I made a day trip to Antwerp EBAW on Sunday, with a couple of friends. I had hoped to join the forum meet-up in Annecy but my aircraft had been out of action with a broken fuel pump and by the time it had returned to service I had already made plans for Friday and Saturday. VFR, practically a straight line from DET, VABIK, Oostende EBOS to NIK, mostly at FL 50.
We had a lovely day out on Sunday in the sunshine, although delayed at Antwerp when the aircraft wouldn’t start after refueling. It seemed the battery was too hot (OAT 26C), as it worked fine 20-30 minutes later, which isn’t an issue I’ve had before. Thankfully a mechanic was on site (working at the aircraft restoration company’s hangar on the other side of the airfield) – the fact that he came over so quickly was much appreciated. Still, enough time for a trip into the city for a late lunch.
Interestingly, we heard a KLM flight from Norwich EGSH to Amsterdam EHAM (KLM1524) on London Information 124.6, requesting an entry clearance to CAS (the Amsterdam CTA) at MOLIX (on the FIR boundary) at FL170. This was promptly given, with a new squawk issued and a handover to Amsterdam Radar. I’m surprised that a scheduled CAT service would go via FIS for entry to CAS. While there’s no CAS once you’ve left the Norwich CTA, I’d assumed they’d get a Eurocontrol IFR squawk on the ground and a radar service (i.e. a deconfliction service, as well as a coordinated CAS joining clearance) from Swanwick Military while OCAS (see the UK AIP, ENR 1.6, para 4.2). A similar service is provided in the west by Western Radar for (among others) CAT operating OCAS to and from Newquay EGHQ. Anyway, just thought it was unusual/amusing to hear CAT on a UK FIS frequency, among all the requests for a basic service.
Met on our return by Fairoaks EGTF by Border Force (based at Farnborough EGLF) for the first time although it was my first flight abroad with UK resident ‘visa national’ (i.e. a person with a passport from a country where a UK visa is required to enter the UK), who stamped their passport. Usually, in my Fairoaks experience at least, with UK/EU passport holders, BF do not attend. No additional paperwork (such as the remote entry clearance form – there have been some posts about this) was needed; just the usual GAR. The BF officers said that if they do not turn up the Home Office will email a PDF passport ‘stamp’ to the individual concerned which is to be kept with their passport.
Dan wrote:
Maybe we can make this a weekly feature… what have you done with, or on your aircraft, this week-end?Though the idea ain’t mine (VAF), I like the concept of people showing (off ) what their activity was during the week-end.
Terrific idea. Let’s make this a weekly feature.
Let me show off my activity of this weekend: I… DREAMED of flying my aircraft. Was on vacation with my family (by car). On Saturday we had a fun day, among others we took the cable car in Bozen/Bolzano – not flying but close. Nice b’day dinner the evening. Sunday we… DROVE :( back.
I hope to have more interesting stuff to report next weekend!
Pilot_DAR wrote:
then up to the airport to check on the DHC-2 Beaver in my charge…
Interesting mix of Beaver and Hawker Typhoon! How does it compare to the original?
Norwich never hand me off to control of any sort – always London info. I assume it’s just because we are in the middle of nowhere – or of course just the usual that it’s normal for Norfolk.
