dutch_flyer wrote:
He said I had entered class D without a clearance and needed to exit immediately. Since I was only a minute or so from entering the 3500’ floor, I just continued and heard nothing else about it. I had incorrectly assumed that it was the same airspace as the surface class D and therefore that I already received clearance, but in fact it is not. So this was a lesson learned for me. Here’s the flight path with my vertical path also on the bottom, and the red box around the area where I penetrated the class D shelf:
Same happened to me departing EDDG…. fortunately I was just reaching the 2500ft mark when the controller made me aware of it so was able to arrest the descent, however they didn’t request me to descend under 2000ft, just remain clear of the Delta Non CTR – which I found annoying as there were no IFR arrivals scheduled for the next hour or two…. but hey – ho, better than a Gasco letter of invitation…
This weekend I was finally able to take MTI back into the air, the Rotax needed its 5 yearly hoses / fuel lines replaced so it went to the manufacturer back at the end of January. Because of their preparations for Aero, the work was only completed in early March but poor weather meant waiting until weekend before last to collect it.
Now it was back, we decided we wanted to go shopping – so we flew to Zweibrücken (EDRZ) which is adjacent to the Zweibrücken Outlet Centre. The airport is huge, with Instrument arrivals for those who require them. Additionally, the landing fees are reasonable – I think I paid €16. However, what you also get included in that price is a lift in the crew bus directly to the fashion outlet and back again – you just call Ops, they’ll come and collect you.
On the way back we flew via Paderborn just to see some new sights but absolutely nothing was going on at that airport so then flew back home….
Felt good to be back in the air again after nearly 2 ½ months on the ground…..
Here a view of Deutsche Eck in Koblenz, where the Mosel runs into the Rhine River….
Vref wrote:
160TAS on 12GPH
Hey that’s interesting, my Comanche does about the same on that fuel flow. But this depends also quite significant on mass and balance of the actual flight.
Steve6443 wrote:
shopping – so we flew to Zweibrücken (EDRZ)
Good idea, will put that on my list.
I’ve been very busy but managed to squeeze in my weekly local at least.
The wx looked ok
EGKA 131220Z 24014KT 9999 FEW014 15/12 Q1023
TAF EGKA 131059Z 1312/1319 23012KT 9999 FEW010
TEMPO 1312/1319 23017G27KT
PROB30
TEMPO 1312/1314 BKN010
but just as I departed the cloudbase dropped to 800ft. There was a sizeable French fly-in to EGKA – a rarity! – and some of them decided to not fly back. One of them got airborne and immediately decided to return and land, which I thought was poor risk management since checking the wx towards France would have shown good wx, and a low level circuit, with the hills, is less favourable. But he probably didn’t want to bust the SFC-2000ft DAs in the Channel which in the UK attract same punishment as Class A. The layer was thin with tops of 1600ft and blue skies above. CAS base 5500ft.
I decided to depart. Had full tanks and thus loads of options. Flew around a bit above the layer, which stretched quite a bit to the west although not to the east (towards France) and only 5nm to the north
but seeing it dropping to 700ft (which I actually checked, and reported to ATC) I thought it might be wise to come back, because diverting to e.g. EGKB is such a hassle, not to mention a few hundred quid on taxis. Also my GF would have had a bit of hassle at her end.
One student pilot also got caught out and ATC were trying to help him get back in.
So I decided to be a bit of a cowboy 
Here is skirting the edge of the cloud, a few miles N of EGKA and heading west, towards the river which flows past the airport
Upon finding the river I turned left, south, along the river. At 900ft one could fly all the way back to the airport. I told ATC about that too, hoping it might help that student.
As usual, the wx improved soon afterwards
I remembered a lesson from year 2000 with one real cowboy FI (famously known on the then GA scene for some involvement with under-16 female students, resulting in his rapid disappearance c. 2003, but who was actually a really good instructor) where he showed me exactly this, albeit at about 400ft and ~1km vis in DZ, OVC005, in a C152. He pointed out the hills passing by above our level and disappearing in the cloud, and said “this is what death looks like”. I wasn’t doing anything like that but these are all tools in the toolbox.
The student made it back fine although I have no details.
160TAS on 12GPH
Sounds about similar to the TB20, at FL080 or so.
filming video for their album…
Ground portion “making of…”
LDZD
Red Arrows at LDZD
LOWG
The sun has finally arrived 26° at the airfield on Friday. Even the gliders were making the most of the weather and the gradual increase in “the pump”.
Did a couple of hours along the coast but there was a haze which made it no good for photography. But lovely flight.
i was in Italy and weather was great during the weekend, so we went to Venice for a day trip.
It’s always great to go there, very special, and the airport (LIPV) was super efficient as usual (and packed with aircrafts!).
Hazy as usual in the Po valley, got cleared to fly 5000 ft and it was a very smooth ride.
Flew to Annecy, Venice, Padova and Deuville for meetings. Some fabulous Alps crossings, east via Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn and West by the Jungfrau. Amazing weather all round, made for spectacular approaches to Venice Nicelli. Monday got. Bit tricky with Deauville weather and customs. Managed to land at Calais to clear back to the UK but 290 33 gusting 45 was sporty…. Even back in the uk it was the same, but at least straight down the pipe.
Sorry about the photo of Venice. Will try and find another.
Looks like a lot of us had a great flying weekend, now the weather is crap and we are back to winter clothes
Pretty damn awful in Norfolk…..
Carpe Diem – has to be done, but to be fair we were just spectacularly lucky with the weather.
From 27 degrees passing 5000’ leaving Venice to picking up a bit of ice at 2800’ over northern france in the same day…….
