We popped out for a breakfast and I had a ‘full English’. Caught the taxi to Avignon airport and yes, it was still windy with even stronger gusts to boot! My instant reaction was that I could not take off in this, but I went into the terminal to get some weather anyway. The weather was saying basically that there would be a strong wind and I would again be beating into a headwind all the way to Genoa, but that it would smooth out and it was actually quite calm and CAVOK at my destination in the heart of Tuscany.
I went out to the plane and loaded it up and carried out a thorough A-check. While I was out there, it was clear that although the wind was solid with some heavy gusts, the solid wind was only slightly off the runway heading and the gusts weren’t that frequent – yes, I was starting to talk myself into giving it a try! I wandered back to arrivals and announced to Mazzie that we would give it a try and that if we could get airborne, we could certainly make it to our destination – maybe I need to sell the message better, what do you think?
Parked up at Avignon in a nasty breeze
However one thing was for sure, I had no intention of trying my planned inland straight line route from Avignon to St Tropez across some of the lower foothills in this wind, the chop would probably throw us around all over the place. So I was faced with an equally daunting prospect, that of trying to find a route through the tangle of controlled airspace and prohibited zones that clog the bottom of the Rhone valley as it enters the Mediterranean at Marseilles – oh for a 1-250,000 map! So I asked at reception if I could speak to the guy in the tower at Avignon. Well from the look on the lady’s face you would have thought I asked to speak to President Sarkozy of France! She said she was sure she could help me, so I said OK, tell me how I get through this mess to the low level VFR coastal route as I waved the map under her face. She blanched and said ‘I contact de tower!’ (yeah – thought you might!).
The guy in the tower was of course brilliant. I explained my problem and the impenetrability of getting through from here to south of Marseille and he chuckled and said ‘Yes, it does not look good, but ees not bad really’. He then explained that I would be routed via various published and marked VRP. First I would have to go to Avignon VPR SE (basically the Durance River) at 1500’ then contact Salon Approach on 135.15. They would route me via ME and LB VRP's again at 1500’ then pass me on to Marseille Tower for a transit of the Marseille / Provence International Airport at 1500’ across the runway centreline to the VRP S, where I would contact Provence Information who would then feed me along the various VRP’s that comprise the low level coastal route all the way to the Italian border. Well all that sounded pretty busy at low altitude (one of the ridges I would have to cross peaked at over 1500’) with a few frequency changes, but I knew once I was on the coast I was home and dry. I had done that route a few times and was quite comfortable with it.
So we bought a bottle of water for what would be a hot and long trip, put our lifejackets on and clambered in. I had already seen two other aircraft take off before me (albeit they were both nosewheel aircraft) and they both looked OK, so let’s give it a try. I started up, taxied to the hold for runway 17 at an intersection, as I most certainly did not need the full runway length in this wind, probably the same as yesterday, although this time only 20 degrees off to the left. Power checks complete, I buttoned up and taxied onto the runway. I carefully turned the aircraft onto the runway heading, applied into wind aileron and applied power, eyes fixed firmly on a point at the end of the runway and feet ready to dance on the peddles. We were up and away – PHEW! I climbed to 1500’, levelled off and went into economy cruise (for me that is about 2050 RPM, lean it back and I get about 125kts for 18 – 20 Litre per hour fuel burn. I certainly don’t want to go any faster on this trick low level navigation leg. The GPS had most of the VRP’s already in the database and I zoomed the moving map in to a scale of 3 nautical miles so I could see each of the closely bunched VRP’s clearly.
