Speed freak pilot talks to Standard (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Speed freak pilot talks to Standard

THE Cotswolds has a long and rich history of aviation and airborne heroes. From the Dakota pilots who flew out of Down Ampney during the Second World War to the modern day base at Fairford, famed for its airshow as much as its pilots.

These days many of the men and women flying out of local airfield are flying for the thrill of it and none more so than aerobatic daredevil Steve Jones. This week Standard reporter Jenni Silver spoke to the Driffield-based stunt pilot about his adventures in the skies.

Speaking from Austria where he is preparing for the next season of the Red Bull Air Race, 46-year-old Steve said he was caught by the flying bug early on.

He said: "My first flight was at the age of five and I couldn't even see where I was going. I learnt to fly properly at Staverton and I got my Private Pilots Licence at 18. After that I went straight into aerobatics.

"The people I learnt with asked what sort of flying I wanted to do and I asked what choices there were. I didn't like the sound of instrumental or night flying and as a teenager aerobatics sounded fun."

Steve soon moved into airshow flying and travelled out to the Far East to be a professional stunt pilot. It was while he was in China that he pulled off his most scary airborne trick.

He said: "It involved flying under a bridge. We were trying to go for a world record, which I think we got, for flying nine aircraft under a bridge at the same time."

It was Steve and fellow stunt flier Paul Bonhomme's aerobatic duo, the Red Bull Matadors, which first caught the eyes of the organisers of one of the world's most exhilarating and terrifying race series.

Steve, who keeps two planes at Kemble Airfield, described the Red Bull Air Race as being similar to Formula One racing but in the skies.

"It's just like a motorsport so it has it's extreme moments, it's just this is 3D. It's really exciting and you get to visit some really interesting places. Who else gets to do things like fly under bridges in Budapest."

Steve and Paul, who are both qualified 747 pilots, are getting ready to take part in the new season of Red Bull Air Races and Steve admits the challenge can get very competitive at times.

He said: "I'm 46 which is probably old enough to know better but it's great fun and I have always been competitive."

In his German-built Extra300 Steve can reach speeds of 260mph during a race and pull corners and loops with a force of up to ten G, which makes his body feel ten times its normal weight.

During the races pilots have to compete and aerial obstacle course and pull off several aerobatic manoeuvres. They are marked on the time it takes them to complete the course and whether they get all of the moves.

And all this takes place when he is often just 30 feet off the ground.

He said: "Even though the races are quite short you end up pretty tired at the end of it."

When he's back home in the Cotswolds Steve spends time working on his 1950s Formula 3 car or cycling to the pub but he admits he finds it hard to stay still.

"You could say I'm a speed freak," he said.

With the Red Bull Air Race 2006 set to kick off in March in Abu Dhabi Steve is busy preparing to take to the skies again. He will be back flying in the UK in the summer for the British leg of the competition.