I was Quite dissapointed that nobody did opened that thread for that week-end, I had to take it…
So after many missed occasions of flying these 3 last week-ends, finally we succeed to get the Rally airborne and for a good reason.
This saturday was the day of the AFPM general meeting of year 2024, a meeting where managing team did share various yearly reports, and , as it’s also a gathering of several sub-“associations”, these was some regional information.
AFPM contains 3 sub associations:
-ASVM (for the southern Alps – departments 04/05/06)
-AFPM (acting for Northern Alps: 38/73/74
-Pyrenées (don’t remember the numers).
2023 was a pretty good years with the exception of the 2 accidents of MAlibus in Courchevel, which led to new rules from the DGAC: Now Altiport Qualification will have to be made on the same performance kind of airplane – in Short (there are also several restriction – but this is the main one).
This meeting is also an occasion to share among other concerned association of pilots and builders
-Gliders,
-ultra-lights (FFPLUM) and Moutains UL (Pole National vol montagne, based at LFNA)
-SRA (association managing the NON-CDN plane: CNRA/CNSK/… in other words, the kitplane/builders and experimental)
-DGAC (the well known send its stakeholder)
-BEA
-FFA (Fédération Francaise aeronautique)
Interesting but too much writing, It was a great occasion to fly.
RDV at 6.45 to get the rally out of the Hanger, waiting for the sun to rise a bit.
The Metar at Annecy (LFLP) was not that great, with
METAR LFLP 030600Z AUTO 36004KT CAVOK M01/M01 Q1033 TEMPO 0400 FG VV///
While at Cannes, CAVOK in Force with some good high pressure:
METAR LFMD 030600Z AUTO 01004KT 330V040 CAVOK 05/02 Q1027 NOSIG
The dominant wind was a good 20kn NNE over the alpes, I was afraid of some turbulences, but a visit of aeroweb and its “maille-fine” new feature showed almost nothing.
I have to tell that I would have taken some care on this, but it appears that this forecast model is very accurate. We didn’t exepriment any turbulence, only moderate shake on passes.
Let’s make some pictures.. I am backseat on the morning flight, I can do that:
TO at sun rise… I was amazed by the climb rate of the Rally – at a wet MTOW, but still showing more than 800fpm…
Flying around 7000ft to reach Col D’allos along the Mercantour Area. MI is trying to lost my fellow colleague – so he has to read a paper map… :D.
Passing this col d’Allos (actually not the pass but the crest southbound:
Route near Briançon Between Queyras (4000+) and Ecrin mounts.
Here we can see the “Barre des Ecrins” and Mount Pelvoux.
Then engaging the Valley of Guisane toward Col du Lautaret and Galibier. The first led to Alpes d’Huez and second toward the Maurienne.
Col du Lautaret
Not taking this one but the next hidden on the right here:
Passing Col du Galibier (2 642m)
Descending to Valloire
The we continue around Ski ressorts until Albertville and Annecy.
The Mont Blanc is not very far but still impressive from 8000ft:
Very few snow in the Alps this year, because of high temperature (2°C at 9000ft).
Finally Approaching Annecy:
Landed and parked beside an “Abeille” (D140 mousquetaire with skis), not “the Abeille” but a very respactable one.
I didn’t take any picture on the return flight as I was holding the command, and my dear MI tried to loose me again. Actually I planned a snowy route by the Col du Glandon, but he prefers the route by Grenoble, and trying to access Mens Altisurface. We did a off-the-book mountain approach the but the windsock showed a 20kn sideways wind, not very suitable for landing. We headed back to Cannes helped by this wind (135kn with the rally – that’s something for this piece of metal).
Also tickled them mountains a couple of times in the last few days… including flying by the church of Old Curon on Lake Resia (Reschensee).
I was supposed to fly to LQSA but in the middle of the flight I got “R ECU A FAIL” and after unsuccessful reset I had to return to the base. Same thing happened two years ago under similar conditions on startup (low temperature, long cranking) and it was nothing – just a short glitch in some engine parameter forcing ECU to throw failure. However, according to check list, if in-air reset is unsuccessful, landing as soon as possible is required.
Knowing that, did you consider ignoring it?
Bosco, why are u pulling the devil’s tail 
@greg_mp Fantastic pictures, if a bit too close to the terrain for my comfort.
I tried to find the “maille fine” but all it shows me is a blank map, regardless of where/what I click. Are there instructions somewhere? (also it’s confused as to whether it’s UTF-8 or Latin-1, as you can tell from the strange appearance of the word “deeeepartements”).
johnh wrote:
@greg_mp Fantastic pictures, if a bit too close to the terrain for my comfort.I tried to find the “maille fine” but all it shows me is a blank map, regardless of where/what I click. Are there instructions somewhere? (also it’s confused as to whether it’s UTF-8 or Latin-1, as you can tell from the strange appearance of the word “deeeepartements”).
Unfortunately it’s only available to desktop browser, you can’t have it working on any mobile.
Once on https://aviation.meteo.fr/accueil.php and logged in, click on prevision/observation, the last item on left list “Méteo a la carte”.
you’ll have this:
Where you can e.g. do a “coupe trajet” where you point your trip (6 points max now), the time period of the flight, and what you want in (precip, tke = magnitude of turbulences, limit layer, ISO 0, …).
And you ‘l obtain this:
With
-the high moisture area in pink bubbles (humidity item – means fog),
-red arrows as wind aloft,
-light blue lines are ISO temps,
-deep blue is the limit layer
- vitesse verticale are blue (downdraft) or green (updraft) circles – with magnitude in m/s. Nothing here, but it’s quiet during the night….
I hope that an help or training will be availble any time. This is a great tool made by very experienced meteorologists (the group that created AROME model – that incidentally are glider pilots), but still pure french production (means no spec, no help, just oral transmission of know how… Something I can just fight in my daily work at STM… :D)
Knowing that, did you consider ignoring it?
Just for a brief moment of time and then I thought how I would hate myself having aircraft stuck at LQSA with closest mechanic 300 NM with all complications of traveling/flying with tools… and then I just ditched the idea.
@Emir: you flying on Conti (Thielert) Diesels right? At the club we are told to keep the starter engaged until RPM is >500 otherwise the FADEC sends out a Failure that needs an A&P who uses the expansive Cable/Laptop combo to delete it ;)
Yes, I know that (my checklist says 600) and I’m always careful about that. In addition the starter also can be damaged if you stop at low RPM.
But i never heard of it coming up inflight…
It happens…
