I would class myself among those known as "nervous flyer's".
Nothing debilitating; but enough to cause my palms to squeeze the armrests a little tighter than needed, my eyes to close as the pilot rotates and a prayer or two to the God of engineering.
Naturally I couldn't let this little trepidation go unchallenged!
So cocking-a-hoot to fear I booked two flights in a glider and headed for the mountain ridge.
Scene 1 - Met pilot 'Mike' who was a real cool cucumber emitting vibes of ease.
Scene 2 - Introduced to the parachute. "When the canopy pops don't wait for instruction from me -I'll be gone already - Just jump!" says Mike, " oh, and remember to give a hard tug down on this right here." (or was it a tug right out ?).
Scene 3 - I had watched the training vids. I knew it was not supposed to be this bad. The tug plane was flaying about like a ferret on a leash. Mikes' commentary evaporated abruptly and I could feel the control column gyrating vigorously between my legs (now now ladies- enough already!). With the mountainside filling the cockpit window and the glider being whipped violently by the tug I was just waiting for the line to break followed by an emergency landing.
Scene 4 - Both legs where shaking more then I have ever experienced. But I was alive. We had passed through the turbulence. We had had to be taken up another 1000 feet to do so. Mikes calm never faltered but he casually admitted that that kind of take-off was not normally metered out to newbies.
Scene 5 - I was flying! The aircraft responding to my touch. Willing me to steer her and steady her. Perfect!
Scene 6 - Brain too tired, I gave control back to my instructor. Feeling what he could do with the aircraft build my confidence a fair amount.
Scene 7 - The clouds were closing in quickly leaving a 'hole' through which we needed to descend. Air brakes on and we dived!
Scene 8 - Approach turn and down. Exciting.
Beautiful.
Love to do it again.
I won the 'red letter' as a prize last Fathers Day. I chose the lucky Yorkie bar. Thanks All Nations Church!
