I finished my lunch and tuned the club radio into the ATIS, still 22 knots. Tower was still reporting 17 to 22 knots. Worrying. I switched on my iPhone and logged into the Met Office and downloaded the latest UK Low Level spot wind chart (Form 214). I got out my flight computer and recalculated my route. With rounding it was about 5 degrees different from what I had flown that morning.
Stewart was much longer then expected. He finally arrived after debriefing the previous student. He had been longer because he had stayed with the student, it was too windy to allow him in the circuit alone.
With this wind a phone call was in order.
A quick phone call to Full Sutton confirmed that the wind there was still nearly straight down the runway. Here it was 17 knots again. Stewart said I could go but not to try and force the landing at the other end. If it did not look good go round and if necessary just give up and come back. If the wind was bad arriving back at Humberside choose the best runway and not what the controller offered.
Well the time had come. First Stewart had me book out. That was another first something I had never done before. A quick phone call to the tower and it was all straight forward. They needed to know, who I was, what my call sign and plane was. The fuel endurance and how long I thought it would take me.
After that I headed out to the plane. I did my checks and started up. I called up Humberside Tower for taxi instructions and then asked if I wanted runway 21 or 27, well the wind was 260 so I asked for 27 and then cleared me to taxi via Alpha and runway 21.
I pulled up just before runway 21 to check my clearance but before I could ask they called and confirmed I could cross runway 21 and line up on the wing bars of 27 for my power checks.
Power checks complete I called ready for departure. Cleared I pulled fully onto 27, checked my DI and then gave it full power. I made sure I was at 60 knots and I did not even have to pull back on the yoke, Romeo Lima just leapt into the air.
As usual at 500 feet I made my right turn to head to the VRP at Elsham Wolds and I even remembered to turn off the fuel pump at 1000 feet. I carried on climbing to 2500 feet and levelled off. I requested and was given a FIS and over Elsham I turned onto my heading.
I trimmed the aircraft and dumped my check list in the co-pilots seat and grabbed the map, I looked to be on track but checked the DI against the compass to make sure they agreed.
Once passed the river Humber and the motorway they was nothing to really fix my position. This navigation is a lot harder then it looks. Looking back I could see the river so knew I was not lost, I just had to trust my heading and my compass and carry on until I saw something I recognised. I took the time to tune the radio to Full Sutton ready for later.
As before an airfield appeared to my left so that would be Melbourne, so I knew Pocklington would appear a head soon, and as if by magic it did. That meant Full Sutton and the prison should be just ahead. I made a gentle turn to the left and then to the right and spotted the prison. I was about to call Humberside Radar to inform them I was changing frequencies when they called me and suggested I change frequencies. I thanked them and hit the flip-flop button to switch to the frequency I had already dialled in for Full Sutton Radio.
I called in-bound started my dead side descent. As the runway swung back into site there seemed to be something large and white sat in the middle. Then I heard someone call on the radio.
‘Theres a glider just landed on the runway!’
I stayed circling on the dead side of the runway until I could figure out what had happened. I called on the radio that I was staying dead side at circuit height and Full Sutton Radio thanked me and said they were sending someone out in a car to the runway to see what was happening.
A small glider tug had been called and they were going to tow the glider back to Pocklington. I decided I would climb back up to 2000 feet and off to the south east, I could still see the runway in the distance but was out of the way of the action.
The glider was towed by a small 4×4 (suv) to the side so some other planes could take off. The glider tug came in very low and landed to one side. They hooked them up and lined up. I came back and did my dead side descent again and joined the circuit. I extended downwind and eventually the tug and glider took off. I turned on to final I made my landing, I was a little quick and bounced once but still landed safely. I taxied to the club house where I was met and congratulated on the way I had handled the situation. Treating myself to a 15 minute break and some flap jack, I rested. I must admit I felt very tired.
It was soon time to go so I thanked the staff and walked back to Romeo Lima. I started up and taxied to the end off the taxi way and performed my power checks. I then lined up and took off.
I waited until I was level at my chosen height of 2500 feet before I switched from Full Sutton back to Humberside Radar. With a flight information service I headed home. I found a glider ahead of me slowly climbing so I turned right. Once passed I resumed my normal heading.
Heading home was much easier. I felt good in the afternoon sun, and it was a nice easy and enjoyable run south back to the river Humber and home. Near to Elsham I requested a rejoin, and as the wind was still favouring runway 27, thats what I asked for. I was given a rejoin downwind for 27 but not below 1500 feet.
I descended to 1700 feet and joined downwind and then was then allowed to drop to circuit height.
A simple landing and taxi back to the grass parking and my first Solo Land Away was finished. A bit more exciting then I had planned for but I had coped well.
Next time a long dual cross country with a number of Matz to contend with. Subject to the British weather!