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Update 25 July
We made it! Mike and I arrived in Malta within seconds of our target time having left North Cape in Norway just 2 days earlier. We set new World Records between Warsaw-Dubrovnik and Dubrovnik-Valletta but were defeated by a broken fuel installation at Riga on the North Cape-Warsaw leg. Nonetheless, we also set a British Record for the whole Nordkapp-Valletta distance of 2150nm.
Andy, Vid and Guy also succeeded in getting to North Cape in the club Robin, enjoying the spectacular Norwegian fjord and icecap scenery on the way north. Their 'slow' journey south was, incredibly, also hampered by refuelling problems at Riga, but they eventually managed to return home via Gdansk and Rostok.
It was an aviation experience that stretched and challenged us all - not least how to combine the flying with extensive flight planning and little sleep. Mike and I flew 6000 nautical miles in 47 hours airborne in 13 days and landed in 16 countries. Hero the Bear flew with us to Norway and Malta before being auctioned at the International Air Rally, where we raised over £1000 in pledges for H4H.
We are grateful too for the generous support of our sponsors Jeppesen, who provided charts and planning documents, and SEMS Aerosafe, who provided our immersion suits.
We hope you agree our endeavour is worthy of support for Help for Heroes and urge you to help us Make A Difference.
Colin, Mike, Vid, Andy & Guy
All for a good cause.
In 2007, I took part in the Malta International Air Rally with my flying buddy Colin Robertson and friends from the Pathfinder Flying Club based at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire. I've now decided to take part in the 2010 Rally at the end of June - but with a twist. I'm going via the North Cape of Norway, this time with Mike Gregory.
A round trip of over 5500nm and travelling through 23 countries will represent a very challenging expedition. Mike and I will be flying a Rockwell Commander 112TC and hope to be joined by Vid Tekriwal, Andy Stevens and Guy Thatcher in the club's Robin DR400 for at least the Scandinavian and Baltic legs.
As well as gaining immense experience in the air and setting World Records between Nordkapp and Valletta, we are raising money for charities. As an ex-RAF serviceman, I have immense respect for the good work Help for Heroes does to support those in the Forces who now serve on a very different front line to that I grew up with. Your donation will Make A Difference - inspired, I hope, by the endeavour of we MAD pilots.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.
