Done anything exciting today? It's a question my husband often asks me because the nature of my job means that I'm never quite sure what each day will bring. On this particular occasion I beamed at him and declared, "Well ... I've looped the loop three times and flown upside down over our house." I don't think I've ever come up with a better answer than that!

This happened on a beautiful day a few years ago when a Pitts Special aerobatic team stopped off at Bournemouth airport.

Offering rides to a reporter and photographer, the chance was not to be missed. So off I went with reporter Dennis Landsbert to have what turned out to be a fabulous adventure.

We didn't have much idea what Pitts Specials were and we arrived on the tarmac to find two small red and white bi-planes. In a Pitts Special there is no actual inside'. Just what seems like a hole in the fuselage with sort of bucket seats in it!

I donned a leather flying cap, climbed into the front seat and strapped myself in. Pilot Dick Manning sat behind me with his feet working controls at my sides. "Whatever happens," he warned, "don't grab my legs!"

At this point I started to feel pretty nervous but I figured that he wanted to go home for his tea as much as I did, and, after all ... he was an expert. I decided to sit back and enjoy the ride.

As the plane lifted into the air, the panoramic views of the Dorset coast were breathtaking. With no "lid" on the plane, being outside with the air on my face felt exhilarating. At this point my job of photog-raphing the other aircraft during the flight seemed quite easy and good fun.

Then our first synchronised loop-the-loop began. First the planes started steep climbs, and then there was the sensation of turning upside down with the G-force pushing me hard back into my seat. My camera seemed to weigh a massive amount and then felt light as a feather as we hurtled downwards. I became so disorientated that I failed to capture the loop properly.

"Never mind," said Dick cheerily, "we'll do it again."

This time I was prepared and kept shooting my pictures throughout the 360 degree turn.

"One more time for luck," said the pilot, and off we went again. The experience became more and more brilliant and on the third attempt I was picture perfect, and able to enjoy every second. After our aerobatic outing the plane turned back towards Hurn.

As we flew towards the airport I pointed out where I lived. Dick Manning instructed me to put everything loose, including my camera into the zip up pockets to the right of my seat.

That done, "are you ready?" he said, and he flipped the plane over, and we flew upside-down right over my house. I still can't quite believe I did that.

The memory of my aerobatic escapade came flooding back earlier this week when Echo feature writer Gavin Haines got the chance to go aerobatic flying in a Yak at Compton Abbas. Prior to our flights, we both had the same fear: would the aerobatic antics make us throw up?

I've been blessed with a strong stomach and am rarely nauseous or sick. I used to live in Folkestone and would sometimes pop to Boulogne on the Channel ferry on a rough day, because that way, the ship wasn't busy and I could down their excellent fish and chips in an almost empty restaurant.

But, I have to admit, wheeling upside-down, hundreds of feet over Poole Bay, I began to wonder if my breakfast would stay put.

Gav was even less certain. The Yak is faster than the Pitts, goes higher and dives at terrifying speeds. He was absolutely convinced that he would vomit.

Impressively neither of us were sick, which is more than can be said for Dennis, who was in the other Pitts Special.

His subsequent article was largely about how terribly ill he'd been. In fact, as I climbed out of my plane wreathed in smiles, I looked over to see a very sorry looking green-faced reporter wobbling as he walked shakily towards me. Poor Dennis!