09 October 2010

There's A First Time For Everything

Tuesday, 5 October

Today I flew in an RV-6. I've been waiting for this flight for ages, and the wait was definately worth it!

It felt a lot more sensitive than the RV-8, or maybe I was just imagining it, or it just felt different because you sit side-by-side (as opposed to the RV-8's tandem seats).

But wow, it's an absolutely awesome machine to fly! We flew along the coast towards Hermanus, and we did a couple of rolls too. The amount of power, acceleration and agility is amazing, and the large canopy promises a wonderful view.

I'm finding myself becoming more and more addicted to high-speed (anything is 'high-speed' compared to the Cubby) flight, and pulling G's!

But, that RV flight isn't as amazing as another flight I did that day...

I took my mom for her first Cubby flight. Not only was it her first Cubby flight, but it's also the first time she's flown in a single engine aircraft in years (and years and years)!

We took it easy and flew along Strand Beach to Gordon's Bay, then on the way back to Stellenbosch we went around the Helderberg Mountain, mother happily taking photos of anything and everything.

The landing, while not my best, was decent; no go-around necessary :)

After the flight my mom was full of energy and she couldn't stop bouncing around for several hours.

'Twas a good day.

Farewell, Friend

Tuesday, 5 October

I was walking through Pick 'n Pay, bored (what else is new?), and browsing Facebook on my phone when I came across some rather shocking news. One Nine, the cat that used to live at Stellenbosch Flying Club, had passed away on Monday. Liver cancer. No one even knew he was sick.

The loss of One Nine has affected a number of the members at the Club; we all become so used to seeing his furry black form roaming around the airfield, and he recently took up (almost) permanent residence in the Training Centre.

He is one of the very few cats I've ever liked (I'm more of a dog person), and I'm definately going to miss his visits to the Flightshop every Saturday morning.

So, Farewell One Nine, have fun catching mice in the big hanger in the sky.