Aerobatic Sangfroid at 8 Gs
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"You're flying with 'Bags' and 'Spare'," the pilot told me with an unexplained grin. "Stormin' Norman" was checking the flight schedule while he showed me around the hangar spaces the day before my flight. "When you arrive for briefing, tell Bags I said he's a real loser."
Fighter jocks.
Despite the professionalism evident in everything they do, the pilots at Fighter Combat International maintain a healthy rivalry among themselves and invite their guests to take part in the fun. You'll notice immediately that everyone who works here is always smiling. I would be, too - my image of Heaven itself includes an 8,000 foot runway.
THIS IS NOT A SIMULATION
You don't need much runway for the Extra 300L aerobatic aircraft. These nimble little planes leap impatiently into the air and take you through any maneuver you dare to try. The planes offer handling and roll rate very similar to the F-16 and F/A-18 fighters that the instructor pilots used to fly in the military. Better still, you get to fly yourself for most of the flight, because you can't hurt these planes. They're rated to 8 G's - both positive and negative - and the instructors will let you be as aggressive as you like. You can try a short aerobatic flight for as little as US$295, or go head-to-head with an opponent in an hour-long combat flight for US$935. It's an hour you'll never forget. The company is offering a Summer Special in 2003 for these flights; see www.fightercombat.com or call 866/FLY-HARD for details.
Fighter Combat International was founded by Paul "B.J." Ransbury, a former Canadian Armed Forces fighter pilot. The company started in Niagara Falls but has also operated in the Phoenix, Arizona area since 2000. "What's the longest roller-coaster ride you've ever taken - one and a half minutes? This one lasts fifteen and has no rails!" B.J. was referring to the shortest flight his company offers. Fifteen minutes of aerobatics or dogfighting can feel like a full day's work, depending on how hard you fly your aircraft.
Pulling G's is strenuous. One minute my 150 pound body weighed 900 pounds as I horsed the plane's nose around for a shot at my opponent, and the next I weighed minus 300 and my eyes were bulging as I shoved the stick forward during a solo aerobatic maneuver.
"A lot of people don't believe it's real when they first hear about us," Ransbury says. "They think they'll be in some kind of simulator." One key to FCI's success is versatility: besides thrill rides, the company offers pilot training in emergency maneuvers and is building an excellent reputation. In early 2003, FCI moved into some snazzy new hangar and office space at its Arizona home base, Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, Arizona. I was skeptical when first told about FCI's special corporate team-building events, given the fierce rivalries involved in fighter combat. However, B.J. says it's a hugely successful program, and the clients go home with increased confidence and big smiles on their faces. He founded the company to give the public an authentic look into the life of a fighter pilot, and that's what they get.
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By Rob LaGrone - Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
About the Author
Rob LaGrone - Jetsetters Magazine. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com