With pride I can write that since this week-end, I am officially graduated as Private Pilot !
As you probably read on my previous posting : I’ve been waiting for almost 4 weeks till I got the chance to fly the obligated 150NM flight… Last week Monday, I suddenly received a GO from my instructor and performed as it should be ! Next flight was last Saturday : gusting crosswind in between 10-15 KTS, nice weather to train :S And then came along Sunday 23/Mar 2008 : I got up at 7AM, called my instructor at 8AM to discuss the weather, arrived in the club at 9AM to prepare everything and to fly some “warming up” circuits, and at 10AM my exam started !
3 phases :
1) Verification of my papers, the weight&balance calculation and my abilities to check on NOTAMs, PIBs, METAR & TAF, … Then we proceeded with thorough external pre-flight check of the plane and related questions, some questions even addressed the engine and related components
2) Circuits : normal circuit, precision landing, go around, flapless, simulated forced landing, precautionary landing, everything you can imagine… Then we took a small break with a coffee 
3) Now the real test began : a VFR navigation, EBOS-Torhout-Poelkapelle-EBNM.
Just when leaving the EBOS TMA, I informed Ostend Approach that we were first going to do some manoeuvring exercised above Torhout (steep turns, stalls, …) after which we concluded with the navigation to Poelkapelle. After visual verification, we continued with the last leg to Namur, but soon I was asked to make a (small) diversion to Moorsele EBMO : coming in the circuit on 1500ft (+looking out for parachutes) a go-around, and we left again direction seaside with some VOR tracking on KOK Koksijde & concluded with ADF homing on OO Ostend. We got in the left hand circuit for RWY 26 and my examinator took control of the plane. Gently he came in base, final, landed the small airplane …. I was expecting another challenge… BUT IT WAS FINISHED !!!
I want to thank Ludo for his attitude & discipline he puts into his lessons, Manuel+Paul+Johnny & Jenny of the NZVC club for their support, and my sister for her continuous belief in what I can do. The whole training was an adventure till now, and things are just starting now !!
Below some pics of my flight to EBSG Charleroi & EBSG Saint-Ghislain
CYA next time !!
http://www.blueskiesaviation.be/
prep of the flight :
just landed in Charleroi EBCI :
flying back to Ostend, water in sight abeam Kortrijk :
and off course verification of the water on my VFR chart 
almost home : Wijnendale castle !!
again congratulations Bart.
i hope that you may enjoy this freedom for as long as you wish and that you may succeed in everything you want to achieve in the world of aviation.
i also hope that i can achieve the same so that the series of corks, that you started, can be expanded @ NZVC.
best regards
Wim
By: Wim on March 25, 2008
at 9:38 pm
Dear brother,
First of all, I want to express my congratulations to you! But I always knew you would get your “wings”. Since you were little, you always gave yourself for 200% if you wanted something! So when you started this course, I knew y
By: Ann on March 27, 2008
at 5:29 pm
Sorry!! The cat loves to play with the computer!!..
As I said, I knew you would succeed!!
Secondly it is a honour to be your first passenger! Hopefully I won’t be as sick as a cat…;-)
Love ya!!
Your sister x
By: Ann on March 27, 2008
at 5:39 pm
congratulation with your graduation and with this great blog. I’ll come back from time to time
By: Giel Sweertvaegher on March 21, 2009
at 4:07 pm