Vintage Airways

Vintage Airways

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Posted 2019-01-14 by Neil Follettfollow
Biggles flies again.

Fancy yourself as Biggles, the legendary fictional world war one fighter pilot? Zooming your bi-plane around the sky looking for enemy aircraft.

Well, you can, almost. at the Yarra Valley Airfield, 10 kms out of Lilydale have two 1930s vintage Tiger Moths in their fleet.



The Tiger Moth is a two-seat open cockpit bi-plane. You can whet your appetite for open cockpit flying by a simple ten-minute flight or a longer one. The brave at heart can opt for the thrills of an aerobatic flight, with rolls, spins and loops; more fun than fairground rides and a better view.



If you still want to play Biggles, you can select a flight that the pilot allows you to fly the aircraft yourself, after take-off of course. Before take-off the pilot explains the basic movements of the controls to go up, to go down and to turn. You certainly feel the part as leather helmet and goggles are provided plus a heavy leather jacket if the weather is a little cool.

The only concession to modern technology is a radio for communication between passenger and pilot, rather the talking tube of earlier times.


Whichever type of flight you choose, you will love it. Your normal experience of flying is probably looking out a window. The Tiger has no windows so the view of the Yarra Valley below you is uncorrupted by glass or perspex. It is akin to riding in a convertible car, only in three dimensions.



I chose the "fly it yourself" option

.

I am installed in the front cockpit with the pilot in the rear cockpit as he calls "contact" and an assistant swings the propeller and the engine roars into life as the engine instruments flicker a response.



We taxi to the end of the airfield and turn onto the grass airstrip. No ribbons of bitumen here, just old fashioned grass of the 1930s.

The throttle is opened wide, the noise intensifies and as our speed increases the pilot eases the joystick forward and the tail rises. He then gently applies back pressure and when the lift generated by the airflow over the four wings equals the weight of the aircraft, we are airborne.



When I took over the controls at about 1000 feet, gentle movement of the joystick to the left or right turned us in that direction. It was a calm day so the ride was smooth with no bumps or turbulence usually present on hot days when parcels of air become warmer than its surrounds and rises, taking an aeroplane with it. This is how gliders stay in the air – finding parcels of rising air and circling within them.

All too soon it was time to return to earth where the pilot gently eased the Tiger back onto terra firma.

It's an experience everyone should experience, even if it is only the ten-minute option.

at the Yarra Valley Airfield can be contacted on (03)8741 2021 or at their website: vintageairways.com.au.

#adventure
#day_trips
#escape_the_city
#fun_things_to_do
#victoria
#vintage_retro
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%wnmelbourne
193122 - 2023-06-16 03:49:29

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