To kick off the month, the SFS fly-away day to Aero Expo in Sywell was a great success. Instructors, students and PPL’s had a productive and fun day out with everyone flying a leg to or from Sywell.

With the continued good weather Staverton flying school has helped many people take to the skies with trial lessons this month and we’re pleased to welcome those who have joined the school to start their PPL’s. Aside from the many trial lessons this month we congratulate Lee Williams for completing his qualifying cross-country. Our PPL’s have also been making the most of the fantastic weather.

Chris Greenhalgh had an extremely enjoyable trip to Llanbedr. Andy Young enjoyed his local trip to take photos of crop circles near Defford. Ian Hollingsworth flew into Goodwood’s festival of speed.

Kathryn and a previous SFS student Jamie Turner flew  to Le Touquet for lunch.

As well as a busy month flying, well done to those who have passed ground exams:

• Freddie Atac – Meteorology & Principles of Flight
• Alex Busby – Navigation & Flight Performance and Planning
• Chris Edwards – Flight Performance and Planning

Project propeller was a great success on Saturday 22^nd and reunited 163 WWII Veterans!!

Spitfire and Hurricane flypast for Project Propeller!

There are a few spaces left on the next SFS fly away day to Newquay on Sunday 10^th August. Give us a call if you would like to take the opportunity and to meet other SFS members.

July and August look to be busy if the good weather continues.

 

Well done to Dominic Collier for completing his IMC rating and to Pedram Arefi on his first solo flight. We’re also pleased to welcome back Sean King after successfully passing his LST.

There was also plenty of ground studies taking place, exams passed:

• Jace Clarke – Aircraft General Knowledge and Flight Performance and Planning
• John Straw – Principles of Flight and Aircraft General Knowledge
• Pedram Arefi – Human Performance
• Calum Matheson- Air Law and Operational Procedures

Previous students who achieved their PPL with SFS have been exploring new airfields, Ian Hollingsworth taking a trip to the Bembridge in the Isle of White, Jamie Turner to Guernsey and Adam Knights took his first trip Le Touquet, all reported to have had enjoyable trips.

The Jet Age Museum has now officially opened with a fantastic turn out for their gala weekend, and was opened by Captain Eric Brown, possibly the greatest pilot ever!? Gloucestershire Jet Age Museum Opens Definitely worth a visit!

Don’t forget Fathers Day Sunday 15th June!
Why not get something special and more exciting for your dad this Fathers Day and book a trial flying lesson.
For those with a thrill seeking dad who is feeling brave a 30 minute aerobatics flight could be the ideal gift. Or for those with an interest in historical aircraft a flight in a 1940′s Vintage Stearman Biplane could be the perfect present.
Trial lessons from as little as £88!! Give the school a call on 01452 712388 or book online at www.stavertonflyingschool.co.uk

After a long wait due to weather conditions we extend particular congratulations to David Woodward who successfully completed his PPL Skills Test!

We would also like to congratulate Dominic Collier for completing his night rating.

Back in the classroom congratulations to our members who passed ground exams in March:

• Lee Williams – Aircraft General Knowledge
• Simon Rnic – Air Law & Operational Procedures
• John Straw – Communications, Air Law & Meteorology
• Jace Clarke – Principles of Flight & Navigation
• Radiotelephony also passed by David Woodward, Jace Clarke and Alan Tague

With the clocks going back we can now start offering flying lessons in the evening – with the airport being open until 19:30. PPL’s, don’t forget that the airport is also open until 19:30 on weekends for self-fly hire.

Staverton Flying School’s Flying Order Book is now online at www.stavertonflyingschool.co.uk in the member’s area. The FOB has been updated for 2014 so all school members must read and sign the original document when next in the school.

Kim Hampshire won a flight in a Tiger Moth through Pilot magazine and took one of his enthusiastic students along as the official photographer, both had a fantastic day!

Upton in the floods

Tewkesbury in the floods

Students have therefore taken advantage of ground school studies, congratulations to all of those who have passed exams so far in 2014

• Anthony Evans – Operational Procedures and Human Performance
• Alex Busby – Aircraft General and Principles of Flight
• Kevin Bennett – Navigation and Meteorology
• Freddie Atac – Operational Procedures and Radiotelephony
• Lee Williams – Meteorology and Radiotelephony practical
• John Straw – Operational Procedures and Human Performance

Staverton Flying School are now the proud owners of G-BOHH meaning it will be more available for lessons and to hire. Don’t forget you can hire the schools aircrafts on Sundays and if you would like to fly somewhere for the day only a minimum of 2 hours flying is required. Just call, drop in or book online at www.sfsonlinebooking.co.uk

Staverton Flying School will be organising 2 fly-away days for the summer:

• AeroExpo in Sywell is holding its annual aviation festival. On Sunday 1^st June we plan to take the SFS fleet for the day.
  

