Microlight licence

Our Chief Flying Instructor Brad has been flying non-stop with UK student Bill Tomlinson, out for a short 3 weeks to earn his microlight licence (NPL - WCM .. weight-shift microlight) with Durban Skyye Flight School - Durban's only flight school offering both NPL (light sport aircraft and microlight) as well as PPL licences.

Our CFI Brad (back) with Bill in our flight school microlight

Bill flies the microlight along the Durban beachfront

Seen from above

Not everyone has the good fortune to be able to pursue their dreams, and not everyone takes the bull by the horns to go about fulfilling those dreams.. not Bill Fereday who has taken up a lifelong ambition to fly with Durban Skyye Flight School. Welcome Bill and here's to many happy hours flying.

Bill at the flight controls of our Sling fixed wing aircraft FYA

Instructor Dave and Director of the Flight School

Beautiful photo of Durban's Stadium at the wing-tip of our flight school aircraft

The city and harbour in the background as we zoom along the coast seawards of the Bluff

Durban's Bluff with the harbour taken from 1000 ft

Afternoon makes great flying

The setting sun provides a great backdrop and offers a cooler breeze as our National Flight Instructor, Dave, puts student Bill through his paces as he takes up a life-long ambition to become a pilot.

Bill (right) in the pilot's seat as Dave instructs

Umhlanga lighthouse from 500ft as we head north

Left forces in play on take-off

Accelerating down the runway, one needs to apply right rudder to keep the plane on the centre line. Here's why - click on this link.

The spiralling slip-stream from the propeller strikes the left side of the tail and pushes the tail right and the aircraft heads left unless right rudder is applied - one of the 4 "left-forces" in lay during the take-off run

Durban Skyye

A view from our Flight School Sling light sport aircraft which we use to train our NPL and PPL students.. breathtaking views over the rolling hills of KwaZulu-Natal, our training ground. In the photo is our NPL student Frederico who aims to obtain his licence this month.

Managing the aircraft stall speed

Potentially a time when the stall speed of aircraft increases as you bank the aircraft to turn for landing, here's some tips avoiding disaster when you're at this low height.. (click on the link)

The freedom of the skyye

Enjoying the freedom of the skyye are these potential pilots in our microlights with our highly skilled instructors Brad and Kyle as they soar over the Durban beachfront. To book your flight either click on the online booking link or call us on 082 820 4840.

Umhlanga beach and lighthouse

Our Flight Instructor Kyle gets ready for another flight

Stunning views of Umhlanga beach from 500 ft above the waves

Runway 23 Virginia

Runway 23 Virginia Airport.. our flight school home base. 23 designates the magnetic compass direction (230 deg ie south west) or heading that you would land or take-off in when the wind is blowing from the south/south-west. 

Durban from the skyye

Our PPL student Brandon took these great shots of the Bluff, Harbour and City whilst doing his pilot's licence conversion from NPL to PPL this week. Brandons holds an NPL light sport aircraft (LSA) licence and Durban Skyye Flight School offers a conversion to a PPL licence which requires an additional 10 hours of dual training and 5 hours of solo training to qualify. If one has not done the PPL exams at the start, these also need to be passed, which Brandon is in the process of finishing now.

Scattered lower clouds, a partly cloudy skyye and clear visibility made perfect flying conditions

Meet our student Brandon who is working for us part-time at our kiosk at Virginia Airport over the school holidays, whilst escaping from time to time for some fun in the skyye.

Nice photo of the Bluff with the city, beachfront and Stadium in the background

Rounding the harbour entrance - a compulsory reporting point before arriving at Virginia Airport - Brandon took this great shot of the Bluff, harbour and blue waters of the Indian Ocean that sweeps past Durban.

Beautiful Skyye

Not every day is a perfect as this but yesterday was a beaut with clear skyyes and some superb photo opportunities as our Chief Flying Instructor Brad and Instructor Kyle headed out along the coast showing some budding pilots what it looks like from 500 ft along the beachfront. Bookings - click on the online booking tab above, or phone Brad 082 820 4840 / Dave 083 7033329.

The Umhlanga beachfront and clear waters

I wanna be a pilot!!

Up and away

Soaring over the Umhlanga beachfont

7m whale shark off Durban

Whale watching is best from our microlights, 500 ft up in the skyye off Durban. Our Instructors Brad, Kyle and their passengers were lucky to spot this whale share this week. Even the lifeguards paddled out to get a better look.

Getting some airtime

Students getting some airtime with Durban Skyye.

Load-shedding

Our PPL student Brandon is used to bulking, not shedding, but with Eskom's load-shedding and a PPL exam looming, Bradon had to revert to battery power to get through his studying.

Happy 50th David

David Tilling of Durban was treated to a 50th Birthday flight in our Sling FYA and to his surprise on landing his family and friends had secretly arrived to join him for a birthday welcome. Happy Birthday David, glad you enjoyed the flight and surprise.

Rupert goes solo

It's a big step for a student to see his flight instructor get out the airplane and take the plane up into the sky by himeself for the first time. Here our student Rupert has just achieved that. We are very proud of you Rupert and wish you many happy hours in the skyye.

Matric Celebration

Jess was ecstatic to have finished her Matric and celebrated with a flight along the Durban beachfront with our Chief Flying Instructor Brad

Brad's students take flight!

Brad's students Mike Atter (above) and Valerie Watts (right) - Mike's just completed his 3rd solo and valerie's on her third lesson on their way to their NPL pilot's licences with Durban Skyye.