Loop the loop joy for 80-year-old

David Choppen was given the experience at Goodwood Aerodrome as a Father’s Day present to bring back some great memories.

Greg Choppen, the eldest of David’s three children, explained: “He had flown in Tiger Moths when he was a boy. He has often told us about doing loop the loops in the Tiger Moths and hanging from his straps while upside down.

“It always brings a massive grin to his face, so when my brother found the Boultbee Flight Academy at Goodwood offering Tiger Moth flights, well it was too good an opportunity to miss.”

David Choppen, who now lives in Denmead, grew up in Gosport and was evacuated to Midhurst during the Second World War.

He was a member of the Air Training Corps in his youth and often went up in Tiger Moths. He also went up in a Mosquito.

Later, he became an apprentice in the dockyard, before developing a career as a naval architect.

Greg said: “The whole event at Goodwood was excellent and Dieter the pilot was a great host.

“The flight was from Goodwood airfield and on the return flight, my dad asked the pilot ‘how high do we have to be to do a loop the loop?’. The pilot replied ‘about this high’. Ok, said my dad, ‘let’s do it!’. So they did.

“I certainly think it says a lot about the stamina of folks from that generation. My dad was told he pulled 4G at the tightest part of the loop.”

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