Thursday, June 03, 2004
Imagine, if you will, a day in the mid to late 1970's. Two 'out of work' stoners are sitting on a couch watching 'The Electric Company' having just finished off their third bowl of Mendocino's finest recreational herb. As they wait for the bong to cool, one of them says "Dude...I just got a totally bitchen' idea. What if we bolt a propeller to the lawn mower and then you strap it to my back?" After a brief pause, his friend responds, "Dude...That's insane. You could really get hurt. You better put on a parachute just in case." The rest is history.
When I first saw a Powered Paraglider,(see www.ParaToys.com.)that's how I imagined it all started. I have learned differently since then. Those of you who we speak to on a regular basis already know that Lorna and I have started Powered Paragliding. While it may look a bit insane, it is remarkably safe (I'm going to regret saying that later).
Now, having said that I would like to relate to you one of our recent adventures. We brought our Paragliders home from L.A. about three or four weeks ago. I had to break-in the engines for about two hours each. That consisted of tying them to a strong tree and running them at various RPM's for two hours. I can't tell you how much I wanted to toss something like cantaloupe into that spinning prop. It would have been so cool! Once that was accomplished, (the break-in, not the cantaloupe) it was time to fly. The first flights were at our airport across the street. Just circling around within gliding distance of the field. We didn't want to get too far away, just in case. Even if the engine dies, there's not much of a problem. I had two engines quit during training due to a carburetor that wouldn't idle properly. You just float down and land.
Now, before I go on, I would just like you to know that the following tail does not reflect on my performance as an airline pilot and I would like you to all feel comfortable on any airliner...well, except when Troy's flyin'. Anyway.
We decide to fly off-airport one day. I took off from the ultralight field and headed for the state trust land to the east. Lorna was going to take off from the land across the street from our house and meet me. I flew back and fourth waiting for her to take off, occasionally checking my fuel with the mirror in my harness. (the fuel tank is under your seat so you can't see it directly.) She had laid out her glider and looked ready to go but she wasn't taking off. I finally realized she was on her cell phone. Figures!
After some minutes she took to the air and climbed steeply against the blue sky like a Valkyrie heading for Valhalla. (Sorry, I always wanted to use the word Valkyrie in a sentence...you'll have to forgive me.) As she passed to my left, I banked around to fall in behind her. We wandered around in formation like two giant butterflies. Passing low over the desert. Sometimes close enough to touch a tree with our toes. The sun was setting and it was so peaceful and beautiful.
A moment later I turned to see Lorna descending. She was out of her seat with her legs extended for landing and her engine was stopped! So much for peaceful and beautiful. She touched down on the sand and slipped, ending up on her rear-end. I circled overhead with the concern of a husband until she gave me the OK sign. I was now torn between the desire to land and make sure everything was all right and the wiser decision to head for the car and drive back to pick her up. I saw that she was fine so, as she motioned me away, I banked around and climbed into the sun with the winged feet of Mercury. (OK, too much! I guess I let that Valkyrie thing go to my head. Sorry.) As I put the coals to my motor, I was rewarded with an odd sucking sound and a complete cessation of noise. Holy Crap, my engine quit! (Thanks a lot Mercury! No wonder it is one of the heavier elements.) Quickly scanning the desert floor, I found a spot and touched down. It was actually a very good landing for being two miles from where I would have liked to have landed.
I pulled myself from my harness and began looking over my motor to see what could have gone wrong. Some bit or peace that was out of place that could have caused the failure. I started from the top and moved down examining the magneto, the carb., the throttle, the spark plug, the fuel ta...Shit! I'm out of gas! I have to be honest, I actually laughed. I pulled out my cell phone and called Lorna who was 100 yards away. We met in a clearing. I adjusted her carburetor (It was too rich. We were supposed to run the engines with a rich fuel mixture for the first 10 hours. I guess I got carried away.) and her motor fired right up. She wanted me to fly her motor to get the car but I had her do it because she needs less room for take-off than I do. So, there I sat in the middle of the desert with the sun was going down. By the time she got to me it was almost dark.
