A Winter's flight (part 3)

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Member for

19 years 9 months

Posts: 108

(Thanks for those who keep on reading! Pics at the end again)

The one with the VFR pilot that thinks he can do it

-Are you sure this is a good idea?

Silence.

How long ago did I answer this question? Or have I answered it at all? Could my "Mmm" be taken as a positive reply/decision?

We have taken off from Shobdon a few minutes ago. The snow had stopped then. The clouds were scattered to the East. The air was still grey to the South West, between us and Swansea, hidind some very high ground and most probably more snow showers. Rather than thick fog, it looked like sort of broken clouds... but seemingly getting better.

-Are you sure this is a good idea?

What have I to answer to that? Is this the kind of question likely to be voiced by someone who feels safe and enjoys herself? Hum... Didn't we say that once in the air, we would make a decision and do a detour if we didn't like it? Or is it that, maybe, I had already taken a questionnable decision before even taking off, firmly decided to fly the plan, direct to Swansea, thinking that I could do it?

Facts. Facts are good, facts are reliable things.

Fact. We're not lost. I know exactly where we are: we are overhead Glasbury. I have a VOR reporting point on my radio that I am chasing and I have a GPS to back it up. And I have planned well the flight.
Fact. The situation is definitely better in Swansea, which means that we "just" have to cross a bit of bad weather.
Fact. I can still see the ground. And I am flying above it!
Fact. I have tuned to London Information.

Facts. Again.

Fact. The visibility is deteriorating and is difficult to judge sometimes.
Fact. I can still distinguish the ground.
Fact. The minimum safety altitude on the 1/2 million map is first 3100 feet and then 3300 feet. I am currently at 3200 feet and thicker fog is just above me, unless I dodge some clouds to find "clearisher" pockets.
Fact. It now snows around us and I can see that the hills are covered with it.
Fact. I haven't spoken to London despite being tuned to it and I only mumble to my girlfriend, not reassured next to me.

-Don't you have to put the carb heat on?
-Yes... but...not...always

Note to self: explain better to my girlfriend (fiancee even) what carb heat is and when to use it rahter than saying "it's good to use when it's cold".

The space-time of my thinking has stalled in an infinite loop of questions uncomfortably answered but the aircraft is carrying on, deeper in the snow. Should I turn back? We have been in these conditions for a good 5-7 minutes. Turning back would mean going through the same thing again, screwing up the plan, when we might in fact be close to getting out of it...

Suddenly, we seem to break out to a clearer pocket of air and there is a town below and very high hills next to it.

-See, there is a town!

I'm trying to be reassuring in my tone like "Don't worry baby, I have always known what I was doing and that town there proves that we were right to venture into snow above high mountains hardly high enough".

I'm looking at my map. We are definitely along this line. Quick look at the DME. 14 miles from BCN VOR.

-We're going to circle around it, I say. I want to be sure of exactly where we are before carrying on.

Funny as it sounded reassuring to me as well, like if I was taking a decision with more airmanship than in the last 15 minutes.

A circle later, I knew where we were: overhead Brecon. And looking up towards the South West, towards Swansea, I also knew that we had definitely put the worse behind us. It was not snowing anymore. The clouds looked a lot puffier and more clearly identified. I could see a faint ball of light somewhere in the white and I could start making out a lot more of landscape in front than before. I could climb a lot higher without being in the clouds And...

The view was absolutely STUNNING!

In these instants of doubts and crisis, we had forgotten to enjoy the experience and the sight... I mean, we were in sight of the ground at all times, even faint for seconds, especially being barely above the MSA. But the landscape man... Brilliant!

Little lakes, lost among the snow white hills. Dramatic valleys, even more so seen from between the cumulus. Soon the coast came into view in the distance and the shadow of the sun between the sky started gliterring like in a dream.... Maybe the horrible bit in the snow was just a nightmare....

-Look babe, isn't it beautiful? Why don't you take some photos?

I have to try my best to get her to relax... Being a bit to busy to aviate and navigate, I had not much communicated. It was time to return to "normal" flying mode, a realm of good decisions, constant airmanship and well planned flight. The debriefing and discussion about what we had been through would come later.

"Swansea radio, GOVFR on 999.99, good afternoon."

As we neared Swansea, the situation kept on improving and I started believing what they told me earlier when I called them from Shobdon. Good viz, cloud base around 5000 feet. Fair conditions.

Minutes later we touched down on 04 having more than a kilometer to roll. Again I experienced a friendly Welsh ATC, who directed me nicely to the pump. We were relieved. We were happy. We needed fuel and we were HUNGRY!

Around a couple of sandwiches and some chips, it was time to reflect a bit. We looked at the pictures, which didn't quite do justice to beauty of the experience.

-I have to admit it was a bit eery after Shobdon...
-You mean it was stupid!

My girlfriend is always honest when it comes to tell me what she thinks. And she's often right (very annoying).

So, was it completely and utterly stupid? Should I be banned from flying now? Should I be grounded for possibly endangering the life of my beloved and mine? Was I just lucky? Or too brave? Was I VFR all the time? Or is it the kind of experienc that happen sometimes and help pilots to make better decisions?

One sure thing, I am still reflecting on it and I have already learnt a lot from this experience. What would I do in the same situation again? Maybe I would do as I said before taking off: we would reach Swansea going South first to Hereford and then along the M4. I would also talk to Cardiff for a RIS if possible. But I had planned the flight with a direct route. I knew going via the M4 would probably put us late on the way back to Thruxton and more "important", I thought I could do it. And I did do it.

Down with the last chips, time to climb back on GOVFR, this time fully equiped with life jackets...

Bye bye Swansea, bye bye the hills. Here comes the sea and its graceful coast.

(To be continued for one last time)

pic1. Shall we go on?
pic2. Getting better?
pic3. Snow on hills
pic4. Out of troubles

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Member for

19 years 9 months

Posts: 108

Pic1 one was taken looking to the right of the aircraft... so I haven't got one of what was in front. I might not have looked much better.

I think that by the time I entered the zone marked as 3300 feet on the map, I was at least at that height and before that, I could maintain 3200 feet in a 3100 zone. I'm not taking any pride in that and I'm not saying that it is my usual style to be only happy with MSA but I respected MSA.

I hope to be able to check soon enouhg, on a really clear day, what it looks like when you see it all.

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 8,505

Good pics. Even better story, very educational

Member for

19 years 5 months

Posts: 184

Reminds me of Brookside! :p