Landing in a swarm of ultralight trikes

Watch me land LN-NAG on a busy day at Kjeller.

Aviation weather in my pocket

Ok, I do have a love affair with the iPhone. And this great little gadget are now giving me current and precise weather conditions (METAR) as well as weather forecasts (TAF) from worldwide airport weather stations. Planning my own trips or just dreaming about future expeditions to distant fields, I can read the data in its original format or fully decoded into easy understandable texts. AeroWeather is a great widget for iPhone/iPod touch.

For flight planning I do also have desktop links on my iPhone to three local sources: Yr for mobile, Nordic SIGWX, and VFR chart from SMHI.

Never pulling loads of fax sheets from the met office again :-)

Australian pilot ready to convert

Ellen and Keith just moved to Bærum from Cairns, and he is looking forward to converting his Australian pilot license to European. I gave them a tour of the facilities of the flying clubs at ENKJ, and we took a look at the Oslo area in LN-NAG, on a nice Sunday morning with very smooth flying conditions. 

Jostein's debut at co-pilot

Jostein (7) at Kjeller after his debut as co-pilot, flying LN-NAG over Oslo. He has been flying with me since he turned four, but never in the front seat before. Sitting on a car seat cushion he could not reach the pedals nor get a good view over the instrument panel, but he did a good job handling the stick while looking out the side window of the Warrior.

An ultralight Fly-in today made Kjeller even buzzier than on a regular Saturday morning, with a lot of strange looking small flying machines on ground and in the air. Quite a few without radio, making the traffic pattern rather interesting today.

Fall flight on floats

Unn joined me for the last seaplane flight of the 2008 season on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon. We met at the University of Oslo campus and drove to Kilen on my HD, flew LN-AEG low level past Oscarsborg, Villa Malla, and Holmsbu, before returning to Kilen via Drammen.

This might be one of the last days on two wheels as well. I had to wait for an hour before leaving home this morning due to frozen roads. Unfortunately it might be six months to wait before the biking and seaplane season is back in Oslo. Why do people live this far north?

Seaplane sank in first storm of the season

Fire fighters and other good helpers saving LN-HOE at the dock in Sandefjord after the first storm of the fall season. 50 trees and one seaplane was hit hard in Vestfold. More images taken by Jim Vold at Flightsim.no. 

I am planning one more flight with LN-AEG before ending the season on floats. I guess waiting too long is not a good idea.

Splash-in tea at Holmsbu

Torgeir at Quality Spa & Resort Holmsbu. Cruising coastwise at 500 ft, we spotted a nice guest dock by the resort, and made a stop for tea before continuing for Holsfjorden, Husodden, and low level return to Kilen via Nordmarka.

I was home in time to ride my first HOG tour.

Fly-in dinner at Tjøme

Einar at idyllic Rica Havna Hotel, Tjøme. We flew 40 minutes in LN-AEG from Kilen to dine in the summer paradise at the end of the Oslofjord, as the season is fading out. The lobster soup starter and codfish main course was great, and the restaurant built into the rock has a wonderful view of the Røssesund. There are approximately 4,600 permanent residents on the island, but in the summer months this number rises to around 40,000 inhabitants, including the Norwegian Royal Family who have a summerhouse on the island. This was my first landing on floats in this area, and I’ll definitely be back.

Before we start, who is going to pay for this?

Kjeller Aero Senter (KAS) wish to develop a new airfield for training activities close to ENKJ, due to heavy restrictions, and as a plan B if the Norwegian Air Force decides to move their activities from the airport. Today students have to fly 40 minutes to ENRY for touch-and-go practice. A KAS working group has sent a formal request to Aurskog-Høland, and the good news is a positive mayor and an initial search for location. However, a question left to be answered is; who is going to pay for this? 

I used to be a member of the KAS working group. The mission was two-folded: Fight for a future at ENKJ, and search for a possible training site. I left as the focus became single minded on building a new airport, without having any idea about financing. 

Preserving 800 meters, about half the Kjeller airstrip, sounds far more economically viable than planning without a penny. My fear is that the chosen strategy will lead to no new airfield, and the closing of Norway's first airport without anyone lobbying against turning this historic site in to a shopping mall.

Where are the flying boats?

Jostein and Petter familiarizing in LN-AEG by the dock at Kilen, after a visit to the grand "Båter i Sjøen" boat show by Sandvika. The boys had fun seeing all the nice new boats, and the good old AEG, but a picture of a flying boat in the Kilen clubhouse fascinated Petter the most. However, such a machine could we not spot at sea today.

