Two Days Out in June
A DAY OUT IN G-HALC
Several years ago, before the helicopter, Steve and I used to take HALC on days away, where we would go to airfields all over the country. Each weekend was spent on visiting both new and familiar destinations. This type of flying, where you share trips, builds both experience and enthusiasm to continue flying once the initial thrill has faded. Since both Steve and Mike earned helicopter licences and bought a rotary machine, our trips have lessened in frequency, as they enjoyed more time playing with their new “love” interest.
But helicopters need maintenance and this takes time, sometimes many weeks. As G-LADZ was out of service on such grounds, this left Steve free to spend more time on fixed wing flying and hence this latest blog entry.
June 4th - Steve had suggested flying over to Leicester where a “tea and cakes” event had been organised by a web site for general aviation. The day looked good for flying as we pulled HALC from the hangar and Steve took the left seat for the trip. We headed off down the low level route, which starts at Warrington and ends at Winsford. The maximum altitude is 1250 feet and you listen out on the Manchester Approach frequency whilst squawking 7366. This number shows on the radar screens of the controllers and they can speak to you should they wish to.
Once clear of the low level corridor, we climbed to a more comfortable altitude and navigated to the PEDIG intersection, near Tatenhill aerodrome. We established contact with East Midlands air traffic controllers and routed directly towards Leicester, remaining below controlled airspace. After an approach and landing on the short runway 04, we were soon on the ground and enjoying an excellent chilli, chips and rice in the airfield restaurant and bar, which overlooks the runways. It’s a very pleasant spot to pass time. As for the tea and cakes? We had a quick look in the portacabin they were using but there did not appear to be much happening so we were soon on our way.
G-HALC holds around 190 litres of fuel and over recent years the cost of our fuel, called avgas, has risen considerably. Our home airfield has some of the most expensive avgas in the country at £2.28 per litre, so it can pay to shop around for fuel and save a lot of money. We called Tatenhill aerodrome to ask the price of their fuel and it was £1.86 per litre. Picking up 100 litres would save us £37 over Barton’s price, and it was on the way home, so no detour required! This leg was mine, and only 30 miles or so, and I routed directly to Tatenhill, again contacting East Midlands radar as we transited beneath their airspace. I landed on the westerly runway and parked up to get fuel. We were soon full and ready to head off home with me flying again. A direct track to Winsford saw us again heading up the low level corridor, before turning to land at Barton. It’s good to be flying HALC again after spending so much of my time with other planes recently.
ANOTHER FULL DAY’S FLYING
The week of June 6th I was on holiday, and that Monday was the only day of the week where good flying conditions were forecast. With this in mind, I called Steve and we were soon set for another great day out.
As you will know, I have been flying from Blackpool for several years now. This involves me driving up there from Manchester which takes around 75 minutes each way, thus adding time to the day. After a full day's flying I do not relish the drive home. I had arranged to meet Steve at Blackpool to fly the Twinstar, but called him and said I would fly up in HALC instead. He quickly said that he would drive to Barton and we could share a few legs in HALC. Great plan!
I flew us up to Blackpool which takes about 15 minutes and we parked at Flight Academy as we were taking one of their aircraft out next. After a bite to eat, I prepared the Twinstar for flight and we were off again. I had planned a 40 minute trip around Clitheroe, the Lakes and Barrow and intended to let Steve fly a lot of it as he has his multi engine test coming up soon on this plane. I mention the towns we would be flying close to, but this trip would be under instrument flight rules where we navigate to “intersections” in the sky, defined by lat and long co-ordinates.
After takeoff we could see the cloud base was around 1800 feet, so we stayed beneath it as I handed control to Steve. He took us over his house near Clitheroe, before I took back control and climbed us up through the clouds to flight level five zero (around 5000 feet for aviation novices). Once level, I showed Steve the autopilot features and watched as it turned us on track headings very competently. Switching off the automatics near Barrow, I handed her to Steve who then took us back to Blackpool, flying visually. The clouds were now scattered and we dodged around them as we descended and headed towards Fleetwood. I talked Steve through the approach but he did well as he has been training on the Twinstar recently. He positioned us on a wide right base for runway 28 and I only took over at 400 feet to complete the landing. When he gets his test done we can share legs on the aircraft.
