FlyPast – August 2018

PILOT’S PERSPECTIVE MILES MAGISTER

124 FLYPAST August 2018

A

s I walked out to the bright

yellow aircraft on a beautiful

summer’s day in 2012 at

Old Warden, Bedfordshire, I was

very much looking forward to the

forthcoming flight.

I’ve always liked open cockpit

monoplanes, and with its tandem

seats the Miles Magister

is my idea of a real fun

flying machine.

Furthermore, its rarity and good

looks always draw a crowd, and

it boasts a unique claim to fame,

being the first monoplane primary

trainer operated by

t h e R A F.

Maggie

Magical

Few modern-day pilots have sampled the Miles

Magister, a classic wartime trainer. FlyPast’s

Dave Unwin describes a fl ight in the famous

‘Maggie’, with photography by Keith Wilson

Above right

Dave Unwin completes pre-fl ight checks at Old Warden.

Right

Dave Unwin fl ying Miles Magister G-AKPF from Old Warden

in 2012. ALL KEITH WILSON