Having dropped our labradors Inca and Isla off at their kennels, we drove to Carlisle Airport and loaded G-TRJB ready for a takeoff at 1100Z (noon local time). Last minute weather checks showed a rash of showers in the Manchester area, a few further south in the Birmingham area, a clear Channel and then more showers over northern France.
We departed five minutes late and having filled main and tip tanks started a slow climb to FL110. This put us on top on most stuff but there were a rash of CBs over the Pennines with some spotted further to the south so on handover to Scottish Control, we requested a further climb to FL130. This cleared all the low and medium level cloud and enabled us more easily to plot a course through the buildups. The controllers were kept busy until the English Channel with everyone wanting weather deviations; we flew just west of Slough so had a splendid view of Heathrow Airport off to the left.
The cloud largely cleared over the Channel but built again over northern France although tops were not quite so high. Towards Avignon, the main cold frontal cloud came into sight and we landed on a damp airfield after a flight of just under 5 hours with the same temperature as at home (16ºC). Apart from about five minutes in heavy precipitation near Joe Iliffe’s airfield where we picked up a little ice, it was a generally smooth and problem free flight.
The phone started pinging on landing and we soon gathered that Goose has had three little puppies late this afternoon and one of our number for the trip has aircraft trouble and may not make it; that will be a real disappointment. We are staying in the Best Western hotel near the airport and were soon enjoying a post flight beer looking at pictures of Goose and her pups.
Carlisle to Avignon: 768 nm in 4 hr 49 min