A visit with Uncle Nico.

Today is the day I will go visit Nico and discuss the Airforce and flying in general.  I woke up earlier than usual to ready myself for the visit. As I woke up I had a huge smile on my face. Even though we will only be visiting him at 10:00am, I was a good hour or two ready beforehand.

5 Minutes to go and I started counting down the seconds. I jump onto our motorbike and bolt off to the butchery where my dad will be waiting. As I got there I rushed him so that we can go. We are now on our way to Uncle Nico. (Not that he's my uncle... It's just the afrikaans peoples way...)

We arrived at his house as he stood outside in the garden. He is a very friendly person and greets everyone with a hug. He invites us inside and starts to chat about his past. Somewhere in a cupboard is all his photo albums and books etc. He shows me some of his photos and I look at them as if I have never seen a airplane before. All the beautiful places he has visited, all the people he had meet, all the planes he had flown... Wow, this person standing next to me has been at places some of us only dream about. He showed me some of his logbooks and I just see his flight hours increasing page by page. All the planes he is qualified to fly... I want to achieve that some day. I want to be like Uncle Nico!

We are now sitting in his lounge and he is showing us some of his family photos. They are a truly beautiful family. He is also a very good poet and reads us some of his poems from his head. Every minute I just learn so much from him. Not just aviation knowledge but life lessons and skills too.

We have been visiting for about a hour now and my dad has to go back to work. Nico asked if I want to help him go fetch his caravan at his hanger near Caledon. I agreed to help him as he has done so much for me already. And I get to see his plane!

On our way we speak some more about the Airforce. He teaches me some more valuable life lessons as well. This person is having a huge impact on my life. We get to the hanger and I can feel the butterflies because I know what is behind those doors. As we open it I can see the prop and the cockpit. There she is... What a beautiful plane! White with red vinyls, leather interior, the works!

 The beautiful RV-7

As I gaze at the plane Nico tells me we can go fly! Outside the wind is actually pumping about 20knots constantly... Can we really fly in these conditions? Well, Nico is a veteran pilot so he must know what he is doing, right? We pull the plane out of the hanger - Uncle Nico at the back and me at the prop. As he is doing his pre-flight inspections I have to actually hold onto the plane so the wind doesn't blow it away!

I get into the cockpit and strap myself in. Its a 4-point seat belt; it feels like I'm in a race car! We put on the headsets and close the canopy. We are now ready for take-off.

 Uncle Nico and I

As we start to bolt down the runway I can feel the G forces. It was a lot more than my first flight in the Cubby. We get some air and immediately pull out to the left. He tells me to feel how reactive the plane is and gives me control for about 15 seconds. I just do some left and right turns to feel how the plane maneuvers. Even by just doing a light turn to the left I can feel more G forces than what I felt in the Cubby while doing steep turns, although the Cubby was a different kind of fun.

 Pulling out to the left

We first have to get some altitude before we do some aerobatics. As we got enough altitude Uncle Nico first did a roll to the left followed by a roll to the right. It was amazing! My first rolls in a airplane! Next he will do a loop. He tells me to tilt my head up halfway through the loop so that I can see the horizon rise in front of us again. He loops and I can feel the G forces pulling the blood to my legs. I try to reenact what I've seen on TV and that is to to flex my abs and take a quick breath and hold it for about 3 seconds. It definitely worked!

We then go on to do a low level pass over the workers that is working in the field. We approach the hill and fly over them at about 8-10 meters. The workers is waving at us even though we are passing them at about 280km/h.

 Low level flying

Now it's time to land. As Uncle Nico spins the plane around I start to wonder how he will put this baby down on a 300m runway that is only 5m wide while the wind is gusting at 25knots. Luckily the wind is head-on. Alas he is a veteran Pilot you know... No need to worry. We slowly approach the tiny runway and hover over it. He puts it down like a butterfly on a daisy. It was a perfect landing, or well it felt like it.

Approaching the runway

He spins the plane around and drive it to the hanger. Now we have to hook the caravan... I'm not going to elaborate on that as this is my flying blog and not my "How to hook a caravan" blog...

 Caravan is hooked and we are ready to go. Ohh, wait the plane! We push the plane back into the hanger. Easier said than done as the plane is very heavy and there is a little bump thing we have to push it over. Finally it's in and we can lock up...

On our way back Uncle Nico tells me some more stories. He always has a story or two to tell... The trip back felt a lot shorter than when we went there. I get home and go on the computer to upload the photos to Facebook and my blog. While I'm busy typing my blog I get a phone call from my mother. She said that Nico had forgotten his phone in the plane and he has to go fetch it and that he will also take her and my future sister-in-law for a flip. There's no way I could miss out on this and I decided to tag along again. It's not everyday that I get to see my mother get into a little plane!

