Aerial Collective Duxford
Aerial Collective Duxford
Aerial Collective Duxford
5
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Full view
About
Based at the historic RAF Duxford Airfield, Aerial Collective offer the finest warbird flight experiences in the Spitfire, Hurricane, Mustang, Lysander and Blenheim.
Book now and experience the adventure of a lifetime.
This is a Business
This supplier operates as a business.
Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Similar Experiences
Aerial Collective Duxford
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsTravellers talk about
(28 reviews)
(18 reviews)
(19 reviews)
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
297 reviews
Excellent
296
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Mark
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Friends
26th October 2023 is a day I will long remember,it’s the day I flew in the Bristol Blenheim from Duxford with the aerial collective.This is my third flight with the collective having previously flown in Spitfire PV202 and Hurricane BE505.
Why do I keep going back to the collective.Apart from the fantastic aircraft to fly in,it’s like meeting up with old friends and I’m always pleased to be back on hallowed ground.Something I didn’t expect was being asked did I want to fly in formation with Spitfire PV202! What a treat,flying over Duxford with a spitfire on the starboard wing,doesn’t get much better and what a bonus!
Must thank my pilot on the day Jon Gowdy,a true gentleman.What a privilege to sit beside him as he went through all the pre flight checks and start up procedures then take my up in the only airworthy Blenheim in the world!
Thanks as always to Lisa for the pre flight briefing and kitting me out with flight suit and gloves.Thanks to Jack for keeping me updated when the Blenheim was out of action due to engine problems delaying my original flight day.Must not forget Alex who flew with us in the turret and filmed the spitfire formation and let me have the footage as another bonus.
I hope to be back next year for a flight in the Lysander.Thanks all at the collective from your friend Mark.
Why do I keep going back to the collective.Apart from the fantastic aircraft to fly in,it’s like meeting up with old friends and I’m always pleased to be back on hallowed ground.Something I didn’t expect was being asked did I want to fly in formation with Spitfire PV202! What a treat,flying over Duxford with a spitfire on the starboard wing,doesn’t get much better and what a bonus!
Must thank my pilot on the day Jon Gowdy,a true gentleman.What a privilege to sit beside him as he went through all the pre flight checks and start up procedures then take my up in the only airworthy Blenheim in the world!
Thanks as always to Lisa for the pre flight briefing and kitting me out with flight suit and gloves.Thanks to Jack for keeping me updated when the Blenheim was out of action due to engine problems delaying my original flight day.Must not forget Alex who flew with us in the turret and filmed the spitfire formation and let me have the footage as another bonus.
I hope to be back next year for a flight in the Lysander.Thanks all at the collective from your friend Mark.
Written 24 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Excursion812252
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Friends
Many thanks to the Aerial Collective team of the two Jacks and our pilots, Brian and Stu, for a truly memorable flying experience. Their warmth and professionalism made us feel at ease as soon as we arrived, and the formation flying was sensational. Would definitely recommend the formation flight to anyone with a like minded buddy, it is simply amazing flying in a two seat Spitfire but extra special looking out on another stunning example at the same time.
Written 19 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard E
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
This summer we booked with Aerial Collective for my 89 year old dad to fly in a two seat spitfire. Pilot Mike Collet took dad up in PT462 for a dream-come-true flight in the Cambridgeshire sky.
The experience was fabulous from start to finish; Mike rolled the spit and the lovely people at Aerial Collective gave us the VIP treatment and some great memories.
In November 2023 we returned to Duxford for a formation flight experience.
Warbird pilots Jon Gowdy and Sam Worthington-Leese flew us up above the clouds; Jon took dad in Hurricane BE505, Sam piloted me in Spitfire PV202.
It is something else to fly in an iconic warbird alongside another warbird, wave and see a familiar face grinning back at you. And oh, those clouds!
We flew a roll and a loop and I got to take control of the spit’s stick and rudder before the Aerial Collective pilots sprung one final aerial surprise: spitfire and hurricane were to be wing aircraft for a close formation led by Bristol Blenheim L6739.
Flying wingtip to wingtip at 190 miles an hour and providing fighter escort to the world’s only airworthy Blenheim is simply off the scale. The three warbirds held formation back to Duxford for a memorable flypast. I’m still grinning as I write this.
The Aerial Collective team gave us such a great day and a truly unique flying experience. Can’t recommend enough.
