My Flying

So I arrive at 9:15 am. Not a sole in sight. Moments later another member arrives and he gives me a quick 20 minute pax flight in his Lambada motor glider. Awesome aeroplane. Climbs like a demon. At about 5500 ft, just above cloud level, he turns back and heads for home.

As we land another member arrives, and the instructor just a little later. After almost an hour none of the other duty crew has pitched. So the three of us, plus another guy flying a C152, decide on a "race" to Paradise Beach. I fly pax in a Dimona motor glider, then there's a Lambada and the Cessna C152.

We take off first, being the slowest plane, and orbit for about eight minutes climbing to about 1500 feet. Then the C152 (one up) takes off, followed shortly by the Lambada with a pax. We all head out, us climbing to about 2000 feet. I do most of this flying over Lady's Slipper and to Gamtoos River Mouth. This is pretty much where the other two aircraft catch up, they routed more coastwise, and now PIC takes over. We then watch as the C152 heads low level for a very long approach, from the south, to land at Paradise Beach, while the Lambada at 2000 feet turns in from the North to reach the airfield first.

Soon there after a L39 jet arrives and performs a low level fly past over the runway, the Lambada follows, then us. As we route back to FAUH, the L39 buzzes the runway one more time. I resume control and head us back. We land. From taxi to taxi the flight was 1 hour 08 minutes, very very enjoyable.

This was my first cross-country flight in a motor glider. I learnt a little about air space, radio frequencies and some visual navigation tips. All at the best price; free.

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