My first time at the controls.

Sometime during my thirteenth year I had grown in height to over 5 feet 6inches.

A diddle was done and a friend of my father who had a transport company had to have his truck drivers Public Service licenses renewed every 6 months. So a plan was hatched whereby my driver’s application was inserted into this pile of paperwork he had to submit. It worked and I received my first official drivers license at age 13 except the date of birth part was not 100% accurate. I still have this driver’s license

I was thus able to do collections and deliveries for my father with the company pick up truck a newish Datsun 1 tonner with a Pipe rack overhead so that long pieces of steel could be transported.

During this time my father’s partner also completed his pilot’s license.
One morning he invited me to flying with him that afternoon.

I drove to the airport in the pick up and found him pre-flighting the Cherokee 140.
He showed me what he was checking and explained why he was checking the various points.

He then asked me to sit in the pilots position, he then proceeded to play instructor and demonstrated the start up, he then demonstrated the taxiing demonstrated the engine run up and checks prior to take off demonstrated checking for traffic in the circuit , demonstrated his radio call to the non existent tower controller , lined the Cherokee up and proceeded to do a take off asking me to place my hands and feet on the controls and follow his inputs (gently)

During this time I had no time to look outside was too busy listening and following through on the controls at altitude he removed his hands and feet from the controls and asked me to pick a point on the horizon place the nose of the aircraft on it and fly towards this point at a constant altitude and heading.

Sheesh easier said than done, was all over the place and really wrestling with the controls. He then told me to relax and things became a bit better after half an hour of this it was not so much of a challenge to fly at a constant height and remain pointed in the right direction. He then showed me how to trim the aircraft so that it would fly hands off.

Then he took over and did some steep turns and figure eights.

Soon it was time to head back to the airport and he took us back, did the landing and when the aircraft had slowed down to maybe 10 mph asked me to steer it with my feet.

He parked the aircraft and it’s only then that I realized I had not done any sight seeing and wonder of wonders I was sopping wet with sweat.

He took me along a few more ties and each time showed me something new.

Going away to boarding school put an end to the car driving and also to the flying until the next holidays.

Zambia in 1965 a year after Independence was a wonderful place to grow up in.