This isn’t the first time I’ve flown in a DH82A Tiger Moth… but the last times were so long ago that I’d forgotten just how wonderful these old biplanes are. The first times were in the 1960s, when as a young Air Cadet, I flew from Redhill in the Tiger Cubs aircraft, including a night flight.
Roll on 50 years and it was time to re-live my memories, thanks to a wonderful and totally unexpected retirement gift from my work colleagues.
On a gloriously sunny June day I had a 30 min flight including videos and aerobatics. We left Old Sarum and flew out over Alderbury, where I live, and Longford Castle towards the open farmland between Salisbury, Fordingbridge and Downton. There we climbed to 3000 feet for a series of Aerobatics: in an open cockpit wonderful fun.
I’d had gliding experience in the late 1970s, so understood the basics, so from there my pilot gave me control and I flew down towards the Ashley Walk bombing range on the North Side of the New Forest, where the craters are very visible from the air. I passed control to the pilot as he explained the various features, then he handed the controls back to me for the return, flying along the A36 and passing over my house and Clarendon Park before I handed the controls back to my pilot for the last part and landing.
I’d been in the air for half an hour, it was a glorious experience and great fun: I’d recommend it to anyone.
Go Fly’s organisation was good, the pre-flight safety video effective, informative and amusing.
My video arrived a week or so later, very well put together and a wonderful reminder of a brilliant morning. I was amused to see that whilst I was in control my pilot had his hands outside the cockpit! From the cameras it was clear that my flying, straight and level and gentle turns, were done as well as I’d have hoped!
Lessons are tempting….!
