Microlight Flights this holiday season

Get your Christmas Gift Voucher or book your holiday microlight flight and see Durban beachfront and Umhlanga from above. Intro flights available or full pilot training.. R600 per person 20 minute flight from Virginia Airport along the Durban beachfront past the Stadium to the harbour and back; R850 per person 30 minute flight as for the 20 min flight plus to the Umhlanga Lighthouse and beachfront returning to Virginia Airport. Contact Brad on 082 820 4840 or Dave 083 7033329.

Gift Vouchers

For gift vouchers please choose the duration flight and bank the appropriate amount to our bank account:

Standard Bank a/c Durban Skyye Flight School (Pty) Ltd
a/c 243 229 593 branch 043326
ref: your name

Then email us the name of the person the Gift Voucher is for and the occasion (eg Birthday or Christmas gift) and we will personalise the voucher and email it back to you. durbanskyye@gmail.com

Congratulations to our LSA pilot Rupert

Rupert is no stranger to the skyye and already has his helicopter licence. He has now completed our conversion course to fixed wing aircraft and qualified with his NPL (LSA) licence. The training involves writing two more exams as the Principles of Flight are different for the two types of aircraft and the Technical and General exam also needed to test his new technical knowledge of fixed wing aircraft, along with some practical training with our instructors.

Our Instructor Johnny (right) congratulates Rupert after his flight skills test

Rupert with our fixed wing Sling training aircraft FYA

Rupert in the skyye over Durban

Looking pleased as punch after completing his skills test

Bushbaby Explorer Taildragger For Sale

R750 000,00 buys you this beautiful Bushbaby Explorer with new MGL large 12" touchscreen EFIS and low 130 hours engine and airframe. It is also available in a shared syndicate - R420 000 buys you a half share of this aircraft hangared at Virginia Airport, Durban, where it may also be viewed. Tel Dave on 083-7033329 or Mark 076 684 6635 to view. email durbanskyee@gmail.com

NPL or PPL licence required to fly this beauty - a light sport aircraft in taildragger format

Specifications:

Advanced large touch-screen EFIS

Ivo constant speed prop with flyzone controller - 70 hours
Rotax 912 engine - 130 hours
Mgl voyager touchscreen efis with gps nav
Trig transponder
Mgl v6 radio
Proxalert R5 TCAS
12v sockets
Brand new leather interior
110l tanks
Night rated
Fitted with vg's 3 axis autopilot
Cruise speed 130mph

Difference between prop and engine hours was due to elective prop upgrade.

New comfortable seating

Congrats to solo students

The most amazing moment is when the flight instructor steps out of the aircraft and says you're good to fly on your own. Here our Chief Flying Instructor Brad and CEO Dave congratulate Durban Skyye students after their first solo flight.

Cass goes solo in our Sling FYA

A proud moment for Gordon Webb

William says "Yes, I did it!!"

Brad congratulates William on his first solo flight

Bodybuilding in the skyye

IFBB KZN East Coast Classic Mens' Athletic Physique champion, David Watkeys and his girlfriend Storm came for a flight with us over Durban today. David is also the new ambassador for Bob and Weave clothing.

David Watkeys flying with Durban Skyye Flight School

In the air over Durban

Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium at our wingtip

For David's girlfriend it was the first time she has been in an aeroplane ever

Ambassador for Bob and Weave clothing

Durban harbour and city from our flight school Sling aircraft

Our first PPL pilot qualifies

Durban Skyye's first qualified PPL pilot, Llewellyn Anderson is congratulated by the flight school CEO Dave with their Sling 2 aircraft ZDL.

Llew holds his PPL licence in the aircraft he qualified in, our flight school Sling 2, ZDL

Durban Skyye Flight School CEO Dave congratulates Llew on his licence

Getting ready to fly

Our flight instructor Brandon (left) and our Chief Flying Instructor Brad (middle) chat to our NPL student William ahead of his pilot lesson today. William has notched up his first few hours towards his licence with Durban Skyye Flight School.

