For someone who has been intereted in aircraft since they were about ten years old I have flown only four times in my life. Once was in a De Havilland Dragon Rapide at Old Warden, last year. Once was from Manchester to Amsterdam in some nondescript airliner, in 1999, and then the return flight a few days later.
But my first was the best. I would have been about 15 years old and as a member of the Air Training Corps we got the opportunity to fly an RAF Chipmunk at RAF Finningley (Now Robin Hood Airport). I remember the film about how to bale out in an emergency, and the safety talk almost put me off doing it but I waddled out to the aircraft with the parachute and was strapped into the back seat by the groundcrew guy and then, once we had clearance, the RAF pilot took off and up to about 3000ft.
He asked if I wanted a go (I can't remember the exact procedure but it was something about him saying "you have control" and I replying "I have control"). I took the stick and was very surprised at how little movement it needed as we went diving toward the ground! The pilot, cool as a cucumber, and in a stereotypical posh English voice calmly said "Pull up, old chap, you're not in a Spitfire, you know". After that I remember gently banking round in wide circles and looking down on Thorne Moors until he took over and brought us in to land. I think the total flying time was about 20 minutes but I will always remember it.
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