Jonathan: I’ve been flying light aircraft for 20 years. It’s an exhilarating hobby and having flown with instructors in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and even Guyana, my dream was to fly the Ashes. It is much simpler said than done!

Two Australian friends, Don and Paul, have worked frantically with Angel Flight to link this dream with a charitable cause.

Our schedule involves visits to Orange, Morree, Louth, Parachilna and all points in between. Jim Maxwell, my old friend on the ABC, and the voice of Australian cricket, is coming with me to take Ashes chat to these venues, while Emma and Mark, my flying instructor from the UK, are also on board our Cessna 182 to offer moral support!

But I still had a flight test to pass, in order for my UK licence to be validated in Australia. So at Bankstown Airport I took a couple of flights with a local instructor, Peter Edwards, who fortunately pronounced that I am good to go!