[Scilly II] To the mainland - where I can land my DC-3 ..

[P_7878 6,741]

This is a follow-up to my previous post on the Isles of Scilly. As I'd mentioned there, I was barely able to take off St Mary's Airport (EHGE)...with a bit of daredevilry that is not well-advised for this Douglas behemoth...🙂...I don't have yet that STOL capable, sturdy, nimble, and reliable BN-2 at my disposal, which is really the aircraft that is suitable for commuting in these miniscule islands (true in RW too, btw). Anyway, having thoroughly toured the 5 main islands and immensely enjoying the beauty of this place, it dawned on me that I better find a place to land next... (having ruled out the NDB approach back to St. Mary's short runway due to pilot's lack of confidence...🙂...).

So, here, I've headed out, across the sea, towards the mainland with my mind (initially) set for the Land's End Airport (EGHC). Land's End is only about 30 (flying) miles from St Mary's, and I can surely handle it...I thought.... See my 2nd image below, from the cockpit, where I start out by flying over (and bidding fond farewell to) the fast receding "islets" of Scilly, while pondering at the same time, about this disjointed land that was once all together...in the ancient times...12,000 years ago...🙂...Well...then a change of plan while enroute...!! 

As the DC-3's (minimal) GPS was (reliably) tracking its route to EGHC, myself imbibing a soothing beverage of my preference...🙂..., I looked up this EGHC airport some more. I knew beforehand that it has ~2,500 ft runways. However, first of all, I couldn't motivate myself today to tackle an RNAV approach with this DC-3 and its most rudimentary (and a bit finicky too, if you ask me) avionics suite (I'm using here the (stock) Asobo version, un-modded). I perused bits more of on-line discussions about this airport in a British Forum, which outlined the "good", "bad", and "ugly" features of the airport (see below) ...hmm...somehow, I'm reminded, here, of Clint Eastwoods's "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"...🙂...must have watched it at least 3+ times....

Anyway, about EGHC:

1. [The Good] A former VFR-only airport getting IFR procedures is rare and always a good thing.
2. [The Bad] It seems they will charge you (not a concern for me), but the approach will take the aircraft over water and out of glide for quite a bit of time (a valid concern for me).
3. [The Ugly] A truckload of UK-type (can't say the prohibited word here, but it starts with "bull" and has 4 more letters...and spoken like a true British (or even an American), I took this bit seriously here...🙂...) ...essentially it said that the new IFR procedures at EGHC come with many restrictions and dos and don'ts etc.

Thus, dissuaded from EGHC, as I (frantically) looked for an alternative airport, preferably with an ILS approach where I can easily guide my DC-3 down with LOC/GS guidance, I found the Cornwall Airport Newquay (EGHQ) just 35 miles further up along the (Cornish) coastline. I then directed my DC-3 towards Newquay's ILS Runway 30 (see my approach and landing images below). 

In my 4th shot, below, you'll see me making Landfall near Land's End (the words here have a nice rhythm to it...🙂...) ...against the rugged coastlines. Land's End is the most westerly point of mainland England, but not the westernmost point of mainland Great Britain, as this title is narrowly taken by a site in the Scottish Highlands. However, the topography of Land's End region is quite striking indeed, with rocky cliffs, rough seas, and delicate pastures and farmlands...all these elements combining together to give this region remarkable (natural) beauty (see my images, shot #s 5-14, aided by decent MSFS rendition, as I overfly this (mountain-free) region in a relaxed manner soaking in the ambience and beauty of this short passage, on my way to Newquay)...

Hope you enjoy this collection of images from my trip...! Thanks for viewing...!

Edited April 25 by P_7878

[John F 2,453]

Beautiful approach into the setting sun.

[Todd2 2,160]

That's an area I'd like to see!

[ailchim 214]

Pics 5 to 8 are actually my original home town!  I spent a lot of time on the beaches around the bay in Pic 5 and worked for the company that dug the holes in Pic 6!

