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Completely Loopy!! - Aerobatic Challenge Results
3 days, 15 flights, 337 manoeuvres and £6000 for charity.
Many of you have followed the build up to Jason Phelan's Aerobatic Challenge; now having completed his mission, Jason tells us how it felt to experience so many unusual highs!
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"Back in 2008, I had a harebrained idea of planning an Aerobatic Challenge, of some description, in aid of charity. I was also introduced to Mandy Pantall who is the Marketing and Fundraising Director of fly2help, and after reading her story I was inspired to give a bit back to the world of aviation that has, over the years, given me so much personal pleasure and enjoyment. 'The rest...' as they say '...is history!'
As we started planning for this challenge, I received many offers and donations from aircraft operators and owners, and before I knew it the Aerobatic Challenge Weekend had gathered a phenomenal pace; an idea that had started out as something small was growing beyond imagination. This was a great confirmation of why this industry is so great... the camaraderie and sense of community is incredible. I was overwhelmed by the support that was coming in and it even got to the point that, with huge reluctance, I had to turn down 7 flights due to an already packed, and rather scary, schedule. Mandy became a huge force in helping me develop the challenge to maximise the potential for raising funds and awareness of fly2help. I spent a great deal of time developing a project plan and we slowly brought onboard extra volunteers to help progress the challenge.
...... and so came the big weekend. I woke up on Friday 24th April from a restless night's sleep. However, to my surprise, my biggest concern was not immediately for the excessive amount of aerobatic manoeuvres ahead, oh no... to my horror, I had to face my first ever live radio interview with BBC Radio Northamptonshire at 9.10am!! I was a bag of nerves and apprehension had set in. Much to my surprise, once I got into the swing of it, I soon felt at ease, which, considering the amount of interviews I ended up doing over the week, was just as well... and before I knew it, adrenaline of a different sort was pumping as I prepared and was briefed for the challenge inaugural flight in fly2help's own Chipmunk, with pilot Robert Miller (Nitro).
My stomach suddenly seemed to fill with butterflies, or maybe these would be better described as Pterodactyls(?), but I found myself still smiling, with a mixture of anticipation and excitement, but it was now time to get the challenge under way... no looking back now! As I was strapped into the parachute and then to the aircraft, my mind wondered off momentarily at the prospect of what I was about to undertake. Can I do the whole weekend? Will I be sick? What if I don't like it? What if I fail and the sponsorship money is lost? WHERE'S MY SICKBAG?? The 'Chippie' prop kicked into life, and miraculously, all those questions retreated to the back of my mind... this was it... CHOCKS AWAY!!
It was only as I landed at Sywell on the Sunday afternoon, at the end of three gruelling days, fifteen flights, 337 manoeuvres, and the finale with Myles Garland in The Blades Extra 300 aircraft, that all those questions got answered. Yes, I could do the whole weekend; No, I wouldn't be sick; Yes, I absolutely loved it, beyond words; I didn't fail! And hey, who cares where the sick bag is now?
I could write a book, and a thick one at that, about all the flights; the experiences, the smells of each aircraft, the atmosphere, the sights, all as I crossed over 11 counties, often from the most bizarre angles... but, I still wouldn't be able to put into words, or really do justice to the emotions that it created. I never wanted to learn to fly and, to be honest, I still don't, although I can now understand why pilots find it all so addictive... it really is hard to describe why I am still smiling so much now... what an experience!
It was an absolute privilege to be flown in so many wonderful aircraft types with so many skilled pilots; now I understand why the term 'Sky Gods' is used! Every flight was different and unique; my boundaries had been pushed so very far, as I experienced G-Forces of +6g and -4g. I Looped, Rolled, Flicked, Tumbled, Stalled, I was flown through manoeuvres I have never even heard of and WHY? To raise money and awareness of a cause that has become close to my heart, fly2help.
I achieved both of those goals, but I have also now been struck by a personal achievement too... I suffered from exhaustion, headaches and dizzy spells for up to a week after the event, and on reflection I exceeded all my own expectations of myself. I have always found it hard to recognise my own achievements, but looking through the internet at the words, images, messages and stories that have come from the weekend, it has made me feel extremely proud.
I want to thank so many people for their input, which I will do individually over the course of the next few weeks, but for now THANK YOU to everyone for making what started out as a small dream, a much larger and hugely successful reality."
The final grand total raised for fly2help has not yet been confirmed, but it is estimated that Jason has raised £6000. Jason will be presenting fly2help with a cheque at Kemble Air Day, on Sunday 21st June.
"Anyone who has ever experienced high power aerobatics will appreciate the huge undertaking of this challenge" says Mandy of fly2help. "One single flight like this can bring even the most daring to their knees... but FIFTEEN flights condensed into three days really is an incredible achievement for one stomach to face! WELL DONE JASON! Thank you to everyone who has helped Jason to raise such a grand total that will benefit so many!"