So we are on our way back to the hanger again and I tell them what to expect. I also scare them a little by over exaggerating how much G's you pull etc. I just can't believe it. My mom, the one that is always afraid to fly, will go for a flip with a veteran Pilot? I have to see this!

We arrive at the airstrip and pull the plane out of the hanger again. What I would do to be able to do this every single day... Anyway, Mariska, my future sister-in-law, decides to go first. I can see the terror in her eyes but also the excitement!

Mariska getting into the plane 

She does her flip and lands safely again. Her eyes is, I would guess, 3 times bigger than when she took off and she is also about two tones paler. Shame... Next it was my mother. They take off and I can just imagine her face. Uncle Nico doesn't take it light on her and he even does some aerobatic flips he didn't do with me... Sigh... Oh well, next time!

 One very frightened mother

She is on the ground and is hopping around like a Duracell bunny! I'm actually very glad that she got a flip so that she can see or, well, experience what I feel and why I want to fly. She also said that she now understands why I want to fly. The adrenaline, the excitement, the rush, everything is what drives me!

It was a very successful day and I cant thank Uncle Nico enough! Hopefully he will take me with him in the future when he has to fly to Cape Town or something. Not that I am expecting it but it would make a little boys heart bloom of joy.

I also learned a very valuable lesson that day. On our way back Uncle Nico talked to me about Christian living. It doesn't matter if you do the right deeds and go to church and preach the Gospel and do Praise and Worship if you don't have the right heart. It's not about what you do... In the end, it's all about your heart that is on the right place and your relationship with God.

...Jaco over and out...

The amount of opportunities is overwhelming!

It has been exactly 9 days ago since I had my first flight in a light aircraft. The urge to go flying is driving me nuts! A lot has happened in the past 9 days. I have started to study my module and I must say it is very interesting! The history, their so called 'culture', the AF attitude... The more I study the more I feel that I belong there.

Yesterday I met a Pilot that lives in our town. He is called Nico Coetzee and is a retired SAAF Pilot and instructor. He has so many advice that he gives me and so many stories that makes me wish I could just leave school now and go fly. Unfortunately it is not possible as I need to have passed Matric if I want to be in the SAAF...

Nico also mentioned that he has a RV-7 in which he can take me for a flip every now and then! It's as if all of a sudden I just get so many opportunities... God is most definitely helping me to follow the plan He had from the start. My family and I will visit Nico tomorrow and then discuss a few things. I'm super excited!

Nico's RV-7

The RV-7 interior and flight instruments

I also spoke to Aristide and he said he could take me for a flip and then go around the Cape Point (If I'm lucky) Well see how that works out... Hopefully I get to see Cape Point and Hout Bay from 3000ft!

The only female Gripen pilot in the world is from South Africa. I spoke to her over Facebook and she also gave me some advice. She said that she can arrange a day-trip for me and my father to AFB Langebaanweg. Maybe I get to see the simulator and the Silver Falcons' aircraft! This should happen somewhere in early December. I'll make a blog entry about that day when I get there.

Our head boys' father is also a Pilot. He flies Cessna's in the Hermanus area for tourists to do whale watching. He said that I can borrow some of his books to do some more studying about aircraft. Anything that will build my knowledge about flying is very much appreciated.

Exams started a week ago and it is going very well. I have a positive feeling about all the papers I wrote so far especially maths. It started of very good and then when I got to Question 3, I didn't know what to do and stressed a little. I just went on with the other questions and came back to that one last and was then able to do it. Maths isn't that difficult... :D

That's about it for now... All this in just 9 days! Imagine what could happen in a year... I feel very privileged to have a supportive family and to get to know new Pilots on a weekly basis and I thank my Creator everyday for these opportunities. My dreams is becoming a reality and I WILL reach my goal! Thank you Papa.

...Jaco over and out...

This is where my Journey begins.

To start off with, I am very excited about this blog. I will see it as my 'flying diary' where I will keep everyone updated about my journey in becoming a SAAF pilot. All my flying and aviation experiences will also be posted here.

I decided to join the SAAF forum and post on there that I WILL become a pilot. At first I don't think anyone thought that I was serious... It's not everyday that some random person joins the forum and claims he will be a pilot. (If only they knew how serious I am!) After a few days or so on the forum I met Heather. I could not believe my eyes when I first read what she posted. She said: 'we can arrange a flight for you...' A flight? You mean I can go fly? YES! For the first time in my life I will fly in something different than a B737!

