HGFA Skysailor Magazine

40 SKY SAILOR May | June 2019 Just Another Week at YFT... I hear this a lot: “You are so lucky to have this job!” I love my job, but did you know the harder I work, the luckier I get? by Peter & Anne McLean Y es, I guess I’m lucky, because I get to fly most days of the year. If I’m not training a new pilot to fly – or already licensed pilots to hone their skills – I get to fly one of our three aircraft on a local flight with my wife on board, and I wouldn't have it any other way. It has been my life, and I love it. It's Monday and the sun is coming up and Yarra- wonga Aerodrome is coming to life. Hangar 19 is open for business, with the front gates opening along with the two hangar doors, one going up and the other sliding to the side. The sun streams in and the hangars are filled with a golden glow. But it’s summer in Yarrawonga, and the farmers are harvesting their crops, so that golden glow only shows how much dust has settled on the aircraft overnight, and now it’s a matter of getting that dust off before the students arrive. I will be pre-flighting all the aircraft long before the students arrive, and yes, as a CFI, I have my own set of tricks to play on the students before they come to do their own pre-flight. Next it's time to look at the student’s paperwork and see who's who in the zoo today. How many students are up for circuits? Or is it a day for navigation flights? L-R: Nigel (standing), Tony, Mike (sitting), and Me (in vest)