The Flying Monkeys

A plan had been hatched to go the Scilly Isles to celebrate Ian James' birthday.

 

Spanner in the works = Ian wasn't going to go, because he was away!

 

Instead a few of us (16) planned for LFAT

 

Aircraft: EC120, P68, C177 and PA28

 

Mitch took off to drop Dee, Paul and Harish off at Redhill, then return to Thurrock to pick up

Kim, Helen, Graham and drop in to North Weald to pick up Debbie & Rob, before heading off to LFAT.

Rob, Dave, Karen and Samantha departed Thurrock direct to LFAT.

James, John and Jenny departed Stock then via North Weald to LFAT

 

 

Dee & Paul pre-flight the EC120 at Redhill

 

 

 

Harish in the back armed with PLB                                             Air Taxi..... Preparing for Take-off

 

 

 

Vis wasn't great

 

 

Coasting out at Folkestone

 

 

Coasting in at Boulogne

 

 

Base for 14 LFAT.....Vis improving....a bit...

 

 

 

Samantha & Karen looking round the market at Le Touquet

 

 

As there were 16 of us,
we decided to meet under the clock tower in the middle of the market before going for lunch!

 

 

 

Lunch in town, some chocolate, a recce to ensure the beach was still there........

 

 

.....And it was! Samantha, Dave & Karen at the water park...by the beach!!

.............and then a stroll back to the field.

 

 

Getting ready to head back...the wind had shifted 180 degrees.

 

 

Mitch checking out the Heli.....yep we need one of these!

(Kim, you'll have to wait for that Corvette..)

 

 

Dee reversing the route on the GPS

 

 

Paul looking for the checklist and charts

 

 

Lift Off!

 

 

EC120 tracking the coast up to Cap Griz-Nez

 

 

G-BN & G-NS formation back to North Weald

 

 

Back at Redhill...preparing to head home to Essex

 

 

Our ferry flight arrives at Redhill to take us back to Thurrock.

 

 

Samantha Flying back to North Weald........working the radio too!!