Aircraft flown
at the start of the period (2000 - 2001)
First aerial trip with
the new Fuji MX-1700 camera. Piper Archer G-BUMP 19/1/00 14:00 -
15:00
I was impressed with
how easy it was to fly the plane with one hand and use the small digital
camera with the other.
Next flying trip with
the camera was on the 25th January, quite a short flight, only 30 minutes.
Piper Cherokee G-ATRR 12:40 - 13:10
My next sortie into
the air with a camera wasn't until March. This time not in either of the
two regular Manx Flyers aircraft, but in
Cherokee Archer G-BRME,
which was probably there to cover maintenance on G-BUMP. 16/3/21
11:10 - 12:00
The next time I went
flying was on the 28th March and I only took two aerial pictures, but my
log books says that I had Georgie with me and I was probably too busy showing
her the island from the air to take more! The following day we flew to
Hawarden airfield in Wales, for a day out across the border in the City
of Chester and I think that I was also trying to learn how the rather complicated
radio navigation installation and autopilot worked.
28/3/00 G-BRME 10:40
- 11:20
The next proper set
of aerial pictures that I took was in May, when apart from the general
flying, I had an idea to produce an online guide for private pilots visiting
the Isle of Man. Working in ATC we often had pilots approaching the
island on their first visit who seemed to have problems identifying land
features, so my idea was to take pictures at various ranges from the island,
approaching on the more usual routes flown by VFR arrivals. This
flight was the first test for this, but there seemed to be a very lukewarm
attitude from our management so I didn't get much further with the idea.
4/5/00 Piper Archer
G-BUMP 10:00 - 11:00
This flight took place
in July 2000. Having not flown for a while I needed to have a check
flight with the club instructor, which took 25 minutes according to my
logbook and having passed that I dropped him off back at the club and continued
with a 45 minute solo flight.
Piper Cherokee G-ATRR
21/7/00 14:45 - 15:30
I think this trip was
probably a bit of a spur of the moment thing. I had my friend and
work colleague Brian Kneale along as passenger and I suspect that we had
been working an early shift together in the tower at Ronaldsway and I'd
commented that it was a lovely day for flying, so after a quick check with
the flying club we did a bit of sightseeing in the afternoon. Piper
Cherokee G-ATRR 18/8/00 14:15 - 15:10
Back in Piper Archer
G-BUMP and a morning flight to the north and back. 30/8/00 10:30
- 11:15
Up in Piper Archer G-BUMP
again, late morning and early afternoon 25/9/00 11:50 - 12:55
It's a bit of a mystery
to me as to what actual aircraft I flew for this trip in October.
According to my logbook it was a Piper Cherokee 140 with a registration
of G-BATK, but according to the CAA records, this was a BN Islander!
Anyway, 20/10/00 14:55 - 15:45
This next flight was
something a little different in that it was work related. Manx Flyers
were going to start helicopter instruction and needed a procedure with
ATC for doing practice engine failure auto rotations onto the airfield.
They suggested that somebody from ATC went up with their instructor to
do some demonstration auto rotate's so that we could see what was involved.
Whilst most of my colleagues refused point blank, I jumped at the chance,
had a great time and learned a lot and even managed a short time flying
and hover taxiing the helicopter. Although they looked a bit scary
from outside, from inside the helicopter the whole procedure was totally
under control and each time ended up with a very smooth landing on the
grass.
Enstrom Shark G-MHCB
22/10/00 10:25 - 11:00
The penultimate set
of aerial pictures from 2000, flying myself again in Piper Archer G-BRME.
14/11/00 11:25 - 12:20
The last set of aerial
pictures from 2000, adding up to a total of 178 for that year.
Piper Archer G-BUMP
11/12/00 10:40 - 11:25
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