Flying time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yesterday’s flight turned out to be one of those memorable trips that keep me hooked on flying. It had a bit of everything: smooth stretches, some very rough air, a climb higher than I usually go, a good landing at Balado, and a laugh or two with Mike along the way.
Crossing the Forth and Heading North
I took off from East Fortune and pointed the nose across the Firth of Forth. Passing over RAF Leuchars was a first for me. I’ve always given it a wide berth, mainly because of the MATZ and the radio calls, but this time I decided to go for it. From there I followed the Tay, passing over Dundee while skirting around the north of the airport’s control zone.
It was smooth sailing until I left Dundee. Then came the chop. The turbulence was properly yuck, throwing me around until I decided enough was enough. I opened up and climbed hard, eventually levelling off at 6,000 feet to get above the clouds. Up there it was calm and beautiful… but absolutely freezing. “Cold” doesn’t really cut it. It was the kind of cold that bites through your flying suit and makes you question your life choices.
Arrival at Balado
I dropped down towards Balado and set up for runway 07. I kept an eye on the circuit to make sure I stayed clear of the noise-sensitive areas. The approach was steady and the landing was straightforward, the slope on the runway helping me roll to a stop. Spot-landing the little tarmac road just before the threshold is always a nice extra detail to aim for.
Mike followed me in shortly after. We parked up and made use of the clubhouse facilities before thawing out a bit. The flight over had taken us around an hour and fifteen minutes.
The Aircraft Carrier Effect
For departure we agreed to try runway 21. That strip has a quirky dip and rise at the threshold that feels a bit like launching from an aircraft carrier. I opened up, rolled forward, and before long the ground dropped away underneath.
We both climbed out cleanly and turned back towards the Fife coast. I took the flexwing back up to 5,500 feet for the crossing over the Forth. The air was smooth again, but once more the cold crept in.
Back at East Fortune
Approaching home, I planned a full overhead join for runway 11. Just as I was about to descend on the deadside, Mike piped up on the radio to say he was already dropping in. Odd, as he’d been behind me the whole way. Sure enough, there he was, sneaking into the circuit ahead of me. My reply over the radio was, “Ahhh… there you are… jumping the queue, are we?”
The landings at East Fortune were silky smooth, both of us rolling in as if on rails. After a short taxi we were back at our hangars, packing up before meeting out on the decking in the evening light for a quick chat.
Thinking Ahead
One unexpected takeaway from this trip: Dundee is easy. Which means getting further north is easy too. Laurencekirk, with its farm shop (a destination I’ve been itching to try), suddenly feels within ridiculously easy reach.
It was a fantastic flight, cold hands and all, and it’s left me buzzing for the next adventure.