Route: LFRD – GV – MP – KATHY – GWC - EGBJ
Up early for breakfast but the ‘mobile computing and Avbrief’ crowd were already poring over the weather. Bad news – the forecasts for Blighty were for very low cloud or fog, rain and crap visibility, BUT getting ‘less bad’ in the afternoon – probably do-able for a scud run or an IMC approach.
So we decided to go into St Malo for a wander and coffee. Dan looked destroyed and needed no further encouragement to return to his bed.
We walked into town and wandered the ramparts. The sky was solid cloud, but not very thick and it looked to me like 1500’ base. Then shopping. Timothy bought 16 or so croissants for his gang back in the UK and for reasons best known to themselves, the Teeside guys bought some animated seagulls to hand from their ceilings.
We settled down to a coffee and croissant in St Malo and watched while the clouds broke up to reveal glorious blue sky.
Having killed time, we wandered back to the hotel at 11:30 and I roused Dan. Derek (the pilot from Jersey) has a people carrier car permanently based at Dinard airport and kindly left his wife and guests at the hotel while he ferried us all to Dinard. The hydro-electric tidal barrage was up so there was a traffic jam on the way.
We got to the airport and again, Dan loaded and checked the aircraft while I filed the flight plan. I planned to route up the Cotentin peninsula and out over the MP NDB at Cherbourg using the VFR route to the Isle of Wight and then to the GWC VOR.
I rang Gloucester and the weather at Gloucester was still truly horrible, but do-able for an NBD/DME approach. I spoke to the tower who had nothing to do and only to happy for me to do an NDB/DME approach any time I liked today! Alternatively, I had the plates for both Cardiff and Filton and it was clearer in the east of the country. Anyway, if worst came to worst, I could fly all the way back to Dinard and land in bright sunshine! So off we went at about 13:30 local.
I climbed in VFR to FL50 and was handed over to Deauville Information. Half way up the Cotentin peninsula, the clear skies gave way to a broken undercast (still see some of the ground and could descend if required) and I elected to continue, as I knew we were heading into ‘not-very-nice’ weather.
By mid-channel, the undercast had become solid and I was flying VMC on top. I climbed to FL55 to abide by IFR rules and contacted London Information. They were as quiet as I have ever heard them and very helpful indeed. They warned me about the Class A airspace north of GWC at FL45 and various airways further north. I explained that on that track I would descend to FL45 for IFR rules and would therefore remain clear of controlled airspace. On the way from GWC to Gloucester, the GPS showed 100kts groundspeed – so we were hitting a 25 – 30kt headwind – oh great!
Approaching GWC, we turned and I descended to FL45 and was from then on in and out of the soup. I was in it and flying on instruments most of the time, when I was out, I was just out at the top of the layer and between another layer. I got the latest weather for Gloucester and it was pretty much unchanged – FEW007, SCT008, OVC010. However, I also heard the weather for Southend (air show) was OVC at 3000’ – so I mentally noted that if I couldn’t get in anywhere locally, I should head east.
As we trundled along, I noted some broken cloud with ground visible through holes big enough to get down over Popham. I stored this in memory in case I needed it later.
I reported at Newbury and changed to Brize Radar. Again, they were quiet and helpful. At one point I missed a bit of their transmission, but heard something like ‘multiple contacts in your 12 o’clock’. Thinking ‘who the hell would be up here in this weather?’ I asked for height information and was about to ask for vectors to avoid, when the controller said ‘no, the radar is picking up rain and showers’. Right on que, rain started spattering the windscreen but fortunately little turbulence. Dan noted some small holes around Cirencester, but I wasn’t going to try them as the ground is too high at this point.
I got the ATIS for Gloucester who were giving runway 22 in use and wind as 200/12. OK, so I can now look forward to a crosswind NDB/DME approach – this just gets better and better!
I contacted Gloucester and was offered my choice of approaches. I opted for the full approach without the hold and had to report beacon out. I descended to 3000’ on the QNH. As we closed in to the beacon, we both noted sensible sized holes with good views of the ground, but what the hell – I haven’t shot and NDB/DME for a while, so lets get some practice.
Reported beacon out and told to report base turn complete. Established on 095, I descended in the procedure to 2300’ then left rate 1 turn to establish 264. Base turn complete, I descended in the procedure. I confess, I had to re-establish 264 track twice as the crosswind toyed with me. Gear down, flaps on and landing checks complete, I was now below 1000’ with the odd tantalising glimpse of the ground. Closer now and 800’ – nearly out, then 700’ and yes – I am out. Now where the hell is the runway – oh there it is over to the right (crabbing due to crosswind threw me for a second or two).
Gloucester did offer me a circle to land 22, but I opted for the crosswind on 27.
Final stage of flaps, MP is right, PAPI’s look good, in we come. Over the displaced threshold and down. Not the most elegant of landings, but hey - we are down!
We taxi in and switch off. There is only one other aircraft flying and that comes in shortly after us. Gloucester is very quite, but a very welcome sight.
Dan unpacks while I sort out the tech log, the locker and the paperwork. The plane is a bit dusty despite the rain, so Dan sets about it with a bucket and car shampoo. We hose it down and get the worst of it off, along with all of the bug-splats. I will leave the oil and fuel for Tim to do tomorrow as he is due to take the plane up then.
We stagger with all our luggage and loot back through the terminal and the lady on the desk remembers us from ‘those crazy people that went last Friday’ and says we look a lot more tanned now.
The car is till there and we load up and drive home. Marion is out, so I start to unpack and upload the photos to the computer etc.
What a great trip! But I am tired and will sleep well tonight (after I have bored the wife to death over a beer in the pub of course)!
