Home from above

Looking upwards-tail and contrail

 Friday was a good day-full of flying. In the morning I did a solo local nav flight over my home city of Portsmouth, as the following pictures illustrate. Then to round off the day, I did some gliding at Lasham as part of a club event I organised through my work.

 Approaching Portsmouth, overhead Hayling Island

      My house amongst that concrete,brick and slate jungle down there!

 Recently the weather has been really decent-clear skies, good visibility (for now anyway) and light winds. High pressure is in charge at the moment, but over a prolonged period of time an inversion can develop. An inversion is a layer in the atmosphere where the temperature increases with altitude. The layer can form a lid-trapping in pollutants,haze,dust, smoke etc from the earth below-which once it has built up, can really reduce visibility.

Inbetween gliding duties

 This was the second time I have flown in a glider-so this time around we looked at stalling and stall recovery and turning, and the effect of adverse yaw. I always forget how much 'foot work' on the rudder pedals is required in gliding, showing how lazy my feet can be when powered aircraft!

       Lasham Airfield, whilst under tow

Licence in hand

Just two weeks since all the form signing for my licence issue, this arrived through my letterbox last thursday. I was surprised how quick it was processed. So I'm now a proud owner of a PPL.

Naturally, as soon as the licence arrived, I was on the phone to the airfield to book out an aeroplane. I went up this Monday just gone, just for a few circuits, before my evening work shift. After being signed off at the ops desk I walked out to the aeroplane, the start of my first ever flight on my own...without the student banner...a very very amateur private pilot!

It was a very proud moment, lining up on the runway, 855m of grass runway ahead, a sudden uncontrollable grin consumed my face, I think I just realised what I had achieved for the past two and a bit years of training. Hard work does pay off!

'Oscar Charlie' after a short but sweet flight in the circuit...a very monumental flight

Reflections from PPL training

Dipping the tanks on the flight line

So, thats it, all basic PPL training completed. When my licence eventually arrives in the post,I plan to do my first little nav flight along the coast, maybe then I will realise what doors I have opened to myself, the further freedom the licence gives. It will be a short nav flight, to get myself used to flying alone...and properly alone (no instructor on the ground...listening intently from the tower, or awaiting a call from Gatwick -'Oi one of your students has infringed our airspace!!' ...luckily never happened to me). Got to be a short flight though- to save the pennies, especially after emptying my bank account to pay for the licence issue etc!!

So before I get airborne, a little bit of reflective thinking is in order. I want to summarise my training, a reflection for myself to look back on, because I feel I got the most out of my PPL training at Goodwood.

I am aware I took loads more hours than the minimum 45 hours needed, but I am grateful for the experience I gained through those hours. In the early days it took me a while to learn how to land the aeroplane, this coupled with part-time training (sometimes only flying once every two-three weeks), the countless cancellations due to weather (snow, lots of rain, wind and volcanic ash!)  and a few group flyouts soon added to my hours. However, apart from the initial circuits and landing practice, the rest of the entries in my logbook show good progression. So in summary, what did I do?

• climbing,/descending/medium level turns
• stalling/practice emergencies EFATO (engine failure after takeoff)
• circuits, yes alot of that!
• 1st solo-best day ever!
• period of no flying-bad winter, so buried my head in textbooks, studied and passed all 7 ground exams

                                                                Shortly after arrival at Duxford

• more practice emergencies-PFLs (practice forced landings)
• first solo local area nav-trip to Selsey and Hayling Island, landed at Goodwood moments before the B17 Flying Fortress 'Sally B' arrived for the Goodwood Revival! read more here http://inplaneview-rich.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/perspectives-from-revival.html 
• First dual cross-country nav flight to Duxford for airshow/introduction to autopilot at Garmin 1000 avionics (installed in all 5 school based aircraft). First landing on hard asphalt runway
• low level flying-flying between the South Downs at 800ft
• Flying from Thorney Island (disused ex-RAF airfield)-maybe a once in a lifetime opportunity, but a fantastic experience with new surroundings and a hard runway!
• Diversions/lost procedures

   The day before the Goodwood Revival, on the flight line

• Low-level/crosswind circuits
• Steep turns/Spiral dives (alot of fun!)
• VOR tracking/radio navigation
• Dual/solo nav flights. Various flights to Whitchurch/Burgess Hill/Odiham (MATZ Penetration)
• Instrument flying-climbing/descending/turning
• Autopilot/Garmin 1000 glass cockpit -local area flights
• Further bad weather put more delays to flying
• Dual/Solo cross country to Wycombe Air Park and Kemble-2nd best feeling after first solo, the achievement is immense
• Revision-general handling, diversions, PFLs
• More bad weather-another record breaking wet summer! So no flying...for five weeks! Used the time to undertake the RadioTelephony Test. Booked PPL skills test-plus one hour of circuits just to keep current and give me added confidence the day before my test...It certainly helped!
• PPL skills test time-passed!

