Confessions of an NZ PropellerHead

TAURANGA AIRSHOW

2012-01-30T15:14:00.001+13:00

Saturday 28th January

It was a bit of a late decision but I made it to the Saturday of the Tauranga Airshow and it was pretty awesome. A bit of a taster for Warbirds Over Wanaka (assuming weather conducive to getting the club's planes down there). I treated myself to a flight in DC-3 "DAK" over the wreck of the Rena. It was a fantastic day with perfect weather. A few photos (and I might get round to editing up the hour or so of video I took sometime soon):

Motiti Island from the DC-3

Possibly my favourite US warbird - the mighty Vought Corsair

Spitfire MkIX, PV270 on the flight line

Spitfire TRIX MH367 fires up - LOVE that sound!!

Front end of Titan Mustang ZK-MJD "Frenesi"

Stearman line-up

WHITE ISLAND

2012-01-25T20:07:00.003+13:00

Tuesday 24th January

Ever since a flight over White Island just over three years ago I have been keen to go back (the picture at the top is from that flight - it was much more active today). So, when a work colleague mentioned he would be keen to go there with his wife and young son and they were holidaying in the area this week, it seemed like a heaven-sent opportunity to go again.

So, I booked WIT (Archer III) for a half-day and planned a flight from Hamilton to Whakatane to pick up my passengers and then on over the island, Whakatane for drop off and then back home. It all started off really well with fabulous weather here in Hamilton (variable 3Kt wind and sky clear) and a text message to say it was as good on the Eastern Bay of Plenty with the island and its smoke plume (active volcano, for those who don't know) clearly visible from the coast.

Unremarkable preflight and 90 litres of fuel in each tank (180 total, 170 usable - plenty for the whole trip). It went slightly awry at the start. I made a taxying error - the tower told me to taxi to holding point "Golf" and immediately the point at the threshold of 07 sprang into my mind (it was changed to "Hotel") a few years ago. I set off towards "Hotel" and was halfway along before I realised I was in a bit of a time-warp, reversed direction and went back towards "Golf" just as the tower gave me a "friendly reminder"! Sorry, folks.

The next problem occurred not long after take-off. I had been cleared on track to Whakatane 2500' or below and then the tower informed of a "hot-off-the-press" NOTAM to the effect that the main runway at Whakatane had closed for maintanence work. Oh.....dear.....! A quick check showed the grass runway there to be only 750 metres - OK for 1-up in WIT but could be interesting with 4 on board. I texted my friend asking if a meet at Opotoki (about 20 miles further East along the coast as the plane flies but only a few miles further from the island) would be OK. I had rummaged in my AIP volume 4 to find a longer runway at Opotiki which might be a bit more "user-friendly". He replied, "yes, but 45 minutes to get there". That was no problem as my ETA would be similar to his. So, new plans sorted, I called Christchurch Information to amend my flight plan and altered course (slightly - about 10º difference - helped by the excellent GPS on WIT) for Opotiki.

Once past Whakatane I was into "unknown territory", at least aerially. However, I needn't have worried. Thanks to the GPS, my maps, the excellent weather and the recent rains, the bright green airstrip was very obvious just beyond the town. I descended down to 1500' for an overhead join. Once overhead I could not clearly see the wind direction as the windsocks appeared almost flat against their poles. So, less that 3Kt wind and I reckoned either way would do. I decided on 09 as it was easiest to cross the field and turn right, crossing the 27 threshold while descending into the right hand circuit for 09. As is usual (I think) at a completely strange aerodrome, my approach was far from perfect, quite high on final but managed to get down and slow down enough for a fairly good landing. I hung in ground effect for a bit while I straightened up and got the right hand wheel down first in what turned out to be a 90º crosswind from the South at around 5 knots. Not a bad landing and plenty of room to stop. I noticed my passengers arriving just as I turned off the runway. All good!

WIT on the "ramp" at Opotiki. Not sure what the aircraft in the background is as I didn't make a note of his registration mark. It was the only other plane there (at least outside a hangar) and left just before us

A quick "Hello", etc. and we loaded up, I gave the usual safety briefing and off we went. I had checked the fuel (68 litres on each side, so 44 litres used for the 1.2 hours from Hamilton, about right), did a brief walk round and, after engine run-up, lined up on 09. I elected to use a maximum performance take-off technique with 20º flap. Full throttle on the brakes, release, then down the runway, lifting off a comfortable distance from the end. I kept the nose attitude fairly low to gather speed before raising the flaps in two stages and a gentle turn to the left saw us climbing away with enough altitude to clear the low hill between the airfield and the coast.

The skies were clear, the water looked very calm, and, after 15 minutes or so we started our circuit around the Island. There was a small plume of steam rising with a small cloud above the Island. As we turned to see the crater there appeared to be a moderate amount of thermal activity. There were two boats in the bay - I wonder if the crew/passengers had come ashore. It didn't look too hospitable. After that circuit we headed back to the mainland at 2500'. Once I was within gliding distance of the coast, I breathed an inward sigh of relief and descended to 1500' to join overhead at Opotiki. Once again the wind was difficult to judge but appeared to (just) favour 09 so it was a right hand circuit to land. I kept the speed up a bit with 4-up and tried to touch down as early as possible. With the extra speed and weight, an increase in the wind (still 90º to the runway) and the minor undulations of the surface it was a bit of a bumpy landing - several little bounces before settling. Still, it wasn't alarming at all, we were centred on the runway and the passengers thought the landing was fine (that's the main thing!!). I thought I could have done better but, hey, we all walked away, and the aircraft was ready to use again immediately so that sounds like a "good" landing, yes??

Then it was farewell to the passengers and back to Hamilton for me. Dipping the tanks showed 100 litres in the tanks; 36 litres used for 0.8 hours - a bit more than the 40/hour but we were 4-up and I wasn't holding back on the power much on the way back as I do get a little nervous over expanses of ocean. So, enough to get me home with (just) enough reserve and diversion fuel assuming minimal taxi time on the deserted Opotiki airfield.

A great and uneventful trip back. Over Edgecombe township I called Christchurch control for a clearance into the type D airspace above the Rotorua control zone to cruise at 4500' and was cleared without hesitation. Fantastic views of the Rotorua lakes and the Bay of Plenty on the way back.

Lake Rotoehu, centre and Lake Rotoiti to the right

Lake Rotorua with Mokoia island centre midground and Mount Tarawera right background

Not my best landing back at Hamilton, a bit early on the flare (must remember it is not as tall as the Stearman!!) but a wee push on the column and a trickle of power sorted that out and a safe and fairly smooth landing resulted with bags of runway left after stopping on 18R (the small one). Over to the fuel pumps to gas up. Dipped the tanks again, 25 litres in one and 40 in the other (35 litres in 1.1 hours - good economy in a lightly loaded plane leaned off correctly). So, a total of 115 litres used with a Hobbs meter time of 3.1 hours. That's 37.1 litres per hour, quite close to the 40/hour and on the "right" side of it.

A wonderful day's flying, so back home for a late lunch and a cold one :). The passengers took some photos which I will try to get from them and will post them at a later date.

HAPPY 2012 TO ALL

2012-01-09T20:34:00.001+13:00

First post of the New Year. I haven't had much to write about since the last post nearly four weeks ago mainly due to the rubbish weather for early Summer here! I have been up a couple of times, though:

Tuesday 27th December

The usual birthday fly. I took eldest daughter (who loves going up) over to Tauranga to find the Avgas cafe closed but did get to see the Strikemaster doing a few circuits. When we departed we had a short pause to watch it doing an overshoot (was meant to be a touch and go - not sure what went wrong, if anything) and I forgot that 07 was the duty runway (well, it is almost always 25) and started off towards the 25 end. The tower called to "remind" me and gave me a hold on the main apron to run up (there was hardly any traffic) and to cross and line up on the seal. I could hear the Strikemaster radio call for a full stop and could see them turning base. Not wanting then to waste too much Jet A1 I did my line up checks while taxiing and pushed the throttle forward as soon as I was straight on the seal. A lightly laden WIT took off quite briskly and the jet crew made a call thanking me for getting out of their way! Thanks, guys.

You can check out Eleanor's video (edited by me) here:

Monday 2nd January 2012

First fly of the new year and up for a few circuits in the Stearman. Nearly 2 months since my last flight in the biplane and I was a touch rusty but better than I had feared. I did about 8 circuits and, mostly, the landings were pretty good. One was rather poor with a bit of a swing left and right after landing and a wobbly take off. Never mind - it's a good excuse to go up again and try to get it right!!

THAT WEATHER!!

2011-12-13T21:47:00.000+13:00

Tuesday 13th December

Warm sector depressions - don't you love them! Low cloud, poor visibility in rain or drizzle, uncomfortably humid, etc, etc. Yesterday it was much like that here in the Waikato and similar this morning, although the overnight rain had stopped.

However, as the morning wore on the cloud lifted and my chances of getting up at 1300 looked more hopeful. I checked the ATIS online before driving off to the airport and cloud base was 3500' - quite flyable conditions but only locally. Tauranga had a cloud base of around 1500' with poor visibility in drizzle.

I arrived at the club to fly Cessna 172, WAM, which has just had a full engine overhaul (i.e.; new engine cylinders and internals in original crankcase), and got a quick briefing from Roger on engine management: 2500rpm at all times in cruise, don't spend too long on engine run-ups, no glide approaches, cross country only - no circuits.

So, after preflight I got going without undue delay. It was fairly light traffic-wise given the weather and I took off from 36R in a slight crosswind turning right to leave the zone to the NE via Scotsman Valley. I flew just below the clouds at 2200' as far as Morrinsville where the weather was a bit clearer and was able to get up to 2500'. I flew a big circle to the North of the airport turning to the West at Lake Waikare to return via Huntly. I kept a careful eye on the RPM gauge and was pretty consistent throughout the cross-country part. It got a little more challenging when planning the approach.

I was cleared for a Rukuhia arrival and descended to 1700' prior to entering the zone. With throttle setting for 2500rpm the airspeed crept up into the yellow zone, 140-145Kt on descent. Hmm, could be interesting getting the approach speeds low enough. It was! At Rukuhia I was advised the surface wind was 060º at 12 knots and I took the option of landing on 07. This proved a real problem as I was still at 1700' and I ended up on a short final way too high and at about 95 knots - time to throttle up and go around. I did a fairly wide left hand circuit to give myself time to get the speed and height down on final with minimal low rpm time for the engine and it worked out OK. The wind was more like 030º now so it was a crosswind landing with just 20º flap getting into a sideslip attitude at about a quarter mile out and a pretty smooth landing resulted with the upwind (left) wheel down first - always pleasing, that. Another 0.8 hours running-in time for WAM's "new" engine and in my logbook.

A couple of photos to show the conditions:

Looking NE from Morrinsville - cloud base just above me and the Kaimai range completely shrouded in white, fluffy stuff

Looking a little clearer towards the Firth of Thames

THREE GREENS - GOOD: TWO GREENS, UH-OH!!

2011-12-06T19:33:00.000+13:00

Tuesday 6th December

Summer is here and, after a thunderstorm yesterday evening and a dodgy weather forecast, I wasn't too optimistic about getting over to Tauranga in DQV to fly the Stearman. So it turned out. The cloud base over Hamilton airport was around 1200' and much of the surrounding area was cloudy. I phoned Pete at Classic Flyers and to my question about the weather he replied, "C**p, low cloud all around" (so, not much change from the weather report a couple of hours previously).

That was much as expected so, as the Hamilton circuit was flyable, I decided to take DQV up for a few laps. All started off well and I made an early downwind call for a touch and go, checked the airspeed was below 125Kt and lowered the gear. There was the usual clunking and trim change as the mains came down and the two main green lights came on. The nose gear light flashed briefly and then went out. A glance up the panel showed that the yellow "gear in transit" light was still illuminated. Oh, dear! (A bit of retrospective: this had happened to me on 22nd November coming back from a local flight except the nose light didn't flash and recycling the gear fixed the problem).

So, I raised the gear, waited a few seconds, and lowered it again, and..... the same thing happened except the nose gear light didn't light at all!! OK, no panic, it's probably electrical, but in a fairly busy circuit I thought it best to make an urgency (Pan, Pan) call to the tower and told them I would extend downwind to try to sort it. A third gear lowering was successful: after a bit of a pause, all three greens glowed and stayed glowing. Sigh of relief, quick check I had all the downwind checks done and I turned base about 3 miles or so South of the 36R threshold. I called the tower to say I was turning base and would be for a full stop. I made a lower than usual, very shallow approach, and got full flap down about half a mile out aiming to stay at 70KT til over the threshold and then try to keep the flare going to touch down on the mains at as slowly as I dared (about 60Kt) keeping the nosewheel up as long as possible - just in case. This worked fine, I rolled the mains onto the tarmac (one of my best landings ever!!) and kept pulling back on the column to keep the nose up. The speed bled off quite quickly and once down to below 40Kt I gently released the back-pressure on the column and the nosewheel touched down and held - hooray!!!

So, I taxied back to the club and reported the problem to Roger (CFI) who knew about my previous DQV undercarriage problem. He reckoned it was probably electrical, a relay or something similar, and agreed it needed sorting out. So, I left it in his capable hands and went off to attempt some Christmas shopping!!

A TALE OF TWO CIRCUITS

2011-11-15T17:26:00.000+13:00

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

THE MAGICIAN'S ENGINE

2011-11-15T16:47:00.001+13:00

Thought it about time for an addition to the old Hall of Fame. Not a person this time but a bit of hardware. 27 litre V-12, liquid cooled, 740HP (prototype) to 2060HP (130/1 version). May not have had the sheer grunt of the later RR Griffon, Napier Sabre or the Bristol Centaurus but the ROLLS-ROYCE MERLIN was THE engine of the early years of WWII and without it the RAF would have been up the proverbial creek with only a prayer for a paddle. Powered more aircraft types than I can mention here but the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster spring to mind first. Also, of course, is the Packard 1650 which was the licence built version the other side of the Atlantic - the P-51 Mustang only came into its own at altitude when this engine was fitted (same for the P-40).

Pratt and Who?, Alliwhat?? =)

SIX OF THE BEST (WELL, ALMOST)

2011-11-08T19:53:00.000+13:00

Tuesday 8th November

In spite of clear skies forecast by Jim Hickey last night on the 6 o'clock news it was rather cool and cloudy at the airport today as I "unwrapped" Archer III, "WIT" to go fly. Given the cloud, I decided that some circuits would be the total of the day's entertainment with the challenge to be as "perfect' as possible. As at Tauranga last Sunday there was enough wind to make it a little challenging, the windsock positions somewhat variable around the field.

So, it was six circuits off 18, taking off on 18R (the little, short one), five touch and goes on 18L (the big, long one) and final landing on 18R. The first circuit was all pretty good but I elected to use full flap (the windsock appeared to be straight down the runway when I was on early final) so was a tad slow over the threshold and was moved off the centreline by the wind (which was definitely right to left at this point). Second circuit was fine until the flare and throttle close; I bounced, but sorted it out straight away with a bit of throttle and nose lowered a touch and the second touchdown was smooth and straight (wouldn't have worked so well in a Cessna, I reckon).

Next lap - flapless approach; I kept a shallow approach profile and a smooth landing after 75 knots over the threshold despite a bit of a struggle to get the speed down whilst on base and final. Fourth circuit, a glide approach; very happy with this, I was looking a bit low at one point but easily made the runway, even needing a bit of flap to touch at my mental "point". Two "normal" circuits to finish, the last right hand for 18R so it was an attempted precision landing. This was the least satisfactory; in my attempt to be as close to the threshold as possible I kept a bit more power on than I needed and, with only 2 notches of flap because of the crosswind, I drifted along a wee bit before touching down but, at least I was on the seal, straight, right wing down a bit into the wind, and easily stopped with a bit of brake in about 2/3 of the length.
So, very happy with my efforts, I taxied back to shut down and think about lunch!

STEARMAN LINE-UP

2011-11-08T19:16:00.000+13:00

Sunday 6th November

I arrived at Classic Flyers late this morning for another session of circuits in "03". I had heard a few weeks previously of two other Stearmans (?Stearmen) imported from the USA which were to be based at Tauranga and there they were, lined up and ready to go. I watched them start up and leave, one for a few circuits and the other to taxi to its hangar. The noise of two radials starting up was fantastic! Glad I had the (little) camera with me:

Biplane line up: Classic Flyers' Agcat "RTA" with Stearmen "262" and "343"

Wooden prop on "343"

Start up for "343"

To make any American reader(s) proud

Then it was down to business for me; some circuits with Pete. There was enough wind to make it "interesting" - about 10-12 knots on the surface, a little variable with an intermittent crosswind, but 20 knots or so at 500' and on my first circuit I was reminded to widen out my crosswind turn to compensate. Generally, my flying was OK, the first take-off a bit rough but a second go after a stop and go (for wake turbulence) was much better. However, we did encounter a radio problem after 3 circuits, on the fourth approach not being able to hear the tower at all so after touching down Pete told me to make it a full stop. I could near him perfectly via my helmet so that wasn't the problem. The fault seemed intermittent and dependent on volume position so maybe a "dirty" potentiometer. Never mind, I was pretty pleased with my efforts =)

RED CHECKERS AT HAMILTON

2011-10-26T12:51:00.000+13:00

Tuesday 25th October

I took Archer III, WIT for a local flight today (was supposed to be C-172, WAM but that is still in maintanence). No problem though, as I am current on the Archer and it was a chance to "play" with the GPS, EFIS and fancy autopilot in WIT. After putting in an hour's worth over to Raglan, up the coast a wee way and home via Huntly a couple of RNZAF CT4s at Hamilton turned up just after I landed, one going over to Aeromotive and the other parking by the fuel pumps. I got a few photos before I had to disappear to meet a builder at home (new garage).

Red Checker CT4, "89" at the pumps

It was cloudy and hazy at Raglan but much nicer a little way North

Huntly Power Station and the mighty Waikato River behind

TRYING THE NEW "LID"

2011-10-25T20:44:00.000+13:00

Sunday 23rd October

This was my chance to try out the new helmet in the Stearman. I am very pleased to report that it worked extremely well. Previously in the rear cockpit it was near impossible to hear anything in the soft helmet that comes with the plane (it's just about OK in the front) but now I am hearing everything and all Pete's instruction from the front is crystal clear.

We did about 45 minutes in the Tauranga circuit today which was fun. To make it a bit more "interesting" there was the NZ Warbirds' Strikemaster doing its own circuits off the sealed runway and zipping around a lot quicker than we were (and burning about three times as many imperial gallons per hour than we were litres - i.e. about 800 litres/h.!!). No wonder he was at the fuel pumps for a while after a few circuits.

Thanks to the traffic, our circuits were a trifle irregular - early left turns and short approaches seemed to be the norm. Pete demonstrated a short sideslipping approach on the first short one and let me have a go on the next two. The Stearman was very steady and, because of the biplane drag, loses height (and speed) pretty rapidly sideslipping with half throttle or less. I got it pretty much sorted on my second go and was 500' over the golf course which is just right for the Grass 25 circuit. I was a bit fast but closing the throttle fixes that on the Stearman thanks to that drag.

It was all good and Pete seemed happy and reckoned the helmet made a big difference. Not having to strain to hear what is being said to me and confident that I can be heard means I can concentrate fully on the flying. Cool!

I took a few photos......


The best of the several I took of the Strikemaster - anyone for a ride??

Stearman 03 showing the patched side from the bit of damage inflicted by me a few weeks ago - just needs a paint job now

BFR - SORTED!!

2011-10-18T19:59:00.000+13:00

As a bit of an insurance policy I had made two bookings to try to get my BFR, one today and one a week hence. From the recent weather forecasts it looked 50:50 to get up today but, surprise, surprise it wasn't too bad this morning with cloud base of 2500', good visibility away from showers, so good to go.

I fronted up to the club to find Roger on the phone and obviously busy so I "unwrapped" WAM and preflighted, etc. Full fuel tanks, no problems with the plane so back into the clubhouse for a "nervous leak". Roger was ready to go by then and mentioned we would do some terrain awareness stuff as well as the BFR syllabus.

The wind was 250º at 12 knots (duty runway 18L) so we should get the x-wind take off and landing part done if nothing else. We were cleared for an East departure and headed over to Karapiro, which wasn't the original intention but there looked to be a heavy shower with poor vis to the S of Maungatautari where we had hoped to do the low flying part. Once out of the zone we climbed up to 2000' and over the lake it was a steep turn each way - aced those - big smile inside (all the Stearman/Cub experience?).

Then it was basic, power & flap and wing-drop stalls. The first two were fine. Roger got me to keep going with the basic stall until I felt the plane start to stall and the recover - did that, judging the stall from the buffet on the column leading to the very start of a nose drop and Rog said that was very good (more smiling). I had a bit of trouble with the wing drop first time but got it right after a demo from Rog. I was far too fast with the triad of full reverse rudder, full power and wings level. Roger got me to apply enough rudder to stop the yaw first and then do the rest of the recovery sequence and, hey, it worked - thanks Rog :)

Then we went into a valley between Maungatautari village and the mountain, descending to 1200' (about 6-700' agl) for a bit of low flying/terrain awareness stuff. Very interesting and great fun. We did a bit of low flying, some valley turns - a 172 turns so tight!!, and a saddle cross to finish off. Roger picked me up on not leading with power for the valley turn on my first go and I drifted up a bit travelling up the valley. Definitely not Southern Alps stuff but a good introduction.

Back over to Lake Karapiro and time for a forced landing. We tracked towards the North-South arm of the lake, crossed to the Eastern shore where, having sorted out the wind direction, recrossed to the West, chose a paddock and Roger pulled the throttle. We were only at 2000' so having traded height for airspeed and trimmed for 65Kt I decided to skip the 1500' area and head around to the left for my 1000' point - a building on the lake shore my side of the paddock - doing my engine failure checks on the way. It was a right hand circuit to land, passing over the lake and turning right to approach the field. A bit high and fast on turning final so, down came full flap and I got the speed and glide about right to make my nominated paddock and Roger said, "Go around".

Back to base for some circuits. On the first downwind the tower instructed me for a short approach which I made a bit of a hash of and ended up going around. Right hand circuit for a reasonable cross wind landing next, except that I lost a bit too much speed in the flare and stalled it the last few centimetres onto the runway. Lastly, we did a flapless approach and landing which was all very good and, after remembering to do all the after landing and shutdown checks, it was into the clubhouse to sort the paperwork out. Great!- BFR nailed and, as always with Roger, I learned some stuff, too!

IT HAS ARRIVED!!!!

2011-10-04T15:03:00.000+13:00

Whoo hoo - a courier man arrived at the doorstep yesterday morning with a 30cm cardboard cube and inside was......

Yep, that's right the helmet I have had on order from Campbell Aero Classics for the past wee while. OK, OK, that's enough of the "Biggles" jokes and comments, I don't think the shell of his flying hat was Kevlar and there wouldn't have been any fancy electrics inside!!

