PARAPLEGIC microlight pilot Dave Sykes has given a fascinating glimpse of his daily routine, as he hit a fresh glitch in his bold attempt to fly from York to Australia.

Dave, 43, a member of York Flying Club, published his diary of a typical day in his record-breaking challenge after being held up at Doha in Qatar this week because of malfunctioning equipment on his craft.

Flying club committee member Mike Poole said Dave set off for Abu Dhabi on Monday, but had to return because the transponder – which transmits a signal allowing air traffic control (ATC) to identify his craft and know its altitude – failed.

“Without a functioning transponder, he is not allowed by ATC to fly in controlled airspace and so had no choice but to return to Doha,” he said.

“This is the second transponder to fail; the first was replaced in Cyprus.”

He said Dave had been waiting for a new unit to be couriered out to him, but this might not arrive until as late as today.

The problem arose only days after Dave, who took off from Rufforth Airfield on April 28 on a record-breaking bid to fly more than 11,600 nautical miles to Sydney to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, thought his “time was up” when he flew into a sandstorm over the Saudi Arabian desert.

Mike said: “”This sort of trip would be demanding enough for an able-bodied person with back-up, let alone someone in Dave’s position and without support. He deserves a medal.”

Dave said his average day would run:

• 6am: Get flight plan prepared
• 7am: Taxi arrives
• 7.30am: File flight plan
• 8am: Make sure all paperwork is done, passports, immigration, general declarations filled in
• 8.30am: Get craft in for flight
• 9am: Give ATC a call to take off
• Between a five and seven-hour flight
• 4pm: Land
• 5pm: Get out and tie down craft, and see where need to go
• 6pm: Go to passport control then immigration, then need to find hotel
• 8pm: Need food as haven’t been fed all day
• 10pm: Best look at route for tomorrow and get flight plan ready
• 11.30pm: Ring my girlfriend, Les, to let her know am fine
• Midnight: Write blog.