I have been checking the weather and there is a window to fly now right to Girona, before 2-3 days of really bad weather. So I look at the sky and Vitoria seems to be feasible for VFR. However, satellite predictions show potential rain and low clouds over Girona. So I decide to file a Z-VFR flight plan, flying visual till MAMUK, and approaching and landing on IFR. I don't want to risk another leg as the previous one.
I loaded 420 kg of cargo and proceeded to the take off. The first attemp was aborted due to external factors but the second take off try was the smoothest I've managed to do until now. For the first time, I was able to manage the power of the Baron on take off and remain at 1,000 ft AGL, under 150 kt. Flying fully manual helped a lot, trimming up quite aggressive, so the take off is slow, and reducing throttle a lot right after rising few feet over the ground.
From there, I decided to climb up to 9,500 ft, since MAMUK has to be flown over FL100. Another reason was to avoid entering Pamplona CTA. And from up there, the navigation was much easier, following valleys and mountains.
On the left, the Pyrinees. On the front, clouds announcing a tricky arrival. I did well on planning an IFR approach in advance.
Definitely, a very beautiful approach, following the ILS between rain showers. Luckily I have tested the systems beforehand, on that IFR flight to Bilbao, so I just had to care about navigation, which was not easy under those conditions.
From now, good weather is expected over France, although I haven't decided when or where to fly yet. Next leg soon.
------
Distance: 280 nm
No comments:
Post a Comment