Last night I received an e-mail from one of my flying buddies that there was a possibility of going flying in the rear seat of this ex-Soviet Air Force Yak-52 from Carlisle today. It is now used for displays and the pilot was in the area to practice his routines around the Solway coast. Kilt would not have been practicable for climbing into this and I also had to leave my camera and other pocket items on terra firma; there have been a number of accidents where loose objects such as keys, coins, pens and cameras accidentally dropped by a passenger on similar aircraft have fouled the exposed control cables inside the cockpit. Still I had a very pleasant short flight, ably flown by pilot Andy Nottage The big Ivchenko engine up front enabled a very short take off run and steep climb out and we were soon cruising at 3,000 feet, flying over Carlisle city centre and around the Solway coast where he demonstrated the Yak's capability in steep turns and a spiral dive. All too soon we were over Carlisle Racecourse and rejoining the circuit for landing.
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