Who flies what from where ?

[Low Level]

How about making a new topic for the gyro section as well. Although there is a similar one in Hangar talk, my thinking is that this might be a good copy for Gyro talk.

If you think it's cool, can we please get it as a sticky?

Nice to know who's who from where.

[Low Level]

Maybe I can start as well.

I never had an interest in aviation whatsoever. Maybe had a look at some RC flying somewhere. Always thought flying is for rich brag gat assholes.

I stay close to Microland and one Sunday one of this flying samoosawing goodies came past. For some totally inexplainable reason I phoned a friend - after asking the audience - who is flying gyro in Pietersburg. He organised me a flip in a MT-03 with Roelf Palm at Kitty Hawk on Mothersday last year. Caught hook, line and sinker.

A week later I started my training with Roelf on an ELA 07 at Springs. 11 training hrs later I bought a Sycamore ZU-CFW. My training with the Sycamore moved over to 303 at Brakpan with Josua Groenewald. Hopefully going solo within the next two or so hours.

Arrive.JPG (41.33 KiB) Viewed 63972 times

P.S. Boy, have my view of the flying community changed over the past year. An unbelievable bunch of fun, enthusiasts.

Went solo 28 August.

.......and got the little book.....and the freedom of the skies - 14 December.

Mirek Slawesky CFI (Flight test)........Me..................... Josua (Instructor)

[mak]

Ldel

I agree, me think it is a good idea. One suggestion though, can everyone put their location and gyro type at the top before starting with the history. Allthough I like to read the k@k that they write, I dont want to read it everytime I need to find someone to share my aerie problems or location / destination problems with. If I want to discuss local conditions with someone in Pofadder East, I dont want to read about the toy plane his mother bought him when he was a child or how he installed a rotor on his tricycle, or how he got bored of fixed wing flying and had to try something exciting etc. before finding out that he is actually from Pofadder South.

[mak]

Location: Rhino Park (135.60mhz)
Gyro type: Ela 08
Experience: Student Pilot (24 hours)

I always wanted to fly but like Ldel never thought I would be able to. Got my intro flight in October 2006 with Roelf Palm, but only started training in April 2007. Can't wait to get my licence to join the fly-in's and breakfast flights. As my wife will propably get her GPL licence before me, I will have to sit in the baby seat most of the time.

[Griffin]

Ldel

I agree, me think it is a good idea. One suggestion though, can everyone put their location and gyro type at the top before starting with the history. Allthough I like to read the k@k ...........

If you go to your profile you can put all that K@K in you location and/or signature. Some strang people, like Bennie, also add pictures of the planes they (dont seem to) fly.

[Condor]

Location: Kitty Hawk
Gyro Type: Magni M22
Registration: ZU-DWV
Hours: 180

I had no previous experience, but saw Kevin Leo and company flying every evening at Plettenberg Bay during December 2004.

Started enquiring about what this small helicopters could be and after a demo flight with Anthony Cohen, drove down to Thaba Nchu for the conference in early 2005.

Shorty afterwards order my yellow pride and joy, that I received August 2005.

Also started my training with Roelf Palm but needed a plane to fly solo with as the M22 does not have dual control.

Ended up with the Zalewski's and Joshua at 303 Squadron where I graduated in June 2006.

Flying a Gyro is the best thing I ever did.

[Tinkerbell]

Julle ouens werk obviously nie baie nie te oordeel aan hoeveel nonsens julle kan praat, en so aanhoudend. Skryf bietjie iets sinvol of reel 'n braai vir al die mal gyronauts...

[FO Gyro]

GYRO TYPE: MT-03
GYRO HOURS: 360
TOTAL HOURS: 10 500
LICENCE: ATP
REGISTRATION: ZU-GJP (Based at Kittyhawk)

It was when my career really took off when I started flying Boeing 727's around 1996 that I then realised that I wanted to fly something that goes low and slow again. It was like doing a complete 360 in wanting to return to grass roots flying. I flew trikes for about a year (Windlass 503), and then got into gyro's in 1999. I have previously owned a VPM M16 with an Arrow engine, then a Sycamore, and then a VPM M16 (Magni Gyro) with a Rotax 914. I recently bought a new MT-03, and am very happy with it. Gyro's have come a long way in the last 20 years I must say.

