[jollyrog]

I tried for all five licensed Kent aerodromes in the dark last night. It was all a bit tight - had to get away from work at South Kensington, travel to Biggin by public transport and prepare and fuel the Shareoplane before night.

Official night started at 1710. Rochester shuts at 1730 and Manston at 1800, so I aimed to be airborne by 1700.

I made it to Biggin with enough time, found the shareoplane blocked in by the Miles Messenger. Normally I'm happy to be blocked by something classy, but had to arrange its removal by the engineers. Then off to self-fuel, this was the first flight since last week's 50 hour check and the normal group rule of fuelling on completion had been deliberately omitted before the check.

1655 after fuelling... Did my power checks on the "C" disused and returned to the "A" taxiway for the 21 hold. No sooner on the taxiway than ATC instructs me to hold on "C"! "Already left" I replied, instructed then to 180 and back to "C" to allow opposite direction traffic to pass. Raced a jet to the 21 hold (he was on "D") hoping that I wouldn't get held again behind him. Got lucky, airborne at 1707.

Just past Sevenoaks, changed to Rochester Information and announced inbound for touch and go. No such luck, due to mud aerodrome was closed. That will teach me not to call ahead. Agreed a low approach and go around instead, lights were turned on for me and I passed very low over the runway at 1725. Quite hard to find in the dark, GPS did the trick. Reviewing the track shows a well formed circuit, although I thought it was complete rubbish at the time.

Changed to Manston and announced inbound for touch and go. Very helpful ATC told me that I should have PPR'd via one of the clubs, but he was kind enough to sort it out for me with Polar Helicopters. Telephone numbers exchanged for payment the following morning. Told to report with aerodrome in sight. I picked it out clearly at 16 miles, but didn't think he'd believe me, so I reported in sight at 10 miles. Touch and Go on the everlasting Manston runway completed at 1745. Thank you ATC and Polar Helicopters.

Off to Lydd. All very straightforward there, circuit quite busy, some Headcorn aircraft included. Pretty impressive thunderstorm very visible over the channel. At first, I thought the flashes of light were from arcing and sparking trains. Took a few flashes before I worked out what it was. Visibility pretty much unlimited, the lights of France looked like they were in Kent. Given a straight in for Lydd 21 from initial contact, which was abeam Dover. Runway visible very shortly afterwards, the long straight in was smooth and stable and felt like it was hanging there. Had to keep checking the airspeed and GPS, it really didn't feel like I was going anywhere.

Two Touch and Goes later at 1815, off to Headcorn via Ashford. Followed the railway on the North side for a dead side join to 29 over the 11 threshold (don't do that if you're visiting Headcorn in the daylight), then joined the busy circuit for two bumpy grass Touch and Goes and a full stop at 1845. Needed the facilities at this point!

Departed Headcorn at 1926, four minutes before closing and back to Biggin. Given a left base join at Biggin, first time I've done that in the dark and it's also quite hard to find. Again, had the same feeling with the airspeed that I wasn't going anywhere. Kept checking and checking, but all appeared OK, it was just an illusion.

Shame I couldn't get Rochester in the log.

[neilgeddes]

That's fantastic work. Well done!

[PortAndCheese]

Excellent trip, and highlights the importance of pre-planning and phoning ahead. I love night flight, so calm and quiet.
Out of curiosity from your last sentence, how do you (or others) go about logging an airfield used for Touch and Go's that is neither the departure or destination airfield? I don't think it's legally required, my logbook has just a column for number of take offs and landings, and even then the only legal use is the landing column for passenger recency.
Well done again.

[jollyrog]

A landing is a landing.

I usually log separate flights, I like getting the aerodromes in my log book. Last night, my personal log shows four flights, with number of take offs and landings appropriate as per leg.

Biggin to Manston, one takeoff (day) and one landing (night)
Manston to Lydd, two takeoffs and landings (night)
Lydd to Headcorn, three takeoffs and landings (night)
Headcorn to Biggin, one takeoff and landing (night)

I don't suppose it matters much. I've contradicted myself completely by recording it as two flights in the aircraft tech log, Biggin to Headcorn and Headcorn to Biggin, with a note that T&Gs were made at Manston and Lydd.

You could also say (with one of those logics) that ATC at Manston and Lydd should have issued me with IFR clearances (somehow), but this might be a bit fraught if you're only doing a T&G. They didn't.

I suppose there will now be a big debate about logging, which is not what I want the thread to be about

[jollyrog]

... and yes, I put my hands up to poor flight planning. I had called Rochester earlier in the week and confirmed opening times. I was told then 1730, subject to runway condition. I called Headcorn yesterday to confirm the night flying. When they said it was on, I made an assumption - a bad one - that Rochester's surface would be fit.

