Stuck at a well-known UK airport and I can’t leave. Trying to fly a Cirrus SR22 around SE England, see the flight, my Luton Airport zone transit through controlled airspace, hear my ATC radio calls and fly along to our destination at Elstree Airport North of London.
As always, I asked AI to write a paragraph on this video. This is what it said: “Step into the thrilling narrative of the video “They Wouldn’t Let Me Leave This Famous UK Airport,” where aviation aficionados and travelers alike are taken on a riveting journey through the renowned Duxford Airport in the United Kingdom. Against the backdrop of historic aviation marvels, the video captures the suspenseful tale of a daring pilot embarking on a flight adventure aboard a sleek Cirrus SR22. With a destination set for Elstree, the flight promises scenic beauty as it traverses the English landscapes. However, unexpected challenges arise, building an air of anticipation and intrigue. As the pilot navigates the intricacies of departure, viewers are treated to panoramic views of vintage aircraft and the palpable energy of Duxford’s rich aviation history. Through cinematic storytelling, the video offers an immersive experience, showcasing both the undeniable allure of flight and the magnetic pull of Duxford, a place where the past and present of aviation converge in a truly captivating way.” AI can be very dramatic sometimes.
ME: https://stef747.com
MY GEAR: https://stef747.com/gear
✈️ GET EXCLUSIVE FLYING CONTENT ✈️
JOIN the channel today, get EXCLUSIVE member only videos with full Air Traffic Control calls, procedures, and watch in detail how I fly certain flights. Great if you’re a student pilot or just want more detail on the flying side of this channel:
👉https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG1HLA8IEqZ09_C_7u5tUjQ/join
📸 Behind the scenes, photos, and more video content on my Instagram account: https://instagram.com/stef747
🎵 Music 🎵
Tracks by Epidemic Sound:
https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/5tw3er/
VERY IMPORTANT: I am a private pilot and am NOT qualified to give flying instruction. This video, like all videos on this channel, has been significantly edited from the original source footage and is provided for entertainment purposes only. Many radio calls and procedures have been omitted. If you have any questions about anything you see or hear, please speak to a Certified Flying Instructor first.
45 Comments
Alternative and more accurate video title: “I got to the airport a bit early and had to wait for the tower to open”. You’re in danger of turning into Matt Guthmiller with titles like that, and that is not a compliment!!! You don’t need to stoop that low Stef your videos are great.
It is very easy to understand why you love flying when there are views like that. Thanks for sharing and I’m glad you beat the hail.
Would love a series one day with more of this. All over the UK too. Ireland, Scotland, up to Wales etc. This was enjoyable. Thanks.
It's kind of like this in Germany. But due to a recent change in law, those airfields that want to can become really uncontrolled.
Mixing it with the big boys!! What an experience flying over Luton airport must have been. Years of hard work and dedication, good on you Steph 👏
“Less restriction is better” said no government, ever.
Stef, I hope you come flying in the Netherlands!😊
What’s amazed me watching you fly in the UK is the amount of squawk code changes! I’m used to getting 1 and that’s it for the whole flight!
What RAF (ex?) base is that at 6:13?
That was RAF Wyton you flew over. It closed as a flying station in 2013 but it is still an operational base for Joint Forces.
Hey Stef, Darren ex-Darwin ATC and now Deutschland based. Nice work. Your confidence & professionalism in CTA is top stuff, well done mate 👍
At 2.27 disused airfield is RAF Wyton and top left in the distance is USAF Alconbury
We have a lot of WW2 airfield that are no longer used as airfield, lot handed back to the farmers and a large number of operating fields are being lost to house building 😞
Hey Stef, I have been a "lurker" (benefiting on the sidelines from your videos) for almost 3 years now so I thought it's probably time to thank you for the fabulous content! I am a retired IT guy so I know how much time goes into what you do; THANK YOU! I got my private here in North Carolina during COVID after my retirement. I almost always get something valuable out of your videos to help me with my own flying and today was not an exception! Interestingly my wife (who loves to fly with me here in the US) is in Melbourne right now staying with our adopted daughter and her family and they are literally walking distance from Moorabbin Airport! Thanks again! ~ Rodger
👍
what an eventful flight! I was feeling the second-hand stress. shame the cameras didn't pick up the A320 landing at LTN though, that must have been an epic view
Love going to Duxford, always guaranteed to see vintage aircraft flying.
