Keeping Current - A Tale of Three Thursdays

If, like me, you find flying a variety of aircraft types enjoyable, then one of the challenges for the recreational pilot is staying current on more than a couple of types.  I have four type ratings now and looking in my logbook could see that I had not flown the Arrow for about 6 weeks and almost a year for a Cessna 172.
So, I decided something needed to be done (didn't want the Arrow currency going the same way as the 172).

Thursday 21st January
This wasn't part of the currency equation.  I had offered to take friend Duane, up North from Southland for the school holidays, and two of his four sons up and had booked the club Archer III.  Frontal weather was forecast and it did not look hopeful.  However, heavy morning rain cleared by about 1100 and it appeared that the next front moving in from the west would be a few hours away.
So, with a small window of opportunity, I called Duane and we met up at the club at 1245 and took a short scenic over Scotsman Valley (North-East of the airport) and Morrinsville and back again.  There was cirrus cloud over Pirongia with the front behind when we took off and once over Morrinsville it was clear that the rain was not far away from the city.  Duane didn't seem to mind - could see his grin reflected in the windscreen!!  The boys were very good, too.
The plan to fly back over the city was aborted and we reversed our track back, more or less.  We were cleared straight in again (twice in a row now) and a pretty good approach and landing followed.  The rain started as we said farewell in the carpark - good timing!

Thursday 28th January
Today was keeping current on the Arrow.  There had been a massive thunderstorm the night before but now it was a beautiful, warm sunny morning.  I could see the clouds building all round with the moist, rising air, though - classic meteorology.  Virtually no wind, which was nice.
It was fairly quiet traffic-wise so I kicked off with three circuits.  The first one was right hand and not so good - I was traffic watching on late downwind and lost a couple of hundred feet before turning base.  Well, at least I had the wheels down and power and pitch all set up OK so the next ones should be better, I thought.
They were.  Two fairly good circuits followed with nice landings, even with a short approach on the last.  I then departed to the South-East over Wharepapa South, Lakes Arapuni, Karapiro and then home.  It was somewhat busier now so no straight in clearance this time.  A standard South arrival and number three on downwind for 18L, extending to pass behind a twin who was doing an overshoot.  I had to descend from 1700' to circuit height (1200') fairly sharply so didn't get the wheels down until quite late - at least I was aware that I hadn't and there was (I reckon) little or no danger of me leaving them up.  I am still checking the three greens on base and at least twice on final.  The final landing was good, not quite a greaser but well positioned to taxi off with minimal delay (yes, I DO think of you controllers in the tower, honest) and back to put DQV to bed in its hangar.  Currency updated - cool!!

Thursday 4th February
You will have to wait for this one - I have booked a dual session in one of the 172s.  I wonder how it will go - back to a high wing type after a year of low wing flying.....