TWO Scottish pilots set off today on a flight around the coast of the UK to celebrate being given clearance to fly again following lockdown.
The duo’s “Freedom Flight” will also raise funds for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA).
Robert Stalker, from Dunfermline, and fellow businessman and Scottish Aero Club member Tommy Lorimer, from Glasgow, plan to visit as many coastal airports as possible on a seven-day flight round Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“We’ve called it the ‘Freedom Flight’ as we’re hoping to encourage light aircraft pilots to take to the skies after the Covid restrictions,” Stalker said. “Hopefully we’ll meet as many as possible around the country as we get back to some form of normality at out airfields.”
With overnight stops organised for their fundraising adventure, both pilots – who have been flying for around 20 years – say the remainder of their touchdown locations are pretty much at the mercy of weather conditions each day.
Stalker added: “Many of the hops will be just minutes between them and others will be a bit longer – especially crossing to and from Northern Ireland. We’ll aim to get to our scheduled stopovers each evening and take the rest as time and the elements dictate.”
Stalker will fly his RV9a G-CCND light aircraft on the trip while Lorimer will be his wingman flying his Bristell light aircraft G-PIPZ. “We have made many trips together but never a round coastal trip of the UK,” Lorimer said. “We’ve really missed flying during lockdown so it’s great to take to the air again.
“Using the flight as a fundraiser for SCAA is a bonus and we hope fellow flyers and the public will get behind us and donate to SCAA.
The flight is expected to cover around 2500 miles, with the final leg seeing the pair land back at Perth Airport, home of the Scottish Aero Club, next Friday. Donations can be made at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/robert-stalker
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