More Landaways

I also got the chance to visit Earls Colne a small airfield just outside the Stansted CTA and home to the Hertfordshire Air Ambulance, both dual and solo, and went to Lydd (south coast just East of Hastings), now renamed London Ashford International, which is a much bigger airport, handling business jets, and like Southend is controlled. Lydd is tricky as there is an active military firing zone about 5km SW of the airfield and the Dungeness nuclear power plant about 10km S of the airfield, so accurate flying is needed to avoid infringing on the associated Danger/Restricted zones.

After my trip to Lydd, I sat another couple of ground exams, getting 100% in Human Performance and Limitations and 92% in Aircraft General and Principles of Flight.

I also carried out a solo triangular navigation, all part of the 10 hours minimum solo required for licence issue, via Maldon and Laddingford. Whilst in contact with Southend Radar, and having given my height and been told to report turning at Maldon, I was somewhat surprised to turn and see an Easyjet plane about 1000ft above me at 11 o'clock, about 5 miles away on a constant bearing. Fortunately the ATC, gave them a clear "Easy X-X-X, climb now to 5000 ft, traffic 2 o'clock crossing left to right, showing 2500ft". About 20 minutes later as I passed abeam Southend's ATZ, the controller asked me to turn towards the QE2 bridge, to avoid departing traffic on the 24 runway. This gave me a good chance to practice my diversions training as he didn't allow me to turn back for 10 miles by which time I was well off of my pre-planned route.

After landing safely, I felt ready for my cross country qualifier and just had to hope that the weather would hold for the next day......

Landaways and holding up Easyjet!

One of the things I was most looking forward to when I started flying was getting to fly into other airfields/airports. Before heading off on my cross-country qualifier, I need to land dual at the aerodromes I'll be visiting.

First up was Southend (now London Southend International!). Although not on my cross country qualifier, we do most of our handling in and around the area, and any problems in flight would likely necessitate a diversion here, so it's well worth getting the practice in. It's also a controlled airport, so unlike my airfield ATSU which just give information, Southend ATC give instructions which you are required to comply with.

We radioed Southend from about 15 miles away and stated our intentions; then called as requested over the reporting point, whereby we were directed to join right base for 2-4. As we announced ourselves on final approach we received our landing clearance, as follows: "Golf-Charlie Tango cleared to land runway 2-4, surface wind 2-5-0, 10 kts. break break, easy X-X-X, after the landing cessna, you are cleared to line up and wait runway 2-4" Once down we were asked to expedite our vacation of the runway so the A319 behind us burning through 2 gallons fuel a minute could get on his way to Malaga!

After parking up on our stand, I paid the landing fee, had a quick look around the airport, then booked out and headed back to Stapleford. Again with it being a controlled airfield I had to receive a taxy and a take-off clearance.

Once back at Stapleford I had enough time to do an hour's worth of solo circuits - 5 take off and landings.

Navigation

Following my successful first solo back in August, I've spent the last month practicing navigation both dual and solo, interspersed with a few more solo flights around the local circuit, building towards my cross country qualifier.

At the end of last month, we started the navigation exercises - not much point being able to fly a plane if you don't know where you're going or how to get there!! This part of flying brings in to question your organisational and planning skills. Comprehensive planning of the route before departure, gives you more time in the air to concentrate on both the actual flying and the view. The first two nav sessions were simple triangular routes to visual points overhead other airfields or major conurbations within 30 or so miles of Stapleford. First we went via Tiptree (nr Colchester) and Gravesend (South bank of the Thames), and the second was via Laddingford (a small airfield east of Tonbridge) and Eastchurch (on the Isle of Sheppy). The main skills involved (assuming accurate planning) are flying the heading you have planned, correcting for any errors at the half way point, eg. if winds are lighter/stronger than forecast, and spotting your destination.

Some destinations are easy to see - large towns with distinctive railway lines/motorway junctions etc., some are much harder - microlight airfields, with perhaps just a couple of small aircraft on a grass strip. Using the elapsed time and looking out for a couple of nearby landmarks helps!

Sometimes of course you can't get to where you are going. Bad weather, closed airfields, or aircraft/passenger problems, can all require a diversion to a nearby airfield for a precautionary landing. This navigation on the fly (pun intended) is a bit trickier, with more mental arithmetic and double checking required to ensure you end up in the right place.

If a problem develops that is more serious (i.e. engine failure), sometimes you just need to put it down where you can. Practice forced landings join the list of things you hope you never need to call upon for real. First step, adopt best glide speed; it's no good looking out of the window for the "perfect" forced landing spot if while looking for it, you lose a thousand feet of altitude and then can't make it.

Once you have best glide speed, ascertain the wind direction relative to your aircraft and find a nice large wide field within gliding distance; we want to land approximately into wind with no obstructions around. Fly a circuit of the site, and use flap as necessary to get you comfortably into the field. There are several ways of losing height without power but no ways of gaining it!