All I need to do now is to give her a time and a date whenever I can make it to Stellenbosch Flying Club. This is trickier than I thought as the only transport I have is my parents. (If only I can get my Drivers License!) They are very busy because of the December Holidays that is coming up. We have to have enough supplies in the butchery so they can't really take a day off from work.

After a lot of begging I finally got them to say the 4 letter word: Okay. The only time that they could take me to go fly is on a Sunday. I arranged it with Heather and we were good to go. Surprisingly that is the only day that the weather will be good enough for flying as well! Sunday, 7 November 2010 is the day my journey begins.

We arrive at the Stellenbosch Flying Club at 9:05am. I am only supposed to be there at 9:30am but the traffic was a lot less than we expected. Secretly I don't mind being there earlier as I get to be at a airfield! The 25 minutes was one of the longest waits ever... Somewhat 200 meters away in a hanger I can hear some engines firing up. Ohh how I love that sound and the sweet smell of Avgas.

I am greeted by Heather and another friend of hers called Aristide. He is a instructor and has a PPL and a CPL. Heather shows me around the aircraft and I get to sit in a Cessna 177! Whilst inside she teaches me some functions of certain dials (which I cant really remember as there was a LOT of them...) After her lecture we casually stroll towards our plane. (I feel like running towards it and jumping in but I just can't do that...) We will be flying the Microwing Cubby! Here it is:

Heather shows me the controls and what everything does and how it works etc. While she does her pre-flight inspections I can feel the butterflies starting to build up in my tummy. We hop into the cockpit and are almost ready to go. She briefs me shortly on what I have to do in case something happens. I was very happy and scared at the same time when she said I have to sit in the front. Doesn't the Pilot usually sit in the front? Oh well, I just gave a big smile and said okay! The engine starts and I can feel the plane start vibrating under me. We put on the headsets (which is very very awesome) and do some checks.

As we start to roll onto the runway I can hear her radioing the other planes to inform them that we are about to take off. After a quick engine heat up we are ready for take off. As the plane starts to bolt down the runway I can feel some slight G forces. We are now 300feet ASL (above sea level) and my smile stretches from ear to ear. I can see the ocean, the mountains, the cities, everything!

We head over to strand area and are 3000ft ASL. I never knew the Strand is so beautiful! There is no wind or clouds in sight. What a sight to behold! She opens the door and I am 10cm's away from having a 1km drop... The air that flows past us into the cockpit, the sound of the engine, the other airplanes that keeps on radioing each other. This is what I was born to do!

We head over to the mountainside and do some sight seeing. Heather asked me if I wanted to fly. What do you think my answer was? She tells me to put my hands on the flight stick and my feet on the rudder controls and feel how it moves when she flies. She hands total control over to me. I am now flying a airplane all by myself. I do some turns and it feels great! Turn to the right, level out, turn left, level out, turn left while lowering altitude, level out. Ohh how wonderful it feels to fly! Can the magic of flight ever be described in words? I think not.

I hand over the controls to Heather. Now we will be doing some steep turns and a stall. The steep turn is, well, steep. Have a look for yourself!

After the steep turns we did some stalls. She pitches the nose up and lower engine power. Suddenly we are falling from the sky! She pitches the nose down again and start gaining speed! I can feel the negative G fores. 1 word. AWESOME!

It is time to head back. (I don't want to but we have to) To finish it off with we will be going through the Hottentots Holland mountain gorge. We approach it and I think to myself: 'Soon I will get to see this often.' How beautiful it was is indescribable.

As we approach the runway there is some other planes that is flying under us, over us and in front of us. There were planes everywhere. We slowly head towards the runway and I start getting butterflies again. We soar 1ft above the tarmac for about 20 meters and then touchdown. We have landed safely.

Everything was just so perfect. This is what I want to do with my life and it is most definitely what I will do. I want to fly and I will fly. The feeling of freedom. The feeling of excitement. The feeling of danger. It is becoming a drug.

So this is where my journey starts. Thank you Heather for letting me fly a small aircraft for the first time. I will definitely repay you in the future when I will be your Pilot in a Gripen.

I have started preparing myself for the upcoming selections. I compiled a module with all the information about the SAAF. The History, equipment, insignias, bases, units, everything. I WILL be a SAAF pilot. It doesn't matter how long it takes me to achieve this goal but I will get it.

I will end off with some more photos from my first flight.

Approaching the Strand.

Flying over the Strand.

Flying with a open door.

Flying over Somerset Mall.

Flying through the gorge.

The Stellenbosch Flying Club.

The Pilot and her trusty Co-Pilot!

...Jaco over and out...