I fly from a French Club, I own the slowest and least instrumented aircraft based there, and do the most travel abroad ( most years two trips, which isn’t that much) . The Club planes seem to stay within 100 Nm of base unless an instructor organises some sort of outing. . …
It takes me around three hours to Caen or Cherbourg, five or six to Strasbourg or Bayonne, so I have a fair bit of flying to do before actually being “abroad”.
I was at la Baule this weekend for the girls flyin, two hours each way in serious Cavok. The rest of the Club stayed at home. Mind, the metman did forecast 20 to 25 knots instead of the 10 that we actually had. If I can do this with a 75 kt cruise, I don’t see the problem with three or four people sharing the cost and workload at 110 knots and 130€ an hour. Apparently they do, because they weren’t there or anywhere else interesting. I never did think aircraft were built to stay local.
I try to encourage my students in an independent frame of mind, but sometimes it feels like pushing water uphill.
I own the slowest and least instrumented aircraft based there, and do the most travel abroad
Something tells me that you also have the best English among the club members, and likely by a very large margin.
I try to encourage my students in an independent frame of mind…
I don’t know if this is about indepedence. I already wrote that in anonther thread, so I will repeat myself now: I am also one of the guys who would not fly abroad or any greater distances privately. When I started flying powered aeroplanes, I soon discovered that I really have nowhere to go. Or that going places by private plane is not worth the expense and hassle it creates. But I really enjoy flying, being up in the air between the clouds whilst operating powerful and demanding machinery. So I decided to make it my (second) profession instead.
So I can’t really blame pilots who only fly for an hour every other Saturday afternoon. If it makes them happy and gives them an hour of joy, why not? Why make it more complicated than it must be?
So I can’t really blame pilots who only fly for an hour every other Saturday afternoon. If it makes them happy and gives them an hour of joy, why not? Why make it more complicated than it must be?
I’m kind of in that camp as well. Certainly that flying to go somewhere is not worth the expense. If I a planned a 3 little holiday to L2K for example, I’d spend most of my data roaming allowances downloading the weather and worrying what the weather is going to be like in 3 days time, and will I make it back. Thats part of the downfall of only having an instrument rating recognised in the UK (the IMCr), a plane that struggles above 11,000 ft and has no icing capabilities. I guess thats also down to my practical concern for weather and not being a hardened IFR flyer or with a lack of ferry pilot bravado. But it generally means I am safe. Therefore any short or long trips I do, even ones abroad, are likely same day out, same day back. And if you consider English weather, if its decent weather in the morning, it probably wont be in the morning, or vice-versa. Sounds a bit pessimistic, but I have had too many little trips canned due to icing, cloudbase, x-winds, so a lot of time I am just happy to get up in the air for an hour or, get above some clouds if I can, and just enjoy the sound of the engine and all the buttons and gauges and stuff. Using a plane as a utility just doesnt work for me, and part of the reason I dont fly abroad much.
Something tells me that you also have the best English among the club members, and likely by a very large margin.
Not really. English is my first language, but there are other members with english as first language, and many with at least operational english.
I think what really helps is ownership, as if I am away longer than planned there isn’t anyone waiting for the aircraft. Like many of our members, I am not tied to a job. Sure, I have had at times to wait for improved weather, and by doing so have often made new friends. I’m not really using a sixty year old taildragger as transport, more combining the pleasure of flight with seeing new places.
Yes, the pure pleasure of being in the air is great, but in that case I would be in my glider (and probably trying to fly round a triangular course) Obviously if aerobatics is what you like, then that’s another option. Not many people keep flying for more than four or five years post PPL (in my experience) unless they progress beyond their basic licence. I find that rather sad.
Sure, I have had at times to wait for improved weather, and by doing so have often made new friends. I’m not really using a sixty year old taildragger as transport, more combining the pleasure of flight with seeing new places.
That sounds adorable.
Unfortunately, most oldtimers are flown very little; mostly only for an on ahandful of summer evenings plus to the annual antique airplane fly-in.
It appears increasingly obvious that the % is much lower than most would think.
I just cannot imagine doing a PPL, let alone anything beyond that, just for flying around the UK
I fully agree. And there are eccentrics out there who do nothing but fly between airports, have a meal, and never leave the airport.
I more often fly to three or four airports and don’t even shut down 
I more often fly to three or four airports and don’t even shut down …
Sometimes I dont’t even land there but do low approaches only
And there are eccentrics out there who do nothing but fly between airports, have a meal, and never leave the airport.
One chap I know takes off, flies to where he lives, circles his house, and comes back to land. Mostly on the autopilot, too. Well, to each their own, I reckon…
For myself I have taken it as an exercise to fly without the GPS activated, just to improve my skills of “artisanal navigation”.
