New Freedom!

[Vance]

It is 7 hours since I flew and I still have a noticeable shake in my right hand. I have yet to truly catch my breath. I cannot imagine how to express the joy and freedom I feel. I suspect that only those that have experienced what I did today will comprehend my words. If I can remind them of that feeling for just a moment I will have exceeded my perceived ability to communicate feelings without using my hands. I have seen pilots describe swoops and dives with their hands and I always felt that it was a demonstration of madness or at the very least an example of someone who had not had enough adventure in their lives.

The ATIS said that winds were 290 at 6kts when I checked it at 6:00 am. I had some tax stuff to take care of and I needed to talk to my CPA to explain the spread sheet I had done on Saturday. I was a little worried about that much wind before any thermal activity had a chance so I hustled to get to the airport so I would not have a repeat of yesterday. When I arrived at 8:00 am there was no one at my hangar. Yippee! My uninterrupted preflight took only 20 minutes. The new ATIS had winds as calm. Off I rolled even before Diana showed up. She lives about 5 minutes from the airport. Everything seemed too perfect. It was warm, relatively clear and there were not many aircraft in the pattern. I am trying not to be overconfident so just for a moment I remembered the times I started the race day with a shiny motorcycle and the anticipation of great joy and ended the day with a pile of scrap and an expectation of more pain the next day. This memory helps to keep me alert and cautious.

I had made 5 landings when the tower reported a flock of large birds moving toward the runway. “Experimental 2 Mike Golf, negative contact on the birds,” I said. As I began the elevator ride to pattern altitude ATC reported the new location of the birds and they were about 50 feet below my pattern altitude. I marveled at their freedom as each hawk swooped, soared and circled; only moving their tail. They were directly on my crosswind where I turn downwind. “Experimental 2 Mike Golf, I have the birds in sight, request straight out departure.”

We were chased from the airport by a flock of birds!

Along the Valley floor and toward the ocean we flew at 50 miles per hour indicated but my GPS reading just under forty miles per hour. I discovered lift as I moved toward the hills. The Predator would rise and fall uncomanded, following the contour of the land. This was the beginning, but only the beginning.

My camera was storing dead batteries so we climbed to 2,000 feet to change to fresh ones. When we arrived at the end of the Santa Maria River we descended to 500 feet and took some pictures. There is no way for a picture to describe the beauty that enveloped me.

I will post the pictures in a separate thread after dinner.

The warm morning sun, the gentle winds spilling around the windshield and the ever changing view of the world held forth a wonder I did not know and had not imagined. Her engine was loafing along at 2,200 rpm and the loudest noise was the swish of the rotor blades. We flew over the breaking waves for a while and I felt the sea air against my face.

I had been up flying free for forty minutes and it was time to head back to the airport with the wind at my back. “Santa Maria Tower, Experimental Gyroplane November 142 Mike Golf, inbound over Guadalupe to land with information Romeo.” I was to enter left traffic and report mid field. I came in a little high to miss the birds and again marveled at their freedom as they swooped and soared. The tower gave me clearance to land on 30 just as I was taking my deep breath before commencing radio communication.

The base to final and the decent to land were picture perfect. 1,800 rpm, 2 descending 90 degree turns, 300 feet over the end of the runway when a 6 mile per hour quartering tail wind pushed me. It was a non event as I closed the throttle, worked the stick and rudder to align myself on the center line and gently touched down. Off to fuel up and more flying.

I found the aimless freedom of the birds an inspiration and I requested a departure to the south. My downwind departure was approved with an early turn. My read back was accurate and came without much effort. Off to the south I went following Highway 1. Before this flight I have always had a mission, for the first time, today, inspired by a flock of birds I wandered aimlessly down the highway with the hills to my right. I flew near enough to the hills to again feel the Predator rise and fall with the contour of the land. I continued along highway 135 toward Los Alamos. We started following the dirt roads that lace the hills. I would practice ground reference maneuvers each time I found a square field. I practiced my steep turns both left and right holding my altitude perfectly. The winds were coming up now and at my back. I climbed to 2,500 feet and dove at 80 miles per hour to 300 feet AGL. We swooped and soared aimlessly, free as the birds that had chased me form the airport. We followed a dirt road and flew as though I was on a motorcycle, following the undulating brown ribbon through the green hills, rising and falling swooping and turning with a freedom that was unfamiliar to me.

