Gyroplane Training 
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Web by: Rebel Systems Training Days April 7 - 22 2001 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 May 26 - June 2 2001 April 1 - 11 2002 |
Day 24 When I looked out of the window at 7 it was calm, honest. Come 930 however and the fan had been turned back on. The forecast for the afternoon was better however so Roger felt now was a good time to get my last navigation exercise in. This was a dogleg that I had planned a few days earlier, that eventually ended up at Kirkbride. Fuelled, booted and spurred we set off. As I have mentioned earlier Roger likes to do the Nav's in the VPM with him as a passive passenger, just to make sure that you keep to track. Keeps the pressure up to get it right, rather than just ending up at the designated point. Time I reckoned would be 1 hour 20 minutes. With 2.5 hours endurance we were ok. First leg was 5nm SW to the racecourse. Carlisle being slightly on the track, which meant a slight detour around it. This meant I ended up slightly south of track when I got to the southern edge of the town. Triangulated, but saw the racecourse just to my right so made a bee line to it. From there it was West 12nm to Abbeytown. The wind was 25knots from the North just to spice things up and set up a nice crab to counter it to keep on track, (feels so good when you judge it right!) . Wigton came up but I decided that the wind had pushed me 1/2nm further south than I wanted, so I corrected the track for the last 4nm to Abbeytown, which by now I could see. That leg took me 4 minutes longer than I had calculated due to the crabbing to compensate for the wind. You ARE SURE this is Abbeytown asks Roger questioningly? Can I phone a friend I ask??? I was sure as the roads/river matched and of course the Abbey to the East of the town was a bit of a give away as well. From there it was SSW to Davenby, some 10nm. The ground was beginning to rise to meet us by now, so up to 1400 feet, QNH, (I always fly QNH as its less fiddling. Don't have a spare hand in the VPM anyway!) Passed the DME beacon on our left, confirming track was ok. Get to a village off our nose and I had to question greatly if this was Davenby. A square road section around the town, was not marked, so I had to triangulate off other features before I was happy that I was where I thought. I still wasn't 100% sure but Roger was happy when I declared that this was my t/p. Next leg was 5nm to the East, and into the hills. A little village in the Valley called Sunderland, was the target, but I felt somewhat exposed in case the Donkey quit so moved higher up to the North to take the Ridge line. That gave some scope if the engine did decide to quit so I felt happier. Bassenthwaite lake was clearly visible to the South, and I called a village off to our right the t/p. Roger again happy so I carried on until I intercepted my next track. From Sunderland it was 12nm North to Kirkbride. I could see the Estuary in the distance, and was able to match the shoreline to where I was aiming for. This leg was quite slow, due to pushing into a headwind. Views were spectacular, and it was a useful history lesson with Roger pointing out all the WWII air storage locations and old flying fields. 4nm South of Kirkbride, and tried in vain to reach them on the Radio. Weekends they are often around, but I guess the wind kept them on the ground. Into an overhead, intercept downwind to the North, and set up for 10. 18 knot cross wind is going to make for an interesting landing. Lined up for a diagonal across the runway. Speed good, track good. Landing... Not brilliant but passable, and no Ooof heard from Roger. A quick backtrack to threshold, and a diagonal takeoff. Last leg was 12nm ENE to Carlisle. Part way along the track Roger decides Carlisle was fogbound, (I'm sure I couldn't see the Fog!), and we had to divert to Dalston for a landing. Ok, I think we are here, track 150, triangulate, right off we go. 4nm detour, and I see what I am looking for and call Dalston on the other side of a wood dead ahead, Roger says ok, and make for home. For some reason the tune "Run for Home" popped into my head and I couldn't shift it! 5nm to run, Roger calls Carlisle. A Robin was on long finals at 15nm so Roger agrees for us to land 07, cross wind, but will revaluate when we get there. Coming onto finals, the Robin announces 10nm to run, so I said I wanted to land 01. A quick clearance form Tower, and I realigned for short finals 01. I called IDP, initial descent point, and started the familiar thick wedge sequence for a powered approach. Power down slightly, nose down, power, nose, power aiming to land on the numbers. Into the thin wedge still penetrating and flair. 70m short of the numbers but a good landing. Roger was happy! Being a Saturday, it had to be an air taxi back to the apron, right by the Cafe windows. Tower cleared Roger and off he went. He likes this bit. I told him to take 1 minute 30 over it, as we were at 1 hour 18 minutes 30 seconds, and I had declared 1 hour 20 at the start. Good judgement, or just lucky twice!!! Once down and put to bed Grahame and Dave were waiting to go on G-BGIO for solo training. Roger as is his custom was in for a tea first. 8 knots northerly was ideal. It had dropped considerably from the 18 knots we had left in. Off they went for more wheel balancing on 01, whilst I went into town to get a birthday present for my wife. I was looking forward to getting a little more time on the single seat, with hopefully some good long runs in the air. Anyway, I got back to a rather apologetic Roger, who said I couldn't do any more solo that day. Why? Well Dave had been slowly increasing the power to get to the light mains' stage, with the occasional shallow take off, and had on his last one decided he was too high and lowered the nose. Trouble was he wasn't that high, (have you heard this before?), and the front wheel hit the ground. He was very unstable, the front wheel deflecting, and oh so slowly over he went. The usual noises followed of bending and thrashing rotors, which then folded into the prop shattering that, and a few other bits of damage. I have to hand it to the fire brigade though because as soon as he went over the shutters were up and the tender was racing down the runway to him. No injuries but a costly dent to his pride! G-BGIO is now off to Jim Montgomerie to be rebuilt, but solo training was now finished for a week or so. Dave was mortified that he had let it happen, and was constantly reliving the experience. He was annoyed with himself that he had stopped any more training for the rest of us, but I tried to reassure him that these things happen, and just to learn from it. I hope, Dave, if you are reading this, that you don't let it stop you from carrying on and getting your ticket. It would be a shame to let this finish off your training. Nothing more to do than get the log signed up, and tootle off home. It was my Wife's birthday today so it would be a surprise, (shock!), to get back today. I reckon on another 5-6 hours solo to finish. Unfortunately I can not get any more week day time off until mid August when my current contract finishes, so it will have to be weekends until then. I will have to be fairly sure of the weather though because 6 hours each way is a long old drive just for a weekend. Hopefully I will get up there again in 3-4 weeks. Don't have a gyro yet so no real hurry: Just self imposed!!! |