The sky is fairly clear as I make my way to
the airfield. I notice the autumn leaves blowing in the wind and start to
wonder whether it will be too windy to fly. Sure enough when I arrive my
instructor tells me it’s about 15-18 knots. The wind limit for the Cessna 152
is 12 knots. There is a crosswind on the runway and it is not suitable for
circuits.
We settle into an hour of ground school
instead. I learn about Tafs and Metars and get my own log in on the Met Office
website. They have a free General Aviation Briefing Service. It all looks like
gobbledygook but by the end of my lesson I am starting to get the hang of it.
I stick around afterwards chatting to
another trainee pilot at about the same stage as me. As I do so my instructor
approaches me and asks me how much I want to fly today. His next lesson has not
turned up so he has got an opening. We won’t do circuits instead we’ll go off
and do some practice-forced landings. I momentarily contemplate the slightly
worse than acceptable weather conditions before saying “Okay let’s do it.”
Everyone is sat inside at the airfield café
because of the weather as I stride across the tarmac to the Cessna clutching my
headphones and flight bag. I feel a mixture of nervousness and excitement
hoping this was the right choice. I watch the larger more stable Pipers in the
circuit bobbling around in the wind and wonder how the smaller Cessna will
fair.
“I’ll do the take-off and landing today”
says the Instructor. Fine by me I think and I sit back as we accelerate down
the runway. Then we are airborne and my first thought is wow this is pretty
windy. “Did you bring sickbags?” I joke nervously to my instructor as we bobble
about. “I think we’ll both probably need them.” He replies reassuringly.
He gives me control and we climb to about
2300 feet just south of Guildford. The turbulence comes in patches with my
stomach occasionally being left a few feet above us as we suddenly drop. I try
to relax and focus on the flying. As is usually the way my instructor
demonstrates first this time a practice forced landing. He closes the throttle
to zero and then we are gliding. Above 2000 feet you try to restart the engine
and check what might have caused engine failure, below 2000…. you just pick a
field and concentrate on trying to get down safely. A simulated mayday call is
made stating our situation, location and number of people on board. Then you
brief the passengers (hands and feet away from the controls, evacuate aircraft
quickly on landing etc.) Then as we are about 500 feet above the chosen field
my instructor puts the power back on and we climb out.
Then it’s my turn. It all seems to go okay.
My passenger briefing to my instructor includes the words “start praying” which
makes him chuckle. The wind is so strong that we feel like a balloon being
blown sideways. But I manage to line us up with the field I chose. As we climb
out the downdraft is so strong we struggle to make altitude.
My instructor cuts the power again about
2300 feet. This time I notice the disused airfield at Ockham and decide to aim
for there. “Good” my instructor says. However the compliment is short lived as
it soon becomes apparent we are not going to make it. “Look for other options”
he suggests. It’s all paddocks and trees as far as I can see. We power back up
and climb out. I could have made it had I turned in earlier my instructor tells
me. Lucky it was only a practice!
We head back to the Airfield and rejoin
overhead. As we approach the runway there is a Piper landing ahead of us. His
landing looks extremely hairy and at one point it looked like his wingtip was
going to touch the ground. They don’t manage to touch down and I hear over the
radio the pilot saying they are going around. As they climb out I’m aware it’s
our turn. “Let’s see if I can land this” my instructor says with modesty. We
are coming in angling to the wind (the crab approach for crosswind landings).
Then we are on the ground without too much drama. I breath a small sigh of
relief and am aware that I am buzzing with adrenaline. It was a good if not
slightly nerve wracking experience.
I pay in the clubhouse and head back home feeling
good about how the day turned out. I am feeling like things are starting to
come together having passed my first ground exam a week ago. My next milestone
is my first solo flight.
Total Flying Time: 14 Hrs 50mins