Rusty pilot ground looped

Five years since flying conventional gear, an attempt of banking off some rust ended in a ground loop at Hamar this spring, Dagbladet reports. The Norwegian Accident Investigation Board recommends flying under instruction for pilots feeling rusty, according to the accident report.

This made me start thinking of my own rusty spot: Three years since flying PA38. This is obviously not as different from P28A and C172 as a PA19 Army Cub on conventional gear, but I guess it will not hurt to bring a CFI along next time in the Tomahawk. I am still planning to check out on the tailwheel Cub (thus far I fly PA18 sea), but realizing how crucial regular flying on the type is to be safe.

Fighting for Kilen seaplane base

For 50 years Willy (82) has been a member of the seaplane-flying club at Kilen, outside Oslo. Next year the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management want to close the base, but local politicians and bureaucrats at Bærum are in favor of continued operations. See video story at TV.Budstikka.

Waiting for the weather

Torgeir is washing DAH while we waited for the weather to improve. We had to fly under the tail of one system to Starmoen in order to return before meeting the next. Flying NAG back to Kjeller was the mission of today, and we decided on 1500 feet as minima before start, a promise we did not have to compromise.

NAG live at Starmoen

This is a live web camera image of (*) LN-NAG at Starmoen (click to see a larger image). I hope to be able to get back and ferry our Piper to Kjeller early this week. In the mean time, please help me watch out for suspicious activities. Save and post the image if you observe something.

*= LN-NAG was flown home Tuesday 2nd Sept.

Great weekend, bad weather

The annal MAF Fly-in a Starmoen was the best visited ever, with 50 people gathered for the sermon Sunday. Unfortunately a tradition of bad Sunday weather is evolving on this event. Last year I left the night before to avoid snow, the year before I had to follow the river, and today I left LN-NAG behind and got a lift by car back to Oslo. METAR SCT007 BKN009/TAF SCT009 BKN015 TEMPO BKN009 is below my limits.

I love the smell of avgas in the morning

Flying is always great, but there is something special about taking a short flight before breakfast. Margrete and her dad Gunnar joined me for a tour of the traffic circuit Sunday morning at Starmoen, and as you can see - it did something to them as well.

 

The aspiring pilot Margrete also joined me yesterday on a mission to a local Fly-in at Trysil, promoting the Sunday MAF Fly-in sermon at Starmoen. We met a lot of friendly people, and I hope to see some of them later today.

Flight surprise

Kristoffer (15) was in for a surprise when uncle Jørn invited to MAF Fly-in at Starmoen. They started the 134 km drive from Nittedal, but stopped already at Kjeller, where I was waiting with LN-NAG. 

Jørn is a flight sim enthusiast, and had made sure that Kristoffer was well prepared for flying the aircraft. A nice confirmation gift from his uncle, and a relevant introduction to aviation ministry the day before his church ceremony.

See slideshow!

My airports

OurAirports is a great service developed by David Megginson, a Canadian instrument-rated private pilot and computer software developer, blogging at Land and Hold Short. Airport databses and Google maps are integrated with social network functionality, creating a unique service for pilots and travelers. OurAirports shows the closest airports to any address. You can also filter the search results to show only airports with scheduled airline service, only seaplane bases, etc. Feel free to take a closer look at the airports I have visited as a pilot, starting at my profile.

In good company

It is always good to know that someone is reading what you write, and according to Google Analytics there are a few souls reading Notam. Thus far this year people from 85 places in Norway have visited this blog. And readers from 146 US cities in 36 states left traces in the logs.

After Norway and the US, most visitors came from Sweden, UK, and Canada. Exotic places like Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Libya are also among the 61 countries on the list. And in the Middle East I do have readers in both Israel and the Palestinian Territory.

The main traffic sources in Norway are nrfk.org and forum.scanair.no. Internationally Google, Blogger, Facebook, and the Aviation Mentor blog are sending most people to Notam. 

In short: you are in good company, and for me this it is very inspiring.

Celebrating a flying pioneer

Lars (over) after beaching LN-AEG at Baldersnäs. We arrived as plane #14 at the Swedish Seaplane Association Fly-in weekend and air show, celebrating the flying pioneer Albin Ahrenberg (1889-1968).

Unlike Norway, you are free to fly in and out of most Swedish lakes and rivers.  

SSA president Kjell Sandberg and his crew are doing a great job defending these privileges. On the picture he is sitting next to the only person attending the Fly-in that had actually flown with Ahrenberg, when she was five years old.

