PPRuNe Forums - Cloud break at Luton or Stansted?

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- - Cloud break at Luton or Stansted? (https://www.pprune.org/private-flying/578880-cloud-break-luton-stansted.html)

Jetblu,

I've always been very sceptical at following "unpublished approaches" I've read enough reports of crashes whilst people try to fly "unpublished approaches" in below VFR minima conditions.

h88 - it depends where you're going. I know Northolt provide this service, and it being free of charge (at least it was a year ago). In that neck of the woods you also have: Oxford, Brize, Benson, Farnborough who will also gladly help you. If you're in trouble and you find your airfield is under minima, I would consider diverting to Southend because I like the place, call me bias though but Biggin Hill is one of the few places left where if the airport is below VFR minima (which I think they say is less than 5km visibility and cloud at or below 1000ft above the runway), they don't actually charge you the ILS fee. [plus its super easy - talk to Thames Radar, they give you vectors then finish the approach with tower / approach]

GTE - I have thought about that for a while - cheaper to fly, maybe even a little more fun! But I quite like flying longer distances, and being able to fly IFR when required (which correct me if I am wrong but I don't think you can do in a microlight?).

Hope this helps!

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Why has the UK become so... over-protective... so... over-cautious... so business driven that the friendliness has gone?

Creates jobs for 2nd rate lawyers; "Where there's blame there's a claim" and all that...

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Originally Posted by Jetblu

Going back to the OP, remember that Stapleford EGSG do have an unpublished procedure.

I've used it many times when Southend's ILS was not needed.

Yes, they do, I know... I got both my PPL(A) and my IR(R) at Stapleford. And on a single occasion when I tried to use the VOR procedure to descend to circuit height in solid IMC, my instructor told me off.

Southend generally works well, it's on the wrong side of Stapleford when arriving from the West, so I was curious about any chances with Luton or Stansted. Like I said in the posts above, I'm lazy.

On the day in question, the weather was solid VFR, though, so I managed without any approaches. And chased some orange tails crossing the Luton CTR.

/h88

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GTE - I have thought about that for a while - cheaper to fly, maybe even a little more fun! But I quite like flying longer distances, and being able to fly IFR when required (which correct me if I am wrong but I don't think you can do in a microlight?).

Long distances yes, fun in spades - but not IFR I'm afraid.

On the other hand, any microlight should trim safely down to 45kts if you need to - which gets you nowhere very quickly, but is a lot more comfortable in marginal visibility than light aircraft speeds. Most will also land in cowfields and on beaches , and fly off them again, with minimal aggro. It's just another sort of flying really.

G