I was flying from Humberside to Gamston and couldn't see the large lump of Gamston tarmac in the failing light of a winters afternoon. I'm a student ppl, doing my LXC, so not allowed a GPS. I'd been too busy talking to Donnie, deviating off track to avoid some of their traffic and to advise them of my passage near their CAS - and didn't Navigate before Communicating. I didn't tune into Gamstons VOR until it was too late as things had gone too perfectly in the flight. I *knew* I was in the area, I identified roads, motorways, railways, towns - but could I hell see the tarmac! So I fly in circles for five minutes that seemed like hours, doubly confirming where I was, within probably less than 5 miles or so, and STILL couldn't see it. Not a panic, more of a "things are developing out of my control, oh
, what now?" moment. I fiddled with VORs, had been told about them, read the theory, yet hadn't become *competent* in their use - and certainly not in a flappy pressure moment. I'd spoken to Gasmton telling them I was inbound, 10 mins ago. One more call to Gamston, explained Unsure of Position, who advised me to speak to Waddington Radar. One call to WR, explained, asked them for a QDM for them, yet they easily gave me a vector to Gamston instead, unasked. It's a relief to hear "field is 350 degrees, 5 miles, do you have visual?". The rest was easy. Thank God for sensible cool controllers - proper thumbs up to the WR & Gamston chaps
. They're on my Crimbo Card list.
Off topic maybe, but if I'd had no radio I'd have only got into a worse situation in failing light, with an a/c that would have ran out of fuel within another hour or so. I learnt my lesson, proving the theory. Aviate, Navigate then, Communicate. I wouldn't have gotten into the position, but it did get me out of it. AND I'll still learn VORs better AND get the best GPS I can AND not be over confident when things are going too well AND time my deviations so I can get back on track AND learn something from every flight, even the good ones!
Hope my instructors aren't reading this!!!!!
Constructive comments welcome from the aviator community
