Europe 2017 - 2019

Europe    2017  -  2019    Freelancing

Ending 2019 with two of my favourite things ...
Munich's enormous airport seen in passing from 28,000 ft
Sunset over Poland
Dropping off crew in EGKK Gatwick, London UK
Finals 26L in the rain at EGKK Gatwick
Taxying at EGKK Gatwick
Gatwick - taxying for departure ...past the recently bankrupt Thomas Cook Airlines aircraft blocked in with tractors and snowplows
Approaching Saanen/Gstaad LSGK - Swiss Alps reflected off the wing
Approaching EPPO Poznan - looking for instructions on how to land this thing
EPGD Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport, Poland
EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg - 1 airport shared by 3 countries
Crossing Runway 07R for a midnight landing on Runway 02 at LEBL Barcelona, Spain
Good memories from Papua - my friends Engineers Marsel and Meli
Sad memories from Papua - PK-CDC crash site, taking the lives of the crew and the passenger. I knew Engineer Ujang (right) from Nabire ...he is the 6th person I know who has been killed in a Papua crash since 2016
Dusk reflection off our PC12's radome
Enjoying the catering department's hard work over Bulgaria
Opposite traffic passing over Macedonia
Landing in EINN Shannon, Ireland
Dawn ...enroute from Paris to Berlin
Passing Mount Pilatus (in a Pilatus)
EPWA Warsaw Runway 33 ....in the rain
LELL Sabadell Runway 31 ....in the rain
Fun with the GoPro Wide Angle in a legacy equipped PC12/45
Efficacy of bird scaring methods needs re-assessed at LSZH Zurich
Warsaw, Poland skyline catching the last of the sun
Looking up over Germany
Ryanair passing us in a race to Poznan, Poland
Departing after my first visit to EPGD Gdansk, Poland
Waiting for fuel on my first visit to LGZA Zakynthos, Greece
....dropped the GoPro
Traffic passing 1000 ft above us over Romania
Fun with reflections on the radome in LIRS Grosseto, Italy
Cooling the engine for a quick turnaround at LIRS Grosseto
Heavy workload for Swiss Air Traffic Control led to a delayed descent clearance, leaving us to lose 12,000 feet on a [very wide] approach to land at LSGK Saanen/Gstaad
On short finals at LFGI Dijon/Darois, France
Departing EBCI Charleroi, Belgium
Runway 22R at LFMN Nice, France

Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

Executive Apron at LFMN Nice, France
Refuelling at LFMN Nice, France
Nice
Nice
Getting towed off the parking apron to our start-up position in LFMN Nice, France
Retrieving the GoPro ...or... a child's worst nightmare
The Cote d'Azur ...Nice, Monaco and Cumulo Nimbus
Evening flight into LFLY Lyon/Bron, France
On the ground at LFLY Lyon/Bron
Not my best photo ...but finally captured the Matterhorn....
....whilst being passed by a Swissair Airbus
Pleasant 4 day trip to Bergerac and Bordeaux in France, starting with a view of the River Dordogne
Approaching LFBD Bordeaux-Merignac, France
'Yellow Vest' demonstration outside our hotel in Bergerac, France
Sampling the best of the Dordogne
Dinner on a terrace in Bergerac, France ...overlooking the Dordogne River
Dropping off a B737 crew in EGKK Gatwick, UK ...only 3 holding patterns
My first time in Gatwick in a PC12
Departing EGKK Gatwick, UK
Water reservoir in France (can't remember where exactly)
Normal approach route into LFTZ St-Tropez/La Mole
Circuitous approach into LFTZ La Mole -  airspace saturation around Nice saw us vectored 25 NM out to sea by Air Traffic Control
Busy day on the apron at LFTZ St-Tropez/La Mole, France
Catering for a plane full of hungry passengers
Departing LFTZ La Mole ...the Gulf of St-Tropez, France
EGBJ Gloucester, UK
Sunset over Bulgaria
Traffic above catching the last of the light
Delivering spare parts to LEIB Ibiza, Spain
The Mont Blanc barely breaking thru the clouds
Traffic below dwarfed by the Swiss Alps
Dry rivers in the summer haze during the descent into LIRP Pisa, Italy 
Pisa
Finally seen the Tower ...another box ticked
Pisa Cathedral, imposing and also leaning
Irreverent seagull atop Pisa Cathedral
Business Class seat with extra ventilation
Marble quarries around Carrara, Italy
Genoa seen from 23,000 ft
Ryanair passing above us over Northern Italy
Interesting cloud shadow and rainbow in Belgium
Turning on approach to EBCI Charleroi, Belgium
36 degrees C on the apron in LFML Marseilles, France
Interesting light reflections off traffic at 30,000 ft
Passing Heathrow on descent into EGLD Denham, UK
What happens when pilots get bored.....
