Double lesson 3/4

Finally some better weather, in fact a mini-heat wave as the press tend to call 3 consecutive days of 25deg plus. The good news on Sunday was that the weather was CAVOK - ceiling and visibility ok. I drove up to Stapleford with sister and fiancée in tow and met my parents there so an outing for the whole family. After a bite to eat in the clubhouse my instructor appeared along with G-BOOI and after a quick check of the aircraft we were ready to taxy immediately.

Today I would be doing most of the radio contact with the airfield rather than the instructor so with my new headset - an early birthday present of a uflymike adapter for my existing Bose QC15 headphones - I pressed the PTT button....
"Stapleford radio, Golf Bravo Oscar Oscar India, request radio check and airfield information"

"Golf Oscar India (they can abbreviate), readability is 5 (perfectly readable), runway in use zero four left (the left hand of the two runways on heading 40deg), left hand circuits (to control aerodrome traffic taking off/landing) QNH 1018 (local pressure setting for the altimeter)"

I read back the important points to confirm we had understood, then as it is an uncontrolled airfield, we had a good look round for traffic and I taxied over towards the runway. After doing our power checks, we taxied to the end of the runway and I radioed, first that we were "lining up" and then "ready for departure".

My first take-off was with a 10kt cross wind, so once we pushed the throttle in for full power, we needed a bit of aileron and rudder to keep us centred on the runway. At 55kts I pulled gently back on the yoke and we were airborne. Very proud of myself I immediately forgot everything I was supposed to be checking like pitch angle and needed to correct slightly as we were a touch steep - still not bad for a first try.

The next 90 minutes airborne were spent avoiding the numerous aircraft at the Southend airshow and practising level climb, climbing turn, level turn, glide descent, flap descent and turning descent - particularly important for landing circuits. I was quite happy with my progress, but just struggle to remember all the different maximum angles of bank which are different for each turn. It's also amazing how this little plane can really fight you when you, for instance, apply full power but want to remain level, and it wants to pitch up. After 90 minutes I was pretty tired.

Back towards the airfield, navigation is another tricky point, but for now it's a question of head for The Shard, cross the M25 at the A12 junction then turn to follow it west until you see the airfield. Cross the threshold of the runway at 1200ft and join the circuit. Simples!