Just Landed

[Kregster]

Hello Everyone. Just landed and look forward to learning and sharing. I am out of KSNA and fly a 2010 PiperSport.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Welcome mate.

 

 

[BPN]

G'day and welcome. Exactly where is KSNA?

 

Regards Bruce

 

 

[eightyknots]

G'day and welcome. Exactly where is KSNA?Regards Bruce

KSNA is John Wayne Airport in California.

 

to the forum, kregster!

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Welcome Kreg,. . . . . . . tell us a bit more about what you're doing. . . . . .

 

We are a real bunch of curious blokes ( and some seriously good Blokettes of course ! )

 

Phil

 

 

[facthunter]

And there are also some real girls . Not enough because we are terribly sexist and scare some off. or they just give up. Nev

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Could well be a lot of truth in that Nev. . .

 

 

[facthunter]

Thanks Phil The percentage here is indicitive of how well we do it. Nev

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Thanks Phil The percentage here is indicitive of how well we do it. Nev

Hmmm,. . . . . at our flying club, the percentage of Lady members ( Flying members I should add, as we have social members also. . . ) has gone down a lot over the last five years, from six percewnt down to the current ONE . . . . why ? I don't really know, perhaps the type of flying we do has something to do with it ? again, I can't really say that it should. . . . .but a G.A. club of which I used to be a mamber, had a much higher percentage of active lady pilots . . . . . ?

 

Is it possible that if a "Laddish" culture actually still exists, is it perhaps less evident amongst the more financially better off people that I tend to meet at G.A. sites ?

 

The only physical difference between that G.A. club and ours was that The G.A. outfit was based at a licensed airfield with two hard runways and a tower . . . . whereas ours is a square 'ish grass field with three bi-directional runways

 

( Google Earth Otherton Airfield, Staffordshire UK , 52 42 496 / 002 05 563 ) and NO ATC, Apart from me, on Sundays ! ! ! ! but that's classed as L.OA.T.C. ( Lack of ATC, commonly known as AG or Air / Ground radio. . . . .)

 

NO "Instructions" to aircraft commanders allowed, just "Good morning / afternoon Sir / Madam, . . .We're using Rwy 25 Left Hand. . .advisory QFE 1022 Hectopascals. . . Surface wind two three zero at ten knots. . .Landing at YOUR DISCRETION ") If they wish to land on a different runway,. . .there's nothing we A/G ops can do about it. . .

 

(Sorry to GO-ON a bit, just building you a word-picture, I MAY well get to the point soon. . .! )

 

OK, flying is a fairly dynamic sort of pastime, and knowing the few ladies we HAVE had as members, these people were ( Choosing words carefully here . . . ) All apparently very gregarious, outgoiong people, who all "Mucked in" with any work required at the field, and with all of the fly-out / camping trips we've arranged when the weather is pleasant ( ! ) Interestingly enough, only One lady out of the seven we used to have was NOT a regular motorcyclist, although she did have a license to ride one . . . . read into that what you will.

 

I have just returned home on a beautifully clear but freezing cold Saturday, on the way I called into DEB'Z DINER for a sausage and egg toasted sandwich ( as you do . . .) now this diner trailer is situated on the forecourt of the local Yamaha Motorcycle dealer.

 

I stood there in the cold, bantering with the visiting bikers and wannabees, and was surprised at the large number of lady riders turning up on big muscle bikes, ie 900s, 1300s etc. . . with no manfriend in tow. . . . The most surprising was a young lass named Elaine, ( No, it doesn't take me long to get talking to ladies, [ Silver tongued lounge lizard that I am. . .] and she was around 5 feet two inches from boots to ponytail, and couldn't have weighed in at much more than 40Kg. . .

 

Wot's that in french, oh, er, . . 157 and a half cm. . . . riding an old Suzy Bandit 1200 ! ! ! What is it about bikes that attracts the girls, where whizzing around in a trike doesn't seem to . . . ?

 

Cost ? OK new 912 trike £38K ish, ? New Bike cost ? £8 - £10K ? OK, that's a big difference but you can still buy used trikes for under £20K, and a lot less for two strokes. . . loads available SO. . . .Is it because lady bikers can just sod off to wherever they want to go, and not

 

be particularly based at a CLUB amongst a bunch of LADDS ? ? ?

 

Is our collective male sexism so psych ingrained that we don't realise we're doing it ? ?

 

I have no answer to that. I personally know four female flying instructors,

 

but they are domiciled in places well spread out across the country. . . .

 

Interesting subject though. . .anyone got any ideas ? Has Admin got any software which flags up sexist comments ( ! ) what about it Ian ?