Two weeks into our Greek Odyssey and 1,800 miles from my home base at Denham, I had my first accident. Readers may remember from Part One that I’d flown my group owned Cessna 182, G-MICI, with my flying partner Sally, across ten countries and a decent chunk of the Mediterranean, all the way from the UK to Sitia on the eastern edge of Crete. It had taken us over a week to get there in what was turning out to be by far the most challenging and exciting aerial tour of my piloting life. Since then, we’d spent a few days feasting on fish and feta, swimming in azure seas, marvelling at how far we’d travelled in our little flying machine, and watching the weather with a wary eye. Now it was time to start home. And that’s when it happened.
We’d arrived at Sitia airport at midday intending to fly 150 miles west to the tiny Ionian island of Kythira, nestling at the southern tip of the Peloponnese. The plan was to grasp a perfect opportunity and turn this into a low-and-slow VFR sightseeing expedition over and around a number of stunning Aegean islands. Given the tortuous complexities of most airport opening times in this part of the world−not to mention the almost total absence of avgas and sometimes sky-high fees− we’d decided not to land at any of those islands along the way.
Actually, let me rephrase that and say that we had originally thought of landing at one of them, Naxos, but the operator rather put me off by suggesting that if I didn’t stump up the demanded cash on arrival he could always take my aeroplane. That took Naxos off the list. Kythira, on the other hand, was cheap, cheerful and−we had been told−utterly unspoiled. So it was Kythira or bust.
Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Pilot.
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Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Pilot.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Hybrid-Electric ‘Hawaii Bird' Makes First Flight
Electric aviation company Ampaire flew its second technology demonstrator on 10 September. The aircraft is a refined version of its Cessna 337 ‘Electric EEL’ hybrid-electric power conversion.
Rare Rearwin
Made in tiny numbers by Piper and Aeronca standards, the beautifully-engineered Rearwin Skyranger proves to be a delight waiting to be discovered
Dr Hill's new helicopter
You’ve seen pictures of concept helicopters before, and most of them never rose from the paper… but this one has a better chance than most of flying in the real world. It’s the Hill HX50, and the designer describes it as a ‘disruptive’ entry into the small helicopter market, offering a step-change for the better in safety, performance, comfort and elegance.
Make mine a turbine!
To say aviation and turbines is a happy marriage is true−albeit mainly in the airline, business aircraft and helicopter world. Light aviation, especially the ultralight segment, remains essentially a turbine free field−apart from noble exceptions, in the form of single-engine jets and ‘experimentals’.
Industry experts say...
Representatives from a selection of Approved Training Organisations look forward to the future of Commercial Air Travel and prospects for professional pilots after the pandemic
Flight training
News from the clubs, schools & ATOs
First airline job
... won and lost after just eighteen months in the right-hand seat. Reflections on the rewards of the hardest work in a lifetime
Safety Matters
Safety Matters and Safety Briefs are based on the AAIB Bulletin and UK Airprox Board reports, with additional material from the US National Transportation Safety Board.
Donegal wins ‘most beautiful airport' - again!
Donegal in Ireland has been named as the ‘world’s most beautiful airport 2020’ – for the third successive year – in a major vote by more than six thousand ‘flying fans’. The award is given as part of the annual Scenic Airports poll conducted by private jet booking service PrivateFly.
Come to Sweden!
A French pilot retires to Sweden, where he enjoys great weather, blissful flights and barbecues – and invites British flyers visit this GA-friendly country