What are the advantages and disadvantages of grass runways compared to hard runways?

For airfield operators, grass runways are cheaper and easier to make. Some pilots, especially taildragger pilots, or the pilots of old aeroplanes, say they prefer grass runways because they are easier on the aeroplane. I don't know why that should be though. Grass runways usually give you a shorter landing roll, as the rolling resistance is grater than with concrete. I find grass runways harder to find from the air. Also the markings are not so clear as on concrete runways.

How important are ground markings?

Most pilots fly to and from the same airfields most of the time. Then the ground markings are not so important. The pilot knows how to get to each holding point or to the parking areas. If the pilot is not familiar with the airfield, or if the airfield is a big, complex one, then the ground markings are essential. Not every airfield has marshalling cars to show you the way.

Do you think people who live close to aerodromes are justified in complaining about noise?

In general no. People who move to an area, knowing that there is an aerodrome there, have no leg to stand on. On the other hand, airports which become popular and busier, will produce more noise. I once worked in Glattbrugg, close to Zurich airport. The building had no air conditioning, we had to keep the windows open in summer. The aircraft noise was sometimes so bad that we had to stop conversations until the plane had gone. When you're on the phone to a customer, that's not good.

Imagine you were planning an international trip in a single engine aeroplane. How would you go about it?

The first thing is to check the immigration rules and above all, the customs rules. Many pilots have had to pay huge fines for not informing customs that they are arriving. Then the routing needs to be carefully planned. Where to refuel? Even in some European countries, many airfields don't have AvGas. I always use a programme like Foreflight or SkyDemon for planning trips. With these it's very easy to quickly try out various routings.

What equipment do you normally use to navigate?

Obviously I use the instruments built into the aeroplane. When I fly around my home base area, I don't need many instruments to navigate, I know most of the places close by. Of course I always have an ICAO map with me, and my navigation plan. I use the compass and the built in stopwatch. If I go on a longer trip, I like to use VORs, but those are slowly disappearing. In places where there are no VORs, I use GPS. I used to have a Garmin handheld GPS, but now I use an iPad. Those are really good, as long as they don't overheat.

What is the most difficult approach you have ever made?

The most difficult approach I did, I think was to Elba. The runway runs almost north - south, I landed to the south. You have to fly around a small mountain, through a saddle between that mountain and the next, and then descend like crazy on final. If I remember rightly, the runway slopes down quite steeply too, so you think you're never going to touch down.

Do you know of any aviation incidents which were caused by communications problems?

The biggest and probably best known air accident took place in Tenerife in 1977. There were several problems, there was a lot of fog, so the controller couldn't see the runway. Both planes were delayed, the pilots and controller did not understand each other properly. The result was two 747s crashing into each other at a runway intersection. More than 500 people died. As a result, the required wording for take-off situations was changed.

What risks do animals pose to aircraft when close to the runway?

Birds in flight are a big risk for aircraft. They don't even have to be close to the runway to be a threat, they are a danger to aircraft everywhere. Other, non-flying animals can also be a threat if they run close to or across the runway at take-off or landing. I once had a group of gazelles race across the runway right in front of me in short final in Wolvedans, Namibia. There was nothing I could do. Fortunately, I didn't hit any of them. The same thing happened to me at Kasane Airport, on the Botswana side of the Caprivi Strip. That time a whole family of warthogs suddenly ran across the runway in front of us. But we still didn't have pork for dinner.

Why must baggage be secured properly in the aircraft?

The weight and balance of the aircraft must be within limits. Any baggage must stay where it's put, so that the centre of gravity stays within limits. The same applies just as much to passengers. I recently read about a crash somewhere in Africa which was caused by passengers all running to one end of the plane. It seems that a passenger had taken a small crocodile aboard. It got loose and frightened all the passengers into running to the front and causing the airplane to crash.

Have you ever had to take avoiding action on a flight?

Yes. I once flew over the northern part of Italy between Linate and Malpensa where there are two VORs which guide you perfectly to the north or to the south. Above you at 2500 feet is airspace alpha, which VFR aircraft can't enter. So, whether you fly to the north or to the south, you always want to fly as high as possible – at 2500 feet. I was flying south, and in the last moment saw another plane coming opposite, also at 2500 feet. Both of us took very quick and determined avoiding action. It was an important lesson for me. On a route like that, I never fly at the exact airspace boundary any more.

If you have to make a forced landing in a remote area, what use would your mobile phone be?

If I have reception, I can use the phone to call the alarm. The phone has a built in GPS, so I can let people know my exact coordinates. If I don't have reception, I can still see exactly where I am, and find whether I can walk out. Though it's almost always better to stay with the plane.

Why are fire and smoke in flight so dangerous?

In a car you can stop at the side of the road, open the windows to let smoke out, or simply get out. In a small airplane, you can't do that. Where there is fire, there is smoke and carbon monoxide. Smoke obscures your vision, stings your eyes and chokes you. Carbon monoxide can kill you. If it's at all serious – and fire in flight usually is, the only thing is to get to ground level as soon as possible and land.

Would you walk close to an aircraft whose engine is running?

If I am on my own and it is a single engine piston plane, then I probably would. I would need to have eye contact with the pilot and to be sure that he can see me. It's safer to walk behind an aeroplane with a running engine, even though the propwash can be strong. Jets and turboprops have far stronger wash, that can be dangerous. Plus, the pilots may not see out so well. If I have one or more passengers with me, then I would wait until I am sure the plane is not going to taxi towards us, making sure the passengers stay close to me.