1500' max out of Avignon for a low level transit to the coastal VFR route
I made the first VRP, that of Avignon SE easily. This was easy to spot as it was simply fly SE to the edge of the Avignon zone to the River Durance. I then called Salon Approach on 135.15. I had trouble understanding him with his strong accent, he was clearly giving me a VRP, but I couldn’t quite make it out. After a few ‘say agains’, he eventually tumbled and said ‘eeet eees ze pointe to follow ze Durance reever’ aaahhhhh! Now I see it, it is Salon VRP ME. I find it on the map and the GPS, now we are in business. I report when I have arrived and he directs me onto VRP LB, still at 1500’ max. Ah! I can see this point on the map and GPS and there is a ridge directly in the way that I have to cross. I can see that we will make it over through a saddle in the ridge but the wife asks if I am sure we will cross at this altitude. Ridges look like that from aircraft, you are sure you are too low, but in reality you cross with a few hundred feet to spare. I assure her that we are fine and we clear the ridge by probably 200’.
The route through the mess of airspace at Marseille
I reach the VRP, which seems to be a small town. Salon Approach then tell me to contact Marseille Tower on 118.37 for transit. Great, I am left here, so I orbit while I change frequencies and put in a full call to Marseille. They are of course fine and tell me to head for Marseille VRP AN which will be followed by AW. It takes me minute or so to find it on the map and GPS, while still orbiting low-ish level – no pressure eh? I spot the VRP’s and head towards them I report at each. Then at AW he asked me to contact Marseille Tower on a different frequency. I do so and they explain that I am clear to transit at 1500’ and that basically they want me to go straight across the main runway at 90 degrees and right overhead the tower at 1500’ – OK this is familiar, it is unheard of in the UK, but very common in the US and when you think about it, it is pretty much the safest place to be at a busy international airport – oh this is cooooollll!
Transit approved - across Marseille Provence airport centreline
I cross the runway and head toward SA VRP. Well I obviously strayed as the Tower comes on and says that SA is virtually due south and I am headed SW. I correct and head for SA. Nearly there, one more VRP and I am on the coastal VFR route. I make SA then head for S. The Tower ask me to contact Provence Information – yippee, now I am on the coastal VFR route. I breathe an audible sigh of relief, that was hard work, but now I have done it and know what to expect, I would be quite happy to do it again. I stay at 1500’ and start the slow march from one VRP to another as I report reaching each and progressively change from one Information service to another. I am beating into quite a headwind of about 25 – 30 kts. The sea below is a bit sporty and white-capped. Having said that, at least the flying is smooth enough, no real turbulence. I don’t want to think too much what would happen if the engine quit!
Stunning coastal scenery from 1500' on the coastal VFR transit route
The VRP’s come and go, at least until I start to reach Nice, where they want me to descend to 500’ around Nice airport and keep a very close eye on my track and altitude to keep me from setting off TCAS on commercial traffic landing at Nice. If the engine failed now, I would probably only be able to get off a very quick ‘Oh crap’ on the radio before we ditched, best not to think about it eh? We start to get traffic warnings about opposite direction traffic at 12 o’clock, that’ll be the helicopters that ply their trade between Monaco and Nice then! I turn on all my lights and weave a bit left to right, both so that I can see them, but also so that they can see me. Mazzie is eagle eyed and usually spots them before I do, strong instinct for self-preservation I guess.
Lovely coastal scenery
We pass Nice and they relax the 500’ so I climb back to a dizzying 1500’ as we pass in front of the high rise and crowded Monaco. We cross the border and I switch to Milano Information and call them. No reply to several calls, but then I expected that as I didn’t get any response from them last time I was this way. So I stay on listening watch and consider my options. I am getting quite hot and although sipping water, I clearly didn’t bring enough and am starting to feel thirsty (dehydrated). My time planning is shot to pieces by this headwind which doesn’t look like letting up until we are well inland and near our destination. All things considered, a single long leg to Montecchio does not now seem like a good idea. I check Albenga (which I had nominated as an alternate on the flight plan anyway). I call them and check the wind, they are giving runway in use as 09 with the wind as 090/17 – phew, tough wind, but at least straight down the runway. That’s my mind made up, we divert into Albenga for a break, refuel, rehydrate etc.
