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Your 2019 flying year, how many hours, and aspirations for 2020?

Not counting day job hours around 70 hours SEP, mainly PA18 and S2A. Getting the PA18 to Ireland was the only long distance cross country, but even then only 200nm being a long leg. Did my BFR at Shoreham in the PA18 so managed a mini EuroGA raid to see @Peter.

In 2020 hope to try and get enough S2A time to manage one of the Sport level competitions. The time commitment for this is always a challenge.

Antwerp meeting may be doable in the PA18, so keeping an eye out for that one.

Italy and Spain are always on the list, but require a ten day window in the Super Cub. 5 days for the return flight and several days of cushion.

Oxford (EGTK), United Kingdom

66.1 hours in 2019 including tailwheel training and one new type (PA17).

One week-long trip to various parts of France, one weekend to the Channel Islands. The rest visits to various UK airfields (Old Warden for a poke around the Shuttleworth Collection is a favourite) and just flying around Oxon/Worcs/Warks for the fun of it.

Next year I will need to revalidate my IR(R) and hope to do a few more longer trips in the TB10.

EGLM & EGTN

For me 2019 started as a year where my flying was on a all time low.

Several contributing factors:
- engine failure in 2017 with wife and kids on board
- no capable aircraft available
- busy with work

I was flying just enough to maintain currency.

Things turned all for the better when I got the opportunity to fly a FIKI Cirrus SR22. This is a great aircraft for IFR touring and it gives confidence to passengers.
So finally, after more than 2 years my wife joined me again on a flight to Nurnberg EDDN where we visited the famous Christkindlesmarkt.

Also 2019 was the year where my home base (Lelystad EHLE) turned into a controlled airport, with ILS + RNAV approaches, 07:00 – 22:00 open every day,
Most local GA flyers don’t like it (because they have to file a FPL for each flight, stricter security rules, etc) but I like the extra facilities like proper runway lighting the possibility to depart early and return late.

The plans for 2020:
- the wife is already filling the agenda with weekend trips :)
- Fly to ski
- Visiting the Flying Legends airshow in Duxford with 2 uncles.

The totals:

Total flying hours: 50:45 all SEP
PIC: 42:00
IFR: 34:00
Night: 07:45

86 VFR PIC hours on my Arrow 200 in 2019. Almost half of them were for family vacations.
Aspirations for 2020 is to help my wife complete her PPL training, get my NVFR qualification and break 100 hours in 12 months.

Switzerland

@lenthamen

Great! You are not the first one who enjoyment of flying returned when getting into an SR22.

In 2020, I might fancy a weekend trip to Amsterdam. Although I would normally prefer the less expensive and closer Hilversum, I might go to Lelystad this time.

Could you advise:
Is it PPR/PNR nowadays for visitors? For the IFR procedure?
Ground arrangements?
Public transport to Amsterdam?

Maybe you could, in a separate thread, write a little 2020 visitor‘s guide / pirep on Lelystad?

Last Edited by boscomantico at 30 Dec 10:56
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Peter wrote:

But neither will do airspace warnings on the aircraft intercom (not without a lot of messing around, connecting tablet audio to the aircraft intercom).

Wouldn’t a more modern intercom (PMA450B) and a bluetooth connection solve the problem? I know you have a very decent PMA box, but just the PMA450 has seen two or three iterations with new features added, and people say it is a big step up from the older units.

tmo
EPKP - Kraków, Poland

Hi @boscomantico, thanks! I posted a Lelystad guide here: https://www.euroga.org/forums/flying/11552-lelystad-ehle-visitors-guide
I live near the airport and work in Amsterdam. Let me know when you’re around and I might be able to give you a ride!

lenthamen wrote:

Most local GA flyers don’t like it (because they have to file a FPL for each flight, stricter security rules, etc

Im not surprised…A flight plan for EVERY flight???… No doubt you need a yellow jacket too.

Peter wrote:

Having airspace warning is not the main issue. I have EasyVFR which is a very similar product to SD. But neither will do airspace warnings on the aircraft intercom (not without a lot of messing around, connecting tablet audio to the aircraft intercom).

I understand that you don’t want to rely on it, but FYI, I am using SkyDemon on an iPad Mini and a Bluetooth-Enabled A20 headset and this combination gives me perfect warnings about upcoming restricted airspaces, etc. acoustically. Having bought a SkyEcho 2 recently, I even get FLARM warnings through my headset.

It’s not a 100% guarantee, but it definitely helps in busy situations not to overlook something. I’ve also set regular alerts like “Check Instrumnets” every 5 minutes and a message to switch tanks.

Germany
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