My QXC Report
I had completed my solo land away on the 22nd December (East Midlands/Turweston/Podington/EastMidlands) after having several attempts canned by, yet again, the weather. After the QXC, all that would be left was Skills Test revision and the Skills Test itself.
Firstly, Christmas intervened, then, there was poor weather in the first week of January, then two weeks of winter sunshine (hols), then a business trip to Spain – and that was the month of January accounted for!! So into February – well the month came and went, and still no QXC. It was either wind, fog, low visibility, rain, snow or any combination of the lot you care to choose! Next, I ran out of currency for solo flights, then the same on solo land away, needing time back with the instructor (twice) for each of these.
So, now we were into March, and once again attempts were canned, weather again, until you’ve guessed it, solo currency ran out again!! By now, I had 22 attempts at the QXC cancelled because of weather, and to be honest, it was starting to get to me. It was being built up in my mind as a sort of barrier, a big deal. I found I was starting to worry about things like the approach and landing at Cambridge – no ‘rhyme nor reason’ to it really.
However, on the 22nd of March, the weather was within limits for three or four solo circuits, to regain currency. On the journey up the M1, I received a call from my instructor – make all haste, looks like the QXC may happen today!!!! Blimey, I suddenly had to get myself psyched up for this surprise. I arrived, and immediately set about plotting the QXC route (EMA/Turweston (land)/Podington/Cambridge(land) – never been there before, and back to EMA).
I downloaded the TAF’s checked the 214/215’s, the Notams, Royal Flights etc (only one restriction in the Southern North Sea - blimey, if I bust that, I really would be lost!!) I checked out the Warrior on its return from another students 09.30 lesson - my favourite G-CDON – all was OK, and it was off to do the circuit work. No problems, no orbits, number one all the way. The second landing was a bit of a bump, but the rest were fine (why can’t I ever seem to grease it on the runway these days?) Happy with that, and another 30 minutes solo under my belt (which should put me over the 10 hour required after the QXC time is added), I returned to the school for a coffee and Mars bar (I’m into healthy food!) to up the energy levels. I received all the paperwork for signature and off I went with the best wishes of everybody at the school – brakes were off at 11.40. The viz was pretty good at 9999, but the 3000’ winds were a bit fluky – variable, at 15 to 25 knots – not the easiest for planning headings!! Nevertheless, it all started fine, zoning out to the South via Sierra Echo. Once clear of the zone and its 2000’ limitation for VFR flights, Approach gave me FIS and I climbed to 2400, taking care not to bust the 2500’ lower limit of the controlled airspace there.
Clearing the Markfield VRP and the lower section of EMA airspace, I climbed to 2800’ (trying to avoid the even/odd numbers that many pilots choose, as an additional safety precaution) and requested, and got, the OK to change to Coventry Approach for FIS. They were as helpful as always (in my experience anyway), giving me their standard FIS squawk of 0250, and telling me to call overhead Daventry. The heading was working fine, and I continued Southwards to Daventry, and right overhead our house! I had told my wife roughly what time to expect me, and I could clearly see her in the garden waving – strangely emotional that! I resisted the temptation to weave or waggle my wings, and kept on the heading.
I called Coventry again, and they gave the OK to change frequency to Turweston Radio, who advised there were two others in the circuit, gave the QFE and the runway (09). I chose to join downwind, rather than the rather lengthy process of a standard overhead join (it’s a very wide circuit there for noise abatement reasons). The landing was pretty good (for me!!), and I was advised to backtrack at my discretion as the grass taxiway was pretty wet. I could see/hear nobody on base or final, so backtracked as suggested, keeping a good look out as I did so.
I parked up (at 12.25), shut down and set off to the tower to pay my fees, and most importantly, to have my form signed – the controller gave me a “good”, so I was happy with that. I didn’t stay long, had a quick pee (important at my age!!), decided against a cup of tea (a diuretic), and instead, had a swig from my bottle of water. A quick check of levels, and a walk around, saw me starting up and departing from runway 09 at 12.55, using one stage of flap for a short field takeoff (not strictly necessary at Turweston, but good practice). Overhead Silverstone Circuit, I called “goodbye and thanks” and changed frequency to Cranfield, who gave me a FIS, and told me to call when overhead Podington. They were quite busy with a lot of school traffic in their circuit, but nothing to bother me.
Something, however, did not feel right – the plane seemed to be struggling somewhat, and wanted to climb all the time – why, I wondered?
