Well what can I say, the countdown has now begun.
With only 11 days until the start of the race, I return to Barton Airport to plot and fly a short route down the low level air corridor across into Cheshire and a short hop into North Wales - using only the map.
Pre-flight finds me folding maps (I get all the technical jobs) and staring at my pilot's iPad. The pilot, Jon, had spent hours plotting this on his little app - to date he is still insisting we fly the old fashioned way - no GPS, no iPad etc etc.
With doubts in my mind over the mentality of doing it the "old fashioned way" I scroll thru the flurry of emails between the other competitors on subjects headings such as "t-shirt design", "stickers", "pre-competition breakfast".
My concerns consist of getting lost, distance to pub on landing (food you understand), fuel for the plane, weather - not just for flying but for the camping overnight and I could go on and on and on.
Anyway back to the route, out into the Scottish Islands looks interesting if not daunting.
So a little selection of pictures from our little training route.
First off the closed airstrip of RAF Stretton, Cheshire.
Oulton Park Racing Track
Eaton Hall, Cheshire. Home of The Duke of Westminster.
Into Wales, a quarry just outside Wrexham.
And my love of wind turbines continues with this shot with a cluster above Denbigh.
Back to Barton, I find myself feeling a little more confident, a view of the Trafford Centre on our final approach.
We put the plane away for the day in the hanger and Jon directs me over to a fellow competitors transport for the competition.
So we leave for the day singing "Diamonds are Forever", which was totally the wrong song.
Now that is a brave chap !!!! - good luck with that one (I suspect he may win).
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