20/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Well Nigel and Debs departed early in the Yak coz Debs had to get to work and then Nigel and the Yak came back! The Yak is spending the week at Anglia flight while Nigel, Debs, Ben and Mattie head out to Malaga for the week… and they’re leaving me behind The Yak is spending the week at AF so that Dale can use it to photograph the Lancaster (BBMF) in it’s new colour scheme - “The Phantom of the Ruhr”… and it’s also got to have a wash and polish up… Dale is convinced Nigel doesn’t look after it properly!! Nigel hitched a lift back to Elmsett in the Ca50 with Martin Cadman (he’s an old Hurricane pilot!)… so I went along for the ride too - well it’s been a while since I’ve seen Elmsett… I’m turning into a “norfolk boyy”!! I also then accompanied Martin back to Norwich after saying goodbye to Nigel…  Well, he needed a good co-pilot I enjoyed the trip from Elmsett back to Norwich - a nice easy one to navigate with the A140 and of course the coast (love flying in East Anglia!!)… Think I’m almost ready for my navigation exams!!

Posted in Diary | Print | 1 Comment »

19/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Another lovely day and more lessons with Dale… oooh this is the life!! Norwich airport is feeling like home to me - I think I could happily live here… and I think that’s what Dale and Andrea are hoping too… well they’d better buy some more tickets then! Tonight I was reunited with mum… just for a bit! Nigel was presenting the “Yak Chat” at Happy Landings for the Norwich Aviation Group - but oh deary me - what a disaster! The projector they brought was broken… so it was a mad dash for Debs and Dale to go to PC World to get a SCART lead for the PC to connect to the TV… but PC World didn’t have one… so then it was a dash to ASDA… who had one but then - Ahh No Money! So it was Dale and a cashpoint to the rescue… by the time they got back, Nigel had started!! Debs and I then just sat at the back and listened but the lovely aviation people all bought raffle tickets so we raised more money for children in need… and I might get to live in Norwich yet!!

Posted in Diary | Print | 1 Comment »

18/04/2007 by Pudsey.

A feeling of Deja-vu today with another qualifying cross country test… in BUCA… with me as a lucky mascot! This time it was Von Flaps turn (they do have the most funny names at Anglia Flight!!)… ooh hope there will be no “hitches” - I have read the forum you know!! First leg was the same as yesterday - Norwich to Conington… it’s OK Von Flaps I know the way - I’ll fly for you… ! After Conington we had a long flight down to Southend - sorry Von Flaps but I’ve never been here before so you’ll have to fly this time! Again it was the round of paper signing and a cup of tea before heading back to Norwich. I wanted to detour into Earls Colne to say Hi to Debs, but Von Flaps wasn’t having any of it!! Another good landing at Norwich and another 3 hours added to the log book! Nigel spoke to me tonight and told me that Joe Pasquale is now a PPL and has a Yak52… ooh I wonder if he’ll take me flying with him - I could show him the finer points of Yak Flying!!

Posted in Diary | Print | 4 Comments »

17/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Back to flying today and back to being a lucky mascot again! Jim was to take his qualifying cross country test today in BUCA… and he wanted me to go with him - Oh Jim I’ll fly with you! We first flew from Norwich to Conington, near Peterborough - ooh good another new airfield for me! We had to get Jims paper signed (to prove we actually got there!) and then it was time to be off again - this time to Beccles, nice little airfield to see “Rayner” (Dales friend!). Beccles is yet another old World War II airfield - ooh I’m sounding just like Debs now - that’s the sort of thing she’d say!! After the paper signing and a cup of tea it was back to Norwich and another 2 hours 40 minutes in my log book! Well huuray and well done to Jim coz he passed his test! Well the forum was busy tonight with all his congratulations… and also the congratulations to Dale and Andrea as they announce they are expecting their first baby together - aaah lovely!

Posted in Diary | Print | 1 Comment »

16/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Day off today… and the weather was great - typical!! Spent the day on the PC… logged onto the forum again - rather quiet today. So I had a go on some of Dales PC flight games - ooh they were fun. I was able to fly a “Spit” and got to shoot all the baddies up!! My flying skills on these games are great!! Last day playing with Emily and Elliott before they have to go back to school tomorrow… they have a gameboy DS and a gameboy, and they both have the Dogz game - corr they’re great fun to play. Elliott has a dog called “Dale” and it’s a naughty dog (lives up to it’s namesake then - hee hee!!) - We had great fun telling it off and making it go to obedience classes!! Well it was early to bed tonight as it’s school tomorrow - but hey Andrea - not for me! I don’t have school so why do I have to go to bed early?? Oops. I just got the look from Dale!!