Airbus A330 Captain flies with Durban Skyye

It's not often that an airline pilot takes a step-down and comes to fly a microlight, but Captain Bruce Daniels did just that, thoroughly enjoying his first hour of instruction with our Chief Flying Instructor Brad on the flight school's microlight.

Heading north today

Dave's student Gordon getting more comfortable in the air on a bumpy day today as we headed north to the Tugela River Mouth and back to Virginia, transiting through King Shaka International airspace.

The Umhlanga beachfront and lighthouse on our return from the north

Cass goes solo

Our NPL student pilot Cass did his first solo flight today in our flight school Sling FYA.

Our Chief Flying Instructor Brad was there to congratulate him and oversee the flight. Well done Cass, great achievement.

Our CFI Brad with Cass after his solo flight

Cass in our flight school Sling after his first solo flight today

First female PPL pilot

Congratulations to Elaine Benade, our first female student to qualify as a pilot at Durban Skyye Flight School. Elaine commenced training with another flight school before moving to Durban and completed her PPL licence this week with Durban Skyye. Congrats Elaine and many more safe, happy hours flying.

 

Elaine's new qualification: a PPL licence

Elaine with our flight school aircraft, a Sling LSA ZU-FYA

Beach view

Thanks to beachgoer Peter Lambert for this photo of our microlights in the skyye over the Umhlanga beachfront.

Our microlight Instructors Brandon (left in CCL) and Brad (right in EKO) take to the Durban skyye over the Umhlanga beachfront

Our home base

These stunning photos of the Durban coastline after take-off from Virginia Airport, our home base, were submitted by student photographer Marguerite who flew with us in our flight school microlight aircraft this week. Thank you Marguerite, they are beautiful and clear.

The Durban city in the background as we fly along the coast to the harbour

Runway 23 Virginia airport - the line of take-off is 230 deg (south west) which is usually the direction the wind blows from in the morning allowing you to take off into wind for slower take-off and landing speeds

Our flight school microlight aircraft aloft over the city, being piloted by our instructor Brandon Alleson, taken from our second microlight EKO being flown by our CFI Brad Isaacson

The Durban stadium with our two microlights in view

Night landings

I did some night landings at Virginia last night in our Sling aircraft ZDL. There are many illusions at night making flying and landing tricky. The "black hole", or darkness below creates the illusion that the land is further from you. Many a pilot has come in to land and landed short of the runway for this reason or you bump down harder as you are not expecting to touch down as soon as you do.

You learn to anticipate this during your night training, although it is easy to forget and my first landing is usually a bit harder than I intend. Last night I changed my flap setting to minimal flaps on landing and this helps give the plane a longer float and a softer landing. You can check out my landing in the short YouTube video clip at the link here.

The view from over the sea of the Durban hotels and piers in the night light

Onboard computer EFIS with night view in the cockpit of our Sling aircraft ZDL

Durban stadium and beachfront during our night flight last night

Flying with Jason

Well known restauranteur Jason of Jack Salmon Fishhouse, famous for sushi and gourmet seafood, came flying with me today. Jason is a natural-born pilot and thoroughly enjoyed his time in the Durban skyye. 

Jason (left) flies with Dave in his Sling aircraft ZDL

Durban's Bluff and harbour seen from 500ft

Jason at ease at the flight controls of ZDL

Relaxing after a care-free flight along the Durban beachfront, showing Jason the basic skills flying an airplane

Our flight school on board computer (EFIS) with engine information and GPS

Virginia Airport

Our Flight School is based at Virginia Airport, a picturesque setting alongside the beach.. stunning scenery as we fly in and out of this little airport so close to our homes here. 

The runway 05/23 at Virginia Airport

The Oyster Box hotel with the Umhlanga Lighthouse in front of it

Durban's sunrise

Nothing beats the tranquility and the first rays of sunshine over our city, as Brad takes the flight school microlight up into the Durban skyye for some breathtaking photos.

Our golden mile

Close-up of Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium

The Umgeni River flows into the Indian Ocean, seen shortly after take-off from Virginia Airport

Brad in selfie mode with Liesl - doesn't his face look like the Scary movie mask?