PARAPLEGIC pilot Dave Sykes has had to abort more attempts to fly out of Burma, following continued bad weather in the region.

Dave, a member of York Flying Club at Rufforth, is attempting to fly his microlight from York to Sydney Australia, and landed in Burma on June 8.

Unfortunately, despite several takeoff attempts, he has had to make repeated landings due to the poor conditions.

In texts sent to Mike Poole over the weekend, a fellow member of the flying club, he said: “Hello, I’m still around, just a bit waterlogged at the moment, when the rain stops a bit I’m off to Yangon. I’m not giving in though.”

Dave said he had also had difficulty with technology due to his remote location, with phones and computers run by generators and satellite connections, and had paid £20 for a two-minute phone call to the UK.

In a second text, Dave told Mike about his most recent aborted takeoffs on Sunday: “Tried twice today, 1hr 30mins first then just 30mins.

“Took off in rain, and the rain kept coming. 400ft cloud base over the sea unable to continue so turned back.”

Dave’s record-breaking 11,600 nautical mile journey has been organised to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.