The weather looked best in the east and as Chris hadn't been there either, we opted for Norwich.
I was a bit early, so with the help of the lad working at Cotswolds, pulled three aircraft about until we could get at G-ATSR at the back of the hangar (of course!). I gave her a leisurely check over in my own time and had just finished adding a litre of oil when Chris appeared.
I opted to fly there and Chris to fly back. So in we hopped and trundled over to the pumps for fuel. After a bit of fun and games, we finally got one of the pumps to work and filled up the main tanks. We trundled off to the hold for 22 for the power checks. I got it right this time and my new checklist seems to say the right things. Called ready and got a 'depart immediate'.
I am now ready for the considerable right rudder required to hold the eager Bonanza on the centreline and was even ready for the rotate in an agreeably short length of runway, no doubt also flattered by the 1034 Mb pressure.
It really climbs well compared to anything I have flown before as I set course direct to DTY VOR. I climbed to 4000' and levelled off and configured for the cruise. By the time I had sorted this out, my mental picture for the Arrow meant that the Bonanza had climbed a further 500'! B*gg*r! Well 4500' it is then! I am starting to get used to the much lower nose picture of the Bonanza, but like all things, it will come with time. Meanwhile, keep a careful eye on the altimeter.
It trims out nicely at 23" MP for 2400 rpm and 13.2 USG fuel flow. This give a pleasing 150 kts IAS. This really is a 'go places' tourer (yes, yes a Cirrus would be nice but I haven't got £250,000 to spare!).
We were nicely on top of the thin cumulus with lots of ground visible below. After DTY, it started to thicken as the undercast came up to mee us at 4500'. Rather than shoot the ILS at Norwich (which would have been good practice) in an aircraft I am still becoming familiar with, I chickened out and found a 'hole' near Peterborough and descended through that to VMC below the clouds at about 2000'. Norwich were giving CAVOK over the radio (seemend unlikely with solid overcast at 2500' with 25 miles to run). We were given a direct to left downwind approach for 27.
Spotted the field at 10 miles and changed to TWR. They asked how long we would be staying 'Just long enough for the mandatory £100 hamburger' was my non-standard reply. That seemed to amused him and they gave us stand 7. Now I don't know about other pilots, but I have a serious attack of 'the stupids' once I have landed (that and I always forget to brush up on the airfield chart for taxyways etc.) and can screw up by taxying the wrong way, or missing the turnoff etc. So I bravely handed the chart to Chris and said 'you're telling me where to go on the ground'.
The approach was good, a bit of chop coming from somewhere. Nailed 80 kts. Chopped the power later than Chris would have done and flared. I held off, but still had a fair bit of speed, so floated and held off and landed reasonably. However, not on the stall warner and not with the nose nice and high (but still not a 'three-pointer'). I am still landing this like the slab-wing Arrow, where the speed bled off very quickly and the wing stopped flying fairly abruptly, probably a bad habit I have gotten into. Chris offer to show me how on the landing back at Gloucester later.
We parked up and were bussed to the check-in point with both of us thinking 'this is going to be expensive'. And so it was - £34-odd - ouch! We wandered to the terminal. This is an aspiring regional airport - small but a decent range of shops and quite a few people about and checking in. We treated ourselves to a Latte each and people watched.
Chris was keen to take his lady to Alderney that afternoon, so we didn't hang around and wandered back. But not before we had to go through the formal departures, complete with metal scanning and taking shoes off. I suppose I can understand it, it isn't a question of 'hijacking yourself' but more of letting people (pilots or otherwise) airside - so I don't object at regional airports.
We booked out and Chris was going to be P1 on the return leg so we boarded accordingly. Did the long taxy and held behind a very nice looking Cirrus SR22. We were lined up and away quickly enough. Chris then started a climbing left turn, which puzzled me a bit, but I assumed he was doing a climbing circle over the airfield to gain height before starting en-route. He then fiddled with the VOR and realised I had changed the GPS map orientation to 'north up' rather than Chris's preferred 'track-up'. We had a chuckle about that (sorry Chris!).
We went VMC on top to 4500' and the cloud began to break under us by Northampton. It is far easier to spot traffic against the backdrop of white clouds than against landscape.
We got the Gloucester ATIS about 22 nm east and were granted a direct approach to 27. We called at 5 miles and were given landing clearance. Chris carried out the downwind checks and prepared for final, putting the gear down, but leaving the flaps until the last mile.
Airspeed nicely nailed on the approach at 80 kts. Over the displaced threshold and Chris chopped the power pretty much just before the start of the round-out. Nice round-out with the speed bleeding off, but not that quickly, so that in the flare therre was still a good hold-off and a nice nose up attitude with the plane still wanting to fly. The stall warner sounded and the wheels touched - nice one. OK, I get it. Power off a lot earlier than the Arrow, the speed doesn't fall off that quickly and the wing is quite happy to keep on flying. Lesson learned.
We parked up and got out. I spotted a nice Stearman across the apron so said my goodbyes and took a few photos. Apparently, the chap cleaning it was going to fly it to Italy at the end of the month to its new owner.
So another flight in the Bonanza and I am starting to settle in. The controls fell to hand a lot better today and I am starting to get used to the picture. What I need now is a serious solo circuit session to nail the technique. I plan to do this on my return from holiday at the end of March, probably at Oxford or Kemble, who charge a lot less for touch and go's than Gloucester. I really look forward to touring in the Bonanza, it is a lovely machine, a real head-turner, comfortable and fast. Chris has it booked in for its annual while I am away, then I have to do the first of the monthly group accounts, which will be fun.
However, not before I sneak a quick floatplane lesson in in Vancouver on holiday. Can't go on holiday and not try to sneak a crafty one in can I?