I call Albenga and he is great, but he does struggle with my callsign of G-GDRV. I had to repeat it five times, eventually spelling it out like ‘First letter: Golf, second letter: Golf, third letter: Delta’ etc. I think he was struggling with the two ‘G’s’ at the start of the callsign, maybe he thought I had a stutter or something! Albenga is very easy to find as it sits in a valley about 4 miles inland. However, the final approach for 09 is interesting as it sits in a small and narrow valley, so as I am asked to join right downwind for 09, I decide to fly into the valley next door and cross the ridge between the two to position for final for 09. This of course leaves me high, so I side-slip a lot of this off and come in for a landing. Well the approach wasn’t good and I am a bit long and a bit fast and I am of course punished by this a gusting wind with good bounce, then another, well that was it, power on and go around, no sense in fooling around, let’s try that one again. As there is no traffic at the airfield, I fly a tight downwind and fly into the airfield valley and have to pull off a base turn that is so small that I am virtually doing a 180 turn on final. Approach much better this time and I am rewarded with a good landing. I have to backtrack as there is only one exit from the runway and that is at the threshold of 09. I ask the guy in the tower if he can close our flight plan and he is happy to do so.
Albenga airfield
We are really cooking in the sun under the bubble canopy as I trundle in to the AVGAS pumps, shut down and pop the hatch like a deep see free-diver coming up for air! The pompier does his thing under my close supervision. A chap who was sat under the tied down wing of what looks like a very nice N registration PA18 taildragger saunters over and we have a chat. He is an American touring Europe and is waiting for the winds to subside so he can get into Cannes. I give him the bad news that the winds I head Cannes giving were something like 100 / 25G35, he is philosophical and says he thought he would have to wait for early evening anyway. Turns out he knows Cheltenham very well and often stays in ‘The House in the Tree’ about two miles from Gloucestershire airport. Well that makes him either a ‘spy’ working at GCHQ or more likely someone working for one of the American aerospace outfits in the locale – small world!
Parked up at Albenga while I over-rehydrated!
I park up and head eagerly into the air-conditioned terminal feeling very hot, somewhat bothered and with my tongue literally sticking to my mouth! I fo straight over to the small café counter and down a Gatorade in one before I have paid for it. I buy another while I am at it. Of course the wife tells me to sip it slowly bless her. The next one goes down in five minutes and I grab a third, that lasts about 15 minutes while I check the internet for weather.
I spot the reception desk and realise I haven’t paid so wander over. Well what a world class performance this was. I was asked a huge battery of question by the lady at the desk, many of which seemed entirely pointless. She bashes away at the computer for at least 10 – 15 minutes then prints a multi-page bill which itemises pretty much everything with a small charge for each. They didn’t record my use of the toilet for a pee, but I think that was an error on their part! I have never seen such a performance or such an itemised by for a ‘slash and dash’ – the entertainment value made it all worthwhile.
I felt a lot better now, I had gotten pretty hot and bothered and dehydrated. I cooled down a bit more in the terminal then dragged the wife away from her cappuccino and loaded back into the plane for a one and a half hour flight along the coast to just south of Pisa, then head inland to Montecchio. The route was plan:
LIMG COAST GENOA COAST LA SPEZIA COAST PISA COAST CASTIGLIONCELLO DCT MONTECCHIO
I climbed to 1500’ and reported out of Albenga via the VRP’s then switched to Genoa for a transit along the coast. They gave me this at 1500’. Once passed their airport, I asked for a transit of La Spezia danger zone and was told that was not possible in no uncertain terms (what the hell have they got in there anyway?). The weather was clear so it was no problem to climb to 4000’ and route inland to the east. The sun and heat were starting to bother me again. I had been wearing a light coloured baseball hat to keep the sun off my head and the glare away, but I was hot alright. The just past the prominent marble quarry in the hillside and descending back towards the coast at Viareggio I felt very odd indeed. I ask Mazzie for a bag of some sort, ANY SORT. I just managed to get a sick bag before I threw up energetically twice. Most of it made it into the bag, some settled nicely on my T-shirt and trousers. OK, this was not good. I felt a bit woozy for a few seconds then sorted myself out. I was also starting to feel stomach cramps. This was not a good way to fly, but I didn’t judge it to be an emergency either. I could have called a PAN and diverted into Pisa or maybe back to Genoa, but that would have been an over-reaction. OK, I felt like crap and it wasn’t pleasant for my wife, but I carried on, knowing that there were a few airfields I could go into south and inland of Pisa if I felt I had to.
