Crossy in New Zealand

The original 36ers

My original CP, now spread across 3 different CP's due to re-coursing and finally being split up as we head back to the UK. Already looking forward to the Bournemouth reunion lads.

Back to business

A few photos of my second flight in the Twinstar, enjoy.

Holding at Bravo for take-off clearance from ATC

First ever take off in the Twinstar. An experience I will never forget, awesome !

Tracking out to sea for some general handling exercises off the Tasman coast

Final approach for Runway 36 back at Hamilton for my first landing in the Twinstar.

Clearways Beach Party

Big thanks to Dave Bell and Scott Traquair who organised this great party, good work lads.

CTC Surf Rescue Team, Will, Kerry, Me, Nicky and Jimbo

Nicky and Will on beach patrol outside Clearways.

Kerry looking pretty damn smug after knocking some CTC loser off the slippery pole boxing, and yep, that loser was ME. Never gonna live that one down !

Time for some flying

No trip to CTC NZ would be complete without a scenic flight of the North Island so myself and Will took the girls flying.

Captain Thorpe and First Officer Dykes at the controls of the Alpha 160

Take off from Runway 18 at Hamilton on what was a beautiful NZ summers day

Overhead the Waikato River en-route to Lake Taupo

Nicky and Kerry 6,500ft up somewhere over the North Island

Hello

Coromandel Road Trip

With myself, Will and Jimbo all passing our End of Single Engine Tests and with Kerry and Nicky staying with us we decided a week of camping in the Coromandel Peninsula was on the cards. After hiring a few camping essentials from town we bundled into our CTC fun bus and hit the open road.

We had such a great time, definately one of the best weeks I have had in New Zealand. Enjoy the photos.

Campsite number 1 a Hahei Beach and Rich and Keith drove up from Hamilton to spend the first couple of nights with us. Rich, Keith, Kerry and Nicky in front of our CTC Fun Bus.

Me and Will feeling pretty damn smug after finally figuring out how to put up a tent, nice one bro.

Hahei Beach at dawn, just a 2 minute walk from our tents

Cathedral Cove. This picture really doesn't do it justice because it was an absolutely stunning place. The day after we were there the beach was closed whilst they filmed some scenes for the next Chronicles of Narnia film, fact.

Man I look hungover. Kerry's looking pretty bad too but she had quite an eventful time the night before deciding where to sleep, lol.

Cormandel road trip continued.......

The girls at Kuaotunu beach, just a 2 minute walk from our second campsite of the trip. This beach was absolutely stunning and for two days we were the only people on it, paradise.

Our second campsite at Kuaotunu beach

Two hours after our arrival at Kuaotunu beach and the girls are making great progress putting up the tents !!

Hot Water beach, a short drive from our first campsite at Hahei beach. If you dig a deep enough hole on this beach it fills with hot thermal water and you have yourself a nice hot pool to sit in and watch the waves role in. Obviously this was a once in a lifetime experience so we decided to get completly wrecked the night before and couldn't actually be bothered to dig a hole once we got there, good work gang, cheers !

Coromandel road trip continued.....

Valentines day 2007 and there is an awful lot of love in the air as myself, Will and Jimbo enjoy an early morning Cigar and Bucks Fizz, marvellous.

Could these two be the luckiest girls in the world getting to spend Valentines day with myself, Will and Jimbo? We certainly thought so !

Me and Kerry chillin on Kuaotunu beach

Kerry, Will and Nicky at the Coromandel Harbour scenic lookout on the last day of our fantastic trip.

Bridal Veil Falls

A 30 minute drive from Hamilton and en-route to Raglan beach are the Bridal Veil Falls, 55 metres high and well worth a visit.

Swimmimg in the plunge pool at Bridal Veil Falls, my god that water was f*ckn freezing !! In the picture from left to right we have Jimbo, Kerry, Rich, Keith and Nicky.

Hello Kerry and Nicki

Charlie's twin sister Kerry and her friend Nicky take some time out from their world travels to come and see me and the rest of CTC guys in Hamilton. As luck would have it, their arrival has coincided with a nice bit of time off for me before starting my Multi Engine training so a few road trips are definately on the cards.

Nice Aviators Kerry !!!

