Approximately a week ago I was “spotted” by a spotter while departing out of El Berriel. I saw him during the climb out, I only should have smiled a bit more…
Many thanks to Eusebio Ruiz Gómez for this nice pictures!
Now I have some images to remind me at this day of flight.
I was simply too busy to find a moment to write this post. Wanted to make it special, but I’ll just write it right now, because otherwise it won’t happen…
So approximately one year ago I started to “play” with the idea to either buy a plane (share) with someone (PA28-140), to have it and to fly whenever I want. But the plane we wanted to buy (I flew it some 10 years ago), had it’s certificates, etc. expired, so it would have been the same as buying “a problem” and to put in flight would be pretty expensive.
Second option, instead of investing this money into a plane was to make the flight instructor course. Even though I said that I was not going to invest more money into aviation, I did it again.
First, because I wanted to keep learning and refreshing my knowledge. Actually never thought, I’ll have to “re-do” the PPL course again, that I did almost 16 years ago… It was nice to refresh the basics. Where it all started. It had maybe a bit more sense, as at that time, as everything was new to me, but now, it was a nice refreshment of the basics.
So, in May 2021 I started with the FI course. First theory, then flying. Obviously, a bit challenging to learn to fly from the right seat. It took me a couple of hours to feel more confident flying the plane from the right side. But I got used to it, and I feel pretty comfortable flying from the right side (now and then I fly the good old Piper from the left seat, and it makes no problem at all)…
The course was pretty tough. A lot of studying, exams (had to pass the PPL exam over again, which is something I wouldn’t have ever expected to happen again.)
I did my FI course at Canavia, the same school where I did my ATPL (frozen), and I must say I’m happy with the level of the course. The flights were not only “empty flights” to fly the hours and done; as It happens in some schools. We did all the missions you’d have to do with a student that is learning to fly.
Well at the end I was lucky enough to start to work as a flight instructor for Canavia, and it was something special to have get paid for my flights rather than paying for flying. On the top of that, flying out of Tenerife south airport, which is just 10 minutes from where I live, a busy international airport and it’s a good challenge to fly from here.
I need to admit, that I feel the responsibility when I fly. There is the life of the person learning to fly next to me, it’s my life, and lives of all the people on the ground. Also the responsibility for the plane, etc etc. But I like that that challenge, it pushes me further to make the things better and the follow the procedures to operate in a safe manner.
Obviously, I have taken a bunch of images during the course; here are at least some of them; hope you’ll enjoy them!
Safe flying everyone!
PD. And if you want to learn to fly, you know where to find me. Or you can do an introductory flight in Tenerife with me as well, just to try how it feels to fly an airplane :-). I still love to share the joy of flight with all the world!
A couple of days ago just the perfect combination of weather and time of the flying met to take this picture.
Most time of the year at Tenerife South Airport, runway 07 is in use. It’s also the preferential runway at the airport.
Sometimes, when the wind is blowing from the westerly direction (caused by weather systems above the Atlantic Ocean), the runway in use changes to 25.
So mostly if you land just before the sunset on the westerly direction, the sun blindes you during the approach and the landing. It makes no sense to take a picture because you would only see something overexposed on it.
On this landing I was thinking the same. It makes no sense to take a picture. However, I’ve noticed that the sun was already a bit under the horizon so I took out my mobile and just took some shots.
And I’m pretty happy with the result, even though it’s not 100% sharp and we were still lining up with the runway’s extended centerline…
Yeah, definitely like sunsets and also the golden hour! 🙂
Happy 2022!
So, my very first flight in 2022 was on a glider Let-23 Super Blaník, reg. OM-7182.
We had to move by -5 degrees all the gliders to get ours out… But the glider was washed a couple of days ago and it’s main landing wheel froze and it didn’t wanted to move… Fortunately the were able to arrange a heater and “de-freeze” the wheel, so we could get the Blaník out.
Towed the glider to it’s position on the runway and went up for 2 circuits.
No heating, only my ski clothes to warm up…
We did 2 short circuits…
Usually don’t fly with so cold conditions, but it was nice. Something different. A new experience. I’ll be back, but most probably in the summer…
Wish you all safe flying in 2022!
First time that I was able to fly over the volcano at La Palma after a long time. 
Even if the volcano is not active anymore, it still looks pretty hot.
Difficult to find the words to describe this… 
Something we really don’t see every day. Let’s hope it’ll sleep again for a long long time…
Merry Xmas to all my followers, to all those who already joined me for a flight and all those that will join me as well
Many thanks for all your support this year, will try to keep posting images from around the Canary Islands in the future as well.
All the best, Stan 
PS. It was a bit hot when I put my sweater on to make this picture some days ago lol :-D.
The cold front has passed. The wind is calm. The visibility is great..
So couldn’t resist to share these 2 images of our neighbors islands La Gomera and Gran Canaria.
Enjoy!
It’s been a while since my last post… In the coming weeks I’ll post some updates about the news from the last months… 🙂
If you ever wondered what the expression “Death Grip” means, here is the visual answer for this :-). When I took this image, this expression just came through my mind, so here it comes!
However, in aviation this means that the pilot is squeezing the yoke very hard while flying the airplane. This happens to a lots of pilots, especially when you fly a plane for the first time, or you don’t feel very comfortable.
Happy Halloween everyone!
Not every day you get chased by a shadow and not every day it tries to shoot at you… Definitely not a picture you can take every day 😀
First, what is actually calima. Calima is (mostly) hot, dust and sand laden wind blowing from Sahara from easterly direction. This wind causes a lot of respiratory problems, brings dust, the visibility drops and sometimes this causes problems in the aviation (like in the year 2020, when the airports around the islands had to be closed during several days).
I was flying today (again) around Tenerife and as we wanted to stay above this calima layer and get some better visibility, we have climbed up to 6.500 feet where we broke out of the sand and were flying above it in the nice, clean air…
You can see it in the next photographs.
All the best, and stay safe!
Fly with Stan - Sharing (not only my) flying experiences... 