2nd EMU – North Weald (EGSX)
30 August 2008
by Robert Rombouts, BelgiumThe 2nd Ercoupe Meet-Up (EMU) has passed, congratulations to Mike Willis for the brilliant idea and organization. It is an opportunity to meet other Ercoupers in a friendly way and also a goal to fly to. Mike explained it in his mails.
The USA Ercoupe Owners Club (EOC) appointed Mike as the official Wing Leader for the UK, congratulations, you deserve it. We thank him for his effort to bring the Ercoupers family closer together with his monthly “Newsletter” and the EMU’s.Saturday 30 August, I was awake quite early and try to find on the computer all the friendly Meteorological webs to give me some hope.
EBOS - Ostend : METAR 08006KT 3200 MIFG BR NSC BECMG 6000 (but when that 6Km visibility?)
EGSS – Stansted : METAR11007KT 3200 BR BKN 002 BKN028Not a very encouraging weather forecast, every half hour I inquired the Meteo-service at Ostend Airport and heared: “It will be better later, around 14:00 local”. According to my flight plan I expected to take off at 12:30 local time, so I did. With all lights on at the runway I took off, nice attention from the tower.
After take off, I realize why the lights where on and that it was better to wait longer; at 1000ft I had still the coast line vertically inside, with the sun in the back. No horizontal view, a very good training to check my instrument flying skills. Every five minutes I intend to fly back, but convinced myself that it will be much better later, later, later, as the meteo told me. I left the Ostend Approach frequency (18 minutes passed) for Calais tower, and then I climbed higher to be above the haze layer, and remain with my vertical view on the coast line. At 3000ft I was above the haze layer and had a haze horizon, then I steered straight to Dover VOR. Perfect decision after 17 minutes I had the white cliffs of Dover inside and was in the UK some minutes later.
After the cliffs I descended to 2000ft because I had on the horizon nice white clouds who where around 2500ft. With delightful haze I continue till EGSX or North-Weald. Total flying time was 1Hr55 – 120NM, landed at 13hr25 UK time. Physically I was tired and happy I did it, the constant checks and flying in the haze was not so easy. But my good GSP helped me a lot.The wonderful yellow/black Coupe of Keith Peacock & Sid Turner the G-ARHB arrived already from Earls Colne, I was happy to meet again Keith, last time it was in North-Weald during the Air-Britain 2007. Sid could unfortunately not come, his wife will have an operation the next Monday. Sid we all hope your wife will be soon well.
Mike arrived then in company of Linda Abrahams (Ercouper from Los Angeles USA) with his nice G-HARY. As always we chat a lot, with some soft drinks or coffee, and an Ercoupe family photo for our album. David Hulk (previous owner of the G-AVIL) came with his son and his new toy G-BALJ a Robin DR 400/130, quiet different of the Coupe, a real travel horse. We are happy that David still remains a real Ercouper in hart and soul, once a Couper you always a Couper.
Mike made an appointment with Ken Lyndon-Dykes (also Ercoupe fan) who owns two wonderful Provost Jets, they are hangared on the other site of the airfield. We were very pleased to be able visiting this workshop where nobody is allowed to enter. Thanks Ken and Mike for this opportunity.
Around 16H30 Keith flew back to Earls Colne and also Mike with Linda back to Bourn (EGSN). Because I intended to fly to Bourn also, we planned a formation with Mike who gave me all the information about his home base. So we left all together North Weald, after take off I lost his sight in the haze, his Alon is quicker than my 75HP 415D.
