Payback

Easter Sunday (woohoo shops are shut again!)...

And I finally got a chance to take my first passenger(s) as a licensed pilot. My Mum and Dad had come up to Hamilton the day before for one of my cousin's 21st birthday parties. They figured that as they had come all that way it would be silly not to pop up to Auckland to see myself and jade. So we decided they would drive up in the
morning and i would meet them out at NZAR at around 1000.

I got out there nice and early and pre-flighted DXJ so we would be able to get away relatively quickly. They arrived pretty much on time and after introducing them to CFI Rob, giving them a quick briefing on what we would be doing and where we would be going and then strapping them in, we got underway... or at least, we tried to. Unfortunately, the mic on my homemade headset was not working (I later found out, one of my soldered joints had let go), so I had to unstrap and go and get a spare (Rob kindly loaned me his) and we headed off.


After the usual run-ups and explaining to my parents what I was doing and why we climbed out and headed towards the city. Coming over Brookby and heading up towards Musik Point, with blue skies and vis forever I announced "And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is why I going flying"... it was just perfect.

We then cruised up the harbour, around Sky Tower and then headed back around Mt Eden and out towards Avondale. Dad was happy as he got some pics of his old school, Mt. Albert Grammar. Then we headed back up the harbour, over North Head and out towards Rangitoto and Waiheke Island. After looping around the North-East corner of Waiheke we headed back to NZAR for a, thankfully, smooth landing and then taxied back to the club for a cup of tea.


Mum and Dad were both really happy and I had finally had a chance to show them why I fly and to pay them back for a lot of stuff they've done over the years... I'm also hoping it will get me out of having to buy my dad a b'day present on the 2nd April ;)


Afterwards, we had a wander around the airfield and Mum and Dad gave me a bit of a history lesson, as they had both been residents at the Teachers Training College that used to be there back in the 60's and 70's.



There are more pics of the flight in Dad's Facebook Album

This flight: 1.2 PinC
Total Hours: 99.2 (73.4 Dual, 25.8 PinC, 5.1 IFR)