The joys of a local on a frosty day

The pictures tell it all - very enjoyable flight just poling around the local area.

Local around the flooded local area

I had booked the plane for the Sunday, but the forecast was horrific and Saturday looked a better option, so I switched to Saturday morning. Turns out that was a good idea.

The weather was OK, some lower clouds, but scattered and easy to get above. The wind was modest, probably 230/10, given that Gloucester was using 22, I was hardly worried. BUT, I had planned a quick landaway, but my main concern was avoid anywhere with grass parking bearing in mind the soaking we have had in the last few weeks, it wouldn’t be funny getting the RV stuck in the mud, so in the end I settled for a local, much to the disappointment of my passenger, Rob.

We carefully pulled the RV out of the hangar, with the RV wing under the wing of the Citation also parked in the hangar, a bit of a delicate job and one you certainly don’t want to get wrong!

Of course I needed fuel, so a quick stop at the pumps, the we were off from 22. The airport seemed pretty busy, maybe because this was one of the few decent VFR days we have had for a few weeks. I had no particular aim, so bumbled over to Bredon Hill. First mistake was that I forgot my camera! Lots of flooding pretty much everywhere. The over the clouds to Evesham and the Cotswold ridge. We followed that to Bishops Cleeve then along to Cheltenham and behind Gloucester the the big bends in the River Severn.

I was below the clouds now at about 1800’ and it looked gloomier towards the south west. There was also a lot of traffic in the area, so I headed west and climbed through a gap in the clouds to 4500’ around Ross on Wye and did a few steep turns for the hell of it. Headed back to Ledbury, picked up the ATIS and headed back on in to Gloucester.

I got the usual standard overhead join for 22 with right hand circuits. The circuit had one in, one on the deadside and me joining overhead. I passed crosswind as another aircraft was taking off underneath and staying in the circuit.

I was visual with the PA28 ahead and followed him, trying to keep my distance. I was sure tjhat was the plane that ATC were talking about until he extended well downwind and flew such a wide base leg that I was sure he was leaving the circuit and wasn’t the guy I was number 2 to. But he was, he had to be on two mile final at least! I was forced out wide to stay behind and pulled on full flap and crawled along behind him.

I thought the spacing was OK and felt sorry for the guy behind me. I was given a ‘continue approach’, he had landed, but was taking his time getting to the turnoff, but ATC were sensible and offered me a ‘landafter’ which I was happy to accept – hell, I could probably land, stop and take off again before I came close to him!

The landing was a good one this time. Nailed the approach speed and made the stall warner holler long and hard before we finally touched and stayed touched!

The PA28 in front of me was taxying very slowly (OK probably the ‘correct’ fast walking speed, but…), so I had to slow to stay well behind. I noticed it was that PA28 with the snazzy paint job, I think from Wycombe, the one with a BEA colour scheme on one side and a BOAC scheme on the other – where the hell is my camera when I need it!

We parked up, shut down and put the plane carefully away. A nice flight even if it was a local. Probably one more just before Christmas, then that is my lot for the year.

Local after foul weather!

Since I got back from Texas, I have flown two locals in the RV6 to keep my hand in. What with the weather (high winds and rain) and personal commitments I have been having a pretty thin time of flying in the UK recently.

I had planned on a landaway on Sunday, but the pressure of personal commitments meant that I could only spare the time for a local. The week leading up to Sunday had been truly horrible, with very high winds and lashing rain, but oddly, Sunday was pretty good. A few scattered low clouds that were probably going to lift and a light wind meant the plane would at least get an airing.

I decided to head west to see either the Welsh hills or at least Ross on Wye and Hereford for the likely flooding from the recent rains.

When I saw the RV in the hangar, my heart sank – it has a yellow high-vis vest on the propellor and a large wheely bin in front of the wing blocking it being pulled out unless I moved the bin. All of this smacked of someone else in the group spotting a technical problem with the plane and marking it as unserviceable, which was strange as I had no emails from anyone to that effect. I pulled out the tech log where we all record comments on snags with the plane and there was nothing relevant in it. I pulled the vest off the prop and moved the bin and gave the RV6 a careful A-check, but could spot nothing wrong. I know the vest that was normally stored in the plane went ‘walkies’ some time ago, so maybe the mystery ‘borrower’ had returned it – if so, it must have been someone outside the group?

Well anyway, the plane was fine as I pulled it out into the sunshine and wandered off to book out. It was low and a trip to the pumps was in order to rectify this. I was cleared to taxi to E1 for runway 22. Power checks complete I lined up after a departing Firefly for a right turnout to the West. As there was only me in the plane and much less than full fuel, the plane soon had it’s tail up and was hopping eagerly down the runway, I relented and she shot skywards, soon out-climbing and overtaking the Firefly which was also headed to the West.



I was presented with a thin bank of cloud pretty much exactly at the 2500’ I was maintaining. So a decision – under or over? Under looked like scud running at about 1800’ over the higher ground in the Forest of Dean. Over looked about 3500’ with a clear ‘between layers’ going up to, I would estimate, 7000’ – so over it was. The cloud below of course looked solid edge on, but once above it was clearly broken, so I was still ‘in sight of ground’. Once past the Forest, the undercast broke even more and I got clear views of some of the inevitable flooding on the Wye at Ross on Wye. I was headed towards the two prohibited areas for the SAS around Hereford, but the cloud looked worse around the Welsh hills, so I turned North East before the prohibited areas and tracked towards Ledbury. For the hell of it I cranked a few steep turns and felt a small amount of ‘G’ as I pulled back to maintain level – nothing like one would feel in aerobatics, but amusing nonetheless.

I popped a few photographs, including a ‘blind shot’ straight into the glaring sun, which actually came out rather well! I am playing with the new camera my buddy bought me after he (Zoltan the destroyer of cameras!) busted my previous cherished Panasonic Lumix – we all know who you are Dan – don’t lend this man your camera!!



I did an orbit of Tewkesbury, but amazingly no flooding. Then headed off the Bredon Hill and over to Bishops Cleeve to orbit my Mother’s house – she always thinks any small plane over her house is me, I thought for once it would make that true! I called for a rejoin and was given the usual standard overhead join. I could have asked for a direct, but it is sometime fun to practice one of these unique (find anyone outside the UK that does this join!) joins. The circuit was quiet as I did a nice overhead join, carefully watching for traffic. The approach was good, if a little fast. I bled that off over the hedge and came in to land. I didn’t hold off for long enough and we touched before I heard the stall warner. Well, I knew what this was going to be and sure enough, I was punished for my sloppiness by the RV as she indignantly bounced me back into the air as if to say ‘you know better than that – now do it again – and properly this time!’. Well, I rode the bounce (not much of a bounce actually) and landed properly this time. I could almost hear her say ‘that’s better, now don’t do it again!’. Perhaps I am ascribing too much to mere metal!

I put the plane away carefully between the tape marks in the hangar and wondered if anyone else had her booked today in what looked like the only decent flying day of the week.

Must do a landaway next time and maybe take a friend or family up with me.

