Qualifying Cross Country Stories

[KCDW]

Whirlybird's recent QXC description made me think this could be a fun topic.

I mean 150 miles solo, pre PPL is bound to provide some amusement. Certainly mine did.

Headcorn - Goodwood - Lydd - Headcorn

Weather was OK, but forecasted to deteriorate. The first interesting bit was cutting off a bit of Gatwick airspace by flying under it (1500'). Made more fun by the South Downs rising to 600 odd feet. So for a brief period you're doing a pretty low level nav.

No worries (but those dark clouds ahead were slightly concerning).

Switched to Goodwood ATC, and they are very, very busy; cloudbase down to 1300' and lowering, lot's of student's in the circuit, and to make it worse I couldn't see the airfield (combination of low level, hills in the way and a grass strip).

I was just about to call it a day, when there it was - dead ahead. I was told to do an overhead join (at 1300'?), and at the same time they reduced the circuit height.

I joined OK, but got told off for doing too tight a downward leg (didn't like the look of those hills on my left, that's why), I extended a bit to give me a breather for final and got told off for that too. Nervous as hell, I imitated a kangeroo on landing.

"That's it, I've failed", I said to myself as I trudged disconsolately to the control tower; but they signed me off as if nothing has happened, and were actually a pretty jolly bunch.

Next problem, how to get out of there. The westerly was picking up and the cloudbase was now marginal (1000'). As I had a cup of tea, I noticed a break in the growing clag. Didn't even stop to finish the cuppa, I was out of there like a bat out of hell. Literally galloped on the leg to Lydd, with the 25 knot wind bang on the tail, and the weather cleared enough to allow me to climb to 1500'. Perfect join at Lydd, and with no crosswind to speak of, I managed a greaser.

Strolled into the Control Tower, expecting plaudits on the perfect landing, but met Mr Grumpy, who said precisely nothing as he signed me off.

Honestly can't remember much about the Lydd/Headcorn leg (via Ashford). Local for me, so pretty easy, even at low level.

My instructor searched my face intently on arrival. I guess he had been nervous once he had seen how marginal the Wx had become. He admitted to checking in at both Goodwood and Lydd to see how I was.... I made out it was a stroll in the park! :O

[AerBabe]

Coventry - Bristol Filton - Wycombe Air Park - Coventry

Weather was HOT, hardly any haze, and no wind. First leg was easy enough, following the Severn down past Gloucester. Accompanied by an Air Atlantique aircraft 1000' below me, and on my left, passing me very slowly, but it was nice to see him there! Filton were great, and saw me before I saw them. Gave me a right base join, sent out a marshaller for me, and he drove me up to the building. They got me the weather for WAP (although I had it pretty much memorised), gave me a phone to call my instructor, and got me a drink. Then took my money. ;)

Asked for a radar handover past the various military places en route, all of which were great, friendly controllers, incredibly helpful.

Then I left Benson's frequency for WAP. Which leaves about 8 nm (from memory) to WAP's overhead... And WAP were BUSY. The controller was a trainee, and gave me the QNH instead of the QFE. The frequency was so busy I couldn't make a call, but someone in the circuit, on the ball, relayed me the pressure setting at the end of a call. I'd checked the joining procedure with WAP in the morning, and they confirmed it over the radio. Got half way through the 'fly down the length of the runway' bit and the controller yelled at me to turn immediately onto cross wind, and to report to the tower when I landed.

When I got to the tower someone came down, took me into his office, and gave me a lecture. He went through the departure procedure with me about three times "To make sure I didn't screw that up too". B@stard. Still have no idea what I did wrong. I tried to phone my instructor, but his mobile was off, so I had to pull myself together, and convince myself I was safe to carry on.

The last leg back was very mixed. There was a lot of gliding going on near WAP, and as soon as I got through that fatigue hit. My eyes were streaming, my head hurt, and my ears were sore from my headset. BUT... I detoured off my planned route to investigate Silverstone because I knew I could fly by this point! Soon after that I passed a hovering buzzard... which was pretty incredible.

I got back to Coventry, greased the landing, and almost fell out of the aircraft. I knelt on the ground and rested my head on the seat. My instructor was just coming out at this point and asked if I was crying or praying... I said "Neither - sleeping". Made it back to the clubhouse, and fell asleep before I could complete my paperwork. :O

My instructor phoned the controller at WAP, but I don't know what was said. Another girl in my club flew the same route for her Qx/c the next day, and had exactly the same thing happen.

