ANOTHER EXPENSIVE COFFEE!!

Thought it was about time I posted again having not written anything for nearly a month.  The weather has not been terribly kind to me on the days I have had an aircraft booked.

Three weeks ago I took my youngest daughter up for a flight.  I had intended to go to Pauanui Beach but there was cloud all around Hamilton at 2000-2500' so it was a quick local flight and a few circuits around 25 as there was a 12Kt+ crosswind on 18.  Daughter took some video which I will put on youtube when I have tidied it up.

Two weeks ago I went up with instructor, Loreen in Cessna 172, WAM to get me current again.  We did three acceptable circuits (again from 25) and then she let me "off the leash" and I did 4 more solo.  So, current on 172s again :))

A week ago Hamilton was pretty much fogged in until lunchtime so a Thursday morning flight was out and I was too busy in the afternoon to rebook.  Still, at least I got the lovely missus her birthday present so not a wasted day!

Which brings us to today......  THURSDAY 6TH MAY

Just to let us all know that Winter is on its way it was a chilly 2C overnight but a lovely clear, sunny morning followed so it was all good to go flying.  I had decided to take the Arrow on a short cross country to Tauranga.
It was calm with variable 2-3kt winds at both Hamilton and Tauranga and only 5-10 knots at 3000 feet so no worries with the weather at all.  It took me a good half hour to file a flight plan, drag DQV out, preflight and fill up with Avgas and put a bit of oil in but eventually I was on my way.
At line-up I was cleared on track to Tauranga, 2500' or below, so a climbing left turn off runway 18 and set course for my destination.  What a stunning day!  Just a few clouds around and only a few bumps as I crossed the Kaimais.  I called up the tower at Tauranga and was cleared to track to the hospital and report there.  Runway 07 was active so it should be an easy approach on to a right base direct from the hospital.  I descended down to 1500 feet and DQV became a rocket ship.  With cruise power and pitch a fairly gentle 500ft/min descent took me up to 160 knots - just brushing the yellow caution arc so I throttled back a wee bit to ensure I was at a safe speed.
I reported at the hospital at 1500' and was cleared right base for 07 as expected.  Throttle back and as soon as the airspeed touched 120 knots I lowered the wheels which helped to bring the speed down a bit more and after the downwind checks, a bit of flap and a turn onto final I was about right to land on the grass.  Only problem, there was a Cessna lining up and a Beech backtracking on the seal.  Ho hum, a late clearance, I guessed.   The Cessna didn't hang about and, at about 250' up I was cleared to land.
I had the speed and approach profile about right to land just beyond the threshold but the thought about the sealed taxiway which crossed just ahead of my landing spot.  I didn't want to bounce off that so I held off for a bit longer with a bit of throttle on and, thanks to a bit of ground effect, crossed the seal and touched down smoothly on the grass.  Not at all bad, I thought and taxied off to park by the aeroclub.
I walked round to the Pilot shop where I bought Ross Ewing's "Catalina Dreaming" and then over to the Avgas cafe at the museum for a coffee before returning uneventfully back to Hamilton.  Thanks to the very high pressure (1031-1033 HPas), lowish temperature and low humidity, the aircraft performance was good and only 0.8 hrs on the Hobbs at the end - 24 minutes each way.  Good old DQV, definitely not a sluggard!!  A good morning's flying - just hope this weather continues....