ONE OF THOSE FLIGHTS......
 

Friday 15/12/00 HAD to do it-weather superb. Took dog on first flight too! He slept through most of it. Heard about Welshpool, so went for it! White Waltham-Welshpool in a straight line, climbing with the TMA upto 5000', all the waypoint timings/headings/positions worked out. Never been there b4 and the NDB just kicked in before I spotted the field from about a mile away. Interesting bottom scraping cct! Little choice on parking as most of it flooded!!
Quick walk of dog, cup of tea and choc bar + chat to a couple of old boys up from Cardiff. Then back via BCN upto FL60, over snow capped Beacons and tempted to fly down the Elan valley resevoir Dambusters style. Cardiff handed me to Filton who handed me to Lyneham while I watched a C130 3 ship formation (think they may have been Star Trek formation I heard earlier working Shawbury, join Xwind beneath me and then flydownwind and finals to land -lovely sight!)who handed me to Benson -WHAT a helpful lot -may have been because I reported flight levels instead of height? I don't know -any opinions on that?
Air v smooth and just used trim and a dab on rudder most of the time.
Awesome amount of flooding deen everywhere, actual rivers difficult to spot!
Another 2hrs 20 in the book. I NEEDED that!!

DOC.400,

Sounds great!

I was deternmined to go flying too, when I realised on Thursday that we were actually, finally, going to get some good weather. I've been trying to fly the London Helicopter Routes for months and we kept having to cancel. But this time I managed it. Went with an instructor (recommended - almost insisted on - for first time) from Shobden, down via lots of floods to Oxford, then into the London CTR at around 1500 ft, gradually descending to 750ft as you follow the Thames through central London. We thought we'd get to hold at London Bridge and look at the view, but Heathrow obligingly cleared us straight through and it was all over much too fast, even though I was trying to fly as slowly as possible. But we got to see the West end, bridges over the river, the Dome - it was fantastic. Out of the zone at the Isle of Dogs, over Croydon where I grew up, then to Fairoaks for re-fuelling us and the helicopter.

Then...wow!!!! ... crossing Heathrow at 800 ft. I really really enjoyed repeating back: "After the landing 737, cleared to cross..." Turned left the other side of runway 27R, level with another jet just taking off.

We got back 15 minutes before official night, 4.7 hours flying. I'm totally shattered - and I wanna do it all again!

------------------
Whirly

To fly is human, to hover, divine.

Both stories sound superb.... great fun!!!!

Just can't wait for the snow to arrive up here then take to the skies for a trip round the Scottish Hills and Mountains!!!!!!

However if it is a nice day I will still settle for a landscape with no snow!!! :) :) :)

Regards

------------------
Out of Calcutta...
Happiness is a dry fart

DOC.400,

When you say "DOG" do you mean a real canine?
I`d of thought having a dog in the cockpit would be a bit dangerous.What type of dog was it? Was he strapped in? What aircraft was it? How did you get a headset to fit him? I'm not having a go at you I just cant imagine having a dog flying with me being particularly conducive to safe flying.
Answers would be appreciated.

What sort of dog is he/she?
I cannot decide whether to give my Manchester Terrier a try.
He comes out with me to work and has been a regular traveller by road since he was 7 weeks old, now 6 years.
Must be good to roll up and take the dog for a walk... perhaps I should start with a few taxy trials.

B

Duke is a 1 yr old pointer X who once settled in on his duvet on the back seat, admired the veiw, and then curled up for a snooze.
Our old JR spent hours flying with us, great navigator and tail gunner, and chaser of rabbits.
We would roll up at Sandwon with kids, dog and portable bbq, and troll down to the beach -great fun.
Have dog, will travel.
it's a good excuse for a walk as find flying rather sedentary and am in need of some exercise aftyer a flight.

Whirl
Those heli routes must have been a blast -living and working in and around London for years I've frequently watched and listened to them.
Our paths must have crossed a couple of times yesterday!!
I did notice a rotary at very low level travelling west while I was working Lyneham, must have been about 3.30-4pm ish -was that you?

Awwww Bugger!!!!

These sound like fun kind of days!!!
Just reminded me what i'm missing while i'm sat in a class room for 6 months...



------------------
Hear All...See All...Say Now't.

DOC.400,

I don't think it was me, but see if you can work it out. We would have passed almost overhead Wycombe Air Park just before 3 pm, around 2000ft, heading about 315. Through Benson, just south of Oxford (town), through Brize, who made us climb to 3000ft. After that descended to around 1500ft for most of the trip - feels weird flying high in a helicopter, and I wanted a look at the floods. Got back to Shobdon about 4.10pm.

