Awoke today to blue skies and white, bubbling cumulous, with a light southeasterly for good measure. My brother was visiting and is near the end of his PPL training, so it was the perfect opportunity to give him another taste of strip flying following a flight last summer.

The destination was a private farm strip outside a village south of Aberdeen – no landing fees, no high vis vests, no booking in or out at the tower – just a beautiful 700 meters of tightly cropped grass with the Grampian mountains as a back-drop.

We got airborne in usual Auster fashion – pluck her off at 40 mph, sit in ground effect until it looks like you won’t make it and then let her climb out at 60. My brothers toes were reportedly curled toward the latter stages of the acceleration, as the trees loomed larger in the cockpit window, but as long as you hit those magic numbers, she’s fine – not exactly a home-sick angel; more a reluctant seagull, but climbing nonetheless.

We had a lovely flight down the coast past Stonehaven – a picturesque fishing village over-looked by the imposing ruins of the 15th Century Dunnottar Castle, where some of the 1990 film ‘Hamlet’ was shot. From there it was a short hop toward the strip which was clearly visible; standing out nicely from the darker surrounding crop and marked by a tiny white caravan and bright orange windsock at the southerly end.

There was a good sea-breeze blowing by this time, so we did a couple of low passes to check the strip and cross- wind; and, because its fun. The cross-wind proved tame enough and we parked up by the caravan to stretch our legs.

There is something surreal about finding yourself stood in a field in the middle of nowhere with an aeroplane – surreal and liberating – how flying used to be and once again the Auster showed us the charms of the world it inhabits – away from the busy airports and concrete runways and much closer to the essence of what flight is.

The owner of the strip came out to greet us and we had a short chat before we were on our way again; flying North across the hills to Banchory and back to the home strip.

Every flight in the Auster feels like a mini-adventure and that’s her charm and appeal. She puts a smile on the faces of those who fly her and that’s the kind of flying that’s for me – what it’s all about and from that respect, its been a great start to this summers flying.