The Qualifying Cross Counntry (QXC) requires particularly good weather. It is a long solo trip with a form to be signed off and certified at each stop, and there is no option but to complete it. Since the end of December, consistently poor weather has blocked every attempt; either the cloud base was too low, or the wind was too stong and gusting, or it was raining, or snowing, or...

After ten weeks of not flying, we were both concerned that I might have got a bit rusty, and so Ben, my instructor for the day, suggested an hour of general handling and circuits before starting. The North-Easterly wind favoured a departure from runway 8, and we didn't take our normal route to Wellesbourne, instead going via Barford St John and Banbury. Past Banbury we started the work-out, first with a PFL, then a steep turn to the right and another to the left. The PFL was sloppy with a poor scan and no attempt to restart. On top of that the field I selected was too close and we overshot it, although the field behind was still suitable. The steep turns were much better though.

Next I had to identify our position and find the airfield. We were just south of Leamington Spa and set up for a right base join for runway 36. We made this a regular approach for a touch and go, and then joined the circuit for a flapless approach and then a final normal approach to land. All three landing were quite reasonable considering the nearly three month gap.

The Katana has a fuel endurance of four hours, and so we stopped at the fuel pumps to top off the tank. The planned route was exactly two hours, but there would be taxiing and holding time to add to that -- and getting back to Enstone afterwards -- and we'd already used one hour in the work out. Then Ben said goodbye, and it was off.

The first leg was Wellesbourne to Gamston via Leicester overhead. Departure from Wellesbourne runway 36 requires an immediate right turn and climb to 1000 ft on heading 030 degrees.My PLOGged heading for Leicester was 036, so very little adjustment nneeded. During the first FREDA check I changed frequencies to Coventry and got a Flight Information Service (FIS). Shortly afterwards, a Cessna 152 which had left Wellesbourne behind me also contacted Coventry. Apparently they were also going to Gamston! When it came time to talk to Leicester, I requested the frequency change, but there was no response. I waited a minute or two and tried anain, Still nothing. After the third attempt, I changed frequencies anyway. Leicester were pretty much uninterested, just asking me to tell them when I left their frequency.

Once away from their zone, I changed frequencies to East Midlands, asking for a FIS and also a zone transit. The controller gave me a squawk code. At this point I realised I still had the squawk from Coventry set. Oops. After a couple of minutes I was cleared through the zone not above 2500 ft and warned to keep a look out since there was active parachuting going on at Langar. A minute or two later I heard the 152 behind me also being cleared through the zone. As an additional nav aid I had tuned in to the GAM VOR, and just needed to stay on the 008 radial all the way to the airfield. Even though I knew I was on track and how far away it was, I still had trouble spotting the airfield. I could follow the line of the A1M and also see the town of Retford beyond, and knew the field was between the two, but I was almost upon it before I could see it. I joined right base for runway 35, and parked on the apron opposite the Diamond maintenance facility. I then went an paid the £10 landing fee and got the QXC form signed ('Good', 'Good'), before grabbing a cuppa and phoning Ben with a progress report. Shortly after I arrived, the 152 that had been behind me also arrived!

Leg 2 was from Gamston to Conington. Originally I had planned it direct, but with a Northerly wind my track would be closer to any parachute drops at Sibson than I was comfortable with, so I adjusted the route to take me around the North and East side of Peterborough. The departure procedure for 35 requires a right turn before the end of the runway to avoid overflying Retford. I left the circuit at the end of the downwind leg, tracking the GAM VOR outwards. After the FREDA check I contacted Waddington Radar for a FIS and MATZ penetration. They advised of gliders operating out of Winthorpe, and so I stayed West of Newark to keep well clear of them. Once past Grantham, I had intended to get a service from Cottesmore, but Waddington advised that they were closed (it was a Sunday), and so I stayed with Waddington until past Bourne, when they suggested I freecall Conington Radar.

Once past Peterborough, I had trouble spotting the airfield again, and had to scan up and down the road and railway line until I saw it. I joined crosswind for runway 10. Once on the ground the A/G asked if I'd mind continuing to the far holding point to allow the plane behind me on finals to land. Once he was down, I could backtrack and park on what seemed like the world's smallest and most crowded apron. Another tenner, and a brace of 'satisfatorys' from the instructor who had followed me on finals.

What is quite surprising is how much time gets lost to just faffing about. I did no more than grab a quick cuppa at each stop, but what with waiting around for forms to be signed, trying to negotiate a way through the tiny but crowded apron at Conington and then having to hold for busy circuit traffic, the time soon went. As a result, it was getting quite late by the time I left Conington, on the final leg back to Wellesbourne, into the nearly setting sun. I changed frequencies to Sywell, just as they were shutting down. I listened in for a while and then went to Coventry for a FIS. The landmarks were getting familiar again now, and as I approached the M40, I changed to Wellesbourne and reported in. As I taxied round towards the tower, the time was 17:25, abd Ben was standing in front of the fire station waiting.

We stopped just long enough for Ben to get in, and started straight back up again, managing to get off just before the airfield closed. With a 120kt fast cruise back to Enstone, we managed once again to get back just before sunset. A long and tiring day.