In these CV19 times we have to make the best of flying in our own country 
So I popped up to Scotland to visit Jacko.
The wx was unusually good all the way up to Scotland!
On the morning of departure, the IR image showed nothing relevant
and similarly for radar
Local wx was forecast good all the way through
Metar
EGKK 180650Z VRB01KT CAVOK 11/09 Q1023
EGKA 180650Z 04015KT CAVOK 14/10 Q1021
TAF
EGKK 180455Z 1806/1912 05008KT CAVOK PROB30 TEMPO 1810/1818 06015G25KT
EGPK 180501Z 1806/1906 VRB03KT CAVOK BECMG 1812/1815 07010KT
Due to the horrible airspace on this route I would have never again tried it VFR, due to the CAA’s crazy new 100% bust-them-all infringements policy which makes flying around much of the UK a Russian roulette. Most notably the Manchester-Liverpool Low Level Corridor which is basically a missile alley full of traffic, all at 1300ft and much of it with transponders turned off. Just around the corner from there is the famous Barton which has been trying to set a world record for ATZ bust MORs, with the busts dutifully supported by data from Manchester radar. I’ve done this route a few times (Shoreham to Oban, which is a little further north) but would never do it again.
So, with an IR, filing this IFR in the Eurocontrol system is a no-brainer. At FL090/100 you “just fly” all the way. The actual routes contain some FL130 bits but that is only for keeping the Eurocontrol software happy; nobody actually cares about it.
Outbound:
EGKA N0152F100 GWC DCT MID L612 WOD M605 POL N601 NELSA/N0148F130 N601 SHAPP VFR
-ZZZZ0157 EGPK -CODE/A0375B DEST/KIRKBRIDE
Return:
N0148F130 IPNOX/N0148F130 IFR N57 OLPOP/N0150F120 N57 SETEL/N0152F100 N57 POL P18 LISTO L612 HON N859 CPT Y321 PEPIS/N0151F090 Q41 SAM EGKA
The details of the above routes are usually not actually flown because you are radar vectored on headings much of the way. The routes are that way to get them into the computer in Brussels.
Departure wx was nice
Out of Shoreham, the departure clearance was OCAS DCT GWC 1443 Farnborough 134.355 and I got cleared into CAS at FL080, then a handover to London Control 134.125 and a climb FL100. Just as it should be.
This is Lasham, where old airliners are dismantled. Now it is a park for some Easyjets too
Greenham Common – the scene of the cruise missile protests many years ago
I got a DCT CPT FL080 and then FL100 early on, and vectors after that
Kirkbride has no ICAO code and appears under various EG codes e.g. EG37 in Jeppesen data, EG60 in the Autorouter, etc. It is not in the KLN94 database but it shows up on the KMD550 map below (which was last updated in 2010)
A strange old and long disused airfield with some big aerials – Barford St John. Now a US forward comms base
Coventry
Nice VFR wx but all this is Class A
Cumbria and the hills coming up
Ullswater
Kirkbride. Runway 10 today. There is just a really friedly guy on the radio who does everything including fuel. Landing fee is zero if you buy fuel, otherwise £10. The friendliest place I have been to in 2020, especially in the UK!
Nearby is another long-disused place with big aerials. One could get into Kirkbride in OVC002, by descending over the sea first, but you’d definitely want to avoid these
Final 10
Filled up. Loads of hard parking. These are 1939 hangars which amazingly are still standing. They are not used for aircraft though; some firms store stuff in them. This one was used for WW2 engine testing, hence the exhaust ducts
An interesting seaplane departed
The British flag Go north of here and you are in S-C-O-T-L-A-N-D
My friend’s Jodel. The wing loading is somewhere just above zero
On the way to Glenswinton
By Scottish farm strip standards, this is Heathrow
This one is, ahem, shorter…
Left base for Glenswinton
Short final. I could get in with the TB20 but would never get out again Well maybe in a 40kt wind…
Departing back to Kirkbride the next morning
Apparently, the locals land on these sandbanks
Right base for Kirkbride 10
Departing home again. This place is totally informal. You make your own calls at each step and keep a lookout. There were two guys flying around in a gyro
This tower tops out at over 2000ft! The pic was taken from 3000ft
I had to get onto Scottish Control ASAP for the IFR clearance, which I got quickly, FL100 DCT POL and then DCT MCT DCT HON and then London Control 130.925 and vectors all the way.
More Cumbria
Upper Heyford
The MSLP did indicate convective wx near the coast and sure enough here it is. Amazingly the bases were 7500ft, with tops maybe 15000. I was descending anyway
London Control and Scottish Control were excellent as always.
The Eurocontrol tracking breaks once OCAS.
Outbound route:
Return route:
A brilliant trip, and huge thanks to Jacko for putting up with me
Great thumbs up, not Oxford but Coventry in the photo
At least I got the correct country
First airfield is Lasham not Kemble
Peter wrote:
In these CV19 times we have to make the best of flying in our own country
Technically Scotland and England are two different countries, no?
Nice pictures How long was that strip at Glenswinton?
Very nice Peter. The UK is a wonderful place to fly, if the sun cooperates a little 
Fond memories of those sceneries when I lived there for a year.
Also good to see that there are still friendly airfields, so fundamental to really enjoy our hobby.
All corrections for place names implemented – many thanks
Everyone doing a nice trip somewhere should update the EuroGA Airport Database – I have done a report on Kirkbride here
Actually one could hardly find a better advertisement for doing the IR than a trip like this – even though most of it was in CAVOK conditions!
Peter wrote:
Actually one could hardly find a better advertisement for doing the IR than a trip like this – even though most of it was in CAVOK conditions!
While I agree in principle, this trip would have been no problem VFR in any country with a proper airspace structure and unified ATC/FIS. Sorry for once again “slagging off” the UK, but you know I’m right
Yes you are right
But not just the UK… much of Europe, starting with Italy and its extensive Class A. People forget that, perhaps because so few fly down there VFR and write about it.
The IR dramatically simplifies flying everywhere, even where VFR would work on the day.
Then ask yourself how VFR would work if you had to climb to say FL150 to get above some wx.
Peter wrote:
The IR dramatically simplifies flying everywhere, even where VFR would work on the day.
Then ask yourself how VFR would work if you had to climb to say FL150 to get above some wx.
As I said, I absolutely agree about the usefulness of the IR. It is a long time goal for me as well (realistically, a BIR will have to do) and yes, in most countries in Europe it would make such a trip much easier.
Even much more so if there is weather to avoid…
