3 April 2016 - Southend Local Flight

Back over to Southend for a solo flight in one of their C152s. Just wanted a relaxing flight so opted for a trip along the Thanet coast in Kent. Visibility was awful though, as can be seen in the video. 

I also need to put the prop filter back on the Virb camera. I had taken it off because of the dark conditions when doing instrument training.  

03.04.2016 - Brakes off 10:40(Z) Brakes On 11:40 (Z) Total: 1:00
Total Time 151:00

2 April 2016 - 28 Day Checkout C152 - Circuits

Back to Rochester for a few circuits in a C152. I hadn't flown a Cessna 152 since November so it was necessary to do a 'check-out' routine. As I had been flying regularly albeit at Southend in a PA28 this boiled down to a few circuits captured here on video. With this done I am free to hire out one of these in the coming weekends.

02.04.2016 - Brakes off 15:05(Z) Brakes On 15:50 (Z) Total: 0:45
Total Time 150:00

24 March 2016: Completing IMC Renewal

 

Back to Southend on the 24th to complete my IMC renewal. Great way to start the long Easter weekend. Just headed out NW from R23 to do some compass turns and recovery from unusual attitude on partial/limited panel before heading back for a couple of bad weather circuits. 

Its been so great to be back at Southend Airport. Since my last foray here it's all changed to Class D controlled airspace but the ATC are really helpful and accommodating. On top of this you can get some great coaching from Southend Flying Club and take advantage of the all year round super facilities for IMC training. 

24.03.2016 - Brakes off 10:10(Z) Brakes On 11:00 (Z) Total: 0:50 IMC (0:30) Total Time 149:15

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