After a two-month break, I am flying again. I went up on Thursday morning with the Chief Flying Instructor for some remedial landing lessons, to ensure I don't bend another club aircraft. It went very well indeed; I learned a great deal flying with such an experienced pilot, & certainly benefited from his eagle eye as he pulled me up on practices that other instructors hadn't noticed.

Of course, the cloud of mechanical doom had to put in a small appearance

After our final landing we taxied off the runway ... at which point the left mainwheel deflated. Not due to a hard landing (this time), just random mechanical failure. So, out came the flashy-light-truck and another embarassing march across the field. My wife Ande was at the helicopter school at the time; one of the guys there pointed out the window and joked "Hey, it's Duncan having another lesson" to which Ande's response was "Well actually ... it is."

So I'm back in the saddle & loving it. It really is fantastic, circulating above the airfield at eight o'clock in the morning with clear skies, no other traffic around, and all of Melbourne spread out below. Next time I'm up I'll try to get some aerial photos ...