Thanks Mazzy

I had a feeling it would be you who replied,and boy did you start something with this thread. It is a long time since I have been on here and it gives me a good feeling to see it still carrying on and everybody going through the same things to gain a PPL,Nothing's changed !

I will be in Liverpool Mon/Tues and hope to fly the sights in the city,weather permitting and if so will post here.

Thanks again my friend and take care.

Fly safe all...

Thanks Tek - enjoy the flying!

I'd love to come and join you, but there's no way I'd get out of work :uhoh:

I wish Mazzy ! IT would be nice to meet you,but as you say it's not to be.
If I get down there again maybe who knows.

Take my friend fly safe.

Paul .:D

liverpool
 

Hi all.

Left Newcastle and went to Liverpool last Monday,drove straight to airport to the sounds of " Your not going flying again are you ? " ringing in my left ear( wasn't listening ) found hanger four, and found LFS and Ravenair no problems (bollocking for no viz,slapped hands should know better ).

Nothing available that day so booked 16:30 Tuesday,Tuesday morning arrived with a nice low pressure front and poor viz,phoned and was advised no flying that day,We only had limited time so was a bit peeved but weather is so predictable I should have known better.

All was not lost,went to nearest pub !
Liverpool : Great place,people nice too.

In the words of Arney "I'll be back "


Fly safe All

Mazzy, I will let you know nxt time and maybe we can meet.

Take care...

That must have been Ravenair! :E:ok:

Believe it or not No,it was a short and very apolagetic refueller ( I am 6ft 2 in and built brick outhouse style ) I should know better and it was the first and last time I'll do it,He was trying to be helpfull but he did look a little frightened.

Fly safe all.

Cheers Mazzy

Well I saw the new PPL diary just started in Private flying, and then saw the link back to the original diary here and was shocked that there hasn't been a post here in 2009! So here I am fixing that! Hopefully everyone here is still managing to fly the odd hour what with the economy having destroyed itself!

Its been a while since I posted here so I guess I better update those of you who don't know what I've been up too! As I said before I joined Ryanair and flew just under 500hrs in the 737 before jumping ship and joining a REAL airline (sorry Neil :E) Aer Lingus. So I'm still living in Dublin, flying around Europe but this time Its in either an A320 or A321!

Hope everyone is good, and for those still learning just stick in there! Its worth all the effort and heart ache! :ok:

This was/is one of the best and most useful threads on Prune so we should keep it open,well done blinkz.
My news,been flying in a 1942 L4 Cub since I obtained my PPL 3 years back.
Big shock,pacemaker installed 5 weeks ago but hope to get my licence back next week as NPPL,the PPL would cost me around £7-800/year to maintain and that is too expensive for the flying I do.
Flying into Bentwaters ex USAF base tomorrow in an old Condor,should be fun even in the RH seat,but I expect I'll get some stick time.
Keep on posting.
Mazzy,any news?
Lister:)

Jesus! I never thought I'd be posting here again :eek:

I still haven't flown I'm afraid. There's been about a million times where I've nearly joined the Chipmunk group (I DEFINATELY will soon - promise!) but never have managed to get the balls to do it. My medical is due in September I think, so I'll get that renewed (what's the avg cost on a class 2 renewal these days?) I've got till March 2011 before my license expires, but all things aside it'll be a SEP renewal regardless of dates etc...

I really do feel so out of touch with the whole aviation scene I used to be in. I miss it quite a lot, and haven't posted on here since last September. I will definitely be going again soon though, that's for sure, whether it be back at the club, or in the Chipmunk. Getting married next year - that tells half the story :E

Blinkz - I didn't know you'd moved airlines - good to see you're doing well, and thanks for the resurrecting post! Lister - a pacemaker hey, that's an amazing thing in itself - I hope you enjoy many more hours of flying to come, and who knows, if I ever do get my ass in gear, I may fly with you one day!

All the best
Lee :ok:

QXC completed this week
 

Been ages since I posted in this thread, but on Wednesday past I successfully completed my solo QXC. Weather was great - warm & sunny but with a not insignificant wind.

QXC write-up from my blog

Nearly there then :ok:
Gav.

PS Hope everythings going well for everyone else & you're getting plenty of flying done in this good weather :)

Excellent, well done Gav - still buzzing? :ok:

The QXC is (I think) probably the biggest achievement when you think about it. Three hours, on your own, in an aircraft, across the country. I was only thinking about mine the other day...

