I’m not sure whether I should admit this, but here goes. I am now a fully qualified flying instructor for model aircraft*. This is after attending a two-day course run by the Model Aircraft Association of Australia at the University of Western Sydney campus at Richmond. Theory each morning, then practical flying and teaching tests in the afternoons. That was hard as it was blowing a gale at the time and the model planes were 
bouncing around all over the place. Still, I’m pretty sure I got through that ok. Then there was a long written examination to do at home – open book.
It was good fun meeting the other instructor hopefuls – 19 of us altogether, some from distant parts of NSW. It was interesting to dig into more detail of how to fly the models and how to teach people the finer points without crashing their models in the process.
Now I can teach people at my model flying club with an official MAAA instructor’s badge. Very exciting.
I’m still enjoying the model flying – my big 50cc Extra 300 now has 170 flights on it.
*I have now been officially notified that I passed all the tests!
