Lesson 32 : 4 Good Landings and ... Thanks Mr Rainman!

I was up about 6:50 this morning and feeling like a 5 year old on xmas morning. I was just raring to go on another radio cross navigation. PLOG (Pilots Log) printed, 215 & 214 printed, virtual radar (SkyDemon route) printed, METAR and TAFs printed, and even a new route meticulously and neatly drawn on the 250K chart. Oh also Manston Air Plate printed (just in case). I was looking forward to the usual highlight of my week. And then .......the weather went all yukky.

OK, no problem my aviation fix was to be circuits then. I've done 3 hours solo and I need to do 4 hours so today's lesson was more about doing a circuit with the instructor and then continuing on my own.... all in aid of completing this part of the syllabus.

I did one circuit with my instructor followed by a simulated Engine Failure and everything went very smoothly. We were watching an ominous wall of rain headed our way [travelling to the north west] while downwind and so my instructor told me to keep an eye out for it when doing my solo. My instructor then jumped out (we had landed by that stage by the way which is always recommended) and off I went.

First circuit went great (landing was lovely - aided I confess by the fact that the wind was 210 degrees and I was on runway 20.... so right down my throat). On my second circuit I caught the very edge of the rain cloud so was going to call final for landing when the tower called and told me that my instructor had asked me to come in. I must admit, it was quite exciting while turning onto base leg to suddenly have the windscreen covered in rain. 

Once on base leg the wind was behind me and I avoided the rain cloud turning on final approach with once again a dry windscreen. Landing was good (all 4 landings were spot on today thanks to the headwind).

Although it was only 20 minutes dual (with the instructor) and 20 minutes solo I felt elated, I really enjoyed the flight and the good landings were a great confidence booster. As I was walking back to the flight school I passed another student doing his external checks and we exchanged smiles. I beamed "Beats work doesn't it!".  "Doesn't it just!" he replied. He was to do his first cross country solo today... now there's something.

Logbook Entry:

32.17-09-11 C152 G-CEPX EGTO EGTO 08:45 09:05 0:20 2-2 EX12/13

32.17-09-11 C152 G-CEPX EGTO EGTO 09:05 09:25 0:20 2-2 EX12/13

TOTAL HOURS = 28:15 INSTRUCTOR + 03:20 SELF