Tuesday 24 June 2008

Zdra-stvu-eetee (Russian for Hello)

A bit of summer sunshine usually gets the phones ringing, everyone looking to fly. Compared to our usual weather expectations in Ireland, May 08 was a pretty good month with lots and lots of flying going on. June maybe hasnt been quite as good, but we can't have it all our own way!

New students are always a challenge, every move they make you need to be watching and waiting for their next mistake. Some go the extra mile to keep you well on your toes. We got a mail from an old student recently, who had done a couple of hours flying and is looking to get back at it again. Quite unremarkable you might think, until I explain the last conversation I had with David while out flying. It went something like:

Me - 'OK David, lets start heading back to the Airfield. We will join overhead and have a look and see what the windsock is doing'
David - 'Huhhh?'
Me - 'Are you OK David?'
David - ' I'm really sorry but I think I'm going to faint..'
Me - Speechless
David - Said nothing....but made a fabulous impression of someone after 10 pints of Stella Artois on a Friday night. Head and arms hanging out of the cockpit with his foot stuck on the throttle!

No need for the rest of the story, I'm here to tell the tale which is all that matters. He IS back for more though which is a bit concerning. William (our other instructor) may have to complete his training ;-)

Other students are progressing well. Of particular note, Mark McLaughlin needs his landings polished off before going solo and Ilmars (who I thought was a Mad Latvian in a previous blog post) has turned out to be a complete natural. He isn't mad at all, just the most enthusiastic student we have had yet.....he has agreed that if I teach him to fly, he will teach me Russian

Uvidimsia! (See you!)

Victor
www.flyni.co.uk

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Microlight Loop

Not sure if this guy went straight over the top, but not to be tried at home
Lots of reasons why you shouldnt do this in a trike, but hey...makes for a great clip to watch on a wet day


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Monday 9 June 2008

Test Successes

Hasn't the weather been fantastic? We have been busy with a few of our students in the month of May, getting them all up to test standard, pre-flying tests, solo hours, qualifying cross countries and of course their flying tests themselves.


In fact we've been so busy that we are almost glad to see the back of them...just kidding! Congratulations to Adrian Parry, John Horan and Liam Flannery. All three of these guys travelled from Galway and County Clare on lots of occasions over the past year, so well done for sticking at it. 

The picture below is of a delighted Liam Flannery, just after passing his flying test. And before you ask, yes we do cater for the over 50s at the flying club; but I have to say that Liam is the most senior member so far...

Our facilities team (thats me mostly with a bit of help from some others occasionally) have sorted out the front of the clubhouse with a bit of decking and some stones. Nothing special, but it makes a difference from what it was before. It almost makes the decommisioned British Army portacabin look like a proper office now. All we need now is a couple of half-decent flying instructors, two aircraft and we could (almost) call ourselves a flying school ;-)

More soon.... on a mad Latvian that wants to learn to fly, an even madder flying instructor that will have to teach him to fly and a Z-List daytime TV celebrity that got a pink flying suit to match his shirt

Cheers, Victor
www.flyni.co.uk

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