On BBC Sussex Radio

This morning I was on the breakfast show being interviewed for 5 minutes. It was a brilliant experience, listen again here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00j4t2k

2 hours 50 mins...

In the local paper

Click to view a larger copy..

Weather predictions for Next Friday

Here are the latest weather predictions for next Friday. These charts come from a system called the GFS model, which basically is what the pro's use. As you can see when we are intending to launch (Friday afternoon of the 29th) it's looking quite good!

I will updating these charts on a regular basis to see if they change much. As you can see there is an area of high pressure which brings warmer temperatures, lower wind speeds and high cloud bases (or no clouds at all)

Practice flight, above the clouds

Tom and Mike went on a quick 1 hour flight as to see how we could cope with a taxing weather situation near our local aerodrome, in preparation of weather that we could face down route.  We could both have to decide if we were happy with the weather to go.  Today the clouds were low, but broken - so we could still see the ground, thus remain legal.  Coming back into Shoreham, over Brighton was lower than we would have liked due cloud base.  However this proved that we work well as a team.  Putting us in good stead for the trip.  

We think you will agree the amazing photos below are well worth it:

Beachy head

Falmer stadium

Beachy head

These were taken around 4800 feet

Above the clouds!

Viewing the aircraft for the first time

The aeroplane that Tom and I have arranged is a 1977 Piper PA28 Archer - 181 bhp, 4 seater single engine piston running a Lycoming O-360 engine.  We went to view the aircraft in maintenance as it was having some major engine work done to it.  I was very impressed with the condition of the engine, and to think not many people are lucky enough to see the guts of the engine before they rent the aircraft.  This has given me a mass of confidence!

The office

Tom looking at the engine's guts!

Shiny recent paint job

Very tidy aircraft

Testing our capabilities in the PA28 Sim

Today we both decided to rent a fully certified CAA simulator of the actual aircraft, a piper PA28.

We decided to test ourselves in the following, coming up with a proper brief and lesson plan, as the professionals do:

- Forced landings with no power
- Flight in Instrument Meteorological Conditions
- Water ditching
- Partial engine failures
- Working as a crew with the engine failure, checklists etc

Here's a couple of photos of us in action




Tom - in IMC




Mike - coming into land with a rough running engine, not sure why he's smiling!