What are you planning? Where shall we go?
By ian_737
#1907512
Hi,

Thinking of taking a trip to caenarfon this weekend, approaching from the east along the coast, joining from Bangor side.

Any tips, things from previous experience that would help me join and land?

Ta!
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1907524
Be careful of the 2000' base of the CAS over the estuary if you're coming from the Hawarden area.

And the RMZ.

Otherwise it's pretty straightforward IIRC. Worth the walk to the beach, although mostly shingle ISTR.

Last time I went it was a bit drizzly in places, and I couldn't raise them on the radio until I'd got to Colwyn Bay to check their weather - probably just not having line of sight TX/RX due to the high ground.
By ian_737
#1907536
Thanks TopCat.

Obviously I'll PPR and get all the info on the day but do you know if they have runway use relative to "usual" wind direction?
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1907544
ian_737 wrote:
> do you know if they
> have runway use relative to "usual" wind direction?

Erm... not sure I understand the question. They have two runways, and no particular restrictions on any of them. So they should just give you the into-wind runway when you call up.

I expect being so close to the coast, on-shore and off-shore winds depending on the relative sea/land temperatures could make a big local difference to whatever the prevailing wind is at the time.

There's also Windy.com which should give you a decent guess for the wind direction before you set off.
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1907583
Caernarfon has a METAR, introduced since the Coastguard helicopter has been based there.

Iceman 8)
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By GrahamB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1907584
TopCat wrote:
>
> There's also Windy.com which should give you a decent guess for the wind direction
> before you set off.
The TAFs and METARs that they publish are also a bit of a clue!
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1907595
GrahamB wrote:
> TopCat wrote:
> >
> > There's also Windy.com which should give you a decent guess for the wind direction before you set off.

> The TAFs and METARs that they publish are also a bit of a clue!

Oh come on, man, you can't be asking people to use official sources when there's such a wealth of expertise on the Forum. That's just silly ...

(not that I even knew they published TAFs and METARs)
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1907646
Being only an A/G service, and therefore being unusual, it’s been something that they introduced only in recent times with the introduction of a Coastguard helicopter facility at the airfield.

Iceman 8)
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By GrahamB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1907654
TopCat wrote:

> (not that I even knew they published TAFs and METARs)

Top SkyDemon tip: - toggle on the display of the V/M/I badges for those airfields with current weather reports by selecting '{Show] TAF/METAR' from the top Weather menu. Touch/hover over the badge to get the details.
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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1907671
GrahamB wrote:
> TopCat wrote:
>
> > (not that I even knew they published TAFs and METARs)
>
> Top SkyDemon tip: - toggle on the display of the V/M/I badges for those airfields
> with current weather reports by selecting '{Show] TAF/METAR' from the top Weather
> menu. Touch/hover over the badge to get the details.

Yes, a good tip. I did know about it but haven't used it. I'll give it a go.