Sherburn - Beverley - Stokesley - DTV

Saturday 20th September, 2008

After several days of turmoil at work following the HBOS plc takeover announcement I was so looking forward to the respite of just living in the here and now. No future to speculate, no past to regret, just surviving from one moment to the next.

The day before I touched base with my co-pilot, Brian, to compare notes on our routes. For the outbound route I was thinking of routing east to Selby, up to Pickering and across to Stokesley VRP (giving the 2,300 ft mast and Carlton Moor a fairly wide birth) or, depending on the NOTAMs and the weather, west to Garforth, north to just beyond Ripon, then across to Stokesley via the Leeming and Dishforth MATZs. Brian had planned the inbound route from Stokesley to Beverley and back to Sherburn via Selby. As it turned out neither of my routes was possible due to parachute jump exercises at Leeming and a hot air balloon event to the east of York. I therefore more or less reverted to the reverse of Brian's plan. (It always pays to look at the NOTAMs first!)

The weather forecast had been looking good most of the week and we were not to be disappointed having arrived in glorious sunshine at 13.30 to finish off our flight planning. I made sure I was fully self-briefed on Durham Tees Valley (DTV) which included an aerial snapshot of the airfield (courtesy of Google Earth) to check where Eaglescliffe & Yarm were in relation to it.

The most difficult part of the planning turned out to be the Prior Permission Request (PPR). The Pooley's plate suggested the Warrior didn't need any special handling, whereas the AIP Aerodrome Chart indicated all aircraft were subject to mandatory handling & PPR. The latter, dated 3rd July 2008, appeared to be the most up to date so we phoned the first handler on the list, Servisair but they definitely were not interested in handling our aircraft. We then decided to contact DTV ATC and initially couldn't get through via the airport's number despite numerous attempts.

Time was beginning to run out. We had Oscar Hotel booked from 15.30 to sunset and had to set off promptly to ensure we got there and back before official night. Eventually we got through to the second handler on the list, Midwest, but the woman I spoke to was out on the apron and couldn't take any details - she'd phone back. So Brian and I headed out to start the external and internal aircraft checks. Just moments before I was ready to start taxiing for the power checks Midwest phoned back and we were able to book in.

Before heading off for Durham Tees Valley, I decided to do one circuit to make sure my brain was in gear for a landing at DTV. It was a good one so we departed Sherburn via Selby, myself as P1, Brian as radio operator and navigator! As we routed out to our first waypoint he obtained a Radar Information Service (RIS) from Humberside. We were asked to squawk 4170, use the Humberside QNH 1025 and were given a limited RIS due to our low altitude of 3,500 feet.

A moment later we were advised of traffic: "Golf Oscar Hotel traffic right 2 o'clock approximately one mile no height information". Brian quickly spotted a glider and informed the controller: "Sir, your no height traffic was a glider similar level" for which Humberside thanked him.

As we approached Beverley town, Hull loomed to the south of us and Brian took some shots. We arrived overhead almost exactly on time (16.29), turned near Leconfield for our next waypoint Pickering and spotted the familiar water features near the Beverley airfield.

At this point we were asked to squawk 7050, and change frequency to Durham Approach. Brian did the deed and Durham responded "Golf Oscar Hotel identified on handover from Humberside. Radar Information Service limited from below".

As the North York Moors passed underneath us I felt a ripple of excitement. This was the furthest north I'd flown as a pilot until now. Previous sorties had taken me only as far as Wombleton. We maintained an altitude of 3,500 feet and I made sure I kept a good track to the Stokesley Visual Reference Point (VRP) in order to avoid the 2,300 ft mast and Carlton Moor gliding base! As we approached the other side of the hills, Teesside came into view and I started my descent.

At the VRP we were immediately given VFR zone entry clearance, handed over to the tower and asked to join on left base for 23. The QFE was 1024. Brian asked for a radar vector to the field and was given a QDM of 299°. After a couple of minutes we eventually clocked the airfield and the villages Eaglescliffe & Yarm.

At 1,000 ft I joined on left base one mile out to give me plenty of time on final. Brian made the final 23 call and we were cleared to land. I was slightly low at one point, but recovered with a bit of power to make sure I got there and landed with plenty of runway ahead to enable a quick exit at taxiway Bravo. The tower directed us to stand 8 where we parked next to a Gulfstream IV, just starting up engines, at 17.05.

We were met by two very efficient Midwest ladies, who ferried us to the airport and back having paid the landing fee etc. One of them asked whether we'd been to DTV before. Brian replied 'no' while I smiled to myself: 'Yes several times, due weather, courtesy of BMI en route to LBA!'

DTV - Stokesley - Beverley - Sherburn

Unfortunately the ATIS frequency was beyond the range of our radio, so we had to listen out for the current information. Brian requested start up from the tower: "Durham Tower good afternoon G-BNOH, PA28, stand 8 with information November QNH 1028, request start". The ATC replied "Golf Oscar Hotel, November is current, start approved, report ready for taxi". Having reported ready we were cleared to taxi to Alpha one and again asked to report ready. I reported ready at Alpha one and the zone clearance was given: "Golf Bravo November Oscar Echo is cleared with a left turn to leave the zone on track not above 1,500 feet QNH 1028".

Brian took off with zero flap and 70 knots rotation speed, made the left turn out and climbed to 1,500 feet at which point tower transferred us to Durham Radar with a FIS. ATC informed us that we no longer had a level restriction which we figured was good news given the North York Moors ahead of us!

Durham Radar handed us on to Leeds Radar and we requested a service upgrade to a RIS. The visibility had become gradually worse (to about 7km) but still perfectly flyable under VFR. Brian then identified the OTR VOR and tracked to the 145° radial allowing for approximately 5° of drift which kept us nicely on track back to Beverley.

At this point we were almost out of range of Leeds Radar so requested a radio frequency change to Humberside near Beverley. As we turned into sun and tracked the Brough-Selby railway, Brian began a descent to 2,000 feet. The radar controller informed us: "Golf Oscar Hotel Flight Information Service only as you reach two thousand feet due level, Barnsley QNH 1026, report changing to Sherburn".

On changing back to Sherburn's frequency it was good to hear the voice of, Bob (my instructor prior to recently qualifying for my license), asking us if we'd enjoyed the trip. I replied that apart from my not being able to articulate Oscar Hotel in preference to Oscar Echo all the way back, and therefore confusing ATC en route, the trip had been just fine. Fortunately Brian dug me out of a few holes with his adept use of the radio and saved me from total disgrace!

As we wended our way over to the airfield we flew towards a spectacular sun set - the most perfect end to a very satisfying day.