I'm not long back from another session at Airkix MK and yet again I'm on cloud 9! There's just something about the feeling of the flight that leaves me feeling fantastic!
My flight for today was a family flight, shared with my brother, resulting in 5 minutes each, split over 2 flights.
Upon reaching Airkix and signing the statement of risk I was once again given the details about flying having dislocated my shoulder in the past, thankfully I know that this is part of their job and have a joke with them about it but I hope that as they see more of me they will get bored of reminding me!
We sat for a little while watching the current group before Steve came to greet us. Everyone moved to the briefing room to watch the introduction video, but it wasn't long before I was out again and everyone else was left to watch the DVD!
Steve came and discussed with me where I was at with my flying and what I would like to achieve. We decided on working on knee turns, arm and knee turns and side slides... so much to try and remember!
Before long the DVD was over for the others and we were all getting kitted up, I was at this point nominated to go first! Talk about being in at the deep end!
We still had 15 minutes before our flight so decided to go and watch the end of the previous group, letting Seb see what he'd let himself in for! He was still looking forward to it though!
Let the flying begin... I decided not to attempt entering the tunnel on my own, not for the first flight anyway, so Steve kept a hand on me and yet again I was flying! It didn't take me long to settle back into it and I was turning using my arms in no time at all. This was just recapping what I had learnt previously. Soon Steve was pointing me in the direction of doing knee turns, getting the angle of your leg just right to make you turn takes a bit of practice! Also just to confuse you even more, to turn left you bend your right leg and to turn right you bend your left leg... still with me? You're doing well! I found myself thinking about it far to much rather than just getting on with it, when I first managed to turn I hit the side of the tunnel and ended up on my back on the floor, thankfully Steve rescued me and I was flying again within seconds... Not really a successful knee turn in sight to start with though! To top it all off I couldn't even get myself out of the tunnel and ended up being man handled out! Oppppssss!
Seb was up next, I'm still not sure how he managed to get any lift, being as skinny as he is! He was described by our parents as a leaf floating in the autumn breeze! He did quite well for his first time though and just like me ended up on his back on the floor! Steve was trying to persuade him to use his arms to turn but he said afterwards he could understand what Steve was saying but wasn't to sure if he should try it as he didn't know what it was supposed to make him do! He seemed quite happy just randomly flying around though and if you're having fun what difference does it make?!?!
After the others had flown - watching these was fun aswell! It was my turn again (yipppeeee!) It was time this time to try and enter the tunnel with no instructor help... thankfully it went with no hitches and I was flying just as I should (thank goodness!) I was determined this time to succeed at the knee turns (I can do this, I can do this!) and my determined attitude paid off! Once I'd successfully managed the knee turns it was time to combine the knee and arm turns... this will confuse you again... you have to use opposite leg to arm when doing this... the result though is a fantastically fast turn! I hope you don't get dizzy easily if you decide to try this! Apart from thinking too much about it again, the turns seemed to go well, time was up though and with a little help I left the tunnel. This was supposed to be all the time I was flying today...
Seb went in for his second flight.. I did chuckle to myself that Steve could nearly put his arm all the way round Seb's waist and back onto his hip! This time he did decided to try the turns and apart from nearly exiting the tunnel head first he did rather well! His overall outcome on the experience is that he enjoyed himself and will come back if he gets the chance on a family flight with me again. Doesn't look like he's hooked like me though and won't be joining me at Flight Night.
Everyone else had their turns apart from one who decided that one flight was quite enough for them! We seemed to have got through everyones flights within a good time so Steve asked if anyone wanted more time, my answer.... YES of course! I was so close to getting to grips with the knee and leg turns and wanted to try side slides, so... another 2 minutes on the clock for me!
I entered for the last time for today's session on my own and was straight into knee and arm turns, I wasn't wasting any of my precious time! I was spinning happily in both directions so with guidance from Steve I started on side slides. Persuading my mind and body to change again was fun, I was now going from using opposite arms and legs to turn, to using the arm and leg on one side of my body to move sideways... just as I began to get the hang of it my time was up again... apart from getting my foot caught in the grill on the way out I exited well.
Unfortunately I now have 9 days to wait until I fly again, this will be another flight night again and I can't wait to see what Paul has in store for me!
I think I've babbled on enough about how I'm getting on so I'll leave you with a video of how I'm getting on and I'll update you again after Flight Night!
