OK, here is another "Bliss" themed post of mine...🙂...I recall the last one was "40 miles of Bliss" in a SAS DC-3 over Sweden's hills and pastures, and here it is "20 miles of Bliss" (but no less "blissful") over the beautiful waters of English Channel, flying between two of the major Channel Islands, in a modern TBM-930 turboprop, in the colors of Aurigny Air.

Now, locally around Chicago, as the temperatures are warming up for Spring, and the trees are beginning to blossom with delightful flowers and leaves, the birds (and the squirrels) can be easily spotted frolicking around, having emerged out of their long winter hibernation. Yesterday, I noticed an unusual (red-and-yellow colored) bird sitting steady on the tree, and today, while perusing my a/c liveries, I came across the "Puffin" bird...🙂...If you were to ask me what livery (and logo), I vividly recall from the earliest days of my involvement in this hobby, it would be that of the bright yellow Aurigny Air airplanes, with the (hard-to-forget) Puffin bird image on the tail of their a/c. I am sure all of us have flown, in past SIMs, the BN-2 Islanders and the BN-2 Trislanders, of Aurigny Air (I recall having mastered, I thought, that KLN-90B GPS on the avionics suite of these a/c SIMs along with that tiny moving map...🙂...) ... 

Aurigny, the flag-carrier airline of Guernsey (more correctly "Bailiwick of Guernsey"), was among the first operators of the BN2 types, and, in fact, had first introduced the BN-2 a/c over the exact same (short) route (from Alderney (EGJA) to Guernsey (EGJB)), that I'm flying here today. However, for this post, I'm flying in the (better) comfort of a modern TBM-930...🙂...and no KLN 90 GPS here either, but advanced Garmin Avionics instead... (the livery is fictional because, though Aurigny has since moved on to modern a/c types such as the ATR and Embraer, it doesn't have any TBM in its fleet). Nonetheless, I'm thankful to the repainter for this livery of my affection and nostalgia.

I was reading today about this Puffin bird a bit more, "The species have a stocky build, and large beaks that get brightly colored during the breeding season. Their short wings are perfectly adapted for swimming with an intricate flying technique underwater (incredible divers that they are...they can reach depths up to 300 feet in less than 30 secs, while looking for food, their (specially designed) wings pushing forcefully against the water enabling them to swim as fast as 10 miles per hour). Moreover, in the air, they beat their wings rapidly (up to 400 times per minute) flying low over the ocean's surface, in swift flight.... (So, the Puffin birds are amazing specimens of amphibian aviation indeed...🙂...) ..."

Anyway, please find a set of images, as I return near the Normandy Coast that I'd once visited in one of my previous posts, but this time, further into the English Channel, for a flight between Alderney and Guernsey. Right after lift-off and gears-up, I've activated [Dir-To] towards the IAF of ILS/DME Rwy 27 of EGJB (EGJB has a (scenic) seaside 4,800 ft Rwy suitable for most of your aircraft except the big jets...see my approach and landing shots). I've also included a few other images of Guernsey in and around the airport and the island...only 24 sq. miles in area, but it surely packs a punch as a really wonderful place of gorgeous beaches, breathtaking cliffs, and most of all, one can see both sunrise and sunset off the English Channel, on this island (see my images). I also did spot small roads and foot-trails leading to many overlooks to enjoy the magnificent views... (So, it's time to rent one of those picturesque cottages, take out my stowed-away (and folded) Electric Bike from my TBM-930, and head out to one of those seaside corners...looking for those Puffin birds diving deep into the waters nearby...🙂... getting carried away a bit by the (virtual) beauty of the place...🙂...Oh well...). In my last image, I've left you with a close-up shot of my TBM-930 tail showing the (logo) artwork of this amazing little bird...

Thanks for viewing. Hope you enjoy...!

Edited April 22, 20242 yr by P_7878

Beautiful island shots. That livery looks like it almost "belongs" on the TBM. (And your parenthetical nod to the squirrels is certainly appreciated here. 🙂)

Looks like a nice place to visit. Great Shots.

