Clyde valley from highland area
Franks Cheese factory area in Clyde looking South
Clyde from my Powered Parachute 2007
Worlds Fasted Powered Parachute
My E-bay purchased Powered Parachute has been both a source of pleasure plus an education. My official solo was very educational, my left steering line broke and I could only turn right. I had to loosen the right line so I could fly straight and make a wide right turn landing without a flair to soften the landing. I once was flying low over a cornfield to land short on the edge and was sucked into the corn. It sure was a job untangling all those lines from the corn. The views are wonderful but seeing the expressions on the faces of the dozen or so I gave an introductory flight to was equally awesome. My daughters father in-law wanted so much to go up with me. He was in the latter stages of cancer and in pain and knew if we didn't do it soon he would never get a ride. We went up about a month before he passed away and flew around rural Lancaster. We have the flight on video and it is a precious memory, he was so happy. When doing engine service adjustments I would sometimes run up some speed on the ground testing things and one time my Grandson who was 5 at the time was in the back seat. My daughter called to see how things were and Peg told her Brendan was on the Powered Parachute with Grandpa, the phone got very quiet before she said you are kidding I hope. Peg then told her we were just testing things on the ground of which she then started breathing again. I asked the instructor who tested me one day how I would know when the engine needed to be overhauled, He said it would just quit running sometime. My machine had over 200 hr's and the usual for a Rotax overhaul is 300 hr's. Well I was up over the Lone Rock airport area with a Pastor friend at about 500 to 600 feet and the engine just quit. It sure is quiet with the engine off and we were just floating along not seemingly losing altitude until looking at the GPS. I started looking for an alternate landing spot and after about a minute tried starting the engine. It started and ran for about 2 minutes before killing again. I had turned back toward the runway hoping we could limp in. After another minute or so I tried starting it again and we made a powered landing on the runway. It was about $3000.00 later and I was in the air again. I add that to what I paid for the machine plus a $500 previous chute repair and my cheap machine is getting a bit pricey for a country boy. I have a basic flight instructor rating and one time while I was giving lessons and now being time to put the student in front with me in back and we rolled over on take off with his machine. Here we both were completely upside down hanging by our seat belts. We both started to laugh as we tried to get out. I could add more to this and especially many pages of normal flights with none of the harrowing educating experiences occurring, just lots of great memories. Now due to some regulation changes and needing a different licen I am grounded till at some point I choose to become sport pilot rated. Due to the limit of examiners for this it is not practical at this time to continue. A sad day that was when I made that decision. My machine is now parked and but a memory of what was a very exciting time in my life. I have some videos I watch from time to time I took that I can reminisce with and show friends as well.
