The Bucket List Diaries: Flying in a fighter jet
When I was asked if I would mind flying in a jet as part of Jacaranda FM's buildup to this weekend's Adrenaline Show I literally did a little dance before calmly answering over the phone "Yeah sure - when?"
Hailing from an Air Force family it has always been a dream of mine to experience the feeling of flying through the air at breakneck speed while doing manoeuvres upside down - and this week I got my chance.
When I arrived at Wonderboom Airport on Monday morning my childlike excitement was uncontainable as we were given the rundown. The planes, Czechoslovakian L-29 and L-39 fighters, stood there gleaming in the Pretoria sunlight.
We were briefed and taken through safety procedures if we needed to eject. GoPros were mounted in the planes to film our reaction - shamefully my biggest fear was vomiting on TV.
Luckily we were in excellent hands and I managed to come back to earth with my dignity relatively intact - that's if you don't count the goofy grin on my face throughout the entire flight.
The pilots strapped myself and Blue Bulls player Dries Swanepoel into our seats and it was finally time to fly! We taxied down the runway and one by one the three-ship took to the skies.
Blue Bull Goes Airborne from ATV Media Group on Vimeo.
The pilots were practicing ahead of the weekend's show so we basically went through their entire routine, which included a tail-chase, barrel rolls, wingover passes, canopy rolls and loops.
We also flew over the Jacaranda FM offices and did a low pass over the grandstand area at Wonderboom Airport.
Basically a lot of very awesome twists and turns at 4 and 5.5 times the force of gravity.
It was all a bit of a blur of over-excitement mixed with adrenaline, but it was by far one of the most incredible things I have ever done.
After this truly remarkable experience I am left with one lingering question though...
WHEN CAN I GO AGAIN?