The experience was fabulous from start to finish; Mike rolled the spit and the lovely people at Aerial Collective gave us the VIP treatment and some great memories.
In November 2023 we returned to Duxford for a formation flight experience.
Warbird pilots Jon Gowdy and Sam Worthington-Leese flew us up above the clouds; Jon took dad in Hurricane BE505, Sam piloted me in Spitfire PV202.
It is something else to fly in an iconic warbird alongside another warbird, wave and see a familiar face grinning back at you. And oh, those clouds!
We flew a roll and a loop and I got to take control of the spit’s stick and rudder before the Aerial Collective pilots sprung one final aerial surprise: spitfire and hurricane were to be wing aircraft for a close formation led by Bristol Blenheim L6739.
Flying wingtip to wingtip at 190 miles an hour and providing fighter escort to the world’s only airworthy Blenheim is simply off the scale. The three warbirds held formation back to Duxford for a memorable flypast. I’m still grinning as I write this.
The Aerial Collective team gave us such a great day and a truly unique flying experience. Can’t recommend enough.
Written 18 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shani
United Kingdom4 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
Wow….what a day ………
Did a formation flight in the two seat Spitfire with a friend, it was absolutely an amazing experience.
The team at Aerial Collective are fantastic and made the day an experience of a life time. Professional from beginning to end.
The flight itself was something I will never forget, the pilots Mike and Stu’s formation flying and aerobatics just blew me away ! ……..then Mike even let me “have a little go” myself 😀 (Yay …….I’ve flown a Spitfire)
From the briefing to the coffee and (delicious) cake afterwards, the rest of the team were welcoming and friendly.
I was also given an amazing cockpit video of the flight, I have a huge smile on my face for most of it !
Thanks once again ………still can’t believe what a privilege it was .
Did a formation flight in the two seat Spitfire with a friend, it was absolutely an amazing experience.
The team at Aerial Collective are fantastic and made the day an experience of a life time. Professional from beginning to end.
The flight itself was something I will never forget, the pilots Mike and Stu’s formation flying and aerobatics just blew me away ! ……..then Mike even let me “have a little go” myself 😀 (Yay …….I’ve flown a Spitfire)
From the briefing to the coffee and (delicious) cake afterwards, the rest of the team were welcoming and friendly.
I was also given an amazing cockpit video of the flight, I have a huge smile on my face for most of it !
Thanks once again ………still can’t believe what a privilege it was .
Written 5 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a positive review. It means a lot to the whole team. It was a real pleasure to meet you all and share in your excitement, we are so delighted that you enjoyed the Spitfire formation flight with Mike and Stu...who wouldn't! Best wishes from Victoria (Ground Operations Supervisor)
Written 6 December 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
IanStrat
St. Albans, UK290 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Flying the only two-seater Hurricane in the world was an amazing experience and privilege. It made me realize why Battle of Britain pilots loved this aircraft and why it was such an effective flighting machine.
A big 'Thank You' to everyone at the Aerial Collective for making my flight with Stu Goldspink in the unique two-seat Hurricane conversion a special day for myself and my family.
Jack, Lisa and Kay gave myself and my family a wonderful welcome to the Aerial Collective facilities at Duxford Airfield.
After the obligatory (and excellent) safety briefing from Lisa, Jack broke the news to us that we would be doing a formation take-off with the Spitfire and then some formation flying - something that I had never experienced before! What a treat!
The two-seat Hurricane conversion is a real stunner. The way that the second cockpit has been integrated into the lines of single-seat Hurricane is outstanding - and the finish of the aircraft (affectionately known as 'Peggy') is beyond words. Although the instrumentation for the back-seater is limited the controls work beautifully and the view from the back seat is fantastic. The only downside of this great position is that it is directly above the radiator - meaning that it can be a 'hot-ride'. But ever attentive, Jack warned me in advance to wear shorts and a polo shirt so as not to get too hot in the flying suit and equipment (gloves and helmet) that the Aerial Collective provide on the day (each pilot has a choice of fresh kit that is measured to fit perfectly and works properly).
What struck me as I walked out to the aircraft was just how large it was, sitting next to the Spitfire that would also be flying alongside us. The Aerial Collective have a platform that allows an easy entrance and exit to the aircraft despite its size.
Settling into the rear cockpit you can’t help but admire the solidity of the aircraft - and also the relative space in the cockpit compared to the Spitfire.
