Takeoffs are optional. Landings are mandatory.

Close but no doughnuts, doughnoughts, doh nuts, do not's......ok so close but not quite there.

16.12.11

Was today going to be the day? Erm, no. Sadly due to an excess of weight in fuel and PAX for the distance planned, I was unable to do my pre Cross Country Qualifier (QXC) today. Before sitting your skills test you have to demonstrate you can fly from one airfield to a couple others in a sfae and organised fashion and return with you and the aircraft in one piece without committing any air law infringment (or any law infringement for that matter!). However before i could demonstrate i could do this on my own I had to fly to and land at my destinations with my instructor to make sure i was happy with the procedures and requirements.
Today I was flying with Instructor Mike O’Donoghue however the weather was better sooner than anticipated so while Mike headed in i set to doing my flight plan and weight and balance calculations. Planned route was Bournemouth to Tarrant Rushton VRP then down to Exeter via Lyme Regis then back up to Compton Abbas and returning to Bournemouth. Flight Plan went ok however the weight and balance came up short. Well actualy you could say long, as we were going to be almost 100 lbs over weight for the distance we were going and with the 28 US Gallons fuel onboard plus required for trip. 
So enter stage left, our options.
Option 1 - Syphen off fuel from tnaks on G-EMOL and refuel at Exeter (Not a prefered option as fuel would likely be discarded)
Option 2 - Take G-TSLC. A slightly lighter machine with only one tank. (Not a preffered option as EMOL has hours to catch up on TSLC)
Option 3 - Re do the plan. (More classroom work and less flying...Nope)
Option 4 - 'Shit Can' the whole day and go for a cuppa (See above reason)
 Option 5 - Continue with the plan but  throw in a random divert to Compton Abbas at a distance that would allow for the fuel/weight limitaions. (Yes)

Bright sun on top of the ridge

So thats what we did. We set off as we had intended to however at a random point decided by Mike, we diverted to Copton Abbas for a landing which meant we did some Divert training and still got the Compton Abbas pre QXC landing ticked off. We also had time for a quick cuppa and a natter then it was off again returning to Bournemouth. Compton Abbas is and interesting place to fly as its perched up on a ridge lie which gets a stiff breeze most of the year. From Compton we headed home however i was under the hood wearing the Foggles again.

300 feet and still wearing the Foggles

For this flight Mike assued the pretend position of RADAR controller guiding my into the airfiel in zero/poor visability. He had me do direction and altitude changes, speed alterations and orbits and to tp it all off we did a full circuit aproach right down to 300 feet 40 knots before i got to take the foggles off. Way over and above what will be expected in the skills test but a valuable experience and bloody good fun!
Almost completed the required instrument time and still to do my QXC. Waiting to fly to Exeter now and do a landing with an instructor before I can do it solo.
On to the next Flight!