>> Hello & Welcome…
Issue:
Edition 18 - January 2015
…to our monthly newsletter for the Fly UK community & our friends.
Fly UK Virtual Airways:
Thanks for downloading the new edition
of Skyways magazine. The purpose of Skyways is to keep our members and friends
in the flight sim community up to date
with all the latest news and updates here
at Fly UK! Skyways will be released on a
quarterly basis the first edition being published in January.
2014 has been a great year for Fly UK and
2015 only promises to be more prosperous. We have a lot of projects in the pipeline for this year and you will see some big
changes as the year progresses. Work is
still underway on a brand new website and
there are still plenty of other projects
presently being worked on in the background too. Further updates on those will
be made available soon!
www.flyuk.aero
Skyways Editors:
Adam Hillier
Craig Tyler
Skyways Production Team:
Chris Sutcliffe
Ross Queripel
Steve Trueman
>> Inside January’s Issue
Plenty to keep you busy whilst in the cruise!
Page 2 - Editor’s Message
Page 3 - Featured Destination: Guernsey
Page 5 - Highland Connect
Page 7 - Introducing MetroAir
Page 8 - Online Flying & Events
Page 9 - Screenshot Competition
Page 10 - Focus On: Offers & Discounts
Page 11 - Review: Just Flight Tiger Moth
Page 14 - The Flying Club
Page 16 - Aircraft Profile: Airbus A321
Page 17 - News & Updates
Page 18 - Staff Profile: Stephen Trueman
Page 19 - The Knowledge Base
Page 23 - A Day In The Life
Page 26 - Credits & Summary
Skyways is published and created by Adam
Hillier for Fly UK Virtual Airways. Thanks
to the Fly UK Staff team & Fly UK members
for their contributions and to the Fly UK
Quality Assurance team for proof-reading.
No reproduction of any part of this publication, in any form or by any means, without written consent from Fly UK Virtual
Airways is permitted. Any views expressed
in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of Fly UK Virtual Airways.
Page | 1
>> Editor’s Message
Adam Hillier - Skyways Editor
It feels a little bit strange to be
Skyways is and always has been a
writing this again after the amount
community based magazine and
of time that has passed. I used to
without the input from others there
create and edit Skyways magazine
would be little to no point creating
a number of years ago when time
something like this. A special thanks
wasn’t an issue. Now that I’ve
needs to go out to the Skyways pro-
Carrying on from that theme, we
settled down and have a bit more
duction team for the articles that
are always looking for more people
time I’ve offered to take on the
have been written and also to the
who wish to contribute to the pro-
project of editing this once again;
Fly UK staff team for their hard
duction of Skyways in whatever
albeit on a quarterly basis.
work in sustaining Fly UK as one of
way possible. We appreciate all
the UK’s leading Virtual Airlines for
feedback and comments from the
over 10 years now. Fly UK would
members and we encourage any-
not however be complete without
one who wants to write their own
you, the members and so an even
articles to submit them to the pro-
bigger thanks goes out to all of you
duction team so that they can be
for being a part of and supporting
included in a future edition of Sky-
Fly UK over the years. We hope we
ways.
Anyway, enough about that, let’s
have a look at what we’ve got in
store for this edition. Included this
month we’ve got departmental
updates including a look at what’s
planned for the year. We’ve got an
interesting article from the training
academy, software reviews as well
as plenty more to keep you well
entertained during the cruise.
can continue to grow and keep the
hobby of flight simulation alive for
people from all walks of life for
many more years to come.

The average person walks the equivalent of
three times around the world in a lifetime...

All the clocks in the movie ‘Pulp Fiction’ are
stuck at 4:20…


Russia didn’t consider beer to be alcohol until
2011. It was previously classified as a soft
drink…
It would take 1,000 years to watch every video
on YouTube...
Adam Hillier
Skyways Editor
skyways@flyuk.aero
Did you know that Fly UK also has a dedicated page
on Facebook?
It’s a great place to keep up to date with the latest
news, announcements and updates as well as a place
where you can share your own comments, videos
and photos from your virtual travels.
If you’re on Facebook then why not pop over there
and give us a ‘Like’ ...
Page | 2
>> Explore Guernsey
January’s Featured Destination
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British
Crown dependency situated in the English Channel, just off
the coast of Normandy. Guernsey itself is made up of ten
parishes, but also embraces the islands of Aldernay and
Sark as part of the Bailiwick. Guernsey is not actually part
of the United Kingdom but rather a possession of the
British Royal Crown and so thus lies within the common
travel area of the British Isles. It is not part of the European
Union but has a special agreement in place to allow the
passage of free trade in goods. Guernsey, along with the
Bailiwick of Jersey makes up the Channel Islands.
The island itself is incredibly rich in history as for most of
World War II, Guernsey was occupied by German troops.
Guernsey was heavily fortified during the war out of all
proportion to the island’s actual strategic value. German
defences as well as a number of underground facilities remain visible and open today
Guernsey has a total area of 24.5 square miles and is situated 31 miles to the west of France’s Normandy coast. It
has a temperate climate with mild winters and warm sunny
summers, typically the warmest months are July and August. As it stands the islands population is sat around
65,000 and French is recognised as one of the islands two
official languages, the other being English.
Guernsey’s Cobo Bay
Financial services, such as banking, fund management
and insurance account for roughly 37% of the islands GDP
and the light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular offshore finance centre for private equity funds.
Guernsey is also the home of the Specsavers Optical
Group which manages the largest optical chain in the UK
and Ireland, they also operate a number of Kingair’s from
the Island under the callsign ‘Specsavers’.
Guernsey issues its own sterling coinage and banknotes
including the £1 note! Unlike the UK, most of the public
services including water, waste, the harbours, the airport
and the state airline (Aurigny Air Services) are all owned
and run by the States themselves.
Page | 3
>> Explore Guernsey
January’s Featured Destination
Other points of interest on the island include the Norman
built Castle Cornet which still fires a single cannon shot at
12 noon every single day!
Fly UK Flights to/from Guernsey:
FL360/361 - London City - DHC8
FL5052/5053 - Southampton - B190D
FL506/507 - London Gatwick - A320
FL660/661 - Birmingham - DHC8
FL758/759 - Leeds Bradford - DHC8
FL810/811 - Edinburgh - B738
12 O’Clock Cannon
New Terminal & Aurigny ATR
Castle Cornet
Guernsey Airport
IATA: GCI
ICAO: EGJB
Runway 09/27
1583m / 5194ft
Asphalt
Guernsey VOR (GUR)
ILS 09/27 (IUY)
109.400 MHz
108.100 MHz
2013 Statistics:
Passengers
Movements
886,396
49,403
FS2004 Freeware Scenery:
http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?searchid=31458273
Devil’s Rock
FSX Freeware Scenery:
http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?searchid=31458301
So there you have it. A little run down on a place that a
lot of people still don’t know actually exists! Getting to
the island itself isn’t too difficult either. Aurigny, Flybe
and Blue Islands operate a number of daily flights to the
island from a number of UK destinations and there are up
to 3 sailings a day from the UK to the island with Condor
Ferries. If you’re planning on visiting then I’d recommend
you do so in the spring/summer months!
