SIR Alan Sugar would hold no terrors for the likes of David Smith. Even if the remarkable American ever did face the entrepreneur from hell, nothing could possibly happen that hadn't occurred before.

So what if I'm fired, he might say, going eyeball to eyeball with the Beast of the Boardroom. That's nothing new... it happens every day of my working life.

He'd be right, too. In fact, the positively pensive Pennsylvanian is just as much a big shot as Sir Alan. For Mr Smith is a human cannonball and knows all about meteoric rises at a rapid rate of knots. And the proof will be there for all to see next month when 50 years of the Three Counties Show are marked by sending Mr Smith into orbit.

One of our intrepid reporters will certainly be interviewing Mr Smith once he lands - presumably having travelled by plane - in this country.

Apparently, this amazing gentleman comes from a family of human cannonballs, his father and three sisters all following the calling. This therefore begs any number of questions... for example, is this a case of gunpowder in the blood or has the living projectile trade always been a boom industry?

And did this highly unorthodox pursuit give birth to that saying about flying by the seat of one's pants? Finally, does it hurt? These are all questions we hope our man at the ground will be putting to the indomitable Mr Smith.

Whatever the facts of the matter, Mr Smith's launch in the direction of those famous hills will certainly make fine spectator sport. But we hope and pray his aim is true.