Thinking about my ‘flying trip’ next year and I am trying to talk the wife into going on the Flyer Forum trip to Italy. It was great last time. Probably one week in early June, I think she will reluctantly go for it – she likes the being there, just not the uncertainty of delays due to the weather and doesn’t enjoy ‘scud-running’ and certainly does not enjoy IMC (not that I can fly in that in this aircraft anyway). If she doesn’t go, my daughter or her boyfriend would kill to go, so maybe I will do it, just not sure of the passenger, other than that they will be much lighter than me!

Texas Flying Trip: Reprise

Flying

BFR: San Antonio International to Fredericksburg and return
Solid IMC all the way with descents to minimums
2.9 Hours total as P U/T (2.0 IMC)

Leg 1: San Antonio International to Galveston
KSAT DCT VCT DCT PSX DCT KGLS
VFR on top and below scattered to broken cloud deck at 3500’
Flying along the scenic Gulf coast
2.4 Hours total

Leg 2: Galveston to Corpus Christi International
KGLS DCT CRP DCT KCRP
Flying in ‘Severe VFR’ along the scenic Gulf coast at 3000’
2.3 Hours total

Leg 3: Corpus Christi International to San Antonio International
KCRP DCT CRP DCT THX DCT KSAT
Again, ‘Severe VFR’ to the north west at 4500’
1.8 Hours total

Total costs:
BFR aircraft hire and instructor sign off: $240
Aircraft hire (wet) for all three legs: $850

Highlights
Refreshing IMC skills
Lunch in the airport diner at Fredericksburg
Playing with the clouds around the gulf coast
Flying along the scenic gulf coast
The un-crowded skies

Lowlights
Waiting 40 minutes for IFR departure clearance at Fredericksburg
Any time spent in the plane while not flying (you cook very quickly!)
Dan busting my camera
Putting on weight
….errrr…..

What I like about flying in the USA
1-800-WX-BRIEF
Flight Following
Relaxed radio manner
Fantastic service from FBO’s
Vast array of information and services available on the radio

What I don’t like about flying in the USA
….errrrr……

Corpus Christi to San Antonio

The Signature FBO premises at Corpus Christi were excellent and spacious. There was a plush reception and front desk, a separate snack and free coffee area, toilets and a shower and a flight planning room with lots of table space, not to mention a few meeting rooms. I asked about their handling charges and they were all free with the fuel upload that I had to take anyway – wow!

So Dan tore off in the courtesy car in search of Burger King, while I got on with route planning in the planning room. This would have been considerably easier if it were not for two ‘military types’ chewing the fat very loudly and relating tales of derring-do. I think I made my point by theatrically putting one finger in my free ear and looking at them while try to talk to the wonderful 1-800-WX BRIEF – guys, there is a whole empty reception and coffee room for lounging around in, why pick here!

The plan was easy as it turned out:

KCRP DCT CRP DCT THX DCT KSAT

So a short hop to the Corpus Christi VOR, then north west to the THX VOR then nearly due north to San Antonio International. I finished my planning, sorted the bill (none as it went on the school fuel card) and got myself together for a bit of a think before Dan reappeared with two ‘Whoppers’ for our grumbling bellies with some tale of extreme navigation without so much as a Tom Tom. We demolished these in short order and as per Homeland Security, had to show both a photo proof of id and my pilot licence before I would be admitted airside.

The plane was full to the brim (that’s the way I like it if I can fit within weight and balance), so a quick check of fuel and oil and we mounted up. Then the usual procedure of calling Clearance to get our taxi and likely routing after take off. We trundled off to the hold for runway 17 quickly getting very sweaty again in the very high heat and humidity. The airport was pretty quiet and we were quickly given clearance for take off by the Tower after our power checks. It was a climbing left turnout onto direct track for CRP VOR as we were switched to the Departure frequency. I turned on track to THX VOR some 51 miles distant as we reached our VFR cruising altitude of 4500’ in what can only be described as ‘severe VFR’ conditions – no clouds and unlimited visibility!

I was receiving the effortless ‘flight following’ when I was warned of traffic at 12 o’clock and 500’ below. We never did see him (not even dead-eye-Dan), but he clearly saw us and confirmed ‘no conflict’ – phew!

Not much to say really, we trundled along chatting happily away. Past THX VOR we were transferred to San Antonio approach, then with about 30 miles to run they started to give us vector to steer while maintaining 4500’. I have not been vectored before while flying VFR (I have been vectored before for an ILS intercept in IMC of course). I have to say it was quite novel and liberating. Dan compared it to being in a Star Trek style ‘tractor beam’ – errr… well, yes, but only if you actually steer accurately the headings given, actually a flattering analogy I suppose!

He kept us at 4500’ despite an approaching cloud layer over San Antonio at exactly this altitude, but then the controller seemed aware of that and promised to drop our altitude shortly. We were being vectored over the west of the city centre and descended first to 3000’ then to 2500’ on the QNH (San Antonio is about 800’ above sea level). Over the city centre it occurred to me that this would be a very bad place to have engine failure as there was nowhere to go that would make our survival a likely outcome!

He then gave me a heading of 030 and told me to report overhead ---MUFFLED---, I didn’t quite understand the name and as I now had the airfield off on my right-hand side with large jets landing, I told him that I was unfamiliar with the reporting point and requested further vectors. Another voice seemed to have taken over the Tower frequency and he explained what they wanted me to do, basically now I was right downwind to the main runway, they were asking me to turn right 90 degrees at 2500’ so that I would fly directly overhead the tower at right angles to the two main parallel runways, then to turn left onto a left downwind leg for runway 12L – what an excellent chap, I now fully understood what they were doing and had a picture. Of course to a UK pilot, the idea of flying over a busy International airport’s main runway at right angles at 1700’ QFE is mind-boggling (I don’t know of any airports in the UK that would do this), but it is quite common in the USA and when you think about it, it is pretty much the safest place to be. There was a really cool moment when I was flying over the main 12R runway and a very colourful South West Airline 737 was taking off underneath us – of course I would have got a photo of the had it not been for old ‘Zoltan the Destroyer of Cameras’ in the right hand seat!

So over the airliner active of 12R, out to a decent downwind position for 12L then turn left onto left downwind. The route for the base was obvious, just follow the freeway. I heard the tower talking to an airliner who was shooting the final onto 12R at the same time as I was on base for 12L warning him about me. I turned at the right point onto final for 12L and was (as usual on this trip) a little high, so full flaps and down to idle. That took care of it and we crossed the threshold at the right speed for a good touchdown. Off the active to the GA side of the airport now on my left and switched to the Ground frequency. Basically it was an easy task to taxi back to the Wright Flyers ramp for shutdown and tie-down.

We got out of the aircraft as quickly as possible as we were sweating profusely in the bright sunshine and humid conditions. An easy final leg to a truncated tour, but well worth it nevertheless. The forecast CB’s and other nasties associated with a front had not materialised at San Antonio, but suffice to say that two hours later at our hotel, some nasty looking clouds came over and created some pretty high and gusting winds, but little else.

