Lang may yer Lum Reek
Transcription
Lang may yer Lum Reek
December 2011 W E L C O M E T O T H E C H R I S T M A S F L Y E R O F T A Y S I D E F L Y I N G C L U B E N J O Y … http://www.taysideflyingclub.co.uk/ Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year ! ‘Lang may yer Lum Reek’ You have control…. Drew Dudgeon Pa ge 2 The tayside flyer Hi Flyers - Merry Christmas, vrolijk kerstfeest, Feliz Navidad & a Happy & Prosperous New year to you All. Hope Santa was good to you ? Did he come down the chimney and leave a Bose headset, RayBan sunglasses or a Garmin 500 Gps ? Or did you just wish for some good flying weather for 2012 ? - I know i certainly asked for this ! As you can tell, the Flyer has grown Wings and is now a massive publication ! I can certainly say its getting more of a full time job in its preparation & presentation - Hope you appreciate the effort put into providing the Flying Clubs very own magazine & enjoy its content. The articles are meant to be both interesting and varied. For any aspiring Pilots who want to make it a career, then read John Punteney‟s fascinating story of how he achieved his dream - a very inspiring read. For those interested in Raf Bomber Command, we have something rather special, an incredible story from a RAF Vulcan Engineer called John Scoullar & VIP guest on our continued quest for a decent weather VFR trip to Carlisle. The Flying club has had an amazing year for organised fly-outs, talk nights, Online Caption competition with Prize, trips to ATC Towers of Prestwick, Edinburgh and Dundee. We also attended Expo Aero at Sywell airfield near Northampton & Tayside had an operational stand at Leuchars airshow. The public were greeted with a look inside the Arrow, Warrior and Grob - feedback was very positive & a few budding pilots may ensue. The Fly-outs have been many & we have managed to see both the Scottish Highlands & English airfields on these sorties. If you fancy getting outside the circuit then there‟s no better way to gain flight experience & fulfilment of plotting a route to somewhere different & the achievement of arriving safely. Its also good way to meet flying club members... We have had many Talk Nights hosted by Jim Watt. This isn't a test to see your knowledge of aviation but more of a gentle reminder of how things should be done, in a structured manner that will benefit you greatly and allow you to become a more confident pilot. There are more Sim & Talk nights scheduled so please come along & enjoy the experience. (See adverts) Pa ge The tayside flyer 3 Our Fife cousins have always welcomed us to their events, which included Safety & Survival talk nights by Pilots from Raf Leuchars, Fife Summer Open day, Curry evenings, Have a Go at flying a different aircraft, Bonfire nights & any event they have we are most welcome. Many thanks to Fife Flying club for always extending a helping hand & for always welcoming us to their events - it is appreciated ! The Dundee tower visit and Tayside Simulator evening was talked by many as a grand evening out. If more people are interested I can organise another in 2012. The AGM in February would be another good way for you to attend & voice your opinion for what you want for the coming year? You may even want to join the committee ? Or you may want to just listen... Whatever path you choose, I hope you can come & join us & participate in Flying club events. This year was an active year for activities at the flying club, can we take this opportunity to welcome you to all future events in 2012, you would have an enjoyable time - guaranteed. The futures so bright I gotta wear shades ! Membership fee‟s for 2012 are remaining the same at £98 for the entire year. This also includes Insurance. If you join the Flying club mid-year the price remains the same. The only difference is that we encourage you to complete the membership form online and send to Bernadette at the Ops desk via e-mail. ( see copy of membership form on next page ). The new Membership form for 2012 can be found in Taysideflyingclub.co.uk Website Can I also ask that you add a photograph of yourself by clicking on the Photo box ( top left hand of form ) and insert a digital photo ( or ask Bernadette) This way we can keep track of everyone‟d details electronically - its so much easier.... The ID passport is a one off payment for your Airside Photo ID, plastic Holder & lanyard. If you already have this from last year, you don't need to buy another one. Bernadette will issue you with a new card insert for 2012. May I take this opportunity of Wishing you all, a Merry Christmas & safe and Happy New Year in 2012. “Lang May Yer Lum Reek” You have control…. Drew Dudgeon Pa ge The tayside flyer 4 Tayside Flying Club Membership Renewal 2012 Next of Kin - RELATIONSHIP Your details Name Address Phone - home - work - mobile E-mail Licence no Licence renewal date C of E renewal date Medical Expiry date Occupation (optional) Date of Birth Nationality Notes: It is the intention of the Club to communicate with members by means of e-mail wherever possible, if you cannot, or do not wish to, receive e-mail communication, please tick the box * The above information will be treated as confidential and only used for Club business 2. Fees Annual Flying Membership £98.00 ID Membership passport (one off payment) £5.00 Enter total being paid £ Payment method: (Please tick) (Make cheques payable to Tayside Aviation Ltd) 3. Declaration (whichever statement is applicable) Pa ge The tayside flyer 5 Friday 23rd December - Closed at Noon Saturday 24th December - Christmas Eve: Closed Sunday 25th December - Christmas Day - Closed Monday 26th December - Boxing Day - Closed The Club then re-opens on Tuesday for remainder of the week Saturday 31st December - Hogmanay - Closed Sunday 1st January 2012 - New Years Day - Closed Monday 2nd January 2012 - Closed The Club then re-opens Tuesday for remainder of the week Pa ge 6 The tayside flyer Pa ge 7 The tayside flyer Airspace Appreciation & Sim Night Thursday 1st December 6pm Airspace What Frequency do you call outside the Circuit ? Who do you call to Land Away from Dundee? Any tips for Good Airmanship ? Talk hosted by Jim Watt Sim Now‟s your chance to take off from Malaga or land in Berlin ~ in the Sim. This is a fantastic opportunity to test your aviation skills in a variety of