Goodbye 2011... Hello 2012!

Well that's the end of 2011. Goodbye and thank you so much. 

Hello you.... Mr 2012. So then, where are we heading? 

I should tell you.. 2011 was a kind year and you have a lot to live up to.

... she gave me the birth of my son Oscar, my first year wedding anniversary, my wife's good health, my good health (it will be two years February since I gave up smoking), my two beautiful daughters growing up  and doing so well at school, my mum still with us in reasonably good health, and 2011 gave me good fortune in that I could continue to learn to fly. Last year I had my first solo flight in the circuit, and then away from the aerodrome.... All these wonderful memories.

I hope this year is as good.. I hope everybody who I love and care about can remain healthy and safe. For me, I hope I can remain lucky enough to build some more wonderful memories. And .. of course, I really hope I can get my Private Pilots License. 

So then Mr 2012, lets go together into the unknown. Let us see what you got.

Happy New Year

Book Review: CHICKENHAWK - Robert Mason

I have just finished this wonderful book by Bob Mason. Many people say it is the best book to come out of Vietnam and I can see why such claims are levelled at it. When you search for it on the Internet, it is clearly an aviators favourite.

I can't recommend this book enough to anybody interested in flying or in true life human war stories. This book will live with me for the rest of my life. It is stunning. It is upsetting.

For anybody unfamiliar with it, it chronicles Bob Masons experiences as a Huey (helicoptor) Pilot in Vietnam between August 1965 and July 1966. Incredibly, during this time, he flew over 1,000 assault missions.

For me, the prologue and epilogue are the best I've ever read. The former sadly speaks perhaps firstly to an innocent naivety in pursuing a passion (at all costs). The latter, to the sacrifice and tragic consequences of that innocence.

Bob Masons story is on the Internet of course and he has his own website with Photography from Vietnam. His wife Patience has a PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Dissorder) blog. I've added links to both sites on my blog here under Chickenhawk. I stumbled upon his work while browsing for Aviation books. I'm so fortunate I did. It is a courageous book and a thought provoking sad journey. I finished it about hour ago. I still have the lump in my throat.

Thank you Bob Mason.

Lesson 38: Solo Cross Country - Hastings, Canterbury

Yesterday (Christmas Eve) saw me do a solo cross country following the same route as the week before. This is the one I did in the snow coming back with my instructor. This was South down to the coast (Hastings) and then NE up to Canterbury before heading home.

It was cold with a freezing point at 3,000 ft. Visibility was ok but nothing special. I flew at 2,100. I was in G-BNIV. Evertything was OK, the radio work was fine (Farnborough Radar spoke to me which was a change). I used Mode Alpha on the transponder as I noticed on the tech log there was a reference to it over reading the altitude by 2,400ft! I did not fancy an RAF Tornado escort by my popping up in restricted airspace.

I did had a rough landing coming back and elected to do a go around. They joked in the flying school they ducked as I went over the building which was funny afterwards. It wasnt that bad but I found the wind really quite blusting. I over compensated for this wind on my approach and was too fast. I was on runway 20 with a wind coming from (240 reported) but it felt much more of a cross wind and when I touched down I got pushed off to the left and gained height again. I didn't want to come off the runway and throttled in and did a go around. On the second landing, I was again a bit fast but I kept the ailerons into wind when I landed and this seemed to help in the directional stability.

When I did the first circuit with my instructor I noticed how badly choppy it was on climb out where it can get quite aweful however it seemed to be strong going right round the circuit although it was calmer at 1,000 ft. The drift was very noticeable and I noticed this right round my course actually.

I learnt a couple of good lessons today. 

Firstly, I learnt that since wind estimates can vary wildly (I used three different sources yesterday morning) it's important to have an accurate view of your track through proper frequent map reading. I could see how I was drifting away from my track and so this was easily corrected. I had plotted drift lines on my course and I used them in my heading corrections. Good tip from my instructor.

Secondly, I learnt that when in the circuit and getting knocked about in blusting wind it's important to not over compensate too much on the approach speed. When touching down and entering the ground run, keeping the ailerons slightly into wind can help!

I was dissapointed that my iPhone and motion-x tracker failed as I wanted to see the course over ground. Ho hum - At the end of all this I would love to treat myself to an Airbox or Sky Demon Mobile unit.

Next lesson will be much the same, a circuit with my instructor followed by some more solo. This will most likely be down to overhead Manston (if they allow me to route overhead) and then to Dover with some VOR tracking to Detling on the return leg.

After this I should have a dual down to Goodwood with my instructor as it will be part of the qualifying cross country.