Galveston to Corpus Christi

After an evening of cocktails and finger food at the pool bar at the San Luis in Galveston, the plan was to use this, the last planned day of my truncated flying trip to see the gulf coast then head back to San Antonio. The problem was that I didn’t have the 1-50,000 sectional for Brownsville, so I couldn’t go any further south than I had come the day before. Wright Flyers didn’t have a map and Galveston didn’t either. Except that the guy who drove us to the hotel yesterday heard me talking about this and said that he could probably get me one if I needed it. I confirmed that I did and he said ‘no problem’.







What I didn’t realise is that he drove to mainland to another supplier that afternoon specially to get me one – these guys amaze me!



So I now had a Brownsville sectional and could see the lay of the land. I checked the weather and the wonderful 1-800-WX BRIEF told me that a front was moving in faster than they thought to San Antonio and may well start to make its presence felt by late afternoon. So I decided to do a ‘slash and dash’ to an airfield along the coast just to say I had been there, then head to San Antonio – pretty much two sides of a triangle. The wind was about 180/15, so I would be beating into the wind in a Cessna that does, say 105kts. I wanted to try for Brownsville on the Mexican border, but decided instead to go to Corpus Christi International – great name for a town, so might be worth a look. My ‘route’ such as it was:

KGLS DCT CRP DCT KCRP (Coastwise)

I planned my route, got the NOTAM’s (none) and filed a flight plan. I took advantage of local knowledge and asked the guy at the FBO about the route and in particular a warning area that involved low-level military jet training. He said it wasn’t a particular problem as long as I had flight following I would be fine. The way he described it made is sound like a UK the Brize area, so I decided to go through the area. I got the plates for Corpus Christi International and it was BIG. Depending on the runway, navigating the taxiways could be interesting, so I vowed to ask for progressive taxi instructions if I was at all uncertain. I tried to plan the route, but it was far too simple really – follow the coast, then when you see the urban build-up around Corpus Christi, track direct to the CRP VOR then head south over the estuary to the airport.

I asked the lady at the FBO for the bill for the handling fee. I had already given them the fuel card I got from Wright Flyers, so that was taken care of. She looked puzzled and said they had taped a copy of the bill to the plane already. I looked confused and said that surely I had to pay for handling, like landing fees, handling, etc. She said that no, there was nothing to pay and that they were happy to have my custom in buying the fuel. Well there is the difference between the USA and the UK right there. I couldn’t let it rest at that, so I paid $20 to their Christmas drinks fund.

We wandered out onto the sweltering ramp in about 95 degrees and 95% humidity, but at least with a fair old breeze coming from the south. Dan cleared all the tie downs and checked the fuel and oil as I started the walkaround. The plane was fine and I loaded up, leaving the actual climbing in as late as I could coz we would cook! The place was again deserted of airside movements as I called the tower for taxi. We were given runway 17. I did the run up checks and was immediately cleared for take off. Another plane called for landing and was given clearance to land, but told that I was lining up. This seems to be common practice in the USA, to clear two planes to either land or one to take off and one to land at the same time – well not actually the same time, but you get the point. So I called both lining up and rolling just to give the landing pilot the idea where I was.

Up we went as I set a climbing turn onto a coastwise heading of about 150. We climbed to 3000’ and held steady there as I contacted Houston Center for flight following, which we got, set the squawk and settled down to admire the view. The weather was ‘Severe VFR’ – not a cloud in the sky, other than a few as you looked inland. Well, I would love to have loads of excellent pictures of the fantastic landforms along the coast, but my buddy fumbled my camera (the truly excellent Panasonic Lumix compact) last night after he took a picture and it hit the concrete right on the corner of the lens which distorted the telescoping rings of the lens such that it would no longer open – so hey, no more photos this trip – I know he feels bad about it, but hell, it was my favourite camera of all time, and it's not so much the camera as the photos we didn't take – still there is a replacement on the way. Dan – you gotta get your own camera buddy (think ruggedised military model)!

We were taking a bit of a beating and the headwind was slowing our groundspeed down to 80kts, but no hurry in particular. We enjoyed the view as the landmarks came and went. A disused airfield here, an in use one there, a huge disused military airfield etc.

As I reached the turn point to head inland a bit, we were handed over to Corpus Christi Approach. They warned us of a T38 military trainer some five miles from us at 11 o’clock but at 2500’. I think he must have been in contact with said trainer as he suggested a new heading (which we quickly and eagerly accepted!) which would keep us away from the manoeuvring jet! We beat out way towards the CRP VOR over some very, very colourful tracts of water that look alternately like a dreadful biological experiment gone-wrong and the salt pans of Mediterranean France (no photos as no camera).

Once over CRP I headed directly for the airfield and we spotted it pretty quickly. I called airfield in sight and was transferred from Approach to Tower. They gave me an immediate ‘clear to land’ on runway 17, which I was pretty much on very extended final for already. I continued and start a cruise descent as I didn’t want to hang around on final for the active at an international airport for too long, despite the fact that there were evident not very busy.

Well I misjudged it a little and left myself high on final, so I dropped full flap and gave it a gentle side-slip. This did the trick as we cruised over the piano keys at 65kts. Flare, hold off and off and down we touch. Nice one. I have no idea where I should go and as if reading my thought they ask ‘where would you like to go’ I respond ‘unfamiliar with airport, can you suggest an FBO?’. I get ‘uhh yeah, probably Signature, whaddaya think?’. Well, I had heard of them from others who have flown in the USA, they are a GA flight handling service with bases at many US airport, so I said that would be fine and asked for progressive taxi instructions.

‘Yeah sure, turn left up ahead then hang a right towards the mess of buildings ahead’. OK, fine with that, then I got ‘Yah see that hangar up ahead with the funky roof?’ looking, oh yeah, so I reply in mock formal aviation parlance ‘Zero Sierra Alpha: affirm visual with funky roof’, ‘well, that’s signature, head on over there – now you have a great day!’ – America – God I love this place!

So I mosey on over to the funky rook and park up where it looks like I should, outside a building marked ‘Signature’. A refueller stops what he is doing and marshalls me in. I shut down and he immediately asks ‘How y’all doin fer gas?’ so I gave him the ‘top it off there buddy’ response with a jerk of my thumb toward said aircraft which appears to mean ‘full tanks both side if you would be so kind my man’ he seemed satisfied with my response and started to refuel pretty much as we headed for Signature!

More air-conditioned bliss, but this time, a much busier FBO, with several pilots in various states of preparedness and various garbs from T-shirt and shorts (me) to full pressed trousers, peaked cap and a full set of ‘wanker bars’ (warranted though as he seemed to be a commercial pilot flying a Citation).

Dan looked haggard and emaciated and immediately asked about food. The bad news was vending machines only, but hey, there was a Burger King on the highway. He asked how far to walk ‘Oh you kaint waaalk, but herezuh kees fer du car, yall can drive – sonly faave minuts’ (OK I’m exaggerating a bit, but not much!). Dan set about the foraging while I set about planning for the final leg back to San Antonio.

