Helicopters are amazing, versatile inventions. Thanks to years of hard work and investment by serious men and women in lab coats, we have the technology to make thousands of kilograms of metal, fuel, people and luggage travel forward at speeds of up to two hundred miles per hour, and then stop and hover, supported ...
For as long as there have been people, there have been those who dreamt of flying. It’s a deep, instinctive desire, like the wish to make little baby people, or the universal craving for cake. In the Ground School timeline of the History of Flight, we’ll take a look at some of the crazy fools who decided they could ...
Sometimes called an ‘introductory lesson’ or ‘experience flight’, a trial lesson is your first step on the journey towards obtaining a Private Pilot’s Licence – a chance to try your hand at piloting an aircraft with a qualified instructor on-hand to guide you along the way. Gaining a full licence can be a ...
Light aeroplanes are by far the most popular flying machines for aspiring aviators looking to earn their wings. As the first successful powered aircraft (not counting balloons), the invention of the aeroplane marked the first time mankind could practically take to the skies in a controllable way, and the technology of ...
The helicopter is really an astounding aircraft when you think about it. While all other aircraft make use of either forward thrust and broad wings (like a plane) or lighter-than-air gas (hot-air balloons and airships) to make their way into the skies, the helicopter employs a unique mechanism to gain lift. ...
In the world of powered flight, microlighting offers the last word in value for money, being not only inexpensive (lessons start from as little as £45), but also a unique and exhilarating flight experience. The microlight experience is also super-flexible, as these small but powerful aircraft come in two very ...
Gyroplane, gyrocopter, autogyro or rotaplane… whatever you call them, there’s no getting away from the fact that these hybrid flying machines are just plain weird. Looking like the love-child of a helicopter and a microlight, the gyroplane is one of the lesser-known light aircraft, and although they’ve been around for ...
If your idea of the ultimate flying experience begins with the phrase ‘Chocks away old boy!’ then a flight in a vintage biplane might just be what you’re after. For an authentic adventure from the golden age of aviation, nothing else comes close to a lesson (complete with goggles and bomber jacket, naturally) in a ...
To misquote a certain loveable water-vole, "there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in gliders."Gliders enjoy a special place in the hearts of many amateur aviators. It's easy to see why - soaring through the air in a glider is a truly unique experience. Where other ...
Since as early as the 1930s, flight simulators have been an exciting and popular way to get a taste of the pilot experience without ever actually leaving the ground. From humble beginnings as not much more than a tin chassis that tilted side to side a bit, simulation technology has taken full advantage of the computer ...
