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G-BXBU CAP10B - appalling performance by ATC, D&D, and everybody else

If there’s one aircraft type I really wouldn’t like to be stuck over the clouds in, it’s an aerobatic type.

I toured in Cap10, the last thing I trust in it are compass and gyros, we flown it from airfield to maintenance in winter few times in marginal weather, the only reassuring thing about them is that they can land on any surface but they are not IMC types

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Graham wrote:

Ibra wrote:

While not relevant to the case here, it will be interesting to see how some VFR stuck above clouds is handled across London TMA?
It will depend heavily on the assertiveness or otherwise of the pilot. If I find myself on a sticky wicket and need entry into Alpha airspace to stay alive, I’ll be getting it.

i had exactly the same experience whilst flying down the Brenner en-route to Lido de Venedig.The reports were for cloud base to be above FL080 so I was initially planning on flying below – the highest elevation for that route is around 4600 feet (IIRC) but as I turned into the Inntal the actual cloud base began descending until it was just above me – I was flying FL065 – and I didn’t like the idea of scud running over the Brenner hence I asked Innsbruck whether I could climb through a hole above the clouds which looked to me to be maybe 2000 ft high or so. I was grateful I did as the next ATIS from Innsbruck said cloud base was overcast 4000ft….

Either way, my guesstimate of cloud tops was incorrect, I ended up VFR on top at FL100 and cruised along quite happily. Innsbruck had no issue, however Padova Approach (I think) asked me whether I was VFR or IFR and if I was VFR, I needed to descend ASAP to avoid Class A.

I replied “Unable due to IMC beneath me, am VFR but when I see a gap, will advise and descend through it, am currently maintaining track of XXX, please advise if I need to change it.”

They appeared quite happy with that; about 10 minutes later the clouds dissipated and I was able to select a hole in the clouds to descend, all was good.

EDL*, Germany

alioth wrote:

But I’m astounded that no one involved considered checking the weather over a wider area. The report mentions that Gloucester and Birmingham had good VMC, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t have to fly out quite that far to get into better conditions.

I think the point is that neither of the ATCOs he spoke to (D&D or Exeter) really understood the nature of his problem. They didn’t know (or understand) that he was a VFR-only pilot in a VFR-only aeroplane stuck above a solid overcast. If they had, they’d have assisted as you suggest – go a long way away where the weather is better.

Exeter in particular treated him as a routine weather diversion onto their ILS, despite him squawking 7700 the whole time he was with them.

EGLM & EGTN

Graham wrote:

Exeter in particular treated him as a routine weather diversion onto their ILS, despite him squawking 7700 the whole time he was with them.

When you watch Youtube clips with communications from light GA emergencies in the US, it seems as after every handover the new controller again asks the pilot to confirm the nature of the emergency. This used to annoy me – surely this information had been passed on to the new controller and the pilot had enough workload already – but now I see the point of it!

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

It looks like they all had a really bad day with a lot of assumptions, slips, mis-communications, misunderstandings etc.

EGTR

This is simply shocking on so many levels. Not only the total incompetence of ATC and D&D, but also the callous disregard for a distressed airplane. How many 7700 squawks do these ******** need??

The Flying Reporter has an episode covering this accident on his YT channel

EHLE / Lelystad, Netherlands, Netherlands

Do you have a URL, or is it behind a “supporters only” paywall?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom



EHLE / Lelystad, Netherlands, Netherlands

@Peter



Not behind a paywall, but it is normal these days for people to use things like patreon to make more money as a YouTube producer. One pays for any other services such as Netflix etc so what’s wrong with someone on YT wanting to make money for their videos?

United Kingdom
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