San Antonio to Galveston

Of course the front didn’t clear did it!? So on our planned departure date of Tuesday (we had the plane booked for three days of touring) I checked the weather, looked out of the window and easily decided it was a no-go. It was raining with a cloudbase that you simply couldn’t see as it was that indistinct and low – that, coupled with a forecast of embedded CB’s, meant that the decision not to fly was a no-brainer. I called Wright Flyers and advised them that as I was VFR touring, I would cancel the plane for today, but would retain my booking for the following two days hoping that the weather would improve (as it was forecast to do). So instead, that day, we drove to Austin to see the city instead.

Wednesday morning dawned much brighter with some clear bits in Austin as the cloud broke and lifted. The forecast was good, so we headed back the 60 or so miles to San Antonio. When we got to Wright Flyers, I got a blank look from the lady on reception and she said that my booking for all the three days had been cancelled. I said that I specifically spoke to the lady on duty yesterday and that she assured me that she was only cancelling one day. Then of course the ‘do you remember who you spoke to’ bit – I thought ‘Oh God, here we go’. Then one of the Wright Flyers senior guys that I met yesterday came up and asked me if everything was OK. I explained the situation and he simply smiled and said ‘Hey, no problems, we can fix this’. I overheard him say to the lady on reception ‘Make it happen’ as she set about clearing the plane of bookings. Screw-ups do happen, but it is how they are dealt with that makes the difference and I have to say Wright Flyers did very well in that regard – thanks guys!



While she was clearing the plane, I set about deciding where we could go bearing in mind the weather and route planning. The weather was worse further north, so back to Plan A and head east to the gulf coast and Galveston, which seems to be a nice island which also has an aircraft museum on-airport. I decided on a route that would avoid the Houston Class B airspace and so would swing a little south and allow us to fly up the interesting looking coast and inter coastal waterways, which I was told was pretty scenic. So my route was:

KSAT DCT VCT DCT PSX DCT KGLS

I estimated it would be some 200 nautical miles and take about 2:20 hours. Of course I would make life easy on myself and hop from VOR to VOR, easy to plot on the GPS and easy to follow on the VOR in the plane as a check and if the GPS reception failed. I had brought my old hand-held Garmin GPS Pilot 3, with it’s tiny screen, but it is easy to use. Of course I didn’t have the US database, so had to hand-crank the airports and VOR locations, so careful and easy does it, don’t want to get a wrong lat/long! I got a full weather brief, NOTAM’s and filed a flight plan through the absolutely excellent 1-800-WX BRIEF phone service – WHAT A FANTASTIC SERVICE THIS IS! This, ‘Flight Following’ and fantastic and usually free handling from many FBO’s make flying in the USA a real joy (not to mention the scenery).



I had to complete a risk assessment sheet and a worksheet including weight and balance so that they could formally sign me out in the plane – very thorough of them. This I did as they escorted me out to the apron (I had no US FAA Id card, so an escort is mandatory now with the Homeland Security restrictions, especially as this was an international airport). The cloud was breaking nicely, with the cloudbase probably at about 2500’ and the tops at 4000’. Boy was it HOT though! The temperature was about 90 degrees and the humidity at least 95% - fairly normal for Texas I am told! I had the plane filled to the brim, which would take the overall weight nicely up to MAUW with myself and Dan (neither of us are particularly small or slight guys). I positioned everything and put the water in the ubiquitous cup holders then waited a few minutes for my flight plan departure time. We climbed in and closed the doors and opened the windows, but even so, we started to bake!

I called ‘Clearance’ as required and got taxi instructions for 12L as expected. I stayed with them until I completed the power checks and was ready to depart when they handed me off to the Tower. Mercifully, they quickly gave me a ‘clear for take-off’ as we were really sweating by now – I would not even like to think what an RV6 with it’s bubble canopy would be like over here! I powered up and took off. The tower started to vector me in the climb, then handed me over to ‘Departures’. I asked for and got the wonderfully ‘Flight Following’ service. For anyone who hasn’t flown in the UK, this is the sort of service you get from, say Farnborough Radar where they give you a squawk and provide traffic information when they can, but the real bonus is that they will automatically hand you over en-route, so all you have to do is change to the frequency they tell you, contact the new ‘Center’ giving them your callsign and that’s it! Often you keep the same squawk – wonderful!



I climbed to 2000’ as that was all I was going to get for now. I was tempted to climb up through the broken cloud as the tops were only at probably 3500’ (which is the altitude I wanted as in the USA when flying VFR, you should fly at ‘odd plus 500’ going east and ‘even plus 500’ going west), but I decided to hold off for now as I didn’t want to get ‘stuck’ on-top and shoot an unfamiliar approach. However, as we approached Victoria, the cloud broke even more and started to lift. So I climbed to 2500’ then decided to climb on-top, which I got to at 3500’. By now the clouds were starting to spread out even more and became ‘scattered’.

Flying overhead Victoria was a strange sensation. We were above their airspace so they weren’t worried about us, but what a huge airfield! We could see a Citation doing circuits, but that was about all. If someone had told me that was an international airport, I would have believed them!



Past the Victoria VOR, we set course for the PSX VOR which would take us to within sight of the coast. As we closed in on this, the clouds got thicker and went back to broken and got deeper, so I could either climb or go back underneath. I chose to go back down and was clear at 2500’. But then as we approached the coast, the base dropped even more and forced us down to 1800’, but I could see that over the actual coast is was ‘Sky Clear’ as is often the case, so I was hardly concerned. I avoided a prohibited area that stated it was for a static line holding a balloon up to 15000’ (yes – fifteen thousand feet), what kind of balloon was that!!!

I was called by Houston Center who were providing me with flight following asking what I was doing on altitude. I said I was dodging a few clouds to stay VFR, whereupon they said with poor radar coverage at the altitude I was on my own and should squawk 1200 – goodbye! No problem, not far to run, so I changed to listening watch on Galveston ASOS (automated weather broadcast). But all it said over and over again was ‘This is Galveston ASOS’. So I guess it wasn’t working properly, so I switched to Galveston Tower and listened in.



We hit the coast, which is not so much a coast as a mess of swamps, winding and tidal inter-coastal waterways and long, thin islands fronting the Gulf of Mexico. All of which made for some really great land and sea-scapes. We were completely clear of cloud, but as we didn’t have that far to run and were enjoying the view of the sea-scapes, I stayed at 2000’. The coast was devoid of any evidence of human habitation. This started to change as we got nearer to Galveston with the odd road, then some obviously planned developments with or without their own jetty onto a waterway.

Once onto the very long (maybe 30 miles long) but thin (maybe 3 miles wide) Galveston Island, there were far more and some very classy residential developments. With 30 miles to run, I contacted Galveston tower for airfield information and joining. They were using runway 17 with right hand circuits and reporting the winds as 180 / 10-15. I was to join on the downwind leg. They were very quiet and I only heard two other aircraft on frequency as we approached, one helicopter and some sort of navy aircraft.



