Extending yourself

[RichyRich]

Hi All

More of a gloat than anything else really, as I'm rather chuffed with yesterday's flight. (Well, with most of it anyway).

Route Southampton to Shoreham, a new destination for me. Meet the CFI at 0830, look in the tanks, change aircraft (faster than waiting for fuel), de-ice, check the plane out. Paperwork.

Get the ATIS, and ponder while waiting for the engine to warm up, if it go or no-go due to wind. I decided go (obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be hacking this out).

10 kt x-wind takeoff, and off we go. Ground speed a LOT slower than planned: it took 50 minutes to cover the 40 miles. In hindsight I estimated the wind at 3000' to be 50kts - is this realistic? Say hello to Goodwood, and then get Shoreham's ATIS. Say hello. Before I left, they had said R03 (tar/concrete), but it had changed to R07 (grass). Not a problem for all you guys (and girls:O ) who do grass regularly (not the smoking kind of course), but this was only my second time ever. Get my brain around that, and then given a straight-in approach. A first, and really had to get my head into gear. I think the strong headwind helped, as it took forever to get onto 2 mile final, and even longer to actually land.

Time was now against me (the scurge of not having your own aircraft I suppose), so pay, and immediately return to the aircraft (no tea and cakes!). Check out, start. Wait and wait and wait for a gap in the radio to ask for taxi. Amazing how you people based there actually ever get off the ground - busiest I've ever experienced. (Yes, I know, all these low-time issues).

Get going again, this time of course the ground speed was tremendous, so much that I almost shot into the controlled airspace way above that for which I was cleared. Luckily I didn't though. ATIS reporting gusts up to 26 kts. Worrying. I think to myself, I'll make one attempt at an approach, and if it doesn't work, go to the alternate (Bournemouth).

On final, the tower calls the wind at 12 kts (all cross of course). Got her down quite nicely (for me) (i.e using the full width of an extremely wide runway).

Turns out that the CFI wouldn't have even let me go (which I debated if you recall, on startup), if we had been able to get forecasts from the Met Office website. It was down (seems to be an ongoing weekend thing - the very time it should be online for all us part-timers). I think I have them to thank, as it would have been three-in-a-row for non-flying-due-weather.

Lessons learned? Grass isn't a big issue. Straight-in approaches tricky but do-able. Believe the ATIS. Review in-flight estimating of wind, as I reckon it was more than double what was given to me on the ground.

[FlyingForFun]

Well done, Rich!

I think we've probably all got one or two flights which are particular landmarks, beyond the obvious like first solo and QXC.

Straight in approaches are interesting, aren't they? The easiest way, I think, is to spot a point where I'd like to turn final, and aim to be at about 500' overhead that point. Much easier than trying to find an aiming point on the runway when you're miles out.

FFF
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[RichyRich]

Thanks FFF

Yes, this one will I think stick in my memory. I've trundled up to Thruxton before (in fact my previous flight, 3 weeks ago) and the thing I learned from that is believe the navigation, don't try to second guess where the airfield is: found it off my starboard wing! But yesterday's flight was chock-full of things.

I'll remember your advice on the straight-in, perhaps even review on (should I admit this?) Flight Sim.

RR

[Fly Stimulator]

Well done Richy. I think that extending yourself is absolutely essential if you are to really learn and gain experience from your flying. The alternative seems to me to be the classic scenario of having flown the same hour x hundred times.

It was a little windy yesterday. I popped over to Le Touquet to lay in a Christmas supply of Perard’s soups. On the way down past Detling I was overtaken by a train on the new high-speed link. I was flat out at 120kts IAS but only doing 95 over the ground and it left me standing. I didn’t see one on the way back, so was unable to go for a re-match with a tailwind.

I stopped at Lydd for some of their nice cheap fuel for those leaving the UK and listened to the wind reports get worse as I got closer. By the time I landed it was 26knots at 50 degrees off the runway heading which resulted in a very wing down approach and called for some caution in taxiing once down.

Le Touquet were using 06 which gives a great view of the town as you come in, though it also puts you through some interesting turbulence over the woods on final approach.

Apart from the wind it was a lovely day for flying though. Only a few days to go now until sunset starts getting later!

[Penguina]

Well done on that! Crosswinds scare me, probably through not extending myself enough. My last landing was one such and I hated every minute of it! :(

You were probably one of the light aircraft I was gazing at in envy while out walking yesterday.

PS - I find straight-ins easier to plan if I aim to be at or just below 1000ft about 2 miles out (assuming a normal approach), but I expect Cpt. FFF, CPL's way is better so will think about it!

[FlyingForFun]

I expect Cpt. FFF, CPL's way is better so will think about it!Not at all! There's more than one way to skin a cat (so the saying goes, although I've never skinned a cat, don't know any ways of doing so, and don't have a clue what it's got to do with flying). The best way, I think, is whatever way works best for you! The only reason to try most things that anyone else suggests is if you're not happy with the way you're currently doing it, whatever it is.

Same for lots of things, actually.

FFF
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[Flyboy-F33]

Sure was windy yesterday.....On the way to Kemble my groundspeed was 189 kts, that equates to 38 kts of wind at 3500ft. (not quite so quick on the way back though)

GG

[Keef]

Went to Le Touquet today for lunch, soup, and wine. Groundspeed 109 knots all the way there, over 150 knots most of the way back. Glorious CAVOK some of the way, but some STSC over the channel.

Stuff at Southend doing IFR approaches (in IMC) when we got back! We remained VMC and were neatly sequenced into the flow by Approach.

Brilliant day out!