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This Saturday, after practising landings (regular + emergency) at my regular airport (Ostend) in the morning, I could start plotting a route to another airport (Kortrijk-Wevelgem) and then back via 2 other points on the map.
After some minor mistakes in my calculations (which were spotted in time), I could take off!
There I was... about the leave Ostend airspace... all by my self...
(I have a feeling my instructor was more nervous than I was...)
Track 1:
Due to some parachuting activity, I had to divert (and I hadn't even seen how to do that !) from my planned route.
Luckily, Kortrijk has a beacon (I'm not sure I would have found it without the beacon)... Joining the circuit was difficult: it isn't a controlled airfield, and I'm not used to that; and it was quite crowdy. The landing went smooth, I got to go up to the tower to fetch a stamp (proof that I was there), and then I was back on my way.
Track2:
Flying out of Kortrijk, I should have flown a heading of 109, but accidently I flew 019 (don't ask me how that came) for a few minutes
. Luckily, I realized my mistake, managed to determine my position, and got back on my planned route to "Geraardsbergen". After overflying Geraardsbergen, I turned to my new heading to bring me over "De Pinte".
Track3:
Very calm during this track. After some 20 minutes (my calculations were exact !) I overflew the junction of 2 highways (my reference point). So I could turn to Torhout.
Track4:
There was some traffic on the way (air traffic control notified me of that: "2 helicopters on your 12 o'clock, range 6 miles"), but visibilty was very good so we saw each other miles in advance. As I was approaching Torhout, I was also nearing Ostend airspace.
Track5:
Now this was a track I had flown quite a couple of times (but never alone). Still, everything went smooth as always, and I could soon join the circuit, and make my full stop landing. Then it was simply a matter of taxiing back to the apron, shutting down the plane properly and I was off to the club.
Needless to say I needed some refreshment and offered some dinks in the bar for celebration:
My first solo navigation flight was a success!
(my instructor said he was relieved when he heard me call Ostend on the radio)
Jörg
After some minor mistakes in my calculations (which were spotted in time), I could take off!
There I was... about the leave Ostend airspace... all by my self...
(I have a feeling my instructor was more nervous than I was...)
Track 1:
Due to some parachuting activity, I had to divert (and I hadn't even seen how to do that !) from my planned route.
Luckily, Kortrijk has a beacon (I'm not sure I would have found it without the beacon)... Joining the circuit was difficult: it isn't a controlled airfield, and I'm not used to that; and it was quite crowdy. The landing went smooth, I got to go up to the tower to fetch a stamp (proof that I was there), and then I was back on my way.
Track2:
Flying out of Kortrijk, I should have flown a heading of 109, but accidently I flew 019 (don't ask me how that came) for a few minutes
. Luckily, I realized my mistake, managed to determine my position, and got back on my planned route to "Geraardsbergen". After overflying Geraardsbergen, I turned to my new heading to bring me over "De Pinte". Track3:
Very calm during this track. After some 20 minutes (my calculations were exact !) I overflew the junction of 2 highways (my reference point). So I could turn to Torhout.
Track4:
There was some traffic on the way (air traffic control notified me of that: "2 helicopters on your 12 o'clock, range 6 miles"), but visibilty was very good so we saw each other miles in advance. As I was approaching Torhout, I was also nearing Ostend airspace.
Track5:
Now this was a track I had flown quite a couple of times (but never alone). Still, everything went smooth as always, and I could soon join the circuit, and make my full stop landing. Then it was simply a matter of taxiing back to the apron, shutting down the plane properly and I was off to the club.
Needless to say I needed some refreshment and offered some dinks in the bar for celebration:
My first solo navigation flight was a success!
(my instructor said he was relieved when he heard me call Ostend on the radio)
Jörg
Then there were the rolls down the canyon just for fun ... and I have a fear of heights. Don't think I'll be flying myself any time soon.
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