The plot was to journey down to Headcorn; followed by a short hop to Maypole; then the long way round, via Southend, to Clacton. The cast included  me (Rob), the Colonel (Steve M), Steve R, Nic, Shane, Jane, Jim and Nick. Apologies if I've left someone out, but my memory is not that sharp.

Absolutely no idea why I have a picture of Delta Hotel, it wasn't on the trip ...

I flew to Headcorn with Jane and Nic in the 172. Steve M probably flew the Cherokee, with Jim and Shane on board, and we had at least one 152, so that would be Nick flying with Steve R, I guess.

We got to Headcorn, and I joined the circuit, did the checks downwind, turned and announced on the radio I was crosswind. 'You mean base' came Nic's voice from the back seat. Ooops, mistake number one. However I got us down safely.

The Cherokee arrives at Headcorn

Same seating and on to Maypole. I'm nervous. Maypole is a 'strip', you need to keep west of centre line at all times, call Manston first, and find it. I managed to call Manston and find Maypole. I'm inline for a straight in approach, but I'm not sure I have enough time to lose enough height without building up too much speed for the short runway. While I'm deciding Jim's voice announces that the Cherokee is going straight in, thus continuing the great tradition of Jim cutting me up on approach!

So, mind made up for me I execute a pretty wide circuit to avoid various villages and give myself enough time to think about height, speed and full flap. However, I lose sight of the target and end up with a really short final from 1000ft and no flap deployed yet. Rats! Go around. Missed approach number one.

Big wide circuit to give plenty of time to think. Meticulously go through the checks and then the brain switches off. I'm ready to turn final, but have no flap down. I try to rescue the situation, but end up with too high an approach speed for my comfort and it's go around number two!

Maypole: the runway is to the left of the nice green bit; I finally touch down

Round again. This time get it right! Round the circuit and this time power to the brain is maintained and I'm happy. "The runway is to the left", Nic's voice again. I'm lined up on the grass field adjacent to the runway (well it looked good!). A quick correction and at last we're down. Not surprisingly everybody is waiting for me.

and it's worth showing a couple of more times!

Fizzy drinks and then off to Clacton. Change of planes and crews. Nic checks the fuel content in the Cherokee and is alarmed to find barely more than an hour and a half left. There should be far more if it was filled to tabs on leaving Andrewsfield. A great debate follows and the conclusion is: no leak, but that a mistake has been made. No fuel can be had at Maypole at the moment, so options are discussed. Jim decides there is enough to reach Clacton with a reasonable reserve, and so we all depart.

Around Clacton

This time I'm doing nav and radio for Steve R in the 152. We are routing back to Southend and then out again to Clacton and have to get across Southend's overhead. We get to Sheppey and I can't get a word in at Southend. We pass Sheppey and are travelling up the Thames to Chatham and Rochester and I still can't get a word in. If this goes on we'll be at London City. At last I find a break, I think, and ask for information only to be told "Don't interrupt!" by Southend's ATC, she is waiting for a read back from Steve M. Mistake number three. We wait for real a break and at last I manage to get in. "That's better!" I'm told, thanks a lot. Can I cross the overhead? "If you have to!". Must have missed that in CAP413.

Essex

We get to Clacton, Steve R has been before and executes a perfect landing in accordance with Clacton's restrictions. More fizzy drinks and back to Andrewsfield. Uneventful, but then I'm not flying, not navving (which I did alright at!) and not on the radio, so nothing could go wrong could it? Could it?

Colne Estuary

Well it didn't, but I had to stand a certain amount of jocularity back at Andrewsfield. Confidence is restored though, when I manage to park the car first time when I get home.

Some fields

[Text: Robert] [Photos: Steve M, Shane and Robert, not all pictures can be blown up I'm afraid, it was early days in the Circus's photo technology]