About This Blog
This blog is an on-line extension to the occasional diary I have been keeping of my flying for the last 8 years. It is not really written as though it is going to be read by anyone else, but as a reminder to me of the fun my wife and I have with our flying, and building our Rans S6 ES G-RTHS (affectionately known as HotelSierra) in 2008.
If the writing here gives you some idea of the fun that building and flying microlights can be, then it has been worthwhile. This has to be one of the cheapest ways of flying and still have the ability to fly reasonable distances.
I hope you enjoy reading this blog, which can only be described as an ongoing love story.
Photos are included where taken, click on the thumbnail views to see the larger view.
Member of :-
British Microlight Association
Interested in Microlighting? Some useful links.
Local schools that I have found to be good. (there are other schools in the area, but I have not had personal experience of them)
- Medway Microlights (Kent)
- Saxon Microlights (West Essex)
Category Archives: Flying
Flying news and trips
Silky Smooth Air
What a great flight today and Rosemary finally flew again after 6 months without a flight! It was fairly cold and very light winds today. After adjusting the idle speed (and getting it double checked) we went for a flight, … Continue reading →
A bit of fun with the video editing software
A time lapse video of building G-RTHS from the day the 2 big boxes arrived to the maiden flight
Crosswind practice
This is not what I planned, but it was ‘interesting’. We had planned on Rosemary taking her first flight since June last year as the weather was forecast to be reasonable with the winds dropping off about mid-day. We stated … Continue reading →
New Years Resolutions
It’s a bit late, I know, but having looked at last years flying, I have set myself some targets this year. Last year I was grounded for 4 months and only got 19 hours flying in This year I am aiming … Continue reading →
Last flight of 2011
Here is a short video of the last flight of 2011 mentioned previously. The music is by Clint Price. Edit:- version 2 of the video, improving the look of the 2nd camera and modifying the music. (4-Jan-2012)
A plan comes good!
For the last couple of days I have been watching the weather forecasts for today and they kept on showing a 3 to 4 hour window for flying. As this is the first chance I have had to fly since the … Continue reading →
Flying Show – NEC 2011
We had a great day out today at the Flying show at the NEC. There were a good number of new aircraft to look at as well as the usual accessories shops. Flylight showed it’s new flexwing, what can I … Continue reading →
A good day for flying
Despite getting over a cold, I thought it would be a good day to go flying, not too high just circuits to get the feeling of Hotel Sierra again and to give her a bit more of a shakedown flight … Continue reading →
I hate this weather!
We spent all day at the airfield waiting for the clouds to go above 300′ and the visibilty to go above 3000m with no luck We then woke up today to bright sunshine, and we can’t go flying today Oh … Continue reading →
Impatient…. me?… no! :-)
While down at the airfield today, I had a phone call from Dave at Skycraft, my permit arrived today in the post Unfortunately the weather was not flyable today, but hopefully next Saturday it will be.
Still Waiting :-(
Still waiting for the paperwork to allow me to fly Hotel Sierra. It is with the LAA and the head of the technical dept, who is on a course for a week Still today, Roger, Keith and I were putting … Continue reading →
Back home.
Today started early with a 2¼ hour taxi ride to Lincolnshire to pick up Hotel Sierra and fly her home. What a great flight. She behaved perfectly. The fuel computer was not working, but I got a 1:20 hour flight in for … Continue reading →
Ready to fly home!
Yeh, some good news for a change. Hotel Sierra has passed her test flights, now ready for collection… tomorrow?
Blow out the cobwebs
I had half an hour with my instructor today, just doing circuits to blow out the cobwebs. I really enjoyed it and it took my mind off everything else going on at the moment.
I’m ready!
A good day today, I am ready to go flying! I am insured again, I have a 30 minute flight booked with my old instructor on Saturday to blow out the cobwebs and my flying watch (clear to see dial) … Continue reading →
Latest photo
Here is the latest photo of Hotel Sierra. She is ready for her flight test as soon as the test pilot is well enough to fly her. UPDATE: A replacement test pilot might have been found subject to insurance. Fingers … Continue reading →
New Hangar Roof
After 3 days in hot sunshine, the new hangar roof is on! I will feel a lot happier now when the autumn winds arrive, the old roof was getting holes in the plastic and would have torn this winter. Just … Continue reading →
Steve Sebastian RIP
It has taken a while before I felt I could write this entry. Steve died last Friday on the way to Barcelona when his aircraft crashed in France. It was found upside down and Steve was found 3 hours later … Continue reading →
Back on her own 3 wheels
Reports earlier today stated that the safety cage was connected to the rear fuselage and that Hotel Sierra was back on her own 3 wheels! They were just connecting up all the controls. Getting exited now.
She is nearly there!
After a delay in getting the safety cage from Rans in the USA, we are nearly there. I visited Skycraft today and they were taking Hotel Sierra apart. She ‘should’ be all re-assembled ready to be reunited with her wings … Continue reading →