With palms sweating (and that was with the autopilot on..) the trusty aircraft eventually plunged through into brightness ..... and we found well-manicured countryside, small towns, wide roads, fantastic bridges ...... and no snow even! So much for the preconceptions.
ATC was by now frantically directing us for a visual landing in the usual inimitable way (you know, turn left 045, turn right 125, turn left 045, turn right 125
) as we smacked straight into the murk again at low level over the sea.
Standard course of action - lie to ATC. Say you can see the runway when actually all you have is a white wall in front of your nose. If you don't you'll be stuck at 2100ft all day
. Stuff her down to - don't be silly, not too low - 1500ft and get the old MkI eyeball working. Still no luck - gear up, flaps up 2 notches in steps and go around.Thank goodness for jolly old GPS (didn't have this kind of stuff in my day). Swing the bird around in a wide circuit, drop down again and......what's that over to the right?. Get lower still
Yep, there she blows (to use a cute aeronatical expression). Get the revs off, lose that speed and what do you get?
I tidy enough landing under the circumstances. OK, not the best ever if you must know
But stopped with plenty of strip to spare. And blow me down..... just like the Guide Book said .... there are the jolly old castle ruins.
Then, standard procedure after a visual landing through the murk..... park up and go look for a large beer ;)
And don't forget folks..... the story's not over. Next stop Tallinn. Can you stand the suspense of waiting :o
Don't answer that....