Lars and I left Saturday, and we had to go before the main course at dinner in order to make it back to Oslo before dark (19:30Z).

More pictures at Scanair!

Quiet today, big crowd expected Sunday

Line and LN-AEG ready for departure after lunch at Villa Fridheim. It was my third visit on floats, and I finally docked at the appropriate place.

First time I used a farmers dock at the other side of the island. The second time I beached and trespassed again. This time I finally made it right. The dock is not ideal for seaplanes due to a few misplaces poles, but we managed.

Lunch at the museum in this beautiful timber building is always special. We were the only costumers today, but Sunday princess Märthas is reading fairy tales and a big crowd is expected.

Sun ´n Fun at Haga

"Haga International Airport", a sign on the hangar of the 590 m/1936 ft grass field says.

Farmer Ole H. Westby hosted the annual Gardermoen Flyklubb fly-in barbeque where former Chief Flight Instructor and soft field enthusiast Kjell Ødemark (white shirt) was named the first honorary member of the flying club, by president Jarle Espelund (red shirt). Ødemark always emphasized the importance of soft field landing skills in case of motor failure: The ability to land slow and short will reduce casualties.

Haga is located right east of the B airspace, and the pilots normally operating from ENGM - the main international airport serving Norway - enjoyed the freedom of flying fun without asking anyone for prior approval. 

It was my first landing at this nice field, only 10 minutes in LN-NPK from ENKJ. I´ll definitely be back.

 

Wet, wet, wet!

Water was all around as I started the fall season on floats.

Tore helped me drain during DI, and we flew an hour of CB slalom before receiving a bonus shower while docking. 

The thunderstorms from the night before caused flooding in my own neighborhood, among many locations in Eastern Norway. Before a new week of rain, the meteorologists promises a couple of sunny days this weekend. Let us hope.

New seaplane base at Austefjorden

On vacation in Volda I drove the 20 km to Austefjorden, for a view of the new seaplane base.

Jørn Inge Håvik, a Canada based pilot, is preparing to move home. His solid seaplane hangar built in local boathouse tradition should be able to protect the plane from Norwegian winters.

I am looking forward to view the base in full operation on future visits to family in Volda and Ørsta. Hoping for rental opportunities :-)

Seaplane spotting at Nordfjordeid

Driving the 713 km. from Kristiansand to Volda we spotted the first seaplane at the least probable place; Nordfjordeid. The long and wide fjord is not the most forgiving place to land in strong winds, and Kjetil told me the touchdown with LN-ABK in fresh breeze was the most challenging part of a great flight over the mountains from Kilen, Oslo. The Smith/Daytona Cub has an endurance of seven hours, hence the lack of fuel supply at this part of the country does not represent any challenge for visits in this aircraft. It was fun to meet a fellow Kilen pilot in this neck of the woods.

Blindleia on Floats

LN-AEG's summer base at Tregde, a small village near Mandal, is only a three quarters drive from our first vacation stop in Kristiansand. Beautiful Blindleia is famous at sea, and in my mind even better by air. Combining the experiences in a float plane is plain pleasure!

Blindleia is an inland waterway that starts in Gamle Hellesund in Høvåg (VFR reporting point to ENCN), and continues past Lillesand. It is a salt water fjord formed passage protected from the open sea by an elongated archipelago of skerries. There are several narrow gaps as part of the waterway, some of them only 10 metres wide. There are no tides, and very little current.

Our great hosts, the Ødegaard family, got a taste of it too. From Tregde we flew to Kjevik (ENCN) for change of crew and fuelling, continued Blindleia to Lillesand, and then Grimstad. Return to base in 500 feet over the beautiful coast line of Southern Norway.

RETS: Recent Thunderstorms

Zulifqar was prepared for more advanced air crew management than I usually practice in LN-NAG, having studied the operation manuals of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), preparing for a court case. He did a great job in his debut as co-pilot, while Shazia and Alina (6 1/2) navigated from the back seat. We had to postpone takeoff for an hour due to thunder showers passing by, and got a smooth ride in the crisp RETS air.

Leaving Sandefjord, keeping the cup

I joined SMFK as I got my PPL and moved to Sandefjord nine years ago. We lived in the city for a couple of years while my wife worked as a judge, and I commuted to Oslo. Meeting the regulars Saturdays at ENTO for waffles and hangar talk was something I looked forward to every week.

 
I pitched in for the first Norwegian flying club investment in a new C172, and have ever since joining had a strong feeling of belonging. I still drink my coffee from the SMFK cup.

