Zulu Zulu

Thanks to an anonymous sponsor, I was already able to order my headset. So, I did: Ordered on Monday, delivered on Wednesday already!! :)

Lightspeed Headset

Passed my Medical :)

The only potential show-stopper for my flying adventures was my medical. "Was", because yesterday I got my Class II Certificate! :)

Passed! :)

All happy, because now I'm sure that all the investments already done, and especially those that I am about to do, are not in vain.
If I don't get my license now (in due time, of course), then it's only me to blame. Dedication, devotion, motivation, time, and, yes, some money, is all that's needed as of now. Time and money are the most uncertain factors, but I have them all planed out. If my plan comes through, I'll have my pilot's license in a couple of years.

A few more steps...

The contract between Vuelo corporation and KLM Aeroclub is signed...

... and the airplane is nearly ready ...

... all that is lacking is a bit of paperwork ...

I'm not goin to name a date, but it can't take very much longer until delivery now, can t?

I have an appointment for my initial class 2 medical on wednesday, the 3rd of October. A valid medical certificate is a prerequisite for solo flight, so that's kind of important... If I get my "bill of health", next step will be to become a KLM Aeroclub member, and find myself a headset. I've got some time for those last two, because I will need to save up some more before I can start my actual course.

But first things first. Let's sit in this new baby ;)

Almost there

Saturday the 25th, was the day that the maiden flight of our new plane would take place. Unfortunately, the weather was not good enough to fly, so that flight was postponed. And of course, that also meant the the weather was too bad for us to fly to the factory as well :(

Weatheralert Saturday morning 0900 (exactly the planned departure time)

Orbifly map: Light Green = VMC, Dark Green = Marginal VMC, orange = IMC, rood = intensive IMC, Dark Red very intensive IMC (like just belowr Berlijn...)

Aquila is being built!

In anticipation of our pending visit, the Aquila importer sent us some pictures of the current state of "our" aircraft as it is being built. Or actually it is the state of two weeks ago, as I just returned from a holiday.

  

I can't wait for these two weeks to be over!

We'll depart Lelystad as early as possible on the 25th, with two airplanes, totalling 6 people. The 7th, Peter Eier, will stick some days in Berlin to this factory visist, so he will travel by commercial airliner.  Way to go Peter!

We'll probably do a stopover in Porta Westfalica, or Hildesheim (or one on the trip towards Schönhagen, the other on the return trip). That way, we reduce the flight time per leg from 3 to about 1 1/2 hour, we get to change seats, and possibly put the 2 non-licenced people in the left seat (read: take a flying lesson), each for one leg ...
We are still mailing back and forth to finalise everything, but all but one managed to book a room at the Park Inn hotel at Alexanderplatz, so that promises a nice night in Berlin as well :)

We'll fly back to Lelystad on the 26th, and then I can start organising my pictures. I expect to take more than 10 ... ;) So don't go expecting a full report on the 27th, but do expect one in due time.

Factory visit (1)

This is it, the date is set!
Satuday, August 25th, 7 of us set course to the Aquila factory in Schönhagen. Tim Drubbel reserved a DA-40, and Rik Douwes (Air Waterland, Aquila importer) reserved a Piper Archer. Now, we are all heavily mailing back and forth to come to a distribution of people over the planes, and making hotel reservations.  Peter Eier is making a week out of it, to see Berlin. He has already booked a flight and hotel, so now the rest is trying to book into the same hotel, so that we get to hang out for the entire Saturday. Maybe a good deal of the Sunday as well. In any case, this way, we don't need to make a three hour international flight after a doubtlessly very tyring Saturday. And it will make us enjoy the journey itself all the more :)
Now let's hope the summer weather kicks in finally ...

The plane is ordered!

Somewhere mid-June, the Aquila has been ordered from the factory in Schönhagen (EDAZ, just South of Berlin)!
Link to the site of the factory
Expected delivery dat is the 22nd of October. Slightly more that the 3 months delivery time that was given before, due to closure of the factory during the summer holidays.
That's not so much of a problem for me, since I will need even more time to fill my savings reservoir to a level that will allow me to continue taking lessons on a regular basis. I expect that to take at least until fall next year, maybe even later...

F-HARN, Aquila A210 demonstrator for during the wait for the delivery