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Daventry HouseDaventry House Limited is the private company of Neil Rathbone, a management consultant specialising in research, technology, innovation and enterprise. |
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FlyingMy first flying experience was a short glider flight when I was eleven years old. I decided that day that I would learn to fly.It took me just over a quarter of a century to get around to it. Like happens to so many people, money, career, romance, and children all became obstacles to not starting just yet. I eventually realised that one day the obstacle would be that I was too old and the opportunity would be gone. So I turned up at my local gliding club one Saturday morning and joined. More than a decade later I have had a lot of challenges and a huge amount of fun and comradeship from flying. Having achieved a ‘Silver C’ in gliding I did a conversion to a PPL power licence in 1997. I then did a Basic Instructor's rating for gliding and a basic instrument rating (IMC) for power flying, followed by a tug rating for towing gliders. I enjoy both power flying and gliding, as they are very different in how they are done and what you get out of them. Gliding is a sport and is flying for pure fun: the freedom to literally soar like a bird. Power flying is more a ‘going places’ thing and the enjoyment of flying yourself there, especially to the airports where you mix it with the big jets. As my instructor used to say as we were cleared to taxi in front of a 737, “This is grown-up flying”.
GlidingGliding I do at Buckminster Gliding Club which is based at Saltby Airfield near Grantham. Formed over 30 years ago it has about 100 members and is a very friendly and progressive club, though as Chairman perhaps I’m biased. It has grass and concrete runways so is all-weather operation (as long as the weather is flyable) and operates seven days a week. The airfield has a clubhouse and hangar as well as camping facilities.
Power flyingI learned at East Midlands Flying School which is at East Midlands Airport. Controlled airspace scares the pants off most private pilots who train at small airfields, but in fact it is not at all scary - just a question of knowing the ropes. In fact, on qualifying I paid for an extra lesson with an instructor to go and land away at a small airfield as I was nervous about doing it without being controlled by ATC and watched on radar.I now belong to a flying group that has a Piper Saratoga, which, for the benefit of the cognoscenti, is a PA32R 301. For the unititiated it looks like this:
PA32R Piper Saratoga G-RAMS at Gamston It is based at Gamston (Retford) which is a serious business airfield, being the base for several bizjets. Moving the aircraft and refuelling are all done by the Gamston staff, so no ‘hangar rash’. Its very convenient, especially with passengers, to call and ask them to get the aircraft out and ready with the right fuel. I can leave the passengers having a coffee in the lounge for a few minutes while I file a flight plan and check out the aircraft etc., then we’re ready to depart. The group makes flying more affordable by sharing the fixed costs such as hangarage and insurance, and it ensures that the aircraft flies regularly which helps to keep it in good condition. The aircraft is booked via the Web, so its easy to see who has it when. If you are a pilot with 100+hrs P1 and an IMC rating the group might be interested to hear from you. Flying the Saratoga, and previously a Cessna 172, and a Robin Regent, I have now travelled the length and breadth of Britain and visited several of our nearby continental neighbours. Here are some aviation links. Have fun:- Magazines
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Flying in the
Outer Hebirdes near Taransay
Saltby airfield
Towing a glider
into an evening sky