THE BIG CHILL

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

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

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)