Text 21213, 62 rader
Skriven 2007-10-10 18:03:34 av HAP NEWSOM (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: TRIP 215  71009
=======================
Hi Glen!
Welcome home !
-> 
-> A domestic flight I recently had in NZ, otoh, was quite relaxed.  I
-> phoned the Croydon Aircraft Company, near Gore, and spoke to the pilot
-> of the day, who agreed that the weather was fine, and he could fly me
-> to where I wanted to go.  I was driven to the airfield, met the pilot,
-> and while he prepared the plane, I had a coffee.  In due course I
-> wandered over to the plane, offered to pay for the flight, but the
-> pilot said it would be better to pay after the flight, "just in case".
-> Dressing in a well-worn leather jacket, and donning a leather flying
-> helmet and goggles, I climbed carefully into the front cockpit of the
-> 70 year old Tiger Moth biplane, the pilot gave one pull on the
-> propellor, and the engine burst into life.
-> 
-> The pilot climbed into the rear cockpit, then revving up to 2200 rpm,
-> the plane lifted smoothly away from the grass strip, climbing fairly
-> quickly to over 2000 feet.  Following the river, cruising at 70 mph, we
-> soon came to the township of Gore, where I wished to take photos.
-> After banking around the town, we followed the river back to the
-> airfield, while climbing to nearly 3500 feet.  Then, with the engine
-> racing, the pilot put the stick forward, the speed built up to 90 mph,
-> as we headed for the ground.  Easing back on the stick, the nose came
-> up...and up....and up, while I was pressed into my seat by 3 or 4 Gs,
-> and the horizon appeared, then disappeared below the nose, with nothing
-> but sky and almost zero G, until at last the horizon came back, upside
-> down. Quickly passing through a blur of scenery, the horizon returned
-> to its proper orientation, and after a few vertical banks, the pilot
-> brought the plane down to a perfect, classical 3-point landing, with
-> the wheels and tailskid touching down on the grass simultaneously and
-> inperceptably.
-> 
-> We taxied back to where my daughter was waiting, after watching the
-> display of aerobatics, and I paid the pilot his NZ$125 for the 20
-> minutes flight.  To my mind, good value.
-> 
Now that sounds SO cool! I love flying in biplanes! My first experience was
in 1961 in France. The Areo club on the base at Chateauroux had found nd
restored a spad newport from post WW1, it was a thrill ride every time it
went up and all the jet jockies loved to have a chance to fly her. My first
trip in her was exciting...when I climbed into the rear cockpit the pilot
warned me to make sure my seatbelt was as tight as I could get it...I
verified that it was in fact so tight I was hardly able to move at all. We
took off and climbed to altitude and the pilot let me know we were going to
commence with some areobatics...First was a vertical stall which was VERY
exciting! Upon pulling up from the vertical dive resulting from the stall
we did an immelman roll, and then went on to a maneuver called the "English
bunt"...which is basically half an outside loop so you end up flying
inverted in the opposite direction. However you are exposed to incredible G
forces trying to push you out of the cockpit...it was at this point in the
flight that I found that my belt was not as tight as I had claimed it
was...it felt like there were at least 10 inches between my bum and the
seat of the plane! Have you ever tried to tighten a seatbelt while being
pressed against it with great force? I know I sure tried!! When we did a
half roll and went back to "normal" flight I made sure I tugged that belt
as snug as I could possibly get it! The next time I had the opportunity to
go aloft in that plane they had installed a flight harness as opposed to a
lap belt.......I was very happy that they had done that!
chat with you soon
ha
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