Steve taxied us in, we parked up,chocked the plane, and thought of where to go next.
For no particular reason, we decided to fly down from Blackpool to Sleap, in Shropshire. Back in HALC, Steve was in command for this one as we departed from runway 28 with a left turn out, heading, once again, for the northern end of the low level corridor. The weather was beginning to improve, with the clouds breaking up with higher bases now. We landed at Sleap after a relaxing flight via Whitchurch and then into the Shawbury MATZ (military air traffic zone) and on to the airfield. We filled the tanks with fuel at a very good rate, saving more money, just as we did at Tatenhill.
Weekdays at Sleap look to be very quiet despite the good weather. A cup of coffee later and it was my turn to take us on to Halfpenny Green airfield in the Midlands. This is a short flight so we extended it to fly over Droitwich, where the aforementioned G-LADZ heli is in maintenance. We spotted the landing pad easily. If you can’t fly in it, fly over it and wish you could. Really, Steve!! We map read this leg just to keep the skills alive in these days of the pinpoint navigational accuracy of GPS.
Approaching Halfpenny Green from the South, I joined the circuit from the overhead and landed uneventfully. We taxied to the parking area but soon discovered the cafe was closed as it was past 5pm. Not to worry, we were only going to consume even more coffee. A fast turn- around and Steve was set to fly us home to Barton. We left a very quiet aerodrome and headed past RAF Cosford, a deserted Shawbury and descended to transit the low level corridor. An arrival on runway 27R completed our day out.
So, all in all, a good couple of days.
Several years ago, before the helicopter, Steve and I used to take HALC on days away, where we would go to airfields all over the country. Each weekend was spent on visiting both new and familiar destinations. This type of flying, where you share trips, builds both experience and enthusiasm to continue flying once the initial thrill has faded. Since both Steve and Mike earned helicopter licences and bought a rotary machine, our trips have lessened in frequency, as they enjoyed more time playing with their new “love” interest.
But helicopters need maintenance and this takes time, sometimes many weeks. As G-LADZ was out of service on such grounds, this left Steve free to spend more time on fixed wing flying and hence this latest blog entry.
June 4th - Steve had suggested flying over to Leicester where a “tea and cakes” event had been organised by a web site for general aviation. The day looked good for flying as we pulled HALC from the hangar and Steve took the left seat for the trip. We headed off down the low level route, which starts at Warrington and ends at Winsford. The maximum altitude is 1250 feet and you listen out on the Manchester Approach frequency whilst squawking 7366. This number shows on the radar screens of the controllers and they can speak to you should they wish to.
Once clear of the low level corridor, we climbed to a more comfortable altitude and navigated to the PEDIG intersection, near Tatenhill aerodrome. We established contact with East Midlands air traffic controllers and routed directly towards Leicester, remaining below controlled airspace. After an approach and landing on the short runway 04, we were soon on the ground and enjoying an excellent chilli, chips and rice in the airfield restaurant and bar, which overlooks the runways. It’s a very pleasant spot to pass time. As for the tea and cakes? We had a quick look in the portacabin they were using but there did not appear to be much happening so we were soon on our way.
G-HALC holds around 190 litres of fuel and over recent years the cost of our fuel, called avgas, has risen considerably. Our home airfield has some of the most expensive avgas in the country at £2.28 per litre, so it can pay to shop around for fuel and save a lot of money. We called Tatenhill aerodrome to ask the price of their fuel and it was £1.86 per litre. Picking up 100 litres would save us £37 over Barton’s price, and it was on the way home, so no detour required! This leg was mine, and only 30 miles or so, and I routed directly to Tatenhill, again contacting East Midlands radar as we transited beneath their airspace. I landed on the westerly runway and parked up to get fuel. We were soon full and ready to head off home with me flying again. A direct track to Winsford saw us again heading up the low level corridor, before turning to land at Barton. It’s good to be flying HALC again after spending so much of my time with other planes recently.
