After the morning flying circuits, David Coulson and i sat and chatted about what to do that afternoon as he was watching me closely durign my solo circuits. i asked if i could try a short local VFR flight. we was fine with it – so i flew from Cranfield heading 243, past Milton Keynes, onto Little Horward, over Silverstone, then onto 003 towards Northampton, passed Poddington, then towards Bedford on 084 and finally turned to 180 to joined back to land from Stewardby VRP staying clear of the ILS approach traffic.

it was a wonderful summers day, the air was gentle and the sky was blue. i cruised at 2000 and had the aeroplane trimmed very well – i would give myself 8/10 which is a high mark for me to give. i scrutinise what i do heavily. my heart was pumping slightly faster during climb and take off as this was the first time that i was on my own and going away from my home airfield. My brain had thoughts of all the worst that could happen, engine could stop, i could get lost, i might get too close to gliders and the rest. however, that soon vanished when i levelled off and saw the world in front of my eyes and i was lost for words.

it is such a terrific feeling to know that i am flying an aeroplane and watching the world go by from a high altitude. Anything at that moment was really possible. instead of getting all philosophical, i remembered that i was flying an aeroplane and i had to aviate, nagivate and communicate. i had planned a 55mins airborne flight from take off to land. i got to each destination without a hitch at all. it was brilliant. Landed and once i clocked my times, i had flown exactly 55 mins plus the additonal taxi minutes.

I feel very positive today – with the feeling that sometimes you have to suffer in order to succeed. well i am getting close to succeeding having suffered.

Tomorrow i will be doing a cross country to land away at Peterborough Connington. Still lots more hard work to do and i am keeping completey confused and positively confident. below is the best image i could get of the airfield