Dash back to Rochester

Tuesday 16th August

Having only arrived in Dorset a few days before on 12th August and spent a couple of days chilling out with my sister and brother-in-law, I was looking forward to spending a pleasant week in Dorset. I’d then planned a relaxed flight to Rochester in Kent on the following Friday, an enjoyable meal that evening, probably a Chinese, with my son and step-son and their partners before staying overnight at the latter’s home and departing for France the next day.

But all that changed in an instant. The weather dictates everything to do with matters involving flying light aircraft and so it was that on the Tuesday morning I consulted the weather forecast for the next few days as usual and felt the smile disappear from my face. The weather gods had decided to entirely overturn my plans.

Every on line forecast that I consulted agreed that bad weather was due to sweep into southern England and northern France within the next couple of days and that ominously, it could last for a week or more. This had serious implications for me, because if I ignored the warnings and just decided to hang on in England, I could well end up being stuck there for an indefinite period.

And not only that. Bowerswain Farm had been sold and its current owner had already moved out and I had no idea when the new one would be moving in, so for all I knew F-JHHP would be standing out in bad weather for an indefinite period with absolutely no form of surveillance or security. This didn’t appeal to me at all. And then there was the question of what would be happening back in France – there were also things there that I had to deal with.

So I had to make an instant decision – and I decided that there was nothing for it but to hastily repack my cases, refuel the Savannah and make a dash for Rochester that afternoon. Any thoughts of a pleasant evening meal went out of the window – it was impossible to arrange anything at such short notice and anyway, I’d need to spend most of the evening finalising the necessary plans and arrangements for my hasty flight back to France the following morning.

But I had to move smartly if I wanted to get to Rochester airport before it closed at 5.30 pm. Michael, my brother-in-law, luckily had a clean jerry can that had only contained water but it had to be scrupulously dried out as it still contained a few drops. While he was doing that I finalised the flight plan that I’d pre-prepared before leaving home in France for the flight up to Rochester.

Then we loaded a small pair of steps into the back of his car so I could get up to refuel the Savannah and it was off to Morrisons for the first 24 litres of premium fuel. We were just getting ready to start pouring it into 77ASY’s right tank when the Bowerswain Farm gardener, who was looking after the now empty house, appeared on the scene. He managed to produce a taller pair of steps and a large, clean filter funnel (without the filter) which made the refuelling job much quicker, so we were soon off to pick up the next 24 litres before having a bite of lunch and returning.

All went smoothly and my sister and brother-in-law were at Bowerswain Farm to watch me take off at 1.55 pm. Its runway is a bit bumpy but I soon left the ground taking off in an easterly direction using no more than half of its 200 metres even with a slight tail-wind. Then it was time to settle down for the flight to Rochester, which was pretty uneventful.

Stoney Cross came and went and this time I didn’t bother calling up Solent Radar as they’d had problems hearing my radio on the trip down and hadn’t seemed that interested so long as I remained clear of their controlled airspace. The next waypoint was Beaulieu, an old now-abandoned airfield.

Then the Esso Fawley oil refinery came up on my left hand side.

And the next waypoint was Fawley power station just a bit further on.

After that Cowes harbour on the Isle of Wight was visible out of the right hand window.

Next the aerodrome at Lee-on-Solent where a glider was visible wheeling over the town before losing height and turning onto final for a landing.

And then the main attraction, Portsmouth. Despite the rather poor visibilty, I managed to get some very good shots after a little bit of editing.

And finally, the ‘money’ shot featuring the harbour and the Spinnaker Tower that I’d missed on the way down.

Then, not to be forgotten, the ‘other’, less glamorous Portsmouth.

Now one for all Pompey supporters – Fratton Park football ground.

Then a bit further on, a couple of shots of beautiful Arundel with its impressive castle, the home of the (apparently) now reconciled Duke and Dutchess of Norfolk who had been living separately in the East and West wings after a marital spat in 2011. What a mine of useful information this blog is!

Next up, Burgess Hill. God bless it and all of those poor souls who (have to) live there. I’d hate it!

And what do we have here? The Bluebell Railway, I do believe.

Shortly after, Tunbridge Wells popped up and it was time to give Rochester a call as it was fast approaching their closing time and I wanted to get there and deal with the formalities of landing and parking fees before the staff left so I wouldn’t be held up in the morning. The runway in use was 02 and as I was approaching on a heading of 040 degrees I suggested that I might make a straight in approach, just calling long final.

The very pleasant young lady working the radio in the tower agreed and it was no sooner said than done and 77ASY was landed and parked up on the main apron. I didn’t need to take on any fuel so it didn’t take long to complete the formalities and tie the Savannah down using some weighted tyres that were next to the east side fence. Here are the shots that I took before heading off over to the Holiday Inn hotel next to the airfield.

So that was it, quite an enjoyable flight for all of the earlier hassles. I wish I could say the same about my brief (I’m glad to say) overnight stay at the Holiday Inn, which I found grossly over-priced with pedestrian food. The pork cutlet that I had for dinner was large but sickly and the bathroom door in my room had had its hook pulled off leaving gaping holes in the now-bare woodwork. And the space on the working area was so small that the welcome tray had to be hidden in a cupboard and when I eventually found it and wanted to make myself a cup of tea, I had to put it on the floor. Ghastly!

Flight time Bowerswain Farm – Rochester 1 hour 55 minutes (compared to 2 hours 5 minutes for the shorter distance from Headcorn when I flew down).