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Lance Marczak
had an open invitation to come taste his slice of Paratopia near Kankakee,
IL. On this particularly afternoon, a group
of Dave Moore, Eugene, Mike Koval and even Frank Beagle showed up. Sally
cooked while soon-to-be Wesley watched.
The
airport is owned by Roger Koerner Sr., an FAA designated examiner who was
graduating a private pilot. His grandson, Alex, was getting checked out in
the family Stearman. How 'bout that—"family Stearman."
Steve Koerner, Alex's Dad and also an A&P rated mechanic, had finished
up some crop dusting and was there to his son and they all seemed to enjoy
the crazy parapeople buzz about. They were all exceptionally gracious to
lend us their land for a few hours.
Normally, when the corn is
this brown I'm hibernating. But today Mr. Thermometer was feeling a spry 75
degrees. There are probably a half-dozen sites being
flown by various Illinois Boys that I haven't flown and Lance's little
locale was one of them. It was especially appealing since I could fly the helicopter, taking my
micromotor (direct drive Fly
75) along for the flight.
The helicopter is called Ellie. She's a 1969 Enstrom F28 and,
aerodynamically speaking, she gets aloft by spitting
$20 bills out the bottom. I like to think of owning a helicopter as a charity,
really—just doing my part for
the economy. Plus I'm sending my mechanic's kids to school. Never
mind that he has no kids—rest
assured, if he did, they'd be at Harvard.
But I digress. Back to Kankakee.
This is my kind of airport. A family operation with training, hangars
and locals who come out watch and reminisce. And occasionally, there are
even paramotor pilots. When I arrived there was a Stearman biplane doing
landings.
Lance Marczak coordinates the parapilots although there is rarely much
going on. Today, there was.
A group of us showed with our paramotors and proceeded to have a blast
in the busy air. It was bumpy air, too, right up until sunset.
Unfortunately, even though the helicopter is certified for night flying, I
hate doing so and packed up about a half-hour before sunset. I'm sure that
left some real good air behind although I got to partake some. My last
launch involved a 270 degree foot drag on that luscious grassy runway.
Ooooh yeah.
  
  
   
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Above:
As I got further west, the landscape took on a distinctly more vertical
tone. 
Ellie the Enstrom. 3 blades, 3 seats and a tiny little payload. She goes
80 mph at 15 gallons per hour. That hurts.
Below:
Lance provides some motorist with a good conversation starter. "I saw
this crazy..." 
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Kankakee,
IL
