Flying

"Just checked the company web page which has now changed hands and the session I had was a duo 90 mins and is now priced at £309!"

That's a lot of cash Robert! Our son's hobby is flying so I've heard how expensive it is :D He goes for miles each weekend to fly.

He started with a hang glider

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then to a 'doodlebug'
then became the proud owner of a microlight that was previously owned by one of the Red Arrow pilots -
this is it in front of one of the Red Arrow planes
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and this is the proud owner

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He then decided to try his hand at a 'real' aeroplane
and this was his first lesson
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He has since gained his pilot's licence and is waiting to win the lottery so that he can
buy his own plane :hehe:


As it is his 50th birthday very soon I am paying for him to have a flying lesson in a
helicopter

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That fun day out was something like 10 years ago now and thats the last time I have been behind the controls.
Before that back in the 60s I had some hands on flying a twin engined Valetta transport crossing the South China Sea, now that was somthing else.
I only wish I had taken it up for real as It appears it runs in the family.
My first flight ever was when I was sixteen flying out on Ballykelly in a Shakelton (four engined maritme aircraft) out over the Irish sea and at extreme low level dropping 25Lb practise bombs on bouys. As a young lad that was a real sensation.
Many years later over to the Far East and once more in the Valetta as part of the drop crew to drop supplies to our guys in the army forts on the Borneo/Indonesian border. These drops were at extreme low level and quite often using trees as line of site markers for the pilot and a balloon on a string from the guys below to give the exact DZ.
With green light on heave on the board and slide the load out the side door asap and hope the chut does not candle or get tangled in the elevator..
All this and being shot at with smallish arms fire was indeed a adrenalin rush.
Anyway, its time I shut up before I start on my life story!
Robert

 

jjordie
Well done to your son for getting as far with his flying career.
Really pleasing to see youngsters achieve ambitions these days. That ex Red Arror microlight really looks the part. Lucky lad
robert

 

Sounds like you've had some very interesting experiences Robert

- now that could be an interesting title for a new thread "A Gardener'S Life story" :hehe:


and BTW as he is fast approaching his 50th birthday (in about 5 weeks)
son would be very amused at being called a youngster :D

 

"and BTW as he is fast approaching his 50th birthday (in about 5 weeks)
son would be very amused at being called a youngster"

I bet he is still your baby really:luv:
robert

 

[align=center]"One Hundred Years since Bleriot flew across
The Channel[/align]

An Air Pageant including a historic re-enactment of Bleriots flight across the English Channel, an Air Race being organised by the Royal Aero Club, a procession of hundreds of Belgian, British and French microlights, displays by Spitfire and Swordfish aeroplanes, a flypast by the Lancaster of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and a concluding flypast by the world famous Red Arrows and La Patrouille de France on Saturday at 6.45pm.Saturday 25th July 2009"

As you are a flying enthusiast Robert I am sure you are aware that 25th July is the one hundredth anniversary of Bleriot's historic flight across The English Channel.

My son is taking part in the mass crossing of The Channel by hundreds of microlights, plus there will be many others including the Red Arrows.
I am sure it will be a most impressive sight and I do hope the weather is good for them.



More information about it here

 

Thanks for update jjodie.
Thats will be a great show and lets really hope the weather holds for them.
Its been many a year since I was in Dover and It will probable be many more.
I do hope it gets some decent TV coverage
robert

 

It's about 25 years ago now, but I well remember having a natter with the then quite elderly father of an older colleague who saw Bleriot land.

 

Wow! what an exciting thing to see.


We are keeping our fingers crossed for tomorrow but I am told the weather forecast
is not good in the Dover/Calais region. If the wind is over 30 mph (I think) or if it is
raining then it is not safe for microlights to fly.

 

Its a real shame if it does not happen on the day.
After waiting 100 years you would think the weather would take a day off.
Fingers crossed
robert

 

As the weather is so unfavourable on the French side of the Channel most of the microlights have cancelled-
just a dozen or so waiting to see if it changes sufficiently to allow them to cross.

It's such a shame after all the planning, not to mention all the landing fees etc that have been paid and are
not refundable

 

Shame. such a shame. It would have been a wonderful site to see that many aircraft crossing the channel.
robert.