Early Morning and Beautiful Sunshine

Sunday June 8, 2014 - A beautiful morning and I was up at Rochester Airport early. It was absolutely perfect. Everything seemed still, just the birds singing and not a cloud in the sky. I took G-BMCN out which had a working transponder (mode Charlie) and also had two radios (COM1, COM2). This is always convenient because it reduces the amount of time you are 'off air' as you can get the next radio station tuned in on standby and then quickly flick over when you need. My chariot last week didn't have this (G-FLIP).

I took off from Runway 20 went down to Bewl Reservoir, turned left over to Rye and then off to Manston before heading back to Rochester. It was really relaxing just taking it all in. There was hardly anybody else in the air at that time so even the radio was quiet. I did catch a few lucky souls off to Le Touquet and also Guernsey.

The whole trip was total bliss - really so quiet and tranquil. One thing which I didn't expect was I couldn't contact Farnborough Radar on 123.225. There was no answer which told me the LARS service wasn't available. I called up London Information after trying 3 times and got a basic service from them instead. I have to say the controller was rather polite and I received a very friendly service. I noted when I got past Lydd they put me on to them and not Southend which I was expecting.

I took a few snaps on the way which I've put here below. As I drove home and reflected on my mornings trip I felt incredibly grateful for the opportunity I have to do this. Prior to 10-October-2010 [my very first lesson] I would never have imagined I could be doing this. In fact half way through my lessons I would have given anything to have time-warped into the future to these moments.

Brakes Off 08:40 Brakes On: 10:10 Total 1:30

RIP Manston

This morning I awoke to glorious sunshine so I called the flying club to see if there was a C152 available for hire and as luck would have it there was! I cancelled my slot for tomorrow which hadn't been looking too good weather wise and did a route I was going to do last week. This was the one scuppered by low cloud.

So new plane for me G-FLIP a C152 aerobat which was fairly new to the school. She was in good order. Transponder was mode Alpha only though as it was reporting altitude incorrectly. There was no COM 2 as well but I had no complaints otherwise - she flew nicely enough.

From Rochester I climbed out from Runway 02 turned East and headed down to Canterbury. From there over to the Dover VOR and then north up to Manston (RIP) now sadly closed down. As an aside, I signed the petition to have Thanet District Council perform a mandatory purchase of it this week - I hope it goes somewhere and people don't give up the fight to save this precious piece of our history.

From Manston it was a straight westerly track back to Rochester. Coming back I did an intentional go around on R02 as somebody else in the circuit doing touch and gos was so far out [actually way outside the ATZ] that I ended up in front of them. Perhaps he was giving way to me and I wanted to give way to him but rather than orbit in the circuit I just gave my intention to do a go-around and let them have the slot. After that circuit to myself and an uneventful smooth full flap landing over the trees. I was expecting some bumps on final but strangely nothing. Perhaps it was so early and the thermals were still in bed. A really lovely day today. 

One other thing, I was heading up to Manston and another pilot who was talking with Southend Radar asked to change frequency to Manston! The Southend ATC controller was like "You haven't heard then...its closed". The pilot was "Oh I think I read something like that a few weeks ago." I couldn't help but think did you not plan your route mate? Its on a dam Notam anyway. I mean come on... really?

Brakes Off: 0900Z: Brakes On: 10:20Z

IFR Track from May 3, 2014

In catching up with my diary here I just found I had recorded my track from the revision day before my test. This was my jolly around Essex on May 3rd, 2014.

IMC Skills Test Practice on May 3, 2014

May 18, 2014 DME Arc Lydd

I spent Sunday morning on May 18 2014, going over to Southend and then heading off down to Lydd in G-BOTF to practice the DME Arc. All went very well and on the way back I was given a vectored ILS approach to Runway 24. A nice mornings flying. Weather was beautiful!

