We flew from Inverness to Kirkwall via Stornoway in the Cessna 182, flying some more unusual instrument approaches. Stornoway has many commercial flights each day but is one of the few commercial UK airports without a precision instrument approach. Pilots don’t get a glideslope and have to interpret that based on the DME distance from the runway. Adding a little further complexity, there are two DMEs – one on the
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Scottish Adventure 2020 Part 4 – Wick
A day off from instruction allowed me to visit some friends who live near Wick. The flight there takes around 40 minutes compared with 2.5 hours by road, making that remote corner of the UK much more accessible. Wick John O’Groats airport itself was NOTAMed open, but operating with restricted hours to allow ATC to have breaks. Commercial flights have ceased completely after both LoganAir and Eastern Airways pulled out,
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Scottish Adventure 2020 Part 3 – Aberdeen and Dundee
The forecast for the day certainly was for strong winds, with a SIGMET warning covering the Highland region. Definitely a good decision not to stay in Orkney overnight. Reviewing the forecast, I thought it feasible to fly a triangle across to Aberdeen, down to Dundee and back to Inverness. We had more than enough fuel onboard not to need to land elsewhere, although I did intend to stop for lunch
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Scottish Adventure 2020 Part 2 – Orkney Island Hopping
Inverness to Kirkwall Almost five hours logged today in my student’s Cessna 182, flown north from Inverness to Kirkwall for some holds and practice approaches followed by serious VFR island hopping around the Orkneys. There’s always plenty of weather in Scotland and today was no exception, but north of Inverness looked (and was) far better. Rain was forecast to arrive mid afternoon and we had originally planned to stay overnight
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Scottish Adventure 2020 Part 1 – Inverness
A fifth share in G-CORB is up for sale! One of my co-owners has lost his medical and moving on. Click here for full details (including a short sales video) and agent contact details. This TB20 hangared at Gloucester is kept fully IFR capable so we’d be looking for a team player with at least an IR(R), interested in going places and ideally considering or already having a full SEP
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Online Flight Instructor Refresher Training Seminar
EASA Flight Instructors must revalidate their rating every three years, completing two of the following three requirements: Instruct a minimum number of hours in the final year of the rating validity period Attend a Flight Instructor refresher seminar Pass an Assessment of Competence with an FI Examiner At least every alternate revalidation must include an Assessment of Competence, which typically takes around 1.5 hours and involves a short flight, giving
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Le Touquet is back on the menu
Relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions now permit international travel, with no requirement for self-isolation on return from over 50 countries. Private pilots can once again fly to and from European countries for daytrips or longer excursions. I believe that the main limitation at present is that passengers must be from your own household although flight instruction for private pilots is also possible. I thought I’d find out for myself by flying
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Blackpool and Sherburn-in-Elmet
COVID-19 restrictions currently allow me to fly solo or with household members, and today’s flight in my TB20 from Gloucester was intended to help keep me current until flight instruction resumes. After checking which airfields were open, I decided on a double landaway at Blackpool and Sherburn-in-Elmet. I’d also transit overhead several regional airports to get a view of their level of activity. I did phone Manchester ATC to see
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North Weald, London City and Redhill
The COVID situation currently allows me to fly my aircraft in England solo or with members of my household. Many clubs have reopened to permit such flights for their more experienced members but there is no airborne flight instruction. The government advise against non-essential travel abroad. Recreational flights (except for engine health, maintenance etc.) are not yet permitted in Scotland or Wales. So as much as I’d love to fly
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Airborne again – Beach trip to Lee-on-Solent
The UK government has relaxed lockdown regulations in England which now permit solo flights optionally with members of your own household. Flight instruction is not allowed although a few commercial schools have found a workaround by locking down both instructor and students in their own household bubbles, sharing accommodation as well as training facilities, but all CPL/IR skill tests have been suspended. Engine Health Flights During the interim, AOPA UK
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