A TALE OF TWO CIRCUITS

Tuesday 15th November

They say a week is a long time in politics.  Well, I think I showed today that a circuit is a long time in aviation.

I had flown over to Tauranga to have another bash in the Stearman.  Before that, I bumped into Euan ("FlyinKiwi") at the club who was about to depart for a check-out at Waiheke Island.  The Waikato fog had been causing a few delays - hope your flight went OK, Euan =)

I got over to the Bay of Plenty via the Waihi Gap doing a bit of cloud dodging on the way and, as usual, it was a magnificent day the other side of the Kaimais.

Well, to cut a long story short, I got up in the Steaman for a few turns over Katikati which was all good then it was back into the circuit.  Duty runway was 07 which I had not flown off for some while and it took me a couple of laps to get re-oriented.  There was also a 6-8 knot crosswind from the North (Seaward side) - not much in a tricycle undercarriage plane but enough to keep you alert in a taildragger.  On about the third circuit, I thought I had it all sorted - speed and attitude about right, 500' at the marina and got the rudder and ailerons just right for a pretty good landing with no word of instruction at all for the whole of that approach from Pete in the front cockpit.  I was so darned pleased with myself that I just about forgot all I had ever learned on the next approach: too wide at the end of downwind, so a long base leg and too low on turning final, so that I was struggling a bit with power and attitude on short final.  Crosswind technique? - what crosswind technique??  I rounded out still crabbed into wind, a little (well, maybe quite a lot) high and smacked down on the grass pretty hard, bounced high and at that point Pete took over.  After a bit of inward cursing I flew the next and last circuit to end with a short approach (Pete took over briefly to set me up on final) and an averagely good landing.

Back to Classic Flyers for a debrief.  A suitably humbling experience and good for the soul (or something like that).  Good job the Stearman can take that sort of abuse!! 

Finally, as I was walking out to WIT to preflight a big bird flew out of the haze and onto the tarmac for a touch and go.  I just had time to grab the camera and shoot a couple of frames:

Orion arrives through the mist for a touch.....

...... and go