Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1585975
UKflyer wrote:Anyone flown to the Faroe Islands in a SEP? Something I'd really like to do, and after planning it, it seems quite simple. (?)


What are people's thoughts etc?


It is very simple.

In IIRC 2006 the Flying Pirates undertook a trip to the Faroes, it is very simple.

We were in two twins and one single.

From the comfort of the Cabin Class twin, I admired the scenery and guts of the folks in the single.

Anyone doing those trips in a single is very brave in my books. It is a vast expanse of very cold icy water.
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By Rob P
#1586077
Having experienced Wick > Reykjavik in a single I can confirm that, for the passengers at least, there is little need for bravery; it's just four and a half hours of droning along a little line on a screen whilst featureless scenery appears immovable below.

Rob P
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By Josh
#1586081
Rob P wrote:Having experienced Wick > Reykjavik in a single I can confirm that, for the passengers at least, there is little need for bravery; it's just four and a half hours of droning along a little line on a screen whilst featureless scenery appears immovable below.

Rob P


Until the engine starts spluttering. I’ve told the story before of a good friend who used to ferry SEPs discovering god between Greenland and Iceland after an engine failure at cruise altitude...
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By Lockhaven
#1586087
Josh wrote:
Rob P wrote:Having experienced Wick > Reykjavik in a single I can confirm that, for the passengers at least, there is little need for bravery; it's just four and a half hours of droning along a little line on a screen whilst featureless scenery appears immovable below.

Rob P


Until the engine starts spluttering. I’ve told the story before of a good friend who used to ferry SEPs discovering god between Greenland and Iceland after an engine failure at cruise altitude...


Been there and got the tee shirt. :pale:
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1586088
Nice video TLRippon. I'd never seen someone doing the 13 (now 12) approach before as I've landed on 30 and departed on 12. Some further interesting videos come up at the end of yours.

Iceman 8)
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By TLRippon
#1586096
It’s strange calling downwind with a rock face between you and the runway.
The 12 visual approach is down the fjord unlike the instrument approach which is along the range of hills.
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By UKflyer
#1586102
Iceman, many thanks for the information! Some great pictures and reading, I'll try to get hold of the magazine and have a read of the article. What was your plan in the PA28 if you couldn't land? I'm planning to take an aircraft which has over six hours endurance, so plenty of spare fuel if I need to fly back. I'd prefer to take a PA28, but doesn't have anywhere near as much reserve if I need to return without landing - or am I being over cautious?

Rob P, I'd really like to do Iceland myself, what was your endurance and plan if you couldn't land, or was that not an option?
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By Lockhaven
#1586104
UKflyer wrote:Iceman, many thanks for the information! Some great pictures and reading, I'll try to get hold of the magazine and have a read of the article. What was your plan in the PA28 if you couldn't land? I'm planning to take an aircraft which has over six hours endurance, so plenty of spare fuel if I need to fly back. I'd prefer to take a PA28, but doesn't have anywhere near as much reserve if I need to return without landing - or am I being over cautious?

Rob P, I'd really like to do Iceland myself, what was your endurance and plan if you couldn't land, or was that not an option?


You really need to plan carefully that you have enough fuel to return to the UK, Stornaway or Wick being the closest points on the mainland or consider Sumburgh as an alternate. Of course its always better to make the discission to return en-route if possible rather than arriving at destination to find out you may have to hold due wx then start diverting.

As for Iceland I have been there dozens of times in piston singles going West and East bound, they have quite a few suitable airports for use as alternates but again theres no point arriving there with insufficient fuel to divert as you may have to go the long way to a diversion due to the high terrain in the middle. So maybe consider refuelling in the Faroes rather than stretching your range.

UKflyer
I'd prefer to take a PA28, but doesn't have anywhere near as much reserve if I need to return without landing - or am I being over cautious?


You can never be over cautious with fuel when flying over such areas as weather and options can change suddenly, always keep one thing in mind when doing your planning.

"The only time you will have too much fuel onboard is when you are on fire"
Last edited by Lockhaven on Wed Jan 24, 2018 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By TLRippon
#1586105
We also went on to Iceland from Vagar in our Commander with seven hours fuel. It takes about 4.
If you have an IR this will be no problem but even if you travel VFR the Icelandic AIP requires an IR rated pilot onboard because of sudden weather changes and nowhere to divert to.
We went VFR under the Ocianic Class A at some points as low as 1500’ to remain clear of cloud. Didn’t see a single ship all the way.
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1586106
Flying from one of the northern Scottish airports (Stornoway, Kirkwall, Sumburgh, Wick, etc.) , you have enough fuel with reserves to get all of the way there and all of the way back so your flight plan alternate may well be the same as where you started. Our plan was to return to Stornoway / Kirkwall if we couldn't get in at Vagar. Commercials often divert to Norway from there if they can't get in (the IAC minimas are quite high due to that high ground). The routing is 'direct' with ETAs for the FIR crossings, etc. You will likely lose two way with Scottish Info and all other UK agencies quite quickly and still way within the Scottish FIR. Height will obviously help with VHF RT comms. On the first trip (VFR), we spoke to no one after Scottish until Vagar Infirmstion. On the second trip (IFR), we lost Scottish Control whilst still way within the U.K. FIR but had perfect two-way with Reykjavik Control (and even a squawk and radar coverage). I found out later that we were one of the first users of SIRPS (Shannon and Icelandic Radio Project System) which gives that coverage. I'm not sure whether you could perhaps pick up Reykjavik Information by the same means who would be able to give you weather reports, etc, for Vagar (within their FIR). On the way back in each case, we spoke to no one until picking up Sumburgh Radar at extreme range.

Iceman 8)