I've always wanted to do it for as long as I can remember, but it was probably a birthday treat of a flight in an Auster (i think) from what was then Ringway (now Manchester) at the age of about 7. I sat behind the pilot and was amazed that he could move this stick thingy and tilt the whole world. Wow! One day I'm gonna do that! But as I got older it seemed that flying was something ordinary guys don't do. Then in that glorious summer of 1976 my wife and I went on a Gliding holiday to Nympsfield nedar Stroud. Then I read Richard Bach's 'A Gift of Wings', took up gliding, got frustrated at the lack of time in the air V. time on ground, and a friend took me up in a C150 from Barton. Suddenly it seemd possible - so I signed up and 8 months later had my PPL. That was over 20 years ago, and i treasure the experiences of those 20 years.
Also very pleased to report that several guys who I introduced to the delights of a Chipmunk have since become PPLs themselves.
SSG