I also called TG Aviation at Manston during the week to find out about night flying beyond published closing time (there isn't any). I should have asked about PPR at the time, but didn't think to. I did print a plate from the AIP yesterday, but having been to Manston before and being a bit pushed for time and knowing I was only intending a touch and go, I didn't print/read the text section of the AIP. Should have.

I'm normally very good with PPR and planning, but slipped a bit yesterday.

[PortAndCheese]

Sorry, didn't mean my post to be accusatory about the planning. As far as I see it, the flight was a fun event and getting all airfields would have been the cherry on top. You didn't annoy anyone or break any rules, and didn't leave yourself in a dangerous situation, so no harm done. In this case, phoning everyone ahead wouldn't have changed the results, and anyone who reads this thread will have a good opinion of Manston.

I disagree with your logging (again it comes down to the definition of "flight") and would use the remarks column if I wanted a reminder of where I'd been, but agree overwhelmingly with your sentiment on the thread topic!

[XX]

Good trip Rog! Sounds like fun, and thanks for writing it up. I did revalidate my night rating but haven't actually left the circuit for a night flight this year. I have to be feeling quite brave to crack on with it, possibly due to a slightly worrying experience years ago ...

It was the last flight of my night rating, and at the time you had to leave the circuit and come back. So the standard Headcorn flight was down to Ashford and back - so actually very straightforward, along the railway line. I did a dry run with the instructor and he pointed out that all you needed to do from Ashford was line up the railway signal lights on the straightest bit of railway in the country, and follow them back to Headcorn. I was dying to do it on my own, and practically pushed the instructor out of the door.

Took off, singing all the way to Ashford and thinking what a clever person I was. Turned at Ashford and - no railway signal lights. B***er. Flew round Ashford once more and lined up in roughly the right direction - and still no railway signals. Aaaagh. But at this point it occurred to me that I had two GPS, two VORs, an ADF, an autopilot and at least 5 hours of fuel, so no need to panic (!). I set off in roughly the right direction and as I flew over a local well-lit church, found the Headcorn lights and landed with no further drama. I have never been so glad to get back on the ground.

Your write up has inspired me to maybe plan a similar trip (if I can afford the T&G fee at Biggin).

[jollyrog]

XX - I didn't realise you were at Headcorn, didn't hear you on the radio either!

I didn't find picking out the aerodrome too easy inbound from Ashford. I was going to do a straight in to 29 but thought better of it, as I didn't want to over the village with a well lit church and annoy anybody. Just as well, I didn't get to see the Headcorn runway lights until quite late. Flying the circuit was a much better idea for me, although I still ended up almost over that church on base.

Your write up has inspired me to maybe plan a similar trip (if I can afford the T&G fee at Biggin).

It's not Biggin you have to worry about, surprisingly. I don't know what Rochester would have been, but Biggin is a tenner for a T&G. Lydd was £14 total, so £7 each. Manston was £15! Headcorn was the most expensive of the lot, a whopping £20, but very reasonable and worth every penny as I know people are paid to place all the temporary lighting for the exercise and I could have filled by boots with circuits for the £20.

If you fancy a night flight from Biggin in my shareoplane, you are most welcome.

[ATCO Jim]

Your write up has inspired me to maybe plan a similar trip (if I can afford the T&G fee at Biggin).

I don't know what you fly but there is an entry in my (2011) Pooleys for Biggin Hill about non-based aircraft and training and I've just checked the latest AIP and it say's this:

The aerodrome is not available for circuit and instrument approach training by non-Biggin Hill based aircraft of less than 3,000 kg MTWA

[XX]

Typical! Definitely under 3,000 wotsits. I guess there have to be some benefits to being based at Biggin. It's amazing the lengths people will go to to avoid having me land at their airfield ....

[Windjammer]

Great report, but I have to say you've got some bottle making the first flight after the 50hr check a night flight, and such an ambitious one too!
Think I would have done a day flight first to make sure nothing has 'fell off'

[Vino Collapso]

Typical! Definitely under 3,000 wotsits. I guess there have to be some benefits to being based at Biggin. It's amazing the lengths people will go to to avoid having me land at their airfield ....

Nothing personal. I wrote that restriction many years ago when Biggin based operators were being compromised by non-based aircraft using the runway for training. Training capacity these days is not so manic but the rule still stands.

[XX]

None taken, VC!

When I tried going into RAF Leuchars once, they decided to dig up the runway, so I can be a little sensitive about these things! But that's another story and I'm not hijacking Roger's thread.

[jollyrog]

Capacity never seems to be an issue at night, surely the additional business is a good thing?

[jollyrog]

Free the Headcorn one!