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The last two days, I’ve been flying another 2 mountain flights with a different instructor, being Jean Magne. First, We struggled very hard to get out of the local Fayence area (again). Once passed the Lachens mountain and the barre de Séranon, everything went smoothly. We have been performing a 257 km flight in nearly 5 hours. What a great experience. Our second flight was even more impressive as we made a 334 km flight in 5 hours with our Duo Discus. I know Jean Magne since many years, he’s flying since the late 50’s, he nowadays is 85 years old and still soaring enthusiastically every day with people like me.  Amazing person.

Aller-retour Fayence Plampinet

The second flight we made with Jean Magne perfectly fits to obtain the gold badge of the FAI Gliding commission. I already have got the silver badge, for the gold badge one needs to fly 5 hours in a row, gain 3000 meter of altitude and fly a distance of 300 km (but not necessary to a pre-defined goal). With departure of the Fayence airfield, this has been bringing us to Plampinet, high in the Alps.

FAI gold badge

We’ve followed the classical road from Fayence to Plampinet, meaning via the Col d’Allos, Barcelonette, Saint Crepin and Col de Vars.

With these great flights over the Alps, my mountain soaring course comes to an end. I now need to progressively build up my experience and perform these routes by myself. In other words, there’s still some work to do but now that I’m back at the level I used to be 15 years ago, I’d like to continue but it will require lots of practice.

One last reflection about this training week in Fayence. The flying styles of both the instructors I have been flying with this week is very different. Where Pierre-Marie Dauvergne is focusing on flying the perfect “Mac Ready” speed, Jean Magne was much more insisting on using the rudder properly when I start to make turns.

Duo Discus

Today, I have been making a local flight in a KA6 sailplane. The Ka6 (German make) one-seater was one of the most successful wooden glider designs of the 1950’s and 1960’s. It is well suited to make cross country overland flights.

There was a lot of wind today coming from the northwest. That’s why we had to take off on the runway 28, which is not so much appreciated on the LFMF airfield. There were clear skies and with the northwestern winds blowing, I couldn’t take advantage of climbing out amongst the nearby hill between Fayence and Seillans (called la pente). For more than 90 minutes, I have been struggling at a 900 meter MSL altitude above the local stone quarry (in French: la carrière) between Fayence and Mons, nearly staying at the same altitude all the time. One never has to givce up whilst soaring and after 90  minutes I finally was able to climb out to 2500 meter MSL flying out to the outer boarder of the  local area, being the “Lachens mountain” at some 1750 M altitude. 

This Lachens mountain is a true mountain border for air masses. This is the most remote place until where the influence of the Mediterranean sea extends. At the northern side of this mountain, you enter the alpine and mountain climate of the southern Alps.

Mont Lachens soaring

I stayed a while at the area around the Lachens. There was too much wind (for my experience level)to fly out in to the Alps to the Cordeuil mountain area, so I widely decided to enjoy the magnificient landscapes  around the Lachens mountain. I landed after having made a 3 hours flight

The first two days of my mountain flying program are behind me. It has been very intense to say the least. On Monday, we have been flying 4.5 hours (276 kms)  and today we have been soaring for 5.5 hours (and performing 433 kms). Today was truly impressive in every way. We were able to achieve the longest registered flight in all of France (see Netcoupe picture)

southern Alps

Spectacular lake views

Raser la montagne

The pilot’s tools

Eastern 2015. The soaring season starts again. This year, I’ve planned to improve my mountain flying skills. That’s why I’ve traveled to Southern France to the Fayence-Tourrettes airfield. The chief instructor, Regis Kuntz, setup a training program for this week allowing me to strengthen my mountain flying skills and achieve a 200 km overland flight in the Southern Alps. On this second Eastern day, we’starting with the usual briefing. A Duo Discus is allocated to me and the instructor I will be flying with the first couple of days is Pierre Marie Dauvergne, who comes with an amazing 15.000 hours of flight experience. To be continued….

I’m preparing the season opener for Aerosport in Luxembourg, which is held on the weekend of April 24-25, 2015. The plan is to visit three airfields located on dutch (near) island, being Midden Zeeland, Texel and Lelystad. The planning is well advnced. As I wanted to practice with the G1000 auto pilot, I flew today together with Kristof Goossens to Texel in order to be well prepared.

I did not take off from ELLX ( Luxembourg) but from Zwartberg-Genk (EBZW) which is nearer from Texel ( only 134 NM). With the 172SP, this flight would take some 90 minutes.

The weather this morning in Zwartberg is fully overcast, but with a cloud basis above 2000 ft and acceptable visibility. A mobile wig coming from the Northeast of the Netherlands should clear skies as we head up north and visibility should further increase.

After take off in the ‘orning in Zwartberg, we avoid the militairy Control zone ( CTR of Kleine Brogel EBBR) even if it is not active on this Sunday. We pass on a Western course and call Brussels information on 126,9.

