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A Nice Day on the Beach?

Dan 57

Well Known Member
A Nice Day on the Beach...

Just returned from our vacations in scenic and friendly Scotland with my wife Tina and the -6. The first week was spent in the Hebrides and the second in the Shetland islands.
Whilst there are many unlicensed strips on all the islands and the mainland, the fascination of legally landing on an open beach still rated high on my aviation bucket list… checking for the tide times before setting off is kinda exciting ;)

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Leaving our base at Glenforsa (another Scottish aviation paradise), I threaded my way through the islands of Muck, Rum, Canna and Skye, and reached the Outer Hebrides and the island of North Uist where the beach of Sollas is located. Low clouds were just clearing and the vis was good, with slight westerlies.
A couple of ultralight aircraft were just departing as I got there, and I was left with a long and for sure the widest runway I ever landed on.

The runway is straight ahead:
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Coming overhead:
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And turning final:
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I then took a stroll along the beautiful white sand beach and across the peninsula to Traigh Iar beach, fantastic scenery all around.
Back at the aircraft, I sat down, ate my snack and relished the serenity of the moment: my colorful -6 sitting on the white sand with a background of sea and sky :) A fly-in is held at least once a year on the beach, but I sure selfishly enjoyed having the place all for me :D
Took off a while later and couldn’t help myself coming back for a touch & go just as some ultralights were nearing.
Back in Glenforsa for a cool pint of Tennents, taken on the wooden deck of the hotel overlooking its private pristine grass strip and the Sound of Mull, it was a time to reflect as to how fortunate we are :cool:

Beach pano:
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-6 on sand:
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Finals for Glenforsa:
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Return to the scene...

Dan, Marcel, and I landed at Sollas on this weekend's trip to Scotland - what a great flight! I put up a few pictures like this one here:

http://www.rv8.ch/sollas-scotland-beach-landing/

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Short clip of the actual landing. You can see Dan's RV6.9 as I land - he was the courageous one to land first and confirm that it was safe.

https://youtu.be/PkgkkazBdvs

The sand was as firm as most concrete runways, and smoother and flatter than any I've ever experienced. Scotland is a wonderful place. I really enjoyed that experience!
 
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Hey Dan & Mickey,
What an awesome area to fly over and adventure to do, landing on a beach !!!
Toying with the idea of crossing over one of these days, to meet up with past colleagues and friends and to see to region from above in the 8 instead of sitting in a Airbus...
Your destinations and photos sure keep my project alive... :cool:
 
Hey Dan & Mickey,
What an awesome area to fly over and adventure to do, landing on a beach !!!
Toying with the idea of crossing over one of these days, to meet up with past colleagues and friends and to see to region from above in the 8 instead of sitting in a Airbus...
Your destinations and photos sure keep my project alive... :cool:

Would be great to fly with you here, Eric! I'm sure you have a million cool places to fly in Canada, too!
 
Ok, this place acts like a magnet :)
Had yet another go with some other friends a couple of days ago… splendid weather, low tide, nice airplanes, what more can one ask for? Man do I love this place.

PS
The first in line is a Swiss designed Braendly BX-2 Cherry. Mixed composite, plans built only, manual retracts usually powered by a 912 Rotax variant. Very efficient, quite a few flying around here, some still in the build.
Ok, the smaller wheels led to some heaving out of some loose sand :D
 

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