I was privileged to be flying with Stu Goldspink, (who has flown most of the world's Hurricanes, often for their first flights). Having read the pilots manual, I was able to follow his actions as he brought the aircraft to life, with the start-up of the Merlin engine delivering an unforgettable sight, smell and sound as we wait for the Spitfire to fire-up next to us and we taxi-out to the runway.
What a feeling it was to finally be the person in the cockpit looking out and waving to the people on the flight line, rather than one of those looking enviously toward the Hurricane and Spitfire taxying out to the runway.
As we do our final engine checks prior to take off, Stu talks me through what he is doing as we prepare for our formation take-off.
The engine roars as we head down the runway and lift-off before Willy Hackett joins us in the Spitfire in a right echelon formation. Wow! What an experience to be flying in a formation of two iconic WWII aircraft. Stu and Willy expertly reposition the aircraft allowing us to follow not lead and giving a wonderful view as we slide from right to left underneath the spitfire's unique planform
Finally, we break away and I get to fly the hurricane. The short wings give the Hurricane great stability - making it a great gun platform. Keeping ones eyes set on the horizon is important in staying straight and level. While the Hurricane is stable in roll, its much less stable in pitch. Just like in the Battle of Britain we weave, keeping a look out for other aircraft before we do some steep turns. The 'G' kicks in as the turn tightens, but the aircraft remains very solid. Stu then showed the manoeuvrability of the aircraft. We had discussed before that I would be very happy to do some aerobatics and Stu provided an excellent demonstration of the capacities of the Hurricane with loops, rolls and other manoeuvres.
Being upside down in a WWII fighter plane - it doesn’t get much better than that!
All too soon it’s time to join up with the Spitfire before heading back to Duxford for a formation run and break. As the two planes converged to join-up for our return, I really felt a sense of what it must have been like searching hard for the aircraft that you knew was coming your way at 200mph+. It all happens so fast.
We fly low - down along the runway before pulling up to bring down the speed and lower the undercarriage. It was wonderful for a pilot like me to watch the finesse as
Stu provided small, smooth, movements on the control to bring us into land.
All too soon the wonderful flight is over, and we are back at the dispersal area, surrounded by the other aircraft and Lisa bringing my family with her for photos with the Hurricane. The lovely thing is that we are told just told to take our time. Rather than being rushed away at the end of out ‘slot’, we are told that we can have as much time with the aircraft taking photos as we want. Stu Goldspink was also very generous with his time as well, chatting about planes he has flown and having his photo taken with us all.
Jack, Lisa, Stu and all the team really know how special these flights are for everyone lucky enough to enjoy them and they really want their guests to enjoy absolutely every moment. What a great experience!
PS - I am fortunate enough to have flown in the back-seat of the Spitfire as well. Jack asked, 'which would I prefer - Spitfire or Hurricane?' That’s the tyranny of the ‘or’! I would like to have both of them! But with the larger cockpit, stable platform and high wing loading, the Hurricane would have been great for longer sorties, making it a great flighting machine, despite being slower and less manoeuvrable than the Spitfire.
A big 'Thank You' to everyone at the Aerial Collective for making my flight with Stu Goldspink in the unique two-seat Hurricane conversion a special day for myself and my family.
Jack, Lisa and Kay gave myself and my family a wonderful welcome to the Aerial Collective facilities at Duxford Airfield.
After the obligatory (and excellent) safety briefing from Lisa, Jack broke the news to us that we would be doing a formation take-off with the Spitfire and then some formation flying - something that I had never experienced before! What a treat!
The two-seat Hurricane conversion is a real stunner. The way that the second cockpit has been integrated into the lines of single-seat Hurricane is outstanding - and the finish of the aircraft (affectionately known as 'Peggy') is beyond words. Although the instrumentation for the back-seater is limited the controls work beautifully and the view from the back seat is fantastic. The only downside of this great position is that it is directly above the radiator - meaning that it can be a 'hot-ride'. But ever attentive, Jack warned me in advance to wear shorts and a polo shirt so as not to get too hot in the flying suit and equipment (gloves and helmet) that the Aerial Collective provide on the day (each pilot has a choice of fresh kit that is measured to fit perfectly and works properly).
What struck me as I walked out to the aircraft was just how large it was, sitting next to the Spitfire that would also be flying alongside us. The Aerial Collective have a platform that allows an easy entrance and exit to the aircraft despite its size.
