left for pastures new.

A half decent FIS service would be a lot better and you can get a lot of that from Scottish and/or Inverness etc.

My experience is that North of the Great Glen Scottish Information (which I love) is not accessible below about 5k.

The Safety com trial I welcome, and use, as my place is 1km short of the high energy training area. Regularly RAF machines come past the house along the Glen at (I guess) 2-300 ft AGL.

Talk to Scottish Info on 119.875 as you approach the Solway Firth heading to Prestwick. We are a friendly bunch and are there to help with any info you may require. Enjoy your trip. Maybe talk soon.

Lucky b'stard. All I get is helicopters on H3.

And to rub it in a little, sitting in the garden that often puts you level with the fast jet pilots (we are up N slope some 300 ft - although you need to be quick with the camera!), though below the Herc's, who fly a little higher

Did the Bulldog tour happen in the end ? I ask because two Bulldogs , XX630/S and XX614 (?) , were photographed at Carlisle Airport on the 24 July together with a Miles Messenger .

Well the Dawgs returned ok. Hit a wall of water over the Solway Firth on the way up and diverted to Carlisle. Stobbart, as handling agents, were first class and sorted out everything we needed including hangarage. Glenforsa was fun, Plockton was short as the crosswind was interesting, Oban was Oban, Perth was helpful and Church Fenton was super. Our ride down the Great Glen was rather interesting; bit like flying down a tunnel; water beneath, rocks either side and nasty cloud above. Still, at 100 kts better than in my Jaguar. Double Skydemon and a Garmin 430W were God sends.

Hi Dave, yes it did. See my post above re the weather div into Carlisle. The Miles was there for the same reason.

ps where did you see the photos?

Thanks sharpend , scroll down past the Chinook photos ;
CARLISE airport chinook visit ? FighterControl ? Home to the Military Aviation Enthusiast

Slight snags to note, for any future reference-

Shempston is essentially not open for visitors due to its restricted runway layout and its proximity to RAF Lossiemouth; it is well within the MATZ, right off the end of the main E-W runway.

Kinloss ought to have been an easy option but is not. The Army control the base. RAF ATC is provided, intermittently, to cover Moray Flying Club activities etc. Much of MFC activity is for the benefit of the military personnel based in the area.
While no doubt an emergency landing would be permitted, generally other arrivals are not permitted, and getting off the base afterwards could take some time and careful talking! If the Bulldog pilots had a military background they MIGHt have been able to get clearance.

There's also a picture on the Carlisle Airport Facebook page.

Thanks David.