question How many members have their pilots licence?!

[Jack]

Folks,

 

Was speaking with Ian L not so long back (you know, pilot talk...yeah OK but I am on the case) and I an mention there were quite a number of HMVF members who have their pilots licence.

 

So who amongst have theirs?

[Adrian Barrell]

I do, PPL(A). Fly a Vans RV9 we built ourselves and restoring an Auster IV, MT243, to fly in its original colours. I fly from Horham, the former home of the 95th BG.

[Marmite!!]

I've got a BPA licence which I think is a bit more important

[Ian L]

Like Jack said, PPL (A) 1,000 hours+ owned 6 different aircraft over the years & flown about 25 types, mainly tail draggers including Chipmonk, Tigermoth, Jodel & Grumman AA5 (spam can) latest type is a Rollinson Condor based at the ATA airfield of White Waltham but mainly fly from Enstone Oxfordshire which was a Wellington OTU.

[Wolfy]

Combined Ops here we come..........:kiss:

[Rick W]

Are you planning for Normandy next year then Jack?

[Ken Wales]

CPL and Instructor rating training in Cessna 172, 210, Piper Cub and joy flights in a Tiger Moth. Own an Auster which does not fly very much.

[Adrian Barrell]

I've got a BPA licence which I think is a bit more important

 

But what is needed to get you in a position to use your licence?

[Jack]

Are you planning for Normandy next year then Jack?

 

Sadly not Rick - this is going to take a year or two. The instructor said that the average pass is around 60hrs of flying

[Adrian Barrell]

Sadly not Rick - this is going to take a year or two. The instructor said that the average pass is around 60hrs of flying

 

A good rule of thumb is your age plus 30....... Are you going for an EASA PPL, an NPPL or a LAPL?

[Jack]

A good rule of thumb is your age plus 30....... Are you going for an EASA PPL, an NPPL or a LAPL?

 

That rule is going cost me even more then :computerrage:

 

I was looking at PPL Adrian but would be happy with a NPPL

[RattlesnakeBob]

slight diversion of thread ..but.... I've often wondered.....how many fellas that were fantastic (or otherwise) pilots in WW2....climbed out of an aircraft in say 1945 /46...and never ever again , piloted an airplane????? .

.......gotta be thousands I reckon ???

May years ago I was exceptionally privileged to meet an old ex WW2 RAF pilot who had finally retired in the early 1970s..I expressed some wonderment that he didn't have a light aircraft parked up at our local field to 'keep his hand in' with....his reply was simple and to the point ...he said ..

" My boy...every single minute of every single hour in my flying log...I was paid to do .....aircraft and flying them, is a very expensive past time... and one which I am not prepared to foot the bill for.."

[Ian L]

slight diversion of thread ..but.... I've often wondered.....how many fellas that were fantastic (or otherwise) pilots in WW2....climbed out of an aircraft in say 1945 /46...and never ever again , piloted an airplane????? .

.......gotta be thousands I reckon ???

May years ago I was exceptionally privileged to meet an old ex WW2 RAF pilot who had finally retired in the early 1970s..I expressed some wonderment that he didn't have a light aircraft parked up at our local field to 'keep his hand in' with....his reply was simple and to the point ...he said ..

" My boy...every single minute of every single hour in my flying log...I was paid to do .....aircraft and flying them, is a very expensive past time... and one which I am not prepared to foot the bill for.."

 

Alex Henshaw comes to mind http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Henshaw although not an RAF pilot.

[spanter]

Alex Henshaw comes to mind http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Henshaw although not an RAF pilot.

 

I had the honour to meet Alex Henshaw on several occasions due to some of the aircraft I helped to maintain, and he certainly kept flying post war although he did seem to work on the previous idea of flying in other peoples aircraft where they had put fuel in it themselves. He was an amazing man to talk to with a never ending pile of stories to draw from. I also had the opportunity to meet the late John Jordan who was an ATA pilot during the war and a pre/during/post war daredevil pilot who was flying his stearman well into his senior years even while his pilots licence had lapsed, during the war he was famous for pushing aircraft a little too far including flying a Vickers Warwick inverted. Once I have my engineering licence sorted and some proper money coming in, I will probably aim for my NPPL.

[Jack]

Test pilots really are something else

Edited July 6, 2013 by Jack

[Topdog]

Got my ppl many years ago but lapsed now due to cost. Though fortunate enough to include Spitfire and Strikemaster. The flying is the easy bit, its the procedures and emergency actions when something is out of the ordinary that are the difficult bits. I couldn't fly regularly enough to keep them second nature, that's why I gave up.

[Antony]

Started flying training in 1974 at Ipswich Airport sadly now covered with houses thanks to the short sightedness of Ipswich Borough Council, gained my PPL in 1976, flew several aircraft types to destinations mainly in the UK but a few trips into continental europe, and finished flying in 1996 mainly due to shortage of money. A PPL is for life, and if I had enough money and the inclination I could revalidate it.