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......
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......
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