So, I've used the anon option here, unusually so that I can NOT be anonymous. Yeah, okay, quite a few people link my real and forum names, but I prefer to keep the identities separate. Anyhow, it works.

So, I'm Guy Gratton, yes I'm a forum...

So - following on from other post about cancer in a pilot, I today recieved the news that I have bone marrow cancer and they want to put me on a drug called Rituximab. Naturally I asked about driving or operating machinery and it was suggested that...

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How would you politely approach another pilot acquaintance who is uploading videos to YouTube of themselves treating an aircraft very badly indeed?

I care that they don't hurt themselves, or damage the aircraft, but suspect the fact they think it...

As a new-ish pilot I was going to post a story on here about something I did while flying recently, but I have seen the thread where the air trafficker said something about hobby pilots . Because f it, I have decided that, even anonymously, I wasn't...

Having taken off from a fairly nearby airfield in an aircraft containing a transponder, of a model I’m familiar with, but configured differently (Funke) I entered the Manchester low level corridor at an appropriate altitude with 7366 selected and...

On my last flight, with a very experienced instructor friend beside me (a refresher flight after me being grounded for while), the stall warner was intermittently sounding at our Jodel's normal climb speed of 130kph (yes - the French use kilometres...

But a mid-air T-Bone is one I want rarer than rare, in fact non-existent if you please!

A couple of weeks ago I was crosswind in the circuit and about to turn downwind when I was greeted by the most spectacular view of a Cirrus attempting to join...

I'd booked a beacon slot and planned 2ish hours of IFR practice in our PA28 shareoplane. We have an electronic carbon monoxide detector in the cockpit.

Pre-flight, I had a slightly higher than usual CO reading - around 11ish, not abnormally so as...

:oops: :oops: :oops:
After 15 years and 750 hours of pretty uneventful and thoroughly enjoyable flying, I made probably one of the stupidest and potentially disaserous mistakes on my last flight.
Yes, believe me when I say I feel a right dickhead,...

Yesterday I was at an airfield with short-ish grass runway (<600m**) and did one of those silly things which I have done before, but it happened again!

I was at the hold, ready to take-off and the A/G operator said that there were two in the...

I got my licence back in May and understandably I’m still building hours and confidence and nervous of making mistakes & generally overthinking the consequences.
I flew from Wellesbourne this afternoon and it wasn’t until after some time I...

So, happened to me last night on an instructor course.

I usually carry a couple of cylume sticks in my headset bag, and doing some night flying for the first time in quite some time, I decided when we flew through dusk to crack one out of its...

I have been running my aircraft on a mix of mogas and avgas, with no problems, but suspect today was an issue due to vapour lock.
Aircraft is powered by a Continental A65, and last flown two weeks ago. I always tend to fill up, just in case, and the...

Just been watching a few videos on the subject of UFOS.
Personally never seen one , but have a friend whose convinced that he has.
Usually get explained as balloons or cloud features--but we ve got to Mars-so ????

This was a tough lesson to learn and one I could have avoided with better planning and better risk and error management. But I managed to avert disaster, more by luck than skill, and have learnt a huge amount so I am sharing with you all to help...

Intending to post the detailed story of something very silly that I did a week ago, I asked myself “what is the point of posting on this part of the forum?”

I reckon that the point has to be that others can learn from my mistake(s). As I am...

After not posting here for ages, two learning experiences in a week.

Quick mid-week dash for fuel for to Old Warden. A whole 15 minutes flying. Been to OW dozens of times but not since July 21. Probably in a bit of a hurry so trying to minimize...

For some years I've been using an iPad mini on a RAM suction mount, positioned left just by the airvent below the level of the binnacle.

On Saturday, found my co-owner had got a new clamp-fit RAM mount for his phone positioned a bit lower. So I...

Hi guys. I've just joined as a way of therapy. It's genuinely keeping me awake!

So a couple of days ago I took a mate flying with his 2 kids. Aircraft was a warrior and landing on grass. I took of with winds 10 degrees off at 13 kts. When we came...

I have always used QFE around the circuit rather than QNH, but once recently I forgot to change back to QFE after transitting controlled airspace on QNH; I only realised when I was joining crosswind from the deadside at 400 ft rather than 800ft...

I have spent the last couple of years flying Warrirors and whilst I use the carb heat I’ve never had a rough running engine. A couple of weeks ago I went out in a Cessna 182 from the ‘70s, a new plane to me and the owner (who is used to flying high...

Had an educational moment this morning... another club aircraft, new to me and everything was just a bit different: there was very little fuel coming out of the forward strainer point of this PA28, no banners greeting me with a 'remove me before...

So, I am doing my BFR and we return to Gamston at around 1315 local - nice place, nice people btw.

Called arriving, called down wind, turned base, just turned final when a Tobago with a private callsign - sounded like Chancer 1, no registration...

This place is to learn from other’s mistakes yeah?
So here’s mine

Not too long ago, I was flying a tailwheel permit aircraft with a continental C 90 engine, into a strip that I had not visited before.

The wind had picked up since I had left...

