Notes from a small airfield, by Tad Higher
Sinking-in-the-Marsh Flying Club will be closed until further notice. But we are still here. So, how are you? Walter stood in his boxer shorts and greying T-shirt cleaning his teeth. He had four days of grey stumble on his chin. It was half-past twelve, and he and Quentin were both contemplating their first meal of the day. Having moved to the club, they had adapted well to Lockdown in Sinking-in- the-Marsh. Though smelling a little...
Can socially-distanced flight training work?
Although commercial pilot flight training recommenced at a number of Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) in the UK towards the end of May, at the time of writing, flying clubs and PPL schools remain in lockdown. The message from UK Government is that it is too early to restart all forms of flight training just yet, but there is a glimmer of hope that July could see some return to the skies for flying schools and clubs. As reported...
Commercial flight training resumes in UK
LEA at Oxford Airport have sent FTN a report of their activities, following resumption of flying training earlier this week. As reported previously, LEA were the first ATO to approach the CAA to inform them of their plans to resume training under a highly modified operation, designed to keep their customers and employees virus free. Day one of our new regime was both an exciting day and one peppered with anticipation. Six students,...
Sinking-in-the-Marsh is in lockdown. But first, how are you? – Tad Higher
That’s the question now, isn’t it? How are you doing? And it is a different question from before. What was a superficial greeting has become something more. Our language hasn’t changed, we have. So how are you? I suspect that we here are Lockdown Britain in miniature. We clap our health workers. It doesn’t make up for lousy pay and conditions, but they tell us it’s deeply appreciated. A lot of our pilots own small businesses. Some...
CAA issues new advice for GA pilots & flying schools
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued new advice today for GA pilots, flying schools and clubs as many begin to make preparations to re-start operations after having been in lockdown for the last two months. The advice has been published in CAA publications CAP1924 and CAP1925 CAP1924, which contains advice for flying schools and clubs, opens by stating: “We appreciate that GA pilots will want to return to the air...