“You prat” I called out aloud, and put away the first stage of flap that I had used (and subsequently forgot about!) for take off ten minutes ago!!! I gave myself a b*****g (well, lets say a telling off!) and began looking for Podington. This should be coming up on the nose in the next four minutes, but, for some reason I couldn’t see it. Mmmm, what’s happened here? I rechecked the time, the heading and assumed it was a bit late due to having lost a little time with the flap episode. Still, no sign – looking anxiously around (calm down now and think) I saw it off to the left, about a mile north of me. Why? I still don’t know what happened, I know I was definitely on heading, which had worked spot on for the first half of the leg before going awry. My only explanation was the flukiness of the wind – perhaps at that point I had got a 25 knot “shove” rather than the 15 knots at the bottom end of the forecast. Anyway, forget it now, I’m back on track. Cranfield called and suggested I now speak to Cambridge Approach. I told them I wanted to call Bourne for any traffic information they may have – all approved, and they bid me “good day”. I tuned into Bourne and listened, but there was nothing at all going on, so gave them a miss and went straight to Cambridge Approach.
Cambridge said they had me on radar, to continue my approach, and call when the field was in sight. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, something caught my attention – it was a glider, going from my right to left, probably only about 300/400’ higher than myself. A bit of a shock, and right out of the blue – I convinced myself that he had probably had me in sight with his better visibility, but it made me resolve to keep a better look out. With the field now in sight, Cambridge advised to expect a standard overhead join and to go over to Tower on 122.20.
Now my earlier Cambridge demons came back to haunt me – what exactly did they mean by a standard overhead join when approaching, as I was, from the deadside? I checked out the template for the field, and surmised they meant for me to be overhead the upwind threshold to join the circuit downwind. However, I did not fancy descending to 1000’ on their deadside, ie overhead Cambridge city. I called the tower, and asked if they were happy for me to approach over the city - they were, as long as I stayed above 2000’. Ah! Now I get it, no problem, overhead the downwind threshold at 2000’, maintaining that height to turn back North, and then commence descent on the deadside. That way, the descent is further away from the city centre, with sites for a ‘land clear’ in the event of any engine problems. I joined the circuit and landed comfortably on runway 05 at 13.35. I was directed to park in row ‘G’ of the GA park. I shut down again, and hoped my approach had been OK, ‘cos I now had to get my form signed! No problem they said, my approach, landing and R/T had been fine, and they gave me a “good” again.
I thought I had better give my wife a call to let her know that I was still alive and well, and now in Cambridge – she sounded relieved, and put the insurance policies back in the drawer. This time, I had a quick coffee, and another Mars bar to keep the blood sugar and energy level up (does it work by the way?) but by now I was feeling a bit tired. Two pees later (to be sure!), I said my goodbyes to the GA staff, and booked out with ATC (by fax to the tower from the GA centre) for my return to East Midlands, the longest leg at 66 miles. Fuel/oil levels were all OK, and everything looked fine, so I fired her up and was ready to go.
I was told by the tower to taxi (brakes off at 14.15) to the holding point for runway 05, where I went through pre-flight and power checks. I was cleared for take off and departed towards the North East. I then turned west towards the A1(M), tracking around the North of the city, before turning onto 310 degrees and towards home base. Tower passed me over to Approach who gave me a FIS, until I requested frequency change to Cottesmore (MATZ). Cambridge said “goodbye”, and the Military guys granted a continued FIS.
It was now becoming rather bumpy as the plane was reacting to various thermals. At one point, the VSI showed +1200’ per minute, and the little plane ballooned upwards with no assistance from me! A little concentration was needed to maintain height for a while before things settled down again. My track was to take me directly over Leicester airfield, so I said goodbye to Cottesmore in order call Leicester on 122.12 for any traffic information. I was advised all was quiet there, so I changed back to East Midlands Approach for FIS, and a Zone rejoin. I was cleared to approach the zone boundary, and to call before arrival, but when the time came, I could not get a word in edgeways – the world and his mother were talking to Approach, so I had to break off and orbit just South of the zone boundary (at Shepshed). Eventually, I got through, and was cleared for rejoin and to a right base for runway 09. Eventually I was given clearance to final as number 2 to a Ryanair 737, remembering to keep high and upwind of him to avoid his vortex.
I landed at 15.05, and was cleared to taxi back to the school, where a (relieved?) instructor was waiting with outstretched hand. I was very pleased with my overall performance (apart from the flap issue, and getting a bit too close to the glider), but I suddenly realised I was absolutely knackered. I had been actually in the air for a solid three+ hours and it started to catch up on me. Another Mars bar, and a strong coffee saw me recover and begin to contemplate my next exercise, the Mock Skills Test, which will be…..
….TOMORROW? Blimey, I’m off home to get some sleep.