Hi from Ben

[Ben Longden]

Hi, I'm one of the new faces that has popped up at Air Shepparton, as one of their students.

 

Currently, learning RA but intend on going as far as I can, with IFR as an ultimate target.

 

Just to give you a background, I work at Echuca 'ospital in the Theatres, do weekend bar work, and have my own small business in Broadcast Video and Photography. I spend time with St John Ambulance and specialise in pre-hospital trauma care.

 

I wason the photo teamat the Echuca paper for seven years before taking a break in healthcare, worked for News Limited's Daily Telegraphas a snapper (9 years) and for a while with Fairfax's Sydney Morning Herald until I gotthe offer from the Telegraph. I was also chief photographer for a major central NSW paper group for 15 years.

 

Now I produce corporate video, work as anight camerafor Nine News as well as write for Australian Video Camera Magazine.

 

Flying is a childhood dream, and I just thought one day 'why wait' -just bloody well do it. So I am.

 

Ben Ben Longden

 

 

[Admin]

Welcome Ben - I got my Certificate at Shepp as well - the guys there a great but watch out for Matt as I believe he plays tricks on you when you are going for a test just to make sure you know what you are doing.

 

I can remember when I was learning engine failures in the Gazelle with Nathan. I kept forgetting to trim and was watching outside too much waiting for the stall buzzer and then just lower the nose a little.

 

There I was forgetting to trim and waiting for the buzzer when I noticed that I was going really really slow and the stick started to feel funny yet no buzzer. I looked down at my ASI and I felt myself shiver and as the brain was saying NOSE DOWN but before the hand had responded I glanced over to Nathan with a look of fearand there he was with a grin from ear to ear holding up in his hand the stall buzzer fuse.

 

From that very point on I ALWAYS trimed - he taught me a lesson in a different way that made me learn as I had not listened to his words of wisdom everytime about trimming. I will always have a lot of time for Nathan as I believe he is a born instructor with his mannerism, his helpfulness and his inbuilt real desire to want to see you learn to fly properly and safely.

 

Good luck with your lessons Ben and I hope to catch up with you some time at Shepp.

 

 

[Guest StingGuy]

Hi Ben

 

Great to hear that you are enjoying being part of the gang at Shepparton. I would add my enthusiastic positive comments to those by Ian. The Air Shepparton school is terrific and those instructors are the best I have come across.... and yes, Nathan is brilliant... he is the one that will take you all the way to IFR... I was in his first IFR theory class and found it amazingly helpful. See you there on the strip.

 

Gary Glenn

 

 

[Ultralights]

Nice to virtually meet you! i have a non aircraft related question for you, How exactly do you become a camera man?

 

preferably in television.

 

 

[Ben Longden]

Good to virtually meet you as well!

 

You firstly need to have a video camera, preferably MiniDV or DVCAM format that produces a high quality image. You also need to use a tripod (they cannot use "hosecam" footage).

 

Then you need to ring up the Bureau Chief for the network that provides the region with a news service, NBN Newcastle in your case, and offer him your services as a night camera.. you get the grit as it happens, and they can follow up things in the morning with interviews.

 

Mostly they will ring you when they hear of the incident. It certainly helps to cover an area of land that takes considerable travel time from the station. In my case, its over an hour.

 

They will need the vision as soon as possible, preferably on a DVD disc, as an MPEG2 file. Not many places can accomodate MiniDV tape.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ben

 

 

[Ultralights]

Thank you for that.. A few yrs ago my curiosity was aroused when seeing an add for southern cross ten network looking for people to train as a camera operator in the studios, i assumed there was a course to get qualifications then you aplly for a job, but i never followed it up after seeing the add.

 

 

[Ben Longden]

Gone troppo! er, SOLO!!

 

 

Thats right, I went solo for the first time on Saturday September 16. The anniversary that my Dad, John was shot down during the war (his 90th mission and sole survivor of his crew)

 

It was in a Tecnam P92 Super Echo owned by the GV Aero Club at Shepparton, the CFI was Matt Ford of Air Shepparton.

 

Ben

 

Ben Longden

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Well done Ben, the cockpit of that particular Tecnam is my favourite place at the moment! I'm well behind you though. I'm really enjoying the team at Shep.

 

Congratulations

 

Mike

 

 

[Yenn]

Congratulations Ben. It's always a buzz for first solo, now the real work begins.

 

Ian

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Welcome Ben :) Solo is fantastic and something you will never forget. I have had my experience with the news guys. Submitting 'news tips' via my hobby of scanning. Submitted many incidents/fatalities first hand so they could then send their crews out for footage. Never got paid. Ch7 the worst culprits. Never submit any 'inside' info to them again. I am quite sure I had seen some of your pics when I did work exp at The Daily Tele (News LTD) about 10 yrs ago...

 

 

[Guest David C]

Ben

 

Congratulations mate . A milestone in your aviation career and one that will last with you forever . The skies the limit now .

 

Dave

 

 

[Guest Vigilant]

Well done Ben, I start circuits in the Jabiru next lesson after doing some in a Sportstar I hope my solo will be some time this year.

 

Stuart

 

 

[Admin]

- Well done Ben, what an achievement and I bet you will remember it for ever and a day.

[Guest StingGuy]

Terrific News Ben!

 

Congratulations!! You are on a fantastic journey... and Shepparton is a great place to launch from. Keep Making Flying Fun!

 

 

[Guest Jetgirl]

Hi and welcome!

 

I spent 20 years in St John Ambulance in NSW and loved it.

 

Cheers

 

Jetgirl@Ballarat

 

 

[bushpilot]

Good job Ben!!

 

BTW: What's with the car thing - on a flying forum??