Carved up on finals and a tricky take off.
Carved up on finals, and a tricky take off.
We had planned this trip for some time, a nice little jolly into one of those day fly ins.
I am not going to name the field. but it is well known for pilots from many many locations to come in, and it is also a grass field. I mention this last as it becomes part of the story later.
Right, here we go. The trip there was uneventual, just a nice low level VFR flight amongst a herd of white fluffy cumulus casting shadows on the green fields below.
They say that the UK is vanishing under a sea of concrete but it is still amasing to see just how much green there is beneath our wings.
Ooops! got side tracked with a memory or two there. Now where was I?
Ah yes, the destination was in view way off in the distance. I cannot remember (Really?) whether there was an eficient joining radio, but we knew that it was a left hand circuit and joined down wind as usual . Being in the Bonanza I liked to keep well clear so that I would have plenty of time to get set for turning base and finals, gear down etc etc, You know the drill.
So there we were now well established on finals, gear and flaps down and 70 on the clock, when without any warning a plane, again I will not mention the type, just came on in front and carved us up. I had seen him as he was on my left, but I assumed he had seen me on finals and had precedence.
The seperation was about 100 yards I think. maybe more. but what do I do now. There were several other craft in the area, and I was unwilling to peel off or climb into an overshoot and go round again. So I thought, right you so and so, we are going to have words. To start a radio chat about it with the ground would screw it up for all and sundry so I hung on the prop and landed just astern of him. I told my passengers to see just where HE parked as I made my way to where I was to park myself guided by a gent with a couple of batons.
Brakes on, shut down and breath again.
When we, that is my three passengers and I got to the offender, he was chatting loudly with a group of what he obviously thought were admireres or sycophants. he being the ace pilot, so I interrupted him.
To lay it on the four of us glared at him while I told him exactly what WE thought of him and his flying.
He turned a bright shade of red, outdoing the sunshine and blustered miserably. It was no contest really. His admirers were thinning out as I spoke.
Well I hope it was a lesson learned. I can only think he was looking left towards the field and did not check out up long finals to see if there was any conflict.
Anyway it ended well as far as I was concerned. Was it dangerous? Yes and no. Yes because of the proximity, but no because I did have two other avenues had we got closer.
So. dear reader, what would you have done. C'mon do tell.
So now to the tricky take off. This was later as we all were departing. A long line of planes head to tail queueing up one behind the other moving slowly up to the Holding poing where a gent with a flag would let you go. Now as we all know there is a big performance difference between concrete and grass, especially with the bigger heavier planes such as the Bonnanza with four people on board and a good fuel load. I knew the runway was or should be OK but it would be closeish. Plan A. hang back as far as you can, then when the flag drops, I could get her rolling before ling up so that there would be some knots on the clock and then go for it. I told my oppo what was going to happen and he would get the gear up as soon as I lifted of. The reason for this was that at the far end of the field there wa a midling high hedge sitting on the edge of the raised roadway that was now full of walkers going to the car parks and vehicles driving away from the field. High sided vehicles comes to mind. I didn't want to even glance away from looking full ahead.
As we turned onto the runway, I gave her full throttle and away we went,
We reached rotate, I held it there for just a few seconds longer then up and away.
Gear up I shouted, he flipped the switch and we cleared the hedge. I suppose we were well clear, but the rear passengers told me later that people were a bit startled to say the least.
The trip back to base was again sedate and very pleasent all the way.
Ain;t flying such fun, Boring, never.