On the ground the following exams have been passed:

• Clive Haughton – Principles of Flight
• Mark Gwilt – Air Law and Human Performance
• Simon Shearburn – Air Law and Operational Procedures
• Spike Leek – Air Law
• Sam Williams – Air Law and Operational Procedures

The clocks will be going back at the end of October so night ratings will start soon. If you wish to begin your night rating please do get in touch.

Clive Haughton took to the skies for his first solo flight and with the beaming smile he had once he had returned, it’s safe to say Clive won’t be forgetting that moment in any hurry – well done Clive!

Clive Haughton's First Solo

Congratulations to those who have passed ground exams in October:

• Freddie Atac – Air Law and Human Performance
• David Woodward – Meteorology
• Alex Busby – Meteorology and Communications
• Jamie Turner – IMC written
• Adam Knights – IMC written

With the clocks going back we have now started night flying. If you wish to start your night rating please do get in touch.

The airport is holding an Airmanship Evening next Tuesday, 12^th November at 19:30. This informative evening of presentations, anecdotes and discussions will be of benefit for both those learning to fly and those with experience. The evening is free but a suggested donation of £5 in aid of Fly2Help will be welcomed. Kim Hampshire will be one of the speakers and hopes to see some of you there!

Although the weather in February has slowed down our flying it hasn’t managed to ruin the enthusiasm which has still been high and carried us through the month. The persistent fog and haze has encouraged plenty of ground school.

We would like to congratulate Craig Parker who successfully passed his Skills Test along with our own instructor Kim Hampshire in renewing his IMC rating.

When we were lucky enough to get better weather Adam Knights and Rowland Slatter had a successful trip to Wellesbourne.

Here’s hoping for much improved weather in March.

New charts are now available to buy! Issue 39 valid from 7^th March – same price £16.00.

We would like to wish everyone a belated Happy New Year!

We’ve certainly had the varied British weather conditions already this year, with the snow, rain and wind disrupting the flying programme. Luckily this meant there was more time for ground school and exams, resulting in two ground exams being passed in January:

Kirk Daly – Flight Performance and Planning

Jace Clarke – Air Law

When the weather was calmer we also had success in the skies with Bob Pearce passing his NPPL Navigation test, congratulations to him and also to Duncan Stephenson who rounded off the month successfully passing his Night Rating.

We would like to welcome the new students who have joined us this year and also welcome Vanessa our new Operations Co-ordinator to the ‘SFS’ team.

Thank you to all who have paid their annual membership for 2013 and gentle reminder to those who are still yet to pay.

We are looking forward to the lighter evening’s, clearer skies and calmer winds!!

Particular mention must go to Dion Robertson, who rounded off the month with a successful Skill Test.  We extend our warm congratulations to Dion, who arrived at the School last Christmas with the intention of completing his PPL within a year and has done so.

Very many congratulations too, to Tony Waghorn for completing his First Solo flight.  That he enjoyed it (to say the least) can be seen clearly from the picture!

Staverton Flying School features heavily in an article on Gloucestershire Airport in this month’s Pilot magazine; still available in all good newsagents’!

On the ground, the following exams were passed this month:

Francis Sanderson – Air Law; Human Performance & Limitation

Kirk Daly – Meteorology

The School will be closing for Christmas on 22^nd December, and will re-open on Wednesday 2^nd January 2013.

May we take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year.  We look forward to seeing you soon in 2013!

This was followed by some basic water survival skills and life raft training.   The unanimous verdict was that the training was not only a fun day out but that extremely useful tips to surviving a ditching in the sea had been learned.  A full account of the day’s activities and lessons learned can be found by following the ‘news’ link on our website  www.stavertonflyingschool.co.uk.

At the end of the month, Staverton Flying School was delighted to fly with the first recipient of a newly-established Air Cadet award, set up by the family of the late Flight Lieutenant ‘Dit’ Thomas RAFVR(T), Officer Commanding No 614 (Lydney) Squadron, Air Training Corps.  Each year a Cadet will be chosen by the Squadron to receive a 30 minute flying lesson and Staverton Flying School looks forward to a long and successful affiliation with this award. 

Amongst our members, we congratulate the following successes achieved in October:

Rowland Slatter – First Solo

Kirk Daly – First solo landaway

Dion Robertson – Qualifying Cross Country, RT practical

Craig Parker – Qualifying Cross Country

Written Exams:          

Dion Robertson – Performance & Planning (100%), Aeroplane Technical

Rowland Slatter – Communications (100%)

David Savage – Human Performance & Limitations, Communications

Bob Pearce –  Performance & Planning

Slots are still available for night flying training, so please do contact us to make a booking (please note, however, that the airfield closes at 1930 Mon-Fri and 1800 on Saturday / Sunday).

