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After
flying Radio Control model aeroplanes since 1986, I learned to fly in C152s and
PA28s at
ShorehamAirport in 1992.
I started with
Mercury Flying Club, and when this folded half way through my training, I transferred to "Air South," which was
run by Jenny and John Pothecary.
After getting my licence,
I spent several years flying the minimum hours necessary to maintain legal
currency before coming to the conclusion that I would only fly regularly if I
bought a part share. The first plane in which I owned a share was a taildragger, a PA15 Vagabond G-BOVB which was a great deal
of fun.
However after about 70
hours of handswinging props (and it was particularly
difficult to start when hot), I decided that the next plane I part owned would
have an electric starter.
This
was a C172 G-ASVM.
After the members of this
group went our separate ways, and the plane was sold, I bought a share in a
TB10 G-BLCG. I flew about 90 hours in this, and went as far afield as Holland .
When I decided to start to learn to fly helicopters I had
to sell this share to raise some funds for training.
But I kept my 1/30th share
in the Southern Strut Flying Group’s EGKA based C150 G-AWRK.
If you
want to have a look at the details of the longest trip I have ever made in this
aircraft, have a look at www.andytobias.co.uk/Romeo Kilo Goes West.pdf Sadly RK came to a sticky end at Deanland in Autumn
2008, (fortunately with no injury to anybody) and the group now has a
leased C152 which, whilst lacking RK's character, probably performs
somewhat better!
I
also own a small share in the Oldbus Flying
Group’s PA28 Archer G-BMIW. (video (c) Paul Dean)
Along the way I have
gained a Night Rating and an IMC Rating with and now have about 600 fixed
wing hours in total. If you want to see my logbook up to the end of 2008
then there is a copy here produced by PilotLog, (www.PilotLog.co.uk ).
In May 2009 I had a fantastic trip to the
Shetlands and Hebrides in G-BMIW. I hope that you will be able to read about it
soon in one of the flying magazines.
I had started looking at
the possibility of a fixed wing Commercial Licence, (and I even went as far as
having an initial class 1 medical at Gatwick with this in mind), but I really
didn’t feel that I had the dedication to do all of the CPL examinations. So, I
looked for another challenge.
First, I started a Twin
Rating in the Flying Hut’s (Now Flying Times')Piper Aztec G-BCCE
in 2003. I did about 12 hrs training but no test.
I finally
completed the course and did the test in 2007. Possibly the longest ever MEP
rating!
For a few years I was a member of the
Southdown Gliding Club at Parham, but as my aviation medicine workload picked up I
found I really didn't have the time that I needed to make any progress with
unpowered flight.
Eventually, I learned to fly
R22 Helicopters with Fast Helicopters at Shoreham. (video (c) Paul Dean)
After about 60 hours training in the R22 I finished my PPL(H) in 2006.
I also completed an Enstrom piston helicopter type rating
and, for
a few years, owned a quarter share in G-BURI which is an Enstrom F28C and was
based at Goodwood. I now have just
over 150 hrs rotary time. (picture
and video(c)John Henderson)
I have tried to fly a few new types in
2009. So far this year I have had a trial lesson in the Real Flying
Company's Harvard as a birthday present from my wife, I've flown a BE76 twin and
a Schweizer 300 Helicopter. I'd also like to have another go at
open cockpit flying. I had a trial lesson in a Tiger Moth years ago and
have never been so cold in my life, but now own some warmer
clothes!
The most
exciting thing that has happend in my flying of late is that I have now become
the proud owner of a 1961 C172B G-ARMO. My main aim is to exceed 1000 hours
P1 before age or finances force an end to my flying :-)
This is my
"Flying Page." 
