Hill strip at Mokoreta Gore Aero Club BBQ lunch today on John Stewart's farm at Redan (just E of Wyndham). John's handheld VHF tells me that it's a gusty 20 knot wind on the ground, so best to land into the wind down a gentle slope.
So here I am approaching over the crest of the hill in the Skyleader GP One, coping with turbulence from a series of tree plantations, aiming for a gap in the trees, veering right, powering up to clear a fence, veering left to line up, then trying to land on the downward sloping ridge. The paddock drops away at the same rate as the GP One's glide angle, so i don't get the wheels on the grass until the slope eases. At that point the strip curves to the left and finishes (just before a steep drop into the next gully). I brake hard and stop as the slope increases again. A gentle slope. Yeah, right.
Advice to self. "Maybe I should fly a low pass first and assess the strip/conditions, then go around and use the new information to fly a better approach."
At least the take-off later in the day was easy. Point the GP One downhill, power on, accelerate fast and climb away.
John and the Gore AC guys are very friendly and hospitable. The BBQ was a good chance for a relaxed yarn with fellow flyers. The Cessna was there when I arrived. The others left their planes at home and drove to the event, so get to see how they managed the landing.
So here I am approaching over the crest of the hill in the Skyleader GP One, coping with turbulence from a series of tree plantations, aiming for a gap in the trees, veering right, powering up to clear a fence, veering left to line up, then trying to land on the downward sloping ridge. The paddock drops away at the same rate as the GP One's glide angle, so i don't get the wheels on the grass until the slope eases. At that point the strip curves to the left and finishes (just before a steep drop into the next gully). I brake hard and stop as the slope increases again. A gentle slope. Yeah, right.
Advice to self. "Maybe I should fly a low pass first and assess the strip/conditions, then go around and use the new information to fly a better approach."
At least the take-off later in the day was easy. Point the GP One downhill, power on, accelerate fast and climb away.
John and the Gore AC guys are very friendly and hospitable. The BBQ was a good chance for a relaxed yarn with fellow flyers. The Cessna was there when I arrived. The others left their planes at home and drove to the event, so get to see how they managed the landing.