May 18 2014 Early Morning at Southend 

May 18 2014 Early Morning at Southend

May 18 2014 Early Morning at Southend

IMC Skills Test Passed May 4th 2014

I've been neglecting my diary lately as I've been so busy. We've been away on holiday a couple of times (Barcelona and then the New Forest) and work has been on my mind quite a bit so I've not found time to write much.

Suffice to say I did my IMC skills test on May 4th and passed. I had put it off for some time much to the amusement of my instructor. Well, its a test isn't it - who actually enjoys them. 

Since then I did a DME Arc at Lydd and then yesterday (May 24, 2014) I went back to Rochester for a 28 Day Check which involved a few circuits in prep for hiring a C152 today. Sadly the cloud base was iffy at 8:30 this morning so I sat it out and rebooked for next Sunday.

May 18 2014 DME Arc Lydd

C152 Rear View Window : May 24, 2014

Aircraft Checks : May 24, 2014

Aircraft Checks : May 24, 2014

I have to say last night it felt good to fly the C152 again. I was on R16 at Rochester and it was a lovely sunny evening after a day of rain showers. It was only 30 minutes which covered two touch and goes and a glide approach which turned out really well. I think I've hit the 100 hour mark on my log book but will have to add that up and post it here in my diary.

IMC Rating - Lesson 14 Limited Panel Revision Southend Runway 24

This Sunday I was back at Southend for some limited panel revision including a very exciting limited panel (no compass. no DI, no AI) SRA approach! This was excellent experience for both me and the ATC controller no doubt! Fair play to both of us really as it all came good and it worked out perfect in the end! Full credit to him! He was like "turn left NOW" ... "Stop turn NOW" we were snaking our way down that final approach like I don't know what. Every call from him required a call from me so we were totally hogging the airwaves.

So after all that fun Pete says I'm ready for my test so we shall see. I have this nagging doubt in my mind that I've not yet had an "off day". Silly to be worrying about this but I can't help it. I'm almost writing the script to fail. I've hit and kept on the glideslope and localiser every time.

 When I was doing my PPL there was a time when I had a blockage in my head about landing and it threw my confidence a bit. I've not had this crisis on the IMC. Its strange.

 I've got this feeling it might be because it's just like flying a simulator which I must have hundreds of hours experience now I don't know. Anyway come the PPL skills test my demons had been extinguished. Not so here and I fear they are lurking around in there somewhere.

Oh well. Whatever happens (no test scheduled yet as he has to phone round to see if somebody can do this on a Sunday) I think I would like to keep at Southend and the PA28 warrior. 

There was a moment on Sunday when it struck home  how lovely she is to fly. Also I feel more relaxed with the difference in ATC and so I think it will hold me in good stead visiting the larger aerodromes in the future. The facilities at Southend seem very good also.

Departure: 11:15 Arrival: 12:45

Total Time: 1:30 | IMC Rating: 1:10

Total Hours = 69:15 DUAL + 21:00 PIC [P1] + 2:10 [PICUS]

Pure IMC: 14:15

Total Time = 92:25

IMC Rating - Lesson 13 Test Profile and an ILS Southend Runway 24

Sunday I was back at Southend on Sea for the continuation of my IMC training. The wind at 2000ft was 50kts and with the scattered cumulus clouds charging angrily across the sky I knew I was in for a roller coaster of a ride, and so it transpired.

The lesson was going to be a test profile which meant replicating a typical test in so far as the type of things to cover as opposed to the strictness and accuracy of their execution.

I found it quite difficult and what with the weather knocking me around, quite taxing in terms of concentration. The final procedural ILS approach coming as it did at the end of the lesson was a real wrestling match. I won and according to Pete my instructor would have passed the real test but couldn't help feel I probably rode my luck a bit. He did say they wouldn't have done an IMC test in the weather we had.

Startup went fine, as did instrument checks and the initial call for taxi. Taxiing was ok, I remembered initial brake check and instrument scan. Right rudder numbers increasing (HI, Compass, Turn Indicator), left rudder numbers decreasing etc...

