Flying to the Isle of ‘White’ with the Famous Five

Finding things to do with the children during the school holidays can sometimes be a bit challenging and so having a pilot in the house can certainly add a few more destinations to the list of possible day trips.

The boys had their heart set on a trip to the seaside, so we decided on the Isle of Wight. Paul had flown here many times, but we had never come as a family, and he had never visited the beach on a day trip, so it suited everyone.

Next of course we had to work out which heli we could take. With the R44 in full swing back at the flying school with four of us there was only one other option… The Jet Ranger! Yeah, yeah, I know tough at the top huh. Even better news for FlyBoy (the dog) who now got to tag along.

The weather that week had been pretty awful and there were doubts about whether we would actually be able to go but by some miracle the sun came out and by 9:30am we were IOW ready.

Of course, there is always checks to complete before you fly anywhere and with the 206 there is plenty to check. So Myself, Sebastian and Fly got ourselves in the heli while Paul ably assisted by Anakin checked over CLAY. As Sebastian is 9, we still use a booster seat from the car to make it a bit more comfortable for him and make sure he can see out the window. With the front seat always a bargaining tool between the boys I got settled behind the pilot seat.

All aboard time for take off, the Jet Ranger makes such a boom at start up, I’m yet to meet a pilot that doesn’t love that sound. We had a bit of a headwind on the way there but even, so our eta was around an hour taking a whooping 3-5 hours off the journey compared to by road.

Behind the pilot turned out to be a terrific seat choice as I got some fabulous views and pics as we were granted transit through Heathrow Airport. Seems almost crazy that GA are allowed to do this… But what a thrill! Would however recommend a few training sessions before going it alone as is a high workload for any pilot.

Once through it was quite a direct route south to Portsmouth and a boat enthusiast dream with super views of the Spinicar and a Navy aircraft carrier in dock. Crossing The Solent is almost a blink and you’ll miss it moment, taking just 5 mins. We decided to fly around the island clockwise and into Sandown.

Paul’s obviously flown into Sandown many times so knew the joining procedures and where to land but if not the air ground radio/information is really helpful and welcoming. For those who haven’t been before, the airport has a grass runway and an eclectic mix of aviation related memorabilia including a full-size Black Arrow rocket. There’s plenty of fuel for pilots at the café/restaurant with a Sunday roast menu noted for another time. AV Gas only for the aircraft and it’s worth checking ahead that there is fuel available. On this particular day, helicopter pleasure flights offered a quick flying fix for AV geeks and enthusiasts around the island. Bikes are available to hire Le Touquet style, taxis are available but with the dog in tow we opted to take the bus!

The bus stop is a short stroll from the airfield and run regularly all around the island, we were beach bound. We caught the number 8 bus down into Sandown nb, it’s really worth using the Southern Vectis LIVE tracker – super useful.

Down on the beach it was time for some digging, kite flying and paddling for the brave ones as water was still chilly – This didn’t bother the dog in the slightest.

Needless to say, there’s all the usual seaside shops and food outlets and a ‘walk of fame’ full of memories of people who had lived, visited or contributed to IOW. If you have the time would definitely recommend a visit to the ‘Dinosaur Isle’ the Isle of Wight’s very own Jurassic Park!

A late lunch/early tea of Fish and Chips for ALL and obligatory 99’ before heading back to the airport on the bus…

With Paul in charge of checks, the only thing we had to do was decide which way to fly home. The boys wanted to take a detour to see the old Top Gear track at Dunsfold and then back through the London Heli Lanes for a final flying flourish entering at Oxshott West.

Matrix moment as another Jet Ranger was flying in the opposite direction at Hampton Court then into the BIG FIVE as we flew along the Thames; Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, Tower of London and The Shard…. To be honest there’s a lot more than five must sees when flying through the city, but it doesn’t sound as cool.

A fantastic day trip – would recommend.