Safety Pilot?

[Sue Bon]

So... I'm looking for a safety pilot...

A good friend of mine is going to the midsummer rally in Sweden next year. I met him in Sweden last year for some other car-related event and he wants to meet again next year for this. Here is the link from this year. I can only expect that the dates will be similar.

https://www.midnattssolsrallyt.com/content/en/index.php

The flights would be from Switzerland (LSZG) to Sweden (ESSB) and then back home, staying in Sweden for a week or so (scenic flights totally possible). I know that Americans don't have the luxury of long summer holidays like we have here in Europe, so I'm not optimistic about someone joining me for the entire time, but maybe someone would be interested in flying to Stockholm with me, or maybe meeting me in Stockholm and flying back home.

I have all the experience necessary for flying in Europe, so that is not a factor. Where you can help me is weather. I can't climb that high (unless @EricJ comes and shows me how to climb to FL170 in my J), but it is flat, flat, flat between CH and S.  In the best case, there is high pressure all over Europe... happy days. In the worst case, you help me navigate thunderstorms, CBs, and/or landing in gusty, rainy crosswinds.

There is room for a +1.

If any of you are interested in maybe coming out here next summer for a week or two of cool Mooney flying at only the cost of a normal European holiday, please hit me up.

[carusoam]

Sue, you win the best MSer of the day!

Best regards,

-a-

[carusoam]

8 minutes ago, Sue Bon said:

So, can I count you in???

I would love to be there…

unfortunately, I don’t have the M20J experience you seek.   
 

Best regards,

-a-

[Sue Bon]

Just now, carusoam said:

I would love to be there…

unfortunately, I don’t have the M20J experience you seek.   
 

Best regards,

-a-

I don't need J experience! I have that. I know my airplane. I need someone who can help me navigate summer weather at lower altitudes (FL 80 - FL 100). I just need help with all that goes on outside.... Plus, it's nice to share cool experiences with other Mooniacs. There aren't so many over here....

[EricJ]

6 hours ago, Sue Bon said:

So... I'm looking for a safety pilot...

A good friend of mine is going to the midsummer rally in Sweden next year. I met him in Sweden last year for some other car-related event and he wants to meet again next year for this. Here is the link from this year. I can only expect that the dates will be similar.

https://www.midnattssolsrallyt.com/content/en/index.php

The flights would be from Switzerland (LSZG) to Sweden (ESSB) and then back home, staying in Sweden for a week or so (scenic flights totally possible). I know that Americans don't have the luxury of long summer holidays like we have here in Europe, so I'm not optimistic about someone joining me for the entire time, but maybe someone would be interestedOh, this is in flying to Stockholm with me, or maybe meeting me in Stockholm and flying back home.

I have all the experience necessary for flying in Europe, so that is not a factor. Where you can help me is weather. I can't climb that high (unless @EricJ comes and shows me how to climb to FL170 in my J), but it is flat, flat, flat between CH and S.  In the best case, there is high pressure all over Europe... happy days. In the worst case, you help me navigate thunderstorms, CBs, and/or landing in gusty, rainy crosswinds.

There is room for a +1.

If any of you are interested in maybe coming out here next summer for a week or two of cool Mooney flying at only the cost of a normal European holiday, please hit me up.

Oh, this is tempting.   Car stuff and airplane stuff and a European and Scandinavian trip altogether.  I am definitely thinking about this.   What world travel will look like next summer is hard to predict, though.

I initially learned to fly in southern Germany, so it would be a lot of fun to come back to do some general aviation on the continent. 

[PeteMc]

I'm also in the "so tempting" category!!!   Went to Sweden a couple of years ago for a friend's wedding on Astol Island.

 

[Sue Bon]

Cool. There's still lots of time. No pressure. If I don't hear anything by next Spring, I'll revive this thread to see what happens

 

[Sue Bon]

Hi guys,

Remember this thread? @neilpilot answered my cry for help and we are on our way to Stockholm! After spending a few days outside of Munich to visit friends of his, we flew to Roskilde airport in Denmark today, and will continue to Stockholm tomorrow. Not a lot of photos, unfortunately, but there have been a lot of laughs. MS is the best!

 

[neilpilot]

Not sure what my role is as Sue’s safety pilot.  She certainly seems to be able to fly HB-DFA on her own.  I simply sit in the right seat, relax, and wait for the next city to appear in the windscreen.  Here’s my view of downtown Stockholm while on the ILS30 to ESSB this morning. 

[Pinecone]

Sweet.

I maybe could be tempted to join you if you do it again next year.

[neilpilot]

Update: 

So far Sue and I have flown about 10 hours in Switzerland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark.  

Our first flight departed Grenchen CH (LSCG), Sue’s home field, for Augsburg (EDMA).  There we visited a former MSer and M20K owner in the Munich area.  Three days later we flew on to Roskilde (EKRK), a GA field near Copenhagen.  The next day we were off to Stockholm (ESSB), and a couple of days later to a small uncontrolled field in Karlskoga  (ESKK), also in Sweden.  The attached photo is Sue and I saying goodby to the Karlskoga airport manager.  I think we were the only aircraft operating there during our 2 day stay, and we enjoyed excellent service with no handling or parking fees.

Today we returned to Roskilde, where we scheduled 3 days of R&R while a cold front passes thru.  We need to decide were to fly next.

[neilpilot]

After our return flight to Roskilde on Tuesday we spent 3 nights in Denmark, primarily in Praesto on the coast.  Then on Friday we flew into Prague for a quick visit.  Sue, Mooby Mooky and I just returned to their home field, Grenchen, after a 11 day tour.  No metal was bent in about 13 hours of flight, including some actual IFR.  

Sue is already talking about another excursion to Scandinavia next summer, probably without  a safety pilot in the right seat.  I plan on hanging out in Switzerland for a few more days before I return to Memphis.

[Sue Bon]

On 7/15/2023 at 2:32 PM, neilpilot said:

Sue is already talking about another excursion to Scandinavia next summer, probably without  a safety pilot in the right seat.

However, if someone is interested in joining me, please be aware that the ability to repair/replace things like outside solar lighting and pool filters is a definite plus! Thanks so much to @neilpilot for all his expertise in the air and on the ground