20 March 2016 - IMC Refresher: DME Arcs and Holding Patterns

Really great session over at Southend on the 20th. VOR tracked after departing runway 05 NE up to Clacton and performed a 180 degree 7 NM clockwise DME arc, continuing NE the other side of the beacon for a few miles (until 10 DME) before instigating a 45/180 degree procedural turn to rejoin the reciprocal (SW) track back to the beacon. Once there, I did a 5 NM 180 degree DME arc clockwise. 

After leaving the beacon I was on track direct to Southend for a sector 1 parallel entry into the hold. Here I did 2 holds which went really well, probably I have to say helped by the wind perfectly aligned 050 degrees which is the inbound leg of the hold.

Note to self on joining the arc: lead-in to the arc itself after tracking NE was only 0.5 NM due to the headwind but 1.0 NM tracking back due to the tailwind.

Video enclosed but its of the cockpit instruments while in the hold so it wont mean much at all to anybody looking at it apart from me visualising going round the hold! I'm glad I've filmed my flights these last couple of years though as it really helps remembering them. Looking through a logbook doesn't have the same recall factor I'm afraid.

Anyway, loved this session. Everything worked out well but I also felt I gained good experience, particularly playing around in the hold at Southend (who I have to say are so good with us little GA folk).

 
20.03.2016 - Brakes off 09:50(Z) Brakes On 11:10 (Z) Total: 1:20 IMC (1:10) Total Time 148:25

13 March 2016 IMC Refresher Training

Two refresher sessions recently, both at Southend Airport. First a GPS approach into Lydd on 28/02 and then today (13/03) a cross country IMC route.

Todays sortie was out from Southend to intercept 180 TO DET then 110 out FROM DET for 13 miles then right turn 190 TO LYD. 7 miles from LYD right turn 260 TO MAY and then 13 miles from MAY right turn 320 TO BIG. Got up to 7.4 DME from BIG and did a right turn 050 to run the DME arc. We were not allowed to do an ILS so came back to Southend. 1 hour 25 minutes flying with the vast majority flying IMC. A good mental workout! Session went well but I was very well prepared with the plan so it should have been ok to be honest,.

Elected to do some DME arcs next session and then maybe limited panel and a bad weather circuit after that. Have really enjoyed being back at Southend Flying Club for my IMC refresher training.

28.02.2016 - Brakes off 11:45(Z) Brakes On 13:10 (Z) Total: 1:25 IMC (1:15) Total Time 145:40

13.03.2016 - Brakes off 12:45(Z) Brakes On 14:10 (Z) Total: 1:25 IMC (1:15) Total Time 147:05

14 February 2016 - IMC Revision LOC/DME Approaches at Southend Airport

More IMC Revision at Southend Airport. I didn't have a decent place to hang the camera this week so just the take off and landing was all I could realistically capture for my diary. I did three non precision (LOC/DME) approaches on runway 05. This was a fair mental workout. Wind was ok at 2000 ft but a decent strength at 30 - 35 Kts so my ground speed was only 40 Kts coming down the approach. Wind was NE at the top but only N-NNE at about 1000ft. Reference heading was about 40-45 degrees. Approach 1 and 3 were good. 2 was going really well until 2.5nm out when my preoccupation with my altitude, VSI and waiting to make a radio call made me full scale the localiser. Although corrected quickly it's a go-around situation so thats what I did. Lessoned learned. A good flying session. I really do like flying on instruments. 

14.02.2016 - Brakes off 09:20(Z) Brakes On 10:35 (Z) Total: 1:15 IMC (1:05) Total Time 144:15

23 January 2016 - IMC Refresher Training at Southend Flying Club

Back to Southend (EGMC) for some IMC refresher training. Did some general handling, recovery from unusual attitudes, timed turns, compass turns, limited panel work and a procedural ILS approach on R23. Pete my instructor was happy with the detail.

