Deauville Flyaway 24- 25th July 2010

So the decision was to go with the club to Deauville, but we fancied a little longer there and we had the advantage of having a new a member who just happened to live there ! So with a little bit of arm twisting we were invited to stay overnight. The planning started some days before when I realised that both of the club Cessna's were soon out of hours to check. I "stood down" for a couple of days to allow both planes to go to our maintenance company, Falcon; then found that Alouette was short of a couple of life vests and a dinghy as these were away being checked. Sniveling around the airfield I borrowed a couple of life vests and on checking French Air Law ascertained that a dinghy was not required although a Personal Locator Beacon was, no problem here as the club has two.

Then the French Air Traffic Services went on strike! Then the weather started playing "Call my Bluff"! Not deterred I spent Friday evening putting together all the paperwork - tons of it; knowing that I probably will not need it but if I don't have it I will be the one aircraft the Gendarmerie decide to check. Anyway, got to stay legal haven't we?

Saturday morning Lydia - the wife - and I queued for fuel under clear skies - ish. Then queued for filing a Flight Plan, then queued for a sandwich at the expensive tower, then queued for Customs and lastly queued at the hold.

Off we went. Pretty uneventful trip routing Sevenoaks - Tunbridge Wells - Seaford (SFD) - L'Havre (LOH); speaking to London Information and Deauville LARS. (Interestingly using FL45)

The only bad weather we encountered was above the active Restricted area overhead L'Havre. This tops at 3300 ft and the huge blackness of cloud bottomed at about 3310 ft! Working on the Cessna being about 8ft tall I squeezed in remaining VFR between the two. I didn't go below 3300ft - honest. This put us on Right Base for R030 at "The Bridge" (ED) and five miles to descend Stuka fashion. The usual greasy smooth landing followed. I heard other G reg planes asking where they could get Avgas so text back home to warn the others there was no Avgas at Deauville. This had been NOTAM-ed on and off (like their strike).

Gerry and Karen Chalmers, our members, looked after us proudly and a good night of food and beer was had round the harbour. I didn't know Honfleur was so big and popular. A few night-caps at their house and well deserved sleep. The morning plan was - croissants then Deauville Beach then back to Honfleur for lunch with the Sunday arriving Club members.

Honfleur and Deauville is typically French quaint charm and style with a Sunday market. Dragging Lydia away from the shops a text from Ian warned me of a weather front approaching; I was in CAVOK ! But now knowing that the club had cancelled their trip I decided that we'd better go to the airfield to take a look. They were right, huge swathes of thick black clouds were on the horizon. No time to discuss then, simply file a flight plan, wave goodbye to our hosts and check the plane over.

Our return was by the same route, but those clouds were getting thicker, nearer and lower. Now what is the French Law about VFR on top? No, not going there and booked a "Standard Instrument Departure" due North.

Never did see the Bridge and occasionally saw L'Havre where we coasted out. Speaking to Deauville LARS - L'Havre Tower - Deauville LARS - London Information - Farnborough Radar.

A smooth ride over the water between two layers of strata, concentrating on the instruments and waiting patiently for the DME to count down to SFD. It seemed ages, I'm sure I grew a beard! Eventually 1 DME to SFD except it was nowhere to be seen! Never the less, spoke to Farnborough Radar for a Traffic Service and continued IMC. Preparing for Thames Radar and vectors for an ILS approach when we "Popped out " between Tonbrige and Sevenoaks. Suddenly we were in a tumble dryer of weather and I actually had to fly the plane! Bang! Boing! Thump! It was quite rough as we passed through the front; but at least we were VMC. Straight in to R29 and customs and clubhouse. Not surprisingly nobody else was flying from Biggin when we arrived!

Back home for beer and more beer. A great time for us both, just a shame the weather stopped the others.

Bruno & Lydia Bruniges