Deadalus

The last few weeks of 2019 were awash with poor weather, so when a few crisp days presented themselves for flying I jumped at the opportunity to get the hours up. Just before the AS350 rating, which was now set for the end of December, I had the chance to take out the R44 for a long cross country flight to the south coast.

On the morning of the 29th October, I was up at 4am, en route to Charles De Gaulle airport in otder to catch the 7am flight into Birmingham, by 9am I was at Heliflight, and by 10:30L I was airborne in the R44, G-CGGS. The first leg took me outbound to the south, over the ridge and down towards Kemble, Swindon and direct to Southampton.

I was inbound to Daedalus at Lee-on-Solent. A very specific circuit pattern, to ensure noise abatement, and avoid the Southampton CTA. The weather was spectacular, and, as it was the first good met in a few weeks the aircraft were out in force, it’s always great to see other pilots and their machines in the air but it makes traffic spotting all that more critical. I joined the downwind leg for Lee on Solent, talking to Lee Radio as I turned base over the Solent itself and turned back for Final.

The approach into Daedalus brings you right over the beach and onto the threshold. I was given directions to the helicopter landing pad outside of the ATC and café viewing area. The airport was a bustling hive of activity with the spitfire a stones throw from the helipad, and the parking area in front of the tower filling up at quite a pace.

I shut down and headed in to meet to military colleagues one Navy and one RAF, taking a quick coffee, completing the techlog and talking through the plan for the day. The intention for the afternoon was to take the three of us across the solent, and head out to the Needles on the Isle of Wight, fly along the cliffs, and turn inland to Sandown for some lunch.

Everyone was happy, and we jumped into Golf Sierra and we were soon heading out over the solent to trace the coastline down to the notorious red and white lighthouse. After some great photos for the guys, I turned East, heading along the cliffs before seeking out Sandown inland and approaching for some well-deserved lunch. This small grass strip airfield was waterlogged which unfortunately seemed to be all too common from what we heard from the airfield manager. Curiously, he had workmen rectifying this by laying an astroturf runway. Perplexing to say the least.

Lunch was some hearty meatballs and pasta, the boys insisted on covering the cost of lunch and as the airfield was technically closed due to the runway problem the landing fee was waived. On departure, Si asked to fly over Osborne house which aligned us nicely with the straight in approach across the Solent for Deadalus.

We were on the ground by 2pm, a suck of AVGAS and a slice of cake, and I was back in, rotors spinning and back off to Gloucester before sunset.