Flying Is Fun: How About Learning To Become A Pilot!
by Scott A. Sumner
My day began last Monday with a flight to Minneapolis, then Norfolk and a car ride to Virginia Beach some 20 minutes away. This was a great opportunity to play some golf when our courses are closed, eat some great food and to see a part of the US to which I had never been. The hotel I got to stay in was one of the best right on the Atlantic ocean and had a spectacular view of a great beach from both sides of the 1 bedroom suite. The Ocean Beach Club is a newly renovated luxury development which also included a beautiful Hilton just a minute away.
Our golf would include 4 great courses in 2 days designed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Pete Dye and Fred Couples. That would be a great foresome and the courses were certainly fantastic. The weather peaked out at 79 degrees fahrenheit which also added to the positive
experience. This was a higher temperature than normal for Virginia Beach in Mid November. For you golfers out there you can read in depth about these courses and my backnine 37 on the Palmer course at www.golfingnews.ca
Perhaps something I will never forget is the constant US jet fighter plane activity in the sky while we were out golfing each day. The F 16 pilots were out practicing landing on their aircraft carriers I was told. After all Norfolk has one of the largest military bases in the world and America is at war in Iraq so you could expect the activity. I was told there was times when the trials go on 24 - 7 for 10 days at a time there. It certainly gave me an appreciation of flying.
Speaking of flying on a trip to the Aviation Centre of Excellence at Confederation College to hear Minister Tony Clement talk about FEDNOR I was able to talk to Gabrielle Moore a Flight Instructor in the Aviation Flight Management program at Confederation College. “Gabe” as she is nicknamed graduated from the same program in 2005 and now has about 1000 flying hours. “ It is a wonderful thing and there a lot of jobs now a days. I love it more than I thought I would. It’s a pretty good place to come to school. I love flight instruction,” smiled Gabrielle.
“ In this program the students are controlling the plane the first time they fly. It is a two year program with 5 semesters and they end up with over 200 flight hours which is the requirement for a commercial license. They also have a float rating which makes our program unique
as well as a night rating. Our graduates can fly a Pilatus PC12 with just an additional instrument rating, which is quite easy to obtain. They can then fly 1200 hours a year maximum.”
It was interesting to sit in the Cessena co pilot seat and see how the foot controlled rudders along with the steering handle can control the planes direction. The engine throttle is pulled out to achieve lift off at about 55 knots. It seemed quite a practical approach and one that would be fun to learn. Who knows maybe one day I’ll fly myself to a golf outing!
