CantBarsed Review - Ultimate Top Gun Experience - Buyagift
 Ultimate Top Gun Acrobatic Flying Experience
I grew up visiting airshows and I, along with most people, have always wondered what it's like being up there performing the stunts rather than being down on the ground gazing skywards in admiration.
Short of joining the RAF and going through years of training I never imagined I would get the chance to experience what it feels like to loop-the-loop and experience for myself exactly what the pilot sees and feels as the g-forces act on the body.
I'd only ever been a passenger on commercial airline flights but there I was, after just a half hour briefing in the crew room, taking to the skies with Mark "Greeners" Greenfield experiencing most of the stunts I'd admired since I was a lad.
What's even more amazing is YOU get to take the stick of the Extra 300 and I put myself through some buttock clenching +4g and -2g stunts I'll never forget.
The pilots are mostly ex-military, some with Red Arrows experience, they all share a passion for flying and, along with the ground crew, do a great job of making everyone feel part of the team rather than just another paying customer.
I can't report on the tail chasing "dogfight" element of the experience because Deb was a bit of a wuss!
In fairness, Deb is scared of heights, gets car sick easily and didn't even know she was going to fly, let alone take the controls, so she did really well to overcome her fears and get off the ground for a more leisurely flight around Cheltenham. She even managed to hold onto her stomach contents.
This is a perfect experience for two competitive mates rather than a romantic experience for couples but we made up for that back at the hotel! Joe Connor
Acrobatic Experiences from £159  SAVE £5 - Enter Buyagift Promo Code 170274
CantBarsed Balloon Flight Trip Review - Champage Balloon Flight for 2 - Buyagift
We're on the front row just to the right of the pilot (centre). The picture is taken by a camera on a wire hanging down from the centre of the balloon.
 Champagne Balloon Flight for 2 - Activity Gift Experience
If you've looked up at people floating across the summer skies in the early evening and wondered what it would be to fly in a hot air balloon why not find out?
Thanks to Buyagift, it's never been easier to book a balloon flight and take to the skies near where you live. There are plenty of options available and we decided the Champagne Balloon Flight for two was the one for us - It's romantic and I thought we'd probably need a drink or two to bring us back down to earth.
Booking a local flight has two bonuses. First of all it's fantastic to see places you recognise from the air and secondly balloon flights can only take off when weather conditions are suitable so you don't want to be travelling from too far away. On the day of the flight you can phone to check the flight whether the flight is going ahead but your flight can be cancelled right up to the moment of take off for any reason. We got airbourne on our second attempt after spending around an hour on the ground helping the pilot and ground crew inflate the balloon which really does enhance your enjoyment - it's amazing to watch the balloon inflate and see exactly how large a balloon is up close and personal.
After a safety briefing and tips for take-off and landing we clambered into the inflated balloon and a few moments later it wooshed up into the sky well over tree top level and we could see for miles in every direction which was an amazing moment. We took off in north Essex around ten miles from the coast and as we gained height we could see the coast at Maldon and Colchester town in the distance.
Despite having nothing more than hot air, a balloon and steel cables between us and the ground it feels incredibly safe and stable and even though my wife is afraid of heights she didn't experience any scary moments. Because hot air balloons travel with the wind you don't actually feel the wind and it's totally quiet, until the burners kick in - which is when you realise why the pre-flight advice is to wear a hat - those burners put out a lot of heat!
Dave, our pilot, pointed out local landmarks as the wind carried us gently across the north of Colchester and I was lucky enough to video our house from the air which was an unexpected bonus and with that footage in the can I put the camera away so I could enjoy the rest of the flight as we crossed over into bandit country (Suffolk). Although balloons can only travel in the direction of the wind the pilot can accurately control the height and rotate the balloon to face in any direction using the burners and flaps in the balloon. Dave used a laptop computer to plot our course and pick a suitable landing spot while chatting by two way radio with the ground crew who were doing a great job following us through the countryside down narrow country lanes.
An hour and tweny miles later we prepared to land in a field by sitting low in the basket and holding on tight. The landing was perfect - no more bumpy than jumping off a kerb onto a road - then we gracefully tipped onto the side for a traditional balloon landing and we ended up sitting in the same position as astronauts waiting on a launchpad - except our worst fears were behind us.
We spent another half an hour helping to deflate the balloon before popping open the champagne for a drink by the roadside in sunny Suffolk before boarding the minibus which returned us to our take off spot.
Our Balloon Flight was a fantastic and unforgettable experience!
Balloon Trips from £119.00 SAVE £5.00 - Enter Buyagift Promo Code 170274
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