A bit later, we are crossing the dutch border and are contacting Eindhoven Tower to get a crossing clearance for their CTR. Not too much traffic here and we get cleared to cross thie control zone with our Skyhawk.

Holland is quite flat and we see at the horizon Amsterdam popping up….in the sun. The Amsterdam Control zone (CTR) is prohibited for VFR flights as ours, so we pass on a eastern cours next to it. We’re now flying over the “dutch great lakes” and continuing our journey to Texel. The sights are now superb in every way ( see pictures below)

We approach the dutch island of Texel from the south east via a so called corridor at 1500 ft altitude. Texel seems very small from the sky. Kristof has already been here with his wife and is very positive about this place.

At the runway 04 is in use, we get directly into base leg at 1000 ft. I have some troubles locating the airfield ( where to land) and as we git too high in final to make a safe landing we annouce on the radio: ” OO LVA go around”, meaning we start climbing again. This time we go for a full circuit and a couple of minutes later, we’ve made a safe landing.

The landing fees are 17,5 eurosand the airport manager Mike de Bruijn proves to be a very friendly person. He offers his help with regards to the season opener we are organizing for Aerosport. I also attend a visit to the manager of http://www.hotelairporttexel.nl/ which is locted directly at the airfield. The suites are very spacious and modern. These are a perfect fit for our Luxembourg pilots.

Texel seems a very nice place to attend a weekend visit in April with the family. But today we are in a hury as Kristof has to work later this afternoon ( he’s air traffic controller). So we take off again and fly the same 90 minutes road back to The Genk Zwartberg airfield.

Last weekend, Egide Van Dingenen, showed me his C182 of the Q make located at the EBZW Zwartberg Genk airfield. This plane has been built in 1980 and since the motor has been replaced (not overhauled), he has been making some 900 hours on it.  

The Cessna 182 Skylane is a great aircraft. It has great load carrying capabilities, moderate speed, and relatively easy maintenance. My son seems to like it a lot as well 

The flying season of 2015 is arriving rapidly. I hope to be able to partcipate at many fly outs this year on the Cessna 172 S (marketing name SP) equipped with G1000. Last weekend, I drove to my Belgian flying club in Zwartberg-Genk (EBZW) for some additional training with instructor Kristof Goossens as I like to get a deeper understanding of the G1000.

Today is an active day in our Luxembourg flying club. There are several courses organized for the private pilots of Aerosport.

Crazy enough, although being a club member since the early 90’s at Limburgse Vleugels at the eastern Belgium airfield of Genk Zwartberg (ICAO: EBZW), virtually no one of the private pilots seems to fly to the nearby intl airport of Maastricht-Aachen (EHBK)

The reasons are threefold: first, eastern Belgium has so many small airfields at its disposal where you can fly to uncontrolled. Secondly, flying to Holland takes only a couple of minutes, meaning it is considered too short for a serious navigation and finally because one needs to file a flightplan and pay landing fees (from what I hear) in Maastricht.

It was a beautiful winterday and I invited my Belgian fellow pilot Ludo Holtappels to join me to the Maastricht airport. His son Ruben Holtappels, who is a private pilot student at this stage, joined us as well for this short flight.

The weather was perfect and we took off with a C172 at EBZW (Genk-Zwartberg) and set course to the Bravo entry point of Maastricht’s CTR. As an exercise, we flew along the southern border to the Military zone of Kleine Brogel (EB R-05B). We called the tower of Maastricht and got a clearance to enter the CTR at 1800 ft.

We were than instructed to follow the canal and fly to Sierra and Golf. From there we joined downwind and landed on the 03. No bus or whatsover picked us up, we walked to the tower. The bill for paying fees was really low, only 20 euro ! Amazing.

It was carnaval weekend in the Maastricht area and so the bar was closed and we could’nt get a coffee. Too bad. So Ludo took over for the return flight and some 20 minutes later we were already back in Genk Zwartberg.

Maastricht airport

OO TRJ from the Limburgse Vleugels club

not too much activity at maastricht airport

the Belgian Dutch border

Canal between Belgium and Holland

I’ve been flying with the C172SP (with G1000) in 2008 whilst doing a two week flying tour from Grand Junction Colorado into Mexico, but I haven’t practiced that plane since.

The flying club Aerosport in Luxembourg has two such a C172SP and my Belgian club Limburgse Vleugels has got one C175S with G1000.

It costs a bit more expensive than a classic C172 (180 € versus 150€ /hour), but has the advantage of having a well functioning auto pilot.

landing at EBZW Zwartberg on 03

I went last weekend to Belgium and have been making a couple of training flights on the C172SP together with my former flying instructor Michel Notelaers, who is also an examinator. These went well and I was able to make some touch and go’s afterwards by myself at the Zwartberg airfield.

I’ll get some additional training as my aim is to master the G1000 configuration completely in the next two months