Nice landing
Rain showers been like it for weeks. Showery summer. Must be global wetting.
Love your videos Steph – Looks like you definitely had a high workload there, nice flying! The controllers are so helpful and polite.
Sibson was where I did my parachute jump 😂
Enjoyed that – looks like quite the work rate in places! Thanks!
That disused airfield looks very much like RAF Wyton, the base is still active as a joint force base but the airfield has been in private hands for nearly 10 years now. Currently used for vehicle storage. This airfield was once a very active Royal Air Force station, with history right back to WW1
Stef, thanks for sharing this videos. It was lovely to see you enjoying the flights 😎 Next time, please do come to Switzerland and we can explore this beautiful country together?!
The Civil Aviation Authority is not nicknamed the Campaign Against Aviation for nothing.
Fantastic video, nice radio telephony. Thank you!
Things like this make me realise how good, no GREAT, we have things in terms of GA flying the USA.
Absolutely loved this video. Looked like a lot of fun flying that route and transiting Luton! 🙂
Hello from Cambridge!
Love your videos mate, i live close to Duxford and love seeing everything around there
Come fly in British Columbia if you can, The scenery is amazing & it would be amazing to see you visit my province. Obviously not during wildfire season (now) though! 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦
In North America, they usually become Class E and you revert to Unicom
Would you call this mild or moderate turbulence? I've been flying for a couple of years now and i find my self reaching out to the controls at the first sign of a shake. Ive cancelled flights for scattered clouds. Watching your videos (your calm and confidence) gives me a lot of inspiration. Thank you.
Its always special being allowed to fly over big airports, with those giant airliners taking off and landing at the same time! I had the joy to fly over Leipzig (EDDP) a few times and it's always a spectacular sight! Often you even get allowed to do a low approach.
what software are you using on the tablet?
Stef, I was the Luton controller you spoke to, I actually remember you calling that day. Don't ever be afraid of calling most UK airfields for a transit, Heathrow excepted probably, but the rest of us will fit you in if we can. Your Luton transit was a standard thing we do and will normally accommodate anytime unless the weather is a bit rough.
The video was suggested by a friend (a retired ATCO) as being me and so I followed your journey from Elstree to Shoreham to Duxford then Elstree. Really enjoyed the videos, the only thing I could say as a negative was you kept dropping the N from your callsign, if that's all pretty good sir. Cheers, Ian
Stefan, care to comment about the Quantas fiasco?
Duxford is an EX RAF base, no longer current.
I learnt to fly at Sibson, loads of class G, freedom! yes lots of closed airfields, Alconbury + old RAF bases, also lots of farm strips to.
Welcome to the UK, where runways are rolled-up in the evenings until the morning – and even when they are open, you need to ask permission to use them.
Another great vid.
You would have/will benefit from studying our procedures in UK. Particularly around whether the station is Radio/Information/Tower etc. That will then tell you what service you can expect and what you “can and can’t do” with respect to things like whether you can take off outside operation hours. When you called “Duxford Tower” he noted back he was “Information”- responding back with “Roger Duxford Information etc etc” would have let them understand you then knew what level of service they offer (control you on the ground but can’t give takeoff or landing clearances, can control whether you are allowed into the ATZ, provide a basic service and so on). Same when you called up London Information… they don’t have aerodromes but in the name it tells you they only do Basic Service. If a station cangive traffic service they would be XXXX Radar/Approach/Director and so on. I got put on to Luton Director on a very busy day when I called Luton Approach for a basic service on the way from Newquay to Duxford. They then put me on a traffic service as I went past another airfield that was busy which was good of them.
“Duxford Information November 774MW on the East Apron request airfield Information for flight to Elstree, 1 POB” nice succinct first call 😊
Finished my PPL and did my night rating out of Luton, used to be fun until they decided they didn't want to bother with the little ones any more …
Duxford was my first solo XC from Elstree, and is still a regular destination.
'we don't have a radar….yet.' like they are going to soon. Lol. It's just embarrassing.
Cracking video and flight, really liked your excitement in getting through Luton, I remember landing there and having to part with over £300 at the FBO just for a quick trip to the loo and complimentary coffee & biscuits. [nav and parking charges]