Flying

Many years ago, I somehow got it into my head that it would be cool to learn to fly. It's not clear exactly why; perhaps just the sheer idea that one could quasi-sustainably not be directly in contact with the ground. The feeling ebbed and flowed over time, but the seed was there. Finally, in spring 2002, I started training, with Skyline at Little Gransden.

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." (Attributed to Leonardo da Vinci)

In February 2003, I was finally accorded the immense privilege of being allowed to fly an aircraft solo. (Newsgroup write-up, lj write-up.) After a little more circuit practice I got on with the navigation parts of the syllabus in earnest, and completed my Qualifying Cross-Country (Livejournal write-up, Google Maps plot) on July 24, a fine summer's day which took me to Norwich and Leicester - all on my own.

On Sunday 24 August 2003, I took and passed my Skills Test. The CAA paperwork came through about a month later; I am now a licensed Private Pilot.

Having qualified I proceeded to, well, fly around and to share this incredible privilege with my friends. There have been many adventures! I've plotted some of them on an admittedly unpolished Google Maps overlay (JavaScript required).

I've kept on learning, too, adding night flight, complex single engined aircraft and the IMC Rating to my repertoire. The opportunity to fly whilst abroad has also presented itself, and I needed no second bidding!

Ruminations

Undercast

Undercast!

Flying works wonders for me; it's difficult to understate the effect it has on my soul. Adding the IMC Rating to my license was really the icing on the cake: when it's a typical grey depressing day on earth, I can climb through the cloud and pop out on top of what is usually a bright sunlit cloudscape with a brilliant blue sky on top (see picture). I never tire of this.

I have been vaguely on the look-out for a share in an aircraft from time to time, for improved flexibility of access and (hopefully!) reduced costs.

For a while I was also considering the CPL and FIR courses so I can share this wonderful world with others, but like many dreams this one is rather expensive. Even if I didn't go that way, there is some merit in taking the ATPL groundschool anyway, because it's darned interesting (at least in parts).

I dream of both having access to and being rated to fly a nice twin tourer with full airways kit (and presumably having an Instrument Rating to go with it). However this takes more money than I've got and more time training than I have spare right now!

In 2009 there were many competing demands on my time and I realised that I did not have enough time to properly do flying justice. I reluctantly took the decision to put flying on hold for a while.

In 2011 I moved to New Zealand. Before the move, I reactivated my UK license so that I could go through the conversion process with the minimum of fuss. I am now a member of the Canterbury Aero Club, based at Christchurch International Airport.

Timeline

Aircraft