Cadets off into wild blue yonder

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Otago Aero Club flight instructor Alan Wright and 28th Squadron Air Training Corps cadet Sam Bruce (14) of Gore, prepare to take off in a Rans S7 microlight at Taieri Airport on Saturday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.

Despite high winds and "a bumpy ride", there was little demand for sick-bags on Saturday when about 40 cadets from Gore's 28th Squadron Air Training Corps took to the skies.

For some of the cadets, the flights at the Otago Aero Club near Mosgiel were their first in a light aircraft.

The fledgling pilots - some as young as 13 - were given flying lessons over the Taieri to give them experience and flying hours to put into their logbooks.

Otago Aero Club flight instructor Alan Wright said "as long as you can reach the pedals and see over the dashboard, you can learn to fly".

But the legal age before a pilot could fly solo was 16, so the training days were important for the cadets.

Mr Wright said the cadets were passionate about flying and had a strong constitution to match.

"Watching their faces when they take the controls - they're beaming.

"There was no demand for sick-bags, even though there were a few bumps out there."

john.lewis@odt.co.nz