So there we have it, a rough summary of my PPL training, with all usual high and low points, weather delays,financial difficulties (empty wallet syndrome!) .I have self funded all my training which meant 100% dedication-sacrificing holidays and nights out to save money, but I was determined to reach my goal. I have had some great (maybe unusual) flights not covered in all PPL syllabuses. For instance, two or three flights were dedicated to the autopilot and Garmin 1000 avionics systems-trying out all the different modes, all the helpful tips and a few 'gotchas' to look out for. Another time, earlier this year we took off and landed in snowy conditions-it was interesting to see how terrain was hard to pick out, when everything was covered in a white dusting! And ofcourse a few 'very bumpy' flights in the circuit in windy conditions!In my early flying career it is unlikely I would fly in such conditions, but I always appreciate the experience of flying in less than perfect conditions.

                                                                      A historic shot, before departure from Thorney Island

Passed!

G-LOOC resting after being put through her paces in the Skills Test

After five cancellations the day finally dawned, the big one, the PPL skills test day. To cut a long story short, I passed first time! The weather was perfect in some ways -light winds, clear skies, general CAVOK conditions (Ceiling and Visibility OK) but it was swelteringly hot, even 22 degrees at 2000ft! After checking the weather, NOTAMs (Notices To Airmen), weight and balance of the aircraft and take off and landing performances, I went to check over the aircraft G-LOOC and then got airborne around 12.45pm.

The first part of the test is a navigational exercise- my routing was Goodwood to Compton Abbas (turning point) to Frome and back to home to Goodwood. I had to fly through the Southampton airport controlled zone, overflying the airport at 2200ft, really nice view but unfortunately no photographs, I was somewhat focused on the test instead! ( This explains the lack of photographs in this post)

Once reaching Compton Abbas airfield, perched on top of a hill, I turned north heading to Frome.But I never reached Frome because the examiner threw in a diversion, a  reason could be bad weather on your route for example. So after calculating the diversion route we flew southward, eventually taking us near to home-Goodwood.

The other parts of the test include the general handling- steep turns, stalling, practice forced landings and finally the circuits. I think as a whole the test went fairly well, there were bits I performed really well and bits I totally mucked up, but I noticed mistakes and corrected them. One such action was to go around (abort the landing) because my touchdown was quite heavy-causing the aeroplane to bounce- I immediately didnt like what I saw so applied full power and performed a go around. During the de-brief,I was told that it was my decision to go around which probably saved my test, so I was commended for doing the righteous thing! Afterall airmanship accounts for a large part of the test, so making a mistake isn't an immediate fail, but its how you respond to it, the 'correcting of it' that counts.

So that was it, and by the way the two subsequent landings were the complete opposite- some of the smoothest I have done in a while! Brilliant. I'm still on such a high from the day, and probably will be for some time yet! Once my license comes through the letterbox, I may just realise the endless opportunites open to me, something I cant comprehend after just passing the test. I feel so proud of myself for getting myself through the highs and lows of PPL training and hugely grateful to my instructors, operations staff for their constant support and all the people I have met who have offered advice and support along the way. When you are around aviation and aviation people there is that strong bond of camaraderie which I have really noticed in my fledgling aviation career, and one I am so proud and grateful to be part of.

Just waiting...

No sadly I'm not waiting for my pilot's license to drop through the letter box, just waiting for this unseasonable mess of unsettled weather to clear up! I shouldn't be surprised, it seems to be the norm these past British summers. Anyway, I  was meant to be taking my final skills test today, to qualify for my PPL. With heavy showers and scattered low cloud bases I decided it would not be suitable to fly for my skills test. It was incredibly tough to make a decision, especially when the weather was very marginal, and I was all 'psyched up' to fly! I felt pleased as I was commended by many people for making a wise decision.

However we used the time on the ground to complete the RT (Radio Telephony) Test. This involves following a fictional flight on a map, passing through various controlled airspaces, emergencies etc and myself acting as the pilot making the radio calls, whilst the examiner acts as the air traffic controller, communicating through headsets using a make-shift radio system.