I also fly for SAA as a Senior First Officer on Boeing 737-800's, and also fly twice a month on the Airbus A340. I have been flying for 16 years now, and have been at SAA for 9 1/2 years. Flying for a living is great, but flying the gyro is pure fun!

[Gyronaut]

GYRO TYPE: Y017 Sycamore
COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE: South Africa
GYRO HOURS: 160
TOTAL HOURS: 680
LICENCE: HPPL(Exp): GPL(current)
REGISTRATION: ZU-EDN
ENGINE: Rotax 914F
ROTOR: 31' Advanced Kinetics Extruded Aluminium
CONFIG: Two seat tandem enclosed
BASE: Fisantekraal, Cape Town - Aerosport

I was a hangar-rat at Oribi Airodrome in Pietermaritzburg as a lightie. Got into radio controlled helicopters in the late '80's and could never master them. Went for a flight in a helicopter to see if that would help and was hooked. Got HPPL in 1991 at Buzzair, Rand. Gave up recreational helicopter flying in 1998 because of prohibitive cost increases.
Required a STOL aircraft for business purposes (IT-On-site repair/backup restore contracts) and recreational purposes. Am very happy with my stable airial platform for scenic viewing of the fairest cape!

[Gyronaut]

by the way... FO Gyro

WOW! Hard act to follow! Impressive CV. Well done, awesome!

Will mentioning your name get me an upgrade?

Len

[FO Gyro]

Jetranger, thanks. It's been hard work, as well as some good luck along the way.

But you know what? Big aeries and small aeries are all the same - the houses get small when you add thrust, and they get big when you take it off again. Seriously I find the gyro flies very similarly to a large jet.

Would like to fly down to the Cape and leave my gyro there for a couple of months. I would fly down on SAA and do some flying around there once a week or so. Is there any hangar space at Fisantekraal for 1 gyro?

[Gyronaut]

Of course there is space for you at Fisantekraal! Louis might charge you a few rand monthly for the space but it will be insignificant compared to the amount of pleasure you will have flying the fairest Cape.

I agree with your comment about the way things fly. I often say "you turn the volume loud, you climb, you turn it soft you descend, in between keep it pointed in the direction you wanna go... simple"

Look me up when next down here and have some spare time and I will be happy to take you for a fimiliarisation recce around the peninsula. If you then decide to bring your machine down, great, we can go explore the mountains and sea together!

I look forward to flying with you.

[zu ebl]

Location;Springs
Gyro Type;ELA 08
Gyro HRS;122
PPL HRS;110
REG;ZU-EBL
I started flying a C140/160 at Brakpan with Sluggy & Personnel.(excellent flight school) In DEC.2005 at Margate, I took a flip with Johan Stemmet in his Magni, I then decided there's only one way to AFFORDABLE and ENJOYABLE flying, I visited Anthony Cohen and ordered the first yellow Ela 08,(standard colour white) I've done my training with Roelf Palm and Piet Kruger.(Experience Trainers)
YES flying gyro's is AWESOME

[Gyronaut]

So how about some pictures ZU-EBL??

Share your experiences with us!

Len

[Coyote]

I feel like a baby amongst all you skygods.

Started flying RC gliders and one day saw a paraglider join us in the lift. I immediately found out who to speak to and the next week I was training for my PG Licence. After flying paragliders for about 5 years I really wanted to get further and go somewhere so I sold up all the kit and started on my microlight licence. I bought my very own microlight soon after and had some of the most memorable times with my mates in PE. For a couple of years we flew every weekend and really had a fantastic group of close friend and enthusiastic pilots.

On returning from the UK I wanted to get back into flying. I tried out blik aeries but was not impressed. I like the camaraderie of flying away with a group of guys and talking aeries. A friend of mine introduced me to gyros – I was not convinced and it took several months before things came together and I was able to go for a test flight. That was me – I was hooked. I stopped my training for a couple of months but have now started agin at full steam. I am still training for my GPL and loving every minute of it. Some people told me that in a gyro when you turn the noise off it glides like a brick bla la bla – I love my aerie, she doesn’t want to come down and climbs like a homesick angel. I love the fact that when the boys are packing their aeries away then the gyro boys start to play. It gives us so much more time to fly.

Sycamore Eagle
303 Squadron
Gyro hrs 9

I cannot wait to get finished and start exploring the highveld with the rest of the guys.