Kemble

I had a busy weekend coming up, but wanted a flight to keep my hand in with the RV, so I booked it for two hours on Saturday morning. I was planning a local, but then I thought why not do a brief landaway to a very nearby airfield instead, which I could still manage within two elapsed hours – so a monumental endurance flight from Gloucester to Kemble and back it was!

I asked my daughter’s boyfriend if he wanted to be ‘self-loading freight’ and he did. This would be his first trip with me that wasn’t a local (shame on me!).

I turned up early and checked the plane out. Low on fuel again, so a trip to the pumps would be in order. I man-handled it single handed out of the hangar and parked it up outside. One of the Citation jets was parked outside and blocking my way out, but they don’t leave them out for long so I figured he would be away soon.

After a trip to the ablutions, the jet still wasn’t moving, so a quick trip to the pumps before my passenger turned up was looking doubtful. I was parked a suitable distance away and to one side from the likely jet blast, but I wanted to be by my plane just in case. The pilot of the jet turned up and indicated he would be gone in five minutes. I waited while he went through his pre-flight checks just to make sure that as he turned at the end of the Cotswold ramp, that his jet blast didn’t bounce the RV around. I needn’t have worried, as although the jet blast was making the skin of the hangar door ripple like paper and making me smell like a baggage handler at Heathrow, it had no effect on the RV.

Rob turned up on time as usual (well, he is German!), grabbed my hi-vis vest and wandered over to the pumps where I would meet him. I dropped 30 litres into each side by which time a queue was starting to form at the pumps. I was at the front and the plane behind me was still fuelling, so I figured I had time to jump in, start up and taxi clear before the guy behind me was ready to do likewise. I was about one minute away from startup when the chap behind turned up at my 10 o’clock and indicated that he could pull me forward. Rather than pop the canopy and have a shouted conversation, I decided to accept his help and indicated for him to hold there, I cut the master switch, checked the magneto’s then indicate to him the all clear – he could touch the prop as it wasn’t ‘live’.

Once clear, I started up and taxied the enormous distance to A2 (15 metres) and completed power checks. We lined up and I was away for a left turnout from runway 27. We climbed to altitude quickly as I was crossing the ridge and calling for a frequency change to Kemble Information – although a short trip, it would be a busy one as you barely have time to climb to altitude before you are thinking of calling Kemble for airfield information.

I changed frequency and called Kemble. Runway 26 was in use in calm wind conditions. I spotted Kemble and started to position myself for a standard overhead join. Yep, there’s the main runway and the disused second runway at the appropriate angle. Yep, on the deadside already with about 3 miles to run, but I would plan to orbit the overhead to descend on the deadside. Hmmmm….. something odd about it…… Where are the big jets being scrapped? Where are the numerous blister hangars? Can’t see the runway numbers, they used to be very big, white and clear. Can’t see the dark black ‘high friction’ centre section on the main runway. Looks like gliders down there – GLIDERS! Arrgghhhh!!!! Idiot!!!! That’s bloody Aston Down! Well at least I hadn’t actually reached the overhead, so I could ‘pretend’ to anyone watching on the ground that I was merely taking a look. What a schoolboy error – but I consoled myself with the true story that some CAA inspectors had actually landed there thinking it was Kemble!



Of course I then spotted Kemble and routed for an overhead join there. I cut inside Kemble village on base / final (as per noise abatement) and settled on a very nice final. There was a plane just landed in front and one not far behind. It was clear from where the guy in front landed that he wasn’t going to make the turnoff before I landed so I called a ‘go around’.

Next approach was much clearer and I resolved to try not to land on the numbers to avoid a long trundle to the turnoff. I landed long, but of course not long enough, so I still had a fair old trundle to the turnoff.

I taxied onto the grass tower apron and was instructed to park beside the ‘tailwind’. OK, I know a few aircraft, but I didn’t know what a ‘tailwind’ was. So I called ‘unfamiliar with tailwind’. The guy in to tower helpfully said ‘it’s the black and green jobbie by the fence’. What a good description, but if he added ‘…..and it looks like a tent’ the description would have been perfect!