FSX Payware Scenery
https://earthsimulations.com/product/guernsey-3/
Normal Price £26.99
Page | 4
>> Highland Connect
Your gateway to the Highlands & Islands
Since June 2012, Fly UK’s Highland Connect has been
providing links from the Highlands and Islands to the rest
of the World via our Mainstream hubs in Edinburgh and
Glasgow. Since it’s inception there have been over 5300
unique Highland Connect flights moving nearly 80,000
passengers!
The Highland Connect Fleet:
De Havilland Canada DHC-6
Number In Fleet:
Max Range:
Max Cruise Speed:
Powerplants:
2
771nm
150 KIAS
2 x PW PT6’s
Beechcraft B1900D
Number In Fleet:
Max Range:
Max Cruise Speed:
Powerplants:
6
439nm
280 KIAS
2 x PW PT6’s
Highland Connect Twin Otter
We do have some big plans for Highland Connect this
year including the introduction of a new type as well as
the restructuring of the route network to create more
routes from the Glasgow base as well as the possibility of
some routes from Aberdeen. I’m not going to be giving
too much away in regards to what type of aircraft we’re
adding to the Highland Connect fleet as we do need some
secrets! What I will say however, is that the aircraft we’re
planning on bringing in will suit the needs of Highland
Connect incredibly well and it will also give you as members the chance to fly something just a little bit bigger!
28 Daily Flights:
Including (Not all destinations)
4 Daily Flights:
To
Aberdeen
Manchester
Bristol
Norwich
Isle of Man
Barra
Stornoway
Wick
Aberdeen
Sumburgh
Page | 5
Papa Westray
North Ronaldsay
Bergen
Westray
Sanday
Sumburgh
Eday
Stronsay
Orkney Islands*
Kirkwall
Kirkwall
Wick
Stornoway
Benbecula
Inverness
Aberdeen
Barra
Tiree
Oban
Dundee
Glasgow
Islay
Edinburgh
Campbeltown
Donegal
Isle of Man
Manchester
Norwich
Bristol
Southampton
Guernsey
Jersey
Page | 6
>> New Codeshare Partner
Introducing
Fly UK pilots will now have the opportunity to fly both the Airbus A319 and Dash-8 Q400 aircraft on selected routes
within the United States. This not only opens up new aircraft options but also exciting new hubs and flying experience
across the pond. In return, MetroAir pilots will have the ability to fly the Boeing 737-800, Boeing 767-300 and Boeing
747-400 out of our London Heathrow and Manchester hubs on selected routes. Pilots are not required to formally join
the partner airline to enjoy the new codeshare flights; however we would encourage you to join our new partner airline and experience their full range of aircraft and routes available. The new codeshare flights will be duplicated in
each other’s databases under new special codeshare flight numbers. You will find the new flights in our schedules on
or after the 1st of December 2014. In addition the new aircraft models and liveries download will be made available to
all pilots.
MetroAir Virtual Airlines (callsign: Metro *MET+) was founded in the fall of 2005 and began operations out of their Detroit, Michigan hub, with a hub in Ontario, California opening shortly after. MetroAir now operates hubs at BaltimoreWashington (BWI), Los Angeles Int’l (LAX), and Kansas City (MCI), with headquarters in Kansas City. Since its inception,
MetroAir Virtual has been run on the concept of operating as a true airline would, allowing the pilots to grow with the
airline. After nearly 10 years of operation, MetroAir Virtual operates a fleet of over 300 aircraft to destinations on five
continents, giving pilots never ending opportunities. Fly UK Virtual Airways currently operates flights to 15 destinations in the United States, while MetroAir Virtual services 3 UK destinations which include 29 weekly flights to London
Heathrow.
Operationally, both airlines will expand their route networks through the codeshare agreement, allowing passengers
to transit seamlessly across the world on both carriers. This new codeshare agreement will give Fly UK and MetroAir
passengers greater access to destinations across Europe and the within the United States. The upcoming codeshare
agreement will have a positive impact on Fly UK operations expanding our presence in the United States giving our
customers more choice and better connections.
Boeing 777-300ER
Number In Fleet:
Max Range:
Max Cruise Speed:
Powerplants:
2
7700nm
574 KIAS
2 x GE90’s
Airbus A330-200
Number In Fleet:
Max Range:
Max Cruise Speed:
Powerplants:
3
6400nm
475 KIAS
2 x RR Trent 700’s
Airbus A319-100
Number In Fleet:
Max Range:
Max Cruise Speed:
Powerplants:
13
3700nm
466 KIAS
2 x IAE V2500’s
Bombardier DHC8-Q400
Number In Fleet:
Max Range:
Max Cruise Speed:
Powerplants:
8
1567nm
360 KIAS
2 x PW PW150’s
Page | 7
>> January Online Events
Important dates for your diary
8th January - VATSIM Event - Jersey to Liverpool
A repeat of the VATSIM event. Caters for those who can’t
make the evening event on the 6th.
10th January - IVAO Event - Manchester to Aberdeen
The next in the series of the early morning IVAO flights. Come
and join us as we move up to the UK’s oil capital.
11th January - IVAO Event - Manchester to Aberdeen
Jersey to Liverpool | 3rd Jan 2015 | 0700z
A repeat of this event starting much later in the day.
13th January - VATSIM Event - Manchester to Aberdeen
A rerun of the previous events on the VATSIM network!
Jersey to Liverpool | 6th Jan 2015 | 1930z
Got an idea for an event?
email us at - events@flyuk.aero
Manchester to Aberdeen | 10th Jan 2015 | 0700z
IVAO Early Morning Flights
10th January - Manchester (EGCC) to Aberdeen (EGPD)
17th January - Aberdeen (EGPD) to Bournemouth (EGHH)
24th January - Bournemouth (EGHH) to Glasgow (EGPF)
31st January - Glasgow (EGPF) to London Gatwick (EGKK)
Aberdeen to Bournemouth | 20th Jan 2015 | 1930z
All early morning flights are repeated on Sunday evenings!
Did you know that any member of Fly UK can join in with our events regardless of their rank? Did you also know that members
who join our events are allowed to fly any Fly UK aircraft; from any class regardless of their rank?
