Aerochute powered parachute ( PPC ) Flying

One of my main recreations is flying my Aerochute powered parachute.
Man has forever admired and envied the birds.
For me the nearest thing to birdy ( aviators technical term ) flying is my Aerochute.
Listed below are a couple of "poems" whereby I attempt to share with
you some of the joy that I experience in the PPC.

AEROCHUTE FLY IN



At crowing of cocks
there's a searching for sox
and rousing of spouses
missing their houses.

With none keen to get up;
campfire's Chardonnay promise
of kites up at sun up,
then so easily given,
now at risk of a miss.

But fliers are driven.
When windsocks are slack
rushing skwards a given.

Prior to cofee's first pour
the spade it is searched for
and tarp is rolled back disclosing the beast
as fingers of light reach up from the East.

The nuts are all counted,
the tyres are a'pounded
a splutter of phlegm as Rotax is pulled through.
(since mother is watching the checks are true blue.)

A tugger,
a shudder,
a rattle 'n die.

Enrichen the mixture
'll improve the picture
both levers down,
to answer the frown.

A tugger,
a shudder
a rattle 'n roar,
a second or two to settle the beat
both levers up she's running a treat,
Down on the pedal to turn up the heat
at three and a bit there's a feeling of living
passing through five she's stretching and pushing
at six and a half the trailer's a shudder
all raring to go with nary a rudder.

Fuelled up,
rugged up;
a check of the windsocks
a clearing of small rocks,
then settle her down like a sprinter at chocks.

Carefully set with nose to the breeze
canopy poised to jump up with ease
a burst from the tap
'chute leaps with a flap

Keeping eyes on the kite
ease the power back a mite
when all full and centred
full right foot and plant it
TO LEAP OFF THE PLANET!!

SPRING FEVER



Ah! the joy to be flying
after weeks of:-
too much work,
too much Spring rain
too much Spring grass &
too much Spring fever to be not flying.

First low pass over the swamp great fun,
tremendous sense of speed etc,
second pass more fun with wheels just tipping the highest grass
third pass more of the same
fourth pass a few inches too low,
wheels began to drag in the wet grass,
full power no advantage,
pull around into wind no better,
full flare still no break out.
shut down as trees get closer.


Walk out squelching "interesting" smelling water,
Select four wheel drive,
set hand throttle,
head off into swamp to retrieve Aerochute,
discover too late that transfer case is not transferring.

Wet feet wetter,
small dog exhausted by grass twice his height.

Endure farmer's humour as he retrieves, aircraft, trailer and
4WD from the swamp.

Buy whisky for farmer,
deliver whisky,
accept invitation to sample whisky,
woes subside,

Arrive home,
endure spousal humour,
share with her another whisky
woes subside further.

Next morning another flight to dry out the canopy,
and restore the pride,
beautiful !!

David Hill
(not yet cured of the thrills of low PPC flying)




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Created on ... May 07, 2003