Trip to Ireland

[tkatc]

TC, the pictures don't do it justice! It is truly something you have to experience. My flight was only 10-15 minutes but it has me ready to look into going abroad and renting an airplane to go explore. I would have a lot to learn though, class A to Ireland is "IFR airspace" and doesn't really have anything to do with altitude like our airspace does....

The boys were discussing flying over many countries in Europe and with their help....it would be a blast!

[dave4754]

Thanks for some great shots and inspiring me to build some more!!!!

[Barry]

Although a bit off topic, if some of you good folks in the US are interested in seeing a write up on flying over in "Old Europe" the UK RV suadron recently had a trip to Portimao in southern Portugal.
The fly in was organized for the fourth time by Viv and Ritch West who own an RV6 based in southern Portugal. We were about 18 or 19 RVs who participated from the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Portugal and France.
Here is an interesting write up by Dave McElroy of 2 RVs and a MCR01 from Perth in Scotland who made the trip as well as continuing to Tangiers in Morocco before returning back home.

http://www.scottishaeroclub.org.uk/a...?article_id=18


Hope you enjoy the read

Barry

[Loman]

Tony,

Thanks for posting your trip report. I really enjoyed having you and Amy visit. So did Bryan.

My RV-9 will be a taildragger by the way. I did set out with a 9A in mind but fortunately Bryan and another pal (Peter Gorman, who missed your visit as he is in Portugal with his RV-6) did not rest until they talked me out of it. Your reference to "soggy turf" on the typical Irish GA field is the main reason. I have also fitted larger main gear tires and a Bell tailwheel fork for the same reason.

The Cessna 180 rubber band kit aircraft was a joke gift from my kids. I think my caption on the box was added when I messed up the second trim tab.

As regards building in a small shop, it is completely natural to me now and I have no other point of reference in any case. A little zen goes a long way. 'Tantric aircraft construction', you might call it. No matter what, build space is one of the smaller problems to be overcome in building an RV. Lack of time, money, energy, perseverance; now those are the real project-killers.

The wings went into the attic (which was designed specifically to take them) through a removable gable-end panel and maintaining access to that panel was the reason why the extension had to be capable of moving back out of the way: Simple really!



More pics here.

This shot is pre-extension. The two timber skids underneath are attached to the wing and help it slide in and out without damaging the skins. The shop apron I'm wearing has a pouch that holds about 150 clecos plus pliers - great for wing skin fitting and removal. The roof is supported down along one side with a full-length lintel beam and the side wall is composed of two removable wall panels, So the entire side wall can be removed,which provides another exit route for the completed fuselage.

As regards flying on mainland Europe. Most Irish and British flyers are hesitant about it also. But Bryan and Peter led a fly-out to France recently and showed us that there is nothing whatever to worry about. ATC are generally GA-friendly and the national languages are required only at very small airfields. Between the Schengen countries, there are no border controls. A lot of our airspace is wide open, especially here in Ireland.

The mountainous area in Tony's photos is Glendalough; an important 6th century monastic centre. The port town is Wicklow and the airfield is Newcastle (EINC).

The missing dessert was delicious by the way - a case of having your cake and eating it.

[shuttle]

Originally Posted by tkatc

The boys were discussing flying over many countries in Europe and with their help....it would be a blast!

Tony,

Ian Meikle did just this. He flew over from Edmonton, Canada to fly with Dave McElroy in his RV-6A on their UK/France/Spain/Portugal/Morocco trip a week or so back.

I went on the UK RV Squadron "Red Leader" Fly-Out to Portugal too (that the Scots/Canadian chaps joined up with in Portimao) and had a fabulous time.

If people wanted to organise it, maybe there is a market for a US/Europe RV Twinning scheme to allow us Old World RV folks to host our North American RV colleagues for RV tours of Europe, and vice versa. Would not be easy, but would be a great learning experience all round. I'd love to experience RV flying in the US/Canada.

For those that haven't read Dave's trip report, Dave and Ian's route map is below.

Steve

Originally Posted by Barry

http://www.scottishaeroclub.org.uk/a...?article_id=18

[tkatc]

Steve, I'm in! It might take us 2 years to do it because of vacation time and such, but I'll fly you all over the US if you repay the favor for Europe mile for mile! I'll pay for the gas here and you pay for the gas there!

[Mile High Relic]

Sounds like the trip of a lifetime. That route of flight looks incredible, and maybe I could finally see my house in Edinburgh.

I'd be more than willing to participate in that sort of a deal.

John Knox

[shuttle]

Sadly I don't think Tony's cost model would work (as I think he knows ) as the European gas prices are rather more than in the US. But splitting costs on each trip works just fine.

Read Dave McElroy's trip report for a few insights on some the cost issues of flying in Europe.

But even so, the experience is well worth it.

[Bluebeard]

I too went on the trip to Portimao, in fact I am still in Spain. I really enjoyed reading the account of the Scottish Aero Club and their odyssey ...

It is a shame that the Spanish, which until recently had very low fees, have suddenly increased them dramatically. Details are on the Aena website. This is doubtless a tiny part of the fiscal belt-tightening whereby many European countries are being reluctantly forced in the direction of living within their means, as funding from the bond markets has become unsustainable.

As to touring in Europe generally, I would be very happy to assist. There is a presentation on the website of the Irish Light Aviation Society, about aero-touring in Europe, that I will try to turn into a link here. As a regular visitor to Colorado I could get a lot of upside from an exchange of trips!!

Cheers
Peter Gorman