Not sure where to put this but I found a series of items on you tube tonight which I must admit gave me different view to when I was fortunate to have a lot of flights in Chipmunks in the cadets.We were lucky and had loads of flying therefore a lot of Pilots.I always thought here we go this guy knows what he is doing and still know most of the drills.Watching these clips it Suddenly dawned me (after close on 60 years)any of these instructors in tandems couldnt really do anything if a cadet or even adult took a loopy .It now appears to me they were trusting us as much as we were them.Given that I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to all who took responsibility for me and all the others who either progressed to flying or took other careers.Small detail but I was amazed the things I could do including the front seat,after getting the gliding wings think it was a sort of respect.Always remember our glider visit to Condor after I got wings one of our officers read out the Flight rota and obviously his sons were first .Gliding instructor said I think we will let me decide the order as CFO our guy argued he was in charge and outranked him as he was F/O. Guy went and got his jacket and showed he was regular and outranked him .Then casually rubbed it in by asking me if I wanted a flight round the field or go SOLO as I was one of the emphasied FEW qualified to do it.I did the solo but it is not on my the log because our OIC that day would not enter it. He would have been pee'ed off if he knew the extra flights they gave me but they werent on the official caravan log either.
Sincere thanks to any instructor who went into a tandem trainer unless it had a cut off.
Dont know first names but specials to F/OS Shearer, Mill, Weston and well named Patience plus CFO Charlie Walker who is now on eternal patrol
Not sure but I think it is R I P for the rest.
Probably of no interest but maybe of use to somebody
Happy Days for me.
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Trust in the air?
Re: Trust in the air?
Yes my 1st ever flight was at Kenley in a Cadet/Sedburgh.
Thanks for sharing
.
Thanks for sharing
.
Re: Trust in the air?
Hi Condor
There have been occasions over the years where pupil pilots have 'frozen' on the controls.
One of the gliding clubs I was a member at (Midlands Gliding Club,Zimbabwe) had had a fatal accident due to the pupil freezing on the controls.
We had 2 x Blanik 2 seaters and they were both modified to have the front 'stick' converted to having a long spring,a plastic tube was then slotted over the stick and the front seat pilot then had normal control.However if the pupil 'froze' on the controls the instructor could then overpower the front pilot because the plastic tube would shatter and the front stick became a long spring.
I am another ex Air Cadet pilot - started off at 644 Spitalgate in the summer of '69 (somebody should write a song
)
I am originally a Fifer and returned to Scotland on retirement - my last GC being at Portmoak - surely one of the best gliding sites in the UK
There have been occasions over the years where pupil pilots have 'frozen' on the controls.
One of the gliding clubs I was a member at (Midlands Gliding Club,Zimbabwe) had had a fatal accident due to the pupil freezing on the controls.
We had 2 x Blanik 2 seaters and they were both modified to have the front 'stick' converted to having a long spring,a plastic tube was then slotted over the stick and the front seat pilot then had normal control.However if the pupil 'froze' on the controls the instructor could then overpower the front pilot because the plastic tube would shatter and the front stick became a long spring.
I am another ex Air Cadet pilot - started off at 644 Spitalgate in the summer of '69 (somebody should write a song
)I am originally a Fifer and returned to Scotland on retirement - my last GC being at Portmoak - surely one of the best gliding sites in the UK
Re: Trust in the air?
Regularly watch your ex clubmates when we are fishing at Loch Leven bvs.
Re: Trust in the air?
Even experienced Staff Cadets [me] can get it very wrong!. Even been on an advanced gliding course. A Mk 3 launch on a windy day, Instructor in the back, had a big gust into a steep left-hand bank which I allowed to develop to a dangerous level. Tried to fight it, but it increased massively. It never occurred to me to release the cable. Guy in the back did it for me. If it wasn't for his intervention it would have been a very messy ending!. Glad it wasn't a solo trip!. In flying, you learn from your mistakes... if you are still here!. I didn't freeze on the controls, I was just being an idiot!!. Went on to Skydiving and PPL.
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Nighthawke
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Re: Trust in the air?
Nothing so serious in my case. I did my gliding solo in a Venture (Slingsby T.61) which for the uninitiated is a motorised self-launch glider. I duly climbed out, turned the engine off,ew the circuit and glided in for a landing. So relieved was i that I forgot to switch the ignition on again and wondered why it wouldn't restart for the taxi-in - doh!
Wonderful staff though although I did have a grumpy officer for my pre-solo and it all went wrong and he ended up swearing and taking control. Landed back then changed to a cheerful old regular flight-sergeant who put me at ease. After a text-book check-flight we landed he unstrapped, told me to stay put for a moment, then said right off you go. No time to think other than go through the routine.
Wonderful staff though although I did have a grumpy officer for my pre-solo and it all went wrong and he ended up swearing and taking control. Landed back then changed to a cheerful old regular flight-sergeant who put me at ease. After a text-book check-flight we landed he unstrapped, told me to stay put for a moment, then said right off you go. No time to think other than go through the routine.