PA34-220T Seneca III
We departed Fowlmere in rain and low cloud climbing IFR with a clearance from Stansted Direct Clacton VOR climbing FL090 and as we passed FL070 London gave us Direct REDFA. RLB was flying and I was as usual in the right seat. Over many years flying together I knew I only had to give RLB confirmation of the clearance and he would simply enter the command into the autopilot and we would cross check each other. GWT had a King Silver Crown Avionics fit with a Garmin 150 GPS and Colour Weather Radar complimented with KFC200 Autopilot with Flight Director. The aircraft was also approved for flight in icing conditions with boots, heated props and windshield panel.
We were solid IMC across the North Sea and Amsterdam Radar and then Schiphol approach gave us radar vectors to 27 with weather reported “Schiphol Information ECHO timed 0830 wind 240/25kts vis 2500m Rain Overcast 500feet Broken 600feet Runway Wet Wet Wet Temp +5C Dewpoint +6C QNH999Runway 27 for landing report aircraft type and information ECHO on first contact”.
RLB disconnected the autopilot once we were establishing onto the localiser and selected gear down once the glideslope was captured and settled nicely at 110kts on the approach.
“GWT keep speed up please you have B767 behind. Cleared to land 27”
“Wilco, cleared to land 27 GWT”
With 3miles to run we actually had some ground contact and at 2miles the controller said “If you like GWT you may break left and land RWY22” this caught me by surprise but I quickly realised it would a) get us out of the way and b) save us a long taxy back to GAT which was next to RWY 22. “Affirm we can take 22, GWT” RLB selected full flap and we broke off the approach with RWY 22 visible at 500 feet. It was an unusual event in that I had never before been given an alternative RWY having been cleared to land on another one! In any event we were fully visual and the landing was uneventful. I considered afterwards I had not set up any navaids for RWY22 or reviewed the Missed Approach Procedure either!
Later that day, we lined up RWY22 for departure and were given a ‘Zandvoort’ departure not above 1000feet. Zandvoort is the motor racing circuit on the west coastline. We reported “Ready for departure” and our departure was ‘modified’; “GWT if you are ready immediate you are cleared take off to turn direct Zandvoort before reaching end of RWY22 not above 1000feet” as we rotated into a climb RLB retracted the gear and we turned immediately right towards Zandvoort with our recognition lights reflecting in the Tower windows! It seemed very odd transiting across Schiphol’s runways at 1000feet with B747s taxying and lining up beneath us!
So more lessons learned; be prepared for the unexpected! RLB is still flying. He has a share in an Arrow IV Turbo at Fairoaks now and we meet up at least every couple of years to renew his IRR.