This is going to make it sooooo much easier flying the Stearman. I couldn't wait to try it out so I brought it along to the club today to see if and how well it worked. I had booked JGP for a couple of hours to have a practice before my BFR which is due soon. So, once seated and ready to start, I put the helmet on, feeling a little ridiculous, and started up. Noise reduction excellent, I could barely hear the engine. Avionics on, and I wondered what the odd noises were. I soon realised that this baby is really sensitive and I was picking up much more radio "clutter" than I normally would in my normal, very good Dave Clark headset. Still, the ATIS came through loud and clear as did the tower and they had no problems hearing me.
The lid was a good, firm, not too tight fit but did get a little warm. That shouldn't be a problem in the Stearman's open cockpit, though. Wearing the mask there was a bit of condensation on my glasses initially but once I had it adjusted properly all was well.
So, into the circuit. The tower warned me of IFR traffic (an Orion and a Beech 1900 doing IFR approach and circuits) that might interrupt proceedings and that turned out to be true. I ended up doing two full stops and backtracks on 36L because of wake turbulence (and went around on another because I was too "hot and high" on a glide approach - that's a Cessna for you). I also ended up orbiting over Rukuhia to allow the IFR folks some space on one circuit. I didn't mind because the "stop and goes" were a chance to practice maximum performance take-offs. My precision landing wasn't too bad either. I did a classic Cessna bounce on one T&G - long time since I have done that and was a bit annoyed with myself.
After about 45 minutes of this I packed it in. I had really wanted to practice the rest of the BFR stuff but it was rather cloudy all around and didn't think I would get clear and high enough to do stalls and steep turns. Still, I had fun, anyway. Have a booking with Roger in two weeks to have a go at the BFR assessment.

MATAMATA AGAIN...

2011-09-27T21:05:00.000+13:00

I was a little concerned at the weather forecast last night with patches of fog predicted and, indeed, it was pretty foggy south of Hamilton but the airport was clear and it looked good to fly over to Tauranga in C172, WAM for another session on the Stearman. There was a fair bit of cloud and haze about but nothing too bothersome for VFR (a different story further south - see below). I flew over the Kaimais a little further East than usual tracking along highway 29 to cross over at the road summit and down the Wairoa River valley the other side until cleared for a Racecourse 1 arrival and then into the circuit for 25 and a good landing.

On the way via Hwy 29. Te Poi centre left, Matamata in the background below the range. The road starts to climb over the hills a few Km to the right

I met up with Pete at Classic flyers and after a phone call to suss out the weather we were off to Matamata in the Stearman over Thompson's Track saddle, a repeat of a few weeks ago. We followed a 172 in - they were from Ardmore on a CPL cross-country and had turned back from Raglan to Te Kuiti due to the fog which was quite bad over the King Country.

Overhead NZMA on the way home - can you spot the aircraft below? (answer at the bottom of the post)

I had felt pretty much in the groove in the front cockpit on the way there but once we had landed and swapped seats for some circuits it was a different story.

My circuits were not too bad but I was having real trouble with the headset of the soft helmet in rear cockpit - hopefully my "proper" helmet will be here soon. The amount of wind noise and the difficulty hearing Pete from the front was somewhat distracting. I nearly lost it on one take off, swinging to the left but got it straightened up (sort of) and up off the ground OK.

After about six or seven circuits it was a full stop, swap seats and back to Tauranga via Highway 29. Reckon I was a bit tired after the hard work at Matamata as Pete picked me up a bit on balance and right wing down (think I was trying to get a leaky left side earpiece of the soft helmet out of the wind and holding my head crooked with resultant misjudgement of the plane's attitude).

Not a bad approach and landing back at Tauranga, then a quick lunch and back to Hamilton. The wind had got up since I left with enough of a crosswind on 18 (about 7-8 knots) to make it interesting. I did a very acceptable cross wind landing which was very pleasing. Just after I shut down my phone rang. By the time I had retrieved it from my bag the call had gone - an 03 number. I returned the call and it was Airways - yep, I was overdue on my SARTIME - whoops - after all the Stearman excitement I had lost track of time. There's always something for the learning curve, eh?

2.8 hours on the Stearman plus 1.3 hours in WAM = 4.1 hours for the day!! (Don't tell the Bank Manager!!!)

There he is, centre of this enlargement - about 1500' below me and I didn't spot him until he was over the trees to the right - was joining the circuit for 28 from his radio call. Did you pick him on the photo above?? Sorry, no prize =)

THE FIRST FLIGHTS OF SPRING

2011-09-07T07:31:00.000+12:00

Tuesday 6th September

A Sea of Cloud:

I had booked the Arrow, DQV, to take me over to Tauranga for another session with instructor, Pete in the Stearman. I arrived just before 0900 and got the plane out of its hangar. The sky was clear over Hamilton city and airport but there was a lot of ground mist and haze around that I could see on my drive from home. After preflighting and filing a flight plan I set off for Tauranga. With an approximately 10 knot wind almost directly behind me it was 19 minutes from lining up on runway 18L at Hamilton to vacating Seal 07 at Tauranga - 43 nautical miles at average ground speed of 135 knots.

Not at all bad. That wasn't the full story, though. After departure and making a climbing left turn to track East there was a lot of light ground mist about and the haze made to Kaimai ridge difficult to see. Having cleared the zone and the 2500' lower level control area I climbed to 3500' for a look. I was aware I would have less time to think about options in the Arrow than in the significantly slower 172 and the scene ahead was just a tad disturbing. There appeared to be a whitish sea of cloud from the Kaimai ridge to the horizon (where the sea should have been). Appearances can be deceptive, though. Once past Matamata I could see that the appearance was due to a combination of the haze, cloud on my side of the ridge and the North-easterly sun reflecting off the cloud and the sea beyond giving the illusion of whiteness ahead.

The sea of cloud looking Northeast......

....and looking Northwest - I am heading for the clear bit in between

By now I could see the peaks of the ridge and the saddle at Wairere where I intended to cross. So, no real worries and, once over the ridge, I called Tauranga, was cleared into the zone to the hospital (as usual) and when approaching the reporting point was asked if I would accept runway 07 with 3 knot tailwind. Nice long concrete runway and should be no problem, so I called "Affirm" and was cleared right base for 07 seal. Time to slow down, get the wheels down and it was an uneventful approach and after a little bit of a float in the tailwind I pretty much rolled the wheels on the tarmac - great!

Of fabric and knees:

After the great flight over I was looking forward to a few circuits in the Stearman. Pete asked me to preflight and while reaching into the rear cockpit for the fuel drainer I let my weight shift forward onto my bent right knee which was resting against the fabric between the frame runners and, "Bang", I had ripped a small hole in the fabric, Dammit! Pete didn't seem too annoyed and went off to fetch some duct tape for a spot of running repairs. The hole was in an area that will need patching at some stage anyway (peeling paint and looked a bit thin to my eye) so no major problem, except I did feel very foolish. A salutary lesson about being very careful with "rag-and-tube" constructed vintage aircraft.

Good old Duct Tape!!

It got better from then on. We spent about 45 minutes in the circuit and I flew quite well. Nice rectangular shapes and keeping at 1000' on downwind fairly accurately. I wasn't too happy with a couple of the landings but at the end Pete said he thought my landings were getting better and it was getting the climb-out attitude (for 65-70 knots) and direction (not drifting either side and keeping in balance) that needed a bit of work. So, not too bad and that made me feel a bit better.

Back Home:

Well, it may be historic one day!!!

Then it was time to hop into the Arrow and head back to Hamilton for lunch. There were clear skies to the Kaimais and less haze around but the clouds were building up and it was a bit bumpy over the ridge. Once past Matamata I called Hamilton and was cleared to join right base for 25 left. So I tracked towards Matangi and at the appropriate point slowed down a bit to let the wheels down, turned base and did a pretty good approach and landing. It seemed rather fast but, after six or so landings at about 55 knots in the Stearman, 70 knots over the threshold on a shorter runway in the Arrow should feel a bit quick!; plenty of room to stop, though. Another good day's flying and should be able to do the Stearman thing again in a few weeks.

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

2011-09-06T19:41:00.000+12:00

Winter is over - officially the last day was Wednesday, 31st August. However, the Winter was not too bad for my flying. I seemed to make bookings which, in the main, avoided the bad days and had flights on some that were "absolute crackers" (to quote weatherman Jim Hickey!).

I had a troll through my logbook and found that I had flown 14.3 hours for the Winter quarter (June-August), 8.4 P in C and 5.9 Dual (all in the Cub or Stearman except 0.4 in the Arrow as a currency check). Not too bad and more than in either the last Summer (11.8) and Spring (6.0) quarters. Great fun, all of it and here's hoping that the Spring brings fine flying weather and I can carry on with the flying momentum.

CAPITAL WEEKEND

2011-08-25T19:29:00.000+12:00

This is just a quickie to share a few photos from last weekend. Myself, wife and youngest daughter flew courtesy Air New Zealand to Wellington for a weekend visit to our oldest girl. I took a few photos at Hamilton and Wellington airports and here some of them are:

We saw this RNZAF Hercules "04" tracking out just to the East of our house looking to be going to the hold point for a 18 instrument approach. We saw it do a couple of touch and goes while waiting for our flight and then it taxied off to the apron. Very backlit as I was "trapped" in the terminal - this was the best of four shots I took.

Wellington on a lovely day - shame we had to leave! Eagle Air ZK-EAC and Air NZ 737, ZK-NGJ on the apron

Pacific Blue, ZK-PBL just arrived and taxying towards its gate

A SINGLE DAY RECORD

2011-08-24T15:08:00.000+12:00

Tuesday 23rd August

Wow!! 3.6 hours in the logbook, a one-day record for me. So, the story of the day goes something like this...

The plan was the same as two and four weeks ago; fly to Tauranga, go up in the Stearman, and then back home in the afternoon. And, today, things went to plan, well, almost.

NZ Warbirds Association DC3/Dakota outside Aeromotive at Hamilton Airport - here for servicing

The morning dawned with broken cloud at about 1500' around our house (10km NE of the airport) and no wind to speak of. By the time I got to the club at 0900 the sky over the field was clear, but there was a lot of lowish cloud all around, sort of fog at 1500-2000' agl. So, it was good to go and instructor, Ash signed me out, I filed a flight plan and set off in C-172, WAM. As I headed out towards Scotsman Valley (North-east) visibility was good up to about 1500' and then I was in haze just below a flat, white cloud base at about 2300' or so. Ahead and to the left of me it appeared clear over Matamata and Morrinsville but there was a shroud of cloud over the ridge of the Kaimai range almost totally obscuring the peaks.
Once clear of the zone and the 2500' lower level control area I climbed to about 3000' to get a better look at the weather ahead (I was just west of Matamata and in the clear bit). Having got a better view there was a white sheet of cloud hugging the ridge, about 2100' base and 3500' tops on the Waikato (my) side. Beyond that the Bay of Plenty coast looked clear but there were only one or two gaps where the ridge could be seen, just where some jagged peaks were. I considered my options: carry on towards the ridge, climbing up to 4500' (control zone lower level) and go "over the top" descending the other side once clear of the white stuff (Hmm!! can just see the CAA fatal accident report summary: The pilot was appropriately licensed and fit for the flight; A total engine failure occurred while above cloud obscuring inhospitable terrain...... - well, you can guess the rest), NOT TEMPTING!; turn to the left and head towards the Waihi Gap as I had already observed before climbing that it was clear from Morrinsville to Paeroa just beyond the gap - definitely better and, if the gap was not passable I could head for home knowing the route back was OK.

So, a turn to the North, descending to 2000' and pretty soon I was at the western end of the gap where the clouds were at 2100' but only for a few hundred metres eastbound. Beyond that, all was clear and it looked like a fabulous day in the Bay; at least 40km visibility and no cloud beyond the coast side of the range. Great! Good decision. An uneventful Matakana arrival and a fairly good landing (about 5kt crosswind left-to-right) on grass runway 25. HN-TG via the Waihi Gap; 0.8 hours.

Stearman 03 and WAM together - gives an idea of the size of the biplane - quite a bit bigger than a Tiger Moth or even a 172

Instructor Pete and the Stearman were pretty much ready to go and after getting a weather report from me he reckoned the Matamata plan we had discussed previously was on and we should head back to the gap as the ridge was still pretty cloudy (looked a lot better from the Tauranga side, though). This was fun, my first cross-country in the Stearman. We chugged along at the 80 knots that the biplane cruises at along the western edge of Tauranga harbour and were able to take a bit of a short cut over the range at Thompson's track just to the West of Katikati and then direct to Matamata. With the variable, light wind at ground level we could have chosen either runway 10 or 28 to land on but as we got nearer we heard a plane call downwind for 10 so that was our cue. We headed past the airfield towards Waharoa, passing over the town to join right hand for 10 and my landing was not too bad at all for a first time in the Stearman at this field. TG-MA; 0.7 hours.

Thought I'd include a map to orient those unfamiliar with our area: Matamata with its MBZ (circle of blue dots) is bottom left, Tauranga and Mount Maunganui to the lower right (blue ring around the Mount), Matakana Island between the Pacific Ocean and Tauranga Harbour runs from the Mount to Waihi Beach and the Waihi Gap is top centre to left.

We stopped and I changed into the rear (pilot's) seat and off we went for a session of circuits. I lost count after five but I think we did seven, or maybe eight. Not too bad, I kept pretty tight in the circuit and was only once guilty of losing height late downwind while runway-watching. I was a touch fast on some of the approaches but managed to pretty much sort it out to be 60-65 over the threshold and was happy with four of the landings - the others not so good with one "early" touch that was a bit hard but, as Pete said later, the Stearman is bult to take that sort of thing. then it was time to swap seats again (the soft helmet which is provided with the plane is not up to the radio work needed from the rear at a controlled aerodrome - I have a "proper" lid coming - maybe in another 3 weeks). Circuits at MA; 0.8 hours

We took a different route back, over to Wairere falls first where we had been told there was a crashed glider (didn't see it) and then I flew along the ridge, just on the western side and crossed where highway 29 passes flying along the road to Ruahihi Power Station where Pete called the tower and we were cleared to the hospital and then to join left hand for 25 grass. This was a pretty good approach with a reasonable landing and we taxied back to the Avgas cafe for a well earned coffee and a spot of lunch for me. MA-TG; 0.7 hours

Finally, it was back into WAM and home to Hamilton. The ridge was now almost clear of cloud enabling me to fly the most direct route, crossing the ridge over the falls at 3500' (>1000' above the ridge) and into the Waikato haze really noticeable after the clear air of the Bay of Plenty. Not my best landing back at Hamilton - maybe I was thinking I was still in a taildragger!! TG-HN; 0.6 hours. Grand total 3.6 hours.

PLAN "B"

2011-08-09T19:32:00.001+12:00

Tuesday 9th August

If Plan "A" doesn't work out then it is wise to have a plan "B" if you wish to achieve your goal. Well, my goal for today was to get over to Tauranga in Piper Archer, WIT to go flying in the Stearman again. A short cross country over to Matamata for some circuits at an uncontrolled airfield was the intention. The weather forecast was good but this morning the scene outside the Aero Club is show in the photo below.

Sun filters through the fog giving a monochrome effect as WAM waits optimisticly by the fuel pumps

Yes, the good old Waikato fog came with the dawn this morning. It looked pretty clear from our house just before dawn but as the sun came up the light mist over the open areas thickened (I won't bore you with the meteorological reasons why that happens) and by the time I arrived at the club the visibility was around 100 metres as you can see. The sun was making a gallant effort to break through as the fog layer was only a hundred feet or so thick. However, the ground level stuff thickened noticeably while I had a cup of tea and Plan "B" was executed (prompted by CFI, Roger, but I already had it in the back of my mind).

Plan "B" involved jumping back in the car and driving over to Tauranga (about 90 minutes drive) having phoned Classic Flyers instructor, Pete to warn him I would be a little late. He wasn't concerned about that and I arrived there at around 1050, 20 minutes later than my (conservative) estimate of 1030 if I had flown over. There was fog or low cloud throughout the Waikato and clearer weather was only reached once well over the Kaimais and about a third or the way down the seaward dip slope.

It was certainly flyable over there with a 3000' cloud base and hardly any wind but going back over the range to Matamata was out of the question as the whole ridge was shrouded in cloud. The Stearman's oil tank had been warmed up and after preflighting and getting suited up we were on our way. The wind was light but variable and there were a few gentle bumps at 1000' but nothing to be concerned about. We tracked over to Katikati for some turns - all pretty good - and then back for circuits. There was a fair bit of circuit traffic about but we got through six circuits, the first three at 1000' and the next set at low level (500'). It was rather strange to see the runway so close, almost as if we had barely left the ground. I managed quite well but, because of traffic, we needed to do a couple of short approaches and Pete had to do a bit more "talking through" with me. Most of the touch downs were three-pointers with only a minor bounce on two. I am tending to "round-out" a little high, Pete reckoned (as if I am flying a tricycle gear plane and worried about the nosewheel, I think) but overall, not too bad and he reckons I am "getting it" now. I felt I was not quite as good as two weeks ago but today's conditions weren't as perfect so I guess I should be content with my efforts today.

A quick summary: I now have a grand total of 14.7 hours tailwheel time; 7.2 in the Stearman, 4.4 in a Cessna 180 and 3.1 in the Super Cub (out of 330.2 total hours so still <5% of my total experience).

THOSE WEATHER "GODS" KEEP SMILING

2011-08-02T19:44:00.000+12:00

Tuesday 2nd August

Once again, I have been fortunate with the weather. Surface wind was variable, 3 knots, scattered cloud at 4500' and 2000' wind variable, 5 knots. So, nice and smooth and no wind-shear. I had DQV (Piper Arrow) booked and it was a familiar "local" over to the west coast at Raglan via a City departure and then back for a circuit - one only as it was starting to get a bit crowded - long time since I have had four traffic advisory calls (apart from runway sequencing) in a single arrival and one circuit. Good that the visibility was OK, but a bit of haze to the East of the airport with lowish sun was causing a fair bit of glare on downwind for 18, so it was probably for the best that I forgot about the turning off the landing light on the climb out after my touch and go. That should have made it easier to be seen, although DQV's bright blue and orange probably showed up better that those (nearly) all-white Cessnas and Katanas.

So, that was my brief flight today (0.8 hrs in the book) and now to the Hall of Fame. Tempting though it is to concentrate on the well-known combat pilots that everyone is familiar with, as an all-round science geek I have a soft spot for the designers and engineers that made it all happen. So, the two new additions are:

Sir Barnes Neville Wallis who should need no introduction. The archetypal "Boffin", working for Vickers for most of his career, he played a large part in airship (R100) and aircraft (Wellington bomber) design, but is probably best known for his work on "Upkeep", the cylindrical mine used by 617 Squadron to bomb the Ruhr dams. He was also instrumental in designing the "Swing-wing" (variable geometry wing) which, when funding in the UK was cut, was further developed in the US and used on the F-14 Tomcat and F-111 among other designs.

The next in my personal Hall-of-Fame is probably less well known. Roy Chadwick was chief designer at Avro from 1919 until his tragic death in an air crash in 1947. He is best known for the Avro Lancaster and also designed the modifications to enable the "Lanc" to carry Wallis's "Upkeep" on the Dams raid (Operation "Chastise"). He also had a major hand in the Avro Lincoln (the Lancaster's successor) and early work on jet design which led to the Avro Vulcan.

That's all for now. Weather permitting, I should be flying the Stearman again next week.

THE BIG CHILL

2011-07-27T14:50:00.000+12:00

Tuesday 26th July

It may have become cold with the icy blast from the Antarctic sweeping up the country but I had a warm glow inside after today's flights. Yes, I said flights - plural!

After the awful weather for VFR flying over the past week or so I had my fingers crossed pretty tightly for today as I had plans to take C172 "WAM" from Hamilton to Tauranga, go up with Classic Flyers instructor Pete in either the Super Cub or the Stearman and then fly WAM back to Hamilton. As it turned out, things went pretty much to plan.

The weather forecast for today had looked somewhat dodgy up until last night's 6 o'clock news which gave a good forecast for the Waikato and Bay of Plenty areas, but (isn't there always a but) with the clearing skies the night was to be cold and at 0730 this morning I logged onto IFIS and saw this ATIS for Hamilton:

HAMILTON (NZHN): ATIS NZHN C 1921 APCH: EXPECT VISUAL APPROACH RWY: 18L SFC COND: DRY WIND: VRB02 VIS: 50KM CLD: NSC TEMPERATURE: M03 DEW POINT: M04 QNH: 1019 2000FT WIND: FORECAST 220/20=

I shall translate for non aviation types: Automatic Terminal Information Service for Hamilton "Charlie" issued at 1921 UTC (7.21 am): Duty runway 18 left with conditions suitable for a visual approach, dry surface, variable wind at 2 knots, 50km visibility, no significant cloud (could see that looking out the upstairs windows at home), temperature -3C, dew point -4C; pressure 1019 hectopascals (or 30.09" mercury if you prefer) 2000' Wind 220º magnetic at 20 knots

So, it was cold (for Hamilton) but atmospheric pressure had risen considerably with the high moving over us during the night and it would be a quick flight outbound with the 20 knot wind more or less behind me. And so it was. I took my time preflighting, checking surfaces for frost or ice and then went back in to file a flight plan (and thaw out was Roger's comment). I started up at about 0935 and was holding for 18 at 0950, cleared immediate take-off and was into the Tauranga circuit about 20 minutes later (estimated ground speed of around 135 knots). It was smooth as silk at 3500' but as soon as I started to descend on the Northeast (lee) side of the Kaimais there was a fair amount of turbulence (as expected with the brisk Southwester). WAM and I rode it out pretty well but I think any passengers would have been feeling a bit queasy!! The turbulence was worse on the way back but smoothed out as soon as I was able to get above 3000'.
I parked up and stolled round to Classic Flyers to find instructor, Pete. I noticed the Stearman had its oil tank heater plugged in and there was no sign of the Super Cub so was not too surprised when Pete announced we would be going up in the biplane as the cub was still in maintenance. 7ºC in an open cockpit - BRRR! I donned a flight suit over my other two layers, did the usual walk around and once Pete was happy about the oil we got in and started up. The radial started up at the second attempt after an extra prime and we taxied on idle round to hold for Grass 25. There was a 10 minute pause while the oil temperature gauge slowly crept up from 15 to 40ºC then engine run-up and pre take-off checks and onto the runway and off to operate over Matakana Island.

The first take-off was good and much easier than I recalled from my previous flights. Maybe all that work in the Cub had paid off. Once over Matakana Pete got me to do some medium and then steep turns which were all in the acceptable to good range so we headed back into the circuit.

It had been pretty cold at 1500' and was not any warmer down at circuit height (1000'). My thumbs were getting a little numb but the rest of me was fine. We were cleared for a right hand downwind for 25 grass and, with a little coaching from the back I did a very nice approach and touch and go keeping straight with rudder and only a slight drift into the minor left to right cross wind on climb out.
Four left hand circuits followed with pretty good approaches, crabbing a little to the left into the wind on final giving an excellent (if a bit draughty) view of the runway and all my landings were three-pointers and only one slight bounce. There was a bit of a cough and splutter from the engine when I was a touch enthusiastic with the throttle on one touch and go (must remember that radials are very sensitive and need careful handling!). After the last we taxied back to the hangar for a warm up and coffee (plus lunch for me) at the Avgas cafe.

Pete's immediate comment was that it was all pretty good. My rudder control on landing and takeoff was fine and no real negatives at all. Nice warm glow inside for me - finally feel I am becoming competent on taildraggers. Have booked for an action replay in two weeks.

