1992 training area elevator ride

So far this blog kept a chronicle of events from the time it started, 2006 or so, especially as a builder's log for my eventually to be completed Corby Starlet. But there are a few notable experiences I would like to share that occurred before, in this case a long time before, I started the blog.

In 1992 I was a student pilot flying out of Wagga airport. I had 20-30 hours and prior to my RPL test (now known as the GFPT) I was getting signed off to burn fuel in the training area and just get comfortable with the aeroplane, the environment, the other aircraft, the tower Wagga had in those days, so air traffic control and so on. As a solo pilot.

One late spring day I took the Cherokee 140 out over the Murrumbidgee River, Wagga Wagga city to my left and the RAAF Base/aerodrome behind me. The weather was moderate winds from the north with broken cumulus at about 4000'. Wagga is about 700ft above seal level so there was lots of room between me and the clouds and the 200 sq miles or so of training area to the north of the city.

I was pretty much on my own there. It was practice to remain on the Wagga ATC tower freq and call entering and exiting the TA, so anyone there would know and could arrange separation. So there was no one there.

Some turns, some stalls, then I was climbing, albeit in a straight and level attitude at a cruise speed of 105 knots. What? And climbing fast. The VSI was winding up to 2000fpm that's a very high performance climb from a low performance aircraft, that without updraft assist would be struggling to do much faster than 500fpm. Going past 3000' I try pulling back the throttle, Carb heat On, and gently entering a diving attitude. The airspeed climbs to 115kts. I am still climbing at the stops of 2000 fpm indicated. Yikes, warm the engine back to 2000rpm, enter a more level attitude and call for help.

"Wagga Tower, Mike Echo Yankee in training area in an uncontrolled ascent, I am likely to penetrate upper boundary of training area. Please monitor and advise flying club if necessary" I said, amazed at my cool voice. Equally coolly, Wagga Tower replies "MEY understood, please advise cloud base and top of climb", "MEY wilco".

A few moments later, "Wagga Tower, MEY cloud base is 5000' still ascending in clear air". "MEY roger."

I am looking up for the cloud base, am I being sucked into a thunderstorm. I am watching walls of cloud go by outside as my ascent takes me higher than I've ever been in a light aircraft. Damn, oxygen! Stay calm, this can't go on for ever. 9000'  is it slowing? 10000' the VSI has stopped. I am at the cloud tops of these massive but rather pretty looking cumulus. The ground is visible in the gaps between them. Man, I am in an aeroplane that climbed like a glider, how would a glider have fared?

"Wagga Tower, MEY, now on descent inbound 10000' request airways clearance."

"MEY clear for approach extended final 05. Please report cloud passing cloud base and level."

ATC kept me busy with something definite to do rather than worry whether I would be sucked back into the sky by another clear air updraft. I'd never heard of such a thing. Though clearly it was preferable to being sucked into the cloud with the resulting VMC disorientation.

For some reason I never really discussed this with my instructor, except for the barest details. In experienced retrospect, it was very unusual. Though ATC may have been more aware of it given their handling of the matter.