Today's video
My flight for today was a family flight, shared with my brother, resulting in 5 minutes each, split over 2 flights.
Upon reaching Airkix and signing the statement of risk I was once again given the details about flying having dislocated my shoulder in the past, thankfully I know that this is part of their job and have a joke with them about it but I hope that as they see more of me they will get bored of reminding me!
We sat for a little while watching the current group before Steve came to greet us. Everyone moved to the briefing room to watch the introduction video, but it wasn't long before I was out again and everyone else was left to watch the DVD!
Steve came and discussed with me where I was at with my flying and what I would like to achieve. We decided on working on knee turns, arm and knee turns and side slides... so much to try and remember!
Before long the DVD was over for the others and we were all getting kitted up, I was at this point nominated to go first! Talk about being in at the deep end!
We still had 15 minutes before our flight so decided to go and watch the end of the previous group, letting Seb see what he'd let himself in for! He was still looking forward to it though!
Let the flying begin... I decided not to attempt entering the tunnel on my own, not for the first flight anyway, so Steve kept a hand on me and yet again I was flying! It didn't take me long to settle back into it and I was turning using my arms in no time at all. This was just recapping what I had learnt previously. Soon Steve was pointing me in the direction of doing knee turns, getting the angle of your leg just right to make you turn takes a bit of practice! Also just to confuse you even more, to turn left you bend your right leg and to turn right you bend your left leg... still with me? You're doing well! I found myself thinking about it far to much rather than just getting on with it, when I first managed to turn I hit the side of the tunnel and ended up on my back on the floor, thankfully Steve rescued me and I was flying again within seconds... Not really a successful knee turn in sight to start with though! To top it all off I couldn't even get myself out of the tunnel and ended up being man handled out! Oppppssss!
Seb was up next, I'm still not sure how he managed to get any lift, being as skinny as he is! He was described by our parents as a leaf floating in the autumn breeze! He did quite well for his first time though and just like me ended up on his back on the floor! Steve was trying to persuade him to use his arms to turn but he said afterwards he could understand what Steve was saying but wasn't to sure if he should try it as he didn't know what it was supposed to make him do! He seemed quite happy just randomly flying around though and if you're having fun what difference does it make?!?!
After the others had flown - watching these was fun aswell! It was my turn again (yipppeeee!) It was time this time to try and enter the tunnel with no instructor help... thankfully it went with no hitches and I was flying just as I should (thank goodness!) I was determined this time to succeed at the knee turns (I can do this, I can do this!) and my determined attitude paid off! Once I'd successfully managed the knee turns it was time to combine the knee and arm turns... this will confuse you again... you have to use opposite leg to arm when doing this... the result though is a fantastically fast turn! I hope you don't get dizzy easily if you decide to try this! Apart from thinking too much about it again, the turns seemed to go well, time was up though and with a little help I left the tunnel. This was supposed to be all the time I was flying today...
Seb went in for his second flight.. I did chuckle to myself that Steve could nearly put his arm all the way round Seb's waist and back onto his hip! This time he did decided to try the turns and apart from nearly exiting the tunnel head first he did rather well! His overall outcome on the experience is that he enjoyed himself and will come back if he gets the chance on a family flight with me again. Doesn't look like he's hooked like me though and won't be joining me at Flight Night.
Everyone else had their turns apart from one who decided that one flight was quite enough for them! We seemed to have got through everyones flights within a good time so Steve asked if anyone wanted more time, my answer.... YES of course! I was so close to getting to grips with the knee and leg turns and wanted to try side slides, so... another 2 minutes on the clock for me!
I entered for the last time for today's session on my own and was straight into knee and arm turns, I wasn't wasting any of my precious time! I was spinning happily in both directions so with guidance from Steve I started on side slides. Persuading my mind and body to change again was fun, I was now going from using opposite arms and legs to turn, to using the arm and leg on one side of my body to move sideways... just as I began to get the hang of it my time was up again... apart from getting my foot caught in the grill on the way out I exited well.
Unfortunately I now have 9 days to wait until I fly again, this will be another flight night again and I can't wait to see what Paul has in store for me!
I think I've babbled on enough about how I'm getting on so I'll leave you with a video of how I'm getting on and I'll update you again after Flight Night!
Today's video
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