And now a few photos...

Sun off the sea and glinting off the prop bottom right

Beautiful day at Tauranga Airport

That radial that needs a lot of "babying"

ZK-SAQ - parked outside Classic Flyers and described by Pete as a "Scary-looking microlight" Actually a Fly Synthesis Storch S registered to Sport Aviation Corp, Hamilton.

Air Nelson Dash-8 ZK-NFA about to roll the wheels onto the concrete - note the cross-wind technique with the left (right as we look) wing and mainwheel down

BATTERIES!!!!

2011-07-17T16:09:00.000+12:00

Saturday 16th July

Flat ones, that is. I shall start at the beginning, though.
Our eldest daughter, Eleanor was up from Wellington for a long weekend (middle daughter's 21st) and, as she enjoys a flight with me, I had booked Archer III, WIT for the afternoon with the intention of going somewhere for an expensive coffee. After all the terrible weather of the past week the probability of going up did not seem good. However, Saturday started with a bit of fog which cleared by mid-morning and, with only light winds, it all looked good. There was a front on its way later but the skies were clear at 1245 when we arrived at the club so I thought a quick hop over to Taraunga and back would be OK.
After pre-flighting WIT we got in, switched on and I pressed the primer button and didn't hear anything - hmmmm..... Pushed the starter and the prop managed a turn of about 20º before all power died. Oh dear! I tried twice more with ever decreasing results so it was pretty clear the battery was as flat as the proverbial Shrove Tuesday food.
So, we unstrapped, got out and I strolled over to the club to report the problem. A junior instructor and a student brought over the external starter pack and tried to connect it but, in spite of following the flight manual instructions could not get any juice to flow! We unloaded our gear and changed over to UFS (an Archer II).
We were now about an hour behind schedule and the front appeared to be on its way from the southwest so I cancelled our flight plan and decided a local scenic was the way to go. We took a Scott (NE) departure and headed over to Morrinsville. Looking over to the West the visibility was reducing significantly and so we headed back over to the city and got a North arrival clearance. We had good views of flooded paddocks and broken river banks after all the rain - Eleanor took some video which I will try to get edited and posted sometime soon.
The airfield was quite busy with several aircraft in the circuit and a lot of radio traffic - I guess CTC were playing catch-up after a week of no-VFR weather. It was a surprisingly uneventful approach, cleared to join right base for 18R (the short runway) and I did a pretty nice landing {Eleanor thought so and it is always good to impress the passenger(s)}. The rain started soon afterwards but was very light and we could have been up for longer but you are almost never wrong if you take the option which looks safest! At least we managed to get up in the air which, with the recent weather and then a near-totally dead battery, did not seem likely for a while.

HALL OF FAME

2011-07-02T21:49:00.000+12:00

I am a regular reader/follower of Flight Level 390, another flying blog by "Captain Dave", an American commercial pilot with a domestic airline whose posts are always a good read. On his blog he has a "Hall of Fame" of his aviation "heroes" and, being an American, yes, they are all (or almost all) American. Well, sorry to disappoint you, Dave, but there are/were famous flyers in other countries. So, I shall reciprocate with a British/Commonwealth bias as I am a Pom (Englishman) living in NZ for the past 20-odd years.

The first addition is a New Zealander who, in other aviator's words:

"... could have lost the war in a single day or even an afternoon" (Johnnie Johnson)

"If any man won the Battle of Britain, he did..." (Lord Tedder)

"... the awesome responsibility for this country's survival rested squarely on (his) shoulders..." (Douglas Bader)

The man is, of course, Air Chief Marshall Sir Keith Park, who commanded 11 Group (as an Air Vice Marshall) in the South-east of England during the Battle of Britain. After that victory, due to jealousy and RAF politics he was quite shabbily treated but, unlike those who sought to belittle him, it was his statue that adorned the fourth plinth at Trafalgar Square in London (in 2009) and is now permanently located at Waterloo Place since Battle of Britain Day, 2010.

A replica of his Hurricane, OK 1 is the gate guardian at the aviation section of MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology), Auckland, NZ.

The second aviator is Captain Joseph "Mutt" Summers, chief test pilot for Vickers-Armstrong and (after a V-A takeover) Supermarine. As such, he was the first man to fly the Spitfire, 5th March 1936 - from Eastleigh, Hampshire (Supermarine's local field and my wife's home town). He flew a record (for a test pilot) of 54 first flights and was instrumental in the initial test flying/dropping of the "Upkeep" bouncing bomb prior to the "Dambusters" raid. You can "Google" why he got his nickname and, yes, it does have something to do with dog's habits!

CHALLENGING CONDITIONS

2011-06-28T21:58:00.000+12:00

Well, challenging for me, at least!!

I turned up to the club at the appointed time of 1000 fully expecting to have a cup of tea and a yarn as conditions looked somewhat marginal to say the least (low cloud surrounding the airport and showers around). I had the Arrow, DQV, booked for a dual "currency catch-up" with Roger, our CFI as I had not flown the retractable for about 8 months.
Roger had a look outside and pronounced it flyable for some circuits and sent me off to preflight DQV in the hangar as it was actively raining (only a light shower at this stage). Roger duly arrived and we pulled the plane half out of the hangar only just onto the grass, started up and taxied off around two planes parked nearby making a beeline for the nearest concrete taxiway without delay. The grass was very boggy after further rain and significantly more cut up than last week.
Once on "terra firma", I switched on the radios, got the ATIS (one good thing - no wind to speak of), and was cleared into the circuit off 18. Now, I will start with the best thing of the whole flight - Roger made no comments about any of my landings. The only comment was by me that I was a bit off the centreline on my first touch and go to which Roger merely said I would be OK next time. We did five circuits in all and I remembered gear up and down, power and pitch at the appropriate times.
There were a couple of negatives, though. We were given a right hand circuit second time around which put us into the moderate shower which was parked to the North and West of the field (also flew into it at the end of downwind on some of the left-handers). I found myself concentrating on keeping the runway in view that I forgot about the trim change after gear down and slowly drifted down to 800' indicated by the time I turned base. Remember to fly the aeroplane first was Roger's comment. I also got a bit high on one approach and a little low on another but had them all sorted out in time to make good touchdowns.
Good fun. It was not a day I would have been happy about going up alone but as always with Roger it was great value and good for me to fly in "challenging" conditions and to feel current again on a retractable, constant-speed prop type. Thanks, Rog.

SURFACE CONDITION

2011-06-21T16:38:00.001+12:00

One look at the photo below tells all.

After the deluge!

TZF - an Alpha 2160 which the club is using at present - possibly because the others are all up for their 2000 hour overhauls - or is this a new club plane? (Still registered to Alpha Aviation)

After about 72 hours of near continuous rain here in the Waikato, this morning dawned bright and clear and should be good to fly. I had WAM booked for a quick flit over to Tauranga for an expensive coffee. The ATIS for Hamilton was variable 2 knot wind and sky clear, Tauranga, 7 knots from the South (but from the metservice forecast would be tending more westerly as the morning progressed), sky clear and all grass runways closed (surprise, surprise!!)

What a stunner!! Well, you can see that from the photos. There were still a few clouds around the Kaimais at around 2000-2500' but nothing to worry about. It was fairly quiet around Hamilton and I got a clearance on track Tauranga 2500' or below straight away and once clear of the zone and the 2500'LL controlled space climbed up to 3500', put the autopilot on and sat back to admire the view.

There wasn't too much time to relax, though as it was soon time to get the Tauranga ATIS (wind now 230º at 9 knots, so metservice were right) and I called the tower at the ridge 2 miles south of "Tunnel" reporting point. Cleared straight to the hospital 2500' or below and once approaching the hospital to join left hand downwind for seal 25. Once on final I could see that there was a light crosswind, probably about 4 knots so I was crabbing very slightly. The landing wasn't bad, upwind wheel down first but the flare was a tad late and it felt like the downwind main and nosewheel touched pretty much together so not as nice as I would have liked.

Clouds over the Kaimai ridge - Wairere Falls bottom left

Looking the other way - Mount Te Aroha (952m/3123ft) top left

Then it was off to the Avgas cafe for a brunch of creamy mushrooms and a flat white which went down very nicely, thank you. Then, with stuff to do at home this afternoon it was time to wing it back to Hamilton. If anything, the view was better on the way back with a higher sun and a few more clouds on the hills to make it interesting. The landing back in Hamilton was as perfect as I could wish for. Light wind, variable 2Kt still on the ATIS, pretty much straight down the 18R runway (you could see the variability as the most northerly windsock was pointing about 30º to the West, the middle one abeam 18R threshold pointing directly North and when I looked after landing the sock at the Southern end was facing directly East!) and so it was full flap and about 65kt over the threshold closing the throttle and rolling the mains dead centre on the narrow seal just beyond the thrashold and I could have stopped in less than half the length of the strip. Very pleased - wish I could do that every time!!

There is always something, though. When cleared into the Hamilton zone I was intructed to change frequencies and didn't (well, I thought I had as my finger moved towards the right button on the radio so maybe I didn't press it hard enough or could have accidentally given it a double tap and switched back). No visual check until I was approaching Matangi and realised I was still on 122.9. The tower had tried to call me a couple of times and when I did eventually report on 128.6 but were not too annoyed and accepted my apology. I was very annoyed with myself as this was a glitch that spoiled an otherwise wonderful flight.

That was the third flight in 10 days so June is turning out to be a good month for flying. Did a few circuits and a short local last Tuesday in WIT and had another go in the Super Cub at Tauranga the Sunday before that (again, a clear day after about 36 hours rain).

GET CURRENT-ITIS

2011-06-07T19:28:00.000+12:00

Well, you've heard of get-there-itis and get-home-itis which can get pilots into trouble or even killed, today for me it was a new "-itis", the getting current type.

I had booked an hour in Archer, WIT, with the intention of doing as many circuits (minimum three) as I felt I needed to feel "current" again. I had not flown a Cherokee since my flight to Taupo two months ago.

The weather looked OK-ish early on. The ATIS at 2103 UTC (0903 local) was duty runway 36R - damp, surface wind 360º at 7, visibility 30km, cloud - few at 1200, broken at 3000', temp 14/ dew point 14, QNH 1014 (or 29.94"Hg if you prefer - do any countries other than the USA use that unit any more?) and 2000' wind 320º at 12. Looking out as I drove to the airport it was pretty obvious some heavy looking showers and low cloud was out to the West and South but over the immediate area of the field that ATIS was about right.

Towards the end of preflight there was just a few spits of rain in the air as a prelude to the main "event". Everything went fine to begin with - routine engine run-up, pre take-off checks and I took off from 36R without delay and into a left-hand circuit. That weather was looking a little closer but still clear of the circuit - for now. My downwind radio call was made fairly late due to radio traffic and was told to make a short approach for 36L. I was quite close, too, so a glide approach was made with about 45º of bank to get me onto a short final. I came in a touch fast and did a little skip (rather than a proper bounce) on touching down, throttle forward, flaps to 10 and off again, keeping nice and straight. Not bad, but not what I would call "current", I thought. "Climb to circuit height before turning crosswind; right hand circuit", instructed the tower which, looking over to the West seemed sensible - the downwind leg of the left hand pattern was looking a bit dark by now.

Second circuit I had to orbit for separation and the approach was all good with a good touch-and-go and back on a right hand pattern. The Robin ahead of me had called for a full stop but I still thought it would be OK to do that third circuit to feel properly current. How wrong I was.

By the time I got to late downwind the weather to the South was deteriorating rapidly. I was number three behind a Katana which I couldn't see at all through the rain squall which was about 1-1.5 miles South and a bit East of the 36R threshold, so, having got all ready to turn base, I called the tower for his position and was told he was well clear and could turn base when ready. I turned straight away and within a few seconds the rain hit and visibility became near zero. Well, considerably less than 500 metres, I reckoned, as I couldn't see the ground or Mystery Creek (which is just below late downwind on that circuit and usually on the right wingtip when turning base). OK - inadvertently in IMC, so onto the instruments. I am on base now, 270ºM on the DI, 75 knots with first stage flap, descending around 500fpm and about 900' indicated (700' agl) - about where I should be. A quick look to the right told me I couldn't see anything of the runways, PAPI lights and could only just make out the white of the terminal and other airport buildings.

I decided to make a rate 1 turn to the right (the Katana was down and there was no-one behind me) reckoning my speed and the Northerly wind would help me clear the rainstorm while on final. If I still couldn't get a visual the next step would be to call the tower for a position fix. Once the DI showed 360º I looked out and could now, just, see the airport and it was clear my turn had been too gentle and I was lined up between 36L and the tower. Well, at least I could see the PAPI lights now between 36L & R so I turned right and then left to line up for runway 36R which was now coming into view. I landed quite nicely on the now wet runway stopping with minimal braking and taxied back to the club.

Well, that was interesting, I thought. Having thought about it a bit more in the hours since I am quite pleased with how I coped. All that PPL training and the night flying over the past few winters paid off as I was able to transition to the instruments quite happily and fly out of trouble (I knew it was clearer over the airport itself). The only thing I didn't do was have a good look at the GPS which would have guided my turn onto final better. However, I guess it was good to keep the turn rate 1 to avoid the possibility of disorientation and I knew there was no traffic near me. Or, bottom line, maybe I should have taken a hint from the Robin and landed on the second circuit!

Oh well, at least I both feel and am current on the Archer and I've got WIT again next week for a couple of hours. Fingers crossed, as always, for the weather.

JUMPING THROUGH THE HOOPS

2011-06-06T20:25:00.000+12:00

What does this title mean? The MEDICAL of course.

My last medical expired 26 May and I had an appointment on 16 May to have it here in Hamilton. As there is no local AMA (Air Medical Assessor), I go to an Occupational Medicine practitioner who is a DME (Designated Medical Examiner), who then sends my results up to Auckland to an AMA to "rubber stamp it. Don't you just LOVE the bureaucracy!!! Actually, having to deal with ACC occasionally as part of my work the CAA are pussy cats by comparison!

So, off for the medical, present myself, off down the road to the medical centre about 100 metres away for an ECG, hang around for another 45 minutes as, "He's running late", pee into a pot, have my distance vision checked with and without my specs, and then in to see the doc (probably less intimidating than average for me as I am a medic myself but still a bit nerve-wracking as I love my flying and not ready to give it up yet!).

Then, an hour later, blood pressure acceptable, ECG fine (no change - I have a minor conduction delay which is considered a "normal variant", i.e.:- nothing to worry about), and no other issues (my eyesight in the right eye has deteriorated slightly in the past two years but vision with glasses unchanged - should be as my prescription has not changed for 4 years). So, just over 400 dollars later (doctor's fee, ECG, cardiologist sign-off on the ECG, AMA's fee) my results are on their way up North and the waiting game begins.

And quite a waiting game.... 17 days later, I check up that everything has been sent, etc. (because by now, I am a week over and not legal to fly) and, yes, they say, they will check it and give me a call.

Of course, I don't get any call, but, when I arrive home from work the very next day there is a letter from Auckland with my new medical certificate and I am all good to go for another two years (as long as I have my BP monitored by my GP and have an ECG next year). HOORAY!!!! Fingers crossed for the weather now.

Sorry this isn't an active flying post but it is relevant to General Aviation. Any comments on any blog readers medical experiences welcome. Personally, I think it is money well spent if you are addicted to flying as much as I am - there are worse vices, I reckon.

STUNNING MORNING!

2011-05-25T07:44:00.000+12:00

Sunday 22nd May

What an absolutely wonderful late autumn day for flying. Having been back from the UK for two weeks now, I was well over the jet-lag and "fit to fly". And, after all the rotten weather of the past week, the sky was clear, light southerly (about 3-4 knots cross wind on 25) and the Super Cub (ZK-TOW)was all ready for me to preflight when I arrived at 0930. Instructor Pete had two flights in the Stearman first so I hung around the museum for a while and watched the Yak and Stearman come and go. I also met up with the former owners of TOW, who have the hanger next door and had a bit of a chat.

Pete returned and we got in - a bit of a squeeze for Pete in the rear seat - not too bad for smaller me in the front and off we went. The taxi out was OK, keeping straight with rudder and trying to anticipate the turns and the weather-cocking into the wind, together with managing the heel brakes on the Cub just inboard of the rudder pedals. (You really need those brakes to steer while taxiing!)

My take off roll was pretty fair, managing to keep it straight, but shortly after lift off I drifted a bit to the left, into the wind and Pete picked me up on that. Otherwise, it was OK, turning right at 1000' to track along the southern edge of the harbour over Omokoroa and out to Katikati. On the way there, Pete took control and did a couple of turns (looking at the log sheet, the cub hadn't flown for a couple of weeks so maybe checking all was well) and then handed over to me asking for a few turns left and right as we made our way West. I wonder what anyone watching from the ground thought seeing this little plane turning 90º one way, then back 180º, then 360º, etc. Once over Katikati, Pete got me to do some steep turns. Not bad, the left turns were better than right but would have been OK for a PPL test, I thought.

Then it was back to the field with a clearance to join right hand downwind (non-traffic side) for grass 25, number one. This approach was good, no flaps (same for all approaches today), 75 mph on base, slowing down to 65 on final, too high, close throttle a bit, keep the nose down, 60 over the threshold, hold off, stick coming back, letting it settle, throttle closed and, Hey!!, not a bad 3-pointer. Keep straight with rudder, then throttle up, stick forward, hold attitude and off she flies again.

Next touch and go was not so good. I was a bit high on base and closed the throttle too much ending up low and slow on short final. More gas and not a bad touch down but I used a somewhat enthusiastic jab of right rudder and only just got it back under control with a bit of help. (Note to self: although you can't be lazy with the legs the Cub needs a subtler pair of feet on the rudders than the Stearman).

So, a final circuit, pretty fair approach on height and speed but I closed the throttle a tad early and bounced a bit on touch down. Kept it straight on roll out, though, and then Pete hinted I should get some brake on and get off the runway without too much delay.

1.0 hours in the logbook and a thoroughly enjoyable flight. I am starting to feel more confident with the taildragger and looking forward to the next flight. Thanks, Pete, great fun! Have booked again in 3 weeks - can't wait!!!

Cub in the low morning sun

ROUND AND ROUND IN RECTANGLES

2011-04-10T18:33:00.000+12:00

Well, after a frustrating couple of weeks - the weather over in Tauranga was TERRIBLE two weekends ago when I was there to go up in the Cub and last week's competition practice was canned because JGP was "stuck" in Napier - I got up this afternoon for a few circuits in WAM (C-172R). Ideal weather, too, variable 3-5Kt wind, dry and no cloud to worry about.

I did six circuits and all went pretty well. Three normal, one glide, one flapless and a go-around. I scored myself 90-95%; I drifted up to close to 1300 feet on a couple of downwinds (Hamilton circuit height is 1200') and the last landing was a touch hard. I was trying for absolute precision and snapped the throttle shut to land on the right point so that's why it was a little hard - if it had been a genuine short-field it would have been a good landing - I had all but stopped in about 300 metres and had to throttle up to get to taxiway Echo which is the usual light aircraft entry for 18L. So, all good fun and WAM behaved very well. As I've said before I actually prefer WAM to JGP because, although JGP is the better performer, WAM feels steadier and is far more docile in a go-around - yes, I know, Euan, if you are reading this, we could debate that infinitum.....

There was an interesting visitor at the Club today - NZ Warbird Harvard 1052 which was parked when I set off and went for a brief flight while I was up (and was the reason for my go-around as he was landing on 07 when I was short final for 18).

This will be my last flight for a wee while as we are off to the UK for a few weeks - catch you next month.

So, a few photos from today to finish....

North American Harvard 2A, NZ1052 (ZK-MJN) on the WAC flight line

"52" closer up

A152 Aerobat ZK-NPL visiting from New Plymouth

Our own WKF just landed, son of a work colleague in left hand seat

TAUPO TRIP

2011-03-24T19:47:00.000+13:00

Two cross countries in a week - not bad! The lovely wifey told me the other day she was off out this afternoon with friends and suggested I could go for a fly. Great!! The only 172 or Archer available was FWS so I booked that and planned a flight to Taupo.

Now, I reckon there are crosswinds and CROSSWINDS!!!! The lower case ones are at a constant angle and not gusty. Such was the case at Taupo this afternoon. The AWIB gave wind at 080º at 11 knots and listening to the calls from other traffic 17 was the "duty" runway. 11 knots of crosswind is about my maximum so I made an early decision to go around if conditions looked worse. Well, the windsocks were at a constant angle and direction throughout and my landing was nowhere near perfect but not too shabby - I kept straight down the runway as I flared and the upwind wheel touched down first. I stayed to take a few photos of planes and parachutists, had a cup of hot chocolate at the terminal and returned to Hamilton.

There was an upper-case-with-exclamation-marks crosswind at Hamilton (well, for me at least), i.e. variable in both strength and direction. The ATIS gave 060º at 10 knots, maximum 20! I asked for an approach for 07 but the tower said the current surface wind was more northerly, 050 at 8 and would advise later. I was eventually cleared right base for 36L and on approach the windsocks were cavorting about somewhat (about 40º variability and 8 to 12 knots at least) and a not so pretty landing resulted. I came in a bit "hot" and although I kicked straight OK I bounced a few times before coming to rest about 50 metres from the end of the strip. I was beating myself up a bit about it after an otherwise excellent flight. Enough said - time for some pictures...........

Heading South over the Waikato

Pitts S-1 ZK-RTP being checked over at Hamilton

Hughes 269C ZK-HXS hovering down runway 17 at Taupo

Tandem skydivers 1

Tandem skydivers 2

Cessna line up - nearest 172A, ZK-BPT registered to a Taupo aviation company

HAMILTON TO TAURANGA AND BACK

2011-03-23T16:26:00.000+13:00

Signs that Winter is on its way - Low sun over the sea at 1030. Waihi and the shadowy Martha Mine in the foreground, Mayor Island in the background

Saturday 19th March

I had prebooked this flight about a month ago when my work colleague, Gavin, asked me if I would take him and his 15 year old son, Mark, who is keen on flying, up for a flight. Originally I had booked JGP as there was a club trip on but this was changed from all-day to an afternoon jaunt and more aircraft were available, so I changed my booking to WIT. I thought they would be impressed with the fancy EFIS and other avionics on board (Gavin is a technology enthusiast like most in our profession) and would be more comfortable, too.

I had planned to fly up to Paeroa, then through the Waihi Gap, along the coast of Matakana Island with a landing for coffee at Tauranga before returning direct to Hamilton. This was modified slightly on passenger request to have a view of the city on the way out so we did a city departure to the North-west turning East to track to Paeroa once North of Ngaruawahia.

The weather was good with only a few patches of fog remaining around the greater Hamilton area and none at the airport or on our intended track. Wind was Southwesterly at about 3 knots. We took off uneventfully but on turning downwind to track towards the city it was obvious there was a radio interference problem. There was a disturbing amount of "white noise" and easy-listening music in the background. After turning off some avionics (ADF, DME, autopilot) with no effect I turned my attention to our headsets. As soon as Gavin unplugged his all returned to normal so poor Gavin had to make do with shouting and hand signals for the outward leg. Inspection of the headset at Tauranga revealed bare wires between the earpieces, probably acting as antennae and picking up the music and other "rubbish". We also discovered that the radio interference only occurred with the mic lead in so Gavin was able to hear OK on the way back.

