The Mail-Journal, Volume 21, Number 41, Milford, Kosciusko County, 24 October 1984 — Page 17

Para Plane brings flight down to earth

By TOM CHARLES Staff Writer Meet the Para Plane. At 68 inches long and 79 pounds it may not look like much. But this small ultralight may be one of the true marvels of aviation. The Para Plane is the most recent child in a growing family of ultralights. These small aircraft are noted for their tiny engines and open cockpits. Flying an ultralight is as close as one can come to experiencing flight as the birds-know it.

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But ultralights can be a hassle to store and transport and can present tricky control problems for the novice pilot. That’s where the Para Plane is unique. The Para Plane’s design is simple; a parachute canopy and a small, aircraft aluminum cart which is suspended from the canopy by 550-pound dacron lines. It is powered by two 15.5 horsepower engines which operate two contrarotating propellers. That’s it. “One of the best things about the Para Plane is its portability,’’

Syracuse Moonlight Madness Thursday — October 25 — 6-10 P.M.

said Norm Johnson, a Para Plane pilot and instructor from Walkerton. “It comes apart without the use of a wrench and you can set it up in about 15 minutes.” If that sounds speedy, consider the fact that it takes just about as long to learn to fly a Para Plane as it does to set one up. Due to its unusually stable design, the aircraft can be flown after a halfhour of instruction — even if the student has never flown before. Flight training for the first solo -flight consists of a brief video tape, a lecture on the fundamen-

tal principles of the Para Plane, a short quiz over the lecture and a pre-flight safety check of the aircraft. After that, it’s off into thfc wild blue yonder. Throughout the maiden flight. Norm instructs his students from the ground via a two-way radio, in fact, there isn’t much for the pilot to do except sit back and enjoy the ride. “The student really has nothing to do on the first solo flight,” Johnson said. “You just have to sit there. But I sometimes get students who try to do some stuff

on their own. That usually scares them and they go back to listening to the instructor.” “Everything was so easy on my first flight that I wasn’t really scared,” said Professor James Paradis, chairman of the art department at St. Mary’s College in South Bend. “I felt really comfortable.” What is it that makes the Para Plane so easy to fly? For one thing, it’s quite stable. If it is buffeted by winds, the canopy moves and then the cart automatically centers itself under the canopy.

The pilot does not have to make any adjustments. Secondly, there are very few controls. Unlike fixed-wing aircraft, the Para Plane has no pitch controls (those which raise or lower the aircraft’s nose). The throttle acts as the pitch control on the Para Plane; increase power to climb, decrease it to descend. Thirdly, things happen at slow speeds. The plane operates at a speed of 26 miles per hour. If a pilot needs to make adjustments, this slow speed provides plenty of time to make choices. There are also several safety features which make the Para Plane so accessible for firsttime flyers. Unlike other ultralights, it can never stall. Since it will not stall, it does not spin and will not break apart in the air. “When you take those three things out of flying, it is so simple that anyone can leam to do it,” Johnson said. “Plus you are always under an open parachute which will glide you safely back to earth if your engines should fail.” The Para Plane’s steering system is, like the rest of the craft, simple. The pilot places both feet on levers attached to the cart’s nose. A push on the left lever results in a left turn. A push on the right one and the craft goes right. The levers also control the front wheel when the craft is taxiing. Getting the Para Plane off the ground isn’t very complicated, either. The parachute canopy is held down by two assistants until the pilot hass started the engines is strapped into the seat. On command, the assistants release the canopy and once it is inflated over the cart the craft is ready for its takeoff roll. Precautions Although there are many things about thisa ultralight that make it easy to fly, there pre some restrictions on what it can do. A Para Plane should never be flown in winds above 15 miles per hour, near power lines, over water, near cities or busy airports or without a careful preflight safety check.

Milford Joycees to collect toys

Needy children in Milford will be able to enjoy toys at Christmas thanks to the organizing efforts of the Milford Jaycees. The Jaycees are preparing to conduct their annual “Toys for Tots” drive in which local residents can donate new or clean used toys for distribution to needy families in Milford. Collection boxes will be set up at the Milford Community Building, Walter Drugs, Doll’s PERSONNEL OFFICER AT LCB — Connie Lloyd has been named personnel officer at Lake City Bank by the firm's board of directors. She joined Lake City Bank in 1976 and worked as a teller at the Westlake Branch prior to her transfer to the personnel department. She is a 1984 graduate of the American Bankers Association National School on Human Resources and is currently an undergraduate in business administration at St. Francis Coliege, Ft. Wayne. Her other activities include serving as secretary of the Kosciusko County Personnel Association and on the Job Order Bureau Advisory Council of Kosciusko County. She resides hi Southwood Addition with her two daughter, Carolyn and Shelby, and attends Walnut Creek United Methodist Church.

Wed., October 24,1984 — THE MAIL-JOURNAL

- - -- -WM-’ v ■ k’ ''' . i . ' if EASY DOES IT — Looking like a lawn chair dangling from a parachute, the Para Plane is an eye-catcher as it soars above the trees. Although it has not been in production for very long, this craft is becoming popular due to its simple design, safety features and ease of operation. The airfoil for the Para Plane, which is similar to a ram air parachute used by skydivers, was developed at the University of Notre Dame. (Photo by Tom Charles)

“You basically have to use common sense, precaution and avoidance to be safe in flying one of these things.” said Johnson. “You should fly with an instructor until you are familiar with all the wind conditions. Otherwise, you may do some damage.” The Para Plane has been actively tested for the past three years. It’s canopy, which is basically the same as the ram-air chutes used by Sport skydivers, was developed at the University of Notre Dame. The Para Plane itself has been retailed for the

Decorating and Campbell’s IGA by the end of this week. The boxes will remain in place until Friday, Dec. 21. Toys and Christmas wrapping paper may be donated at any of the collection boxes.

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past I*2 years. At the present time there are few Para Plane owners in Northern Indiana. However, several pilots belong to the Great Lakes Association of Para Plane Pilots, which is operated out of Johnson s airstrip near Walkerton. and rent Para Planes for their flights. But given the fact that it is so easy to fly, maintain and store, it may not be long until the Para Plane becomes a common sight. Flakier pie crust Use milk instead of water in making pie crusts. It makes it more tender and browns nicely. Cookie jar rule To keep crisp cookies crisp, and soft cookies soft, keep only one kind in the cookie jar at a time.

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