Another flight done.

I've posted this with all my errors and mistakes included, as I believe
in posting true and accurate accounts of what happened. I state here
and now, that I know what they all were, and have learned from them. I
do not wish to evoke the sort of criticism I copped last time.

Well, I was due to fly at 9am yesterday (Saturday), but a call to the
airfield yielded a cancellation due to dodgy weather. We tentatively
re-scheduled for the next day, (today), at around lunchtime. The
forecast for the next day was meant to be almost worse than Saturday.
At 1pm on Saturday, the weather had improved quite considerably, so I
decided to call the airfield again and see if the a/c was free for the
afternoon, and whether the weather over there was suitable for a flight.
The answer to both questions was, to my joy, yes!
I drove right over there, and had to wait about 15 minutes for my
instructor to finish another flight. When she came into the office, she
just gave me the keys, and said "Off you go! Go out into the training
area anddo a few steep turns, then come back and do a few circuits, but
just watch those clouds, (large mean looking clouds to the West.
Training area extends to the East of the airfield.) If it looks like
it's starting to rain, come back." The Gazelle is not to be flown in
the rain, as it has a wooden prop. I've heard conflicting stories as to
whether it can actually be flown in the rain or not, but it's not my
plane so I do as instructed.
This is the first time I've been handed the keys and sent off on my
own. All previous solo flights have always had the instructor come on
at least 1 circuit with me before dropping them off and then me going
out alone. Also, this was my first solo flight into the training area.
All previous solo flight has only been circuits.
The grin hit my face before I even got to the a/c. I rang the wife, and
told her to be in the back yard in about 15 minutes. As my house is in
the training area, I thought I'd fly out and find my hose, and do my
steep turns there! How cool!
Did the preflight, and then proceeded to start and taxi the a/c to the
active. Rwy 35 on this day. I'd done solo circuits on this runway on
only 1 other occasion. The wind was almost non existant, but what there
was of it was predominantly Northerly.
Did my run-up, made my radio call, and off I went. As I took off, I
knew I had to wait until I was at either 3nm or 1500ft before I could
turn against the normal left turns of the pattern. This was where I
made what turned out to be my first blunder. As Avalon's active
airspace starts just to the North or the runway I took off from, and
that airspace starts at 1500ft, I did not want to make a breach, and
turned right a little too early. I was probably only 2 - 2.5nm and not
the 3nm required. I put that down to fear of breaching the airspace,
something I'm sure will not be an issue next time. I'll just do a
normal circuit next time and overfly at 1500, and not in controlled
space.
I made my way, using the VTC in the a/c (not that I needed it, as I'd
been out that way before with the instructor, but I thought I'd best
get in the habit of always using a chart so I always know where I am.)
I thought I'd better do at least 1 steep turn before I got to my house,
so I don't botch it up with the wife watching! ;-)
To my surprise, I did it perfectly. Lost no altitude, gained no
altitude, and exited the turn exactly back on course.
I headed towards the house. I had my altitude at around 2200ft (as
advised by my instructor before I left) and made the turn over the
house. The wife was in the back yard, and once again, a perfect steep
turn through 360 degrees. (I actually lost about 80-100ft this time,
but I still felt good about the manouver.)
Both the turns I'd done so far had been left hand turns, so I decided
to do a right hand turn whilst still in the area, so I headed back
towards the house and did a right hand steep turn. Again, it was text
book. I then headed back towards the airfield, making sure I was
watching out very carefully for traffic, and also for suitable landing
areas as I went. I managed to find an unlisted airfield that my
instructor had pointed out once before. Was much easier to spot this
time I think because I was concentrating more on flying the a/c rather
than worrying about what my instructor was thinking about my flying.
(Know what I mean?) Anyway, I did one more right hand steep turn
through 360 degrees on the way back and then proceeded back towards the
airfield. The clouds to the West had grown much meaner looking, and I
could see what looked like torrential rain underneath them. I did my 5
mile inbound call, and then the windscreen started getting rain on it.
There was nothing I could do about it, so I didn't let it worry me, and
just kept flying the a/c. I overflew the airfield at 1500, checking the
windsock as I went. The wind hadn't changed at all, so it was going to
be a Rwy 35 landing. I decided I'd do 1 touch and go, and then do a
full stop, as the rain appeared to have dissappeared from the
windscreen. This is where I made my second blunder, and I turned onto
the downwind leg far too soon, leaving me with a VERY tight circuit to
contend with, and I was still just under 1500ft. I extended the
downwind leg a little, but not enough as it turned out. The wind was
still almost non-existent, so I did not lose as much altitude on the
final leg as I had hoped. I tried a slip, which I am much more
comfortable with now, even if they do feel a little sloppy, but I was
still unable to lose as much altitude as I wanted, so as I crossed the
threshold, I was still at about 200ft. I thought about landing long, as
I was solo, and had about 3/4 fuel in the tanks, but with little wind,
I thought it would possibly be safer to just go around, so I did. I was
glad I did, as it hilighted my 3rd blunder for the flight, which was
that I forgot to do my pre-landing checks whilst on the downwind leg.
I gave it full throttle, and stepped to the right of the runway, so I
could see it all clearly. Back up I went, realising after a few seconds
I still had the carb heat out, (we'll call that blunder 4) and once I
pushed it back in, the revs lifted a little more, and all sounded fine
again. Back up I went, left onto crosswind, level out at 1000ft, left
onto downwind, pre-landing checks, did my call to turn onto base, but
did not state whether I was touch and going, or full stopping, as I was
unsure what I wanted to do yet. As this was all happening, a helicopter
had landed at the fuel bowser, and was again preparing to take off
again.
As I made my turn onto finals, I decided I'd just do a full stop, as
the windscreen was once again showing signs of precipitation. I decided
I'd make a radio call now for 2 reasons. (The base call is mandatory.
All other circuit calls are optional.) The first reason was to announce
my full stop intention, and the second reason was to remind the
helicopter that I was about to land, and not to go anywhere yet.
This time, I had set up the landing much better from the base leg, and
touched her down for an absolute greaser! I reakon the best landing I'd
done solo ever.
I taxiied clear, made my cler call, and the helicopter then departed.
Total flight was 0.8hrs, and very enjoyable.
The fact that I was just given the keys and sent on my way was an
awesome feeling. It certainly refreshed my love of flying, as just
doing circuits lesson in, and lesson out does get a bit monotonous.
Total time now is 14.9hrs out of a minimum required of 20hrs.

--
Oz Lander.
I'm not always right,
But I'm never wrong.