Great Couple of Days – Part 2

I told Rosie when I left yesterday evening that I’d like to go again this morning subject to the wind conditions that the forecasts had said might be a bit ‘iffy’.

She suggested that to cover all eventualities in the event that I would be able to fly, I should plan flights to both Stoke and Headcorn, which have runways that are very differently aligned to each. In the event, when I got the numbers for the wind this morning, I decided that Headcorn it would be.

So I turned up at the field a bit later than originally planned and Rosie was preparing to go off in the C42 with another student. While she was getting ready to go she said that if it was OK with me, I should make Headcorn one of my qualifying cross countries.

Now I realised why Rosie had been so intent on sending me all over the countryside yesterday! She had had an ulterior motive. She wanted to see if I was confident enough to go away from the field and then, having done so, that I was able to find my way back again 😕

Well of course I was up for it. The only problem was that Rosie has unfortunately had radio problems with MZEL and after the most recent tweaking, the radio hasn’t been tested. I’d meant to take my own with me but had forgotten so as Headcorn is PPO (Prior Permission Only) when I phoned them to tell them I was planning to come in on a qualifying cross country, I mentioned that I might be non-radio. They said that that was OK so long as I exercised good airmanship and kept a good look-out, but added that if they didn’t see me land, they wouldn’t be able to sign my Qualifying Cross Country Form. I decided to take that risk 😆

I took off and switched to Headcorn several minutes later. I could hear a few aircraft in the circuit and transmitted for a radio check. No response. I tried a few more times as I got closer to the airfield but as there was still no response, I decided I would join the circuit non-radio and not transmit again in case I was causing any interference that might affect other pilots.

As I approached Ashford, I spotted a couple of flexwings flying together on my right. One was below me and passed to my rear while the other which was above me passed above and in front. It was obvious that we’d all seen each other so it was all quite safe.

Shortly afterwards Headcorn came into view. The runway in use was 29 L and because of intense parachuting activity and rotary traffic, fixed wings must remain clear of the dead side. So I stayed clear of the zone, descended to circuit height and flew crosswind above the upwind end of the runway to join downwind. There was a Tiger Club Tiger Moth performing aerobatics over the field so I had to keep a good look-out. Luckily I’d managed to catch the QFE from transmissions I’d heard previously and everything went pretty smoothly. Until I was on base leg that is. Because I was non-radio I decided to fly a wide circuit remaining high on base leg and it was then I spotted a Robin overtaking below me and cutting in front on final. No problem, he was much quicker than me so I delayed my turn onto final a bit and kept him in sight. By the time I landed he was already clear of the runway. Great fun 😉

There was a twin landing behind me and he made it in OK but a single behind him had cut it a bit too fine and had to go around. Anyway, I left them to it and followed the Robin, which turned out to be German registered, round to parking. I parked MZEL alongside him and went off to pay my £10 landing fee. And I’m also glad to say that ATC did see me land so I was able to get my form signed as well!

Afterwards I took a few pics as a record of the event. After all, the first time I flew into Headcorn was in April 1980 so I thought it worth recording what was more or less a 30-year anniversary 😀

The flight back was more or less as planned. As I flew over Ashford I caught a beautiful aroma rising from the perfumery factory there which was a nice surprise. Unfortunately I had a less nice surprise waiting for me! After landing I found that my mobile phone that I’d put in a jacket pocket was missing. Seems that somewhere along the route it had fallen out and dropped out through the gap in MZEL’s pod. What is really annoying is that wherever it fell, it’s still working because I’ve rung it and there’s a ringing tone. If it did drop out in flight, and I think it must have, 1500ft without a parachute is pretty good. Samsung would be very proud I’m sure 😀