Fast Jet rides
I was a photographer for BAe for 14 years - did a lot of flying, all in light aircraft such as PA-44.
I became pretty bullet-proof to manoevres in that - which may sound slight, but in fact that aircraft made a lot of people sick & we did a lot of spirited manouvering...
After I managed, pretty much by accident, to get the then CTP H.F. A full page spread in the 'Times' ( on a positive note ) I was shortly afterwards given a ride in G-Hawk - in formation with another Hawk for filming work, for once I was in the subject aircraft.
Chris Roberts, driving, did a lot of spectacular moves including dive attacks inverted at 1,500' then rolling out & a 4+ G pull, various other things around 4+ G.
Chris commented afterwards that he wouldn't normally take up a newbie on a sortie like that.
I was struck by 2 things - the Hawk cockpit which had always seemed roomy when I photographed it, was decididly cramped when sitting with all the flight suit on ! I was then a slim 5'9" 10.5 stone...
I also felt sick - wasn't actually, but close - I think part of this was the lack of situational awareness, and not really knowing what was going on - in light aircraft I always have the feeling I can land the thing if anything happens to the pilot ( years later this DID happen when a pilot - certainly not BAe - conked out on me ) -
I reckon to really enjoy fast jet flying, one has to build up a tolerance - so suspect people paying mega-bucks to ride a Mig-25 will mainly come away with a sick-bag as their trophy !
That reminds me, a Kingston photographer went to 'use' a sick bag to find out the hard way some joker had cut out the bottom...
Last edited by Double Zero; 10th Nov 2007 at 11:54.