People have since said to me it's a difficult route, and very busy. But I know if I can cope with that I can cope with most things. If you're a nervous pilot it might put you off, but if not it will give you confidence.

[heydn]

Scary cross country flights only need to happen once to tesch you a lesson.

I flew to Quiberon (France) from thurrock and the weather went from the forecast 1500' cloudbase to less then 300' for most of the journey home, I ended up flying round the south of the UK to stay over water to get to Southend which was still claiming to be CAVOK.

I got home OK and signed up for an IMC rating.

[Aerobatic Flyer]

Dutch style: Hilversum - Texel - Lelystad - Hilversum

1200ft all the way, and hardly spoke to anyone 'cos I didn't have an RT licence.

I'd never realised just how hassle free it was until I read all the above posts! Controllers were all friendly, the weather was beautiful (amazingly for Holland!), there was hardly any traffic and lunch in the sun at Texel was great. :)

Not much of a preparation for real-world flying, but it was a totally pleasurable experience - actually flying somewhere on my own.

[terryJones]

Lands End to Bodmin to Plymouth, then Lands End.
Having learned to fly in Cornwall was worth every penny, as visitors to that part of the country can probably imagine.
The fun on the qualifying xcountry began at what was then RAF St Mawgen, now Newquay airport. The guy there moved me about a bit 'To avoid traffic' then left me with the remark, 'Clear of the MATZ, resume own navigation'.
I found Bodmin, and having been told that it was a short runway, expected the worst, but no problems. A quick call to Plymouth soon had me on the way to an uneventful landing on TARMAC. A novelty this, grass being the norm so far.
A quick coffee, and visual/functional check on the toilets at Plymouth and I was off.
Well. I would have been had it not been for the Dash 7, which I was told to follow out. No problem, except it was still loading passengers :(
The return trip however, at 4000' was worth the efforts of the previous year learning to fly. All of the penisula was laid out below, and it was all too soon before the grass at Lands End was bumping beneath the wheels.

[poetpilot]

A mate of mine (not me, honest, I did my QXC in the NW) was on his QXC, flying Luton to Ipswich in the '70s. Saw "Ipswich" from afar, gave them a call, they told him they were closing the radio for lunch. He proceeded around the circuit, made all the necessary calls and did a greaser.

Whilst he was slowing up on the runway however, he saw a man and his dog walking towards him. He thought he ought to tell them not to walk on the active so he opened the window of the C150. Aforesaid man shouts "What are you doin' 'ere mate?" My mate says "landing of course.... this IS Ipswich isn't it?"

"Nah, mate, this is Martlesham 'eath. It's been closed for years. Ipswich is over THAT way... (waves stick in general direction)"

"OK thanks for that" replies our hero, hurredly backtracks, takes off and eventually finds Ipswich.

They were still at lunch when he arrived. He had to wait until he could find someone to sign his form, but no-one was the wiser.

[Evo]

I did Goodwood - Bournemouth - Wycombe - Goodwood.

No real drama (although Southampton told me to sod off when I tried to transit through their overhead) but on arrival at Bournemouth was told to park up next to the Red Arrows, who were about to go off to display at the seafront. Sat by the aeroplane and watched the show - stunning run and break to land ;) :)

[Bootlegger]

NETHERTHORPE - PETERBOROUGH (CON) - HUMBERSIDE - NETH'

Generally uneventful....landed at Peterborough went to park a/c...very tight parking so i steered the a/c as close as safe, and then decided that i would push the aircraft back a couple of yards into space...took me about 30 mins ( mechanics having good laugh).... what i did find was how tired i was after flight. A brilliant feeling seeing your home airfield come into sight. Patted and thanked the aeroplane as she ticked and cooled down after flight. :D

[big.al]

My QXC was in Florida and was... interesting.

Kissimmee - Hernando County (Brooksville) - Ocala Taylor - Kissimmee

Having carefully checked the weather forecast and having been told CAVOK and no significant CBs or weather to worry about for the whole route, I set off around 1pm.

First leg fairly uneventful, except for encountering a group of gliders doing aerobatics (they certainly can swoop down on you very quickly). Finding the field was a little tricky but to all intents and purposes, no problem.

At Hernando County, checked the wx again and all seemed well. Quick call to the wife back at the holiday villa to say I was about to set off for leg two.

