Scottish Aero Club

Well, what a lovely evening we all had.
Thanks to all who came along.
Here’s hoping we have another one again soon.

And a huge thanks to Abru and staff at the Central Fish Bar in Crieff for delivery the suppers. Enjoyed by all.
🐟n🍟

The Scottish Aero Club and Alba Airsports Flight Training had the pleasure of welcoming Owain Johns from the British Microlight Aircraft Association on Tuesday.

Owain was on a 'grand tour' of Scottish Airfields and flight schools to introduce himself and give us an insight into his role at the BMAA. Finishing off with a talk to BMAA members in Edinburgh in the evening.

We made sure he had appropriate hospitality. A can of Irn Bru with Tunnocks Tea Cakes and Shortbread.

Thanks to Graham who flew him over in their C42.
The feed back from the meet up is that the BMAA is in good hands. Keep up the good work.

Nice to see Richard back flying again, seen today with Norman in the Eurostar.

'Vermin Squadron' away on a wee adventure.
Wonder where they've headed 🤔

And the winner of the SAC Easter Egg hunt for 2026 is ...............................................
Richard Hartshorne.
I could maybe have hidden it a bit better 🤣

Happy Easter everyone

Elaine met up with an old friend here at Turweston today. Past SAC hangar resident at Perth.

The Touchdown Cafe will be closed 24th until the 17th Jan.

Members and friends of The Scottish Aero Club . . . . .
Christmas Party - Sat 6th December

Tickets are now available from the SAC website or from the office.
Let's have another great Xmas Party
Any questions, please get in touch.
ps Yes, Santa will be there again. So are you on the naughty list, or the good list 🤨🎅

Tips from the GITs
“The definition of an Airprox includes these words "...in the opinion of a pilot or a controller (and Radio Operator)...". People on the ground or passengers in an aircraft sometimes feel that they have witnessed a 'close proximity' event but it is the opinion of those most directly involved which decides whether or not such an event is an Airprox.”
While one may debate the overall value of submitting an Airprox report in a visual circuit or in Class G airspace in visual meteorological conditions in general but it is generally a pilot’s prerogative to submit one.

If an Airprox is submitted, one thing that could help the subsequent investigation, is to tell the GIT in the tower, ON THE DAY of the incident, that you are submitting an Airprox, preferably when you are safely on the ground, so that events can be recorded while the events are still fresh in everyone’s mind. Finding out that an Airprox has been filed some two weeks after the event does happen.
As part of the investigation process, the Airprox Board will contact the local Aeronautical Station for any possibly input to the event so having an accurate record of the events is greatly beneficial to all involved.

NB the picture does not depict an airprox

G-GULY King Air, Scone G-GULY King Air, Scone

Tips from the GITs
Crossing the line.
At an uncontrolled airfield such as ours, runway Incursions can happen. Most times it is totally unintentional, usually, however it is possible to be the cause of a runway incursion and not know it.

The point in mind is during a dual runway operation such as when runway 27 in use and someone wants to depart from 03. An aircraft is still technically on runway 27 when it is sitting on the 03 numbers and should be regarded as an incursion for a landing aircraft to go-around.
Think on the relationship of holding point Alpha to runway 03 and apply the same distance to holding clear of runway 27 on 03. The 03 numbers are within that imaginary distance and more or less in line with runway 27.

This is why we will try and ask a departing aircraft to hold abeam the 03 PAPIs (the yellow boxes beside the runway) for departure and 21 landing aircraft to hold abeam the 03 PAPIs on 21 and wait to enter 27.
However there are some that seem to take their time taking off, perhaps waiting for an aircraft on downwind 27 to clear the 03 runway path and this leads to complications with 27 landing traffic or they have just "switched off" bevause they are now on another runway.

Another incursion point exists at the junction of 21 and 15. There is an unofficial holding point at the cones but not many know this. The situation is made more complicated by the fact that the Radio Operator can’t see these cones all that well and have to take the pilots word that they have vacated the runway onto the grass, so it is up to the landing pilots discretion whether or not the runway is occupied or not.

Bonus tip. When landing on 03 and you are number two to an ACS P-Mentor, Twin Star or Arrow they will backtrack instead of vacating onto the grass, so give yourself a bit more time or prepare to go around