We had stunning views over the Waikato and Hauraki plain on the way to Waihi and it stayed clear all the way to Tauranga. No fog over Matakana Island today. Gavin never appreciated how extensive the swamp between Tahuna and Paeroa was and now understands why no roads have been built over that area!!

I got the Tauranga ATIS at Waihi Beach. I called the tower at Bowentown heads and was cleared on a Matakana arrival (seaward of coast, 1500', report approaching harbour mouth). At the mouth I was instructed to join a "tight" right base for grass 25 - it was more a wide RH downwind and then a shortish approach as I was OK to track the harbour side of the Mount. The wind was given as 220 at 8 knots so around a 4 knot crosswind but barely noticeable with a straight down the middle, smooth landing on the grass.

Good coffee at the Avgas Cafe as usual. In the half-hour or so we were there the wind had got up to 220º, 10G18 (G = gusting) so crosswind t/off technique needed. Our track back to Hamilton was pretty much directly into the wind - GS down to 104 knots (IAS 115 knots). A bit bumpy over the ridge, not surprising given the gusty breeze and couldn't go higher than 2600' because of a cloud bank just the Tauranga side - once over the top the Waikato was clear.

Tauranga side of the Kaimai range

Approaching Hamilton we were initially cleared for a South arrival - started to track to Cambridge and was than cleared into Scott sector, 1700-2500', track to Matangi. Hmm - looks like a left base for 18 coming. Sure was, almost no wind here and another smooth landing, fairly much a precision one, 65KT over the threshold, touching down smoothly just past the displaced threshold marks and able to taxi off at the Echo taxiway (500 metres from the displaced threshold - pretty good WIT, still close to MAUW, and maybe I can take a bit of credit, too!) Trouble was, there was a plane about to taxi to E1 who was told to hold short but didn't. I had seen him and stopped. The tower told me to backtrack along 18R and go via 25 to get to the club but there was no need as said plane turned off onto the grass to make way and was then hand-slapped by the tower as he had encroached on 18R in the process! Never mind, no collision and all's well that ends well, I guess!!

Gavin summed up the flight in one word, "Stunning!". Completely agree!!

NEW CAMERA

2011-03-19T19:37:00.002+13:00

Yes, this is still a flying Blog! I flew to Tauranga today via the Waihi Gap, taking a work colleague and his son with me. I will post the details of that flight (it was great - "Stunning" was my friend's comment) on a later post. It was a chance to try out the camera I recently bought, a Canon PowerShot SX30IS. This is a super zoom "compact" (actually the size of a small SLR) with a 24-840!!!! zoom lens. I was attracted by the zoom range and a number of favourable reviews and thought it would be a better travel companion than an SLR with a selection of lenses and would be more versatile than a true compact. Early days yet, but I am quite impressed. A selection of today's efforts is below:

Hamilton visitors and residents;

ZK-TMR: Grumman-American AA-5A Cheetah - registered to a Mount Maunganui address - our own Alpha, WCD in the background

ZK-DNG: Cessna 206 from Skydive Waikato, Matamata. They were parachute dropping over Karapiro today.

DNG with a happy (?) band of "meatbombs" aboard taxis out.

ZK-FLO: Piper PA-28-140 also registered to a Mount address, and ZK-TSD: Piper PA-34 Seneca registered locally and usually parked here

At Tauranga;

ZK-FNB Another Seneca - Air Discovery's one - close to widest angle for this

ZK-MJD Titan T51 Mustang - registered locally. 840mm zoom from the opposite end of the runway (almost) and cropped to about 2/3 original area

MJD again - about 500mm zoom here - no crop. I am quite impressed!

ZK-YAC Yak-52 one of the "classics" based at Tauranga

So, a bunch of snaps from today, hope you like them. I will post about today's flight sometime later (within a couple of days, hopefully).

RETROSPECTIVE; THE DAY YOU NEVER FORGET.....

2011-03-17T19:03:00.000+13:00

Over five years ago now, how time flies, but the flight leading to that little entry in red ink in my logbook is still as clear in my mind as yesterday and I guess it is for most pilots - the first solo.

Saturday 18th February 2006

I had been having a frustrating time for around three months trying to be consistent enough in the circuit for one of the club B-Cats to let me go around on my own. A few weeks before I had flown a pretty decent set of circuits only to screw up a go-around, the instructor commenting that he couldn't let me go solo after that, dammit!!
So, I was up for a few more laps with Roger, our CFI, in C-152 aerobat, EJZ,and it was pretty busy in the circuit with CTC's Katanas buzzing around. We did the full gamut of circuit work and things were OK, at least I didn't stuff up a go-around, in fact, I remember Roger saying, "Nothing wrong with that", or words to that effect. We were landing parallel with a Katana which was drifting towards us and I was keeping my eyes on that, being very conscious that two planes had collided at Palmerston North recently. Roger told that he was eyeballing the CTC guy and to just concentrate on flying and after our touch-and-go told me to make the next one a full stop. Well, it was close to 1700 and time to pack it in I thought.
We touched down and Roger told me to taxi off the runway and stop once clear. That done, he turned to me and said that it was all fine and I should now taxi up closer to the club where he would let himself out and get me to do, "A couple on my own". Once I had picked my jaw up from my lap I stammered something like, "Do you think I am ready" to which Roger replied that he wouldn't let me go if he wasn't sure I would be OK.
And I was, OK, that is. I did two circuits, the touch and go and final landing both fine, remembering the plane was a lot lighter now and didn't come down so quickly. The tower called a "congratulations" to me which I actually missed as I was too quick on the button to reply to the taxi instruction - well, I was pretty excited!!

EJZ - pictured on 14th January 2005 - the day I took my first trial flight. No longer at WAC but JGP in the background is still here in Hamilton

So pleased. We were out to dinner as a family that evening as eldest daughter was off to University in Wellington the next day, the first to "flee the nest"; so we had something else to celebrate, too.

UP IN A CUB

2011-03-15T12:29:00.000+13:00

Sunday 13th March

Over for an overnighter at Papamoa (lawns need doing once a fortnight at present but it's getting cooler) and off to Classic Flyers again. I was expecting to go up in the Stearman but Pete had a surprise for me. He was taking me up in the PA-18 Super Cub that Classic Flyers use. He thought it would be easier on me than the Stearman and get me into the groove of tailwheel aircraft more easily.

The Cub is dressed up in US Army colours (didn't bring the camera but will do next time) and looks the part of an Army counter-insurgency or FAC type. It was great fun to fly. With the light all-up-weight of around 750Kg and the 150hp engine it performs pretty sprightly, taking off in about 200 metres at 45mph (ASI is mph not knots) with no flap and climbs at a good 500fpm at 65mph. We initially asked and were given clearance to operate over Matakana Island but on the climb out I noticed there was low cloud and a bit of fog over the forested island (the Mount and the beach to the East was clear all the way to Maketu and beyond - could see Mount Edgecombe). We asked the tower for a new clearance into the Papamoa sector, were given that, 2500' or below, and continued our climbing right hand turn over to main beach and headed just seaward of the coast until out of the control zone and then turned inland over some flat farmland where Pete got me to do a series of 360º turns - all acceptable - and then basic and power-&-flap stalls. I lost height on the entry to the basic stall but recovered at the onset (preceded by a fair amount of buffet) without significant height loss. I was very patient (find that hard!!) with the flap stall (takes ages and speed down to about 35mph before onset), maintained height better and recovered with no major height loss.

Well, I reckoned that was all pretty good, so after a clearance back in for circuits, we headed West seaward of the beach turning on a long final for 25 at the appropriate point. This little bird lands real slow with full flap, about 60mph over the threshold and probably 50 or less on touchdown. That was all fine and I kept straight while slowing down but then the bit of trouble started. As I reached down to drop the lever to raise the flaps my hand dragged my headset lead over the bar and the dropping flap lever then tried to pull my headset off. My head went down to the left and with it my rudder control. We headed off to the right, Pete gave a "What's he up to" gasp from the back, took control, got us off the ground and handed back to me while I explained what had happened. Two lessons here; i) make sure my headset lead is clipped securely, and ii) fly the airplane first and foremost - a taildragger should be considered to be flying until parked.

I flew the next circuit OK but Pete's next flight was due, so I called for a full stop, was given a short approach instruction which Pete talked me through and, with only a little help, I managed an acceptable touchdown and taxi off, so quite pleased with that. Action replay in two weeks, weather permitting.

FINALLY - I THINK I AM STARTING TO GET IT...

2011-03-06T15:54:00.000+13:00

Get what, you might ask - getting the hang of the Stearman is the answer......

Sunday 27th February

Absolutely stunning morning in the Tauranga area, no cloud to worry about and hardly a breath of wind. I had booked an hour with instructor Pete in the Stearman and arrived at Classic Flyers at 0930 to see the Stearman already outside the hangar and being given the "once-over" by Pete. He gave me a quick briefing; a few circuits then a bit of general flying was the plan.

So, after my preflight, we got in, the ground guy gave it "6 and 6" (that's six primer pumps and six blade turns of the prop for the first flight of the day), started up and we taxied out to the run-up area by the entry to Grass 25. We had to wait a while with the engine at about 1200rpm until the oil temperature came up to 40ºC (took about 5 minutes) and then did our run up checks (1500rpm, carb heat cycle and mag check), pre takeoff and were cleared to line up and take off into the circuit.

The first take off went fairly well, pretty much straight on the centre line and holding 65 knots nose attitude all the way to leveling off at 1000' on downwind. I set up for the approach acceptably and, with a bit of coaching from Pete got the plane down on the runway for the touch and go in a straight line and didn't deviate too much from that once on the ground. Throttle forward, cough, cough, went the engine!! Back on the throttle a tad then advance a little slower, much better, full throttle, keeping straight with rudder, stick back a touch and off she flies quite nicely.

The next climb out wasn't as good as the first speed control-wise and we were then called for a short approach early on downwind. So Pete took control and set it up for a short final where he handed back to me. Not as a good landing this, I thought, but no major dramas and off again for a third circuit.

By now the workload was beginning to tell a bit and I was somewhat all over the place on final, first too high, then a bit low but managed OK with a bit of coaxing. Pete asked for a departure along the beach to the East toward Maketu. The climb out was not good at all - drifting off the runway heading and needed a nudge from the back seat to get me right.

Once on the straight and level just seaward of the beach I was fine. We tracked along to Maketu (about 12 miles from the airport), I did a pretty nice medium turn over the small cliffs there and back along the beach again. (Pete took control for a short while on the way out so I could get a couple of photos). We were cleared to join final for 25 which was easy - along the beach until the right point to turn about 30º left onto the extended centre line and time to slow down after the turn. I held a good nose attitude pretty much all the way down, holding off about right ("A little more stick back" from the rear) and landed OK remembering to get the rudders working more as we slowed down (less speed = less rudder authority). Pete then dropped a big hint we should be vacating the runway by jabbing on the right rudder so I duly complied and taxied back to classic flyers.
Pete seemed quite pleased afterwards; I seem to be making progress. Next step is to think about getting a decent helmet so when I "graduate" to the rear cockpit I don't have to duck my head out of the slipstream to hear the tower. Cost of a suitable "lid"?: about an arm and a leg.......!

Finally, a few more photos:

Pete giving "03" its start of day check over

At the run-up area by grass 25 - all those bracing wires!!

Looking back having just left the circuit on downwind

Rear view!

A FEW CIRCUITS, A COUPLE MORE CIRCUITS, AND..... YET MORE CIRCUITS

2011-02-15T19:47:00.000+13:00

Thursday 10 February

The weather looked good so phoned the club and booked UFS for a couple of hours in the afternoon. I duly arrived at the club to find UFS still wrapped up in its overnight jacket but WIT free and ready to go so took that instead. I did six circuits in two batches, all pretty good. My aim was to concentrate on flying accurate rectangles with good landings but ATC had other ideas!

First circuit – right hand off 18L – on turning final for 18L could see a lot of taxiing traffic, was asked to switch to 18R (no problem as on more than a 1 mile final) but just before selecting full flap I was instructed to go around and make early left turn onto downwind which I duly did (started turning at the far threshold of 18R just as tower said “WIT, turn left now”). Apart from the odd shape the second circuit was all good with a touch and go and left hand again. I asked for a glide approach next but didn’t get it, so next circuit asked for 18L for a flapless but was asked to make a short approach, glide approved. OK, no problem, I closed the throttle did the usual engine failure checks turning towards the runway while trimming for best glide speed, 80Kt. Part way through the approach I was asked to make a full stop and cleared to land (no real surprise that as I had heard the Mount Cook Dash-8 call just before I started the approach). I just made the runway without “cheating” (i.e. using a bit of throttle) but was too late for any flap – nice smooth, but fast, flapless landing – taxi off and round to wait for a couple more circuits.

Last two circuits – first one a glide approach again – not quite as good and had to “cheat” a bit to make the runway proper. If it had been real I would have been OK but short of the runway threshold, still on the seal but only just. Final circuit and my worst landing: I was high on short final having got a bit of “lift”, closed the throttle a bit and got more “sink” than anticipated and ended up flaring a tad too late and it felt as though all three wheels touched at once. Sorry, WIT.

Still, that wasn’t as bad as what happened to the Twin Star from CTC landing beside me on 18L. As I taxied off I heard him call to report a flat tyre (? burst on landing) and request a tow as unable to taxi. Glad it wasn't me!!

Saturday 12th February

A weekend at Papamoa and up in the Stearman with instructor Pete again. He had a busy schedule and we just had time for four circuits off 07 at Tauranga. I seem to be getting my rudder legs a bit now as I thought I was significantly better than the last time. It helped that the breeze was about 10 knots at 090 (ish - most of the time the windsock was pointing straight down the runway so no crosswind to cope with). I tried to concentrate on accurate speeds (65Kt on climb out, 70 on approach), throttle settings, (full power, 2100rpm on take-off, back to 1900 in the climb and 1850 cruise), and circuit height (1000' indicated).

Height and circuit pattern were good, once Pete reminded me about the low reading altimeter in the front cockpit, but getting the climb attitude constant and the approach speed and height accurate was a bit of a struggle - on one circuit I was very high and Pet took over to sideslip and lose height.

All good practice, though and my legs appear to be getting less "lazy"!!

Monday 14th, Valentine's Day - took the lovely wife for brunch at the Avgas cafe on our way back to Hamilton - showed her the Stearman (first time she'd seen it "in the flesh"). She didn't seem over excited, well, she's not an aviation nut like me, but the food and coffee were very good.

Stearman 03 in the sun

This is what you call an aero engine - a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp

The Avgas cafe - well worth a visit

MORE PRACTICE IN THE STEARMAN

2011-02-03T19:40:00.000+13:00

Sunday 30th January 2011

A long weekend at the beach and a chance to go up in the Stearman again. Instructor Pete put me back in the front seat for this flight after my little mishap the last time. After Friday night's storm the weather was now fine but a bit breezy with a 230º, 15 knot wind on the surface and 20 knots at 1000'. Not much of a cross wind then but any gusts could be interesting.
We got a clearance over to Matakana Island for a bit of handling practice. My take-off wasn't too bad - fairly straight and remembering to put on plenty of right rudder but I did drift off the centre line on climb out due both to the wind and my relative inexperience (I was concentrating on holding a nose attitude for 65 knots and keeping balanced and didn't notice the drift). Once over Matakana Pete got me to do a lot of medium turns - 360 left then right and after that a series of 180s left then right. I thought I was doing a bit better than before but was losing and gaining a bit of height in some of the turns. I could blame the gusty wind for some of that but that's no excuse, really. I should aim to be as accurate as possible. (The view was superb, too, and that could be a distracting factor).
After so many turns I had lost count we were back to the airport for a few circuits. Again, a bit better than before but my legs are still on the lazy side. That should bet better with practice, though. By the third circuit my (injured) right calf was aching significantly and I was pleased to hear Pete call for a full stop. Thanks Pete, a pretty good workout and I hope to do better next time - in two weeks, weather permitting.

Sorry, folks, no photos this time as I had no camera with me. A shame, because there was a Trojan at Classic Flyers which would have been great to get a snap of.

OF A GREEK HERO AND A TOUCH AND GO

2011-01-31T20:10:00.000+13:00

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!!!

MAGNIFICENT TARANAKI (OR EGMONT, IF YOU PREFER!)

2011-01-10T17:04:00.002+13:00

Sunday 9th January 2011

The first cross-country of the year and what a good one! After my abortive booking back in December, I was relieved to see good weather for the day. I had three passengers with me, a work colleague, his wife and 5 year old son. They were keen to go to New Plymouth and, although there was a significant cross wind for the main runway, New Plymouth, like Hamilton is blessed with a grass cross runway of a decent length.

It was a superb flight, both technically and aestheticly. The two adult pax took some video (for them) and photos (on one of my cameras) and the stills mainly came out very well. I have added some of them below.

We departed Hamilton and tracked South-west to the coast at Taharoa and then followed the coast all the way to New Plymouth - nice, easy navigation. The New Plymouth ATIS gave a surface wind of 120º at 17 knots (almost unchanged from when I copied the weather before setting out) so a pretty fierce cross wind for the main 05. I called the tower and requested joining for runway 14 and was duly cleared to Motunui, inland from the coast, 2000' or below. Reporting at Motunui, was instructed to orbit right hand, and before I had completed that got the call to join base leg for 14. Good approach, only second stage of flap in that wind and a good smooth landing (nice for the passengers, that's the bit they always comment on!!). Interesting approach, too, over the sea and the threshold is only a hundred metres or so from the shore with a little berm in front of the marker boards - you do not want to be landing short!!!

Only slight downside was being nearly 10 minutes late on my ETA but that can be blamed mainly on the winds being more southerly than forecast and the orbit rather than any overoptimism by me.

We had a coffee in Jim Hickey's lovely cafe at the terminal and then it was time to head back to base. We had a great view of the mountain from the runway at line up and take-off and after tracking seaward of the coast as per the published departure set course direct for Hamilton to pass the coast and then over the rugged King Country. My passengers were pleased at this routing as we passed almost directly over a property some friends of theirs farm and was fairly easy to pinpoint from the air with the help of the map, GPS and ground landmarks. We could see Kakepuku from about 40 miles away which made navigation back to Hamilton a piece of cake - barely needed the map or GPS from then on.

We were cleared into the Pirongia and instrument sector for a right hand downwind for 18 but on reporting at Lake Ngaroto was asked if I would accept 07 - wind 070 at 6 knots so, of course, I said "Yes" to that. I was asked to keep my speed up and join a close right base as there was a Dash 8 inbound for 36. No problem as I was still at 1700' and descended fairly rapidly to circuit height with the AS needle at 145 Kt - in the yellow zone but in still air. We joined nice and tight with a short final onto 07 right and a pretty good touchdown - not as smooth as at NP but very acceptable. As we taxied off the tower thanked me and we could see the Dash 8 on a short final as we turned off the runway. Nice to have my efforts appreciated by ATC - I appreciate theirs, too. We were five minutes early - those winds again!

Great flight, fabulous views, happy pilot and passengers - BLISS!!

Pictures below:

Taharoa - Ironsand mine centre right, iron-grey patch with smaller central sandy bit - the heliport is between this and the coast, very small (from 4500') white building. Taharoa airstrip can just be seen extreme left between the forest and the sea - 868m, compacted gravel!

Tongaporutu River mouth - just got down to 2500' to stay in "G" airspace and time to get the NP ATIS

Motunui methanol plant - if only all published reporting points were as barn-door obvious!

The view from line-up on RWY 14 - Mt. Taranaki looking magnificent

Waiiti Beach - between Urenui and White Cliffs - more black sand

LAZY LEGS CAN BITE YOU IN THE A***!!

2011-01-10T09:31:00.000+13:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

SCENE: A courtroom;

Judge, in a commanding tone; Bring the prisoner forward.

Hangdog looking man in a flying suit shuffles into the dock

Judge; Usher, read the charges.

Usher, in a "courtroom" monotone; You are charged that on the first day of January, two thousand and eleven you were a student pilot in a Boeing Type 75, otherwise known as a Stearman, and, upon landing said aircraft, did cause it to slew across the runway striking a runway light, causing it to break. How do you plead?

Prisoner; Guilty, m'lud.

Judge; Prisoner at the bar, you have pleaded guilty to the charge and it is now my duty to pass sentence upon you. You will suffer.........

And then I woke up! The "charges" are quite true though. I went up in the Stearman on New Year's Day and was doing quite well, at least a bit better than before, for the first couple of circuits but on the third, with a bit of left-to-right crosswind, I pushed on the right rudder but was far too "lazy" with the left and was pretty rapidly heading for the edge of the runway - PANIC!! By the time things were on a bit of an even keel the right hand wheel had struck a runway edge light and broken it. I had no idea about the breakage until the tower called us and advised a landing next circuit. In the end we were able to do a low approach and overshoot while a controller had a look at the undercarriage to check for damage. None apparent, but I had a grandstand view of the fire personnel on the runway sweeping up the mess!!

Very humbling indeed. Instructor Pete was very good about it and said it was fairly typical for a Cessna/Cherokee pilot to get into a bit of a mess with "Lazy Legs". On the plus side, the Stearman was undamaged and I have had a salutary lesson on the instability of taildraggers - can only get better!!

View from the driver's seat

DECEMBER UPDATE

2011-01-05T08:50:00.000+13:00

December - the month when the geese are getting fat and also a trifle nervous! (Seriously does anyone reading this either have or know a family who has the traditional goose for Christmas lunch! - We have turkey; after all, we are poms).

Haven't posted for a while for two reasons - not much interesting flying done and busy with Christmas, etc. So, an update:

2nd December: Up in the 180 again with Roger - much of the same as before, lots of circuits at Matamata and (sort of) beginning to get it with rudder control on the ground but somewhat inconsistent with my directional control.

13th December: circuits in Archer, WIT. A quick 4 circuits for currency and all went well - a bit off the centreline on the first landing but I wasn't too concerned as the others were all good. The reason for this bit of practice was a planned cross country on the 19th with a work colleague. However, the warm-sector depression weather was already starting today with lowish cloud and very high humidity and continued for the whole week. Sunday 16th was particularly bad with low cloud and rain so it was a "no-go" for flying and Christmas shopping became a "go" instead. We will try again in the New Year.

27th December: Birthday flight. The missus said I could go, birthday present, as long as I was back in time to go out for lunch. I took WAM for a short cross-country over to Rotorua (NZRO) and back. Technically a very good flight with pretty accurate navigation and timings by me, a touch and go on seal 36 at RO and back to Hamilton. Mind you, the navigation from HN to RO is pretty easy - East over Karapiro to its dog leg, then straight on to Tirau, picking up Highway 5 there and following that to Ngongotaha which is just inside the control zone on the West side of the lake and the airport is directly across the lake from there - piece of cake even on a very hazy day. I heard a couple of Ag pilots chatting to each other on the way back - they seemed to be discussing the next load drop. Oh well, whatever turns you on; as a townie I don't find fertiliser all that exciting!!

