Margate coastal run

Llewellyn is trying his hand at straight and level

The Bluff from above

 After the heavy rains we have had in Durban we had to take to the blue sky this morning and did a breakfast dash to Margate. 2 beautiful landings and I assisted Llewellyn with his first take-off from Margate and he flew most of the way back. By the time he starts his licence next year, he should already be able to fly the plane.

There and back to see how far it is...

Where did this cloud jump from?

 Been battling to find a gap in the 2 week rain we have had in Durban, but with a bit of coaxing from Brad this morning we took to the skies for a quick jaunt up the coast and then inland to Light Flight. There were some puffy clouds jumping at as as you can see from the first pic. Then we cruised over Nagle Dam, flew over table Mountain and landed at Light Flight for coffee. I hope Geoff appreciated the R100 I put in his account for coffee.. should buy a new jar of Nescafe.. we then joined back at the coast and met up with Noel who was on a cross-country flight inVWE from Margate back up the coast and to Light Flight.

Sling surprize

It's been shitty weather in Durban for 10 days so in desperation I took a drive up to Cato Ridge today to have a look at the surrounding airfields .. looking for a new home for our Sling next year away from the corrosion of the Virginia sea spray.. after driving through mist, the weather had cleared slightly at Light Flight and Ivor was taxying Sling ZU IAJ, so I hopped in for a few low circuits and some landings at Emoyeni.... welcome Sunday relief.

Nothing beats the coast

 Brad (left) joined me this murky Saturday morning and we ended up just past Margate along the south coast as the skies cleared, enjoying breakfast at Margate, sighting nearly a dozen whales below us, a few clouds around us and learning a few new tricks in my red rocket.

Doing a 90deg wingover

Got to cover my lips when the sun comes out

Into the Blue

Great view of Durban's World Cup Football Stadium

 Wednesday proved to be the first of blue skies after a week of rain and mist... and was good for an early morning breakfast run to Pietermaritzburg.. cute little airport with a nice coffee shop. The clear skies and a routing over the city, also gave us a chance to see Durban city from above and home somewhere down there.

Home is about the middle of this photo above Greyville Race Course

Sling Family coming together

Andrew Pitman from The Airplane Factory is helping me join the dots collecting pics of each of the Sling airplanes built or being built at the moment. I have created a special page on my blog for The Sling family here. If you own or are building one, mail me some pics to add to the album. This magic shot is of Marc Gregson's Sling. James did a barrel or aileron roll in my Sling when I went to Tedderfield to take delivery and I was amazed at how sleek and smooth the Sling handles these types of manouvres, although the Sling does not yet have an aerobatic rating.

Not much weather-wise

Was pretty shitty weather in Durban this past week so I didn't get much more to do that sit in the red rocket, although I did go for a short flight down the coast before the gathering clouds drove me back. In anticipation of a weekend away next week perhaps flying to Fredenheim, we drove to Ballito and met up with my old friend Paul Lintott who runs Air Magic and makes a range of microlight headsets and helmets at his factory here as well as chocks and tie-downs for aircraft, so I'm now equipped and ready for the weekend away.

First passenger to fly licenced

My National Pilots Licence was issued in Johannesburg yesterday and picking it up from the courier this morning, and despite the less than perfect weather, it was up into the sky with my first passenger as a licenced pilot. I was confident, despite the scattered low clouds lurking around and the 15kt crosswind at Virginia Airport...

So up we went on a short flight to Coopers Lighthouse and back, passing a few clouds which disappeared below us as we climbed. It was soon all over and we were back safely on the ground. Llewellyn was a little apprehensive but I felt relaxed and calm and went through all of my pre-flight, en-route and landing checks like routine and I think befuddled Llewellyn with the ATC speak out and back to 120,6!

Great feeling. I'm free as a bird!

First day with my licence

 Today was a great day as I took to the air solo for the first time as a licenced NPL pilot. I took it easy with a short trip to Light Flight to welcome Ivor and Jack's new Sling to Durban. In the photos the new owners show off their respective planes and the silver bullet and red rocket nose each other.