Waiting in line in EPWA Warsaw, Poland
On the apron in LGAV Athens, Greece at 2 AM delivering spare parts
Broad spectrum of services in a Warsaw neighbourhood - Gyneacology, Endocrinology and Dentistry (with a bicycle repair shop behind the black door)
Ryanair turning above us over the Slovak Republic
Home of Pilatus Aircraft LSZC Buochs, Switzerland seen in passing 
Sleet over Belgium
At the holding point behind another PC12 in LFSB Basle
On Final at LFTH Toulon–Hyères, France
The longest runway in Western Europe at Istres Air Force Base, France, having served in the past as an alternate for the Space Shuttle
Skimming the top of a cloud layer showed us a nice Corona
Square tower of Mont Aiguille in the French Prealps
Mont Ventoux as seen during stages of the Tour de France
EDLE Essen, Germany
EDLE Essen, Germany
A peaceful moment in the cruise
A beautiful day in Gstaad, Switzerland with EAPC's newest PC12 OO-PCN
Not a beautiful day in Gstaad ...got stuck for the night
Skirting a thunderstorm over the Irish Sea on approach to EIWT Dublin-Weston, Ireland
Back in EIWT Weston for the first time since 2016
Traffic below ....
Traffic above ....
LOWI Innsbruck, Austria
Descending into the Rhône Valley, Switzerland on approach to LSGS Sion
Turning over Martigny towards Sion, Switzerland
3 EAPC aircraft on the apron at LSGS Sion
A game of Wingtips and Navigation Lights
The second-tallest boat lift in the world at Strépy-Thieu, Belgium 
LSZR StGallen-Altenrhein, Switzerland ...the stairs truck got moved once we paid the landing fee
Seen from Biggin Hill ...wake left behind by an aircraft in the holding pattern for Heathrow
LSGL Lausanne, Switzerland
Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain, seen from 24,000 ft
Attending the Pilatus PC24 Type Rating Course at FlightSafety International Training Centre in Dallas, Texas USA
EAPC's Pilatus PC24 being prepared for test flight at the factory in Stans, Switzerland
Dallas, Texas and the Full Motion Flight Simulator (and yes, I did get motion sick)
In the Simulator in Dallas, Texas ...Oxygen Masks and Smoke Goggles
More essential equipment at FlightSafety ...the popcorn machine
PC24 Initial Type Rating training ...smoke in the cockpit
Shelter inside FlightSafety in Dallas. A month later a storm hit. 
While we were in Dallas Europe experienced its own weather
20 January 2019 Super Moon seen from the ground in Warsaw 
Departing EPWA Warsaw with spare parts for a grounded Boeing 737 on Rhodos
View thru the windscreen at 27,000 ft over Holland
Miscommunication in Charleroi, Belgium meant Immigration Control was closed when our flight from Edinburgh arrived ...or perhaps it was just rehearsal for Brexit
LOWI Innsbruck, Austria on Boxing Day 2018
Emirates A380 4000 ft above us over the Czech Republic
PC12NG OO-PCM visiting its birthplace at the Pilatus factory in Stans, Switzerland. Mount Pilatus is visible in the distance while the grass, woods and buildings in the sun are where scenes in James Bond's 'Goldfinger' were filmed 
EAPC's PC12NG OO-PCM and Mount Pilatus
The Maasvlakte and entrance to Rotterdam's Europort, Netherlands
Low winter sun in the Swiss Alps on approach to Gstaad
Helvetic scene just before landing at LSGK Gstaad Saanen
Gstaad Saanen : open cowl flaps to cool the engine for a quick turn-around
Le Rubli peak just south of Saanen Airport
Walking back to the hotel after dinner in Charleroi, Belgium ...a SciFi fan's best dream or worst nightmare
Reflections....