aircraft in different situations. And its Free !!! Pa ge The tayside flyer 8 Three Aircraft took off on Sunday August 21st routing for Prestwick airport and an invitation to see how Scottish Information operate at the impressive Prestwick Nats. Flying time was only one hour and five minutes, and the routing was Ballado bridges, Alloa, Denny and down the corridor to Motherwell, Strathaven, Kilmarnock and finally to a very long runway at Prestwick. I was cleared to land and saw an Air France Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet holding on the ground to allow me and the Grob in front of me to land ( now that‟s what I call good service ). With nine people safely on the ground, we were whisked off in the cars of the very kind Scottish Information controllers who were to show us around their centre. The new centre was opened in January 2010 at a cost of £180 million & controls just under half of all aircraft in UK controlled airspace. NATS Prestwick 747 Holding to allow Tayside aircraft safe passage The building is very „Space age„ and the control centre is very impressive with large Radar stations that capture all aircraft movements within UK airspace. ( No photo‟s allowed I‟m afraid). Paul Aspin gave us a tour of the operation & a briefing on Nats and the service they provide to aviation in the Uk. Scottish information is the nice people we speak to on 119.875 & they assist our movements flying around Scotland & strongly encourage us to use them for not only the service, but for any questions in relation to the flight we are about to take. Their presentation considers Safety as paramount to VFR flying & speaking to Scottish Information provides the framework that allows safe transits for flying in this country. The process of how they operate and control aircraft really does merit mentioning, but to understand how they transit aircraft around Scotland you‟ll need to attend the next Prestwick Nats Fly-out ! I guarantee that you‟ll be most impressed and you will learn some interesting Do‟s and Dont‟s that will help you understand why good RT is so important to the safety of your flight. A big thanks to Scottish Info for hosting the visit, and hope we can all attend the next Nats visit to Prestwick….. Pa ge 9 Another kind Invitation from Nats saw twelve aviators from Tayside make the trip to Edinburgh airport on Saturday 8th October. Nats hosted a fine presentation on how they accomplish radar operations at the airport and how they assist with GA aircraft that transit through their airspace. They welcome all phone calls for questions relating to; successful zone transits - to what area‟s are acceptable & what area‟s Not to fly through. Do you know that potentially some GA aircraft coast out from Kirkcaldy harbour to Mussleburgh at just under 2300ft, whilst an Airbus at 2500ft can be on a 10 mile final to land at Edinburgh which is directly above the light aircraft ! That‟s what the Nats presentation centered on, Flight Safety and how we can mutually communicate with each other that will in effect, Stop Zone infringements. Nats advise the use of the Nats Aware Airspace warning device, which is essentially a moving map but has the added bonus of a warning beeper and a Warning screen „if‟ you stray near controlled airspace. The view from Edinburgh Tower towards the runways, airfield & surrounding area is definitely breathtaking. The radar operation is certainly an integral factor that all GA Pilots should see, as they will then appreciate how they play a pivotal role in not only good airmanship but also how they can interact with inbound / outbound commercial traffic. Once again a big thank you to James Hogg & Edinburgh Nats for allowing us to view their operations and Control tower. We can hopefully arrange another trip to the Tower very soon, so others can benefit from the experience….. The tayside flyer Pa ge The tayside flyer 10 The chance to fly down to Carlisle airfield is a decent enough incentive to fly and test your Nav skills. The chance to do this & then see a Vulcan Bomber, Harrier, Phantom, Meteor, Vampire..... up close, more or less seals the deal for most aviators. However, the Weather Gods didn't shine their charm on us, & each time we set a date for this sortie, we were met with torrential rain, winds gusting 35 knots & a cloud base of 700 feet, Was someone trying to tell us Not to go ? On the third attempt for this sortie on 12th November we were more or less resigned to the fact that we would either be met with snow, hurricane, a chat in the Clubhouse with sandwich & coffee was the most we could expect ? But alas, the weather couldn't be better on the third attempt, & three aircraft / nine aviators took off on track for Carlisle. Some took the Easterly route coasting out Earlesferry to North Berwick, Lindisfarne, Bamburgh, Eshott - Carlisle; whilst others took the direct route from North Berwick to Hawick - Carlisle, all in glorious sunshine. One aircraft had to turn back for base due to an Alternator problem but the remaining aircraft all landed safely in Carlisle. We firstly headed to the NAAFI for a cup of Joe and a hearty breakfast ! Now you‟d think that our previous luck of not being able to make the Carlisle trip due to naf weather was behind us, and now we‟d bathe in the glory of a Vulcan cockpit visit and a tour of the aviation museum ~ No ! We were told that the Museum was now closed for the Winter !!! Arrgghh !!!! Not dismayed, the six of us decided to enjoy the exterior view of the RAF static aircraft. On this trip we had a very special guest onboard, none other than John Scoullar from Blairgowrie ~ an ex RAF Engineer who was part of a Vulcan crew !!! John not only gave us a fascinating account of what the Vulcans capabilities are, but he also gave us a personal exterior guided tour of the aircraft & answered all of those awkward questions that you‟ve always wanted to ask ! Johns experience of being „on the inside‟ of a Vulcan crew gave some privileged intriguing facts which we appreciated, & we all thoroughly enjoyed his company !!! We then took the outside tour of the Aircraft Museum and saw a variety of RAF aircraft including the Lightning, Phantom, Meteor, Comet & Vampire. The crews then departed Carlisle for Dundee in the satisfaction of having such an eventful day. Our flight in the Arrow meant we could