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but it's only now I feel it's relevant to do so.

Not so long ago, I passed my NPPL GST in the C42, which - as many will know - is a fabulous little aircraft with some design quirks compared to others....

So, long time lurker here but recently acquired PPL sharing a recent minor event. In the grand scheme of things this was very trivial and entirely a non-issue, but the story is actually secondary: what I'm trying to do is ask what seems like a...

Next Sunday, 1st August 2007 will be 13 years to the day since my life was saved by an ATC at Blackpool who is/was a member here. I was flying solo home to Carlisle from Liverpool in a Pa28. Weather at Liverpool was CAVOK when I set off but I ran...

Well aviation giveth and aviation taketh away I suppose...

All newly re-mojo-ed, off I set to get back current in the little X'Air. Perfect conditions. How could I fail to get a job lot of landings in, post-permit and post-lockdown ready for...

During a recent solo qualifying cross country (I'm a student pilot) I managed to forget to reset the carb left to cold after a FREDA check and didn't notice this for what must have been several minutes. I made the same mistake on several other...

In the interests of being honest and offering lessons from which people can learn.
Here's my tale of how get-home-itis and stress piling up can ruin a day.
I took a passenger up to a medium-sized international airport about 40 minutes away from...

Over the last year, I've developed a fear of heights, and now it's started to impact on my flying.

Up to around 2,500 ft I'm fine, but suddenly about a year ago over 2,500 I start to get a feeling of panic, with my bowels turning to water. It's...

So today I ticked off another emergency situation, smoke in the cockpit...

I was heading to Southend to do some circuit training, and was running a bit early so was doing some general handling to get my eye back in and kill time etc. I'd just...

Think I know already the cause of what happened here - but worth writing down as a reminder more to myself than anything else of not to try too much too soon.

Recently started flying a new plane from a new field, both PA28s, but used to fly a...

I needed some hours but the weather has been bad. I decided to hire an instructor and plane from a large airport to go flying for an hour and get some marginal weather experience with 11kt crosswind and gusting.

takeoff was uneventful even with a...

So here it is - that first solo moment. The instructor is out and the power checks are done. This is a middling international airport and so a small delay after checks for one of the local airline flights to arrive. Running through the important...

As I was returning to my home airfield, the sun was quite low on the horizon with only a little bit of cloud cover.

As I turned onto final, the low sun completely obliterated my view of the runway. In fact I had no forward visibility whilst...

I don't know why I keep posting these and, essentially, asking for a kicking.
I think it's because I like to learn, and writing about my mistakes helps me - and, possibly, other people.
So today was a very thermic day. I bounced about the skies...

Not sure if to post here or students but finally nearing solo cross country (slight delay as medical ran out again - the years do seem to pass quickly).

1) Added drift to wind direction rather than track to produce heading for leg close to head...

Not anonymous, as I see no reason for it to be.

Over the last 15 years or so, I’ve normally flown around 120hrs per year in various aircraft from flexwungs to my current Europa. Following major home renovations, then the purchase of a second home...

I had an accident at the weekend; I am a forum regular, and at some point I'll feel sufficiently emotionally over it to talk about it openly. For now however, I'm alive, my pax is alive, injuries restricted to cuts and bruises, and if anybody ever...

Nipped over to Headcorn today for fuel. One ahead making low approach and go around. Saw them start to climbe from the threshold so I throttled back to increase my rate of descent.

Looking forward I then saw the aircraft ahead climbing towards a...

A recent flight reminded me of the dangers of getting complacent

On a route I fly very regularly I decided to exercise the grey matter and do it all using a printed plog, and paper nav. No big problem I thought, I know the route. know the landmarks...

So I'm new on the board but thought I'd kick things off with a confession. Not too bad a mistake but bad enough that I still squirm to think about the way I reacted.

Relatively newly passed PPL, but I'd already taken a few passengers up and was...

So I had a 'learning experience' :oops: - coming in to a relatively narrow hard runway, with full flap, I'd let the speed get a little low (which I'd noticed, but decided I could correct), but then flared far too high (probably as I'm used to a much...

In the last 25 years I have, fortunately with no adverse consequences

Tried to start a carburetted engine with the mixture at ICO

Tried to start an engine with the fuel turned off

Started an engine with the parking brake off (no foot brake)...

I don't post here an awful lot but I do use the site for learning and I now have the opportunity to post something which others may find useful or of interest.

I was making an airways flight from Cambridge (the aircrafts home based airfield) to...

Yesterday. Cherokee Six. 260. Mains to tabs. Tips full. Flew the first of three legs on left main, switching to right main before landing.
Flew the second (30 minute) leg with right main selected.
Took off on final leg on right main with the...

I appreciate this is perhaps not the usual sort of post to be found in IHTM but I hope the mods will appreciate the reason for wishing to post anonymously. I apologise for it being a rather long and perhaps rambling in places post, but hopefully at...

this is just an observation on what can happen if things do not go according to plan but for not fault of your own and what effect it can have on you.

I was flying with a non pilot friend at the weekend and was on final at an ATC airport....