Key West is a fantastic destination for a pilot. There is enough to keep you busy for a few days, including historical tours of the town, the aquarium, and boat trips to the reef and also the Dry Tortugas. The home of Ernest Hemingway is worth a visit, and is still inhabited by his six-toed cats. There is even an annual Ernest Hemingway look-alike competition, which lends a surreal element to the town for a few days. However, on this occasion we were staying only one night, which we spent in the comfortable and inexpensive Angelina Guesthouse. We spent the afternoon exploring the town, and visiting the aquarium, before having a relaxed dinner. Most of the local restaurants offer outside dining, with insect repellent candles and large fans to keep the bugs and heat at bay!

We rose early the next morning to make a morning departure. In Floridian summers, you can count on thunderstorms forming every afternoon; although they normally stay inland and away from the coast we wanted to be back well before the worst of this activity began. This flight was the reverse route of the flight out, although instead of staying low most of the way, we climbed up to 8500 feet on the way back. This was to see how the aircraft performed up high, as we’d be needing to fly at 12,500ft later in the journey when we reached high ground in the West.

Click here to read the next part of the story.