Fly Past

“D

ynamic, not aerobatic” is

how David Petters describes

the airshow routine he and

Jon Higgins have developed.

The display is something of a

compromise, given that the CAA

limits the Chipmunk’s bank angle

to 60 ̊ in the UK, which is enforced

by De Havilland Support (the

design authority)

Going beyond this figure incurs

airf rame fatigue penalties, but it’s

just another challenge for two pilots

with their sights set on eventually

displaying high-powered vintage

fighters. But, after a back-seat trip

with both airmen as they polish

their ‘Vintage Pair’ aerial ballet

skills, it’s clear they’re tenacious...

and talented ‘stick and rudder’

exponents. They ooze aviation

pedigree too.

David, based in Duxford,

Cambridgeshire, began flying at the

age of 12, inspired by childhood

stories of his great uncle George

Atkinson, who died while flying a

Mosquito in 1945. After working

hard in his teens to gain his private

pilot’s licence (doing every odd job

he could find to earn the money),

he took the commercial airline route

and became one of low-cost airline

Ryanair’s youngest ever captains at

the tender age of 26. He’s now 34

and flies the Boeing 737-800. In

2014 David formed a syndicate to

purchase a former Portuguese Air

Force Chipmunk and has flown

more than 300 hours in the aircraft

to date.

Jon Higgins’ entry into

flying came via his uncle Bill,

who bought an ex-RAF

Chipmunk (WG308) in

1997, with the aim of

gaining his wings in

the machine. After

restoring the aircraft with the

help of engineer Mark Irons, and

completing several training flights,

Bill sadly became terminally ill

and succumbed to a brain tumour

in 2002. Bill also raced his MGA

sports car in Canada and, despite

being British, wore the Canadian

flag on his helmet. It’s a custom

Jon, from Langford, Notts,

continues by wearing the

maple leaf on his

‘bone dome’

to honour

his uncle.

Famous mentor

Jon’s first ever

flight was a

trial lesson at

Sturgate airfield,

Lincolnshire – a

7th birthday

gift from his

High Ambition

Two young pilots are ultimately eyeing the warbird world by forming a fl edgling de Havilland C

DISPLAY FLYING VINTAGE PAIR

110 FLYPAST November 2018

Right

The Vintage Pair

Chipmunks soak up the

late evening sun during a

fl ight over Leicestershire.

Bottom left
Jon Higgins (right)
with mentor and fl ying
instructor Charlie Brown
at RAF Cranwell, shortly
after Jon received his
wings in 2007. Note Jon’s
fake handlebar moustache
in homage to his tutor.
JON HIGGINS