As I near the end of my training I am waiting for the perfect day to perform my solo cross country.  As part of the Private Pilots Licence a student is required to fly a minimum of 35 hours dual instruction and 10 hours solo before they are able to put in for their final practical skills test.  I have now flown 41 hours 35 mins with an instructor and 6 hours 45mins solo.  The main reason for going "over" on the instructional hours is because of constant refreshing due to the weather we have in the UK.  But this can only be a good thing, flying with an instructor must be cherished and de-briefed personally as at some point he or she will not be sitting in the right hand seat for advice. 

I stand by a student should train in the country he or she is wanting to fly in, be it commercially in the future or as a hobby.  I know many examples where people have trained in America and come back not being confident over the radio and with the UK airspace, it can be very daunting for a US PPL to conquer.  I have decided training in the UK will make me a better pilot, despite the costs and the fact it will take me longer to train.  It also gives a student a better understanding of the weather local to his or her airfield, for example Shoreham has many characteristics being on the coast.  A land breeze or a sea breeze is easily distinguishable (without looking at the windsock!).

A cross country for a private pilot must consist of the following:

1) Land at 2 airports other than the departure / arrival  airports

2) Must be a minimum of 150 nautical miles (172.66 statute, or 'normal' miles)

3) Cannot be spread over days

This is an exciting prospect for me, however the weather has not been too kind for me in these winter to spring months.  I have almost every day booked out in the hope of a cross country, so hopefully the next blog entry will be this completed! The flight I will complete will be Shoreham > Lydd > Southend > Shoreham.

In the meantime before this flight (shown below) I only had 5 hours solo time as a Captain I needed to go up for an hour solo to help build my time closer to the 10 hours so after the cross country I will have enough for the final exam.

Fig 1.1 Hayling Island

I planned a route from Shoreham to Petersfield, then down to Hayling Island, across to the Shoreham via an overhead transit at two thousand five hundred feet (well out of the way of any overhead circuit traffic) then over the sea I can take some photos of Brighton, the piers then onto the visual reference point which I will call Shoreham Tower back up from - Lewes.

Fig 1.2 A Standard 30 degree banking turn back to

Shoreham From Hayling Island

Fig 1.3 West Pier

Fig 1.4 East Pier with rides in full action - My 'ride' at 2000 feet beats everything!

Fig 1.5 Brighton Marina, just at the point I would turn left to Lewes

As you can see these views are amazing.  You could experience these views and more with a pleasure flight courtesy of AERO ALLIANCE.  Book up today ready for the summer - it's going to be a busy year this year.  Get a glimpse of the West Pier from above, while you can! Contact Stuart, Andy or Martyn for pleasure flight information.  Better still, live the dream, become a pilot with the best tuition at AERO ALLIANCE.