Date: 25/8/2007
Time: 16:50 - 17:35 (PUT) & 18:10 - 18:40 (PUT)
Aircraft: Ikarus C42 - G-CEAN
Exercise: 18
We're going to Clench Common today - somehow I can't think about clench without thinking about buttocks!
I'm not too sure if I have understood correctly, but I haven't done my PLOG - perhaps I thought we were doing the same as last time.
Steve very kindly helps me with the PLOG - it seems we weren't fully taught at the nightschool. The journey is a straight line, but we need to define some waypoints along the way; these have to be both recognisable from the air and describable over the radio.
Eventually we have it planned and we're off. We takeoff and circle gaining height so that we can start directly overhead the airfield and get accurate timings. The first waypoint is Whitchurch and already we have to go slightly off course so that we don't overfly the town. We correct for this on the next leg which is to Bourne Park airstrip, followed by a longer stretch to a bend in the Kennet & Avon Canal. Then past Savernake forest and finally we find Clench.
It seems that the circuit pattern published on the website is out of date, in fact the runways have been moved. We do my best guess at the circuit and round to land. I think my approach is OK and the landing comes with a bit of a bump - perhaps I haven't allowed for the upsloping airstrip - not impressed. At least all the timings were fairly spot-on.
We pay the extortionate landing fee (£3) and have a cup of tea/coffee. It seems odd or possibly unfair that Steve and Airbourne Aviation don't get a penny for all the time we spend on the ground there.
Eventually we set off back along the same route (but obviously in reverse). This is a little easier as I now know what the landmarks look like. As we are rejoining, Steve decides to pull a PFL and kills the engine - I bugger this up and we need to restart - how embarrassing in front of the others.
So I'm disappointed by this and also hoped for a more illustrious first out-landing. Still, been somewhere else now.
Apparently were off to Old Sarum next time.