Anyone who knows me, will be aware that there will never be a day I go home, close the door, put on slippers, a dressing gown, and maybe smoke a pipe! Indeed, I have plans already in formation as to how I shall celebrate my 100th birthday, and beyond.

That said, I did wish to mark a day in history that I achieved my DWP retirement age. Covid19 restrictions and my birth month (October) prevented my chosen activity in 2021 when it happened.

Having undertaken and enjoyed many extreme sports and activities, many for charitable causes, I have chosen to go wingwalking again. I have done solo flights three times now, the first two before being raising money for charity was allowed. So, initially a bit of a birthday jolly, I thought, why not try raise some money to help others at the same time.

Once allowed, I took to the skies to raise funds to help two children known personally to me in their respective medical/treatment needs.

So, I have done many things to raise funds for the corporate names, Alzheimers, Heart Foundation, Cancer Research etc, then the two personally known children, and this time I wanted something different.

Enter Potential Kids. A first class, award winning charity providing services embracing neurodiversity.

A local charity, literally on my doorstep.

Many moons ago, as a child, I marvelled at the black and white images from the Farnborough Air Show, Raymond Baxter commentating, watching two professional wingwalkers, flying synchronously to the tones of Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (I think the music feathered into Shine on you Crazy Diamond, but dont quote me on that bit) It roused my interest and that day I said to myself, one day, one day, Im doing that.

Enter, AeroSuperBatics.

Fast forward past my previous flights, enjoyable as they were, to the plans for 6th April where I plan to enjoy my day not in solo flypast, but multiple synchronous flight displays, with my godsons and a special friend, smoke on and including a full Loop-the-Loop. I am unable to guarantee any background music (watchout for the film that will follow after, there will be some in there!)

My eldest godson is embarking on a film making career and will, again, be filming, taking stills and taking the raw footage from aircraft mounted cameras, turning it all into a permanent record of our day.

We will be at the airfield for 1400hrs, and have a few administration processes and a briefing.

Spectators are most welcome, please respect the needs of any SEN children present, and can also arrive at the same time and make their way into the spectator area. All facilities are on site to make the visit enjoyable. There will be noise!! Engine start-up and high speed, low level passes. There will be gaps, between the flights, four in all. Five in all (pending confirmation) otherwise it will be 4. While the wingwalkers switch places. We will be tethered, unlike to pros who will be our instructors and your hosts, they would love to answer your questions.

The flight order will be;-

Callum & Cameron Oakaby-Wright - First Standard Wingwalking (synchronous) flight

John Spavins and Mark Clare - First Standard Wingwalking (synchronous) flight

James Tanner from Potential Kids Tech Team - Standard Wingwalking (solo) flight

Callum and Cameron Oakaby-Wright - Second Aerobatic (synchronous) flight

John Spavins and Mark Clare - Second Aerobatic (synchronous aside the actual loop) flight

AeroSuperBatics use RAF Brize Norton for accurate weather information, whilst a postponement on the actual day cannot be ruled out, should the weather appear likely to be out-of-limits postponement will be announced the day before (5th April) so no wasted journeys.

During the afternoon, we hope to have some interviews with Potential Kids founder, Angela Coughan, the pilots and the professional wingwalkers. We also wish to commemorate the event with photographs with the founder and any service using children, the aircraft, the AeroSuperBatics team (well used to public display and charity work) Angela and ourselves.

- Written by John Spavins