Budding pilots have a one-off opportunity to get a free start to obtaining a pilot's licence under an initiative being offered by the North Otago Aero Club.
"Learning to fly is a dream for many people, but few realise it is actually a realistic dream. For many the hardest part of gaining the required licence is the theory," the club's chief flight instructor and pilot, Sven Thelning, said yesterday.
For one time only, the club was offering free pilot's licence theory classes to the public.
The classes would be taken by a qualified B category flight instructor (who is donating his time) and the only cost to students would be the books from the club, with five of the six books needed costing $385.
There would be PowerPoint and whiteboard demonstrations for each subject and students would be encouraged to ask questions.
"The classes have attracted a lot of interest so there are only nine places remaining in the first subject," he said.
The theory component of a private pilot's licence included six exams - law and publications, meteorology, flight radio, navigation, aircraft technical knowledge and human factors.
Classes would be available for at least the four more difficult subjects and perhaps for the easier ones if there was demand.
Classes would be held on Fridays, starting from the September 2, from 7pm at Waitaki Boys' High School, Mr Thelning said.
People can register by contacting the aero club.
