Mark Newton

About me

I've been flying various types of aircraft since 1999.

My introduction was in VH-KRO, a Krosno KR03A Puchateck, at the Adelaide University Gliding Club's airfield in Lochiel, South Australia. Over the ensuing years, I trained, built up skills, and developed through the GFA hierarchy, including a three year stint as AUGC's Chief Flying Instructor.

Seeking novelty, in 2008 I commenced training for a CASA Private Pilot License (PPL) with Forsyth Aviation at Parafield in Adelaide, under the erstwhile tutelage of Bev Roediger, Sarah Allen, and Mike Foley.

I acquired VH-SOL in 2011, in syndicate with two other Adelaide pilots. I bought-out their shares when I moved to Sydney in 2013, and have been upgrading the airplane ever since.

In my day job, I'm a network engineer for an internet company. No, I can't fix your Windows computer.

Flight Experience

Glider ratings:

• FAI Gold Certificate with two diamonds
• DA.1109 Component Replacement airworthiness rating
• GFA Level 2 Instructor rating
• Touring Motorglider endorsement

General Aviation ratings:

• CASR Part 61 PPL(A) Private Pilot License
• Design feature endorsement for tail wheel undercarriage
• Design feature endorsement for retractable undercarriage
• Design feature endorsement for manual propeller pitch control
• Flight activity endorsement for aerobatics and spinning
• Flight activity endorsement for low level aerobatics not below 1500AGL
• Flight activity endorsement for formation flying
• Flight activity endorsement for formation aerobatics
• Night VFR rating
• Class 2 medical certificate
• Private Instrument rating with the following FPAs:
  • GNSS Enroute
  • VOR Enroute
  • DEPS departure
  • Visual circling
  • GPS holding
  • 3D ILS
  • 2D RNP
  • SID
  • STAR
  • Night
• CASA Display Pilot authorization