It's been nearly two years since flying a PA28 and I was a little disoriented  at first with the cockpit layout. G-BOTF if a lovely plane though and flies beautifully. A mark one model, circa 1972 I believe, which makes it about 150HP. I understand its getting a makeover this year as well. Couldn't quite hear ATC at some points hence now slightly worried the headset gremlin has returned! Can't wait to return for some more refresher training.



It's so great to be back at Southend Flying Club!

23.01.2016 - Brakes off 11:20(Z) Brakes On 12:35 (Z) Total: 1:15 IMC (1:05)
Total Time 143:00

22 November 2015 Local VFR Flight Whitstable

I had previously cancelled my booking for this morning after speaking with Rochester Airport control tower yesterday. The forecast was not good and with all the wet weather we have had recently it was almost certainly a no fly situation due to the poor condition of the taxiways. 

Anyway, low and behold the phone rang and it was Ashley at Skytrek who called to say the airfield was actually frozen and they had opened it. Within 30 minutes I was up there waiting patiently while they defrosted the ice off all the aircraft. It was very cold and my hands were numb doing the various external preflight checks. Took me back to previous winters. Lovely.

I had trouble starting to taxy due to a locked/frozen right hand brake but after some pushing by three of us we unlocked it and I was actually able to get moving.

Runway was 34 and we were instructed to use the right hand side of the runway. Unusually the landing instructions entailed leaving the runway on the second or third exit and rejoining the same runway at the first exit and backtracking on the left hand side. A first for me.

The flight was nice and smooth, visibility quite good and the landing all went well on runway 34. It was lovely to go flying. I've had so many cancelled flights recently due to poor weather it was a relief to be up in the skies again. I feel really lucky to be able to do this. I think I will always be grateful of the opportunity to go flying.

22.11.2015 - Brakes off 11:50(Z) Brakes On 12:35 (Z) Total: 0:45
Total Time 141:45

19 October 2015

What with moving house recently I've had very little free time so it was a relief to get an opportunity for a brief flight to keep my currency. I had been trying for several days but the weather was scuppering me every time. As it turned out it was not a particularly nice day with lots of low cloud around however towards the end of the day the cloud was high enough so I popped up to Rochester Airport after reserving a C-152 (G-GDIA). By the time I got to fly after my checks it was quite gloomy and dark however I snuck in a flight just in time.

Note: I took my Garmin Virb+ Elite camera up with me but with the prop filter on it makes it prone to issues coping with low light and afterwards I noticed the film was so dark I couldn't make anything out. Disappointed, I didn't bother posting it to YouTube. I think placing it at the top of the cowling (like I normally do) would have made a slight improvement as I had it stuck to the passenger window this time. Lesson learned I suppose. I could always take the filter off as well and put up with the distorted prop image. We'll see.

Anyway - Runway was 02. All went well but not the best weather for flying. At least I'm current which was the main point of the exercise.

19.10.2015 - Brakes off 15:30(Z) Brakes On 16:00 (Z) Total: 0:30
Total Time 141:00

20 September 2015 - Maks Goes Flying

One of the biggest pleasures about having a Private Pilots License is you then have the great fortune and opportunity to make others peoples dreams come true by taking them flying. Last month I took a young lad flying, Maks. His family are good friends of ours and I knew he loved all things about aeroplanes. I had always promised him I would take him flying and he had been waiting patiently. 

The opportunity to fulfil my promise came with a break in the weather. It was a calm bright morning and I thought conditions would be perfect. Needless to say our trip was a lovely occasion and it really made him and his family happy. It was also a proud moment for me to be able to do this for friends. I've included here a little video of the occasion.

20.09.2015 - Brakes off 09:50(Z) Brakes On 10:35 (Z) Total: 0:45
Total Time 140:30

2 September 2015 - Quick Local

What with holiday and weather issues it had been a few weeks since I'd been in the air so I took a quick local flight just to keep my hand in. Only 40 Minutes Brakes Off - Brakes On but enough to keep me current. All went very well. Landing on Runway 34 felt very nice indeed. Forgot my video camera which was a shame as the weather was quite nice.

02.09.2015 - Brakes off 08:45(Z) Brakes On 09:25 (Z) Total: 0:40
Total Time 139:45