Flying down south.....

Hello all. The last couple of weeks have been fairly busy for CP106 as we enter our last week down in Bournemouth. Due to us becoming so close to the IR Skills Test we have been in for flights (flying and backseating) nearly every day.

The first flight in Bournemouth was just a 1 hour sortie overhead the airfield. After departing we went and flew a couple of holding patterns as well as flying a couple of approaches - NDB and ILS. As well as getting us use to being back in the plane it also exposed us for the first time to UK air traffic control and CTC SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures).

After this first flight, we then got straight in with some IR (Instrument Rating) routes, all of which are potential routes for the actual IR test. So far I have flown to Alderney in the Channel Islands, Cardiff and Exeter and have backseated all of these too. The next 2 flights I hope to fly myself are to Oxford and Cherbourg in France.

Alderney

Barry Island on finals to Cardiff

Yesterday was my birthday, and after having a flight of my own in the afternoon, I backseated a flight to Oxford and was treated to some fantastic views and sunset from 7000ft, before heading to the pub for a few celebratory drinks.

Birthday Sunset from Oxford

After the Oxford and Cherbourg routes which I am scheduled to be flying on Monday and Tuesday, I then have a F170a (a kind of mock IR) and then the big test........