Lined up on the runway, the sound of the mighty Pratt & Whitney 600 horse power radial engine builds, as we increase power to commence our take off. The propeller tips approach the speed of sound and create the characteristic roar of the Harvard. As the airspeed passes 80 mph, we take to the air, the undercarriage is retracted, and we soar into the Sussex skies at 100mph.

With the after take-off checks complete, it’s your turn. If you wish, you will be allowed to take full control of the Harvard, preceded by the Instructor's traditional command "You have control!" to which you respond "I have control!". You are now flying a piece of history.

You may wish to experience some of the manoeuvres that a World War II fighter pilot would have practised. Your Instructor can demonstrate these to you. You’ll see and feel for yourself just how exhilarating it is to be looping and rolling over the Sussex countryside.

The choice is yours, and as always, our aim is to ensure that you get the most from your flight.

A 15 minute flight is an extended circuit at Shoreham Airport. All times are, traditionally in aviation ‘chock to chock’, which means from the time the aircraft starts its engine to the time that the engine shuts down.

Returning to Shoreham, we join the circuit of landing aircraft. Selecting our landing gear down, and deploying the wing flaps to allow us to reduce to our approach speed of 85mph, we complete our landing checks and settle safely back on the tarmac once again.

It may be that we ask Air traffic to allow us to complete a ‘Run and Break’, the method used by fighter pilots to get a number of aircraft onto the ground in the quickest possible time. If permitted, we fly over the landing runway at high speed, then break hard into the circuit to land.

Clearing the runway, we taxy back to the Real Flying Company to meet your friends and family. Your smile will tell them the story.

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