  AeroExpo Fly Away Day

  There will be a landing fee of £10 and both the pilot and passenger will receive free entry. The display acts will be announced nearer the time at www.aeroexpo.co.uk

• There will also be a fly away day to Newquay where you will be able to visit the Classic Air force museum. This day is arranged for Sunday 10^th August with back-up dates for Sundays 17^th and 31^st August. More details can be found at www.classicairforce.com

There will be limited spaces for both days so please book your place soon. Both days are open to qualified pilots and students with an instructor and are a great opportunity to experience new airfields and meet other SFS students and PPL’s.

We would like to Congratulate Freddie Atac on achieving his first solo flight this month, we would also like to extend our congratulations to Jace Clarke who has also completed the important milestone of his first solo.

Freddie's First Solo

On the ground, David Woodward has passed Navigation, Aircraft General and Flight Performance and Planning, congratulations to him.

Staverton Flying School now has an online booking system, for all members to check the availability of instructors and aircrafts and request bookings. Hopefully all members of SFS have now received their log in details for the new online booking system. We’re hoping that this system will benefit our members and make bookings easier for everyone. If you have not received your details please do contact us.

We would gently remind you that the annual membership will be due 2^nd January – annual membership for 2014 is £84.00.

If any of your relations are stuck for Christmas ideas, why not remind them they can buy trial lesson vouchers or gift vouchers towards flying.

Trial Flight Lesson

For your diary, the school will closed for Christmas on Sunday 22^nd December and re-open on Thursday 2^nd January.

Rowland Slatter kicked off the month by completing his Licence Skills Test, congratulations to him. Now on a roll, Rowland is also converting onto the Cessna 172 and starting his IMC training soon. We would also like to congratulate Richard Clark on passing his Licence Skills Test whilst on his break from University over the summer.

Tom Leakey First Solo

Alex Bubsy's First Solo

David Woodward's First Solo

Kevin Bennett's First Solo

We extend our congratulations to Alex, Tom Leakey, David Woodward and Kevin Bennett who have all completed their first solo flights, an unforgettable milestone, well done!

With the new changes to the ground exams commencing from the 1^st September, many of the students were able to get ahead and pass the following exams:

• Gerald Reeves – Air Law
• Kevin Bennett – Human Performance and Communications
• Tom Leakey – Air Law
• Richard Clark – Flight Planning and Performance and Aircraft Technical
• David Woodward – Air Law
• Mark Gwilt – Navigation
• Lee Williams – Flight Performing and Planning

Some of you may have noticed that Carol Vorderman has been learning to fly at the school and on Wednesday 21^st August she successfully completed her first solo flight, live on This Morning’s programme. We send our warm congratulations to her.  You can catch up on Carol’s solo flight and photos of the day on the SFS Facebook page.

Carol's First Solo

We wish Carol all the best for the rest of her training.

We would like to thank all of those who attended the SFS Summer BBQ, it was a lovely evening and what glorious weather we had. We hope those students and PPL’s who were able to make it found it beneficial to meet other aviation enthusiasts. Thank you again to everyone who came along and helped to make a great event. Photos of the evening can be found on the SFS Flickr page.

Ken Plowman

Friends of Ken Plowman’s arranged a trial lesson as a surprise at Staverton Flying School for his 90^th birthday. Ken a former Horsa assault glider pilot in 1945 was back at the controls after 50 years of flying! Again with perfect weather and Kim Hampshire guiding the way, they flew for an hour, including aerobatics. His friends were there to greet him when he landed along with journalists. They broadcasted an ecstatic Ken live to BBC Points West lunchtime news. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-23352043

Ken trained as a fighter pilot on Texans in WWII in Canada and by chance, a T.6 Texan trainer was pulled out of the hangar next door. Ken renewed his acquaintance with the beautiful machine, courtesy of owner David Nock. After Ken’s flight volunteers from the Jet Age Museum presented Ken with a Horsa glider control wheel to commemorate his flight.

Duxford 2013

On Sunday 21^st July Staverton Flying School organised a trip to Duxford. Kim led a very successful fly away day to Duxford with 9 members of SFS, they reported to all have enjoyed the day and gained valuable experience. More photos can be found on SFS Flickr and Kim’s write-up of the day Duxford 2013.

We would like to congratulate one of our students, Kevin Bennett and his wife Claire on the early arrival of their first child, Noah!

Baby Noah!

As well as all of this excitement students have been passing their ground exams:

• Rowland Slatter – Flight Performance and Planning
• Lee Williams – Navigation
• Tim Van Der Hooft – Human Performance
• Kevin Bennett – Air Law

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.