Have Wings, can Fly!!

Instructor Brad handled my Flight Test and Sling Training

Today was the day. Finally the weather improved after a week of rain and clouds; so after several postponements, I was able to do my flight test today and was awarded my wings.

Brad put me through my paces and although the landings and some of the manouvres were not 100%, I can fly this little red rocket safely and can handle the exercises. Perfection will follow.. perhaps not, one is always trying to make the next landing the most perfect one. The fun is trying.

Hey, what are these clouds doing in my sky?

Thanks to Geoff, Noel and Brad - the team at Light Flight and Tasha on accounts, for the past few weeks of exhileration and training at Light Flight in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.

Thanks also to the team at The Airplane Factory for making this awesome little red rocket for us. What a dream to fly!

Some fun time

I was supposed to do my final flight test today, but the weather was acting up. Instead I did a solo circuit at Virginia, spent some time polishing the plane, and was joined by my friends Shawn, Mark and Michelle who cheered me up. :-)

First service

Our red rocket had it's first service today - a 30 hour oil and filter service. So I got to fly solo from Virginia to Cato Ridge for the service and watch as the oil was changed, plugs checked, filters cleaned and magnet checked for filings. All was good, but I was so absorbed that I forgot to take photos. Then bad weather was brewing so I had to get back to Durban. Pity actually as some extra solo time would have been good. However, I was quite chuffed as remembered all of my checks, the flaps at the right time and the changes to the constant speed prop.. text book! Landings were ok too, although had a bit of a balloon at Virginia after I thought the plane was about to land perfectly. Perfect next time!

Red Rocket rocks!

Cockpit view of the Red Rocket as we head out from Virginia with the Bluff and the harbour coming into view. The cockpit sports dual controls and twin MGL Odyssey Voyager glass efis on-board computers.. note the Bluff and harbour depicted on the gps. The red handle in the middle is the emergency parachute mechanism that shoots a parachute out by rocket blast in the event of deployment.

The blue knob handles the constant speed/variable pitch propellor and pressing F1, then 2 activates the auto-pilot, useful if you need to have that cup of coffee or are "temporarily uncertain of one's position" aka lost ha ha.

Sling Solo

First Solo flight in the Sling

Showing off at Light Flight - myself and Llewellyn

 Today was an awesome day. I convinced Brad that I really was confident to take to the air in our Sling Solo for the first time. So off I went and did a few circuits at Virginia, even managing to take a photo of my first Sling solo flight. After that I took the pocket rocket solo to Pietermaritzburg while my instructor tailed me with Marc in his plane. Feeling a little unfamiliar with the route, I put the plane on auto-pilot for a short while while I gazed more intently at the GPS while chatting to Brad and Marc on 123.45.. sjoe what a morning, but awesome stuff and great to feel I can handle the plane myself. Big steps and rocketing now towards my licence I hope to achieve next month.

Brad at Light Flight

Home to Durban

Brad takes Calvin and Marc for their first flips in the plane

Fun day

Sling co-owners Llewellyn and Dave

Dave's daughter Kate-Lynn

Dave being de-briefed by Instructor Brad

Today we introduced our baby to the locals and did some great flying.. after the breathtaking first flight on Friday, today was a chance to get the feel of the plane, do my first landings at Pietermaritzburg and Light Flight and later Virginia.

It was a great day to put the Sling on show and enjoy a braai with family and friends before flying the plane to her home at Virginia Airport. So in the last photo, you see our city from offshore the Bluff like I've never seen it before, shortly before rounding the harbour entrance and making my first Virginia landing on runway 05.

Thanks Brad for taking on this challenge with me and bringing our baby home.

Our baby gets her first bath today and was on show for the guys all coming to get a look at Light Flight's hottest stuff, "Hot Stuff". Isn't that silver spinner stunning?