A skip around Kent - Sunday 14th July 2013

Back at the pumps "Inch from
the top please"

Yesterday was a flying day :-) and ... further more the recent fantastic weather continued. 

Temperatures have remained very high for the last couple of weeks and even at the time of writing we have had yet another hot sunny day. And more forecasted for several days as well! After the disappointment of last year it is nothing more than we deserve perhaps!

Bewl Reservoir

Yesterday was a great occasion not just because of the flying but also in that I saw an old school friend who came to be my right hand seat companion. It was great to see him. It had been far too long. 

Unfortunately for both of us visibility was not great to be honest due to the haze. Unfortunate but (hey ho), that's the way it goes. We did an anti-clockwise circuit of Kent which is very familiar to me (Rochester, Bewl, Rye, Canterbury, Rochester) but it was enough of an aviation fix for me and my old school chum enjoyed himself.

Although familiar navigation, and perhaps not that much of a challenge it still felt a bit like "a workout" on the radio as Lydd sent me to freecall Manston radar so it was a lot of changing squawk codes and passing messages which was good practice and good 'exercise' so to speak. 

Base for R20 Rochester

Turning Downwind
for R20 Rochester

Isle of Sheppey Top Right

Despite seeming to be quite high when turning onto Final a good landing was made (my passenger was very complimentary on this point and unprompted at that) although I have to say I seemed to chug around Kent without getting the airspeed I was after. I will have to check in with the school to see if that's consistent with G-BNKV at the moment, or my poor speed control, or well, both!

So then an hour and ten as Pilot in Command. The airfield seemed very quiet to be honest. I guess people are on holiday or they have had their aviation fix recently with this great weather! So logbook records - Brakes On : 10:05 Brakes Off : 11:15 PIC 1:10

HOURS = 48:35 DUAL + 20:00 PIC [P1]
Total Time = 68:35