Settling into the rear cockpit you can’t help but admire the solidity of the aircraft - and also the relative space in the cockpit compared to the Spitfire.
I was privileged to be flying with Stu Goldspink, (who has flown most of the world's Hurricanes, often for their first flights). Having read the pilots manual, I was able to follow his actions as he brought the aircraft to life, with the start-up of the Merlin engine delivering an unforgettable sight, smell and sound as we wait for the Spitfire to fire-up next to us and we taxi-out to the runway.
What a feeling it was to finally be the person in the cockpit looking out and waving to the people on the flight line, rather than one of those looking enviously toward the Hurricane and Spitfire taxying out to the runway.
As we do our final engine checks prior to take off, Stu talks me through what he is doing as we prepare for our formation take-off.
The engine roars as we head down the runway and lift-off before Willy Hackett joins us in the Spitfire in a right echelon formation. Wow! What an experience to be flying in a formation of two iconic WWII aircraft. Stu and Willy expertly reposition the aircraft allowing us to follow not lead and giving a wonderful view as we slide from right to left underneath the spitfire's unique planform
Finally, we break away and I get to fly the hurricane. The short wings give the Hurricane great stability - making it a great gun platform. Keeping ones eyes set on the horizon is important in staying straight and level. While the Hurricane is stable in roll, its much less stable in pitch. Just like in the Battle of Britain we weave, keeping a look out for other aircraft before we do some steep turns. The 'G' kicks in as the turn tightens, but the aircraft remains very solid. Stu then showed the manoeuvrability of the aircraft. We had discussed before that I would be very happy to do some aerobatics and Stu provided an excellent demonstration of the capacities of the Hurricane with loops, rolls and other manoeuvres.
Being upside down in a WWII fighter plane - it doesn’t get much better than that!
All too soon it’s time to join up with the Spitfire before heading back to Duxford for a formation run and break. As the two planes converged to join-up for our return, I really felt a sense of what it must have been like searching hard for the aircraft that you knew was coming your way at 200mph+. It all happens so fast.
We fly low - down along the runway before pulling up to bring down the speed and lower the undercarriage. It was wonderful for a pilot like me to watch the finesse as
Stu provided small, smooth, movements on the control to bring us into land.
All too soon the wonderful flight is over, and we are back at the dispersal area, surrounded by the other aircraft and Lisa bringing my family with her for photos with the Hurricane. The lovely thing is that we are told just told to take our time. Rather than being rushed away at the end of out ‘slot’, we are told that we can have as much time with the aircraft taking photos as we want. Stu Goldspink was also very generous with his time as well, chatting about planes he has flown and having his photo taken with us all.
Jack, Lisa, Stu and all the team really know how special these flights are for everyone lucky enough to enjoy them and they really want their guests to enjoy absolutely every moment. What a great experience!
PS - I am fortunate enough to have flown in the back-seat of the Spitfire as well. Jack asked, 'which would I prefer - Spitfire or Hurricane?' That’s the tyranny of the ‘or’! I would like to have both of them! But with the larger cockpit, stable platform and high wing loading, the Hurricane would have been great for longer sorties, making it a great flighting machine, despite being slower and less manoeuvrable than the Spitfire.
Written 4 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! It was a pleasure to have you fly with us again, and we are really pleased to read just how much you enjoyed the hurricane experience with the added bonus of the formation take off.
Now the only question is, what to fly next?
All the very best from the whole Aerial Collective team.
Written 8 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
532cliveg
Johannesburg, South Africa3 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
On the 3rd October 2023 at Aerial Collective Duxford I achieved what had been a life long dream, to fly in a Spitfire, which I manged to do whilst on holiday from South Africa visiting family.
Right from the beginning with my first correspondence with Jack McBride (Aerial Collective Manager) the whole experience flowed like a well oiled machine from the booking to the actual flight.
We met with Lisa when we arrived at Aerial Collective who gave the safety briefing, then moved out to the “Viewing Deck” where we were offered refreshments and met Dinkz who helped to kit me out with a flying suit, helmet & gloves.and Stu who was to be my pilot.
My flight itself with Stu who is an exceptional pilot was everything I expected, especially being able to take over the controls for a short while, some aerobatics finishing off with a Victory Roll at the end, just far too short.
Right from the beginning with my first correspondence with Jack McBride (Aerial Collective Manager) the whole experience flowed like a well oiled machine from the booking to the actual flight.
