Rotaventure - Final Flight Simulator Trip!

Rotarians Bill Bowen (known as "legless" to his pals, for reasons nothing to do with Bader or flying), Peter Hill (in younger days liked to get high without leaving the ground) and John Davies (who's nose modelled Concord) arrived at the Flight Simulator at Stalybridge filled with trepidation and in Peter's case also a bacon butty.

Each had a 30 minute experience of the "Top Gun" variety and took a simulated flight from RAF Valley Anglesey down the West Wales coast to Aberdyfi in Bill's case, to have a flyover of his cottage and over Snowdonia for Peter & I. We all had to negotiate the Menai Bridge and fly very low level before returning to base, with our qualified supervisor sitting close behind with dual controls   

Bill started and Peter and I chortled as he wobbled his way along the runway as illustrated by computer screens in the adjoining waiting room.
Our mirth was short lived as we did exactly the same during our turns trying to master the very sensitive steering rudders with our feet and joystick plus brake with our hand SIMULTANEOUSLY!

We all hurtled along at about 360 mph through the valleys of Snowdonia, looped the loop and performed "death rolls" with the daring, carefree, abandon of those who knew they were only 2 feet off the ground. Bill and Peter successfully negotiated the approach to the Menai Bridge (despite Peter having to stop mid flight to change his helmet!), and then it was my turn. The approach was excellent (in my head) and we decided that unlike my illustrious colleagues, I would fly under it. The bridge loomed up, I opened the throttle, levelled the wings, dipped the joystick, dived and achieved a perfect, spectacular wipe out. All went quiet in the cockpit and the only sound I could hear was the supervisor giving exasperated sighs. Whoops!

Despite this we all returned safely having enjoyed something a little different and contemplated our pilot's advice that if we wanted to progress, we would have to lose 10 years of age, put aside 70 hours for tuition and approx