Marlborough College Summer School: Learn to Fly

Learn to Fly

290-293 TUTOR: GS Aviation (GS Aviation)

This is a course of flying instruction culminating in a cross-country navigation exercise to land at another airfield. At the end of the week, you will have reached a standard that will allow you to safely pilot the aircraft from above the home airfield to above the destination airfield. Each air exercise will consist of a pre-flight brief, in-flight instruction and debrief. Ground school will be given in navigation, air law and the principles of flight. All exercises are conducted with experienced and CAA qualified instructors ensuring maximum enjoyment and safety. Training will be undertaken on the fixed wing Ikarus C42 microlight.

Course Notes

This course consists of five half days, from Monday to Friday, either morning or afternoon. The course includes pre and post flight briefings for the flight exercises 1 to 9b of the NPPL Microlight training syllabus.

Course consists of 8 hours flight time with a Qualified Flying Instructor and 4 hours of pre-flight briefings and navigation planning.

Day 1

Issue of pilot's log book and training notes

Exercise 1&2 Introduction to the airfield operation and safety and Pre-flight inspection procedure of the C42 aircraft

Pre-flight brief for exercise 3/4 - Air Experience/Effects of Controls

Refreshment Break

A 1 hour dual flying lesson with your instructor

De-brief, completion of log book and notes

Day 2

Pre-flight brief for exercises 5&6 - Taxiing/Straight and Level Flight

Pre-flight inspection of aircraft

1 hour dual flying lesson; taxiing practical, overhead departure demonstration, straight & level part 1

De-brief

Refreshment Break

1 hour dual flying lesson; straight & level part 2, overhead join demonstration

De-brief, completion of log book and notes

Day 3

Pre-flight brief for exercises 7&8 - Climbing & Descending

Pre-flight inspection of aircraft

1 hour dual flying lesson; cruise climb, best rate of climb, best angle of climb

Refreshment Break

1 hour dual flying lesson; cruise descent, glide descent, minimum sink descent

De-brief, completion of log book and notes

Day 4

Pre-flight brief for exercises 9A & 9B - Medium Turns & Climbing/Descending Turns

Pre-flight inspection of aircraft

Refreshment Break

1.5 hour dual flying lesson; medium turns (to 30° bank), compass turns, climbing turns and descending turns

De-brief, completion of log book and notes

By this stage the student will have reached a standard of flying ability that will enable them to fly the aircraft straight & level, climb, descend and turn with confidence. We will then progress to the final stage of the course which will entail a navigation exercise to a selected airfield with a flight duration of about 45 minutes each way. The choice of airfield will depend upon the prevailing weather conditions for the day but will be to one of the following airfields:

Compton Abbas in Dorset

White Waltham near Maidenhead

Enstone in Oxfordshire

Old Sarum near Salisbury

Kemble in Gloucestershire via a nominated turning point

Day 5

Pre-flight brief and planning for the navigation exercise

Selection of track and altitude to be flown

Check of weather en-route and at destination airfield

Brief on airspace restrictions etc that will be encountered en-route

Calculation of headings to be flown for each leg based on forecast wind

Selection of Air Traffic Units to be contacted en-route

Calculation of fuel required to complete the exercise

De-brief and complete log book

Award of Course Certificate

Background reading

We can supply a copy of Brian Cosgrove's book 'Microlight Flying' which covers the ground school subjects required to start flying, also a copy of the BMAA training syllabus, and a set of briefing notes covering the 5 day course. We can put together a package of notes and reading material for the students if required.

Clothing

You will need to wear comfortable footwear, a pair of trainers or light leather shoes are fine, no large heels please, as you will need to operate the rudder pedals. Bear in mind you are in an enclosed cockpit and a warm draught-free environment, so no heavy boots or clothing are required. Normal every day clothing is fine, comfortable trousers and a light sweater are adequate.

Navigational equipment and aviation charts will be available for flight planning, and the navigation exercises, check lists and any relevant paperwork are supplied during the course.

The instructors at GS Aviation have a wealth of experience, with thousands of hours flying and instructing, and are career instructors, not just hour building on their way to a commercial pilot's licence. Graham Slater, the Chief Flying Instructor, has been flying since 1972, and has flown over a hundred different types of aircraft in this time, from Gliders to large single-engine aircraft. Graham has been instructing for 22 years and has amassed over 11,000 hours total flying time.

Dave Cox and Martin Culley have both an ex-RAF background. Dave was an engineer on the Hercules at RAF Lyneham and Martin learned to fly in the RAF and served a Short Service Commission with the RAF Regiment. David Slater is Graham's son and started flying when he was 14 years old. He became an instructor four years ago, after completing a degree at university.

So we have a great team of friendly instructors, whose sole aim is to teach people to fly safely and to the licence standard required by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

Course Tutor

GS Aviation

About GS

The instructors at GS Aviation have a wealth of experience, with thousands of hours flying and instructing, and are career instructors, not just hour building on their way to a commercial pilot's licence. Graham Slater, the Chief Flying Instructor, has been flying since 1972, and has flownover a hundred different types of aircraft in this time, from Gliders to large single-engine aircraft. Graham has been instructing for 22 years and has amassed over 11,000 hours of total flying time.

So we have a great team of friendly instructors, whose sole aim is to teach people to fly safely and to the licence standard required by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

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Learn to Fly

Course Notes

Course Tutor

GS Aviation

GS Aviation