climb at speed, and we were soon soaring through the clouds (Jim was flying ) at 120 knots until we levelled off at 4000ft - Captivating ! The flight back to base was really interesting, sometimes when your in the back seat you can relax & take in the sights below without having the pressure of map reading or making calls on the radio. Climbing through cloud was both mesmerising & ominous but always exhilarating & definitely an experience not to be missed. It seemed we were no sooner in the air then we had passed through East Fortune airfields overhead & saw another Vulcan perched auspiciously below. We coasted out at North Berwick and then were on a straight track to Dundee via Raf Leuchars. What a fantastic day out, thanks to all flyers who attended & in particular to John Scoullar for adding the colour.... Drew Dudgeon “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore....” Pa ge 11 The tayside flyer The date is 12th November 2011 and the weather couldn‟t have been better for our planned visit to the Carlisle air museum, and in particular to view the Static Vulcan Bomber B Mk2 XJ823. My name is John Scoullar, and ex-Vulcan crew Chief. I was delighted to accept an invitation to fly down to Carlisle with Tayside club members, & to share whatever salient information I could remember regarding the Vulcan, even in spite of the 40 years gap since I had my last tangible involvement with the aircraft. The Visit: Putting nostalgia to the back of my mind, the memories soon came flooding back as though it was only yesterday. The flight down was fantastic & we viewed the North east coast via Dunbar, Lindisfarne and Bamburgh before we made tracks for Carlisle. Arrival was at lunchtime so what better way to start the day than by having lunch at the „Stobbart Café„ before heading out to the dispersal where the Vulcan was parked. We expected the entrance door to the bomber to be open, allowing us access to the cockpit. However our disappointment was soon in evidence when we learned that the key holder / curator had failed to turn up. Therefore we were unable to enter the cockpit where there was so much more to see that would be of interest to all pilots. Nonetheless, we had an interesting walk around the exterior & were able to absorb some of the technical details about the uniqueness of this giant machine. I enjoyed the day - it was a grand treat for me so please accept my sincere thanks to everyone, especially Sandy from whom my invitation came. I hope also that everyone enjoyed the day too. “John please accept this invite to come with us to visit the cockpit of the Vulcan when the museum re-opens in the Spring - Drew”. Pa ge 12 The tayside flyer When in Service: When XJ823 was based at RAF Scampton in the early 1960‟s she served mainly with No. 27 Bomber squadron, but was posted from time to time to other squadrons in the „V‟ force. The driving power was supplied by four Bristol Olympus series 201 engines. The Olympus was in itself a very special machine as it was the first of the twin spool straight flow gas turbines, producing a modest 17 000lb of thrust. This enabled a cruise speed of Mach 0.93 at 50 000ft ( i.e. 650 knots) The temptation for „the Skipper‟ to push the speed up beyond Mach 1 was always there, and occasionally it happened accidentally. However, that excess had always to be declared during the after flight technical debrief, as it would incur a huge penalty in terms of aircraft downtime, due to essential & mandatory fatigue & damage checks thereafter. Most importantly, the excess speed would reduce the fatigue life of the aircraft and there would be a lot of explaining to do to the Bomber Controller at Command HQ. XJ823 was initially assigned to the role of high level Nuclear bombing and in addition to the nuclear load it carried in the bomb bay, it was capable of delivering two „Skybolt‟ missiles from under the wing attachments. In this role, the aircraft was coloured white with anti-flash paint, but as the tension between the East and West mellowed, ( & the Blue steel missile had undergone successful testing ) the role of the Vulcan was switched to low level flying to launch airborne missiles, & also introducing a new method of bomb release, known as LABS – Low Approach Bombing System. At this change of role, the white finish had to go in favour of the camouflage finish with which we are now so familiar, as this was more appropriate to this type of operation. This method of bombing was; The aircraft approached the target at low level & released the bomb load simultaneously as the aircraft climbed rapidly to avoid the ensuing shockwave. Of course this had the effect of throwing a bomb at the target. I don‟t think this tactic was ever used in anger. Whilst the Vulcan was deployed in the low level role, most sorties involved practicing low level flying. There were many established low level routes in Scotland, England and Wales. As a result of the low level flying, there was a cost of peoples lives due to accidents during these operations. Recognising the danger involved, the Raf introduced a system known as, „Terrain Following Radar‟ which was developed and introduced into the Vulcan Fleet. XJ823 was eventually retired from service and sold to the present owner in January 1983. Pa ge The tayside flyer 13 Vulcan Safety Record: One hundred and thirty five Vulcans were produced for the Royal Air Force. They had a dismal safety record throughout their era. A total of 15 aircraft were lost in crashes: VX770 Prototype Crashed during trials at Syerston, Structural failure 1958 XA891 Mk 1 Crashed during trials at Hull 1959 XA897 Mk 1 Crashed at Heathrow after flying from New Zealand 1956 XA904 Mk 1 Crash landed and was scrapped in 1961 XA908 Mk 1 crashed at Michigan USA 1958 XA909 Mk 1 Crashed in Anglesey due to engine failure 1964 XH477 Mk 1a Crashed in Scotland 1963 XH535 Mk 2 Crashed in trials near Andover 1964 XH536 Mk 2 Crashed in TFR trials in Wales 1966 XL390 Mk 2 ( Blue Steel) Crashed in Glenview USA - Air display 1978 XM576 Mk 2 Crash landed at Scampton 1965 XM600 Mk 2 Crashed at Spilsby Fire in bomb bay 1977 XM601 Mk 2 Crashed in Coningsby on an overshoot 1968 XM604 Mk 2 Crashed at Cottersmore on an overshoot 1968 XM645 Mk 2 Suffered an airborne explosion & crashed in Malta 1975 The last Vulcan to come off the production line at AV Roe Woodford was XM657 IN 1964 – and this aircraft was scrapped in 1986. Vulcan squadrons disbanded then remaining Vulcan units begin preparation for Black Buck on the Falkland Islands in May 1982. 