Hi! My name is Zoe Manning and I’m a saddle fitter. That means I fit and adjust saddles for horses and their riders (yes that’s really a thing!).
I’m also a pilot.
Recently I organised to do a saddle fitting trip, visiting clients around Echuca. Instead of driving from the Mornington Peninsula, I decided to fly ‘Trixie’, a little blue Foxbat. Trixie is a 2012 model Aeroprakt 22LS and has a MTOW of 600kg.
My first challenge was working out how many saddles I could fit in. My job requires me to take ‘Demo’ saddles as well as some tools and other equipment. Saddles are bulky things and weigh between 5-8kg each.
Due to the awesome cockpit width and height of the Foxbat, I managed to fit four saddles on the passenger seat and three in the baggage compartment. With full fuel, tools and an overnight bag this left me a surplus weight availability of 60kg. I was very happy about that!
The morning before departure I checked the weather, and it couldn’t have been better! I needed to touch down at Beechworth to pick up a saddle from a friend. So I planned for that, checking fuel requirements and NOTAMS.
I also rang the owner of the Beechworth strip, Robert Tully, to get permission to land and for a brief moment on the strip. He was very friendly and helpful, advising me that it would be best to land on the upsloping 14, as 32 has a downward slope. I jotted that down on my trip notes and revised the runway layout and circuit patterns. I set off at 10am into a glorious blue sky and a tailwind.
The leg to Beechworth was uneventful apart from the stunning scenery. Flying over Cardinia Reservoir, the Cathedral Ranges and Lake Eildon was just magical. I’d flown this route on the way to Mt Beauty several times, so I was quite at ease.
Then I arrived at Beechworth and everything changed…
As I approached the strip from the South West, it immediately became apparent that a landing here was going to be quite a challenge!
I’ve only been flying for 18 months, and although I’ve done many hours in the Foxbat, I’d never seen a strip like this before. It is 610 metres long and is located on top of an undulating grassy hill. There are tall trees on the threshold of 14 and a steep drop into a treed gully at the 32 end. The terrain surrounding the strip is undulating, dropping into the Wangaratta Valley to the West and rising to mountainous bushland to the South East.
I suddenly felt very underprepared. With adrenaline pumping I focused on the strip, my location, altitude and the circuit pattern.
Joining a midfield crosswind 14, I noticed the windsock indicating a light Westerly crosswind. If I landed on this runway as Robert had suggested, I would have a tailwind.
Just a low pass Zoe, just fly down the strip and have a closer look, ok? I turned base, then final. Hills everywhere, focus on the strip, we don’t need to rush. I could feel my heart pounding.
Over the trees on the threshold, why do they feel so close? Too fast, too high, this strip feels VERY short. I couldn’t take my eyes off the drop into the gully, looming at a fast rate at the end of the strip. Yikes! (I won’t repeat the language I was actually using!)
Definitely not happy with that approach. I do NOT want to end up in the gully!
I powered up and went around. Sweating, I reminded myself to relax my grip on the controls. Turning a left crosswind, I noticed the terrain not far below. It really felt as though I wasn’t climbing due to the mountain straight ahead of me. But thankful for Trixie’s awesome climb rate I turned downwind with plenty of altitude.
How am I going to do this, I wondered? This strip is really difficult! I looked down at the windsock, runway 14 had a slight tailwind. I looked at the threshold of 32. Nice and clear on a naked hill with no trees. I made the decision to change runways. Changing direction, we took a left-hand turn and joined midfield crosswind for 32 to approach from the southern end, over the gully.
Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself down for another pass, this time on 32. I had to remind myself that I had plenty of fuel, and that I could go around as many times as I needed. And if I didn’t find an approach that I was completely happy with, then I didn’t have to land at all!
Focusing on the strip I concentrated on flying a controlled and accurate circuit. Zoe, remember your training, fly the aeroplane, establish a stable approach.
Talking myself through the circuit, I turned base, and for a moment I was distracted again. The mountain was looming in front of me, the trees were rising up, and I was still on base! I looked over at the strip, the terrain sloped down again, turning onto final, I followed the downslope to the threshold. A little high, a little fast, better, but not good enough.
So, just before touchdown I powered up again and went around. Feeling more confident, I again reminded myself to breathe and let go of my vice-like grip on the controls. Just fly the pattern. Be one with the aeroplane.
I turned crosswind, downwind and then onto base. More relaxed with the rising terrain, this time I flew a lower and slower approach. Focusing on the threshold, I ignored the gully beneath me. Over the threshold, power off, into the flare and the ground came up gently to meet us.
After the smooth float that is flight and the quietness of the flare, the rough, loud jolting of a grass strip on touchdown is always a shock. We nailed it! I stepped out of the aeroplane to find my hands were shaking and my knees were weak.
After a break at Beechworth and a catch up with my friend, I headed off to Echuca. Apart from nearly taking out a bird on the Echuca runway, the remainder of the trip was smooth flying.
The short grass strip at Echuca, which once intimidated me, was now a breeze compared to what I’d just accomplished at Beechworth!
My saddle fitting jobs went without hitch and I’m planning to go back in a few months’ time. I might just stop in at Beechworth again to do some (tricky strip) circuit practice.
I feel like I gained a tremendous amount from this experience. Trust yourself and your training, take your time, always have a plan B and if it doesn’t feel good then go around or don’t land there at all!
And practice, practice, practice those circuits, short field, grass, obstacles and crosswind, in all conditions and configurations, within your capabilities!
