I still need about 30h to be able to convert my licence in Europe. So what do I have to do now? Just fly around for fun and collect hours. What a horrible life…! #ilovemylife ?

So I made the most of the three good days after I returned from home, took some friends on board and flew around…

First trip with Annabel who was so kind to fly me back from Frankfurt to Vancouver on duty on my Lufthansa flight. Only fair to return the favour with a private scenic flight around Vancouver and the lower Mainlands. Thanks for bringing me back to Vancouver. And thanks for trusting my flying skills and being my very first solo passenger, Annabel!

No flight without gas. First stop fueling:

 

And then down the Frasier Valley to Lake Harrison.

 

And then back to Downtown Vancouver doing a few orbits over the city. What a beautiful view from above on this fantastic city.

 

Next day reunion with Christoph – another German Te Araroa hiker I met in New Zealand and walked with for a couple of days. He just showed up in Vancouver so I thought it would be a great idea to take him up in the air as well!

And on Wednesday you could already see the big frontal system pushing in so I had to ditch my original plan to go to Tofino and stay on the east coast of Vancouver Island instead. But not less fun at all. Kassandra, a student on her way to her PPL and the world famous Sergi joined spontaneously for the trip. Thanks Kassandra for the amazing pictures on board!!!!

 

Lunch stop in Qualicum Beach. What an amazing restaurant in this small airport. Worth a stop!

 

Parking.

And then leaving before the storm. Full speed back to Vancouver…

And then my first – almost – night flight experience. It was really dark already before sunset due to the clouds. We had to hurry up to make it back home before the official beginning of “night time”. Therefore requested a straight route over Vancouver Int’l Airport back to Boundary Bay which luckily was approved by air traffic control.

 

Vancouver Int’l Airport YVR

Back in Boundary Bay on time!End of civil daylight: 18:59.Touchdown: 18:59.?

And now grounded and waiting for the storm to move on…