Walsh Winner's - 'Amazing' Week
Mr Clinton Sargent
Mr Clinton Sargent. (AK-08-0163-01).
Earlier this year I received a prize at the Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School. Winning entitled me to spend a week on Base at Ohakea and Whenuapai. This turned out to be an awesome week, with lots of new experiences right from the word go.
After five hours cooped up in the cockpit of my Cherokee I was looking forward to a break and a good stretch. I called the tower, and was promptly given a clearance to enter, and told to make for Ohakea. It would have been hard to miss due to the cloud of various aircraft swarming the aerodrome. Next, I was told to join the circuit, and downwind for the taxiway? I had an aircraft ahead of me which had also been cleared for the taxiway. I decided to watch closely, just in case the controller had lost the plot? Sure enough he went in without hassle and I quickly followed suit.
Soon after arriving, I had a flight booked for the CT4 Air Trainer. Taken for granted by many, for me this was like a ride in the Concord! 300HP, cruising at 150kts! Aerobatics in this thing was something different. The rest of the afternoon was set aside to allow time for me to visit the various Squadrons on Base Ohakea, and have a good chat with Base personnel. Soon I was off to Whenuapai onboard a King Air.
At Whenuapai I was shown to my room, and given a key (with my room number on it). I felt my bags would be fine left in the room unlocked, and decided to leave the key behind so I couldn’t lose it. Later that evening, after dinner and a few quiets, I was quite adamant I knew exactly where my room was. However when I decided to retire for the night, I was shocked to discover (with some help) that my room had moved, and now resided on the opposite wing. My bad fellas…
Bright and early on my last day, I got the chance to have an in-depth look through the Herc, and later that evening was treated to a flight in the Seasprite. The next morning we were back off down to Ohakea, this time on the Orion, on which I was lucky enough to score a seat in the cockpit for the flight!
Back in Ohakea I got to spend some time in the Iroquois simulator. After a few successful landings, I was ready to take on the Sioux! After a quick brief, I got kitted up and jumped in. At first I couldn’t help feeling like a trapped goldfish, but this soon passed, and it was promptly replaced by the sensation of sitting on a flying bar stool. Having flown fixed wing, this was a completely new experience, however one I will definitely be trying again! And to those pilots out there trying to hover, don’t give up! Apparently it can be done.
Overall, it was an awesome week with many new experiences as outlined above, and I would like to once again thank the RNZAF and the liaison officers for their time!!