A daring aerial adventurer set off from Perth on a historic journey.
Dave McElroy aims to go around the world in a small aircraft in just 80 days, the first time a circumnavigation has been attempted from the Fair City.
The 66-year-old will be raising money for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA), which is marking its first year in operation, on his 36,500 mile trip.
After leaving from the airport at Scone, Dave headed south to Cannes in France. He will then head to Rome on the second leg of a journey that will see him make 52 stops in 25 different countries.
He said: “This flight is such a privilege to undertake.
“I know it will be demanding, exhausting and perhaps at times even a bit hairy, but there is only a tiny percentage of the world’s population that will ever get the chance to see what I’m going to see.
“When I take off today it will be with feelings of both excitement and trepidation it’s a long way round the world in a small plane and who knows what adventures lie ahead along the way.”
Dave, who is the chairman of the Scottish Aero Club, based at Perth Airport, aims to raise £150,000 for SCAA.
Having already flown the plane from its base in Toronto to the starting line at Scone, Dave will fly the majority of the trip solo. He will spend at least 275 hours in the air, using around 7,700 litres of fuel.
The back seat of the aircraft has been removed to accommodate an extra fuel tank, which Dave will have to switch to manually during the flight.
The plane’s position will be “squawked” every 10 minutes, allowing his website followers to keep an eye on his progress.
He said one of the biggest concerns about the journey was the changeable weather.
Dave said: “There are two primary concerns one is weather and the other is mechanical. The way to minimise any risks is with effective planning and not to do anything stupid with weather.
“The only things that really bother us are thunder storms and icing. Mechanically, the plane is in tip-top shape and we’ve never had one inkling of a problem coming across the Atlantic.
“My gut concern is staying on top of everything. It’s very busy and the workload is very heavy it’s tiresome.”
Dave is due to touch back down in Scotland to a hero’s welcome at Perth Airport on August 6.