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Most enjoyable morning. First "off airfield landing" I have made, in a clearing between 2 copses of trees on a local farm under the beady eye of an instructor. It was well briefed and I got a "well flown thumbs up, particularly in light of the gusty condition today!" Definitely the windiest conditions I have flown in, with the added frisson of sheep in the western approach field next to the airfield, to be avoided, while waiting for the parachutists to sort themselves themselves after having having been blown all over the place.

Funny how the scratchings on a white board can turn into something so satisfying...

Excellent! Well done! I liked the 6 ‘S’ mnemonic. Not seen that before.

Well done GG - think back to when you started, today's exercise and the progress you've made between them.

All good fun.... I will share this: W O T F E E L... it is about gathering info then making decisions....

Start an orbit and work thru thru it...

Wind---First thing to figure out---where is it coming from and how many kts

Obstructions--what is out there, ridges, mountains, powerlines, farms, built up areas etc---all will affect your approach path

Turbulence--from buildings, trees, ridges, mountains etc...again--HOW will it affect your approach path

Forced landing areas... where can I go if ***** hits the fan....identify where to go

Elevation---what is the estimated elevation of the LZ

So...now you have gathered all this information, time to pick your

Entry & Exit route.... how will you fly the pattern to your spot, decide your downwind altitude and fly it---pick a "final approach point" be itt a tree or what ever, and aim to be over it at XXX altitude and heading XXX, therefore your spot is in front of you. Sometimes you will choose tto accept a cross wind as it gives you more options in the event of engine failure or is best suited for terrain/noise abatement... (You see what I m getting at right?)

Landing area.....NOW you do the 5 S's.......

WOTFEEL works.... I worked on it back in the early 90's when I was Chief Instructor at HAI....

...and, of course, the big lesson - Do NOT make your own clearing

Boac wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 22, 2022 8:39 am

...and, of course, the big lesson - Do NOT make your own clearing

The beady eyed instructor I am flying with again, on a repeat of last Saturday's shenanigans, at a more difficult landing site, with a lot more of the S, for slope this time, this coming Saturday, was telling me that he obtained his commercial license in Canada, where the examiner pointed downwards to a "clearing" in the forest he wanted him to land in and the beady eyed one was forced to say, "there aren't any clearings down there!" to which the examiner said, look more carefully or make a clearing if you can't see it!

@G~Man - Many thanks for the good advice... much appreciated.

Part two of this exercise today, this time navigation to a farm to the South East of the airfield. The en route navigation route followed the M20 for part of the way, (IFR - I follow roads)where I was able to see for myself the appalling lorry chaos running all the way from ferry terminal right up to Junction8 on the M20, occasioned by Brexit's Operation Brock. An appalling traffic jam.

Got into the small field complete surrounded by tall trees, and got out using a towering ascent, which was easy given the surfeit of power available in the lightly laden aircraft coupled with the cold weather, and the brisk breeze which made for more lift. Performance was OK but I was apt to feel that my flying was a bit sloppy today. In the air again in a fortnight time. Onwards and upwards as they say.

I have never seen a triumphal announcement, have you achieved PPL(H) ?
My little brother, no previous pilot experience got his in 67hrs you must be past that.

Wodrick wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 02, 2022 1:10 pm

I have never seen a triumphal announcement, have you achieved PPL(H) ?
My little brother, no previous pilot experience got his in 67hrs you must be past that.

I have nowhere near that number of hours. Flew very little over lockdown. Have the grand total of 38 hours after today. In theory I could do this in 45 hours but given where I am I suspect I might get there in about another 25 or so hours. Lack of continuity has been my issue.

Take off your Brexit biased goggles - a large number of P&O boats sitting in dock doing nothing - will have had a huge impact on capacity.

Little Bro has zero hand eye coordination and can barely drive, I was flabbergasted when he rang to say he had a PPL(H) so I'm sure you'll get there.

Wodrick wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 02, 2022 2:17 pm

Little Bro has zero hand eye coordination and can barely drive, I was flabbergasted when he rang to say he had a PPL(H) so I'm sure you'll get there.

Kudos to your brother. What is he flying?

Was 22/44 but not anymore Medical (heart) jumped out and bit him.

From Wellesbourne IIRC

Wodrick wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 02, 2022 2:21 pm

Was 22/44 but not anymore Medical (heart) jumped out and bit him.

From Wellesbourne IIRC

Sorry to hear that. Worth doing, the training is a lot of fun and I bet he got in some good hours after he got the licence as well.

Seemed to enjoy his little self zotting about. Overpaid BA staff. Part of the deal was she had her horse, overpaid BA staff.
When he lost his license she kept the horse until recently.
Lot of money going in that house him a CSD she a Purser flying as a couple.

Wodrick wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 02, 2022 2:38 pm

Seemed to enjoy his little self zotting about. Overpaid BA staff. Part of the deal was she had her horse, overpaid BA staff.
When he lost his license she kept the horse until recently.
Lot of money going in that house him a CSD she a Purser flying as a couple.

I am lucky that my better half hasn't seen fit to ask for a horse! She has been a great sport about my helicopter machinations (added to the fixed wing stuff), so I guess I am very lucky indeed!

CremeEgg wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 02, 2022 2:15 pm

Take off your Brexit biased goggles - a large number of P&O boats sitting in dock doing nothing - will have had a huge impact on capacity.

Brock means Brexit...

Brexit means Brock. It is the new normal and has been for a while i.e. predating the ferry fiasco, which in itself is indirectly linked to Brexit as well.

But let's take this elsewhere, lest I am terminated for contaminating this thread with politics...

Saturday, was good, apart from an outraged cow.

Back in the air tomorrow afternoon, with some more foggle *****. I tried on Saturday and performance with was OK but less accurate than I can do fixed wing.

I realize that my age was getting in the way. With the foggles, I was struggling to scan properly, without my glasses...

Death be not proud!