Kilimanjaro Challenge off to a flying start..
Well, this all started with the notion of doing something special for Melanoma UK who had been so brilliant when I needed some help/reassurance during my stage 4 diagnosis, surgery and treatment – they have been an awesome group of people with so much knowledge, positivity and empathy.
I was looking for a challenge, something to really get my teeth into and something really worthwhile. Various ideas circulated for a while – China Wall, Machu Piccu and the like / but the one that stood out, head and shoulders was yes – Kilimanjaro.
The Main Goal..
Now how on earth do we get from a concept of climbing Kilimanjaro to doing something really stupid like climbing on top of a beautiful old biplane and taking to the skies?
Welcome Life Changing Challenges (LCC) / a very close friend who had already done part of the Great Wall recommended me to them.
So, whilst having a long chat with Nathan (LCC) about Kilimanjaro and why I wanted to climb to the top of Africa he casually dropped in the concept of the charity packages available via LCC. A plan was being hatched.
One of the packages for charities included a “wing walking” experience. I love planes and always wanted to be a pilot! I was in – hook, line and sinker!!!
Oh those beautiful flying machines!
A part of my reasoning for climbing Kilimanjaro was to raise money for Melanoma UK. The charity is attempting to provide Horus Mole Mapping Scanners for hospitals in the UK – each scanner costs £50,000. My mum had died on a flight back from a holiday in Spain last September and I had vowed to make this happen at her funeral. I WILL get to the top.
This climb isn’t just to raise money for charity it’s also to fulfil a pledge I made – it means so much to me.
Mum 13.03.1939 to 22.09.2022 Missed so very much by so many. 
The next step was to book my Kilimanjaro climb – all set now for July 30th departure from Heathrow. Unbelievably excited!!!
But – I wanted to really launch my Kilimanjaro Challenge in style – and OMG was this THE best way to do it. my flight was arranged for July 7th at a beautiful WW1 location near Cirencester with AeroSuperBatics. I had to drive 190 miles to the location but it was worth every single second in the car my old trusted Defender.
Arrived bright and breezy on an absolutely stunning day. The blue sky and fantastic rolling countryside of the Cotswolds. Simply stunning.
A couple of days before I arrived I rang to check exactly what was to happen on the flight. It was a very well structured circuit around the skies above the airfield with turns, climbs and dives that could be as severe as you instructed your pilot. A brilliant experience. However, I opted to pay for a second flight where my endurance would be severely tested. A loop, Cuban 8 and a couple of barrel rolls. What was I thinking?
There was a safety briefing in the Officers Mess pre flight and then it was “chocks away”. I was first up.
What could possibly go wrong 
The first flight was nothing short of magnificent. High in the sky feeling free and just so so beautiful. The fields forming a gorgeous tapestry of shape and colour. The sky so blue. Just perfect. The Take off and Landing of Everything kept springing to mind (Elbow) and Perfect Weather to Fly. What a serene atmosphere. What an experience.
The Patch work quilt of England’s countryside
After about half an hour on the ground it was my turn again. I was the only lunatic in the asylum that had opted to do some aerobatics with the team. What a prospect!
Harnessed in by the wonderful Libby and Dave down in the cockpit with preflight checks done. We were off to 4000ft above Cirencester keeping in touch with RAF Brize Norton along the way. The climb was lovely, smooth and uneventful. But then the signal came – the wings waggled up and down. Dave was at altitude- thumbs up and ready.
The dive began at at the steepest point we were touching about 185 mph! Then the pull up at the bottom of the loop pulling 4G. Absolutely exhilarating. Adrenaline flowing like Niagara Falls.
Loop done. Straight into a Cuban 8 which is a figure 8 on its side. 2 loops. Then as we start loosing altitude we throw in2 barrel rolls for the hell of it . Display smoke being thrown into the air for maximum effect. I felt like a leaf being tossed around in the sky by a strong gust. An experience I will never ever forget.
Dave, the pilot said that more people had climbed Everest than doing what I had just done. Now that’s special.
Wow!!
Ready for action – thumbs up!
WingWalk – don’t miss out on a chance to do it.
Watch the fun
Now for my next challenge – watch out Kilimanjaro. July 30th
Here is a link to the GoFund Page for Melanoma Uk
Guest blogger - David Uttley
