Years and years ago (mid 60's anyway) when I was a Sub Lieutenant RNR, I did a spot of training at Yeovilton. On offer during my 2 weeks there was a flight to Lossiemouth and back in a Phantom (weather an a/c availability permitting) and a local in a Hunter.
I checked out ready for the Phantom flight (medical and ejector seat - the whole works) but sadly it never actually happened. The Hunter flight did though. I flew with Lt Marcus Edwards who later went on to become better known through his association with the Rothmans Team.
My experience that day set in motion the realisation that I really did want to learn to fly and ended many years later when I gained my PPL at Bodmin.
Awesome just wasn't the word to describe the hour or so we were in the air. I was offered the opportunity to take the controls but I confess that I was so gobsmacked by the experience that I didn't want to do that. I just wanted to sit there and drink it all in.
And the best part of it was that it didn't cost me a penny.