May day

Thankfully not Mayday as I enjoy some flying with my students.

My student Andrew is coming along nicely, landing the plane by himself for the first time

Refuelling FYA

Final approach runway 23 Virginia

A bit far out to see as we return to Virginia

North of Durban to Umhlanga and the second most photographed landmark of mine (after the Stadium)

White water flying

April was a busy month for me as my daughter got married and we had a whirlwind few days before as we took her new American family up to the Berg to get to know them and show them this magical part of our country.

I managed to get some flying in with students and enjoyed as always the fabulous scenery our coastline offers. We did some low-level flying over the breakers north of Durban which is exhilarating as we sweep along just above them.

This photo is taken from just above my house, giving a slightly elevated view of where we are in Durban

My house overlooks the Stadium

A view of the harbour from the Bluff, a suburb of which I used to be the City Councillor 1988 - 1996

At the flight controls of my flight school Sling FYA

A jaunt to Pietermaritzburg Airport in my Sling ZDL

The distant view of the city, returning from Pietermarirtzburg

Taking my student Andrew for a flight along the white water mark

A few dozen metres over the waves headed North along the coast

My student Gordon who is learning to land the plane

Some more white water flying towards the Tugela River

The Tugela River mouth north of Durban

This is one of the last pics of Durban's famous ghosthouse which was demolished shortly after this photo was taken

The Umhlanga beachfront and lighthouse

Dave at the flight controls of his Sling ZDL

Last flight of March

Back from Thailand there's just enough time to get a last flight in March, showing my student Quinten's wife what it is he gets excited about up in the skyye.

I love these sunset flights and the last glimpse of sunrays over Durban

Our flight school Sling is awaiting it's branding

Flying

I know this is my aviation blog, but the first pic is of me flying without an aircraft.. at the Nelson Mandela Monument in the Howick area.

Virginia Airport, right downwind for runway 05 with the Stadium far left in the pic

Andrew having his first flight lesson with Dave

Dave congratulates William on completing his NPL licence

Dave takes his step-son Calvin for a flight

Pietermaritzburg jaunt

Durban Harbour in the background as I head to Pietermaritburg in ZDL to bring back my partner who has taken our flight school Sling for another 100 hour service - we've just topped 1100 hours in that plane now

The rolling green hills and sugar cane of KZN just passed the toll plaza - I didn't have to pay

The onboard computer EFIS logs the journey via Light Flight, Cato Ridge

Pietermaritzburg Airport - well worth a visit and fabulous coffee shop

Another of my famous Stadium pics 

In the flight school taildragger this time

Another of my famous selfies ha ha this time in FYA bringing the serviced aircraft home

Saturday flight lesson with my student Gordon who can now fly by himself!!

Saturday flights

I had a couple of students today, both with just over 10 hours flight experience, and practising landing the plane, so we went around and around a number of times, a bit bumpy some of the landings, but definitely improving. I also flew out west with Gordon to let him experience a grass field landing and he managed it pretty well. 

Student Mike Axcell looking proud of himself after a number of landings at Virginia

Mike (right) and I in the air over the Durban coast

Beautiful winter day in Durban - felt like summer 30 deg as we took off from Virginia Airport

Student Gordon and I tried some grass field landings

Shongweni dam on our return from Cato Ridge

The cockpit of our personal Sling ZDL as Llew and I flew to Ballito and back

Llew and I in ZDL