Nice set, thanks for showing !

cheers 😉

Absolutely wonderful post, P-7878!

As I've mentioned in some of my own posts, I'm not big on either mountains or islands, but this post has inspired me to go explore there, and for me that's the real mark of a great set of pix. I can't remember if this is one of those places Superspud has given a makeover to, but I'll check that out too. And while I mention that, if you enjoyed the Channel Islands try the Scilly Isles next - that does have a nice vibe as well.

And I really love that livery on the TBM! Gotta go grab that - it really suits that plane.

Excellent!

Great set of shots! 😉 

Wonderful post with an interesting narration and superb shots, P_7878 !!

Friends: Many thanks for the enthusiastic responses to the Puffin bird...🙂...and the Channel Islands...

 

On 4/22/2024 at 6:32 PM, John F said:

Beautiful island shots. That livery looks like it almost "belongs" on the TBM. (And your parenthetical nod to the squirrels is certainly appreciated here. 🙂)

John: Thanks. It had actually skipped my mind, when I added that "nod" to the squirrel...🙂... that your avatar stands for the "frolicky" mammal...Actually, it was a squirrel that chased that (colorful) bird away from the tree ...nonetheless love to see them around as long as they stay away from my vegetable patch, which, of course, they don't...🙂...

 

On 4/22/2024 at 7:06 PM, Todd2 said:

Looks like a nice place to visit. Great Shots.

Agree, wholeheartedly, Todd...Surely, looks like a nice place to visit...

 

On 4/23/2024 at 12:03 AM, pmplayer said:

Nice set, thanks for showing !

cheers 😉

Appreciated the comemnt, pmplayer...Cheers ...!

 

On 4/23/2024 at 4:15 AM, andy1252 said:

Absolutely wonderful post, P-7878!

As I've mentioned in some of my own posts, I'm not big on either mountains or islands, but this post has inspired me to go explore there, and for me that's the real mark of a great set of pix. I can't remember if this is one of those places Superspud has given a makeover to, but I'll check that out too. And while I mention that, if you enjoyed the Channel Islands try the Scilly Isles next - that does have a nice vibe as well.

And I really love that livery on the TBM! Gotta go grab that - it really suits that plane.

Excellent!

Thank you, Andy for the kind words ...🙂...Yes, sometimes we get triggered by others' posts...in fact, I, for the first time, explored and posted here about Chicago (and surrounding regions) only after seeing the non-locals posting about it...🙂...

And, yes, you were on the spot about Isles of Scilly...it certainly gave me some good vibes...🙂...

 

On 4/23/2024 at 12:16 PM, Alaska738 said:

Great set of shots! 😉 

Thanks for the comment, Will.

 

On 4/23/2024 at 2:46 PM, bernd1151 said:

Wonderful post with an interesting narration and superb shots, P_7878 !!

Thanks much, Bernd. Glad you liked the text and the images...🙂...Cheers...!

Very good shots P_7878! 🙂 I've installed some freeware addons for the islands but have to go there again and have a look.

So far I used it to test a heli and it looks nice there.

1 hour ago, andiflyit said:

Very good shots P_7878! 🙂 I've installed some freeware addons for the islands but have to go there again and have a look.

So far I used it to test a heli and it looks nice there.

Thank you, Andreas. That sounds great. Even the default MSFS has done quite a good job around here...same on the mainland, I think...at least around Land's End....will post a set of pictures from there...Yes, Heli is great to explore these tiny island groups...

Edited April 25, 20242 yr by P_7878

Nice post...I have been flying the Channel Islands lately in the Aurigny BN-2. Great place to see in MSFS and fun flying.

On 4/25/2024 at 4:20 AM, ozcanuck55 said:

Nice post...I have been flying the Channel Islands lately in the Aurigny BN-2. Great place to see in MSFS and fun flying.

Thanks for the comment...! Yes, I would have liked to borrow your BN-2 for my trip to the Isles of Scilly...🙂...might have been more convenient...