MALLORCA

May 2007

We fly from Kent to the Balearic Islands with stops in Limoges and Barcelona for our Aero Club to become twinned with the Mallorca Aeronautical Foundation, and experience the best of Mallorcan hospitality

QUIBERON

 (December 2007)

We travel directly to this “almost-island” in Brittany, take in the beauty of the Golfe de Morbihan and visit Belle Isle for the day.

MICHELSTADT

(February 2008)

Flying into his hilltop airfield in Germany’s Odenwald region can be a little bit challenging but a friendly reception always awaits you. We visit the region, including historic Heidelberg over a long weekend.

HABSHEIM

(March 2008)

Mulhouse-Habsheim airport, located close to the Rhine where France, Germany and Switzerland meet, is the perfect place to sample Alsatian hospitality. Aeroclub de Mulhouse are the perfect hosts and my visits an annual event.

LILLE

(May 2008)

Shopping, dining, superb architecture and an evening at the Opera await you in this great northern French city. A regular feature in my flying calendar.

MIDDEN ZEELAND

(July 2008)

A manicured grass runway awaits us at Zeeland’s charming airfield and we pitch our tents alongside. Visits to Middelburg, Veere, Vlissingen and Goes provide a most enjoyable taste of Holland.

SALZBURG

(September 2008)

What more can be said about this UNESCO World heritage city? Stunning setting, charming narrow streets, chocolates, great beer gardens and Mozart’s music oozing Austrian charm- Unforgettable.

DEAUVILLE

(November 2008)

Normandy’s answer to the Riviera has some of the finest white sand beaches in Europe, a famous boardwalk as was setting for Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s honeymoon in Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The aiport is located between Deauville and another gem: Honfleur. Worth the trip!

BERLIN

(January 2009)

I wanted to visit the city’s iconic airport, Tempelhoff, before it shut down forever in October 2008. It did not disappoint – and neither did this vibrant city where I worked in the 1960s.

VERSAILLES

(January 2010)

We visit the airfields at Toussus-le-Noble and St Cyr l’Ecole. In the process we tour the magnificent palace of Versailles and catch the train into Paris.

FREIDRICHSHAFEN

(February 2010)

A bank holiday weekend at this great German resort on LakeConstance with ferry trips to LindauIsland in Bavaria and Bregenz in Austria as well as a Zeppelin ride over the Bodensee.

GENEVA

(March 2010)

This most wonderful of Swiss cities surrounded by mountains and lakes enjoys one of the most stunning settings in Europe. Cosmopolitan, contemporary, artistic, charming Geneva is the prefect year-round destination and the gateway to the finest alpine resorts.

KILLARNEY

(July 2010)

We fly to Kerry International Airport for a weekend in Ireland staying in charming Killarney. We drive around the famous Ring of Kerry and spend much of our evening evaluating the merits of Guinness versus Murphy’s whilst enjoying lively folk music.

SAN SEBASTIAN

(November 2010)

Weather problems impeding our return flight fail to dampen a fabulous Bank Holiday weekend in this vibrant, beautiful Basque city on the Bay of Biscay.

LAON

(December 2010)

We spend a weekend in this hilltop town in Picardy and dine al fresco by its floodlit medieval cathedral.

ST TROPEZ

(February 2011)

I fly to Cannes and try to fly at La Mole - My wife and I remember younger days in this still-sexy bolthole where noughties bling has overtaken sixties cool.

LE TOUQUET

(March 2011)

With over sixty Le Touquet entries in my log book, there's not doubt that Paris Plage is amongst my most favourite destinations!

It is also the last article I wrote for Today's Pilot before the magazine was acquired by its older, larger rival Pilot.

ANTWERP

(April 2011)

The sun finally comes out after a long hard winter and we make a dash to this charming Flemish city - once home to Peter Paul Rubens and still the centre of Europe's diamond trade.

FRANCE FOR BEGINNERS

 (May 2011)

11 planes, 32 people, 5 airports and a night-stop in Honfleur to give new pilots and students a unique taste of France.

TRIER

(June 2011)

We visit this ancient city (it claims to be the oldest in Germany) on the banks of the Moselle River. As capital of the Roman province of Gallia Belgica during the reign of Augustus Caesar, Trier boasts many ancient and medieval treasures with the Porta Nigra taking pride of place. An easy to reach, exciting week-end destination.

CORK

(July 2012)

Undeterrred by less than auspicious weather, three of us in a Bonanza visit Irelands's second city for an overnight stay.

A great night out and superb views of the Emerald Isle mixed with irish charm and hospitality make this a desirable destination for any pilot.

CASABLANCA

(October 2012)

Three days getting there via France and Spain just to have a drink at Rick’s Café Americane and tell the pianist to “play it again, Sam”.

No sight of Bogart or Bergman unfortunately.

MORE TO COME..........