I had all the flying planned and even put in the GAR. I spoke to him the week before the trip and he started looking around for car hire and hotels. The bad news was that the dates we had chosen (and the only dates I could get the plane and he was free) was Bastille Day in France and as it was a public holiday, everywhere and everything was booked – simple as that!
So plan B – give up on France, where else did he want to go. Eventually settled on Jersey with an orbit around Mont St Michelle (outside the restricted area of course).
Dan contacted Derek F on Flyer Forum as he lives in Jersey. He gave Dan some excellent suggestions for a luxury hotel – L’Horizon at St Brelades Bay – just over a mile from the airfield. So its off to Jersey!
The firecrew had fuelled the aircraft and pulled it out of the hangar for me on Friday morning, so it was a simple case of a good passenger brief, file the flight plan and up and away. I planned the route to avoid Fairford RIAT, so the routing was:
EGBJ - BATH - WAREHAM - ORTAC – EGJJ
The weather could not have been better – forecast completely cloud free everywhere and 25 degrees. The climb out was a bit bumpy due to thermals starting on such a warm day, but smoothed out at 3200’. I was working the radios and seemed to be very busy working first Filton, then Bristol then Yeovilton. I asked about D026 as I wanted to transit that. Spoke to Plymouth Military and was told D026 was cold and transit approved. I asked for and got permission (I am pretty sure I didn’t need it) to orbit Lulworth Cove to get some photos. The boaties were out in force and anchored in the cove. Lovely view of the Dorset coast while coasting-out.
The channel was lovely and clear with a good horizon. Spoke to Jersey Zone who were all business and efficient as ever. Asked if I would accept FL45 to clear traffic holding over Alderney and I accepted. By now there were some low broken clouds at about 1700’, so we were above these and nearly VMC on top.
I explained I wanted to do an orbit around Mont St Michel and return to land at Jersey. They were happy so contacted Brest Info who were laid back as ever and let us do what we wanted. The visibility was a fair bit murkier but we spotted Mont St Michel and I descended to 1000’ and took up a gentle left-hand orbit being very careful to stay outside the ZIT established around the Mont. Opened the side window and got a couple of nice photos.
Then away and back to Jersey. They gave me a direct to right base join not above 1000’ for 09. I landed long and taxi’d to the Aero Club at the end or runway 09 and parked up. The place looked busy. We unpacked and a very helpful chap in the Aero Club arranged for the plane to be fuelled while we went on our way. We spotted Derek F’s Cherokee 6 parked up, so went and left a note for him.
The hotel was fantastic and we spent a very pleasant afternoon eating and drinking on the veranda overlooking the beach at St Brelades Bay. Had a nice meal in the Brasserie in the evening and Dan insisted as his treat that he pay for me for the trip – I think I saw the bill – he must have a second mortgage!
Next day we wandered along the beach and checked out some old WW2 fortifications. Then back to the airfield by about 1300.
The weather seemed perfect, CAVOK with a light wind at 070/16, but the ATIS was talking about windshear and severe turbulence on approach and climbout, so I took it very carefully. As it turned out I didn’t feel anything much. I suspect it was more aimed at the app[roaches to 09 which come in over a cliff near the approach end of the runway.
Once outside Jersey Zone, we were cleared to climb to 3000’ and had a glorious trip back. All of the military stuff was shut down for the weekend, so stayed with London Info until near Bristol. Bristol were great and suggested we contact Brize as were were going near the Fairford TRA. Brize were fine and had their hands full. About 15 mile south of Gloucester, we said goodbye to Brize and just contacted Gloucester and started out descent when we saw a huge B52 seemingly orbiting around Gloucester and Stroud. I am sure he was a couple of thousand feet above, me but he did look close.
Got a direct to 04 at Gloucester and landed. The weather really does not get any better than we had on this trip and the aircraft behaved very well indeed. The group should be a bit better off what with VAT free fuel at Gloucester and nice cheap Jersey fuel coming back.
Next bit of fun in the Arrow may be a local next weekend for Dan’s visiting nephew. The I really must plan a cross-channel foray with the wife to either Le Touquet or Honfleur. In the meantime, more taildragger training for me!
