Of course the ‘quality’ of the service is excellent (given that he will be flying it I suppose). The downside is of course that it is only in his spare time and at weekends, which can lead to protracted downtime. Basically, the plane will have been out of commission for probably 6 weeks. Not a huge problem especially as it happens over the winter, but I find that if I don’t fly for two or three weeks, I start getting pretty ‘itchy’ to get into the air. So desperate in fact that I consider full rental through my local club – the Robin is at least a bit more interesting than yer run-of-the-mill spamcans normally used for flight training.
When the plane does come back on-line, I will line up the club instructor and do my ‘one hour training’ required for JAA at the same time. At this rate, probably after my big vacation for the year starting on 20th February for two weeks. A cruise in the Caribbean. During which, I will try for a ‘sneaky’ flight with a contact I have made in Antigua, which is one of the island stops.
So plans for 2010? Well, get the JAA licence signed off for another two years. A quick flight in the Caribbean. A couple of the usual cross-channel forays, maybe trying for some destinations I haven’t visited yet (Brittany).
But the ‘big trip’ for 2010 is planned to be a flyout with the Flyer Forum to Tuscany, in Italy, with the wife in early June. We will do our own thing getting down there, probably stopping for sightseeing and meals out etc. at airfields en-route in France as we make our way down the Saone valley. Tentative plans for stops include Troyes, Beaune and maybe Cannes en-route to Lucca in Italy. We would then most likely ‘blast back’ quite quickly with just one overnight stop.
Hope you don't mind the photo Manuel, and I of course forgot to mention that Lyndon helps a huge amount with the annual servicing in a very cold hangar - thanks guys!
