It's so blue!

[Dop]

I'd been eyeing the sky dubiously all week, wondering if it was going to be OK for the weekend. And what a beautiful day it has been!

Did a flight to Shoreham, as a rehearsal towards my cross-country. Flying along the shoreline from Brighton Marina was absolutely stunning. Flying back after a quick stop was even better. As I took off from Shoreham's 21, the sea looked incredibly blue and sparkling and beautiful. The flight along the shoreline was even better as I could see the beach, and Brighton down below me.

I see the kind of views I saw today, and it makes me feel really privileged to be able to fly and see those views. Really wish I'd had a camera, so I could take some snaps to show people, so when anyone asks me why I go to the trouble and expense of learning to fly, I can show them...

Great day for flying, hope all of you managed to get out and enjoy it too!

[Saab Dastard]

Dop,

Agree completely, wonderful day to fly! :ok: :D

I took my brother flying (his first time) from Fairoaks via Sevenoaks, Gravesend, Sheerness, Margate, Lydd, Seaford, Shoreham, Arundel, Haslemere back to Fairoaks - not enough hours before 50 hr check to land at IOW as intended. That was between 12.15 and 14.35 Z, so maybe we passed each other!

Above 3000 - fantastic! Below 2500 choppy as hell! Poor brother was sick :yuk: - fortunately only on the last stint when we had to drop to 2300 under the LTMA.

Just as well I had wisely invested in a quantity of Transair's finest lunchbags! :ok:

Good luck with your QXC.

SD

[Evo]

Wingovers, aileron rolls and assorted other fun 5000ft over the coast south of Goodwood. Spent a large part of my hour pulling G, magic :ok: :D :D

Was supposed to have lunch with Speedbird252 in Kemble yesterday. What a difference a day makes... :rolleyes: :(

[Pilot16]

Hi

I did my qualifying cross country today (Saturday)!! Gotta agree, the weather was on my side ;) Route was From Stapleford to Norwich Airport via Ipswich and Lowestoft, then Norwich to Southend via Lowestoft and Ipswich and finally Southend to Stapleford... Brilliant day, but it was turning little hazy on the east coast on the way to Southend

Norwich peeps were extremely helpful with all the marhsells and bus/car ride to and from terminal ;)

Overall, great trip, and am so glad i have got that done!!

P16

[DBChopper]

Dop,

That view of the marina and the front at Brighton is spectacular on a sunny day, isn't it? It's always my chosen route into Shoreham before a jink up the river and hop over the fence into the field.

Although I got my fix during the week, I did pop into Rotorvation at Brands Hatch for tea, where a guy was having an hour's trial lesson in the R22. Once back on the ground, he was off to Biggin for a fixed wing trial lesson, to help him decide which. I don't think he could have chosen a nicer day to play (mind you, judging by the look on his wife's face, no day would have been a good day...)

;)

[Aussie Andy]

Yes it was lovely - and after much ado (to do with an incorrect booking at airfield A, much disappointment, then phone calls and amazingly availability of another aircraft at short notice on suich a beautiful day at airfield B!) my mate 1013.2 and I FINALLY made it over to Wales!

We flew over Snowdon at FL065 above a broken layer of cloud to arrive at Caernarfon in absolutely clear skies - what a wonderful little airfield!

After a cappucino a sandwich and some fuel, we then headed off following the coast from Llanbedr to Aberystwyth, then direct to Swansea - which we found difficult to spot! Much fun there (although not Britain's prettiest airfield, the local views - especially beaches - were great!), then back home to Wycombe via BCN and BZN at FL050.

Such clear blue skies! As we were approaching the Welsh coast over Snowden, we could make out the line of clouds marking the Irish coast 70NM away! And I swear from about Gloucester on the return leg we could see as far as the East coast too!

Here's a pic taken just south of Aberystwyth:

Andy

http://www.andyhardy.dynu.com/Photos/2003/August/Flying%20in%20Wales!!!/Wales_135849AA.JPG

[Circuit Basher]

Aussie Andy - very clever to get the piccy to include the half mill chart so you knew exactly where it was taken!!! ;)

[Aussie Andy]

Hey, you're right! Hadn't spotted that :O

Andy

[Northern Highflyer]

Me and a friend did Sherburn - Blackpool, our first trip over the pennines, skirted round LBA zone, up over the top and skimming just north of Manc zone for a straight in on 28.

Must have been some sort of show going on as there were 2 Tornadoes, 2 Spitfires on the floor and a Dakota followed us in.

Depart 25 straight out over the sea, right turn back to Sherburn flying straight between the Tower and Pleasure Beach. Airborne 15 minutes and we could almost see the East coast by now. Fantastic day, fantastic trip and my friend took some pictures too.

Just hope the 2 pilots we saw at Blackpool got their a/c sorted. As they began taxi off the somewhat bumpy parking area used for GA a/c, they hit a dip and pranged the prop on the floor.