Ten minutes later, depart KBKV with CAVOK and light winds. Heading north-east to Ocala, within around twenty minutes the sky ahead seemed to be rapidly building cumulus (typical for a FL afternoon) but I was more concerned about the possibility of embedded CBs. With visibility reducing (but still well above VMC minima) I checked my position and was aware of nearby airfields in case a diverson was necessary. However, within two minutes I could clearly see Ocala ahead with good weather reported on the ATIS, and decided it was safe to continue.

Landing at Ocala in bright sunlight with a typical afternoon breeze, I got the QXC form stamped and enquired again about the wx for the return to Kissimmee. With KISM to the south-east and the forecast still looking good for the next few hours at least, I set off in the knowledge that any weather that was building was now behind me. A smooth, clear flight to KISM ensued.

All in all an uneventful QXC you might say. Except that when I got home to the holiday villa, the TV was full of reports of massive thunderstorms building with tornado warnings across three counties, with reports of mini-tornados having touched down in Ocala just 30 minutes earlier (around 90 mins after I left). The wife had been having kittens think I was up in that!

So it goes to show that no matter how many times you check the weather forecast, you can never be sure!

[Hufty]

EDINBURGH - GLASGOW - DUNDEE - EDINBURGH

It was such a nice day I could see where Glasgow airport should be all the way from the EDI zone boundary and could see most of the way to the East coast on leaving the Glasgow zone! No navigation problems there!!!

Interesting, I departed EDI a few minutes after another student from another club flying the same route. He was in a PA38 and I was in a 1966 vintage 150. When I arrived at GLA, he was doing his pre flight for Dundee. When I arrived at Dundee he had already departed for Edinburgh! G-ATZY was always my favourite 150, but it took a while to get anywhere.

Probably still my most memorable flight.......

[DRJAD]

Second leg of my QXC was to Nottingham, flying south-ish, and on a hazy-ish early December day. Couldn't see Nottingham at all, though I thought I was near, from the look of the sun reflecting on water (Trent.etc.)

Anyway, got concerned about infringing EGNX Class D airspace if I missed Nottingham and went further, so did an orbit to look round. Lo and behold, there was Nottingham, suddenly clearly revealed as my relation to the ambient light changed, about 4 nm away. (And I hadn't infringed EGNX.)

All the journey back was great, with good vis. and, as others have said, the feeling of landing back the my home airfield, having completed the QXC without mishap, was absolutely great.

I don't know if my instructor had 'phoned the fields on my route to check up, he didn't say, and I didn't enquire - but, my, it felt good to have done the test!

[Kolibear]

Southend - Shoreham - Headcorn - Southend

I'd been trying to get this flight for months, but everytime I phoned Shoreham and uttered the dreaded words 'Qualifying Cross-country' there was a sharp intake of breath and the reply 'No chance mate, far too busy'

Eventually, my instructor said 'Look, just go', so I went. The trip down was fine, I drifted off course a bit at one stage so dutifully turned back to my last known point & carried on back on course.

Nearing Shoreham, I tuned to the ATIS to crib the latest info, then tried to call the approach. And tried and tried and tried. Not really knowing what to do, instead of orbiting short of the field, I went straight through their overhead at about 2200 feet and circled over Worthing.

After a good few circles I managed to get a word in edgeways, and was cleared into the circuit at number, oh, it seemed like about 150 to land!

The approach was awful, too high and I landed well down the runway. The Guy in the tower was probably not impressed with me at all and I think I got a 'satisfactory' on my sheet.

The return to leg to Headcorn was quite easy and I found Headcorn with no problem. The join and landing we OK and the late Chris, (I've forgotten his surname) marked me as 'Good'. I phoned the school at this point as I was late, just to let them know there was no problem.

The return to Southend was a breeze, except as I was on finals for 06, there was a rather panicy-sounding student coming in from my left on base, who couldn't see me and her voice was going up and up and UP. The tower told me to go around so she could land, which I did.

So, no major problems, but a lot learned. It just took a lot longer than I anticipated.

[BeauMan]

Cushing Field (0C8) - Oshkosh (OSH) - Wautoma (Y50) - Cushing Field (0C8), C150 'N109CF', 1993

The 150nm stretch from 0C8 to OSH was just a straight northerly run up to the west of Chicago, flatlands of Illinois and Wisconsin looked just like good old Cambridgeshire, except the place names on tha map made it seem like a world tour - I flew over Lake Geneva, and villages called Berlin and Ottawa.

