Five things you didn't know about...Andrew Thompson

Turbulent times…

I recently had the pleasure of flying on the ill-fated, twin turbo prop, Jet Airways flight ATR 2510, of 11 February 2010 from Bhopal to Ahmadabad, India. The plane had an engine fire 20 minutes out from Bhopal. It flew back to Bhopal airport on one engine and made a landing under emergency conditions – brace position. Two of the planes tyres burst on landing, leaving the aircraft stranded on the main runway but fortunately with noone hurt. Not what I had in mind before going to India on business.

Green fingers…

I'm slightly ahead of the curve on ‘grow your own’ having taken on, last September, and now reclaimed an overgrown plot at Home Farm allotment, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. I'm a member of the committee that is leading the allotments to self-management.…

Surf's up...

I once surfed into the children’s paddling pool at Bude in Cornwall over the sea wall in my kayak to some bemused and startled looks.

Major headache…

I toured in the UK and France on my 600cc motorcycle before I was “taken out” in Croydon by a car driver turning right with “his eyes wide shut”. I escaped with minor scratches but recall the sensation of sliding headfirst down the road vividly! The bike went to the scrap heap.

Voice of reason…

My first ever radio interview took place the day before I was due to be ‘media trained’. Despite this baptism of fire the interview went well. My voice has been heard on the airways a number of times since talking about a range of issues from loft conversions and repair costs through to the fundamentals of working successfully with a builder.

Andrew Thompson is international development and data director at BCIS (Building Cost Information Service).