18 months of training. And a promise.
I'd told someone I'd fly them to Duxford. At the time I wasn't entirely sure I'd ever be in a position to keep that promise. Learning to fly in your 50s has a way of making you question whether the whole thing is actually going to come together. And then one day it does.
Duxford is one of those destinations that means something. It's not just an airfield. It's the Spitfires, the history, the aircraft that tell the story of aviation in a way that nothing else quite manages. Flying into EGSU in a C172 and parking up next to some of those aircraft is one of those moments that reminds you why you started all this in the first place.
The flight itself wasn't perfect. They never are. But it was mine and I kept the promise.
If you're a newly qualified pilot looking for a first proper cross country destination, Duxford EGSU is worth considering. Good runway, well organised, and the cafe is decent. The aircraft on display are slightly better than decent.
