Lesson 26, More Nav
Another fine day today, beautiful sunshine and only scattered clouds should be good for flying! I spend the morning planning out the route and constantly checking the weather for any signs of change in the wind or cloudbase. In drawing out the course I run through the flight in my mind whilst looking at the map, really aquainting myself with the area all around the route, hopefully once flying it, it should help me to recognise any deviations from the plan.
The weather reports today were basically saying VRB/5 or CALM at 2,000AMSL and 5,000AMSL which means winds at 5 knots from a variable direction. This whilst good for flying is not good for calculating an accurate heading to steer, I therefore decide to steer the magnetic headings and be ready to adapt those headings in the air if the wind starts causing us to drift.
On the map I write all the information I will need for the route (as well as completing a proper VFR flight plan). Writing on the map means everything I need to navigate is right there in front of me, without having to look elsewhere. I also copy the flightplan information on to my kneeboard as a back-up.
Various scribblings on my chart
Today will be a challenge because I have to cross a MATZ so will need to make a call at whitchurch to request a route through the zone. Radio is one area I hope I will improve this flight as up till now I tend to easily fumble what I want to say, which is kinda strange as I am often called to deliver training to Solution Architects, Developers and Management therefore ordinarily I am quite confident speaking in public. The radio really should be easy for me but for some reason it's not.
After briefing Antonio I head out, carry out the transit checks and take her over to the pumps to gas up. Antonio joins me at the pumps and after refuelling we start to set off. I complete the engine checks and then realise, hmm I need the toilet.. damn. Antonio finds this really funny because only earlier he was telling me about his qualifying cross-country where he had to divert to another airfield for the same reason. I therefore have to take her back to the gate and go do my thing.
Ok finally, we are off. I climb in the circuit and then set heading for Grove, the first waypoint. I know it is a disused airfield but have no real idea what to expect visually once there. I make the radio calls to request radar flight information service and am warned of intense ariel activity en-route, lots of gliders out today. Worth mentioning that I messed up this call slightly but overall managed to sound coherent at least.
The weather towards our waypoint is fantastic, although there is a heavy haze. One point we passed had a interesting looking particle accelerator so Antonio took a picture of it. The picture came out bad, partly because of reflection in the canopy and also the haze.
Haze over typical countryside
Particle Accelerator in the distance
Before long the first waypoint appears in front of the nose, outstanding! no wind drift and I maintained the planned heading. I carry out a sweeping circle to the right and fly back over Grove airfield (it's a wartime airfield since left to go into ruin, some of the buildings looked like typical wartime hangers but sadly no tower remained). I set the next heading and drop 500 feet as the cloudbase here is about 3000 feet and there are alot of gliders hugging the cloudbase. The next leg is uneventful and I keep a constant visual check at the map and what I see around our position, all is good. I sight our next waypoint, a small town with a river and railway track running along side. Suddenly Antonio pulls the power, PFL. This time I follow the procedure so all is well, I pick a field although a little close by therefore I do a spiral turn while maintaining best glide speed of 70knts and then a forward slip to lose height as we are on 'finals' for the field. We will make it so I recover and then Antonio tells me to resume navigation, at this point we are around 800AMSL and I have lost site of the waypoint due to the low altitude so I conduct a climbing turn and look around for reference points. I spot Andover off to our right hand side in the distance so establish our position and then continue climbing and return to the track.
Once overhead Whitchurch I again make a turn to the right and during the turn make the radio call to request MATZ penetration, we are cleared through at 2,500 feet and told to avoid Odiham CTR. I stick to the planned heading and pass all the points detailed on the map more or less at the expected times.
Antonio snaps a photo overhead Basingstoke.
Goofing around on final leg
Finally we have Blackbushe in sight directly in front of us so enter from the dead-side and come in for an OK landing.
Antonio is very pleased as am I, I really prepared well for this exercise and that preparation paid off, FREDA checks come naturally and the 6T's are becoming easier. Radio is still my weakest point although I am improving, I am going to try re-reading the communication section in the JAR course.
Once back we debrief a bit and I grab a coke, I have a little longer scheduled time today so I decide to go and do some solo circuits for the remaining half-hour. These circuits go well with 3 good landings.