Real World Events
Saturday 17th January from 10.00AM - Heald Green Village Hall
For more information visit: http://www.nwfsg.org.uk/
Sunday 18th January from 10.00AM - South West Flight Sim Group
For more information visit: http://swfsg.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-swfsg.html
Sunday 25th January from 10.00AM - Bristol Flight Sim Group
For more information visit: http://www.bristolflightsimgroup.org.uk/smf/
Page | 8
Screenshot Competition
The Fly UK screenshot competition takes place every month in the forum
and is sponsored by UK2000 scenery. Each month there is a new theme
and members are encouraged to submit their best screenshots to be in
with a chance of winning a UK2000 Xtreme scenery package. Here is a
selection of some of the wining screenshots from the past few months.
‘Flying Home For Christmas’ - Peter Faase
‘Narvik’ - Jason Weaver
‘Hard Left Out of Liverpool’ - Jason Weaver
‘Just a short stay’ - Pete Gill
‘Portuguese Sunset’ - Massimo Solimbergo
‘Misty Melbourne Morning’ - Paul Bayley
The Fly UK Screenshot Competition is Sponsored by:
Page | 9
>> Focus On > Offers & Discounts
‘Focus On’ is back! The main aim of ‘Focus On’ is to bring light where there is darkness and to better inform our members
about those little bits of Fly UK that probably aren’t used as much as they should be… you’ll be surprised at what you might
find! This edition is going to look at the offers and discounts offered by Fly UK and our partners.
20% Discount
vroute is a fantastic flight planning
software available for flight simulator. It provides a realistic planning
tool to enhance your simulation experience! Fly UK has been given a
generous discount for all our members for the premium edition!
5% Discount
Members can obtain a 5% discount
when ordering from Pooleys Flight
Store. Pooleys is a specialist in flight
equipment for real world aviation,
but has a varied product range including some simulation items!
10% Discount
FSPilotShop.com is the official shop
of FlightSim.com. They offer a large
selection flight simulation products,
software and accessories. With over
1000 products you can find whatever you are looking for to make your
flight simulation experience as realistic as possible!
20% Discount
UK2000 offer some of the very best
scenery money can buy. Their
Xtreme range of airports are incredibly detailed and really do make
Flight Simulator as real as it gets.
The range includes many of Fly UK’s
destinations and bases!
10% Discount
30% Discount
With FS2Crew, you're no longer flying alone; you're flying as part of a
Team. Just like the Pro's do! Using
procedures scripted from real airlines and real airline pilots, FS2Crew
adds the flight, cabin and ground
crew to your favourite FS aircraft.
10% Discount
Offering 10% discount on all stock
(including special offer and sale
items) to Fly UK members. Free P&P
to all customers in the UK & Ireland
and offering crib-sheet guides for
selected titles.
Members can obtain a 10% discount
on MD11, B747, B737, B767 and
Aviator Pro training packages.
Change the way you sim! Break out
of the norm, and become the virtual
aviator you've always wanted to be.
10% Discount
15% Discount
The Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) from
AivlaSoft for FSX is a true paper-less
flight bag for the virtual pilot. Combining flight planning, online integration and rendered charts from
AIRAC data, EFB is an all in one companion to add professional, realism
and information to your flights.
FsPassengers is an add-on for Flight
Simulator that will completely revolutionize the way you fly in Flight
Simulator (FSX or FS9). Passengers
react to how you fly your plane.
Hear them scream if you make drastic mistakes, and get their opinion of
your flight in real time.
Aerosoft contacts Fly UK from time to time to offer discounts on
selected products. As soon as we receive a discount from Aerosoft,
details about the product and the discount available is posted in
our forum.
Page | 10
>> Review: de Havilland Tiger Moth
By Ken Hall - UKV1142
I can’t remember when I last had this much fun with my
clothes on! This is real back-to-basics-stuff. Not a digital
dooh-dah in sight. Just honest-to-goodness, seat-of-thepants, feel-your-way-into-the-air exhilaration. From the
moment you “sit in”, switch on and listen to the magnificent rumble of the de Havilland Gypsy Major Moth engine
this is pure, unadulterated pleasure. At 84-years of age,
this lady is kind and forgiving; testament to the skills of
the designers who first drew her lines on paper way back
in 1930 and she is still beautiful. Perhaps the engineers
specified “Oil of Olay” instead of Castrol?!
Developed by the team at Aeroplane Heaven, the package
consists of eight aircraft over three variants: RAF and
RAAF DH82A trainers (4), the Canadian glass-canopied
DH82C (1) and the Civilian DH82A (3). Each livery is available with four options:
Borne out of principles engineered in WW1, the Tiger
Moth developed out of the successful Gypsy Moth and
continued the rationale of de Havilland to produce aircraft that were safe, simple in design and easy to fly.
While the Gypsy Moth was aimed primarily at the civil
market, the Tiger Moth was designed with an eye on the
Military market, for training purposes, and first flew in
1931. So successful was the design that the Tiger Moth
became the ab initio trainer for the RAF. After WW2 many
Tiger Moths were sold-off by the RAF into the civilian
market and became the prized possessions of many individuals as well as many Flying Clubs.
That makes a total of thirty-two variations and covers the
options of flying from either the front or rear seat to take
advantage of the fact that this is a dual control aircraft. As
an honorary Yorkshireman I would say that this represents excellent value for money!

Rear pilot – no front passenger in VC

Rear single pilot

Rear pilot – front passenger in VC

Front pilot – rear passenger in VC
To celebrate the 75th anniversary (2006) of the Tiger
Moth, Just Flight published this add-on for MS Flight Simulator and the even better news is that it was developed
for both FS2004 and FSX.
2-D Cockpit with pop up compass!
Page | 11
>> Review: de Havilland Tiger Moth
By Ken Hall - UKV1142
The only “complicated” part of the cockpit is becoming
used to the compass! In true magnetic-compass form it is
the needle that turns and having become used to the rotating dials in the modern (simulated) aircraft it took a
few moments to work out just what was happening and in
which direction I was heading!!!
My first flight took me from my local airfield Rufforth
(UK11) on a cross-country trip to land at Elvington, home
of the Yorkshire Air Museum. Slow and leisurely – bliss!
Plenty of time to see where I was going, wanted to be and
how to manage it. The Tiger Moth is so docile that the
impression given is that if the approach is not as good as
it should be then you could always get out and walk!
Switching to FSX gave me the opportunity to revel again
in this wonderful creation from Aeroplane Heaven and to
check out what, if any, impact it had on fps and fluidity in
the ‘Sim. I can report that this Tiger Moth made no significant difference to my frame rates and the fluidity was only what would be expected from my system – no more
but, more importantly, no less!
