Today we’re up in the English Lake District talking gyrocopters with Andrew Lysser of Cumbria Gyroplanes. It’s been a while since we discussed the world of gyrocopters so I took this opportunity to get an update from Andrew.
Tag Archives: PPL
Episode 49 – Alex Turnbull – Wakatipu Aero Club
Alex Turnbull, Milford Sound
I was contacted by some folks from Wakatipu Aero Club, down there in New Zealand, saying that they’d like to appear on the Podcast. One of their instructors is a chap called Alex Turnbull. He is originally from Morpeth in the North East of the UK and has travelled all the way to the other side of the world to pursue his dream of flying GA in a really interesting and challenging environment.
Quite by coincidence I recently put Google Analytics on to this web site and, after a month, it turns out that the Podcast has been listened to in 48 countries around the world. I couldn’t believe that people in China, or places like Indonesia and Russia actually download and listen to the Podcast but I guess that’s the power of podcasting and the internet and I shouldn’t be surprised to be contacted by aviators in New Zealand.
Episode 48 – Mark Knowles – FISO at Barton Airport
Nick Duriez and Mark Knowles, FISOs at Barton Airport
Today I’m visiting my old stomping ground of Barton Aerodrome to talk to one of the guys in the control tower. The chap that’s featuring on the podcast is Mark Knowles and if you’ve ever landed or taken off from Barton chances are you will have spoken to Mark at some point.
The first thing I asked Mark to do was to tell me about Barton, or City Airport, Manchester as it’s often called, and to tell me the type of air traffic control it has.
Mark started by describing the aerodrome. It’s a grass airfield near to Manchester with 8 runways and they operate a Flight Information Service under the title Barton Information.
Episode 46 – Scott Beaver – Flying Around the World
Scott Beaver
A listener, Scott Beaver, wrote to me recently to say how much he’s enjoying listening to the podcast and in his email he mentioned that he was planning to fly around the world at some time in the not too distant future. I’m always keen to hear about how people go about planning for great flying adventures so I invited Scott along to appear on the podcast.
Episode 35 – Flight Training in the USA – Angel City Flyers
Flight Training in the USA
Oli went to LA to do his PPL training in late 2006. Like many of us that train in the UK he’d started and stopped due to the weather and lack of funds. So, when he’d saved up enough to get out to the USA to complete his training he took the plunge and went to California. The decision to go the Los Angeles was made easy by the fact that he had family out there so he could save on accommodation costs.
Episode 33 – Flight Training in the USA – UK Flight Training
Flight Training in the USA
I’ve been asked by a listener called Tom Boothby whether I could do an episode on flight training in the US. I’ve eventually got a few folks lined up to come on the podcast and chat about their experiences.
So, Episode 33 of Flying Podcast features a fellow Barton flyer called Dave Crozier who trained in the US some time back. My first question for Dave was `what was your experience of flight training in the USA?’ His response was that he’d been struggling to get his PPL completed over here in the UK. The weather in England was conspiring to prevent him getting his flying licence so he decided to go over to the US to complete his training.
After a great deal of research, Dave chose UK Flight Training of Long Beach in California. He chose California due to the predicted better weather and with 360 flying days a year who could argue.
Episode 31 – Becoming a Flying Instructor with Martin Hatton
Martin Hatton of Ravenair
For episode 31 of Flying Podcast I’m talking Martin Hatton. Martin spends much of his time training flying instructors for Ravenair, based at Liverpool Airport and City Airport, Manchester. I was interested to find out what it takes to become a flying instructor and what is involved in getting a flying instructor rating.
My first question was `Why do people become flying instructors?’.
Martin replied that it’s mainly to build hours for a commercial career but there are people who actually have other jobs and wish to instruct in their spare time, or, like Martin, they just want to be a flying instructor. There is the added advantage that you get to fly for free and get paid for it.
Episode 23 – Claire Hatton, Commercial and Instrument Rating Instructor with Ravenair
G-RVRB courtesy Paul Tomlin
This episode of Flying Podcast features an interview with Claire Hatton, a Commercial and Instrument Rating Instructor with Ravenair, based mainly at Liverpool, John Lennon Airport. We discuss what’s involved in more advanced ratings and licenses such as the IMC, Multi engine, IR and CPL. So if you have any interest in improving your flying or want to get into commercial aviation, have a listen to what Claire has to say.
Episode 20 – The British Disabled Flying Association
BDFA
In today’s episode of Flying Podcast I’m talking to Mike Miller-Smith from the British Disabled Flying Association.
The BDFA is a registered charity which provides ‘experience of a lifetime’ trial flying lessons for as many terminally ill & disabled people as possible every year. They also offer subsidised flying days for other disability charities and `at cost’ instruction & qualification flight training to BDFA members.
Episode 18 – Dr. Ian Donnan, Aviation Medical Examiner
Medicals for Aviation
An interview with my aviation medical examiner, Dr. Ian Donnan.
Following on from my own class 2 medical I asked Ian to give me a run through of what takes place during an aviation medical, what you need to bring along to the examination, what the doctor looks for, the frequencies of examination and the differences between a class 2 and a class 1 medical.
For more information on aviation medicals or a list of your nearest AMEs, see the CAA website: