Every Photo Tells a Story

A mixture of joy and relief after leaving and returning to earth for the first time! A huge thank you to the wonderful Sue Singleton at Valley Flights for the lessons, the photo, and the lend of a warm jacket!

Hot, high, and very short, Mike's farm strip at Saddle Creek was a challenge to say the least. Accurate flying was required - and I still can't decide whether it was an ideal place for a rookie to hone his skills or if it was simply mental. Perhaps the fact that the gate at the end of the runway that lead to the neighbours property was left open just in case answers that question.

Sadly, Mike sold his property just after I started flying from there. However, this meant a move to the excellent Aeroden Lodge the other side of the Magaliesburgs.

I was rather nervous on this flight as the brakes were playing up - hence the fact I seem to have forgotten my sunglasses! In the event, I had around 900m of the 1km grass strip to spare at Aeroden - meaning a very long taxi!

This was a visit to Sue Singleton with my wife, Joanna, taking the pic.

The trees always make this an interesting approach! I found them to be a very useful guide, but if you were too cautious you would find yourself touching down very deep on another short runway!

I love the stillness of the late afternoon and here I had some very gentle company.

This was technically my first air-to-air shot - and was with a 300mm lens!

Training my daughter, India, in the basic arts of aircraft maintenance!

My aeroplane is always very clean when she is around!

Taking my mother for a flight at Aeroden when she was out from England on extended babysitting duties.

She seems happy enough - if a little windswept!

Although I prefer afternoon flights (longer sleeps!), the morning views in the Magaliesburgs can be spectacular to say the least.

On still mornings like this it is common to come up against some of the balloon safaris - it has a very Biggles 'dawn patrol' feel!

My daughter had her first flight for her fourth birthday - it was all worth it for that smile!

At the time she wanted to be a helicopter pilot, but I am confident I have turned her away from the Dark Side!

While I don't really mind if she learns to fly, I hope that experiences like this means that India has the confidence to do whatever she choses in life.

She certainly looked confidently satisfied with herself after her first flight.

My Tom Cruise impersonation, walking back down the flight-line at the SA Harvard Club.

This followed my first proper air-to-air photoshoot, an aerobatic sortie at that. Lots of fun!

I fly for fun - I know I am never going to do it for a living.

This doesn't mean I don't take it very seriously it terms of safety and looking after myself, but it does mean I can enjoy it without any pressure - including pressure to dress like a 'captain'!