Story
I guess you could say I'm a reasonably experienced flyer these days, but I'm not a commercial pilot. I just fly for fun.
My plan was to fly around the world in a very light aircraft (classed in the UK as a Microlight) in order to raise money for my chosen Cancer charity.
I set off in May 2016 (without knowing if the Japanese would let me through) and unfortunately only got as far as the Middle East. Temperatures in excess of 40c (occasionally higher inside the aircraft) caused a few problems and the final straw (after the propeller stopped spinning in flight, but before the urine infection, and the disorientating dehydration) was ongoing worries about the aircraft battery dying which would have led to the flight instruments & navigation kit going bye byes.
There were more airborne anxieties revolving around Vapour lock, the Fuel Pump failing, and something called "Pre-ignition", which cracks open the engine. None of these are ideal when you're above a desert (or possibly dessert).
To complicate matters the region was experiencing a mini heatwave (not to mention it's nearly a war zone) and my next stop was India where folk were dying in temperatures beyond 50c. So, discretion being the better part of valour, I turned around and flew home.
In general, I’ve flown into two-thirds of the UK's airfields, travelled the world, and maybe I was getting bored. So the thought came to me to try to do something a little more altruistic with my time, hence Charity Flights came to mind.
The Civil Aviation Authority's "Charity Flying Rules" say that I have to pay all the flying costs (fuel, landing fees, maintenance costs, insurance, hangarage, Permit inspections & general paperwork). I can not take cash, or payments in kind, from anyone. All donations need to go through this site.
Your flight will be completely at my expense and, hopefully, after we've flown, you'll then donate any sum you feel comfortable with to this Cancer Charity.
So, what do I get from this ? An excuse to go flying. You get a different perspective on the world. And the charity receives your donation. Win, win, win.
Please text me on 07746 184198 if you want to fly or generally chat about making a donation.
Cheers
Jon Hilton, Director, Legal Brokers Ltd, NationalSolicitors.com
Flying stuff.
I started flying at the age of 22 and got a US Pilots licence in Missouri. I was offered a job as a trainee Crop Spraying pilot (c/w Green Card) but, having seen two aircraft that had bounced off telegraph poles, I binned the idea and returned to the UK.
By the age of 31 I'd saved enough money to do a US Commercial course (so I could fly in Africa) and headed to Florida to get the qualifications. During that time I flew a Cessna through the Bermuda Triangle and onto the Bahamas (as part of the commercial cross country navigation exercise). I landed a couple of times at Orlando International (man or woman, that experience will put hairs on your chest) and was cleared to fly along the runway at Cape Canaveral (where the Space Shuttle used to land). It was past midnight, pitch black, and hugely, majorly, exciting.
Unfortunately, a lady got in the way, as they do, and I ended up swapping my licences around so I could come home and carry on my flight training in the UK (I was love sick, I guess). I picked up a UK Night rating, IMC rating and Multi Engine* rating whilst overseas.
Fate intervened shortly afterwards, and I developed a Corneal Ulcer. Hence I reluctantly gave up on Commercial Aviation in favour of finding a 'proper job'. The ulcer came and went for about 5 years.
I returned to flying in my forties and decided to fly Microlights (they cost less to fly, and I'm a cheapskate). My current aircraft has the call sign G-CGIZ. Some folk laugh at the name GIZ, but it gives her character.
Over the years I've satisfied myself with a few jaunts to Northern Ireland, Eire, the Scillies, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, France, Holland, Germany, Austria, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, Italy, Crete, Egypt and Jordan.
There are pictures of my 2012 trip to the Alps here. Additionally, there’s a few snaps of myself and David Gaskell competing in the 2012 Round Britain Microlight Rally.
In 2013 India Zulu & I flew to North America and the snaps are here, Canadian Adventure. I'm told I'm the first person to take a Microlight from the UK to Canada... and come back.
The story of the flight (I hated every single minute) is available to buy on Amazon. If you're interested please search for "Decision Height by Jon Hilton". The language in the book is my own and it's occasionally "colourful". ie. I went through hell.
Oh, yes, and I've crashed her. Which is the starting point for the second book I've written, "Phoenix - 12 months in a Microlight". I wouldn't say either book is any good, they're more of a legacy thing.
I don't have pictures of everyone who's been aloft but there's a few pic's in the album, Aviators.
