Prestwick - IR test routes
 

who you doing your I.R with?

is the flight centre starting to re-do them?

I haven't decided yet. It looks like a possibility.

Im not sure if the flight centre are doing it anymore. I have not heard of anybody going through since 2005 but I could be wrong. Tayflite seem to be the only school that offer the IR in Scotland.

NWF

Surely someone out there has a good idea what the
usual IR routes were?

Why does it really matter over the route you take? the training should prepare you fly any IR route but I would think places like Dundee, Newcastle, Teeside or maybe even the IOM are all plausiable destinations for approaches etc...

Whoever you decide to do your IR training with will undoubtedly guide and prepare you for the "usual" routes used.

Alot of factors come into play ,especially who the examiner is.

I'm 99% certain that Prestwick Flight Centre is PPL only now.

It's a renewal and I haven't flown from PIK before. I believe there is only one local CAA examiner.

Surely with the PFC having done IR training in the recent past, someone definitely remembers what the most likely routes were, and with whom?

I think the local CAA examiner is based at Perth, so wouldn’t be surprised if you had to fly from there for the test. The usual routes from Perth are Glasgow or Aberdeen for the ILS, then back to Perth or Dundee for the non precision approach. But Edinburgh, Prestwick, and even Inverness are all possibilities.

Sparky Slider,

I've been preparing for Perth, but have run into a few problems. Unfortunately, it appears that Perth isn't licenced at the moment, hence (partly) my interest in Prestwick. I'm also sourcing my own aircraft, which admittedly complicates matters.

As an aside, do you (or anyone) happen to have details of the hold and approach at Perth (I can't find any published procedure)?

Thanks,

Pip.

you won't find the procedure for perth as it's not published anymore. tayflite still use that procedure for practicing non precision approaches onto r/w 21. if memory serves, and it has been a while, you fly outbound at msa on about 030 for three minutes, then a procedural turn back onto the 210 radial before descending down to mda.

to repeat what was said before, you should not try and second guess what you will be asked to do on your IR. you're training should be good enough to cope with any airport using any approach at any time.

watch out the the NDB approach at dundee!

Pip,

I think the problems with the license at Perth are sorted now. www.scottishaeroclub.org.uk/news.html

As for the approach and hold details best people to talk to are Tayflite. The hold is at 3000ft but can’t remember inbound and outbound. Procedure outbound, as GHB says, around 030 down to 2000ft, but think its 2min 30sec. Then right base turn onto inbound 210, then down to 970ft.

And yes, def watch out for NDB at Dundee! Good idea to get someone with local knowledge to talk you, or even better fly you through it.

Sparky

For your info, Perth got its licence back this week.

Glad to hear Perth has it's licence back, superb airfield--great news!

I have sourced the PIK routes I wanted now, so thanks to all who replied.

Cheers,

Pip.

Yip - I might be teaching you to suck eggs in which case please ignore:) But speaking to instructors most guys coming through for renewal haven't flown in ages and are rusty in a number of areas:-
- forgotten all the general handling (EFATO, stalls ie: HASELL checks)
- partial panel
- remembering how to decipher all the bits and pieces on the plates eg: RVR versus single pilot limitations, approach ban etc.
- forgetting the various hold entries
- forgotten the power settings for the twin and in which order all those levers get moved
- also they seem to like you to comply with company SOPS even though you might have trained somewhere else and have been taught differently

Nothing that a bit of practice on flight sim and reading over your notes couldn't sort out. Also getting hold of the aircraft/sim checklist plus the company SOPs beforehand and reading them through could sort out and save you some coin.

there is an examiner based at prestwick who can do I.R renewals. I remember a chap flying down from Aberdeen if I am correct in his own saratoga doing his I.R

All I can say is, the examiner has VERY high standards!

Best of luck

Pot & 330,

Thanks for your thoughts, I'll be contacting you both via PM.

Cheers,

Pip.