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| G-HALC at Leicester |
ANOTHER FULL DAY’S FLYING
The week of June 6th I was on holiday, and that Monday was the only day of the week where good flying conditions were forecast. With this in mind, I called Steve and we were soon set for another great day out.
As you will know, I have been flying from Blackpool for several years now. This involves me driving up there from Manchester which takes around 75 minutes each way, thus adding time to the day. After a full day's flying I do not relish the drive home. I had arranged to meet Steve at Blackpool to fly the Twinstar, but called him and said I would fly up in HALC instead. He quickly said that he would drive to Barton and we could share a few legs in HALC. Great plan!
I flew us up to Blackpool which takes about 15 minutes and we parked at Flight Academy as we were taking one of their aircraft out next. After a bite to eat, I prepared the Twinstar for flight and we were off again. I had planned a 40 minute trip around Clitheroe, the Lakes and Barrow and intended to let Steve fly a lot of it as he has his multi engine test coming up soon on this plane. I mention the towns we would be flying close to, but this trip would be under instrument flight rules where we navigate to “intersections” in the sky, defined by lat and long co-ordinates.
After takeoff we could see the cloud base was around 1800 feet, so we stayed beneath it as I handed control to Steve. He took us over his house near Clitheroe, before I took back control and climbed us up through the clouds to flight level five zero (around 5000 feet for aviation novices). Once level, I showed Steve the autopilot features and watched as it turned us on track headings very competently. Switching off the automatics near Barrow, I handed her to Steve who then took us back to Blackpool, flying visually. The clouds were now scattered and we dodged around them as we descended and headed towards Fleetwood. I talked Steve through the approach but he did well as he has been training on the Twinstar recently. He positioned us on a wide right base for runway 28 and I only took over at 400 feet to complete the landing. When he gets his test done we can share legs on the aircraft.
Steve taxied us in, we parked up,chocked the plane, and thought of where to go next.
 |
| The Twinstar photographed at Kirkbride April 2010 |
For no particular reason, we decided to fly down from Blackpool to Sleap, in Shropshire. Back in HALC, Steve was in command for this one as we departed from runway 28 with a left turn out, heading, once again, for the northern end of the low level corridor. The weather was beginning to improve, with the clouds breaking up with higher bases now. We landed at Sleap after a relaxing flight via Whitchurch and then into the Shawbury MATZ (military air traffic zone) and on to the airfield. We filled the tanks with fuel at a very good rate, saving more money, just as we did at Tatenhill.
Weekdays at Sleap look to be very quiet despite the good weather. A cup of coffee later and it was my turn to take us on to Halfpenny Green airfield in the Midlands. This is a short flight so we extended it to fly over Droitwich, where the aforementioned G-LADZ heli is in maintenance. We spotted the landing pad easily. If you can’t fly in it, fly over it and wish you could. Really, Steve!! We map read this leg just to keep the skills alive in these days of the pinpoint navigational accuracy of GPS.
Approaching Halfpenny Green from the South, I joined the circuit from the overhead and landed uneventfully. We taxied to the parking area but soon discovered the cafe was closed as it was past 5pm. Not to worry, we were only going to consume even more coffee. A fast turn- around and Steve was set to fly us home to Barton. We left a very quiet aerodrome and headed past RAF Cosford, a deserted Shawbury and descended to transit the low level corridor. An arrival on runway 27R completed our day out.
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| Steve and HALC |
 |
| At Halfpenny Green Aerodrome |
So, all in all, a good couple of days.
posted by David M at 7:39 PM
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