David Megginson wrote: > I'm curious -- your airport is a very short grass strip, but it has a > control tower?
Yes, but is still a Radio only airfield with no ATC. The tower is a small affair that I'm sure isn't capable of observing the entire circuit since it's 800ft AAL and downwind extends behind all manner of buildings - I'll ask to have a look in the tower next time I'm there to confirm this. It's manned occasionally during busy periods and when there are lots of students and non-radio microlights etc in the circuit and although they shouldn't, the tower does occasionally tell pilots to hold outside the circuit or expedite departures etc. for safety's sake. > It sounds like you did fine. Were there any post-solo rituals? Not really. I offered to buy people beer (I had to buy lots of beer when I did my first freefall 8 years ago!) but they were all working and settled for Orange juice instead. One cool thing did happen: as I was discussing the flight and future stuff with my instructor the Red Arrows passed in formation about just north of the ATZ and turned on white smoke until they cleared the area. I see them quite a lot as we aren't that far from their base at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. Superb! > If you have my luck, you'll have nothing but clear weather when you > decide to start instrument training. I'm planning on doing the IMC and Night ratings at some point. I'll never do a full IFR - the price to get and keep one here is astronomical. > For me, the first solo cross-country was the best part of training. > First solo was an important moment, of course, but it wasn't until > I left the familiar airspace behind and started actually flying to a > different city that I felt like a pilot. I'm sure I'll be the same. Since I'm used to very laid back procedures with movements and radio I'm going to intentionally do some cross countries well into and past the busy airspace around London once I'm confident with shorter local flights. My club is very supportive and has an active 'hard core' of home builders which I may also get involved with (two guys just flew from Netherthorpe to Oshkosh and back in a KIS!). Cheers, Matt. _______________________________________________ Flightgear-devel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.flightgear.org/mailman/listinfo/flightgear-devel