My instructor told me the end is in sight now and I guess it is. It doesn't feel like it though because there is so much more I want to learn already.  I would like to learn to be a very safe and competent pilot, I would like to study instrument flying and a night rating, and maybe an aerobatic or glider trial flight. There is so much to learn, or continue to learn.

!!!!!!!! It's very addictive this flying thing !!!!!

Logbook:

38.24-12-11 C152 G-BNIV EGTO EGTO 09:55 10:05 0:10 1-1 EX12/13
*38.24-12-11 C152 G-BNIV EGTO EGTO 10:05 11:25 1:20 1-1 EX18A
HOURS = 33:45 INSTRUCTOR + 06:35 SELF

Lesson 37: Driving Snow ! Rochester, Hastings, Canterbury

A great day today, it was a dual cross country not a solo but that doesnt matter. It all clicked and it felt really great. And I flew in driving snow! Good experience.

The course was Rochester to Hastings, Hastings to Canterbury and then home again. The weather was marginal in the morning so when prompted by my instructor [in the face of Snow Shower warnings!] I said I would be happy for him to stay in the aircraft and pretend he wasnt there! How it turned out to be a good call!!!!

On the way back approaching Rochester we hit a bank of driving snow and very poor visibility. It was 50/50 (on wether to push on) but on talking to the airfield behind the dark clouds it seemed to be passing through. From here I flew around it until I got sight of the airfield again and then cut back.

Leaving Rochester was via Runway 20 Relief (the runway behind the PAPIs - Precision Approach Path Indicators). The taxiways were being saved so it was a "backtrack" situation. The ground was wet and frosty and so there was no braking on the grass and gentle taxing turns were the order of the day.

So then.... the flight, just going to ramble here for my own note taking benefit!

...Firstly I took my wind forecasts from the Metform Low Level wind charts and also the Sky Demon Flight Planing Software however they were slightly different to the ones for the South East Air Met forecast. In speaking to my instructor he relies on the latter so going forward I will check these as well and see what the average is between all of them.

Taking off on Runway 20 relief there was a 70 degree crosswind at 15 knots but it was ok, climbing out I called Rochester to request an overhead departure at 2100 ft heading south to hastings. I was told to call overhead which when I climbed round and circled back over the airfield I did. Heading down south on a 183 degree bearing from a 174 true track I got just past Maidstone and requested a frequency change to Farnborough Radar. I got the OK for this and then after a short delay checking my heading was still OK I called Farnbourough Radar and requested a basic service. They told me to Standby so I shut up and carried on flying the aeroplane! They came back to me and asked me to contact London Information who cover the whole south of England. I acknowledged and contacted London requesting a basic service informing them of my callsign, aircraft type, people on board, route, turning points and altitude. London gave me a squawk code for the transponder, acknowledged the basic service and told me to report turning Hastings. I went to acknowledge but he got very busy so I left it. He didn give me a QNH either. He later got back to me and reminded me to report turning Hastings which I acknowledged.

I got down to Hastings fine on track and on time, passing Bewl Reservoir on the right (which you can see for miles!) and turned NE heading up towards Canterbury. Time Turn Talk, meaning recording the time of the turn, turning onto the new heading and talking to London.

At this point my instructor told me to do some VOR and DME tracking by getting a position fix. I tuned a VOR into the DETLING VOR and got the bearing, and then did the same with the LYDD VOR. I went to measure the track (as if doing a detour) and my instructor reminded me to just use the compass rose around the VOR which makes it very easy of course! Where the two lines intercepted was where we were, and where I expected us to be. I remembered to think about a sensible heading before swinging the needle. My instructor recommended using the FROM not the TO as it was easier to read (good tip).

Next one was tuning into the DME and getting the distance from the beacon and then tuning into a VOR to get the radial. Where the curve and the line intercepted was where the position would be. We looked at the ADF (Automatic Direction Finder) but its not a very accurate instrument and we were also not getting a proper signal.

Passing Ashford I called London and requested a frequency change to Manston Radar. I then called Manston Radar giving them my full message when prompted... G-CEPX, Cessna 152, From Rochester to Rochester on a Nav Ex via Turning points of Hastings and Canterbury, Presently south of Ashford at 2,100 ft on QNH 1015 request basic service please...

I was given a squawk code and told to report turning Canterbury. I repeated back the squawk code, QNH and acknowledged the request to turn at Canterbury.

My instructor got me to do a call to the emergency and distress frequency for a mock pan pan position fix.

It went something like this ...

