Date: 22/5/2010
Time: 12:10 - 13:40 (GMT)
Aircraft: Ikarus C42 - G-CDHR
Round London / Damyns Hall
Today, Ian and I are on an adventure flying counter-clockwise
around London. We will be roughly following the M25 and plan to land at Damyns
Hall, just north of the QE2 bridge, Dartford. I'm flying the first leg. As we
haven't been on a long one for a while, it seems like more of an adventure than
usual.
After
fuelling and checkout, we are off on 08. We climb to the overhead and then head
south-east to Colemore Common. Then on to Liss, Haslemere, Godalming, Dorking
and Reigate - the towns making good visual reference points, along with the
railway. Then round the M25, keeping just to the right (outside) of it. As per
Irv's training videos, we keep below 1400' just in case we drifted south into
the area where the Gatwick CTA drops down to 1500' (we didn't). It's a really
bright sunny day and there is a lot of thermal activity - not only is it knocking
the plane about, but one moment I had 4700rpm on to stop sinking and then less
than 3500 to stop climbing. This means I really have to fly the plane, rather
than just pointing it in the right direction. Turning towards Dartford at Sevenoaks
and then keeping below 1700' under the Alkin holding pattern.
At
the QE2 bridge we call Damyns Hall as we cross the Thames - we are told that
there is a Stearman doing a display over the airfield, so I suggest that I will
wait, but I am told I can continue my approach. Closing visually, the Stearman
is all over the airfield and on hearing that they will be finished in three
minutes, I decide to postpone the landing and head east whilst waiting. Once
they are down we have joined and on final approach I find that the flaps will
not stay locked-in on full flap - they just jump out. I ask Ian to hold the
lever whilst I do a mild sideslip to correct for the height we didn't lose.
We taxi past the Stearman and find a place to park.
We book-in and order the standard tea and bacon
butties. 
It
seems the Stearman is doing customer wing-walking sessions! If you have a spare
£400, you can book up for the experience of being lashed to the frame
on top of the wing. Fantastic! We watch the next flight and the skilled pilot
is snaking all over the airfield, going really low in places and even lower
for the rest of it. The victim strapped to the wing top wave manically - are
they enjoying themselves or just scared witless? 
I
have a little chat with the guy who is up next - he has come all the way from
Alaska for this, because it was the only place in the world that he could find
where he could do it. Very impressive, but I can't afford it.
After checkout, Ian flys the homebound leg; taking
off on 03. We pass between Stapleford and London zones to Chigwell and up to
the M25 by Cheshunt. We have a little look at London Colney microlight field
and then leave the M25 at Chorleywood, past Beaconsfield and over Marlow. Past
White Waltham, round Reading and home to Popham via Brimpton.
A lovely day out!
Return to 2010 Index
Return to main Index
After
fuelling and checkout, we are off on 08. We climb to the overhead and then head
south-east to Colemore Common. Then on to Liss, Haslemere, Godalming, Dorking
and Reigate - the towns making good visual reference points, along with the
railway. Then round the M25, keeping just to the right (outside) of it. As per
Irv's training videos, we keep below 1400' just in case we drifted south into
the area where the Gatwick CTA drops down to 1500' (we didn't). It's a really
bright sunny day and there is a lot of thermal activity - not only is it knocking
the plane about, but one moment I had 4700rpm on to stop sinking and then less
than 3500 to stop climbing. This means I really have to fly the plane, rather
than just pointing it in the right direction. Turning towards Dartford at Sevenoaks
and then keeping below 1700' under the Alkin holding pattern.
