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Click
here to see lighting strike again There aren't very
many of us. If you're a paramotor pilot, let's face it, you're in a select
group. Today, one showed up on my flight to Oakland, CA, introducing
himself while I was greeting passengers at the door. That was brave of
him.
We had met a few month's back in Phoenix, AZ, while flying at Casa
Grande with Mo Sheldon and a bunch of other Phoenix motor heads. Now I've
had PPG pilots on my flights before but, maybe because they knew me, they
didn't introduce themselves until after the flight was over. Mike
made the mistake of introducing himself before.
I couldn't resist. When I did the welcome aboard PA, I added
"...and today we have a celebrity on board." Everybody looked
around a bit. "His name is Mike and he flies the world's lightest
aircraft..." I carried on for a moment and stopped just short of
having everyone clap.
After the flight, Mike was getting off: "I'll get even, you
wait!" he threatened, hopefully at least half in jest. But he did
indulge me one more request. That picture above right is Mike (left) and I
in the cockpit with our hands in the PPG flight position. Thanks Mike,
what fun.
If anyone does come on a Southwest flight and find I'm at the helm,
please do introduce yourself. If you ask nicely, I won't talk about your
celebrity status on the PA. Much.
AA Boeing 757
Not Again!
Lightning does strike twice.Against all odds, it happened again: on this
same trip, another flight, another paramotor pilot pilot showed up. This
time it was fellow airline captain Steve Clyatt of American Airlines who was
commuting to work in Oakland. Steve is an instructor in Sacramento and it
was fun catching up on things. He let me get a picture of him occupying the
baby Boeing's left seat. He flies the 757 (pictured above).
We're both happy for our jobs but enjoy the amazing flight experience of
the lowly PPG. He's more into wheeled flying than I but enjoys it all. Now
I'll probably go another several years without seeing a fellow powered
paragliding pilot. But when I do, look out! |
Phoenix area paramotor pilot Mike B. lets me get a
picture together.
See, we do fly this things occasionally by hand. Here
is a glimpse of my trusty First Officer, Craig, in a rare moment of actual work.
In his former life he captained C-130's for the U.S. Air Force.
American Airlines captain Steve Clyatt lets me snap a shot of him in "my"
left seat. |
