Microlighters

While being unable to sleep last night, I sat and caught up with all the postings here on the forum and sort of came to a strange "conclusion"

What is it about Microlights and their pilots, and note, I do say Microlights and their pilots. Reading through the different posts I noticed how helpfull people are here with advice, parts and general stuff. Somebody plans a trip and posts on the forum only to get advice as where to land, where to get fuel, some offer up places to stay as well as hangars. Some bring fuel, others fly with etc.

I needed something not even aviation related, asked on a the forum where the product is relvant to but only got response from the Microlighters where Mike offers the product free of charge (Thanks Mike Cooper).

Now I got to thinking (It was 2:30am, so I might have been not comletely awake). You do not get this kind of "friensdship" on any other forum (at least the others that I belong to), neither this on Avcom, also aviation

What is it that set Microlighters apart from any other activity? Is it more fresh air or is it the fact that we use "cloth" wings or what is it that makes the difference? Now, if it is the microlights (tin, cloth, wood or composite planes) that causes this radical effect on all the pilots, why not give microlights to government? Maybe it will change their point of view and also have a positive effect on them? Why stop there? Get as many people possible to fly and then change the whole world?

Well, this was just a thought at 2:30am. Now that the sun is up, I might think otherwise.

Wonder if you will get a blue light brigade in the air once government officials start flying? I was clearly not thinking straight
It happens when there is only crap on TV that time of the morning

I usually drink a lekke brandy, to help me fall asleep.

Hi Piet

Microlighters are a group of people who share a passion for aviation - it is not our Jobs(well some of us at least), it is a PASSION - we have our day jobs and Microlighting is something we do to enjoy and to share our passion with everyone we are friendly and a social group. I think the other groups are so cought up in their own little boys clubs that they forget why they got into aviation and well it is a sad case when there is so much potential and yet so much BS.

As Duck rogers says - JUST FLY MAN

Tailspins correct, just that some of us are lucky (or planned it that way) that we share our passion with our work...I think that you need to go fly Piet !!

Have a great day (or night whatever..)

Zulu1

I have to agree, I think that it is bacause we are passionate about flying, about the enjoyment of flight! The unselfish nature of wanting to share our passion with others!

It may also have something to do with the fact that we are all crazy enough, to get up at 05h00 on a icy cold winters morning, go out to the airfield, fly around for an hour or two, (freezing), but still enjoy it!

Tracer wrote:It may also have something to do with the fact that we are all crazy enough, to get up at 05h00 on a icy cold winters morning, go out to the airfield, fly around for an hour or two, (freezing), but still enjoy it!

My Wife still cannot understand that. When there is work to be done at home i have to DRAG myself out of the bed at 9am moaning and B!tch$%g - but to go flying (in winter even) 4:30 i am up and about offering everybody coffee etc

Many of us have had to beg, borrow steal scrape together funds to achieve the dream of flight. With that I think we recognize the same in others who too have battled. I would probably get flamed for this but I respect these guys more than the young kid, from affluent parents, who spend 200K to put him though flying school to get his CPL.

And with respect comes comradery and with that comes friendship. I too find the Microlighting community a far more friendly, open and welcoming crowd than the average GA community. The GA guys tend to want you to prove yourself first. This is not all of them, but a general feeling I have.

Now as far as making the government fly microlights is concerned

Morph I agree with you. Look at the support I got even after doing something "unacceptable". Most of the guys I have never met but one feels the solidarity there. Wonderfull stuff.

IT SIMPLE.

We choose to do it.
It is not a job, or a means to end or career (for most anyway).

When you have built, rebuilt or even just bought your aerie, you are very different to someone who uses it to achieve a goal.

What is the goal of microlighting/LSA? Few fly these to commute, earn income or make a living. Most choose to convert gas into some sort of niose for the PURE unadulterated FUN of IT....

Simple. Most oukes eather want to fly or are flying for FUN, not because they Need to get hrs, or make a living etc.

I smaaaak the ML boytjies. It does not matter if you drive a 19voetsek single banger windlass or a new GT450/TanarG/Skin machine. All give you time of day and always willing to pitch in and help (even if just to talk more KAK) LUV IT....

We are bonded together by circumstances around us..For instance..race, colour, language, background, hardships ect..(sex!)
The strength of the bond will depend on the kind of 'cement or glue' that holds it together. For instance I can imagine that there is a very strong bond that wil hold friendships together which were formed on Robin Island amongst the prisonars there..The cement being idiology, colour,race,language and a few others..and I believe that those bonds which were formed there are so strong that people will die for each other.
Amongst Micro Pilots there are also cement that holds them together... Our love for flying, the danger involve in flying our feats and mishaps ect.. but to my opinion the most oustanding feature is the knowledge that we are all busy with something dangerous that can turn out to cost us our life.! That is a stong binding factor and those who posesses that quality will stand out in life..!!!
Thank you sir..have a nice day.

and last night I looked at a few pics of my new trike that I am importing, and slept like a baby.

Conrad wrote:and last night I looked at a few pics of my new trike that I am importing, and slept like a baby.

Share the pics, so we can NOT sleep nicely !!

Microlight for the Governmunt ?

I think that's a brilliant idea. The accident rate will go up drastically. But only for so long.. It will be for the good of the country as a whole don't you think.

The accident rate will go up drastically. But only for so long..

Us accident boys will be seriously busy!

Drag races over SOWETO (& kill innocent pedestrians because we use "Coke"riet as Red Bull is for pissies)
Take 10 tjommies for a flip at one time just because they could fit them in... my word
Buzz around like Jooooooleeeeeeeus Mal-Emma with blue lights flashing - next we'll have speed traps enforced!
Pop over for a dop at the Shabeen in the next township - brings a new perspective to fly-in's & to hell with pre & post flights (will only happen once...)

No Piet...... bad dream for sure!

I have to agree with all the posts above regarding Microlighters and the chaps that frequent the threads - we are quick to help chaps that are wrong into the right direction (even though it needs some coaxing at times) but we forgive even quicker than punishing the offender indefinitely.... we are after all passionate about what we do and share this awesome feeling of freedom and adventure!

Fly safe!

In Bloem at Tempe airport is a 503 Aquilla owned by the goverment to be used for rural town planning, but there are so many red tape involved in using it that no one even bother to use it, it seem to be easier to stuff a kilogram of margarine up a porcupine's arse with a red hot needle than to get permission to utilise it! That thing haven't flown for the last couple of years as far as I know.