The wind was still a bit fearsome as I started up the RV at Lydd, given as 060/17, which with the runway in use of 02, would make for a fun take-off. There were four RAF trainer Grob aircraft all doing power checks in unison in front of me, so I held off for a bit until they wandered off for take-off.
Power checks complete, Lydd Tower asked if I was OK to depart from the intersection – let’s think, that leave a mere 1000m or so of runway – ummm – yeah, should be able to squeak the RV out in that distance! (But nice of them to ask).
Ran through the wind and my crossed controls in my head, lined up, power up and rolling. Tail up and still OK on the runway, then the plane started to get ‘light’ on it’s feet and I felt it being pushed, countered and corrected, then time to ease off and up we went.
I asked for an orbit of the airfield so I could take a few photos of the airfield from various angles and Lydd were happy to comply. I got my photos, then headed off coastwise in search of Folkestone and the Battle of Britain memorial, on the cliffs just outside Folkestone to the north east.
I said goodbye to Lydd at Folkestone and changed to Manston Approach. I spotted the Battle of Britain memorial very easily.
It is in the form of a large three bladed propellor with a statue of an airman sat on the spinner in the middle, obviously designed to be viewed from the air, and what better way of seeing it! I did a couple of orbits at about 1500’. There didn’t seem to be many people there and I hope I didn’t disturb those who were there – but I am sure every pilot wants to pay his respects in kind. For no particular reason, and I know it sounds cheesy, I waggled my wings in salute to the memorial and headed along the coast to Manston.
I picked up the ATIS and it wasn’t good news. Runway 10 in use and the wind was given as 020/17 – a full 17 kt crosswind! The ATIS is of course recorded and may be up to one hour out of date. But if they gave the same wind, was I going to try for a landing? I thought about this, emboldened by my successful landing at Lydd. Then I thought – no, I won’t risk it, not worth it. I don’t HAVE to and this is supposed to be fun, not palm-sweating.
I called Manston Approach on their new frequency (always worth checking NOTAMs). I explained that I had the ATIS (they are VERY keen on you getting this first apparently) and was inbound to land and that I did have PPR, but wanted a spot windcheck first. He confirmed the bad news and it was unchanged. I said I was kind of hoping for better news and that I wasn’t going to try landing my RV6 taildragger in such a wind – maybe next time. He was fine about this as I asked if I could route along the coast then set course for Southend.
I was asked to report at various VRP’s, including Deal. Due to some scattered cloud, I was down to 2000’. I spotted Manston easily – it’s HUGE! I could probably have landed sideways on the 61m runway with that crosswind! I rounded the headland at Margate then at about Herne Bay, set track direct to Southend and across the Thames estuary.
I noted huge sandbars in the estuary – well if the engine quits, that’s where I’ll head! There was a huge offshore windfarm in the estuary – a sign of the times. About halfway across, I said goodbye to Manston and changed to Southend Radar, picking up the ATIS first.
They asked me to continue and report airfield in sight. I knew where it was of course from the map and the GPS and I could see where it should be, but given that I was approaching at right angles to the only runway, I couldn’t seem to spot it. Then at 5 miles, I definitely got it. It was what I had been looking at. I called visual and was given a downwind join for runway 06 with right-hand circuits, the wind was given as 060/09 – nice, no crosswind!
I turned left to get to the downwind and noted that the circuit took you over the town, with nowhere to go if the engine quit, so I stayed reasonably close. The circuit seemed quiet and I was given number one for final while I was on base. I wasn’t frantic about putting it down on the numbers as it was a fair way to the Taxiway Bravo and the GA parking area. I did a nice landing and controlled the roll out, again with no use of brakes. As expected, I was directed to turn off onto taxiway Bravo and park with the other GA aircraft between some BAE125’s and the tower.
I parked up and shutdown as I was again starting to cook under the bubble canopy in the bright sunshine. I gratefully popped the canopy, yes it was breezy, but nowhere near as bad as Lydd. I donned my high-vis jacket (much beloved of these ‘proper’ airports) as I looked around for the reporting point.
The reporting point was obvious as it had the biggest yellow square and black ‘C’ I have ever seen! This took me into the ‘Executive handling facility’. Very nice it was, with over-stuffed black leather chairs and a uniformed chap just waiting to take my landing fee. At £24.15 for a tiny RV6, I can now understand his enthusiasm – at that rate, it wouldn’t take long to re-float the economy of Zimbabwe! Ouch!
