Discuss the problems and solutions to all of the situations that Pilot X finds himself in.
#1615233
In-depth video with unseen footage of single pilot decision making on an international flight from Dinard, France to Stapleford, UK.



This flight was by far the most challenging, but in hindsight one of the most rewarding to date. I share with you my thoughts and feelings from inside the cockpit as we make a diversion into Southampton Intl Airport, UK.

This video has purpose to share my experiences without affecting in any way the status of officially adopted legislative and regulatory provisions, including Acceptable Means of Compliance or Guidance Materials. Please seek the advice of your instructor(s) or examiner(s). As always, fly safely.

If you take interest in my videos and wish to make me a better pilot, don't forget to subscribe to The Flying VLOG.

You can view the trip report here
#1615330
ConcordeBA wrote:If you take interest in my videos and wish to make me a better pilot


The main prize goes to ATC for helping you out of a pickle

Top marks for:
1. Deciding to divert
2. Use of ATC
3. Willingness to review your actions

You may want to work on your planning of routes, anticipated weather, use of cockpit resources (a pen is a writing instrument!) understanding of weather systems (cloud bases are important but what about tops - where was the freezing level?) , use of in flight resources (Volmet), decision making, flight preparation such as what to bring (approach plates for all possible destinations/diversions and passenger management.

If you want to fly in carp weather you really need to make sure you have the right tools in the box and use the appropriately.

The IR(R) course does not provide pilots with the knowledge and skills for that.

QED.

PS.: Mounting the iPad on the side of the cockpit wall like that is a sure-fireway of inducing a good bout of desorientation in IMC due to the tilting and turning of your head to look at the display.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_i ... n_aviation
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1615336
The only thing I'd disagree with in @Flyin'Dutch' post is the comment about IR(R) well taught and in good practice it should you leave you perfectly capable of flying in carp weather. I used that way for yonks before I got a full IR.
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#1615343
johnm wrote:The only thing I'd disagree with in @Flyin'Dutch' post is the comment about IR(R) well taught and in good practice it should you leave you perfectly capable of flying in carp weather. I used that way for yonks before I got a full IR.


John I’d agree entirely with you, and therefor mainly with FD.

BUT. Shortly before this the OP put up a video of flying in unlimited vis with a few Simpson’s white and fluffy clouds and something about wishing he was on the ground in what was easy VFR weather. Then there was the post about the first half of this trip. This weather was forecast in advance. As a current IR(R) pilot I would not have left the ground on this trip. As I remember it when this was going on the whole of the south east was covered in, forecast, non IR(R) weather for most of the time.

@ConcordeBA before you embarked on this trip I suggested having an experienced safety pilot with you. With 20/20 hindsight I’d repeat that advice.
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#1615351
Maybe exaggerated because of the way you have edited the video but there appears to be a lot of repetitive questioning in your dialogue with ATC.

There is a lot of information to receive and acknowledge each time ATC come back to you yet on many occasions you are multitasking with activity on the panel or the side mounted ipad (or whatever you used). If you've got an interaction going on with other equipment how can you be receiving and digesting the ATC information? Given the criticality of the situation had I been your passenger I would want to have seen you give full attention to the ATC conversations.

Also, while I understand you want to keep your passengers informed your conversations with them sometimes appear to be inappropriately timed, again if I was your passenger I would want to see you 100% engaged with the aviating. I've watched other videos you have posted and have come close to commenting before on your conversation with pax, personally I think that pax would far rather observe your 100% concentration on the task in hand. Set some ground rules with pax before hand, let them know that there will be periods when you will not be talking to them. Remind them at different stages in the flight that you'll be focused on the flying and not talking to them.

You've already acknowledged the error of making the comment about the potential cost of landing at Southampton. When that precipitates your passenger having to say to you that that he values his life over any landing fee then I think a massive red line has been crossed. If I was that friend you would have a lot to do to regain my confidence to fly with you.

I've flown with a number of people over the years, one of them a very good friend, made a massive judgment failure one day, that lost my confidence in him. I'll never fly with him again.

Your full trip report was entertaining and you've clearly spent a lot of time putting it together. I'm sorry if this sounds brutal but recording the flight is one thing but I'm sure everyone wants to see you land safely following every take off you make; focus on maintaining that balance at 1 : 1 has to be your absolute priority. The vids, pics and commentary are nice add ons, but do they play a part in keeping you safe? Having said that I applaud that you have gone public with your mistakes, I hope that results in feedback that will be to your benefit.
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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1615363
Just a couple of observations...

Firstly, landings at Southampton aren't even remotely as expensive as £1000. As far as I can tell from their conditions and charges doc, based on the per-half-tonne charges, it would have been about £35, even without the no-charge diversion scheme.

The other thing I'd comment on is the route over water. The outbound route from SFD to the Cherbourg peninsula was pretty much the longest stretch over water possible.

BIG - Guildford - Portsmouth - Cherbourg would have been much less distance over water, and taken only a very few minutes longer. And only a few minutes longer than that if Plymouth Mil had been unable to provide a DACS through D036, requiring a slightly more westerly route.
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By Pilot H
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1631308
Two further observations

1) ATIS and VOLMET - Familiarise yourself with how to get ATIS and VOLMET in flight. This would have been invaluable and saved some of the stress of repeating questions to ATC.

2) For less than the cost of an iPad or a video camera, invest in a portable ADL weather receiver:
http://www.ing-golze.de/
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