I decided to go for a local after work to keep my hand in as it has been nearly three weeks since my last flight. I guess ‘life’ just kinda gets in the way!
The weather wasn’t ideal, changeable weather, generally overcast cumulus with some dark ones, but nearly broken in places. The wind was my concern, that and on checking the NOTAMs (some people do you know!), I saw that Gloucester had two of the three runways closed for work. On calling them they confirmed that they would remain closed throughout the evening and only 09 / 27 was in use. The wind at midday was given as 340 / 10 – oh great!
On checking when I left work, they were giving 320/10, a fair old crosswind in my light taildragger, but worth a trip to see if it settles as the evening wears on.
I checked out the plane and noted that it hasn’t been flown very much at all in July, just 5 hours or so by two of us, unlike the frenetic June. I noted the shiny new lockable filler caps, not that we have any problems with fuel theft, it’s just that the old ones were hard to get off and had widened the filler neck and were loose and letting in water on one side. The new ones are ace!!
I pulled the plane out and put some fuel in her, not much, just enough to balance her off and add a bit more weight as I was flying solo. They were giving the wind as 300/09, 30 degrees off runway heading, so take half as the crosswind, so a 5 knot crosswind component on the take-off, should be fine.
I called ready after power checks, lined up and applied full power with some into wind aileron and very ready on the rudder pedals. The tail came up, OK all so good, then a small gust must have hit me as we started to wobble. I caught it easily enough with rudder, giving all my attention to a fixed point at the end of the runway to spot left / right wobble as soon as it starts. In fact, I really cannot and do not glance at the airspeed or engine readings as I really can’t afford to take my eye off the external view for even one second. So as usual, I judge take off speed visually and by feel – the RV usually lets you know when she is ready to fly anyway, by hopping up and down like an excited toddler asking if she can go on a ride at the funfair!
Up we went and I levelled out and throttled back at 2600’ heading first to the south west to the bends in the river Severn, then north to Ledbury and the Malverns, thowing in the odd steep turn here and there simply because I can. The lateral visibility is extremely good, I can see clearly into the distant Welsh Hills.
I hear the scheduled flight coming in from the Isle of Man, with the pilot’s German accent. When he on final, I pick up the ATIS and call for a rejoin from Tewkesbury. While I am at it I get a wind check, hmmmm….. 300/11.
Standard overhead join and call downwind. I slow down on base and crank on the flaps once inside flap limiting speed, which take a while to bleed back to. I call final and get the wind again, ahhh…. 290/10, that’s better. So get ready for a little crosswind from the right.
PAPI’s are out, but I find them distracting anyway, so I am pleased about that. Good approach, bit fast, no worry. Over the road and into the displaced threshold. Chop the power and roundout and hold off. Feel for the wind, don’t feel any, mainly headwind. I am light and it takes a while holding off to hear the stall warner at what seems like a ludicrously slow groundspeed. Hold off some more, she touches and I gingerly pull slowly back to lock the tailwheel on the ground all the time ready for any change of crosswind. Gingerly let her roll to a slow walking pace. Well that was one of my better landings though I say it myself!
The Tower advise me to backtrack to A2 when ready and I manage this before the intersection with runway 18/36. It seems all of the taxiways are close for sweeping as well.
Into the ramp and I shutdown at Cotswolds. It is very hot with the canopy closed and I gratefully pop the canopy and for once in the flight, I am grateful for the relatively cool breeze.
Well that cleared the cobwebs, although it was only a short half hour flight. Good bit of gentle crosswind practice.
I must work up to another cross-channel foray, probably in early September, as August is going to be pretty busy, what with a long weekend in Poland at the start of the month and ten days in Newfoundland towards the end of the month with my buddy Dan – better lay off the alcohol from the start of August to get my liver in training!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Thursday, July 08, 2010
100 airfields and counting
I had the plane booked for a quick flight in the evening after work. I had planned for a quick local, but checked my logbook and saw that I had logged a take off or landing at 99 different airports to date, so why not make it a nice, round 100? There are a few grass airfields in the local area that I have always flown over but never actually landed at, so I decided that as I was solo (and therefore light) I would go to Croft Farm / Defford near Bredon Hill, a mere 10-15 minute flight from Gloucester.
I read the website for the airfield. One grass runway oriented 09 / 27 and 570m long, so plenty enough, but not generous. There was a particular approach for noise abatement, especially on 27. I called the airfield owner as advised on the website and asked for permission, he was fine and just wanted to know the aircraft type (presumably to make sure it was suitable for the runway size – you would be amazed what people try to land on short runways) and my approximate time of arrival.
I turned up at the airfield just after 17:00 and checked the plane carefully. The port tank was virtually dry and the starboard tank had 30 litres. I think the person flying it before me need to learn to change tanks in flight before the engine starts to cough!
