Is this a first?
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Kent
Just out of interest hoey5o, the way I understand your view is that you'd have more respect for a crap pilot who financed his licence on his own than a decent pilot who had his licence paid for by, say, his parents?
Edit: re-reading this, it could read that I mean ASI is a crap pilot - I don't mean that obviously!
tKF
Edit: re-reading this, it could read that I mean ASI is a crap pilot - I don't mean that obviously!
tKF
Last edited by TheKentishFledgling; 24th February 2005 at 16:29.
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 82
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From: in a galaxy far far away
Kentish,
When did I ever mention anything about the standard of pilot. I simply have more respect for people perhaps like St Ivian than kids who can do a solo on the absolute legal minimum age because they are being bankrolled by their parents. I am not suggesting Chris is one because I dont know his circumstance.
When did I ever mention anything about the standard of pilot. I simply have more respect for people perhaps like St Ivian than kids who can do a solo on the absolute legal minimum age because they are being bankrolled by their parents. I am not suggesting Chris is one because I dont know his circumstance.
Joined: Oct 2002
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Hoey
Would you like some vinegar with that chip old bean? Give the lad a break. However he has achieved it, he has achieved solo on his 16th Birthday with relatively few hours. You claim to support young aviators et al and all you do is come across as a pompous and condescending individual.
Would you like some vinegar with that chip old bean? Give the lad a break. However he has achieved it, he has achieved solo on his 16th Birthday with relatively few hours. You claim to support young aviators et al and all you do is come across as a pompous and condescending individual.
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Canada
I concur with everyone who has said "well done! It is a worthy achievement and it doesn't really matter where the money came from".
Notwithstanding the above, I don't agree with the following comment:
With all respect, this is confusing apples and oranges. Most people who have well-paying jobs owe that situation primarily to dedication and hard work, of which they can be justly proud. Merely being born of wealthy parents (which may or may not be the case for this young fellow, I have no idea) is not a praiseworthy accomplishment (cf. the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha).
Notwithstanding the above, I don't agree with the following comment:
He might be lucky enough to have well off parents, but couldn't the same be said that most of us are lucky enough to have jobs that allow us to be able to afford to fly?
The Original Whirly
Joined: Feb 1999
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 4,327
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From: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
OK, so some people of all ages who fly are hardworking and upright citizens, some are filthy stinking rich, and some are just lucky. In terms of aviation achievement, who the bloody hell cares? An achievement in flying is just that, however it was financed. Let's keep the brownie points for the fine upstanding citizenship separate please.
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 510
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From: UK
His Dad is a farmer. His Mum runs a B&B. Hard working people.
Well done Chris. An amazing achievement. A very nice, down to earth lad who knows what he wants to achieve and has worked very hard towards that goal.
Well done Chris. An amazing achievement. A very nice, down to earth lad who knows what he wants to achieve and has worked very hard towards that goal.
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 14,480
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From: UK
Well. I'm impressed - I had my first flying lesson at 19, and finally went solo at 22 (don't even ask about my night rating), so the fellow is well ahead of the game so far as I'm concerned. Jolly well done.
It is true that lift is proportional to lightening of the pilots wallet, but skill, training, a degree of luck and determination are far more important. I know that Chris isn't the first to solo on his sixteenth birthday, he may not be the first to do his night solo (although I'd be inclined to talk to the Guinness book of records, he may well have achieved a "youngest ever night solo" record there - the Guinness certificates are very impressive), but he's certainly part of a very small and exclusive club. Tell him to keep up the good work, and I hope he gets his licence in short time as well.
G
It is true that lift is proportional to lightening of the pilots wallet, but skill, training, a degree of luck and determination are far more important. I know that Chris isn't the first to solo on his sixteenth birthday, he may not be the first to do his night solo (although I'd be inclined to talk to the Guinness book of records, he may well have achieved a "youngest ever night solo" record there - the Guinness certificates are very impressive), but he's certainly part of a very small and exclusive club. Tell him to keep up the good work, and I hope he gets his licence in short time as well.