I shut down as we scrambled out. First call, pay the landing fee. So I wandered over to the tower and went into the door first left and asked to pay the fee (I always used to pay it here). They pointed out that this was the Ultimate High and that I should pay the fee upstairs – oh yeah, that would explain the logos everywhere! Doing well so far today!

As I was paying the fee upstairs, the guy on duty had a call from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – could they do a flyby of Kemble in 10 minutes or so? I mouthed to him to ‘SAY YES!’, which he did. Great, lets pay the fee and standby outside the AV* for the flypast.

We grabbed a latte and slice of cake from the still very nice and posh AV8, although they still seemed to have plumbing problems in the toilets (but then they always have had).



Well, we waited and waited and waited for the BBMF. The Ultimate High treated us to so aerobatics and a couple of ‘run and break’ joins. A BAE125 four-engined high-wing commuter jet joined and landed. No sign of the BBMF, so we wandered over to see some of the jets on static display, a Canberra, Buccaneer and some flying Hunters outside Delta Jets.



Still no BBMF and I was running out of time, so back to the plane and mount up. We had the long trundle to A1 for 26 where there was now a queue and loads of planes wanting to land. I completed power checks and noticed a Robin in front of me in the queue, but on one side still doing checks. I was ready for departure and he clearly wasn’t, so I taxied in front to the hold. Then he called ‘Ready for departure (cheeky as he wasn’t even near the hold)’, so I motioned to him to go around behind me to pull up to the hold in front of me and to my right while I pulled out of his way. My courtesy was acknowledged by a stoney stare as he moved imperiously off – well, it takes all sorts I guess!



Kemble Info lined us both up one behind the other on the runway as we took off in stream – very efficiently handled I thought.

I set track for Gloucester and changed frequency quickly to pick up the ATIS. The flight back was brief and busy. Standard overhead join for 27, then Gloucester seemed to get something stuck on their radio as it seemed to be on constant transmit, but with the controller sounding like he was talking from the other side of the room. I continued to give normal calls and the problem sorted itself out.

I was behind a Cessna and tried hard not to gain on him, but he made it hard by flying such a wide circuit – another ‘bomber’ circuit! I managed to keep a decent distance such that he was clear of the runway by the time I was on short final and cleared to land.

I was keen to be stopped by the intersection so as not to inconvenience the person behind me. Got the speed under control and flared and held off and off and off, then we touched. Nice one. Let it run then a dab of brakes and we were stopped in nil wind by the intersection, pleased with that!

To be fair, the Cessna wasn’t from a local school as I had thought, as he clearly didn’t know where to go and needed progressive taxi instructions. I know what it is like at a strange airfield, so I eased well back from him and felt a wave of sympathy.

We eventually parked up and shut down.

Well, that made for an interesting and busy trip, good fun though! An airfield recognition exercise, a go around, radio problems with the tower, a learner driver in front stopping all the time – very eventful!

Lydd to Southend and Home

Mindful of the comments on the notes on AIS that Manston was STRICTLY PPR through TG Aviation, I called them first and gained my prior permission. So next stop Manston. TG Aviation did warn me about the crosswind from the north, but didn’t give me any values. I said I would give it a go.

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.

Gloucester to Lydd

I was planning to go to the Flyer Forum fly-in at Wellesborne, but with the day as excellent as it was promised, I switched to try form my much postponed trip to ‘pick up’ a few airfields in SE England that I had always flown past, but never landed at. Basically, I planned to drop down to the south coast and land at Lydd, then on to Manston, scross the Thames estuary to Southend then along the ‘north London low-level route’ back to Gloucester, all in one day.

