Tiger Moth Flights & Vintage Aircraft

We have an extensive range of airfields around the country offering flights in Tiger Moths and other vintage aircraft, so there's bound to be one near you. Current locations include:

• Duxford
• Salisbury
• Shoreham
• Upminster
• Umberleigh
• Bicester Heritage
• Hither
• Headcorn
• Ashford
• Redhill
• Salisbury
• Kemble
• Brighton

Considering how much it costs to restore, maintain and fly one of these beautiful vintage planes, these Tiger Moth flying experiences are pretty reasonably priced. They start at around £125 for a 15-minute weekday flight.

It is estimated there are around 250 Tiger Moths around the world, with a fairly large number of those flying in the UK. Many are privately owned and flown, which means there are very few that operate passenger flights. Here at Into The Blue we specialise in flying, which is why we have one of the largest ranges of Tiger Moth and vintage biplanes flight experiences you'll find anywhere!

Tiger Moths first flew in 1931 and were built up until 1944. We have a range of de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moths on the books from various production years (most were built in Hatfield or Cowley, but some under license abroad). The oldest on our books is at Headcorn in Kent and she was built in 1933. She was actually the third ever DH82a version ever built and she's still as graceful and smooth as the day she first flew.

Here's the story. The RAF needed a trainer and fast. De Havilland proposed the Gipsy Moth, but it was rejected. One of the main reasons being that the position of the aircraft's top wing meant a pilot wearing a parachute couldn't bail out of the plane. So de Havilland hastily went back to the workshop (no time for going back to the drawing board) and made several changes, including pushing the wings forward, thus creating the Tiger version of the Moths. And the rest, as they say, is history! (Great pub quiz question too - you can thank us later for this golden nugget of Moth information!).

They certainly were. In full production from 1932 to 1944, over 8400 Tiger Moths were built. This legendary aircraft was the RAF's Primary Trainer. She was a formidable plane for newbie pilots. Although simple to fly, she's very difficult to master and can be quite a handful - especially in the wind. Instructor pilots loved it, as she certainly knew how to weed out the wheat from the chaff, making it easy to select potential fighter pilots who would go on to fly in Spitfires. (And did you know you can fly in a Spitfire with Into The Blue too?).

Once demobbed in 1959 by the RAF, the planes found themselves new careers as everything from crop dusters to tugs. It's hard to imagine now, but post-war you could pick up a demobbed Tiger Moth for around £60, or you could get two for £100! Thankfully aviation enthusiasts have kept several of these machines flying from airfields around the country.

Yes! They might not be as slick and aerodynamic as modern day aerobatics aircraft, but the Tiger Moth can still hold her own when it comes to loops! Depending on the duration of your flight, conditions on the day, if you're up for it and you're instructor agrees, you can experience some gentle aerobatic moves in a Tiger Moth on your flight experience!

Yep. The fact that there are non brakes on a Tiger Moth is one of the biggest challenges for modern-day pilots of these vintage aeroplanes. You might have heard of the expression 'tail dragger' and that's because originally the Moth had no tail wheel, it was a metal plate and it's that plate dragging on the ground that slows the plane down, hence no tarmac runway takeoffs. Although many have been modified to include a tail wheel these days.

You're going to be up front right behind the propellor! Contrary to what you might think would happen, in a tandem configuration aircraft your pilot instructor sits behind you. Of course, that makes communicating tricky (especially with the noise of an open cockpit), so you will both have a headset on for the flight.

The airframe is wood, the wings are made from wooden struts covered by fabric and the cockpit is totally open to the elements. Yes, they're totally different to modern aircraft, but that is the thrill of classic aviation. It's back to basic flying at its best!

The Tiger Moths and vintage aircraft operating these flight experiences are fully registered and carefully maintained in accordance with current CAA rules and regulations. As with any form of flying, there is an inherent risk. All pilots are type-rated (which means they are trained are licensed to fly this specific type of aircraft) and highly experienced.

The Tiger Moth has an open cockpit and a propeller, so yes, it will be pretty noisy up there! Don't worry though, you won't have to learn hand signals; you communicate with your instructor pilot via the headphone and microphone set you'll be wearing.

That cockpit is open to the elements, so dress for the weather. As well as a jacket, you might need a hat and gloves. Several of our Tiger Moth flight schools go the whole hog and loan you the flying jacket and old-school helmet with goggles for the flight to really get you into the spirit of vintage aviation.

This is subject to the agreement of your instructor pilot, but yes, in most cases you will have a chance to 'take control' and experience first hand what's it's like to fly a Tiger Moth during your flight.

Tiger Moths do need good weather conditions to fly in. And are especially susceptible to wind. If your flight has to be unavoidably cancelled, the operator will take all the necessary steps to book you in for another date.

Pre-flight requirements can vary from one operator to another, so please check each individual experience page for full details. In general it's 14 or 18 year minimum age, between 16 and 18 stone maximum weight and height limits of 4ft 11" minimum to 6ft 7" maximum height.

All passengers will need to be agile enough to be able to climb into the cockpit of the Tiger Moth, which involves stepping up onto the wing and into the cockpit. If you need any clarification or advice on this, don't hesitate to contact us by email, online chat or 'phone on 01959 578100.