Long trips or short hops?

[honda cbx]

I was thinking the other day, why do i get frowns from some other pilots when i say i'm just staying local rather than flying the length and breadth of the country? I would rather visit 2 or 3 airfields in one day than fly long distance and just visit one .Is it me or are some others of the same mind ?:ugh:

[Lister Noble]

I tend to stay in my local area as it is very interesting with lots of historic airfields,and if you want to do the same,all well and good.

Every sport and pastime has it's share of b***sh*ters,don't listen to them, just go and do what you like.
Enjoy your sort of flying,after all that why you spent all that money learning!
Lister:)

[honda cbx]

Lister Noble , thanks for that, i personally get a lot of enjoyment flying in my own backyard :ok:

[flyingman-of-kent]

Like everything, you cut your cloth according to your resources be these time, money, wishes etc..

For those that do long trips, they may have better access to planes that they can take on long trips which will inevitably mean more than one or two hire "slots" from the local school. They may also have more money and/or more free time. Whilst they might be lucky to have this, it doesn't mean that other folk who are stuck with only being able to hire a plane for an afternoon are doing anything that is wrong.

I would say that one of the best days flying was when we visited three local aerodromes around London, had a short stay for a cuppa at each then moved on. There was no rush, and it was a great day. I also can say that some of the longer trips I made (ending up in Ibiza once) was also a great trip, but to be honest there were bits of the long flights over France where there was literally no change in the scenery, no one to talk to on the radio that we ended up playing I-Spy to keep us alert!

So it is all down to what you wish to do, maybe limited somewhat by your resources. Most people would probably fly more if on an unlimited budget (I know I would!!) but part of the pleasure is eeking out a lesser budget just to do a trip over a local landmark for an hour every now and then. Certainly there is no need to be envious of the long trip guys, they dont get as much joining / landing experience as those who potter around local airfields!!!

[Pilotdom]

I personally don't like bimbling. I like to get up high and stay there and visit an airfield at least an hour away. Thats my preference. Those who stay local and like that sort of thing are still pilots and enjoy there hobby that way, I enjoy mine in a different way, nothing wrong with that.

[BackPacker]

Most of my flights are aerobatics training flights, less than an hour from startup to shutdown. I also do a few 30-minute charity/goodwill flights each year. And I do one or two long trips (like Rotterdam-Berlin) per year. But I don't care about the 100-dollar hamburger runs.

Just remember that there is no right or wrong way to enjoy the privileges of a pilots license. It's an expensive hobby so make sure you get out of it what you want to get out of it. Don't fly long distances (with the associated costs) simply because you think you have to.

[Studefather]

Have you ever found yourself just bimbling along at 1000' looking at the world beneath, and suddenly struck by the thought "How priviledged I am, to be be able to do this."?.
Make it whatever you want it to be (and do it as much as you can, whilst you can).

[Molesworth 1]

I have done quite a few 2-3 hour cross country flights since I passed my PPL in September. The most memorable was a flight to the Orkneys from Inverness. A local taxi driver took me on a tour of the island and asked the time of my flight back to Inverness. Telling him that I was the pilot and I could leave any time I pleased was one of the coolest things I have been able to say ever!

Force of financial circumstance means I can only really afford to fly an hour or less a month, so it's a case of being creative with local options. I flew from Stapleford to Elstree with my partner on one occasion. We had a lovely Sunday lunch at the new restaurant and then walked in the nearby country park. Panshanger, North Weald, Andrewsfield and Clacton are nearby airfields which I still plan to visit. Damyns Hall too - although those powerlines on final approach seem daunting.

I agree that one generally gets much more experience per hour on short hops rather than long hauls.

[honda cbx]

A lot of wise words in the previous posts, thanks chaps :ok:

[Vems]

Even though I don't have my PPL yet, I don't think I'll be flying well away from my local area as there's pretty much a lot to see here, maybe have a few trips around Scotland, there are some places I would like to see, although I'll probably have few longer trips. Sometimes it's good to just get out if you know what I mean (?). Plus even after few years of flying there's no damn way you have seen everything ;)

Also depends on what you like and on budget :E

Others might hate flying in their local area, but that's just them.

You worked hard to get to where you are right now. So do what you like.

[flybymike]

The bug bear of long distance VFR touring is the bliddy weather.

[A and C]

Short trips may be fun but you will never increase your skills as a pilot by staying firmly inside your comfort zone.

Go south, the weather and the food is better also the charges at the airfields are more reasonable (except Nice!!!)

[yawningdog]

Its natural reaction to want to explore further away. After a while you get a bit bored flyining around the local area.

[honda cbx]

A and C you might be right about the weather but not the food, i'm not telling the mrs that, have you ever been clobered with a yorkshire pudding!!!!!!!!!

[Sultan Ismail]

There is no norm for flying, in my early days I flew regularly on 3 to 4 hour navex into the semi arid regions of South Africa and enjoyed the hours of droning engines and reassusrance that my well honed navigation would get me to some hamlet in the back of beyond.
These days it's an hours flight over the rubber plantations out to a tropical island airstrip for the $100 dollar handburger, except this is probably Nasi Goreng Kampung (Homestyle Fried Rice).
But last week I did the most fantastic trip of my life.
I took off from Cambridge Airport in a Northerly direction towards Waterbeach, a former home of 56 and 111 Squadron Hunters, a left turn towards Oakington, home of the Stirling Bomber and then on to Bourn, just across the road from the American Cemetary on Madingley Road. Maintaining a South Westerly direction we passed over Bassingbourn former home of the Canberra Bomber and then Royston came into view, had to steer to the East as some happy fellow was doing aerobatics to our right. A few minutes later we over flew Fowlmere and set ourselves up for a left hand downwind to Runway 24 at Duxford. A Harvard doing a run and break had us extend downwind, but very shortly we were on final approach for a touch and go, and then round again for a full stop.
A few minutes later I had secured the aircraft outside the WWII control tower and down the line from the B-17 Sally B.
Fifty minutes of flying and overflying a lifetime of memories.

Two days later I flew home, 12 hours 50 minutes in an A380, it wasn't the same.

[flybymike]

Nice post Sultan. ;)