Just like it happens to other [trainee] pilots, it has overcome myself: getting LOST... and ending up with a red flight! Not that we crashed, no. Even though I was very well prepared for the flight Ostend-Charleroi [with diversion] - which my instructor confirmed during the debriefing - but perhaps I wasn't fit to fly or too nervous... I don't know the exact reason. As a matter of fact, I made a steering error while looking on my map between Gent and Aalst, on our way to turning point Affligem.
However, since AFI VOR was set on the CDI... after - what appeared in the debriefing afterwards [since my instructor had noted my actual flight path on his own map] - a nice collection of curves - :- - I found my way back. Next leg was outbound the AFI VOR but due to low clouds and a large antenna near Halle very close to the planned route, I had to leave my track again, where... just being in the middle of a badly timed position report to Brussels Information - I failed to note the time where we left the track so that I could't fly a perfect "Dog Leg" (60° turn out for 2 minutes followed by a 120° turn in for 2 minutes) to get both safely around the obstacle and back on the right track. So... due to a little help of the moving map GPS, I succeeded to get the plane back on the intended course after flying a 360 to gain some time to set things right... keeping a clear eye on the altimeter as we were flying in uncontrolled airspace, júst 100 feet (30 meters) below Brussels CTR.
Approaching Nijvel it was time to listen out the ATIS message on Charleroi Info, request the frequency change to Charleroi Approach at Brussels Information ánd request the clearance for a full stop landing. We were cleared to join righthand downwind runway 25 via Victor and Whiskey. Both compulsaries were flown - at last - with sufficient situational awareness from my side. Soon the field was in sight and a few seconds after joining downwind we were given priority to land as number 1 on runway 25. Charleroi Ground cleared us to the Papa 4 apron lot... and next: full stop, relief... I made it (hardly).
On the way back, near Ghent, my instructor made me perform a diversion to EBKT. However that was totally unplanned and not written on my map... this went nicely! After steering to a roughly calculated heading, I finally acted smartly enough to turn the autopilot on for a few minutes while setting out the correct course by use of my rulers and map. Since EBKT was closed for general aviation - like us - we just requested to fly through their airspace and leave via compulsory November, maintaining a safe altitude of 2000 feet. Near November, I calculated my new course to Torhout (about 340 degrees heading). 20 minutes and 1 simulated forced landing later, we touched down at EBOS.
Even though the return flight went a lot better than the first part... I admit myself that some extra practise is needed to fly the plane without nerves and more situational awareness than I just did. Once again I discovered that it is not just as easy as driving your car along the white painted lines on the highway... and since everything looks so similar from up there, getting lost is so damn easy.
However... better to get lost now than during a solo VFR mission!
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