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Trip to Ireland

tkatc

Well Known Member
Just got back from vacationing in Ireland. Very beautiful rain or shine! I made a post here looking for fellow builders/flyers over there and Loman replied. He is building a -9A and offered to show me his project and introduce me to RVators in Ireland. I think I've read somewhere that RVs are not just about the airplanes but the people as well...

Here is Loman's shed/aircraft factory. Looking at the door you can tell it is not very tall nor wide! I know people have built in small places but this is the smallest I have seen in person!
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You might remember Loman's post in the 9/9A section where he fitted the wings...in THAT backyard! He has since built extensions to his shed that are actually on wheels for easy removal. Now I've heard of tables and such on wheels...but workshops?? :eek:

Here is the proud builder in his expanded workshop!
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Here are his completed wings up in the rafters. Don't ask me how he got them up there...or how he is getting them out of there either!
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I saw this model with a quote Loman wrote. I found it quite funny and wondered when he actually wrote it.
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We spoke of his plans and some of the "mods" he had done then he offered us tea or coffee. We declined so we set out for a 20 minute drive to another RVer friend of his, Bryan. Bryan has a -7 with his own hangar/house/grass strip (but they called it a barn). It reminded me a lot of Salmon Farm (53VG) except it had sheep instead of Pugs for pets.
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Here is the strip. I figure all the roads in Ireland are windy so why not the runways?
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Here is Bryan's very nicely equipped -7.
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Nice area to work/build in. Much larger than mine and GIGANTIC compared to Loman's shop!
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THIS IS THE PART I WANT TO BRAG ABOUT! Eat your heart out Vlad!! Bryan had a nice spread ready for us when we arrived and Loman supplied the dessert! (But since he forgot it at home he was the butt of all jokes. :eek:) We even had some wine!
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After a nice meal and a lot of discussion, I discovered that European airspace is MUCH different from the US. I am still confused by it. You would think that a controller would pick it up pretty easy, but no dice. I'd have to start from square one to learn that design.

On to the FUN!! Bryan offered me a quick hop in the -7. I couldn't wait. The views would be amazing! Here is a quick video I threw together ending with a beautiful 3-point landing by Bryan in the soggy turf.
RV flight in Ireland
(I suggest you view it in full screen to see the details)

For those who have slower connections....here are some stills.
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The international RV community adds a whole new dimension to building and flying an RV. Thanks for sharing.
 
Final Approach!
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It was a once in a lifetime experience to fly an RV over my native family's country of Ireland! One that I will never forget. Thanks Bryan!!

There were a few other birds at Newcastle Aerodrome when we landed. One was foreign to this land but very familiar looking to me.
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Then we saw another -7 that belong to a friend of theirs. How often do you see an RV with a cow not more than 25 feet away?
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Like I said...all kinds of birds over there!
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Even live ones...
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They even had some new pups on the field.
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We almost couldn't leave this one....
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The day was getting late and the European World Cup finals match between Ireland and Croatia was fast approaching. We had to be off towards the pub!

Loman was an excellent host and ambassador for his country!! He drove us back home to collect our car so we could be off to the next adventure in Ireland. Thanks Loman...a true pleasure!
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(For anyone interested in seeing some of the pics I took in Ireland go here)
 
Sweet

Great trip you beat me this time long range :) I made it only to Nova Scotia. I will resurrect this thread in 12 years when I am able to visit Ireland in my RV9A probably still unpainted :D
 
Very nice report

Nice report Tony. Having lived in the UK I can relate to the back garden "workshop". At the time I wasn't even considering building. Can only imagine the patience and challenges. I love that part of the world.
 
What a beautiful country! Thanks for sharing for those who have yet to travel abroad. I have always dreamed of aviating in other lands and experiencing their own take on breaking the bond.
 
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!
 
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/articles.php?article_id=18


Hope you enjoy the read

Barry
 
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My cover is blown

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!

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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.
 
US/Europe RV Trip Twinning???

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

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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! :D:D
 
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
 
Sadly I don't think Tony's cost model would work (as I think he knows :D ) 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.
 
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
 
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