Return from Zell

 On the 12 July I made the return trip, Zell to Bristol with a stop for fuel In Troyes, E of Paris. It took just over 5 hours flying plus an hour for the fuel stop and refreshments. Quicker than a commercial flight door to door. I picked the day because it was close to perfect weather the whole way, just a bit of cloud from Troyes to the channel and then over Kent.

 Climbing out of Zell past a ski slope I taught on most of last winter.

If ever you wanted a reason not to run along in the cloud tops - apart from the fact that its against the rules for a VFR pilot - here it is. You see the bump in the clouds on the RHS of the picture.....

....well that is what is behind it! 

In the distance are the Austrian Alps running off towards the Swiss border.

Once I left the mountains behind the air cleared completely until near the channel coast, but it was hazy, so at FL85 photography pointless.

One photo for old time sake. In front and above the wing tip is my old gliding club, Lasham. From here its a short run to Bristol.

3 new countries for IKON in 24 hours.

I have been away for quite a while. My wife was ill, but finally my confidence has returned and IKON left the UK for the first time. 90 minutes down to Calais (France) for customs and fuel and the first overseas landing. I live near Bristol now so the journey to the channel is much shorter. Then on to Tannheim in Southern Germany.

A good trip down mostly at FL75 with a gentle tail wind component. Tannheim is an excellent airfield, a friendly welcome, beer, a good dinner and a bed for the night.

Lots of help next morning advising on the best route into BIG mountains, to Zell am See in Austria where I have a home. Despite bad weather on its way I beat it into Zell. The journey is short but it was daunting for me knowing I was dependent on the donkey keeping working since there was nothing approximating to flat underneath.

At FL75 again, the rocks on each side appeared much closer than they do in these pictures.

Finally I enter the main N/S valley, plenty of flat land underneath, and at the far end of the just visible lake is the airfield. I am lower now and the airfield and lake are at 2500'

Very satisfying to arrive in Austria! I will be here for a while.