Firstly I informed Manston I was temporarily leaving their frequency to do a training fix. They told me to confirm back when on their frequency

Setting 121.5 on the radio and listening to see there was no real emergency. I called "Training Fix, Training Fix, Training Fix, G-CEPX, Training Fix".

After a short delay somebody got back to me with a position asking if there was any other assistance required. The position was wrong as I was east of Ashford not West of it. Upon my second transmission to ask them to confirm the position they corrected their reading.

So wow, that was simple - if ever lost thats a darn easy way to get help! Coming back onto Manstan Radar frequency I confirmed "G-PX back on Frequency".

Turning at Canterbury then, I was pretty much on track and time and headed home to Rochester. Calling Manstan Radar (Time, Turn, Talk) they asked me to confirm passing Faversham.

Passing Faversham I called Manston Radar to inform them of this and to request Frequency Change to Rochester Information.

From here on in I was half way home, the Ground Speed was slow as I was in a headwind and there was some bad weather ahead. It started to get darker and I called Rochester for joining instructions. After this the snow started coming horizontally and I had to come down to 1,500 feet on the QNH. My instructor called Rochester and asked about the weather. He also got permission to ask to speak to another pilot who he knew to be in the area. After a short dialogue it was agreed we would push on as it was passing through. I headed left towards Maidstone and avoided the worst of the squall. Snow and ice started to form on the wheels but nowhere on the wing leading edges or struts. My instructor told me to carrying on with the frequent carb heat checks but not to leave on for too long a period. Engine RPM was kept just shy of maximum. The outside temperature throughout the flight was zero.

When I regained sight of the airfield I called Rochester to inform them of this and that I would enter the circuit via an overhead join. "G-PX Airfield in sight, will join overhead". They told me to report downwind in the circuit which is the standard join. I acknowledged.

The landing went well (albeit with a slight skid I felt) and I let her run the length of the runway, vacated gently and did the shutdown checks.

My instructor did the debrief and said it all went very well. He said it was a pass today! He said he couldnt find fault in anything. A slight altitude loss on the second leg he said but he wasnt too fussed about this. This trip did wonders for my confidence because it had so many different things. Lots of radio work, some VOR tracking, a position fix on 121.5 and of course some horrible weather between me and my home airfield. I loved it, it was great.

Logbook

37.18-12-11 C152 G-CEPX EGTO EGTO 10:55 12:20 0:15 1-1 EX18 VORX, 121.5

HOURS = 33:35 INSTRUCTOR + 05:15 SELF

Lesson 36: My First Solo Cross Country

What a fab day for me today. I got up very early (it was still dark) and did my preparation for my lesson. I wasn't sure we would fly or even what we would do so I plotted a course down to Shoreham [on the south cost] as I thought that would be on the agenda at some point. 


Imagine my shock when I got to the flight school and my instructor said "Right Paul, we'll get you out solo today! I think something easy like Ashford, Sheerness and back to Rochester" 

I didn't have a PLog (Pilots Log) calculated for that obviously so we jumped into a room and plotted the course. I had forgot how to use the flight computer to manually calculate the drift so my instructor was on hand to advise. The wind today at 2000-3000 ft was forecast to be 275/30.


Before long I was out performing my checks on G-BNIV which is the "flagship" of the fleet (it has nice clean blue upholstery) and I was asked to taxi to the fuel pumps for a fill up while my instructor was busy getting another student ready.


As my instructor was out with another student, I walked down to the airfield and watched a couple of take-offs. The ground was very soft and wet so it was a case of being kind to the grass (no sharp turns or breaking) and using the eastern taxi way. The runway in use was Runway 20 relief. 


I went back to the fuel pumps and checked the tanks were full and tested a sample of the fuel from each wing. Everything was good and so I sat in the aircraft and awaited my instructor.


It wasn't long before my instructor had joined me and we were taxing down the eastern side, holding at point Bravo briefly to allow one aircraft to take off and free up some room down at the threshold area. It felt cold again similar to last week. The visibility was good though. Before long, power checks were complete and the vital last checks before take off were completed.


"Golf India Victor ready for Departure" ... After a short pause, I received the "G-IV - Take off at your discretion, surface wind 210/10 knots.."


After a good visual check I announced "Taking Off G-IV" and moved away applying full throttle. It had been some time since I had flown in India Victor but she went down the runway just fine and following rotation we were climbing well. Flaps up at 300 ft and a 15 degree climbing turn to the right at 500 ft saw me up to 1000ft above ground level in no time. Turning downwind I had to point to the left to keep the track parallel to the runway as there was quite a strong wind blowing me in to the circuit. After calling downwind (prompted by my instructor!) it wasn't long before I turned right onto base, applied carb heat and pulled back the power, as soon as the airspeed had washed off I put in two stages of flap and trimmed keeping a watchful eye on the runway.