1983 onwards the Vulcans are either scrapped or sent to museums in the Uk. 1992 Vulcan XH558 performs its last public appearance at Cranfield airshow. Her engines are shut down at RAF Waddington September 1993. 1993 XH558 is flown to Bruntingthorpe in Leicester to her new owners. 2008 – the mighty Vulcan takes to the skies once more ! There were ten operational squadrons which were equipped with Vulcans. This old lady sure earned her place in aviation History. John Scoullar Pa ge 14 The tayside flyer Pa ge The tayside flyer 15 As winter is now upon us, have you considered adding a Night Rating to your License ? Night flying is an enjoyable experience & useful addition to your license. Thos moving onto a CPL are reminded that the Night Qualification is a requirement, & it‟s a lot easier to complete in the Winter months rather than in Summer. Night rating training is available between October and mid March only ! The night flying programme will commence with a night flying briefing to all interested pilots. The Night training syllabus consists of: 2 - 3 hours of briefings 5 hours of night flying to include : Dual ( minimum 3 hours) Solo Night Familiarization 5 Full stop Landings Night cross country ( min 1 hour) Night Circuits If you are interested in gaining a Night Qualification or just experience a flight at Night then please contact Reception at Tayside Aviation for more details to book your flight ! Or if you prefer to see what‟s involved, then you can sample a back seat night time sortie for Free ! Pa ge 16 The tayside flyer Now that I have your attention ! We have an active flying club that has frequent Fly -outs, Aviation Talk Nights, BBQ’s, Aviation Weekends away & much more to enjoy by all... To view what’s going on you need to ‘Register’ with: Taysideflyingclub.co.uk to participate in the Forums section. We want your company, Hope you can join us! Pa ge 17 The tayside flyer March 2011 saw the unveiling of the new Tayside Flying Club website ! This was down to the hard work and efforts of both Allan Penny & Drew Dudgeon. Since the opening of the website we now have a total of 93 members to date and this number is increasing every week. The forums section of the website is a hive of activity and everyone is welcome to participate and get involved with the operation of the Flying club, its activities and fly-outs - the more involved the merrier. If you have a burning ambition to fly to the „Old man of Hoy‟ or fly over to France and want to attract other club members to share the experience, please feel free to use the forums to advertise your event. All events organised by the flying club will be posted on both the Notice board inside the flying club and also on the forums section of the website. That way we can capture every ones interest and keep the old communications channels open. Feel free to come on in and browse the site - the temperature is always warm ! Pa ge 18 The tayside flyer Tayside have installed a new Webcam inside the clubhouse. These photo‟s were taken from the webcam - looks pretty good eh ! If your now considering whether to go flying or not due to weather at Dundee, your only one click of a button away from finding out in real time what the weather actually is ! Click on the „Webcam‟ tab on the Homepage of Taysideflyingclub.co.uk Pa ge The tayside flyer 19 “Its Christmas time, there‟s no need to be afraid” At the time of writing, the snow hasn't arrived as yet, but when Winter arrives with a vengeance what difference does this make to our flying? Can we fly, should we fly, is it dangerous to fly? The answer lies with the PIC & the decision should always be based on safety. Before setting off into the great blue yonder give some consideration to these points, it may help you to decide on your way? When the snow & weathers too bad and you cant see - don't fly ! That‟s the easy point made… the rest are common sense & good points in flight planning & preparation. Call the airfield before leaving home, if the weathers too bad it might be closed? Pre-Flight checks - these are more vital in winter conditions than ever before, make sure you take your time to complete All checks & watch your footing for those slips & falls that are so easy to do when completing checks around the aircraft. Ice On Prop - Closer Inspection required. Water in the fuel tanks - always drain fuel from the tanks into a tester tube & check for water in the tanks. Also check that fuel vents are unblocked. Ice / Frost / Snow - Must be entirely cleared off the aircraft, especially the Wings. Ice has a detrimental effect on flight controls which may become very heavy, or not work at all. Tayside provide de-icing fluid which can assist in clearing ice, but ensure that you make time to sweep snow off the aircraft & remove any ice from all area‟s / surfaces / vents by any means necessary. Pitot-Static Systems / Inlets / Vents / elevator controls - ensure that the pitot & static sources are free of contaminants, any covers removed, Vents and elevator controls & free of damage, ice, frost & are operational. Wheels - remove any mud or slush from wheel spats & fairings. This can create extra weight and cause a „braking effect‟ on the aircraft. Battery - Cold freezing conditions can drain a battery, make sure the battery is both charged & also charging when in use. Pa ge 20 The tayside flyer Washing the Aircraft - is always a good idea as it takes away any extra weight caused by mud and slush. But don't wash the aircraft in freezing temperatures as the water will freeze vital moveable components. Keep Dry - if you are wet, your body and feet will get very cold when you fly at altitude, which may result in the early stages of Hypothermia. This isn‟t good when your airborne and you have the unenviable task of making a safe landing ! Make sure you have dry clothes to change into before flying. Clear Cabin Windows - always have a clean dry duster handy to clear windows as warm bodies / damp clothing can create misting on the windows. Also use the demister on the aircraft to clear windows. De-Icing systems - depending on what aircraft your using you maybe have De-icing system