Monday 14 July 2014

Last woman standing.

Solo flight yesterday, dual flight today. Nice and early to avoid the worst of the afternoon sun and associated thermals. Although I’m a little frustrated about some aspects of my airwork, I’m generally more relaxed about the flights in general. I’m very much calling the shots now. Our briefings pretty much consist of Bob asking me “so what are we doing today then?” He might make suggestions but I’m very much in charge of my own training now.  I’m feeling in control and it feels good!

I’d been mentioning for a while that I wanted to do a circuit lesson. I know that I need to nail those speciality take offs and landings. I also know that I’ve developed some bad habits on landing. I’m tending to land long. Nothing dangerous but, as I admitted shamefacedly to Bob, “It’d be nice to make it off by Foxtrot occasionally”

So circuits it was. Short field, obstacle, take offs and landings all on the cards.
As usual the best laid plans of bringing each circuit to a full stop were scuppered by the enormous volume of traffic. 4 or 5 planes in the circuit, commercial traffic landing and departing and the occasional medevac. All conspiring to keep me in the air. Not a touch and go in sight let alone a stop and go.

I found myself stuck behind a painfully sluggish 152, flying the worlds widest circuits; occasionally by ATCs request, occasionally of their own volition. If planes had brakes, I’d have been standing on them for sure.

The winds being light and variable we hopefully requested stop and goes on 06, but no joy. I kept my mouth shut, dutifully followed the slower plane in front and managed my spacing without any prompting from ATC.

It was hard work for sure, but eventually my persistence and patience was rewarded. The traffic thinned and ATC actually asked me “JES, you were looking for stop and goes earlier. Now we can accommodate, are you still interested?”

I replied in the affirmative and thanked them. I would like to think that eventually good behaviour in the circuit gets rewarded. I wasn’t causing them any problems. I did exactly what they asked me to. I didn’t complain when they overshot me (again!) and trusted them when they had me overshoot with a plane on the runway below me and climbing.

Eventually I was left all on my own in the circuit, rush hour having passed. ATC happily accommodating my requests. I could really see the progress in my short field landings. First one at Foxtrot (oops, not so short I confess to Bob), the next a little better until finally I’m easily down and stopped by 33.

About half way through the lesson as I’m grappling with yet another funky circuit, I turn to Bob and say “well this is fun!!” He scans my face for signs of sarcasm but in truth I’m grinning from ear to ear.
It is totally insane up here and ye I’m still flying sensible circuits. The takeoffs and landings are physically challenging and the mental gymnastics involved in trying to keep my place in the traffic flow are more convoluted than any master logic puzzle.

It is FUN!!!


A wise friend once told me that “no one learns to fly in order to do circuits” but just occasionally there is some fun to be found close to home!

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