So this is christmas...

Merry Christmas to You All!
'Pilots don't need much school. They just have to learn to read numbers so they can read their instruments.'

My first iron...

So, this has come too, after flying a lot with "stick'n'rudder plastics" I ended up flying irons too. This is a step towards bigger more powerful "yoke'n'rudder" Cessnas.

HA-ERJ is a really nice 1979 Cessna 152. But the weather was really bad, with mist and rain, and very-very poor visibility.

HA-ERJ at LHOY

A letter from Maun

To all those Dudes out there, ladies as well for that matter - Being one of those people that you have asked for an ACTUAL tell of the situation at present - ill try and give a little bit of insight into the going on's of a pilots life in Maun. At this time of the year, the best things that you could do for yourself, is make sure that you turn up to EVERY Christmas party!Meet everybody thats here, leaving here, and looking here. The best way to get a job - make a good impression the people within the company - they do the hiring. We dont care on your hours, what you have flown, whether you have an Instrument rating or not( whats instrument flying anyway?? ) just get along. There are a lot of people leaving here in the next few months, even weeks, so chances are good. Cant put a number on who's going, staying - but a fair amount are. To Live here...dont expect much, this really is one of the slum's of the earth! BUt for those of us that live here, Its like a great night out in a Major Town with girls everywhere, except there really aren't... sorry fellas, think i spotted one the other day although! You have an absolute blast with the people that you work with, the community is small, being segregated partly into PILOTS, hunters, guides, and locals. We all get on though if you make an effort. I know the looking time is hard, we have all had to do it, see the good side of it though and make the most of being here, if you dont get a job at first, go see africa, Maun is not the only place that has planes! Look foward to meeting those of you that arrive next year!! ALL THE BEST

Thoughts on flying for today (from Dave Gahan)

I'm taking a ride

With my best friend

I hope he never lets me down again

She knows where she's taking me

Taking me where I want to be

I'm taking a ride

With my best friend

We're flying high

We're watching the world pass us by

Never want to come down

Never want to put my feet back down

On the ground

I'm taking a ride

With my best friend

I hope she never lets me down again

Promises me I'm as safe as houses

As long as I remember who's wearing the trousers

I hope he never lets me down again

Some clouds

If you followed the situation on PPRUNE you saw that there is a great number of wannabe pilots heading down this season to Maun. All prepared to live in uncomfortable conditions for love of flying and career.

But there is the big cloud of recession above our head. The problem is that there is no actual reliable info on present tourism situation.

I'd stress that anyone heading to Maun try to call, email or whatever before getting his or her ticket.

Some flying in Hungary

Finally on Monday we had some wonderful CAVOK after a long poor visibility and low cloud base period. So some flying came. And hey it was 2 hours and 50 minutes (and so reached 110+ TT wich takes me closer and closer to Maun).

I took my photographer colleague for a ride. Yepp it's the guy you can see on that earlier picture in my first post. We climbed a DA20 and made it round Lake Balaton. Here's a few pictures for you (although I stole almost every other picture on this blog these photos are copyrighted).

Pilotage (useful stuffs)

Sundial I. (temple ruins)

Sundial II. (temple ruins)

Sundial III. (castle ruins)

Earth wound (small lake on a hilltop)

111 TT and runnin'

With the monday flying round the Lake Balaton I passed the 110 TT.

C150/152 rating coming up this weekend, C210 and C206 in sight as well as NVFR and IR. Maybe even some ME rating on L200 Morava.

Funny little Czech twin...

... with a nice shape!

Sorry for the delays...

I got stuck a bit. Thought that I'm almost at the and of this, but after receiving a few words from the guy who served trout then headed to maun I had to realize that there is a lot more to add.