When I woke early, the worst news possible, FOG! I mean bad stuff. So I cursed and planned to scrub the day. I did a dump run of DIY detritus and noticed on the way back that it was starting to break, so back to pick up my gear and head off to the airfield. Sure enough, it was starting to lift and break, with METARS on the south coast reporting CAVOK.

I checked the plane and filled her up to the gunnels (as I was alone, I was well within W&B). The weather was now pretty good with minimal wind. I was up and away by 10:30. The route? EGBJ DCT GWC DCT SFD DCT EGMD, so straight line to the Goodwood VOR first. Then the next decision – under or over the clouds?



I decided to go on top at about 4400’ – I had to stay below 4500’ as there was a small lump of Category A airspace nearer the south coast and I didn’t want to upset anyone. I could still see the ground through the odd breaks as I spoke to Brize then Farnboro. No one else up here, so I had a quiet run. About 30 miles from the south coast, some of the clouds welled up to well above 5000’, so I had to do a little ’dinking’ around clouds looking for ‘cloud valleys’ to get through. Of course I could always go down through a ‘hole’ but where’s the fun in that? I found my way through and turned to run coastwise as I switched to Shoreham Approach.



The clouds along the coast were a bit more problematic. The damned things were at 3000’. It was clearer out to sea, but as I didn’t pack a life jacket or life raft, I didn’t fancy that, so dropped and started dodging clouds. Approaching SFD VOR, I was down to 2300’ and still scraping my head on clouds.

I picked up the Lydd ATIS. Oh joy! Runway 03 in use, but the wind - -070 / 20kts! Oh crap! Quickm mental arithmetic, wind 50 degrees off, call it 45 degrees, so take 0.7 as the crosswind component, so a crosswind of, err, about 14kts. I would have laughed about that in any of the nosewheel aircraft I used to fly, but it was most certainly not a laughing matter in tailwheel aircraft, and a small and light one at that. This would be the most crosswind I had ever attempted in the RV, but I decided to give it a try and be ready to go around if there was anything I didn’t like.



I called for joining and was given a direct to 02 call at 5 miles. I did and continued to 2 miles, now down to 1500’ and sensibly slowed up. I pulled on the flaps at 1 mile and settled into the 70kt approach speed. Yes, the nose was nicely off to the right to track the extended centreline. I called for a spot wind, same as the ATIS.



I flared on the numbers and kicked it straight at the same time applying opposite aileron and holding both in while pulling back at the same time. Stall warner blaring, hold off, more, not drifting – good! We touch as I continue to pull back to anchor the tailwheel while still holding aileron and dancing on the rudder to keep her straight on the roll out. Nothing dramatic, but I did feel the tail twitch a couple of times and was straight on it with rudder. Really didn’t touch the brakes, just let her roll. She was down to normal taxi speed well in time for me to make the turnoff to the left onto the old disused cross-runway. I parked up near the tower on Charlie apron and ran through the shut down checklist as the temperature in the cockpit soared under the bubble canopy while I sweated. I finished the close down checks and eagerly popped the canopy. Bliss – but hey, what a wind! I shot a glance at the windsock – Holy moley, did I just land in THAT! I had mixed emotions, one was that I was impressed with myself (sorry but it’s true – not trying to be big-headed!) and the other was me asking the question ‘Would I do circuits on a day like this at Gloucester with that crosswind’ and coming back with the answer ‘No way!’.



Lydd calls itself ‘London Ashford’ – who are they kidding. The place was pretty empty. I had a friendly reception as I paid the modest £13.80 landing fee. I made my way to a huge café. A few people there but not many. Had a quick cuppa and a snickers and had a wander around. Nice viewing area outside and friendly invitations to drop into the Lydd Flying Club, which I didn’t have time for.



Good pilot briefing facilities. I noted a golf course within easy walk from the airfield, but from the air it really does seem miles from anywhere. It was certainly windblown as I contemplated a lovely crosswind take-off while finishing my tea.

Next leg - Lydd to Manston.....

No 'around SE England' today!

