Tiger Moth

Just looking back at what I actually did get round to writing about last year and can't believe I missed out the best thing that ever happened to me!

I really love planes and boats and last year my dad bought me a flight in a 77 year old Tiger Moth. I have always wanted to fly one. I paid a bit extra on top so I could
have a whole hour's flight. It was absolutely incredible.

G-ACDC belongs to The Tiger Club at Headcorn Aerodrome in Kent. She is the second oldest Tiger Moth in service. She served with the RAF during WW2 and has been in civilian service since 1953.


The day of the flight was perfect - sunny, great visibility, blue skies etc. You sit in the front cockpit if you are the passenger. The seat harness seems ever so basic when you are being strapped in. 5 leather straps that come from all around you and meet in the middle and lock you in. I had my authentic biggles hat and goggles too of course.

When you taxi along the nose points right up in the air so you can't really see ahead of you, just either side. We took off and were setting out to fly over Elmsted, where my parents are, dad was waiting in the garden. Dad was a pilot himself and this is probably where I got the passion to fly from! He used to regularly fly from Goodwood to Kent to see his mother for the day (as I am sure Clare remembers well!!!). Commuting by light aircraft!!

Over Ashford my pilot Brian gave me the controls. I could see the magnificent Wye Downs with the famous white chalk Crown on it, 12 miles away so headed off to where I knew Elmsted would be from there. Apparently I was just like a homing pigeon. I am sure the people of Ashford were running for their lives!! It was really incredible flying this beautiful, ancient old plane over the stunning scenery of Kent, going over the hills and valleys that I know so well. Dad said he heard her ("the old lady") coming in to the valley and coming down low. He was in the garden with the dog when we flew around. By then Brian was in control again so I could take some photos. Brian asked if I wanted to do a loop-the-loop! Of course! Oh wow...words can't describe it! I think I whooped embarrassingly all the way round! Dad was taking photos from the garden apparently. Really loved seeing all the local woods and villages from the air. A bit more flying around and then we headed off to the coast. We flew all along over Folkestone, the white cliffs of Dover and beyond, then came back in land.

Now this is where my smile faltered a bit. Brian asked if I wanted to do some aerobatics. OK, loved the loop-the-loop so bring it on. We did a vertical stall and a nose dive. G2 apparently. The 8 second stall was fantastic, loved it. Tipping over backwards in slow motion was OK too. The nose dive made me think I was about to die! You realise that these little old leather straps are the only thing holding you in! My entire body weight was trying to burst through them. Oh god.... then the blue of the sky and the green of the land are the right way up again and you just have to pray that you weren't really screaming 'mummy mummy mummy' down the intercom too loudly! ;-) I think I will do it again this year because I can't remember ever enjoying anything as much as flying. I really fancy learning to fly properly too.

In the same photo folder I also found some of Tolly on a walk the next day. I would like to point out that this is a pedigree working cocker spaniel. Note the number of rabbits in the background, completely unfazed by the gundog's presence. Note the stupid gundog running in the opposite direction without a care in the world!!!! Well done Ptolomy!!! :-) Mind you, he is a mean, lean, hunting machine when it comes to socks! No other dog has a patch on him there!

Kent evening sunshine. Sigh. Can't wait for the Summer to come again. This has been a looooong cold winter so far and a fairly crappy time to boot! Can't wait for the warm sun so I can go and lie in the long grass and stare at clouds and just...chill!