Helicopters don't fly. They beat the air into submission.

15.09.11

A student became lost during a solo cross-country flight. While attempting to locate the aircraft on radar, ATC asks, "What was your last known position?"  The reply:
"When I was number one for takeoff".

So the day started well with sadly no flights booked but a need to book some more so I got shore leave to go and see the gang at Bournemouth Helicopters and get some more slots booked. As I pulled up my instructor Carl was walking towards me with a look on his face that was quite hard to decipher. It was either confusion or trapped wind. So I went with confusion and ask how he was. “I was literally just texting you there”, “that will save you 10 pence” I said, forgetting to find out if the situation was serious or not.

Fortunately it was to find out if I was free to go for a solo as one of the Schweitzer’s was free and the weather was perfect for soloing. Result!

And that was that. I got my flight plan done and the aircraft checks completed then it was time to commit aviation.

Once again an odd feeling doing it all by myself and not having flown first, landing then being deserted by my instructor before flying some more.

My plan was to go north to Ringwood Lakes then west to my turning point at Sturminster Marshal 12 miles away, then south for 5 miles to Rockley point and turn north for Wimbourne and then back to the lakes for a normal Northerly VFR to the airfield.

Turning at Sturminster

Compared to the day before the coms were so quiet, almost eerily quiet. Not a bad thing I might add. The route I had planned kept me ‘In the Zone’, so still in controlled airspace, Class D, compared to the Class G uncontrolled airspace I flew in the day before. This gave me a bit of comfort in that the Controllers were fully aware of everything in that area and to a very high level of accuracy. That meant if they knew where I was and they knew where every other aircraft was, then the chance of me having an airborne altercation was at the very low end of the scale. Phew!

Over Rockley and turning port to
 pass over RNLI College 

Each leg went really well with my turns being made right over where I wanted to make them and the times were a lot closer to my plan than I had expected. My instructor Carl was flying with a trial lesson student over Sandbanks and Old Harry rocks just outside Poole Harbour. It was comforting to know he was up there with me and not too far away. Although I must admit there is nothing he could have done if I had a problem. So it was more a psychological assistance than anything else.

My return leg to Wimbourne from Rockley took me over the RNLI Lifeboat College where I work as an Instructor, which doesn’t sound like too big a deal but I had taken two days TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) so I could see my colleagues feverishly working below me as I calmly and very casually flew over them. It’s the little things in life!   

On HTA as Oil Spill Responce
C-130 taxis to a stop

My final leg to the airport went really smoothly and I stop in the hover at the HTA where I asked permission to operate on the HTA for a further 10 minutes. An opportunity to do hover skills, solo, that could not be turned down. After a few manoeuvres I returned to Bournemouth Helicopters and let down and shut down with ATC.  

A perfect day, perfect weather, a very enjoyable flight and the icing on the cake was the fact that I had only turned up to book some flights. I just hope the weather gets better for a bit longer before the UK Autumn/ Winter season gets hold preventing my flying.

Onwards and Upwards


Video to follow soon