Until I finally
decided I could
afford it. I trained for my Private Pilot's Licence (PPL) at Litle
Gransden,
over an eight month period in 1997. I did my first solo in August 1997
(an unforgettable experience!), and passed my final flight test on New
Year's Eve.
Later the next year, I trained for and gained the UK IMC Rating at RAF Henlow, giving me extra privileges such as being permitted to fly in cloud, and to make full instrument approaches in poor weather at most major airports. |
First solo, 22 Aug 97 |
My
flying club is Skyline
School of Flying, based at Little
Gransden
in Cambridgeshire. But I've also often flown out of Bourn,
Duxford
and Henlow. I hold a Ground Radio Operator's certificate, and I'm a
trained
firefighter and first-aider, so I often help out with Operations at
Little
Gransden, especially when the club owners are away.
I fly Piper Cherokees, mostly, but I have also flown Piper Warriors and Archers (see photos above and below), and Cessnas (150, 150 Aerobat, 152, and 172). But best of all, so far, has been an amazing aerobatic flight in a Slingsby Firefly T67M, which I won in a raffle at our airfield's annual airshow. What an experience! Read all about it here. I equally enjoy flying solo or with
other
pilots, and I love taking passengers, especially those who've never
been
up in a light aircraft before. In one busy four-hour session at Henlow
in 2001, I took up ten people (including five virgins!) in four
separate
flights.
I needed a beer after that, as you can
see
from this photo at the end of the last flight!
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Henlow, 2001, after four passenger flights in four hours! Photo: David Jarman |
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