What no food left, damn I had been so looking forward to a bacon butty or a burger. Oh well at least I’ll fit more easily into the cockpit on the way back.
Its Sat 30th Aug and the powers that be had decided to open up the disused airfield on Thorney Island for the weekend in order to raise money for the “Help for Heroes” charity. I’d just flown in from Deanland, parked up and managed to locate Paul and David (who had left Deanland slightly before me).
The wind on the Island was starting to get up but was fortunately still straight down the runway. That said the reports indicated that it would really slow things down on the eastward bound return leg.
Of to sign in proper and a quick walk round the parking area, lots of nice machinery on view. A few spam cans, LAA’s and groups A’s as well as a nice selection of both three axis and flex-wing microlights. The Escapade boys looked to be out in full force with quite a few lovely examples as well as a red and white C42 which looked very different in this colour configuration.
Well after this short bout of drooling it was back to CC, load in as much fuel as possible (this was going to be tighter than I would like what with the headwind), quick PFI and listen to David get clearance to taxi. Quick hold at the runway threshold and then taxi down to the road intersection to wait with David. Oh bugger they have put us on hold to allow a Yak to carry out a fly past and peel off (only thinking about the fuel) it was impressive through!
Ok David’s rolling and I’m next. There’s another plane on finals so no time to wait around on this occasion. Quick check to ensure that David was climbing out OK, apply full power and we are off. Taking off from a concrete runway into a positive headwind doesn’t half shorten my take-off roll! I’m up and climbing out towards the East. I can hear that the two group A’s that had been holding with me had also got off before the landing aircraft so I would have to be on my guard as things were getting busy around here.
The radio crackled again, “large aircraft approaching low from the East”, 15 seconds later another radio call, large aircraft possibly a Lancaster approaching from the East”. I could just imagine all the pairs of eyes in the four departing aircraft all swivelling rapidly to try and locate this historic beast of the air. Unfortunately at this point I was starting a climbing turn to the North East and couldn’t quite pick it out. That said I swear I heard it a few minutes later as I climbed up over the coast. David was about 500m ahead and slightly below, the two group A’s had just overtaken me, one either side above and below, hell its getting like the M25 up here!
OK trying to keep David in sight, up and around Chichester, keeping Goodwood airfield to my right I climb up to 2300 ft and listen in to their frequency. All sounding pretty busy, check out which runway is in operation. OK I’m flying downwind of there approach but with plenty of height separation. I can easily see aircraft in the circuit, visibility is much better now than it was earlier. Oh what’s that a Spitfire calling up Goodwood for a priority straight-in approach. Now where is he, must be well below me and off to the left. Got him, now that is impressive. Can’t be that many people (in peacetime at any rate) who have been able to say that they had looked down on a Spitfire as it cruised below them over the patchwork quilt of the English countryside – bit clichéd I know but god it looked cool!
Oh well dream time over time to concentrate. Quick check of the GPS showed that the wind wasn’t as bad as predicted and that I was able to cruise at about 50-55mph, 2000ft seemed to be the optimum height as far as the wind is concerned. David has now disappeared off to the north in order to give Littlehampton and Shoreham a wide berth. I’m going to stay in a little closer in as this is the shortest route and fuel conservation is going to be the order of the day.
Try to reach David on the microlight frequency but no luck so quick listen in to Shoreham, not a lot doing. Vis is so much better now, alongside Shoreham I can see 4 blue piston aircraft (no idea what they were) in pretty tight formation showing off to the crowds. Quick glance at the fuel gauge and the timer and all looks well. Decide to go for a straight-line approach to Deanland and look for a left base join on 06. David had kindly radioed up in advance to confirm runway in use…thanks David!
Oh that cross wind is a bit feisty. The approach to 06 always seems to take forever especially with a stiff crosswind. Lots of adjustment required, where’s that bloody centre line. I can just hear Keith voice asking me I’m I on the centre line and the answer was……no but not for the want of trying.
Over the hedge at 50 feet still fighting to hold the centre line. The hump in the runway is approaching fast, throttle off, hold it off, hold it off and I’m down. Rolling slightly faster than I would have expected given the wind, on the brakes and just managed to pull off at the centre point.
David and Paul had arrived back just before me and even had the kettle on.
The strength of the crosswind was ably demonstrated about 5 mins later when one of our colleagues had to abort his landing after a rather high bounce and an untimely gust…….it shouldn’t take him too long to clear the brambles from his tail skid!!
What a great days flying, CC put to bed, home for tea and crumpets (I wish).
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