Name: Richard (Dick) Henry

Qualifications: ALTP: PPL, LSA (Light Sport),CCM (Microlight) Instructor (including Aerobatics and tail wheel). Examiner for PPL’s, Language Proficiency, Radio Licence and Display Aerobatics.

How many flying hours do you have? ± 31,000

How many aircraft are you rated on? Instructor rated on over 60 types and I’ve flown over 100 types.

What is your favourite aircraft to fly and why?
Too many to mention, Vampire, Sabre, 727, 747, to name a few, but right now, tail wheel and big radial engined a/c (Harvard and Trojan T 28). Why? Because!

The perfect student would be:
A perfect student is one who has put effort and preparation into their lessons, and has a passion for flying and a hunger to learn more. I also enjoy coaching qualified PPL’s who are looking for advanced training and skills in the handling of their aircraft.

Since I was a little boy I have been crazy about flying. From the age of 10 I was building balsa and flying model gliders, my passion grew from there. At 14 an introductory Glider flight, at 20 flying jet fighters (3 years Top Gun in 1 Squadron, 3.5 years in the formation aerobatic team of 4-9 Sabres, and a Sabre test pilot from 1961 to 1965); at 30, airline Captain on 727s and at 39 a 747 Captain (24 years). All in all, a total of 43 years on jets. Now I enjoy sharing my experience and knowledge to the next generation of aviators.

When I’m not flying, I have diverse interests. Family comes first and then everything from ancient history to zoology (A to Z), not forgetting gastronomy! There is not enough time in a day to pursue all my interests.

I enjoy all racing. In my youth it was canoes (Duzi x7), motorcycles and yachting (Cape to Rio 1, Vasco da Gama 3). That’s all over now.