Yes, sounds like our paths must have crossed somewhere. We followed pretty much the same route down, leaving Shobdon at 11am with a tailwind, reaching the edge of the London zone an hour later. What was your route exactly?

Glad you enjoyed Welshpool. I learned to fly there, so 1500 ft circuits just above the hills seem normal to me - it's all the rest of them that are odd!



------------------
Whirly

To fly is human, to hover, divine.

WHIRL

Outbound was Henley-Benson-Witney-Evesham-Ludlow-WPL

Inbound WPL-BCN-7 Bridge-Swindon-CPT-EGLM

Can't have been you at Lyneham then!

We must meet up halfway sometime? How about Kemble? Pprune fly-in?

Regards
Doc.400 aka Lima Mike

Good idea; I like Kemble.

Anyone else wanna come?

------------------
Whirly

To fly is human, to hover, divine.

Sounds like a good reason to attempt another fly-in.

Whirly - nice TWD article in Pilot adn glad you finally got the London trip under your belt.

Yep,

I'm on for a Kemble fly-in. Popped in earlier this year: friendly bunch and great bacon butties too. Post the date soon and I'll put it in my diary.

I tried to go flying yesterday (the 97th anniversary of the first powered flight). Spent half the day looking at a fog covered airfield and then went home again. Sob!

Still, at least I know our little toy is safely tucked away in the hangar.

wazzat??? Did someone mention a fly-in?

I'll be on for a Kemble fly-in if the aircraft is free....shall I suggest Sun 7th Jan meet around 1300?

arrow 2

arrow2,

I can't make that weekend for Kemble - have to go down to London to work http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/frown.gif

LowNSlow,

Thank you for the kind comments on my article. But do you realise you've just told 23,000 people who I am?

Ah well, most of them seemed to know anyway. :)

------------------
Whirly

To fly is human, to hover, divine.

Can't go without Whirly now!!

Ok W, suggest some other dates and we will see what is most suitable to everyone. BTW I guessed the article was by you!

arrow 2

Whirly, sorry to blow the anonymity but you did mention that you had an upcoming piece in Pilot a wee while ago.....

Re Kemble, later in January would be better for moi. Any other preferences peeps?

Wherever we go, Whirly has to plan for Birmingham overhead for old times' sake ;)

Going out Christmas Eve but have to be back before airfield shuts down at 16.00.
Didn't someone mention Leicester a few weeks ago? Have I just blighted the weather for my trip? :rolleyes:

B

Beagler,

I'm afraid Shobdon to Kemble via Birmingham is just not on! Still, I suppose I could get lost again. :)

Dates for fly-in - 30th/31st Dec, 13th/14th Jan (14th best), 27th/28th Jan - all OK for me.

What about everyone else?




------------------
Whirly

To fly is human, to hover, divine.

Im on for any date - Leicester for preference.

My solo fly-in attempt to Leicester last week got as far as 200 yards down my grass strip when I went through the ice veneer at about 30knots into the bog beneath.

I now know what it feels like to be brought up short with an arrestor wire!

Thinks "Must pack waders into flight-bag for next attempt" http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/cool.gif

I am in the wrong end of the country here!!! By the time I reach the border (Scottish that is!) it will probably be official night!!! :)

Regards

Mister Geezer

------------------
Out of Calcutta...
Happiness is a dry fart

Kemble please!

Lots of things to look at.

20th or 27th Jan, or (nearly) any weekday if in advance.

Re. dog in the cockpit, I've only once been to a fly-in, and fearing I wouldn't know anyone, I took the ferret for company.

My fears were realised: nobody spoke to me. Funny that.

P.S. It did travel in its cage, otherwise the consequences wouldn't bear thinking about!

Kemble on Jan 27th sounds good to me. Or a weekday if I can manage to arrange the time off and we suddenly get good weather.

------------------
Whirly

To fly is human, to hover, divine.

Kemble on 27 Jan gets my vote.

Looks like the 27th then - 'fraid I can't come as I am away for the weekend skiing (yes, a hard life) - but enjoy yourselves. I would suggest that someone publicises it on the PPRuNe bashes forum - I would if I could but for some reason my 'puter won't let me start a new topic, only post replies to existing ones...anyone any idea why??? http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/frown.gif

Cityflyer - do you want to go?

arrow 2

Great -I'll give Kemble a ding over the next few days and find out what hangars/museums will be open then.
However, the old rule of 'how-far-ahead-you-plan-a-fly-in-is directly-proportional-to how-cr*p-the-weather-will-be' will no doubt come true!!