Light aircraft disappears with two people on board...

Light aircraft disappears with two people on board...

Author
Discussion

toastyhamster

1,660 posts

95 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
pprune has more info but it seems the pilot is an experienced ferry pilot and possibly appeared on a BBC documentary in 2015.

Eric Mc

121,768 posts

264 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
There are lots of videos on you tube of chaps flying their light aircraft across the Channel. It's a very common pleasure flight for those who have access to a light aircraft. Many of these pilots would be VFR only - but they tend to make these flights during the summer months.

When I was a keen spotter in my teenage days it was very common to see small aeroplanes at Dublin that had made the hop across the Irish Sea - often from the Isle of Man, Blackpool or Liverpoool.

Pan Pan Pan

9,777 posts

110 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
Macski said:
Lots of talk about the player being allowed to go on the plane, presumably he is free to do as he wishes? However surprised your allowed to fly a single engine plane over such a large stretch of sea.

Although it was a small plane I resume the pilot had to be qualified beyond PPL?

Most American aircraft such as this Maiibu are ferried across the Atlantic from the US to Europe, so flying it over the distances involved in this incident is not unusual even with standard fuel tanks (some small light aircraft are fitted with ferry tanks in the fuselage for the crossing).
Aircraft of this type will have a transponder, which gives the aircraft details to the Air traffic control via their radar screens. The pilot flying `could' still be a PPL but with endorsements such as an IR or IMC rating. But if flying for reward, it is more likely that the pilot would be a professional.

Pan Pan Pan

9,777 posts

110 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
There are lots of videos on you tube of chaps flying their light aircraft across the Channel. It's a very common pleasure flight for those who have access to a light aircraft. Many of these pilots would be VFR only - but they tend to make these flights during the summer months.

When I was a keen spotter in my teenage days it was very common to see small aeroplanes at Dublin that had made the hop across the Irish Sea - often from the Isle of Man, Blackpool or Liverpoool.
I was lucky enough to fly several races across the channel. Depending on where an aircraft was crossing from. e.g the light aircraft corridor, the crossing could take just a few minutes. Even so, the engine seem to go into ARR (Automatic rough running) as soon as we passed maximum gliding distance for the height we were crossing at.

rallycross

12,742 posts

236 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
The plane was 35 yrs old, and available for any licenced pilot to hire at low cost to do little jobs like this.

According to the news the chap organised the flight himself so he may not have been aware of the risks and also the insurance implications of taking this cheap option and not being suitably insured.

Apparently it took 2 or 3 attempts to get in the air on the return flight -

It’s a shame he didn’t tell the pilot he’d rather drive back having made it as far as France on the outward leg.

nikaiyo2

4,668 posts

194 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
The Malibu could, in theory, climb above icing conditions.
I think the PA46 has fairly comprehensive anti icing, Pitot heaters, Prop heaters, leading edge boots, so icing should not be a major issue.

I cant understand why they would be so low.

Very sad for all involved.

Puggit

48,350 posts

247 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all

rallycross

12,742 posts

236 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
just to be clear when I said the plane was 35 yrs old thats the same as a A or B reg car, think Maestro, Metro, Capri etc.

lbc

3,212 posts

216 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
I can't be the only person that thinks this plane crash seems a bit odd.

Footballer goes missing after signing a £15million contract.

No evidence found of a crash.

Any proof the footballer was actually on the plane?
He made a phone call saying he was on a plane, but he could have called from anywhere.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
lbc said:
I can't be the only person that thinks this plane crash seems a bit odd..
What's the angle?

PurpleTurtle

6,935 posts

143 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
Just the small detail of him WhatsApp’ing his mates that he was scared that he was on an ancient plane that was, in his words, ‘falling apart’.

lbc

3,212 posts

216 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
PurpleTurtle said:
Just the small detail of him WhatsApp’ing his mates that he was scared that he was on an ancient plane that was, in his words, ‘falling apart’.
Why would a footballer worth £15million travel in a plane that looks to be falling apart?

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
lbc said:
Why would a footballer worth £15million travel in a plane that looks to be falling apart?
Because he didn't see it when it was booked and it probably looked ok on the ground.
And when he was up in the air he was committed and in the hands of the pilot.

I can't see how anyone stands to gain from his death so I don't see an angle for conspiracy.

PurpleTurtle

6,935 posts

143 months

Wednesday 23rd January 2019
quotequote all
lbc said:
PurpleTurtle said:
Just the small detail of him WhatsApp’ing his mates that he was scared that he was on an ancient plane that was, in his words, ‘falling apart’.
Why would a footballer worth £15million travel in a plane that looks to be falling apart?
That’s quite the mystery. According to reports Cardiff City offered him a commercial flight but he made his own arrangements.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/22/cardif...

poo at Paul's

14,116 posts

174 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
Puggit said:
My electrician is flying me to the States next week in a microlight. What can possibly go wrong?

eldar

21,614 posts

195 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
lbc said:
Why would a footballer worth £15million travel in a plane that looks to be falling apart?
Convenience, plus the assumption that an experienced pilot wouldn’t fly a plane that was not airworthy.

BlackLabel

13,251 posts

122 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
poo at Paul's said:
Puggit said:
My electrician is flying me to the States next week in a microlight. What can possibly go wrong?
The pilot also said, probably in jest but it doesn’t look great now, that he was ‘a bit rusty’ when it came to the instrument landing system.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/pilot...



BlackLabel

13,251 posts

122 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
Some reports suggest that the plane belonged to football agent Willie Mackay.

“The plane is registered to a holding company in Suffolk called Southern Aircraft Consultancy, with a registration number N264DB, but is believed to be owned by McKay, an influential and experienced agent.

McKay wasn’t Sala’s agent. However the Times have revealed how McKay helped Cardiff broker a deal with Nantes”

https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/cardiffs-emilia...


Edited by BlackLabel on Thursday 24th January 03:10

poo at Paul's

14,116 posts

174 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
BlackLabel said:
The pilot also said, probably in jest but it doesn’t look great now, that he was ‘a bit rusty’ when it came to the instrument landing system.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/pilot...


But did he even have an Instrument rating? scratchchin



Eric Mc

121,768 posts

264 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
ILS is a landing aid and not an indication as to whether the pilot had an instrument rating or not.