This will be in short instalments as will try and figure out where some of the aerial photos were taken.
The trip was to Birr from Enstone VFR via Caernarfon, then onto a farm strip inside the Dublin CTR to visit family. I returned today straight to EGTK, and then onto Enstone.
The weather was quite good VFR but with potentially cloud cover over the Wicklow mountains, and some cloud over Wales. The main planning constraints were the shorter days and a consistent 25 knot headwind today, which reduced ground speed on the return to 55 knots.
GA in Ireland is a great experience – ATC are very helpful, professional and joined up. The flying community are enthusiastic, no nonsense practitioners with sensible common sense airmanship. The country has hundreds of airfields and farm strips, documented with great affection in a quality book by WilliamF. There is nothing like landing down in a well looked after grass strip in Ireland on a sunny day – the grass is certainly the softest lushest and most flattering of your landing technique.
While around nine hours in a Super Cub over two days is somewhat masochistic, (a Maule would have done this trip in under five hours), there wasn’t any turbulence despite the strong winds, and sightseeing on 18 litres an hour is enjoyable.
In a later post will document the logistics, and take away reflections on what decisions I might have made differently.
This being an international flight I used the online GAR with a departure from the UK from Caernarfon EGCK. This also allowed filling the tanks before setting off across the Irish Sea. I couldn’t figure out why the online GAR does not give your outbound destination or inbound departure, so ended up sending a GAR via e mail (which can be filled in on the iPhone, but the iPad couldn’t). I also copied EGCK, call me old fashioned but belt and braces on these notifications was good for piece of mind. Apparently, the notice period for travel to Ireland has been reduced to 12 hours from 24 hours (EGTK Oxford advised me of this subsequently).
Weather was good VFR although some Prob30 mist and fog in the early morning. Plan was for an 0800 departure to not arrive too early at Caernarfon (0900 opening). Being aviation actual departure was 0830, with a mild crosswind enroute. This would allow a visit and stop at Birr and arrival at the farm strip near Dublin with plenty of time before nightfall. The Super Cub is no electrics, so no lights, no night, although a 12v motorcycle battery supplies a COM and TXP. On a long away flight you need to manage battery use and the battery was fully charged when setting off.
This is the view SE of Ludlow at a solid 80 KTAS which is a good result in the SC.
Around 20nm further along south abeam the Long Mynd gliding site which was not active. This looks a lovely gliding field up on a ridge, must be worth further investigation.
Starting to approach the higher ground in Wales, from South of Welshpool and then routing towards Porthmadog. Welshpool looked underwater.
This part of North Wales has some 3,000 feet elevations and needs good VFR. I had listened to Oxford and Shawbury but picked up basic service from Valley with a squawk.
Caernarfon refuelling was very efficient but had to pass on buying some tea and a scone as the cafe was busy. This leg was 01:45 which worked out at 76 knots ground speed.
The SC ready to launch towards Ireland.
Brilliant, keep it coming!
I was amazed by how little fuel it took to get from Caernarfon to Birr. 25 Litres of Avgas for that leg.
I need 25 litres to get from the pumps to the runway! ;-)
WilliamF wrote:
I was amazed by how little fuel it took to get from Caernarfon to Birr. 25 Litres of Avgas for that leg.
Continental C90 burns 18 litres an hour and the wind was out of the east :-)
The flight across the Irish Sea did indeed have a nice tailwind of 10 knots plus, resulting in 90 knots plus ground speed – warp speed zone in a Cub.
D201 was cold and Valley provided a service – crossing was at altitude 4500 feet with some few scattered SCu.
There doesn’t appear to be much, if any, coordination with Dublin. I was given the wrong frequency on handover, but Dublin ATC were very helpful and I was asked to not be above 2000 feet and route Newcastle County Wicklow. There is a Newcastle in Northern Ireland, hence adding the county.
Coasting in over EINC Newcastle.
I stayed with Dublin over the Wicklow mountains until I passed Kilrush, and then went NORDO for battery conservation.
Time to Birr was only 1:30 with a groundspeed of 92 knots, with 40 minutes overwater. I have a LJ and PLB, and when I lived in Ireland would swim at forty foot, but 40 minutes over the Irish sea requires a certain belief in Messrs. Continental, Norvic and my friends at MK Aero.
Birr is a wonderful town, not least being base for WilliamF and a collection of very nice aircraft. For nearly a century it had the largest telescope in the world and was accordingly a world centre for astronomy. The philanthropic Earl of Rosse built it in his castle, and it is still an important attraction. But I didn’t have the time to enjoy it, an overnight visit may be required. William took me to see the town and get a bite in a very nice deli.
https://birrcastle.com/telescope-astronomy/
In addition to kind hospitality, with WilliamF helping sort some fuel, a couple of photos of a nice Aeronca Sedan based at Birr. Fuel uptake was 25 litres which works out at 17 litres per hour. There is an immaculate C-65 Luscombe based at Birr courtesy of WilliamF’s engineering base, which will outperform the SC on miles per gallon, sipping at 13/14 litres per hour at 85 KTAS.
Here is the Luscombe interior, and in the background the classic 206 being brought to better than new by WF’s team.
The last shot is the SC with the Sedan. The Sedans are still sought after in places like Alaska where they are still used year round, on floats and skis.
Thanks for the post, impressive 9h in 2 days !
A long SC flight in silk quality air with such nice scenery is not that boring 
Do you plan to install a heater?
RobertL18C wrote:
The Sedans are still sought after in places like Alaska where they are still used year round, on floats and skis.
Aeronca Sedans have truly cavernous amounts of room inside, more like a living room than a plane! And they perform well. IIRC they have some AD issues but are regardless in demand.
Lovely pics.
Ireland is really beautiful.
I normally pop over there once a year, and do some flying or hiking with @dublinpilot. This year I am unlikely to make it, because of the repaired cylinder and other hassles. It also needs good wx.