The approach into Wittman Field was lovely - 20nm visibility, I could see OSH nestled in on the western shore of Lake Winnebago - called them up and curved my approach in over the lake to land on 27; greased her on, not a bounce. Trundled along until directed to leave next right, then taxied over to park up alongside Basler's DC3 turboprops. Wandered in to pay my landing fee and get the logbook stamped, refueled and then went off to spend a few hours in the EAA Museum; Kermit's Mosquito, the Mustang prototype, even an old Ford Trimotor taking folks up for pleasure rides out of the oldtimers strip. What a truly wonderful experience.

All too soon I had to leave and head back to continue my QXC. Taxied 109CF to the hold behind a BAe146 (first and so far only time I ever shared the circuit with a four engined jet!) and had to wait for what seemed like a week as his wake turbulence subsided. Lined up and departed on 27 for the short (40nm I think) hop to Wautoma, a quiet and sleepy little airfield way out in the Wisconsin sticks. Called them up a few miles out, no answer. Checked my frequency and called them again. Still no answer. A good look out ahead and to the sides made me think they were closed... do I land or just pass overhead and go find another field to get that all important second signature...? Called them up again for one last try, to be answered with "Cessna One Zero Niner Charlie Fox, nothin' in the circuit. C'mon in, son...".

Now maybe it was the unknown American's rather laidback attitude that swung it, but my approach into Wautoma was the worst I've ever flown. I just seemed to get far too complacent, with the result that at 500 feet - for the first time ever - I went around. Not because an instructor wanted me to practice it, but becuse I wasn't happy with it. Thankfully, the ensuing circuit was uneventful, and the landing was almost as smooth as at Oshkosh. After parking up I wandered into the office to get the booked stamped and signed, to be greeted by a couple of Wisconsans looking at me with bemusement. The first words spoken were "Where're you from, son?", to which I replied "England". "Aw s**t", muttered the second one and handed over a dollar to his mate "Ah thawt you was Australian..."

Turned out to be a great couple of lads, but after a coffee, I had to depart back to 0C8. The boys asked me to do a flyby after departure and I have to say I did oblige, albeit at circuit height! I think I saw the two of them down there by the office waving as I went past. I left Wautoma with the impression that I was probably te first visitor they'd had for a while...

The rest of the flight was uneventful, and I landed back at 0C8 after a very tiring but also incredibly rewarding day. The navigation wasn't hard, but during that flight I learned loads of things; importance of doing your FREDA checks regularly, how to integrate into circuits and approaches at busy regional airports, how to recognise when an approach looks dodgy (and more importantly what to do about it), how to deal with the admin when landing away, and how hard it is to stay alert and awake on long drags.

I'm now sitting at my desk grinning at the memory of that day, and my colleagues are looking at me as if I've gone mad... :D

[AndyGB]

Not Quite Qualifying X Country

When I learnt in California we did two cross countries of an hour and two hours, both dual and then solo, before going on the QXC.

On my 2 hour solo flight I was late setting off, into almost perfect weather as you would expect. Unfortunately having neglected to check my DI to the compass at my final turning point (overhead Agua Caliente for those of you who know the area) I headed off at about 15 degrees south of my intended course. When I couldn't find my first checkpoint on that leg I circled and circled over the mountains and couldn't identify and landmarks other than a lake slightly to my south so I headed off to it and started to try and find it on my chart.

After I'd spent a minute or so orbiting the lake a call was made on the traffic advisory frequency from a jump plane advising of free fall parachutists in the air and so can all traffic please keep away from lake so and so !! Of course I didn't know the name of the lake I was over, didn't know where lake so and so was and had visions of me ploughing through a stream of parachutists so I vacated the area ASAP (once I had got back on the ground I found the lake in question and it was over 150 miles away). So I finally decided to fly a reverse bearing back out to the last turning point and start in again which was when I realised my DI had progressed.

Of course having spent about 40 minutes 'being lost' by that time it was getting late in the day and I was flying into a setting sun and a marine layer had come in off the pacific so the valleys were full of mist. By the time I found my way back to KSEE I had to decend to avoid the SOCAL airspace I was basically flying in fog at twilight and not surprisigly became disorientated. Which is when I contacted the tower and asked for a radar steer to the field which eventually came into sight (well the runway threshold lights did anyway) when I was on a slightly less then 2 mile final.

When I did find my way to terra firma my instructor (who had been up with someone else) was incredulous that I had just got back before he did.