We met with Lisa when we arrived at Aerial Collective who gave the safety briefing, then moved out to the “Viewing Deck” where we were offered refreshments and met Dinkz who helped to kit me out with a flying suit, helmet & gloves.and Stu who was to be my pilot.
My flight itself with Stu who is an exceptional pilot was everything I expected, especially being able to take over the controls for a short while, some aerobatics finishing off with a Victory Roll at the end, just far too short.
Written 27 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Clive
Thank you for leaving us such a lovely review. We are very happy to hear that your whole experience with us was so positive and of course the flight itself fulfilled all your expectations.
We hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in the UK and hopefully we will see you again at Duxford.
With very best wishes
Jack, Lisa and Victoria
Written 8 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
coleva
London, UK8 contributions
Jun 2023 • Solo
After flying in the Spitfire with Dave “Rats”Ratcliffe in 2020 I just had to do the Hurricane flight. Mike Collett was the pilot and we flew over to my home town of Braintree then off to do some manoeuvres. Both times were a fantastic experience and the memories will stay ( along with the permanent smile) for ever . Thank you to Jack and all the team pilots and ground staff for two fantastic flights
Written 21 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! It was a pleasure to have you fly with us again this year, and we are really pleased to read that you have enjoyed two fantastic experiences with our team! - Jack (Aerial Collective Manager)
Written 24 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Guy K
3 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
How does one begin to write an objective review of something that has been on one’s bucket list for 50+ years! Well here goes…
Duxford was chosen for our flight experience for two reasons; firstly the Spitfire heritage, with the first operational Spitfires having been delivered in August 1938 to 19 Sqn; and second unlike some parts of the country, there are no airspace restrictions.
From the moment we arrived, everything was fantastic. We were escorted from the museum entrance to the Aerial Collective hangar where we were met by Lisa, the Ground Ops Manager. After our warm and friendly welcome, my guests were shown to the viewing facilities and offered drinks and refreshments (a lovely lemon drizzle cake), whilst I was given my pre-flight briefing. The briefing, given by Lisa, was effective, professional and comprehensive. Post briefing, I was even offered the opportunity to decline the flight if I felt it “wasn’t for me” (as if!!!) and receive a full refund so there is no pressure to fly if – like me – the experience has been given as a gift.
After the briefing Lisa took me to the ‘dispersal’ area to be fitted with my flight suit and helmet. It was here that I met my pilot Mike who, a few moments after meeting him, made me feel completely at ease and I instinctively knew we were going to have a great time flying together. After a short pre-flight briefing from Mike we made our way out to the aircraft, a Spitfire T.IX PT462, sat gleaming in the sunshine on the adjacent taxiway where Lisa assisted me with strapping in.
After take-off, as a private pilot, and after a short time acclimatising myself to the extremely responsive flying controls (sorry Mike!), I was allowed to take the controls for much of the duration of the flight. Mike executed flawless victory and barrel rolls which were thrilling as I had not previously had the opportunity to fly inverted – the experience was simply breath-taking.
All too soon it was time to head back towards Duxford, and after a low(ish) altitude, high-speed pass over the airfield we broke to land. We had some challenging gusting cross winds across the runway but Mike took it all in his stride and executed a brilliant landing.
After shutdown we were given ample time for photographs and a post-flight ‘debrief’. I was also presented with a video of my flight from both the interior and exterior cameras. I have already been boring friends and family to death with frequent viewings! Mike also signed my pilots logbook and presented me with my goodie bag.
On the drive home, my wife asked “what was the best part” and I honestly struggled to pick one as the entire experience was amazing – but after a moment of reflection the sound and smell of the Merlin engine starting up at close quarters just shaded it!
I have stood on the ground watching Spitfires since I was a small boy, always wondering what it would be like to fly one. Now I know – it is UNFORGETABLE!
Thank you Jack, Lisa, Mike and the entire team at Aerial Collective for your hospitality and for a faultless and wonderful day. As an ex-aircraft engineer myself, my thanks also go to the team of amazing engineers who keep these beautiful aircraft airworthy. I’m already eyeing up the Hurricane flying experience…
Duxford was chosen for our flight experience for two reasons; firstly the Spitfire heritage, with the first operational Spitfires having been delivered in August 1938 to 19 Sqn; and second unlike some parts of the country, there are no airspace restrictions.
