I infringed today . . .

[Stik]

I'm feeling pretty crappy right now, after screwing up badly ... I think I've learned a big lesson and maybe it can help others too . Here's what happened.

I was flying my first solo navex land away, and infringed Luton ATZ.

Briefly, the circumstances were as follows: my route was from Blackbushe to Cranfield via Westcott and Woburn. Everything was going fine approaching Westcott, where there was intense glider activity - I had seen 3 or 4 in the vicinity. As I approached Westcott, it was necessary to make a turn to give the gliders plenty of room. Consequently, I was unable to actually turn toward Woburn, precisely where I had intended. I thought I was now north of Westcott so turned 090 to intercept my intended heading of 056.

I was receiving a FIS from Cranfield Approach, who requested I report overhead Woburn. As the leg progressed, I saw a town in my 10 o'clock (I took as Milton Keynes), another in my 2 o'clock (which I took as Leighton Buzzard). I made out a disused field abeam on my LHS, around my half way point. (I took this as the disused field at Little Horwood). As everything seemed to ‘fit’, I maintained the heading. Unfortunately, the towns were in fact Leighton Buzzard to my left, and Hemel Hempstead to my right. The disused field was Wing. As the ETA to Woburn approached I was concerned that I did not have the abbey or village in sight, but soon made out a manor with a lake ahead. The conurbation to my left was larger than it should have been and the manor did not look right. . (I had flown the leg dual the previous week). 'Alarm' bells started ringing in my head. Despite this, I reported 'overhead Woburn' and was asked to report downwind. My heading now was planned as 358, but the field I could see was more like 030 . . . the 'alarm bells got louder'. Cranfield asked my position and I think it was at this point, I told them I was uncertain. Another aircraft on frequency reported they believed me to be overhead 'the brickworks' although I could not confirm that. Cranfield believed they had me visual, but by this time I could make out the field much more clearly and it was definitely not Cranfield. I reported that I could see jets on ‘’rwy 06’’, and it was now blatantly obvious I was in the Luton ATZ.

Cranfield passed me on to Luton ATC who vectored me to my intended destination. I was mortified with my error and very nervous. I joined the circuit at Cranfield from left base and landed safely. Unsurprisingly, it was far from my best effort in a circuit.

Luton ATC had been splendid - very calm, helpful and no hint of chastisement, only a request to telephone the ATC supervisor at Luton upon landing. This I did, and gave a brief account, explaining I must have become disoriented after avoiding gliders around Westcott. It seemed a poor excuse, and it is only now, sat at home with my chart on the desk can I understand how I let this happen.

After telephoning the school, I flew the return leg, nervously but without any difficulty. I was very happy to touch down at ‘home’.

My experience so far ? I'm a 35 hour JARPPL student. I fly two or three times a week subject to weather. I've passed all but the RT exams. I was feeling quietly confident about this part of the training, but this has 'knocked me for six'. My FI is being very supportive, I'm going in tommorrow to talk it over again and weather permitting, fly it dual again. (although at the moment - I'm not sure how I feel about that !)

It is a bit late in the day now, but I can see how I got into the situation. Reasons, rather than excuses: - the geography was uncannily like my intended route; perhaps the westerly wind was stronger than planned for; but mainly, I was not north of Wescott after my manoeuvring turns? My lesson from all this is to trust my training more and be more proactive. The minute those ''alarm bells'' began to ring I should have acted. I should've requested a position fix there and then, rather than taking comfort in ATC’s supposition that they had me in sight of their field. I was the pilot - it was my responsibility.


I'm not sure what happens next . . .

[ShyTorque]

What happens next is that you feel roughed up for a few days.

You work out exactly where you made your mistakes. You learn from them and you carry on.

Like all of us muckers did.

[stickandrudderman]

Lost?

Don't worry about it. Go and do your next trip solo and if you get lost call 121.5 and they'll sort you out no problem, no sweat, no bollockings. Just do it early!
Remember, they're not like Plod, looking for any excuse to give you a ticket, they want to help you stay out of trouble.

[White Bear]

Stik,
Ease up on yourself.
You’re a 35 hour student pilot; you know just enough to get the aircraft airborne, and land it again, if the wind is right.
Pilotage Navigation can be difficult sometimes; the view is very different from up there, and it takes a little getting used too.
Everyone screws up, everyone.
You walked away, you get to use the aeroplane again, so it was a good lesson.
Forgive yourself.
Regards,
W.B.

[Final 3 Greens]

Stik

Firstly you have learned an important lesson, it doesn't take very long to get disoriented. It can happen to all of us.

Secondly, your attitude is exemplary, you will be a safe pilot.