As you can imagine, I am a stickler for checking my DI now !!!.

[Ian_Wannabe]

AndyGB - You say you came back to KSEE - Gillespie.... did you do your training at Anglo american? If so when were you there?

I was there flying N133AJ during July-Aug 2002 :D

Ian

[AndyGB]

I was there in November. I did most of my training in 810 with Jim D.

[Trinity 09L]

Blackbushe-Gloucester-Wellesbourne-Blackbushe C152

Trundled out of Blackbushe from the overhead, cleared the Brize MATZ, then onto to Gloucester, called up approach, (with ATIS), lots of radio reception difficulty, told to go straight to Tower, and I was approaching more from the Southeast than east, and from the overhead dropped in the circuit behind a twin on instr’ practice, stretching the pattern a bit.

Long wait for departure, then off & found Wellesbourne, joined the busy circuit to close behind the one in front on touch & go, so had to go around. Glad to get down. Lastly, on the route back, the lady from Benson asks my next turning point, reply,
“en route to Blackbushe”, answer well turn 30 degrees right and goodbye! I suppose she thought I would celebrate with a visit to Heathrow zone
:rolleyes:

[PFLsAgain]

Sleap - Gloucester - Wellesbourne - Sleap

Beautiful day. Trundled down to Gloucester without a problem and pulled off an OK landing. Ambling down the runway looking for the turnoff I hear "G-IR, dinna stop!". Stop?! Bl**dy hell, I was taxying at "a fast walking pace" listening to the voice of my CFI in my head going "do you really think you can walk that fast? Do you? Really?" (He hates people taxying fast!). Well it unnerved me a bit, but I just said yessir (or words to that effect) and got off the runway PDQ. Got a "satisfactory" instead of the yelling at I was expecting.

Pushed off to Wellesbourne with a bit more trepidation than before. It was certainly busy, and I could have sworn that the C152 that was ahead of me on downwind was behind me when we were descending deadside. Refuel (to keep the CFI happy - didn't really need to) and notice oil leaking. Panic! Decide it's coming out of the breather and was probably due to me enthusiastically filling it up too much. Get at least 10 people to check and phone my instructor too! (OK over-reaction but I was just a student). Push off back to Sleap with no problems - even managed to get a FIS out of Bham on the way home.

Pretty good feeling once it's all over :D

[rotorboater]

Barton - Wolverhampton space port - Tattenhill - Barton

Did my flight planning for a 12 knot SW, then took off and it became a 25 - 30 knot SW, took forever to get to Wolverhampton, very nice and helpfull controller, given straight in approach, I was probibly only doing about 25 knts over the threshold, then I had to hover taxi downwind for fuel in 25 knts!

Took off for Tattenhill steering 35 degrees right of my track but found it OK, luckily is not too hard to find!

Then back to Barton at warp speed, now blowing a steady 30 knots up the chuff, my instructor reckoned he'd only just put the phone down from me before he heard me requesting joining instructions!

All in all a very enjoyable flight and probibly one I will never forget as it's my 1st proper flight:D :D :D

[AliB]

Denham - Gloucestershire - Coventry - Denham

All going OK until approaching Oxford (the first turning point) - on an aircraft new to me with a radio I wasn't used to and I could not get that last 5 up on the frequency. Oh well - near enough, I can hear them so they should be able to hear me:

"Good morning Oxford Tower, this is G-xxxx requesting FIS for transit overhead".

Nothing.

"Er, Good Morning Oxford Tower - blah"

Nothing.

"Oxford Tower, Blah"

Nothing - panic!

Follows very nervous transit overhead what sounded a very busy Oxford without radio contact. Some time later tuned to Gloucestershire and fingers crossed:

"Good morning Gloucestershire, G-xxxx inbound, information x recieved"

"Good morning G-xx, pass your message"

RELIEF!

After landing: One slightly frantic 'phonecall to TPC Denham to learn that you PULLED THE KNOB to get the last 5 on the frequency - Doh!

Flight to Coventry a bit more relaxed - got a "GOOD" from Gloucestershire and was feeling a bit smug. On finals heard an aircraft call behind me and the controller say "One ahead, lets see if he makes it" - made a short field landing and vacated sharply at the first exit - erned a "VERY GOOD" on my form.

Feeling very smug on my flight back to Denham - pretty uneventful.

Radio cock up forgotten - was unbearably smug for several days later.

Great day.

AliB