Hello Captains and welcome back. Just to quickly recap from my previous update post. I departed my hometown airport of Georgetown, Texas (KGTU) on 15 August for an Around The World Adventure in the incredibly awesome A2A Piper Comanche. Over the past five days and with nine flight legs completed, we have reached the eastern coastal town of Kulusuk, Greenland. I just can’t say enough about the A2A Comanche and paired with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, the experience is truly As Real As It Gets! Over the next few days we’ll make our way from Greenland to Iceland (Reykjavik) and then along towards the Faroe Islands, then on to the Lerwick/Tingwall airport on the Shetland Island. From here we have a decision to make as to whether we continue southeast towards Norway or turn southwest towards Scotland. In 2010 I proceeded directly towards Norway, but for this trip I’m leaning towards heading to Scotland and flying south through the UK and across the channel into Belgium. But time will tell.
Flight Day 6
As yesterday was a long day of flying, today is a shorter day where we’re headed to Reykjavik where we will spend a day or two exploring and most likely wait out some less than desirable weather. I will also use the time to determine our course over the next few days.
Flight Day 7
After two days of exploring around the Reykjavik area we once again prepared for our next leg towards the Faroe Islands and the Vagar Airport which is the only airport on the island. We waited until after lunch to depart as this was our only leg for the day. A full walk around inspection of the Comanche complete and we’re ready to depart. I can sense the wife truly doesn’t enjoy these long cross water flights, so I made it across as quickly as possible keeping our total flight time just under three and a half hours shaving about 30 minutes off the planned flight time.
Flight Day 8
Today will be one a short over the water crossing towards Shetland Island and the Tingwall Airport just northwest of Lerwick. The crossing distance is about 200nm and we will once again spend a few days exploring around Shetland before we head south towards Scotland. While I’ve never been to Shetland in real life, my wife and I both love the ITV show Shetland which takes place on the island of Shetland. It looks like a lovely place to visit some day.
Flight Day 9
Our last somewhat major water crossing for a few days as we plot our course across the North Sea towards Wick, Scotland. The Comanche has handled beautifully as we’ve made all these long distance crossings and flying at higher altitudes. As we continue down through the UK we’ll most likely make more frequent stops as we target Oxford, England then onward to the English coastline. But before all that can happen, I need to finish my coffee and study the weather a bit closer and do the full walkaround before departure. The wife will only be with me for a few more days then she will fly back to the US for a few weeks. Then I’ll be solo for a few days until a friend of mine joins me. The weather out of Lerwick was wonderful and we left later in the evening. With the sun not setting this high up we could enjoy a bit more time on the Shetland Island before departing for the northeast coast of Scotland and the town of Wick, Scotland and the Wick John O’ Groats Airport (EGPC). We’re setup to stay in a nice B&B in Wick.
Flight Day 10
Today will be a busy day of flying. I promised the wife shorter legs as I have a feeling she was starting to get cabin fever being cooped up in the small cockpit of the Comanche for those long overwater crossings. But that just can’t be avoided. We’ll head south from Wick with a short stop in Carlisle and the Lake District, then on towards Oxford for the night. It’s been a long week of flying and we’re going to enjoy exploring Oxford for a few days before heading towards Europe.
Until next time…
Happy Flying!!!
Jerry