During January 2009, I was lucky enough to take part in a cadet activity which only a privileged few get the opportunity to undertake, namely the ACPS Flying Scholarship. Twelve hours of flying training with no cost to the cadet!

After a long drive, I arrived at the Airlie House Hotel in Dundee and checked in just in time for dinner followed by a lengthy sleep in preparation for my first day’s flying.

In the morning the three members of my course, including myself, were driven to Dundee Airport, home of Tayside Aviation. We were shown around the hangers and buildings and introduced to Tayside’s fleet of Grob 115D2 Heron aircraft.

After several more days flying, my flying skills were honed and I was soon able to conduct a walk around and start the engine on my own. Not until after ground emergency procedures’ were covered, which were basically ‘get out quick and run away’!!! Ground school lessons were followed by training flights which covered subjects such as, climbing and descending turns, use of flaps, take-offs and landings.

As the weekend drew nearer, I had perfected circuit flying, taxing, take-offs, landings and the use of the radios. Emergency procedures were practiced, such as engine failures, fires and control failures. Different airborne situations were also practiced to account for every possibility, in preparation for my first solo flight.

After a brief check flight with a senior instructor, the time had come. After making power and pre-take-off checks on the apron and announcing on the radio, ‘Tayside 2 Hotel Echo, Ready for Departure’, I lined up on Dundee’s runway 28.

After a single solo circuit, I came in for landing, touched down and taxied clear of the runway and undertook my after landing checks. Only three points down the list, my engine cut-out and to my lasting embarrassment, I had to call for tower to get my instructor as I couldn’t re-start the engine!

Over the next two days I continued with my solo flying using all the skills that I had learnt over the previous week. Sharing the airport and circuit with many other Tayside aviation aircraft as well as the Saab and Dornier passenger flights which land and depart from Dundee, tested my flying abilities and situational analysis which led me to complete the course with 10:50 dual flying and 1:10 solo flying.