More Solo Action

I finally flew again after my first solo - two missed weeks with weather and work. Friday had been a great day so far, I'd had the morning off as well and got my hands on an iPhone 5s. It was a bright day with variable light winds and runway 25 was in use. As I arrived I noticed there were none of the familiar PA28's parked. Normally this means someone is having a lesson and probably one of them is off for a service. There was a stranger, G-BXWO was parked in the club's space.

Inside only Barrie was around - he said he'd be doing the lesson as Steve was engaged. Steve had mentioned beginning the navigation exercises which I loved the idea of, but Barrie said we'd do some circuits and most importantly if he was happy he'd send me solo again! The mysterious new bird was to be our aircraft so off I went to Alpha check her. She'd just arrived that morning and he warned me that the pilot who had delivered her had flown his whole journey on one tank. Whisky Oscar has a few more niceties than my regular pair of PA28's. She's fitted with door stops, sun visors, a transponder (!), her air speed indicator is in knots and she is in a much tidier condition. It looked to me like she'd been operating from a farm strip - grass in the tire tread and bird droppings all over the stabilator.

I flew three circuits with Barrie and after dropping him back at the club was send off on my own for another three. The crosswind caught me out on the first circuit with Barrie and my landing was a bit messy, but the wind dropped entirely for every other circuit and I had a great flight with Barrie praising the neatness of my circuits. The airspace was a little more crowded than my solo day but nothing that made me uncomfortable.

Barrie recommended that next time I go solo into the local area to get a feel for that! That would be awesome. I have some holiday to burn so I'll try to get an additional lesson in this week.

I'm pretty sure that this is a shot of me taxiing out with Barrie clearly visible in the right seat.

Solo!

Sunny day from Tango Echo
 our local floatplane Sierra Lima

So after all of the previous week's nonsense I finally flew my UK solo on 30th August. Another of our sunny days - this time with the addition of a 9kt wind pretty much straight down runway 25. Today's choice of aircraft was Tango-Echo.

Steve asked me to check the aircraft and refuel if I thought she needed it. I thought she was on about half tabs and hearing many instructors voices in my head "It's better to have too much fuel that too little" and knowing Steve might be a while I thought I'd go and top up. Positioning in the queue for fuel was a bit far out, so I had to start her again to move up to the bowser. Refueling was done just in time for Steve to come over and sign for the fuel. Starting her a a bit of a bind - 'we' flooded her for her third start of the sortie (I'm pretty sure she didn't need priming). Steve showed me a technique for starting a flooded aircraft - went a bit over my head but I'll look it up! There was some filming going on of an AW109 so power checks were done at holding point Alpha - positioning so that we didn't roll onto the runway or hit any signs should the brakes give way.

Steady wind, down the runway

I flew three circuits and Steve told the tower we were landing. Once we were clear he called the tower and told Jamie that I'd be going solo.  Steve advised me to call "Student Golf-Tango-Echo" for my initial call of if I wanted anybody to know I was by myself. One circuit was my lot. Since the filming was taking place on the main apron I was advised to backtrack along the runway from holding point Charlie - all new stuff. Steve hopped out and set of for the club house and I was off. I taxied to holding point Charlie and called the tower to tell them I was ready for the backtrack. I was cleared onto the runway, taxied beyond the 25 numbers and did a wide turn. Again I called the tower - this time I remembered to say Student! Student Golf-Tango-Echo ready for departure.

My single solo circuit wasn't too bad - Steve had pointed out the aircraft would climb better and be more difficult to persuade to descend - boy was she ever. I was too high on finals but I brought her under control and landed fairly smoothly - described by one observer in the cafe as the best landing they'd seen all day.

So here he is - Captain Smith just leaving the aircraft. It was a sweaty exhausting affair but I loved every second of it. Another circuit please!

Captain Smith