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By: 3rd May 2004 at 09:37 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-South of Cambridge the tower there reassured me that there was only one other aircraft active in their area. B*gg*r me if it didn't appear out of the clag at a distance of a couple of hundred yards. (And a couple of hundred feet vertical separation) What are the chance of that happening?
And what are the chances of this?
Apologies Moggy, it was me. :eek:
1115hrs, just crossing the A11. We were en route to Sudbury and Abberton on a Skills Test revision session. I did see you at the last minute down to my left and actually recognised the Colt, but we literally didn't see you until a few hundred yards away. We'd literally only just come off TWR and onto APP, so didn't hear any of your earlier calls. It was worse over Colchester way, horrible day for flying but some very good VOR DME practice.
Anyway, nice to meet you again, but as I say, sorry about the circumstances... :o
By: 3rd May 2004 at 10:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Simply amazing!
But no problem at all :) There was tons of separation. I'm just sorry I didn't know it was you or I'd have given you a wing waggle.
Moggy
By: 3rd May 2004 at 12:07 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Now that is what I call a Forum Meet.
How about we all meet over Brookmans Park VOR at 1200' next time!
By: 3rd May 2004 at 12:16 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-How about we all meet over Brookmans Park VOR at 1200' next time!
Nice idea, but not for me. ;)
I steer away from all the traffic honeypots, particularly VORs and airfields. The main freedom the GPS has given the pilot is the ability to create their own waypoints wherever they choose.
Yet I can't believe the number of people who unthinkingly plug in courses from VOR to VOR and fly them with stunning accuracy confident in their conviction that nobody is doing the same on a reciprocal.
Scares the willies out of me.
Same thing with airfields on cross-countries. Why do people use them as turning points? Plan on a turn 4 miles to the right of an airfield and you can see it more easily since it is no longer under the nose, you are clear of their ATZ and most of their circuit traffic and you don't need to speak to them. How simple is that?
Moggy
By: 3rd May 2004 at 12:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-There was something in Pilot Mag quite recently suggesting that pilots should avoid the VOR "honeypots". I reckon that pilots took notice. Consequently, the VORs are now the safest places to be. :)
The place I'm going to avoid is just south of Cambridge.
By: 3rd May 2004 at 17:24 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Not all bad
The South Coast was clear of the clag that affected many parts yesterday, and gave me a chance for my first 'Lunch at Le Touquet" experience, courtesy of Graham Potts who had some spare seats in his Arrow. I was first to get my hand up! :)
Lots of pictures here for anyone who wants to see:
By: 3rd May 2004 at 19:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Simply amazing!But no problem at all :) There was tons of separation. I'm just sorry I didn't know it was you or I'd have given you a wing waggle.
Moggy
The vis was so crap, I doubt you'd have had time! :) Although if you see a Mid Anglia PA28 (probably G-BFWB) out and about on Sunday 16th, feel free to waggle. ;)
By: 3rd May 2004 at 19:48 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Yesterday I managed to get my first flight in the UK on my new licence, flew the aircraft owner around East Anglia as part of my 2 hours check ride to satisfy the insurance company, carrying out stalls, steep turns etc before carrying out some circuit practice at Eye before returning to our grass strip around 7pm. Very enjoyable and the owner is still speaking to me which can't be a bad sign. Today got washed out, even our usually dry runway has standing water (and ducks) on it.
Posts: 16,832
By: Moggy C - 3rd May 2004 at 09:05
It looked as though I was to be at a bit of a loose end yesterday. Abingdon had turned down my generous - if a bit last minute - offer to take the Colt over there for the day.
However Lofty rang and suggested a bit of airfield hunting, almost simultaneously with another chum suggesting a meet-up at Old Buck for more Mustang burgers.
When I arrived the strip was deserted. Almost as soon as I had opened the shed doors somebody appeared from nowhere (A retired M3 engineer of all things) for a leisurely chat. It started to put me behind schedule, but who cares? Schedules are for airline pilots, strip flyers just have days.
Eventually airborne, it was a horrible day for flying. Though there was a promise of clear air at about 3,500 the Colt's modest climb performance and the shortness of the leg to Bourn dictated a 1,500 ft cruise through the haze. With virtually no horizon in front it was best to leave the aircraft to its own devices, merely keeping the drum-style DI on heading and devoting the rest of the time to the scan. Because my route was through the Lakenheath MATZ I did have an RIS, so there was a margin of safety.
South of Cambridge the tower there reassured me that there was only one other aircraft active in their area. B*gg*r me if it didn't appear out of the clag at a distance of a couple of hundred yards. (And a couple of hundred feet vertical separation) What are the chance of that happening?
Bourn was effectively closed. They seemed to have given up any pretence of flying for the time being, so I selected a convenient runway and landed to see Lofty waiting at the side of the taxiway. Some guy in the shack chose to charge me a landing fee which I felt a bit over-the-top as the Piper qualifies for 'Historic' status, and hence free landings, in my book. I purloined five of their ginger nut biscuits by way of compensation.
The leg across to OB was made easier by an extra pair of eyes. We landed there to see just the Shaw Stearman and my other chum's latest aircraft. A CPL, previously much given to chunky twins, he has elected to go back to the roots of aviation (That's what he calls it, there are other opinions) with a 'basic' strip bimbling machine as seen pictured with the Colt .
Mrs Moggy arrived by Citroen. Lofty, myself and 2D set about formation Mustangs, captured on camera by Nik from the restaurant, and allowed to escape again through some fumbling with his smart card. I have to wonder now why they call it that?
A steady procession of spamcans was greatly cheered by several sorties from the Stearman and one from the Tiger. Certainly beats a Little Chef any time.
For the return to Bourn Lofty and I took a route over Bodney. This gave a chance for a low pass in front of the decaying watch tower and a good look around the surrounding area to plot surviving buildings for our next ground-based investigation.
Bourn was deserted, except for the guy valiantly scrubbing down his Cessna. He'd been at it when I had arrived five hours earlier and was just winding down for the day. This was one of those moments when the joys of group ownership become apparent; a working party of six being much preferable to a solo slog.
Another low level and awful viz transit back to LKI found me on the ground just before six. From the downwind leg I'd spotted the mower, but timed the approach so that he was at the far end of the strip. In the way of these things though, the day hadn't finished.
The guy on the mower, a 300hr + flyer decided he'd had enough of ground-based fun, and could we go for a cost-share flight?
Silly Question! :)