G
Last edited by Genghis the Engineer; 25th February 2005 at 05:38.
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,547
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From: Dublin
MLS-12D
I think you might have misunderstood my point, when you quoted me.
I was simply trying to say, that whether someones flying is funded by parents, or through their own career, is irrelevant as far as their flying achievements goes. Their career achievements and their flying achievements are separate things, and shouldn't be confused.
This young mans flying achievements are a great accomplishment and deserve praise, irrespective of how it was financed.
dp
I think you might have misunderstood my point, when you quoted me.
I was simply trying to say, that whether someones flying is funded by parents, or through their own career, is irrelevant as far as their flying achievements goes. Their career achievements and their flying achievements are separate things, and shouldn't be confused.
This young mans flying achievements are a great accomplishment and deserve praise, irrespective of how it was financed.
dp
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,085
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From: Canada
Dublin,
Sorry for the misunderstanding.
I entirely agree that flying and career achievements should be kept separate. That's one of the great things of recreational aviation: its enthusiasts are very economically and socially diverse, but we all share a common interest, and pilots are assessed on their flying achievements rather than the size of their wallets or whatever.
I have made many friends through flying whom otherwise I would never have met ... and my life is much richer because of that.
Sorry for the misunderstanding.
I entirely agree that flying and career achievements should be kept separate. That's one of the great things of recreational aviation: its enthusiasts are very economically and socially diverse, but we all share a common interest, and pilots are assessed on their flying achievements rather than the size of their wallets or whatever.
I have made many friends through flying whom otherwise I would never have met ... and my life is much richer because of that.
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,681
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From: Just South of the last ice sheet
Congratulations Chris. As Genghis mentioned a quick check with the Guinness Book of Records is in order, the worst they can say is that somebody else did it first.
Somebody mentioned that most pilots are in IT. Well the IT I'm in smells of crude, oil that is.
Somebody mentioned that most pilots are in IT. Well the IT I'm in smells of crude, oil that is.
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 7
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From: Herts UK
Cannot beleive anyone could be anything but chuffed for the lad. I did my first solo at 23, and it was hard getting there, and a nerve racking experience - loved it of course!
I think you should think back to when you were 16 and imagine yourselves doing it then, I doubt I would have been mature enough at that age, and i'm sure some of you will say the same. I think it's a massive achievement however it was funded. I would recommend sending it to one of the mags, I imagine they will put a mention in the news section?
Well Done
FLy
I think you should think back to when you were 16 and imagine yourselves doing it then, I doubt I would have been mature enough at that age, and i'm sure some of you will say the same. I think it's a massive achievement however it was funded. I would recommend sending it to one of the mags, I imagine they will put a mention in the news section?
Well Done
FLy
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 23
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From: Ormskirk, Lancashire.
Maybe he has rich parents, maybe he hasn't. So what? Flying can be expensive if you want it to be but it can also be affordable by most people who have average jobs and are keen to fly.
I wasted about £130 per month just smoking (I quit 1st Jan 05), just enough to cover an hour in a trainer including a few touch and goes, yet no one ever tutted at me and said, sheesh, your parents must be rolling in it for you to be a smoker, but hey, I only did a lesson per month so any smoker out there could get a PPL.
And before anyone says anything, I was smoking at 15 so could have been training for my PPL around this age but I chose to arse around for years where as this lad has chosen to develop his career.
Well done Chris
I wasted about £130 per month just smoking (I quit 1st Jan 05), just enough to cover an hour in a trainer including a few touch and goes, yet no one ever tutted at me and said, sheesh, your parents must be rolling in it for you to be a smoker, but hey, I only did a lesson per month so any smoker out there could get a PPL.
And before anyone says anything, I was smoking at 15 so could have been training for my PPL around this age but I chose to arse around for years where as this lad has chosen to develop his career.
Well done Chris
