(OPENSOARING, 29. junija 2018, besedilo Filip Teo Vidovič)
Sem Filip Teo Vidovič, star 15 let in obiskujem Elektro in računalniško šolo na Ptuju. Sicer pa se šolam za jadralnega pilota na letališču v Moškanjcih. Odkar pomnim sem želel leteti. Že v prvih razredih osnovne šole sem velikokrat obiskal letališče, kjer so mi piloti razložili vse, kar sem želel vedeti o letalstvu. Kmalu sem si zaželel postati poklicni pilot. Spoznal sem, da je najbolje, če začnem čim prej in postopoma. Ko sem novembra 2017 dopolnil 15 let, sem se vpisal na tečaj za jadralne pilote. Čez zimo smo imeli ob vikendih predavanja in teste, spomladi pa smo začeli leteti; pred pričetkom sem moral opraviti še zdravniški pregled. V zraku sta nas na letalu ASK-13 usposabljala učitelja jadralnega letenja Ivan Žižek in Gregor Petrovič.
Vzlet
Med prvim letom ali t.i. informativnim letom mi je učitelj Ivan pokazal, kako mora odkloniti posamezne komande za določen manever in na kaj moram biti pozoren. Kraji in mesta so iz zraka izgledali zelo drugače. Pri naslednjih letih mi je postopoma dovolil zmeraj več upravljanja z letom, dokler nisem bil sposoben vzleteti, leteti in pristati sam. Približno v tem času sta se učitelja Ivan in Gregor zamenjala – tiste, ki nas je prej imel pod okriljem Ivan je prevzel Gregor in obratno. Nekaj letov sem nato opravil skupaj z Gregorjem, ki je kmalu ocenil, da letim varno in da me lahko pusti samega v zrak.
Laširanje ali prvi samostojni let je bil nekaj posebnega, saj sem bil prvič povsem sam odgovoren za vso dogajanje v zraku. Opazil sem tudi, da ko letiš sam v dvosedu, postane letalo bolj občutljivo, predvsem z višinskim krmilom. Po nekaj samostojnih letih smo končali osnovno šolanje in prešli na jadranje. Z Gregorjem sva opravila nekaj skupnih jadranj, nato pa sem se z Ivanom odpravil na 100-kilometrski prelet, ki je potreben za pridobitev licence. Vreme je bilo ugodno, zato sva ga opravila brez večjih težav.
V Ljubljani smo opravljali teoretični izpit, položil sem ga v prvo. Še nikoli poprej nisem bil tako živčen kot pred tem izpitom. Kmalu je napočil čas za prvo samostojno jadranje. Žal vreme ni bilo ugodno, zato sem v zraku zdržal le pol ure. Na mojem drugem samostojnem jadranju pa je bilo vreme boljše in v zraku mi je uspelo ostati tri ure. Hkrati sem dobil A in B znački. Moram priznati, da me je to letenje precej izčrpalo.
Sedaj pridno nabiram ure v zraku, da bom lahko letel v enosedu DG-100. Na praktični izpit za licenco jadralnega pilota pa bom moral počakati do 16. leta starosti.
… in pristanek
Enthusiasm and commitment may give you wings
My name is Filip Teo Vidovič and I am 15 years old. I am a student at Elektro in računalniška šola Ptuj (Electrical and Computer School). I am currently conducting training for glider pilots at the airport in Moškanjci. Ever since I can remember, I have had a wish to fly. Already in the first grades of the primary school, I visited the airport many times, where pilots explained everything I wanted to know about aviation. Soon I started growing appetite of becoming a professional pilot. I realised that it is best if I start as soon as possible and gradually.
After I reached the age of 15 in November 2017, I enrolled in a course of education for glider pilots. During the wintertime, we had lectures and tests at weekends and in the spring 2018 we started to fly; of course I had to undergo a medical examination before flying. We were practically trained in an ASK-13 type aircraft by instructors Ivan and Gregor.
During the first flight, respectively the informative flight, the instructor Ivan showed me how to move particular commands for a specific manoeuvre, and what I should pay attention to. Towns and villages looked very different from the air. During the flights, which followed, the instructor gradually let me control more and more commands until I was competent to take off, fly and land by myself. Within the same time the instructors Ivan and Gregor switched – those who were before taken under Ivan’s wings went to Gregor and vice versa. Then I flew several times with Gregor, who shortly estimated that I was capable of flying safe enough and that he could let me go in the air on my own.
My first solo flight was significantly memorable since for the first time it was 100% solely me responsible for all action. I also realised that when flying alone in the two-seater, the plane becomes more sensitive, especially with the elevator. After several solo flights, we completed our basic training and moved on to gliding. Together with Gregor, we carried out several joint gliding flights and then together with Ivan I performed a 100 km overflight, which is necessary to be done in order to obtain a licence. The weather was pleasant, so we did it without any major problems.
We went to Ljubljana to take a theoretical exam and I passed it already in the first time. I had never been as nervous before any tests as I was before this particular one.
Now it was time for my first solo gliding. Unfortunately, weather wasn’t pleasant therefore I managed to keep the aircraft in the air for only half an hour. However, at my second solo gliding, weather was more pleasant and I managed to stay in the air for 3 hours. I got badges A and B at the same time. I must admit that this gliding made me exhausted.
Now I am diligently collecting hours in the air, so I will be able to fly in a single-seater DG-100. I will have to wait until I reach the age of 16 to take a practical part of the exam.
