Where have you been? What have you seen?
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By flyingearly
#1881558
Owing to a minor operation on my right ankle, I'm now grounded for at least 6 weeks (no driving) and potentially up to 12 (depending on recovery) which is why I was watching the weather like a hawk and crossing my fingers that my last available day would be flyable.

Fortunately, the weather gods played ball and I ended up with the most perfect conditions yesterday to stretch my legs and make the trip from Rochester to Beccles.

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As a relative newbie, I wanted to use this trip to tick a few new boxes:

a) Longest flight (by distance)
b) First transit of CAS
c) First flight north of the Thames
d) Highest flight (no longer constrained by London TMA!)
e) First landing in my own aircraft on a hard runway

After opening the curtains to a high cloudbase, virtually nil winds and blue skies peeking through, I got to the aircraft for 9am after dropping the kids at school and did a thorough pre-flight before topping up the tanks. After chatting with my airfield neighbours I was airborne at 10:15am and heading towards Southend.

Transit of Southend CAS was very easy; it was a quiet morning and the process was not as scary as I had thought in my head. I was cleared overhead the airfield routing to the North-East, crossing not below 2,500. In my head - having never done it before - it surprised me just how 'big' the Southend space is, although I'm aware that's a debate for another day.

Eventually I found myself just North-West of Clacton and climbed up a bit higher to test the cloudbase; visibility was a bit craggy and grey to the North but conditions were perfectly smooth; I flew pretty much hands-off with the aircraft not deviating more than 50 feet up/down at any point. Beautiful!

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After taking a few pics over Framlingham of my sister's old house, I began the descent and approach into the delightful Beccles for a standard OHJ. There were two aircraft in the circuit and I positioned behind them and established myself on approach for 27.

Beccles is an unusual place; runway 27 is grass for the first 200 metres or so (with a displayed landing area), then transitions to a newly resurfaced tarmac runway for a further 400 metres. I had read up that there was a bit of a boggy dip in the grass before it transitioned to the tarmac and was secretly hoping I'd be landing on the tarmac.

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In the end, my landing had room for improvement; I don't think it was actually too bad, but I touched down just before the grass/tarmac transition and was given a little bounce, settling back down quickly and stopping halfway down the runway. It definitely reminded me how much spongier grass is - this was only my third hard runway landing, but all good practice.

After backtracking and parking up I was given a wonderfully friendly greeting in what must be described as a very quirky airfield. It reminded me a bit of Sandown in a way; lots of themed areas, double-decker bus, fantastic little cafe and plenty of character.

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The landing fee was an absurd £5 which included a cup of coffee; I dropped a tenner in the pot as I feel it is the least we should do to support such fantastic facilities (£5 is almost daylight robbery) and sat outside sipping my cuppa, watching a helicopter do circuits. By this time the sun was out in force, with a high layer of mackerel sky creating the most beautiful scene to fly under.

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After a quick loo stop, I jumped back in, taxiied to the hold and the chopper pilot very kindly stopped their circuits to allow me to depart, climbing out on 27 before making the left turn to return to the South.

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This time, I climbed a bit higher to get a beautiful view over from fields in the West to Southwold in the East, before dropping back down to transit across Southend and home, with a nice landing to finish things. Southend was much busier this time, but I routed overhead not below 2000 not above 2400, sticking religiously to the 2200 while I listened to the controlled berate someone else for taking a traffic service but not responding to alert calls.

Given my op and the impending wet and wintry weather, that was likely my last flight of 2021, so a great way to sign off for the year.

Total time 3 hours (exactly 1.5 hours each way) with SD showing flight time as 1:08 outbound and 1:17 return, averaging 75 knots.

Things what I have learned:

- CAS isn't something to be scared of
- Flying feels different - better - higher up. Everything's a bit more serene
- After starting the year renting and being made to feel quite apprehensive about wind (see an earlier thread), I'm ending the year recognising the value that wind gives and finding it much easier to land with a bit of wind to work with on approach
- East Anglia is very flat!

I appreciate that 90 nm is hardly the odyssey that others get up to on here, but since getting my licence both life and covid have got in the way of stretching my legs; this has given me the taste for trips further afield next year. Fingers crossed for a swift recovery and my appetite is whetted for further adventures next year.
Last edited by flyingearly on Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:27 pm, edited 4 times in total.
seanxair, Sooty25, JAFO and 12 others liked this
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By timjenner
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1881591
Thanks for the write up. I took off behind an Arrow at Rochester yesterday morning who's stated destination was "Beccles for breakfast", but that was at about 9.30 - so presumably not you and there were others making the same trip. It's popular with some of my group too and I keep meaning to try it. After hearing the "breakfast" comment I was immediately hungry and regretted not taking the opportunity yesterday - still, was a lovely flying day regardless! :thumleft:
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1881630
It’s great that you ticked off quite a few firsts in one flight and demystified a few learning items in the process :thumright:.

I’ve only been to Beccles once, but like yourself, found it to be a very nice (if a little quirky) destination with great new facilities. A very friendly welcome. I will certainly return soon.

Best of luck with the op and a swift return to service.

Rochester is another place to which I haven’t been for quite a while so must rectify that too soon.

Iceman 8)
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1881736
Beccles has come on on leaps and bounds in the last 25 years...................

Our arrer regularly makes its way there. :wink:
By ROG
#1881753
Great work by the new management at Beccles. The old hut with the cat licking the food seems to have gone--now on my list also for regular visits.
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By Sooty25
#1881766
PeteSpencer wrote:Beccles has come on on leaps and bounds in the last 25 years...................



99% of which has been in the last 3-4 years!
PeteSpencer, lobstaboy liked this
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By kingbing
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1901123
I visited about 18 months ago. Lots of improvements as those above have attested. Really friendly and helpful team. It was a bit of a bugger to spot the runway approaching from the south but keep the faith - it is there.
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By StratoTramp
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1924308
A friend took me there today in his CTSW. Lovely location and facilities. We got plagued by wasps but that's just nature and 2022 :lol:

Flew up and down the coast a bit whilst waiting for meat bombs to land.