News

William Boyd is a Master Baker from Newtownards who started to learn to fly in Cessnas but soon realised that it was a half baked idea because it was less dough to learn to fly on a Microlight. On 25th June William was ready for his first Solo which turned out to be a piece of cake. William is pictured after landing his Solo and being congratulated by Microlight Flying Magazine editor Geoff Hill who also took the opportunity to put in an order for industrial quantities of freshly baked hobnobs. Congratulations William.

Just 7 hours after first sitting in the Thruster Sprint Gary Loughran flew his first solo flight in it and performed a textbook landing drawing the admiration of the airfield staff. Wisely Gary has already brokered a deal with his wife to facilitate engaging in his new hobby and we all hope she enjoys her new suite, kitchen, wardrobe, car, exotic foreign holiday and diamond tiara.

James Nicholls is a Road Surface Contractor who can claim responsibility for the runways and taxiways at London City and Heathrow Airports. Realising that landing on them would be more fun than building them James decided to learn to fly, and on 11th April 2019 after less than 9 hours tuition on Thruster G CGFZ James embarked on his first solo flight. James did justice to the runway surface at Newtownards by making his First Solo landing look very smooth and professional. Congratulations James…

Reece Griffith is a second year Aeronautical Engineering Student at Queens University Belfast and has an academic interest in the theory of flight.  Putting theory into practice is not normally as easy as it looks but in this case it certainly was as it only took Reece just over 6 hours from his first flying lesson in Thruster G CGFZ to his first Solo flight on 3rd January 2019. Congratulations Reece on a very competent First Solo.

Sean Scullion officially became 16 at midnight on 4th December 2018 and by 10am that day had submitted his CAA Self Declaration Medical and flown his First Solo in Thruster G CGFZ. As sunrise that day was at 0826 Sean completed his First Solo flight 2 hours and 4 minutes after he was legally allowed to do so. Sean was given permission by his school to take the morning off for his First Solo but must be back behind his desk for his end of term exams tomorrow, so it will be back revision tonight but he may find a few spare minutes to fill in an application for the young person’s BMAA flying bursary. Congratulations Sean.

Wings Night this year at the Ulster Flying Club saw five new Microlight Pilots being presented with their Wings Certificates by veteran World War 2 bomber pilot Bill Emes. Clement Buchanan, Roy Clarkson, Edwin Calvin, Bobby Moore and Tom McCrea were also presented with engraved crystal whiskey glasses by the club which they put to use before posing for the obligatory group photo.

18 year old dairy farmer Andrew McConnell from Glenherry completed his first solo flight in Thruster G CGFZ on 28th October after only 10 hours instruction. Andrew is already plotting to evict Daisy and her mates from the lower pastures to make way for a landing strip of his own. Congratulations Andrew you can now indulge in some Moo-ted celebrations.

You don’t need to be a Psychoanalyst to see from the Photo that Bobby Moore is proud of his achievement of passing his GST on 18th October 2018. Completing his Solo Navigation Exercise on the same day just enhanced the feel good factor. A new certificate from the BMAA will soon adorn his study wall (just next to his Professional Psychoanalyst Qualification Certificate.) Bobby has already bought a beautiful Icarus C42. We hope you enjoy it as much as the Thruster. Congratulations Bobby.

For Edwin Calvin it was a close run contest between finishing his private Airstrip on his farm and finishing his Flying Course for his Pilot’s License. Passing his GST on 15th September in G CGFZ at Ards Airport resolved that issue, but Edwin now needs to work full time on his JCB to get the strip ready for the arrival of his nice new National Private Pilots License.

Congratulations Edwin you will be amazed at how many new pilot friends that a Pilot with his own Airstrip acquires.

People book their first Introductory fights for a number of reasons varying from wanting to learn to fly to just having a bit of fun. When this guy turned up today I placed him firmly in the ‘Bit of fun’ category

It wasn’t a perfect day for flying on 3rd August 2018 but a bit of rain and the occasional sneaky low cloud didn’t deter Tom McCrea from completing his Flying Course and passing his final General Skills Test. Tom has planned ahead and last week bought a share in a beautiful Jabiru 450, so all he has to do is wait for his license to arrive from the CAA and then enjoy the rest of the summer playing with those sneaky clouds again. Congratulations Tom.

Tom McCrea is an Economic Migrant fleeing Cessnania for a better life in Microlighterland after hearing that he could learn to fly at half the price in Microlighterland, and that it is more fun there as well. Tom was quickly welcomed in his new home and granted asylum. He has already proved that he will be a net contributor to his new homeland after flying his first solo in G CGFZ on 6th July 2018 after only a two hour conversion. Microlighterland continues to offer sanctuary to Cessnanians on a humanitarian basis and is proud of its record of alleviating the suffering of less fortunate Aviators. Congratulations Tom

Bobby Moore last tasted success when he captained England in the 1966 World Cup. A mere 52 years later on (24/6/18) Bobby triumphed again by completing his First Solo flight in Microlight G CGFZ. The video referee indicated that the landing was good and that Bobby has scored. Congratulations Bobby. ( it was the same Bobby Moore. Honestly!)

Bobby Booth is an Aircraft Refueler at Dublin Airport and normally tops up 747s with up to 85,000 litres of JetA1 fuel. Today (22/6/18) he used 6 litres of BP unleaded petrol completing his own First Solo flight in Thruster G CGFZ. Congratulations Bobby on your First flight as pilot in command and for saving the planet by using 84,994 litres of fuel less than normal.

Cool FM Radio Presenter Paulo Ross is on the air every day between 7am and 10am but today he was in the air in a Microlight between 12am and 2pm flying over the Mourne Mountains. (we didn’t let him use the Thruster FM radio).