I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, and have just bought a couple of books, so there's potential for me to be getting back in the air very soon!

:ok:

Hi Guys. This thread keeps coming back to haunt us!! Quick update on me, now flying out of Coventry in one of two Warrior 3's (two years old and really nice), or lately in the CFI's Archer which he kindly lets me use I guess I only do around 20 hours a year, mostly bimbles around the Midlands for the usual very expensive bacon sarni, but the occasional "long haul" eg to Bembridge.

Had a bit of a shock last year when diagnosed with prostate cancer (removed by op and now completely cured), so did not fly for some 3 months, but all guns firing since Feb this year. With regard to the prostate bit, get yourself regularly checked if you are over 50. Caught early, it's 100%treatable.

Enjoy your flying, and Mazzy, ffs get up there again!!

Update
 

Hi Mazzy,
I had a pacemaker fitted March 28th,JAR PPL suspended for 3 months but got back flying just six weeks after operation on NPPL.
Do between 20 -40 hrs/year ,all on the L4 Cub in which I have a share.
Did 40 mins spin trainng in an Extra 200,an awesome craft, also had a helicopter lesson and managed to hover ( untidily) after 40 mins,but prefer the fixed wing approach.:)
Get back in the air,none of us get any younger:ok:

Lister

Still tired!!!!
Funny thing is, after the dual QXC I felt fresh as a daisy, after the solo one I was physically & mentally exhausted :}
A real feeling of achievement though to have it done, only a few more bits to do then I should (finally) have my ticket :ok:

I did my solo QXC in September last year: those "few more bits" have involved extensive general handling and nav revision for me - and it's not over yet! :{

QXC myself soon (after what seems like an eternity!) Crap weather the last few times I was due to fly though.
Getting there....slowly...I'll ignore Kevmusics comment for now :)

S*it. I didn't know that. The big C has touched my family in a really sad way (as you'll know if you've read my previous sad posts) however I am really glad that you fought it - it's nice to hear a good outcome, and especially as it hopefully hasn't effected your flying.

Again, I'm really glad you've come out this well, and can still fly - keep us up to date!

Tell me about it - I get tired just thinking of mine!

The QXC is a funny old how-d'you-do because it's such a big achievement, you say to yourself sub-consciously "I've done it, I'm there" yet you're not! There's a little bit of a lull in between the QXC and GFT, but if you can look at it from the point of view as having a major thing completed (towards the end goal) then you'll do fine :bored:

I'm off to Cornwall for a week - happy days :ok:

Respect Blinkz! Well done mate, I'm envious. I'm still slogging around in Warriors and Archers, but at the age of 66 don't suppose any airlines would return my calls!!

Enjoy your career

CF

B737
 

By the way, I recently did a couple of hours in the BA 737/400 sim, with a lovely young lady as tutor - her day job is First Officer on the 747's. Based ourselves at East Midlands and did ever tougher circuits. The final one was 1km viz, 500' cloudbase, turbulence and a 17kt crosswind.

Whilst doing the IMC course, and did many ILS approaches, but this was truly awesome - made me sweat a bit, but got it in!!

I've not flown for a year now. My medical expired last September and I've not got another done. Along with family and work (never mind the weather issues) I've stayed grounded.

Few people fly up here that I could get a ride with so, it looks like unless I get the medical done and fly a dozen hours in the next 12 months, I'll run out of my licence.

Great to see this thread still alive and so nice to see some familiar names still posting too.

I think it may be like that for me. Still hope to have it done over the summer though.

All the ebst for it Sue, I had a few weather related cancellations before finally getting to do it. look forward to reading about it on here :}:ok:

Happyeater - fear not! You won't lose you license, you'd simply have to do a scaled down flight test wih an examiner in order to renew your SEP (the rating part of the license) the PPL is always with you :ok: You're not even required to do any training, but this point is a little daft, as I'm guessing nobody goes straight into a test!

Best of luck Sue - and I feel a dejavu coming up here, but you do know we expect a write-up :}

Back in the sky!
 

Today, for the first time since May 2007, I took to the air :}

My first in a few refresher flights with the examiner, with the aim of getting my SEP back. It's an expensive few weeks - medical due soon, membership renewals all on top of the flight!

It's good to be back ;)

Good for you! Welcome back!

Well done Mazzy:ok:

Great news Mazzy.

Chris

..........................
:ok::ok::ok::ok:
..........................

SEP renewed! :E

Nav leg, stalls, PFL's - a few other bits and bobs and all good to go!

