Flying from Cambridge to Kent and end up in .... Switzerland

Davidth88

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8082829.stm

Unreal ....... I don't suppose he was breaking any laws as such , but a bit dumb


Text of article from beeb



Missing pilot flew to Switzerland
Map showing Kent and Switzerland

A light civilian aircraft which failed to arrive at its destination in Kent had been flown to Switzerland.

The missing two-seater plane had set off from Cambridge on Wednesday morning on the 100-mile trip to Lydd Airport, near Romney Marsh.

A search and rescue operation was launched after the plane last made contact near the mouth of the River Medway at Sheerness at about 1100 BST.

The RAF Rescue Centre in Kinloss said the pilot had turned up safe and well.

Spokesman Michael Mulford said the pilot had been told to communicate with air traffic control when he was back over dry land, but had failed to do so.

'Wild goose chase'

He said: "What he did in fact was take a left turn, to avoid what he said was an incoming weather front, and he flew all the way to Switzerland and he landed there.

"A lot of people spent a lot of time on what at the end of the day proved a wild goose chase."

The pilot, who is believed to be a European national with a Swiss address, flew more than 400 miles off course.

A coastguard helicopter and an RAF Sea King helicopter from Wattisham Airfield, Suffolk, were scrambled on Wednesday to look for the plane, which was said to be a VariEze, fixed wing, homebuilt aircraft.

'Very apologetic'

The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) at RAF Kinloss called off the search operation, which covered the Kent coast, the Isle of Grain and the Isle of Sheppey, after seven hours.

A "straight line" search was also carried out between Sheerness and Lydd Airport.

Mr Mulford added that the pilot was "very apologetic".

"His interpretation of the rules is that he did not need to inform anyone."

Foggy43

I was aware of an aircraft going missing yesterday. I do not think anyone was expecting this outcome. With the elections and current political situation here it is already forgotten.

macshadow

I wonder what he thought the large expanse of water below him was:D

Owen

He's bloody lucky he had the endurance on board for such a trip.

Our man in Havana

Surely controllers in France and Germany noticed him on their radars?

Davidth88

He's bloody lucky he had the endurance on board for such a trip.

Well he was in a Varieze , wonderful aeroplane ( if I was ever to own an aeroplane I would have one of these ). Their range/capabilities are legendary , designed by Mr Rutan , as in Voyager etc

I wonder what he thought the large expanse of water below him was

No excuse , but when he ' got lost ' he was going over the Thames/Sheppey/Medway estuary(s) which are also pretty large expanses of water too.

I think it's no co-incidence this guy was from Switzerland , I think he just decided to go home .

Surely controllers in France and Germany noticed him on their radars?

Yes thats odd , I forget the rules now ( it's 15 yrs since my ppl expired ), I think as long as he stayed out of controlled airspace ( ie airfields ) then he would have been ok. I was under the impression the Channel was pretty well controlled , I only flew it once ( return ) and we filed pretty detailed flight plans , but I think thats more for your own safety.

Any current PPL's care to comment ?