Coming on to final I had to crab into the wind coming from my right until I was down to a couple of hundred feet where it seemed I could straighten up fine. Straight over the PAPIs (Precision Approach Path Indicators) onto the relief runway. The landing was very good and so after taxing right down to the bottom of the runway I vacated it and my instructor got out telling me in the process to enjoy myself. I smiled. It was probably possible to see my heart beating through my chest.


Well, I repeated the taxi request (this time for a local flight) and got myself down into the departure area. Then a strange thing happened. My nerves vanished. I felt really calm.


In no time I was off and climbing to the overhead at an altitude of 2000 ft. Heading 148 against a True Track of 131 . I reset the timer on my knee board and calculated my ETA at my first turning point Ashford.


The first leg was relaxed and flight wise very smooth at 2000 ft and the visibility was great. I passed Leeds Castle on my right and thought to myself how beautiful it must have been hundred of years ago, right there in the middle of the Kent countryside. Arriving at Ashford I was about a minute out on my timings (10.5 minutes not 9.5) but on track in terms of course over ground. I was feeling great. "Time -Turn-Talk" later I was headed up to Sheerness on a heading of 327 against a True Track 348. This was the slower leg of 13 minutes as there was more of a headwind. This well went and I was bang on time and track when I did my next "Time-Turn-Talk" and headed back to Rochester. Obviously at this point I was in very familiar ground and kept to the heading knowing exactly where I was. This was a 256 heading against a True Track of 244.


I called in to Rochester Information for circuit joining instructions (still runway 20 relief right hand circuit) and within no time was joining overhead at 1000 ft above ground level. The circuit went well (I called downwind!) and the landing was fine. It's different when its just you in the aircraft because it floats more but I managed to just ease down after going slightly aloft again with the help of a little throttle. The landing run was straight.


I was delighted and really so happy with how it all went. At the end, I got asked to move my aircraft for parking in the wrong spot but hey ho. It was no problem taxing again - I didn't want the time to stop!


This added an hour to my solo time making 5 hours 15 minutes but it was the first time away from the vicinity of the aerodrome. For this reason it will be a day I remember for the rest of my life.


Logbook


36.04-12-11 C152 G-BNIV EGTO EGTO 09:45 10:00 0:15 1-1 EX12/13
*36.04-12-11 C152 G-BNIV EGTO EGTO 10:00 11:00 1:00 1-1 EX18A

HOURS = 32:10 INSTRUCTOR + 05:15 SELF

Lesson 35: Cross Country Navigation and Low Flying

It was a great day today as I went flying. I loved it. When I arrived at the airfield I didn't think I would be lucky really owing to the problem of the high gusts blowing across the runway. This made for dangerous crosswinds. The windsock was up and down like a fliddlers elbow! 

After some ground school, the wind had abated slightly and it was decided the wind was OK for us to proceed. As I did my external aircraft checks the aeroplane rocked with the wind and it was two very cold hands I had by the time I jumped in to the aircraft!

Today's lesson was to be a cross country navigation trip taking us East to Maypole Farm airstrip and then turning onto a South Easterly heading over Canterbury, Ashford on towards our next turning point Battle (Scene of the Battle of Hastings). From here we were to turn North up through Maidstone and home to Rochester.

En-route we were to fly low though two hills while approaching Ashford. This involved slowing the aircraft down and putting one stage of flap down. This technique allows you more time for getting your bearings and deciding on your next move. With one stage of flap, your visibility is improved. 

During the ground school my instructor taught me how to calculate "on the fly" a detour to another location. He had a detour calculator (like a ruler really) which was rather simple but like all things in this sense quite clever. I need to get one of these and practice. He explained that the examiner at the end of the course would be asking me to demonstrate this skill. Note taken!

We were on Runway 20 Relief for take off which was new for me and the take off run required full ailerons into wind and then after rotation a head into wind. As we climed out over the motorway and hit the turbulance from the trees the aircraft did quite a dance up and down actually and I commented that map reading in these conditions was going to be quite a challenge. In fact, I thought that if I was to be thrown around like this for an hour then I would be feeling quite queesy by the end of it never mind map reading!

I climbed out and turned west climbing up to 2,000ft and then looped back upon myself for an overhead departure on a heading of 94 degrees magnetic.

