April Review

Since my last update I have flown both the Twinstar and our Piper Arrow, once to practise navigational tracking and the Arrow to visit Janet’s daughter in Buckinghamshire.

It’s nice to take passengers but sometimes the best and most satisfying trips are when you fly solo. My colleague could not make our planned trip and so I was left to fly alone on the Saturday. I had to think of something constructive to do!

I settled on some VOR tracking and an instrument approach to keep my skills current. The plan was simple: depart from Blackpool’s runway 25 before turning right onto a heading of 320M to intercept the Wallasey VOR 358 degree radial heading north. This went to plan and once established on track I engaged the autopilot and levelled at 3000 feet. Ahead to the right was the Lake District with high ground although the cloud was scattered and visibility was excellent. I commanded the autopilot to take me up to 6000 feet and switched the navigation receiver to the Deans Cross VOR up near Whitehaven.

With three miles to run to Deans Cross I turned the autopilot off and manoeuvred visually around the VOR. I turned to intercept the 180 degrees radial southbound. Once established I re-engaged the autopilot and monitored my progress back towards Blackpool.

Passing Barrow Airfield I called Blackpool ATC and requested radar vectors for an ILS approach to runway 28. Air traffic gave me an initial heading of 150 which was modified to 135 and I descended to 3000 feet. Eventually I was turned onto a heading to intercept the final approach track and I selected “approach” mode on the autopilot. The aircraft established nicely on the localiser and as the glide path was reached I lowered the undercarriage and selected flaps to approach. I continued this way until I disengaged the autopilot at 550 feet, lowered flaps to “landing” setting and landed the aircraft.

A very productive session.

The following week I asked Janet if she would like to go and visit her daughter down near Aylesbury. A few phone calls later and it was set up. I got clearance to land at RAF Halton and Janet’s daughter said she would pick us up at the airfield gates. We were using our Arrow for this trip and I followed the same route I used a few weeks ago which was down over Stoke before passing East of Coventry and near Silverstone racetrack before landing on Halton’s 02 runway.

Janet’s daughter Rebecca eventually found the airfield’s entrance and we set off in search of some food. The Firecrest in Wendover is our favourite and we were soon seated and enjoying the food. After lunch we went to Northchurch to check on the progress Rebecca is making on her new house.

To round off the afternoon we went for a walk in Asheridge Country Park and enjoyed the sunshine. All too soon it was time to head back to Halton for our journey home. At exactly six o’clock we departed runway 20 and following 10 degree noise abatement turn set course for home. One hour and ten minutes later we were back at Barton, tired but happy. Another good day flying and visiting family!