The Flying VLOG

Which of these flights would have stressed you the most?

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 1

The Flying VLOG

This Summer has been Prague-tically perfect in every way. 3 trips planned, 3 successfully flown. 3892nm nautical miles.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 8

The Flying VLOG

Last week we covered the process of flying into a big airport and all the costs; this video picks up right where that left off. Real GA flying into and out of a major international airport, complete with ATC surprises and a slightly odd departure clearance.

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

The Flying VLOG

Heading to Zurich next. Basel on backup if slots don’t work out. Last visit in 2023, I landed on Runway 14... what a fun, busy airport! Can’t wait. Weather + plans updates coming.

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1 month ago | [YT] | 6

The Flying VLOG

IR Revalidation yesterday. It never gets old. That feeling of earning what many call aviation’s toughest rating still hits just as hard today. Grateful every time I fly the needles.

1 month ago | [YT] | 7

The Flying VLOG

Flew into busy, hot Vienna yesterday, 34°C. Number 5 for the ILS on Runway 34, sandwiched between an Air France ahead and an Austrian A320 behind who was wondering why he was catching us up. Some decent thermals on the approach, otherwise smooth.

Austria & Vienna LOWW to the logbook.

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1 month ago | [YT] | 6

The Flying VLOG

Been a busy time lately, haven’t posted about flying for a few weeks. Thursday, I’m planning to fly direct from Stapleford to Vienna, IFR, for the Austrian Grand Prix. It’s a decent leg at 700nm, but with hardly any wind in the DA40 with the long-range tanks, it should be very doable. In terms of range, with these power settings and my usual climb to cruise, I normally fly at FL130-FL160 in Europe, better routings and usually nicer weather up there. It’s summer, though, so the whole airspace is full of convection and CBs. For fuel planning on NCO ops, I use a rough rule of thumb: 5% contingency, 45 minutes final reserve, plus 30 minutes for an alternate. If the forecast looks worse with strong CBs around, we’ll probably just drop into Paderborn or Nuremberg for fuel, whichever is easiest on the day. That’s the general plan anyway.
The plan is to fly back on Monday. A few days later, I’ve got my IR revalidation, it expires at the end of July, so I’m getting it done early because the weather always likes to get in the way. Then the week after that, it’s another short trip to Zurich, my third attempt this year, thanks to CAT A slot restrictions. Stay tuned for updates!

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2 months ago | [YT] | 6

The Flying VLOG

After clocking up 1,387 nautical miles over the weekend, Prague to Nuremberg and back to the UK, all flown in the airways, it’s a great feeling to have ticked off my first European trip of 2026. Dodging severe thunderstorms and pushing through some strong winds added to the challenge, but we made it safely.

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2 months ago | [YT] | 12

The Flying VLOG

Same-day UK to Germany getaway in our own airplane. No long security lines, just pure travel freedom and a full day discovering Düsseldorf’s vibes. This is why general aviation is the ultimate way to explore Europe! Where’s your dream quick European escape?

2 months ago | [YT] | 0

The Flying VLOG

We'll be monitoring the weather very closely over the next few days. This heat and clear skies bring a high risk of thunderstorms and convective activity, which often means icing and some seriously nasty turbulence. Europe trips can also get hit with slot restrictions due to weather or ATC capacity. First flight: Thursday at 1320z from the UK to Prague (LKPR), approx. 4 hours flight time.

3 months ago | [YT] | 13