For some of us it's a real dream come true!
Ever since I can remember I've stared skyward.
Always had a passion for aircraft.
Wanted to fly so much it ached...
Then - age 16 - RAF said - 'sorry - eyesight no good'...
Followed by asking about PPL - told - 'sorry - no way you'll get through medical' (one really good eye - one very poor - even with corrective lenses).
Problem is that I had a difference in long-sightedness in my eyes when I was young - your brain concentrates on the signal from the good eye and the signal from the poor starts to get filtered out - although peripheral performance remains relatively good.
Told basically to give up on the idea.
But the passion continued. Stayed connected with aviation through joining the RAFVR(T) and eventually commanded an Air Cadet Squadron at quite an early age - so at least got some Chippy flying from time to time.
Few years ago was nagged to have another go and went through the JAR medical - failed on eyesight again.
Then I heard about the new National Private Pilot's Licence.
Passed the medical for DVLA Class one equivalent (yes - was marginal on my left eye - oh - and it turned out my GP was also a pilot and AME!) and have been doing my NPPL with some lovely people at RAF Halton Aeroplane Club.
My eyesight has been no problem at all (one brilliant eye - one marginal) - I can easily spot other a/c and distance/speed perception absolutely no problem at all.
Training/Examination wise I'm doing everything I'd need to do for the JAR licence and expect to be examined to the same standard.
Went solo end of September and passed my Navigation Skills Test just over a week ago. If weather gets it's act together am about to do solo cross country's and the Solo X-Country Qualifier - for which I'll be doing the same route as the Halton JAR boys - Halton - Leicester - Gloucester - Halton. Yes - I could do a shorter route - but I want to do the full monty. After all - I don't intend sticking to local area once I've got my licence!
Funnily enough - I think the NPPL course scores here as you have to pass the Navigation Skills part of the GFT *before* you can do any solo X-Country - far more sensible way of doing it than at the end of your course (and after your qualifying Cross Country).
Hopefully qual early next year (should be at around 50 hours) - then I'm onto tail draggers and hopefully some solid aerobatics training (did a rather ace aeros sortie in a friends Extra 300 last year and *loved* it!!).
Always dreamt of doing this - but until the advent of the NPPL was always told it would be impossible.
If I can I'm aiming to undertake IMC/IR training (even though I can't 'qualify' for the rating) simply out of interest and in order to make me a safer/better pilot.
BIG THANK YOU to everyone that helped make the NPPL possible. Sometimes dreams do come true - and I'm still pinching myself
So - please - NPPLs are NOT second class pilots!
Iain