As with all of these adventures, they start off from a crazy idea or a funny thought.. then develop, until someone either poopoos the idea or they take it seriously. I often use my instructor as a keenness buffer, where he either curtails my ambition if an idea gets too far fetched or he rides along whilst I develop my wings with a new scenario. This trip was the latter.
I’d grown up in Weston-super-Mare, and for anyone whom ever visited Weston HeliDays, or the seafront at all in Weston, you’d notice the island centre stage in the Severn estuary. This island is steep holm, and is technically visitable.. but, it is a bird sanctuary and choppers are definitely not welcome! Be that as it may, to the North West lies it’s sister island, FlatHolm and google maps showed two promising helipads.
I googled the island, and after a little research contacted Cardiff Harbour authority, who were so helpful the whole time, to make this happen. Many people baulk at the idea of helicopters, and by not knowing what to do when someone requests to land, they usually just say no! The opposite was true in this case, a flurry of emails were exchanged to organise a suitable time when the island was staffed, the date was set and off we went from Glos in Uniform Charlie strapped into our life jackets.
A colleague I work with in Paris mentioned he lived in the Forest of Dean, and before I left the office Friday afternoon we looked up his house on google maps, and printed out a satellite image of his village with a yellow arrow drawn on, pointing to his house.
With a Standard Helicopter Departure to the south, I set a course for Lydney, and tracked to Yorkley, arriving overhead and starting a high orbit greeted by his daughters, him and his wife waving up! I rolled out and headed down the coast towards Newport.
Passing over the Severn bridge, we contacted Cardiff Radar, requesting a Basic Service and descending to 800’ to remain outside of controlled airspace, as we skimmed across the cliff edge at Cardiff, over Cardiff heliport and on towards Lavernock Point, before turning directly towards the island in the estuary.
Flying over water, was considerably more fun than I thought it would be, even if only for a few minutes.
I flew a right hand circuit around the island and made an approach to the long, concrete helipad in front of the farmhouse cottage. Called finals to Cardiff, and turned onto 060 at 60kias towards the pad. It soon became obvious the H was painted onto the precarious ruins of an old house! Taking care to keep the tail clear of the steps that once led to the front door, I touched down near as damnit in the centre and shut down.
A few observations: 1. FlatHolm is anything but flat. 2. How we didn’t chop up any seagulls I will literally never know. And 3. There was no-one around.
Once we’d taken loads of photos and the initial buzz had worn off, we decided we should call the warden! He was with all of the volunteers up at the foghorn cottage, where we met the project FlatHolm team, handed over a large bag of quality street as a personal thank you, and then immediately started an island tour. I won’t steal his thunder, so go and visit! The boat trips run from Cardiff and there is even camping and soon to be very cushty accommodation in the foghorn keepers cottage.
We had a cup of black coffee each in the FlatHolm pub overlooking the lighthouse and Steepholm before heading back to the helicopter, after what was a good 2 hours on the island.
We had lunch booked and we were on a tight schedule to get Uniform Charlie home by 1430h!
Lifting from the island, we did a round the lighthouse climbing departure (valiantly and magically missing all airborne gulls), called Cardiff for a basic service and headed back towards Lavernock Point and up the coast to Newport. We cut in-land and called finals to Llansantffraed Court Country House Hotel after a quick 0.6 hop. It was a beautiful Helipad, tucked away in its own copse joined to the house by a little gravel track and with a small duck pond to the south. The sandwiches and coffee were brought out almost immediately and the single member of staff was so friendly and attentive, it really is worth a visit.
We paid and had a brisk walk back to Uniform Charlie with 40 minutes to spare as I did the aircraft walk around and climbed in to start her up. I did a towering take off from the copse, and headed for Gloucester.. we flew just north, but in sight of my colleagues house once again and directly over their local playing field, which I later learned he was in, whilst preparing for a half marathon! Touchdown at EGBJ was 14h30, after which I went for a nap on the flying school sofas to recuperate.
Total – 2.0
(Leg 1: 0.8h)
(Leg 2: 0.6h)
(Leg 3: 0.6h)
Hourbuilding Adventures 