Just can’t catch a break

Despite the rampant stream of consciousness rampage the night before, I’d pretty much psyched myself up for my latest flight. Based on our text conversation I persuaded myself that Bob had booked another student* at the same time as me, thus ensuring that I’d have to go solo. So I mapped out the flight in my mind, getting to the practice area is easy. Once there I’d scope out my sector (I have a preference for NE at the moment) and then attempt the steep turns as part of my HASEL check, follow it with some slow flight. Then some stalls, power off, maybe a couple with, a couple without flaps. I pictured myself carrying out the manoeuvres and then reporting back proudly what I had achieved.

I was keeping an eye on the METAR, as previously mentioned there was weather due to come in, but round about the time I would be due back. I was relatively confident that I’d make it back in plenty of time. I would have been happy to take off given the predicted conditions and the view out of the window. However, in my quest to actually act like PIC, I dutifully phoned flight services for a weather briefing, expecting to be able to use it to justify my flight that morning.

Hmm, apparently not. Got the “slightly-verbose-and speaks-very-quickly” guy from flight services and while I didn’t quite catch many of the locations he was talking about I did get the general idea. “Bring whatever the TAF says forward by about 2 hours and I’m not expecting it to remain VFR at your location for more than an hour or so”

CRUD!

I dutifully report this to Bob; he confirms that he has just cancelled our flight. “What about tomorrow?” I ask hopefully. Eventually we discover that there is a plane (and instructor!) available, but only from 7:00am – 10:00am.  

Now while I wanted to fly I was aware that I was a little on the tired side. After cancelling this flight I’d actually realised I was a bit sleepy and crept off back to bed for a nap. Three hours later I finally emerged. Not wanting to get up at 5:30 on a Sunday I told Bob that I could do that flight but wanted to make the Go/No Go call the night before. We waited until the 8:00pm TAF, it was calling for lingering low cloud (possible fog) and potentially gusty winds (up to 22 knots) from the North.

We called a No Go, and yep you guessed it. Weather has been perfect all fricken morning.

I CANNOT catch a break.


* I have NO idea if this is true or not, it falls into the category of "lies I tell myself to ensure I don't bottle out"