Ross' at last

At last ross the weather and me managed to find a day where we could meet up and go flying. In the end decided to fly the route i was sposed to fly in my flight test but didnt finish because i was far too good to need to do the whole thing :) Have been checked out on a 172 in the last week too, its a bigger plane that has seats in the back to carry more people at a time. So had been hoping Ciara (ross's gf) would come to but the lisbon treaty ended that idea. still took the 172 cus i wanted a little experience without an instructor sitting beside me and keeping tabs on me.

Anywhos up to killashandra which is in Cavan picking out which lakes we wanted to own along the way. Wind seemed not to be quite what i had planned for and so ended up a bit off course along the way, but sorted that out and back on track without too much hassle. My other plan for the flight was to visit an airfield called abbeyshrule for a touch and go (land and take off again straight away) - completely different airfield to Weston, much smaller and not tower telling you what to do - so it was an overhead join - descent into the circuit pattern before lining up on finals. While doing this i was announcing my position on the radio, but not receiving any replys or anything due to the fact it was Air to Ground radio, once again something i'd not encountered before. So it was a little strange to say the least but we survived and i must admit that my first landing in a 172 and at an unknown airfield without a instructor sitting beside me went pretty blinking well and i was very very happy with it.

Touch with both wheels before pouring the power back on to pick up speed and lift off again - little shimmy from the nose gear so eased back on the controls to counter it and climbed out in a loverly straight line, with enough calmness to wave at the bloke in the car beside the runway -
From there it was round again and straight back to Weston.

A robin landing before we could go

A Lake - Somewhere

Abbeyshrule finals

Abbeyshrule - very finals

ByeBye Abbeyshrule

Told ya he came too - didnt get a 2of us pic tho

Newgrange

After weeks of promising me and robs went up last week for a sightseeing trip to newgrange and slane - after the most awkward of starts including forgetting about a 2nd headset and a pretty dodgey looking Heading Indicator (as it span round in circles) we got up up and away. Slight nav issues on the way (that'll teach me not to plan routes properly) but found the boyne, followed it to slane where robs could see bits he'd kyacked/canoed on and then on to fly around newgrange, wave at the tourists and back home

Newgrange from behind we kinda crept up from the right of this pic circled round and the back to the front past the front of it

Newgrange from the front

Slane bridge where robs went kyacking - apparently they start up river abit, down over the 2 weirs and then out on the bottom side of the bridge

Slane Castle itself