Watch Out, Flying Is Addictive
I never forgot my childhood dream of flying, so even as an adult, I knew I had to go all in. A s an 8-year old boy I was a big fan of helicopters. Building them from LEGO, watching series from the 80’s like Airwolf, Blue Thunder and “howling mad” Murdock - helicopterpilot from the A-Team - was a secret hero of mine. My mother noticed and found out what it would take to become a pilot. Unfortunately in that period when you had prescription glasses, you weren’t allowed to even look at a cyclic stick. I wore glasses. Exit dream. Fast forward to 2017. Bucketlist conversation with my wife. On mine: To fly in a helicopter next to the pilot. Not in the back, but as close to actual flying as possible. Smart and sweet wife: the same year for my birthday she got me a trial helicopter lesson at Helicentre. Warning from Jeroen Peddemors - founder/owner of EHC in Lelystad, before and after the flight: “watch out, flying is addictive”. After the 30 min. briefing I was startled that I actually were allowed with my hands on the controls myself. That in the 21st century medical regulations are not as strict anymore. Those words “my controlsl” - said every time the instructor handed the controls to me - felt mighty. The words of Jeroen proved to be predic- tive: helicopter flying is addictive! Faster forward to 2023. To close a very rough period both privat and work related I decided to give myself a trialpackage of 5 lessons at Helicentre. I said to myself “but after that the madness will stop”. After three lessons my wife noticed the sparkle and passion in my eyes earlier than me. “Why don’t you get the PPL license?”, she said. I could think of a lot of practical, logical, financial, temporal or humble reasons
Jasper ter Stroot listened to his wife and began his flight training at EHC in the Netherlands — a decision he hasn’t regretted!
happy doing sightseeing flights. And be- coming an instructor would be another dream… Now I’ am busy with the ATPL (H) license. Studying hard so the 90-year old version can tell the 8-year old version of me: we haven’t forgotten your dreams and made them reality. Best part about flying? Take-off: because it has all the elements that make helicopter flying amazing - freedom in 3 dimensions - and it is the start of the flight. (Landing also has al the elements that make helicopter amazing bùt it is the end of the flight…) What did you wish you knew sooner? Per aspera, ad astra - through the hard- ships to the stars. Tips/advise for future students? Do it and do it now! Picture yourself in your nineties, looking back and not hav- ing been a helicopterpilot… (And always listen to your wife…)
Jasper ter Stroot (49) • Former finance manager and teacher • M arried, father of two sons • H obbies (besides flying): Running, cooking, reading • C urrently studying at EHC’s branch in the Netherlands, fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a helicopter pilot.
why I wouldn’t get the license. But they don’t count, if you have an inner drive and passion. Further more I learned that when you live to be 90+ that old version of you shouldn’t feel regret of what you could have done. So I listened to my wife, and after a year I got my PPL (H) license. What the future holds? I’m definitely too old for HEMS or SARS and probably too old for a lot of other beautiful pilot jobs. I will leave that to younger and more experienced pilots. But I would be very
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