I had an ‘around SE England’ trip planned for a couple of weeks now. The real aim of the trip is to visit a few airfields I have always flown past on the way to France, but never landed at – I am still chasing my 100 airfields!

The route would be from Gloucester to GWC at Goodwood, the along the south coast to Lydd as my first stop. Then from Lydd to Manston (taking in the RAF memorial along the coast) for the next stop. Then from Manston to Southend, then Southen back to Gloucester via the low level route north of London. This would be a series of quick stops, long enough to pay the landing fee then bash on. Considerations would be the wind as all of the mentioned airports have only one runway, are all coastal and so may suffer from significant crosswinds (not a favourite for taildraggers).

I had planned this for Sunday. I got a call from one of the group member on Saturday night who said that when he checked the plane on Saturday, another group member had shut down a few days ago and left the master switch and engine monitoring display on, so the battery was completely dead! He explained that he borrowed a charger and charged it enough that with hand-swinging he got the plane started and the alternator charging the battery, but he wasn’t sure if the battery was now ruined and whether it would hold the charge. Bottom line was that if the battery readout was less than 12.2v – don’t fly as we need to replace the battery. It transpired that the relatively new group member concerned didn’t use the checklist when shutting down.

I checked the UK Metoffice forecasts first thing on Sunday morning and it didn’t look good. A front was forecast to be in over Gloucester by early afternoon and raining, with significant winds of 240/25. It was already pretty gloomy and although it was perfectly flyable with clouds at about 2500’, by the sound of it, it was going to deteriorate. All of this persuaded me to abandon my long trip and settle for a local with a few circuits in the morning.

I checked the plane out and the battery reading was well above the suggested minimum, so it looks like the battery wasn’t trashed and hopefully won’t need replacing.

Next trick – to get the plane out of the hangar by myself. Wimp I hear you say? Not a bit of it, there was a bloody great big Citation jet in the way with barely enough room to squeeze our tiny aircraft past – even then, our wing would have to pass under the low wing of the Citation which if I got it precisely right, it would do so with about 6 inches of clearance, but if I got it wrong it could easily make contact – well, that simply wasn’t going to happen! I shuffled the plane by hand by myself, continually stopping and checking the left wingtip (could hit the fully open hangar door), the right wingtip (will it pass underneath the Citation’s wing) and the tail assembly (would it hit the back wall or the motor glider also parked nearby.

With two people that know what they are doing, it is delicate but you can do it in one, but with just me?? First attempt wasn’t good, so had to back the plane back into its parking slot and try again. Managed it on the second attempt though – phew!



Fuel required of course, so that done, I completed the power checks and got going. This time I decided to check out Stroud and the bits to the south. Did a few steep turns for the hell of it, then decided to check out the Forest of Dean. From there I could see the hills of Wales, so of course I had to check those out too and headed over to Abergavenny. I was just above the level of the hills and of course with the moderate wind, it was starting to get bumpy. It wasn’t a good idea to fly too deeply into the valleys as I would hit rotor of various strengths, so flew around a couple of the hills to the east of Abergavenny, then headed back to the airfield.



Called for a rejoin for some circuits. We were now on runway 22 and of course when I joined there was a sudden rush for circuits, with three or four aircraft in the circuit. Fortunately, all behaved themselves and spacing was good.

My first T&G was a little bouncy. On the second I flared a bit too high, but on the third and final made a very nice landing just past the numbers. Unfortunately that left me with a moderate taxy to the turnoff with someone else on final, so I tried to keep the speed up and managed to vacate without making the guy behind go around – should have landed longer you idiot!

I managed to put the plane away much more easily as the Citation was just starting to taxy clear as I approached!



A very enjoyable flight just bumbling around by myself.

I emailed the rest of the group advising them that the plane was now free for the rest of the day and that the battery seemed to be holding up.

I have the plane booked for next Saturday for a Flyer Forum fly-in. I have to say if the weather is good, I will try for my trip to a few airfields instead.