In the Air Force
Rich trained on the Hawk (the jet flown by the Red Arrows), and then joined IX Squadron to fly Tornados. This included 21 missions during Operation Desert Storm in the first Gulf War.
In the Airline
In 1993, Rich left the RAF to fly Boeings for a living, which he still does today. You never know, he may have been the Captain on one of your flights.
In a Spin
Rich picked up his first trophy for aerobatics more than 30 years ago, flying the Hawk at advanced flying training. That buzz, that thrill of spinning an aircraft around the sky, never left and was rekindled when he brought a Christen Eagle Biplane home from the States (in the hold of a Boeing 767 naturally).
In the Pitts
"Before you know it I was enjoying competing within the British Aerobatic Association (BAEA) with some success. I love the friendly competitive environment of the BAEA and all the help and advice I have received from the wealth of experience in the British teams.
The Eagle is a really great two-seater aerobatic aircraft, however, I also have an iconic Pitts S2S. It's much more powerful, single seat and has now been modified specifically as an Aerial Entertainment at Airshows.
With my homebuilding background I have now to started to complete my dream of building a 2nd modified Biplane for the display circuit in UK with two added Lynx Turbo Jets.