A still of Mokoia Island on Lake Rotorua from a bit of (pretty awful) video I shot

29th December: We escaped Hamilton to the beach at Papamoa for New Year and a chance to go up in the Stearman. The weather was lovely, clear skies and just a light wind, left to right on runway 07. Classic Flyers Chief Pilot, Pete, let me preflight and took me through the start up sequence with me in the rear (pilot's) seat for the first time. I seemed to taxi reasonably well but was lazy on the rudder for take off and wasn't very straight. Pete took over on downwind and we left the circuit to track South towards Omanawa to overfly a property where Pete had been helping out planting daffodils the previous day. I took over to fly up the valley and, once over the paddocks in question, Pete took over to do a couple of steep turns overhead and then we were away to the airport for a few circuits. Not too bad, but I am not nailing the climb out (65Kt) or approach (70Kt) speeds consistently and was somewhat "lazy" with the rudders on landing (for more on this, see the next post). All in all, though good fun and I am beginning to enjoy the Stearman (I think!!)

DISAPPOINTMENT - THEN A BONUS

2010-11-25T21:19:00.001+13:00

Went over to the beach last weekend with a booking on the Stearman for Saturday afternoon but the weather gods were not kind at all. Drizzle in the morning and, although the rain had stopped by lunchtime, when I turned up at Classic Flyers the cloud was overcast at 300 feet so there was no chance of going up. At least I got the paperwork done for the share transfer so not totally wasted time.

I got away from work at lunchtime today so, as it was a nice sunny afternoon, decided to get some flying in. On my way to the club I was very pleasantly surprised to see the Stearman from Classic Flyers on approach to Hamilton.

JGP was free so I took off towards the South-west for a local flight. The wind had started at 250º at 8 knots on the surface and forecast 160º, 15 knots at 2000 feet. It seemed a bit stronger and more westerly by the time I was at 2000' on a Pirongia departure as I was getting a fair bit of turbulence when directly East of the mountain (Pirongia, 3144'). Things calmed down a lot once I was South of the mountain and quite smooth over Kawhia Harbour and out to the coast.

Weather was changeable on the coast, nice at Kawhia, but a short distance North the cloud was covering the top of Karioi (2480') with fairly dense haze over the coast reducing visibility locally to about 15Km. I could hear another aircraft broadcasting he was on track to Raglan from further South so gave a weather call and turned right to head directly back to Hamilton South of Karioi without going to Raglan as it was a lot clearer that way. The plane behind followed suit and followed me in.

It was pretty busy at Hamilton this afternoon with lots of radio activity but I was cleared for a North arrival straight away and requested 25 for landing as the wind was now 250, 13 gusting to 20 knots. At Rukuhia (in line for a right hand downwind) I was instructed to cross the extended centre line and join left hand downwind for 2500' and was only allowed to descend once downwind. No big deal, I flew a nice (short, as instructed) approach, got a bit of rise on short final but almost closing the throttle fixed that and, crossing the threshold at 65 knots, I did a very smooth, level hold off, column back and a lovely, soft touch down. Not too bad in the gusty wind. I was able to taxi off halfway and the controller thanked me as the plane behind was pretty close.

Planes at Club today:

The Stearman, of course. One of the other shareholders was doing a few flights.

152 ZK-NPN from New Plymouth Aero Club. They followed me in and I had a brief chat to the instructor at the fuel pumps. They saw the weather at Raglan and had chosen the clearer route as I had. Next stop for them, Auckland International.

172 ZK-TAT from Ardmore Flying School (had heard her call at Huntly while I was over Temple View). Very nervous young female pilot on first solo cross-country who nearly walked across my path while I was taxying. I had her in sight, was taxying very slowly and my feet were hovering on the brakes. She saw me and stopped to let me pass. I went over and had a brief chat - she landed x-wind 18 - brave girl in that wind. Well done! Next stop for her, Rotorua

Hope you all had good flights, folks. And now, some photos;

Stearman 203, ZK-XAF in the flight line with WIT AND UFS

Just love this plane!!

Kawhia township on the Harbour

The cloud and haze over Karioi and Raglan

- Aotea harbour in middle ground

Classics together (ZK-TAT in the background)

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.....?

2010-11-15T20:28:00.000+13:00

I must say, I actually enjoy both ends of the technology spectrum offered at Waikato Aero Club, from "The Beast", JFG: taildragger, heavy manual trim, no GPS or autopilot, basic radio, to "Beauty", WIT, Twin GPS and radios, advanced autopilot, IFR capable, electric trim, EFIS.

I can imagine a scene in The Old Yorkshire Pilots Club bar:

Bill, "Arternoon, 'Arry, how do, George"

Harry, "Can't complain, lad, won a fiver on whippets yesterday"

George, "'Ast tha heard 'bout new plane club's just bought?"

Bill, "Nay, what's it like?"

George, "Too b****y flash if tha ask me"

Harry, "Aye, it's got 'lectric powered trim wheel"

Bill, "What?"

George, "Yep, push a little switch on t' column and t' trim wheel spins."

Bill, "Bl***y Hell, in my day you had to be a body builder to shift the trim on t' planes I flew."

Harry, "Trim wheel! Luxury!! When I were training, as soon as throttle were closed instructor'd send yer out to crawl out to tail and pull tab by hand - and there'd be a reyt rollickin' if tha got it wrong! I DREAMED of trim wheels"

George, "Got an EFIS, too."

Bill, "EFIS - yer talking foreign at me now!"

Harry, "'lectronic Flight Information System, it has just about all your instrument readings displayed on a little TV screen in front of pilot."

Bill, "Blimey, that's a bit of a far cry from knocking a nail into windscreen frame and hanging a bit of string from it. These kids are b****y spoilt rotten these days"

George, "Got air conditioning, too."

Bill, "Air-con-bl***y-ditioning? What's wrong wit' open cockpit?! I dunno, youth of today......."

Well, you get the drift....

Went up this morning for a few circuits in WIT. All went well, five good, tight circuits, three good landings, one superb greaser and only a bit bumpy for the glide approach but easily made the runway so that was all good, I reckoned. Also, with the weather a touch dodgy I was on my own in the circuit for much of the time. Happy pilot factor on max.

"BEAUTY"? (The plane not the weather!!)

"THE BEAST"? (but a nice one)

Turning cross to downwind 18 - broken cloud at 1200' (circuit height)

Late downwind - looking a bit clearer to the West

MATAMATA BEAT-UP

2010-11-11T21:59:00.000+13:00

MONDAY 8TH NOVEMBER

Aircraft: Cessna 180 ZK-JFG

Position: Downwind leg runway 28 circuit NZMA (Matamata)

Altitude: 600' amsl (400' agl)

POB: 2, self and Roger (CFI)

Wow, what fun!! Another hour of tailwheel time in the logbook. Almost an action replay of last Monday but after about five standard circuits at Matamata in ideal conditions, light wind straight down the runway, no cloud and not late enough to have the sun in the eyes on final, Roger decided it was time for some fun!

I was getting the hang of landing, I thought, although still a bit lazy on the rudder and tending to look straight ahead rather than along the cowling while holding off. Then Roger said, "I have control", demonstrated the perfect take-off attitude, and took an early steepish turn onto downwind at low level. Abeam the downwind threshold, he cut the power, first and second stages of flap in quick succession, full flap while turning onto a short final for a perfect 3-pointer, showing me exactly how to hold off. Then it was my turn, Whee!!! - now I know why Ag pilots do what they do. Not much time to think about it, just looking out, doing most of the checks by feel and, hey, I don't think I did too badly with two three pointers and a wheel landing (not intended, but remembered to keep the column back so we didn't nose over!!). Then it was back to Hamilton, cleared straight in for 25L and a reasonable landing to finish. The very last bit wasn't so great, though, I turned too close to the fence, missed the parking stand and had to taxi round again, Whoops!!

Total Tailwheel time 5.1 hours

TAILWHEEL TIME

2010-11-01T20:51:00.001+13:00

My Stearman experience over Labour weekend convinced me I should take the plunge and buy the share that had been advertised on TraedeMe recently. So, once the paperwork is sorted out I should be the proud owner of 1/30 of a classic aircraft (and, as CFI Roger pointed out, it is a BOEING!!!!)
To fly P-in-C on the Stearman, Classic Flyers want you to have 25 hours of tailwheel time, so I thought some sessions in the club's Cessna 180, JFG, would be a good way to do some of this, and also, maybe, get another type rating while I am about it.
So, today at 1645 I arrived at the club for a flight in JFG with CFI, Roger. I have been up twice before in the 180 so not a complete novice. Compared to the club's Alphas, Cherokees and 172s, JFG is a bit of a beast! 230hp six-cylinder engine, three blade constant speed prop and stands very tall at the front due to the tailwheel stance.
JFG has a STOL kit fitted which droops the ailerons when the flaps go down so is very short field capable for the type so we headed off to Matamata for some circuits with stop and goes. Maybe it is the nearly two years further flying experience, or flying the Stearman, or Roger's (as always) excellent instruction, JFG today seemed a lot more benign than I remembered. There was a 5-6 knot crosswind on Matamata's 10 runway, left to right, enough to make it "interesting" in a taildragger (runway 04 was closed and from the rich green grass after the 10 days of very dry weather here has not been mown for a while).
I was guilty of being lazy on the rudder both on take-off and landing for the first couple of circuits but was doing OK after that, setting up into a sideslip attitude on very short final, levelling off, column back, chop the throttle and settling onto a near three-point landing with only a slight bounce, keeping straight by working the rudder and a bit of brake to a halt less than halfway down the strip with plenty of room to take off again. Then it was back to Hamilton for an acceptable landing on 36L (on the grass and no crosswind) and a taxi back to refuel. Roger let me taxi back to park on my own - no simple task in a tailwheel plane with not much space betwen the fence and JGP's stand - I did it OK, just slightly off-centre! Great fun, Roger, 1.0 hours in the book which means: 300 HOURS TOTAL TIME - Whoo-Hoo!! Action replay next Monday, weather permitting.

P.S.: Total tailwheel time: 4.1 hours!!

FLYING OVER THE FOG

2010-11-01T20:05:00.000+13:00

TUESDAY 26TH OCTOBER

Position: Over Rotowaro - five miles South-west of Huntly

Altitude: 2000'

Aircraft: C-172, ZK-JGP

Weather: See the photo!!!

I had taken today off work to make it a 4-day weekend so had booked JGP first thing this morning. My original intention was to fly North following the river up to Port Waikato and then back via the West coast and Raglan. Didn't quite turn out like that due to our old friend, the weather!!

The ATIS had shown fog patches in the vicinity of Hamilton, few cloud at 100' and 500' and variable 3kt wind. I could see the haze and cloud but there was very little fog to see. That was until I was on my way North and about three miles South of Huntly. Beyond the Hakarimata range was a sea of low cloud for a couple of miles either side of the river with the Huntly power station chimneys poking through like a two pronged fork. Hmm!! An ATIS for an (imaginary) Huntly airfield would have read: overcast at 100 feet!! I made a radio call to report this (had a call from someone at Whakatane for a weather report for Hamilton a little earlier) and another station responded with, "It's all the way to the Bombay Hills, mate"! Change of plan, then.

A look to the South-west showed the weather around Raglan was BEAUTIFUL!! - see photo below. So, it was off to Raglan, overhead there, and back home to Hamilton for a few circuits. These went really well but were interesting as the clouds were hanging about circuit height just to West of the airport necessitating a bit of cloud dodging in a left hand circuit off 18. I did about five circuits including a flapless and a glide all pretty well and left for home for a well earned cup of coffee!!

FLYING A LEGEND

2010-10-28T19:32:00.000+13:00

LABOUR WEEKEND: 23 - 25 OCTOBER

We, that is, the lovely missus and myself planned on a long weekend at Papamoa. I had decided to have a bit of fun and had booked a flight in Classic Flyers NZ's Boeing Stearman. This is a 1942 vintage example, imported into NZ from the US in 1988 and lovingly cared for as the true classic that it is. The weather was wonderful all weekend making a change from the storms and poor flying weather leading up to the holiday weekend.

So I fronted up at just before 1400 on Saturday and was introduced to Andrew, Classic Flyers CEO and Pete, chief pilot who was to take me up. Pete showed me around the plane and took me through the preflight and start up procedures and then suggested we might do two flights as he had a booking in their Ag-Cat at 1500. I wasn't going to object!

The first flight consisted of taxying - always a challenge in a taildragger - run-up, pre-takeoff checks and then onto Grass 25 for takeoff and a 20 minute flight just seaward of the Mount for a few medium turns and then back for approach and landing. I was in the front cockpit as this was my first time.

My main concerns before the flight were; 1) how would I cope with an open cockpit, and 2) coping with a fairly large tailwheel aircraft. As it turned out these were fairly groundless. The open cockpit was a bit noisier and draughtier than I am used too but no real bother and the Stearman was a sight easier to fly than the 180 at Waikato Aero Club which I have had a couple of flights in. Big and slow, sure, but very light and steady on the controls and m y turns seemed pretty good. Pete talked me through the approach and landing which I seemed to manage fine with a bit of help (hard to know how much help in tandem cockpits).

Then it was off to tell the good lady I would be a bit late, a coffee at the cafe and all aboard again for a quick local and a few circuits. The wind had got up a bit with about 8-10 knots cross wind from the North (right to left) which made taxying a bit more of a challenge - I managed to do the weaving technique to maintain forward vision OK but swung a bit more than I intended at one point - Pete soon sorted me out. The circuits went fairly well, a bit lazy on the rudder on the touch-and-goes but otherwise pretty good, and I ended well pleased with my efforts. Andrew shouted me a beer to finish which went down very nicely, thank you, and then it was home to indulge in another of my interests, cooking dinner.
What a great day!!!!!

THOSE EXPENSIVE CAPPUCCINOS AGAIN!!

2010-10-17T10:41:00.000+13:00

SATURDAY 16TH OCTOBER

Aircraft: Piper PA28 Archer III - ZK-WIT

POB: 2

Altitude: 2700'

Position: 2 miles West of Wairere Falls en route Tauranga

Weather: Scattered cloud at 2500 - 3000' (base) just west of the Kaimai ranges, otherwise, sky clear. Wind 290º at 15kt (forecast).

Well, it hadn't looked too good for flying this morning with overcast skies in Hamilton and Tauranga with cloud bases under 2000'.

I had booked WIT from 1400 to take eldest daughter for a flight as she has just returned from her 3 month OE in the UK and Europe and was keen to go up. It was also a chance for some time in WIT with all its "whistles and bells".
I thought an "expensive coffee" at the AvGas Cafe at Tauranga would be good but it was not looking promising right up until about 1300 when the ATIS from Tauranga changed (in about an hour) from OVC 1700' to few cloud at 2500'. Hamilton was scattered at 2000' so it looked good to go.

The weather was fine all the way apart from those few clouds on the windward side of the Kaimais (which had all but disappeared on our way back) and a bit of haze. Coffee, a brisk walk, an ogle at the classic planes parked outside Classic Flyers, and a return trip to Hamilton, all complete by 1600.

Then the phone rang at 1700. Hmm, an 03 number, wonder who? Yep, it was the National Briefing Office - I had forgotten to terminate my flight plan. Much embarrassment, but at least you know there is someone looking out for you!

Daughter dearest shot some video (which she is very good at), easy to edit and now posted on Youtube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeqkW1Q-VnU

You will see how clear it was after the morning overcast. It was a bit windy, though, especially back in Hamilton (thank goodness for the 07/25 runways!!)

NEW VIDEO

2010-10-16T09:54:00.000+13:00

Just finished editing and uploading my latest bit of video to Youtube yesterday. You can check it out at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwaD4SIJUQI

ENJOY!

Went for a brief flight in DQV Thursday but conditions weren't great so passed overhead Raglan and back to Hamilton for a bit of a challenging approach and a fairly crappy landing in a 90º 10kt crosswind. From reading some other blogs I see other kiwi flyers were challenged that day, also!

WAM RADIO UPDATE - WELL, SORT OF

2010-10-08T19:35:00.001+13:00

Thursday 7th October

Back up in WAM again. Despite the lovely weather of the past few days, it was a very cloudy Waikato morning and I opted for a local flight and a few circuits instead of an expensive coffee somewhere. It was also a chance to check out the radios again. I asked if there was anything found to explain the problem last week but no-one around at the time I arrived and departed from the club could tell me anything significant.

So, I took WAM out over to the Arapuni hydro dam, back up along Lake Karapiro and "home" for a few circuits. Well, guess what?; everything pretty much behaved itself. The radios were fine, the only interference being from another airborne station when it was transmitting. Transponder OK, GPS working normally and the autopilot also behaved itself. The only glitch was one of my landings - a bit of a bounce but that is down to me, not the plane {and there was a bit of a variable crosswind :) }.

So, WAM seemed to be OK and I am still left wondering what the problem was last week....

P.S.: Thanks for the comments on the last post, guys

GOOD.... THEN NOT SO GOOD....

2010-09-30T20:33:00.000+13:00

Thursday 30th September

Aircraft: Cessna 172R, ZK-WAM

POB: 4

Altitude: 172' asl (on the ground at HLZ)

Weather: Broken cloud at 2500', wind 010 at 12 knots, QNH 1019 - forecast rain from 1200 local

Well, it didn't look good for a cross country so, instead of taking my 3 passengers (youngest daughter, her boyfriend and his mum) for an expensive coffee somewhere I decided a local flight was in order. All preflight, passenger briefing, run-up and pre-take off checks done, we had been cleared to the North-East, to line up on 36L (once a couple of landing planes were down), and stay on the runway heading until advised. So far, so good, and cleared for take off while lining up.

It stayed good for only a few more seconds. With a heavy plane and the short runway, I elected for a maximum performance take-off, opened the throttle on the brakes and then let go. It was about 5 seconds into the take-off run when the white noise started. All I could hear while lifting off was a torrent of static and the very faint voice of the circuit controller talking to other traffic.

No time to do anything at present, I thought, just get the aircraft into a climb, clean up and the reassess the situation. I carried straight on as cleared but now could barely hear anything over the static. I levelled off at 1200', closed the throttle to 2300rpm and the radio became a little clearer. However, the controller could neither hear me, nor detect my transponder (yes, it was on mode C). With the controller talking and me responding with transmit pulses I got myself onto the Scott departure track and requested a return to land.

With the throttle closed further to about 1900 rpm the radio became clearer and we could now talk to each other. I had checked all the headsets, circuit breakers and changed radio sets (two radios on WAM) and all had made no difference. I tried the throttle again and back came the static at anything above 2000 rpm. Having been cleared right hand downwind for 36R, the approach went well, holding at about 65 knots on final with 4 up to try a precision landing and get off the runway ASAP - there was a fair bit of other traffic about. That worked well, I stopped with plenty of room to taxi off at "Charlie" and back to the club.

I reported the problem to instructor Peter who went off to take WAM up to assess. I was offered JGP as that was free but there was no time for another flight. We all went back to the car just as a few spots of rain started to fall so probably all for the best.

About an hour later I phoned the club and spoke to Peter. He hadn't got up for a test flight as the weather turned bad pretty soon after we left. So, no diagnosis as yet but I reckon it must have been interference from the engine as below about 1900 rpm all was fine and above 2100 rpm I could hardly hear the tower and they could neither hear me nor detect the transponder. Interesting... anyone have a suggestion?

I did get up to fly earlier this week, on Monday with the best weather for some time. I took the Arrow for a bit of manoeuvring and a few circuits off 25 in a moderate 12 knot or so westerly. This all went well apart from my first steep turn which was a bit "rusty" but all landings were good. So, things did go right at least once this week.

WEATHER!!!!!

2010-09-20T20:51:00.000+12:00

Those of you in NZ will not be surprised that I have not been flying this past week. High winds, plenty of rain and snow (down South and on the mountains) have grounded most of us PPLs for much of the past week - and not improving for a few days yet.

So, having caught up with the blogs I follow, I thought I would do a bit of template redesign on mine. I think it looks better - what do you readers/followers think? Comments please.
Fingers crossed for the weather this Thursday too (but I'm not getting my hopes up!!)

CIRCUITS IN THE RAIN...

2010-09-09T19:45:00.000+12:00

... with the CFI (Chief Flying Instructor)!

RED SKY IN THE MORNING - SAILORS' (AND VFR PILOTS') WARNING!

Of course, it is the early Spring weather which is really to blame - those fronts keep arriving from over the Tasman Sea - all the way from the West Island (or Australia, if you prefer!!)
Having flown the club's 172s mostly over the Winter I felt in the need of a "refresher" on the Arrow and had booked DQV with CFI, Roger for a couple of hours this morning. All looked good early on with light winds and overcast at around 2500'. That started to change, though.
I dragged the plane out of its hangar, preflighted, and wandered back to the club to tell Roger all was well. He took a look at the book and saw we had two hours and decided a cup of tea and a bit of cake was in order before going up as the weather was starting to close in and it would be circuits only; plenty of time for that.
So, after a cup of tea, we walked to the plane, started up, called the tower and were cleared to taxi to E1 for runway 18L. I remembered to "exercise" the prop after the engine run-up (that means bringing the pitch lever back - coarser pitch - until the revs drop and then full fine again three times to get the oil circulating in the constant speed mechanism) but was told off a little for taxying on the brakes - naughty, stresses the undercarriage.
At the holding point it was just starting to rain and everyone was coming home and a quiet circuit quickly became very busy. We were told there would be a delay for circuits, Grrr!! At least the air switch on the Arrow meant I was not paying for the time. It was also starting to rain lightly. After three landings and several minutes Roger called the tower and asked for a clearance to the East instead of circuits. That was given and just after the next landing we were cleared to take off from 18L. We did the pre take-off checks while on the move, turned onto the runway centreline and started to roll without waiting. Nice and straight back on the column and rotate at about 65 knots, out of runway, quick squeeze of the brakes and gear up, fuel pump off, 80 knots and climbing, flaps up then climbing power and pitch - all done pretty smoothly and with no hesitation. So far, so good.
Even better; at 500' indicated (300' agl) we were recleared for circuits by the tower. I thanked them, read back the clearance and turned crosswind to start my first circuit. Visibility was not good (great British understatement, it was b****y awful; I would not have been going up on my own) and it was taking longer than usual to spot traffic ahead - white painted planes in rain haze against light grey, lowish cloud are not easy to pick out. Good job there were two pairs of eyes in the cockpit.
The first approach was Ok but I let the speed bleed off a bit too much and was only 60 knots at a half mile out. Too slow in the Arrow as Roger correctly pointed out to me. That was rectified by a bit of throttle and nose down and we flew onto the runway nicely but I was a bit slow closing the throttle and the flare went on for a good 100 metres or so - OK on the 6000' 18L but might have been interesting on a short grass strip.
After that, all went pretty well. Speeds correct on the approach, only 25º flap because of the crosswind and flare pretty near perfect and two smooth touch and goes. The weather was getting progressively worse, visibility barely more than the circuit dimensions so we called for a full stop, this time on 18R, the 625m (2050') paved/grass strip parallel to the main runway. Precision landing, then, full flap and about 65 knots over the threshold, putting the wheels down pretty much on the numbers but a little to the right close to the grass edge, quickly corrected, though and a straight landing roll to the end and taxi off. Strictly speaking, we should have refuelled but Roger looked out and muttered about the rain coming down and told me to taxi to the hangar. There had been 110 litres in at the start and we had only been going for 40 minutes so at least we weren't leaving the plane totally empty for the next flyer.
Nice one, thanks Roger. He hadn't seen any major problems with my flying and suggested I go up solo soon on a better day and do some steep turns and stalls. I made a booking in DQV for two weeks today. (I have 172, WAM booked for next week). Fingers crossed for the weather!!