I asked after a café and was directed to turn right into the corridor. This took me into the commercial passenger terminal of the airport as Southend are trying very hard to become a ‘proper’ airport – and by the looks of the crowded passenger terminal, were succeeding!
I treated myself to a Panini and a latte and watched the world go by for a bit. I fancied a few hours at home in daylight, so didn’t linger and made my way back to the plane. The happy chappy in the executive terminal (by now planning his retirement on the strength of my £24.15) buzzed me out of the security doors as I walked back to the plane and gave it a quick check – just the usual, oil, fuel, prop still attached etc.
I climbed in and asked for engine start. I was given this and taxi instructions. As expected, this was along taxiway Charlie to Charlie 1 for 06. I did my power checks then sat there while two in front of me departed, then again for arriving aircraft. I was starting to cook as the sun beat down and I was eventually given clearance. I was up and away as soon as decently possible to get some airflow in the blowers!
I climbed away with a right turn departure which gave me a good opportunity to take some photos of the airfield. I set course for home at Gloucester via LAM and BNN – the dreaded ‘north London low-level route – constrained by Category A London airspace to the south and overhead from 2500’ and to the north by jealously guarded Category D airspace of Luton and Stansted – creating a 10-20nm wide corridor with an absolute altitude constraint of 2500’ and I hate it!
I climbed to 2300’, turned on most of my lights, got my eyes out on stalks and talked to the new Farnboro Radar, who gave me a specific squawk. It seemed quiet enough and I didn’t spot anyone, then came the dreaded call from Farnboro Radar – ‘multiple contacts in your 12 o’clock, no height, manoeuvring ‘. Well I spotted them as they were in the circuit at Stapleford and well below me, so that one was easy.
Then my personal favourite ‘Opposite direction traffic at 12 o’clock, 2 miles’ and either ‘no height information’ (bastard – use your bloody Mode C!) or in one case ‘indicating 2200’ (here’s me at 2300’, so waaaayyyy too close for comfort of worse comes to worse.
The only one I saw was a single engine high wing aircraft that passed to my left about half a mile away. I spotted him when he was at about 11 o’clock and waggled my wings to indicate that I had seen him.
I was then past BNN and coming up on the town of Thame when I knew I was clear of the 2500’ altitude constraint, so I announced my intention to climb to 3300’. I felt a lot better up there I can tell you. I noticed that I had been gripping the stick fairly tightly and wiped some seat from my hands – the opening scene from Top Gun sprang to mind where Goose said ‘take it easy Mav, I don’t like this sh*t’ as he flew a head to head with the enemy MIG’s – can’t think why!
I called Brize and asked for a zone transit so I could avoid various airfields and glider sites strung out across my path like a series of forts in the Maginot line. Brize were very helpful and gave me a transit at 3800’ with various warnings about gliding sites and the like.
I picked up the Gloucester ATIS who were giving minimal wind and runway 09 in use. I said goodbye to Brize and switched to Gloucester on a combined frequency of 128.55. I got a standard overhead join for 09 with three joining from different directions at about the same time – oh joy! I seemed to be ahead, so to make sure I stayed that way, I kept my approach speed up. Sure enough I made it first and was well into the deadside descent, when the next to join just reached the overhead and spotted me, so in the end we were all well spaced.
My circuit was good and I was cleared to land. I tried hard to land long on 09 as the turnoff is right at the end and I didn’t want to make anyone wait of go around behind me. Having said that, it is hard as you have a serious argument with your subconscious on final, with your own internal ‘autopilot’ telling you to land on the numbers, but your conscious mind aiming halfway down the runway with the two having a running battle all the way down on final.
I did land long, but not as long as I would have liked and had a reasonable ‘trundle’ along the active runway to the turnoff. Gloucester gave the aircraft behind me a ‘land after’ which they seemed to accept (I would have). I was just turning off the runway but still shy of the hold when the aircraft behind queried why they hadn’t been cleared to land. Gloucester explained that they had been given a ‘land after’ and that that was clearance if they accepted it – bottom line is that they didn’t seem to understand what a ‘land after’ was – worrying!
Down and safe, I shut down and popped the canopy as quickly as decently possible. The time, now 15:30, so not bad timing.
A good trip, first down to the south coast, then along the Kent coast to Essex, then along north of London headed west back to Gloucester. Took in two ‘new’ airfields for me and chickened out of the planned third – I’ll get Manston one day! Very pleasant flight and enjoyed fooling around by myself.
I’ll see if I can’t get another flight in picking up more ‘new’ airfields before my flying holiday in Texas in mid-October – fingers crossed for my annual medical at the start of October, but I don’t anticipate any problems.