I chose a different livery for FSX going for the Blue/White/
Polished Alloy. All I can say is – stunning! The level of detail (in both ‘Sims) is ORSUMMM! Opening the engine
compartment (starboard side only) *Shift + E+ reveals that
wonderful power plant complete with moving throttle
linkages as you advance the throttle on your stick. The
detail is continued throughout the model with an absolutely brilliant rendition of the rigging complete with the
turnbuckle adjusters used to trim-up the rigging cables.
Fortunately it will not be necessary for me to attempt
this. I once attempted to tighten some loose spokes on
my bike – I had the right tool for the job but the wheel
still looked like a banana when I had “finished”. I was
twelve at the time – my only excuse! So flying round in
circles will only be by choice and not the self-inflicted unintended consequence of meddling!!!
> Continued on next page…
Page | 12
>> Review: de Havilland Tiger Moth
By Ken Hall - UKV1142
Making an approach to the Humber Bridge it was quite
easy to trim the Tiger Moth for level flight at about fifty
feet and then beat-up the water to fly under just because
it’s there!
The flight in FSX departed from Sherburn Aero Club (EGCJ)
and headed east to take a look at the River Humber and
the bridge over it. Flying across the A63, I was pleased to
be “up there” and avoiding all the traffic crawling along
on the tarmac below. Also, from a height of 2,500 feet it
was an opportunity to try out the aerobatic qualities of
this sedate lady of the skies. A fairly steep dive is called
for in order to build-up sufficient speed before pulling
back and going “over”. Unfortunately, due to the way that
the ‘Sims work, once reaching the zenith of the arc the
image spins round to point you in a different direction (on
screen)! Rolls were achieved in a much easier fashion although it is very necessary to push hard on the rudder
pedals to turn more quickly and to counter the effects of
“adverse yaw”
To sum up the Tiger Moth… Just brilliant. More than a
nodding glance at “the good old days”, this package will
have you sitting at your controls with a road-map in your
hand and navigating with the use of a stop-watch and
ded’ reckoning. I have really enjoyed my time with this
little gem and will continue to do so well into the future.
After all, isn’t that what a lot of real-world pilots do? In
their off-duty hours they spend time with a vintage aircraft harking back to the days before they were ruled by
Glass and Computer chips and regulations and paperwork and time-tables and cabin crew and passengers and
airport managers and airline managers - to name but a
few!!!
No, going back to basics, to the root of how it all became
available and possible – this is what it is all about. The
pleasure and joy of flying.
What I like about this add-on:
Everything!
What I dislike about this add-on
Nothing!
Ken Hall,
UKV1142.
I have to say that one of the most amazing properties of
FSX is the rendition of water textures. Set at High2X you
could almost feel the damp as you approach the surface
and up-close, the reflections are just superb. I mention
this only to express how delightful it was to see not one
but two Tiger Moths at the same time.
Do you have a favourite piece of software or
hardware that you’d like to review? Why not
email us at skyways@flyuk.aero and get it featured in a future edition of Skyways...
Page | 13
Shallow & Medium Turns
OK! We've managed to get into the air in our Cessna 172 and I'm pretty sure that most of you can use your joystick
or yoke to get you to where you need to go, but how many practice these turns to perform them 'by the book'. It is
often easier to switch on the autopilot, set an altitude and heading or even load a flight plan into the GPS.
However, what if the GPS and AP failed and you are left on your own? Yes! You can do it – you've done it before
and got down safely – no problem, but in this exercise I want you to deliberately and consciously manage your
turns having decided upon the heading you want to turn to while maintaining altitude and power.
Before we begin, just a note about the definition of the kind of turn we make in an aircraft...
Rate 1 Turns are otherwise known as “standard rate turns,” we have them so our
flying conforms to certain procedures, such as an NDB or VOR approach and holding
patterns. The rate1 turn basically means you're heading changes about 3 degrees
per second. If you make a 180 degree turn using a rate 1 turn, it should take you
about 1 minute. So if you were to perform a complete 360 (full circle) it should take
you roughly 2 minutes doing a rate one turn.
The Turn Co-ordinator has markings to indicate the correct bank angle to achieve a
rate 1 turn and we will use this in our exercise shortly.
So, back to our objective today which is to change (or return) to a desired heading by entering , maintaining and
rolling out of a shallow or medium level turn while using constant power and holding a constant altitude. This is
not an easy manoeuvre and takes practice to achieve a well executed turn.
1. First of all, check the recommended Va (manoeuvring speed) of your aircraft. In the standard Cessna 172 this is
97KIAS - we will therefore use this in our turn. Select an altitude to maintain - check for terrain and other obstacles
in the area you are going to practice in. (You would also check for other aircraft in the area!)
Trim the plane for level, hands-off flight and once this is being maintained select a heading or reference point outside for rollout. In out exercise add 90° to your current heading. Always look outside and peek inside during the
turn.
2. From straight-and-level-flight, coordinate aileron and rudder to
roll in the direction of the turn. Due to torque effect from the
prop, more rudder is required for right turns. Exert slight back
pressure on the yoke to maintain altitude.
> Continued on next page…
Page | 14
3. Look Outside! Peek Inside...
Select a spot on the horizon to maintain altitude and bank angle.
Maintain bank angle with the aileron try to achieve ±5°.
(Glance at the attitude indicator)
Maintain coordination with the rudder. The ball should stay
centred. (Glance at the turn coordinator).
Maintain altitude with the elevator using back pressure on
the yoke. Try to achieve ±100ft. (Glance at the altimeter).
4. Look Outside! Peek Inside...
Anticipate the roll-out heading or reference point. Rollout of the bank
with aileron and coordinated rudder pressure to return to straight and
level flight, don’t forget to release elevator back pressure.
Practice both right and left turns, returning to straight and level flight. Left
turns are performed in the same manner as right turns.
Page | 15
In each edition, we’ll have a unique look at the aircraft that make up the Fly UK fleet. In this edition we’ll be taking a look at the newest
addition to the collection. The much awaited Airbus A321...
Like the shortened A319, the A321 is a minimum
change, in this case stretched, development of the
successful A320. The A321 program was launched in
November 1989 and the first development aircraft
first flew on March 11 1993. European certification
was awarded in December that year.
Powerplants
Compared with the A320 the A321's major change is
the stretched fuselage, with forward and rear fuselage plugs totalling 6.93m (22ft 9in) (front plug immediately forward of wing 4.27m/14ft, rear plug
directly behind the wing 2.67m/8ft 9in).
2 x CFM-56-5B’s rated at 32,000 lbs or 2 x
IAE V2533-A5’s rated at 33,000 lbs.
