Date: 31/1/2009

Time: 14:10 - 15:00 & 15:55 - 16:35

Aircraft: Ikarus C42 - G-CDMS

White Waltham

I decided to go to White Waltham today. This is where (in a way) it all started, when I had a short flight in a Tiger Moth which gave me the flying bug.

My plan was to go up via M4 junction 10 (A329M) which is reporting point Sierra (for White Waltham) and to return via Sandhurst and see if I can go over my home. It's quite windy. Whilst I'm checking the plane out, Gerry asked where I was going and kindly offered to come with me.

We take off on 08 and head up towards Hannington Mast. It is a bit murky below the inversion layer and a bit of minor turbulence bumping the plane around - means you really have to fly the plane. Then we turn right following the power lines up towards Bramley then on to the reporting point, where I call Waltham Radio. I join the circuit OK for runway 11 but whilst on finals, some other aircraft radios that they are overtaking me - duh? Landed OK but couldn't find the visitors parking, so just shut down on the end of a line.

Went into the clubhouse to sign in and have some tea and flapjack.

When it's time to leave, the runway has moved to 07. Jerry has done his checkflight today, but as he hasn't done 3 landings in the last 90 days, can't take passengers, so can't pilot us back to Popham. We trek across the airfield to try and find the threshold - as there is no defined taxiway it seems to take a lot of power to cross the bumpy long grass. We take off and head for home - the visibility has got much worse and due to that and the high wind I decide to give the Sandhurst detour a miss. Fortunately there are plenty of landmarks on the way and the backup of the GPS. Progress seems a lot quicker no going downwind-ish. By the time we reach Popham the wind seems to have dropped a bit, so I nearly left it a bit late to start my descent.

No sign of the Tiger Moth firm though - I think they have moved elsewhere.

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