Happiest 5 year old ever!

[northwest monkey]

I live on the edge of the Pennines in a valley - our house is pretty much at the head of the valley & not far from the top of one of the sides. We're very lucky as we have fantastic views & big skies (hope that makes sense!).

Anyway, on with my tale. Couple of weekends ago, I'm building a wooden thing in the garden & my son is in his den. We hear a plane & he goes running down to the bottom lawn to wave at the pilot. I don't know the first thing about planes, but this one looks old, has a propeller, and the wings are under the body (so not a Cessna type thing). As he's waving at the pilot, the plane starts to bank & then does a roll. My son is actually quite concerned by this but I assure him he won't fall out as he has his seatbelt on. The plane then spent the next 20 minutes doing loop the loops and rolls until he eventually flew off. My son has now decided he no longer wants to be a policeman, a pirate or a dustbin truck driver but wants to be a pilot.

It's unlikely the pilot of the plane will be reading this, but if you are, or even if you're "just" a pilot of a "normal" plane - remember there are 5 year olds watching & to them - you are the second coolest person in the world (behind me obviously).

[Simpo Two]

Wild guess - Harvard?

[anonymous-user]

another wild guess, this Vans Rv8 built by a Pher or the guy who took the photos was Pher (I think);

[telecat]

We see a lot of these where I work. They have a display Solo as well.

[Simpo Two]

Tucanos always remind me of P51 Mustangs.

[Martyboy84]

What a story, as a boy I can't think of much cooler than that!

It's what inspires us to become great.

[MogulBoy]

Yakity-Yak



P.S. I often see a Bucker-Jungmann [inverted!] from my garden and I have been up in it. My kids know the sound it makes and always look up! I hope they will have a chance one day to experience it.

[northwest monkey]

Simpo Two said:

Wild guess - Harvard?

It was a bit like this, but without the long glass bit where the pilot sits (looked shorter).

Got to be honest, it made me feel a bit queasy just watching it

[telecat]

Sounds like one of the Yak Display Pilots. Looking up what Gary Numan was flying I found that these seem to have displaced the Old "Warbirds" as the display of choice at Airshows.

[Bluebarge]

northwest monkey said:

It was a bit like this, but without the long glass bit where the pilot sits (looked shorter).

Got to be honest, it made me feel a bit queasy just watching it

"Long glass bit" = canopy; "bit where the pilot sits" = cockpit

You're going to have to get up to speed sharpish if you want to share your son's interests

[northwest monkey]

telecat said:

Sounds like one of the Yak Display Pilots. Looking up what Gary Numan was flying I found that these seem to have displaced the Old "Warbirds" as the display of choice at Airshows.

I'm pretty sure that was it

Gary Numan the singer?

[northwest monkey]

Bluebarge said:

northwest monkey said:

It was a bit like this, but without the long glass bit where the pilot sits (looked shorter).

Got to be honest, it made me feel a bit queasy just watching it

"Long glass bit" = canopy; "bit where the pilot sits" = cockpit

You're going to have to get up to speed sharpish if you want to share your son's interests

I'll make a note of the technical bits!

[telecat]

northwest monkey said:

telecat said:

Sounds like one of the Yak Display Pilots. Looking up what Gary Numan was flying I found that these seem to have displaced the Old "Warbirds" as the display of choice at Airshows.

I'm pretty sure that was it

Gary Numan the singer?

Yep He used to Fly displays with Norman Lees using a Pair of Harvards. Then Norman was killed in a Spitfire and Gary decided to concentrate on his family as when he looked back He realised how many old friends he had lost so does not fly much these days. The "market" had also been usurped by the Yaks which are newer and cheaper to maintain so cost less at a Display.

[TheEnd]

"Do anything interesting this week?"

"Nah, not really, Gary Numan gave me and the kid a stunt display, but that's about it."

[northwest monkey]

telecat said:

northwest monkey said:

telecat said:

Sounds like one of the Yak Display Pilots. Looking up what Gary Numan was flying I found that these seem to have displaced the Old "Warbirds" as the display of choice at Airshows.

I'm pretty sure that was it

Gary Numan the singer?

Yep He used to Fly displays with Norman Lees using a Pair of Harvards. Then Norman was killed in a Spitfire and Gary decided to concentrate on his family as when he looked back He realised how many old friends he had lost so does not fly much these days. The "market" had also been usurped by the Yaks which are newer and cheaper to maintain so cost less at a Display.

Well you learn something everyday! That's fascinating - cheers