Oscar November
I flew the old girl today - she is still a faithful member of the school fleet, and my personal favourite. She's getting on a bit in years, but she's the aircraft I learned on, and passed my skills test in, so I'm a bit emotionally attached to her.
It's a great shame about the loss of the School - it's one of the few around based at a large commercial airport with controlled airspace. I'm sure if many others learned in such an environment, we would have less airspace busts.
They are still trying to slavage the situation, but I believe the cost of any alternatives (if any are found) will render the operation uneconomical. My thanks go to their patient instructors and Bill and Gill, the owners, whose "stickler" approach to their students discipline ensures they turn out good pilots (with the possible exception of me of course)
The ATC guys and girls are also excellent, and their patience with students stumbling R/T knows no bounds. Mind it was change for a BMI Baby 737 to have to hold for my approach today, luckily the wind was straight down the runway and my landing in front of this plane load of passengers was not too bad at all!!!