We’ve had days and days of RASH, some strong westerlies, and some heavy rain… quite normal for the season really. The whole country is now waterlogged, and probably heading towards weeks of persistent fog…
I met with @eurogaguest today at Yverdon LSGY for the famous Filet de Perche (no, no pictures, I still dislike pictures of food, the more so on an aviation forum, but of course YMMW 
) lunch, a nice couple of short flights slaloming between the worst of showers, unlimited vis, some blue holes in the overcast, well, my kind of flying weather as I hate blue skies 
Took a couple of airborne photos to be sorted first, I’ll see if any is worthy publishing here…
Family lunch at LDOC (Eastern Croatia, nice airfield, tarmac, low fees, good restaurant) and tomorrow heading to Slovenia for some simulator classes.
Still nothing really, managed a flight in the RV last weekend and it got covered in mud (I removed the spats after seeing the accident report of an RV at the strip next door, photo below).
Strip is now waterlogged but I’m beginning work on the plane soon for the big “makeover”, so I guess TB20 flying until spring. Nice plane but can’t go upside down…
IO390 wrote:
can’t go upside down
Well, I certainly would not bet anything on that.
Add to that some other dangers… the ones that have, and the ones that will
As to that poor RV playing turtle, every time I visit a grass strip makes me realise how lucky the ones operating off a concrete runway are… the only downside being a slightly higher attention need (only for those having that pussy wheel at the back), and a higher tire wear (…).
Turning base 22 at LSGY, and as mentioned, the terrain is waterlogged. This river is on the right of the runway is normally what I’d call a creek, and it used to overflow and flood the airfield. They have now raised its banks, so that should be not happen again…
The pier and harbour of Chevroux, on the eastern shore of Lake Neuchâtel… westerlies, shallow waters, natural reserve, fall colours, all basking in a momentary shine of our star…
Overnight trip to Rouen LFOP with a couple of colleagues to see a rugby match and have dinner. Making use of my IR, which I’ve had for a couple of weeks. Used Autorouter for a route at FL100. In control airspace practically straight away from Fairoaks EGTF, over Farnborough and vectored a bit to the west before being turned south for the Channel crossing. Once handed over to Paris Control it was direct to ROU for an ILS approach. Couldn’t pay the bill there as they need to post it! ETA approx. 2 months.
Fun in the city with the rugby in the evening followed by dinner. 
Impressive cathedral … 
Back to Southend EGMC this morning due to the low cloud forecasts around Fairoaks. In IMC for practically the whole trip: fortunately the freezing level was quite high (10-11,000 ft vs. 5,000 ft yesterday). Cruised at FL090. Route roughly followed the coast to Le Touquet then north for a radar vectored ILS into Southend. Cloud base of 900’. 
Great to see a new IR being put to use. But how dud you deal with the logisitics of landing totally at the other side of London?
Indochine wrote:
Used Autorouter for a route at FL100. In control airspace practically straight away from Fairoaks EGTF, over Farnborough and vectored a bit to the west before being turned south for the Channel crossing.
What have you actually filed on your route to LFOP?
boscomantico wrote:
Great to see a new IR being put to use. But how dud you deal with the logisitics of landing totally at the other side of London?
I live in central London so getting back home by train was easy enough. I’ll go back and pick up the aircraft tomorrow.
arj1 wrote:
What have you actually filed on your route to LFOP?
Filed: N0142F100 GWC N859 DRAKE/N0142F090 N859 SITET/N0136F080 A34 ETRAT/N0130F060 DCT USAPI/N0127F060 DCT UVRIL DCT VEULE VEULE4A
Flown: didn’t fly the STAR, was straight to ROU.
I’m in the process of selling the plane (it’s going to the US for the prebuy in the next couple of weeks), and my last flights have all been incredibly great.
Today I went to Conventry to pick it up after an oil change. Good VFR for the departure, then IMC on top for a while, IFR to Lydd where it was supposedly Overcast 200 feet for a practice approach. Good views of Standsted and the Thames estuary, as well as the holding stack at Gatwick above the clouds.
After the missed approach, went back to Fairoaks IFR outside controlled airspace, the cloud cover lifted as expected to 1800 feet making for an easy return to Fairoaks at dusk.
Great to see you get an unachievable VFR flight completed by having an IR. Well done, and I bet you’re very happy. It’s a great feeling.
Bosco, I’m sure he’ll be back to confirm, but despite Fairoaks being VFR only, thus requiring somewhere like Southend, it should be possible to hop to Fairoaks just below the cloudbase. A little low but doable.