Reflections....
Turning on approach to Zurich LSZH in the dusk
OO-PCJ being put aside for the night in Zurich
Crew fondue in Zurich (you can tell who is feeling the cold and wearing 2 sweaters)
Zurich Hotel : handy info for air crew who wake up not knowing where they are or what day it is 
Fuzzy zoom lens pic over Switzerland
Setting up for the approach into EPWA Warsaw
Obliging an Air Traffic Control request to land long beyond the runway intersection in Warsaw
Strobe in the night over England
Poznan Cathedral on Ostrów Tumski island originally built in the year 968 - then destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries
The Cathedral's Porta Posnania visitor centre - architecture has come a long way in a thousand years
Qatar Airways A380 5000 ft above us over France
LSGG Geneva
Low level winds stretching factory smoke on the French channel coast
High level air currents creating artistry from contrails
EBCI Charleroi, Belgium : husks of nuts left by birds who drop them on the apron from high up to crack them open
Night stop in Paris
Past meets present at EGBJ Gloucester ...the first Cessna Caravan I flew back in 2012-2013
....after landing in LOWW Vienna
....ice accretion on the spinner
Taxying for departure in LEMD Madrid
Antenne de Hal, Belgium
Dusk on the apron in EBCI Charleroi
The end of the day in Charleroi
103 knots crosswind at 27,000 ft over France
There are few social barriers in Charleroi : view of the Men's Room as seen [by all] from the main concourse
The three Forth Bridges seen from 12,000 ft on descent to Perth
Departing EGPT Perth, Scotland  (Thanks, Wallace)
EGPT Perth - heading for Farnborough (Thanks, Wallace)
Telling tall tales enroute to Malaga, Spain
Sunset and a cruise ship in the Alboran Sea on approach to LEMG Malaga
On approach to LEMG Malaga
EAPC's PC12NG OO-PCM looking good on the apron at Malaga
Departing sunny Malaga, Spain for cloudy Sion, Switzerland
Some manoeuvring was required to find a hole in the clouds big enough to make an approach at LSGS Sion, Switzerland
Looking for a gap in the clouds between the Swiss Alps
The visual approach into LSGS Sion runs close along the hills
On approach to land at Sion, Switzerland. Note the inflated de-icing boot cracking ice off the wing's leading edge
No enlargements - traffic over Italy was busy and close
Weather in LIDT Trento was even worse than over Sion
On the ground in LIDT Trento, Italy
Weather improved for our departure from Trento
Enroute from Charleroi, Belgium to Durham, UK - France and England visible at the Pas de Calais
The River Thames and London seen from 26,000 ft enroute to EGNV Durham
Iberian sunset enroute to Madrid
Iberian sunset
Bringing a large hunting party to Madrid : 3 PC12s on the apron at LEMD
London seen from 28,000 ft
On Finals for RWY14 at LSZH Zurich
Depleted water reservoir outside Paris
LIRA Ancona Falconara (aka Marche aka Raffaello Sanzio), Italy
Dawn on a day off in Senigallia, Ancona Province, Italy
Breakwater in Senigallia, Italy
Lovers' trysts commemorated with padlocks by a lonely Senigallia mermaid
Flight Planning al fresco at the hotel in Senigallia, Italy
All flights out of LIRA Ancona delayed by 30 minutes due to Mayday traffic landing - a 737 on one engine
Blue Panaroma Airlines 737 landing with one engine inoperative ...without incident
Aviation at its most glamorous ...fixing the flusher of the [recently used] WC at 27,000 over France
Breakfast in Bern, Switzerland
Looking up over Germany
Another dawn start in EBCI Charleroi, Belgium
Sharing the apron with the UK Royal Flight in LYTV Tivat, Montenegro
Last seen more than 2 years ago during my initial training on the PC12, LSZC Buochs airport - dominated by Mount Pilatus
Lined up nicely for RWY24 at EBCI Charleroi, Belgium
Descending towards Lake Geneva, our entry point into the Swiss Alps
