How did you become a Aviation Enthusiast?

[Aquarious]

I too have always been into aircraft.My first introduction to aircraft was through comic books like 'Warlord' and 'Battle' among others.I was brought up on the west coast of Ireland on the transatlantic flight path and I spent many an afternoon straining my eyes trying to identify the planes as they crossed by, the best I could do was narrow it down to a number of engines and have a guess as to what it might be. there was also a civil airfield nearby and I sometimes spent an afternoon at the fence watching the Cessna 172's and the like taking off and landing. sadly the airfield is no more, its an industrial estate now.when I came to the UK, I jumped at the chance to attend my first airshows at Mildenhall (those were the days), North Weald and Biggin Hill. I even managed to drag my then girlfriend, now wife, along too but she was never quite bitten by the bug. I've only been to one airshow since lockdown due to illness. so i've got some time to make up.I also remember being thrilled by movies such as the Battle of Midway and series like Baa Baa Black Sheep (words that are not PC these days but that's what the series was called. Like many I was an avid aircraft modeller and all my spare pocket and birthday money was spent on Airfix kits.since I came to the UK I've lived in south London and I miss Sunday evenings when two Concordes would swoop around within 30 minutes or so of each other on their way into Heathrow.I miss those days.

[nighthawk999]

My first real experience of aviation was at Brunty in the mid 90s at the much-missed'Rolling Thunder',hearing and feeling a certain delta wing plane doing fast taxys down that long runway.Then a Cold War Jets day there with the Lightning pair doing the same,but with burners on.
Then at the last airshow at Stoughton,where my now ex partner treated me to a heli pleasure flight in a Jet Ranger.

Again in the 90s to two of the Waddington shows;Feeling the B1-B going vertical after displaying,with every car alarm within range going loopy!I dread to think how many films I got through at those,with generally disappointing results.Also listening in to ATC and a young-sounding female controller being very patient with the pilot of a light aircraft who was demanding to know why there was an exclusion zone in force,and why he couldn't fly through it!

Then to RIAT when it came to Cottesmore for the first of two occasions,with the Harrier hovering almost right in front of us.
I also went to a Kings Cup Air Race event at Stoughton.

I've been hooked ever since those halcyon days.I rarely go to airshows these days,but my photography continues now I'm an event photographer for a local media agency,with somewhat more reliable results!

[Andover]

I was lucky enough to be growing up sandwiched inbetween two airfields: RAF Benson, and Chalgrove. Martin-Baker's test airfield at Chalgrove had two classic types (although I didn't appreciate their significance at the time) : A Meteor and a Dakota, which were fairly elusive, made even more-so by the fact that we weren't really under the flight path. The Meteor(s) are still there! Though I can't recall ever seeing the ejections!!

Benson, on the other hand was obviously more busy, and it's flight path was almost directly over the house. They had the Queen's Flight, and later, the Flight Checker (115) squadron, both of which flew different versions of Andovers. Their turboprop engines became one of my favorite sounds! No.32 squadron from 'just down the road' RAF Northolt were regular visitors for circuit bashing. They brought over their Andovers, Devons and HS.125s. Much evening circuit training was conducted by no.32, because I don't think it was possible to do at Northolt. I remember being excited when the QF upgraded to the BAe 146 - a new cool-looking British quad jet!

Another regular circuit basher was the Hercs from Lyneham. Ocassionly, the biggest type to shoot the odd circuit was the lovely VC10. You always knew when one was approaching by the howl of its engines.

We used to get the odd Jag and Hawk, on a (presumably) post-service test flight from Abingdon, where they had their major servicing done.

I was also lucky that good airshows weren't too far away: Abingdon, then IAT Fairford, and Kemble.

So, yeh, mainly transport types I grew up with, and that particular enthusiam (especially prop-driven types) has stuck!

[CJS]

Mine comes from both sets of grandparents.

My mum's dad was in the RCOC during WW2 and used to enjoy telling us his stories, including letting us try and beat him on aircraft recognition (we never did!).

Dad's parents lived in Lincolnshire and I used to spend hours in their garden watching Phantoms, Jags etc flying overhead.

[pbeardmore]

My Dad took me to the Farnborough show in 76. A classic year and I was hooked

[2e1var]

I live at home with my parents, have no girlfriend, wear George Jeans, like cheese and onion sandwiches and am very pedantic so it seemed the natural thing to do.

[JMC]

^

Dad took me to Mildenhall when I was in a pram, then took to me to a load of Duxford airshows, Farnborough's, Biggin Hill's, Lowestoft's, Southend's and Shoreham's. Not to mention the bucket load of die casts I had.

Funny enough my first RIAT wasn't till 2006.

[Meteorops]

Bejing born in the 1950's you could not avoid being influenced by aviation. From war time stories from parents and other relations, comics , The Farnborough airshow being on TV, war films on TV, Airfix models, the list goes on.

So I think the question for me is the wrong way round it's why did so many of my male peers loose interest? It's not just males as my wife is a fan as she lived near enough to Farnborough to see many of the planes tested there and at the airshows.

My first datable memory is being taken to a Battle of Britain display of aircraft in St James's in London.