Where have you been? What have you seen?
By G MacDonald
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1866761
Last week had a lovely day trip to Scillie Isles (airport is on St Mary’s island) in my Bonanza last week.

Could not get a hotel otherwise would have stayed the night.

Read all their paperwork from Skydemon, It seems strange for an airport that is much smaller than Popham has so much regulation. But there were very frequent Skybus passenger flights so I can understand the reasons.

Phoned the day before to confirm they had parking for my planned arrival at 9am local and get verbal PPR.
Did a email PPR request (automated response).

File Skydemon flight plan at took off from Lasham at 07.30.

Was between layers or in clouds at FL60 all the way there. Mostly talking to London Info with a brief spell with Culdrose. Exeter never answered my calls.

Flew above the entry corridor at FL60 (only one engine even though my girlfriend is a good swimmer!) until Isle of Scillies land was in gliding range while following the LND radial above the corridor (coordination through Culdrose)

Very friendly easy ATC, landing up the hill on runway 32. Plenty of parking on the sloping area (I had my own chocks that are essential)

Paid the landing fee and parking over the phone (£30) and walked the 30 or so min walk on the way to the ferry(think small boat) to Tresco.

Stopped in the town to buy ferry tickets and coffee (most of Scillie Isles is still cash only!) which saved a big queue for the ticket office at the port.

By 10am we were on the ferry to Tresco where I hired 2 bikes for the day (£20 for both cash only)

Visited the awesome gardens, got friendly with the very tame bids and had a cream tea.

Tried to cycle to Cromwell castle but had to walk in the end as path to Rocky.

Back on the 14.30 ferry to St Mary’s.
Looked around St Mary’s and had a local pasty.

Walked back to the plane, phoned ATC as had forgotten to file exit flight plan, but they were were relaxed.

At 17.15 Took off up the runway 32 hill into the 15knot wind (I would have rather gone down the hill) and 1.5 hours later (all above 8/8 cloud until 15 miles from Lasham) arrived to the usual gliding evening Lasham.

Lovely day out. Do not forget that Scilies have no Avgas.
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FrankS, seanxair, Rob P and 4 others liked this
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By Rob P
#1866789
:thumleft: Nice report

Rob P
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By akg1486
#1866829
Paul_Sengupta wrote:What was the flight plan for?

To make sure someone comes looking for you in the event of a ditching?
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By akg1486
#1866860
Paul_Sengupta wrote:
akg1486 wrote:To make sure someone comes looking for you in the event of a ditching?

Except in the UK they don't.

I remember Irv Lee telling me that flight plans were mandatory when flying in (parts of?) the Welsh mountains for SAR reasons. But that was in 2005, so SAR might have changed.

The second reason I file flight plans except when mandatory (international borders) is to make tbe life of the en-route ATS units a bit easier. But that may not be applicable in the UK either?
By malcolmfrost
#1866882
Paul_Sengupta wrote:What was the flight plan for?

Because the St. Mary's AIP entry says you should?
a) Flight Plans should be filed for all flights to and from Scilly Isles/St Mary's aerodrome
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1866936
akg1486 wrote:I remember Irv Lee telling me that flight plans were mandatory when flying in (parts of?) the Welsh mountains for SAR reasons. But that was in 2005, so SAR might have changed.


I don't remember that!

akg1486 wrote:The second reason I file flight plans except when mandatory (international borders) is to make tbe life of the en-route ATS units a bit easier. But that may not be applicable in the UK either?


Ah, only for Cardiff at the moment when going in or out or specifically addressing them for a crossing...

malcolmfrost wrote:Because the St. Mary's AIP entry says you should?
a) Flight Plans should be filed for all flights to and from Scilly Isles/St Mary's aerodrome


Ah. Right.
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1866938
I seem to recall seeing that Bonanza at Bolt Head recently. Accommodation on the Isles of Scilly is ‘silly money’ at the moment. I enquired for the late May BH weekend and the only place that I could get was on St. Martin’s at a £1000 for the weekend :shock:!

Iceman 8)
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By Dodo
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1867048
I'd planned a day trip a few months ago and was told by St Mary's ATC when I rang for PPR that they weren't accepting aircraft that were not staying overnight. If that has changed I may have another go.