GreyMamba

I love flying! I really can only remember ever wanting to be pilot as a boy - no train driving for me! - and that desire never left me. As a sixth former we were given the chance to apply for a flying scholarship funded by the RAF. I wore glasses at the time (still do) and thought it was a long-shot but nevertheless jumped at the chance.

I applied and was told to come down for evaluation. I dully turned up at Biggin Hill along with all the real RAF entry officer candidates. There followed an incredibly interesting day doing all kinds of paper based exams and physical ‘coordination’ tests - followed by the dreaded medical (it’s funny having a one bloke stick his finger in your ear whilst another whispers at you from across the room - was this some kind of bizarre enrolment ritual?).

Anyway, I passed the tests but failed the medical on eyesight grounds - bummer! !Did I want to join the RAF anyway they asked? But I didn’t unless I could be aircrew so that was that.

I looked at becoming a commercial pilot but at that time my eyesight was still too poor. And so that was that for many years as marriage and kids intervened.

Year later following divorce and return to Manchester University to do Physics and an Astronomy PhD I learned to hangglide in the Derbyshire hills - what a blast - and then the fates intervened again () and I married my beloved Chrissie. She was and is so very supportive and one birthday bought me a series of flying lessons out of Liverpool.