Edit: mentioned TopCat by mistake! @lobstaboy The more I write on here the more i think why didn't you just do X, Y, Z
but also maybe overthinking things.
I think I am describing the cloud at Leicester wrong it was more of a timing issue I think, factored with not anticipating Leicester QFE would be a lot lower. It's there causing me problems earlier nut then later on in the circuit I can't see what was causing me 'problems'.
It was scattered cumulus, but it was obscuring my view of the field and not sure how far back it extended away from my view point. (generally could fly at 1800-2700). Thinking: A. Ensure you are on dead side, B. 'Should' not go lower than 1200 feet on dead side, heli circuit at 700 (although flying the plane is foremost). C. Do not enter cloud.
In the end I ended up about 1100 on the deadside. Might not be a huge drama, an improvement could have been to ask about any helicopters but hadn't heard anything on radio.
So passed message and received field QFE of 1004 (which is about right given it's elevation). Surprise surprise I'm 460 odd feet lower than "expected". D. May struggle to get above cloud
The silly thing is now I'm thinking is why not just go to the south (left around the cloud)? I could have just hang around a bit, had plenty of endurance. It's not like I was committed to anything telling them I was inbound.
Like a pigeon outrunning a car thinking up and down are the only options.
@PA28
For me this is 1.3*37 =48. So deffo too fast at fenland. I think I was about 60 and 50-55 nearer the ground. This was probably made worse by me being on my own - an instructor does make a lot of difference, it's almost 1/3 of the aircraft weight.
That said not sure why i did that either, very last bit of Sackville I always come in at 50 - What is going on!
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