Circuits

The airfield circuit depends on which runway is in use and is normally flown left hand, ie from take off: left left left left would bring you back to land at the start of the same runway. After crossing the threshold (the end of the runway in use) at 1200, we continue west towards the M11, making a left turn to head south parallel to the runway, "golf Oscar India, Downwind".

Now it's time for BUMPFLITCH: Brake pressure, Undercarriage, Mixture rich and Mags earthing, Propellor pitch fixed, Fuel on and sufficient for a go-around, Landing light on, Instrments reading correctly, Temp and pressure in the green, Carb heat on, Hatches and Harnesses secure.

Mid way of the Wollaston golf course we make another left onto base leg, now down to around 1000ft. flaps down to slow us and increase our glide angle, we make our final gentle left onto final approach, aiming to be at 800ft above the mast and radioing "final".

100 ft above the runway, the instructor asked me to "go-around", ie abort the landing. Full power, carb heat off, level wings, one stage of flaps up, pitch for climb, flaps fully up, climb to 1200 ft.

We repeated the circuit again this time landing. Just before touch-down flaring the wings to ensure the rear wheels land first and stop us bouncing. Not quite as smooth a landing as when Sue does it but we are down in one piece!