What does it take to become a Spitfire pilot?
This is a question that has been on the mind of Classic Wings pilot Craig Brierley for some time. Craig has been flying for Classic Wings for a decade moving up through the ranks from the Tiger Moth to the Dragon Rapide and T6 Harvard but he had his sights sets on the pinnacle.
Prior to flying at Duxford Craig had previously flown search and rescue missions for the coast guard and also piloted lear jets for a private charter company before following his passion for vintage aviation. Now with a lot of relevant experience he is making his debut in the iconic Spitfire.
Early flights in the T9 are flown from the back seat to enable the new pilot to orientate himself with the aircraft systems prior to their first flight from the front seat, a big milestone for any pilot.
Craig got his first front seat flight on Sunday 18th August under the watchful eye of instructor Barry Hughes. When asked how it went Craig replied that he “still hasn’t woken up from the dream”.
Barry reported a very successful first front seat flight.
Further flights will be needed before Craig is signed off as a fully fledged Spitfire pilot but this trip was a massive step for someone who has dreamed of flying true warbirds since he was a child.