The weather was not so kind to Kim Hampshire, Kirk Daly and Rowland Slatter who made the trip to Duxford for an AOPA Bonus Day at the end of the month. Although the weather prevented them from making the trip by air as planned, they braved the 3-hour car journey to get there and reported having a great day out with some memorable presentations, especially that of Cliff Spink, a retired RAF Air Marshal who has flown a remarkable variety of aircraft during his long and distinguished career and is now a Spitfire display pilot, and who has many amusing and captivating anecdotes to share.

Back at the School, we congratulate our members on the following achievements this month:

First Solo – David Savage

Ground Exams – James Lingard: Human Performance and Limitations; Meteorology
David Savage: Air Law
Tony Waghorn: Human Performance and Limitations
Craig Parker: Radio Telephony (practical)
Tim Van Der Hooft: Aeroplane Technical; Performance and Planning

We extend a warm welcome to Heli Air as they moved into the Skypark Hangar this month. As with the barbecue, the weather smiled down on Heli Air on Saturday 22nd September as they launched their new Gloucester base with a flourish. The Skypark apron was packed with a number of helicopters throughout their Opening Event and it was great to see so much interest in both fixed wing and rotary aircraft come together in one place.

Looking ahead to October, we are now taking bookings for night flying for any PPLs who are interested in adding a night rating to their licence – book now to make the most of the dark nights.

We extend our congratulations to Mark Gwilt on achieving his First Solo flight and to Jamie Turner who, having waited for some time for a break in the weather to achieve his Qualifying Cross Country flight, completed the trip this month.   His route included a leg to Cardiff so it was perfect timing that he completed the trip the day before the Olympic events started at the Millennium Stadium and airspace restrictions came into play!

Successful Licence Skills Tests were flown by David Nicholson and Shane Touhey, and Jonathan Maddocks successfully completed his IMC Skills Test (ironically on one of the best weather days July had to offer).

On the ground, the following exams were passed this month:

Craig Parker – Performance & Planning

Rowland Slatter – Human Performance & Limitations

 Jonathan Maddocks – IMC written

Tim Van Der Hooft -  Communications

Tony Waghorn – Air Law

Richard Clark – Meteorology

The Staverton Flying School barbeque will be held on Saturday 8^th September this year and we’re looking forward to seeing many of you at what promises to be a great evening.  Partners are welcome and it’s free food and drink! RSVP to info@stavertonflyingschool.co.uk

A recent visitor to the Skypark apron

We extend particular congratulations to Paul Jones who successfully completed his PPL Skill Test and to Peter Wood who obtained his IMC rating at the start of June.

On 24th June the School took part in the annual Gloucestershire Airport Open Day. We were slightly concerned that the initial drizzle would deter the crowds, but we needn’t have worried as the event was a great success as evidenced by the large numbers who attended. G-BFEK drew a queue of (very) young aviation enthusiasts keen to have their photo taken behind her controls, and G-BIMT and G-BEZO were used throughout the day for 15 minute trial lessons conducted by Richard Thwaites and Kim Hampshire. A huge thank you to all those who helped on the day, in particular to James Connolly, Richard Clark, Jamie Turner and Adam Knights who not only briefed the trial lesson students but also chatted to visitors and kept the children entertained!

Our stand at the Open Day (with friend!)

Back in the classroom, members passed the following exams in June 2012:

Craig Parker - Metereology

Richard Clark - Air Law, Human Performance and Limitation, Communications, and Navigation

Bob Pearce - The Aeroplane Technical

Mark Gwilt - Air Law

For those of you planning trips in July, a reminder that Olympic airspace restrictions start on Saturday 14th. The sanctions for infringing these are severe, so please make sure that you familiarise yourself with the restrictions in good time. Close to home, crossing procedures for the Brize Norton zone are also affected. We have the details at the School.

G-BEZO at White Waltham

Finally some fine weather! After what has seemed like months of grey and rain, we all enjoyed some fantastic flying opportunities in May.

The month started with Adam Knights finally getting the weather he’s been waiting for, meaning he successfully completed his Qualifying Cross Country. Adam visited Halfpenny Green and Sywell and reported that he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The month was then brought to a great end by Judith Wordsworth who passed her Skills Test. Everyone at SFS extends warm congratulations to her on this success.

Jamie Turner completed his trip to White Waltham and Craig Parker his to Coventry. Other members have jumped at the chance to take up lesson availability and self-fly hire opportunities during the sunny spell, meaning that the SFS aircraft (and instructors!) have been kept very busy this month.

On the ground, members have been just as busy, notching up the following exam successes:
Kirk Daly – Communications (written)
Alan Tague – The Aeroplane Technical
Jamie Turner – Radiotelephony (practical)
Gareth Fyles – Human Performance and Limitations
Ed Gait-Carr – Air Law

A reminder to everyone that Staverton Flying School will have a stand at the Airport Open Day on Sunday June 24th. We’ll be offering 15 minute trial lessons on the day, costing £45.00 per lesson, so please do bring along your friends and family.