Train_Driver
1st Jul 2015, 06:54
Hello there and thank you all for having me,
May I begin by saying I have previously existed on these forums in another incarnation, many, many moons ago under the moniker of one 'Bankstownboy', however, upon attempting to access this account I have had troubles resetting the password. Hence, I find myself resurrected under the guise of 'Train_Driver'.
I first joined these forums at the tender age of sixteen, when I was bright-eyed, keen, hopeful, ready to learn all the wonders of the world of General Aviation, and most importantly of all, somewhat CASHED up!
I proceeded to while away at said funds, through undertaking those all so beloved initial phases of flight training, as a Student Pilot. I had the uniform, the bag, the headset, the ASIC, the Medical, and for a sixteen year old, boy did I feel incredible. I even ended up performing my first solo in a light aircraft before being legally allowed to 'solo' a motor vehicle on the road and road related areas of New South Wales.. To say I was on top of the world would have been an intensely monumental understatement.
That all being said, I proceeded to continue with my training, under the watchful eyes of those in charge at a little organisation operating under the name of Proflite Australia Pty Ltd. It was here that I first was allowed to behold the joys of aviation and all the potential that it had to offer a somewhat transport-obsessed mid-teenager, who wished to potentially forge a career in such an industry.
I managed to perform a number of solo circuits at Bankstown, with Proflite, in their venerable little Cessna 152s (namely VH-TLN and VH-TLQ), before entering into somewhat of a darker place, whereby the funds that I was utilising for such training began to slowly deplete! This managed to come to a head, just as I was entering into the ALMOST Training Area Solo phase of the GFPT course. It was at this point that I decided the Higher School Certificate was a more important consideration for a person of my age, rather than chasing a particularly expensive, yet intensely enjoyable and exhilarating dream...
I never forgot the experiences I had during this time, and managed to back-seat with a couple of friends in the years subsequent to this, whilst some of them were enjoying their own training in the form of TIFs, as well as back-seating once or twice in the rear of a Parternavia (sic) whilst another friend was gaining his hours in command for a MECIR.
Fast-forward a couple of years to the lovely period that was 2011, where I was suitably grown-up compared to the absolutely starry-eyed plane boy I was at the age of sixteen. I was twenty one by this point, had moved out of home and was financially independent. I had my trusty Mazda and a Kawasaki motorbike to boot. Riding around the Link Road at Bankstown Airport, I felt somewhat like Tom Cruise himself in that oh-so-cheesy film they call Top Gun... Needless to say, that 'top-of-the-world' feeling in regard to aviation and the associated training had returned.
At this point, I engaged the reliable and worthy services of a number of different Instructors at none other than Whitworth Aviation, at Bankstown Airport, in order to further my training and provide it with the defibrillation it undoubtedly required. Not to mention, I was amazed at the spaciousness of their PA28s after having previously only experienced and having been confined to the 'cute' little C152s of Proflite.
It felt like things really were back 'on-track' for want of a better term. I was close to conducting my first Training Area Solo, my Instructor was an incredibly awesome bloke, (that's you Mr Adams of now Cathay fame!), and I felt that I was also on top of the theory side of things, in order to prospectively sit my Basic Aeronautical Knowledge test shortly thereafter.
However, as you've probably guessed, by this point the dreaded funs were again running low and as such, I was forced into landing this dream of becoming a Private Pilot, once again. Shortly thereafter, the bike was also sold, and a move was made to a premises of a more financially viable standing... The beloved ideal of being able to fly myself around Australia in a trusty little single-engine piston aircraft had again vanished, without any hope of being redeemed, outside the clasp of my vainly flailing hands and arms! What was I to do?
Well, with all of the above having been duly stipulated, I shall now bring you all back into the present day. Doutbless, you're more than ready to find out what the thrust of this post really is at this point.
I find myself with a stable and most enjoyable career as a Train Driver for a government organisation whom I shan't disclose, but I'm sure you can decipher for yourselves. I also have a very stable home-life and environment, and most importantly of all, the financial side of things seems to SLOWLY but surely falling into place.
Thus, I have returned to these forums to seek the well-informed and pragmatically wise advice of all those who participate within. I have made contact with Whitworth's again and am contemplating kick-starting my training, in order to finally obtain that GFPT, which I have been reliably informed is now termed as an 'RPL'. Doubtless, there will be plenty of you who can fill me in on the gaps of time that I have missed, having been absent from the world of Student Pilotry and General Aviation for so long!
At this juncture, I therefore implore all of you who feel so inclined, to furnish me with your comments, queries, questions, answers, ideas, insults, gesticulations, commendations, etc etc etc and similar, in regard to reviving my flight training, with a view to achieving an RPL at the very least, if not a PPL in the long term. Any advice regarding appropriate and affordable training organisations, practical flying advice, aircraft choice, licencing issues, theory components, and similar, will all be taken on-board with the utmost of dexterity and thanks.
I do acknowledge that there are countless, and I really do mean COUNTLESS, posts like mine, asking the same questions over and over again, and I trust it probably feels like the proverbial 'drawing of blood from a stone', however I request that you contribute anything you feel worthy and useful, in order to assist me along on my path. I do not mean to tread on anyone's toes, or anger anyone in any way, through posting what I have posted.. If that is so, I tentatively apologise for such.
I merely wish to finally achieve my dream of becoming a Private Pilot, and a Recreational Pilot in the interim. So please, do feel free to allow the replies to flow thick and fast, and I shall do my utmost best to respond to them as promptly as possible, and to enter into the dialogue properly, in order to gain the most that I may from it.
So once again, thank you kindly for taking the time to read all of this, and I shall leave it up to you all to reply, should you feel so compelled.
