15/07/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

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08/07/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

The British Polio Fellowship : The Bulletin,  July 2008

Page 1 - click image for large view

Page 2 - click image for large view - Read the rest of this entry »

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26/05/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

On May 22nd 2008, Brian Catchpole went Solo. CONGRATULATIONS Brain, you really deserve to have this special feeling all student pilots get when flying solo for the first time. The strongest memory i have from my solo flight is the great sense of achievement and freedom - my report from that day can be read here..

I first met Brian when we were shortlisted for the Flying Scholarship for the disabled selection board at RAF Cranwell. Neither Brian or myself were selected for the flying scholarship and we have not given up our dream Read the rest of this entry »

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19/05/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Go Flying issue, May 2008 - Cranfield Flight Training website - please click here to find out more until we finish building Freedom in the Air website…

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19/11/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Pilot Magazine have reviewed my recent PPL achievement and given some awareness to my future ambitions of becoming a flying instructor teaching with a rudder hand control. We are only days away from receiving an approved hand control with CAA and FAA STC for use in Cessna’s..

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25/10/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

After a little administration hicup my Private Pilots Licence (Aeroplane) arrived today. Having the licence in my hands does feel great and a great reminder for all the hard work that i put in to achieve what i set out to do this year with the help of many people. Deep in my heart there is a greater ambition to go on and further my learnership in aviation, a passion that i deeply care about. As one chapter closes, another starts with a blank page - for me i want to fly as much as i can taking little baby steps then venturing further. I have great mentors around me who i hope will help me to get the best out of being a pilot. Who knows what the future holds. The training period has opened up many doors/ airways for me to go and explore.

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19/09/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

1 year ago i was very dazed and confused. I like having options and yet i found myself at a dead end. Having spent many years working closely with Alan McGee (the driving force behind Oasis) at Creation, I was managing highly successful bands such as the Libertines. I experienced the roller-coaster ‘bona fide’ rock-and-roll lifestyle. When my time in the UK music industry ended i found my self looking for fresh possibilities and experiences. Read the rest of this entry »

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11/09/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

The other day when i did my short navex to Connington and Fenland, i was less nervous then i was today. I was going further away from my home aerodrome through several MATZ crossings and to 2 different aerodromes, each with different circuit patterns and circuit heights surrounded by villages who wish that aeroplanes were not flying near their homes. The other thing that i recalled when i got to Cranfield was that today was September 11th, possibly not the best day for being in a plane. i have been taught very well so i had to apply what i have learned. Still doing something for the first time is a daunting event and I naturally wonder if i will forget something. Read the rest of this entry »

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10/09/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

My first time flying away from Cranfield airport was last Friday on 7th. it would was a great day for flying. During the weekend i did a cross country flight to Peterborough Connington, then onto to Fenland.

Map of my little route - i am trying to keep my map tidier and most of the scribbles were made when i got back to Cranfield.

It was a total of 86 nautical miles = 103 statute miles. Take off from Cranfield was on rwy 21 and after take off, i would take a right turn and get to Olney VRP (visual reporting point) to get on track and start the clock. Once at Olney i turned onto track slighty too Read the rest of this entry »

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08/09/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

After the morning flying circuits, David Coulson and i sat and chatted about what to do that afternoon as he was watching me closely durign my solo circuits. i asked if i could try a short local VFR flight. we was fine with it - so i flew from Cranfield heading 243, past Milton Keynes, onto Little Horward, over Silverstone, then onto 003 towards Northampton, passed Poddington, then towards Bedford on 084 and finally turned to 180 to joined back to land from Stewardby VRP staying clear of the ILS approach traffic. Read the rest of this entry »

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08/09/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Between my solo yesterday and flying all day today. i have finished all my solo circuit work.It was nice to fly in circuits with my instructors teaching other people in aeroplanes ahead and behind me instead of sitting next to me. One of them came on the radio and said ” Cheer up Goatie” - my RT voice is very calm and audible as opposed to many who speak at 1000 miles an hr. Right, i find the PAPI slightly annoying. Cranfield has a very long runway and every time i use the PAPI i end up using alot of it. When i land wihout using the PAPI - on the opposite runway, i land and use less runway. Read the rest of this entry »

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06/09/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

It has been along time coming and i have finally flown my first solo flight. In total i flew more then 2hrs 25mins of which 1 hr 25 mins were on my own. I have been wondering how it would feel and how i should express the emotion in words. having thought about it for weeks, no months, i don’t know how to express the emotion in word. I have been promoting freedom in the air for a while now and i suddenly realised what that meant whilst i was flying on my own.

At first i thought i would be terrified, but i felt confident that i could do it expecially with everyones support at the flying school. But there is always that WHAT IF questions.

so, i did 1 circuit with Donald then once we landed, he asked me to taxi to the parking apron where he jumped out and simply said ” Off you go then” in a very British Aviators voice. I shut the door and cleared my mind and focused.

I was behind 3 other planes and did my power checks. So far so good, radio good, taxi good, aeroplane good, me very anxious and excited.

having giving my call “ready for departure” to Cranfield Tower, they issued me with the clearance “line up and wait behind the landing diamond star” as i held the brakes on the centre line, the call came from Cranfield tower:-

“G-IO, cleared for take off” my reply was “cleared for take-off - G-IO”. cross checked compass and DI, gently increased throttle to full RPM, engine temp and pressures all good, speed increased and then gently the nose rose and the moment the wheels left the ground the feeling was extremely magical. Something that i shall never forget.

As i taxiied back, i saw the entire flying school waiting for me, all with thumbs up and clapping motion in their hands. a slight tearful moment as everyone has so much support for what i am doing and it deeply touched me.

the day did not start well as it was full of negative tension but amazingly it ended with a party. It was Donalds birthday and at the end of the day we had cake and champagne to celebrate the day. A day i shall treasure for ever.

If i ever have blue days all i have to do is close my eyes and recall that moment when i flew solo for the first time to put a smile back on my face.

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06/09/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Barry Cardno a disabled pilot from Wanaka, New Zealand and a friend of Freedom in theAir has got his full wings back again since his plane crash. He has to be a pioneer for disbled aviators on the other side of the world.

He wrote to us with his news and this is what he had to say about his recent achievement: Read the rest of this entry »

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