installed which should be used to great effect. Priming - should always be used before engine start but be careful not to over prime, & ensure the primer is closed after engine start. Warm up - the aircraft before you commence taxi to the apron. Keep a regular monitor on T‟s & P‟s and check Flight controls are operational and not heavy or sluggish. Before you leave - Let the Ops desk know where your flying to .. Its safer to let people know your intended route & destination ! Taxiing - make sure the brakes, steering & flight controls are operational. Keep a good look-out for ice on the tarmac & don't brake heavily or you may put the aircraft into an uncontrollable skid. Maintain a vigilant check on the upper wing surface as snow & ice will substantially reduce lift and increase weight which is not the best attribute when taking off ! RT - Check with ATC that the runway has been de-iced & usable? Check en-route that the destination airfield is operational & free from snow / ice… Take Off - monitor engine gauges, keep an eye open for ice on runway, & watch out for other aircraft on the taxi way or runway that may be there unexpectedly through braking issues due to ice problems. During climb out pay particular attention to temperature gauges. Pa ge 21 The tayside flyer Departure weather - En route weather - Destination weather - should be checked and re-checked continually & always have a Plan B as you may have to Divert to another airfield if the destination cloud base is too low / weather ahead is too bad to continue your flight. In Flight Entertainment - should consist of constant cockpit checks of T‟s & P‟s, Engine instruments for loss of RPM, Flight Controls being sluggish, & keep an eye out for ice forming on the wings / aircraft, & keep visual for other Aircraft Carburettor heat - should be applied more regularly during icy conditions. Anyone who attended Jim Watts presentation will know only too well the importance of Carb Icing during Hot or Cold temperatures. (see Icing chart ) If induction icing is present and Carb heat is applied for 20 secs or more, the engine may continue to run roughly for a short time as the ice melts & is ingested. Full Carb heat should be applied before & during reduced power descents to prevent venture icing ( caused by the reduced throttle butterfly settings involved ). Engine warming - should be done periodically with gradual application of power if the descent is to be a prolonged one. Pa ge The tayside flyer 22 Navigation - is more than tricky when familiar landmarks are masked by snow. Although the cockpit workload will be higher than normal, the constant checking of maps and the relaying position reports is practice of good airmanship. Also, If you have a GPS use it - better to use available technology for safety aswell a back up to maps & charts. Landing - wet surfaces increase the distance of the landing run. Its therefore beneficial to prepare for the landing set-up configuration and nail the correct speed to ensure minimum landing distance. If its icy then once you land its best practice Not to apply full pressure when braking but better to use intermittent brake pressure. If snow or ice is present on the runway then consider a Go-around or possibly Divert to another airfield? Hangers - should be used for aircraft storage if freezing weather is forecast. If the Hangers are full then use the protective covers provided to put over the aircraft and use tie downs to secure the aircraft. Aircraft Kit - each Aircraft has a First aid kit inside, but its also handy to have warm clothes and a spare mobile phone in the flight bag. Winter flying is one of the most enjoyable times on the flying calendar & personally I love to see the landscape in such a different perspective. Embrace the challenge, be safe & enjoy the flight Happy Winter flying…. Drew Dudgeon Pa ge The tayside flyer 23 G-BNOF - Brakes off 14.20 Sunday 16th December 2007 “Golf Oscar Foxtrot - Taxi to the Southside of the apron for Power checks. Were using Runway 09 , Qfe Qnh 1037”. Power checks complete, I was soon taxiing towards Charlie and cleared to enter backtrack runway 09 to complete a few circuits. “Golf Oscar Foxtrot, after turnaround you are cleared for take-off, Wind 200 / 2 knots”. Shortly after applying full power and checking for full RPM, T’s & P’s in the green, Airspeed increasing - Piper Warrior Oscar Fox was soon accelerating Eastwards along the centre line of runway zero nine. 50 ...60...65 the airspeed kept increasing & once airborne the Vsi was indicating a healthy climb rate of 800 feet per minute. After a gentle right turn onto crosswind, I was soon at the circuit height of 1000ft. Another right turn I was heading downwind I was surprised to see something ahead that was airborne, in my flight path and at the same height as me ! Still on the downwind leg at 90 knots and 1000ft : At first I saw a small slow moving aircraft, possibly a microlight ? Perhaps it had strayed into the Dundee circuit? I peered through my varifocals & soon realised that this wasn't a microlight ahead ~ it was Santa !!! It really was Santa ...... A very colourful, upright Santa Balloon at least ten feet tall, filled with helium and quite stable at 1000 feet. I took avoiding action, a gentle bank to Port & Santa passed by my starboard wing ! I’m sure he smiled as he passed by.... Three touch and goes later, I had completed my practice circuits and also saw Santa doing his rounds nine days before Christmas... Lyall Smith Pa ge 24 The tayside flyer Tayside Flying Clubs AGM Thursday 16th February 2012 : 6.30pm Dundee Clubhouse Please come along - Everyone Welcome This is Your Flying Club... If you feel as passionate about it as I do, & you have any points that you want to raise, any recommendations, any complaints, any proposals, any praise or maybe you want to join the Committee and have your say ? Please come along and join us for the Annual General Meeting - its important as we really want your views & opinions - Everyone Welcome. Pa ge 25 Once you‟ve landed back at Dundee can you please make sure that the aircraft has enough fuel for the next flight? Some peeps are leaving the tanks on the rather low side, & this is causing the next customer having to wait while the aircraft is being re-fuelled. Don‟t be Cruel Remember & Re-Fuel ! The tayside flyer Pa ge 