There is an airport at St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly that primarily hosts Isles of Scilly Skybus airline services.  One of their aircraft is the Twin Otter so you'll realise the runway there can't take a DC3! 

The landing is I think at what was RAF St Mawgan now the Newquay region airport EGHQ.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_St_Mawgan

You can see old military dispersals to the right of the runway in Pic 16.  The civilian airport is the building to the right of the runway.  The much larger main military buildings are to the left, now screened by trees.  That side of the airfield was used in Virgin Orbit's failed attempt to launch space satellites from a converted Boeing 747.   Virgin chose St. Mawgan because of it's proximity to the Atlantic, so that launches could be made over the sea, and the very long runway (9,000 ft).   For the same reasons, St Mawgan was at one time a diverter airfield in the event of Heathrow being unable to land trans-Atlantic airliners.

My uncle worked at St Mawgan when it had 3 squadrons of Avro Shackletons, four engined marine patrol and anti-submarine aircraft.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Shackleton Two were operational squadrons and the other an Operation Conversion Unit, later replaced by Nimrods. 

Each year, the station hosted  what was then the annual Battle of Britain Day air-show which I went to as a child. That's probably when my interest in aviation began and why I'm on this website!

 

Edited April 26 by ailchim
Additional info

[pmplayer 9,613]

Very nice set of shots with the DC-3, for ever on of my Favorite airplane..

cheers 😉

[ozcanuck55 235]

Great story and pics....the DC-3 does not like a short runway, does it? Ha Ha Glad you found a friendly place to put it down.

Great stuff.

[Alaska738 8,501]

Fine shots! 😉 

[P_7878 6,741]

On 4/25/2024 at 6:38 PM, John F said:

Beautiful approach into the setting sun.

Thanks, John. Setting sun gives an unusually beautiful quality to landscapes (and approaches) like this....

 

On 4/25/2024 at 9:02 PM, Todd2 said:

That's an area I'd like to see!

Yes, agree...Todd ...🙂...

 

23 hours ago, ailchim said:

Pics 5 to 8 are actually my original home town!  I spent a lot of time on the beaches around the bay in Pic 5 and worked for the company that dug the holes in Pic 6!

There is an airport at St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly that primarily hosts Isles of Scilly Skybus airline services.  One of their aircraft is the Twin Otter so you'll realise the runway there can't take a DC3! 

The landing is I think at what was RAF St Mawgan now the Newquay region airport EGHQ.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_St_Mawgan

You can see old military dispersals to the right of the runway in Pic 16.  The civilian airport is the building to the right of the runway.  The much larger main military buildings are to the left, now screened by trees.  That side of the airfield was used in Virgin Orbit's failed attempt to launch space satellites from a converted Boeing 747.   Virgin chose St. Mawgan because of it's proximity to the Atlantic, so that launches could be made over the sea, and the very long runway (9,000 ft).   For the same reasons, St Mawgan was at one time a diverter airfield in the event of Heathrow being unable to land trans-Atlantic airliners.

My uncle worked at St Mawgan when it had 3 squadrons of Avro Shackletons, four engined marine patrol and anti-submarine aircraft.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Shackleton Two were operational squadrons and the other an Operation Conversion Unit, later replaced by Nimrods. 

Each year, the station hosted  what was then the annual Battle of Britain Day air-show which I went to as a child. That's probably when my interest in aviation began and why I'm on this website!

 

Wonderful bits of reminiscences...🙂...including Virgin Orbit Satellites and Battle of Britain Day Air shows ...

Yes, right about Scilly Skybus...I did read that they operate Twin Otters from St Mary's to e.g., Land's End airport...the airport I'd intended to land on with my DC-3, against better judgement...🙂...And MSFS still calls EGHQ by the name "RAF St Mawgan", you mentioned, and I got confused by the inconsistent names of the airport between Wiki and MSFS...

 

16 hours ago, pmplayer said:

Very nice set of shots with the DC-3, for ever on of my Favorite airplane..

cheers 😉

Thanks, pmplayer....! Yes, "For Ever"...is the word...🙂...for DC-3...

