IO390 wrote:
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…
I’ve landed once with a P96 microlight (2 POB) on a french grass strip where a part of it was totally under water. I had not noticed it before landing. (later I learned that the airfield was closed by NOTAM exactly for that reason – but that flight was before the times of Skydemon). During the roll out we noted the water conditions. Out of precaution I immediately turned off the engine during rollout (go around was impossible with 410 meters total runway length) and when we came to stop the front wheel broke through the grass layer and was some 30 centimeters lower down. We got out of the plane, lifted the nosewheel up out of the mud (no problem for one person when the plane is empty) and moved it to where the field was a bit more dry. No damage whatsoever. Later the takeoff was interesting and one of the closest things I’ve had in my flying life…I’ll never forget the feeling when we were decelerating on full power on such a damn short runway. But there were only some bushes to clear…
No damage whatsoever
A lot of stress on the nose wheel structure, if there was any forward motion when the front wheel was 30cm deep in mud.
Today we came back from a short trip to LFKJ Ajaccio. Due to strong head wind of up to 45-50kts we made a fuel stop in EDTD and there after the leg back to EDWF. Wheather was not so nice on landing in EDTD with broken in 400ft. Therefor I denied the RNAV/VNAV approach for rwy 36 and circling to rwy 18 and choose the straight in approach with 8kts tail. Also in EDWF the visibility was only 3km in rain. All in all a nice trip with sunny wx on Corsica.
Jeddah to Luton. 6h38M w. avg. HW of 58kts.. Notice the cabin press (3670ft) at FL430. Half the pressure of that cruising through the plateaus of Spain in an unpressurised airframe ;-)
I now hope the weather’s gonna be crap for the next few weeks… nothing worse than practicing Avionics Yoga whilst the rest of the gang is having fun with their toys outside 
Engine monitor system replacement has started…
There was a short weather break here in the western parts of Gernany today, so I took the Fuji up for a local flight. I wanted to take a few more nice autumn photos before the foliage would take its toll. Worked out well. It was windy and bumpy, but rather warm and sunny. I hope nobody minds a few more of these. Not quite up to Dan standards, but still enjoyable, I guess.
Yep, it was bit windy….
River Rhein near Bingen
A few pics taken in the Hunsrück area.
As usual, a short escapade on top.
Approaching the Rotenfels, near Bad Kreuznach.
Unfortunately, in the monent I passed by, it was partly in the shadow, but still not too bad.
The Golfclub Rheinhesen, which sits on top of a hill.
Interesting shadow patterns on the ground.
The best pics I got were actually back in the pattern at EDFZ. I was able to take these as there was no traffic.
Also took advantage of a small break in the weather view the autumnal colours from the air but also to test the upgraded brakes fitted to the plane – makes taxying (non steerable nose wheel) and braking on landing a much smoother affair, unfortunately the flight was curtailed as rain showers, heavy at times, was forecast to pass through and sure enough, just after we landed, it poured down….. but 48 minutes flying is better than zero……
Unfortunately heard about an accident involving an F172M owned by one of the flying clubs at the airfield, flown with an instructor and student onboard, which crashed Friday evening. Sadly, the student was fatally injured and we’re all crossing our fingers for the instructor who suffered life threatening injuries and was taken to hospital.
Steve6443 wrote:
Steve644319-Nov-23 17:1717
Also took advantage of a small break in the weather view the autumnal colours from the air but also to test the upgraded brakes fitted to the plane – makes taxying (non steerable nose wheel) and braking on landing a much smoother affair, unfortunately the flight was curtailed as rain showers, heavy at times, was forecast to pass through and sure enough, just after we landed, it poured down….. but 48 minutes flying is better than zero……Unfortunately heard about an accident involving an F172M owned by one of the flying clubs at the airfield, flown with an instructor and student onboard, which crashed Friday evening. Sadly, the student was fatally injured and we’re all crossing our fingers for the instructor who suffered life threatening injuries and was taken to hospital.
Bloody hell, we had two similar accidents in Portugal the last 2 weeks… What´s going on around the world.. Sad. Sorry about the one close to your heart at homebase.
Yeager wrote:
Bloody hell, we had two similar accidents in Portugal the last 2 weeks… What´s going on around the world.. Sad. Sorry about the one close to your heart at homebase.
Thanks, it hit particularly hard as the instructor was the one who signed off on my last rating renewal last year, flying that very same aircraft. I’m just sending him my prayers and wishes, if someone also wants to spare him a thought or a prayer, it would be appreciated.
My wife went out for lunch with a whole squadron of people and I got permission to skip, so decided to do a little day trip, just the two of is. Some quality time, me and OKIDO only.
I feel a little reluctant to show the pics, knowing that you up North are either water-logged, fogged-in, blown away or are suffering any other atrocities that Thor, Zeus or any other wx-Gods throw at you, but here goes anyway.
After summer is when all-day flying is lovely here. First because of the lower temps, clearer skies and second because us Aboriginals finally have the Islands for ourselves. Although I live in the boondocks, away from the hustle and bustle, I enjoy these 6 months of tranquility everywhere greatly.
By coincidence I looked at my logbook and, much to my surprise, saw that I had made 64 flights to Menorca. And I expect some applause please because every time I was able to find the island, and the field.. Time make it a nice, round and symbolic 65 then.
That many times, boring? No. It’s always just a little different and at 100 Knots you always spot something you haven’t seen before, and meet new girls. That’s ATC-girls of course.
And like folks such as Richard Bach, @Dan, and other eminent aviator/writers keep on saying: “it’s just about being in the air”.
Along the East coast where you can see a large part of the island when climbing a bit. The town inland is Manacor, famous for ? Well, Rafa N moved to a newly built mansion in Porto Cristo, see arrow:
Left the island by the North-Eastern tip:
Menorca in sight:
Along the South coast. Menorca has managed to contain tourism, leaving some wonderful nature:
Crossing the QMS of the main airport LEMH to next door San Luis LESL:
LESL aerodrome and the capital Mahon in the background. The harbor is the longest natural harbor in the Med I’ve been told. It was an important location for the Brits when Brittania ruled the waves:
On final 20, and a relaxed atmosphere as always at LESL, with locals enjoying their BBQ. Even the two policemen that showed up did not want anything else than to see my ID, for whatever reason..
20 degrees C, and just a few km to town so I decided to walk. Got a bit thirsty halfway, should have asked Juanita for a glass of water:
It’s always nice to see the influence of the Brits and the French in the architecture. Actually, there are some words that have found their way in the Menorcan version of the local Catalan lingo. A ‘blek’ is what you get when someone has hit you on the eye 
Back home via the North coast. Sun in the face and some nice haziness showing up when approaching home:
Some bonus pics from earlier visits.. While the Swiss Navy was never successful to conquer the island, their Air Force, or should I say Van’s Air Force, did a better job:
