What have you done with, or on your aircraft, this weekend? (1st-2nd June 2024)

taken a few hours ago… a well know volcano 😶‍🌫️

In the middle of this photo is the ancient Abbaye de Maillezais.

It evolved from a 10th century church into a cathedral. Back then it was on an Island in the Gulf of Picton until Dutch engineers drained it. Now IIRC 75000km.of canals cross cross it in what is known as the Venise Vert which in turn is part of the Marais Poitivan.
It was once a prison (sort of) to the satirical writer and monk Rabelais.
For the UK members , he was the Ian Hislop of his time.
Sorry about the photo I couldn’t find the zoom on the smartphone and the Super Guepard was experiencing some turbulence.

Flew from Rouen (LFOP) for camping with family at OldWarden (EGTH) and join the Sunday airshow

… and 4 renegades still disturbing Sicily’s peace, here turning finals for Palermo Bocca di Falco LICP 😎

I will always remember Sicily (the flight along N coast to LICP) for the very uniform coating of what must have been volcanic dust – very sticky and took ages to get rid of it I hope you didn’t get that.

Flew from Lübeck to Gotland (both Bunge and Visby) and back the next day. Bumped into @Dimme at Eslöv, where we refuelled.

This (extended) weekend we had our yearly club tour around Europe, from Wednesday to Sunday.

Six planes converged to Strausberg EDAY for fuel and food. Quite uneventful from Sweden.

I picked a little bit of ice in a layer at FL90, but before I knew it the layer disappeared and the wings dried. It was only -3°C, I could easily have gotten FL70.

Our target was Prague, after lunch we set for Letnany LKLT. The afternoon thermals had really started, very bumpy ride.

We found our hotel, a local restaurant for diner (delicious) and had a walk to the famous bridge Karlův Most at night.

The city center was packed with people, on a random Wednesday evening.

We had planned to stay one full day in Prague, but the weather was turning nasty, so we decided to leave the next day. As I told my flying buddies, the weather was way too bad to fly IFR. VFR under the layer and between the showers it is.

Back to Berlin, but this time Schönhagen EDAZ.

After discussions, one plane went home, one pressed on between the showers, and the rest decided to stay the night in Potsdam.


Good walk in the morning through the park to check the castle.

After lunch one plane had to head home, but another one joined instead. Now down to four.
We set our sight on an old favorite Ganderkesee EDWQ, where we were able to get rooms.
Low ceiling, but very good visibility. No thermals in the shade, comfortable flight.
Less activity than on weekends, we could park directly by the restaurant.

Next day was still low ceiling but improving, we set towards Kiel, but with a lunch stop at another favorite, Rendsburg EDXR.

Four planes arriving and two school flights in the pattern, the AFIS lady gave up, “own discretion” everything. We managed, it’s easy when the pattern is well marked in SD and everybody is disciplined with position and calls.
On the apron was N4ZY, but no Bosco in sight.
After lunch, we wanted to check the boats on the Kiel canal, but there were none just then, so we made the final little jump to Kiel EDHK. Finally the sky had cleared.

Taxi to downtown and dinner at Jan & Hein & Klaas & Pit (highly recommended).

Finally this morning we flew home. Departed somewhat early as there was expected heavy CB activity over southern Sweden.
The flight itself over the Baltic was super quiet.

TCUs and CBs were definitely building over Skåne, but it turns out these were the nice ones.

We landed all ok, but it took less than an hour for a massive cell to arrive over the field (and the town and everything in between) and throw a lightshow and quite a bit of rain.

Super pics of Prague!

I attended the Glenforsa fly in

Dublinpilot keeps trying to get me to fly there but so far has not been successful Great scenery in good wx!

Went to Lampedusa via Syracuse