Date: 16/5/2014
Time: 13:40 - 14:15 (12:40 - 13:15 GMT)
Aircraft: EuroFOX - G-UFOX
Redlands Inspection
It's time for our annual inspection for our permit
validation renewal. We have been trying to get this organised for a while, but
have been thwarted by weather and poor organisation. Finally
today we can get it done, which is not before time as our existing permit runs
out on Wednesday.
The plan is to fly her to Redlands and meet our
inspector (Toby Willcox) there. To make a nice day of it too, Tom and I will
be taking the EuroFOX and George is taking his MW5. However, before we go, we
have a few jobs to do, including making a start on the hangar flooring.
Eventually, we are fuelled and ready. George has
already left as he is somewhat slower than us. I am flying the outbound leg
and after warmup, I lineup on 03 and takeoff. We head northwest. Whilst chatting
the subject of the peculiar folly on the hill, just to the south of Highclear
Castle (Downton Abbey) comes up. I deviate to show it to Tom. Then onwards past
Hungerford, Membury and on towards Swindon.
The
approach to Redlands should always be from the north, so I go up to the railway
line, turn west, then south to the airfield. A quick call to ensure there is
no parachuting at the moment. However, for some reason, it is always a surprise,
how close the airfield is to the railway, and I have to sideslip to shake some
height off quickly as I approach the "twin barns" landmark. I think
that every time I have been to Redlands before I have always landed on a 24
runway and for a stupid moment I start to turn for that runway, before realising
we should be on 06 and quickly turning in the correct direction. A reasonable
approach and landing on the longer northern runway.
We
park next to George, who has just arrived. We start to remove the seats, seat
tub and cowlings and soon we are joined by Toby. He starts to crawl all over
the plane with a very keen eye. Once again, we find ourselves in the nervous
parent feeling. We get some tea and bacon butties. Once those parts are finished
we start refitting the seats and then the cowling. Then he's off for the test-flight
stage. He takes off on the short runway and we watch it in the distance swinging
around - it looks like he is enjoying himself.
After
the paperwork, we are done and we prepare to go home. Tom has the left seat
for this and he too takes off on the short runway. On the way, we go and have
a look at the Uffington Horse, which I haven't visited for a while. Then basically
straight back home, join downwind and land on 03.
All went pretty well, except for the exhaust silencer
which appears to have developed a crack around one of the ports, so we strip
it down and remove the silencer to take away and get it welded.
So good news and a nice flight/day too.
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The
approach to Redlands should always be from the north, so I go up to the railway
line, turn west, then south to the airfield. A quick call to ensure there is
no parachuting at the moment. However, for some reason, it is always a surprise,
how close the airfield is to the railway, and I have to sideslip to shake some
height off quickly as I approach the "twin barns" landmark. I think
that every time I have been to Redlands before I have always landed on a 24
runway and for a stupid moment I start to turn for that runway, before realising
we should be on 06 and quickly turning in the correct direction. A reasonable
approach and landing on the longer northern runway.
