Too Old????

Way back in the 70's I really hankered to fly a hang glider... but events did not allow. Several years after I dabbled in Microlights (no test) but loved every minute of it!

After a total absence of any form of aviation for some 10 years a hang glider pilot just had to drop into our village.... after a long chat the aviation bug bit me again.

At the tender age of 42yrs... everyone tells me I'm too old for this sport. I know I'm up to it and desperately want to learn the sport.... so much so that it's on my mine every minute of the day!

Too old???

Never too old, I'm rising 60 and reaching new heights (sorry!) all the time!

42 too old!!! humbug!

The oldest we have taught to fly is 74! And we are a hill school. Just take it at your own pace.

older,

Thanks to all of you who replied both here and personally.... I feel a lot more positive now and the critics in my life can go to hell

Here I come!!

If your in moderate to good condition you can do it. If your not you migh be after carrying the glider back up the training hill several hundered times.

George Wrthing ton learned in his 40's, Volmer Jenson flew till he was in his seventies.

I flew crosscountry 120 miles in 1989 at 40 yrs old.

Go For It

One Sky Dog

You must be joking Rizla. I have smoked 40 to 60 cigies a day from age 14 and had a heart attack at 37, never take any exercise. I'm 46 now, and have wanted to fly all my life but not had the money to do it till recently. I just got some spare cash saved up to buy a new car, and what did I do? You got it, I went out and bought a Paraglider and some other kit.

Spent a couple of hours 'teaching myself' to ground handle the thing half way up a hill, and accidentally took off 'vertically' with no control lines in my hands. I managed to pull on the A's and C's risers to steer it and get back down. After a bit more practice I had a couple of successful top to bottoms. Having already had a previous heart attack I was finding it quite tiring walking back up the hill, (and the angina did not help matters), so I went out and bought an engine. Great, I thought, I don't have to walk up all these hills to fly. Only one problem with this is that when I sit on the ground to get my harness straps over my shoulders I don't have the strength to get back up on my feet with out help from someone else.

Now here's the good bit; On my very first attempt at flying this 'Paramotor' I got the wing up above me on the first pull, revved the engine as I ran and had a very nice take-off. I flu around never thinking to get in the seat, climbed way above the hill top and into a wind-shear layer and was unable have any forward motion, I was just hanging there hovering. I reduced the revs to tickover speed and dropped out of the wind-shear to continue having fun flying around.

I hear you asking about the landing, so here it is. I reduced the revs down to tickover speed as I did a big circle to loose my excess height on my approach back to my car where I had took off from. It was not possible to land at my takeoff point (next to my car) unless I did a 'downhill, cross-wind landing'. Also, it was the only place near the car that had grass, the other places were covered in deep bracken with hidden boulders and holes in the ground. This is why I made my decision to land 'downhill in a cross-wind'. As you can imagine, I was coming in for a fast landing. When I knew that I was on target to glide to the small grass landing spot, I cut the engine. From this point on it was just a matter of controlling my braking to lose my height and speed at the right time and a sharp turn into the wind at touchdown to land on target. It was a bit scary (for a first timer) even more so with this heavy engine on my back, but I did it without falling over. Loved every minute of it and spent all week with a big grin on my face.

I'm not telling anyone else to follow my example teaching myself to fly because it is dangerous, but on the other hand I don't want hear advice from people telling me to take lessons. The only advice that I want is; can someone tell me how to (single handedly) get up off my arse from the ground and onto my feet with the weight of this dammed engine on my back?

Anyway Rizla, certainly don't listen to anyone telling you your too old or not fit enough for this sport. I got told the same load of crap as you from everyone. It comes down to this: If they think your too old for it, it's probably because they are too dull for it or have no dreams of their own, but 'never let anyone steal your dream'. Just get out and do it Rizla, and leave them to do their stamp collecting, flower arranging or what ever other dull things they have the mind for.

Ei, ~^/~ , are you still alive?

It seams you've just discovered a way to ensure you'll not die of another heart attack...

Hope not...

Thats an interesting way to look at it !! LOL

wildly wibbled thus:

Troll Bait not up to standard.

Therefore keep net empty.

There have been a large number of anonymous trolls treading Usenet of late. Is PoL the new troll haven? Or should one head off towards a whois/traceroute type resource?

It's pity you've got nothing better think about. Sad or what?

wildly wibbled thus:

Pity you haven't got the guts to sign your name to the [pompous trolling] material you write. Sad or what?

Run along now. Your keep net's still empty.