Me, Nicky and Kerry

Introducing the DA42 Twinstar

Having passed my end of SE phase my reward is to be let loose on one of these beauties. Basically bigger, faster and a whole lot more expensive than anything I have flown to date. Roughly 500,000 quid a piece so I'm going to be trying my hardest not to break one of them. Before CTC actually let me fly one of these for real I have to do a week of multi-engine ground school, sit an exam on the aircrafts systems/speeds/emergency procedures etc.... and fly a few hours on the ground in the safety of the Simulator.

The biggest difference between the Twinstar and other aircraft I have flown in the past is that it has two engines (pretty bloody obvious I know). So the first 2 weeks of my training on this aircraft will be spent learning how to fly the larger, faster and more complex multi-engine type aircraft.

Once I can competently fly the aircraft I will move onto the IFR stage of the Wings course. IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rules and involves flying with reference to your aircraft instruments with very little (or no) reference to the world outside the cockpit. This is the tpye of flying I will be doing everyday with an airline (touchwood) and represents a massive step up in training in terms of difficulty. It's going to be hard work from here on in but I'm still looking forward to the challenge and to getting back to the UK on a permanent basis as soon as possible.

DA42 Twinstar cockpit, sweet as Bro.

Single Engine Phase complete, woh hoh !

Finally sat my end of single engine phase test on Saturday, and guess what, I passed, jeahhhhhhhhhh. So my days of VFR single engine flying at CTC are over and it's now time to make the big step up to the DA42 Twinstar. I have 2 weeks off before I start the multi-engine ground school and a trip to the South Island is definately on the cards once Will and Jimbo pass single engine.

On a sadder note, the end of the single engine phase means I have to say an emotional goodbye to my trusty R2160 (below). I flew over 150 hours in this aircraft and it never gave me any trouble, it's been great fun to fly as well, especailly the aerobatic flights.

Goodbye R2160, you will be missed.

Comet McNaught

As seen from Clearways, Comet Mcnaught was visible at twilight in New Zealand for over 3 weeks. It was a pretty awesome sight, it's tail is over 30 million kilometres long.

Thanks to Chris Hodgson (CP39) for the photo, very nice mate.

Huka Falls Jet Boat, Taupo

Now this shit was awesome, speeding down the Waikato River at 70km, inches from the river bank, doing crazy 360 spins and ending up at the awe inspiring Huka Falls.

The guys who drive these boats make you feel as if you are going to hit every tree, cliff, island and log on the river.

Coldwell, Penger, Me and Steve at the Huka Falls

Huka Falls.

Back to work

After 9 weeks away from the stick it's fair to say that my flying skills are just a little bit rusty and with only 6 flights left until the CPL skills test the pressure is really on. Touch wood I can remember how to fly before then and if I pass it looks likely I will get a few weeks off before starting the Multi Engine Phase, a road trip is definately on the cards me thinks.

Photo's of mine and Jimbo's East coast tour last week, enjoy.

Me at the controls as we head to Whakatane for a spot of Brekie, luv it.

First Officer Jimbo Warden at the controls as we turn overhead Lake Taupo.

FXY on the ramp at Whakatane as I sort out the fuel figures for our next leg to Tauranga.

Mount Maunganui beach.

Back to NZ

With ATPL Mod. 1 over and done with CP36 have returned to the land that time forgot to continue with our flying training. With the exception of the three weeks of exam hell that I had to endure, being home for so long and catching up with friends and family was fantastic. Back to business though and my first task is to get the Single Engine Phase finished, then it's on to the Multi Engine Phase and real a step up in the training, can't wait.

True to CTC form however I was told on my first day back in NZ that myself and several other guys from CP36 had been re-coursed to CP38 (some shit to do with course numbers back in the UK blah blah blah .....). Marvellous, so instead of being home in March as planned, I'm now not due back in the UK until May, thanks CTC, really appreciate that, arghhhhhhhhh !! On the positive side of things the ATPL Mod. 1 exam results are in and I some how managed first time passes in all 8 subjects with a 91%average to boot. Sweet as Bro.

Homeward Bound

Climbing out of Singapore and finally on our way back to the UK. After a 12 hour flight from Auckland myself and the other lads from CP36 only had a 3 hour stop over in Changi before boarding another 14 hour flight back home.