First NavEx

[modelman]

Had my first navex today ( accompanied by my FI).
I had prepared my plog during the week and just filled in the wind/heading/speeds this morning.What a great feeling when all your waypoints and headings appear just as planned-I have been worrying that I might not be able to recognise key features from the air but I seemed ok once up there.He threw in a diversion and I managed to find that ok.
Visibility was quite hazy and it was not possible to fix the a/c on a distant point so the HI/compass was looked at very often.My a/c had a strong left turn tendency and my right leg ached a bit by the end (FI said he would look at the tab on the rudder to iron this out.This did cause my heading to drift a bit whilst consulting the map!
I was very aware of the high workload of fly/nav/comm.I was particularly concerned with the lookout as there was a lot of traffic on such a nice day.I had planned to contact Cottesmore Radar to get the RPS but I received no response-a bit disappointing as it would have been my first chance to talk to someone other than my home field.
I went up again solo for a local familiarisation straight afterwards and did some general handling exercises.
I stiil have to pinch myself that I am actually commanding an a/c on my own.
Just needed to share this as my lot at home find my flying all a bit boring.
Modelman

[EK4457]

Couldn't agree more!

Yesterday I went on my second nav trip (with FI) from LPL to LPL via Burscough / Clitheroe / Barton / Warrington / Low level corridor / Oulton Park.

All Worked out well, on time at way points and always had a good idea of my location on the map. Even a MATZ penetration at Warton for good measure. What a buzz!

Came home and told my girlfriend, dad, sister and a couple of mates.

No one gave a toss.

I suppose it's in your blood or it's not......

EK

[Gertrude the Wombat]

My a/c had a strong left turn tendency

Yes, I went for a ride in one like that once.

This was a holiday hire - although I had a UK PPL I couldn't be bothered to get it validated for whatever foreign part I was in nor could I bothered with a check ride. So I just hired an instructor with the aircraft, and went for a joy ride which was legally a flying lesson.

The instructor, having observed my attempt to fly the thing straight and level for a while (I was wondering whether my problem was the non-level horizon, not being used to mountain flying having trained in East Anglia), in due course said: "Yes, this one has never been quite the same since the accident".

This trip was on my honeymoon, with my wife in the back of the plane. Fortunately there was only a two way intercom so she didn't hear this comment (until I repeated it to her when we were safely back on the ground).