Moth balls

At a remote airfield near Gore we found the Croydon Aircraft Company who specialise in restoring 1920s and 1930s fabric covered aircraft. They also offer 'joy rides' in the planes they have already restored including a few Tiger Moths. I arranged for a 30 minute flight with their chief instructor, Ryan, who just happened to come 2nd in the Tiger Moth Aerobatics championships in the UK the previous year. Having no bi-plane, tail-dragger or open cockpit experience myself, Ryan did the takeoff but then gave me control at about 500ft. At 1000ft he told me to 'throw it around a bit'. I did my best but at 3000ft he told me to 'throw it around a bit more'. I could get used to this!

After a few steep turns we headed back over the airfield where Ryan performed a loop and then talked me through doing one myself. After this we barrel rolled, stall turned and wing overed the rest of the 30 minutes away. After so much g-force I was pretty stoked so when Ryan told me he'd do a touch and go and I'd land it, I couldn't believe my luck. After fighting the plane all the way down to the ground, it was a pretty gusty day, we taxied back to the hanger.

I'm still trying to work out what gave me the biggest buzz, leaping off a bridge over a river and free falling for a couple of seconds or hanging upside down in the open cockpit of a Tiger Moth. I still can't decide; I'll have to do both again.