What types of fuel are available at your home base?

My home base has Jet A1 and AvGas. Some planes based there use MoGas, but that is not available. You can usually use AvGas in those planes instead, so it's not a problem – apart from the cost.

Is it hard to maintain your medical?

From the age of 50 upwards, you need a medical each year. The medicals are not strict, as long as you don't need any regular medication. Aero medics are very suspicious of prescription drugs, especially if they have to do with blood pressure. My aero medic says he tries to keep them flying, safely. So he claims to be on my side!

What are the advantages and disadvantages of grass runways?

For airfield operators, grass runways are cheap and easy to build. Maintenance consists mostly of mowing the grass and keeping the runway markings in place. Concrete runways are very expensive to build. Once built the maintenance needed depends on the traffic. The surrounding areas still need mowing. As a pilot, the biggest difficulty I have with grass runways is seeing them. Usually grass runways are shorter and narrower than concrete ones. You usually see an airfields hangars well before you see the grass runway. Pilots of older aircraft, especially biplanes, usually prefer grass runways. I usually land on concrete, but if I get the chance I'll land on our parallel grass runway.

Do you like flying with passengers?

I like to fly both with passengers and alone. If I fly with passengers, I will be showing them the sights, usually in good weather. If I fly with student pilots, the weather is sometimes not as good. Students have to learn to fly in sub-optimal weather as well as good, so it may be windy or raining or the cloud base may be low. If I fly alone, I usually have a particular goal, such as landing practice or manoeuvres.

Your destination has no ATIS. How can you find out which is the active runway?

If the aerodrome is controlled, tower will tell you the active runway. If the aerodrome is uncontrolled, then by switching to the aerodrome frequency early, you can hear whatever traffic is flying there. Any traffic departing or approaching will tell us which the active runway is. If there is no traffic, you can ask for the approach information. Someone in the C Office may tell us. Failing that, fly overhead and look for the landing T and windsock.

In sunny weather is it important to have a clean windscreen and sunglasses?

It is essential to be able to see through the windscreen. The main job of a VFR pilot is to look out for other traffic. If the windscreen is dirty, you might mistake a fleck for another aircraft. Or worse, another aircraft might be obscured. Sunglasses protect your eyes against UV light. If you don't wear good sunglasses in bright sunlight, you eyes may quickly get tired and you may get a headache. I am very bad with sunglasses, I very rarely wear them. I have a pair of prescription sunglasses, but unfortunately they are very, very dark. I only really use them in very bright sunlight because I look like a Mafioso with them on.

How important is flight preparation?

Most pilots say that flight preparation is everything. If your preparation is inadequate, then you run the risk of unpleasant surprises. You should always plan alternatives, always have a plan B.

Flying to an aerodrome for the first time, would you prefer it to be controlled or non-controlled?

I think I'd prefer to fly to a controlled airfield for the first time. At uncontrolled airfields, you're never quite sure how radio discipline will be. If you're unfamiliar with the airfield, you're probably searching for the field itself, then trying to distinguish the runway, checking that you've got the right runway if there's more than one. You have your work cut out. Having a controller providing sequencing is a boon in that case.

If ATC were to tell you that you entered special use airspace without clearance, how would you feel?

This has happened to me; I was very annoyed! I flew a Robin from Grenchen, via Rigi, Amsteg, Furka, Grimselpass and back to Grenchen. When I arrived in Grenchen, I was given a note which told me to ring a certain telephone number. When I rang, the commander of airbase Meiringen was on the other end. He told me I had crossed Meiringen CTR while it was still active, even though it was after 18:00. I was annoyed because I had been in contact with Zürich Information the whole way. When I reported the Grimselpass, Zürich told me to report the Brienzer Rothorn next. This was on the far side of Meiringen. I should have asked Zürich whether Meiringen was active, but assumed they knew what they were doing. The next day I spoke to the same Zürich controller who had told me to report the Rothorn. She apologised and rang Meiringen herself to explain what had happened. I never heard anything more about it. I did learn not to trust Zürich Information too much. Double checking is never wrong.

Why do uncontrolled aerodromes have fences and barriers?

For the same reason that controlled aerodromes have fences and barriers. To keep animals, criminals and vandals out. Aerodromes often have very valuable aircraft parked or hangered within their boundaries. Fences and barriers help to keep them safe. Not all aerodromes have fences, and those fences don't always extend all around the aerodrome. For example, my home base is a controlled airfield and has barriers and fences. But they don't go all the way around.not all the way around.

What kind of weather did you have on your last flight?

My last flight was from Grenchen, across Payerne aerodrome, then across Berne CTR and back to Grenchen. It was overcast, with the cloud base at about 5500 feet. That's why we crossed Berne CTR, not the TMA. The view of the alps was limited, due to the low cloud. There was no significant precipitation, the visibility was more than good enough.

Would you like to fly an aerobatic aircraft?

Just once or twice, I have flown in aerobatic aircraft. I have also flown a few aerobatic manoeuvres myself. Not very well and always under supervision. I'd really like to do an aerobatic rating, but the school where I work doesn't offer the courses any more. I'd have to go to a completely new airfield to do it, which puts me off.