BBC2 The Real Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines

[IanPZ]

I watched it, and was uncomfortable with some of it, and liked other bits. Given that I am currently learning in a microlight, it didn't really match my experience of most of the people I have met so far.

So, to be more specific, yes, I wish they had chosen to follow the people who won, rather than the people they did. Of course its hard to work out who would win before the race started, but when you look at who were in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, its no surprise, so they should have followed one of them.

Regarding Anthony Woodward, I have read Propellerhead, and I thought he was entertaining, and nothing different from what I expected. I think they tried very hard to "big up" the irresponsible nature of their flying, but it was TV drama, rather than real. I never saw anything too crazy from them, and getting lost....well, its a mistake, rather than irresponsible.

I was also not too shocked by the Irish dad and boy. Again, they bigged up the drama of him being frightened, and the "stress" between them, but that's TV, and a huge pat on the dad's back for recognising day one that it was too much for his son, and making it a sightseeing and "father and son" time, rather than a race.

The person who made me uncomfortable was RMH. I don't really care how experienced a pilot he is, how capable he is, or how idiosyncratic he is....what I care about is that he was held up as a leading light in the microlighting world, and then did some bl**dy stupid things, the main one of which was undoing his seatbelt whilst in flight. Being a student, I am happy to be corrected, but surely since the POH has seatbelt checks as one of the pre-flight checks, then taking it off 2500' up to turn around in your seat is illegal, no? It's certainly dangerous, and gives the wrong message, as far as I am concerned.

Anyhow, all the same, 2/3 aint bad, and I can't deny I enjoyed watching the dad and son get on.

Finally, to the person in London who was looking for somewhere, try Exodus Airsports, in St Albans. Not too far a journey, and the chief instructor there is the bloke who won the RBR. Friendly bunch too, and a good mix of both flexwing and 3axis pilots.