Third, if you ever feel that you are unsure immediately call up 121.5 and ask for a training fix - within seconds they will tell you, without any fuss, a relative bearing to a town.

Fourth, if you are still unhappy, inform 121.5 that you are uncertain of your position and they will help you. Don't hesitate, D&D are there to help you and they will.

Finally, post PPL, it's worth spending more time with an instructor becoming comfortable with radio nav techniques (beacon tracking) and basic GPS use.

Then you will have two additional sources of nav info to fall back on.

And very finally, if you ever read the "skygods" on PPrune complaining about PPLs blocking their 121.5/guard channel, please ignore this, the UK authorities have provided the Training Fix and Practice Pan services to aid students like you on navexes, as an aid to flight safety.

[kookabat]

Stik: Well done 'fessing up. We all make mistakes like that... I got lost on my solo nav right before my flight test and had to get ATC assistance... I've stuffed up a few more times as well, I can tell you. You talk about it to various people, you feel bad for a few days, but you learn from the experience and you certainly won't be making THAT little mistake again!

You have the right attitude for a pilot in any case. Anyone who DOESN'T feel a little bad after something like that obviously doesn't care enough.

[B Fraser]

There are two types of student, those who have...... and those who will.

The D&D team on 121.5 are a great bunch and have all sorts of clever methods for getting you out of trouble. Ask your flying club to arrange a visit to West Drayton and you will have a very informative day out.

[bookworm]

As the leg progressed, I saw a town in my 10 o'clock (I took as Milton Keynes), another in my 2 o'clock (which I took as Leighton Buzzard). I made out a disused field abeam on my LHS, around my half way point. (I took this as the disused field at Little Horwood). As everything seemed to ‘fit’, I maintained the heading. Unfortunately, the towns were in fact Leighton Buzzard to my left, and Hemel Hempstead to my right.

The day they stick large visual idents on towns, lakes and roads is the day I'll stop banging on about the CAA's regressive attitude to GPS.

[FREDAcheck]

Originally Posted by B Fraser

There are two types of student, those who have...... and those who will.

I'd expand that. There are three types of pilot:
- those that make mistakes and admit it
- those that make mistakes and don't admit it
- those that make mistakes and don't even know it

Well done for realising, and dealing with it well. And welcome to the club of bruised egos that aren't as good as we'd like to be, but always try to learn from mistakes.

[stiknruda]

Dear chap - as somebody has already said, we've all made mistakes! No one is dead, no one is injured or inconvenienced - chalk it down to experience!

Many folk with greater experience have made much bigger mistakes - some of us have even landed at the wrong airport, in my case it was at a temporary crop spraying strip instead of a large tarmac runway!

When is your next sortie?


Stik

[Genghis the Engineer]

Well handled.

You made a navigational mistake; this is a normal state of affairs for anybody flying light aeroplanes. We all do our very best not to, but don't always succeed, however experienced.

Then, using available resources you got out of trouble, without going to pieces, and spoke to the people you needed to speak to. Again well done.


For a 35 hour pilot, you are a credit to yourself and your instructor. Learn from what happened, and handle any future mistakes as well, and you'll continue to be.

Well done, and stop beating yourself up - it's not necessary. I'd not expect that anybody will take any action against anybody for this - it might appear as a footnote in a report somewhere with some lessons to be learned from it (so if somebody does come and ask you more questions, don't worry, just be open and honest with them - as I'm sure from your attitude above you would be anyhow).

G

(Also got lost on my QXC, and although I didn't infringe any airspace, probably didn't handle it as well as you have).

[Choxolate]

I concur with the sentiments of the earlier postings.

Importantly when you realised you had cocked up you did the right thing, we have ALL done it to a greater or lesser extent only some do not learn from their mistakes (some do not even realise or admit that it had happened.) One thing is for sure you are now a safer pilot and that is a GOOD thing.

The only people who do not make mistakes are those who do not do anything. You will make more mistakes but if you approach them with the same attitude you'll be fine.

I would estimate that on average I make at least one recognised "error" on every other flight - most are minor (frogetting to do a FREDA check, forgetting to switch tanks at the right time etc.) but some are real ring tighteners.

Don't wear a hairshirt and lash yourself - if you do not read PILOT magazine then have a look at the back page next time you get hold of a copy - ILAFFT - (I learnt about flying from that) is always excellent reading.

