“BEING INVITED to instruct the first worthy recipients to benefit from the Thomas Castle Aviation Heritage Scholarship is a real honour. I cannot think of a better way to keep alive the memory of our dear friend Tom than providing enthusiastic young people the ability to expand their flying skills using the very Tiger Moth in which Tom cut his teeth.
When operating any vintage aeroplane, general flying is really only the tip of the iceberg, so in harmony with the aviating, it is so important to foster other key elements; sympathy for both airframe and engine, important engineering skills which underpin the operation, and general aircraft husbandry, among other things.
We encourage everyone to treat the aeroplanes like a member of the family and after a day of flying, we all practice the time honoured ritual of cleaning and a post-flight inspection. Having a good look around your aeroplane after flight ensures that there are no nasty surprises the next time you fly and is a great way to share what you have learnt that day with colleagues.
During my early flying, much of what I learnt was at flying club social gatherings or during a tea break after cleaning an aeroplane or sweeping the hangar. Knowledge gets absorbed by osmosis, not just formally in a classroom. Immersing yourself in the right environment, with like-minded friends, is a fun way to learn. That said, you do need to develop a bit of a filter, as I have heard more than my share of tall stories in the average flying club bar.
Many will progress to other vintage types, so it is important not to make the training purely type specific but to touch on handling and operational aspects which will stand them in good stead when flying any vintage aeroplane, or indeed any piston-engineered aeroplane. Often these types are operated outside the structured environment of a licensed aerodrome or flying school, so it is also critical that we instil the discipline and good old fashioned airmanship which will hopefully keep them safe at a farm strip or outside a 'controlled environment’. You can't really teach common sense or completely prepare someone for the vagaries of flying to some of our more esoteric locations; however, you can share some of the things you have got wrong over the years which might help prevent someone else messing up. Everyone has to forget to put their goggles on once before take-off in a Tiger though and experience a high speed fly in the eye - you are unlikely to do it again!
I have been lucky that the people I have flown with are incredibly enthusiastic, driven and committed to aviation. To watch them progress on both the flying and engineering front is a real thrill for me. Sacrificing luxuries to embrace challenges like slowly building their own aeroplanes, is very impressive and I look forward to sinking a beer when they have test flown their creations.
During all flying and engineering activities, we strive to perpetuate the enthusiasm, impeccable standards, quest for knowledge, discipline and fun, which we always associated with Tom. I am a firm believer that learning anything should be fun and we certainly attempt to do everything with a smile. There is no better way to experience the world, or blow away your cares and worries, than when flying an open-cockpit biplane.”
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