Chief CaptainWell I told you that my darling wife had given me as a xmas pressy a 1 hr test flight,well today was the day 👍
Arrived at the Cardiff Academy of Aviation at 13.20 ready for my 14.00 test flight.A quick look around at the main terminal opposite and only one 737 at the gate
After signing in,a quick cup ot tea(sooo british)to calm the butterflies. 
Then is off to watch a short video about the aircraft(Apex Robin 'Alpha' 120T ).Then its time to meet the pilot and a choice of where to fly.I chose to fly towards my home and a quick check on a map and a phone call to the tower for clearance and we are off to the aircraft
After a walk around its time to buckle up and I have to run through the check list(these pilots are so lazy 🙄 )The pilot tells me to hold the stick and follow his movements
Start the aircraft and check with the tower so that we can move towards the runway and do a full engine power test.As we go through the test a BMI 737 takes off,so we will have a short wait( 😳 dont they know who I am? 
)
Tower clears us for take off and we taxi onto the active (Runway 30) and line up with the centre line and apply full power and take off speed of 70 is reached very quickly and we are up for a quite bumpy little climb
Tower calls and tels us not to climb above 1500 until clear of the airspace.We then head direct to Newport
Once clear we climb to 3800 very quickly using the aircrafts speed and its a fairly bright day,though a little windy visability is great
Now the pilot shows me how responsive the aircraft is by waggling that bloody stick,then he shows me how to keep levelby using the top of the dash and the horizon,and at the panel. Once we level out the dam fool said YOU HAVE CONTROL
AAARRGGGGG
Panic over he tells me to keep the aircraft steady at this altitude and heading,which I do(rather well 😉 )
Now over Newport and can see my house
OK he says a gentle right turn and head back towards Cardiff(at this point he could of left and gone and had a coffee..but in-flight service was out 😉 )
We start our decent and hold at 1500,avoiding the chemical plant at Cardiif docks
When then have to look out for a helicopter at 11o'clock followed by a Cessna on final
We (I) turn towards the runway and see those familier two red and two white lights,Keep on,he says,so I do,watching the lights,the altimeter(he controled the throtle)
Three white lights,push the nose down,throtle back,but the wind seems to hold us up,ok two red two white,the nose of the aircraft now pointing towards the main terminal but we are heading(crabbing) towards the centre line
At about 60ft the pilot pushes the stick forward and we drop then feather and touch down
G-CBLE Turn next right taxiway,be aware of the Cessna and taxi to club parking
Taxi to parking and the shut down check list
Boy that was over so quickly(did somebody press"R and +" ❓ )
Here is a pick I took of the Robin after landing(now do you trust me to borrow the car?look not a scratch on it) and a link to the clubs web page about it
http://www.cardiffacademyofaviation.co.uk/robin.htm
And a link to the main page
http://www.cardiffacademyofaviation.co.uk/index.htm
That was,quite possably the best hour I have ever spent and If ever you get the chance to have a go....DO IT 👍
The smile factor is still there,some 4 hours later
I have a video of it all,though the camera work is bad(she cant be good at everything........though she says she is) and I will cut it down and post soon
This will cost me dear tonight as I take her out for a few drinks and a meal,but after today,who cares how much it costs
My thanks go to all concerned at The Cardiff Academy of Aviation 👍
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Captain
if I have the time with my work as it is just now,very very busy,but all flight time can/will count towards your total
