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Think you're brave letting the missus drive your westie?


TAFKARM

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Fun day out I had on 18 Mar 2003.  That's me second from right, front row.  Full display over RAF Scampton in the back of Red 1 (Sqn ldr Spike Jepson).  Photo was taken after a sortie earlier in the day in Red 10 (the chase aircraft). When they realised I was 'G Tolerant' and was unlikely to throw up, I was offered a full display ride later in the day - for that one I wasn't allowed to wear a G Suit so it was interesting greying out in the hig G moves!.  Indescribably good fun, and probably the best thrill I'll ever have in my life.

 

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Don't think I'd have emerged from a Red Arrow without carrying a soggy little bag! :laugh::barf: My bit of aerobatics was 0 to just over 4g.. I imagine a red arrows display involves considerably more!

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'G Tolerant' I like that term. Makes me wonder how you do the test for that one?

 

Brill photos and footage, keep em coming

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Thats all the photos I have of the Reds on that day.  For obvious reasons, the camera had to be safely tucked away for the flight, but I sneaked a shot from the back seat before we rolled.

 

Last one is a bonus shot for you - Cadged a ride with the Station Commander in a Tornado GR4 at RAF Lossiemouth in 1996.  This was a twin stick aircraft from the training squadron, so I got to have a go too!  Looped the loop in this baby on reheat over the North Sea with me at the controls!  

 

Funnily enough, I found the Hawk more fun.  It's more like an Elise, while the Tornado is like a big luxury Jaguar.   

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'G Tolerant' I like that term. Makes me wonder how you do the test for that one?

 

Brill photos and footage, keep em coming

When I want up on the first flight with Wg Cdr Bill Ramsey, I was in a G suit, but it wasn't switched on I knew what should be happening, but nothing was!  By the time I'd told the pilot and I'd found the switch to inflate them, we'd already pulled some fairly hefty G.  It was that that made Bill realise I'd be OK in a full display without the G Suit and sorted the later formation trip for me.  Because the Hawk is a twin-stick aircraft and room is very tight in the back, there's a danger than a passenger could catch the stick on the various laces and bits on a G Suit causing an inadvertent control input and subsequent disaster, so they simply take them out of the equation by not letting you wear them! 

 

The most G was on the parasol break at the end and was around 6-7G if I recall which was enough for me to lose vision, although I didn't actually black out, but Spike always let me know when it was coming so I could at least get a breath in and know what was coming!

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