Just like Captain Tom, you deserve a unique Spitfire VIP experience

The impact of Captain Tom Moore and his extraordinary fundraising for Britain’s National Health Service has reached far beyond his native United Kingdom. It’s well known that Capt Tom’s goal was to raise GB£ 1,000 for frontline health professionals. His promise was to try to walk one hundred 25-metre loops around his backyard between April 6 and his 100^th birthday, today, April 30. But then things got slightly out of hand.

So out of hand that on the date of his 100^th birthday, today, his fundraising page   clicked through GB£ 30 million, with no sign that the public’s appetite for giving to his chosen charity is waning. More than 1.4 million have contributed online with all funds going to the Association of NHS Charities.

Moore’s 100^th birthday would have been special under any circumstance but his tireless yet modest spirit has so captured those laid low by the coronavirus lockdown that the outpouring of support for him has been astonishing. At a time when we’re all reflecting how our lifestyle choices may have got us into this mess, and how we can get out, his actions bring to life the old admonition: just because you can’t do much, doesn’t give you permission to do nothing.

As the BBC reported, there were many remarkable gestures of appreciation for Capt Tom’s centenary birthday including

• The Queen sent a personalised birthday card while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivered a message of thanks by video
• Capt Tom was promoted to honorary colonel today by the Army’s Chief of the General Staff citing his ‘mature wisdom, no-nonsense attitude and humour in adversity make him an inspirational role model to generations young and old’
• And just last week Capt Tom became the oldest person ever to top the UK charts, with his and Michael Ball’s charity recording of You’ll Never Walk Alone, beating the previous recordholder Sir Tom Jones.

Given his time spent in the Far East during World War Two, the Ministry of Defence also organised for a flypast of his house by a Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft.

If the sound of those Merlin engines streaking across the blue skies evoked something deep inside you, it is actually possible to fly a Spitfire, albeit the 2-seater tandem versions that were used for training.

For GB£ 2, 750 per person including VAT, the list of benefits include:

• The 30-minute flight experience consists of approximately 20 minutes airborne;

• Access to the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar for up to four guests;

• Q+A session with the hangar team with close-up access to the aircraft being restored;

• Take off from Ex RAF Spitfire Station Biggin Hill and flight over Kent's 'Battle of Britain Country';

• Feel and experience the effects of your hands on the controls (at the pilot’s discretion);

• All flights include the opportunity to do Victory Rolls and other manoeuvres;

• Hear radio commentary from your pilot, air traffic control and ground crew;

• In flight video recording of the flight on SD card / USB stick;

• Flight debrief and opportunity to take photographs with the aircraft;

• Framed souvenir flight certificate, flight suit patch and pilot notes to take home;

Subject to weather and any operational issues, the flights can be scheduled between Tuesday and Sunday, March to November, with sessions usually start at 8am and 12pm.

DAIMANI is happy to recommend Into the Blue Activity Gift Vouchers Ltd. Into The Blue is run by the son of Jock Maitland who reopened Biggin Hill as a civilian airport in the late 1950s. The company uses Reziew for customer feedback and of the 162 customers who shared their thoughts about the two-seater Spitfire experience 152 rated it 5 stars, with the other 10 giving 4 stars.

Capt Tom’s fundraising page will close at midnight tonight but those wishing to donate to his selected charity can continue to do so here.