[Standard Noise]

Stik - as an ATCO, I'd say it sounds like you got into this situation through trying to do the right thing ie avoiding the gliders. No ATCO could or should blame you for taking that course of action. As a result, you inadvertantly ended up inside CAS, ah well, it happens. What annoys ATCOs, is when it happens and we never find out why either because the a/c troggs through our zone and says nothing or they don't ring back to explain. Honest mistakes are honest mistakes, no two ways about it.
From the start of September, we will be filing on all infringements at Bristol, but only for auditing purposes. The CAA want to know how many infringements occur (with our new airspace) and the reasons, but only so they, and we, can work out a plan of action to try to prevent it from happening again and again, not for any want of "punishing" anyone.

It appears you admitted to yourself you needed help, got it, and did as you were asked by Luton, we as ATCOs couldn't ask for anything else, don't worry about it mate.

[Maxflyer]

Briefly, the circumstances were as follows: my route was from Blackbushe to Cranfield via Westcott and Woburn.

Were you using the WCO NDB? Or was it just coincidentally on your route?
I didn't know that NDBs could be used for Navigation exercises during training (I wish I could have used them in mine!) is it something that is up to the instructor?
I mistook Duxford for Cambridge on one of my navexs. It was only the fact that I didn't think Cambridge had a concorde there that woke me up and prevented me from becaming a laughing stock ...although some would say that I am a laughing stock!

[Bravo73]

Originally Posted by Final 3 Greens

Third, if you ever feel that you are unsure immediately call up 121.5 and ask for a training fix - within seconds they will tell you, without any fuss, a relative bearing to a town.

Fourth, if you are still unhappy, inform 121.5 that you are uncertain of your position and they will help you. Don't hesitate, D&D are there to help you and they will.

Final 3 Greens,

Agree with all of your sentiments (and great advice!) but just to clarify: if you are actually lost, tell D&D that you are lost. Don't try and 'hide' it by asking for a 'training fix'.

Give D&D the full info from the off. It would seem that some of the time, it's these bogus 'training fixes' that wind up the 'skygods' on 121.5.


HTH,

B73

[Martin @ EGLK]

The one thing I've learnt about the CAA (including ATC's in zones) is that it's always better if you tell them about your errors before they come to you (if you have to tell them at all).

Between you and Cranfield, you did the right thing in realising your situation and taking the most appropriate action to rectify it. In this case, calling up Luton.

If you'd have just bimbled around a bit, interfered with Luton traffic & then found your way to Cranfield, both you & your instructor would on the receiving end of the CAA's wrath.

As it happens, to them, your probably just a statistic. Which in this case, is good.

[markflyer6580]

I did it on a very short hop for maintainance about 2 flying hrs post skills test.

Infringed a restricted danger area around an RAF base,got as close as short final when I realized,I was plenty annoyed with myself at the time and it knocked my confidence as I had never got lost during training.
It was also the day I learned about scud running and vfr minima,I don't fly when its that bad anymore even for short bimbles.
Like you I called the RAF the day after as it was late on a sunday when it happened,fortunately the shiny red jets where in the hangars at the time and the place was closed,it would have been a different story midweek.
The SATCO was very good about it though and the general concencus at the club was that every body does it and thats the way it is.

I still get a bit nervous going through the luton/stanstead corridor now as a result,but have made sure my VOR tracking etc is up to scratch to ease things.

Enjoy the rest of your training

[hobbit1983]

Low-hour PPL here - haven't infringed yet, but if/when I do so, I hope I handle it as well as you did

[QDMQDMQDM]

I still get a bit nervous going through the luton/stanstead corridor now as a result,but have made sure my VOR tracking etc is up to scratch to ease things.

VOR?! Sod that and just get a GPS as soon as you are qualified. It ain't the be-all, but add that to a map and a compass and your chances of infringing are much reduced. I cannot believe the attitude to GPS in some corners in this country.

Why would you voluntarily fly with one arm tied behind your back? It's the same kind of attitude as kept parachutes out of planes in the first world war: just isn't gentlemanly, don't you know?

QDM

[big.al]

Stik -
The things to remember about mistakes like this are:

• we all make them

• we will all make more of them

• you have learnt from it

• the learning will continue

• the more mistakes you make, the more you will learn

• how you deal with the situation once the mistake is made is paramount

and finally (my opinion)

• whilst prevention is always better than cure (we all know the adage about the five 'P's) remaining calm in the face of adversity and seeking help where available is just as important a part of 'good airmanship' as trying to be a 'perfect pilot' who never makes a mistake... there is no such person of course.

I speak from (a lack of) experience - I have relatively few hours but plenty of mistakes in the bank, and rather than pretending I won't make any more errors I simply intend to learn from each one and try to avoid making the same one twice. Like you, I've beaten myself up over some of them for a while, but then realised after a time that it's counter-productive. Good luck with the continued training.