OF A GREEK HERO AND A TOUCH AND GO

Tuesday 25th January

Final for 23 at Raglan

After an abortive booking the day before (weather!!!), I managed to get JGP (WAC's older 172) for an hour and a half this afternoon.  Sweet, thought I.

So, off to the aero club and there was JGP still in its overnight cover ready to unwrap and preflight.  That was all OK apart from the fuel situation, only 25 litres in one tank and 55 in the other.  About 65 usable and not enough for even a quick hop over to Raglan and back.  So, off to refuel.  (A bit of background here - just after Christmas I managed to injure my right Achilles tendon - just a tiny tear but jolly painful at the time and just about coming right).  I pulled myself onto the left wing, fuel hose in hand and was a bit off balance so opted to drop back onto the ground landing on my right leg, flexing the ankle and putting too much stretch on my recovering Achilles - OUCH!!!!! - a wave of momentarily agonising pain shot up the middle of my calf and I knew straight away what I had done - torn the top end where the muscle joins the tendon ( a scan the next day confirmed this).  Once I got my breath back, worked out I could still move my right foot normally, albeit with a fair bit of pain (so not a complete rupture), I hobbled back to the club to get help refueling.  Roger came out and did it for me, muttering something not too charitable about the previous user leaving so little in the tanks!

Right, was I still fit to fly?  If it had been a complete tear, no way - your foot can't move - but my lower leg was still fully functional apart from walking at any speed other than slow, and a wee test on the rudder pedals on a quick taxi showed I could use full rudder without too much pain and could brake safely.  Good to go, then.

The rest of the flight went really well.  I flew across to Raglan, where the cloudy Hamilton weather gave way to bright sun and clear skies at the coast.  As time was now short (and walking around painful) I opted for a touch and go which was fine apart from being a tad high on short final and touching down a little further than ideal, but still plenty of room to take off again in JGP.  At least the landing wasn't hard and I didn't bounce!!  A 12-15 knot wind straight down the runway probably helped, too.  Back to Hamilton and a similar landing on 36L, the wind here being a northerly at 8-10 knots.  (Note to self: JGP with only one on board wants to keep flying and will glide for ever compared to an Alpha or a Cherokee!!)
Some photos:

JGP ready to go

A couple of visitors - didn't get the reg of the warrior but the aircraft to the left is ZK-CMF, an Airtourer registered to Southern Air Services, Pukekohe

A bit of flooding after the weekend rain - grass runways and taxiways were surprisingly dry and firm, though

Footnote:  The leg is much better now, thanks after only six days - the later tear was mainly in muscle and, with a much better blood supply than a tendon, heals a lot quicker.  Still having to walk somewhat slowly (very frustrating) but almost pain free and I can't run.  I was told off at work for being dumb and not getting help to refuel in the first place - male pride and all that stuff!!!