MORE CIRCUITS AND A NIGHTIME CROSSCOUNTRY

2010-09-03T18:23:00.000+12:00

THURSDAY 26th AUGUST

It isn't often I get to go flying twice in one day but today was the day - great stuff!!!
I had booked Robin/Alpha WKF for a couple of hours in the morning. It was one of those cool but humid late Winter/early Spring Waikato mornings with a bit of mist early on but clear around the airfield by mid-morning with a lot of low cloud and mist patches still lingering all around the outskirts of the city and the hills with no wind (variable 3 knots was the call on the ATIS). Circuits then thought I.
Now, I hadn't flown an Alpha for a good few weeks and it showed at first. The 160hp engine in these little birds produces a fair bit of torque and needs (subjectively at least) a fair bit more right boot on the rudder on the take off roll than a Cherokee or 172. I was a bit wimpish on the rudder on the initial take off, drifting well to the left and to add to my embarrassment on instructor Ash was lining up behind and gave a quick, "More right rudder, Barry" over the intercom. Thanks, Ash, I was just getting around to that, honest!!
After that, things were fine. I did six pretty decent circuits, including a flapless and glide approach with all landings OK so was quite pleased. The weather appeared to be improving, too so maybe my booked night cross country to Auckland was going to happen.......

1645: phoned the club, with the weather report in front of me and spoke to Ash. He quizzed me on my thoughts on the weather, the only possible problem being the predicted cloud in the Tamaki (Auckland) area at 2000 feet. From the Auckland ATIS this had yet to arrive so I said I thought it was OK to go and Ash didn't object.

1745: after an early dinner I packed up my gear (headset, cellphone, headtorch, spare torch and batteries, map, AIP volume 4) and headed to the club. The place was deserted but I had been given the code for the gate and went in to preflight WAM. Everything OK - just some fuel needed.

1815: Ash had arrived and gave me the key to start up the plane and get some fuel. He had phoned Auckland - no chance of a landing there due traffic and it had started to rain; still all clear at Hamilton, however. As a compromise we would do a short x-country to the North on track to Auckland and turn back if and when the weather started to deteriorate.

1845: gassed up, started up and cleared to depart over the city 2500 feet or below, we left off runway 36R. Ash had got me to set up the track to Auckland on the GPS as a guide. I set the course I had written down on my flight plan, 305º magnetic, having allowed 9º drift to the East (right) and it turned out to be an underestimate of the wind as I needed to track 300ºM to stay on course. Not that it was a problem - the lights of Hamilton city were bright and clear leading my eye northwards to the parallel ribbons of yellow light marking the course of highway 1 to Auckland

1900-1930: Past the familiar landmarks of the lake and hospital (bright lights by a "black hole"), Te Rapa dairy factory and racecourse (another "black hole"), I could recognise the lights marking Horotiu (quite faint) and Ngaruawahia (bright). It took me a moment or so to pick out Taupiri - to the right of Ngaruawahia and could the see the flashing red light on Huntly power station. We carried on past Huntly dodging around a small patch of isolated cloud downwind of the power station - ? due to effluent from the station chimneys. We were just north of Te Kauwhata and thinking of turning back when Ash decided to have a little "fun" with me.

"I have control, put your head down and close your eyes while I fly around a bit", said Ash. After about a minute I was told to open my eyes, head up and take control. "Right, get us on track back to Hamilton". A quick look at the DI showed a North-easterly heading so I reckoned Hamilton was to our right (South) and it only took a quick look around to locate the power station and a steady right turn to get us on track. That was all fine and the Ash asked me where we were. I thought we were at either Rangiriri or Te Kauwhata. I could see Springhill prison (very bright - good landmark) and we were just South of that so should be at Te Kauwhata but I couldn't locate the small town - why?; because I was right overhead and couldn't see the lights. Took a minute of so to work that out, duh!!

Then a bit more fun. I was head down again, unusual attitude this time. While head down, I got my brain focused to look at the AH (artificial horizon) as soon as I was head up as that should give me an instant idea of the plane's attitude. This worked - as soon as Ash said, "Head up, you have control", I focused on the AH which showed a steep angle of bank to the left and nose down = spiral dive. Checked throttle closed, wings level with aileron and ease back the column out of the dive. We had been descending at > 1000fpm and pretty soon were climbing at a similar rate once I put some throttle on again. I levelled out to a gentler climb rate and was soon back at 2500' where we had started. I had got it all sorted out without delay and think (?hope) Ash was suitably impressed.
Ash had one other tip for night cross-country regarding terrain avoidance; if you can see lights below you, you are clear.

1930-2000; It was now time to get back home and we set course to the South. We could see the mist starting to form around Hamilton and had seen the deteriorating weather further North (rain in Auckland). We finished with a couple of circuits which were OK but not enough flare on the landings probably because I have done all my previous night flying in the Alphas (which you don't flare much or you can strike the tail - they have a ventral fin).

2015; Home, time for a beer! Great fun tonight and thank you very much, Ash. Must do it again next year and maybe we will get to Auckland then!

CROSSWINDS CAN BE SO..... INTERESTING?!

2010-08-19T17:04:00.000+12:00

Another Thursday and another chance to fly .... or maybe not! The photo above is the windscreen of WAM while I was pre-flighting prior to doing a few circuits. The rain had just started!! Thankfully, this little shower did not stay long and I was able to get going. There was quite a lot of traffic about and I had a bit of a wait to get a taxi clearance - photo below!

CTC's 172s JMY, JZM and twinstar CT?M queuing up at Echo1 - JMC on the right has just landed.

Once cleared for taxi I found a nice clear area to run up and do my pre-takeoff checks and then waited at Echo1 for some of the landing traffic - I think everyone was trying to get things done before the weather really got bad. The ATIS went something like this; Visual approach runway 18L - damp; wind 260º at 6 knots; cloud - few 500', broken 3000'; QNH 1009; 2000' wind 220º at 20 knots.

So, quite windy above us (could see that from the clouds moving!) but only a light 6 knot crosswind to contend with - should be good crosswind practice.

Once moving again, I backtracked to the end of 18R and as I started my 180 at the end was asked to confirm ready for immediate takeoff - I had half prepared for this by switching the transponder to mode C and as I turned flicked the landing light on. I answered "affirm" and was cleared immediate take off. I read that back, flicked the strobes on, had a quick look around and pushed the throttle forward as soon as I was lined up.

Five quite interesting circuits followed. There were a few others up and I was generally number three for approach on each downwind call. The first circuit was pretty routine and an acceptable landing resulted in what was still a fairly steady and light cross wind. Oh, before I forget, this bit is for flyinkiwi: On one of the climbouts I made a point of checking how WAM was performing - 95KIAS and climbing at 900fpm (feet per minute) - not bad at all. Not quite up to JGP's climbout performance but no slouch. I didn't try it any slower (i.e. steeper) as with all the traffic about I wanted to keep a decent lookout and didn't want the nose too high.

The second circuit was quite long (following a rather wide cicuiting Katana) and the landing not quite as good. The wind was getting up a bit and from the way the windsock was turning about variable in both strength and direction. There was also a wee bit of windshear through 900' on the approach. Nothing frightening, but enough to rock the wings a bit. The third circuit was much the same.

The fourth circuit restored my faith in my flying abilities. I was approaching 18R in sideslip mode (that is nose straight to the runway and wings into the wind using a bit of left rudder and opposite aileron - column to the right) and this time the wind was fairly constant. It was easy to keep straight down the centreline and I was about 65 knots over the threshold with 20º of flap, flared and held off just right so that the mainwheels touched down so lightly I hardly knew I was on the runway. Perfect, YEAH!!

It couldn't last. The next circuit was my last as there was a turboprop about to go out so was called for a full stop on 18R and reckoned I didn't have time to hang around for more circuits (would have to queue behind at least two others). I think I caught a bit of the wake from the departing plane on very short final as I got a sudden bit of lift an roll to the right. By the time I got the plane straight I was almost on the runway, so flared and came down a tad to the left of centre but straight enough with only a moderate bump and no bounce. I taxied back to refuel and put WAM away and the clouds were now looking very ominous (pictures below) so I reckoned my decision to stop was good. Not surprisingly, my planned night flight to Auckland later today is not going to happen!

NOT ONE OF MY BEST DAYS!!

2010-08-12T19:42:00.000+12:00

I guess we all have our "off" days and I think today was one for me and flying!

Due to a combination of work and weather I had not been up for 4 weeks and was keen to get going again. I had booked one of the club's older Archers, UFS, for two hours in the morning. It was pretty chilly at -2 overnight but after a touch of morning fog all was clear and sunny over the field by 1000. After unwrapping the plane and preflighting, it was a bit of a mission to coax a cold UFS into life (I was a bit concerned about the battery for a wee while until the engine eventually fired at my fourth attempt!)

I promptly called the tower and asked for a city departure clearance and, what had I forgotten? Yep, the ATIS, der!! - not a great start. The tower were very forgiving and gave me the clearance to taxi to holding point Golf for 18R (the smaller sealed runway), my city clearance and a brief on the ATIS - thanks guys and sorry, I guess I was way too eager to get into the air.

Things progressed pretty smoothly after that. While I was running up they changed the duty runway to 36 and from Golf the tower asked me to take off from 25R, no problem in a 3 knot variable wind and merely a 180º turn from that holding point and a very short taxi to line up on 25R. I departed over the city, climbing to 2000 feet once clear of the CTR and to the North, Ngaruawahia, Taupiri, the Hakarimata range and Huntly were all shrouded in low cloud/fog up to about 1200', the tops of the hills almost completely covered. It didn't look too inviting.

It was much clearer over Raglan harbour to the west so my plans changed and after a traffic call on 119.1, "Te Kowhai traffic, UFS is Horotiu, 2000', turning left on track Raglan". I got to Raglan uneventfully, turning over the airfield there to track back to Hamilton. As I was crossing the foothills North of Pirongia listening to the tower after getting the new ATIS, it sounded as if there was a bit of a holding queue for the North arrival so I elected to turn South and track around the control zone, eventually calling the Tower at Kihikihi (SE corner of the zone) where, after only a short delay, was cleared South arrival.

When approaching Mystery Creek (reporting and holding point on South arrival) I was instructed to track overhead the tower maintaining 1700' and join left downwind for 36L. No problem with that, I reported turning downwind and once the tower heard that a North arriving aircraft had me in sight, I was cleared to approach "descent unrestricted" and cleared for circuits.

This approach went pretty well. I had the speeds just about right but was just a tad late on the flare so the nosewheel touched down a little quicker after the mains than ideal, throttle forward, flaps to 10º and back into the circuit.

The next one wasn't so good. Approach was OK but this time the flare was somewhat early and a bumpy landing on the mainwheels resulted. Back into the circuit for the last one (time just about up) as I turned downwind an ATR was being cleared to backtrack to start its takeoff roll on 36R and it was no surprise that I was asked to make a short approach to 36L for a full stop. All looked good until short final where I was high. I closed the throttle almost fully and got back about right but my rate of sink was too high. I bounced on the seal, settled, bounced again, blipped the throttle to stop the sink and bounced very slightly the third time!!

I taxied off the runway cursing myself. No excuses - light wind and good visibility, etc. That was the messiest landing since a fairly big "Cessna bounce" at Great Barrier over 18 months ago and I was annoyed with and a bit ashamed of myself. A bit of lack of currency, I guess, but, never mind, Spring is not far away and more time to fly, hopefully.

To cap it all, when I parked at the pumps to refuel the earthing wire was completely tangled around the spool and the fuel line and it took a good 10 minutes to sort it out!!!

Oh well, there's always next week - two flights booked in C172 "WAM", one dual at night to Auckland. Should be fun if the weather holds - fingers crossed.

NEW VIDEO

2010-08-11T13:01:00.000+12:00

Here's the link to my latest bit of aviation video. Flight was back in April - not very nice weather but some good views around Hamilton and the 25 circuit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dCS0lygKuY

Enjoy!!!

Just returned from a conference in Queenstown - stunning views from an ATR on the way down - will post a link to the video as soon as I have got around to editing it.

VISIBILITY 200 KM!!!

2010-07-15T19:56:00.000+12:00

So much for the Waikato Winter fog!!! Today was a magnificent day (as it has been all week). Cool and frosty overnight (temperature 1, dew point zero at 0800) but wonderfully clear and ideal for a flight.

I had offered to take my work colleague's son up for a flight. He is only 13 but mad keen on flying and has already started to learn. He has ambitions to be a pilot, possibly in the air force. Good on him, I say.

My work colleague dropped her lad, Chris, off to our house at 0745 (Yes, I was awake!!!) and after I had finished my tea and toast and made the lovely missus a nice cup of lemon tea we headed off to the club at about 0830. There were a few patches of mist by the river but the airfield and all around were frosty and beautifully clear.

FROST REFLECTION!

After getting my fingers a bit frozen preflighting and gassing up (Chris was sensible and stayed in the warm!) we hopped in and asked for taxi and departure on track to Pauanui Beach. We were cleared straight away to depart on track to Pauanui, 2500' or below and, when ready, were given the option of using 36R for a (4kt) tailwind take-off but that saved a bit of time as our track to Pauanui was 016. Thank you tower (and lack of traffic) - no need to fly 3/4 of a circuit and track around the instrument sector. (Pilot's happiness factor on high!)

It was an uneventful flight to Pauanui. We saw only two other aircraft, both miles from us and, once in the Coromandel CFZ (common frequency zone) we heard no radio calls at all! (Yes, I was on the right frequency before you ask, and we heard plenty of calls on the way back)

We arrived overhead the airfield at Pauanui and, joining overhead, it was kind of difficult to tell where the wind was from as the socks were hanging limply by their poles. I decided to go for the most direct approach, joining downwind for 05 (winds from the forecast were generally South-east) and carrying out a fairly accurate approach it was as smooth a landing as possible on the rather rough grass strip. I seemed to drift along quite a bit in the flare before touching down and used a fair bit of brake but was able to stop with about 200 (out of 750) metres of runway left. As I taxied back the reason for that became clear. During my approach the wind had decided to puff a bit from the estuary to the West of the strip and the windsock was indicating a light breeze from the West. Yep, a downwind (but only about 3kt) landing!

MISTY PATCH ON THE HAURAKI PLAIN WITH THE SNAKY WAIHOU RIVER

After a coffee at "The Chocolate Pretzel" we headed off back to Hamilton. (Pilot's happiness factor on very high!). The views on the outward flight were stunning, but with the Winter sun a little higher in the sky the vista on the way back was truly amazing with Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu clearly visible to the South once we cleared the Waihi Gap and a short time later Chris announced he could see Taranaki also. Truly stunning (Pilot's happiness factor maxed and on overload!!).

(For non-NZers:- Ruapehu, 9176', 100Nm distant, Ngauruhoe, 7501', 105Nm, and Taranaki, 8259', 120Nm, that's the 200km visibility factor!!!)

MATAKANA ISLAND (centre mid-ground) WITH THE MOUNT BEYOND

SLIPPER ISLAND (left) and the "ALDERMEN" (far right) IN THE SUN

PARKED AT PAUANUI BEACH AIRFIELD

COFFEE TIME!!!

We were back in Hamilton for 1130 and back home a short time later after refuelling, etc. Chris left on his bicycle and I had a quick lunch, put the photos from the flight on the computer and headed off to work for the afternoon (Pilot happiness factor dropping down to medium but soon rejuvenated by showing Chris's mum and others at work the pictures from the flight!). I've included a few here to share with you all.

NGAURUHOE (left) and RUAPEHU (right) SHOW THEMSELVES

WEATHER (OR NOT) TO FLY - BEST LAID PLANS AND ALL THAT....

2010-06-24T21:51:00.003+12:00

Well, the weather forecast was looking a tad dodgy for flying later today but it looked good to go early this morning. Overcast at 6500 feet and similar at Tauranga where I had planned our first stop. I had booked Cessna 172, "WAM" from 1000 for the rest of the day to take oldest daughter out for a flight before she departs these shores on a 3 month OE.

However, by 0900 the clouds had lowered and it was raining and my heart sank a bit. It did appear to be clearing and by the time we had driven over to the club and preflighted the weather in the direction we were going looked acceptable, the same only a little windier at Tauranga, and I made the decision to go. It turned out to be a great flight over. The Kaimai range was clear enough to get over with plenty of height to spare even though it did not look too inviting to the North and West. However, with a South-easterly blowing it away from us, it appeared to be favourable for getting back, too.

The approach to Tauranga went really well. The wind was 120º at 10 knots gusting to 18 so a maximum cross-wind of 12 knots on runway 07 - well within my mental 15 knot limit. On turning final we were a bit high so I used a side-slip technique rather than crabbing to lose some of that height. As I got progressively lower I found I was needing less and less rudder so the surface wind was much more benign and a very good (one of my best ever!) cross-wind landing resulted. Very pleasing and we headed off to the AvGas cafe for a bit of brunch and a look around the Aviation Museum.

How things can change! We had just started our browse around the museum when I heard that distinctive pitter-pat sound on the roof. It was raining. Probably just a shower, I thought but the noise got louder and I went outside to take a look. Oh dear! In the 40 minutes or so since we left the plane the weather had really closed in. Visibility was around 10km at best and the hills to the south completely obscured by cloud with showers all round and more to follow from the East. OH @#**@!!!

We decided to complete our tour of the museum and then head over to Bayflight to get a weather update. I phoned the Aero Club to find the weather back in Hamilton and was told the weather there wasn't too flash, either. So, trapped in Tauranga by the weather at least for a while.

We had a look around the Military Collection at the Museum next and then went back to the cafe to take stock. It appeared to be slowly clearing from the East so we headed back to Bayflight to call Hamilton (the cafe was a bit noisy). The wind was getting up and the very nice people at Bayflight suggested I taxi WAM around to use their tie-downs. This was gratefully accepted.

I spoke to Ash (instructor) again and he reckoned Hamilton would be clear enough to come back in about half an hour and it was certainly clearing over the hills. 20 minutes later the way across the Kaimais looked clear enough, I confirmed things were OK at Hamilton with Ash, and made the decision to go. It was now or never I reckoned as there was more rain heading our way.

We got up and were cleared on track to Hamilton at 2500' or below. The rain was indeed on its way again but I could clearly see a way over the hills where the road from Tauranga to Hamilton crosses and headed that way. Now, I drive that road fairly often and know the summit is 499 metres (1650'). I was out of the control zone now (when I made my "clear" call to the tower they gave me a favourable weather report for Hamilton - thanks, guys) and at 2700' had ample room to cross. I was just clear of the cloud above but having to negotiate around some lower wisps. which threatened to obscure my vision ahead for a while. I was making sure I still had an escape route behind or to my left and right back to Tauranga and pressed on carefully. The way ahead became clear as I manoevred around, I was over the ridge and into the much clearer Waikato very quickly (20-25 knot wind at our backs) and breathed an inward sigh of relief. All that training had kicked in and I had successfully got us through a "real weather" situation.

The flight back to Hamilton was quick and otherwise uneventful. Ash had advised tracking a little further South as there was a lot of weather to the North and this turned out to be good advice. A routine approach, landing and taxi later, we were putting the cover on the plane when more rain hit Hamilton and by the time we left the club the weather was back to "VFR unflyable" again. I had a peek at the weather radar later and we appeared to have come through a fairly narrow gap between two banks of cloud and rain to get home.

OK, then, lessons previously learned (some in theory) and acted upon:

1) Weather can be very unpredictable and even the best forecasts can be wrong (the bad stuff today was 3-4 hours early!)

2) Get help. The aviation community are very friendly and helpful - particular thanks to James at Bayflight who gave us a couple of short rides to keep us out of the rain and to Ash for his help and advice.

3) Don't fall victim to get-home-itis. As we sat in the cafe, we worked out a "get-home" plan which did not involve using the plane (hiring a car, which my daughter could return the next day).

4) Keep your options open. One of my main tasks when flying towards the ranges was to keep my "escape routes" in view and check they were "clear".

We got home safe and sound but were fortunate there was a clearer weather "hole" to fly through. If it hadn't been there, lesson 3) above would have been acted on.

Finally, a few pictures:

Wispy Cloud - Hamilton side of the Kaimais

High overcast towards Tauranga as we crossed the ridge

At the museum (we recommend a visit)

A LOT OF WEATHER WE HAVE BEEN HAVING LATELY........

2010-06-22T11:58:00.000+12:00

A month since my last post, I see, so time for an update. Thanks to the variable Waikato Winter weather (like, beautiful when I am at work and foggy/wet when I have time to fly) I haven't done very much recently.

So, a bit of a summary:

Along with a lot of other club members I went to the AvKiwi seminar on Mountain Flying on 31st May. Excellent - note to self - must get some training once our instructors are up to speed. More about this on "Flyinkiwi"'s blog (see my followers) which I won't repeat here.

Thursday 3rd June:

I had booked one of the Alphas to get current again by day (got current by night a couple of weeks before). It turned out to be a regular pea-souper foggy morning which persisted until gone lunchtime but eventually I was able to get up for an hour later in the afternoon. Went South-West initially with cloud hanging around Pirongia below the peaks looking very like some of the scenery shown on the video at the seminar. A timely reminder that although Hamilton is in a river plain the hills are not too far away. I elected to stay well clear!

I did some medium and steep turns to check out my general handling (the little Robin/Alphas are very light on the controls if you are used to a Cherokee or 172) and returned for a few circuits which I seemd to fly pretty accurately with nice, smooth landings. However, the weather up North was closing in (looking like a giant fog bank heading our way obscuring the horizon) so it was time to stop. Well, at least I got up so not a totally frustrating day.

Thursday 10th June:

Another "interesting" day. I had thoughts of a cross-country flight in 172 "WAM" but the weather was looking rather poor to the South and not that great in other directions so I elected to do some circuits only. These all went very well until I heard a Cherokee being told to line up on 36R, having myself been cleared to approach "number 1" for the same runway. As I was only just turning base this was not likely to be a problem.

Or so I thought...... On turning final I could see said Cherokee still holding for the runway and not lined up. The tower called telling the pilot that they had been instructed to line up and now should hold as I was now about a mile out. The pilot misinterpreted this and began to line up. I didn't hear the scream from the tower controller - he didn't have his mike switch on (I just imagined it)!! The next call was to me to redirect to 36L (the smaller parallel strip) but I had already sorted things out in my mind that I was a bit too close to do that and decided a go-around was best; called I was doing so and pushed the throttle forward. The tower then told (rather tersely) the Cherokee pilot to hold on the runway.

No more excitement and, all in all, a tidy set of circuits. Good for the currency factor.

Thursday 17th June:

More thoughts of a cross-country flight and I had booked the Arrow for the morning and prepared a flight plan for Taupo and back. Not to be, once again due to the weather.

Up until just before take-off things looked acceptable, but only just. There was low cloud to the South but further East the conditions looked better and I decided I would get up, ask for a change to a Scott (NE) rather than a Swamp (SE) departure if necessary, have a good look around once out of the zone and then decide whether to carry on or come back.

