Looking for a Gift for a friend - Introductory flight

[Java]

Looking for a flight in preferably an old vintage plane as a Gift for a friends birthday. Can be staright flight or aerobatic. Can anyone suggest anywhere in the area east of London or in the greater London area where I can buy this for them. Any suggestions welcome.

[The Boy Lard]

JAVA,

Just had a search on the net for you and I found www.dawnpatrol.co.uk

They appear to fly all sorts of aircraft out of Dunkeswell, I dont know if that is too far afield.

Good luck

Cheers

TBL:D

[whisperbrick]

hi,
Dunkeswell is about two hundred fragging miles from london.

Try tigerfly at wycombe air park (westlondon) they have a tigermoth available.www.avnet.co.uk/tigerfly/

[Liquid Lunch]

Hi Java,

I was at Stapleford (NE London) not so long ago and spotted a yellow Tiger Moth which seemed to be taking off and landing regularly, which made me think that it could be used for pleasure flights, not 100% sure tho'.

Here is the number for Stapleford (friendly bunch I found), which might give you a lead in the right direction.

01708-688380

Good luck,

LL

[Java]

Thanks for the replies, it is a great help.


Does anyone know of a reasonably priced joy flight in a mustang , spitfire or other high powered old war plane.

cheers

Java

[Wrong Stuff]

I met a young couple once who managed to get a bank loan to install central heating in their house. Once the money was in their account they decided central heating was boring, so instead they blew it on a joyride each in a Spitfire!!

The point of this little story is that, even if you can find someone offering them (and two-seater Spitfires are really rare) it's going to cost a lot more than the same in a Tiger Moth.

[AerBabe]

I'm not sure 'reasonable price' 'mustang' and 'spitfire' can be put in the same sentence....
Let us know if you find somewhere though :)

[The Boy Lard]

Java,

Carolyn Grace owns a two seat Spitfire and does "joy" rides for approx £1500 for 20 minutes or thereabouts out of Duxford.

If you do a search on Yahoo with "Carolyn Grace Spitfire" it should bring up her web page.

A good friend of mine has done it and he couldnt stop talking about it.

Before anyone says that its "fraggin expensive" I know it is but Java asked the question!

Cheers

TBL:D

[sloany]

There is a Tiger Moth which flies out of Duxford (not too hard to get to from NE London). I know this as my sister has just got a flight for her B'day, it was booked through Red Letter Days.
For weekend flights Duxford are booked out until Oxtober so best go during the week.
30 Mins cost £160 i think.
Cheers
Sloany

[Lawyerboy]

Tiger Moth at Cambridge, I believe? Try 'em on 01223 293 737. Not too far from London...

[Baldie Man]

£1500 for twenty freaking minutes?? :eek:

If I wanted to be f*cked I would pull my pants down!! Has she got rocket boosters strapped to the thing or is it a crafty way of paying for the maintanence?

BM.

[The Boy Lard]

BM,

A most eloquent post, showing that mastery of the English language is not dead!

Personally I would find it difficult to part with £1500 for "twenty freaking minutes", however I believe that there is a waiting list for this rare opportunity to fly one of the most famous aircraft in history.

I guess its a case of whatever floats your boat (no pun intended)

TBL

[barnaby]

I recently took a friend of mine down to Duxford who went up in Carolyn's Spitfire and I was lucky enough to spend the day with this most incredible lady. Baldie Man, you obviously don't know anything about the history of this Spitfire and what it took to get this thing back in the air. I personally think that the £1500ish is superb value for money, knowing how much it costs to keep it flying. Especially seeing as though it visits most air displays due to it being one of only two 2 seater Spitfires left in the world.

My advice to you would be to have a little look into the history of this machine, the late Mr Grace and the very current Mrs Grace. You will then change your tune.

[Baldie Man]

Okay, I think I'm over the initial shock of the price for twenty minutes in the magnificent Spitfire and can perhaps post a more reasoned post now. I was thinking out loud so to speak.

I can appreciate the problems and expenses involved with keeping an aircraft such as this in the air and therefore imagine the price for twenty minutes would go towards the high maintanance costs involved.

Well done to Mr and Mrs Grace - I sincerely hope my post did not cause any offence. If it did please accept my apologies Mrs. Grace.

As for having no knowledge of the Spitfires history barnaby..... :rolleyes:

BM.

[Cool_Hand]

If you're prepared to go a bit further than Essex, there is a company who do warbird flying out of Shoreham airport, T6 Harvard and a couple of others, www.warbirdflying.com .

[boeingbus2002]

Maybe have a look at Redletter days, they organise numerous flight experiences at various locations around the country. I do recall them doing some warbird type flights too, but maybe prices are a bit high!

[The man formerly known as]

For £1500 you can get 40-60 minutes in a Hunter. Twice the value of a spitfire!!!

See Hawkerhunter.co.uk.

[Capt Claret]

Java,

Can I be your friend too?

Please! :D