WE HAVE LIFT OFF !
+/- 12:00
14 MARCH 2004
GRASSROOTS AIRFIELD
CATO RIDGE
“Alpha Papa Foxtrot is rolling ” the pilot next to me announces the propeller loudly beating at the air the world begins to blur past the tail wheel lifts off the ground , the end of the runway is growing at an alarming rate suddenly the ground drops away and the airfield fades away to the roar of the engine.
So here I am up in the sky above Cato ridge looking down on the world for the first time! Dave Grosvenor had spoken to the pilot who agreed to take me . This is a RV6 a low wing taildrager, rather acrobatic plane. The pilot tells me to look out as there is a another one going to land I look out the window to the right, below us is a yellow plane on final we bank sharply round and watch him land .
We fly around for while and then the pilot demonstrates what to do if the engine stops . After “restoring the comforting noise ” we continue to fly round . I look down in see a meandering river below ,the bends carving big cliffs out of the landscape . it is quite hot down below and there are a lot of bumps up here. I become aware of my sweaty hands clutching my knees , the pilot then offers me a go (wow!!) I transfer my big hands on to the control column and grip on for dear life. the pilot explains that the plane is very responsive and I only need hold it with two fingers. I remove my one big fist from the stick and hold the stick with two fingers .I begin a turn to the left the pilot says we should keep at 3500 and we are climbing at 800 ft per minute I move the stick forward to compensate that ’s better I level out the pilot suggests a right turn .I remember what he said on the ground about his instructor friend who said that simulator pilots are the bane of his life as they are always looking at the instruments .I watch the horizon , ops! that bank angle got a bit steep. after the turn is completed the pilot asks which direction is the airfield I point in a direction . I’m almost right!
We circle the field and look at the windsock to decide which direction to land . the wind sock is hanging limp but shows a down hill landing (the runway is at a slope – the runway falls away at the same rate as your rate of decent witch makes landing rather difficult .) we touch down but have to go around the pilot decides to fly back to CATO (where his plane is hangered) and drive back we fly to cato(I can see the mountains in the Howick district ) and have to go around again we land next try and taxi off the runway, narrowly missing some cows (this is Africa) We taxi to the hanger and put the covers on the plane . I hop in his car and we drive back to grassroots and I’m still smiling ear to ear
big big thanks !
Andrew