Well, that decision ended up being made for me. I lined up on 18L just after one of the club Cherokees had taken off. I noticed that said Cherokee (on an IFR flight) had disappeared fairly quickly into the cloud and heard over the radio that a flight in had found significant cloud South of the field down to 600'. Hmm! How far South, though. The ATIS mentioned "few" at that sort of height.

I took off, instructed to climb to circuit height before turning as there were helicopters operating over Mystery Creek for Fielddays (big Agricultural expo), but as it turned out I didn't make it that far. I no sooner had got the wheels and flaps up, set correct power and pitch and I was almost into the cloud. I levelled off and called the tower that I was 600' indicated, almost in cloud and asked to turn crosswind; that low cloud had certainly closed in!

So, having been cleared, I turned cross wind to find myself in a genuine low-flying situation. OK, slow down, wheels down, call the tower and ask for a circuit at low level to return. Looking around it didn't look too flash and all thought of Taupo had evaporated. The tower suggested a right hand orbit to align for 36 (no wind) which I started but was still unable to see much. Using both what vision I had and the instruments I came around onto a Northerly heading. Problem now was I could not clearly see the airfield as visibility was rather poor. I asked the tower for a vector to intercept the runway centre line which they duly obliged with and as I got nearer the cloud cleared into relatively good visibility.

I was heading towards the Mystery Creek car park so still about half a mile or so to the East of where I needed to be. Having informed the tower of this, they called back suggesting a climb to circuit height onto downwind for 18L which I gladly took, keeping a careful eye on a helicopter descending into Mystery Creek - he was well clear. Wheels up, back into a climb and then duly completed a circuit to land. Not my best landing but acceptable and I guess I was a little shaken by the experience. Down safe and sound, though and pleased that all that training and the wonderful controllers in the tower had helped get me out of a (potentially) sticky situation.

Should I have gone at all?, you may ask. Good question and, with the retrospectoscope (a wonderful instrument but it doesn't work in reverse!!!), the answer is, "No" but, at the time of take-off the cloud base from the ground looked OK and it was clear enough to go out to the North-East if necessary. A good lesson in how fast weather conditions can change or can look fairly benign from the ground but very different from only a few hundred feet up. By the time I had put DQV away in its hanger the sun was starting to come out and it was looking like a nice afternoon!!

FOG, HAZE AND THE "MILLENIUM FALCON"

2010-05-20T16:10:00.001+12:00

I always used to say "It's not a real winter unless you have to dig your car out of the snow to go to work". Well, that was true when I lived in the North of England before emigrating to NZ but now living in the Waikato I reckon it is a real winter when Hamilton Airport is closed all day by fog!!

That was almost true today. I awoke at my usual 7ish and looked out of the window. Yuk!! Pea-soup fog with about 200 metres visibility if that! Never mind, I thought, it will probably clear by mid-morning like it had the past couple of days and I should be able to go flying. Well, it didn't clear much at all for most of the morning and a watery sun was just about seen by 1230 and the fog had been replaced by overcast at a few thousand feet, generalised haze and patchy mist. I had phoned the club a few times to check the weather but decided to drive out and see what it was really like for myself.
It was very hazy still but visibility was adequate for circuits so I was good to go. I had originally planned a cross-country but that idea disappeared once I saw the morning fog. I had originally booked WAM, the club's newer 172 but as that had a recent engine rebuild and was running in I had been switched to JGP, the older 172 which I had not flown for some while. That was OK, having got current on 172s again recenly in WAM it was about time to go up in JGP.
One of the other Waikato Aero Club bloggers has dubbed JGP the "Millenium Falcon" of the WAC fleet. For those who are not familiar with Star Wars, "Millenium Falcon" is Han Solo (Harrison Ford)'s spaceship which is old and a bit battered but goes like the clappers. JGP may be 20-odd years older than WAM but has the same 180hp engine, is carburetor aspirated and carries less additional equipment so has significantly better performance.
And don't it just!! - especially with just me and only 90 litres of fuel. On my first climb out JGP was going up at 1000fpm (feet per minute) at 100 knots. Whee!! I noticed one or two changes as well. The radios have been upgraded and there is now a GPS - nice one. I did seven circuits including a glide approach and a flapless all of which went well (one landing was a bit bumpy but acceptable). It was approaching 1500 (3pm - I think in 24 hour clock but happy to translate for those that don't!!) and the horizon to the North was disappearing in the haze as the front approached as predicted. Rain tonight and tomorrow, folks and time for me to stop.
A good afternoon's flying and happy to fly both the club 172s now. Just have to watch that currency factor. Hoping for a night flight in WAM next week.

NIGHT RATING RESURRECTION

2010-05-17T19:44:00.000+12:00

MONDAY 10th MAY

With the weather getting cooler, although still very mild and up to 21C during the day this past week, the clocks have gone back, the evenings are drawing in and time to get up for a bit of night flying. I hadn't done any night flying for eight months so thought it about time to "resurrect" the old night rating.

I had booked one of the club's Robins (or Alphas if you prefer) with instructor Loreen for, hopefully, a few dual circuits and then some solo to get me current again. Loreen asked me about currency (by day) on the Robin and I had to confess I was out having not flown one for quite a while. However, I do have more hours on them than any other type and reckoned it should not be a problem.

So it turned out. The preflight and taxi out were no problem and we lined up on 36R for takeoff. There were two others in the circuit but one was coming to land and the other heading out over the city and we had the circuit to ourselves for a while. The first takeoff wasn't so good. There was a 5Kt or so crosswind from the East which I didn't allow for and we ended up rather off the centreline on the climbout. Never mind, concentrate on the instruments, lookout, upwind checks and onto crosswind leg, downwind, call the tower and set up for the approach. This went really well, height and speeds good and it was a near perfect night landing, holding off just right with the lights and closing the throttle as the wheels touched. I was impressed - not sure about Loreen but she said it was OK. I kept it pretty much dead on the centreline on upwind this time, so that was better. Another touch and go, this time with the lights off and flapless which also went well. I remebered to get my torch on straight away (I recommend a head torch as long as it is not too bright - saves fumbling for a hand held torch). On this circuit ATC went off watch so we were on unattended procedures. Like a country airstrip, but with a 2000m+ sealed runway and lights!!

We had to extend downwind behind a landing Beech 1200 (twin turboprop) on the next circuit and Loreen said make this a full stop. "Pop" went the light bulb in my brain - OK to go on my own - then Loreen added the rider, if this landing is OK!

It was, we taxied back to the club where Loreen hopped out to take the next person up and I was on my own. As I lined up for the first solo circuit I heard a helicopter over City call in that he was joining the circuit. I saw his lights and he was at least five miles away so I made a call and took off into the circuit. As I was doing the downwind checks I heard the chopper call he was joining "behind the fixed-wing" (as if I was a lower form of life, almost - cheek!!!).

Well I landed and went again OK and the chopper did a stop and go and started a right hand circuit. This time he went for an autorotation (at night - not me, thanks) behind me just as I was doing my next touch and go. I made this third solo circuit the last as it was kind of late and called as I turned base that I "have rotary-wing traffic in sight". Slightly bumpy final landing - not as smooth as the other five, but acceptable and I was a very happy pilot. Loreen was on her way out with her next "student" and called goodnight to me which I called back with a thank you.

A good night and the rating current again. Next step - get checked out in a 172 at night. Almost went up on the Thursday but the aircraft was in maintenance - shucks. Next week maybe....

ANOTHER EXPENSIVE COFFEE!!

2010-05-11T21:43:00.001+12:00

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....

CAPITAL FLIGHT - THE VIDEO

2010-04-10T08:31:00.000+12:00

Well I have finally got my act together and edited up the video my daughter took of our scenic flight out of Wellington back in December - you can all check it out at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YUJnb4hMS8

Went flying last Thursday but only some circuits - a bit challenging, however, with a moderate, quite variable crosswind - all good for the soul, though!!!

WEATHER, COMMUNICATION, DECISION MAKING, PERSONAL LIMITS:- ALL THAT AIRMANSHIP SORT OF STUFF

2010-04-02T08:32:00.000+13:00

THURSDAY 1ST APRIL

Well, this turned out to be an interesting day, as they say.

I had arranged to take friend Ray up in WIT for a flight and planned to go over to Pauanui Beach for another "expensive" coffee. On my way to the club, Ray contacted me to say he couldn't come. Oh well, another time, perhaps, but that didn't change my intentions and I duly preflighted and filed a flight plan for Hamilton to Pauanui and back.

The weather was very benign at Hamilton - a light wind and cloud base 4700'. Even the 4 knot wind on the ATIS report looked an overestimate as the windsocks were pretty much flat against their poles! It looked a bit cloudier to the North but all the Kaimai peaks were clearly visible so all looked good to go.

Once through the Waihi gap and heading towards the coast it was clear that the weather on the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula was a bit different (and NOT forecast as such). I was soon flying up the coast into lowering cloud and descended to 1800' at Whangamata when the rain hit, a short, sharp shower. Visibility stayed acceptable, though, as I could see Tairua 10 miles to the North through the squall and it was clearer in all other directions. About a minute later I was through the worst of it and descended to 1500' radioing my intentions to join overhead at Pauanui for landing.

I set up to orbit over the airfield and once I spotted the windsocks I could see that there was a fairly brisk crosswind, like windsock at 90º to the runway and near horizontal. Hmm!, about a 15 knot crosswind, so too much for me on a small airstrip on what is supposed to be a fun flight so I descended into the circuit for 05 runway and did a missed approach and overshoot going around at about 300' and reversed my course back to Hamilton.

Once away from the coast through the Waihi gap the weather improved and was benign again. I had been communicating my intentions to Christchurch Information and keeping a monitoring ear on their transmissions throughout the flight. At the Eastern end of the gap I heard one of our club planes, WKF (a Robin) calling Christchurch giving his intentions to fly to Pauanui Beach. Well, well, I thought, I had better give a weather report so he doesn't get an unpleasant surprise the other side of the ranges. Looking back I could see the weather on the coast had not improved much, if at all, just moving to the SE. So I called Info and gave them a report on the conditions at Pauanui, namely the crosswind for WKF's information. They thanked me and passed it on to WKF who had been listening anyway (good airman!).

The rest of the flight passed uneventfully and at a quiet Hamilton (most of the club planes away at the Warbirds or the Northern Air race) I was cleared to join straight in for a long final and it was a nice smooth landing on 18Left.

So, lessons learned, or rather putting into practice what I have learned before: weather forecasts are FORECASTS and should not be relied on; when weather looks against you make sure you have an "escape" plan (e.g. turn around into the better weather); know your personal limits, like, I have landed Cherokees at Hamilton in a 15 knot crosswind with an instructor in the right hand seat but would not want to do it alone at a (relatively) strange or short airfield unless I absolutely had to; and, communication (the last of the "Holy Trinity" of flying*) - it is common courtesy to pass on any adverse conditions to other pilots; you never know, you could be saving someone from bending an aircraft of worse!

*For non-aviators, the "Holy Trinity" of flying is: Aviate (fly the plane), Navigate (know where you are) and Communicate (tell someone what you are doing/intend to do) - in that order.

TRAFFIC CONGESTION - NOT JUST THE ROADS!

2010-03-26T20:42:00.000+13:00

THURSDAY 25TH MARCH

I had the Arrow, DQV, booked for a couple of hours this morning for a bit of "keeping current" (you know, like remembering to retract and lower the undercarriage!!!). The weather forecast was none too good last night but, after an overnight shower, the day dawned clear enough and there were numerous balloons up after dawn as this the "Balloons Over Waikato" week. They were all gone by 1000, though when I drove over to the Club to drag DQV out of its hangar and go off for a flight.

The weather was behaving as predicted with a front on its way and nasty, dark grey clouds to the South-West. I decided a local flight over the city would be a good plan followed by some circuits. After preflighting and starting up I got the ATIS to find there was a 15 knot crosswind from the West on 18 which was no real problem for take-off but might be for landing if it got up any more and I couldn't use the cross runways (07/25, L&R - yes, we have four runways at Hamilton).

After running up and pre-take-off checks I was cleared to taxi to E2 holding point and while still on my way cleared to take off from 18L - with another aircraft on final. So it was line up checks (transponder to mode C and landing light on) while taxying, onto the runway and full throttle, column into the wind, of course and rotating at 65 knots. Wow, a fair bit of wind, too, as I started to drift to the left immediately after lift off in spite of my best efforts on the rudder. I got it sorted pretty smartly, though, wheels up, fuel pump and landing light off, flaps up and climbing power and pitch set all at the appropriate times and turned right as cleared out to the North over the city.

After clearing the zone I climbed to 2000 feet and headed towards the North and had a good look around. Oooh, those clouds are closing in pretty quickly and it looks like it is raining already just South of the airport so I decided to head for home, turning South for Temple View and checking the ATIS which hadn't changed (yet!). I called in to the tower requesting a return for circuits if available, to which the tower replied to clear me for circuits "seeing as you are a nice, polite guy", or words to that effect. Gosh, thanks folks, please spare my blushes. After getting said clearance, I headed for the reporting point at Rukuhia and, once there, was instructed to join right hand downwind for 25R - hooray!, landing into the wind (which was 250º at 15 knots). I was told to maintain 1700' and extend downwind as, with the weather deteriorating, everyone was coming back in. I could hear at least 3 other light aircraft being instructed to join for the 25 runways.

By the time I was cleared to descend to circuit height, I had been going downwind for at least two minutes (which meant 3 miles at 90 knots - I had slowed down a bit and got the wheels down) and was further instructed not to turn base for another 30 seconds to allow another plane to pass behind. I sorted that out and was soon on a fairly long (at least 4 mile) final. I was given number one for 25R for touch and go and at that point a CTC Katana appeared on my 2 o'clock. This was a touch unexpected as I had heard the tower call to a CTC plane to join BEHIND me. Whooops!

The tower called in an rather terse voice to inform said Katana that he had just cut in front of me and called me to give me number two in a more apologetic voice. I replied I had the conflicting traffic in sight as well as a Cessna who was doing as instructed and joining behind. Now a Diamond DA20 Katana is a fairly low powered trainer and, compared to a Cherokee Arrow, a tad on the slow side and I was now behind him. I slowed down as much as I could while still looking after the engine and dropped another notch of flap. It wasn't enough, I was still closing at 70 knots and the tower asked me if I could change to 25L, that was affirmative and I changed course for the parallel runway.

The Katana touched and went just before I crossed the threshold beside him. I touched down nicely, pushed the throttle and pitch lever fully forward (yes, I missed that check on final because of the diversion, I think), and took off not too far behind the other plane. He was told to carry on straight ahead and I was given an early left turn for a circuit. I could hear there was another Katana joining for the circuit and another Cessna was above and to the right, I think joining right hand downwind.

The rain had now started so I called for a full stop, flew a nice tight circuit and got the speeds and checks all nicely done for (I thought) a very pretty landing just beyond the runway threshold and taxied off back to the fuel pumps. I was pretty cross about being cut up like that but didn't think it worth any further action. The circuit controller in the tower had sounded pretty pissed when talking to the CTC pilot so any further action is up to them, I reckon.

At least I didn't get too wet refuelling and by the time I set off home the weather had improved a bit so maybe I should have done another circuit or two. Never mind, there is always another day!! I got home to find I still had the aircraft keys in my pocket. Oh dear, what a twit! Only 10 minutes to drive back though so big major deal - at least they got back before anyone else needed them!!

THE $400 COFFEE SYNDROME

2010-03-18T15:22:00.000+13:00

WOW!! What a fantastic day for flying!! The temperature at the airport may have been 0ºC at 0700 this morning but the sky was clear with a light variable wind at ground level. By the time I arrived at the club at 0845 the sun was shining brightly (a bit low but you can't have everything!!!) and it was warming up.

I met up with my work colleague, Hament, who was coming up with me and I had planned a trip down to New Plymouth - never flown into there before and wanted to visit Jim Hickey's cafe there (He's a TVNZ weatherman for those that don't know, a flyer himself and the son of a WWII spitfire pilot).

Did the usual preflight on WIT, had 4 hours of usable gas on board so we got in and without any delay we were cleared on track to New Plymouth leaving via the Pirongia sector (South-West).

I set the "direct to" feature on the GPS to the Ohura VOR as I had decided to go inland over the King Country on the way down and come back via the West Coast. I had to track a bit further West to avoid the instrument sector but once clear of the control zone I turned back to intercept my course, climbed to 4500' just South of Otorohanga, set the autopilot, leaned the mixture correctly (thinking fuel economy), called Christchurch Information with my intentions and settled back to keep a lookout and admire the view.

And what a view!! A panorama of the West Coast to the right all the way from Karioi to the North (near Raglan) down to Mount Taranaki to the South and out of the left hand window the central mountains (Ruapehu, Ngarahoe and Tongariro) were laid out in their splendour with very little haze around.

We chugged along (the wind was pretty much dead ahead and ground speed down to 95 knots) for about 30 minutes to nearly the Ohura beacon and then turned West to the coast at the Tongaporutu river with our destination now in view (50km+ visibility is great!) The weather at New Plymouth was benign, a 5 knot wind at 060 and runway 05 on duty. I called the tower at 5 miles from the zone and was cleared in 2500' or below and to report at Motunui (large industrial complex and difficult to miss). I reported as instructed and was cleared to join left hand downwind for 05.
I descended to the circuit height (1100 feet) and lined up for the approach. I ended up a bit close to the runway on downwind (new aerodrome to me) so it was a very short base leg and a bit (well, quite a lot, actually) high on early finals. I closed the throttle, full flap, nose down to get back on the correct glidepath and then raised the nose to bleed off the airspeed. Hmm!, looks like I am going to land a bit long, so I thought about going around, but a quick assessment of the amount of runway left looked more than ample so I committed myself to land, held off and closed the throttle, nose up and a very smooth landing resulted with only a gentle touch on the brakes needed to slow right down to taxi off and park by the tower.

We made our way to the terminal and the Airpresso Cafe where Hament bought me a coffee and a delicious slice of blueberry and lemon cake. This is a good cafe for anyone interested in aviation or WWII history as there are photos and models of aircraft, biographies and some memorabilia of wartime pilots from the Taranaki area.

Anyway our "morning tea" was over quite soon and it was time to head for home. I did a brief preflight and checking the fuel found we had used between 35 and 40 litres for a time of 1.2 hours. Pretty good and showed my economy efforts had worked. The wind had changed and we left off runway 23 with right turns to track back seaward of the coast to the North. With the wind behind us now the ground speed was up to 125 knots even in the climb. I levelled off at 1500 feet until clear of the control zone and then climbed to 2500' for the coastal cruise back to Hamilton. The view was still great but noticeably hazy now and the mountain panorama not quite so fabulous.

We were significantly quicker back to base (1 hour for a total of 2.2 hours) and again it was a pretty good landing back home, much more precise than the one at New Plymouth. After all, it is my home base. The wind was light but a bit gusty and I landed right wheel first which was correct as there was a bit of right to left cross wind. (When I looked a few minutes later it was left to right at the other end of the runway, so I wasn't imagining the variability!)

So, safely home and another great flight. Hament thoroughly enjoyed it so that was good. Must go again sometime......

TWINS - TWICE THE FUN: FOUR TIMES THE HASSLE??!!

2010-03-11T21:53:00.000+13:00

A big day for my flying experience today. I had booked a session wth instructor Ash in the club's Twin Commanche ZK-DOK. I turned up at the club just a couple of minutes past 1400 to find Ash waiting for me. We went into his office for the briefing - all done via a powerpoint type presentation on a computer - no different to the printed stuff I had read over the past few weeks but good to have Ash go over it and emphasise the important points and what we would cover on a type introduction flight.

After that, it was over to the hangar to preflight and get DOK out ready to fly. The fuel drain procedure was interesting and very different from what I am used to. Basically there are six tanks; main, auxiliary and tip in each wing and each wing's tanks drain via a central tube. So, select each tank in turn and pull the drain levers which are under a cover between the front seats remembering, of course, to put the bucket under the drain tubes first!! The rest of the preflight was very much like the Arrow, but with two engines to check and six tanks to dip. We had about six hours fuel on board so we were good to go.

Start up went fairly smoothly once I had, with Ash's help, located all the switches and gauges - a somewhat different layout to a Piper single.

Taxi was not much different to the twin's smaller brethren and the only difference for the engine run-up, apart from doing it for each engine, was the prop feathering check. Once that was all out of the way we taxied over towards Echo 1 (having already been cleared for this and a Scott departure) and as I called ready we were instructed to line up on 18L and cleared for take-off as we lined up. Line up checks done, feet on the brakes, 2000rpm on both, release brakes, full throttle once rolling, everything green, rotate at 70 knots and then hold the nose down to let the speed build to the blue line (minimum single engine speed), gear up, climbing power and pitch, attitude for 100 knots, landing light and fuel pump off. By this time we were 500' above ground level (this baby CLIMBS!!) and turning crosswind. At this point the tower cleared us to 2500' or below so we carried on climbing in the circuit and left from downwind on our Easterly departure.

Once over Lake Karapiro Ash got me to do some turns. No pussyfooting here, straight into a steep turn to the left. Nailed that OK only losing a few feet on the roll-out at the end. The right turn wasn't so good. About halfway round the nose dropped slightly and I started to pull back on the column, WHOA, still losing height - I lost 150 feet before getting it under control and had regained the height by roll-out but this was a good lesson on how quickly things can start to go wrong on this larger, faster bird. Then it was a basic stall and approach stall, recovering both at the onset with no more than about 150' loss on the latter so that was really good, I thought.

It was now time to head for home having progressed along the full length of the lake very quickly. On the way back we did a simulated engine failure. Ash covered up the mixture levers and closed one of them. The plane lurched to the left and I fairly quickly, with a bit of guidance from Ash, got the plane flying straight with some right rudder and appropriate aileron and going to full throttle. This was easier than I thought it would be. So, my right leg is on the rudder, so the left is "dead" - dead leg, dead engine, left identified, close throttle on left, no change, left engine failure verified, feather the propeller. Once the left propeller was no longer windmilling and producing drag, control was significantly easier, as expected.

The next step was an air start of the left engine. This is where I got a bit flustered as this is not easy for a first timer. Mixture lean, pitch about two-thirds toward fine, throttle open a crack and crank the engine. Once windmilling, mixture rich and..... the engine dies as I was late on the mixture movement. Tried again, not quite right - dammit!! Third time lucky and I have got a functioning left engine again.

Then it was back to Hamilton and into the circuit. Once downwind, number two for approach, we slowed down, lowered the gear, downwind checks and I made a reasonable approach, only geting a bit high on long final. Checked green light and mirror for gear down on final, mixture rich, prop pitches fine and at 300 feet (500 indicated) we were committed to land (i.e. if an engine fails we still land - no going around at or below that height) so slow down to cross the threshold at about 80 knots, flare and land. There was a bit of a crosswind so we had to crab a bit, straighten and land upwind wing down which I just about did but it didn't feel too pretty. Oh well, not bad for a first go.

Postscript: Well, that was fun but I don't think I will be doing a twin rating in the foreseeable future. Apart from the cost (twice as much as a single to hire) there is also the problem of maintaining currency which, as a still working recreational PPL would be a real challenge. If I were fully retired, able to fly several times a week with the same income as when working, it could be a different story.