Other changes include strengthening of the undercarriage to cope with the higher weights, more powerful engines, a simplified and refined fuel system
and larger tyres for better braking. A slightly modified wing with double slotted flaps and modifications
to the flight controls allows the A321's handling
characteristics to closely resemble the A320's. The
A321 features an identical flightdeck to that on the
A319 and A320, and shares the same type rating as
the smaller two aircraft.
Typical cruising speed between 447 KIAS and
488 KIAS (speeds quoted are economy and
maximum respectively). Range of between
2300nm and 2600nm depending on engine
option and power setting.
The basic A321-100 features a reduction in range
compared to the A320 as extra fuel tankage was not
added to the initial design to compensate for the
extra weight. To overcome this Airbus launched the
longer range, heavier A321-200 development in
1995 which has a full pax transcontinental US range.
This is achieved through higher thrust V2533-A5 or
CFM56-5B3 engines and minor structural strengthening and 2900 litres (766US gal/638Imp gal) greater
fuel capacity with the installation of an ACT
(additional centre tank).
The A321-200 first flew from Daimler Benz (now
DaimlerChrysler) Aerospace's Hamburg facilities in
December 1996.
Performance
Weights
A321-200 with IAE engine option:
MTOW - 89,000 kg
MLW - 75,500 kg
MZFW - 71,500 kg
Capacity
Maximum passenger capacity of 220 in a
one class economy configuration. Circa 186
passengers in a two class configuration.
Flight deck compliment of 2 pilots and upto
6 flight attendants. (5 required by law for
220 seat configuration).
Page | 16
>> News & Updates
> Codeshare Liveries Now Available
The liveries for the Metroair fleet are
now available for download in the fleet
centre. Apologies for the delay in getting
these to you!
> Skyways Magazine
Skyways, the inflight e-magazine from Fly
UK will now be released on a quarterly
basis. We’d like to thank previous editor
Craig Tyler for his work and dedication to
keeping the publication running throughout last year! Craig who was recently
appointed as Head of Operations will
focus solely on this role in order to offer
the Fly UK members the very best service
from the Operations Department for the
continued future.
> Welcome Lars Hansen
We’d like to extend a warm welcome to
Lars Hansen who has joined the Fly UK
staff team as an advisor. Lars has decided
to stay active on the forums whilst he
takes a short break from Flight Simulator.
Lars will be on hand to offer support and
advice to all Fly UK members on a variety
of topics. We’re incredibly grateful for his
contributions thus far and glad that he
has decided to remain a part of the Fly
UK community.
A summary of the latest news from Fly UK!
Repeat IVAO Event - Time Change
Operations Update
Please note that the start time for the
repeat IVAO event has changed. This
previously began at 1400 on a Sunday
afternoon, however due to this time
being unsuitable for a number of people
the decision was made to change the
start time to 1830 (local time).
The new winter schedules are live and
there is something in their for everyone.
Offering you a whole new selection of seasonal destinations from a number of your
favourite airports. Along with the new
destinations there have also been some
changes afoot in the fleet department. The
Embraer E190 jets have been retired from
service and are now available via our
Codeshare partner Metroair. Furthermore,
the ATR 72 type has also been withdrawn
from service to make room additional
Bombardier Q400’s and added capacity for
our London City network. The Boeing 757
has been retired from our Mainstream operations and all remaining airframes have
been placed into our low cost division Fly2.
This move allows us to focus more on additional capacity to our charter destinations
from all of our Fly2 bases. The 757 can now
be flown by selecting a Fly2 or Fly UK Cargo
flight. Finally the last fleet change to take
place is the addition of the Airbus A321.
Operating on a variety of routes from both
London Heathrow and Manchester . New
destinations for the type include New York,
Boston, Hurghada and a number of airports
within the Canary Islands. There are a few
more operational changes planned for this
year but news and updates of those will be
brought to you nearer the time.
World Flight 2014 Tour
World Flight 2014 managed to raise over
£29,000 this year! Thanks to all of those
who flew on the various legs in aid of
this, it really is a great cause to support.
For those who are interested, the route
taken by World Flight 2014 will remain
available as a tour until the start of the
2015 event.
3000 Training Sessions Completed
Earlier this year saw the Fly UK Training
Academy pass the 3000 mark in the
number of completed training sessions!
A fantastic achievement by all of the
dedicated instructors who give up their
free time to pass on knowledge to other
Fly UK members. The Training Academy
remains one of the most valued areas of
Fly UK, running for over 10 years now.
A Prosperous New Year - 2015
2014 has seen a number of changes for
Fly UK. We’re not giving anything away
but next year will have some even bigger and better changes coming your
way. Fly UK has been running for over
10 years now and we’d like to see it continue on for many more years to come.
Fly UK wouldn’t be where it is without
you, the members. So from all of us
here a big thanks for your continued
support over the years. We’d also like to
take this opportunity to wish you all the
best for 2015 both here at Fly UK and
also in your real world ventures too.
The Metroair codeshare agreement has
been in place for a number of weeks now
and we’re incredibly so far with the overall
reception from Fly UK members. If you’ve
not flown a codeshare flight yet then we’d
highly recommend giving it a go! The
flights on offer to us depart from a number
of Metroair hubs including Baltimore, Los
Angles and Kansas City, if you need a little
more inspiration then see what route are
on offer via the codeshare section of the
flight search page.
Did you also know that you can fly the Avro
RJ on a number of European codeshare
routes from Liverpool, London City and
Birmingham?
Page | 17
>> Staff Profile - Stephen Trueman
Behind the scenes...
My appreciation for aviation started
when I was 13 years old where my dad
took me on holiday to Salou - Spain.
This was my first holiday abroad at the
time. I remember pulling up in the taxi
outside Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport and asking my Dad why we were
at the airport? My Brother and I had
been told before leaving the house that
we were off to the station to catch a
train to Blackpool for the week! The
excitement took hold immediately and I
couldn't wait to get inside the Terminal.
I was in awe of the hustle and bustle of
the airport. All the way from the giant
hall of check in desks right on through
to the departure area. It was here
where immediately became glued to
the Terminal windows looking out
across the apron. Then I saw it, the aircraft taking us away on holiday… a Boeing 757-200 that belonged to Flying Colours Airlines (merged with Thomas
Cook in 1998. I was more excited about
the flight to Spain than I was about the
holiday itself. After being pulled away
from the windows it was time to go to
the gate and board. My Dad said that I
could sit next to the window which is
what made the whole flight for me.
Since that day I have been absolutely
hooked on all things aviation, seeing
the world from a different perspective
really made a huge impact! One of the
best ways for me to appreciate aviation
was to get into flight simulation. I’ve
been flight simming since the days of
FS98 and I’ve pretty much owned every
one since then. I wanted to take my
experience to a new level and so in...