We spotted the airfield fairly easily with about 8 miles to run. The biggest of the runways has obviously recently been resurfaced in a very black tarmac, which showed up really well compared with the other runway and taxiways all in concrete the same colour as the sand. I joined into an empty pattern and was immediately cleared to land. We went out wide into the water between the mainland and the island and over the main bridge to the island. I settled on a good looking approach to runway 17. Flaps down and speed under control at 70kts with the target of 65 over the fence. This I did and flared nicely. Bit of a stall warning as we touched and I dealt with what felt like gusty conditions. We turned off and easily taxied to the ramp as the taxiways were not complex. I was about to park up when a guy driving a golf buggy and wearing shorts, a loud Hawaiian shirt, shorts and sandals marshalled us to a spot with tie downs – what a nice fellah!



We shutdown as quickly as we could and popped the doors and stumbled out, sweating profusely – all in the space of five minutes from touching down – damn it’s hot!

Well, it turns out that the airfield was badly flooded during Hurricane Ike in September 2008 which completely gutted the terminal and the aircraft museum. So the Galveston FBO were in some temporary huts. We were ushered in to air-conditioned bliss. Well, the FBO and the people here could not have been more friendly or helpful. They dished out bottled water, asked us what we wanted in fuel and within 5 minutes they were refuelling. They booked a hotel for us and later drove us both out there. This really is the best part of flying in the USA – wonderful!

But first we went to the Lone Star aircraft museum. This is on the edge of the airfield, but you have to go out of the gate to get there. We got ferried over in the golf cart of course. For a few dollars entrance fee, we saw the planes. The unique thing about them is that virtually every single one is in flying condition and is regularly flown giving people warbird experiences. The B17 was positively pristine as was the Corsair. There is a Liberator undergoing complete refurbishment. What a great museum, seeing aircraft that still fly. I couldn’t resist as bright aircraft themed Hawaiian shirt though.

A nice flight and well worth the effort. Lovely gulf coast scenery and a great airport.

Biannual Flight Review

This was a ‘buddy roadtrip’ holiday to see my friend, Dan. We do these about twice a year for a week at a time to catch up and do stuff. I planned to visit San Antonio in Texas as my brother-in-law’s brother lives there. We met at the wedding and he is also a pilot and an FAA instructor who owns his own aircraft and rents it out through a local flying school. He made the mistake of inviting me out there for some flying so of course I took him up on it for this roadtrip.

My FAA BFR (Biannual Flight Review) was due in January 2010 anyway, so I decided to combine the checkride that the school would want anyway with a BFR. Martin is technically retired (from the USAF) but now works full time as a flight instructor at another school, so my original Monday date for a BFR was brought forward to Sunday, the day after I arrived in Texas from the UK. I knew I would be a bit ‘jet-lagged’ but I find it easier to cope with flying west than east, so thought I would be fine after a nights sleep.

Well, I was fine, but the weather wasn’t! I found it hard to believe that there could be anywhere on Earth that had lower cloudbases or crappier weather than the UK, but here it was! It was warm and humid, with very little wind and a cold front stalled right over Texas running west to east. There wasn’t so much a cloudbase, as there was visibility getting worse from about 2 miles on the ground to 1 mile at 200’ then into the soup at probably 600’ AGL. Martin asked how current I was on instruments. Well, I was IMC rated, but I let that lapse last year as I only fly a VFR capable aircraft, so I hadn’t flown on instruments for three years or so. I was happy that I still knew how but thought I would be a bit ‘rusty’. So my BFR was to be an IMC flight from San Antonio International to Fredericksburg to land and back again.

I had already done MY FAR revision on the flight over, so this was the flying bit.

Martin showed me around his plane. It is a ‘round dials’ Cessna 172S dating from about 2002 – so pretty recent and in good condition, despite it’s heavy use by a flying school. It was pretty straightforward.

Martin filed a flight plan for IFR via a website and we saddled up. As San Antonio is a full international airport, it has more frequencies than you can shake a stick at. We started with ‘Clearance’ from whom we got taxi clearance, then onto ‘Ground’ who controlled ground movements. We did the run up checks and noticed that the Attitude Indicator was looking a bit wonky and lazy – not good as this is the ‘master instrument’ for IMC flying and only an idiot would fly into real IMC without it (yes, you CAN use ‘partial panel’ and we all train for it, but you really don’t want to have to do it for real unless you have to). After a few turns on the ground and revving the engine, the AI seemed fine, so we decided to proceed.

Martin handled the take off with me flying in the right seat on the way out and we would swap on the way back. Once at the top of climb at 5000’, Martin handed over to me for the relatively simple task of straight and level in IMC. I have to say that it all came back to me very quickly. Trim, trim and trim again to get it perfect, then hold the yoke lightly and get the scan going. I was managing to hold heading and height pretty well though I say it myself, mind you I did notice that I didn’t have much mental capacity for anything else, I guess that is what really being current in IMC will give you – the spare capacity to be able to chew gum at the same time (not to mention reading approach plates etc.!).



We were going to shoot the GPS approach into Fredericksburg – another first as I haven’t flown a GPS approach yet. They are widespread in the USA, but rare in the UK. Well, I managed that being talked through by Martin and we descended to minimums – I could see out of the corner of my eye the cloud breaking with dark patches below, we held at minimum for probably another 15 seconds then just broke clear to be rewarded by the runway in front of us with probably 700’ of height left to lose before the threshold! I love it when this stuff works! Martin took this landing as he had reservations about me doing my first landing from the right-hand seat in a strange aircraft after having flown in IMC – probably pretty wise!

We landed and taxied in to a near deserted apron and shut down. We were only there for a ‘hundred dollar hamburger’, so the delights of Frederickburg (which is I am told a nice town with a museum devoted to Admiral Nimitz) would have to wait. But what a great airfield! There is a 1940’s style American Diner, complete with chrome stools and booths and the food was pretty good too – the vanilla shake was to die for! Then we walked next door to look at the ‘Hangar Hotel’.



For $99 a night you can stay in this hotel designed to look like a 1940’s USAF officers club, again, what a great place, definitely one to take the wife to to redeem her low opinion of private aviation! I strongly recommend Gillespie County / Fredericksburg airfield (T82) as an overnight destination.



After lunch, we saddled up again as Martin filed for IFR back to another airfield near San Antonio for a few low level circuits, but there was a major SNAFU. As we taxied out, another plane arrived, landed, shut down and the pilots wandered off, but they didn’t close their flight plan. So we couldn’t get clearance to take-off as the system was showing someone on the instrument approach (the guy that had landed). This was compounded by the fact that there was another plane stuck in the hold awaiting clearance to shoot the instrument approach. Well, cut a long story short, we sat at the hold for take off with the engine running for literally 40 minutes while Martin tried again and again over the phone to get someone to clear us for departure.

We eventually got away, but time was wearing on so we changed the plan once airborne for a direct back to San Antonio International via the ILS. I flew again on instruments while we were vectored in, then past while approach landed ‘heavy metal’ instead of us. As the cloudbase was so low, we couldn’t use the shorter GA runway (12L) so had to use the main runway, 12R. Eventually we were vectored back and Martin shot the approach itself. Again we popped out at about 600’ AGL as I took control from the left-hand seat for the landing. The landing was OK, if a bit fast, so I had to flare off the excess speed, but in doing so, allowed the crosswind to push me slightly off centreline, not a drama, but a bit amateur of me.

