Recommend a flying experience place for ex-fast jet pilot?

[Mario149]

Sounds a bit random but bear with me....

My partner's parents are coming to stay with us soon and her dad is an ex fast jet pilot from the Soviet/Russian Air Force. He hasn't flown for 20 and a bit years primarily because his wife banned him from going up as anything other than a passenger on a commercial liner after his friend/biz partner died in an accident (the last of several friends he lost over the years) in the early 90s when they were running a aircaft buying/selling business after he retired from the military. And apart from all that, even if she would let him fly they couldn't/can't afford it.

That said, we think his wife may have softened a bit and might let him go up again if it was in the UK in a non-shonky plane with an instructor.

So, can anyone suggest an outfit within striking distance of London that we could get him an experience at as a present? Preferably something where the instructor could chuck them round the sky for a bit in something a bit nice and then let him have a supervised go. Oh, and the instructor would have to speak Russian or there'd have to be room in the plane for my partner to go with them and translate!

[SpeckledJim]

So this is like taking Nigel Mansell karting.

"What did you reckon Nigel, fun or what!? That back straight is amazing!"

[ecsrobin]

As above. I'd suggest he should be the one picking the aircraft if it's really something he wants to do. Your last comment was the problem. Anything that is fun has 1-2 seats.

[Mario149]

SpeckledJim said:

So this is like taking Nigel Mansell karting.

"What did you reckon Nigel, fun or what!? That back straight is amazing!"

I don't think it'd be quite like that. If you took a round the world yacht racer who hadn't been allowed to sail for 20 years and put him in a Laser I think he'd still enjoy it. I used to shoot Target Rifles at international level but still enjoy the odd blat with a .22 a few times a year now that I don't do TR anymore.

Anyway, we're not going to surprise him with it out of the blue, we are actually asking him first. If he's not up for it, fair enough

[croyde]

I went on an experience at Redhill Aerodrome a couple of years ago. It was in a Cessna Aerobat and the instructor did all the stuff you see at air shows including going straight up, stalling and spinning. He had me laughing like a maniac the whole time

He also did a mini version of the Vomit Comet where everything went weightless for about 6 secs.

Sorry for the lack of proper terms but I'm not a pilot.

He also let me have a quick go.

http://redhillaviation.co.uk/experience-flights/#a...

ETA Sorry I didn't read the bit about the 3rd passenger. Surely he can just stay strapped in and enjoy the ride.

I found this, fly in a Spitfire. was going to book it myself but it's £3k for a 20 min flight.

http://www.classic-wings.co.uk/res_web_voucher.asp...

Edited by croyde on Thursday 9th April 15:10

[Zippee]

http://www.ultimatehigh.co.uk/products/Flight_Expe...

Instructors are pretty much all ex airforce and red arrows!

[dudleybloke]

http://youtu.be/8L8UCfxmtSw

[williamp]

Mario149 said:

.... her dad is an ex fast jet pilot from the Soviet/Russian Air Force. .....can
anyone suggest an outfit within striking distance of London...

....then let him have a supervised go.

Those Tu-95 Bears are getting close enough along the English channel thank you very much.

As others have said, if he wants to fly a fast jet then...head to Russia!!!

So how about something very different: How about a flight alongside a spitfire??

http://goactionstations.co.uk/

[Geneve]

SpeckledJim said:

So this is like taking Nigel Mansell karting.
"What did you reckon Nigel, fun or what!? That back straight is amazing!"

Nigel Mansell loves karting and was still racing karts until a couple of years or so ago. Owns Mansell kart circuit at Dunkeswell.

How about the London Heli Lanes (down the Thames) from Redhill or Denham?

[Burrow01]

Even for an ex Fast jet pilot this would be exciting enough I think:

http://www.theblades.com/Blades-corporate-homepage...

Not sure if any of them speak Russian though....

[anonymous-user]

Get him an hour or so in something rotary.
Because even fast jet pilots have dreams.....

[hantsxlg]

I've a friend who is an ex Phantom naval pilot. He fairly recently has had a few glider flights which he loved. The experience is 'different' enough to powered flight to be interesting to him.

[IforB]

Is Genna still doing Yak stuff? That might work. Where's Ed when you need him?

[CharlieCrocodile]

Is a Hawker Hunter acceptable? http://hunterflightacademy.com/

It is in Cranfield though.

[Mario149]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far At the moment his wife is still not on board (pun slightly intended) and having spoken to him last night he's reluctant to go up himself as, and I paraphrase: "The last flight I did was perfect, everything went right. Although in theory I'd really like to go up again and would enjoy it, I'd worry that I'd disappoint myself if I wasn't able to fly as well as I used to or that I wouldn't be challenging myself how I used to".

....which is a sentiment I can fully appreciate (I think he's also sloightly scared of his Mrs She is a bit formidable!). I might try and see if gliding is sufficiently different that he might be interested. It's a bit tricky as I think he's flown most things, he was also actually a test pilot for several years! Someone has suggested rotary wing, unfortunately he could already fly that too!

[dudleybloke]

Close proximity wing suit flying.

Bet he's not done that with the Ivan air force!

[CAFEDEAD]

My dad's an ex-fast jet pilot. Not of the Soviet variety, but nevertheless ... FWIW he seems to show zero interest in run of the mill aircraft, but gliding still holds his interest. Might be able to get more out of your money there too.

[Simpo Two]

I can't see you're going to 'out-fast-jet' him so I'd suggest for something aerobatic too, and he can have all the G and the fun he wants.

[eharding]

IforB said:

Is Genna still doing Yak stuff? That might work. Where's Ed when you need him?

Trying to align the cosmos such that Gena, a functional Yak, and a murk-free day are present in the same place at the same time has of late been on a par with collecting Unicorn toenails - some of the group have been trying for *years*.

I see the OP has updated the current state of play, but I was going to suggest that if he booked a commercial experience flight in something aerobatic at White Waltham - the Sbach or the Pitts - then maybe I might be able to arrange a blast down memory lane in the 52 as well, but couldn't guarantee I'm going to be around WW on any one particular day.

I don't think lack of English would preclude booking a trip in one of the aerobatic 2 seaters - a fair few of the uninitiated folk who try the SBach experience soon lose the power of speech anyway, reverting to scream/whoop/wibble/gibber mode.

[griffdude]

Doesn't everyone want a go in a Spitfire?

http://www.flyaspitfire.co.uk/?gclid=CJWwmszp68QCF...