RV-12 to the Cairngorms

[gblwy]

Winter is coming to Scotland. We have a maritime climate, so plenty of variety, but usually no extremes. However...

Thursday brought wind, rain, hail, snow. The bridge conveying traffic north from Edinburgh over the Forth Estuary was closed - winds gusting to 86 mph. An empty jet at Edinburgh airport was tipped onto its wingtip. It also brought the winds to the Cairngorm ski area - 165 mph recorded. Not a record, but exceptional for here.

Today was different, so I pulled out the RV12 to take a look at the Cairngorms. Not high by most people's standards (4000 ft) but can be pretty, especially in the winter.









Happy building. Happy flying...Keith

[dick seiders]

Very pretty, Keith. Now what did you say? 165 is not a record? What is the record, and how much notice do you receive that such a blow is on the way?
Lastly what is that airplane in the photo that has the wings on top instead of where they belong? (just joshing) I flew one of those types for seven years before discovering RV's. Now I am going to the web to find out exactly what the Cairngorms are, and how they were created.
Dick Seiders

[gblwy]

The greatest British wind speed 150 knots (170 mph or 274 km/h) was recorded on Cairngorm Summit on 20 March 1986, where speeds of over 100 mph (160 km/h) are common.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairngorms

The plane is a Skyranger. We, rather rudely, call them "tattie sacks" as they are steel/aluminium tube and fabric (the fabric being large socks that are pulled over the wings).

http://www.flylight.co.uk/skyranger/

I video recorded this flight. The picture quality is a bit fuzzy - I suspect a thin layer of ice on the lens. However, this short clip was a useful lesson for me.

http://youtu.be/p9AVYVXnDXY


Cheers...Keith

[rgmwa]

Originally Posted by gblwy

However, this short clip was a useful lesson for me.
Cheers...Keith

Lesson? Are you referring to the steep bank Keith, or am I missing something?
Cheers

[gblwy]

Two pilots on board. Both assumed the other was flying. Plane gently rolled over. When the bank got to 80 degrees and the nose was dropping I looked to see what was going on. Discovered no one was holding the stick.

Cheers...Keith

[rgmwa]

Originally Posted by gblwy

Two pilots on board. Both assumed the other was flying. Plane gently rolled over. When the bank got to 80 degrees and the nose was dropping I looked to see what was going on. Discovered no one was holding the stick.

Cheers...Keith

Aha! That explains the quick recovery.

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by dick seiders

.... Now I am going to the web to find out exactly what the Cairngorms are, and how they were created.
Dick Seiders

The Cairngorms in Scotland were made near Aberdeen so the rest of the UK could go skiing....

http://ski.visitscotland.com/conditions/cairngorm/

[gblwy]

...if you can get to the ski-slopes there's no snow. If there's snow, you can't get to the ski slopes ;-)

[aerhed]

That's a nice word...Cairngorm. What does it mean in american? Rockpile hill?

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by aerhed

That's a nice word...Cairngorm. What does it mean in american? Rockpile hill?

Had to brush up on my Gaelic words....

Cairn = Man made pile of stones - usually used as a marker (I knew that one - lots used on hiking paths in the UK)

Gorm = Blue