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This documentary starts at hour 22 while I'm perfecting my circuits and landings.

I was looking through my aviation books for an appropriate quote to kick off this Project. What would suffice? Perhaps something philosophical from Richard Bach's "Nothing By Chance" or words of brave encouragement from Captain Victor Smith in his compelling book "cockpit over Africa".

I rather liked my own. "… throwing caution to the wind!"

Thursday, 24 August / ZS-CEY X-Air / PIC. S Roe / 12, 13, 20

After arriving late at the Airfield it was a rush to pull out the plane, pre-flight, suit up and get ready for take off. While I feel I've done this a million times, my pre start checks escape me. Steve bails me out (otherwise I would've been sure to blow the VHF Radio upon ignition.) "Okay, prop clear!" … press ignition. "Crank crank", nothing! Somehow we have managed to flood the trusty 508, or was that the water in the tank I forgot to test? Good for me it was the former. After a quick flush out of the carbs she was purring like her only purpose was to fly!

"Petit traffic, this is Charlie Echo Yankee taxiing to the holding point, 21" We had a 5-10° cross wind from the west, so lessons 12, 13, 20 (Cross wind landings) were on the menu for today.

[Cocks, caps, contents, harnesses, ASI,VSI, QNH, RPM, compass, heat up and climbing, ignition checks (I wish Steve would sort out Mag #2 as a 400 RPM drop just doesn't feel right although she keeps her rhythm like Nana Vasconcelos!] "Petit traffic, Charlie Echo Yankee lining up 21 for circuits and landings."

Text book take off although Steve advises that I need to concentrate on direction in cross wind conditions. I promise myself after a cocky self justifying remark that from now on I WILL counter the yaw caused by the prop direction when rolling. The absolute rush in the X-air is just after being airborne at +50 MPH you lower the nose to level, build up speed to around 70 MPH, pull up and swoosh! - you climb out like Liewe Heksie on a Red Bull, steroids combo!

I'm still fumbling a bit with all the power settings, flaps work, downwind call and the general circuit PT, but I reckon just two more touch and go's and Steve is going to want to watch proceedings from the ground. "Petit traffic, Charlie Echo Yankee on finals, 21, touch and go" I raise the flap to stage 1 and lower the nose ever so slightly to counter the effect. Perfect! I line up with about 5° crab. Perfect! Over the power lines, reduce RPM to around 3500. Perfect! Nose down. Perfect! Just over the numbers (and now I reckon I have the talent to be a bush pilot). Kick left rudder to straighten out and WOW!...a major wing lift. A darn rotor! Steve fixes the attitude problem (the plane's, not mine!) and I cut power and put her down like a rabid dog. Perfect! That's all the X-air wants. To be controlled, man handled and spoken to! If you don't cut power fully on round out she'll take you to the holding point of 03 before you know it. Aside from the now monotonous drone, "Direction after landing!" I felt that the lesson was baring fruit.

After doing a whole bunch of circuits I ask Steve if I could break the monotony by turning right out at downwind for some turns and a change of scenery. I always find that I need to relax for a minute or so after so much repetition. It somehow clears the brain. Those without ADD won't understand!

Due to the plane's light weight, every circuit feels different with the changing winds in the afternoon. Consider that a Jumbo experiences only 3% wind effect, a light plane about 30% and a microlight, well let's just say a lot!

We continue with lessons 12, 13, 20 and my confidence is building. With all of Steve's positive affirmations, we; that is Steve, I and my big head can hardly find space in the cockpit anymore so we decide to call it a day at about Hobbs .95. During my full stop approach I was delighted to correct a veteran aviator who was allegedly taxiing to the holding point at runway 03, but definetely coming in our direction.

Steve used the remaining daylight to do some stall tests with flaps up in the GF, because she sometimes just doesn't want to come down to earth. I guess on Tuesday he'll advise me of more appropriate round out speeds. Not much is known about her handling characteristics, so with only two X-airs in the country I really feel part of her discovery.