2010 I found Fly UK and immediately
joined up. I had toyed with painting
aircraft a little bit in the past but at that
time it was relatively new to me but I
seemed to pick it up pretty quickly and
became fairly good at it in a relatively
short period of time. In 2011 I was approached by Chris Sutcliffe to ask
whether I’d be interested in helping
out with making repaints for Fly UK. I
bit his hand off as I’d always wanted to
give something back to the flight sim
community and before I knew it I was
working my way through the fleet
providing an updated livery. The list
was long and the hours passed but
eventually I managed to get them all
done! It doesn’t end there sadly as I
decided that after all that work I wanted to see something different on the
fleet. I came up with a new livery and
put the prototype to the staff team and
with that I had my brush set out once
more, this time working through the
fleet to put the brand new livery on.
I’m still working my way through the
fleet page trying to update the models
that are left. Outside of Fly UK, when
I’m not working the long hours; I love
spending time with my family, I’m just
recently married too which presented
another excuse for a long plane ride as
we had our Honeymoon in Caribbean a
month or two before Christmas. On an
end note I want to finish by saying that
I really enjoy my time here at Fly UK,
the community spirit is second to none.
I’ve tried out a couple of VA’s in the
past but nothing compares… here’s to
many more happy years at Fly UK!
Pilot ID:
UKV1145
Staff Position:
Fleet Repainter
Location:
Manchester
Age:
30
Joined Fly UK:
2010
Page | 18
In each new edition of Skyways, the Fly UK Training Academy will be writing an article aimed at providing you with some
useful knowledge! We appreciate that Fly UK has members from all walks of life all of whom have totally different levels of
experience. The aim of this article is to provide members with a basic understanding of some of the fundamentals to flying
within flight simulator. We hope that you find these articles of some use. Any members who have a specific request or an
idea for future editions are encouraged to submit their recommendations to skyways@flyuk.aero!
The weather… This is by far one of the most important factors of flight that all pilots, both real and virtual need to
have an understanding of. The weather has a massive impact on the performance of our aircraft and so it is vital that
we understand and appreciate the value of being able to read and interpret the various weather reports provided to
us. Don’t worry if it all seems a little bit daunting at first… it’s like learning a new language. It will take a little bit of
time to fully understand it all; but like everything in life the more you practise, the better you’ll get at it!
So what is a METAR? By definition a METAR is a METeorological Aerodrome Report. In simple terms it is a report on
the actual weather conditions observed at an aerodrome at the time that the report is given. A METAR is issued every
30 minutes or whenever there are significant changes in the present conditions.
For the purposes of this article I’m only going to be using the UK/EU format METAR’s. The US ones are very similar in
many respects however they will usually quote their visibility in statute miles instead of kilometres and also their barometric pressure setting in inches of mercury instead of hectopascals (more on that later though)…
Let’s make a start by taking a look at a METAR:
EGPH 182320Z 23014KT 8000 RA BKN042 05/02 Q0998
To make this easier I’ll break the METAR down into the key components so that we can have a more in depth look at
each little piece.
First of all we’ll look at the identifier section:
EGPH 182320Z 23014KT 8000 RA BKN042 05/02 Q0998
EGPH - This is the ICAO identifier for the airport in question.
This particular airport code represents Edinburgh.
182320Z - This is the date (18th) and the time of the report
(2320z). Note all the times are in UTC (Zulu).
EGPH 182320Z
23014KT 8000 RA BKN042 05/02 Q0998
23014KT - This represents the current average surface wind. Note
that this dictates which way the wind is blowing FROM. A point to
make here is that it is important to take off and land into wind.
At Edinburgh we have a choice of Runway 24 or 06. We need
to pick the runway that best suits the wind direction. The runway
numbers indicate the magnetic heading of the runway itself.
In this case we’d use Runway 24 as that is by far the closest to the
direction of the wind.
Page | 19
EGPH 182320Z
23014KT 8000 RA BKN042 05/02 Q0998
23014KT - There is a little bit more to add to this. If there are gusts
present the previous example will include the letter ‘G’ after the
mean wind to indicate that the next number is the gust factor.
An example is: 23014G25KT. This indicates that the mean surface
wind is still from 230 degrees at 14 knots, however there are now
gusts of upto 25 knots observed.
If the wind is calm then 00000KT will be shown instead.
A variable wind would be shown as follows: VRB02KT. However, if
the wind speed is 3 knots or greater and is varying by more than a
60 degree angle then the actual values must be recorded. Example
as follows: 23014KT 190V270. This states that the mean wind
direction is still from 230 degrees at 14 knots, however it is
variable between 190 and 270 degrees.
EGPH 182320Z 23014KT
8000 RA BKN042 05/02 Q0998
8000 - Represents the visibility. This is recorded as a four digit
number and is expressed in metres. This number shows that the
visibility at present is 8km or 8000 metres.
0000 would indicate that the visibility is less than 50 metres.
9999 would indicate that the visibility is actually more than 10km
or 10,000 metres.
If the visibility varies greatly in different directions then this will be
displayed as follows: 2500NE 8000S. What this means is that the
visibility towards the North East is 2500m and visibility towards
the South is 8000 metres.
When the weather at an airport is particularly bad, the air traffic
services are required to provide you with something called
Runway Visual Range (RVR). RVR is an indication of the actual
visibility as taken down the runway at different intervals and will
be provided to pilots when the reported met visibility drops below
1500 metres.
Let’s look at an example. Let’s assume the METAR actually states
the following: EGPH 182320Z VRB02KT 0800 R26/0650. We know that the
visibility is recorded in a four digit number, therefore what we
have here is a met visibility of only 800 metres and a Runway
Visual Range for Runway 24 of only 650 metres, meaning that the
actual visibility down the runway is less than reported. But why is
RVR important? The RVR is important because for precision
approaches like an ILS, they all have minimum required
visibilities to make the approach. If the visibility is less than that
required then you are not allowed to make that approach!
Page | 20
EGPH 182320Z 23014KT 8000 RA BKN042 05/02 Q0998
RA - Describes the current weather at our aerodrome. RA in this
case means ‘Rain’. Weather is described using one or more two
letter groups. RA is one of these two letter groups. Below is a full
table of all the weather codes and what they mean!
DZ
Drizzle
GS
Small Hail
BR
Mist
VA
Volcanic Ash
RA
Rain
SG
Snow Grains
FG
Fog
DU
Widespread Dust
SN
Snow
IC
Diamond Dust
FU
Smoke
SA
Sand
GR
Hail
PE
Ice Pellets
HZ
Haze
SS
Sandstorm
SQ
Squalls
/
/
/
/
DS
Duststorm
/
/
/
/
/
/
FC
Funnel Cloud
The above weather codes can be prefixed with further two letter codes to provide us with more information!