Still, Martin was happy enough to sign me off for my BFR and for renting the aircraft. Now all I had to do was hope that this stalled front would clear for our planned departure date of Tuesday, two days away.

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.

Taildragging in breezy conditions

My daughter’s boyfriends parents were visiting from Germany, so of course I volunteered to take them for a quick trip around the locale as they were only staying two days before moving on.

The only time I could get the plane that suited us all was Friday late afternoon.

Of course the weather was determined not to play ball, and although the clouds were plenty high enough and broken, the wind was pretty blustery all day – not good in a light taildragger.

But I set off to the airfield, feeling it was marginal (according to my personal guidelines that is). The wind was changing all the time, but was generally 240 / 15. Given the runway in use of 27, there was some crosswind, but it wasn’t too bad. What wasn’t good was that as showers approached, the wind would change and hit 240 / 20G30 – ouch!

So for me marginal conditions, but I had a good think and decided that nothing ventured nothing gained and that I was not going to be a ‘scaredy squirrel’.

So I briefed my passengers, with the help of their son who translated some of the trickier bits, they did speak reasonable English, but I wanted to make certain they understood completely.

So it was going to be two quick locals, one for each of the parents, before the airfield closed as I didn’t fancy landing on indemnity in such blowy conditions.

As it turned out, it was windy, but I handled it OK. The take-offs were easy enough, just very careful and quick on the pedals to keep the nose straight with into wind aileron. The first landing was a bit of a bounce, but the second landing was much better.

We dodged the showers up there and had a quick look around the locale with two mandatory flypasts of my house (which the wife saw as she was walking the dog).

A good couple of flights and I felt much better for having made the decision to fly in such breezy conditions – no sweat at all in a nosewheel aircraft, but if you haven’t flown a light taildragger in such windy conditions and wonder what all the fuss is about, then either you are a much better pilot than me (entirely possible) or you haven’t tried it in a taildragger yet – give it a go!

Le Touquet

I had to call my last planned trip to Le Touquet off due to really bad weather (very low cloud and strong winds), so I immediately re-booked the plane for the next available Sunday.

The day dawned with forecasts of a very heavy rain front waiting to sweep in, but being held out past Ireland by high pressure – would the high pressure hold for all day Sunday? Up at 0700 and the weather was ideal, clear skies virtually nil wind, so off to pick my daughter up from her apartment then onto the airfield.

I had of course completed all of the formalities the previous day, which consists of dropping the General Aviation Report (customs stuff) and a Flight Plan off at the reception desk at the airfield and they did the rest and emailing a request for customs to L2K.

I checked the plane out in the hangar then wheeled it out with my daughters somewhat inexpert help, but hey, we got there! I gave her a careful and full safety brief, especially about the belts and canopy opening and all the over-water gear and ELT beacon.

The plane was low on fuel to off to the pumps for me. After a jammed hose reel then my keys playing up, one of the fire crew sorted it all out and we were refuelled. We were given a taxi to the holding point for runway 18 – wow – it’s been a good couple of years since I last used this runway at Gloucester. It is the shortest (but still some 800m) and narrowest of the three runways and was closed for quite some time. But we were up and away in short order as I turned left on track for a direct line between Gloucester and the GWC VOR on Goodwood airfield on the south coast by Chichester. This routing neatly avoids all of the controlled airspace if you don’t go above 5000’ (4500’ in one small stretch).

There were scatter and thin cumulus at about 2500’ and I didn’t fancy scuttling under then, so carried on through to 4500’ to sit well on top with plenty of holes in the cloud and clear runs back down again. Brize were busy but helpful as always as I spoke to them once I cleared the Cotswold ridge.

After them I contacted Farnboro Radar who seemed remarkably quiet. But I was already hearing other aircraft also routing to L2K – I chuckled as I explained to my daughter that the world and his wife would probably be headed to L2K on a day like this. There was now a thin stratus layer barely below me which looked solid but thin and was now between me and the cumulus. But I could see further ahead to the coast, so I knew this layer would disappear soon. After about 20 miles it did drop away and by the time I got to the coast, the lower cumulus had gone as well.



We approached the south coast and I changed frequency to Shoreham as according to the NOTAMs they are due to have an airshow with a RAT all the way up to 5000’, with class A airspace starting above that at FL55. In theory, I could route through their overhead above 5000’ but below FL55. I spoke to them and the show hadn’t started, so they were happy for me to fly through their overhead at 4500’ anyway.

I routed along the coast following the VOR’s to LYD where I was careful to avoid the military danger area as I coasted out over Dungeness nuclear power station at 4500’ talking to a ‘not very busy’ London Information.

There was no horizon over the channel as usual, with the dark blue of the sea giving way to a thick grey band which eventually lead to the light blue of the clear skies above. I wasn’t flying on instrument, but I was keeping an eye on the artificial horizon and cross checking with my altitude (in the absence of a clear horizon).

But soon, we could make out the coast of France and I switched from London Information to Lille Approach. They pushed me off the L2K with about 10 miles to run and L2K gave me a straight in (direct to final) approach for runway 14 and to report at 5 miles. I started the descent and noted the wind he was giving others on final as 180 / 12 – aahhhh – a nice sporting crosswind – nothing in a nosewheel aircraft, but this was a light and relatively twitchy taildragger – this could be fun!

At five miles I as now down to 2000’ and was given number 1 at three miles. I had the airspeed under control, if a little fast. I noted the crosswind as I had to fly cocked into the wind to maintain the extended centreline.

Over the number and still a little fast although ground speed quite slow, so yes, quite a strong wind. I kicked the nose straight and compensated with opposite rudder as I concentrated on the flare and hold off. Stall warner sounding but she touched before I wanted and I was rewarded with small bounce – no fun when you are also compensating for a crosswind. I controlled that and held off and touched again and stayed touched. A gust hit the fin and the nose came right a bit to take me off the centreline, but I was back on the rudder and straightened her up again as she rolled out to taxi speed. Not great, but not bad for a crosswind landing.

I taxied in and had a hard look for parking space – with the majority of the ramp being occupied by G registration aircraft (as expected). I found a slot and parked up and as quickly as I could, popped the canopy as it was bright sunshine at L2K and without the airflow through the blowers, you cook very quickly under the bubble canopy of the RV! It had taken me about 1.5 hours from Gloucester to L2K.



We unpacked and set off towards the terminal. Of course no customs, just check in with the helpful staff. Tell them how much fuel you want and walk off and pay when you get back – no hassle at all!

We didn’t bother with bike hire, which with hindsight we should have. I have never been to Etaples on the other side of the river (and an easy walk from the airport), so we decided to go there and check it out. I was kind of hoping for a cute French fishing village, maybe a mini-Honfleur. I was disappointed. It is an OK town, we found to town square, but it was deserted with virtually everything shut (as France tends to be on Sunday). It would be an interesting place on market day. We eventually found one of the eight of so open restaurants with space. They specialised in ‘SLOW’. I have ‘Moule Frite’. The food was fine, but very ssllllloooooooowwwww! I paid up and we agreed on a quick trip to L2K itself. So walked back to the airfield and all the bikes had gone, so we got a taxi. 10 Euros later we were in ‘Centre Ville’.