The evening was fine, certainly CAVOK and quite warm. There was little wind, generally 280 / 04, so fine for Croft Farm too. I booked out and called for taxi to the pumps as even for this short flight, I wasn’t going to go anywhere with 35 litres of fuel. I balanced the tanks and topped it up to some 80 litres, good for at least three hours, so the 15 minute flight would probably be OK!
Gloucester were short-handed (as they have been for a while now) and only had one frequency manned as I called for clearance. I lined up on 27 and was airborne before the piano keys – this plane really handles quite differently when it is light as compared to the MAUW I was operating it under on the recent flying trip to Italy (I know all aircraft handle differently in such circumstances, I just find it very pronounced in the RV6).
Tewkesbury Abbey
I set course for Croft Farm, basically a right turnout and head to the left of Bredon Hill. By the time I had finished climbing to 2500’ and settled out in the cruise, it was time to say goodbye to Gloucester and start giving blind calls on the Croft Farm frequency of 122.25. The airfield itself is easy to find as it is just on the southern edge of the old, disused but still distinctive Defford ex-military airfield, with its typical wartime triangle shape of three runways.
Croft Farm / Defford Airfield
I called overhead and got a good look at the windsock, yes, very slight but definitely favours 27, got to be careful as there may be local wind effects, especially in the shadow of Bredon Hill. I descended on the runway heading and turned left crosswind. Down to 1000’ and downwind to the south of Eckington as indicated on the noise abatement chart. Then onto a base leg that angled into very short final to try to avoid Defford. I was a bit high, but had full flaps, so a quick sideslip on a diagonal approach to short final. Airspeed good and approach angle good, now on very short final and very keen to put her down shortly after crossing the threshold, which I manage. Smooth landing as I let her roll out, smooth roll then approaching mid-point it really gets a little bumpy, we roll to a stop, but not before these bumpy bits. I don’t do may grass runways, but this was the bumpiest since I did Compton Abbas a few years ago, maybe I have just been spoiled with the grass strips I have used recently.
The airfield was deserted (as I expected). I reported to the ‘Yellow C’ which was a large caravan with the door secured open. It worked on a ‘trust’ basis, so I paid the advised donation to a flying charity in Africa and signed in where indicated. I did have a quick look around the open hangars at the types there. The airfield has no fuel, but is quite charming and blissfully quiet, what a nice place.
Open door policy at Croft Farm
I take a few photos then decide to head back, so after a mere 10 minutes, I am back in the plane trundling to the threshold for 27 to do power checks and line up. I apply full power and the initial ground run is good and smooth, then I hit the bumpy bit and have to work to keep the plane down as it isn’t yet at flying speed. But I do hit a decent size bump which pushes me into the air whether I am ready or not, I decide to try for ground effect rather than bump down again, the plane protests with a squeal of stall warner as I drop the tail to try to climb. She thinks about it for a bit, squeals a bit then climbs a bit and chirps at me. I hold here there then resume a modest climb as the airspeed builds. Not the prettiest or smoothest of take-off’s, but adequate.
I route back to Gloucester and pick up the ATIS to hear that the commercial flight is getting ready for take-off while the controller puts aircraft in the circuit into holds. I decide now is not the best time to call her and head back, so I stooge around about 8 miles out waiting for her to get the commercial away. I call over Bishops Cleeve and am given a standard overhead join for 27. I decide to take this and not ask for a direct as there are a couple of aircraft in the circuit.
I join as normal and descend deadside. I can see one of the aircraft in the circuit taking off and climbing out as I start to come crosswind. As I cross the upwind end, I can still see him now just starting to turn crosswind a fair way to my left. I am well inside him so figure I will slot ahead of him in the downwind. Just as I am about to call, the controller advises the other aircraft that I am inside him. He has also seen me, so he follows. I call downwind and am told I am number 2 to a Seneca on right base. I see him when I am about to turn right base, he is a lot wider than I would be, but he doesn’t force me out too wide.
I turn well inside GCHQ and call final. The Seneca is going to do a go-around, so I will be fine as I follow him in. I am nicely set up and cleared to land on 27. Good approach and good airspeed. I flare on the displaced threshold and float and float and float. I begin to wonder whether the stall warner has malfunctioned, but remember that I am light, so hold off more. She touches and stays touched as I let her roll to a taxi pace with little braking as I comfortably make the left turnoff onto runway 18 and taxi in.
A nice flight to my 100th airfield on a still, quiet (though very warm) evening.
I read the website for the airfield. One grass runway oriented 09 / 27 and 570m long, so plenty enough, but not generous. There was a particular approach for noise abatement, especially on 27. I called the airfield owner as advised on the website and asked for permission, he was fine and just wanted to know the aircraft type (presumably to make sure it was suitable for the runway size – you would be amazed what people try to land on short runways) and my approximate time of arrival.
