Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
User avatar
By Josh
#1586107
A note on comms - if you can’t pick up anyone and want some extra info, if you call up on 121.5 you will find airliners very happy to either relay messages or get weather for you via ACARS if it’s available. They will still be speaking to either Scottish or Iceland.
UKflyer liked this
User avatar
By GrahamB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1586115
The only person I know who has ditched an aircraft did it on a trip to the Faeroes, running out of fuel due to a headwind stronger than planned.

She turned back and ditched it 400 metres off one of the small northerly Shetlands, and swam to the shore; her pal splashed around unable to make it to shore, but fortunately was picked up by the rescue services.
User avatar
By Trent772
#1586118
Josh wrote:A note on comms - if you can’t pick up anyone and want some extra info, if you call up on 121.5 you will find airliners very happy to either relay messages or get weather for you via ACARS if it’s available. They will still be speaking to either Scottish or Iceland.



If you are after a relay up there, please use 123.45 rather than 121.5. It is much preferred, is the proper oceanic chat frequency and will incur less ire from the Colonials for transmitting on guard :thumleft:
GeorgeJLA, UKflyer liked this
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1586119
GrahamB wrote:The only person I know who has ditched an aircraft did it on a trip to the Faeroes, running out of fuel due to a headwind stronger than planned.

She turned back and ditched it 400 metres off one of the small northerly Shetlands, and swam to the shore; her pal splashed around unable to make it to shore, but fortunately was picked up by the rescue services.


I seem to recall that was an AA5 en route Iceland Graham, wasn't it ? They ditched just short of Iceland.

Iceman 8)
#1586125
Iceman wrote: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.

When the Flying Pirates went for the first time in 2001 none of the singles (TB10, PA28 & AA5) had enough fuel to get back from our launching point, Kirkwall. We all had a calculated point of no return should the wx at Vagar been below our comfort zones; we dispatched a twin in advance to let us know what the wx was before we got to our various turn back points :wink:

I can't recall where are alternates would have been, but PROB95 Kirkwall or Stornoway.
Flyin'Dutch', 2Donkeys liked this
User avatar
By Rob P
#1586127
UKflyer wrote:
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'll have to ask the question of 2 Donkeys, but I seem to recall we had oodles more endurance than needed and would probably have diverted to the Faroes at that point.

And if you do go I'd strongly recommend Akureyri rather than Reykjavik

Rob P
User avatar
By GrahamB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1586129
Iceman wrote:
GrahamB wrote:The only person I know who has ditched an aircraft did it on a trip to the Faeroes, running out of fuel due to a headwind stronger than planned.

She turned back and ditched it 400 metres off one of the small northerly Shetlands, and swam to the shore; her pal splashed around unable to make it to shore, but fortunately was picked up by the rescue services.


I seem to recall that was an AA5 en route Iceland Graham, wasn't it ? They ditched just short of Iceland.

Iceman 8)


I’ll have to look it up - the memory might be failing me!
User avatar
By MikeB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1586130
By coincidence, I've been thinking about a Faroes trip this summer as a first training prep for a future Oshkosh flight.

@UKflyer Would you like another aircraft & aircrew along as company?
User avatar
By Grumpy One
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1586132
Iceman wrote:.

I seem to recall that was an AA5 en route Iceland Graham, wasn't it ? They ditched just short of Iceland.

Iceman 8)[/quote]

I’ll have to look it up - the memory might be failing me![/quote]

It sure has failed you - Grumpy Ditch landed just off the beach in Iceland.
I have a copy of the full sad saga written by her very luck passenger.
Iceman liked this
User avatar
By Rob P
#1586138
Colonel Panic wrote:
I'll give a vote for Ísafjörður - the lead in lights are mounted up the side of a sheer cliff...


Looks lovely from an aviation perspective, but what is there to do when you have landed?

Can you get a hire car?

Rob P
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1586139
Grumpy One wrote:It sure has failed you - Grumpy Ditch landed just off the beach in Iceland.


There is an AAIB report. I can well remember the pictures of the AA5 afloat just off shore.

Wasn't it because of this incident that the Iceland AIP now mandates a full IR for the pilot and adequate reserves for international arrivals into Iceland (as alluded to above by TLRippon) ?

Iceman 8)
Lefty liked this