Tuesday, 26 April 2011

Lesson 15: More Circuits...

O joys of joys - back to circuits today! On runway 34 - [btw - this means it lays in the magnetic direction of 340 degrees] and the wind was 20 knots from 350 degrees. So then, a bit of a cross wind from the right hand side and [as it transpired] some kamakazee sea gulls to contend with!

I had a bizare start to the lesson actually as 1) I forgot my c-152 checklist in my excitement to leave home 2) I started external checks on the wrong aircraft and the final Pièce de résistance 3) after completing all the external and startup checks in Foxtrot Mike, I was left with a radio that was about as much use as a pork chop at a bar mitzvah. My instructor and I could hear each other perfectly well but not the controller! She sounded like a Dalek who had lost its voice ! Turning the engine off this improved things but (surprise surprise) the engine wouldnt start! Over to Papa X-Ray and a trip upto the fuel pump.

Anyway - all said and done then, the circuits went OK. Mike said the last two were very good. It was a bit blusty and we got threw about abit but I seemed to come in on line. This was despite not being too familiar with the runway 34 circuit. Landings were ok as well - despite 34 having a bump halfway down the runway which is right on the landing spot!

Mike (my instructor) said I am making progress and seemed very pleased with my lesson today. I was sweaty and knackered at the end of my lesson but went home happy.

I have another lesson booked for 8:30 tomorrow morning. After todays great lesson the pressure is on to not fluff it up tomorrow. I really don't want to let my instructor down who was happy with things today. In fact , on the penultimate circuit he said "it doesnt get much better than this, 65 knots, 700 ft on base, this is exactly where I would be if I was flying now". Thanks Mike! Pressure, pressure pressure! Anyway we shall see about tomorrow. I expect to ebb and flow on the circuit training until it all clicks.

Oh - I remembered switching on Motion X...



15.26-04-11 C152 G-CEPX EGTO EGTO 15:20 16:20 1:00 1-1 EX12/13

No comments:

Post a Comment