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

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

Flying around Durban

We are heading to Durban's best months for flying - March and April where the skyye's clear of rain and the summer heat subsides.

 

It's the month Llew is going to finish his licence in our plane, so he's getting some good practice in this week



Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium

Durban beachfront and Stadium off the wingtip of our Sling ZDL

Doing my Taildragger conversion training

Incredible day flying yesteday.. the air was clean and clear and you could see forever. Our Instructor Larry Van Der Merwe took to the skyye with me in our Taildragger MSC for my conversion training and we flew out to Cato Ridge and Pietermaritzburg for some cheaper circuits landing this beauty. You can do your conversion too at Durban Skyye Flight School - for both PPL and NPL pilots.

Instructor Larry (left) and Dave ready for some conversion training on our flight school Taildragger MSC

Durban looking beautiful as we flew in from Cato Ridge in the west

Larry with MSC in Pietermaritzburg - beautiful little airport and an ideal lunch stop if you are in the area - the coffee shop opens when the Link airline plane is due to arrive

MSC looking proud on the Pietermaritburg apron

Dave and Larry posing before flying back

All smiles from Larry as we head back to Durban

Durban's Bluff, the harbour and  city as we pass the compulsory reporting point at Cooper's Lighthouse

We head to the harbour entrance which is the second reporting point as we enter the Virginia Airport airspace

Rounding the harbour mouth we have now left uncontrolled airspace and the beautiful view back to the Bluff reveals itself. I used to be the City Councillor for the Fynnland ward and this view basically takes in my ward.. from the harbour side through the Fynnland suburb to Beacon Road.

A view of Vetch's pier - suitable landing space for our Seaplane when we get it up and running

Aborted night flight

We were keen for a flight to Pietermaritzburg as the sun was setting yesterday, hoping to have dinner in Pmb and fly back before lights off at Virginia Airport in Durban.

However without much rain the last number of weeks there has been a haze over Durban and looking west, the haze and cloud cover looked worse, so we ended up with a little jaunt to Cooper's Lighthouse and back and had the rare opportunity of flying back at 500 ft viewing the Bluff and city from the lower height - normally 1 500 ft for all incoming traffic. On that last point, it is quite weird to be in a metric country but to use feet for altitude measurements in accordance with the international norm.

The city beachfront, sea and Stadium all looking gloomy and grey in the afternoon haze

The harbour entrance at the end of the Bluff

Cooper's Lighthouse from 500 ft viewpoint.

Up and down the coast

Umhlanga just after take-off from Virginia

Umdloti, a few kms north of Virginia/Durban

The north Durban coastline

North Durban in the King Shaka International controlled space.. they keep a beady eye on you as you fly at 500ft past the tower along the coast, and 800 ft returning.

I was going down the coast to Margate this morning, but my passengers bailed on me and then I found out the coffee shop/restaurant at the airport has closed down, which totally scotched plans for brunch there.

So I had to make do with the cabbage-patch up to Ballito and back twice, a touch-an-go at King Shaka International and a couple of glide-approaches back at Virginia. The wind was pumping, so I was keen to see how far out to sea you could go and still do a 180 deg turn and make the shore to land upwind without the engine, in the event of a failure. Both of mine were well judged and I made it to the runway which runs parallel to the shore. The temps were up in the 30s c, so it was pretty hot on the ground and a sweaty day flying, but fun.