Pilot a British Airways Flight Simulator

Are you one of those people who really would love to go and have a look in the cockpit when they get on an airplane? Would you like to feel and touch the controls of a Jumbo Jet? Do you want to actually take off and land one?
I knew it!
Well.... you could.

BA Flight Training 'ebaft' are offering you to do exactly that. With instructions from a real British Airways Pilot, you (or you and your friend together) can 'fly' one of the most advanced state of the art technology Flight Simulators at the British Airways Flight Training Centre. This will be an exhilirating experience for any airplane enthusiast with a little bit of spare cash in their pocket. It's not a cheap day out I must warn you, but it's worth every penny and would make a jolly nice gift for quite a few people I can think of.


But first of all let me tell you about Cranebank. The place where it's all happening.
We lovingly call it Braincrank. Every year Pilots and Cabin Crew are summoned to do their annual recurrent training and exams.
Of course we are always looking forward to this and it is really very interesting. Playing with Fire extinguishers and smokehoods (my favourite), before indulging in one of Hounslows finest Breakfasts.
Yes, to my delight, there is a Canteen, and I have been freqenting it for 12 years now. The hot counter display is oh so breakfasty, the Baked Beans and Sausages are beanie and sausagey and I'm sure you can already imagine what the eggs are like.


   
My Top Tip: Get ahead of the queue at the till, otherwise your Hash Brown may no longer be hashy but all brown and limpy by the time you get to one of the communal tables.

Later in the day we will be tested in how well we can perform the various drills that a cabin crew member needs to know. The athmosphere is adrenaline charged and there is always alot of shouting and slamming doors going on. It's all pretty marvellous stuff.



Now here comes the exciting bit. It's not exclusive for us Cabin Crew at all, you too could do a 'Flight Safety Awareness Course' right here at Cranebank. You could have an action packed day, learning about aircraft safety,  you get to open doors and overwing exits, escape a mock emergency from the famous Boing 737 Simulator and much more.
Click here for more information on this course:
Flight Safety Awareness
Click here for more information on this course:
Flight Simulator

All I can think of is Lunch now. I wonder what's for Lunch today, I wonder what's for lunch. It's like a song spinning round and round in my head.
Oh hang on, I'm sure he just said something about Sliders. Is that what's for lunch?
Ah no... no.. Slide! Jana, it's a Slide... Jump down the Slide!

Starling Parade at Brighton Pier

Brighton Pier's Original was built in 1823. Since then is has been rebuilt again and again, after storms and unfriendly events had taken their toll. In it's young days it was the first ever Pier that became a tourist attraction. Candy, Souvenier and Fortune Teller Stalls started popping up and an entree fee was introduced.

Nowadays Brighton Pier employs 500 People from  all over the world. Visiting the Pier is now free of course and even the deckchairs are free of charge. Be quick though, you know what those Germans are like.

Despite worries of Climate Change the first signs of Spring are here, it's getting warmer and the Starlings are back!
Since as long as I have lived here (and a long time before that) the Birds have gatherd at both of the Piers of Brighton for a big Flying Parade at Sunset. They flock in from every direction during  the afternoon all heading towards the sea. Then suddenly they start making formations and just fly joyfully in big shawls over and around the Pier. Before the old West Pier burned down, we used to think that they were roosting in the structure of the old buildings, but after the buildings were gone the mysterious spectacle continued. My conclusion is that they just come down to Brighton for a party, just like many a tourist crowd does as well. They simply are having a good time. It is stunning here most of the time but in particular at this time of the day.

My ideal visit to the Pier would start in the later afternoon. About 4 o'clock. Take in  some of the amusements. Which ever tickles your fancy. The Bungee Trampoline just outside on the beach is always popular and looks like a good little workout, too.
My friends took me on the Crazy Mouse Ride one evening. It's meant to be an easy ride, you know, for beginners like me... Everytime we went round one of the corners, I thought we'd wind up straight in the English Channel.

Another friend tells me that the Booster, a 38m tall Pole, swinging around in a huge circle, giving you an experience of 3.6 G-Force is a good fun thrill. I take his word for it!
As with most funfairs new Rides keep coming to the Attraction and Brighton has been known, to get the latest and best before everyone else.

 



You simply cannot come to to seaside without having Fish and Chips. There is really not much more I can say about that.
Just maybe one little thing and even Heston Blumenthal is agreeing with me on this, The Palm Court Restaurant and Take Away Kiosk make the Best Fish and Chips ... in the World!
What better place to eat them? Really, if you can name a better place I will buy you an Exra Large Portion of your favourite Fish and Chips! Please let me have a chip though.

Another thing I can never get enough of, are the stunning views to either side of the Pier. The latest addition to the coastline sillouette is of course the Brighton Wheel. Built in 2011 it has become a bit of a controvercy with the local residents. It looks pretty awsome though, I think.
Random Fact: The Wheel was first built in Germany and before it came to be in Brighton it was an Attraction at the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

Last but not least, there is a Pub! They thought of everything!
Chill out on the Decks (litterally) with a refreshing drink while watching the Starlings do their spectacular spiel and the sun quietly saying it's bye bye and making way to the twilight sky...

For more information on Brighton Pier, this is their official Wbsite: www.brightonpier.co.uk/