"Over 2 days I was fortunate enough to perform a ferry flight with www.Hour-Building.com - to transport a freshly painted C172 from Grenada, Spain, to Thurrock in the UK.
Wsee Se
The trip started with an early rise, arriving at Juan Espadafor Aerodrome near Grenada in Spain prior to sunrise. We prepared the plane, planned the first leg of the flight, and just after sunrise, we took off heading straight for Valladolid. The weather was perfect in Spain for VFR flying and the first leg took us over the Sierra Nevada and through central Spain. We eventually arrived in Valladolid with a flight time of just over 3 hours which is the longest flight I have ever completed.
After a brief stop in Valladolid to refuel, pay landing fees, and freshen up, we moved swiftly on and departed for Bordeaux in France. Another 3-hour leg took us through the impressive Pyrenees mountains and over the Bay of Biscay. The C172 performed perfectly and was easy to fly even when facing a strong headwind for the duration of this leg.
The final leg of day one was a 2-hour and 20-minute flight from Bordeaux to Tours. We stayed at a low level to both avoid controlled airspace, danger zones, and parachuting areas which also allowed us to view France and its amazing landscape from about 3,000ft. We parked up and refueled ready for the next leg of the trip the following morning.
After a nice evening meal at a local restaurant, we made our way to a local hotel where we stayed the night.
The following morning, we arrived at the aerodrome for an 8:30 departure following a customs check. We were on our way direct to Lydd Aerodrome on the south coast of England which was my very first English Channel crossing. We had a good tailwind and the weather across the entire leg was incredible.
We landed in Lydd in just under 2 hours and 30 mins where we stopped for a bite to eat before a short 30-minute hop to Thurrock which is situated just North of the Thames estuary. The weather was good enough to see the amazing London skyline before descending and landing on the narrow runway at Thurrock aerodrome.
I would recommend ferry flying for anyone with their PPL who flies either as a hobby or with further aspirations to become a commercial pilot. The experience was invaluable and has given me the confidence to become a more adventurous aviator.
The aircraft I have flown ( not only on this trip) with www.hour-building.com have always been in perfect condition. They are extremely well maintained and well looked after and that gives you so much confidence when going on a long trip. The help and advice I got from hour-building during the trip, guided me and improved my ability as a pilot significantly for which I can't thank them enough.
If you have the chance to do a trip like this, you shouldn't think twice about doing it, especially with hour-building."
Joe Thomas
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