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.

Tailwheel fun

2014 totally got away from me. Away with work for almost six months and then catching up with the demanding farm work meant that I could only get around to reorganizing the benches in the workshop in December. About the time I had to renew my medical grade two now annually over 60 and with acquiring old age diseases. Touch wood, just saw the AME and given the all clear for another year. But part of the questionnaire is how much flying in the past year? Thought I better do some. So Thursday fortnight before last down to Central Coast Flying Club at Warnervale to hire their nice little Citabria for some tailwheel refresher training. After all I will be
needing it WHEN I finish the Corby Starlet.

A. the instructor is a nice man about my age. He flipped through the log book and decided he could probably reinvigorate my flying career. Push out the pretty blue and white fabric into a low overcast and rather windy day.

Warnervale is a narrow strip. But seemingly the Citabria is easier to taxi than I recall my initial attempts at the Decathlon I earned my tailwheel ticket in over a decade ago. So I was a little overconfident for take off, but got her up with a certain amount of screaming from the backseat. It handled fine in the air and I got ahead of it again on downwind and planned my approach. Badly. The trees on late final were alarmingly, but normally close. The touchdown resembled a crash from my position. Luckily A. took over and regained control of my overcontrolling careerings. Oh I can see how a ground loop occurs.

After the second circuit we changed circuit direction to the north. That gave us less crosswind and downwind, which definitely helped. Other aircraft movements were ok, and by the fourth circuit I was getting the stick to stick the tailwheel down and stay there. Just not pulling it back far enough - seemingly into my gut. The last circuits of the hour (8-9?) were great. Nailing it every time, and such a contrast to the first half dozen screamers.

Good Job A. I will be back for more. So satisfying landing these guys.

Oh and bonus. I ticked over my 300th logbook hour on this flight.

Sat 12 Oct 2013 0.9 hours C-150 Circuits

Having just had a painful, though successful BFR due to not flying in 12 months, I took up a 150 for circuit work. Plodding around on a most beautiful spring day I kind of got into it after the first two circuits and felt a part of the busy life of the regional airport. ATC even thanked me after expediting a base turn to assist sequence an A320 inbound, me watching it land proudly over a sharp turn onto downwind. There was a change of runway half way through with a couple of knots of downwind to add some spice to the landing and flatten the take off. The best moment was on the crosswind climb, head swiveling for traffic spotting when I spot something large in my one o'clock. Alarm turned to amusement when I focus and see the waxing half moon emerging planet sized from behind my cowling. I felt more like an astronaut for a moment, rather than an aeronaut.

Wet in the air

It's been dry for so long. We're lucky to be as close to the coast as we are, but the rain shadow starts at about our distance. It's been like a desert back west.

So it's nice when it rains. Not when you're flying though. Showers are ok. You can see the beginning and end of them. But good soaking rain just goes on and on.

I didnt have my flying gear with me when S called. I'd ridden my motorbike in to work. Even though rain was forecast. Heard that before. So help me pick up an aeroplane from the LAME at Cessnock? Oh ok. I could borrow a chart and there are spare headsets at the flying club.

The radar picture was peculiar. A fast moving band of blue (light rain) moving in from the west. Extensively. Oh well, the met forecast was ok. Windy in two hours. Light rain. Sweet.

Fuel up first? Half a tank. Rain. Yeah, better. Just in case.

The delay put us closer to the winds, especially flying west, into it. Climbing to 1500 feet, the picture was pretty darn grey.

Press on S? Looks iffy? Yeah.... Then Air Traffic hands us off into uncontrolled airspace, and oh what the heck. We can see Kurri, the highway below us. Greyness ahead. We're flying in full on rain.

Is that the cloud base? Going down to the ground?

No. Veils of rain.

More rain behind it. We'll be in it in a minute.

The cloud base is up there. Somewhere...

The GPS is in my flying bag. At home in the 4WD. Below me and behind. And of all days this is when I might actually need it.

There's Cessnock. The town. Cant make out the airport. That's the hangars isnt it?

Traffic Cessnock, Robin joining crosswind three five.

Put down ok after a way too high and hot approach – too close to the field (didnt want to lose sight of it). Though I really didnt want to go around either. Wonder if the runway's slippery because it's been teeming like it has been since Thornton. Nope, pull off at the first taxiway and park. Wait for S but he needs to refuel. The plane he's picking up is working ok, so go on ahead back to work. I'll come back if you need.

I give my calls and launch underneath a Cessna 152 that's overflying low for downwind. Wanting to get out of it. I'm going back into it. How's that cloudbase? I stay at 1000 feet as I turn east north of the field. Point the nose at the Auto Direction Finder set to Williamtown and keep it level. Work the radio frequency changes for airways clearance in the bouncy grey wetness.

Clearance Delivery, Centre, Tower, Surface Movement Control.

I am alone, me in my 120 knot rain lashed bubble canopy and the air traffic controller's instructions through my headset. I can make out the Kurri smelter. It's the only thing big enough to stand out from five miles in this murkiness. Almost at the boundary.

I am flying over the farm. I like this trip because it takes me over the top. Not seeing much now though. Rain streaming all the way down to the rapidly filling swamps nearby. Nice to see rain going down...far below.

I am sequenced in to land. Tower asks if I can see the field. Affirm. He mustnt be able to see me. But I am much smaller among all these rain drops than he is on the ground. The air trafficers shut down their controlled air space after I land. Leave it up to pilot discretion. The weather's not much good for any actual work. Well, I helped bring one of our planes back. That's work. One hour command time in the log book.

That's the worst VMC I've ever been in. And it was mad fun.