Microlighters

Many different clubs have long standing traditions when it comes to a solo sending off ceremony or a wings ceremony etc. The meaning of some of these gets lost with the "younger generations" and it would be interesting to maybe hear some of these on this forum and share with us.

At WFC you get your tie cut off, made to down a stywe dop ( I practice this at home all the time ), balance gets turned over on your head and then the group gets to "become" a B-52 human replica on the clubhouse porch, with all the engine sounds and machine gun chatter, engine fire and then the extinguishing part And nearly forgot, the group sings for you as well, but boy, Pilots were born to fly, not sing Great fun, don't know however what the symbolic meaning of cutting the tie is

This event is celebrated at Algoa Flying Club, in the Gremlins Grotto (our pub) in front of our club members.

One of the criteria is that the student pilot must attend the event in a tie. The student is then made to down a drink, from atop a stack of beer crates - just enough crates to ensure that they cannot stand up straight and their head is against the roof to make it extremely difficult for them to drink.

Following this ceremony, that takes place in front of club members in attendance, their tie is cut and placed on our clubhouse wall, for all to admire. Some of our ties on the wall date back to the early 40's.

Wish we had club at FAGM

I have heard of this tradition:

"According to lore, the tradition of cutting a student pilot's shirt stems from the early days of flying, when instructors sat behind students in the cockpit. With no radio connection, instructors would yank on students' clothing to send signals. As a celebration of a solo, they cut the back out of your shirt. "

And I have heard of being ceremonially dunked after going solo but I have never heard of the tie cutting tradition before?

At CFS Dunnottar the student pilot was not allowed to walk fron the plane at all. He was carried and thrown into a mud bath but later in the pupes pub that night he gets given a drinking lesson, not that they ever needed that.

Lovely to see such a cluhouse as per the photo.

My first solo at Krugersdorp was with the cutting of the tie and some Barenjager to drink oh brother was I bothered the next day wiff a headace.

The second time with the MPL was a huge dissapointment after the landing, I always had a cooler box on hand, we do not have the facilities just yet but working on it.

I will speak to the editor of Afskies and see if we cannot do something in the mag, that could work well and we can see who went solo with a pic and a/c type

The Agent wrote:...I will speak to the editor of Afskies and see if we cannot do something in the mag, that could work well and we can see who went solo with a pic and a/c type

Agent, we could run a regular column and celebrate the newbies in each region! So, come on, you guys know what to do: jot down the details, add the pics, email to editor@afskies.co.za and Bob's your uncle or The Scribe's your aunt :D

Demon, you guys are simply the best fun

I would like to make a prophecy - I think that a certain magazine is going to replace another certain magazine as the mouthpiece of microlighters in Southern Africa.............much like this site seems to be the gathering place for SA microlighters online...........

(Can't remember when I last took a look at the "official" site).

One wonders why? (rhetorical question)

Thanks Afskies I think it will be a winner.

Cloud Warrior are you clairviont because then I am to and in agreement.

What I think we will need is the airfield or club name type of a/c and the name of the new solo pilot with small photo.

Damn - I feel cheated - did not have solo or wings parties at my school . Actually, probably a good thing, as I am a tea-totaler

-justin

Good idea Agent!

The Agent wrote:Thanks Afskies I think it will be a winner.

Cloud Warrior are you clairviont because then I am to and in agreement.

What I think we will need is the airfield or club name type of a/c and the name of the new solo pilot with small photo.

Yebo ... And let's add what kind of ritual the poor newbie was subjected to whether it's the tie-cutting thing or the shirt off the poor bugger's back, doing down-downs while standing on his head or having to carry around a whole bag of old bones... this way we'll make sure it goes down in the annals of aviation history

At Fisantekraal I seem to be the only one who drinks!
First braai I attended I rock up there with my coolerbox and ice, and everybody is drinking coffee and coke. Here they pour a jug of water over your head when you go solo. No drinks. And I practised too!

We have a 100 hour tradition, and have a number of members! Herewith one of the latest ones.

L

Bacchus wrote:At Fisantekraal I seem to be the only one who drinks!

Bachuss, you really need to hook up with us Morning Star boys. BTW when are we having your party, OU Man has been threatening to throw something, come now

LarryMcG wrote:We have a 100 hour tradition, and have a number of members! Herewith one of the latest ones.

Don't try that this weekend... forcast is that it will be a bit nippy