Posted in Diary | Print | 1 Comment »

15/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Busy day today - I was going to Netherthorpe to collect BUCA Yorricks and Dougal were flying up to collect BUCA and they wanted the “lucky mascot” to go with them just so there were no last minute hitches! We had a good flight there and managed to find the airfield first time! Well done Yorricks and Dougal!! I was a bit worried as it was a short field but the guys got it down in one piece After a short break it was time for the flight back to Norwich in loose formation. I kept telling them that it was possible to go a lot closer than that - but they weren’t having any of it - spoil sports! Never mind it was still a good flight home and Dale was so pleased to have both his aircraft back safe and sound My hours are steadily creeping up - another 3 hours 15 minutes added today - great… soon be breaking the 100 hour barrier! It’s just so great to be a flying bear

Posted in Diary | Print | 1 Comment »

14/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Better weather today - good! I had another trial lesson to do today - just 30 minutes this time (ooh these are getting popular - everyone must want to fly with me… Oh and Anglia Flight of course! :-)) After that is was back to the lessons and 55 minutes in the circuit… again! I am so familiar with landing at Norwich now I could do it with my eyes closed… well that’s what Nigel does every time he comes to Norwich! After that I went with Vicky for a 40 minute flight - ooh she’s a lovely lady, I like flying with her! Finally my new friend Spongepants took me to the North Norfolk coast with his first passenger. Well I had to go with him coz I was such a lucky mascot for his test that he wanted me to go on his first passenger flight Emily, Elliott and I then played with Elliotts new car before watching Dr Who… they’re such fans of the show at Anglia Flight - they’ve even got their own Dalek

Posted in Diary | Print | 1 Comment »

13/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Oooh I’m scared, I want to stay in bed today and not fly at all - it’s Friday the 13th!! Don’t be silly says Dale - it’s poor weather (poor viz) today so we probably won’t even get in the air! Well, I nervously went into Anglia Flight and thought I’d spend my day helping Andrea with the food at Happy Landings. I actually enjoyed myself in the kitchen - Andrea showed me how to make a prawn mayo sandwich - ooh that’s messy! Then it happened - an hours trial lesson was about to take off and Dale requested my presence… oooh I was shaking so much I really didn’t want to fly on Friday the 13th! Dale told me to stop being silly as I was scaring the customer - or I would go sky-diving on Friday the 13th!! Well I’m glad to say it’s lucky Friday the 13th - we had a great flight, just a shame the viz was so poor - but all the same I was glad to get back on the ground - now where’s that sandwich!!

Posted in Diary | Print | 1 Comment »

12/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Strange weather today, warm, sunny but with awful viz - typical British Summer says Dale! To be fair - it’s good for April :-). We only managed to get one flight today due to the weather - well mustn’t grumble - my hours are over 70 and I’ve done over 16,000 miles… not bad for 3 1/2 months flying!! So instead of flying I played with Emily and Elliott… Elliott has this great blue car with red missiles… ooh it was great fun to “accidentally” push the button when Dale or Andrea walked past… hee hee! After scoring some great hits they cottoned on to our great game and we had the cdar confiscated… and then I had to go and sit on the “naughty step” Later on, I was allowed to play with Emily, I was a little disappointed coz she hadn’t brought Megan with her, so instead we played with her new baby doll. Hmmm… not keen on this baby lark - all this doll did was cry… and cry… and ooh yes, wet it’s nappy! Don’t think I’m cut out to be a father - I’d rather be flying! Must find out where Dale’s hidden the car - in case tomorrow’s poor weather too :-)! I was allowed to go on the PC today… and was pleased to see my photo’s on the web… bet my album’s nearly full now!

Posted in Diary | Print | 1 Comment »

11/04/2007 by Pudsey.

It’s been another great day for flying today so me, Uncle Dale and “BD” have been kept really busy! We had a 1 hour trial lesson, a 30 minute trial lesson, and a 45 minute trial lesson…  oooh my fame is spreading throughout East Anglia - everyone wants to fly with me!! Well I must be such a good advert for General Aviation :-). Well my next lesson was a nervous one… not because he was scared of flying, but because of what might happen with me on board - Oi! I don’t think that’s fair Dustin - not my fault the engine inspection hatch hinge broke, I didn’t do the walk round (see “Fur-raising scare“)! Anyway we had a great lesson, taxyed back to hanger 10 and then Dale got out and told Dustin to go and do a circuit. Oi, Dale - come back - now I’m nervous!! Well it was OK and I didn’t have to worry, Dustin completed a brill circuit as he “went solo”. I think today has put to bed the “fly with Pudsey at your peril” tag and now earned me the one of “lucky mascot”, coz now I’ve gone solo and completed the skills test in one week!! So don’t forget to take me with you Debs

Posted in Diary | Print | 1 Comment »