Hectic day but really loved every minute of it. The plan for tomorrow has changed, first solo navigation eeek!
The weather reports today were basically saying VRB/5 or CALM at 2,000AMSL and 5,000AMSL which means winds at 5 knots from a variable direction. This whilst good for flying is not good for calculating an accurate heading to steer, I therefore decide to steer the magnetic headings and be ready to adapt those headings in the air if the wind starts causing us to drift.
On the map I write all the information I will need for the route (as well as completing a proper VFR flight plan). Writing on the map means everything I need to navigate is right there in front of me, without having to look elsewhere. I also copy the flightplan information on to my kneeboard as a back-up.
Various scribblings on my chart
Today will be a challenge because I have to cross a MATZ so will need to make a call at whitchurch to request a route through the zone. Radio is one area I hope I will improve this flight as up till now I tend to easily fumble what I want to say, which is kinda strange as I am often called to deliver training to Solution Architects, Developers and Management therefore ordinarily I am quite confident speaking in public. The radio really should be easy for me but for some reason it's not.
After briefing Antonio I head out, carry out the transit checks and take her over to the pumps to gas up. Antonio joins me at the pumps and after refuelling we start to set off. I complete the engine checks and then realise, hmm I need the toilet.. damn. Antonio finds this really funny because only earlier he was telling me about his qualifying cross-country where he had to divert to another airfield for the same reason. I therefore have to take her back to the gate and go do my thing.
Ok finally, we are off. I climb in the circuit and then set heading for Grove, the first waypoint. I know it is a disused airfield but have no real idea what to expect visually once there. I make the radio calls to request radar flight information service and am warned of intense ariel activity en-route, lots of gliders out today. Worth mentioning that I messed up this call slightly but overall managed to sound coherent at least.
The weather towards our waypoint is fantastic, although there is a heavy haze. One point we passed had a interesting looking particle accelerator so Antonio took a picture of it. The picture came out bad, partly because of reflection in the canopy and also the haze.
Haze over typical countryside
Particle Accelerator in the distance
Before long the first waypoint appears in front of the nose, outstanding! no wind drift and I maintained the planned heading. I carry out a sweeping circle to the right and fly back over Grove airfield (it's a wartime airfield since left to go into ruin, some of the buildings looked like typical wartime hangers but sadly no tower remained). I set the next heading and drop 500 feet as the cloudbase here is about 3000 feet and there are alot of gliders hugging the cloudbase. The next leg is uneventful and I keep a constant visual check at the map and what I see around our position, all is good. I sight our next waypoint, a small town with a river and railway track running along side. Suddenly Antonio pulls the power, PFL. This time I follow the procedure so all is well, I pick a field although a little close by therefore I do a spiral turn while maintaining best glide speed of 70knts and then a forward slip to lose height as we are on 'finals' for the field. We will make it so I recover and then Antonio tells me to resume navigation, at this point we are around 800AMSL and I have lost site of the waypoint due to the low altitude so I conduct a climbing turn and look around for reference points. I spot Andover off to our right hand side in the distance so establish our position and then continue climbing and return to the track.
Once overhead Whitchurch I again make a turn to the right and during the turn make the radio call to request MATZ penetration, we are cleared through at 2,500 feet and told to avoid Odiham CTR. I stick to the planned heading and pass all the points detailed on the map more or less at the expected times.
Antonio snaps a photo overhead Basingstoke.
Goofing around on final leg
Finally we have Blackbushe in sight directly in front of us so enter from the dead-side and come in for an OK landing.
Antonio is very pleased as am I, I really prepared well for this exercise and that preparation paid off, FREDA checks come naturally and the 6T's are becoming easier. Radio is still my weakest point although I am improving, I am going to try re-reading the communication section in the JAR course.
Once back we debrief a bit and I grab a coke, I have a little longer scheduled time today so I decide to go and do some solo circuits for the remaining half-hour. These circuits go well with 3 good landings.
Hectic day but really loved every minute of it. The plan for tomorrow has changed, first solo navigation eeek!
posted by Chris @ Tuesday, August 16, 2005
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