After leaving the North-Weald frequency I tuned to Farnborough Information, the nice lady give me a squawk that I tuned in on my Mode S transponder. She could not intercept my transponder and repeat it a few times, till Mike understood the problem and noticed to the lady that I have Mode S. So I change to Mode A-C and everybody was happy. Because the distance from EGSX to Bourn is only 31NM I was already 5 NM from Bourn and asked to switch over to the Bourn frequency. Then a unbelievable story started, I pressed my radio switch button to the next stored frequency and asked for landing information. The controller told me that runway 20 is in use. But on my chart there is no runway 20 at Bourn. Asking again by two times didn’t solve the problem. You cannot stop a plane and try to figure out what’s wrong especially alone on board, then flying around, back and forwards till I realized that I was still on the North Weald frequentie instead Bourn. Then corrected my mistake and called Bourn who only replied me with a “click” and “click” on all my requests, I was sure it is the right airfield, so down for landing because no other traffic was calling. I landed on the 24 instead of the 18, all concrete runways and long enough. Then disorientated completely on the ground, I could not find the control tower. So I drove like a sunday tourist with the OO-PUS over all the runways, luckily another plane landed where I was not taxiing and I followed it to the tower. Otherwise I was perhaps still somewhere on one of those runways. I was furious to myself, finished, completely out of order, and tired but save in Bourn. The morning trip from Ostend, the stupid Mode S and the wrong frequency pumped all my last energy. Mike and Linda where waiting with open arms, they where worried why I liked to make a sightseeing tour on the airfield.
Quickly tided down and covered the plane, and off we went for my first nice beer in Mike’s beautiful house.
In the evening we went to Mike’s superb pub, which have an incredible amount of Belgian beers, our relaxing moment. Then we had a delightful meal with Loraine, Mike’s wife, in an Indonesian restaurant. Finally the famous day ended for me in the Tudor Cottage B&B in Cambridge. You can imaging that I didn’t had to count the sheep’s jumping, I slept immediately.Sunday 31 August:
Awful start, fog of a few feet when I looked out at the window, Mike brought me the forecast : :
CAMBRIDGE: EGSC 310850Z 24006KT 2000BR SCT001
STANDSTED: EGSS 310850Z 22009KT 3500BR SCT035
Even in the TAFs, rain, showers, thunderstorm with little improvement, in the afternoon 5000BR.
This was a No-Go situation for me, hoping for Monday to have a more friendly forecast.
At Little Gransden was a Charity Airshow for children in need, in such weather a disaster for the organizers. Well, it was unbelievable good, with a lot of boots, hundred vintage cars and also some new Lamborghinis and Ferraris, military vehicles, steam rollers; a village to entertain you for the all day. Around 14H30, a miracle happened, the sky cleared up and the airshow started.
I enjoyed it, amazing, Spitfires, Hurricanes, Yaks, acrobatic teams, acrobatic glider, two Tiger Moths who flew between pools and under flags, then the balloons bursting. I forgot a lot but it was fantastic, Mike know the good opportunities, such an airshow we can only dream about in Belgium.
At Mike’s home Loraine prepared a fabulous dinner, I was really spoiled, thank you Loraine.Monday 01 August :
That sounds better, full sunshine, blue sky, CAVOK in Cambridge, 9999 in Ostend, perfect Robert’s weather. But I must not wait too long because they expect rain from the west around 14H00. We went as quickly as possible to the airfield, Flight-plan, check OO-PUS, ready to go at 10H00. Catastrophic situation, battery flat, yes Robert forgot on his excited arrival in Bourn to switch the Master off. But Mike got all the solutions, with a power pack he carries in his car, the Continental 75HP started easily. With a normal taxi out on the right Runway 24, and hop... I was gone straight to Ostend, via Ware and Dover. Till Rochester it was perfect but then nice black clouds with rain arrived rapidly from the West, Those bastards came too early, I expected them later. With little rain and a little bumpy I reached the coast. Miracle again, the Channel was all open, Calais was visible from Dover and I had a tail wind to push me direct to Ostend. Ground speeds of about 108MPH made my day, with the black clouds in my back. Total flying time was 2Hr10 for 151NM and landed at 12:20 local time.During this weekend I enjoyed and learned a lot. First all my gratitude to Mike and Loraine who took care of me in a so friendly and perfect way, thank you.
To see Keith and David back was very pleasant in a friendly atmosphere; because of the Ercoupe we will not know each other. Finally I realize that with 67 you are not 50 anymore, it is not enough to prepare the Ercoupe for the trip but also yourself, you must be in good shape before take off.THANKS TO EVERYONE I HAD A WONDERFUL WEEKEND.
Regards, Robert
