Not posting!

Sorry I have not been posting! I have changed blogs to Tumblr which should make it more easy for me to update when I am on the move :D

I will post the link shortly!

I am still here!

Hey all,

I am still here and have filled the first page of my log book! I am going away for a few days and hope to get the blog up to date then!

Tom :d

18/8/09 - Flight 1

I have missed out a few flights on the blog sorry guys just been very busy! Anyway so far I have done around 7 hours! Today we would fly 2 hours needed to catch up on the flight time that I missed last week because of the bad weather!

Taxied out to the runway finally managing to keep to the yellow lines took off and started the flight out towards Sevenoaks then on to Southend so that we could do slow flight around the marsh areas where there is little population!

We did lots of slow flight bringing the speed back and discovering that this made the aircraft feel quite unstable the controls felt very loose and lots more input had to be apply ed for them to be effective good fun! Sun was blasting to the cabin was getting hot!

We then started to head back when we was 3NM deadside when a "MAYDAY" call came in over the radio I wont go into what happened etc there is a news report here. After that all got sorted out we started to join to land flying over the numbers, X wind, down wind , base, final starting to learn what the local areas look like and reference points to turn onto the final leg.

Touch down was quite smooth this time! The last lesson had been very bumpy!!

Next Lesson: Few hours

Air Law`

Have read the book twice now! - Got to now do the mock exams and see where I get with them! Air Law is quite dry though!

Rochester > Biggin

Well it was the return leg and my leg because the aircraft had been out of sight I needed to go back though the pre flight checks checking the outside of the aircraft and then configuring it once in we gave Rochester radio a call who let us taxi it was very odd taxing across a road which is used by cars! Once lined up on the runway I started rolling down it, very different to Biggin and Southends as it is all grass! After getting bumped around we reached 65 kts and I pulled back Bruno told me to aim for the tress (end of the runway there is a forest) this was so that we could build enough speed to clear them! Once airborne we did some more maneuvers slow flight etc and turning etc. Once we did all that we was close to Biggin hill and started to line up to land.

Flight Duration: 30 mins

Total flight time so far: 2:10

Southend to Rochester

Just a passenger on this flight to Rochester was good fun and I learnt a lot! We took off from Southend and headed to Rochester the exercises that Steven was doing was instrument he tuned into DET (Detling) VOR and looked at how it can be used to help if lost etc, also looked at ADF and what that can do to a lost pilot! We then started heading towards Rochester where Steve made a very nice and soft landing, and taxied to the parking. Got to go back up to the control tower the cafe was closed unfortunately.

Biggin > Southend

I arrived at the flying club and had a chat to Bruno about what we would be doing today, he proposed the idea of bringing the student who was going to be flying after me with us (I was then flying again after him) and that we fly to Southend then Steven would fly to Rochester and I would fly the leg home back to Biggin Hill. The exercises that we were going to do (EX 4+6)

• The primary effect of each main flight control



• Flying straight and level in balance at constant power.

I was surprised when Bruno handed me the keys and told me to do the external and internal checks in my own however I really enjoyed this, after climbing on top of wings to check the fuel levels and leaving the checklist up there! I continued around the aircraft checking all the lights were working as well at strobes, flaps etc. Once I had done that Steve had arrived and we discussed the route and exercises and then went out to the aircraft to get all sat in, after getting the aircraft started I made the call to the Tower, which was different to what I had been doing the day before.... I then taxied to the engine run up area the taxing is getting a bit better (i think) then ran the engine up to make sure it was all working how it was supposed to we then continued the taxi out to holding point Alpha One runway 21. We took off and started flying out to Sevenoaks climing to 2000 feet, once clear of Sevenoaks and Biggin Hills airspace we worked our way out towards Southend and on the way did some exercises we slowed the aircraft to 65 kts and increased power to stay level it felt odd because the nose needed to be pitched up to keep the speed at 65 we then did the same by pointing the nose down to get the speed up but maintain the height we then practiced making a few turns and continued flying towards Southend passing over some good sights along the way! Once we was at St Marys we gave approach a call who told us to position for a Right downwind which we did there was two other aircraft flying into the aerodrome which we could not see so had to continue to fly downwind until the 2nd one was well clear, turning onto final we lined up with the runway and a lot was happening trying to: line up, watch the speed, watch the height, listen out to the radio, look out for other traffic, descend think about using flaps, we used up 3/4 of the runway before touching down however it was my first landing and I felt that I more in control and "on my own" which was a good thing even though I did think we was going to have to "Go Around".

After clearing the runway we taxied off and cleaned up the aircraft and parked up, off to pay the £20 landing fee and grab a coffee! - All in all a good flight which I felt I had learnt loads from!

Next flight: Later that evening.