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| This would be handy for shopping! |
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| Pretty Yellow Bird! |
I had a most enjoyable morning at this air show! I don't know anything about what sort of aircraft they were, except for the gyrocopters and I only know them because someone took me up for a ride in one a couple of years ago. I was jogging on the road beside the airstrip when a gyrocopter landed and I called out to the pilot that it looked just like a bird. Whereupon he asked if I'd like to go up! Did I ever!! I was across the air strip in seconds, fitted with helmet, jacket and goggles, strapped in and off we flew all over Mittagong, 2000ft up in space! Unreal WOW factor!
I wasn't so lucky today, but I did get to sit in one of the home-made planes by lining up with some little 7 -8 year old children....much to the embarrassment of my friend! Photos of some of the aircraft and a would-be pilot! Shame the day was so cold and windy. Hundreds turned up even so.
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| A flashy gyrocopter! Owner in yellow jacket. |
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| Little Blue Bird! |
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One of the home-made planes |
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| Contacting the tower for clearance! Owner hanging on to the side lest I take off! |
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| Before take-off, what are all these dials for? |
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| OK, I can handle this baby! Ready for take-off! |
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| Safely back on terra firma! Nothing to this flying business! |
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| Yellow Nose |
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| This one would suit me to get around the Southern Highlands! |
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| Amazing! |
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| This gyrocopter is the same as the one in which I cadged a ride a few years ago! |
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| The Seagull |
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| Another Blue Bird |
I didn't realize that the general public were supposed to keep behind a barrier and view the aircraft from some distance, until a very handsome and very young RAAF male person approached and told us that to be inside the enclosure where the planes were, we had to be members of the aero club or have an air force person with us. I quickly said, "Well, you'll do nicely!!" And before he could catch his breath, I took him by the arm, telling him I just wanted one or two more photos and I'd be gone. He laughed as he said, "OK, off you go!" Such a nice, obliging youg man!
Norma,
ReplyDeleteDon't dream it, do it! You can learn to fly aircraft just like those ones you were looking at today, and it is surprisingly inexpensive (for varying definitions of expensive). I learned a few years ago, and have flown over your place a number of times since then. It cost me in the order of $8k over the course of a year.
Have a look at the Recreational Aviation Australia website (http://www.raa.asn.au/). I don't think that there's a school at Mittagong, but there are good ones at Wollongong and Jaspers Brush, and also one at the Oaks (near Camden). Even if you didn't want to actually go through to getting your license, you can fly with an instructor as often as you want. Do it! It's fantastic!
Bruce
It's a bit more complicated for me now, Bruce, much as I would love to be able to do as you say : do it, don't dream it! I still vividly recall the thrill of the day I flew in the gyrocopter! I particularly remember when the pilot cut the engine and let the plane glide in complete silence above the ranges. For that one shining moment I became a beautiful coloured bird!
DeleteLet me know when you next fly over here and I'll climb onto the roof and wave!
What an amazing thing to 'happen along the way'! You look very at home in the cockpit and the sign in your photo makes me think that plane-builders have something in common with marathoners - they're in it for the long run. 9 years!
DeleteI thought 9 years was amazing too! A good idea to start while young!
DeleteI'm not game to get in anything smaller than a 747! Flying small planes isn't dangerous - it's just the sudden stop when you fly into powerlines and drop to the ground ;-)
ReplyDeleteP.S. Jealous of your car-less new subdivision!
That's terribly funny, Ewen! Can't stop laughing!
DeleteWow how amazing. You must have had such a fun day. What a great adventure:)
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun day, Strewth; you'd have enjoyed it too!
ReplyDelete