Howard wrote:
Perhaps his password security is not what it ought to be and someone who knows about flying chose to do Derek a disservice.
It would certainly win the ‘Most obscure website defacement of the year award’
Any website is only as secure as the server, and to hack (almost) any server you need just the login credentials. Some sites have been “hacked” by hacking the DNS however and setting up a parallel site and pointing the DNS to that instead… that was how the CIA site was “hacked” once.
As for the statement, my initial reaction is that it was tongue in cheek because Brits are widely claimed (especially by non Brits) to be using the IMCR outside the UK. I recall one tirade posted by a well known French lady ATCO on another UK site about 10 years ago, disparaging UK pilots as blundering into IMC all over France, while fumbling with their oxygen… The whole thing sounded so silly that I thought “she” was actually somebody else (another UK forum personality) doing a windup, but she was real enough because she apparently recorded a few extra words onto the end of the ATIS at the airport she worked at, which could be checked by phoning the ATIS 
There would seem to be a feeling among French ATC that Brits often fly illegally in IMC in France, and I am sure they are right. UK pilots do use the IMCR capability while outside the UK. Flying VMC on top and discovering “holes” in just the right places is popular and safe if you do it right. French pilots have reportedly been severely warned off flying VMC on top by their club presidents, despite it being legal in France since forever and very much the envy of UK pilots. The IMCR anyway makes you a much better VFR (I mean 100% legit VFR) pilot, not least because you can fly everywhere using radio nav so no longer fumbling with maps and stopwatches. Also you will be able to fly more often which helps currency which in turn helps everything else. There have been plenty of Brit CFITs in France but I don’t recall a single one related to the illegal use of the IMCR. Most of them seem to be IR holders who won’t use oxygen or are over 2000kg, so they fly “VFR”.
Peter wrote:
French pilots have reportedly been severely warned off flying VMC on top by their club presidents
Not in my club. VFR on top is, as you correctly point out, completely legal and standard procedure in France for a long time. But I only ever used it if I was certain to find VMC to descend before the destination. So I think the objection is towards this “holes” business in France.
Peter wrote:
not least because you can fly everywhere using radio nav
The complete use of VOR was a standard part of my French PPL, as was some flying under the hood with recovery from unusual attitudes, climbing turns etc. I also figured out pretty quickly how to follow a magenta line.
Makes me remember one of my favorite jokes my instructor made during my training. “Do you see that little white hut on the hill there?” – “Yes” – “OK, fly towards it.” – “???” – “Now we have done navigation with VORs.” (the white hut was the HOC VOR)
So I think French pilots have always been trained to do VFR on top, as it is much safer, but severely warned against entering any kind of IMC. I unfortunately still find that attitude that “IFR is for the pros, dangerous and shouldn’t be taught”.
stevelup wrote:
It would certainly win the ‘Most obscure website defacement of the year award’
Maybe Anonymous has a regulatory branch with a specific interest in the IR(R).
I have spoken to Derek just now. He’s a dear old man and talented pilot….He was shocked and disappointed to hear what appears on his website. He told me that he contracted out the website narrative and design etc. to a chap in Scotland. Derek clearly didn’t check what was later written in his name. He said he would make sure it was corrected and thanked me for my call.
Howard
What? “Contracted out” the narrative of a website of such meagre content? Incredible…
Peter wrote:
and very much the envy of UK pilots
Isn’t VFR on top also legal for vanilla ppl in the UK also, since SERA?
Yes, since about 2012. But, from vague memory, only on JAA/EASA PPLs, not on the national PPLs.
I have already posted this in Another Place but as this forum has I think a rather higher proportion of PPL instrument flyers than the others, I think you might have useful advice, please.
I have had an IR(R) for six years and don’t use it a lot as it is boring for passengers and I rarely fly alone. Last week, I did make full use of it. It is small stuff compared to what a lot of you do but helpful comments from the more experienced would be welcomed please. (“Get a full IR” or “Stay below low level cloud” are not want I want to hear :-) )
So, I was at Doncaster (EGCN) visiting family using a rented PA28-181. It has a full conventional navaid fit but no installed sat’ nav’. I had elected to spend the money of going to Doncaster rather than the massively cheaper Sandtoft (EGCF) because I was on my own and wanted to use the ILS on the way in for practice. Being in Class D for departure proved most useful as we will see. Between my arrival on Friday afternoon and my departure on Saturday morning, the weather (not unexpectedly) deteriorated from perfect to marginal (for me) with cloud as low as 1200 feet AGL and rain showers. Watching the rainfall radar and forecast, I delayed my departure a couple of hours and took off under a recent METAR saying that the cloud was above 3000 feet and having observed a King Air take-off and not enter cloud until plenty high enough. However, I am not entirely stupid and was mentally prepared for IMC and had the plates to hand for Cranfield (EGTC) and Cambridge (EGSC), the nearest instrument airfields to my destination, Henlow (EGWE). NOTAMs showed Cranfield having no approaches on 03 but nothing notified wrong with 21.
My departure clearance from Doncaster was on track VFR not above 2000 feet. On climb-out, I found cloud at 1200 feet so quickly converted that with ATC to an IFR clearance to 4000 feet. At 4000 I was still in IMC, the forecast had suggested that it might be clear higher. At that point I left Doncaster CAS and they dropped me like a hot brick with “free-call East Midlands”. Climbing, I found a gap between layers at 5000, also the correct semi-circular for my track (a radial from GAM to CIT). East Midlands gave me a traffic service and occasionally would call “traffic unknown level” but being solid IMC a lot of the time, it was academic. I continued happily until East Midlands could no longer cover me. Then I had a small difficulty, how to get a radar service for me to descend solid IMC to the CIT for the Cranfield procedure. London Information tried Farnborough who reported that they could see me on radar but unable to provide a service because I was out of area. London Information arranged for Luton (not of course a LARS unit) to cover my descent, Luton frequency was busy as ever but the controller was able to advise me on contact and just before I left the frequency that he could see nothing to affect in Cranfield’s visual or instrument patterns. So, I was now over the beacon at 2500 feet and called Cranfield. His first reaction was to ask for my booking. I soon explained the situation and was cleared for the NDB 21. I started to fly (messily) the outbound leg and asked why no ILS. Glideslope unserviceable came the reply. You can use the localiser he added. So I was able to acquire the localiser and use that with the DME to cloud break at 1200 and proceed safely to Henlow. Thinking about the accuracy of my flying in the procedure and reviewing the SkyDemon track, an instructor would not have been impressed but I never felt overwhelmed (although I did ask the Cranfield controller to standby a couple of times because of workload) nor that I was in danger.
Lessons:
1. I should have called Cranfield by telephone before departure.
2. I should have asked London Information to warn Cranfield that I was inbound.
So, the above is a practical use of the IR(R). Without it I would either have been at Doncaster for a second night or have been marginal VMC at low level for an hour, far more dangerous than 5000 feet in cloud with a radar service. Oh, and it was a great flight, I am still very satisfied with it a week later. Hard work but not dangerous.
Nice one Joe.
I did something similar heading back from Lands End a few weeks back!
Just interested how you / what you said to Doncaster to convert it to an IFR clearance?
Russell