26 The tayside flyer Approximately 8 years ago, a young man was given a Gift Voucher for a flight with Tayside. He caught the Flying bug as a result, then gained his Private Pilots License, then his Instructor rating with Tayside Aviation. Not satisfied with just flying for fun, he worked hard & progressed to fly Commercially, & eventually as a first Officer with Loganair. We are proud to announce that Stewart Webb (above) has now been promoted by Loganair to Captain. A well deserved Congratulations to Stewart on achieving his goal ! Pa ge 27 The tayside flyer Presentation by Jim Watt Thursday 12th January 2012: 6.o0pm Dundee Clubhouse How to recognise the effects of carb icing Tea & Sticky Buns provided Everyone Welcome Thursday 26th January at 6.00 pm - Dundee Clubhouse Video & Presentation by Jim Watt Question & Answer session afterwards All Club Members Welcome Pa ge The tayside flyer 28 Thursday 23rd February @ 6pm Presentation & Talk by Jim Watt ‘How RT should be communicated’ Everyone Welcome Thursday 1st March 2012 at 6.00 pm Dundee Clubhouse Presentation & Talk Night by Jim Watt Everyone Welcome…. Pa ge The tayside flyer 29 A few Festive Gags The wife asked me what I was doing on the computer last night. I told her I was looking for cheap flights. Oh "I love you!" she said, and then she got all excited, Un-zipped my trousers and gave me the most amazing sex ever.... Which is odd because she‟s never shown an interest in darts before? This is the story of the poor blond flying in a two-seater airplane with just the pilot. He has a heart attack and dies. She frantically calls May Day:"May Day! May Day! Help me! Help me! “My pilot had a heart attack and is dead, and I don't know how to fly. Help me! Please help me!" All of a sudden she hears a voice over the radio saying: "This is ATC. I have received your message and I will talk you through it. I've had a lot of experience with this kind of problem. Now, just relax. Everything will be fine! Now give me your height and position." She says, "I'm 5'4" and I'm in the front seat." "O.K." says the voice from the tower. "Repeat after me: Our Father. . . Who art in Heaven..." Pa ge The tayside flyer 30 A few Festive Gags A very attractive blonde from Kiev arrived at the casino and bet twenty-thousand pounds on a single roll of the dice. She said, 'I hope you don't mind, but I feel much luckier when I'm 'completely nude'. With that, she stripped from the neck down, rolled the dice and yelled, 'Come on, baby, Mama needs new clothes!' As the dice came to a stop, she jumped up and down and squealed....'YES, YES, I WON, I WON!' She hugged each of the dealers and then picked up her winnings and her clothes & Quickly departed. The Dealers stared at each other dumbfounded. Finally one of them asked, “ What did she roll” ? The other answered, “ I don't know - I thought you were watching” ! Pa ge 31 The tayside flyer Pa ge 32 The tayside flyer This Photo is a Birds eye view of Tayside Aviation from above. After your flight when parking the aircraft - can you position your aircraft as per the photo above. ( But don't park in the Avgas area) The plan is to create enough space for incoming and departing aircrafts convenience. The most notable change is to Not park any aircraft on the grass near the taxiway where the white line has been drawn above. Appreciated.... Pa ge The tayside flyer 33 By John Punteney Like most, my fascination with flying began at a young age. For me, it was listening to stories from my Great Uncle, who flew Spitfires and Typhoons in the Second World War and my dad, who flew Hueys in Vietnam. My first trip to the Leuchars Airshow in 1992 was my first real time of seeing planes up close and that pretty much sealed it. My first time flying, however, was a completely different story. The quick hop from Edinburgh to London later that same year was pretty much spent with me screaming my head off, so my parents probably thought it unlikely that I‟d ever want to pursue a career as a pilot. When I was at high school I decided that becoming a pilot was all I wanted to do. I was good at maths & physics, the other options the careers advisor came up with didn‟t sound very appealing. My guidance teacher once said he doubted I‟d ever make it through the training or be able to handle the lifestyle, but still I wanted to continue. I finished high school in 2004 and went to The University of Glasgow to study Aeronautical Engineering. My parents said I was going to University, no discussion, so why not study that ? Well it was 4 years of very hard work, late nights (some in the union, some not!) and brain numbing maths, but I got there and graduated as a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in summer 2008. Whilst at University I started researching how I would then go about training as a pilot. It all began with a trial lesson at Fife Airport which I got for Christmas and from there I was definitely hooked. I then began learning to fly a Cessna 152 in earnest in summer 2005, getting a lesson for my birthday, Christmas or when my savings allowed me to have one. I had a summer job in a hotel throughout University and then spent one summer working in the kitchen at Fife Airport, so the funding was getting sorted. My Great Uncle, who had been such an inspiration for years also left me the money for PPL training when he sadly passed away in 2006. From then on I knew I had another motive for completing the training, not just for me and career progression, but I had always promised to take him flying when I eventually gained my licence. Eventually, I was able to start full time training during University holidays and I gained my PPL at the end of 2007, just in time for finishing uni. From University, I applied to be on the CTC Wings Cadet scheme, which is an integrated training route to becoming a Commercial Pilot from little or no previous experience. The application stage was pretty much a full on selection process, similar to what an airline would put candidates through. The 2 day process consisted of a maths test, computer based aptitude test, group interaction exercises and finally an interview all on day 1. Day 2 was an assessment in a Boeing 737-300 simulator. It was pretty full on and it was a good feeling when the phone call came through to say I‟d passed and I was on my way to New Zealand 