Open air or enclosed? Into the wind or with it?

Back to the airfield again today and actually managed an hours flying, although since the weather was closing in from the west and that was the way we were going we ended up with an extended local flight. Still, number of landings and take-offs remain the same and that tends to be important!

The yellow gyrocopter at the front has featured before in a blip, but today the red one behind was a private one whose owner was having a lesson. This one has an enclosed cockpit, and so the student and instructor flying it were able to leave their all in one warm flying suits behind and just fly in normal clothing - much more civilised!

The other comparison I noted today was between the groundspeed when heading into the wind and that obtained when returning with a following wind. We will all have noted this when just walking in a strong wind. Today as we flew west at an airspeed of nearly 70 knots we were only crossing the ground at about 45 knots. When we turned round to come back we flew at the same airspeed, but with a groundspeed of nearly 90 knots. Twice as fast for the same level of effort!

As I consider the spiritual parallel (I like to do this when I can) I thought that this is a bit like trying to do stuff for God in our own strength compared with keeping in step with His Spirit and doing it with his power assisting us. I know which is easier and gives the better result!