Date: 15/11/2011
Time: 15:30 - 16:00 (GMT)
Aircraft: Eurostar EV-97 - G-CEDV
Lee on Solent (in a gyro!)
Clive
has kindly organised a midweek flyout to Lee on Solent. This airfield used to
be military/Police run and you could only really visit by invitation It is now
run by Brittan Norman who used to run Bembridge (before they had a tiff with
the owners) and they also now run Sandown. Now we can visit and even get some
tea! The original date was last week, but the weather was rubbish - it's not
much better today, but at least looks possible.
I am really lucky and have managed to bag the rear seat of the clubs autogyro (behind Clive) for the outbound trip (or as I put it; a leg in Clive's rear). Ian is going to take G-DV down and we will then swap over and he gets the gyro ride back to Popham. Colin is also taking a C-42 down with Kel - so we have one of each aircraft type.
The
mist appears to be burning off - but I have seen this before where from the
ground looking up it doesn't look too bad, but once in the air it proves to
be otherwise. Eventually we are ready in our romper suits and helmets and are
trundling along the taxiway for 08. We line-up at the threshold and have the
lull-before-the-storm of excitement during pre-rotation - where the engine power
is engaged via a clutch to wind the rotor blades up to about 200rpm. Clive has
prewarned me that the joystick would be pulled fully back and I have to keep
my "chaps" out of the way. 
Then
he hits the throttle and we move off down the runway, gaining linear speed and
rotor speed until we lift off. The stick goes forward to gain more speed whilst
only at a low height and then we pull up and ascend round the circuit path.
Hmmm, I was right - the vis isn't brilliant. Once you get over the 'shudder'
vibration from the rotor blades, the ride isn't as weird as I thought.
We head down my usual route between Solent zone
and Boscombe MATZ - grateful that we know the visuals along here. Then at the
point where the river Test meets the train line we head for Stoney Cross (where
I would normally head for the end of M27). During the flight, the subject of
PFL's come up, so Clive demonstrates one into a little field. 
The
gyro has a much smaller glide ratio (of about 4:1 instead of the planes 10:1)
so you can't go so far to find a field, but the slow approach allows you the
choice of smaller fields. We slow right up and then just before touching down,
Clive hits the throttle and we are off on our way again. We pass overhead Stoney
Cross disused airfield; if it wasn't for the gloom, the view would be fantastic
with the ability to look over the side and straight down - great! I get a brief
go on the joystick whilst Clive plays with transponder codes.
There is a well defined inversion layer and possibly
it's a lot clearer above it - sadly not an option for us, due to Southampton's
airspace. We pass by Beaulieu and out to the coast by Calshot - possibly a bit
clearer here. 
We
spot the airfield whilst over the Solent and call for a straight-in approach.
Travelling at normal pace over to the displaced landing threshold, then I experience
the strangest thing with the gyro as it feels like the brakes are applied just
above the ground and then we float down the last little bit. We then backtrack
and park-up next to the others (who came via the quick route to the east).
We
have a cup of tea, a chat and some photos. The welcome from the airfield is
warm, but I don't think they have got used to it yet. Colin says "we'll
be back" and the girl says "please do" so I guess they want more
visitors. Eventually we decide to head back - I give my (Clive's spare) romper
suit to Ian and check-out the Eurostar. After warm-up, I take-off behind Kel
in the C-42 and followed by the gyro. I turn to avoid going over the towns and
gain some height but not too much as I'm coming into a 2500' altitude restriction.
I slow it right down to allow the gyro to catch-up, but then decide this is
pointless as the would easily go right past me without me knowing - photos would
probably have been crap anyway, so I regain speed and head home. It's really
murky and not a good time for my GPS to go a bit dodgy. 
Once
I get to Ropley I try ascending to 4000' to see what it's like above the inversion
layer - not really much better as you still need to be able to see the ground.
It's almost a glide from here back to Popham for an overhead join for 08 and
a nice landing
Fun (and some more points).
