Note: Memo to self - re-write will before next flying with the RAF

Unperterbed by the two and a half hour delay made in order to accomodate the 'late arrival of priority passengers' we were finally on our way to the aircraft. Past the leased 757, past the row of Lockheed Tristars, down to the group of even more aged VC 10's. A brief wait in the coach. Then the Flight Lieutenant who was the Captain came to address us. We've only got one serviceable aircraft and that's not working though we're trying to fix it. Clearly they're not called VC's for nothing, for at that precise moment my courage started to falter.

Eventually we were ushered on board to be greeted by a standard of décor and levels of wear and tear that would have made Jim Royle proud.

And then the the coup de grace - we were going backwards! An optical illusion caused by the fuel tanker moving away? A slight re-positioning of the plane? No, the seats in VC 10's all face away from the cockpit. Hence the most bizarre take off ever from my perspective. It was enough to make even Aeroflot jealous.

Finally, and of no real importance, the ethics of seating meant that I was morally obliged to take a middle seat directly behind a child whose own seat was fully reclined. I'm not sure then which is the most likely to finish me - the 40 year old plane or DVT?!

Things can only get better.

Footnote: I am reliably informed that all RAF aircraft fly backwards for safety reasons. Maybe we should try it in church? Also all credit to the aircrew as both landings were inch perfect, in other words, no touchdown was felt.