Thanks again, Ash, great lesson. The amount of sweat down my back by the end (commented upon by one of the other instructors) is testament to how much hard work that was!!!

"WEATHER TO FLY" - A TALE OF THREE FLIGHTS...

2010-03-04T21:37:00.000+13:00

Over the past few weeks I have had some "interesting" times with the weather as, despite all the press reports of record dries and high temperatures, the weather for flying has been challenging at times, not just last Thursday as you read in the last post.

So, no more dodging around, I shall begin at the beginning......

THURSDAY 18TH FEBRUARY

I had arranged to take one of the pastors from our church, Sheridyn, up for a flight. He had said a while ago he had wanted to be a pilot when at school and was still interested in aviation, So, we met up at the club where I was waiting and casting rather concerned eyes around at the weather. There was virtually no wind but the ATIS had given the cloud base at 2500 feet, it was much lower than that to the South and West, and the temperature and dew point were only one degree apart. So, if it wasn't already raining, it would be soon!!

Any plans for a cross country flight had been ditched a while before and I decided a short local flight over Morrinsville way would be OK as the weather looked the clearest in that direction. Sheridyn immediately recognised WIT as a Piper Cherokee and I showed him around it while preflighting. We hopped in and were on our way. the climb out was very laboured, which I was expecting, high(ish) temperature, low pressure (around the 1000 mark) and that humidity certainly had a deleterious effect on performance.

I set course for Scotsman Valley once out of the circuit and to Morrinsville. All good so far but looking back towards Hamilton it was pretty obvious the weather was going to close in so going much further afield did not seem a good idea and we headed back to the west to Huntly and then through the Taupiri gap following the Waikato River back to Hamilton. It was getting a bit murkier with a few drops ofrain but visibility stayed good all the way backinto the circuit.

We were directed over the tower to join left hand downwind for 18 and after an uneventful approach for the smaller runway (18R) I landed with a bit of a float and a bump having flared a tad early. I quickly apologised to Sheridyn who didn't mind at all. he said he thought the landing wasn't bad at all and he'd had much worse courtesy of Air New Zealand!!! Anyway, another 1.0 hours in the logbook and a good practical demonstration of Mother Nature's effects on flying in general and aircraft performance in particular.

SUNDAY 28TH FEBRUARY

This was a really good day. We had an old friend, Maeve, staying with us. I did my postgrad training with her in the UK and hadn't seen her for about 21 years. She now works in Scotland and was on a bit of a sabbatical down-under together with some holiday. She used to do skydiving and was really keen to go up with me.

The day dawned with overcast skies but the base was 6000 feet and forecast was for a sunny, warm day. Sure enough, by 0830 gaps were appearing in the cloud and by the time we rotated off the runway the skies were almost clear.

I had done a flight plan to take us to Tauranga, touch and go there and then tracking up Matakana Island to Waihi and then home via the Waihi gap - about and hour in the air.

Winds were light, the barometer was high, low (for Hamilton) humidity and as it was fairly early in the morning the temperature wasn't that high so performance was noticeably better than 10 days before!

I didn't need to tie Maeve in too tightly to stop her jumping out!! It would have been difficult in a low wing plane anyway. She loved the flight. We had great views of the Kaimai ranges and along the Bay of Plenty coast. Maeve was amazed to see an open cast gold mine from the air (Martha Mine at Waihi). The touch and go at Tauranga was good - smooth roll of the wheels onto the grass runway and straight off again keeping an eye on the 172 who was orbiting the Mount and followed us up the Matakana coast.

As soon as we turned south at Paeroa you could tell we were in the Waikato - that haze!!! Other than that, it was an uneventful flight back. We were cleared to enter the control zone via the Scott sector (pretty much straight in) and joined left base for 18R - the smaller one. You could tell the temperature had risen as there were obvious thermals on finals; I caught one just before landing and floated a bit before touching down - plenty of room to stop, though.

Great day - Great flight - my passenger said that, too!!

THURSDAY 4TH MARCH

Well, the weather forecast for today was for fine weather and light winds. Oh yeah!! Read on.

I had booked to go up in the Arrow and thought I would reprise last Sunday's flight to see how quicker the Arrow was compared to the Archer (if at all).

Unfortunately the best laid plans were thwarted by the weather.

It was good at Hamilton, clear with light Southerly winds of 8 to 10 knots. However, it looked very cloudy over the Kaimais and, although the forecast wind at Tauranga was 260º at 8 knots with a gradual change to 020º at 10 knots from 1300, this was a false reassurance. When I checked the Tauranga ATIS it was somewhat different, 220º at 15 gusting to 24 but still within my capabilities so I decided it was a go as long as I could traverse the Kaimais safely.

I walked over to DQV's hangar to find.... no plane. I walked back to the club to discover it was at Aeromotive for maintainence but good to go. Only there was not a lot of fuel on board and, when I had been at club reception, one of Super Air's workers was reporting they had just about drained our tanks fuelling up the avgas tank of one of their loaders. So, I had to taxi over to CTC to fuel up and so was quite late away, about 30 - 40 minutes.

To cap it all I was only a few minutes out when the tower called me with a SPAR from Tauranga - wind now 190º at 20 gusting 30 with crosswind component maximum 24. Out of my league, so I thanked ATC and continued my departure to have a little think about what to do.
My decision was fairly easy to come to, Tauranga was not on for landing in those conditions so I flew to the East of Matamata and turned around for Hamilton, calling Christchurch Information to give them my intentions. I flew back over Karapiro and Cambridge for a South arrival and a couple of circuits, two good landings and one not so great, but acceptable. Good practice for me in the retractable.
I taxied back to Aeromotive to hand the plane back to them for its second altimeter to be reinstalled and completion of its ARA (still had 36 days to go so I was good to fly in it). Oh well, Weather!! - you have to live with it and respect it.
Next week - I have booked a type introduction flight in the twin - a new adventure!!!

NICE LANDING - SHAME ABOUT THE WEATHER

2010-03-04T08:10:00.001+13:00

THURSDAY 25th FEBRUARY

I had booked another dual flight in WAM for today but the weather looked a bit ominous with lowish cloud and a look at the weather around the central North Island showed it was raining everywhere except Hamilton. Cloud base was 2500' here, though and circuits should be fine, I thought, so headed over to the club.

WAM was in the circuit and landed just after my book-in time of 1000 so I pre-flighted, looking around at the weather which appeared to be closing in from the West. It was clear enough over the airfield and circuit area, though so instructor, Jason was happy to go. After calling ready I was given an "immediate" take off clearance so did the line up checks while taxying and Jason said "OK, turn and burn" as we entered the runway. It's not an F-16 Jase!!

We took off and turned crosswind early on tower instructions and once facing towards the weather it was obvious the front was closing in rapidly, the rain spitting on us on crosswind and the deluge started on early downwind. Previous 20km visibility rapidly became less than 2km and it was difficult to see the runways from the down wind track. We were cleared number 1 for 36R (the main drag), I did the downwind checks, and set up for the approach. As I turned base, the visibility had become so poor that I couldn't see the runways at all so I used the DI to line up on base, second notch of flap, and turned final at about the right point (local knowledge is a wonderful thing!) and was pretty much bang on the centre line! Jason wasn't saying or doing anything - just letting me carry on.

As we turned final the tower instructed us to do a full stop due weather and cleared us to land. Full flap, height and speed correct, perfectly timed round out, throttle closure and flare and I rolled the wheels onto the runway just beyond the threshold for an excellent, quite precise landing, COOL!! The weather wasn't so cool though, the rain was coming down hard and the runway getting very wet so I didn't brake (didn't really need to on the main drag) and taxied off to the club where I got quite wet just running from the plane to the clubrooms.

Well, that was that. I stayed for a drink and a chat to see if the weather was going to clear, which it didn't, and then headed home. A bit frustrating that I couldn't carry on but at least one very good landing is better than none and has got my 172 confidence back. There's always another day, as they say.

PILOTS - A DRINKING CULTURE????

2010-02-24T07:47:00.000+13:00

This is a bit of a change from my usual postings in that it is not about my flying experiences but the front page of yesterday's NZ Herald with its headline regarding police claims of a "drinking culture" within Air New Zealand. I won't go into the details of the article - best you read it here:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10627913

I read it at work and made the usual off-the-cuff, semi-joking remarks but afterwards thought about it a bit more seriously, got rather hot under the collar and now am writing this to let off a bit of steam.

Who are these cops and journos to sound off about the aviation industry/profession??!! When I was at university I remember one of my clasmates who played for the rugby 1st XV moaning about how hungover he was after the aftermatch drinkies the night before. Who had they been playing? - The Metropolitan Police. "Boy, Those coppers can drink" was the gist of his comments (as if 1st XV medics can't!!!)

Also, one of my cousins is married to a journalist and I remember her comments about lunch together - in liquid form - when he was covering Trades Unions and other conferences! Having actually seen this guy drink some years ago I can well believe it!!

Anyway, you have only to watch TV dramas and documentaries to see how journalists and police behave when the pub or bar beckons!!

So, two professions with what would appear to be an ingrained drinking culture casting stones at aviation. The H-word springs to mind. Or should the fare paying public carry breathalyser kits with them and ask the aircraft captain and/or first officer to breathe or talk into the little device before take-off!!! I can just imagine the reaction of some pilots I know!! Any comments, guys and gals??

MORE ON THE CURRENCY FACTOR

2010-02-24T07:16:00.000+13:00

Thursday 4th February - Back in a 172 after a year!
I am writing this over two weeks later so my memory may not be 100% accurate but I can remember the flying part pretty well. I had booked the club's newer 172, WAM (my previous favourite before WIT came along) with instructor, Chee, who I had flown with once before in one of the older Archers. I had a good look round inside and out while preflighting to refamiliarise myself with the plane. It all came back - including the thirteen fuel drain points for the fuel injected engine!
We decided to do a few circuits to see how it went. Stating up, taxying, lining up and take off went OK - WOW!! the 180hp 172 does take off a lot more sharply than the Archer but I was prepared for that. No problems in the circuit but the landing was not that great - not nearly enough of a flare (the low-wing influence, I think).
About 6 circuits later, after a couple of go-arounds and an engine failure after take-off exercise, Chee seemed pretty happy BUT the plane was due at Aeromotive for maintanence and there was no time for me to go solo - RATS.
Never mind, I've booked WAM again in a few weeks to go up with chief instructor, Roger, for a final "tidy-up" and, hopefully, some solo practice. Then I should feel current on 172s again.

Keeping Current - A Tale of Three Thursdays

2010-02-01T19:53:00.001+13:00

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.....

09/Jan/2010 - DEFINITELY A "GOLD STAR" DAY

2010-01-18T16:51:00.004+13:00

SATURDAY 9th JANUARY 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR - FIRST FLIGHT FOR 2010

A few months ago the lady wife had suggested flying up to Whangarei to visit her uncle, Dave who, after many years in Wellington, and after a bit of overseas travel and that moved up to Parua Bay with wife, Sue a few years back. Jolly good idea, I thought, and, about two months ago, booked Archer III, WIT for the day and crossed my fingers for the weather

Earlier in the week, daughter Eleanor called us to ask if she could cadge a ride with us. She was being driven to Hamilton from Wellington the night before and the original idea was to drive up to Whangarei the next day for a 21st party, then back to Hamilton Sunday and back to Wellington on Monday. Well, the clever girl had worked out that if she came with us she would get there quicker, more comfortably (5 up in a medium car was the alternative) and could have an extra few hours with her boyfriend who was up there at his parent's home for the holidays. She hadn't seen him since before Christmas, aaaah!, young love!!!

A third person in WIT was no problem so early(ish) on Saturday morning the three of us trekked out to the Aero Club. We loaded our stuff into the plane and I then sent the passengers back to the lounge while I preflighted and filled the tanks to give us 4.5 hours endurance for a 2.5 hour round trip - should be plenty.

It was fairly quiet at the airport (no CTC!) and we were cleared to line up on 18L as soon as I called ready and for take off while I was in the process of lining up. We lifted off at 0933 and after two right turns I set course for the first waypoint, Port Waikato at the Waikato river mouth. I chose 2500' for the cruising altitude for this leg. The wind was just West of South at about 25 knots from the forecast which seemed about right because we arrived over the coast on time with only a minor heading correction for the wind.

We then turned to the North to track up the sensational West coast making for the next waypoint, about two miles West of Parakai aerodrome. I set the GPS "direct to" track for Parakai to give me a guide (as if I needed it with the coast pointing the way!), set the autopilot and had the map on my lap to time my descent for the 1500' or below zone across the Manakau Heads and the Te Henga transit lane around Whenuapai. I must say I really like the autopilot in WIT, especially being able to dial in a descent or climb. It meant I could keep a good lookout and admire the view.

Our track across the heads was uneventful, no traffic nearby from the radio calls and we continued North past Piha and Muriwai beaches and at the golf course just past Muriwai called "Parakai Traffic" with my intentions to climb to 2500', and pass 2 miles west of the field on track to Whangarei. Time now to change the fuel tank, full throttle, dial up 500' a minute climb on the "VS" dial on the autopilot and listen out and look for any traffic around Parakai. There wasn't any to worry us, one call from a plane over Helensville on his way to Parakai, well away from us.

We tracked to the North and were soon over the Kaipara harbour which is vast (by NZ standards) and looks very shallow, the sand bars and banks clearly visible from the air. The southerly wind was now dead astern and the GPS showed 140-142 knots ground speed and an indicated airspeed of just over 120. Fairly whizzing along!! There were a few boats about but no planes, either heard or seen.

Once past the northern edge of the harbour I changed to the Whangarei AWIB (Automatic Weather Information Broadcast) and heard wind 220 at 10 knots, 4000' instrument cloud and parachute dropping in the vicinity so no overhead join. The wind sounded pretty friendly for runway 24 and just south of the MBZ (Mandatory Broadcast Zone) I called on the appropriate frequency that I was intending to land. Just South of Whangarei harbour I descended to 1000' and set up to join left base, making the appropriate calls. Only one aircraft nearby, just rotating off the runway, and a para dropper about to drop 10 miles away, so no worries there.

Once lined up on final it was clear the wind was not so friendly as first thought. It was a gusty and variable cross wind from about 180º and a slightly untidy landing resulted (well, I thought so, but the passengers were happy and outside observers thought it looked OK).

Eleanor disappeared off with boyfriend and Carol & I spent a few hours with Dave (Sue was in Wellington). We had a chat over a cup of tea admiring the views over the bay, a good walk and, following a much needed pub lunch, it was about time to head back to the airport and off to Hamilton. The wind had changed again - now from 100º so it was take off from runway 06, right turn and off to the South.

On the way back over Northland it was a bit bumpy so I climbed up to 4500' where it smoothed out nicely. We more or less reversed our course back except at Manakau heads I edged out to sea to get to 2500' to avoid oncoming traffic (heard but didn't see them). There seemed to be an event on at Piha - big red tent with lots of people around and relatively few on the beach. We heard a microlight radio call - his very loud engine (presumably uncowled) almost drowning out the pilot.

Approaching Hamilton it was still very quiet and, when I called the tower over Ngaruawahia, I was cleared into the zone, 1700' or below, to join a right base for 25 straight away. So, a gradual descent to circuit height over the city and when I made my next call early downwind I was cleared to land on 25L. (How often does that happen??!!). The wind was straight down the runway and so a nice landing back at base. Fantastic flight - great day out.

Eleanor shot some good video of the flight to Whangarei, link below;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Dc8UJshL8

2009 IN RETROSPECT

2010-01-10T21:40:00.000+13:00

So, in keeping with several other aviation posters, I will do a quick resume of my goals and achievements for 2009:

GOALS;

1) Achieve 50 hours flying for the year

2) Pass 250 hours total time

3) Learn some aerobatics

4) Do an Archer rating (having seen and drooled over WIT)

5) Finish off my night rating

6) Pass the medical and BFR

SO, HOW DID I DO?

1) 52.3 total hours for the year

2) 263.1 total time at 31/12/09

3) NOT achieved. I had the briefing on spinning but after four abortive bookings due to weather I decided to concentrate on the Archer rating

4) Achieved - as well as a rating on the Arrow

5) Achieved - thanks to Loreen and Marie in particular

6) Medical (May) and BFR (November) passed OK

A pretty good year all in all. I think I am becoming a better airman but there is always room for improvement.

GOALS FOR 2010:

I haven't thought too much about this but, off the top of my head:

1) 50 hours for the year again (like, about an hour a week average)

2) More cross country flying and a bit further afield

3) Night rating on the Archer

4) Have a trial flight in the Twin Commanche - the only club aircraft I haven't flown yet

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL - SAFE LANDINGS!!

LAST FLIGHT OF THE YEAR

2010-01-10T21:17:00.002+13:00

24th DECEMBER

The last flight of 2009 (on-call for Christmas and away to the beach for New Year) and, I hoped, a good one.

I had wanted to learn more about using the on-board navigation aids (ADF, VOR/DME as well as GPS * see below for a glossary for non-aviation readers) and booked WIT with instructor, Ash, for most of this morning. My excuse for missing the last-minute Christmas rush!!

A warm but somewhat cloudy morning with hardly any wind and all looked promising. I had made a flight plan (suggested by Ash at a briefing) to track from the Hamilton VOR/NDB to Taumarunui NDB. then to the Ohura VOR (in the middle of nowhere!!) and then back to Hamilton.

Ooops. It is now 10 days into the New Year and only just returned to this post - sorry readers. So, I'll make it brief. This was a great flight. Ash took me through how to set up the VOR, ADF and DME (mnemonic "TITS" for Tune, Identify, Test and Set) and also the GPS which I already knew a fair bit about. I found the tracking fairly straightforward with Ash's help but found I spent most of my time with my head down at the instruments rather than keeping a lookout - OK with Ash in the right hand seat doing the visual scan and some of the traffic radio calls but wouldn't be safe on my own.

The slightly tricky part was after a turn and getting back on track {Mnemonic "TTTT" for Twist (the dial), Turn (the aircraft), Time (check) and Talk (radio call)}. I got it OK with a bit of help, the thing is to be fairly bold with the course correction to get back on track quickly.

At one stage we were above the cloud (scattered only so would have been VFR legal) and rather than make a bit of a detour Ash got me to descend through the cloud on instruments - a tad scary but a useful little reminder of why VFR flight in cloud is illegal - it ain't safe, period! I did fine concentrating on the dials, though.

Finally, we got cleared for a VOR approach straight in for 36R at Hamilton. Ash told me to keep my head down and on track and when I was allowed to look up we were on short final and a bit high (also with a bit of a tail wind). My worst landing of the year followed - not a great end but a truly edifying experience, thanks, Ash.

Lessons to take away - instrument navigation is very demanding

- the GPS is easy to use as a guide for VFR cross country - I will use it in future but NOT make it a substitute for proper flight planning.

Glossary:

ADF - Automatic direction finder - used to track to or from an NDB

NDB - Non-directional beacon (low to medium frequency beacon - no directional information)

VOR - VHF omnidirectional range/radial - very high frequency beacon - gives direction and distance

DME - Used with VOR for distance to or from the beacon (as I understand it works a bit like an arcraft transponder but in reverse)

GPS - Global Positioning System - the only really new technology - the rest were developed during or just after World War II.

CAPITAL FLIGHT PART THREE - A FEW PHOTOS

2009-12-24T20:03:00.000+13:00

Firstly - A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!!

I thought I would post a few photos from the recent flight out of Wellington - taken by Eleanor and AJ - I was too busy flying to take photos!!

The Happy Passengers

"P-in-C" points out the sights!!

They don't call it Windy Wellington for Nothing!!

Karori Rock - a reporting point.

Petone and the Hutt River mouth

Wellington Harbour - about to join left base for runway 16 - the airport is just out of shot centre left

CAPITAL FLIGHT PART TWO – JOSTLING WITH THE JETS

2009-12-17T19:44:00.000+13:00

Tuesday 15th December

The weather forecast was for a southerly change and showers clearing during the morning so I didn’t have much hope for flying but, as it turned out the rain fell very early in the morning and I got up at 0700 to blue skies and a few clouds around. The wind change was right, though, a gusty southerly of 15 knots+ and it felt very cold compared with yesterday.

I checked the weather on the net and got the report as; wind 210 true at 21 knots, few cloud at 2500’, scattered at 4000’, 11ºC, dew point 7, QNH1012 and “no significant weather”. Further up the coast at Paraparaumu it was a lot calmer at 180º, 8 knots.

So, a bit blowy but more than likely good to go so I picked up daughter, Eleanor and boyfriend Adrian (“AJ”) and headed to the airport. Karl was the duty instructor and told me I was cleared to go as Pilot-in-Command. So, a good check flight yesterday and it is a nice feeling to have someone from another club give me that positive feedback. I helped Karl drag TDJ out of the hangar and he left me to gas up and preflight. That done, I phoned the tower with my intentions, a Sinclair departure (to the South-West around the Southern tip of the North Island) and then up the coast to the North.

I loaded the passengers in the back (they wanted to sit together…) and gave them the usual briefing. Ella has flown with me a few times before but it was AJ’s first time in a light plane. We were cleared to take off straight away after reporting ready (where are all those jets and turboprops, I thought) so I lined up on runway 16, did the line up checks, advanced the throttles and set off on my assigned departure. Ella told me afterwards that the thrilled look on her man’s face was something to behold!!

It was a smooth climb out and level off at 1500’ to track around the heads Southwest of Wellington. It got a little bumpy once in the lee of the hills as expected but not too bad. I stayed at 1500’ until North of the Porirua transit zone and then got up to 2500’ to be well clear of any circuit or arrival traffic at Paraparam. It smoothed out as expected and we had good views all the way up to just south of Otaki when I decided that time was about up and we should head on back. Also AJ was feeling a bit queasy and I didn’t want to push our luck.

The journey back was a replay of yesterday over the saddle to the Hutt valley and an Eastbourne arrival, only this time for runway 16 which would mean a left base and a steepish descent (well, steeper than I am used to at Hamilton) from the 1500’ circuit height. Helps to keep the speed up though.

The jets and turboprops were very much in evidence now and I was told to hold East of Point Gordon, orbiting over the Northern part of the outer harbour. After two orbits we were cleared to approach after a Dash-8 on final but I had only just started to descend when that was changed back to orbiting – again! (I think I was a bit slower to respond than the tower anticipated). The following flight in was quicker than anticipated from what I could gather from the radio calls and, fair enough, the turbines can’t change things as readily as us little pistons.

I finally got called in after a total of four (was beginning to lose count!!) orbits and made a fairly rapid descent to keep the speed up as I could hear the next one in was a jet. I ended up fairly well set on final, set 25 degrees of flap and more or less glided down to very short final, then pulling back to slow down, a bit of power to slow down the sink rate, a bit of a float down the runway to touch down about right to brake and taxi off to the GA apron with minimal delay. As I turned to park the following 737 touched down so I felt good about that – no hold-up for him.

The passengers got out more than happy with the experience. AJ was quite effusive with his thanks even though he still looked a bit pale. What a great couple of days flying.

POSTSCRIPT: The weather was good for Eleanor’s graduation on Wednesday and for our drive back today. And yes, we are very proud of her!