We have since dialed in the engines and they have run like watches...Oh well, live and learn. (Emphasis on live!) Feel free to come out and watch us fly. We could always use someone to come and pick us up in the desert.
When I first saw a Powered Paraglider,(see www.ParaToys.com.)that's how I imagined it all started. I have learned differently since then. Those of you who we speak to on a regular basis already know that Lorna and I have started Powered Paragliding. While it may look a bit insane, it is remarkably safe (I'm going to regret saying that later).
Now, having said that I would like to relate to you one of our recent adventures. We brought our Paragliders home from L.A. about three or four weeks ago. I had to break-in the engines for about two hours each. That consisted of tying them to a strong tree and running them at various RPM's for two hours. I can't tell you how much I wanted to toss something like cantaloupe into that spinning prop. It would have been so cool! Once that was accomplished, (the break-in, not the cantaloupe) it was time to fly. The first flights were at our airport across the street. Just circling around within gliding distance of the field. We didn't want to get too far away, just in case. Even if the engine dies, there's not much of a problem. I had two engines quit during training due to a carburetor that wouldn't idle properly. You just float down and land.
Now, before I go on, I would just like you to know that the following tail does not reflect on my performance as an airline pilot and I would like you to all feel comfortable on any airliner...well, except when Troy's flyin'. Anyway.
We decide to fly off-airport one day. I took off from the ultralight field and headed for the state trust land to the east. Lorna was going to take off from the land across the street from our house and meet me. I flew back and fourth waiting for her to take off, occasionally checking my fuel with the mirror in my harness. (the fuel tank is under your seat so you can't see it directly.) She had laid out her glider and looked ready to go but she wasn't taking off. I finally realized she was on her cell phone. Figures!
After some minutes she took to the air and climbed steeply against the blue sky like a Valkyrie heading for Valhalla. (Sorry, I always wanted to use the word Valkyrie in a sentence...you'll have to forgive me.) As she passed to my left, I banked around to fall in behind her. We wandered around in formation like two giant butterflies. Passing low over the desert. Sometimes close enough to touch a tree with our toes. The sun was setting and it was so peaceful and beautiful.
A moment later I turned to see Lorna descending. She was out of her seat with her legs extended for landing and her engine was stopped! So much for peaceful and beautiful. She touched down on the sand and slipped, ending up on her rear-end. I circled overhead with the concern of a husband until she gave me the OK sign. I was now torn between the desire to land and make sure everything was all right and the wiser decision to head for the car and drive back to pick her up. I saw that she was fine so, as she motioned me away, I banked around and climbed into the sun with the winged feet of Mercury. (OK, too much! I guess I let that Valkyrie thing go to my head. Sorry.) As I put the coals to my motor, I was rewarded with an odd sucking sound and a complete cessation of noise. Holy Crap, my engine quit! (Thanks a lot Mercury! No wonder it is one of the heavier elements.) Quickly scanning the desert floor, I found a spot and touched down. It was actually a very good landing for being two miles from where I would have liked to have landed.
I pulled myself from my harness and began looking over my motor to see what could have gone wrong. Some bit or peace that was out of place that could have caused the failure. I started from the top and moved down examining the magneto, the carb., the throttle, the spark plug, the fuel ta...Shit! I'm out of gas! I have to be honest, I actually laughed. I pulled out my cell phone and called Lorna who was 100 yards away. We met in a clearing. I adjusted her carburetor (It was too rich. We were supposed to run the engines with a rich fuel mixture for the first 10 hours. I guess I got carried away.) and her motor fired right up. She wanted me to fly her motor to get the car but I had her do it because she needs less room for take-off than I do. So, there I sat in the middle of the desert with the sun was going down. By the time she got to me it was almost dark.
We have since dialed in the engines and they have run like watches...Oh well, live and learn. (Emphasis on live!) Feel free to come out and watch us fly. We could always use someone to come and pick us up in the desert.
// posted by Chris @ Thursday, June 03, 2004
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