Cheating the Reaper!

An offer to fly an unfamiliar airplane was quickly accepted. In fact I jumped at the chance. How often does someone
let you strap into their high performance pride and joy and take her for a spin. But I got myself in deep, deep
trouble. I felt disoriented. Not nauseous, but not quite right, either. You know the feeling. Let this be a
warning to you guys. You've felt it, too. It was hot. Somewhere around 105 degrees. I had worked very hard all
week... some 18 and 20 days. Long, long hours and several 3 a.m. phone calls. We finally got things sorted out at
work and even though I new I was fatigued I thought that a trip to the airport was in order so I could get some
stress relief. This isn't what I had in mind. I have your typical macho "I can handle it" attitude and I couldn't
back out in front of my airport buddies. I was sweating profusely as I entered the cockpit. Finally the airplane
was rolling. "As soon as I get airborne, I'll feel better", I told myself.

Now the airplane was inverted and rolling. But the roll rate was slowing. The nose was beginning to drop through
the horizon. Instinctively, I pushed forward on the stick but the roll now stopped. Oh, Oh I thought. The little
voice at the back of my head kept saying, "left leg, left leg"! but I was confused. What about my left leg? Push on
the left pedal? Time slowed to a near standstill as the airplane finally resumed it's roll. But then the airspeed
dropped too low and I entered the first spin I'd experienced in 20 years of flying. As the nosed dropped straight
down, I glanced inside. I wanted to see how fast the altimeter was unwinding, how long I had to live. But the voice
came back. What are you looking in here for? Look where I tell you!, it said. The controls moved as if guided by a
mysterious force on their own. Finally, I snapped back to reality.

Are you ready to try a loop the voice said? Uh yeah? I haltingly replied. You see, the voice was real. I'd shelled
out for a ride in a Pitts S2B. It was worth every penny. The lady airshow pilot gave me my money's worth. She'd
fly a maneuver and then let me try one. The first aileron roll, I'd thought would be easy. The other maneuvers I
wasn't sure I could handle. It turned out just the opposite was true. After the first roll I was just a tad
disoriented. The airplane quit rolling but the fluid in my ears didn't. Want to try a loop, now? Sure I said!
Inside I was thinking, "please fly straight for just a few more seconds"! Too late! I began the stomach crunch to
overcome the g's. Looking out at the horizon as the airplane was going vertical. I relaxed and looked forward,
under the top wing... nothing but sky. Look over your head!, she says. I did and the green and brown earth
reappeared. Wow! Now this is cool! I forgot all about being disoriented. I was really getting into this! The
hammerhead was a hoot! A vertical climb in one of the most powerful biplanes to come off of a production line. The
O-540 sounded like a raging bull as we rocket spaceward. We slow to a near crawl and the airplane gets kicked
quickly sideways. We hang for an instant, pivoting on a dime. Then the earth begins coming up to meet us. Slowly
at first. Then quicker and quicker it rushes head-on. We pull out with plenty of room to spare. Then it's on to
spins. "8000' per minute altitude loss if you let her wind up and go past 3 turns", she says. Holy crap! I can't
even imagine a rock falling that fast. As it was, we lose 1200' as terra firma turns into a kaleidoscope of green
and brown. A turn and a half later, I've quickly regained my respect for spins. We quickly climb back to altitude
with an Zimmerman. Then another spin. I get to try the maneuvers for myself. (All but the spins). And managed
some semblance of the real thing. The aileron roll got much better on the second try. I forgot to crunch coming out
of one loop. 4g's. No problem! I didn't want the ride to end. We land and as we taxi up, the crowd of airport
buddies gather around. I'm grinning ear to ear as I wiggle out of the seat belts and chute harness. I couldn't have
gotten out of that cramped cockpit if someone had used a corkscrew on me if we'd have gotten in real trouble while
airborne. (I think the chute is just a placebo). I step down trying not to wobble too much. The guys gather around
and the next victim steps up to experience the close brush with "the reaper". I walk over to the airport manager.
He's been looking for an airplane to purchase to give flight instruction and rent out. I cast my ballot for a Pitts
S-2. I half stagger and half swagger off. Yep, that's me. Mr. Top Gun. Oh yeah and I got the certificated to
prove it:

This document certifies that ___________________ has bragging rights like no others to:
Piloting a Pitts S2B, one of the most powerful biplanes in the world.
Experiencing the world of Aerobatics.
Flying figures like an airshow pilot such as loops, aileron rolls, and hammerheads.
Thank You for enjoying the thrill of a lifetime.
Chief Pilot: Kelly P.

