Heads or tails

Well today’s lesson was a bit of a gong show. I was definitely not on speaking terms with the tarmac. The original plan was to do some dual circuits, check that I’d got a decent handle on the plane and then Bob’d hop on out and I’d get some solo time.

That isn’t what happened at all. I was mildly optimistic that it’d be OK, the winds were light and variable but I knew enough to be able to tell Bob confidently that I just needed to power back earlier and get full flaps down sooner rather than later.

My first warning sign should have been when I got my taxi clearance to 08 when the ATIS was calling 26 the active. I took off on 08 reasonably well, good enough that I had time to joke with Bob when ATC called me “number 1” (for the runway). “see even they know I’m awesome!”

My approach was all wrong, I did what I thought I needed to but I was drifting well off my planned approach line and not in the direction I expected. Bob informed me “you’ve got a tail wind.” He warned me to be careful, “it’s going to swap to a headwind soon, maybe expect some windshear.”

It didn’t end well; I was sideways on approach I overshot. I cursed myself out. The problem with the winds screwing up your approach is that you can’t see them; it’s not always immediately obvious as to what is going on. The plane just doesn’t do what you want. It’s frustrating.

The winds were just horrible, I should have been comforted by the fact that Bob felt the need to inform ATC that the winds aloft didn’t match the surface winds. It was cold comfort, I wasn’t at my best and it became immediately apparent that Bob wasn’t getting out. The unspoken fear being that I could get it up and fly it around but getting back on the ground was a little dicey to say the least. I forced myself to do 2 more circuits than I really wanted to, in the hope of salvaging some decent landings. It’s embarrassing for everyone concerned when you’ve asked ATC to turn your touch and go into a full stop and then proceed to overshoot when it becomes blatantly obvious that I don't have a hope in hell of getting it down in time.

On my final circuit ATC took major pity on me, having already informed me that I should expect a 2.5 mile final but I should wait for them to call my base turn. I waited, they sent me out over the bay. I powered back a little so that I didn’t end up in Hamilton. I got clearance to turn base at my discretion. I called my turn. ATC told me “you can widen it out a bit if you like, there’s no one behind you.” I can just imagine what he was thinking “take the extra space sweetie, we could all  use you getting it down at some point today.”

I got it down. Missed Foxtrot though, they gave me permission to backtrack off, I could almost hear the sighs of relief from the tower.