Approaching the Catalan coast there was a squall line stretching about 100-150 miles from the Pyrenees to around Limoges, tops only between F240 and F300, but a spectacular lightning show. Bordeaux ATC allowed complete flexibility and were very helpful. The line seemed to be building and not dissipating as it marched south east.
Our policy is to give convective activity at least a thirty mile berth, cells or strikes, and we took up a westerly diversion into wind of around 50 miles to get behind the line. It was a dark night so even on top you needed radar/spherics. All other traffic diverting as well, and there were flow control delays, but really appreciated the professional service from French ATC.
You could see the plough and North Star quite clearly so if radio NAV failed, ground mapping and the stars would have got us home.
RobertL18C wrote:
You could see the plough and North Star quite clearly so if radio NAV failed, ground mapping and the stars would have got us home.
I love this part :-)
Are you able to navigate with the stars ?
Hi PCV no but on this trip we were aligned – having some celestial navigation knowledge would be quite cool, but I don’t think it’s taught anymore. They used to have link celestial navigation simulators back in the day with moving constellations.
With reference to the Leatherman thread, you might find your sextant beeing treated with suspicion and binned by security.