It feels good to be current again - and I will seriously try and not let it lapse again!

Cheers :ok:

Mazzy,well done,I'm really happy for you.
Now you are one up on most of us!;);)
Lister:)

Well done mazzy :ok::ok::ok:

Completed my 10 hours solo last Fri, so only the skills test to do (after a bit of practice). Weather still playing havoc with my bookings :*:sad::rolleyes:

Well done Mazzy! :ok:

Hi all, I too have just been solo again after first do so five years ago. I never got my licence back then due to financial costs and my school closing. I had did many hours (25 ) before going solo. However after just 4 hours this time I completed 9 nerve racking solo circuits with the plane a 152 (G-flip) and me in one piece ! back to nav ex's and exams again for me.

Skills test
 

Hi all,

Finally passed me skills test yesterday!!!! Feels great to have it done!! :ok::ok::ok:

www.gmcc0266.plus.com/ppl.htm#gst

Well done,good to see a happy posting on here.
Lister:)

Yet AGAIN it has been another year since a post in this thread! So again I'm doing the duty of getting it updated!

The main news for me is that I have moved from Dublin back to the UK and am currently living in Guildford, flying still for Aer Lingus on the A320 but based in Gatwick now. I'm really enjoying being back in the UK I have to admit!

I certainly hope all the other regulars here are still flying and enjoying things! Hopefully you'll post again and update us all.

Yup,still here flying the jolly old L4.
Lister

Back to hibernation for another year;)

Hello all. Very long time since posted here but really glad to see all the original faces still flying especially the man himself Mazzy,still manage to keep current after 7 years and hope to for the forseeable future.

Best wishes to all members and safe flying.

This thread is bringing back some memories :8

Glad to see people doing well - each time I write here, I always think it will be the last!

I myself have unfortunately given up my 'wings' (albeit just the fixed ones ;)). I fell into the same group that have done the same routes, ran out of people to take, and not been able to justify the £120 a month just to fly outside controlled airspace for 20 mins. All that said - I would do it all over again if I went back in time. I would never give up the fact that I have achieved the PPL, regardless of the outcome.

All is not lost however....

For a good while now I've been thinking of another form of flying - something that costs around £3 per hour (after initial outlay) will be set up from the boot of my car, is unregulated and gives me 100% freedom. In a few weeks time, I will be taking up this:

YouTube - K2 Paramotoring NO HANDS!!! Powered Paraglider World's Safest, Most Stable & Easiest To Fly!!!
YouTube - #4 Paramotoring Spectacular Moab!! Powered Paragliding Adventure!! Backpack Aircraft Are REAL!!!

I have no particular link to the above videos - I just picked two of the good ones.

I've spent months and months researching this - it's not like buying a TV from Comet. Reviews are sparse and bias, different people just want you to buy their gear, and there's not a lot of people doing it, thus the community is a lot smaller.

Having said that, I'm at a point now where I have a club, instructor and a list of gear I need so it wont be long before I'm up again.

So, if you see a big fella tootling along under a big canopy in the north west region soon, then it may just be me (and please don't fly into me) :E

Cheers everyone - take care,

Lee :ok:

PS: madgav - really sorry I missed your last post. I would like to wish you belated congratulations, and I do hope you're enjoying your new found wonders...

Hey Mazzy

Just wanted to say a quick "thanks" for starting and continuing with the thread

I came across this thread last June/July when I was pondering where to do my PPL training. I had originally (and quite obviously) thought about RavenAir, but after reading through the first few hours of your experiences, decided that Liverpool Flying School (KeenAir) was the place for me ... a quick trial flight later confirmed that decision

Well, after 12 very happy months under Phil Ryan's instruction ... 3 weeks ago my new shiny PPL came through the post :ok:

It's great that people take the time and effort to post up on the internet their experiences, you just never know when you might inspire others to follow

Thanks again, and happy safe flying

D&M

Hey Mazzy

Just wanted to say a quick "thanks" for starting and continuing with the thread

I came across this thread last June/July when I was pondering where to do my PPL training. I had originally (and quite obviously) thought about Ravenair, but after reading through the first few hours of your experiences, decided that Liverpool Flying School (KeenAir) was the place for me ... a quick trial flight later confirmed that decision

Well, after 12 very happy months under Phil Ryan's instruction ... 3 weeks ago my new shiny PPL came through the post :ok:

It's great that people take the time and effort to post up on the internet their experiences, you just never know when you might inspire others to follow

Thanks again, and happy safe flying

D&M