Hi Mazzy
Feel free to use whatever I have posted. I have not made it up to Speke yet, but will soon I hope. I'm up to 146 hours TT now and bought an old aeroplane in August. It's a 1967 PA-28, but it does have a rather nice 6 cylinder 235hp donkey. Tis a bit thirsty though at 48l/hr leaned, but hey. Done 25 hours in it since August.
Pure luck that it came up for sale at Shoreham, my home airfield, and with a place in the hangar. The previous owner had just finished building a Europa and so didn't need the PA-28. He still flies it occasionally as do the other two guys who rented it before, so it helps with the fixed costs.
I have not started my IMC rating yet due to lack of time, but did venture across the Channel for the first time last Saturday. Went to Le Touquet via Lydd and Cap Gris-Nez. Loveley weather going out at FL55, with a bit of rain over Boulogne, but nothing much. Decided to return direct from Le Touquet to Seaford and ended up dodging about between rain clouds at 3,000ft, but no real issue. We couldn't make a full day of it, of course, because of the light, but it's another box ticked
Good wishes to one and all
Lysander