Squawk 3000

Yay! Went up yesterday for an hour of circuits in VH-WIX. Weather a bit cloudy (SCT at 2000, Overcast at 3500), a bit gusty (330/11 to start with, changing to 340/20, gusts to 35 for the last few). Three left hand circuits from runway 32L, then three right hand circuits, including one left orbit (Jetstar A320 on ILS approach) and change of runway to 32R (grass strip) while a Virgin Blue 737 departed for Melbourne.

How did it go? Well - forget the comments my previous CFI made about minimal flying to sign off my BFR… I probably doubted it myself - I will need to do a fair bit more ‘refreshing’ before I will be confident enough to go it alone. It’s more a matter of internalising all procedures than personal ability, so a few more blocks of circuits, refreshers and practice for emergency procedures, sign-off for solo circuits, and a nav trip (or two) should get my own confidence levels back where they used to be. Also, the C172 handles quite differently to the Piper Warriors (PA-28) I used to fly - I particularly notice the difference in ground effect when flaring for landing. Plus, this was the first time I had any significant wind to deal with since I started again, so a couple of the touchdowns were, shall we say, interesting.

I’ll book some more time next week - in the meantime, I’ll drill all sequences and procedures into my brain. As my instructor said - he wants to be a passenger/observer, and not have to say anything to me from chock to chock before he will let me loose. Fair comment.

Stay tuned.

Finally!! I went up last Sunday with the CFI at Tas Aero for my first LH seat trip since May, 1987. A long time between drinks!! It was great. We just stooged around to the south-east of Evandale, about 6-8nm from the airport (YMLT) and I did some revision on the basics - turns, straight and level, climb/descent, and a power off stall.

Although it was my first time in the pilot’s seat of a Cessna 172P (VH-WIQ), it all came back fairly easily. Main difference between the C172 and the PA-28/PA-32 is that some of the controls and switches are in different places (and, obviously, the wings are in a different place). The panel was perhaps not as ‘modern’ as the aeroplanes I have flown previously, but all is good.



Pre-flight, taxi, take-off, stooge around, join circuit, landing - all good. I will go up again next week and do some more revision (dual) win the training area. Over the next three weeks, I’ll do some circuits and one or two Navex’s, and then I am back in business and good to go solo again.

I’m budgeting to do around 25 to 30 hours in the next year, more if I can justify it, and am looking forward to feeling like a real pilot again.

Stay tuned.