To overcome the problem, I have made two little protectors from a plastic picture hanger, simply cutting a small length off each end and slipping them over the trailing edge in the contact area. They grip very nicely and, in any case, are held firmly in place once the bands are fitted. Perhaps I ought to glue them in position, though, since if they do move they will foul the ailerons.

I've gone solo, but sort of unofficially!

I have three sites where I can fly my models. One is, of course, the Test Valley Flying Club field, where we can fly each weekend and where I am still under instruction. It is where I was first introduced to fixed-wing flying and have received all my tuition to date under Gordon's patient and careful attention.

A second site is the 'airstrip' that belongs to the model flying school where I had my basic lessons in flying my helicopter. On completion of my lessons there, the proprietors kindly gave me permission to use their field in their 'out-of-business-hours' periods. It is superbly located right out in the countryside, miles from anywhere, and I have often been there at crack of dawn to get an hour's flying in with my Shuttle before their day begins. 

Site number three is different again, and I was introduced to it by Nev, the guy in my friendly local model shop. Thirteen miles from where I live, there is a private flying club where some of the pilots also have an interest in model flight. As a result, the club has set aside a piece of land for model flying for club members, and this includes a limited number of local enthusiasts who are not full-scale flyers. It is not a model flying club, merely an association of model flyers who can use the field provided they belong to the flying club and also have full model flying insurance. This is where I go to fly the Shuttle during the week - when it's not on the repair bench!

Now that I can manage to take off and land - albeit sometimes rather heavily - and having finished my ATS Kite which I intend to use as my principle trainer at TVFC, I decided that I would take the bull by the horns and have a go on my own with Dawn, my Yamamoto 1600, out at site number three. The decision was partly made because I have been so frustrated at missing so many weekend flying opportunities this summer, both because of the weather and also as a result of a very full programme of weekend family visits, both home and away. I guess that's the price of having five kids and five grandchildren! Added to that, being retired means I can take advantage of the weather and avoid the danger of being bored! 

So, this week I gave it a try, and it was wonderful! There is usually no-one else about at all during the weekdays, and so it was on the visits I made this week. I admit to a certain amount of nervous excitement, especially after my first take-off and the realisation that I was now committed to landing the plane on my own, but it was brilliant. This field is quite short compared to the others, so I needed a few practice approaches to try and effect a touch-down fairly close to the 'threshold'. I found this quite tricky, one landing being a bit short and into the rough, resulting in a broken prop, but nothing worse than that so far.

I know I have a long way to go yet, and I very much respect the rules of my club which will not allow me to fly solo there until my instructor is satisfied as to my competence and, for me, that is still an important target. In the meantime, I'm hoping my private practice will help me towards that goal.