The first leg went fine although the wind appeared to be from my left (which would have been from the North). Sky Demon and also the Met Office Spot Wind Chart I took in the morning had forecast a tailwind and a groundspeed of 140 knots! Still, I made a correction once I got to Whitstable and found the Maypole airstrip fine. Turning around and heading down SW over Canturbury and Ashford everything went fine. During the low level flight it wasnt too easy to get the plane in trim but then climbing to 2000 ft again things were calmer.

I found Battle easy enough, although I had studied the area during the week similar to Maypole. Maypole was always going to be easy given it's proximity to the coast and other distinctive land markings but I wasn't too confident I would keep on track from Ashford down the Battle. In the end it went well as the first thing I recognised coming in was the Darwell Reservoir close to Battle.

Coming back North from Battle was OK, passing Bewl Reservoir on the left, crossing the railway line that runs East/West with Paddock Wood on the left hand side and Headcorn on the right. Overhead Maidstone I made a call into Rochester Information. From here I joined the circuit for a straight in approach to Runway 34.

My instructor pretty much landed the aircraft at the end as we were faced with a 25 Knot 50 Degree crosswind, and on 34! Not nice.

All in all, I had a great day with 1:25 Dual in the logbook and despite the wind reasonable navigation. I learnt about low flight and how slowing it down and putting a stage of flap in can help things considerably!

35.27-11-11 C152 G-CEPX EGTO EGTO 11:05 12:30 1:25 1-1 EX18A/B
HOURS = 31:55 INSTRUCTOR + 04:15 SELF

Lesson 34: Solo Circuit Time Completed

I woke up to a clear bright sky and was excited that I might actually fly this weekend. However while eating breakfast mist had formed so I was actually nervous when I arrived at the airport. While I was parking I saw my instructor who was going out with another student and it looked like we were in business! While the visilibility was not great it was certainly good enough for circuits. I was assuming it would be dual circuits (with the instructor) and after the week I had experienced at work I thought this would be for the best. I hadn't flown for a while so I had the butterflys going anyway.

Anyway, my instructor said "lets get your solo circuits done today" which meant obviously going solo. OK more butterflies arrived, lets see how we go.
First three landings (two stage, flapless and two stage) were very good indeed and my instructor remarked "That was perfect.. you haven't forgot to land thats for sure!". He jumped out and I carried around for 6 circuits. Visibility was not good into the sun and on the last two approaches, I was getting so warm and sweaty in the sun that my glasses started to mist up.

Landings were good except for the last but one (which was meant to be the last one - typical!!) where I bounced abit. As I bounced I thought about throttling in gently to ease back onto the runway as I had done before in a previous lesson. The ground was very soft and slippery. However, it didnt feel right so on the second bounce I decided I was going round so throttled right in. The last landing was not as good as the early ones but it was straight! I have noticed that when my instructor is not in the right hand seat the directional control on landing feels different. It feels like it goes to the left easier, even with right rudder.

Anyway, it was a hard long lesson but it was an achievement because my 4 hours of solo circuit work has now been completed. Of course there is a lot to look forward to in terms of work ahead but none-the-less it is still a milestone so I'm very pleased.

Looking back at today, the general circuit work was fine, and I didnt feel overwhelmed like in the early days of learning with the instructor. It just goes to show how training and practice really makes a difference.

MotionX-GPS track enclosed.

Name:		End Of Solo Circuits
Date:		19 Nov 2011 10:36 am
Map: (valid until May 17, 2012)		View on Map
Distance:		84.4 nautical miles
Elapsed Time:		1:37:33
Avg Speed:		51.9 kts
Max Speed:		120.9 kts
Avg Pace:		01' 09" per nm
Min Altitude:		399 ft
Max Altitude:		1,414 ft
Start Time:		2011-11-19T10:36:04Z
Start Location:
	Latitude:	51.347679º N
	Longitude:	0.503782º E
End Location:
	Latitude:	51.348083º N
	Longitude:	0.504095º E

logbook entry
34.19-11-11 C152 G-CEPX EGTO EGTO 10:50 11:20 0:30 3-3 EX12/13
34.19-11-11 C152 G-CEPX EGTO EGTO 11:20 12:15 0:55 2-2 EX12/13 SELF

HOURS = 30:30 INSTRUCTOR + 04:15 SELF

Grounded - FOG & Grounded - FOG

Arrrrrrrrr!!!!


Last nights lesson was cancelled and also today's :-(


We are caught in a prolonged period of fog. We need a new weather front to come through and clear it all out.


I have rebooked for next Sat AND Sun!! Surely one of those lessons will be ok!!