Over 200h on powered aircraft this year, a few hours on gliders. Quite a few memorable flights, Norway, Croatia and Italy comes to mind.
Still regret skipping the La Cerdanya fly in…
One interesting thing I’ve noticed is that to keep a satisfactory level of flight proficiency on RV14 I need to land at least once per week. Any longer than that and I’m unable to grease a 3 point landing.
Looking forward to 2024 with high hopes of visiting the UK and Greece. Bulgaria will (?) be joining the Schengen zone which would make it a great destination for a fuel stop on the way from my home airport in Warsaw to Sitia.
Just under 80h, just like last year. No long trips, therefore no long distances, which keeps the hour count low. Flew 14 different SEP aircraft (11 different types/variants) which was nice.
that‘s a super-interesting flight from Marina di Modica to Sabaudia! From your noted flight time in a C172, I assume you more or less followed the coast. Given that Marina di Modica doesn‘t seem to have fuel, and the C172 range, where did you fill up in Sicily?
I flew direct Sabaudia – Palermo (2h00) and refueled at the Aeroclub at Boccadifalco airport.
Palermo – Marina di Modica was 1h20.
My C172N holds 160lts, 150lts usable.
Consumption is 30lt/h. When I landed at Modica I had 110lts, 3h40 flight time.
I had organized ppr for fuel at Reggio Calabria but the refuelling guy quits at 17.00 which would have meant losing all sunday afternoon.
A pilot based at Modica gave me 20lts from his personal reserve so I decided to leave early morning the next day, also because I wouldn’t have had any significant headwinds at FL80.
Flight was beautiful, around Catania CTR, across Stromboli to Punta Licosa where Naples ATC asked me to descend and follow the coastline (where Flightware lost my signal). Had they let me fly straight it would have been 20 minutes less flight time. I landed with 40 minutes fuel still avalable.
The other longish flight of the year was Milan LIMB – Sabaudia, 3h32.
A good year for me, but I’ll let flysto do the talking :)
Thanks Antonio for your truely great post!
It’s a privilege to be able to participate in a community like this one.
As I keep reading all the posts above, I first would like to thank all of you contributing here. Some of those posts are very personal, and therefore the more interesting ones, again thanks.
Some of the posts are downright depressing, whilst luckily most are happy and optimistic… which is probably all very normal.
I for one was once more very lucky in having yet another super flying year 
Good health, favourable weather conditions and good technical reliability helped in reaching and exceeding the goals set at the end of last year. The results are having spent just short of 17 days in the air in 2023 (for those curious enough my totals as a pro pilot – engineer – and PPL are now 988 days = or 2.7 years of my life airborne…).
Some of the 2023 highlights:
Add to this quite some local flying activity, comprising of no less than 35 visits to the pizza joint LSZL… the tower is now aware of the capabilities of my mighty steed (overtaking some Robin in the downwind at 180kts, short approach, etc), and ordering at the restaurant I can now just use the phrase “come al solito” 
As an atheist I can only wish for a repeat of 2023 for 2024. Also my best wishes to all of you readers, hoping you can reach yours goals too, flying or private.
And I’m sure looking forward to meet you guys again, fly safe!
Pic of the day… the Finsteraarhorn 14’022ft
Plans for 2023: night VFR. Hopefully BIR. Flying to DE, perhaps UK? Italy who knows. Channel Islands for sure (that was also a Wx victim in 2022). A multi-day trip. An FAA FR if the opportunity presents itself. Flying to a fly-in or meetup if all the holes line up in a good way. Oh and a share in a plane. One can dream
Reality: My first full year after getting the PPL. 41h of flying total – less than I hoped, more than I feared.
Got the NR – lovely experience
and the got the BIR in CZ flying mostly around Karlovy Vary (where amongst many other things the hotel from Casino Royale is).
Huge thanks to previous posters on the topic and particular @snoopy for all the useful information for getting the BIR!
Flew to DE (EDFE, thanks @boscomantico for very accurate advice) but did not make it Italy (Milan was planned but scrapped due to Wx over the Alps). Did not make it to UK either
Multi day trip to Le Castellet – LFMQ was certainly one of the highlights and my longest flight yet. Got to put the BIR to good use. Discovered, as with many things, sanitary options theory is not the same as practice
FAA 61.75 validation process done, no flight review yet.
As for many others, the last months of 2023 in particular were horrible for planning. The BIR did not help much there – not because of issues with increased minima as I read in some places, but mostly because of lack of reasonable backup options for cross country IMC in rentals without deice, oxygen or turbo.
Plans for 2024: more IR experience. Take a day off during a trip in west coast USA and get the FR done there. Not giving up on finding a share opportunity.
Happy holidays and thank you to all forum participants!
I had 89.5 hours this year, which was all-time high for me. Had two nice trips with family to Croatia.
Struggled with MEIR to SEIR conversion, wasted 3k EUR on that for nothing. The solution is on the way since May (not finished) – transition to Austrocontrol. Fixed the autopilot, bought oxygen, a new battery, and a new ignition switch.
I have realized that to reach 100 hours in a year will be almost impossible to me – unless I plan for a divorce :-D
As a conclusion I am playing with the idea of selling my TB…
2024 plans:
trip to Transylvania, to Croatia, to Germany and Italy.
conclude the transition to Austrocontrol.
maybe UPRT and MCC training?
Flew 14 different SEP aircraft (11 different types/variants) which was nice.
That’s cool.
If you had to pick ONLY one to fly from now on forever, which one would it be, and why?
