Fueling up brings the first panic of the day. The exhaust is loose on G-ASUD,
well not so much loose as barely attached. A professional opinion is sought
and although not in good shape it's deemed flyable (thank you Massoud!). By
now though I am behind schedule. Mike and Shane come to the rescue and fuel
G-ASUD up for me while I draw lines and do sums. You're never alone in the
Circus, thank you gentlemen.
All quiet on the Coningsby front. T'Humber.
Being on my own today, I decide to vary the outbound and return routes.
Outbound, up to Ely then Hunstanton and across the Wash to Skegness. Over
Humberside and on to Breighton. Coming back, from Humberside down to Boston
and on to Soham. The first debate of the day? Is it pronounced Bry-ton, or
Bray-ton? I settle for the latter but Shane is going for the former.
Cessna, Cessna, Cessna, Piper. The future's so bright....
I set off last. It's a good clear run up to the Wash with Waddington
keeping a watch on me. Setting out across the Wash and is that a drop in engine
revs? Carb heat out and nothing much changes, just paranoia over water
again. I reach Skegness and hear Mike and Shane reporting they are
descending to stay below cloud. What cloud? I can't see anything. Duh! That's
because it's a cloud. Down I come to, and more paranoia, how low is this
cloud going to get? Down to 1500ft and then suddenly the cloud has gone.
On to Humberside and the great debate is solved. It is pronounced Bree-ton
- thank you Humberside Approach! Across the Humber, laid out like a ribbon
across a dry flat landscape, the bridge prominent in the
distance. (Poetry!)
Can I see Breighton? Perhaps, but there are two aircraft making what
looks like an approach to something elsewhere. I stick with my original
visual and check it against the map. Looks good, and yes there's the runway.
On the ground and park up next to the 172's, and food! Xray-Kilo and the
Fergusons arrive to complete the set.
JFER arrives. XK arrives.
Food consumed, we wander around the hangers. An incredible collection of
aircraft, tucked away on a quiet unassuming airfield. Pete Watkinson tells
me later that this is his favourite airfield. I can see why, and there can't
be that many that haven't had a visit from Pete.
Jungmeister. Climbing.
Harvard. Mew Gull.
So back in the old bird (45 years old now, almost an antique, unlike the
GSMRS - only 44!). A mostly
uneventful journey home apart from being warned I was going to infringe Manby if I stayed on my present course. Strange I thought I'd turned away at
least a minute back... paranoia, chart, GPS, no I'm sure I'm going the right
way, guess the controller just hadn't seen the course change yet.
Decoration. Fleas.
And finally, squawking 0013, listening to Essex Radar and 10 minutes from
home, Essex Radar ask for the aircraft east of Weathersfield to contact
them. Must be me, I call them and yes indeed it is me! Oh no what now
(paranoia). Actually they are only trying to help by inviting me into their
control zone so I can keep some distance from the intense gliding at Weathersfield, hey thanks!
Anyway back at Andrewsfield and put my feet up with a pint. Three hours
and ten minutes in the air is tiring, but well worth it. Good to get out
with a full compliment of clowns after an indifferent summer. Thanks to all,
and Waddington, Humberside and Essex Radar for helping to make it a great day.
The Great Seal Debate
And finally the Great Seal Debate. Mike emails out a picture taken
across the Wash of seals on the sand, asking if anyone knows how to tell if
they are common or grey seals. Dunno, but from the distance they look like
maggots to me. The answer is (after not too much in the way of daft suggestions)
that common seals have their pups in summer and greys in winter, and you can
see the pups can't you. Yes Mike!
[Text: Rob] [Photos: Vic, Rob & Mike, click here for more]
