Flying and Bushcraft

[Lithril]

I've got a friend with private pilots licence who is currently working on his commerical and has never been camping. He wants to take me flying so suggested we combined our interests.

So the question is where do you reckon we should go for a couple of days, we're talking small aircraft here not transatlantic etc.

Matt

 

[illumeo]

Inverness, gateway to the Cairngorms, Scotland therefore less problems camping, only the midges to worry about.

 

[Justin Time]

Islay! great whisky too

 

[dommyracer]

I used to know a guy that had a glider with a vw 1100 engine in it.
He used to fly over the channel to france in it and camp for the week, then fly back over.
He knew some farmer over in Normandy that used to let him land and take off from his land...

 

[British Red]

I'm really trying not to say what I feel about hobby flying.

So I wont

Red

 

[Tadpole]

I'm really trying not to say what I feel about hobby flying.

So I wont

Red

You took the words out of my mouth :You_Rock_

 

[Tengu]

What is wrong with flying as a hobby?

As opposed to the unnecisary gadding around that a lot of people seem to do these days.

flyings mean to be fun, not buses in the air.

Your just jelous because you cant afford to do it.

Tengu (who in spite of her moniker, has never flown, but would love to attempt to learn)

 

[kato]

I think this could be a really cool thing to do but the first thing that pops into my head is "Carbon Footprint", so why not just use the railway network as the trains run up and down the lines no matter how many people are on them.Do your bit for the planet and save fuel.

 

[Tadpole]

What is wrong with flying as a hobby?

Flying a small plane is a pretty irresponsible thing to do from an environment point of view

 

[Lithril]

Ah, but its not a hobby, he is funding his way through to become a commercial pilot, in the middle of a three month unpaid leave from work to get his exams out of the way.

 

[Ahjno]

Ah, but its not a hobby, he is funding his way through to become a commercial pilot, in the middle of a three month unpaid leave from work to get his exams out of the way.

Even if it was a hobby ... It's great fun!! I just came back from Geneva (Motorshow -> cars), not with a private flight though
The processing and making of knives, billies (getting the steel / metal from stones, rocks, dirt, etc), etc. Swanndri's, other pieces of garment (dying it) - ALL has an environmental impact. If you say hobby flying has an impact on the environment, than you should be consistent in your opinion and practice bushcraft butt naked with sticks and rocks

Anyway, back to topic: I would go to Islay, never been there, but I loved the review Gary, Leon-1 and (???) did for a bushcraft school (testing a route) over there.

Good luck with making your choice Matt, and have a good flight

 

[Tengu]

at least hes having fun and learning things whearas my father works (he is nearly 70) to fly abroard to places that are cheap three times a year that make no impression on him.

not even Budapest...

nor Venice...

(he liked Tunisia though, probably as it was so different.)

(I do have a mostly high opinion of my father but my lesiure strategy is a bit different.)

Note that I am planning to travel, and Im making sure it will have meaning to me.

(the last time I traveled was to Cornwall to the eclipse in `99. that was well worth seeing, and I can quite understand why people chase eclipses...they happen every 18 months so you have plenty of time to save/recuperate after.)

 

[Rob]

I think we all have a responsibility to minimise our footprint. Those people who live a low impact life have less to do to compensate.

Compulsory taxes to fund tree planting, thats what we need. Turn the UK back into a forest to offset everything that we do? Gets my vote

My brother in law went commercial a while back. He used to hire and fly a cheiftan over to France a lot - although flying up the west coast of scotland is pretty cool (used to do it for work). If you go near Oban, make sure you buzz my old quarry on the other side of Lismore - will make a change for the blokes to have a civvy plane pestering them

 

[Boxy]

I have a private pilots licence, currently lapsed as I have taken up skydiving and cant afford to do both

My view on this is that a single commercial holiday flight to just about anywhere makes a much bigger carbon footprint than a whole years worth of private light aircraft flying, it is common practice for large commercial aircraft to dump more fuel in one go than a light aircraft uses in a year.

So my advice is, if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, don't take a flight to go on holiday abroad, leave the private pilots alone its getting harder and harder to enjoy private flying in this country as it is.

Incidentally did anyone else see the interesting 'Great Global Warming Scandal' last week, are we being brainwashed into thinking our 'carbon footprint' has any significant effect on the environment?