6 weeks later to start basic training. Pa ge 34 The tayside flyer Basic training was conducted in Hamilton on New Zealand‟s North Island. I was in a class of 14 others all wanting to one day be airline pilots as well. In total, we spent 14 months there, studying for the 14 ATPL written exams as well as the flying training, basically comprising of the PPL syllabus and up to single engine CPL level in the Cessna 172 ~ before moving onto the Diamond DA42 Twin Star for multi-engine training to sit the CPL skills test and then begin training for the Instrument Rating. I have to say that the flying we got to enjoy in New Zealand was incredible. The scenery is only paralleled by certain areas around the West Coast of Scotland or up into the highlands, it‟s an extraordinarily beautiful country with great people and a tremendous way of life. My only regret was that I didn‟t get to see more of the country during my time there. On return to the UK, we moved to Bournemouth to finish training for the IR and then to sit the skills test, still on the DA42. At that point, that was the conclusion of basic training – only took 18 months! Then came the really fun stuff – Multi Crew Training and Jet Orientation Training, again in the Boeing 737-300 simulator in Southampton. This was a really enjoyable phase of training, but it was also the first chance to see how different things are as the single pilot of a light aircraft - to being part of a crew in a jet. It takes some getting used to, but there comes a point where you see how to balance task sharing, workload management and all the things the instructors were talking about in the classroom – Crew Resource Management (CRM) is such a massive part of airline operations these days and human factors has been deemed one of the biggest areas of focus in non-technical training, as roughly 70% or accidents have been directly attributed to human error. So, work as an efficient team and everything should go well. That was the purpose of this 3 week phase of training anyway. The instructors were all ex-training Captains with airlines so knew exactly what was what and how things should be done, so they really did push for a high standard and things were tough, but it was very enjoyable. To be able to (albeit artificially!) takeoff in a 60 tonne jet, have an engine failure, manage it and take it through to a safe conclusion where everyone on board would have gotten off the plane again safely and have a great story for the pub, gives quite a feeling of satisfaction. It‟s funny to think about this again now, it felt such a huge achievement at the time, but now as I write this, it is exactly just what would be expected on any day at work. Then came a bit of a tough choice. This was the end of training for the time being, airlines weren‟t hiring so there was no opportunity of a type rating in the near future, I had just over 200 hours so what else could I do? This was when I decided I‟d turn to instructing and I completed my Instructor‟s Rating in Dundee and see how things went from there. The training was definitely the most enjoyable stage of things so far and for a while I thought I might rather stick with instructing rather than continue onto an airline. I had the opportunity to teach others, use my previous experience, meet lots of new people and have a lot of fun all at the same time, I couldn‟t have asked for any more. Pa ge 35 The tayside flyer As it happened, the time before an airline came knocking wasn‟t the 18 months we had been initially told to prepare for, but rather 4 months, so just 2 weeks after I began working at Tayside Aviation at Dundee I had an offer of type rating with EasyJet on the Airbus A320. Like I said, I had in my mind that I wanted to stick to instructing and not budge, but then the thought that I could always return to instructing in the future came into my mind. So with that, I accepted the offer and spent the last 4 months of 2010 teaching at Tayside before moving to Southampton once again. Type rating training followed a very similar format to the previous jet simulator training. The first 3 weeks were classroom based, learning the rather sophisticated systems of the Airbus – it‟s just a big, flying computer really. Simulator training was again tough but enjoyable, covering everything from flying around normally to suffering double engine failures, dual hydraulics failures, fires, electrical failures and anything else the instructor felt like breaking for fun. Once that was done, we had to go through a week of induction training with EasyJet in Luton and another few sessions in EasyJet‟s own simulators in Gatwick before we got our hands on a real A319 for base training. This is exactly the same as doing circuits in a Piper Warrior, except now it happens a little quicker and the plane is much, much bigger! I don‟t remember much from the day as it was such a blur, but I do remember the smile on my face when sat at the end of the runway in Oostende and the Captain said “Ok, when you‟re ready, let‟s go.” The requirement is to complete 6 takeoffs and landings, normally carried out as touch and goes to save time. There were 6 of us that day, so in total we flew over 6 hours of circuits, no doubt to the severe annoyance of the Belgian locals! I was the last to go, so got to fly back to Gatwick once my 6 circuits had been completed. Base training completed, onto line training! I‟m now based in Stansted, London‟s 3rd busiest airport, situated on the Essex/Hertfordshire border. I completed the majority of my line training here, as well as 2 days out of Milan Malpensa airport having a go at some domestic routes out of there. Line training is another of those times when I‟ll say it was tough but at the same time it never really felt like training. It certainly never once felt like work! It is very easy to forget that there are up to 156 paying passengers sat behind you, for all you know it could be a simulator that you‟re sat in. Line training had it‟s highs and lows like any phase of training will. The 2 go arounds inside my first 3 days was definitely the lowest point, especially when the cause of both was me. Thankfully, 7 months down the line, I‟ve not had another go around so I guess that‟s progression! Line training consisted of 44 training flights with a Training Captain, then a final 2 sector day