Cairns MAF Instructor Training Course

Me, Paul, had an exciting two weeks in Cairns on the MAF Instructors Course in Cairns. Cyclone Yasi came through upsetting the program by two days, which meant we flew at the weekends also. It was great to catch up with other colleagues on the course.

Martin Koehler, whom we first me at Orientation in Marysville, the town which burn to the ground in  the Melbourne fires a few years back, is having a great time in PNG and Mat and Lyndsey Painter, whom I first met at Coldstream, the MAF training center, five years ago, also from PNG. Michael and Jael Vogel were at Tree Tops, the MAF retreating Cairns, were waiting for the third child to be born. We have been close friends with them since their first child was born at Bible College.

The course went well for me. I got top marks for flying and enjoyed flying from the passenger (or co-pilot) seat. My flight tests are always the worst. This time we had bad weather, so NO need to create scenarios, we were always in a real one, crossing valley ridges at low level.

I enjoyed the valley flying. MAF have asked if I would be a relief pilot in East Timor for a few weeks at a time this year, so the valley flying came in handy in preparation for that.

Here is a picture of the course, from left to right, Andrew Jenkins (MAF Flying Training Instructor), David Pett (Elcho Island, Arnhem Land, Base Manager), Clint Smith (MAF Flying Training Instructor), Mat Painter (PNG Pilot), Me, Keith Maag (Arnhem Land Chief Pilot), Martin Koehler (PNG Pilot).

God Bless - Paul and Clare