[NickA]

I was flying from North Weald to Woodchurch yesterday. I had a basic service from Manston Approach (radar inop) and I also had a squawk from them. Approaching Woodchurch, I didn't call Manston to say I was joining the circuit to land, nor did I switch frequency, as there was none at the strip. I landed and then tried to call Manston to say I had landed. I couldn't reach them, presumably because of the angle to the station. By the time I had scrambled around for the phone number to call them, they had already called North Weald looking for my phone number, presumably prior to initiating search and rescue etc. My message via the PPR number at Manston must have got through, as I didn't receive any further call.

I felt a bit red faced, and of course I should have told them I was in the circuit and landing before I actually did. I am unused to turning up at strips without any published radio and it was the fact that I didn't intend to make a frequency change before arrival that meant I forgot to inform Manston of what I was doing, what with trying to identify the place, check windsock and so on. Worth remembering in future, methinks.

If anyone from Manston Approach is lurking, please accept my apologies!

[Irv Lee]

Safetycom(m)?

[NickA]

I did have safetycom set up in the box but in the end, for no good reason, I didn't switch. The owner didn't say it was customarily used, in my telephone briefing, but that shouldn't have stopped me.

[ROG]

Same thought ---safetycom---pity some don"t use it when appropriate as it took some work by quite a few guys to get it.
You acknowledged your error which is important--we can all make mistakes.
The dangerous types are those who don"t even know they"ve made a mistake.