with an ordinary Line Captain and a Training Captain on the jump seat, who is there to watch your every move. It all went well however, so from then going flying somewhere just became the usual norm. To this day, I still get up in the morning and I look forward to going to work. It just doesn‟t feel like work at all. Being given control of a jet with over 150 people on board, which weighs over 60 tonnes at takeoff and is worth over $50 million is really quite astounding and a real honour .... Pa ge The tayside flyer 36 I‟ve met a lot of great people during my 8 months so far and I‟m really enjoying being based at Stansted. I‟m just coming into my 8 th month of line flying and in that time amassed just over 450 hours flying both the A319 and A320 and had a terrific view of Europe out of the window everyday. My first recurrent simulator check was at the end of September and it was nice to have that completed. It‟s funny but in type rating, you get so used to failures occurring all the time you just accept it and get on with it, then 6 months on line you see very few failures, if at all, and so the simulator comes along and it‟s a shock when the red lights start flashing and the alarm bells are going off again. But that‟s exactly why the training system is the way it is, and it is the same for every airline around the World. I am happy to say I‟ve had nothing too major go wrong on any of my flights, the worst case being a double bird strike on takeoff coming out of Stansted which caused a bit of an alarming reaction from the engine, so we decided it best to return to Stansted rather than continue. Apart from that, normality has been the way things have gone and all is well. The summer was busy as you can imagine and now things are getting quiet over the winter. My November roster has just 30 hours of flying and a period of 16 consecutive days off. It sounds like heaven and I really shouldn‟t complain but I‟m still in the early „honeymoon‟ period I guess, so I actually don‟t really look forward to my days off. I‟m very happy to say I love my job. The good days are great and the bad days are good as well, where something might go wrong or you‟re rostered to fly with someone you maybe don‟t get on all that well with, but in the end I still leave the airport at the end of the day with a smile on my face and look forward to doing it all over again the following day. So with the 1000 hour mark very soon to be crossed I‟m looking forward to seeing where things will take me. I‟ve got things I‟d like to do and see whilst I‟m flying and that may well take me around the World but that‟s the beauty of it. The projected increase in global demand for pilots can only be good news for people in training or who want a career as a pilot. At the top of my list at the moment is flying seaplanes in the Maldives or turboprops in Nepal but they might have to wait, there is the delicate matter of repaying HSBC and my parents the large sum of money it has taken to get this far! So to everyone who has the dream of one day making it as an airline pilot, I leave you with my best wishes in your training and endeavours. Work hard, put in the effort and make the sacrifices, they may feel hard at the time but I guarantee you, it is worth it in the end ! John Punteney Pa ge The tayside flyer 37 Wings and Things W h a t ’ s b e e n G o i n g o n T a y s i d e A v i a t i o n / i n o r A r o u n d C l u b h o u s e Refuelling people required. There is always a chance to do volunteer work at weekends to help with refuelling. Ask at the Operations desk to become a trained re-fueller. TFC Website - We current have 93 members signed up / Registered to the site out of a possible 180. So to all of those who are too shy, come on in the waters lovely ..... Calling All Students - If you are a new student then please come along to the student training nights. There isn't Beyonce music or a pound a pint, but it's your chance to meet other members and learn „how it should be done‟ from organised presentations about flying. Out of Hours Permits - Have been bought for Highlands and Islands & Argyll and Bute Airfields. This really opens up Scotland for Tayside Aircraft, so if you fancy travelling a bit further and experiencing some fantastic locations - then the skies the limit - enjoy ! Airside: There is now a requirement from the Airport Manager to have Photo I.D. authority to be airside. Tayside will issue each member an Airside I.D. Card, lanyard and a plastic holder for a £5. Remember the next time your at the club to give Bernadette a Passport Sized Photo of yourself and she‟ll add it to the I.D. Card which you‟ll then have to wear airside. Membership forms for 2012 - rather than using pen and paper, use the membership form located on the Taysideflyingclub.co.uk Website. Once completed, you can then add e-mail it to Bernadette - Job Done. Aircraft Folders - If you take an aircraft for a land away remember and take the appropriate Aircraft Folder with you. If your flying around the local area then put the Aircraft folder on the Top shelf before you leave - and then put it in the bottom shelf when you return. This way Operations will know whether your Aircraft is in the air or on the ground? Pa ge The tayside flyer 38 Wings and Things W h a t ’ s b e e n G o i n g o n T a y s i d e A v i a t i o n / i n o r A r o u n d C l u b h o u s e Dundee has a Citation simulator that‟s just simply amazing for all pilots who want to practice their landing techniques from Cannes to Malaga, from Rotterdam to Marseilles airports. Or if you want to use it for fun and test your skills against one of your work colleagues then come on board ! It definitely looks and feels like flying a jet so come along a book a slot for a full hour on the jet plus an ILS, Rnav brief. This message of condolence was sent to Raf Scampton. Words fall short of expressing our sorrow at the tragic loss of Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham - Red 5. Our prayers and thoughts are with his family, colleagues and friends. “Too young, too soon.” From fellow aviators at Tayside Flying Club. Our thoughts & prayers are also with the family of Jon Egging - Red 4 Lots planned for next year - really hope you can come along & enjoy the events ! You have control…… Drew Dudgeon
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