From the moment we arrived, everything was fantastic. We were escorted from the museum entrance to the Aerial Collective hangar where we were met by Lisa, the Ground Ops Manager. After our warm and friendly welcome, my guests were shown to the viewing facilities and offered drinks and refreshments (a lovely lemon drizzle cake), whilst I was given my pre-flight briefing. The briefing, given by Lisa, was effective, professional and comprehensive. Post briefing, I was even offered the opportunity to decline the flight if I felt it “wasn’t for me” (as if!!!) and receive a full refund so there is no pressure to fly if – like me – the experience has been given as a gift.
After the briefing Lisa took me to the ‘dispersal’ area to be fitted with my flight suit and helmet. It was here that I met my pilot Mike who, a few moments after meeting him, made me feel completely at ease and I instinctively knew we were going to have a great time flying together. After a short pre-flight briefing from Mike we made our way out to the aircraft, a Spitfire T.IX PT462, sat gleaming in the sunshine on the adjacent taxiway where Lisa assisted me with strapping in.
After take-off, as a private pilot, and after a short time acclimatising myself to the extremely responsive flying controls (sorry Mike!), I was allowed to take the controls for much of the duration of the flight. Mike executed flawless victory and barrel rolls which were thrilling as I had not previously had the opportunity to fly inverted – the experience was simply breath-taking.
All too soon it was time to head back towards Duxford, and after a low(ish) altitude, high-speed pass over the airfield we broke to land. We had some challenging gusting cross winds across the runway but Mike took it all in his stride and executed a brilliant landing.
After shutdown we were given ample time for photographs and a post-flight ‘debrief’. I was also presented with a video of my flight from both the interior and exterior cameras. I have already been boring friends and family to death with frequent viewings! Mike also signed my pilots logbook and presented me with my goodie bag.
On the drive home, my wife asked “what was the best part” and I honestly struggled to pick one as the entire experience was amazing – but after a moment of reflection the sound and smell of the Merlin engine starting up at close quarters just shaded it!
I have stood on the ground watching Spitfires since I was a small boy, always wondering what it would be like to fly one. Now I know – it is UNFORGETABLE!
Thank you Jack, Lisa, Mike and the entire team at Aerial Collective for your hospitality and for a faultless and wonderful day. As an ex-aircraft engineer myself, my thanks also go to the team of amazing engineers who keep these beautiful aircraft airworthy. I’m already eyeing up the Hurricane flying experience…
Written 21 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow! What an incredible review Guy, thank you so much! It was a pleasure to have you fly with us at Duxford this Autumn. We are so pleased to read how much you enjoyed your time with us, and that you had an unforgettable flight with Mike. We look forward to seeing you again in the future for your Hurricane flight! - Jack (Aerial Collective Manager)
Written 24 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Janet W
1 contribution
Sep 2023 • Family
I arranged a Spitfire flight for my husband Stephen for his 70th birthday. From the moment we arrived we felt like we were VIP’s, the team were really great and made the whole experience really special. We chose Duxford as this is a great place to visit and we have been there several times over the years and never tire of it.
I would recommend booking an experience with Ariel Collective it was worth every penny
I would recommend booking an experience with Ariel Collective it was worth every penny
Written 20 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to leave us such a supportive and kind review! It's wonderful to hear that Stephen enjoyed his birthday Spitfire flight, and that your family enjoyed their visit to Duxford - Jack (Aerial Collective Manager)
Written 24 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stephen N
1 contribution
Sep 2023 • Family
We chose Duxford for this Spitfire flight experience because inlike some parts of the country, there is no restriction on airspace. This enabled some aerobatics which I keen to try. The experience was fantastic from the moment we booked, and we felt re-assured that if at any point we were uncertain we would be able to withdraw without a large penalty. On the day, a very friendly and warm welcome was followed by a thorough briefing of what to expect, including of course safety. Our pilot asked what we wanted to do (rolls and loop which he delivered beautifully) . As a private pilot, I was allowed to take the controls for much of the time, including for one of the rolls. 30 minutes shot past. The post flight video of in/out cockpit cameras was fantastic. Altogether a faultless and wonderful experience.
Written 19 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We remember you well,
Thank you for choosing to fly with us, we are also very pleased you used the unrestricted airspace to your advantage!!
The pleasure was all ours.
Best wishes from us all at Aerial Collective.
Jack, Didz, Holly, Jack and myself.
Lisa (Ground Ops Manager)
Written 19 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience