Well after a couple of navs i got the chance on Tuesday to go out on my own .The route i was given was Blackpool-Sothport Pier-M6/M58 jct-Samlesbury-Garstang-Carnforth-Blackpool, this was to try to keep me away from the hills where it was a bit cloudy.
Whilst doing the power checks prior to departure the low battery light came on ,this i cleared, then on the check the right mag started rough running this i also managed to clear, great start i thought. Anyway took off was told to contact Warton this i tried to do no joy, i called and called nothing so i got back in touch with Blackpool Tower who put me to Blackpool App by this time i had already gone through the Matz.
I was asked to squack but the transpoder is away getting fixed.
All this messing about had thrown my first leg off so i came to the Soutport coast slightly East of where i wanted to be,, i picked up my route kept my plog up to date and arrived at the M6.M58 bang on and bang on time, turned towards Samlesbury everything was now going ticketyboo , look at that a hailstorm and a half, and it was heading my way brilliant! Tony my instuctor had said in a snow storm just do two things ,head away from high ground and circle a fixed point, well a hail storm , ijust flew West and round it, so i arrived over Samlesbury, at the wrong time and not by following any headings.
Samlesbury is an airfield only used by gliders nowadays, it is a BAE Systems site where Typhoon etc are manufactured , and also my place of work.
I set off towards Garstang doing FREDA checks as i went first thing i do on a freda check is pull the carb heat out that way you will have it out for 10 seconds whilst you do the other checks.
Arrived Garstang and there in my way was another hail storm, i could hear people on the radio turning back at Lancaster due to hail and low cloud , so i circled Garstang a couple of times and then made the decision to return to Blackpool .
Tony said i had made the correct decision but i still felt a bit down.
Yesterday did a dual landaway at Hawarden £17.47 landing fee and the runways not even paved in gold!!