“Like my father, I have been extremely impressed by the excellent work this organisation does in helping disabled people to fly. They are an inspiration to all of us that anything is possible if you are determined enough and have the right support and encouragement” HRH Prince Feisal of Jordan
I have categorised this post under Plane trips as that was what i did today. I went for a plane trip to Dunkeswell in Dorset.
I did learn alot as i was flying with a very experienced and briliant Pilot Mr Peter Coombs. Well actually there were 2 great pilots, Mr Ian Bennet – Aka “Ben” as we all refer to him at the BDFA. Ben got his pilot wings in 2005 at 43rd Air School in South Africa. He was one of 4 people to have been awarded a Flying Sholarship for the Disabled (FSD) – c/o Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT). I was shortlisted twice for the final selection board by the FSD Charity and went to the Royal Airforce Flying Acadamy Cranwell. I first met Ben there in 2006 where he was a mentor to us. Sadly i was not one of the chosen few to be awarded either the full Scholarship or a mini one.
Peter, Ben and I met at Lashams one almost the perfect flying day. visibility was excellent and the sky clear with the cloud base being not too low. Ben and Peter discussed the route and I was intrigued by what needs to be prepared ahead of any navigational flight. I was also baffled by the things that wouldbe used as nav aids. Some examples of these were, lakes, roads, castles, beacons, colourful fields, train lines, clumps of trees, airfields…they all served a purpose but i didn’t know how yet. I also really liked the way Ben had created really useful documents on word or excel which showed the route via different radio coms to use, different air traffic to talk to and what to avoid and when to make certain turns. I was very impressed with his stringent details and that is one of the things that i will adopt.
I got to the airfield at 08.45 and took the covers off the PA28 and got made her ready for Ben and Peter to get her started so we did not lose any time. Brakes were off at 10.15 and we took off teh tarmac runway 27 WITHOUT FLAPS – first time i had experienced this and Ben was our captain from Lashams to Dunkeswell. The take off was very smooth and it was nice sitting in the back of the plane flying over the S.E of England. Ben took us over Popham and started doing his thing with flying the plane towards our destination.
I mostly listened to Ben and Peter paying attention to everything that was being done. Most of it i could follow but some of it went straight over my head as i have not gone that far into my studies. I constantly looked out and started to piece together all the stuff i heard on the ground to how it was being executed in the air.
it is a bizarre thing what happens when you get 3000 feet above the world. you start to see things differently and because i was a passenger i was able to fully appreciate how wonderful the world is especially at this time of the year.
We arrived at Dunkeswell at 11.08 (beating Bens own prediction of arrival time by 2mins) not bad going Ben…you are clever. I was so pleased to see Bunny and Steve again. These 2 are jokers and 2 of the nicest people anyone can ever meet. They will make you laugh almost every minute you are with them. I have only ever met them at Cranwell and they are both FAA rated pilots. Peter had kindly agreed to fly with to Dunkeswell so that Bunny and Steve could update their flying with a instructor as they have not flown for a long time. They are now new members of the BDFA – hooray.
Steve went up first and flew for an 1 hr. On their return we all had lunch outside next to all the parked planes. Again it was a very strange day for me as it was something out of a Biggles book. I will upload the pictures when i get them back from the developers. After Lunch it was Bunnies turn.
Whilst Steve an Bunny were going up and back down, i was reading the chapters that i was set by my instuctor paul ahead of tomorrows lesson on straight and level flying and climbing. As well as this i was revising and making short notes on the previous few lessons.
Dunkeswell is a lovely airfield and it felt like i was in Jamaica with the open country side and the sun beating down on us…the staff at Dunkeswell were so kind to us and even ommited charging us any land fees which is pretty amazing. I can’t get over how many kind and lovely people i have been meeting in the last few weeks. This makes a real change from the sorts of people that i used to know and it makes me wonder just why people can’t treat each other like human being. we the people have the power to change the world to make it a better place for everyone.
at 17:25ish i we started our take off and i was in control for the journey back to Lashams with Peter being my instructor…it was a new experience for me to fly in an area that i was not familiar with or to fly the long distance that we were about to do. I knew i was in safe hands and kept a beady eye out for significant landmarks like westlands helicopters base, Salisbury Cathedral, Southampton, Basingtoke and eventually home. It was not really a lesson thus a plane trip but what i was doing comes under lessons 6,7,8,12 adn 18 all coming later on in the PPL course but was great for my confidence and experience. These lessons are Straight and Level flying (which i will do tomorrow), Climbing, Descending, trimming, take off and navigation.
What a brilliant day and wait until i show the pictures. We landed at 18:29. a coffee was had and farewell said until the next time.
Lasham (EGHL) to Dunkeswell (EGTU) PA28 G-AXJV
Departure GMT 17:32am – Arrival 18:29pm Total 57mins