Valley flying thru the Swiss Alps towards LSGK Saanen/Gstaad
Manoeuvering around Gstaad village onto final approach to LSGK Saanen/Gstaad
LSGK Saanen / Gstaad
View from the office landing at LSGK Gstaad
Short finals on RWY26 at LSGK Saanen/Gstaad
Swiss scene beside the runway at Saanen/Gstaad
Parking on the apron in Saanen
LSGK Saanen / Gstaad
Another PC12NG landing at Saanen
On the apron at Saanen / Gstaad, Switzerland
EAPC's PC12NG OO-PCJ ready to go in Saanen
On the apron in Saanen / Gstaad
Departing LSGK Saanen / Gstaad
Paris in passing from 27,000 ft
Traffic passing 1000 ft above us over Macedonia
My co-pilot looking the part in the gloaming over Germany
Sunset over the English Channel
The Captain is flummoxed by the Go Pro (and the contorsions required to position it)
Company aircraft passing us over Switzerland
Night landing in Poznan EPPO
Paris CDG seen from approach to Le Bourget LFPB
Dusk at Paris Le Bourget LFPB
Departing Paris at 0300 local time
Heading South over France - early morning fog filling the valleys
Fog filled valleys in France
Swiss Alps
Geneva, Switzerland
Zurich, Switzerland
Dawn enroute from Warsaw EPWA to Wroclaw EPWR to pick up Cabin Crew
Departing Wroclaw EPWR for Katowice EPKT
Departing Wroclaw EPWR
Switching on the landing lights on visual approach to Katowice EPKT
Very large areas of Poland are dedicated to agriculture
Landing Warsaw EPWA in crosswind and rain
Warsaw ...brakes ON
Rescuing 'Tina Turner' - see post 01Aug18
With 'Tina Turner' at the Corran Ferry, Scotland - see post 01Aug18
Landing on LGRP Rhodos in a legacy PC12/45
LGRP Rhodos - having delivered crew and a battery to the 737
Interesting clouds over Greece enroute from Rhodos to Warsaw
Towering Cumulus / Baby CB over Bulgaria
The last of the day's CBs dissipating over distant Romania
Sofia, Bularia
Filming the landing on Runway 33 at EPWA Warsaw, with the runway visible on the phone
EAPC's PC12NG OO-PCM in flight
Selfie with Co-Pilot Anas on board OO-PCM enroute to Son Bonet, Mallorca
Visual Approach to LESB Son Bonet in PC12NG OO-PCM ...note the ground reflected in the sun visor
EAPC's PC12NG OO-PCM on the apron in LESB Son Bonet, Mallorca
Olbia, Sardinia
Isolas Tavolara and Molara off Sardina
Isola Capri, Italy
On Finals at LGMK Mikonos, Greece
Landing on Runway 34 at LGMK Mikonos, Greece
On the apron at LGMK Mikonos, Greece
Clearing the ladder forgotten by the refueller
Enjoying the view after departure from Mikonos
Italy - smoke from forrest fires rising above 30,000 ft
Swiss Alps with Mont Blanc in the distance
Swiss Alps as seen on our Primary Flight Display
Mont Blanc
Summer haze / smoke making Lake Geneva and its fountain difficult to see
Landing in LFEV Gray St. Adrien, France
With our PC12 OO-PCM in the hangar for scheduled maintenance in Gray we got a ride back to Charleroi in EAPC's Extra500
Charleroi's lights reflecting off our Extra500's wing
Personal record for the smallest cargo I have ever flown - enroute to Poznan, Poland
Enjoying a visual approach into EPPO Poznan, Poland
Grateful for radar vectors to avoid thunderstorms on approach to Warsaw, Poland
Ice while skirting around thunderstorms
Chasing the Follow Me Car to the ramp while delivering spare parts to EPKT Katowice, Poland
EGLD Denham, UK
LGMK Mykonos, Greece
Sun's reflection on the currents of the Skagerrak seen thru a polarized windscreen
Southern Norway
Contrail and moon over Sweden
Moon and traffic over Denmark
Edge of the German Alps
Alps on the Austrian-Italian border
Carpathians - Czech Republic
Sunset Reflection
Towering Cumulus over Bulgaria
Unloading spares in EPKT Katowice
Italian Alps
Innsbruck, Austria
Walchensee, Germany
Skirting around a storm cell over Poland
Bulging potato crisps packet at 7000 ft cabin altitude
Obliging Warsaw Tower's request to land long ...