After 40 minutes of this ecstasy I felt it was time to head back toward reality.

We turned into the wind toward KSMX. Ten miles out I reported, “Santa Maria Tower, Experimental Gyroplane November 142 Mike Golf, ten miles to the east inbound to land with information Kilo.” The tower came back with instructions to land when approaching from the east and to report when two miles out. I then figured out what the arrow was for on my GPS that shows the direction to the destination. I was more to the south than the east. Highway 135 and Highway 1 sort of curve around. I let the tower know that I was mistaken and I was more to the south. ATC had been tracking my transponder, and knew exactly where I was. They replied that they were glad that I had found myself and to report over the Orcutt Y. When I did I received instructions to proceed to 30 directly and land as near taxiway Charley as possible and to expedite my exit from the runway to allow for a Brizillia. My read back was perfect and I advanced the throttle and proceeded to 30 at 85 miles per hour. I hit my touch down exactly on target with a touchdown that I could hardly feel. I scooted off the runway just as the Brazillia was asking if they needed to slow for the Experimental Gyroplane to clear the runway.

My heart was pounding and I couldn’t stop babbling as Diana filled the Predator’s fuel tanks and I filed out my log book. I couldn’t figure out how to describe freedom for the log book.

The ground felt like it was moving as I stepped down from the aircraft. I was not able to focus on my post flight inspection. I had just experienced more freedom that I had ever imagined. My bonds lay loose at my feet, never to enslave me again.

The adventure continues!

[gyromike]

Great story Vance.
You should send these (or write more of them) to Kitplanes, or Sport Aviation.

[WindRyder06]

Wow! Vance, that was one hell of a ride. The feeling is a good a you can get just about anywhere. I was wondering whar ever happened to the Predator. Glad you have it, that is one nice machine.

Way to go!!

[utahgyrocop]

What a great story...makes me wanna go fly.

[Trez]

You're a lucky man, Vance. And you are one of the few. Those who haven't experienced what you have will likely never understand. But that's what it's all about. Well done, Sir! And you have helped to 'show the way'.
Trez
***************

[Diana]

I have been with Vance for nine months, including: 8 road trips and a 24/7 in the car for 25 days trip, two weeks ago. I know this man. I have experienced the highs and the lows. I understand and feel his passion. I was there as he conceptualized his gyro design, bought and trained his first gyro, soloed for the first time, and made changes to his designs and more changes. They came fast and furious. His genius was awe inspiring. Morning, noon and night-the nights, up at every hour examining the performance curve, the aerodynamic lines, fitting in my aesthic suggestions, struggling over the marketing liabilities, the prospects and on and on…he and I were consumed by the dream.

For hours he would talk to me about the dream and the fantasy of flying. Word after word about what it was like, or what he thought it was like to fly.. If you could only see the light in his eyes (OK Mr. Mayfield- one eye) as he vocalized his fantasies. Today, he has exceeded any elation he had expressed earlier.

Today, Vance flew for the first time. He soared like an eagle, paused like a Kite, loomed like a Gull. He was one with the wind, the valley and the terrain.

I can not put into words the joy, the excitement, and the shear exhilaration Vance expressed as he dismounted the lady Predator. He could hardly speak, or walk. He was trembling from the rare primal experience of flight.

I was very fortunate to be there to share this experience with him. I understood his words, but there is no way I could possibly fathom his experience, because I was not there. I know this. Now, I want to be there more than anything. I want to be in the backseat of the cockpit, pounding my fists on his helmet saying, “Look, did you see that... did you see that?” I want to experience it all!

