N807DS across Europe

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Antoine
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N807DS across Europe

Post by Antoine »

Hello everyone!

We're getting ready to go-ooo: :D

Monday June 18th, N807DS will depart Lausanne, Switzerland and set course to Paris.
If we don't get shot down by Paris ATC, our next hop will be island hopping on the Atlantic coast of France. We will be visiting our darling ilsand, Ile d'Yeu and another lovely one called Belle-Ile-en-Mer.
Then it will be the french coast (Finistère) and a nice crossing with a stopover in Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, then southern England and the town of Norwich in Norfolk where we are expected for a celebration.

The way home, will start with a longer crossing to Rotterdam Holland, then Düsseldorf Germany and finally back to Switzerland. A diversion to Straubing (MT Propeller) is on the options list, I won't say why yet!

We will post reports, pictures and travel hints.

We finally have the correct G1000 software on board so that our overseas friends can replay the most scenic parts of the trip in Google earth.

We plan on mixing IFR and VFR legs depending upon the scenery.
On our way, we also hope to take a sip of UL91 unleaded aviation fuel.

So stay tuned and hopefully this will persuade our non-European friends that even with AVGAS at $12 / a gallon, they may want to explore flying in Europe!
So if you do check the flight reports and wonder why we're only doing 130 KTAS up high, well here's your answer!
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Jean
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Re: N807DS across Europe

Post by Jean »

Hi Antoine, nice tour.
We plan to fly the atlantic coast at the end of July.
When you'll fly to Rotterdam, I would suggest you to contact the Rotterdam Aeroclub before your flight. That might help you avoid the handling fee (€75 for a 200 meter van ride !) which they charge on top of the landing fee (€20).
Have much fun and fly safe.
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Re: N807DS across Europe

Post by Antoine »

Hi Jean

Thanky you for the hint, will be very useful.
If you need addresses on the Atlantic coast let me know.

So our first leg is completed, I am now writing from Paris. The IFR flight was smooth but we had a strong crosswind from 10 oc. One funny and frustrating thing with the G1000. The arrival we got assigned was available in Chart View, so we could display it, but it was not possible to load it (£!*ç%)

I had to ask for vectors... :oops: but the controller was very friendly despite his high workload.

We had a relatively low ceiling, broken so we missed the unique opportunity of photographing Paris from low above. This is really too bad, as the ILS25R approach to LFPN Toussus le Noble really affords an amazing view of the greater Paris area, including the city center.
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Thomas
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Re: N807DS across Europe

Post by Thomas »

Hi Antoine, Norwich is also on my "to go list" actually Seething Airfield, EGSJ, that's next to our friend bed and breakfast house, Chedgrave House, June and Alan Paine.
This airport is very friendly and GA minded, much better choice than Norwich.

regards Thomas. Buochs
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Antoine
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Re: N807DS across Europe

Post by Antoine »

Hi Thomas, thanks for the hint, I will look it up and see if it works for our destination which actually is Holt.

Now writing from the Island of Yeu. We had a pleasant IFR departure from Paris, but again vectors. this time the reason was that they did not assign us a departure but gave us complicated VOR intersection instructions. And I was unable to receive one of the two VORs when on the ground. Given the fact that I was supposed to turn just after take off, I asked for and got vectors.

We had an uneventful flight at FL070, in and out of the cloud layer. I did some performance tests and managed up to 146 KTAS.

Arriving at Yeu we tested the new GPS approach, with an unmanned TWR... was fun, and we cancelled in short final and toured the island low and slow at 500 MSL...

I got ready for a 18 knot crosswind landing, but it became a mere 6 when we touched down.

Our B&B friends picked us up in the rusty Citroen 2CV and soon we were on a terrace drinking rosé and eating oysters :)
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Re: N807DS across Europe

Post by Antoine »

We spent 3 days at Ile d'Yeu -weather was marginal but we still managed to put considerable mileage on our rented bikes.

We had lots of seafood and even managed a quick dip in the ocean. This is not the time of year for oysters though :(

The flight to Belle Ile took less than an hour, and we circled the island before an uneventful landing except for the gusty wind. We stayed at a nice hotel called La Desirade. extremely friendly welcome for visiting pilots.

