Flying Podcast

In this the third and final part of the DHFS podcasts I’m interviewing Flight Lieutenant Stu Walker. Stu invited me down to RAF Shawbury, arranged my visit and the interviews with the various personnel on the base. Stu’s story is quite an interesting one and so I thought it would make a good stand-alone podcast in its own right. In this interview Stu tells me how he wanted to join the RAF from an early age. Initially his aim was to become a front-line fighter pilot but you can hear how his military career progressed through flight training, flying Nimrods, doing a masters degree is Aero Systems, working in the Flight Information Publications department and then on to flying helicopters.

Today I’m talking to Paul Hutchings, Chief Pilot for Thomas Cook Airlines. I’ve had a lot of questions from listeners about becoming a commercial pilot so who better to talk to than the chief pilot of one of the country’s largest charter airline fleets. I was interested to hear what qualities they look for in potential new recruits and I was particularly interested in their Cadet Training Scheme for ab-initio pilots.

In the second part of the DHFS podcasts I interview Squadron Leader Jason Bowes and Master Aircrew Graeme Longmuir. They’re both from 60 Squadron, responsible for training pilots and crewmen on multi engine helicopters at RAF Shawbury. I also talk to a couple of RAF students; Flight Lieutenants Keith Lam and Becky Corrigan and also to Corporal Neil Moncur, head of Flight Planning and lastly to Paul Gresty of the Met Office.

The Defence Helicopter Flying School is where military helicopter pilots and crewmen for all of the UK's armed forces are trained. In this the first of 3 episodes on the Defence Helicopter Flying School I'm talking to the Commandant, Group Captain Jock Brown, who gives me an overview of the unit which is based at RAF Shawbury. Also in this episode I interview the squadron leaders of the 2 squadrons that teach single engine helicopter flying, both basic and advanced, here at the DHFS.

Today I’m visiting London Gliding Club near Dunstable talking to Adrian Hobbs, a Basic Instructor at LGC all about gliding. In this episode Adrian tells us pretty much everything we might need to know about learning to fly a glider. He explains how London Gliding Club operates and what you can expect when you come to LGC to fly a glider, either on a trial flight or a longer gliding course.

In this episode of Flying Podcast, I'm talking with Ted Moore of European Balloons. European Balloons operate commercial hot-air balloon flights in the Home Counties from their base in Great Missenden. The purpose of this interview was to find out more about hot-air ballooning. How do you get into it? What qualifications do you need? What sorts of balloons are there? How do you learn to fly a hot air balloon? Etc etc.

Today I’m talking to Claire Hatton. Claire is a Commercial and Instrument Rating Instructor with Ravenair, based mainly at Liverpool, John Lennon Airport. Way back in episode 3 we discussed flight training for the PPL so I thought it probably a good idea to find out a little more about what’s involved in more advanced ratings and licenses such as the IMC, Multi engine, IR and CPL. So if you have any interest in improving your flying or want to get into commercial aviation, have a listen to what Claire has to say.

Following on from my chat with Mike Miller-Smith of the BDFA, today I’m talking to one of the pilots that has trained with them. Arthur Williams broke his back in a car accident in 2007 leaving him paralised from the waist down. At the time he was serving with the Royal Marines and as you could imagine, he lead a very active life. He left the army in 2009 and decided that disability wouldn’t stop him becoming a pilot and, with the aid of the British Disabled Flying Association, that’s just what he’s been able to do. Following his trial flight he went solo after only 9 hours and since then he’s gone on to gain his National Private Pilot’s Licence.

In episode 21 of Flying Podcast today, I’m talking to Nick Forder, Transport Curator at Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry. Nick has a superb insight into the history of AVRO aviation and how that was inextricably linked with the history of aviation in the Manchester area. The interview with Nick takes place in the Air & Space Hall, hence the sound of happy children in the background. As we wandered around the collection Nick describes the AVRO aeroplanes and the part they played in powered flight over the last century. After speaking to Nick I talk to Peter Teagle, volunteer at the museum and ex Assistant Chief Designer at Avro in Woodford about the replica Type F Avro aircraft being built by him and his team.

Today I’m talking to Mike Miller-Smith from the British Disabled Flying Association. The BDFA is a registered charity which provides 'experience of a lifetime' trial flying lessons for as many terminally ill & disabled people as possible every year. They also offer subsidised flying days for other disability charities and at cost instruction & qualification flight training to BDFA members.

In this episode of Flying Podcast I talk to Judith Mole and Geoff Minshull who fly hang gliders and paragliders for pleasure. In this podcast they tell us about why they have chosen to fly these particular sorts of aircraft and what is involved in learning to fly. We also discuss the equipment required and where to fly from. Judith and Geoff have been flying hang gliders and paragliders for some years now. They were attracted by the sense of freedom to be had flying flying long distances without any form of power. They mainly fly from the Long Mynd during the British summer but spend their winters over in Spain where they can continue to fly when the weather over in the UK prevents many forms of flying.

An interview with my aviation medical examiner, Dr. Ian Donnan. Following on from my own class 2 medical I asked Ian to give me a run through of what takes place during an aviation medical, what you need to bring along to the examination, what the doctor looks for, the frequencies of examination and the differences between a class 2 and a class 1 medical.

Gary Cooper of Helicopters Northwest explains about helicopter training giving a brief outline of the syllabus, post PPL(H) training options and the sort of problems you can encounter whilst learning to fly.

Paul Lomatschinsky takes part in a comemorative flight across the Atlantic in a Diamond DA42 Twin Star. The flight, which took place in Feb 2009, was to comemorate the 90th anniversary of Alcock and Brown's first non-stop flight from Newfoundland to Ireland in 1919.

An interview with Guy Cowper a captain with the UK's largest charter airline. We hear how he got into flying commercially, what a typical flying day involves, what it's like to work for a major airline and hear a couple of funny stories too.

I spent a few hours with Joel Tobias, owner of a Bell 206 BIII Jet Ranger. In this podcast interview he gives us some background to his flying career, his aircraft and how he uses it for business and pleasure.

Ever wondered about gyrocopters? Well wonder no more. Phil Harwood of gyrocopterexperience.com gives us some background information about gyrocopters, their safety, how to get into flying gyrocopters and what's involved in getting a licence.

An interview with Peter Bondar who, together with his colleagues, has launched a new air taxi service called Diamond Executive Aviation. Using Diamond DA42 Twin Star aircraft they hope to offer a cost effective and efficient air taxi service from your local airfield.

A chat with Sgt. Mick Dunn from Greater Manchester Police's Air Support Unit. The Air Support Unit operates the Police helicopter from City Airport, Manchester. The interview covers such areas as the aircraft used, the technologies they carry onboard, their operational usage and the career path towards getting into the pilot's or the air observer's seat.

Wanafly Aviation are Dave and Amanda Lord. They operate a microlight flying school in France. Today we chat about their background in aviation and how they came to set up their school in France.