GOING SOLO...

28.08.11

...no, not down in Alcapulco. That was loco not solo!

"I was already beginning to realize that the only way to conduct oneself in a situation where bombs rained down and bullets whizzed past, was to accept the dangers and all the consequences as calmly as possible. Fretting and sweating about it all was not going to help."                       
                                               ‘Roald Dahl - Going Solo’.

By the grace of God alone there were no bullets or bombs raining down over Bournemouth this weekend however there was just cause to sweat a fret.  Today saw another set of flights after a break of about four weeks. Only one word to describe the break in flying - Brutal! So once again after miserable weather and also cancelled flights due to the Bournemouth airshow, I’m back in the saddle.

While mentioning  the airshow, a tragic event happened when  Flt Lt Egging’s Hawk T1 Red Arrows display team aircraft crashed moments after doing a fly-by of Bournemouth airport, prior to landing for the day. Results as to the cause of the crash are a long way off with Military Air Crash Investigators inspecting the wreckage. I'm sure I can speak for all aviators by saying our heart felt sympathy and thoughts are with Flt Lt Egging’s Wife and family and also his colleagues in the RAF. 

                
Todays flights were to say the least monumental...and a bit mental on its own. The conditions were in now shorter terms, perfect. After a thorough A check of the aircraft, myself and my Instructor Carl set off to do a few circuits north of tha airfield. After three circuits back to back with Carl 'observing' (he siad he would say nothing and let me get on with it), we landed on the hard at the end of taxi way Tango and he got out. his parting words before heading off for a coffee were, "you've got till half ten so go and have a play and do what you like". Carl is Northern (don't hold it against him) so after translating the previous statement it was obviously read as - go and do perfect circuits and perfect landings as best you can staying away from everything and everyone and not breaking anything and be back and landed by half ten. "Wilco" I chirped with a hint of glee and if I'm perfeectly truthful a larger dolop of 'Holy crap!'. Carl casualy walked off into the distance to a waiting brew, not looking back and conffident that I would do as crypticly requested. 'Like a Swan' I thought. Calm and gracefull and not perturbed on the surface but going like the clappers underneath! I hope he didn't worry too much.  
After getting into the hover, checking T's &P's (Temperatures and Pressures) were in the green (Showing green on the guages - Green = good Red = Uber Bad) no warning lights and performed a spot turn to ensure there was no other traffic on the ground or air that would interfere with my moment, I eased the cyclic forward and comitted to translational lift. 
The first thing that struck me was how heavy Carl weighed. Now he's not the tallest of blokes and isn't carrying excess weight but he must have lead feet as when i lifted the collective a fraction I shot up like a rocket. (only teasing Carl! I'll be paying for that comment for hours to come). 

The circuit went really well with only one disturbing thing being the fact that the theme tune to '64 Zoo lane', a kids cartoon, was going through my head through the whole flight till i shut down the aircraft at 10:30. My first aproach to the HTA was a little high so I ran on into the open space beyond instead of wrestling her down and risking Ring Vortex. Second Circuit was as good as the first with my aproach, if I do say so myself, absolutley spot on. I could have landed her on a 50p piece. the third circuit also was good and the second landing went well although my aproach was a little shallow but not unacceptable. Once in the hover I checked my watch and I had 3 mins to spare so a quick call to bournemouth tower to request taxi to bourmouth helicopters and a short hover taxi later, I was shutting down ready for a break till the second flight. All in all a very very enjoyable flight that went better than expected. Four more solo hours to go!


Flight 2
Well fortunatlely we did the solo in the morning as the wind had picked up from 7 knots to 12 by the time we got out for the second flight of the day. 
We headed out to the north and climbed to 2400 feet to do some Advanced Autorotations. We limited ourselfves at 2400 feet as Solent controled airspace is at 2500. The weather was starting close in with rain clouds building. The clouds were very localised and the showers well defined underneath them. Towering columbs of water bimbling across the land. We could skirt round them with no issue. It looked very impressive. 
HASEL checks - Height - suffisicent
                              Area - sloping, obstructions, people, cattle
                              Secure - no loose objects in cockpit
                              Engine - T's and P's in the green, no warning lights
                              Look out - other aircraft ahead, behind, left and right and above and below
When we got to a suitble large flat and clear area we started having a ply with autorotations. Starting at 60 knots IAS and performing a standard auto, then onto 70 knots IAS and seeing the distance change we could achieve. Shortly followed by 40 knots IAS. I've stated  IAS (Indicated Air Speed) deliberately on each as the last auto we did was showing 25 knots IAS, however we were deffinatey at zero knots across the ground, if not a little backwards, indicating the wind at 2000 to 2400 feet was stronger than the 12 knots we left in. 
We headed back to the airfield to do a couple of engine off's in the hover, which went well and then back to Bournemouth Helicopters for 'Tea and Medals'. A very enjoyable and informative day. 
Roll on the next session!