Champagne fly out

Next weekend, I’m heading to the Champagne region with my family. We are teaming up with a dozen pilots coming from Luxembourg (Aéro-Sport). Here’s the itenary we’ve prepared. Details see a previous blog posting hereunder

A View That Puts Window Seats to Shame

Flying in western USA is one of the best experiences a private pilot can enjoy. Every day, ceiling and visibility are simply great and one can enjoy the most beautiful views this planet offers. I was lucky to fly back in 2005, 2007 and 2008 in the Western US – long time before I opened this blog. 


If you click on this link, published today on the BBC website, you’ll understand what I’m talking about.  A view that puts windows seats to shame
My first one week trip in the southwestern part of the US back in 2005 brought me e.g. to several states south of Colorado, including a landing at Leadville at nearly 10.000 feet altitude. That’s where you learn what density altitude feels like.
selfie at Leadville in 2005
As the first experience went super well, I returned back in 2007 for a so called Grand expedition. Here’s the itenary we’ve been flying in our Cessna 172

Superb views

Grand expedition 2007
In 2008, I returned for a third time and this time we flew from Grand Junction to Tucson, Arizona and from there, we crossed the Mexican border. An awesome adventure.
2008 Beyond the border adventure

Cancellations

The new season should have started well, but it hasn’t. First there’s was the fly out to Texel with Aéro-Sport I was supposed to attend with my family, but due to bad weather, I had to cancel our weekend.

Last weekend, we planned to fly for three days to Koksijde at the Belgian coast and again, it was no weather for VFR pilots. I have been driving by car to the Belgian coast. Pfft

Too bad.

I can only hope that the upcoming fly out in two weeks to the Champagne region I have been setting up will work out better.

Here’s the program- copied from the travelaerosport.blogspot.com blog

Aéro-sport cordially invites you and your family to our:
CHAMPAGNE REGION WEEKEND
« La vie est nulle sans bulles » –  May 16th-17th 2015
Luxembourg – Troyes (LFQB) –La Ferté Alais (LFFQ) – Luxembourg: 352 NM
This upcoming fly-out of Aéro-Sport brings us to the French Champagne region.
SCHEDULE

Tuesday May 12th  
6pm                      Pre tour briefing at the Aéro-Sport clubhouse
Friday May 15th  
6pm                      Departure Team A: ELLX to Troyes (LFQB)
                              Check-in at your hotel
                              Group dinner at Grand Tulip Hotel (former Novotel) adjacent to the Troyes airfield
Saturday May 16th
8am                      Departure Team B: ELLX to Troyes (LFQB)
10.30am               Visit historical sites of Troyes or shopping at outlet store McArthurGlen
2pm                      Departure Team C: ELLX to Troyes (LFQB)
6pm                      All teams will be picked up at the two listed hotels and will be transported per bus to the PENOT winery for champaign tasting, followed by a dinner offered by Martine and Claude PENOT.
12pm                    Return by bus to hotel
Sunday May 17th
7am                      Weather update and swimming pool
9am                      Breakfast
10.30am               Departure all teams for La Ferté Alais (LFFQ) – landing at LFFQ only with authorisation
1pm                      Lunch
3pm                      Visit of the flying museum of the Jean Salis association
6pm                      Departure for ELLX


Weekend at Champagne