 

15 hours ago, ozcanuck55 said:

Great story and pics....the DC-3 does not like a short runway, does it? Ha Ha Glad you found a friendly place to put it down.

Great stuff.

Appreciated the comment...! Yes, DC-3 was not a good match for either St Mary's or Land's End...I think...Oh well...Glad it's all imaginary...🙂...

 

10 hours ago, Alaska738 said:

Fine shots! 😉 

Thanks for the comment, Will. 

[ailchim 214]

There is still a military presence at St Mawgan but small compared to what it was. 

 

There is a larger military base at RNAS Culdrose on the Lizard.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNAS_Culdrose_(HMS_Seahawk  It currently hosts 3 squadrons of  Navy Merlin helicopters.  It has a 6,000ft runway and there's a Superspud scenery for it: https://flightsim.to/file/26191/egdr-rnas-culdrose-upgrade

 

It also held air displays: it was hosting Fairey Gannets https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Gannet

 

 

[andiflyit 473]

Very nice set P_7878!

[P_7878 6,741]

8 hours ago, ailchim said:

There is still a military presence at St Mawgan but small compared to what it was. 

 

There is a larger military base at RNAS Culdrose on the Lizard.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNAS_Culdrose_(HMS_Seahawk  It currently hosts 3 squadrons of  Navy Merlin helicopters.  It has a 6,000ft runway and there's a Superspud scenery for it: https://flightsim.to/file/26191/egdr-rnas-culdrose-upgrade

 

It also held air displays: it was hosting Fairey Gannets https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Gannet

 

 

Thanks for the information. Yes, the St Mawgan airport premises even in MSFS shows up with many (large) buildings and structures...

 

2 hours ago, andiflyit said:

Very nice set P_7878!

Thanks a lot for the note, Andreas.

[bernd1151 5,985]

What a nice post, P_7878 and some of the comments are as interesting as your post. 

[shermank 173]

Hi  all,

for  those of you who love the venerable DC3 family, please join scores of similarly inclined sim pilots at dc3.airways.com.

we provide virtually everythin you may need on all the major sim platforms. Additionally, we have a very active multi player program with flights 4 days a week…using the latest freeware communication and visual programs to be together on a common flighplan crew by our members.

as for  DC3 parameters take a look at this

https://krepelka.com/fsweb/learningcenter/aircraft/flightnotesdouglasdc3.htm

this guide does not specifically discuss STOL performance,  but trim up two notches and use 2 notches of flaps which,  depending on weight, should get you airborne in about 1600 feet.

As for a slow landing, one of our DCA pilots, Roger Wyrick,  created this YouTube video

Sherm 

 

Sherm

DCA 662

Edited April 28 by shermank

[P_7878 6,741]

5 hours ago, shermank said:

Hi  all,

for  those of you who love the venerable DC3 family, please join scores of similarly inclined sim pilots at dc3.airways.com.

we provide virtually everythin you may need on all the major sim platforms. Additionally, we have a very active multi player program with flights 4 days a week…using the latest freeware communication and visual programs to be together on a common flighplan crew by our members.

as for  DC3 parameters take a look at this

https://krepelka.com/fsweb/learningcenter/aircraft/flightnotesdouglasdc3.htm

this guide does not specifically discuss STOL performance,  but trim up two notches and use 2 notches of flaps which,  depending on weight, should get you airborne in about 1600 feet.

As for a slow landing, one of our DCA pilots, Roger Wyrick,  created this YouTube video

Thanks for the useful DC-3 information, Sherm...

Hope you will get a few a bit more serious (than this freelancer) DC-3 pilot...🙂...to join your ranks...

Yes, 1,600 ft will do for most of these island runways of ~2,000 ft length ...Watched the video...nice and easy 70 knots touchdown...

 

6 hours ago, bernd1151 said:

What a nice post, P_7878 and some of the comments are as interesting as your post. 

Thank you, Bernd.

Agree, some good bits of local knowledge in the comments of this post...🙂...gives more meaning to the flight...