I guess someone will need to kick this off in the new year..
Me and my friends made GA useful to an important cultural event today To save me explaining which event and save you Googling it:
Many believe mysterious events preceded Jesus’ birth with perhaps the most notable being the appearance of the star in Bethlehem. This new star appeared in the evening sky just prior to the arrival of Jesus. Three wise men, or Magi as they were known, whose names were Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, traveled a far distance to pay homage to Christ. They brought with them fine gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
In Mallorcan towns, the three kings either arrive by sea or by road on the 5th of Jan. But the charming little town of Binissalem is fortunate to have a little aerodrome nearby. So, each year my pilot friends over there and me fly them in. Half of the town shows up, including the kids because for them it’s all about presents..
Nine aircraft, in pretty close formation. First circling the town and then to the field, LEIS. They seem to always stick me up front. Rumor goes that they have two reasons for that: 1) they rather have that old bloody gringo up there, so that he can’t bump into anyone else and 2) should any other gringo come near he can tell him in English to get the hell out of the way of our mighty squadron. Whether it´s true or not, they sell it to me as an honor. Ah well..
The kings showed up at the departure field LEPT just in time, slightly nervous 
At least one of them was indeed as wise as his original because he insisted on flying in a certified plane and not in some damned ULM.
Meanwhile the presents were packed up:
It was pretty windy and turbulent but here we are in the process of closing up on each other after departure:
A happy crowd welcomed us:
I like this playful side of GA quite a bit..
Don Aart féliz Reyes! In childhood I remember Christmas being exotic, with the main celebrations on Día de los Reyes.
Brilliant! I love it!
Went for a local flight around Berlin while a front was coming up from the south west. Originally planned to go to EDAH Heringsdorf, but technical issues delayed the departure and I didn’t fancy having to return towards bad weather.
Thanks for that @Aart 👍🏻
And I sure can sympathize with your friends… I prefer to see you ahead of me.
As for Binissalem, which you always try to persuade me to go, that pinkish/violet runway looks pretty short, I sure need slightly more than 50m…
As for myself, been pretty busy flying “free hours” on my engine… WTH? Friend of mine told me that having sold my engine, all the hours being now flow were free.
So, seizing the opportunity, I made quite a few locals lately, and went to Lausanne, on the shore of Lake Lausanne, today. Fortunately 50kts of headwind helped in getting the required flight time.
Tomorrow will be the last flight for that engine on my steed. The buyer will then preserve that engine until he is ready to install it into his RV-7 project, whilst I’ll remove and send the prop for overhaul.
aart wrote:
So, each year my pilot friends over there and me fly them in
What a wonderful installation! Great idea, and much joy for everyone involved.
Impossible to do the same over here, you just cannot plan the weather on January 5 or 6. Today it would be possible, though.
I spent Saturday in a freeeeezing cold hangar in Tuscany watching the mechanics install a new and an overhauled magneto in my new C 170. Now waiting for some better weather so I can give her a test flight.
I wish I could have been with aart. What a great day,
Coming back from Brittany. Nice flight in uncontrolled airspace due of a transponder failure. As there is a mechanical problem additionally – a crank I have discovered after landing. I think the next flight this week will be cancelled. Very special start in the flying season.
The weather was nice and someone volunteered to be in the tower. That meant the bird could breath some fresh air :)
Every time I think of a local flight I consider not going to south towards the alps and yet that’s where I end up bimbling around.
