Well the day did not start too well for either crew
really. I got to North Weald early to file flight plans and customs forms
only to be advised that 12 hours notice was required for the Channel
Islands. To no avail I protested “it does not say anything in Pooleys”!!
OK what are the chances of Special Branch showing any interest in us? (More
later) Let’s file and take the chance, they probably don’t read half the
forms they receive.
All done, it’s over to Area 51 to wait for the plane to be brought out of
the hanger. It all seemed surprisingly quiet. One of the engineers in
another hanger reveals that because the long runway is shut, and there are
mostly jets in my hanger, there is no one in today to open up. Steve and I
hold our heads in our hands. The best day for flying in four weeks, and we
can’t get the bloody plane out. We retire to the squadron for a cup of tea
to console ourselves, and to work out what to tell Rob.
Long story, short. Midway through the call to Rob, it transpires that all is
not well at Andrewsfield either. Rob’s passenger Kiran has missed the train
station and is now on his way to the airfield in a cab, then a bolt from the
blue. Alan from the Squadron, shouts to us, “Phil has found a set of keys to
the hanger”. If CC is not to far back, he will try to get her out. Whoopee,
a chance! We finish our teas and race back to the hanger. Hooray; she is
only two planes back!! Cinderella, will get to the ball, (figuratively
speaking).
Walkaround done, phone for PPR, Alderney weather is fine, quick call to Rob.
Kiran has arrived they are fuelled up (again more later), that’s it let’s
go!! What can possibly go wrong now? So despite all the mornings’ problems,
we are going to make it to Alderney!
While Steve, P1 for the outward flight, is doing the power checks, I am
trying, with the help of the manual, to put a full flight plan for the whole
trip into the G1000. Steve is concerned as he has never experienced so
little conversation from me. Then with a final push of a button there she
is, our first full flight plan. We only have the autopilot to learn now!!
Oh, and user waypoints.
Seaford, a view much ignored in G-ASUD. Newhaven, something to do whilst waiting for ....
Both aircraft depart from their respective fields and
we are on our way, the visibility is the best it’s been for week’s (50km at
least). It soon became clear however that another pilot’s day had started
much worse than ours; he had become lost and “busted” the Gatwick approach
and was now asking for a steer to Mayfield VOR, this was very worrying as
his final destination was Geneva!! Then we took a deep breath as Farnborough
notified the unfortunate pilot that Gatwick were reporting him for a major
zone infringement. The last we heard of him was when he asked, mid channel
for a steer to Le Touquet.
CC is just short of Seaford when Farnborough call ASUD to say they have a
message from Andrewsfield. Rob say’s “go ahead” message is, “nose wheel
securing nut found at pumps where you fuelled up this morning, do you have
all three wheels”?!! Silly question for an aircraft with two IT chaps
aboard, it’s obviously a hardware problem!!
The cool, calm and collected aviators of GASUD. Off to Shoreham then.
After a couple of seconds Rob laughed, then said “I
don't know”..... after the call had sunk in. I called Farnborough and asked
if ASUD would like us to orbit over Seaford, for them to catch up and have
us give them a visual check. (I can count to three). They agreed and
Farnborough gave us a steer to intercept. I checked, and yes all three
wheels were present and correct and they looked to be properly attached. Rob
then decided to divert to Shoreham for a thorough check. He landed there
safely, with various fire trucks and ambulances following him down the
runway. We carried on to Alderney. As we headed out towards the Isle of
Wight we heard another first on the radio: Red 10 called on his way to
Goodwood in preparation for the Red Arrows display there later in the day.
Sadly he was only in a Squirrel helicopter.
Coasting out over St Catherine’s Point we headed for the illusive Ortac
reporting point, some 50 miles of sea away, there are normally lots of
frantic glances at the temps and pressure gauges where large area’s of water
are concerned, but Steve trimmed CC for the cruise at 3000 feet and we both
felt somehow, we ought to have more to do, but instead just concentrated on
keeping a look out.
Kemp Town, Brighton, and Marina. Selsey Bill.
On the map and in Pooleys the procedure for the Jersey
zone looks quite daunting, but after calling Jersey zone, they gave us
altitude instructions and passed us to Guernsey Approach who then gave us
airfield details and cleared us for a six mile straight in approach. They
then passed us on to Alderney tower and on short final we were advised that
Rob had just departed Shoreham, with all three wheels and would be with us
in about an hour.
Not Ortac!. Land Ho!.
Paradise. Another l'hse.
After landing, Steve & Bob decided to walk into town to
find a pub for lunch. It’s a little like going back in time to rural
England, in the 1940’s. Quaint streets with cobbled squares, front doors and
windows left open. After locating a pub, we made a quick call to Rob, who
was now going through customs and gave him directions to the pub. With two
lime and lemonades ordered, "what’s for lunch"? “Err, sorry we don’t cook on
a Sunday till the evening”!! It seems Alderney is closed on a Sunday! (Well
for food anyway), another call to Rob, “we are now eating at the café at the
airport”. Steve & Bob arrive back, and are now starving, Rob say’s “bacon
sandwiches are on the way”. As we sit outside in the sun, we feel compelled
to text some of the chaps who were sadly missing out on a great day.
The G1000 doesn't show cows.... A very pensive Kiran, perhaps not surprisingly.
We file flight plans for our journey home, re-fuelling
is another highlight, Avgas is only £1.15 a litre!! We should have brought
some spare cans!!
Both aircraft have, by earlier standards, an uneventful journey home, with
time to reflect on another fantastic flyout. Alderney is a beautiful
location and it is a very enjoyable flight, there and back. We must go again
sometime.
Monday 14th July
Special Branch arrives at North Weald to see Bob & G-RJCC and then depart to
Andrewsfield to pay Rob & ASUD a visit. As neither of us where available,
Bob get’s the phone call, knuckles duly rapped!! “Yes sir we will remember
to file 12 hours before next time”…Who was it said, they probably don’t even
read the forms??
Rob's notes, the privilege of being editor:
1) I filed my filght plan and GA report on Saturday.
Unfortunately, I did not actually specify that it should go to Special
Branch, so it only went to Customs and UK Immigration... Ho hum, sorry Essex
Police. I have a matrix of the necessary procedures which I will put up on
the site sometime... soon.
2) You will notice from the photography that Bob
spent more time looking for the perfect photograph than counting my wheels!
3) Bob took a picture of Nab Tower, off the east
coast of the Isle of Wight and told me it was the 'Illusive Ortac'. I think
that flight plan created a false sense of navigational security!
4) And most importantly, the landing at Shoreham was
a non-event. To a degree I felt like I had wasted a lot of people's time,
but the fire crew were not fussed, checked I was OK and went back to
whatever else they had to do. Shoreham also waived the landing fee. So
reflecting on this later I realise that there are an awful lot of people out
there, in the aviation support world, who when thanked shrug it off with a
'just doing my job' look. Well at times I 'just do my job' but as yet I am
not aware it has saved anybody's life. Therefore, my profound thanks to: Bob
Hall at Andrewsfield for contacting Alderney; Alderney for contacting
Farnborough Radar; Farnborough Radar for contacting me, and then Shoreham;
Bob and Steve for counting my wheels (I know it was hard guys, but the
lessons paid off, eh!); Shoreham ATC for seeing me in; Shoreham Airport
Rescue and Firefighting Service for making sure I didn't die in the process;
and Shoreham Airport for not requiring a landing fee when I could have shut
them down for the day. Like I said, a lot of people. Thank you, it could
have been so different.
[Text:
Bob] [Photos: Bob, click here for more]