I was cleared to holding point Bravo 1 but felt drawn to the Alpha taxiway for some reason. Probably because there was an easyjet  plane there and I may have subliminally felt it offered me shelter from the howling wind. Anyway power checks done I called ready for departure and was cleared to enter the runway and due to possible wake turbulence backtrack to the end and line up and wait. Landing light on, compass and HI QDM checked and transponder set to ALT.

When cleared for takeoff I eased the throttle open and monitored full power present, Pressure and Temperatures steady and within the (green) limits and that the airspeed indicator was 'live'. Saying this out loud twice (as is my ritual) I rotated at 75mph and with right rudder kept the departure more accurate than last week where I yawed and hence slightly 'skidded off' the centre line on the climb out as I was not quite in balance.

So the lesson went along the lines of take off Runway 24, right turn climb to 2200ft heading 360 for a 30 degree intercept on a QDR of 330 from the SND beacon. In other words +30 degrees on the heading of 360 waiting for -30 degree tail deflection on the ADF needle. 

When getting the radar service from Southend (transferred from Tower) I told them of my intentions as I was getting a traffic service. 

G-TF tracking 330 degrees from SND beacon for 8 miles.

I then tracked outbound 330 for about 8 miles before intercepting the 070 degrees TO heading (250 Radial) to the Clacton VOR. Once established on that track, I then called the radar service again and advised them of my new intentions.

Once it was clear I was tracking fine for the Clacton VOR Pete downgraded us to a Basic Service and we did some general handling. I found the limited panel tough, not like the C172 but I put this down to the bouncy weather combined with having a Turn Indicator in the PA28 as opposed to having a Turn Coordinator in the C172. My next lesson will involve some more of this I think. Altitude management seemed to be a challenge as well, I don't know if it was the weather booting me around and exposing my poor handling or what, but I would like another go at this. Despite the headache this was to give me Pete my instructor said in the debrief we can work on this next time but that I never lost control and went into a spiral dive and my recovery from unusual attitudes was good. 

Once all that was for done we headed back for a procedural ILS approach via a parallel join. The ILS approach never went beyond half scale deflection but it was a bit of a scrap to be honest. Good experience it has to be said. 

At the end of the approach I was not to land but go around and do a bad weather circuit at 600ft. Which went ok. The chief thing here to remember is keeping it tight and not stray too far and maintain good visual contacts with the runway. Something of a minima you have to imagine if the visibility is very good!

So in summary my instructor was very pleased as it was a tough set of conditions to manage. There are things I need to improve on of course but the challenge feels good, and so I will continue to strive hard to get the most I can from this excellent course.

Departure: 13:40 Arrival: 15:15

Total Time: 1:35 | IMC Rating: 1:15

Total Hours = 67:45 DUAL + 21:00 PIC [P1] + 2:10 [PICUS]

Total IMC Rating: 13:05

Total Time = 90:55

Book Review: No Parachute - Arthur Gould Lee

This beautiful book is from the first world war which along with The Battle of Britain is a period of history I find most captivating. I could not rate this book highly enough. It is written rather like a diary based on real life correspondence in 1917 between Arthur Gould Lee (a young pilot in the Royal Flying Corps who later rose to be Air Vice Marshall, Royal Air Force) to his wife at home. Reading it really brings home to life how truly brave these young men were and the unimaginable terror and mass loss of life this great war brought to the young men of Europe. People faced their fate in resignation. They were fatalists, is this dive, is this attack going to be my last? I remembered Sagittarius Rising so vividly when I read this. I could not do justice to the authors nor the incredible people of this time to even begin to outline their combined achievements, their sacrifice, their loss. They just "got on with it" and accepted their potential deaths as a possible outcome. The book I got was a hardback version from Waterstones and is published by Grub Street but it is freely available from a variety of sources. Buy the book and transport yourself to 1917. It is a horror story filled with sacrifice and bravery, enough I think to stir the soul and help you imagine a time when men were men, and people were proud of their respective countries.