This book is just for fun and is aimed primarily at the microlight/GA pilots who enjoy exploring the wilderness and like testing their skills. In this book we're going to explore the wild parts of Scotland and discover areas that not many people have really seen, plus there are a few challenging fictional strips (ramp starts available). I am going to write it like all my guides in bite-size chunks. The book is written so as to be used in conjunction with Orbx TrueEarth Great Britain North, but can also (possibly) be used with any photographic scenery. However, Orbx also supply most of the AGN, and as Orbx's scenery covers "ALL" of Scotland including all the islands, it is well worth purchasing it, plus they drive on the left. In between the flights I will also fly you around the islands telling you as much about them as possible (you can miss these chapters out if you like). I strongly recommend you buy or borrow some maps of Scotland so it will give some idea of where we will be going.

We start our journey where my last guide book ended (Settle-Carlisle Railway Tour) at Carlisle Airport. Volume 1 will cover our journey up to the Isle of Skye. I have created a few fictional airports on the way up as well as dollied up a few real ones. There is no need to download any other libraries as they are all included in this package. I am cheating and have designed my scenery using FSX and Instant Scenery and simply converted it using Jonathan Harris's excellent FS2xplane tool, as well as WED for creating the airports. Again I would strongly recommend a good map!

For all my flights I am going to be using the Columban Cri-Cri. As you can see from the image above, it looks tiny parked up at Carlisle Airport. Not sure about the pony tail!

As I have already mentioned, I am going to be using the Columban Cri-Cri. I have just discovered this little beauty. It's a single seater so we have great visibility, two engines for our overseas flying and almost enough instrumentation (could do with a timeclock though). A great turn of speed with a stall speed of around 50 kt. Well worth the measly asking price of $15. The Cri-Cri is the smallest twin engine aircraft in the world and comes in both 2 stroke and jet powered guises. Personally I am waiting for an electric version). Oh...did I mention it's also very aerobatic (in the right hands).

Starting our Adventures at Carlisle Airport

Below is a map of the route. The first leg to Kirkcudbright is 43 nm @ 265°. The second leg to Castle Kennedy is just 31 nm. Use whatever aircraft you wish, just bear in mind many of the strips are grass and short.

Our first leg will take us to the first of my fictional grass strips I have created near to the town of Kirkcudbright, but you can if you wish fly straight onto Castle Kennedy airfield in one hit, depending on time. First we head over to Carlisle Airport and choose a GA parking spot. We'll start our tour on June 8th @ 11.00 hrs. Load my Carlisle to Castle Kennedy flight plan, contact tower on 123.6 (not compulsory) carry out your checks, and set your weather as you like. For myself, I set visibility to 25 nm which is about right for the UK most of the time. Next we taxi around to 19.

Half flaps, final check, power up and let's begin. Turn onto track when you reach 200 feet AGL and almost immediately on our left is the massive 18 hole Eden Golf Club. Opened in 1992 it has become a premier golf course and hosted the British Seniors Championship.

Cruise altitude 2500 feet.

Next we cross the river the golf club is named after, the River Eden, snaking its way towards the Solway Firth.