Pre Conference Recce in G-MICZ PA46-310P
AE had been contracted to organise several large conference venues for a financial group and we were to visit the sites and make a film to show employees where they might get to travel to if they met their ‘targets’.
We departed Fowlmere on an IFR Flight plan non-stop to Vienna. I had calculated we could do this due to the forecast higher altitude winds and the endurance of this early model (1984) Malibu which unlike later models had a Continental engine which when leaned ‘lean of peak’ could exceed the endurance of later ‘Lycoming’ engine models.
In 1996, Stansted would activate your flight plan and more often than not grant ‘Direct Detling’ and liaise with London to get you into the airway system. They were obviously not so busy then.
We achieved a continuous climb rate to FL210 which was just what we needed to help us achieve cruise as soon as possible without having to keep adjusting power and even better, Paris gave us a direct routing, saving time. Passing FL190 we were on top in sunshine with smooth air and a ground speed of 240kts. Four hours later I was attempting to ask Vienna to let us descend. They have a habit of keeping aircraft high, I believe not realising we were piston and not propjet powered! In any event 30mins later we had accepted vectors to the ILS and touched down without incident.
We visited the venue and filmed some of the sights including the Ferris Wheel and Spanish Horses.
It was my birthday the next day and I got a surprise chocolate cake back at the hotel as the next day we would not have any time for ‘Happy Birthday’ as we were off to Cannes and then Madrid.
We took off from Vienna and climbed through the low overcast eventually breaking out on top at FL240. It was obvious the cloud was building with Towering Cumulus around us and some CBs visible as we cruised towards Cannes. I do remember an Aztec pilot beneath us at FL100 who was in difficulty and wanting to divert due to turbulence and icing and I was glad we had the pressurised capability to get above most weather but mindful if we were to lose our engine we would be joining him!
We arrived at Cannes 3hrs 40min after departing Vienna and had to steer around some very bumpy weather. I kept the Cannes visit as short as possible and we were refuelled and airborne again within 45mins.
It was surprisingly different 45mins later with CBs everywhere and the climb was uncomfortable with several periods of nil rate of climb due to downdrafts even though we were climbing at 1500fpm until FL100 when the climb rate reduced to about 750fpm as I increased forward speed to keep Cylinder Head Temperatures within limits (No cowl flap on this Malibu).
For me this was a memorable flight segment as even at our maximum authorised ceiling of FL250 we were having to avoid CBs. Sometimes we could not avoid and it was a useful reminder to me why we always try to make these flights earlier in the day, before the vertical extent of these clouds have developed and flying through them becomes seriously unpleasant. We had several rough periods and it was a relief to be talking to Madrid 3hrs 45mins later requesting descent.
During the descent the attitude Indicator toppled and the approach was flown on limited panel. Unfortunately, this was not something we could get fixed in Madrid leaving me with the only option of a VFR return flight to think about!
Madrid was amazing, we had rooms in the Palace Hotel and spent several days filming the sights. We even had Flamenco Dancers performing on the roof of the hotel and filmed sunrises/sunsets and the venue.
I had some work to do on departure day as AE wanted to get home in one day. I calculated 5hrs non-stop to Fowlmere. In the event, I recorded 4hrs55mins. I was very lucky with the weather and apart from a short descent segment back into Fowlmere the whole flight was VFR. Having left England on the 19th September we were back home on 29th having logged 17hrs flying time with only the attitude indicator failure recorded as a defect.