Len sure was a funny guy .A Biggin Hill refugee transplanted to Dyce to teach the hairy ones how to fly .While the Flying club was flogging expensive leather flight bags he would carry a plastic shopping bag and lived on fish and chips .Fancied himself a bit of the double OO's and all that but he was to addicted to aviation to pursue that kind of career .
The first time we went up in the aerobat he smiled and said Have they shown you any loops yet ???You would love em .So there we where doing loops on my third flight in a Cessna .At the top of the loop the doors opened he just reached over and closed the doors .Laughing at how well built the planes were .I thought i would have to buy a new flight bag Two pence at ASDA he said.I have lost a few friends over the years not all to aviation some just in car accidents and a few to health issues and it does not make me sad to miss someone like that i am just glad that i got to meet such a funny guy.He really loved to fly and not every pilot i have flown with loves to fly as much as he did.
Did you ever fly with Francis Xavier Browne ?He was another guy that would just light up the room when he entered he had so much joy in his heart flying around .I try to think of the greats that i have met in aviation .Frankie had some good funny stories he would save for the pub after a days flying .I never heard a bad word out of their mouths about anyone or anything even after the beers .
Sea Land Air Flight Centre ZBB
Moderators: North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, lilfssister, I WAS Birddog
I know the name but I don't think I have flown with him.I never heard a bad word out of their mouths about anyone or anything even after the beers.
I flew with a lot of people both in the Tiger Club and in my own Condor Club...
It was a very different attitude, mostly positive, some egos, some back biters, but generally a good scene.
Those were the days when we flew non-radio in old aeroplanes for the fun of it.
I flew my first Condor over France into Switzerland... I had a 25 channel Nipper radio in a wooden box, and the only frequency that was useful was Le Touquet Gonio!
It all changed in the mid 80's when 720 radio and ATC was thrust upon us.
There were the greats of UK aviation at Redhill in those days... A quiet man by the name of Neil Williams was the chief pilot when I joined the TC.
Many famous names came through, even a well spoken American Christopher Reeve who was making a film... My sister spent the afternoon talking to him and did not realise who he was until the word Superman came up after he had left.
But that was the thing, we were all pilots, it was a club atmosphere, very pleasant.
I'd love to create a similar atmosphere here.
Yesterday we had our inspection for the issue of an OC.
All went very well.
Our PRM had his interview as well... It sounds like we will have to generate maintenance control procedures adequate for an Airbus to maintain our DA20's
Such is life...
This school should be up and running next week and I am still looking for instructors willing to work for more money and less grief!
All went very well.
Our PRM had his interview as well... It sounds like we will have to generate maintenance control procedures adequate for an Airbus to maintain our DA20's
Such is life...
This school should be up and running next week and I am still looking for instructors willing to work for more money and less grief!
