UniformCharlie

Winding it down (Sunday, 19 June 2005)

Not much left to say now. GT was parked at GAT in Hahn. The night before we were flying in IMC conditions, judging from the number of bugs stuck to our windscreen. The wonderful, superb, incredibly helpful crew of GAT supplied us with a watering can and a rag for some quick clearning. Thanks to both of you - Heike from the night before and the guy in the morning. Sorry I don't remember your name, I should though!

Another Ryanair that had just landed taxiing to her gate
just around the corner from GAT

Just thought I mentioned it: We were not sponsored by Ryanair! We just happened to use the same airports - those where the landing fees are cheap!

When we requested to taxi - by the way, I was back on the radio - we were asked if we could expedite and get on the taxiway before another Ryanair. Yes we could. So we were taxiing before one of these big birds. LP could not help warning him not to suck us up!  The big bird's pilot probably did not expect this type of comment in Germany. Well, you know what they said in that really difficult business meeting when they had finally achieved a consensus: "Where would we be without our sense of humour?" - "In Germany!"

We now had about one hour flying time left, back to Mannheim. We went over Worms to have a look at the event that kept us from landing at our home field. A cart race on the taxiways and our main runway. With a bit of careful planning, maybe next year we can at least have the grass strip PPR?

Worms (EDFV) - 06 from the right

A minute or two later it was time to call Mannheim, via Charlie, approach over the city centre and the most wonderful, greatest, smoothest touchdown dead on the centreline of 09. Whow, LP!

A pity WW did not see it! But he came to meet us at our parking position. We were full of it and kept talking talking talking.

LP and WW

Tied GT down as she needed to stay overnight - together with a lot of other planes from Worms that were waiting in Mannheim to be transferred back to Worms on Monday morning.

WW was keen to know how we got on. So we were winding it all down over a few cold drinks - it was incredibly hot - at Fody's. Then WW drove us back to Worms where we finalized the paperwork and eventually went our own separate ways. A great week!

Thank you to everybody involved! The FIS chappies, the TWR ATCs, especially the ones we met personally, but also those we only heard over the radio, like the one in Cardiff who saw us off with a nice "Tschüss", the Frenchie who wished us well on our further travels with "isch wünsche eine gute Flug surück nach Deuschlond", Clint, Sonia, Paul, Neil, Gregor, Michael, Florian and WW.

28.6.05 17:21