New to weight shift in Cape Town

[Shaun74]

Hello all. I really want to start flying weight shift trikes (microlight) but so many pilots have asvised me against it in Cape Town. They say that you dont get very many days to fly because of the weather i.e wind. How much truth is there in this and which school would you advise. I have also heard so many stories about the different schools but none from guys that are actually flying weight shift. Please help nudge me in the right direction. I also want to buy my own 2nd hand trike to do my licence in. Is this advised. Will appreciate your advice.

Thanking you
Shaun

[Cloud Warrior]

Aaaaah but the times when you do get to fly make up for all those lousy days. And sitting in the hangar, watching the windsock, drinking coffee and telling old war stories is not a bad pastime either.

[AndyG]

Speak to gertcoetzee, Extra300s, Morph on this forum. They all seem to get plenty of flying done.

Cheers,

Andy

[Hermanator]

Shaun,

Your story is a mirror of my own. This past weekend I visited and met the chaps at Morningstar. Great bunch, great knowledge and experience and certainly a bunch who CAN fly in a slightly windy day!

We'll share answers and probably progress along a similar level.

Cheers

Lawrence

[Cloud Warrior]

As far as I know - and Morph will help me out here - there are only 3 active trike instructors in or near Cape Town.

I trained with Johann Froneman in Saldanha. Its a great place to train. Long, long tar runway. No blue gum trees! Great bunch of guys at the club as well. Johann has been flying trikes from the very beginning and I was and always will be in awe of his flying ability. He is extremely safe and calm in the air. He teaches you to fly the aircraft by feel. It is not a simple matter of running through various check lists and settings as they do when flying bliks. It is seat of the pants flying. Trike pilots are REAL pilots.

He also charges a lump sum to train you which means you don't keep on paying for extra flying hours / lessons that you might not need. Might be too much of a schlep from Cape Town though. I lived in Darling so it was not too far for me on weekends.

The only two other instructors I know of are Louis Van Wyk at Fisantekraal and Trygve Skorge at Wintervogel.

Pilots that have trained with Louis say he is a hard taskmaster but that you receive excellent training.

I did my introductory flight with Trygve. Gert Coetzee trained with him and would be able to offer advice there.

Sure you can't fly every weekend or day in the Cape but when you do get into the air it really does make up for all the times you have driven to your airfield to find conditions unfavourable for flying. And to me it is not so much the flying part but also the social aspect of flying microlights which is so enjoyable. Helping each other out with repairs or maintenance. Speaking to and learning from more experienced pilots.

And you need time on the ground to make improvements to your plane - there is always a newer doo dah gadget to be fitted or tried out. And time to clean your mistress. And to sweep out the hangar. My wife can never understand how I can spend a whole day at the airfield and apparently achieve nothing!

Not everyone is cut out for it. Different strokes for different folks.

But every time I get up there in my trike, everything on the ground seems to make perfect sense and I feel at totally at peace with the world. All my daily stresses just drain away. I makes life worth living.

[Bayliner]

I did (and still) my training with Trygve and have just a couple of hours to go solo and then I am 'a' for away. I did my training on two of Trygve's trikes, one is an Aquila which I really enjoyed flying and the other is a Windlass. I have not got much experience with the flying thing but have loads when it comes to sports such as surfing, windsurfing where one needs to develope a natural affinity with the elements. To this end I would reccommend Trygve as he has an uncanny natural feel for flying. He was probably a bird in a previous life.

I have purchased a second hand trike, a Polaris Skin which is an 'Italian Job' but due to me falling from my garage roof and breaking the ankle and CAA loosing registration papers and just taking for ever, I have not been able to fly for the last 4 to 5 months. I will be doing my final hours in my own trike soon but the notorious looming Cape South Easter might just limit the time.

[gertcoetzee]

Gert Coetzee trained with him and would be able to offer advice there

Yes, please contact me.

[extra300s]

Hi Shaun.

Do not let them put you off. Yes there are days you have no chance of flying. But I have done this for just over a year and from that experience can tell you there is more than enough days to have plenty of fun. As I said over the phone to you, people pulled that same line on me, luckily I did not listen and I am so glad I did not. My best and honest advice is to go for it! Best way to fly and explore our lovely scenery.

Phone Gert yes.

[Shaun74]

Guys thank you very much for taking the time to reply to my post. I really appreciate any bit of advice that has been given and even just the greetings.
I now have to cross my first hurdle and that is passing my medical. This sounds rediculous but i have one weak eye due to a accident. I spoke to a Doctor in Monte Visat yesterday and he says it should not be to big a problem depending on how weak the eye is. I see perfectly fine with both eyes so lets just hold thumbs.

Thanks again
Shaun

[Stephan van Tonder]

Shaun - class 4 medical is not really hard on the eye test. If you have vision enough to drive a car you will have no problem with the medical.

[Wargames]

Shaun - class 4 medical is not really hard on the eye test. If you have vision enough to drive a car you will have no problem with the medical.

True, the worst that can happen is they (the medical doctor) might make a recommendation that you fly with glasses, with an extra pair within reach while flying.

[Morph]

The guys have said it all. No reason not to fly trikes in the Cape. Lot's of really lekker flying to be had.

As far as the eye sight goes, if you have monocular vision, i.e. legally blind in one eye, then you could have a problem. If not but you already wear corrective lenses to bring both eyes up to acceptable levels then you should be OK.

You must understand, the most dangerous time in all flying is landing. You will learn to fly in 3 hours, then spend the next 22 learning to land. Here depth perception and peripheral vision is critical, so you can understand the necessity for good vision. It's different if you have been flying for years and then loose the sight in one eye. Then your experience helps you in judging speed and depth.

The best as you so rightly have put it, is to get your medical out of the way first. You could go to your own GP, but I would not recommend that. Go to an experienced aviation doctor who does everything except the chest X Ray. He has the experience to judge and decide if he believes your vision is good enough. You might even have something elese that throws you out like asthma or diabetes. The doc is the man. If he says yes, then it's all up to you.

Good luck and have fun

[Shaun74]

Thanks once again to all for the pricless info. Is it true that i can go to a normal GP and dont have to go to an aviation GP?
The eye issue is like his. I can see blury with my left eye. I just cant read with that eye only. I will need an expensive op to rectify this.
So i am truly hoping that this is not going to be a dream killer.

Thanks once again

[Wargames]

It is true. But be careful, they might not have all the equipment, and thus need to send you for a few tests elsewhere. That is why it would be more convenient at an aviation doctor, and maybe cheaper.

[Shaun74]

Hello guys.

What exactly does the medical class 4 entail.
So that i can ask the doctors if they can do it?

Thanks
Shaun