I passed the test, I was a little frustrated with myself because I messed up alot, but a pass is a pass, so they say. Preparation is key. Lesson learnt-don't leave your revision notes at your examiners house and don't let nerves get the better of you!

Solo cross-country...done

  Pre-flight checks done...at Goodwood, first stop-Wycomvbe Air Park

Well, the post title is self explanatory, finally got round to flying a 160nm route landing away at two other aerodromes, talk on six different radio frequencies (not at the same time!), getting my cross country certificate signed, coming back £30 lighter (landing fees)  and flying back to base where I had well and truly completed my solo cross-country flight! It was a truly fantastic experience, and one which I felt I learnt a heck of a lot! 

Landed... tower at Wycombe Air Park

As my instructor said, you learn an awful amount when flying solo! I felt well prepared and I was pleased that my flight planning was a success- where I look at the forecasted winds before the flight, in the morning and calculate the required heading to fly. Imagine trying to fly due west in a straight line with a strong northerly wind blowing against the side of your aircraft. Over time, the aircraft would be blown off course, towards the south, your original westerly heading would be affected and your intended destination might be somewhere to the north...not what we want! The effect of wind on an aircraft's path is called drift. In order to compensate for drift the aircraft in this instance would make a heading slightly into the northerly wind. By doing this, the aeroplane will be maintaining its intended track because the nose is pointed slightly into wind and therefore is less affected by drift. Imagine trying to swim across a fast flowing river, from one side to the other-you would swim slightly into the current to avoid being swept off your intended track...otherwise you might never get to reach the river bank on the other side! To cut along story short, I felt rewarded that the amount of heading correction I planned was pretty much spot on-the aeroplane followed the intended line scribbled on my chart and I arrived at my waypoints at the correct estimated times.That is the marvel of the trusty flight computer (pictured above).

Cant remember the name of this place...

 Considering I had not flown in 5 weeks prior to the cross-country, I think I did a good job, there are things I will remember for next time, things I need to polish up, and things that were a jolly good job done! I found flying into Wycombe Air Park quite a challenge(my first port of call), especially as its always busy and it is air traffic controlled, but nonetheless a challenge is always good, and its a really interesting, friendly airfield. On departure from Wycombe I had to climb to 3000ft, change frequencies( from Wycombe Tower to Benson Radar) in a short amount of time-I did not want to enter the RAF Benson Military Air Traffic Zone (MATZ) before I had passed my request to transit their zone. Alot of things happened at once-leaving Wycombe frequency, continue climbing and observing their strict noise abatement procedures ( by not flying where I would annoy someone lounging in their garden by the drone of the engine) and contacting Benson Radar. But as always, I remember the first and most important priority-fly the aeroplane. Just before entering the runway at Wycombe, it suddenly dawned on me that I was flying totally alone, a fantastic feeling which is hard to explain-but in simple terms I felt proud that I, myself had got this aircraft from one aerodrome to another- strange wording I know, but its those little thoughts that keep my smiling from solo flights. I wonder if this sense of feeling changes with more experience, are there any experienced pilots out there who still share that thought? I would be interested to know!

Last stop before home-Kemble Airport-a Folland Gnat, which used to belong The Red Arrow aerobatic display team which used to be based at Kemble Airport

Refuelling...probably the best flapjack around!

By the end of the day I felt exhausted but absolutely and utterly chuffed with my achievement. My first solo flight will always be the best in my amateur pilot's mind...no words can describe that, but the solo cross country comes a very close second! I would very much like to visit Kemble airport again in the future, again really interesting, great food and very friendly. Next stop...skills test!

An MOT for a 747

 Despite a record breaking wet April and start of May, the south east is still apparently in offiical draught. What this means to me is plenty of cancelled flights-my solo cross-country flight being put back 3 weeks due to weather! As always I live in hope, I'm sure the sun will make an appearance this side of Christmas! Anyway its been a good opportunity catch up with university assignments and also attend a few trips here and there. One such was a visit to BAMC British Airways Maintenance Cardiff- to oversee the work that goes on there. All of the British Airways longhaul fleet of aircraft are maintained at this base, with a variety of Boeing 747 and 777 aircraft going through different checks whilst we visited. A thoroughly enjoyable day, learnt lots and met some amazing people. It was a fantastic opportunity to get 'up close and personal' with these flying machines and gain a real insight into the operation of them. See more through my own written article in this link  http://airleague.org.uk/al/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/MayJune_2012-2-1.pdf

Pictures from a recent BAMC visit and flights in Europe.