Life at the college

It's sunday morning and I have just woken up to another gorgeous blue sky day. There's a sense of irony that for the past year while I have been flying pretty regularly, the days have been far from blue sky. Apart from the obligatory Auckland showers and changeble conditions, for the most part the wind has been the biggest feature. I would have done better to take up professional kite flying. Don't know if there is much call for that. I think Peter Lynn has that market cornered.


So anyway, today yes blue sky. But for me, I'll be hitting the books. Sad but true. There just seems to be so much to learn in such a short amount of time. My desk aint big enough. Hell, my brain .
aint big enough. Perfect flying conditions today and I'll be studying. And to rub it in an R44 has just landed pretty much outside my bedroom window. I guess though as I am here to learn IFR it would be just silly to go flying in these conditions.

Life here at the college does seem to be pretty idyllic for the aviation nut. There are aircraft flying from about 7am. These aren't college aircraft, just the locals who go for a quick flight before work. There is an aerobatic operator who takes punters for the ride of their lives. He seems to give them a good ride, flying parallel to the runway at about 10ft on takeoff before going vertical. I wonder how many brown paper bags he has to replace each week. There is also another operator who tows a hanglider with his powered hanglider. And there are light aircraft and helicopters coming and going all day.

As I mentioned earlier, living on site and just having to roll out of bed to turn up to class is pretty cool. Not having to think about travelling time, or cooking meals, or shopping for food. There is a roster to do basic chores (put the rubbish out, wipe down the tables etc), but on the weekend it's just everyone cook for yourselves and chip in to help keep the place clean. I gather that so far this has been a cause for some discontent. On the whole though everyone just gets on and has a damned good time. I was wondering what it was going to be like for me here. Would I fit in?
But to be honest they've totally included me in the life here. I am having an absolute blast. Life here seems to be work hard play hard. Not a bad motto to live by.

But for now my life is study. So stand aside, I've a flight plan to prepare.