If there's one thing most airshow visitors don't want to miss, it's the Harrier display, a favourite with aviation professionals and the general public alike. For many, its hover and ‘bow' is the most memorable moment of the show.
At Dubai 2003, the pilot charged with the task of wooing the crowds in his BAE Systems Harrier GR7A is Flt Lt Chris Margiotta of 20 Squadron, Royal Air Force.
Margiotta, who is based at RAF Wittering in England, joined the air force straight from high school and seven of his 10 years as a pilot have been spent in the Harrier. This is his first visit to Dubai, and he will do an 11-12min display each day throughout the show.
From listening to Margiotta, it seems the only thing more impressive than seeing the Harrier fly is actually stepping into the cockpit and getting behind the controls.
"Everyone loves to fly the Harrier," he says. "It's a pilots' dream. It really is an amazing aircraft to handle."
Harrier pilots spend an average of 20h a month in the air.
A display pilot can fly 60-90 displays each year, on top of his usual duties. In the case of Margiotta, when he isn't flying displays, his primary job as a qualified weapons instructor is training other pilots.
Appropriately, the motto of 20 Squadron is ‘Facta non verba' – deeds not words – and at this year's show, the Harrier will lets its flying do the talking.
Source: Flight Daily News