Hence it was with regrets I left the club this week. Their policy of NOK 2,500 (€315) payable before first flight annually, makes you think twice before the first rental every year. And this explains why I have only visited for waffles and talks the latter years, and spent my rental money other places. Recently they added NOK 1,000 (€125) payable annually before using their facilities. All this in addition to the membership fee. Total price tag on the first hour of flight at SMFK is then NOK 5,310 (€665). 

If this were my only club membership, I would happily contribute. But I am member of a handful of flying clubs, and for me this trend of increasing the fees payable before first flight accumulated to NOK 14.820 (€1,800) this year, before the new fee from SMFK. I understand the wish to make passive members contribute more in order to have privileges of access, but I think the result will be fewer members, less use of the aircrafts, and even more to pay for the active few.

Leaving Sandefjord was not easy. But I'll keep the cup, and will sip my coffee, thinking about good times with old friends.

Destination Oslo

Monica flying over Oslo on my 2nd tour of the day, giving our holiday guests the Oslo-in-a-nutshell experience;  a 20 minutes tour of the capitol city, included the Holmenkollen Skijump, Bygdøy (the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Viking Ship Museum, and the royal estate), the Oslo Fjord, Ekebergsletta (Home of the Norway Cup), before returning to Kjeller Airport. 

See the slideshow!

Summer night flight

Anne, Simen and Martin joined me for a late night flight over Summer Oslo. Not too much traffic, a few seaplanes arriving at Kilen and the police chopper operating low level in Maridalen with a rescue chopper standing by at Holmenkollen, otherwise we had the airspace to ourselves, flying over the city, southbound following the fjord to Oscarsborg, and back via Tusenfryd. Simen (11) had his debut as co-pilot.

Summer morning on floats

Kristian and LN-AEG at Kilen after a morning tour of Holsfjorden, Husodden, Krøderen, Åros, and Hallangen. Perfect start on a beautiful summer day.

GC safety pilot

CFI Catharina at the Real Aero Club de Gran Canaria was ready to go, but I had left my license at home to be sure that this visit would be work only (writing my PhD thesis in Mogán), and no play :-(

Flying around the island takes about an hour, and the price tag, including safety pilot, is €174. A fun and easy way to fly in a Spanish language environment for people not speaking the language. I did the tour a few years ago, and it was a great way to see the island. Next time I might double the flying time and cross a small bit of the Atlantic to visit one of the airports at Tenerife. 

After hangar flying, I had dinner at the Aero Club Restaurant. As always - great food, friendly service and affordable prices.

Thea's first flight

Einar and Thea (15) at Hamar on our evening trip ENKJ-ENHA-Husodden-ENEG-ENSN-ENTO-ENKJ. Thea unveiled her talent as she co-piloted her first flight with me from Skien to Torp.

A bit bumby

Bård is departing Kjeller (ENKJ) in LN-NAG with a big Swede on his tail, short time after I returned from Torp (ENTO). The flying conditions today were a bit bumpy, but I was not hit as hard as the pilot pressed down in the treetops right after take-off at Gotterud, Vestre Toten.

GA News in Norwegian

I am assisting AOPA Norway in revitalizing their web site, and one of the new features is a news agent for coverage of General Aviation. Check it out and tell me what you think!

Winner Flight over Oslo

Jørn won a flight with MAF at the Kjeller Air Show, and I took him for some evening sight seeing over family in Nittedal and his home in Oslo. A nice and smooth evening flight in LN-NRF. Read more at MAF.no.

The sun always shines on TV

Tore is refueling at Skånevik before our return to Oslo in seaplane LN-AEG. We flew over sunny Southern Norway for my attendance in Torgrim's new show on TV Haugaland, and returned via the spectacular Hardangerfjord. I am home safe and sunburned.

Route: Kilen - DRA - Tuddal - SOROX - Skånevik - Ulvik - Dagali - TRF - Kilen.

Nine landings and ready to go

Today I did the combined type check of C172 on floats and season check at Kilen Seaplane Club. First Arne the LN-AEG owner gave me an introduction. 55 minutes and nine landings later Kjell gave me the formal signatures.

Potluck Fly-in

Rolf and his tax free goods from Jönköping International Airport (ESGJ). He used to be my professor at BI Centre for Media Economics, now he is affiliated with the Media Management and Transformation Centre at Jönköping International Business School. I was MMTC Visiting Scholar earlier this spring, and yesterday we flew in for the MMTC Potluck. Route information and more images at Flickr.