L2K was bustling with virtually everything open – but then at the height of the French holiday season, not too surprising. I showed my daughter around the main sights and she decided we should walk back to the airport to admire the classy French ‘holiday homes’ for the rich Parisians between the town and the airport.

Back at the airport, I filed the flight plan for the return and paid the bills. They want you to pay separately for the fuel and the landing fees. Landing fee was a modest EUR12 for mu small RV6 and they had put 40 litres of fuel in as requested.

It was very warm now but the wind had died down to a modest 5-6 kts, but still favouring runway 14 – so a fair old taxi in store for me with the canopy buttoned up!



I checked the plane over and clambered in. I was sat there with the canopy buttoned up trying very hard to get a word in edgeways to request taxi clearance while slowly cooking to death! I managed eventually then had to wait in a three plane departure queue – still cooking!

Eventually we got airborne and got some blessed airflow on my face. As I turned on a climbing downwind for the channel and Lydd, my daughter tried to get some photos of the airport from the overhead. I frequent the Flyer Forum portal. They have a section there for airfields and I am amazed that no one has yet posted a decent photo of L2K from the overhead (something I find very useful for pilots who have not been to a particular airfield before). As it turns out, she didn’t really manage a decent photo showing the airfield and environs as she used the zoom – DOH! Does ANYONE have a decent photo of L2K? It seems as difficult as getting a photo of a vampire – hey! I wonder….. naaaah!



I climbed to 5000’ over the channel and reversed the route and the process on the way back. I did just manage to contact London Information, but it was a real feeding frenzy so I gave up and changed to Shoreham prematurely.

Shoreham were quiet, but then they did have the airshow on. I requested a routing through their overhead above 5000’ (the top of their RAT) but below FL55 (the start of controlled airspace above). Of course I could legally do it without even speaking to them, but lets be gentlemen here! They demurred and asked if I could route either 4 miles to the south or north. I opted for south out to sea and kept myself at about 5200’ just in case there was any silliness. As we approached Shoreham we could clearly see smoke tails all over the sky as someone was doing some serious aerobatics.

Past Shoreham, I dropped to 4500’ to avoid a small slug of controlled airspace and talked to Farnboro Radar. We routed near to GWC then set track for Gloucester. It was then that my daughter called ‘PLANE’ and pointed (as I had briefed her to do) at about 1 o’clock. I saw it a few seconds before it flashed under my starboard wing, probably 200’ below. Clearly neither of us had seen the other until the last moment. Had he been coming at the same height, I did would have had time for a fairly violent manoeuvre, but didn’t have to bother.

We pottered on as I switched to Brize as I listed to another aircraft call Brize three times with no response. So I stayed on listening watch and routed over Fairford at 4500’ picking up the Gloucester ATIS. Gloucester gave me a standard overhead join for 22.

As we crested the Cotswold ridge, the fine weather gave way to a near overcast, albeit fairly high cloud. I did a nice overhead join and set her down as nicely as you please on 22 (I can manage it sometime you know!). It was 1800 as I taxied into a very quiet and still airport. We put the plane away and I finished the paperwork and formalities.

A good day out and a chance to try my crosswind landings for real. The weather could not really have been better (for a change). I must get another cross-channel trip in, maybe to the Channel Islands and to Alderney, as I have not been there yet. Or maybe a ‘round London’ trip to pick up some airfields I have always flown past but never landed at yet, like Lydd, Manston and Southend?

German visitor

My daughters boyfriend had his sister visiting from Germany over the weekend and I was assigned for the mandatory local for the said visiting dignitary. I don’t mind a bit, I was looking for an excuse to go flying.

The weekend was perfect flying weather such as we have rarely seen this year in the UK. Sunday was sunny with nil wind and a bit hazy at first, but clearing later. I rocked up early and gave the plane a pre-flight check in the early morning quiet of the airfield around 0815 – quiet, unhurried – bliss!

They turned up as expected about 0845 and I gave Micah a full passenger safety brief, with Rob present as I needed to be sure she understood what I was saying (they are German). This would be her first time in a light aircraft, so I was especially pedantic in my briefing.

Of course I needed to add some fuel, so I agreed to met them at the pumps. I was getting strapped in again, when a helpful instructor pointed out that I had left the fuel tank caps off – ooops! I would have spotted this as part of my start-up checks as I have a specific check for fuel caps at this point, but embarrassing nonetheless. Hopefully, that was my one mandatory gaff per flight!

Power checks complete, we lined up about 0930 and were away. I decided on a circular route, first down to the Severn bridges, then up the Wye valley at Chepstow to the Malverns, then across to Bredon Hill and over my house in Gotherington, along Cleeve Hill and back in to Gloucester.



Micah was fine and I gave her control for a while. She flew well, with a relaxed grip, quite unlike the normal ‘death grip’ of most newbies! I dropped altitude along the Wye valley for fun, then climbed back to 3500’ for a few steep turns outside Ross on Wye, which she enjoyed.



Dropped again for a mandatory low-level pass over my house as I then ran parallel and low-level (although still perfectly legal) to the ridge at Cleeve Hill into a climbing power turn towards Winchcombe to give me time to get the ATIS.

I called for rejoin and got a normal overhead join for 27. I warned Micah about the deadside descent being a bit rapid. We came around to land on 27 with nil wind. I was about 5 kts too fast coming in and was punished with a decent float, even so, I got it stopped easily just past the intersection and mercifully given a backtrack, rather than having to roll to the end, especially in the bright sunshine as it beat down through the bubble canopy and rapidly heated the cockpit, now without the benefit of cooling airflow.

Back in and shutdown and get the canopy up! Phew, that was warm!

Micah enjoyed her flight, but admitted to starting to feel a bit off-colour during the deadside descent. Well, a good warm up for hopefully a day trip to Le Touquet with the wife next Saturday. For a change, we plan to walk to Etaples just over the river rather than Le Touquet.

The joys of a local!

The weather in the UK has been truly horrible in the last few weeks, with the jet stream stubbornly refusing to re-locate to the north of Scotland as it usually does every summer, instead it snakes its way over the middle of England, sweeping in a series of low pressure systems, one after another, with wind, rain and low cloud. That, combined with a business trip to India and a, err, ‘stomach’ bug I acquired over there, have conspired to make flying time for me in July a distant memory.



