My Pre GFT Test
After a somewhat restless night (still on a high after the QXC), I turned up at the school for the mock skills test, feeling tired and jaded. To be honest, I didn’t really feel like doing it, but it was a fine day, with the forecast for bad weather the next day, so it was important to get it done. My instructor explained the score - we would simulate as far as possible the GFT, and I would be on my own, making all my own decisions with him just monitoring.
The first section was to be the navigation. .It did not get off to a great start – I failed to do a FREDA check, and the Compass/HI was some 20 degrees out!! No wonder I was struggling to find the route – after the error was pointed out, I quickly got back on track, and from there on I was OK. I was not really on form and pretty unhappy with my sloppy approach to the task. It was time to pull myself together. I had to get a MATZ crossing approved (Waddington - no problem, crossing approved), which involved passing over Scampton, the home of the Red Arrows - there was no sign of them being at home. I went on to easily find the disused airfield (Binbrook) that I was looking for (not that far from the East Coast near Louth). I was finally beginning to settle down. After the high of the QXC yesterday, I was on relatively poor form today, and feeling tired.
Having successfully found Binbrook, I was told to divert to Coal Aston, a small grass airfield just South of Sheffield, some 40 miles to the West. Not easy to do everything together, fly the plane, find the diversion destination, draw a line, calculate the heading allowing for wind, distance, ETA - a lot to achieve in a short time. At last, however, I was on the button, and got there accurately with no problems, except one rather important one - I couldn’t see the field!! I was sure I was in the right place, but could I see it? Could I “‘eckaslike” as they say in Yorkshire! I was sure I was in the right area; everything else fell into place, but still no airfield. In the end, it was pointed out to me! I WAS in the right place all along, but as it consisted of a small grass strip, and a well camouflaged green “hangar” it was difficult to see from the air.
Next, I was put straight into various stalls, steep turns and a PFL, all of which went fine. I was then asked to fix my position using the Trent and the Gamston VOR’s, again not an easy task when flying the plane in a cramped cockpit, to accurately draw the lines, It was OK though, and I was within about a mile or so of actual position. We then headed back to East Midlands for debrief. I was really tired, which I think hampered my performance, and I made quite a few mistakes. I comforted myself with the thought that that’s what mock tests are for, but I was not over pleased, and turning in a fairly average performance like that, was just adding to the pressure of the upcoming GFT. I perked up a bit though when the instructor told me in his opinion, I did enough to get a pass, so perhaps it was not TOO bad after all.
I was then told that the GFT would be on the following Thursday, 31st March. Bugger, is it really only a few days away? I’ve waited for that day to come for months, but now it’s here, oh my gawd!! I made a pledge to do a lot of thinking/revision in the time I had left, and arrived home for a whiskey (or two) and a very long sleep.