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As the throttle is gently but firmly pushed forward, a sudden rush of adrenalin streams through the veins, the heartbeat rising decisively and the expected sweat bead crops out over the eyebrow. The power from the engine unleashes a force that pulls the machine over the smooth tarmac, a seventy metre run, air speed indicator touching 45 knots and gravity is defied. The microlight escapes the clutch of terraferma and climbs slowly into the crisp morning air. The knot in the stomach fades away and the stiff muscles relax.
Actually it is very difficult to describe the sensation I feel each and every time I get airborne in our club�s microlight. Technically, a microlight (or ultralight) is defined as a small light plane whose maximum weight at take-off does not exceed 450 kg including pilot and fuel. Expressed in other terms a microlight is the lightest category of plane that exists, but nonetheless the satisfaction that one gets from flying one of them is second to none.
Early last year I joined the Island Microlight Club, a fraternity of budding aviators [at the time] based at the Malta Aviation Museum located in a couple of wartime huts at Ta� Qali. The club is the brainchild of two army pilot officers, Captain Mark Said (husband to Marisa Said, Fleur de Lys Branch) and Captain Alex Dalli, a former classmate. Between them these veteran flyers have amassed over 4,000 hours of flight on various types of aircraft and helicopters. Their principal aim from inception was to bring an affordable flying option to all.
I formed part of the second intake of six aspirants. The first intake, that for year 2000, of seven students included our colleagues Charlie Galea (Cash Centre) and Mario Grech (BOVI) who have recently earned their wings. The third intake comprising another six students including the club�s first lady student enrolled in January. The course is based on a standard curriculum approved by the British Civil Aviation Authority and leads students to earn the coveted microlight pilot�s wings and license. The course work includes both theory and practical segments.
The theory, or ground school, spans over a period of approximately six months of intensive lectures optimized to prepare the student for the more challenging practical segment. The topics studied during the first phase include subjects such as principles of flight, power plant and ancillaries, human performance, air law, meteorology, and navigation. Once the ground school is completed, the student takes to the air, for the first few hours under the watchful eye of the instructor. A minimum of fifteen flying hours are required to permit the student to take the notoriously tough General Flying Test (GFT). The student is expected to go solo after about sic hours, and has to complete at least seven hours of solo sorties before doing the GFT.
In the early days of the club, flying operations were conducted at Ta� Qali because microlight operations were prohibited from Luqa International Airport. Needless to say this hampered the club�s activities, but once the local aviation authorities were satisfied with the competence of the club members, permission was granted to operate from Luqa. This represented a quantum leap, where operations became smoother and safer. At Luqa, the microlight is accorded the same red carpet treatment to that given to large commercial jets. It is not an uncommon sight to see the club�s T600N Thruster microlight awaiting it�s turn to take off in between an Airmalta Boeing 737 and an Alitalia MD83.
Once the skills are developed and sharpened, microlight flying offers an enjoyment that surpasses all expectations. Locally we are blessed with very good weather that permits flying for most of the year. The slow speed and the low altitude offer the pilot and his passenger beautiful bird�s eye views of the archipelago. The Maltese islands are gems stemming up from a blue vast sea. Surprisingly from 1,000 feet one can pick out a lot of details on the ground such as the hundreds of swimming pools around Santa Maria estate and Birguma. Each flight is a discovery.
Microlight flying is truly an affordable option to pursue an interesting hobby. A brand new middle range factory assembled microlight can be purchased for about Lm16,000. However, there exists a very active second hand market on the continent where one can buy a good second hand air worthy microlight for as little as Lm5,000. Most microlight engines run on motor gas, spark plugs are purchased from the gas station and punctures are repaired at the vulcanizer. An 80hp four-stroke engine would normally consume about 12 litres of unleaded petrol per hour! Some engines can do even better than this!!
Having completed the standard approach checks, the microlight is harnessed to ride the imaginary glide slope leading to touch down point. The struggle is on to keep the plane perfectly aligned with the runway centerline and with the correct descent rate. The mosque�s minaret is dead ahead 400 feet below us. We are on track. The next reference point is a bit scary � it�s the Addolorata cemetery, don�t look below look ahead because you�ll soon cross the airfield boundary at less than 100ft above the ground level doing 50knots. Final checks completed and at 15 feet the aircraft flares to settle gently on a textbook three-point landing coming to a stop after a ground roll of a mere 100 metres.
If any of you would like to become members of the Island Microlight Club, you are kindly invited to contact me (on 9987-0741) or look at the contact list.
Come on! Your flying dream can now become an affordable reality. |
