Date: 3/11/2012

Time: 16:25 - 16:55 (GMT)

Aircraft: Ikarus C42 - G-CDRO

Keeping my Hand In

Weather, holiday and working on the kit plane - haven't flown for three weeks. We have spent a lot of today in the hangar working on G-UFOX, but the others have to leave early so I take the opportunity to squeeze a quick flight in. But it's getting late and it gets dark so much earlier, now that the evenings are drawing in and we are also in GMT.

Seems to take ages to get to Popham. When I get there, I meet Colin and Jac who tell me that G-HP is still warm and has plenty of fuel in - great!. I would like to stop and chat, but I am running out of daylight. I grab the key and a seat and checkover the plane. After warmup I can go straight to run-up checks and line up on 26 (already booked out). Climb is as impressive as ever when only one-up. I head to the west, just south of Whitchurch and then decide to give myself a PFL. I pick the best field, although none are particularly in the right direction. Side-slipping onto a good approach, the field has a bit bigger upslope than I anticipated, but that's not a bad thing - would have been a good landing, then I hit the throttle and climb away.

Time still ticking away, so I head back to the airfield. Unusually, I join downwind and circuit to a good landing, but given that other traffic I have heard on the radio, I do a full stop rather than a touch-and-go. I line up again and complete two more t+g's and a final full stop - all good landings. Still 10 minutes before the legal end of flying, but I have to give up as it is quite dark.

Only a quickie, but most enjoyable!

Return to 2012 Index

Return to main Index