Some things in life are so important you have to commit them to memory. I have the worst memory so without hesitation I put my experiences to paper for future reference.

My name is Gavin Gillett and this is my passion I share with you.

Every Friday I hope to bring you a article detailing my experiences learning to fly. First I will share with you a little background infomation.  Keep an eye out for fridays Lesson One

Learning to fly was the biggest decision I have ever made. Deep down every pilot asks him or her self, do I have what it takes? I did not just want to be a pilot I wanted to be an A.C.E. I wanted to be the best and I wanted it now. I knew to get where I wanted I would need to have 3 things; Attitude, Commitment and Effort. With A.C.E in my mind every step of the way I would embark on the most challenging thing I have ever done. Learning to FLY

I have 26 entries in my logbook and I would like to share with you my experiences in learning to fly.

My first lesson, It’s 2 days after my birthday and as a present to my self I have made the decision to start my new career and this is day one in what would be a long process, but before I begin I will give you a little background knowledge.

I used to live in Geraldton, Western Australia and the local airport is very busy for a small town. Geraldton has a population of 20,000 and is home to many industries like fishing, agriculture and mining. Geraldton Airport is center to all that activity and supports all 3 major industry areas. Geraldton Airport (YGEL) services many local mines and companies throughout the Midwest and beyond, with a wide array of aircraft from Cessna’s to Fokker 50’s.

The weather is always sunny and warm, perfect for flying but Geraldton does have its challenges. Geraldton’s wind is famous around the world, its consistent strong blow is ideal for recreation and water sports. Geraldton is considered by many to be the best windsurfing and kite surfing location on the planet because of its predictable 15knot all day, every day “breeze.” We even have trees that grow sideways because of the winds unrelenting consistency. Geraldton airport is built with wind in mind and has 3 runways and 6 possible directions for takeoff and landing.

The only training organization at the time is Shine Aviation and I was very pleased to find a very experienced CFI (Chief Flying Instructor). His name is Chris Shine and he boasts more than 20,000 hours in his logbook. That is more than 2 years of his life with his feet off the ground. I could not have asked for a better instructor and I cannot wait to be a 20,000-hour pilot my self. 

Shine Aviation does RPT (Regular Public Transport) runs to Golden Grove Mine as well as flying people back and forth to the Abrolhos Islands in the cray fishing season. I was lucky enough on a few occasions to experience what it was like to be an RPT pilot and joined Chris Shine and others on those runs to Golden Grove Mine. These experiences I will share with you another time. 

Most of you know me as a Helo man but we all have to start with a fixed wing if we want to save some cash. Therefore, this will be a set of articles, lesson by lesson every Friday to give you an idea of what it’s like to learn to fly. 

That concludes the background story; I hope you find some value out of my experiences and maybe even a little entertainment.

Kind regards Gavin