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This is the third and final installment in this series. Click on the following links to read the two previous articles. Part 1, Part 2
While we enjoyed the view I began to pay closer attention to a conversation between the ATCs and the pilot of a Cessna out north of Melbourne where a localised weather system had sent him instantly into IFR conditions.
This is one of the times when the life of an air traffic controller becomes anything but routine as they try and guide the pilot to safety. When asked if the aircraft was IFR capable the pilot responded in the affirmative but that he wasn't current. I think that this was code for, I don't feel confident that I can climb through the cloud without rolling the aircraft.
 By now the Cessna was at 1600 feet in an area that has mountains up to 2,500 feet, it also meant that he was about 400 feet off the ground, not good. The pilot broadcast that he was considering a forced landing (which wasn't such a bad option) and it was at this time that the ATC asked what was the status of his fuel.
You could have heard me gulp. The incredible view as we travelled around the bay was forgotten and both my wife and daughter had gone completely silent. It was at this time that I became very proud to be part of the pilot community.
We never did get an answer on the fuel situation so I assumed the worst but just then another pilot jumped on the radio who was in the same local area as the distressed Cessna. The weather system was very local so together with the air traffic controller they began guiding the Cessna pilot to safety. While this was happening the helpful pilot orbited to make sure that everything was OK. The relief in the voice of the highly stressed aviator as he was guided to safety was felt all the way across Melbourne to our plane and we all ended up cheering!
By this time I had to swap frequencies to Moorabbin to make my inbound calls and focus on landing procedures. This is when our next adventure started. We ended up with three planes stacked up behind us, another plane coming in from the north-west and a twin that was doing circuits being asked by the tower to chop their downwind leg short and cut in front of us. After all, they were a twin!
During my training one of my instructors had drilled into me that if you ever get under pressure slow the plane up. So I immediately throttled back the engine and popped out a couple of stages of flaps while I took note of the twins registration number so after we had landed I could tell him that he had a spot of dirt on his tail that needed cleaning.
All was going well until about ten feet off the runway a blast of air hit the Archer that had obviously come from the twin as they did their touch-n-go. Just when you'd thought the landing was as per the book there's just nothing like getting thrown off the centre line to get the adrenalin firing.
A touch of throttle and a boot-full of rudder brought everything right and we greased on in. Everything happened so fast and my reaction was so quick that thinking seemed to become an optional extra. I like mentally reviewing every flight so what did I learn from the wake turbulence experience?
 For a start, I should have gone around as soon as I deemed that the twin was too close. The air traffic controllers are invaluable and do a tremendous job but when you as a pilot aren't happy make a decision early not late. The ATC don't get your view out the cockpit and they definitely don't know your level of expertise.
Secondly, although everything went well with the landing I noticed that my reaction was to still land the aircraft. What I should have done was do a go around, even at that late stage. This meant that my natural instinct and habit was to stick the wheels on the ground. It was clear that it was time that I did a few circuits and practice the habit of going around so that I could get it ingrained into my natural reaction.
Although the flight presented a number of challenges it also reinforced with me that the often unsung voices on the other end of the radio are a pilot's best friend. Air traffic controllers do a brilliant job and this combined with the selfless actions of many pilots make me proud to be part of Australian aviation. As I write this article I just wished the weather would get better so that I can get back in the air - come on summer!
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