...and enjoying every second of it !
Seriously ...does my nose look that big ?!?
I love my job !
Sunset over Austria on descent to Vienna
Berlin Airlift Monument at Frankfurt Airport
Dusk over the Czech Republic
Tallinn, Estonia
Departing EETN Tallinn, Estonia
Over the Gulf of Bothnia, looking North into Finland at 24,000 ft
Interesting light effect looking South into the Gulf of Bothnia thru a polarized windscreen
On descent over the start of the Stockholm Archipelago
Stockholm - I can see my [1980-1984] house from here !!!
Stockholm - my old [1980-1984] neighbourhoods

Stockholm - on finals for ESSB Bromma for the first time since I learned to fly here in 1984 ...note the channel in the ice on the right

Stockholm - landing on RWY30 at ESSB Bromma
Stockholm Bromma ESSB - where it all began in 1984 
Swedish Meatballs in Stockholm
Departing Bromma ESSB in the dusk
Arriving Warsaw EPWA in the dark
Blast from the Past : stills from simultaneous videos taken on 25Feb16 of AsianOneAir's PK-LTF and PK-LTV 
Still from planespotter video of OO-PCI landing at EGSC Cambridge UK
Warsaw EPWA -14°C 
De-icing just short of the Holding Point in Warsaw EPWA
Heading for Krakow EPKK
On Finals for RWY07 at Krakow EPKK
Ice and snow removal on the apron at Krakow
Waiting for the 737 crew on the apron at Krakow in -14°C and a 15 knot north wind
Family history : apartment building where my family lived when stationed in Warsaw
Warsaw : apartment courtyard and original rack where my Mother beat the carpets ...in 1960 !
Dinner in Castelo Branco, Portugal
EAPC's OO-PCM ready for the night in LPCB Castelo Branco, Portugal
EAPC's OO-PCM at Castelo Branco's brand new airport
LFCB Castelo Branco Emergency Crew
Sunset over Northern Spain, approaching the Pyrenees
Looking up over France at 26,000 ft enroute from LFBP Pau to EBCI Charleroi
A new adventure - low temp enroute to Finland
A balmy -12°C on the ground in EFKT Kittala above the Arctic Circle in Finland
De-icing in -12°C in EFKT Kittala above the Arctic Circle in Finland
De-icing fluid tinges everything orange - including the 737 taxying out
EGNM Leeds-Bradford, UK
EAPC PC12NG OO-PCM in EBCI Charleroi, Belgium and 2 hours later in EGPE Inverness, UK
Snap back to Indo : Engineer Marselinus doing something I would not do (Komodo Dragon)
EGJJ Jersey, UK Channel Islands
EAPC's OO-PCJ lonely on the apron at an old Soviet Base at EPKZ Koszalin, Poland
EFRO Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle in Finland
EFRO Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle in Finland
EFRO Rovaniemi in Finland, parked beside the 737 which needs our Engineer's attention
De-icing in EFRO Rovaniemi, Finland as darkness falls (at 2 o'clock in the afternoon)
"After IPSIM report ..."   NOT what you need to hear after a 3 hour flight
EAPC's PC12NG OO-PCK landing at EGLK Blackbushe, UK
Interesting light effects on the apron at EPKT Katowice, Poland
On the apron at EPKT Katowice, Poland
Interesting light effects on the apron at EPKT Katowice, Poland