Cheers Dean,

I’ll give Westland ATC a bell in the morning for an update. Funnily enough when I mentioned this, it transpires that the YVL DME is not in the sim! The regular Jeppesen data update Alsim sends seems to delete the DME and they have to re-install it manually.

I do recall Graham saying “never, never again” about Cardiff when he came up to visit some nervous CPL students recently 😉

I know! I’ll never discount any potential route until I am given one by the examiner. I’ll also probably be doing a lot of practise wherever we can get a slot e.g. Hawarden, E Mids, Shawbury.

Two of our guys did their IRT today with him, both Glos routes. Graham partialled the first (alt bust and misread the hold QDM by 10 degs) so thankfully just a hold and NDB retest. Second I dunno, but some really bad weather (real IMC!) came in this afternoon so I hope he got through.

Now back to the diary

Day 13
Thursday 5th July

I hope you are still all reading this?

More of the same today. Bristol-Yeovil via EXMOR N864 airway toward TINAN breaking off at about 35d from Berry Head VOR. This is another favourite test route, with the NDB/DME again done away and ILS back at Bristol.

This is quite a fraught little route coming off the airway. You’re passed from Cardiff to Yeovilton LARS, then far too soon onto Westland (Yeovil) Approach. In that time, you have to co-ordinate the request for a hold and approach, the active runway and also the weather. Then likely continue the descent in the hold. Which until you do it, you realise that RT from ground (usually) and checks (sometimes) get in the way.

As for handling, a few eyes-off-the-road excursions doing paperwork. Time to explore the legalities of that autopilot. I did a rather good engine failure drill this time 🙂 ILS was less left-right on the localiser and within half-sclae deflection on the glideslope. NDB descent was more or less on the money (I thought people hated them?) NDB tracking however inbound to YVL was too wayward, especially when you are flying more or less on the axis between an offset and a parallel join 😳

Bristol-Exeter tomorrow!

Day 12
Wednesday 4th July

One session today, another test route i.e. Bristol-Gloucester via BCN, L9 airway to ALVIN, depart airway direct Gloucester. NDB/DME approach, go-around, engine fail drill then off to the SW for some general handling. Then route back to Bristol for an ILS, go-around, circle-to-land (visual circuit).

Went in better prepared today. I placed all the relevant plates into the clear inserts within the kneeboard (A5). But having this open turns it into an A4 kneeboard – any point in that? 😕

Session seemed to go better and is less stressful that yesterday. I have an idea of who manages which bit of airspace and what frequencies they use. Also Gloucester is further displaced from the CTAs of Cardiff/Bristol than Filton, which seems to help.

Departure and airway section goes okay. I do forget to flip from BCN to the GOL (DME) so get a bit closer to Glos than I anticipated.

Managed to nicely hit MDA for the NDB approach at Glos about 1.5d, maintained level then went around at the MAPt 1d (now highlighted!)

Must remember to ident the ILS turning inbound to verify. Also commence the timer at the FAF/FAT should the DME fail. Which he did back at Bristol… no problem radar ranges can be given every 2nm. Bizarrely I thought the glideslope was also out and starting shooting the altitudes based on distance . The glideslope was quite visible but my brain choose not to see it! ILS was a bit up, down, left and right. Because of this I got transfixed and misread the DA as 710′. Nope 810′ and plus 50′ for luck so instant fail time for busting the DA.

Still need to work on NDB tracking.