1. Just started doing my first solo flights, I was it, I knew it all, what do you need an instructor for!!
Decided to spend the morning doing some pattern work, took of from the ramp and started to climb to the down wind leg. During the climb you have to cross some tall trees (about 100ft), decided I was uncomfortable in the seat and shifted my fat but around just like you do in the easy chair at home. Minor problem, this easy chair doesn't have two arms, one of them is a collective, missed the trees by about 3 inches and almost filled my pants in the process.
2. Castle Martin in the late 80's, I'm in the back of a Lynx Mk3 acting as an extra pair of eyes looking for the bogies (Hawks from RAF Valley). Saw two bright lights, called bogie green 090 in my best topgun voice, pilot banked hard to the left, I'm stuck against the cabin door with my face pressed to the window and I'm sure it didn't but from where I was sitting it looked like the fin of this hawk went through the disc. The pilot got a real close look at top side of the Hawk.
Jiff