I turned up at the airfield just after 17:00 and checked the plane carefully. The port tank was virtually dry and the starboard tank had 30 litres. I think the person flying it before me need to learn to change tanks in flight before the engine starts to cough!
The evening was fine, certainly CAVOK and quite warm. There was little wind, generally 280 / 04, so fine for Croft Farm too. I booked out and called for taxi to the pumps as even for this short flight, I wasn’t going to go anywhere with 35 litres of fuel. I balanced the tanks and topped it up to some 80 litres, good for at least three hours, so the 15 minute flight would probably be OK!
Gloucester were short-handed (as they have been for a while now) and only had one frequency manned as I called for clearance. I lined up on 27 and was airborne before the piano keys – this plane really handles quite differently when it is light as compared to the MAUW I was operating it under on the recent flying trip to Italy (I know all aircraft handle differently in such circumstances, I just find it very pronounced in the RV6).
Tewkesbury Abbey
I set course for Croft Farm, basically a right turnout and head to the left of Bredon Hill. By the time I had finished climbing to 2500’ and settled out in the cruise, it was time to say goodbye to Gloucester and start giving blind calls on the Croft Farm frequency of 122.25. The airfield itself is easy to find as it is just on the southern edge of the old, disused but still distinctive Defford ex-military airfield, with its typical wartime triangle shape of three runways.
Croft Farm / Defford Airfield
I called overhead and got a good look at the windsock, yes, very slight but definitely favours 27, got to be careful as there may be local wind effects, especially in the shadow of Bredon Hill. I descended on the runway heading and turned left crosswind. Down to 1000’ and downwind to the south of Eckington as indicated on the noise abatement chart. Then onto a base leg that angled into very short final to try to avoid Defford. I was a bit high, but had full flaps, so a quick sideslip on a diagonal approach to short final. Airspeed good and approach angle good, now on very short final and very keen to put her down shortly after crossing the threshold, which I manage. Smooth landing as I let her roll out, smooth roll then approaching mid-point it really gets a little bumpy, we roll to a stop, but not before these bumpy bits. I don’t do may grass runways, but this was the bumpiest since I did Compton Abbas a few years ago, maybe I have just been spoiled with the grass strips I have used recently.
The airfield was deserted (as I expected). I reported to the ‘Yellow C’ which was a large caravan with the door secured open. It worked on a ‘trust’ basis, so I paid the advised donation to a flying charity in Africa and signed in where indicated. I did have a quick look around the open hangars at the types there. The airfield has no fuel, but is quite charming and blissfully quiet, what a nice place.
Open door policy at Croft Farm
I take a few photos then decide to head back, so after a mere 10 minutes, I am back in the plane trundling to the threshold for 27 to do power checks and line up. I apply full power and the initial ground run is good and smooth, then I hit the bumpy bit and have to work to keep the plane down as it isn’t yet at flying speed. But I do hit a decent size bump which pushes me into the air whether I am ready or not, I decide to try for ground effect rather than bump down again, the plane protests with a squeal of stall warner as I drop the tail to try to climb. She thinks about it for a bit, squeals a bit then climbs a bit and chirps at me. I hold here there then resume a modest climb as the airspeed builds. Not the prettiest or smoothest of take-off’s, but adequate.
I route back to Gloucester and pick up the ATIS to hear that the commercial flight is getting ready for take-off while the controller puts aircraft in the circuit into holds. I decide now is not the best time to call her and head back, so I stooge around about 8 miles out waiting for her to get the commercial away. I call over Bishops Cleeve and am given a standard overhead join for 27. I decide to take this and not ask for a direct as there are a couple of aircraft in the circuit.
I join as normal and descend deadside. I can see one of the aircraft in the circuit taking off and climbing out as I start to come crosswind. As I cross the upwind end, I can still see him now just starting to turn crosswind a fair way to my left. I am well inside him so figure I will slot ahead of him in the downwind. Just as I am about to call, the controller advises the other aircraft that I am inside him. He has also seen me, so he follows. I call downwind and am told I am number 2 to a Seneca on right base. I see him when I am about to turn right base, he is a lot wider than I would be, but he doesn’t force me out too wide.
I turn well inside GCHQ and call final. The Seneca is going to do a go-around, so I will be fine as I follow him in. I am nicely set up and cleared to land on 27. Good approach and good airspeed. I flare on the displaced threshold and float and float and float. I begin to wonder whether the stall warner has malfunctioned, but remember that I am light, so hold off more. She touches and stays touched as I let her roll to a taxi pace with little braking as I comfortably make the left turnoff onto runway 18 and taxi in.
A nice flight to my 100th airfield on a still, quiet (though very warm) evening.
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