Vance, get your pilot’s certificate soon! I want to soar like an eagle, pause like a Kite, loom like a Gull in the backseat of Lady Predator with you and only you!

With All My Love,

Diana

[ultracruiser41]

Wow! This is a great sport isn't it?

Many..many more happy flights to the both of you!


BaryK

[Joe Pires]

Thank you both for sharing the wonderful experience.

[JEFF TIPTON]

Vance.

I think you now understood what it is to be an Aviator.

Congratulations.

[RockyMeLad]

Vance,

What little you lack in humor, you more that make up in the emotion of your writing.
I must second Mike's recommendation to put together articles for the various magazines.

And by the way, Diana sounds like a keeper. Take care of her.

[Gyropilot007]

Wow!!! What a read! Vance, you make me want to repair my gyro all the faster. Not only do you have a great prespective, but you have a wonderful way with words. Thanks for the great story.

Bob

[Steve McGowan]

GREAT Pix vance..... I am Jealous...

Question Vance.....

did I do anything,, in creating the Flying HaBBit you have ..??

I HOPE SO.... Ya DOIN GREAT

[GyroDoug]

Vance,

You have much more ability to express yourself than you give yourself credit for. I understand that your audience here on the forum is a bit prejudiced towards the joys of flight and might be an easy sell compared to the general (non-flying) public. But I think you touched our hearts in a very positive way. I know how your words made me feel. I wish everyone in the world could understand and feel the way you felt when you were flying. You really must submit some of your writings, not only to our PRA magazine but to EAA and any other magazine willing to print your stories. You will touch lives and can be a major influence to the rest of the Aviation world in helping them to come to appreciate Gyroplanes. Keep up the great work!!!!

Gyro Doug

[Timchick]

Thanks for sharing your flights with us, Vance. I think you've really experienced what flying really is. You can go out and fly "missions" and concentrate on them the whole time or go out and fly whichever way you decide to go. I like the freedom of just flying around and checking things out.

[Vance]

I didn’t get much sleep last night; I kept reliving the flight and the feeling of freedom.

Thank you Mike, I think that would be fun. If someone knows how to make that happen I would be pleased to know.

Thank you Chris, I love the Predator and I never feel alone. She always seems to use her capabilities to bail me out when I make errors.

Thank you Heath, It is fun to share the adventure and our mutual passion.

Thank you Trez, wow 26,000 hours. In my racing, my heart would still pound as the one went sideways even after 26 years of profesional racing. I hope it is still that way for you as a pilot. Thank you for the kind words.

Thank you Diana, You have been a great help and I love sharing the adventure with you. I don’t think you should discount your desire to be a pilot.

Thank you BaryK, I have followed your exploits with interest.

Your welcome Joe, I am glad you liked it.

Thank you Jeff, I like the sound of that. AVIATOR.

Thank you Rocky, Jim has been working on my humor. I sometimes have great difficulty understanding just what I am feeling and writing about it helps me to identify those feelings. I am still puzzled by the impact of the flights.

Thank you for the kind words Bob, I look forward to the day you are back in the air.

Thank you Steve, you are one of the people I look up to and try emulate. I love the way you can light up people with your charm. I learn a lot from you and hope that our relationship continues for a long time. I am pleased that you feel I am doing well. I know that I really frustrated you when you were my CFI.

Thank you Doug, It gives me pleasure to hear that I have touched hearts. If I knew the path to get some gyroplane stories out there I would take the first steps. Any suggestions?

Thank you Tim, my reason for being so focused is because that is how I overcome my challenges. Because I have some serious limitations I need to have my skill set in place before I go pushing the envelope. I was confident yesterday that I could land if the engine went quiet. As I get better at piloting my options increase and yesterday I experienced the reward of that focus. There are many paths to yesterday’s flights. Mine works for me. I was back to focus today, I will write about it shortly.

Thank you, Vance