I arrived at Shoreham Airport around 9am, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (and feeling slightly delirious about the fact that, within a couple of hours, I’d be 800 feet higher without so much as a cabin crew or a cheese panini in sight). I was met by Lloyd, an accomplished flying instructor and my trusty pilot for the day. From the get-go, I knew I was in the safest of hands. Both Lloyd’s communication and knowledge were impeccable. With over 30 years of experience under his belt, this wasn’t his first rodeo.
Following a safety demonstration, we suited up and set off to the airfield, where our chariot – the gyrocopter – awaited. What, you may ask, is a gyrocopter? It’s essentially a cross between a helicopter and an aeroplane, the most obvious features being the open cockpit and free-spinning rotor. Well looked after, it’s also “a nice bit of kit”, as your dad might say.
After conducting his usual checks and making sure my headset was set to the right volume so we could speak to each other during the flight, we prepared for take-off. Eeek! Wow, was I in for a treat. Ascending into the sky was utterly surreal. You are buckled in with a seatbelt, but are still able to peer over the side and look all around you. It felt magnificently thrilling yet secure – no hard rights or sudden jolts. Just breathtaking.
Have you ever zoomed out on Google Earth and felt that strange shift in perspective? Imagine that multiplied by a thousand– that’s how I’d describe it. We soared along the coast to the iconic Brighton Pier, which looked like a children’s toy from that height. It was astonishing to see Brighton and the South Downs through a completely different lens, gazing over a Legoland version of a city I thought I knew.
I was even allowed to fly at one point. I thought, “Is this really happening?” as I steered left and right, taking in the sparkling and seemingly endless English Channel reflecting the glorious summer sunshine. It was quite a day for it.
Still feeling sky-high from it all, I thoroughly recommend you book a flight now! If not for you, then for someone you would like to give the memory of a lifetime.
Prices start from £175.
