> I've posted this with all my errors and mistakes included, as I believe
> in posting true and accurate accounts of what happened. I state here
> and now, that I know what they all were, and have learned from them. I
> do not wish to evoke the sort of criticism I copped last time.
>
> Well, I was due to fly at 9am yesterday (Saturday), but a call to the
> airfield yielded a cancellation due to dodgy weather. We tentatively
> re-scheduled for the next day, (today), at around lunchtime. The
> forecast for the next day was meant to be almost worse than Saturday.
> At 1pm on Saturday, the weather had improved quite considerably, so I
> decided to call the airfield again and see if the a/c was free for the
> afternoon, and whether the weather over there was suitable for a flight.
> The answer to both questions was, to my joy, yes!
> I drove right over there, and had to wait about 15 minutes for my
> instructor to finish another flight. When she came into the office, she
> just gave me the keys, and said "Off you go! Go out into the training
> area anddo a few steep turns, then come back and do a few circuits, but
> just watch those clouds, (large mean looking clouds to the West.
> Training area extends to the East of the airfield.) If it looks like
> it's starting to rain, come back." The Gazelle is not to be flown in
> the rain, as it has a wooden prop. I've heard conflicting stories as to
> whether it can actually be flown in the rain or not, but it's not my
> plane so I do as instructed.
> This is the first time I've been handed the keys and sent off on my
> own. All previous solo flights have always had the instructor come on
> at least 1 circuit with me before dropping them off and then me going
> out alone. Also, this was my first solo flight into the training area.
> All previous solo flight has only been circuits.
> The grin hit my face before I even got to the a/c. I rang the wife, and
> told her to be in the back yard in about 15 minutes. As my house is in
> the training area, I thought I'd fly out and find my hose, and do my
> steep turns there! How cool!
> Did the preflight, and then proceeded to start and taxi the a/c to the
> active. Rwy 35 on this day. I'd done solo circuits on this runway on
> only 1 other occasion. The wind was almost non existant, but what there
> was of it was predominantly Northerly.
> Did my run-up, made my radio call, and off I went. As I took off, I
> knew I had to wait until I was at either 3nm or 1500ft before I could
> turn against the normal left turns of the pattern. This was where I
> made what turned out to be my first blunder. As Avalon's active
> airspace starts just to the North or the runway I took off from, and
> that airspace starts at 1500ft, I did not want to make a breach, and
> turned right a little too early. I was probably only 2 - 2.5nm and not
> the 3nm required. I put that down to fear of breaching the airspace,
> something I'm sure will not be an issue next time. I'll just do a
> normal circuit next time and overfly at 1500, and not in controlled
> space.
> I made my way, using the VTC in the a/c (not that I needed it, as I'd
> been out that way before with the instructor, but I thought I'd best
> get in the habit of always using a chart so I always know where I am.)
> I thought I'd better do at least 1 steep turn before I got to my house,
> so I don't botch it up with the wife watching! ;-)
> To my surprise, I did it perfectly. Lost no altitude, gained no
> altitude, and exited the turn exactly back on course.
> I headed towards the house. I had my altitude at around 2200ft (as
> advised by my instructor before I left) and made the turn over the
> house. The wife was in the back yard, and once again, a perfect steep
> turn through 360 degrees. (I actually lost about 80-100ft this time,
> but I still felt good about the manouver.)
> Both the turns I'd done so far had been left hand turns, so I decided
> to do a right hand turn whilst still in the area, so I headed back
> towards the house and did a right hand steep turn. Again, it was text
> book. I then headed back towards the airfield, making sure I was
> watching out very carefully for traffic, and also for suitable landing
> areas as I went. I managed to find an unlisted airfield that my
> instructor had pointed out once before. Was much easier to spot this
> time I think because I was concentrating more on flying the a/c rather
> than worrying about what my instructor was thinking about my flying.
> (Know what I mean?) Anyway, I did one more right hand steep turn
> through 360 degrees on the way back and then proceeded back towards the
> airfield. The clouds to the West had grown much meaner looking, and I
> could see what looked like torrential rain underneath them. I did my 5
> mile inbound call, and then the windscreen started getting rain on it.
> There was nothing I could do about it, so I didn't let it worry me, and
> just kept flying the a/c. I overflew the airfield at 1500, checking the
> windsock as I went. The wind hadn't changed at all, so it was going to
> be a Rwy 35 landing. I decided I'd do 1 touch and go, and then do a
> full stop, as the rain appeared to have dissappeared from the
> windscreen. This is where I made my second blunder, and I turned onto
> the downwind leg far too soon, leaving me with a VERY tight circuit to
> contend with, and I was still just under 1500ft. I extended the
> downwind leg a little, but not enough as it turned out. The wind was
> still almost non-existent, so I did not lose as much altitude on the
> final leg as I had hoped. I tried a slip, which I am much more
> comfortable with now, even if they do feel a little sloppy, but I was
> still unable to lose as much altitude as I wanted, so as I crossed the
> threshold, I was still at about 200ft. I thought about landing long, as
> I was solo, and had about 3/4 fuel in the tanks, but with little wind,
> I thought it would possibly be safer to just go around, so I did. I was
> glad I did, as it hilighted my 3rd blunder for the flight, which was
> that I forgot to do my pre-landing checks whilst on the downwind leg.
> I gave it full throttle, and stepped to the right of the runway, so I
> could see it all clearly. Back up I went, realising after a few seconds
> I still had the carb heat out, (we'll call that blunder 4) and once I
> pushed it back in, the revs lifted a little more, and all sounded fine
> again. Back up I went, left onto crosswind, level out at 1000ft, left
> onto downwind, pre-landing checks, did my call to turn onto base, but
> did not state whether I was touch and going, or full stopping, as I was
> unsure what I wanted to do yet. As this was all happening, a helicopter
> had landed at the fuel bowser, and was again preparing to take off
> again.
> As I made my turn onto finals, I decided I'd just do a full stop, as
> the windscreen was once again showing signs of precipitation. I decided
> I'd make a radio call now for 2 reasons. (The base call is mandatory.
> All other circuit calls are optional.) The first reason was to announce
> my full stop intention, and the second reason was to remind the
> helicopter that I was about to land, and not to go anywhere yet.
> This time, I had set up the landing much better from the base leg, and
> touched her down for an absolute greaser! I reakon the best landing I'd
> done solo ever.
> I taxiied clear, made my cler call, and the helicopter then departed.
> Total flight was 0.8hrs, and very enjoyable.
> The fact that I was just given the keys and sent on my way was an
> awesome feeling. It certainly refreshed my love of flying, as just
> doing circuits lesson in, and lesson out does get a bit monotonous.
> Total time now is 14.9hrs out of a minimum required of 20hrs.
>
> --