If you want to hear me you could head to www.flyingpodcast.co.uk. A very nice chap thought it might be worth recording me. I believe I'm episode 58 and it covers The Round Britain Rally, The Alps & the Feeter incident.
There's also a follow-up Podcast covering Canada (episode 69). It's not quite as cheerful because I was scared witless most of the time. Add into the equation that my lovely little daughter kept me awake the night before the recording and I sound incredibly boring (although I do cheer up halfway through).
If you're thinking of flying and wonder what it's like, I have two videos for you. The first is a landing at a place called Sywell. The touch-down was quite a gentle affair, although the runway's quite flat and that flatters my work a little... Sywell landing on Youtube.
One last video was taken of a landing at Glenforsa, on the Isle of Mull, in April 2013. There was a gusty crosswind, a lot of "sink" before the threshold, and geese to worry about. After we'd landed the airfield owner came over and asked which airline I flew for. Which was nice. Glenforsa.
I've won a few flying awards, too. ie. the GPS category of the Round Britain Microlight Rally, the BMAA Chairman’s Trophy, and the Britannia Trophy courtesy of the Royal Aero Club.
India Zulu & I have been forced to fly at 30ft above the frigid seas east of Greenland (to evade the ice-laden clouds just above the wings), and we’ve had to climb above 12,400ft (to avoid the ice-laden clouds just below the wheels). Ice-laden clouds are bad.
I've flown into two of the airfields that are generally listed in the top ten of the most dangerous on earth. And I've had the propeller stop above Egypt. Plus, I've experienced wind shear at Nuuk International, Lille International, and possibly a UK airfield (you'll need to read one of the books to decide).
It is fair to say I've experienced a lot of airborne stress, and in some ways that can be a very peaceful experience.
Ultimately, my poor aircraft has been put through hell.
Background stuff.
I've flown a few folk around now and they've understandably wanted to know a little bit about me. At the same time, I’ve jotted this down in the hope my daughter stumbles across this text one day and is inspired to go on and live a full life.
I'm just an ordinary person who's managed to cram in the Berlin, Paris, New York, Moscow, Reykjavik, Los Angeles, and Sahara Marathons. I finished the San Diego Triathlon, and the English, Italian, and Korean Iron Man events (I hate exercise). I completed a relay swim across the Channel, and ran the bulls at Pamplona. I've had brief stabs at freefall parachuting (none of this tandem malarkey) and hang gliding.
Courtesy of a lack of funds, this was a while ago, I had to sleep rough in Berlin, Paris, and Pamplona. Doing something like this makes you appreciate life's luxuries so much more than I can explain. May I suggest that buying a '£4 meal deal' for a homeless person is good for the soul.
I did a Bike ride around Beijing and raised £1,500 for Mencap. Additionally, I did have a Black Belt in ju-jitsu, but I let this lapse when my daughter was born... I go occasionally, but it hurts a tad being bounced all over the place so I'll probably let this slowly fade into my past.
I've been a Tunnel Engineer, Mortgage Broker, and IFA. Courtesy of abandoning my flying career the first job I could find, upon returning to the UK, was in the lighting industry.
I helped put 4 no. 7 KW rotating Xenon Searchlights (Moonrakers) on top of the Eiffel Tower. It’s a boring story, but I generated the mailshot that attracted the French, drove the demo Searchlight through the Channel Tunnel, did the test at the end of Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport, negotiated the deal, and then threatened to resign when my employers wouldn’t accept the order. Twenty years later the kit is still there... which I’m quite proud of.
I was also instrumental in winning the contract and project managing the lighting on the "Wobbly Millennium Bridge" across the Thames (from Tate Modern to St Pauls).
I currently run a business called Legal Brokers Ltd (www.Legalbrokers.com) and we get involved in a range of things. Online marketing, Website design, SEO, we act as Panel Managers for Conveyancing clients, generate Conveyancing Searches, we provide Indemnity Insurance, help Buy & Sell Law firms, offer Biometric checks (www.iDWallet.com), and we offer a Case Management Software package for Solicitors.
I'm not rich, but I'm not poor. I'm quite an easygoing and cheerful chap (I hope), but I do tend to speak my mind when challenged.
In conclusion, there was maybe a time when I was a thrill seeker but I'm hoping my future offers nothing more than lovely boredom, with a little local flying thrown in for good measure.
* I passed the IMC and Multi Engine written & flight tests but, at the time, couldn't afford to get the licences issued.