EXPERIENCE GAINED ON A CHARTER FLIGHT
Blue Chip Flight School in alliance with FlyJetstream announces a further flight training concept which provides the opportunity to accompany an experienced Charter crew on an actual charter flight after your 30 Hours of training hours flown.
There are several advantages to this, least of which is the experience gained from the cockpit enviroment on actual approached to flying into busy international airports like O.R Tambo.
The student observes the flight planning process, IF approaches, international and border crossing into other countries.
This exposure will see to it that the student is equipped with additional skills for the smooth entry to the Charter market upon the completion of the CPL training.
Read more from Students about there recent Charter Experience.
Willie Roux - PC12 Charter
21 June 2010. Wonderboom airport 1:00 UTC. A cold winter breeze blowing through my hair as I look down on one of the world’s fastest single turbo prop aircraft, the Pilatus PC12 (ZS-ZBR). Standing on the porch of Blue Chip Aviation I dream of how it must feel flying in such a breathtaking aircraft and following a career in aviation. Well today my first charter experience was about to depart with Blue Chip Aviation in co-operation with Fly Jetstream Aviation, taking me one step closer to my dream.
Boarding the plane with pilot in command, Ian van Zyl, after doing a proper pre-flight inspection, I was quickly briefed about the basic cockpit layout and a few things concerning my task as co-pilot for the day, as we lined up runway 11 for a right hand out departure for Lanseria at 6000 feet my hart was thumping in my throat as I reported the departure with our callsign as “streamjet 127”.
Flying in the special rules area at that time of the day is just a sight I cannot explain, I felt so happy in the right hand seat of an extraordinary aircraft trying very hard to get used to the glass cockpit. We touched down at Lanseria with the intentions of clearing customs and then heading for Windhoek (Eros airport) flying with ease as there where minimal air traffic at that hour of the day.
Departing from Lanseria we selected to climb to flight level 270, activating the auto pilot for the job, I was in awe to experience the comfort of flying with this incredible piece of equipment, combined with glass cockpit it really makes a pilot’s task so much easier! (Bear in mind that I’m used to light aircraft like C172) as we levelled of at altitude Ian got out of his seat telling me to listen out on the radio while he was away. As I was still wondering where he would go, he returned with perfectly packed lunch boxes! It was the last thing I’d expected to have a perfectly balanced breakfast whilst sitting behind the controls of a pc12, so not used to it but it was truly amazing!
As we fly over Botswana everything was still dark with a temperature of -26 indicated, while we sit sound inside not feeling even a little chill. The auto pilot kept everything steady as I was starting to look for the sunrise in a direct easterly direction, it really did not feel like reality! Morning has just broken when we established radio contact with Eros to join on a right base for runway 08. After touch down I looked on my watch to find that we had flown for only 2 hours and 20 minutes! After I have given it some thought, I clearly remembered flying in variable winds with a ground speed of 276kts! Fantastic!
At Eros we have spent approximately 30 minutes to refuel and load a package while stretching some legs in the mean time, then in a flash we where off again for the somewhat long leg back, heading for Johannesburg International, I was given control of the aircraft as we climbed to level 210, I quickly learned that a pc12 was extremely sensitive on its control surfaces and that you cannot really fly it VFR, because you have to constantly look outside keeping the weather pod on the right wing level with reference to the horizon, so yes, I had our stomachs all over place battling to keep her level! It went better though as time had passed. Some other reasons for a sophisticated auto pilot now clearly occurred to me!
Almost flying the same leg back to Johannesburg, now just in daytime, Botswana was lying beneath us with a somewhat flat landscape. Still controlling the aircraft it seemed like everything was happening so fast, and it was only a matter of time when Mafikeng’s large runway became visible on the right hand side, and minutes later everything felt hectic again when flying into the Jhb TMA with air traffic very well dealt with by ATC, we soon followed a Boeing 737 onto final approach for runway 03 right (Johannesburg International) as I gave a sigh of relief being glad to have a very capable pilot in command by my side! Once on the ground I was again given control of the aircraft, and soon we had the packaged delivered. Shortly after clearing customs for entry into SA, we were lined up and heading back to Wonderboom. It was here where I got the incredible chance to be in command of 1200BHP, accelerating down the runway for our takeoff run, everything felt so smooth and fast!
The routing to Wonderboom was fairly simple IFR course: (I Follow Road). We set course following the Ben-Schoeman - N1 highway, heading over Grand Central to join at Wonderboom for a non standard left-hand approach for runway 29. On long final Ian looked at me and said “you have control”, my first thought was “what the..?” but then quickly analyzing the situation at hand I took control with confidence focusing on the runway numbers and the straight white centre line. With 40 degrees flaps selected we steadily approached 29 with a low nose attitude, thus making the round out pull on the controls bigger where Ian swiftly gave me a hand just making sure I do not touch down with the nose wheel first.
My first charter experience was a huge success, and one that I would never hesitate to have again! Many thanks to Blue Chip and Fly Jetstream; this experience enflamed my passion for aviation and brings forth a new motivation to dedicated aspirant professional pilots trained with Blue Chip.
Willie Roux
Albert Swanepoel - Charter PC12
Imagine watching the sun rise from FL280 and looking down at the earths surface only to see that it is still dark, truly breathtaking.
It all started when we took off from WONDERBOOM NATIONAL AIRPORT (FAWB) at 03:00am local time and routed to LANSERIA AIRPORT (FALA). After we cleared customs and immigrations we had a cup of coffee on the apron in front of the magnificent Pilates PC12.
After our coffee we were cleared and took off from LANSERIA AIRPORT (FALA), after take off we gradually climbed to FL280 and headed to our destination, Namibia. The Leg to Ondungwa was amazing, everything from watching the sun rise to passing over the Etosha pans.
After we refueled and loaded our cargo at Ondungwa we took off again and headed fOR O.R. THAMBO INTERNATIONAL (FAJS). The leg back was just as amazing as the one there. We dropped the cargo and cleared customs and immigrations got clearance and took off for WONDERBOOM AIRPORT (FAWB). I was allowed to pilot the short leg from FAJS to FAWB and it was amazing!
This truly was the experience that every New Pilot dreams of.
Thank you FlyJetstream , Blue Chip Flying School as well as Ian Van Zyl for making this all possible.
Albert Swanepoel - Charter PC12
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Chad Clark - Charter PC12
On Tuesday the 28th of April I had the opportunity to participate in a charter flight to Namibia in one of the worlds best single turboprop aircraft, the Pilatus PC-12.
Arriving at Wonderboom Airport at 03:30 we departed at about 04:00. This first flight at night was for me, an awesome experience. We had a quick flight over to Lanseria Airport in order to fuel and clear customs, and then departed straight to Windhoek.
I learnt quite a lot about the aircraft during the flight and its operation.
We climbed to FL 240 for the leg to Windhoek and got to see the sunrise which is so much better at that altitude. This is an experience I’ll never forget. I now know what aircraft I would like to pilot after obtaining my Commercial Pilots Licence!
This also goes to show that the joint venture between Blue Chip Flight School and FlyJetstream has made it possible for the owners to care about the future of their pilots.
A big thank you to Blue Chip Flight School for their excellent training and FlyJetstream for the opportunity to accompany one of their pilots, Stefaan, to Namibia in the Pilatus PC-12!
Chad Clark & Stefaan Bouwer