"Another one down and another one down..."

"... another one bites the dust" - Hmmm, not a good song to sing in aviation circles.

                                             I'm a yellow helicopter

                                             Sitting on the ground. 

                                             These are my rotor-blades Slowly turning round.

                                             Faster now, and faster...

                                             They're spinning like a top. 

                                             Take off...           

                                             Turn around 

                                             Touch down...           

                                             Stop.

                                                                                      Brian Thompson 

                                        (Don't know who he is but he wrote this...well done Brian)

I think this best describes the extent of my last flight although all of the above was stretched out over 0.9 of an hour.

Today was like yesterday only worse. By that i mean the weather was just despicable. That fine smirry rain that is almost not there but big enough to not be mist and prevalent enough to get EVERYTHING soaked in seconds. In short the rain was omni-present. Needless to say no flying so it was in for another spout of ground school. After spending half an hour going through some points on met and discovering I could remember some of my university studies when I had Meteorology as a unit for a year* almost 14 years ago (* it was on my weekly rota for Uni but I spent most of that year rock climbing at different venues and competitions around the country...ooops!). My Instructor folded up my books and cleared the desk and disappeared only to return with a Meteorology paper and answer sheet. " The time is 11:47, you've got 1 hour. Name and CAA number at the top, today's date is the 8th. Good luck". 

I was a bit surprised but he knew what Iwas capable of so I let in to his trust and sat the paper. after taking almost the complete hour I was half and half whether I had done enough to get the 75% needed. Mostly as there were a couple I was unsure of how the questions were worded (almost in Latin in true CAA exam style) and as per every test I sit, at least one complete guess where I couldn't see through all the information to get the answer. Sadly the guess I could have got right if I had just read the question

RTFQ - Read The 'Flippen' Question. 

To get the results back showing 85% was a total relief and a pleasant surprise. Another Exam done and now only the dreaded 'Performance and Planning' to go. Not looking forward to this one as, as much as my spelling is challenged, my numeracy is uber challenged and I'm guessing it will be sums heavy. Study study study!

Hopefully a flight on Thursday this week (10.11.11) weather depending and get my Cross Country Qualifier, 3 hour multi stop, flight done.

Right now for some R&R and light study on Bohemian interactive 'Take On helicopters' simulator. The eye candy version of FSX . Only way I'll get to fly an MD-500! 

What goes up must come down...

...Principals of flight in other words!

yes it was that time again. Exams exams exams. now its only exams exams to go. 

After arriving at the airfield today in what can only be described as 'Non Weather', i weighed up the possibilities of flying and doing an exam. The weather was not conducive to any sort of worth while flight however my solo time was low and the HTA was sat there all alone doing nothing on its own. So a plan was formulated to go and spend 30 mins on the HTA come back have a coffee go and do another 30 mins come back for a top up of coffee and then sit my exam. 

Airport Fire Crew Training ahead 

Well, as all good military personnel know, ' No plan survives contact with the enemy' and this was no different. There was a lot of ground traffic on the airfield ranging from aircraft doing power and equipment checks to fire crews throwing foam all over the fire training area near the HTA and a few random vehivles scudding around for what looked like idle amusement. I took off and headed over to the HTA and started to go through the usual low level hover skills. Flying forwards, backwards, side to side, turn on the spot, turn nose round a spot, turn tail round a spot, confined box turns, quick stops, landing, take off, sloped landings and take offs, land in the middle of the HTA and check my watch..... 10 minutes done.

Hard to tell but a sloped landing

This could be a long one!. In the end I had a few interuptions from the ground traffic which took up some time where I was hovering to show I had seen them. It wasn't all bad as there is no such thing as a bad day flying. Only bad days landing! 

When I had shut down I had a coffee to refresh and a wee natter to the lads that work at Bournemouth helicopters then it was into the 'Aircraft Technical and Principals of Flight' exam. I had been cramming my study recently to the point of falling asleep at my desk and waking up a few hours later, dribbling with my face stuck to page 86 of Wagtendonk's 'Principals of Helicopter Flight' training book. A great book which goes through all you'll need to know for the exam. 

Landing at BH for a shut down

Fortunately I could remember a lot of physics from my Scottish Standard and Higher Grade studies (equivalent to English GCSE's and A Level respectively). That along with owning a Landrover which gave me the mechanical knowledge helped me understand a bit more than what was being asked. 

I managed a very pleasing 95% with the two questions being 1 silly mistake and my only guess that didn't work out. 

So its back to the books now to study 'Performance and Planning' or 'Meteorology'...which will be the easiest????

While i waited for my results I was taken along as moveable ballast in Bournemouth helicopter's EC 120 G-SKPP. Second time ive been inher and it is a pleasure to be in. everything seems so much smoother and responsive. No harm in dreaming about flying that one day.

Safe flying and catch you soon.

p.s sadly not many pictures or videos to show of HTA work or sitting an exam. Both a bit dull more to follow soon. Still no joy with editing program! really ticked off now!