KEEPING UP TO DATE

Hey, it is nearly three months since my last post and there are some reasons for that.  Firstly, shortly after my last post in early may wifey and myself were off to the UK via California for a month in total to catch up with family and friends.  Then we returned to good old NZ to be greeted with some of the worst Winter weather for VFR flying I have seen for some time, yuk!  At work it was school holidays so several of my colleagues with school-age children had time off and yours truly covered some of the short-handed sessions so less flying time "windows".  I have been up a few times and I will (brieflly) tell you about then - latest, today, first:

Saturday 28th July 

While the Olympic opening ceremony was on from Stratford, London (that area so transformed from how I remember it in the 1970s) I went up for a few circuits in C-172 "WAM".  This was mainly to maintain currency (and to have a bit of fun, of course).  This was all very good - I flew five circuits and only let myself get too high on downwind on one when I was "traffic watching", wondering when the Katana in front of me was going to turn base!  Four pretty good landings (including a flapless and a glide approach) but the "precision" landing wasn't so flash - I think I was concentrating too much on the landing point and not enough on speed, height and a tidy flare (at least it was on the mainwheels and I didn't bounce).  But all good overall and current for another 90 days on 172s :)

Sunday 8th July

Up in the Stearman at Classic Flyers, Tauranga.  Having not flown the biplane for two months Pete decided we would do a bit of a "refresher".  So, after the usual clearance formalities with the tower we headed out towards Katikati, first just seaward of the Matakana Island beach and then turning left to Katikati once clear of the zone.  A couple of turns and the back to Tauranga via a Matakana arrival which meant a climb to 1500' - I was glad I was wearing gloves (about 7ºC on the ground and significantly colder aloft).  On approach we were instructed to pass the beach side of the Mount and join a right base for Grass 25.  There was a Cardinal outside us heading for the seal and, after our approach instruction, all I could hear on the radio was the Cardinal pilot chatting away to her passenger(s)!!  A stuck radio switch, not recognised.  I did a reasonable approach for a full stop (Pete's call) and as we taxied off he asked if I had seen the green light from the tower.  I had to admit I hadn't - I was concentrating too much on getting the landing right and not getting in the way of the (continually chattering) Cardinal heading for seal 25 to my left.
Oh well, the general flying was OK and, hopefully, will get time and weather to do some circuits soon.

Tuesday 26th June

The weather forecast was pretty awful but I did manage to get two circuits in WAM before the weather hit in a big way, the wind backing about 90º in a few minutes and from a few drops of rain as I landed to a full on downpour by the time I ran to the clubhouse!!  Oh well, there is always another day!

 Tuesday 19th June

8 days back in the country and just about over the jet-lag, I booked to go up dual with CFI, Roger for a bit of a refresher in Archer III, "WIT".  We flew four circuits including a flapless approach and an engine failure after take off (can't do that solo) and Roger said all was good after the third lap.  On the last he showed me a short approach technique which went like this:  just beyond the downwind threshold throttle back close to idle, as soon as speed down to 100Kt two notches of flap and a 45º turn to base.  The speed washes off nicely and with full flap on base and another steep turn to final we were all set up to land on 36L with little or no further adjustment - sweet!  
Thanks, Rog, I always learn something after a flight with you.

Summary:  2.7 hours in two months (and 3.7 hours in 3 months); 1.1 of that P-in-C (well below my usual average but fingers crossed for good weather and less "busy" sometime soon).