Author Archives: Paul Cronk
Getting home
Monday 16 May – This should have been the easy bit. Just 2 ½ hours from home; plane was fuelled, skies were blue. The hotel owner drove us back to the airport. But there were forecasts of low cloud in the Ile de France. Flying the route that we’d arrived in Troyes a year ago, … Continue reading
Across France
Sunday 15 May – Blue skies over Avignon but a strong, cold wind was blowing too. At the airport the Mistral was blowing due south, gusting at 40nmph. Fortunately it was coming straight down the runway so we took off (take off speed is 65) within what seemed to be 20 metres, and reached a … Continue reading
Avignon
Saturday 14 May – While the others set off back home (via cheap fuel in Jersey) we stayed in Avignon. The Palais des Papes is empty but contains some of the largest rooms I’ve ever seen and the living quarters for the Popes over 100 years. Bussed over the river to Villeneuve les Avignon The … Continue reading
To France
Friday 13 May – This is the big one. Getting decent weather across the entire route was always going to be difficult and there were some indications of problems around the French Riviera with thunderstorms. Crossing the Adriatic was straightforward having done the same route the day before. Weather was much brighter and views across … Continue reading
Venezia
Thursday 12 May – A day trip to Venice meant that we had to get through customs both sides. Losinj airport normally shuts at 4pm. The staff were happy to work later but a NOTAM on the aerodrome opening hours had to be issued; and wasn’t. This left us with a rather rapid visit. Normally … Continue reading
Corfu to Losinj
Wednesday 11 May – It would take four hours from Corfu to Losinj. Leaving Corfu was straightforward; we found the reporting point and flew towards the Albanian coast. Immediately up from Corfu this was a barren, mountainous peninsula, devoid of roads or hills. It was also suitably grey and murky. Tirana control kept us offshore … Continue reading
Super yacht
Tuesday 10 May was the day of the super yacht. After a day in the car scaling the highest peak on the island and a lunch in a distant village we joined the yachting set. In one of the marinas north of Corfu town was bearthed the biggest yacht I’ve ever been on. The joint … Continue reading
Flying to Corfu
Slightly eventful trip. It had stopped raining by the time we got escorted through the terminal and marched 300m metres down muddy tracks towards the militry airfield until the GA apron. Instrument flight plan filed (Stephen was flying) so we rose to 8,000 ‘above the Podgorica plain and Lake Skardu on the Albanian border. (Apparently … Continue reading
Briefing for Corfu
We’re due to fly to Corfu tomorrow so we had the first flight briefing this evening. Thunderstorms are predicted for Podgorica in the morning, and we’ve had some already tonight. Seems to be some concern. Plan seems to be to check the weather in the morning and send an aircraft up to report back to … Continue reading
Montenegro in depth
The group conducted a pretty thorough tour of the main sites of the country today. First back into the mountains to see the the ‘seas of stone’; the limestone pavements that fill the remote and high valleys. This led us to Cetinje, the old mountain capital where the rulers fled when the Ottomans threw them … Continue reading