where people who believe in your flying dreams come together since 1958
Incorporating Port Macquarie Recreational Aviation and
Port Macquarie Flying School
Operates 7 days a week, since 1958
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I would like to recommend Ray Lind of Lindflight to anyone wishing to learn to fly. He has trained my 16 year old son to fly. If you are a parent considering flight training for your son or daughter you can be assured they will be professionally and safely trained by an outstanding instructor. Ray has not only trained my son to the utmost standards but he has also instilled confidence and competence in him. Ray is always encouraging, patient, and will provide excellent and proficient skills in anyone that he trains.
... Mary Butterfield
Combines teaching skills with aviation skills and knowledge very effectively. Glad I chose LindFlight.
... Ed Godschalk
I believe LindFlight (Ray) is not just a great coach. I have seen many of his students becoming more confident in their abilities and a boosting of their self esteem. Turns young boys into young men as it teaches young kids about taking responsibilities.
... Veronica
Ray Lind - Instructor Profile
Teaching flying since 1992. It's time to Fly ... again!
How long have you been flying and what encouraged you to start?
I started flying at Port Macquarie in 1983. Bob Needham was my instructor on the beautiful little C152 VH-PFJ. I loved every moment of my training sessions and couldn’t wait until the next lesson. I had always had a fascination with flying which I guess started with the stories my Dad told me about his experiences in the RAAF during WW2. My interests were then carried over to the building and flying of control line model aircraft when I was going to school and then graduating into radio control models once I started in my career of School Teaching. Witnessing several air shows at various venues soon had me hooked on the idea that I just had to learn to fly. A visit to Needham Aviation and an inspiring chat to Bob Needham soon had me obsessed with the need to fly the ‘real thing’ so 10 hours later I was solo and loving every moment of my ‘new career’.
Why did you become an instructor?
I guess it was a combination of the fact that I loved flying and also being a school teacher meant that it was fairly easy to slip into the teaching mode with my flying. I had gained my CPL with the possible idea of finding a full time flying job but with two small children and the usual mortgage etc, minor flying jobs weren’t very lucrative in comparison to school teaching so the obvious choice for me was to go into instructing part time and maintain my school teaching role. I gained my Instructor’s Rating in 1991 and loved every chance I got to instruct.
What qualities do you believe a student needs to be successful at any level in aviation?
I believe a student must have a genuine passion to really WANT to learn to fly. If you absolutely want to achieve something nothing will stop you. Obviously other coordination skills and a certain level of intelligence is also essential but a love of what you are trying to achieve is the most desirable attribute for a student in my opinion. This passion will then carry over into all further flying the pilot may attempt and take with it that essential element of ‘professionalism’.
What’s your scariest moment as an instructor?
I don’t recollect any great ‘scary moment’ while I’ve been instructing. Students are usually very careful with their efforts and try to do exactly as the instructing is suggesting. As an instructor you always have to be VERY vigilant while you are guiding the student especially during the landing phase but most situations can be corrected easily by the instructor...although sometimes some rapid reflexes are required but this is just part of the job.
What is the most interesting or challenging plane you have flown?
Most aeroplanes are an absolute delight to fly which is a credit to their designers and builders. However some aircraft, despite their ingratiating features always carry with them that sphincter tightening reaction during certain phases of flight. I found the home built design the Thorp T-18 to be like that. Obviously in the hands of a skilled and current pilot on that type it would also be a delight but to the uninitiated this particular aircraft certainly gotyour attention on EVERY landing. Every time you did a ‘greaser’ landing you felt like giving yourself a medal.
Do you have a most memorable flight you would like to tell us about?
As with all flying, I believe the weather plays the most unpredictable part in every single flight be it a local training flight or cross country. Local flights where visibility is reduced in smoke are always a huge problem as well as high wind situations which can sometimes build up suddenly and catch you unawares. Probably the scariest flight I did was many years ago in a Jodel D.11. We were flying from Coolangatta to Port Macquarie coastal which would normally be a delight...especially on a sunny,clear day which we had. Our departure from Coolangatta was flawless and apleasant flight began towards Ballina. However we hadn’t gone far when the odd little bump made us tighten our seat belts. The little bumps soon turned into large shakes, such that I thought the little Jodel’s homebuilt wings might actually part company with us. We then started to look for the least turbulent air at various altitudes and eventually settled on 1500’ over the ocean. Going past Ballina the aircraft was hit with an even more severe gust which shot us sideways so we were now facing the west,desperately trying to gain a semblance of control. We were of course caught inthe grip of a strong westerly wind over the mountains creating the effect that we thought we were flying through a washing machine. We eventually made itsafely home with no damage to the aircraft but the experience was extremely unpleasant and quite unsettling. Beware the westerly winds over the mountains!!
Finally, if money was no object, what would be your dream plane?
With money being no object I think I would love to own a North American P51D Mustang. When we went to Oshkosh and saw these magnificent fighter aircraft in action I was hooked. The sound of that incredible Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and the majestic appearance of this incredible aircraft made it very desirable indeed. I wanted one badly.