Oh yeah. You know all the bad publicity that G.A. gets. Kelly made the front page of the local paper 2 days in a
row. I heard she flew 13 pilots and non-pilots. Some just to take aerial pictures.

Afterwards, I hopped in the Cherokee and droned along for an hour and 20 minutes to SWO to go pick up my daughter for
the weekend. As we were flying back I showed her my certificate. I was a 10 year old "Young Eagle" in a fifty year
young body.

At the bottom of my certificate in cursive it says:

Joe, I'm glad you came out for the ride.

Me too, Kelly! Thank YOU!

I'm still grinning!

--
Oshkosh bound 2006. Leaving Sunday coming home Wednesday or Thursday? I guess I'll just miss Jay's party at the
Inn. Maybe, the wife and I'll make the one at the North 40.

Joe Schneider
8437R
(Remove No Spam to Reply)



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JJS wrote:
....

This document certifies that ___________________ has bragging rights like no others to:
Piloting a Pitts S2B, one of the most powerful biplanes in the world.
Experiencing the world of Aerobatics.
Flying figures like an airshow pilot such as loops, aileron rolls, and hammerheads.
Thank You for enjoying the thrill of a lifetime.
Chief Pilot: Kelly P.
......


I had a similar experience a few weeks ago when my soon (not soon
enough) neighbor on our air strip property decided to take me for a ride
(literally). I tried to follow along on the controls, but quickly
grabbed onto the "sissy bars" in the front. I managed to keep my hand
on the stick through a not quite vertical take off (maybe 60 - 70
degrees and started through the loop (until the top). I rode along for
my first loop, roll, hammerhead stall/roll combination and inverted
flight. It was great and I didn't puke until I'd been on the ground for
at least 10 minutes. Pulled 4 G's. All I can say is I have NO IDEA how
people do this stuff in a closed cockpit aircraft.

Margy

On Tue, 18 Jul 2006 18:38:24 -0500, "JJS" jschneider@remove socks
cebridge.net wrote:

This document certifies that ___________________ has bragging rights like no others to:
Piloting a Pitts S2B, one of the most powerful biplanes in the world.
Experiencing the world of Aerobatics.
Flying figures like an airshow pilot such as loops, aileron rolls, and hammerheads.
Thank You for enjoying the thrill of a lifetime.
Chief Pilot: Kelly P.


Great story. It brought back all the memories I have of the Pitts ride
I took 6 years ago. It's time to do it again.

Kirk

This document certifies that ___________________ has bragging rights like no others to:
Piloting a Pitts S2B, one of the most powerful biplanes in the world.

Great story, Joe! I've only flown aerobatics in a Decathlon, but that
was plenty cool enough to make Mary and me watch for partnership
possibilities... It was SO cool!

Oshkosh bound 2006. Leaving Sunday coming home Wednesday or Thursday? I guess I'll just miss Jay's party at the
Inn. Maybe, the wife and I'll make the one at the North 40.

You guys better, or we'll find Cherokee 37-romeo, and pee in your
tanks!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Tue, 18 Jul 2006 18:38:24 -0500, "JJS" jschneider@remove socks
cebridge.net wrote in ::

We quickly climb back to altitude with an Zimmerman.

What is "an Zimmerman?"

Larry Dighera wrote:
On Tue, 18 Jul 2006 18:38:24 -0500, "JJS" jschneider@remove socks
cebridge.net wrote in ::

We quickly climb back to altitude with an Zimmerman.

What is "an Zimmerman?"

He made a mistake Larry, he meant an immelman.

http://www.fly-aerobatics.ca/immelman.JPG

You are welcome.

Monk

JJS jschneider@remove socks cebridge.net wrote:

anted to see how fast the altimeter was unwinding, how long I had to live.
But the voice
came back. What are you looking in here for? Look where I tell you!,
it said. The controls moved as if guided by a
mysterious force on their own. Finally, I snapped back to reality.

I enjoyed your story. You had me for a few paragraphs.


--
Peter

"Peter R." wrote in message
...
JJS jschneider@remove socks cebridge.net wrote:

anted to see how fast the altimeter was unwinding, how long I had to
live.
But the voice
came back. What are you looking in here for? Look where I tell you!,
it said. The controls moved as if guided by a
mysterious force on their own. Finally, I snapped back to reality.

I enjoyed your story. You had me for a few paragraphs.


--
Peter

Flew (with a real pilot) at age 76 in an AT-6 a couple years ago, after
being earthbound for 25 years. I'll describe my dexterity at aerobatics by
relating that performing a coordinated turn was taxing.