Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:31 pm
#755255
Well, I had always thought that it would not really be a big deal; instrument flying in PPL training, and with the University Air Squadron was fairly easy, and good fun. However, when it's real IMC, you've got Schipol Class A above you, ground only a few hundred feet below you, and three passengers, it's a very different story.
The four of us had planned to take one of the club 172s from Rotterdam up to Lelystad for lunch. When we woke this morning it was raining lightly, but the cloudbase was up around 2000ft and vis was 10k+ The forecast was for steady improvement throughout the day, with mainly CAVOK by lunch. We made our way to the airport, and sure enough the rain slackened and conditions generally improved. Another look at the rainfall radar confirmed that the worst was well past.
We took off and flew northeast, towards Hilversum, to Lelystad which is 50nm away. Visibility out to the west was excellent, and poor to the east. As we headed north, staying under 1200ft to keep clear of Schipol, a cloudbank rose up on the west, and things cleared to the east. We were pushed east off the direct route, as with Schipol in the way we couldn't climb up to 1500ft which would have taken us over the bank and into clearer air. We made our way to a position 10 miles south east of Lelystad, with cloud still in the way, and found a gap heading towards the field. Lelystad Radio confirmed that weather there was 2,000ft ceiling, with 10k+ vis. Heading through the gap, it suddenly closed up fast. Within seconds we were completely in the middle of it. Thankfully, I managed to stay calm, and commenced a 180 degree turn to the left, with carb heat on and being careful to maintain height. It seemed like it took forever to complete the turn, and then forever again to exit the cloud. It took a lot longer to get out that it took to get in, thats for sure.
When we got back into clear air, the cloubase had taken a dive and more cloud had come up; I never realised it could change so much so fast. We made a beeline back towards Rotterdam, and the allegedly clearer air; even at 500ft we were still in and out of cloud. It must have been down to 100 or 200ft in places, far worse than anything forecast, or that we'd seen so far. After following the river back to the South West, we zoomed merrily through the prohibited area over the Royal Palace, intentionally; it was the the only way we could go without getting back into the thick of it. Still down at 500, and with a seriously beady eye on the chart and outside for masts, we made for Hilversum which was only 3 miles away. I first saw the field as we turned onto a tight downwind, and pulled off a surprisingly smooth landing.
On the ground, I called Flight Service and let them know of our diversion and closed the plan. I then called the club, and asked the advice of an instructor about whether to phone in our area bust. He suggested just to wait and see if they called us, as given the conditions, there was nothing else we could have done.
We sat and had lunch, and within an hour the weather was as forecast; cloud up above 2000, 20k+ vis, and even blue sky starting to appear. We had an uneventful flight back to Rotterdam.
That was the first time I've ever been up there, wishing I was down here.
The four of us had planned to take one of the club 172s from Rotterdam up to Lelystad for lunch. When we woke this morning it was raining lightly, but the cloudbase was up around 2000ft and vis was 10k+ The forecast was for steady improvement throughout the day, with mainly CAVOK by lunch. We made our way to the airport, and sure enough the rain slackened and conditions generally improved. Another look at the rainfall radar confirmed that the worst was well past.
We took off and flew northeast, towards Hilversum, to Lelystad which is 50nm away. Visibility out to the west was excellent, and poor to the east. As we headed north, staying under 1200ft to keep clear of Schipol, a cloudbank rose up on the west, and things cleared to the east. We were pushed east off the direct route, as with Schipol in the way we couldn't climb up to 1500ft which would have taken us over the bank and into clearer air. We made our way to a position 10 miles south east of Lelystad, with cloud still in the way, and found a gap heading towards the field. Lelystad Radio confirmed that weather there was 2,000ft ceiling, with 10k+ vis. Heading through the gap, it suddenly closed up fast. Within seconds we were completely in the middle of it. Thankfully, I managed to stay calm, and commenced a 180 degree turn to the left, with carb heat on and being careful to maintain height. It seemed like it took forever to complete the turn, and then forever again to exit the cloud. It took a lot longer to get out that it took to get in, thats for sure.
When we got back into clear air, the cloubase had taken a dive and more cloud had come up; I never realised it could change so much so fast. We made a beeline back towards Rotterdam, and the allegedly clearer air; even at 500ft we were still in and out of cloud. It must have been down to 100 or 200ft in places, far worse than anything forecast, or that we'd seen so far. After following the river back to the South West, we zoomed merrily through the prohibited area over the Royal Palace, intentionally; it was the the only way we could go without getting back into the thick of it. Still down at 500, and with a seriously beady eye on the chart and outside for masts, we made for Hilversum which was only 3 miles away. I first saw the field as we turned onto a tight downwind, and pulled off a surprisingly smooth landing.
On the ground, I called Flight Service and let them know of our diversion and closed the plan. I then called the club, and asked the advice of an instructor about whether to phone in our area bust. He suggested just to wait and see if they called us, as given the conditions, there was nothing else we could have done.
We sat and had lunch, and within an hour the weather was as forecast; cloud up above 2000, 20k+ vis, and even blue sky starting to appear. We had an uneventful flight back to Rotterdam.
That was the first time I've ever been up there, wishing I was down here.
Cessnas have feelings too!