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Visit us online at http://www.takeflightaviation.com/ April 2011 If you don't wish to download the images, or your e-mail distorts the text, on this e-mail then click here to download Flightlines into your internet browser |
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Hi there {FirstName}, Welcome to the April 2011 issue of Flightlines This month there have been many new exciting changes to Take Flight. With the aim of this exclusive club being “Not Just Another Flying School”, we have some very hi-tech upgrades coming your way. Firstly, I am pleased to be back to help keep the club running smoothly this summer! Having been away at University, it’s lovely to be back at the club again. Meanwhile, to help our students, we have invited Rick Ions to become a new member of our team to teach the ground school subjects here at the club. Rick will be available to help everybody, and so if you do want more information, please contact me here at the club. Keeping our aircraft well maintained, G-BSCY and G-BPEO have now been treated to sparkling new interiors, and are now available for all of our members to enjoy. G-BAHF is the next on the list to have this upgrade, hopefully within the next month or so. I am happy to announce that Mike’s own Cherokee 180 (G-AVBG) is now available for PPL members to use and can be booked out using e-allocator. We feel that keeping a diverse fleet is important to you all, and so we have also decided to keep G-BPBK, our Cessna 152. We hope this will be on a permanent basis subject to being able to keep a reasonable amount of monthly hours. This was originally to replace G-BPEO while in maintenance, but it is so popular that we want to keep this available to everyone, for the foreseeable future. With our keen flyers in mind, it has come to our attention that the current tech logs are becoming quite out dated and difficult to keep in order. Therefore the club has updated various databases, allowing for a great new system to be installed within the club, helping to overcome various problems which have occurred. We have planned to install new desks and computers at the club, to house an innovative new tech log system, which has been designed and written especially for Take Flight for the benefit of everyone. This will come with a brand new and very secure padlocking system on the doors and aircraft keys. Nearer to the time, we will make sure that everyone fully understands these changes, creating a much more modern environment. To help keep everything running smoothly throughout these upgrades Mike now has an office at the club. I would now like to remind everyone that it is important to refuel the aircraft when returning back to the clubhouse. This is especially important in the summer as people often want to fly in the evening when the fuel bay is closed. Please use e-allocator to see who is using the plane after you, and how long for. The fuel bays are not open 24/7 and so it is important that the planes are refuelled ready for the next person to use. It has also become a regular occurrence for people to not cancel bookings when they have cancelled their flights. Remember that this stops other members from flying the aircraft. We don’t yet have a penalty in place for the few who do this, but if people keep taking advantage, this may have to be an option. I hope that everyone understands why I’m stressing this point. Other than this, the club is running really well, thanks to the help of everyone, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone while I am here, over the summer. Don’t forget to keep your eye on the our events guide on our web site for details of this years events. http://www.takeflightaviation.co.uk/events.htm Have a great 2011. Happy and Safe Flying Kim
Spring has (tentatively) Sprung and after a very dreary winter I am looking forward to a bit more flying. I think that this winter has been one of the worst in 20 years from a flying stance. It seems that we have had extended periods of bad weather where we have been unable to fly. Consequently skills degrade through lack of currency. Just prior to Christmas, one of our students made a forced landing. I interviewed him immediately after the incident and what struck me most was how closely a student will stick to what has been taught. The old adage that a pilot will revert to type in a stressful situation is true. Some comments on PPrune surrounding the incident are laughable some laudable. Arm chair critics don’t you just love em! If a person is capable of doing something to performance standard they are capable. If not then they need more training. The key word in there is "standard". It is therefore important that good foundations are laid by their instructors. Sometimes a students background will help them. I can think of many previous life experiences that may hinder a students progress but now isn’t the time for that! However, some occupations are noticeably easier to teach to for instance HGV drivers, Motorcyclists, Plant and Machinery operatives are used to operating machines. That gives them some mechanical sympathy and some motor skills that translate to flying. An aeroplane is after all just a machine. It will do exactly what the pilot asks it to do via the control inputs. It has no “life of its own”. Some pilots are keen to progress as fast as they can but that really overlooks understanding and experience. Some people just “get” things quicker than others. I've been instructing for over 2500 hours and that’s not much compared to some but its enough to form some opinions about how courses are structured and what helps and hinders students progress. Sometimes slowing down and taking time to gain command experience post PPL before taking on additional ratings is the best route. Learn to make decisions away from your instructor. Otherwise they become your crutch so to speak. Cut the apron strings. Take responsibility for your actions from the moment you pick up the key and book out to the moment you book back in. Flying an aeroplane is much more than just “driving” it about the sky. You can teach anyone to “drive” an aeroplane. Safe Flying John Eburne Old Pilots & Bold Pilots and EASA There are even older pilots, who may or may not be bold but probably have a UK national PPL. If you began flying when Mortice was a rigger and Pontious was a pilot this applies to you. Anyone with a pre July 1998 license has a UK national licence. IE non JAR. From 2012 EASA will be licensing all aeroplanes with a few notable historical exceptions. In order to fly an EASA aeroplane post 2012 you will need an EASA licence. EASA do not recognise national licences but do recognise JAR licences. In order to be able carry on flying the usual GA fleet of Pipers and Cessnas you will need to convert your national PPL to a JAR PPL. To do this you must fly a proficiency check with the CFI to include radio navigation. I will sign your log book to this effect. Your old CAA syllabus used to include 5 hours instrument appreciation. In the transition to JAR PPLs this was replaced with 5 hours or radio navigation. You can then complete form JAR01 (SRG 1104) which is specifically for UK conversions to JAR PPLs. Regards John Congratulations
Others who have recently passed their "First Solo"
Chris Wight
Charles Drayson
also congratulations to: Anthony Bermingham - First Solo Ruth Bridges - night qualification and currently working on IMC Sunny Kalsi - PPL and Night qualification
New Key Logging and Access Systems
The second item will be a new Key Safe which will appear on the wall, this is to store the aircraft keys safely and NOT in the tec-log folders. The keys are attached to the blue pegs you see sticking out as seen on the photo. You will have to enter a code on the keypad to release the key to your aircraft. What code we hear you say? well each member will be issued with a unique secret logon code via our new text messaging system in the next fer weeks. This code will (eventually) give you electronic access to the club, access to the keys, access to the tech logs (which will be an on screen system) and access to amend your own on-line membership details, so that you can update your phone/e-mail info as well as medicals/license renewal dates etc.
Can you also remember to cancel your booking if you’re not using the aircraft. Membership Policy With the exception of one off trial lessons with Take Flight gift vouchers, only signed up and paid up Full Members (or Take Flight Student members, under the supervision of an instructor), may use or hire club aircraft at any time. This is is the latest of our mailshots to keep you up to date with club events etc. If you don't wish to receive any more then click "unsubscribe" below. If you want to send in suggestions, responses, or ideas then e-mail flightlines@takeflightaviationgallery.com |
You will notice over the next few weeks we are installing a number of new IT systems to improve the smooth running of the club. The first of these is a new Credit card machine - hopefully it is as simple as the previous one to use.|
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To go to members page click below |
The highlight of the trip for all.
Since then Bembridge has re-opened under the operation of the gliding club. 
t will be Squadron Scramble to Leicester, then Karting and subsequent return to the Club, with possibly a curry or something to follow.
From the Tower
Hi there!