Public road take-off

[s2kjock]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-63255384

Sounds very "boy's own" stuff - and ballsy.

You see stories from the US about light aircraft doing emergency landings on public roads not infrequently, but this the first take off (attempted) from one in the UK I have heard of.

I assume there is no end to the police/certification/insurance trouble he got himself into

[Eric Mc]

Link doesn't work.

[MarkwG]

Eric Mc said:

Link doesn't work.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-63255384 - I guess this one, if this link works.

[dhutch]

MarkwG said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotl... - I guess this one, if this link works.

Third time a charm?

[dhutch]

Who said new forum software was over rated!

[DavieBNL]

Not too sure I would call it "ballsy"! https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/632...

[anonymous-user]

Sounds like he wanted a story to regale the locals at the pub and some notoriety.

I ride on country roads with a deep rimmed carbon wheel road bike and notice wind gusts through gaps in hedges, gates are far worse, so understand how the pilot claims occurred….. but it was foolish to attempt what he did. I’m guessing he was insistent with the police et al that it couldn’t be dismantled and towed away.

[andyA700]

How to do it properly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=610a-EoRb9E

[Simpo Two]

andyA700 said:

How to do it properly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=610a-EoRb9E

I seem to recall that the Swiss air force uses public roads if they have to, eg in time of war, because the country is small and rather bumpy. Is that true?

[MarkwG]

Simpo Two said:

andyA700 said:

How to do it properly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=610a-EoRb9E

I seem to recall that the Swiss air force uses public roads if they have to, eg in time of war, because the country is small and rather bumpy. Is that true?

I think it's the Swedish, rather than the Swiss - I understand it was more to do with proximity to the perceived threat during the Cold War, fears that their airports could be rendered out of action before they could get their counter attack airborne.

[Hill92]

Simpo Two said:

andyA700 said:

How to do it properly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=610a-EoRb9E

I seem to recall that the Swiss air force uses public roads if they have to, eg in time of war, because the country is small and rather bumpy. Is that true?

They do as do a number of other countries:

Switzerland
Not much modern footage so here's some old footage:

https://youtu.be/jHwwAV12TIA

Sweden
https://youtu.be/QyD0liioY8E

Singapore
https://youtu.be/9T9pFhQirMw

https://youtu.be/TAuhXoYEuAM

Finland
https://youtu.be/_hgjY_za9vA

Taiwan
https://youtu.be/vhBGNr7L9Yg

It's not just the military either. The Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia utilise various roads as runways:

https://youtu.be/eETG7G4rRRI

https://youtu.be/d-aLGgvQm44

[Zarco]

I like his style

[Freddie Fitch]

The East Coast Highway in Singapore has a removable central reservation so that it can be used by the air force.

[thegreenhell]

I've seen a few bush pilots in America use roads as runways. It's also apparently okay to taxi a small plane down a road to find a petrol station to refuel. Examples of both acts in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SUCuJxFyGE

[mwstewart]

APPROVED:CONDITIONAL.

[anonymous-user]

The trouble with landing on roads is traffic, width, road furniture and infrastructure and things like power lines etc so often landing in a field will be safer. Road landings tend to happen more in urban areas where they’re a better option than hitting a building.

I landed on a road in australia years ago in a light single. Part of the propeller came off and there was a lot of vibration, I shut down the engine and landed on a quiet road near a farm, I then went to the farm phoned my flying school and they flew an engineer out, who also landed on the road and repaired the aircraft. Then we all took off an flew back to our airport.

This was over 30 years ago but I’m pretty sure we told the police etc

[jimmyjimjim]

And that's why I like ph. Regardless of how insane or unlikely, there's always someone here who has done it.

[Rider007]

Didn't know that Singapore had that much muscle for the size of country. 60 x F16s, 40 x F15s, 18 x Apaches, 26 x Chinooks. etc .Who are they worried about ?

[Eric Mc]

Rider007 said:

Didn't know that Singapore had that much muscle for the size of country. 60 x F16s, 40 x F15s, 18 x Apaches, 26 x Chinooks. etc .Who are they worried about ?

China - India.

[dhutch]

jimmyjimjim said:

And that's why I like ph. Regardless of how insane or unlikely, there's always someone here who has done it.

Absolutely. Highlights the size, and breath of appeal the site has really.