A Spitfire flight is an experience of a lifetime. You only have to read a couple of reviews from some of our happy customers to realise that it’s an experience that you’ll never forget. But what exactly happens on the day?
At Spitfires.com we’ve put together this handy guide to talk you through what will happen during your Spitfire flight experience, so you know what to expect. If you’re already booked in, this article will give you a chance to prepare for your Spitfire flight experience and get excited about it all over again. Or alternatively, if you haven’t booked your flight yet, this article might just get you inspired and ready to make your booking!
What to wear
You will be fitted with a flight suit after your briefing which you will wear for the duration of your flight, over the top of your own clothes. We would recommend you wear a t-shirt, comfortable shirt or light jumper with jeans, chinos or similar trousers. Clothes made with natural fibres are best if possible. It’s also important that you wear enclosed shoes (and not sandals or flip flops) for safety reasons.
When to arrive
The first thing to note on the day is that the time you are given when you make your booking is the time that your briefing starts. This means that you should aim to arrive around ten minutes before your booking time to give you a bit of time to settle in and make sure your briefing can start promptly.
Although you’ll be the only person flying in your time slot, there will be multiple Spitfire flights each morning and afternoon, so making sure you arrive slightly earlier than your briefing starts means we can keep things running smoothly and without delays, so you can get on with the fun bit!
Your briefing
At your appointed time you will have a full briefing with your pilot before your flight. At this point, you will be taken through the details of your Spitfire flight including your proposed route and various safety procedures, and you will also have the opportunity to ask questions. You will then be fitted with your flight suit.
You can bring one friend or family member into the briefing with you, otherwise, there are designated viewing points at both Goodwood Aerodrome and Solent Airport Daedalus where your loved ones can watch from, or cafe’s for them to grab a bite to eat whilst you take to the skies.
Your Spitfire flight
After your briefing, it’s possible that there will be a bit of time to wait before your actual flight - all just extra time to build anticipation! Then when everything is ready you will be taken to your Spitfire and walked through all the final safety checks with your pilot and flight team. You will then be safely helped into your seat and fitted with a state of the art helmet with built in microphone and noise cancelling technology, and a parachute. You will then be ready for flight.
Even with the noise cancelling from your helmet, you should expect take off to be fairly loud!
Once in the air, you will be given plenty of time to marvel at the astonishing views of the landscapes below. Your pilot can also perform several aerobatic manoeuvres, including loops, barrel rolls and the famous “victory roll” so you can experience flying upside down!
As long as conditions are stable and it is safe to do so, your pilot will also offer you control of the Spitfire. This means you will be in full control of this iconic aircraft and can experience first-hand the expert design and craftsmanship behind the Spitfire.
You will inevitably find that in a Spitfire time really does fly, and all too soon it will be time for your pilot to take control again as you come back to land at the airfield.
After your flight
After your flight, you will be reunited with your friends and family and left to tell them all about it, but luckily you don’t have to try and remember everything that happened during your Spitfire flight. We record every flight with a 360 degree camera, so you can purchase a video of your flight after you land, so you can relive the experience over and over again from lots of different aspects. You will also be presented with a squadron print of the Spitfire you’ve flown in, the flight suit patch that you wore in the Spitfire for your flight, and a sticker, so you’ll have plenty of souvenirs to take home with you.
Book your Spitfire flight
To book a Spitfire flight, either for yourself or as an unforgettable gift for a loved one, you can use our online booking system. Alternatively, you can get in touch with the team at Spitfires.com for more information or to answer any questions you might have for us. We’ll be more than happy to help you make your dream of flying in a Spitfire a reality.