I'm standing at the counter paying my bill for my first Area Solo when my phone rings. It's Owen , a fellow pilot. "What you doing anything this afternoon? Would you like to fly to Kyneton?" Of course I would, but let me get a leave pass from the family first.
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| Parked at Kyneton (YKTN) |
I quickly ring my wife and explain the plan. Luckily we don't have anything planned for the afternoon and she's OK to look after the kids. I ring Owen back, confirm I'm good to go and arrange to meet him back at the school at 1:30. Then I head home to get changed and spend a couple of hours with the kids.
At 1:30 I'm back at the school. Owen has pre-flighted the plane so we jump in and head for the run-up bay. I seems strange to sit in the right hand seat and to just relax and let someone else do all the work.
Soon we are airborne and heading AWAY from the training area. We head for Brighton and then out across the bay towards Laverton. The city is out the right window and looks great with the bay in the foreground.
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| Williamstown |
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| Altona Meadows (Parent in laws house is down there somewhere) |
At Laverton (Bureau of Met tower) we turn towards Bacchus Marsh making sure to stay below the class C airspace. At Bacchus Marsh we hear and see sailplanes in the circuit so we keep well to the north east and track to Bacchus Marsh township. Finally we turn towards Kyneton and start to climb to 4500ft to get on top of the plateau while continuing to make sure we don't infringe Melbourne's class C airspace.
After about 40 Minutes we are overflying Kyneton and descending to join the circuit for "three -Six".
I look at the runway and I'm glad I'm not landing here today. Kyneton is much narrower & shorter than Moorabbin. Owen makes short work of it and soon we are back tracking and parking the plane in the vistors parking.
Kyneton has an active areo club and even on a Sunday afternoon there is someone there. We pop in and say hello and make sure we are parked in the right spot before calling a taxi to get into town.
At the horse warming it was an intresting watching people's reaction when they asked "where you were from?" and "how long did it take to get here?" and you got to answer "not long, Owen flew us." After a few hours of eating, not drinking & socialising it was time to grab a ride back to the airport and head home.
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| Owen flying as home across the bay past the city |
Turning onto base at Mordialloc
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| Finial for 35L |
Total flying time is about 1.4 hours vs 3-4 hours if we had driven. I haven't been to Kyneton in over 10 years, so I was intrested to see the great looking cafes, resturants and shopping, the town has to offer. I can see a return flight will be required for lunch with the wife.
What a day - My First Area Solo plus a flight to Kyneton for a house warming. I love flying!!!
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