Average year for me. Around 100h VFR. Could be more but often stuck on the ground due to bad weather on my days off. I did also my glider and ultralight licence. In 2017 I hope the avgas will be as cheap as this year but I suppose it will not. So 100h this year will be ok as every year.
Just under 100h this year, down from 135 last year; mostly due to spending the bulk of the summer in an RV (not the winged type) touring the western U.S.
Highlights include flying to Prague and Edinburgh, training with one of the creators/test pilots of my plane, using the plane for work, doing some (light) owner maintenance, taking part in Project Propeller. Enjoying every minute I spend in the plane.
Low points: clipping my nav lights on a fuel pump while taxiing. Noble distraction, never again, lesson learned.
Plans for this year: would love to spend some time in Sweden. I think my wife and kids will be up for it.
2016 was sabbatical year. 260 hrs, landed in 20 countries.
Shakedown: Scotland to Finland & return
The Big Trip: North Atlantic crossing, Tour de USA, down to Panama, then return to UK
Phase 3: Scotland to Mozambique via Egypt, Sudan and Kenya
There were some great flying moments, such as bunny-hopping a dog on a runway in Panama (well, early rotation) and weaving round Cu on the emergency descent for my high-alt endorsement. But the best bits were mostly human.
The Africa trip was solo, the rest was with my wife, alias FO, in the right seat. She keeps me right and almost always tells me when I’ve missed something – apparently this is called CRM. I met a delightful American couple in Kenya who were flying the Vintage Rally in a Travel Air. They said the same thing.
Another wee story: We chatted with two gentleman in Frobisher while they were refuelling their Electra – they later displayed at Duxford. They had known Ernest Gann. On the way back we found ourselves flying up the fjord to Narsarsuaq under a 1500’ ceiling. Coincidence? 
2016 saw me spend 51h 56 minutes enjoying the freedom a PPL brings, this was down more than 10 hours over 2015 due to the plane being in maintenance since October due to a stupid mechanic who thought that checklists aren’t necessary and tried connecting ground power to a Cirrus with a flat battery. Upon switching on the power to start the engine he cooked the starter, boiled the battery and destroyed the MCU…..
Most enjoyable flight was heading down to Salzburg / Zell am See – the views in Austria are just stunning from the air….
But on the plus side, having an Energiser starter fitted which means my hot starts will no longer be subject to loads of ‘fingers crossed’ – I hope ;-)
29hrs 32min in 2016 all VFR.
Highlights: Flying in the Caribbean and EuroGA fly-in in Carcassonne.
Aspirations for the new year:
- try and get more current on Cessna 182.
- the most challenging part: define how I will combine GA flying with our soon-to-be-born first child. Any advice appreciated…
Happy new year to all
NeilC wrote:
On the way back we found ourselves flying up the fjord to Narsarsuaq under a 1500’ ceiling.
Wow, you went visual into Narsarsuaq with a low cloud base? Was that because it was below state minima for the approach or you just wanted to?
Short answer is because we wanted to.
When we left Goose, the BGBW TAF was 9999 SCT015 TEMPO BKN015 with CAVOK later – morning cloud burning off. Around half way across they declared BGBW below state minima, so we diverted towards Sondrestrom. Shortly afterwards I checked wx (I had to ask, it was not offered) and they declared BGBW open. By this time we were over the icecap and it was clear as a bell with some low stratus up the fjords. We re-negotiated a clearance direct Simiutaq and cancelled IFR in the descent.
Having never flown the approach at BGBW before, I elected to fly VFR below rather than descend through cloud with mountains all around. Conditions up the fjord were 9999 OVC015 or BKN with superb vis and the occasional shaft of sunlight illuminating the glacier ahead.
We were followed up the fjord by a SkyVan ferrying from Belgium to Chicago. By the time we refuelled and took off it was just a thin layer of SCT025 lurking over the fjord and crystal clear over the icecap. Stunning.
CYYR to BGBW. I like the names on the 430, although I like the range rings on the 750 better!
Conditions clearing over the icecap
Past Simiutaq, entrance to the fjord
BGBW on the right
What a departure
NeilC wrote:
Having never flown the approach at BGBW before, I elected to fly VFR below rather than descend through cloud with mountains all around. Conditions up the fjord were 9999 OVC015 or BKN with superb vis and the occasional shaft of sunlight illuminating the glacier ahead.
If you had some photos from that trip, I’d love to see them!
That was fast!
