PilotAware Get Together

[AlanG]

Oh well..........
At least the Scottish & Irish contingency turned up.      

[exfirepro]

Alan,

To be fair, I'm sure some of our English colleagues that did make it were also PAW equipped.

Unfortunately a power cut in Sherburn's Clubhouse forced Alan and I to seek sustenance elsewhere (many thanks to Alan's son and his family for the transport and company) and by the time we got back we had to rush away (already late!) to head back up to East Fortune as Alan's plane was booked for Sunday! That meant we didn't really have time to talk to many of the people who had arrived in the interim. They looked like a very lively bunch. We had an extremely 'interesting' flight home in two flex wings through the weather front which had by now firmly established itself all the way from Sherburn to Newcastle, but made it back in one piece (or should that be two?) just before dark after a very testing flight. Next time we'll plan for the overnight!

Regards to all

Peter

[Ray McKeown]

Yes, we also had an interesting departure from Sherburn on our return flight to Ireland. I think Lee's next challenge for PAW development is the detection of embedded CBs!!
Regards
Ray

[exfirepro]

Good to meet up with you there Ray,

Just a pity we didn't have more time. I'm intending to fly down to the LAA Rally this weekend at Sywell, so hopefully catch up with more of our 'gang' there.

Regards

Peter

[Moffrestorer]

Hi Peter/Alan,

I arrived at Sherburn at 1pm Saturday. I did ask around if anyone else had PAW but it's difficult to identify others unless some kind of formal announcement is made. I emailed Neil Wilson of the LAA earlier the previous week to suggest that he ask all participants with PAW to set the Group ID of their units to "LAA70TOUR", but this was likely not done.

Really sorry that I was unable to identify you both as I'd have loved a chat, and to be able to put faces to the names appearing on this forum who have been so helpful to this project. One guy I befriended, Dave Holl in a Jodel DR1050, owned up to having a PAW on board but he left the tour to return home today. Both of us were unable to get past Newcastle yesterday due to atrocious weather (we took different routes) though a small number did somehow make it to Perth. I got a red adsb contact 91 ft lower and on a reciprocal heading in these conditions but couldn't make a visual sighting.

Today was total contrast with great weather. Those stuck at Sherburn were able to get to Carlisle to meet up with those returning from Perth and all proceed to Manchester Barton. A few crews left Sherburn at an ungodly hour this morning and not only got to Perth but did the Inverness and Great Glen also before flying to Barton. Well done to all!

It got really busy leaving Carlisle and many Mode C and S contacts were evident whilst I was at the hold and over the Lake District etc. My PAW performed faultlessly and I wouldn't like to be without it. I was using the EasyVFR voice alerts as I'd somehow left my audio mixer at home, and I could get higher audio level out of the iPad. The iPad turned itself off twice due to overheating today as it was very hot weather. Took it out of its "Survivor" protective case whilst at Carlisle and the problem did not repeat.

Sitting in my hotel close to Barton as I write this post. Unfortunately my "Tour" ends tomorrow as I pass back through Shobdon, due to family commitments. Don't think I will be able to get to the rally this year, but hope there will be lots of interest in PAW as it will make a hell of a difference the more pilots that adopt it!

Regards,

Chris

[exfirepro]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the great feedback. It's really good to hear from people who appreciate the benefits of PilotAware. Personally I think it's amazing. Your reciprocal contact really proves the worth of electronic conspicuity - especially in bad weather conditions where you can't see the other aircraft. It doesn't of course remove the need for good lookout, but means less aircraft that you don't know are there. I also love the sound of stunned silence when you tell ATC that you can see the 'traffic' they are reporting on your cockpit display. You can almost hear them thinking - 'What...in a microlight?' I know it has already made a major difference to my flying safety and certainly gives increased confidence when flying in busy areas.
 
We must have arrived at Sherburn just after you as my log closed at 1.09 local. We were met by Alan's son and his family who live in Yorkshire and were just about to order lunch in the Flying Club when the power went down, so they took us for lunch in Selby instead. Unfortunately by the time we got back, most of those who had arrived in the interim had dispersed or were out putting up tents and we had to push off back north and try to get home before dark, so didn't get much time to talk to people. It took a fair bit of juggling and quite a few deviations to the west and up the west side of the Pennines before we eventually found a way back through just south of Newcastle and finally into clear skies as we approached East Fortune. Flying is such great fun isn't it - especially in an open cockpit flexwing!!

Glad to hear most of you managed further north. As you say VERY well done to all. Unfortunately I couldn't manage to fly yesterday or today as I'm building brownie points for this weekend, or I would have tried to meet up with the group either at Perth or Carlisle. Hopefully we will get another chance to do so soon.

Best Regards once again

Peter