Tony's personal experience of Microlighting
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Checking out the aircraft |
All Aboard |
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Chocks away |
We have lift off! |
Head in the Clouds Part 1
Want to try Hang Gliding or Flying a Microlight aircraft? Then the place to try these out is with Airways Air Sports at Darley Moor Airfield, near Ashbourne Derbyshire. The friendly staff went out of the way to make sure that I got maximum thrill and enjoyment out of the Experience.
Microlight Flying
Day one… met and greeted by Judy who asked me all sorts of questions - Could I do a side ways transfer? Answer “Yes”. Did I have spasms in my legs? Answer “Yes” – No problem, we may have to gaffer tape feet to fuselage just so that the rudder bar is not knocked. Was I nervous? Answer “No”. Was I really looking forward to the experience? Answer “Not more than a lot”!
Judy then introduced me to Sandie who was to be my pilot, out we went to the aircraft, a Flexi wing microlight … just like a large hang glider with a small cockpit underneath and an engine at the back, here Sandie gave me a full safety brief. With the wheelchair alongside, the seat was only a little higher than the wheelchair seat, with very clear instructions on where to put any weight and to tell them any way they could help, I slid across and into the pilots seat and then slid back into the passengers seat.
Engine started, oil pressure allowed to build up to 50 PSI (I still can’t cope with these metric things) we taxied to the end of the runway and then we were off. In only a few moments we were at 2000 ft. and with the bottom of the clouds at this height I really had my “head in the clouds”.
Even on this grey day the view was breathtaking, Sandie told me that we were not allowed to fly over built up areas, but we flew around Uttoxeter turned and headed towards Alton Towers, the rides there are no match for this experience, across to Carsington Water and then back home. Was that really an hour of wind in the face and a total feeling of freedom? It felt like a few brief minutes!
All through the flight Sandie explained how to turn, dive, climb and speed up the aircraft but that remains a secret between Sandie and myself, if you want to learn these mysteries you have to try it.
Tony Packer July 2008
For part two of Tony's account click the back arrow and check out the hang gliding personal account further up the page.