Having said that, today the cloud had broken and lifted a bit and although still breezy, it looked good enough for me to pop across to the airfield after work for a local. I won’t give a blow by blow account of a local flight, but a few highlights perhaps and the sort of simple pleasures that even a local flight can give:

- The unhurried quiet of the hangar as I made a leisurely walkaround of the plane
- With just me on board, a wonderful take-off with the tail coming up quickly and becoming airborne before I knew it
- Leisurely climb to 3500’ and a wander over to see the grand bends in the River Severn
- Playing with the scattered cloudbase – yep, it was precisely 5300’
- Climbing to 7500’ just for the fun of it and seeing if steep turns still ‘worked’ at that altitude – they did!
- Looking down on the Malverns as though they were in a satellite photograph OK, imagination required here)
- Executing a very nice airfield deadside descent,
- Crossing the upwind numbers at precisely the right place, watching another aircraft take-off underneath me
- Run a decent final, flare over the displaced threshold and touch literally on the number
- Taxi in to a quiet airfield untroubled by radio chatter
- Pull up to the hangar, shut down and just sit there for a few minutes not moving, just drinking it all in
- Put the plane away and shut the hangar doors and just stand outside the hangar, not wanting to leave the apron
- Looking back at the airfield in the quiet of the evening as I drive away



I am certainly no poet, but in all, it was a bit like that first beer over the BBQ after a heavy days work on the house – that AAAHHHHHHHHH feeling. Can’t beat it!

Local in showers

I had the plane booked for Tuesday late afternoon more to keep my hand in than for anything specific in mind. I arranged for my daughter’s boyfriend to go up with me as ‘self-loading ballast’. In the event, he didn’t turn up (probably forgot), so it was just me.

I checked the plane over and looked pensively at the weather. Fair old breeze, a bit gusty, but nothing that would have worried me at all in a nosewheel aircraft. Thunderstorm warnings on the ATIS and certainly some large showers floating about, but fairly clearly defined and you could just about see through them.

I was worried about the crosswind AND only being solo in the plane. In a plane as small and light as the RV, landing solo means more float, slower landing speed and less mass for gusts to have a lot of fun with you and for things to happen more quickly.

I was talking myself out of it and resolved to head back to the hangar and pack up and go home, after all, this is meant to be fun right? Why put the pressure on if I don’t have to? Then I thought about it wasn’t so bad and you know, if you don’t step a little outside your comfort zone (not a huge step, but at least a little) then you are not going to progress and will end up crawling back into a very small comfort zone which will gradually get smaller and smaller.

Hell, it was just like in the fantasy movies with a miniature guardian angel on one shoulder telling you to congratulate yourself on being brave enough NOT to fly, with a devil on the other shoulder chiding me for being a scaredy squirrel – or maybe it was other way around – you get the picture.

OK – we go! What the hell. I booked out and hauled the aircraft out. As I was doing so, Steve Noudjam turned up to meet with Manuel about his lovely record Cape Town and back record challenging RV7. I wished him luck with his record attempt – probably when I was out of earshot he asked Manuel ‘who the hell was that?’.

I taxied out to the pumps and filled the plane a bit as it was down to its last 30 litres. The ATIS was saying the wind was 280/12 – given runway 27, this was fine, but I have to say it looked a bit further out than a mere 10 degrees, so I vowed (as any taildragger pilot would) to pay more attention to the evidence of my eyes than and ‘official pronouncements’.

The airport was pretty quiet as I completed power checks. I was cleared for take-off on runway 27 and duly lined up. Again I carefully check the windsock, looks like the wind is some 20 degrees coming from the right, so mental note to go easier on the right rudder as the power comes on and put a bit of into wind aileron in. Power up and rolling.

As expected, the tail comes up quickly with the wind and reduced weight. Before I know it the plane is hopping about anxious to get airborne, I hold it down for as long as I can then ease back and she is up. Other than checking the rpm when I first apply full power, I don’t look at the panel at all during the short take-off run, I use my ears instead to gauge engine note. This is normal for me on the RV as I am totally focussed on ‘dancing on the pedals’ to keep the plane running straight – ask any taildragger pilot and they will probably say the same thing.



I apply the 10 degrees noise abatement turn at the end of the runway and see where I can go. I originally wanted to head to the west, but there is a nasty shower over Gloucester and the north west towards Malvern looks better. I head up to 2300’. Approach call me to warn of inbound traffic from the north west. I announce that I am climbing to 2800’ (on the assumption that if he is inbound he will probably be at 2000’ on the QFE. I hear the incoming traffic call as having me in sight, he is probably below me, but I cannot see him (I find it harder to spot traffic ‘below the sky’ against the ground).

Although my airspeed is some 130kts, I note with interest that the GPS is giving my groundspeed as 100kts, so a 30kt headwind up here.



Around Malvern, the clouds are quite scattered and just for the hell of it, I climb to 5500’ to get above most of them just to have a look at the cloudscape. I hear another aircraft inbound to Gloucester from the north for the instrument procedure, so he will also be high. I decide to delay my turn to Bredon Hill until I hear him call again at 10 miles, and therefore past me. While waiting, I do a few steep turns and just manage to resist the childish urges to say ‘wheeeeee’ out loud!



On the way over to Bredon Hill, I spot Defford disused airfield and from that, pick out Croft Farm. I descend to below the cloudbase to do a couple of orbits of my village, then pick up the ATIS and call for a rejoin. I am given direct to right base for 27 as I head on in. I approach at 2000’ on the QFE, then drop to 1000’ just as I approach right base. What I forget is that I am a lot faster going into right base than normal, so have to take the power off and let the slippery RV bleed speed back to the rather low flap limiting speed. By the time I do this and pull flaps on, I am way high, so I continue with the power off until the picture comes in properly on final.

They are giving 280/08, but again, the windsock look more like 290 or maybe 300. I do have to keep the nose to the right to keep the extended runway centreline, so I mentally prepare for a crosswind landing, get ready on the left rudder and right aileron. I also remember that I am only one-up, so much lighter than usual, so get ready for extended float.

Over the threshold, picture good and power now off. Round out and hold off. I hold off and off, but no stall warner. Crosswind does not seem to be a factor as nose is straight, but right wing wants to lift a bit, so a bit of into wind aileron and opposite rudder to compensate. Still holding off, would be nice to hear the stall warner, then it chirps a bit, then a bit more, then it is continuous – wow, it really makes a big difference being one up. We touch, lift again maybe a few inches then touch again – happy with that! We are stopped well before the intersection, but Gloucester kindly give me a backtrack anyway as they really are not busty at all.

Taxi in and shutdown. Aaaahhh! No one around and all the hangars shut up, so I can’t borrow the other RV’s towbar (yes, I do have their permission), so I am going to have to man-handle the RV by the prop backwards into a crowded hangar! But wait – help is at hand. The Cotswold hangar is opening and someone is getting a plane out, time for me to sneak in a borrow the towbar. I get the plane in easily and introduce myself to my saviour. He is a member of the other RV group and asks what the weather and winds are like. I tell him that they are fine and no problem either on take off or landing and that it is very quiet and peaceful up there tonight.

A very nice flight and I am glad that I pushed myself into doing it. I am quite sure there are many tailwheel pilots out there that may scoff at my timidity, well good for them, but I don’t claim to be a barnstorming, fearless aviation legend. Far from it, I am very much a ‘Captain Sensible’ and for me, this was pushing the envelope a little bit.

OK, now I must check the calendars and booking sheets for a free weekend and book the plane for a cross channel jaunt.