 

[David Morgan]

Can someone who knows about these things tell us what the typical MPG of a light aircraft is, what fuel do they use, and how flying from southern Engand to Scotland would really compare to driving the same distance? I ask becuase years ago I saw a TV series about a chap building his own light aircraft from a kit and I remember being suprised that the fuel consumption was much lower than I would have expected, although I can't remember what the figures were. Or maybe it was the cost I'm thinking of, no duty on fuel for aviation is there?

 

[AJB]

Incidentally did anyone else see the interesting 'Great Global Warming Scandal' last week, are we being brainwashed into thinking our 'carbon footprint' has any significant effect on the environment?

Yep, one of the best documentaries I’ve seen in years (I didn’t think anyone made intelligent TV anymore), and what my dad (physicist) has been banging on about for years.

As to hobby flying – I’m not a big fan. Not because of the debatable impact, but after spending years working on air accidents – planes are blenders for people!

 

[dave k]

Ah - you need to go gliding instead

I'm going to start this summer - providing I slim down in time!!


Edit, I just did a quick google, and light aircraft come in anywhere between 20-40 MPG. the rating is only slightly down when fully loaded.

Now an average 747 will do about .4 to .1 mpg average on a run.. all those peanuts to carry!!

Flying a light aircraft for 10 hours a month is the same as using as small car. Plus avgas is a higher distillate, so has less nasty particulates.

 

[kato]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxy
Incidentally did anyone else see the interesting 'Great Global Warming Scandal' last week, are we being brainwashed into thinking our 'carbon footprint' has any significant effect on the environment?Quote

Dont believe everything you see on TV,of course us humans are having an effect on the environment because we dont live in harmony with it as all other animals do.
There are wars being fought over the control of oil stocks and many people are suffering so that a few can profit.
Do you know that anything you can make from crude oil (fuel,plastics,synthetic fabrics etc) can be made from the Hemp plant !
Hemp can be turned into many things such as fuel,food,clothing,building materials (the basic things for human survival) and it is better for the environment as it takes in CO2 and cleans the air as it grows and does not put all the nasty stuff into the air when burnt as oil products do.
A lot of farmers could profit from the growing off hemp as a biomass fuel yet it remains illegal for them to grow it (hemp was made illegal to farm on the same day Dupont patented Rayon synthetic fabric!!!).
I will stop ranting now before i get to political and leave you with these lyrics from an Ian Brown song to think about "seven percent own eighty four percent of all the wealth on earth oil is the spice to make a man forget mans worth"

 

[leon-1]

I've got a friend with private pilots licence who is currently working on his commerical and has never been camping. He wants to take me flying so suggested we combined our interests.

So the question is where do you reckon we should go for a couple of days, we're talking small aircraft here not transatlantic etc.

Matt

Hi there, I would go with Islay as one destination as if you have never been before it is a great place to be. Be aware there ain't a lot of places for hammocks and ensure you have something for removing ticks (just in case). If you do decide to go the Islay route I would suggest dropping JeremyH a line either by e-mail or PM. His knowledge of the area is fantastic and he is a thoroughly nice guy to boot.

I think that France could be a very good destination, but don't know a lot about the rules and regs. Moonraker is a good chap, knows his stuff and would be a very handy man to talk to about locations and regulations.

I was trying to think of the nearest Airport to Dartmoor, you could fly in, do a circuit of the moor over a couple of days and then fly back.

 

[nobby]

I think we all have a responsibility to minimise our footprint.

Frostbite and amputation of the toes will do it. Shorter foot equals smaller mocassin.

The Earth is changing. It always has and it always does and we won't make any difference at all.
I've double glazed, hung thick curtains, insulated, composted, collected rainwater, grown my vegetables, kept chickens and ducks for eggs, never bought a new car, suffered the aggravations of public transport, only flown 11 times - never further than Isle of Man - and only landed with the aircraft 4 times, and for what?
For politicians all over Europe to enjoy their beano's at my, and your, expense.
Do you really think that China and India are going to slow their economic development because we show them how to look after the Earth? They have people who really do live 'bushcraft' life styles and they can't wait to be post industrialised so they can afford to indulge themselves.

Enjoy your flight and have a good camp.