Microlighters

Hi there all,

My name is Juan Maritz, I’m 17 years old currently residing in Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape.

From a very young age, I had the dream and passion to one day fly an aircraft, and nothing could take away that dream up to this day. I was raised around Windlass’s and Aquila’s, and absolutely adore trikes as I took my very first flight in an Aquila in Empangeni.

My dream has been realised to fly both as a passenger, as well as taking charge of the flight as I’m currently busy with my pilot licence. I am currently enrolled at Wings Aviation Academy in Fort Beaufort, and was very fortunate to be accepted into the school as a student. My dream and career in flying is however being short lived, as my parents are not able to provide the relevant funding for me to foot the bill. I am therefore turning to you the public to find it in your heart to support me with my dream. I will be grateful for any assistance whatsoever. Those who have gazed skywards, will know and understand what I am talking about!!.

Hi Juan,

Flying trikes is purely recreational and most of my mates only started in their mid 40''s because thats when life slowly eases it's stranglehold on your wallet and free time.

Some okes owning trikes only manage to fly around twenty hours a year due to time contraints and being the last priority in the food chain.

If your ambitions are to become a professional pilot I suggest you crack your maths and science big time and then take any job oppertunity SAA or Denel has to offer and scratch and crawl your way up the ladder.

Hi Juan,

I'm sorry you have hit a stumbling block on your way to becomming a pilot. You do not mention what kind of pilot you wish to become?

If your intentions are to fly commercially....consider that I know some mates who have spent close to half a bar just getting the necessary ratings/hours to even be considered for a decent job. To finance this kind of dream requires vast financial resources I'm afraid.

If you are just wanting to become a weekend warrior like most of us...consider the fact that you are still only 17. You have time on your hands to oneday fulfill this dream so dont get despondant....perhaps in a couple years you can complete the necessary hours and get your licence sorted? I dreamt of flying since I was a kid but could never afford to enter the sport till much later....only did my licence at 29!

From a CPL point of view, you should also consider the SAAF.... yes I know it's not what it used to be but it still remains a great platform for a future career in commercial aviation. One of my high school mates went...did his time....now he flies 777's in Hong Kong!

Dude I was 15 years old when I took my first flip in a trike with the late Willem Bester. ( Died in a flying accident near Ceres, while training a student, during August 1994.) At that time he farmed near Carolina, and him being a friend and fellow-farmer of my dad we visited him for the day during December 1988. Despite my fathers misgivings, Oom Willem managed to convince my dad that it is safe, and so of we went, in one of the first Windlass's ever built - pullstart, no comms. or instruments , budgie-feeder for airspeed, and a BIG pink and blue wing. (It might have been a Cosmos - can't remember - its 25 years ago!)

I spent my 16th life-year dreaming up schemes to make money to buy a trike. Even tried to convince Dad - he just said there are more important things for you right now to focus on - one day when you can afford it - go and do it.

So I did. 18 years later, aged 34.

Patience, Young Skywalker, Patience. If you want it, you will find a way - short of begging for money. It is like Tumbleweed says above - we can do it now, because other stuff has been taken care of.

Keep the dream alive - the day you can do it on your own, it will taste so much sweeter!

And - if I might add - you will be WISER, less inclined to act on testosterone, and therefore less likely to prang!!

With flying being my dream, I will do whatever it takes. But money is the problem. My parents have supported me as far as they can so I'm on my own from here on out

Young One - Money will ALWAYS be a problem...

Asterix wrote:Young One - Money will ALWAYS be a problem...

Yoda is right...."Money a problem it always will be"

Juan...finish school and do well. Establish a career and you will see that oneday you will be able to fulfill your dream.
Just remember that the licence is just the 1st financial hurdle to cross. Then you would need money to buy a plane, or at least a share in one....then there are the fees associated with hangerage, maintenance and admin....and of course the cost of flying itself.

Keep that dream alive buddy...but I just dont think it is the right time for you to pursue it right now? I wish you all the best and hope you dont have to wait too long. If you want it bad enough...believe me it WILL happen for you....one day.

Juan

Perhaps you should try the world of virtual aviation to keep that dream alive until you can afford the real deal. The technology these days with flight sims, flight controls and world wide fly-ins with real ATC, radio procedures and flight plans are incredible, haven't done it myself but believe it is close to the real thing. Check out this web site and you will soon realize it is bigger and more popular than most of us realize, with national champs etc, etc (http://www.ava.org.za/). I also suggest you make friends at the airfield/s, wash planes, clean hangers, etc and in exchange get flips and perhaps fill an open pax seat to fly-inns etc. There is nothing better in life to motivate you than a dream, keep it alive and work towards it, you will achieve it a lot sooner than you think. All the best and keep us updated of your progress.

BigJ912 wrote:With flying being my dream, I will do whatever it takes. But money is the problem. My parents have supported me as far as they can so I'm on my own from here on out

Dude

What everybody has said is very true. My Suggestion, Finish School and do it with everything you have e.g. high marks, maths science ! - Join the Airforce make your dream come true.

If you decide to go another route you will need money. There are other programs that can get you into Aviation but they favour specific race groups so you have about a 5% chance but allways worth a try.

Never Give Up & Never Surrender.

It took me 12 years before i got my own Aircraft and then i built it myself.
So where there is a will there is a way.

Give me a shout i can get you involved with a few organisations that will also help you get to your Goal.

Gavin
0 & 2 & 9 & 2 I 4 5

Good luck Juan i saved up 4 about 12 years to bye a windlaaaass, $$$ have been the mountain. Thank GOD 4 the old LA MERCY,kept me flying.

BigJ912,
PM Darrel Lush on Avcom. He started a support program for guys like you not too long ago.
He is a generous man with his heart into the promotion of aviation.
If you don't try, you'll never know.
Cheers and best of luck !

Juan,

There are cheaper ways to fly.

I flew hang gliders in the early 80's (all I could afford).

Paragliding is very cheap.

Regards
John

BigJ912, there is a lot of good advice both on this forum as well as on your identical thread on AVCOM.

As an example, I have been passionate about aviation from before going to school, getting models for presents and building them, I then progressed onto hand line controlled planes etc.

However I only started my trike licence at age 42, again, money being the main reason, so I think it is the exception for young guys to get their licence unless they are blessed with rich parents, or such like. If you are genuinly passionate about this, you will make the necessary sacrifices to achieve your dream.

Have you tried radio controlled planes, gliding and as mentioned earlier - simulators?

lastly, I don't think you need to worry about becoming extinct

How much training have you done so far? How many hours? And what is left to be done?

BigJ912 wrote:Hi there all,

My name is Juan Maritz, I’m 17 years old currently residing in Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape.

From a very young age, I had the dream and passion to one day fly an aircraft, and nothing could take away that dream up to this day. I was raised around Windlass’s and Aquila’s, and absolutely adore trikes as I took my very first flight in an Aquila in Empangeni.

My dream has been realised to fly both as a passenger, as well as taking charge of the flight as I’m currently busy with my pilot licence. I am currently enrolled at Wings Aviation Academy in Fort Beaufort, and was very fortunate to be accepted into the school as a student. My dream and career in flying is however being short lived, as my parents are not able to provide the relevant funding for me to foot the bill. I am therefore turning to you the public to find it in your heart to support me with my dream. I will be grateful for any assistance whatsoever. Those who have gazed skywards, will know and understand what I am talking about!!.