Jacob takes to the skies

JACOB Smith receives his wings from Air NZ Captain Darin Stringer at the Walsh awards ceremony. PICTURE / DAVID JUPP

Many Wanganui people have heard of Jacob Smith. As part of the Wanganui swimming team he has gained more than a few medals and distinguished himself in the pool. He was third in the country for 200m breaststroke at the last national meet in October.
Now Jacob wants to fly.
Since attending the Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School last month, the 16-year-old Wanganui High School student can see the realisation of that wish.
Last night (Tuesday) he was the guest at a meeting of Rotary Club of Wanganui South, where he gave a report to his sponsors.
The flying school in Matamata, held every year over two weeks in January, is now in its 49th year, taking budding flying students aged 16-19 through their paces.
Jacob was encouraged to apply for a Rotary scholarship to help pay the flying school fees.
"It just all went from there," he says.
He attended an interview, filled out the paperwork, took a medical and then started packing his gear days in advance of the school, such was his excitement.
Jacob says he was nervous on the first day when they were setting up their tents and getting to know each other.
There were 44 first year students, 26 returning students as well as a large number of staff; it was a big camp.
"We were split into what are called 'flights', and they are the people you hang out and perform duties with," he says.
On the second day the students were taken into the Soaring Centre, which is the briefing room, where their flights were confirmed, they were introduced to their instructors and informed of their duties.
For most of the camp there were two briefings a day of an hour each, outside of which the students would book flights with their instructors.
"After about seven hours you're allowed to go solo; I went solo on my seventh hour," says Jacob.
"It was amazing. My instructor told me to taxi to Foxtrot, which is the holding zone. He said, 'Right, I'm getting out. Would you like to do it on your own?' My heart started going. I radioed in to the tower, 'Zulu Golf Romeo, requesting taxi to holding point Bravo'. I said a few other things then they got back to me and said I was cleared to take off."
He went to the end of the runway and held there and performed a large number of pre-flight checks of the Cessna 152 before radioing back to the tower and getting clearance.
"I took off and did a circuit and landed," he says.
His instructor came out to get him and as they walked into "Flight Ops" almost everyone from the camp was there applauding him.
"It was an amazing experience."
Part of the Walsh tradition involves buckets of water after a student's first solo. Jacob was told to remove his mobile phone and take off his shoes before his ritual soaking.
"After I went solo, my instructor took me up and we did aerobatics - it was awesome! I had a sick bag ready but didn't need it. It was probably better than flying solo."
The highlight was flying upside down but being pushed "upwards" into the seat.
"Ive wanted to fly since I was 10," he says.
"I watched Top Gun for the first time and realised I really wanted to be a pilot, even if it's just a hobby."
When he was quite young he flew to Australia and, unlike so many of the passengers, he loved the feeling of being pushed back in the seat during takeoff.
"I was sitting there having a great time."
Jacob has been a member of ATC and managed to get in a half hour of gliding time, but that was the extent of his experience before attending Walsh.
With his dream firmly in sight, he intends to apply to the Air Force next year. Of course he wants to fly, but he is realistic.
"If I don't get in as a pilot, I hope to get in as an engineer. I'm doing engineering at school. But I'd rather fly."
Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School executive officer David Jupp says Jacob also received a prize of a subscription to NZ Aviation News during his time at the school.
"We're grateful for the support we receive from such organisations as Rotary," he says.