I opened my eyes this morning to glistening sunshine beaming through my curtains. I got myself ready, sent some emails and then called Terry Ackeroyd at Cranfield to check if India Oscar was available for me to do a navex to White Waltham. I checked to see if my Flight instructor friend Bruno would be working but no, it is his day off today.
Before planning the route, I checked the web for the weather, TAFS and METARS, wind, todays synoptic chart, and Notams for the route. All good and a great forecast for flying VFR.
I arrived about an hour before i was due to depart. I had a wonderful chat with David Coulson, Head of Training and updated him on the coming Smiling Wings days.
At Cranfield, EGTC, Terry Powell was helping Terry Ackeroyd put up a white board in his new classroom. I first met Mr Powell Aug 2007 when i had my first flight with Donald. Mr Powell is in his early 70’s and a very wise man cum pilot. He asked if i would like some company during my trip. Naturally, i was very happy to have him as my pax. You can learn so much from people who fly often and have nothing to prove and are very experienced.
So to White Waltham to visit Catherine Smith the Airfield manager to catch up, discuss Smiling Wings day and other exciting aviation related things –
We departed from rwy 03 and it was the first time i requested a right hand turn after take off (usually departing traffic would make a left turn to avoid the circuit traffic) – we were given clearance to do so which would save us time to get on track for Westcott NDB – I was flying all VFR but it is nice to practice navigation using radio aids cross checking to make sure we are indeed on track…
Once over WCO NBD i turned south to Henley VRP to make an overhead join at 1,300 ft for White Waltham rwy 07 – very exciting to be descending on the dead side of runway 07 whilst an Air New Zealand 747 was turning base for Heathrow rwy 090 only two thousand or so feet above us – Sky’s the Limit as i said to my pax…
I asked my pax if he had ever flown with a pilot who uses a hand control for the rudder and ground steering – “No” was his reply but he said he could not tell any different.
G-AXIO once belonged to West London Aero club and it was nice to reunite her with her old aerodrome. Once parked on the visitor stand, Peter, the airfield engineer popped over to check out the vision air hand control as they are thinking about getting a set for one of their PA28 warrior. I put them in touch with someone who is selling a set.
A can of coke later, i booked out after having my meeting with Catherine. Terry taxiied to the departure point for rwy 07. I suggested he taxi using the hand control and he did. I think he liked it..he controlled it very well. He is a very experienced pilot though and it only took him a minute to master how to taxi – that is the beauty and simplicity of the vision air…
Once over Thames, we circled so that Terry could show me his house.
One thing which was strange at first, I thought we had radio trouble when Farnborough North Radar wasn’t responding to my initial radio calls. So to check my radio, i made a call to Wycombe Air Park and they responded. They suggested that perhaps i should try Farnborough West Radar, so we did and behold they responded. I guess North had gone or something – I was given flight information, and a squak, but minutes later they said that we would be out of their area and to squak 7000, and change to Cranfield, – a thank you later I was chatting to our home base and the friendly air traffic controller welcomed us back with a straight in approach to 03.
Once parked, a cup of tea was had in the club house, and we discussed the route. Terry was very complimentary of my flying style and skill. Just before i drove off, i started speaking to Mark in the car park. Mark was waiting to drive off on his bike and he is also an experienced pilot and had been following my story in the press. In fact we apparently met last year when ITV was filming. we talked for about 30 mins, exchanged contact details and he offered to take me flying in his C172 based at Cranfield and to visit him at Redhill which is his home base….
What a great day, i wish i could take the whole world flying and look at the earth from high up in the sky..what is wrong with me, all i want to do is eat, sleep and think flying…safe landings gang…
