The theme for this year is "Defense Of The Realm." It can be used in either a modern or ancient context, and can be a defense of a military installation, a coast line, a river, or anything else that you can think of that would need a defense. I was determined to fly in the competition this year.

The rules are:

• The flight must be undertaken between March 1st and October 30th.

• The duration of the flight should be between 75 and 120 minutes. You can't fly to very many places in 120 minutes where I live, so this could be a problem.

• Flying time is designed as time taken between takeoff and touchdown. Time spent on the ground taxiing cannot be included in flight time. That was a good thing as far as I was concerned.

• The Pilot-In-Command may take a co-pilot/navigator. They may each fly a portion of the route, but all pilots and passengers must be included on the entry form. They must all be members of the British Women Pilots Association.

• The pilot(s) must provide evidence that the flight has taken place. This should include flight plans/route plans, weather details, aerial photographs of features and turning points, receipts for fuel/landing fees etc., and any other relevant documents.

• Details of the flight must be presented in the form of a written logbook, explaining the purpose and significance of the flight, including documentary evidence.

• Completed logbooks must be with the judges no later than 21 days after the flight has taken place.

• The judges must receive the entry forms and a 10 pound fee (about $25) before the commencement of the flight, together with a brief resume of the route and approximate timings.

• The judges will take careful note of any difficulties encountered during the flight and will take into account examples of good airmanship.

My residence is located on the north shore of Lake Mead, within the Lake Mead National Park and Recreation Area, in a very remote region, not too far from the Grand Canyon. Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon are part of the Colorado River Aqueduct System.

I chose for my "Defense of the Realm" flight to fly part of the Colorado River Aqueduct System which was built to:

• Control, defend, and protect the rampageous Colorado River from flooding the thousands of acres along the river banks.

• Store and move the melting snow waters of the Rocky Mountains to the dry, arid western U.S.

• Generate electricity for use in the western United States, and

• Provide, protect and maintain conservation of the land and wildlife along the river.

The river has many faces. It is unbelievably beautiful, very rapid and very dangerous in Colorado and the Grand Canyon, but peaceful and almost lazy in the lower farming areas. However, it is dangerous in all areas because the river varies so much on a daily basis. The 1,700-mile river has some of the most unique physical features in the world, as it cuts through the western states of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, to its mouth in Mexico.