The stay there was another case of high mileage on rented bikes. we had one sunny day and picnicked on the rocks overlooking the stunning coast. Seafood was delicious and the wine (just a glass or two for me, see below) combined to the sun and salty breeze to "roast" us to perfection.

We did take off around 2100 LT and toured the coast at very low altitude. It was simply stunning. I was too busy watching speed, wind gusts and obstacles to makes photos though...

Today, we departed Belle Ile on a Zulu flight plans. Ceilings were OVC 500 feet, and we had to change our destination to Dinard in order to secure an IFR landing. We refueled to increase our options despit the high price of AVGAS.

We got a very friendy goodbye from the two people manning the tower and enough "safe flight" wishes to make me nervous.

The flight was spectacular: IMC in a warm front, quartering tailwinds up to 50 knots, but very warm air and lots of rain.

The approach at Dinard was a nice challenge: the weather only left on option open, and just barely. So we were vectored to the ILS 35, with 14 knots of tailwind and ceilings at 400 ft, rain and 2 km visibility. The GFC700 worked its magic, and I took control just as we broke out while a voice announced "minimums minimums".

The tail wind had by now weakened to 9 knots, and we landed safey in pouring rain.

We got even more of this as we picked our 2 day kit from the luggage. A taxi ride to Dinan, our original destination. We are now in La Maison Pavie, a stunning B&B, in a XVth century house, right in the heart of this lovely medieval town.
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Re: N807DS across Europe

Post by Aart »

Antoine,
I feel left behind. When will some southern european islands will be in your planning? You are welcome here, and you'd be able to enjoy better weather, that is guaranteed.
Oh, and bring some billions with you, looks like we need them over here. Swiss Francs, Euro's, whatever. Large denominations please, I don't want you to suffer a M&B problem.
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Jean
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Re: N807DS across Europe

Post by Jean »

Antoine,
I am due to that part of France at the end of july. Hope weather will be better. Impressed by your minimum IFR performances.
I will back Aart: South of Europe is very nice too. Two weeks ago I flew with a friend in a C177RG to Cannes Mandelieu for the Expo and then we made the tour of Corsica in VFR, spent one day in Calvi.
We flew between the fronts, all in VFR. Had lots of time to shoot pictures, can post some !
BTW for our July atlantic trip has a South and East alternate !
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Re: N807DS across Europe

Post by Antoine »

Aart :D , maybe you should advertise this offer in France? the 75% tax rate looks very motivating. Being a swiss based french citizen, I have a funny feeling I wont be too lonely in the near future!

But yes, with or without billions, I would love to visit Palma and start meeting in person the great people who make this forum such a nice place.

(but we must wait until I have enough extra knots in the DA40 so I can outrun you, I have NOT forgotten our bet :D

Jean: if you dont know Dinan, I can really recommend it. Nice medieval town, nice food, very friendly people. If only the weather... Yesterday night we met one gentleman from Liege, and we got along so well that we agreed to meet again to night. Then we bumped into a Hen Party from Jersey (i did not know what this was but these girls were very very happy! glad we're not flying today!

We also love Corsica and Calvi. What I like most in Calvi is the arrogant AirFrance captain who is always protesting that the small slow bird should be kicked out of his way on the IFR approach. Happens to me every time! Last time I had a lot of fun: kept my altitude until very late and initiated the approach at 160 KTAS. Sure enough, Mr Arrogant complains, and Calvi tower who had us on radar and knew our speed asks me ( I could hear his smile)
- N DS say airspeed
- one six zero knots N DS
- Air France xyz did you copy?
- (grumble)
:D

Oh and yes please post pics
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Aart
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Re: N807DS across Europe

Post by Aart »

:D
Reminds me of the story I heard a long time ago:
A Shorts 360 (an improved version of the Shorts 330, and maybe not the most elegant plane on this planet) was on final chased by a faster jet. The faster jet was instructed to slow down. He was annoyed and said "can someone get that shoebox out if the way". The S360 pilot responded curtly: "excuse me sir, this is not a shoebox, this is a SUPER shoebox".
By the way, I am not implying anything negative about the DA40, quite the contrary!
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