Just over a year ago, I received a trial flight lesson for my 40th birthday and after a couple of cancellations due to inclement weather, yesterday, on a glorious morning, I was finally able to cash-in!

The flight was from Blackpool and my instructor informed me that I could go wherever I wanted, but that the vast majority of people flew north towards the south Lake District.

There was only one place I wanted to go and I know that not many people have had the privilege of seeing our football club’s ground from the sky. It was an experience that will live with me forever. Took my mum with me for the lesson!

Brilliant photos jdrobbo.

I think I saw you flying yesterday as I was walking the dog there was a small plane low in the sky.

Looks like an amazing experience.

Great pictures of Trelleborgs Twin Town John

Great pictures John and i hoped you and your Mum enjoyed it ....

Great pics ( except the first one lol)

Brilliant stuff, John!
They'd look superb framed.

You're meant to keep hold of the stick thing John-or was it your mum taking the shots?

Fantastic pics.

How long did it take to fly from Blackpool to Burnley?

FCBurnley wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 05, 2024 11:49 am

Great pics ( except the first one lol)

Sorry meant second one

About 25 mins but that was not at full gas, as I was having a go at doing various things.

Fantastic photos. Great day for it, too. Glad you got the weather.

Fab photos jd, did a flying lesson myself years ago and flew over the SOL Sunlan while a match was in progress, pleased you enjoyed the experience.

Wow the cricket field looks great

durhamclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 05, 2024 1:29 pm

Fab photos jd, did a flying lesson myself years ago and flew over the SOL Sunlan while a match was in progress, pleased you enjoyed the experience.

Bet that was an experience!

I had a flying lesson with Westair, in 2007 (time flies!)
I flew a Cessna 152, a smaller version of the 172 you took up.
I wanted to do some touch and go landings (ie come down and go straight back up again) as I had some flight simulator "experience" but this meant less in the way of sightseeing.
The funniest thing was the instructor asking me to aim the aircraft at "that big white building up there" - which I knew full well to be Heysham nuclear power station. We weren't THAT long after 9/11 for me to ask whether they would detect our flight path... but they were apparently quite used to it!!
Fantastic experience mate, glad you enjoyed it.

Brilliant photos. That must've been a very memorable experience & wonderful to have those photos to remember it by.

great experience JD. What was the lowest altitude you were at when flying above Turf Moor?

About 700ft I think

I would imagine/hope it was a touch higher as CAA rules dictate that you should be at least 1000ft over any obstacles whilst within a built up area

Superb.

Croydon Claret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 05, 2024 9:01 pm

I would imagine/hope it was a touch higher as CAA rules dictate that you should be at least 1000ft over any obstacles whilst within a built up area

I’m absolutely certain that it will have been. I handed back over at this point whilst the instructor did a number of flybys. He was very thorough. Can this info not be found on tracking apps?

Looking at the photo, 1000ft looks right

jdrobbo wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 05, 2024 9:43 pm

I’m absolutely certain that it will have been. I handed back over at this point whilst the instructor did a number of flybys. He was very thorough. Can this info not be found on tracking apps?

Looking at the photo, 1000ft looks right

I think you can view flight history if you subscribe to Flight Radar, although I've only ever used the free option

Altimeters are funny things if you're not used to them. You need to calibrate them either relative to the source airfield or relative to sea level, using the local atmospheric pressure at the time and whether you're staying in the local area

When I used to fly circuits out of Biggin Hill that was over 600ft above sea level so you set the air pressure such that it brings the reading down to zero before you set off. It then always shows your height relative to the source airfield, not necessarily the height over the land beneath you at any point in time.

Hope you've got the flying bug now

Did you fly over Ewood on the way and **** on the bastards below, below!!