Our trip was successful too, and although the tailwind produced ground
speeds of up to 155 knots at times, the Europa's true airspeed remained
a constant,
and predictable 115 - 120 knots, giving a typical 105 - 110 knots over
the ground,
for flight planning purposes. (produces surprisingly accurate results !)
We viewed the total eclipse against a blue sky from Eu Mers airfield on
the Normandy
coast, a few tens of miles south of Le Touquet. I think it's worth the
effort at least once
in an average lifetime !
After checking with Lydd in Kent, our flight across the channel on
Tuesday
night was hairy to see the least. Having just watched a documentary on
JFK
junior's final hours, I wasn't about to 'loose sight of the horizon',
but
cloud forced us lower and lower. Several VFR flights had been made in
the
previous hours, but more than once, I had very serious thoughts of
turning
around.
---From customs in Le Touquet, and just before closing, we made the short
flight to Berck airfield further south, where we pitched our tent
alongside
the aircraft.
By morning the weather had improved to a mackerel sky of alto cumulus,
with
strips of unbroken blue to the south. A telephone call back to the
office
to a trusted friend, confirmed that earlier satellite imagery and the
Met
office forecast gave a greater percentage chance over Luxembourg, so we
set
off early to the east. Not long into our journey it became clear that
this
strategy was flawed. Thicker stratus and lowering nimbus clouds forced
numerous course corrections, until finally we gave up our attempt at
Compiegne about half way to Luxembourg.
Now the forecasts from French Met and satellite images gave better
weather
to the west, so after refueling we set off towards Dieppe on the coast.
French notams made it mandatory that VFR flight should be complete by
11.00
BST, just 25 mins before totality. 'Gypsies on the runway !', and cloud
cover forced us to cancel Dieppe, and many other potential strips along
the
track.I had considered Abbeville, but at the time it seemed to be
affected by
local weather. Eventually we were forced us into the very private
(non-local traffic not
allowed) but ideally placed strip of Eu Mers, on the coastline. I think
we
may have overrun our arrival time by a few mins, but any reprimand was
clearly not at the top of the agenda for a skyward gazing CFI.
I think we stumbled on one of the very few opportunities to see totality
unhindered. I had no idea there were two other Europas just a few miles
away. An eerie silence decended, the wind became still and all along
the coast into the distance hundreds of flashes errupted from the gloom.
A
few seconds later it was over, and the power of the sun instantly bathed
the
landscape in its warm glow.
The trip back across the channel went without a hitch as stable clear
weather moved in from the Pas De Calais. Save for the dubious evening
weather on
Tuesday and the angry dark nimbus clouds in central France on Wednesday
morning ,
all aspects of the flight were without incident. I was back at the home
strip by 13.15 BST on
Wednesday.
Alan
--
Alan. D. Stewart
14 Goddard Way 'phone : +44 1245 264186
Chelmer Village work : +44 1473 607571
Chelmsford, Essex CM2 6UR email : alan.stewart@cableinet.co.uk
office email : alan.d.stewart@bt.com
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