Bucker: Turning my world upsidedown!

The gift that keeps giving.  Memories created, friendships cemented.

My birthday was in July and I was delighted to be given a "ride in a Bucker" this year.  
Pilot friends of mine, Gail and Doedo are the proud owners/parents of this open-cockpit biplane.  And this is the story of my first open-cockpit airplane outing.  But there is more... Aerobatics and a smoke machine awaited me.

All I needed to do was get my flying kit on and get in.
Easier said than done!

Step 1:
Put on the flight suit.  It has pockets for keeping little things like your phone and camera safe when inverted.  No-one wants to be hit in the head or in the flight instruments by a wayward camera and no-one wants to be searching a farmer's field for a new-ish Galaxy S4 that fell to its death!

Step 2:
Learn the ways of the parachute.  Practice putting on the parachute and buckling it up correctly, then take it off and lay it nicely on the seat in the plane.  There is no way you can simultaneously wear it and climb into the aircraft, so the idea is to climb into the parachute as you climb into the plane!

 

Step3:
Climb onto the wing and into the front seat (passenger seat), into the parachute.  Then buckle into the 'chute and secure the equally complex seat belt around the both of you.  There is no wriggle room.

Step 4:
Goggles!  Yes, I have waited all my life to look like this, with good reason.

Step 5:
Almost dressed, but one last thing...
The aviator's headset is also a cool flying hat!  It must be fitted over a ponytail that is low and loose, then secured under the chin.  Loosing a borrowed headset in flight is also poor form!

Now... time to fly!
I was in good hands.  Gail, from the seat behind me, expertly taxied us out and did run-up.

Gail, behind me

My view... the prop and the fuel gauge

You must remember that she can't actually see in front of her ... I couldn't even see in front of me and I was in front of Gail.  Very impressive, especially as we begin the roll for take-off.

At this point, my camera is safely stowed in one of those pockets I mentioned earlier.  And if it wasn't for Mark, on the ground at the airport, I wouldn't have these great shots.

 

 

Gail and I flew north and began the fun stuff.  Barrel rolls and loops... and something that had "cuban" in the name.  Forgive me, my brain (and stomach) got a tad scrambled that day and I forget the details.

However, I have not forgotten the smiles, the smell of the smoke, the feeling of weightlessness and the view of the ground from upside-down.   Even better ... I didn't need to use that parachute!


Thanks Mark and Gail for an amazing birthday gift.  :-)