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| My instructor Joe doing the epaulette honours |
Wednesday 31 July 2019
Graduation ceremony
Yesterday after lunch there was a short presentation for the two CPL students who recently gained their licences, and for me for having passed the flight instructor rating.
Tuesday 30 July 2019
Camping, Aussie style
The day after passing my instructor rating flight test, four MAF families had decided to go camping together. I was asked by two of them, independently, if I would like to tag along. I had been thinking of taking my tent somewhere for an overnight camp just to have a bit of a break, so figured it would be a good opportunity to join in and do something a bit different.
We drove about 3 1/4 hours north of Mareeba towards Cooktown and stayed at a place called Home Rule. Friday was all about getting there and setting up camp. Saturday I joined in with a soccer game with some of the boys and went for a walk up to the waterfall. Sunday we packed up and drove back home.
It was interesting seeing the elaborate gear that people have in their camper trailers! My family's camping experience growing up was a play tepee we would put up in the back yard every now and then. A couple of times my brother and I said we wanted to sleep in it at night, but every time we chickened out and went back inside. In my teenage years I started going on camps and tramping trips with Air Training Corps. Most recently, I've focused on tramping and so the gear I've bought has reflected that in terms of weight. I brought my Macpac tent (weighing 2.3 kg) and a self-inflating mattress (weighing 0.65 kg) over to Australia with me. A real contrast to the canvas homes-away-from-home that everyone else had!
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, but I felt a bit odd being there (and having so many little kids around got on my nerves after a while). So next time I think I will opt to go by myself, somewhere a little closer to home. I am thankful that I was invited though, and made to feel like part of the family.
We drove about 3 1/4 hours north of Mareeba towards Cooktown and stayed at a place called Home Rule. Friday was all about getting there and setting up camp. Saturday I joined in with a soccer game with some of the boys and went for a walk up to the waterfall. Sunday we packed up and drove back home.
It was interesting seeing the elaborate gear that people have in their camper trailers! My family's camping experience growing up was a play tepee we would put up in the back yard every now and then. A couple of times my brother and I said we wanted to sleep in it at night, but every time we chickened out and went back inside. In my teenage years I started going on camps and tramping trips with Air Training Corps. Most recently, I've focused on tramping and so the gear I've bought has reflected that in terms of weight. I brought my Macpac tent (weighing 2.3 kg) and a self-inflating mattress (weighing 0.65 kg) over to Australia with me. A real contrast to the canvas homes-away-from-home that everyone else had!
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, but I felt a bit odd being there (and having so many little kids around got on my nerves after a while). So next time I think I will opt to go by myself, somewhere a little closer to home. I am thankful that I was invited though, and made to feel like part of the family.
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| Chillaxing at the campsite |
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| Waterfall |
Friday 26 July 2019
Passed!
On Thursday 25 July I passed my flight instructor test!
Pictures of the 'graduation ceremony' are here.
The next few months will be on-the-job training where I'll work through various MAF instructor standardisation exercises, under supervision. We have just had two new students start at the Flight Training Centre, so hopefully I'll have the opportunity to be instructing them soon.
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| The MAF Mareeba Flight Training Centre's newest instructor |
Pictures of the 'graduation ceremony' are here.
The next few months will be on-the-job training where I'll work through various MAF instructor standardisation exercises, under supervision. We have just had two new students start at the Flight Training Centre, so hopefully I'll have the opportunity to be instructing them soon.
Saturday 20 July 2019
Rescue mission
On Thursday afternoon I was writing up some notes from my flight exercise that morning when one of the other instructors came to me with a request: would I be willing to fly out to Chillagoe and pick up a CPL student and instructor who were stuck there with engine trouble?
As it turned out, due to the limit on the aircraft's maximum all-up weight, I was the only one who was light enough to fly out to pick both of them up. It was also a good opportunity to practise the navigation techniques used in Australia (which are a bit different to how I had been flying in NZ).
As it turned out, due to the limit on the aircraft's maximum all-up weight, I was the only one who was light enough to fly out to pick both of them up. It was also a good opportunity to practise the navigation techniques used in Australia (which are a bit different to how I had been flying in NZ).
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| Flight from Mareeba to Chillagoe |
Saturday 13 July 2019
A reminder to keep going
The instructor's rating has been taking a toll recently... thankfully the end is nearly in sight!
A week or so ago I went for a walk to pray about how difficult I was finding everything. God reminded me of various things He had taught me through my ministry partnership period. At the time I wrote them down in my journal.
When I got back from the walk, I hunted through the journals and collated these five things on a single piece of paper, which is now on my fridge as a daily reminder.
Perhaps they will encourage you, as they have encouraged me!
A week or so ago I went for a walk to pray about how difficult I was finding everything. God reminded me of various things He had taught me through my ministry partnership period. At the time I wrote them down in my journal.
When I got back from the walk, I hunted through the journals and collated these five things on a single piece of paper, which is now on my fridge as a daily reminder.
Perhaps they will encourage you, as they have encouraged me!
Sunday 7 July 2019
Lake Barrine
On Sunday afternoons - weather permitting - I've been trying out a few new walks in the local area. Recently I visited Lake Barrine. This is a freshwater lake fed by rainwater, about 5 km in circumference.
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| Kauri pines (I resisted the urge to laugh at people who were reading the sign and pronouncing it 'caw-ree' instead of 'cow-ree') |
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| Pretty boardwalk section of the walk |
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| Privately run teahouse at the lake |
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| Bush turkey |
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| Closer to home: white ibis and straw-necked ibis (the former are colloquially known in some parts of Australia as 'bin chickens') |
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