MI
Shallow
SH
Showers
+ (Plus)
Heavy
SHRA
Rain Showers
BC
Patches
TS
Thunderstorm
- (Minus) Slight
FZFG
Freezing Fog
DR
Drifting
FZ
Freezing
CB
Cumulonimbus
-RA
Slight Rain
BL
Blowing
/
/
TCU
Towering CB
+RA
Heavy Rain
EGPH 182320Z 23014KT 8000 RA BKN042 05/02 Q0998
Cloud Coverage Breakdown
FEW (Few)
1 or 2 Oktas
SCT (Scattered) 3 or 4 Oktas
BKN (Broken)
5 to 7 Oktas
OVC (Overcast) 8 Oktas (Full)
BKN042 - Represents the current cloud coverage. Shown as a three
letter group followed by a three number group. It is important to
mention that this states the cloud height above aerodrome level.
For the purpose of a METAR it has been decided to break the sky
up into 8 parts (Oktas). See table (left) for cloud coverage details.
The cloud height is given next and is represented by three numbers
as follows: BKN042 in our case means that the cloud is broken at
4200ft above aerodrome level. Should it read FEW020 this would
indicate few clouds at 2000ft whereas SCT008 would mean
scattered cloud at 800ft. Following this trend, OVC240 shows that
the cloud is overcast at 24,000ft! It is also possible to have
multiple layers our cloud: FEW009 SCT023 BKN045 meaning that
there are few clouds at 900ft, scattered clouds at 2300ft and
broken clouds at 4500ft. On occasion when the weather permits,
the usual way of reporting the clouds may be exchanged for one of
the following: SKC (Sky is clear, no cloud layers visible). NSC (No
significant cloud above 5000ft). CAVOK (Visibility is greater than
10km, no CB’s or TCU’s and no significant cloud below 5000ft).
Page | 21
EGPH 182320Z 23014KT 8000 RA BKN042 05/02 Q0998
BKN042 - One final point to add about the cloud coverage is
to explain to you what happens when the cloud base cannot
actually be determined in times of poor visibility. When this
is the case, instead of the normal cloud coverage designators
you will find something along the lines of: VV002 this means
that the vertical visibility (i.e… the height at which things
disappear into the clouds is 200ft. 002 would be replaced
with the actual present value. If this figure cannot be
determined then it will be replaced with VV/// to show this.
EGPH 182320Z 23014KT 8000 RA BKN042 05/02 Q0998
05/02 - A nice easy one this time. These two figures dictate
the temperature and the dew point respectively (dew point
is the temperature at which visible moisture will form). This
is displayed in degrees centigrade. In the example above our
current temperature is +5 degrees and the dew point is +2
degrees. Minus values are preceded by an ‘M’ for example:
M02/M04.
EGPH 182320Z 23014KT 8000 RA BKN042 05/02 Q0998
Q0998 - Again quite a straight forward one. This value shows
us the present recorded barometric pressure (measured in
hectopascals (hPa)). This is what we need to set on our
altimeters to give us an accurate reading of our altitude.
It is always given in four digit from so if the QNH is below
1000 hPa then there will be a zero before the first nine.
What we have just been through makes up the main part of a METAR. Just to finish of we’ll have a look at a number
of additions that can be placed within a METAR to give you more information.
Recent Weather Observed: These can be found in the form of the weather codes as mentioned above, however they
will have with them one of the following: RE (Recent) or VC (Vicinity). If ‘RERA’ was found in a METAR then it would
mean that it has recently been raining. ‘VCSH’ on the other hand would mean that there are showers in the vicinity of
the airport.
Wind Shear: A very important addition that gives us information on any wind shear that may be present. Found in the
following formats: ‘WS LDG RWY24’ or ‘WS TKOF RWY06’. The two examples are fairly self explanatory and respectively mean that there is wind shear reported when landing on runway 24 or that there is wind shear reported when
taking off on runway 06. Obviously the METAR would be adjusted to whatever the conditions were.
Trend Messages: Finally, we may find on some METAR’s the following pieces of information. They give us an idea of
what is forecast to appear within the next 2 hours (from the time the METAR was issued): ‘TEMPO’ is used to indicate
that there is a temporary change due, for example: ‘TEMPO 5000 BR’ shows that temporarily the visibility will be
5000 metres in mist. BECMG means that the specified condition will change to become something different: ‘BECMG
25040KT’ shows that the wind is going to change from what it is on the current METAR to blow from 250 degrees at
40 knots. ‘NOSIG’ may also appear from time to time to indicate that there are no significant weather changes due.
Page | 22
>> A Day In The Life: Regional Airline Pilot
By Adam Hillier - UKV1212
So today we’ve got 5 sectors. I have a
feeling it’s going to be a long old day!
After a brief discussion with the Captain it’s decided that I’ll be pilot flying
on legs 1 ,2 and 4 as that gives me an
opportunity to get some practise in
landing on longer runways.
For the meantime however we need
to look at the enroute weather...
It has been a while now since I last
produced an edition of Skyways and
whilst in the process of producing this
one, I was trying to think of articles
and additions that people may find an
interesting read! After all that is the
whole idea of producing something
like this! Anyway… I was looking for
sparks of inspiration from a few previous editions and I saw this fantastic
article written by Jay Collie about his
job as an airline pilot. Although I don’t
by any means share the same glamour as he does on his shiny jet I hoped
that this may be an interesting read
for anyone who wants to see what it
is that we do.
Much like you do when you start a
flight we have a somewhat expansive
assortment of paperwork to look at
before we get to go anywhere near an
airplane. This will usually start with
seeing which plane it is we’re actually
taking followed by the passenger
loads.
All looks pretty good from where
we’re sat, there is nothing significant
between us and London at all which
always makes life a little easier and a
lot comfier for all of us. Another thing
we have to do at this point is look at
the expected icing during the flight.
The ATR is particularly sensitive to
large amounts of ice accretion and a
number of accidents have occurred in
the past due to this. The aircraft and
the procedures have however been
modified since those accidents.
Like all aircraft, if flown properly and
within the procedures set out by the
manufacturer every flight will be a
safe one! A quick look at the METAR’s
(which you should all know how to
decode by now) shows that we’re not
expecting anything too nasty on any
of the sectors. Next onto the selection
of NOTAM’s that we have available…
Nothing to note on those except a
few taxiway lights out at STN. Nearly
there now with all this paperwork
malarkey! Finally all we need to do is
check the performance and our split
speeds.
