Wed Jul 13, 2022 3:55 pm
#1919665
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 airborne time but did all the ground checks carefully.
Skydemon running, duly pointing at OW.
Get into the ATZ at OHJ height. A few aircraft joining so join on the deadside and start descending. See grass strip of approximately correct shape and fly the circuit.
Looked a bit quieter than memory but had trees, buildings and farms in roughly the right place.
Quick distraction from another flyer about the radio screeching when I made the blind calls.
Nope - it's not Old Warden.
It's not even the Sandy Microlight Strip.
It turns out there's a reasonably well maintained grass strip of about the right length right in the N of the OW ATZ.
Why did I get trapped into the mistake, even with a working satnav?
Once in the overhead, I was only ever looking outside.
Didn't check for all of the features of OW that should be there - such as the distinctive lake where you turn final for 02, the country house, the tower...
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 airborne time but did all the ground checks carefully.
Skydemon running, duly pointing at OW.
Get into the ATZ at OHJ height. A few aircraft joining so join on the deadside and start descending. See grass strip of approximately correct shape and fly the circuit.
Looked a bit quieter than memory but had trees, buildings and farms in roughly the right place.
Quick distraction from another flyer about the radio screeching when I made the blind calls.
Nope - it's not Old Warden.
It's not even the Sandy Microlight Strip.
It turns out there's a reasonably well maintained grass strip of about the right length right in the N of the OW ATZ.
Why did I get trapped into the mistake, even with a working satnav?
Once in the overhead, I was only ever looking outside.
Didn't check for all of the features of OW that should be there - such as the distinctive lake where you turn final for 02, the country house, the tower...
ISO 3103 compliant