Date: 24/5/2015
Time: 11:10 - 11:30 (10:10 - 10:30 GMT)
Aircraft: EuroFOX - G-UFOX
Aborted Yatesbury
Once again, we had hoped to fly to France today. The forecast was dodgy at best - there is a front of cloud and rain coming in from the west and we hoped to get off in front of it and come back the following day. When I leave home it is quite sunny, but during the drive to the airfield I can see the clouds bubbling up - almost visibly. We have started prep and then we assemble to discuss it. It is VERY frustrating and disappointing, but it just looks to dodgy - particularly as most of us cannot risk getting stuck and not being back Monday night (it's a bank holiday). We did consider going to Deanland and make a decision from there, but unfortunately, that would be a one way trip as I doubt that we would make it back.
Having made a decision to abort on France, we then decided that we may be able to go to Yatesbury. The planes are all ready and we would be travelling into the weather, so shouldn't get stuck. Ian has the outbound leg and we take off on 26 and head off to the west. We go along the valley, but when we get past Bourne Park, it hems in and the cloudbase drop to below 1000' - this isn't comfortable, so we then abort this trip and head back to Popham. Given the cloudbase, we have to do a downwind join.
Well, the plane is all warmed up, so I decide to do a couple of circuits. We quickly swap over and then I join the queue to line-up on 26. It is quite busy and there are two in front of me. G-JT arrives and they swap over too. I climb up and turn crosswind - the spam-can in front is doing the GA circuit, so I have to follow, rather than my preferred microlight circuit. On final, like Ian I find the need to side-slip some height off, then find an unusual area of sink so a little power was required. A little high on landing, but OK. I have another go and once again, I am following a number of aircraft round the GA circuit, better landing this time.
Will we ever get to France?