We need to do this for every airport
we’re flying out of. A quick scan
through the performance manual
shows us that we are unrestricted in
weight (upto 22,800kg) and that our
V1 speed is 111 knots. So… now that
the paperwork is done, it’s time for a
swift cup of tea before heading off
down to the aircraft to do another set
of checks there!
> Continued on next page…
Page | 23
>> A Day In The Life: Regional Airline Pilot
By Adam Hillier - UKV1212
Now that we’ve actually arrived at the
aircraft we can open it up and do the
checks. As pilot flying I have to stay
outside in the cold and do the external checks and walk around. This consist of a general check of the airframe
itself and general condition of all the
extremities of it. We check the wings,
engines and landing gear assembly for
any leaks, damage and just to make
100% sure that they’re attached
properly (I kid you not!)…
The walk around also includes taking
the prop strap off. A task that I often
struggle with being so short! Oh well,
it gives everyone else a bit of a laugh.
So… prop strap is off, the engines,
wings and wheels are all attached
which means we can go flying now
(almost). Back to the flight deck
where the Captain has completed the
set up in there for the departure. It all
goes pretty fast from now as we’re
only 25 minutes from departure. The
passengers are already queuing at the
gate to be brought out to the aircraft.
On the ground there is a little bit of
role reversion as the Captain is only
pilot who can steer the aircraft on the
ground (via the use of the tiller).
This means that I have to get the ATC
clearance. ATC clearance obtained
and we’re cleared to London Stansted
via the ORTAC 3W departure from
Runway 27. It’s in the FMS but we
need to fly the initial climb and the
radial interception on raw data.
We’ve briefed it a number of times
before but we go through it again just
to make sure we haven’t missed anything in the setup. All looks good, so
we go through our before start checks
as the last few passengers board and
take their seats. Passengers all seated, pushback tug and the bar are
attached I think it would be an appropriate time to call for start clearance.
The ATR is a bit of a funny plane in the
respect that it doesn’t have an APU.
Instead we can start the number 2
engine in something called ‘hotel
mode’ This essentially allows us to
start the engine without the propeller
turning via the use of a very strong
hydraulic prop brake. Start clearance
received and we can start number 2.
A good, stable start and better yet the
prop is not rotating! We’re cleared for
the pushback and we note the time as
we start moving backwards. Push is
completed, we start number one and
then release the prop brake on number 2, both propellers are spinning
away happily. The condition levers go
to ‘Auto’ and everything becomes
quite noisy as the engine torque...
starts to increase. ‘After Start’ checks
next, then we taxi out to the holding
point to A1. A very short taxi today as
we’ve pushed back from stand 7
which is pretty much abeam the end
of Runway 27. Approaching A1 and I
call ready for departure. We’re
cleared for take off and just to make it
all a little more interesting, we’ve got
a fairly swift breeze from the left.
Whilst I advance the power levers to
the notch, the Captain calls “system
armed” followed shortly by “power
set”. Steering is given to me as we
pass 70 knots and before we know it
we’re in the air. Gear is selected up
and we continue to climb away. Just
one last thing to do before we can
settle down and relax for the duration
of the flight. As we pass 2500 ft I ask
for the after take off checks. Those
are done ending with a quick altimeter check as we’re cleared to a flight
level by Jersey Control. Our routing
takes us up to ORTAC, followed by a
bit of a dog leg towards the area close
to Goodwood (GWC) finally routing
up towards AVANT for the LOREL 4C
arrival into Stansted. Cruising today
at FL190 (19,000 ft) we get a pretty
good view of London as we cross just
to the East of London Heathrow.
> Continued on next page…
Page | 24
>> A Day In The Life: Regional Airline Pilot
By Adam Hillier - UKV1212
So here’s a little depiction of what the chart for the LOREL 4C looks like, anyone
who’s flown any of the Cargo or Low Cost flights will have likely seen this one
before. Whilst making our way over the Capital, London Control usually keep us
high so that we’re well out of the way. We’re often given late descent clearance
which can often be interesting, especially if we’re landing on Runway 04. Once
we get transferred to Essex they often like to play a game with us. This game is
usually very one sided and we’re sure that they call it … “let’s see how fast we
can get the ATR to descend today”! Because of the way that the ATR has been
designed we can normally get it to go down and slow down, sometimes up to a
rate of 2,500 ft/min depending on the weight and conditions. We don’t have the
luxury of speed brakes so we’re at the mercy of gravity! All seems to work out
anyway, we level off at 2500 ft just before we’re turned in for the localiser.
6.6 dme on the I-SX comes up and the
aircraft starts taking us down on the
glideslope. We’re asked by ATC to
maintain 165 knots until 4 dme which
means we can’t configure to land until
that point. Our gear limiting speed is
170 knots and flap 30 limiting speed
150 knots. Just as we approach 4
miles I bring the power levers back to
idle and call for gear down and flap 30
as the speed trickles below 150 knots.
As soon as the gear and flaps are
down the thing will slow down very
quickly and so around 25% torque is
required to maintain our approach
speed of 117 knots. We don’t have an
auto-throttle and I can’t fly accurately
to within 1 knot so I’ll settle for something between 115 and 120 knots.
Our stable approach criteria dictates
that at 800ft we have to be within -/+
50 ft and our speed within - 5 knots to
+ 15 knots of the target approach
speed. Sounds quite reasonable, but
in poor conditions, especially when
it’s windy it can be make it all a little
bit challenging.
That aside, we’re down. Vacated at
NR and been cleared to taxi to stand
23L via taxiway HOTEL and the BRAVO
West Line. Once on stand we can do
all the paperwork (snore…) and then
get set up and ready to do it all again
on our trip to Jersey!
Adam Hillier - UKV1212
Page | 25
We need your help…
Creating content for Skyways is a time consuming task! We’re
looking for Fly UK members to submit articles that they feel would
be of interest to all the other members. Do you have an interesting
job? If so please feel free to submit an article on what it is that you
do day to day! Do you have an amazing flight simulator set up that
you want to show to the rest of the community? If so then please
let us know about it by sending us a report, with pictures included
of course! Do you have an interesting experience or perhaps just
want to write something for others to read? If the answer to any
Picture Credits
Page 7 - Philip Harris
Page 16 - Ross Queripel
Page 26 - Cameron Rich
Article Credits
Tiger Moth Review - Ken Hall
of the above is yes then please get in touch, we’d love to hear
The Flying Club - Jim Lowery
from you. We want Skyways to be an informative yet entertaining
publication for all members of Fly UK to enjoy and we can better
do that by getting you involved. If you’d like to submit anything at
Staff Profile - Stephen Trueman
all then please email us at: skyways@flyuk.aero
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