AeSM Junior Aviator Membership
AUGUST UPDATE: As those Junior Aviators who had planned to join us on our visit to Mon Loisir airfield will know, the trip had to be cancelled at short notice due to unflyably strong winds at the site on the 5th August. This was a disappointment for our enthusiastic young members, who now have to wait for the long Summer holidays in November and December to see light aircraft flying, and to observe the Skydiving operations which is the main attraction at Mon Loisir.
In the meantime we shall keep in touch. There is now plenty of time to tell your friends about Junior Aviators, who are already about 30-strong with numbers still growing. Just download and complete the application form!
Capt Dick Twomey
The first meeting of the Junior Aviator section was attended by 17 of the girls and boys who had sent in Application Forms over recent weeks. One or two were accompanied by their parents, who were equally welcome to share in the planning of activities for this new group.
The AeSM team of Anand Kinnoo, Cyril Belcourt and Dick Twomey proposed a list of possible venues of an aviation interest, which could be visited during school holidays: one visit each at Easter and one in July/August, and perhaps two during the long Summer break in November/December. The JA members were enthusiastic and added their own ideas to this wish-list, showing a particularly strong interest in visiting the Mon Loisir light aircraft airfield (at Belle View Maurel); and in seeing at SSRIA the DCA Area Air Traffic Control Centre and also the Air Mauritius hangars.
The List:
- Mon Loisir airfield including Skydiving operations
- SSR International Airport : Air Mauritius Engineering hangars
- DCA Air Traffic Area Control Centre
- The YU General Aviation Lounge
- HQ of the Coastguard and of the Police Helicopter Unit
- Model aircraft Club at St Martin
- Mauritius Radio Telescope
- Visits to see the Airbus A380 and (later)the brand-new A350
- A talk with Air Mauritius Captains
As a start to this programme a trip to Mon Loisir is now being planned and all would-be participants will be sent details of meeting place and transport cost.
At the conclusion of the meeting an Achievement Certificate was presented to each new Junior Aviator by Captain Dick, and many photos were taken.
Click on photo to view
Capt. Dick Twomey