PILOT DEBBIE
Photograph of Debbie Flying G-ATOO
Congratulations went to Debbie Plumb, when after three weeks training in the sweltering heat of the Florida sun, she became a pilot in June 2003. The reason why she completed her training in the States was down to two things i.e. weather and cost.
If you have read the previous page, you will be aware that Debbie began her pilot training in October 2002. However, as it turned out, after nearly eight months flying at Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey, the "great" British weather resulted in only twenty five hours logged at an expense of about £3000. The minimum amount of hours required for a National Pilot's Licence in this country is forty, and no one but Chuck Jaeger could manage to learn in so few hours, so it looked as if the licence would prove very costly and time-consuming! However, the States beckoned and after a further seventy-five hours flying over the Florida Everglades she gained her Federal Aviation Authority pilot licence; the cost being about £5000, including Virgin Atlantic flights over "the pond".
Pictured above is Debbie running through the pre-flight checkes in our 1966 Piper Cherokee nick-named "Sneezy". The reason for its name being that the registration number is G-ATOO!
Over the Summer and Autumn of 2003 Debbie and I have enjoyed flying friends all around the South East of England including: Headcorn, Shoreham-By-Sea and Southend. There's always great excitement in the cockpit once the pre-flights are completed, G-ATOO has been taxied to the runway and take off clearance has been given by Biggin Hill Tower on 138.4 MHZ.
Next, Debbie pushes the throttle all the way, Sneezy's engine roars to 2,700 RPM, she checks that the instruments are "in the green" and at sixty-five knots Debbie pulls back on the control yoke, the little Cherokee rising into the air and onto another adventure.
Below is a picture taken by the team's "official photographer", Peter Downing, of us approaching Shoreham Airport and about to turn finals on a rather breezy Autumn afternoon.
Photograph of Turning Finals At Shoreham
If you would like to learn more about flying in the United States then:
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