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.