Cheers,
Andrew
(Train_Driver)
May I begin by saying I have previously existed on these forums in another incarnation, many, many moons ago under the moniker of one 'Bankstownboy', however, upon attempting to access this account I have had troubles resetting the password. Hence, I find myself resurrected under the guise of 'Train_Driver'.
I first joined these forums at the tender age of sixteen, when I was bright-eyed, keen, hopeful, ready to learn all the wonders of the world of General Aviation, and most importantly of all, somewhat CASHED up!
I proceeded to while away at said funds, through undertaking those all so beloved initial phases of flight training, as a Student Pilot. I had the uniform, the bag, the headset, the ASIC, the Medical, and for a sixteen year old, boy did I feel incredible. I even ended up performing my first solo in a light aircraft before being legally allowed to 'solo' a motor vehicle on the road and road related areas of New South Wales.. To say I was on top of the world would have been an intensely monumental understatement.
That all being said, I proceeded to continue with my training, under the watchful eyes of those in charge at a little organisation operating under the name of Proflite Australia Pty Ltd. It was here that I first was allowed to behold the joys of aviation and all the potential that it had to offer a somewhat transport-obsessed mid-teenager, who wished to potentially forge a career in such an industry.
I managed to perform a number of solo circuits at Bankstown, with Proflite, in their venerable little Cessna 152s (namely VH-TLN and VH-TLQ), before entering into somewhat of a darker place, whereby the funds that I was utilising for such training began to slowly deplete! This managed to come to a head, just as I was entering into the ALMOST Training Area Solo phase of the GFPT course. It was at this point that I decided the Higher School Certificate was a more important consideration for a person of my age, rather than chasing a particularly expensive, yet intensely enjoyable and exhilarating dream...
I never forgot the experiences I had during this time, and managed to back-seat with a couple of friends in the years subsequent to this, whilst some of them were enjoying their own training in the form of TIFs, as well as back-seating once or twice in the rear of a Parternavia (sic) whilst another friend was gaining his hours in command for a MECIR.
Fast-forward a couple of years to the lovely period that was 2011, where I was suitably grown-up compared to the absolutely starry-eyed plane boy I was at the age of sixteen. I was twenty one by this point, had moved out of home and was financially independent. I had my trusty Mazda and a Kawasaki motorbike to boot. Riding around the Link Road at Bankstown Airport, I felt somewhat like Tom Cruise himself in that oh-so-cheesy film they call Top Gun... Needless to say, that 'top-of-the-world' feeling in regard to aviation and the associated training had returned.
At this point, I engaged the reliable and worthy services of a number of different Instructors at none other than Whitworth Aviation, at Bankstown Airport, in order to further my training and provide it with the defibrillation it undoubtedly required. Not to mention, I was amazed at the spaciousness of their PA28s after having previously only experienced and having been confined to the 'cute' little C152s of Proflite.
It felt like things really were back 'on-track' for want of a better term. I was close to conducting my first Training Area Solo, my Instructor was an incredibly awesome bloke, (that's you Mr Adams of now Cathay fame!), and I felt that I was also on top of the theory side of things, in order to prospectively sit my Basic Aeronautical Knowledge test shortly thereafter.
However, as you've probably guessed, by this point the dreaded funs were again running low and as such, I was forced into landing this dream of becoming a Private Pilot, once again. Shortly thereafter, the bike was also sold, and a move was made to a premises of a more financially viable standing... The beloved ideal of being able to fly myself around Australia in a trusty little single-engine piston aircraft had again vanished, without any hope of being redeemed, outside the clasp of my vainly flailing hands and arms! What was I to do?
Well, with all of the above having been duly stipulated, I shall now bring you all back into the present day. Doutbless, you're more than ready to find out what the thrust of this post really is at this point.
I find myself with a stable and most enjoyable career as a Train Driver for a government organisation whom I shan't disclose, but I'm sure you can decipher for yourselves. I also have a very stable home-life and environment, and most importantly of all, the financial side of things seems to SLOWLY but surely falling into place.
Thus, I have returned to these forums to seek the well-informed and pragmatically wise advice of all those who participate within. I have made contact with Whitworth's again and am contemplating kick-starting my training, in order to finally obtain that GFPT, which I have been reliably informed is now termed as an 'RPL'. Doubtless, there will be plenty of you who can fill me in on the gaps of time that I have missed, having been absent from the world of Student Pilotry and General Aviation for so long!
At this juncture, I therefore implore all of you who feel so inclined, to furnish me with your comments, queries, questions, answers, ideas, insults, gesticulations, commendations, etc etc etc and similar, in regard to reviving my flight training, with a view to achieving an RPL at the very least, if not a PPL in the long term. Any advice regarding appropriate and affordable training organisations, practical flying advice, aircraft choice, licencing issues, theory components, and similar, will all be taken on-board with the utmost of dexterity and thanks.
I do acknowledge that there are countless, and I really do mean COUNTLESS, posts like mine, asking the same questions over and over again, and I trust it probably feels like the proverbial 'drawing of blood from a stone', however I request that you contribute anything you feel worthy and useful, in order to assist me along on my path. I do not mean to tread on anyone's toes, or anger anyone in any way, through posting what I have posted.. If that is so, I tentatively apologise for such.
I merely wish to finally achieve my dream of becoming a Private Pilot, and a Recreational Pilot in the interim. So please, do feel free to allow the replies to flow thick and fast, and I shall do my utmost best to respond to them as promptly as possible, and to enter into the dialogue properly, in order to gain the most that I may from it.
So once again, thank you kindly for taking the time to read all of this, and I shall leave it up to you all to reply, should you feel so compelled.
Cheers,
Andrew
(Train_Driver)