Oshkosh 2023: The Journey Day 1

After months of planning and a build up of forms, calls, and bookings over the past couple of weeks, the time for flying had come. We arrived at Hawarden airfield near Chester, where N302MC is based before 10:00 with a planned departure at 11:00. The aircraft was already packed with everything we needed, so just a few snacks and ourselves to add. The weather wasn’t beautiful blue skies, but for two instrument rated pilots the two hour flight north to Wick on the North Scottish coast wasn’t complicated. A final top up with fuel and we were ready. The taxiways at Hawarden and a Falcon 8 on final approach meant a slightly strange taxi to hold at G1 so the Falcon could land, backtrack the full length of the runway, and vacate at the end via taxiway N, where we would normally have waited.

Cessna 310 N302MC being refuelled at Hawarden aiport
N302MC being refuelled before leaving Hawarden

We departed initially with a climb to 3,000 feet and shortly after up to 4,000 feet, all below the clouds but we soon entered them and only caught occasional glimpses of the ground until coming out into the clear around Dundee. We then manoeuvred a little to keep clear of some fairly lumpy looking clouds near Aberdeen before it cleared up for a simple VFR approach over the North Sea to a closed Wick airport – we’d been in touch in advance and gained permission to land even so. Thanks to Aberdeen ATC for making sure we knew Wick was closed!

We approached Wick straight in over the sea to runway 31, announcing what we were up to on the radio just in case anyone was listening. After parking up a Land Rover with a fuel bowser drove straight over to us with the friendly face of Drew at the wheel – we’d been told to expect a friendly welcome and weren’t disappointed. Fuelled up, we headed into the Far North Aviation building to have our packed lunch, pay the fees, and pick up our immersion suits. In the very unlikely case that we did end up with a double engine failure, wearing these bright orange dry suits and getting into the life raft we’re already carrying would extend our survival time in the Atlantic Ocean from a couple of minutes to potentially days. Not the plan, but definitely one of those times when preparation is key!

Dave and Daniel wearing orange immersion suits
Immersion suits on at Wick

All the arrangements at Far North Aviation are handled by Adrienne, a Liverpool native who clearly decided Merseyside wasn’t far enough north but that her first move to the Hebrides was a bit much, and Drew’s mum! It’s a wonderful family organisation and the photos adorning the office walls of various YouTubers and famed pilots who’ve passed through their part of the world make you feel part of an exciting group.

With blobby suits on, it was time for the big overwater leg of the day and for the international flying to begin, with a 3.5 hour flight to Reyjavík, Iceland. Wick ATC was open so we waited for them to get clearance from Scottish Control for our departure which took a few minutes. When cleared we lined up and set off to north east, climbing to 10,000 feet. We were handed over to Scottish Control in the climb and were then cleared right up to our cruise altitude of 18,000 feet. Once above 10,000 feet we put cannulas up our noses and turned the oxygen on – the aircraft isn’t pressurised like an airliner and there isn’t enough oxygen at that height to keep us sharp so it has to be supplemented. They’re not as uncomfortable as they look, but I was glad to take them off again once we were below 10,000 feet on our descent into Reykjavík.

Dave and Daniel in the cockpit with oxygen cannulas
Oxygen cannulas in use between Wick and Reykjavík

Half way over the ocean we changed over to Icelandic ATC. It’s always exciting to make the first contact with foreign controllers on the way out from the UK; I always think the trip starts to feel like you’re really getting somewhere at that point. After an easy cruise in the sun above the clouds of about 2 and a half hours and with about 75 miles to go to Reykjavík, we began our descent and were cleared onto the RNP approach for runway 31. With its level restrictions and alignment, we effectively flew a straight 75 mile final descent all the way to the runway. Getting the speeds low enough to extend the flaps (max 160 knots) and landing gear (max 139 knots) whilst going down wasn’t easy but the extendable landing lights added a little drag to help, along with almost idling the throttles.

Once on the ground we were directed and then marshalled to park near our chosen handlers, Reykjavík FBO. They took us to the customs hut to have our passports looked at and to hand in some forms detailing our itinerary. With that done, we decided it would be best to fuel up right away to avoid any delays in the morning when we’d have a flight planned time to depart, so we started the engines up again and taxied to the fuel pumps. The helpful handler Marta turned the fuel pumps on they stopped after delivering a little over 35 litres of avgas – not the 430 or so we needed. She made a few phone calls but the result was that we would move the plane off the pumps and leave it nearby, ready for the FBO staff to fuel it for us overnight.

We started the left engine, then the right… but the starter on the right engine failed after a few seconds. It’s not the first time this has happened on this aircraft so we immediately knew what the problem was, and that the fix was a new starter motor. Marta got in touch with a local mechanic who would be able to take a look at the problem for us at midday the next day. Our 9:00 day 2 departure wasn’t going to happen. After talking through options over a fantastic dinner of Arctic Char at Messinn in Reyjavík city centre, an order was placed for a new starter to be shipped in from the UK and we’d await its arrival. The mechanic was rather late arriving, but couldn’t help in the end – the only useful thing would have been if he happened to have the right model starter motor (they are quite common) in stock but that wasn’t to be.

A tug was brought over and after working out how to attach it to the aircraft’s nosewheel, I had the new experience of being towed across the airfield whilst sat in the cockpit.

Cockpit view of an aircraft tug in front and pulling the aircraft
The cockpit view as N302MC is towed to parking to await a new starter motor

We’ve now ended up with a couple of days to use up in Iceland. As disappointing as the delay is, there are certainly worse places to be stranded!


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