European legs progress...
Stats for the tour so far
Legs: 38
Total time: 69:47
Total dist: 19364nm
Fuel used: 29981kg / 65958lbs
Sunday 29 May 2011
Vagar to Reykjavik
DAY 7, LEG 38 - Vagar to Reykjavik
Having checked the volcanic ash charts in Vagar, it's safe to proceed along our next leg to the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. The international airport is located at Keflavik, to the west of the city but Reykjavik's airport handles small domestic traffic and is ideal for a stopover on our hop across the Atlantic.
Taking off from Vagar.
Climbing out from Vagar.
Distant view of Iceland on the horizon.
Flying past the famous Vatnajokull glacier, home of the Grimsvotn volcano which has threatened to ground flights in Europe this year.
Turning base for the localizer approach to runway 13 at Reykjavik.
Long final.
Short final.
Parked at Reykjavik.
EKVG - BIRK stats
Take off time: 1417
Landing time: 1457 (-1 hour time difference)
Flight time: 01:40
Fuel used: 712kg / 1566lbs
Wick to Vagar
DAY 7, LEG 37 - Wick to Vagar
This is our first step across the Atlantic Ocean as we stage through Vagar in the Faroe Islands. The Faroes are an autonomous province of Denmark and lie approximately midway between the Scottish Orkney Islands and Iceland. The airport is located on the edge of the island of Vagar and is surrounded by terrain. This means the approach to runway 13 is offset and in windy weather can produce some interesting approaches! I filled up the aircraft at Wick so I could divert to Reykjavik in Iceland should the weather at Vagar make it impossible to land there.
Ready to taxi at Wick as a rain shower passes through.
Holding short of runway 13 behind a Mooney aircraft departing to Inverness.
Duncansby Head and John O'Groats - the most northeasterly part of the UK.
Climbing out past the Orkney Islands.
First view of the Faroe Islands.
Descending into Vagar preparing for the Localizer approach to runway 31.
Passing a Bae-146 of Atlantic Airways from Vagar to Billund, Denmark.
On the localiser to runway 31.
6 mile final to runway 31.
4 mile final going visual and positioning towards the centreline.
Parked at Vagar looking back towards the short runway.
EGPC - EKVG stats
Take off time: 1300
Landing time: 1404
Flight time: 01:04
Fuel used: 498kg / 1096lbs
Barra to Wick
DAY 7, LEG 36 - Barra to Wick
After a quick coffee in the terminal at Barra, it is time to head to Wick, a small town in the very northeast corner of Scotland. Wick is a popular staging post for trans-Atlantic GA traffic as it lies on a great circle route from Iceland to Europe so it seems like a good place to stop and plan our own crossing. We arrived at Barra with roughly three-quarters of our fuel tanks full so there is plenty for the short hop to Wick where we will fill up.
Parked at Barra ready to start engines.
Taking off at Barra from runway 25 towards the small terminal building.
Routing past the Isle of Skye towards Stornoway VOR.
Passing abeam Thurso as we position for a straight-in VOR approach to runway 13 at Wick.
Long final for runway 13.
Short final at Wick with some low cloud just visible.
Parked at Wick outside the terminal building.
EGPR - EGPC stats
Take off time: 1156
Landing time: 1241
Flight time: 0:45
Fuel used: 358kg / 788lbs
Friday 27 May 2011
Dublin to Barra
DAY 7, LEG 35 - Dublin to Barra
I mentioned during the last leg that we had to have a quick stop in Dublin due to the unusual opening times of our next destination, Barra. Barra is located in the outer Hebridean islands of western Scotland and is the world's only beach airport. As such, schedules to and from the Scottish mainland are controlled strictly by the tide! Fortunately we have aimed to land just before low tide, allowing us to turn around and depart to Wick before the tide rushes in. Barra is served by a Twin Otter of Loganair to Glasgow and Benbecula. I left Dublin with full tanks of fuel due to there not being any available at Barra so I needed enough to continue onto Wick for the next leg.
Parked at Dublin.
Departing Dublin.
Descending below the cloud base to view the Scottish Island of Islay, famous for it's Scotch Whisky.
Islay with Loch Gorm just visible.
Approaching the island of Tiree.
Tiree Airport - another Loganair Twin Otter destination.
Looking for Barra.
Visibility improves enough to get a good sight on left base.
Turning final for Barra.
Final for Barra in the rain.
Landing on one of the strips on the beach marked out with small posts. Slight crosswind from the left!
Parked Barra.
EIDW - EGPR stats
Take off time: 1049
Landing time: 1146
Flight time: 0:57
Fuel used: 485kg / 1067lbs
Billund to Dublin
DAY 7, LEG 34 - Billund to Dublin
We leave continental Europe behind and head across the North and Irish Seas towards Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland. Dublin is famous as being the birthplace of Guinness but unfortunately we won't have time to try one as our next destination has opening hours defined by Mother Nature! The route today takes us out over the western coast of Denmark towards the eastern coast of the UK then across central England, along the north Wales coast and into the westerly runway at Dublin.
Parked at Billund.
Departing Billund straight out to the west.
Leaving the runway behind.
Climbing out over the west coast of Denmark overhead Esbjerg with the Ringkoping Fjord in the background.
Over the cold North Sea.
Approaching the east coast of England near the River Humber.
The cities of Manchester and Liverpool with the River Mersey in the background.
Passing Manchester Airport.
The River Mersey and the city of Liverpool.
Starting descent into Dublin as an Air Canada 767 from Toronto and a Virgin Atlantic 747-400 from San Francisco race each other to London Heathrow.
Pointing at Howth Head about to turn final for runway 28 at Dublin.
EKBI - EIDW stats
Take off time: 0910
Landing time: 1030 (-1 hour time difference)
Flight time: 02:20
Fuel used: 890kg / 1958lbs
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