Trike Lesson

[mcelrah]

Went out to the Harrison "Flying H" Farm/Capital Area Light Flyers
(CALF) site at Libertyville near Frederick with my friend Steve Beste,
who has done a lot of research on ultralight/light sport trikes and
managed to get us an appointment on this gooey day with the
much-sought-after John Ballantyne (USUA founder?). John was affable
and gave us an unhurried ground explanation of knobology and
instruments on the high-end Rotax 912-powered machine, then took Steve
first for taxi and then flight training. While I waited for them to
return, Dan Kreiseler (sp?), the instructor for the "Dukes of Windsoar"
powered paragliding club, fired up his backpack and proceeded to
perform a low-level aerobatic routine worthy of an airshow. (People
later told me he was rated #3 in the nation when he was competing.)
Doing chandelles BETWEEN trees and buildings, turns about a pylon
within hands reach of the pylon, "waterskiing" through the wet grass
down the runway, disappearing below general ground level in low-lying
areas of the adjacent corn field, porpoising, hands-free flying - quite
nervous-making to watch. When Steve and John came back it was my turn.
Ground operation is counter-intuitive to someone used to rudder pedals
and differential toe brakes because you turn the front wheel axle with
your heels while operating brakes (left toes) and throttle (right
toes). Once airborne, I kept pulling in for airspeed, but John told me
I basically couldn't stall the thing with the power on, just hang on
the control bar and let it fly at trim speed. Then came the treat: he
had me climb up through a hole in the heavy mist and overcast up to
8500 feet where towering cumulus made a "Cathedral of Immaculate
Ascension" (John's phrase). There were some curious "Guggenheim
Museum"-looking cloud formations. For the piece de resistance, John
recited "High Flight" by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. which was the only
appropriate thing to do under the circumstances:

"Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up, the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, nor even eagle flew.
And while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space...
...put out my hand, and touched the face of God."

- Hugh


On 16 Jul 2005, at 09:27, Paul Gerhardt wrote:

>
> Where are you going for the Trike training? My guess is that the HG
> exp will be helpful. Have fun!
>
> My plumbing project took 3 trips to the hardware store and then it was
> raining lightly so never got to the airport. Will try again tomorrow
> (Sun)
>
> Paul
>
>
> Paul Gerhardt
> pgerhardt@hotmail.com
>
>

[Scott]

Great trike story Hugh! FYI---for anyone who might not have known---Jim Carrigan is teaching trike lessons at Blue Sky. They have a $22,000 North Wing Trike, and I'm sure Jim's a solid instructor (he flies HG very well too).

And (for continued powered antics) Steve Wendt teaches Doodlebug/Mosquito lessons as well, though obviously only for experienced HG pilots.

Scott