I was flying OK and speaking on the radio, but very keen to get to the airfield. The stomach cramps were coming every 15 minutes or so, but I could hold them for a while. I turned inland at Castiglioncello as planned and climbed to about 4000’. I willed the GPS to move faster as closed in on Montecchio. I eyed Siena airfield carefully, it would be an easy divert, but I know I could hold out until Montecchio and I didn’t come this far to be beaten by a bit of puke on my T-shirt (it was my stomach cramps that worried me more!). I heard another forumites on the same frequency who was ahead of me, but I was closing fast. Eventually I switched to Montecchio and advised them that there was a serious pilot urgency for a toilet immediately on arrival. Riccardo replied thinking I was hamming it up, but I assured him that I was quite serious. I spotted G-AXTA landing as I was approaching. I did a semi-overhead join and made a bit of a hash of the approach being too high and too fast. Side-slipping helped, but I was too fast so did a go-around. My next circuit could be described as ‘low level’ as I hauled her around at a modest altitude and back onto final, chopped the power, pulled on the flaps and came in and landed this time. Not an elegant landing, but it did the job and in the circumstances I was pretty pleased. Montecchio airfield is a private grass strip about 800m long, but with a pretty active flying community based there (No Dan, this is not where we went last time, this is different part of Italy well to the north of Rome)
I turned around and taxied to the hangar and parked where Riccardo indicated, popped the hatch and dashed for the toilet inside at the back of the hangar. I made it OK and suffered what you could call ‘explosive decompression’. I sorted myself out and noticed that they had a shower – fantastic. I stripped off and had a cold / lukewarm shower which cooled me down and cleaned me up a bit. The T-shirt was for the bin and the trousers were for a plastic bag. Mazzie dropped some spare clothes in and I donned swimming trunks and a T-shirt and made my formal appearance to my fellow forumites and apologised for my brief but dramatic entrance. Mazzie had been busy cleaning up any spots that got onto the aircraft interior and took out the removable seat cushions for a wash at the hotel. I do NOT get any form of motion sickness and I never have, it was not that. I can only assume it was a combination of a lot of things, but maybe mainly a bit of over-heating and over-energetic rehydration at Albenga! Riccardo did ask me if I was alright and I said I would be sure I was alright when I could fart without worrying about it!
Down safely at Montecchio airstrip, I must be OK as I am taking photos again!
I was in no condition to take advantage of the wine and olives on offer and sipped what water I could scrounge and I was now dehydrated again. I moved the plane to a proper parking position and we loaded up after a while and headed for our converted convent hotel just outside Cortona. We got into the room and I got myself properly cleaned up and helped cleaning the aircraft upholstery. We didn’t actually have much time as we were going out to the big meal of the trip at Residence Serristori, a fantastic agro-tourismo near Castiglion Fiorentino. I washed my only set of trousers and realised I would just have to wear them wet, either than or swimming trunks! Fortunately, they were proper hiking trousers, so would dry quick enough, it also helped to keep me cool, that’s for sure!
Fantastic meal at the agro-tourismo
This particular agro-tourismo is quite a complex. It has it’s own airfield, with a hard and soft runway (unfortunately the runways are only 550m long and a bit too challenging for the some of the aircraft), it’s own hotel type room, a great pool and a huge agro-tourismo type eatery. The meal turned out to be by far the best of the entire trip. The pasta was exquisite and the steaks probably the second best I have ever had. I was taking it very, very easy though and sipping water with a glass or two of wine and very modest amounts of food. It is a shame as I was so looking forward to really letting rip! We all agreed that my friend Dan who was at the last Raduno would have really appreciated the evening. All for the very modest cost of EUR 35 per head – all the food, wine and grappa you could drink!
Now THAT's a steak!!!
