Article in Sport Aerobatics

[gibbons]

Great article in this month's issue of Sport Aerobatics by our own Diana. On the outside chance you don't receive this magazine, here's a link to the article (posted with permission):

http://www.tailwindfoundation.org/diana_sa_article_2.pdf

Nice job Diana.

Chip

 

[Steve]

Re: Article in Sport Aviation

So which is it, Sport Aviation or Sport Aerobatics?

 

[Ken Ibold]

Re: Article in Sport Aviation

Sport Aerobatics

 

[Areeda]

Nice article Diana! You did an excellent job of addressing the issues.

One question, what is whoop-de-do?

Joe

 

[gibbons]

Re: Article in Sport Aviation

So which is it, Sport Aviation or Sport Aerobatics?

Oops. I've corrected the title in my post. How much fun did you have pointing that out???

Sport AEROBATICS.

Chip

 

[fgcason]

Very nice article Diana!

The bit about whether the kid would jump or not bothers me too. However as the article said, trust in the pilot goes a long way. I remember doing things as a kid that nearly scared me to leaking but the absolute total trust in the adult that was there gave me that extra bit of motivation to do it anyway. You have this well defined sequence of events you've been taught and they do it so you just do it too like you're supposed to. If you have that trust level and considering the way kids focus on doing things and don't give them any time to sit there thinking about scary things, the instant you clear the plane, it wouldn't surprise me if the kid was right there with you.

4 seconds from the back seat? What did they kids do? teleport out?


Thanks for posting the link Chip.

P.S. That picture of Elizabeth hanging out the door of the plane says it all. Total confidence. I think she'd be right on your heels.

 

[SkyHog]

wow - great article Diana. Full of feelgoodness. It must be awesome taking kids up.

 

[gismo]

That's very good writing Diana. I thoroughly enjoyed the article.

 

[Steve]

Re: Article in Sport A/A-Aggraviation

Who, little ol' me?

I get Sport A, but not Sport A

I was going to get my copy autographed by the author in June, but alas, I'll just have to settle for a smearing of lipstick.

I had to restrain her from rolling the IAR the other day, btw....

Oops. I've corrected the title in my post. How much fun did you have pointing that out???

Sport AEROBATICS.

Chip

 

[Diana]

Great article in this month's issue of Sport Aerobatics by our own Diana.
Nice job Diana.

Thank you Chip for your nice comment. And, thank you for putting the article on your server. As I mentioned before, the kids (and their parents) featured in the article were able to read the article yesterday, thanks to you. They appreciate being able to access it through your site.

Contributions from pilots from different forums, including Dr. Gil Valez (TeenDoc) and Dr. Stephen Gray (Bonanza) gave the article more substance and credence. They, along with other aerobatic pilots were quite helpful with their advice and insight.

Tom was an editor for Doubleday years ago and helped me with his ideas and editing skills. He took out 2/3 of my commas, too. He shot all the photos, some of them lying on his back under the strut as we jumped out of the airplane over and over and over again.

And then there is Ken Ibold. What a sweetheart!!!! You couldn’t ask for a better editor. Ken is always kind when making suggestions and necessary changes. It is my understanding that being an editor has its downside at times, especially when dealing with certain-type egos. What some of those authors don’t realize is that Ken, if given the chance, will actually make them look better.

Thank you Ken.

 

[Diana]

Nice article Diana! You did an excellent job of addressing the issues.

Thank you Joe. We did our practice egress sessions with the kids the week before you and I went flying in the T28. I was even more in-tune with the process when you and I got ready to go flying, and is why I asked you what to do if you were to pass out. You probably don't have many people ask you that before they go flying with you?

I think I would feel more likely now to leave an airplane after the practice sessions, too. That also reminds me of our discussion flying along over the mountains about the choices we had if the engine quit over rough terrain. I'm glad we had parachutes on.

One question, what is whoop-de-do?

Hmmmm, I think I made it up. It's less extreme than a wifferdill.

What I do is a shallow dive followed by a gentle pull up which gives you the sensation of coming out of your seat just a tad, but stays within the limits of non-aerobatic flight. The kids loved those and said it felt like a roller coaster.

 

[Diana]

Re: Article in Sport Aviation

Oops. I've corrected the title in my post. How much fun did you have pointing that out???

I envision Steve having a whole lot of fun and smiling that little smile as he typed.

 

[Diana]

Very nice article Diana!

Thanks Frank! And thanks for letting me put the latest video on your site. The kids watched it yesterday and loved it! They were flying some of the kites in that video.

the instant you clear the plane, it wouldn't surprise me if the kid was right there with you.

I think they might be able to do it with enough repetition. It was like a tornado drill. A possible happening (especially around here), and a plan and lots of practice.

4 seconds from the back seat? What did they kids do? teleport out?

Well, they had to wait for me to get out every time, so they had time to get ready while watching me do it.

P.S. That picture of Elizabeth hanging out the door of the plane says it all. Total confidence. I think she'd be right on your heels.

I wish I had that confident look.

Here are a few more pictures of the kids from that day.

 

[Ken Ibold]

And then there is Ken Ibold. What a sweetheart!!!! You couldn’t ask for a better editor. Ken is always kind when making suggestions and necessary changes. It is my understanding that being an editor has its downside at times, especially when dealing with certain-type egos. What some of those authors don’t realize is that Ken, if given the chance, will actually make them look better.

Thank you Ken.

This meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society will please come to order! You do a better job than many of the so-called professional writers.

Editing is usually thankless. A thousand good edits are wiped out by one bad one.

 

[Diana]

wow - great article Diana. Full of feelgoodness. It must be awesome taking kids up.

Thanks Nick! The hardest part for me was figuring out how to present the initial "ground school" aspect without scaring them, but trying to let them know how why and how, and that it probably wouldn't ever be necessary to do. Like a fire drill, or tornado drill. Their parents were very enthused about this and eager to be part of it. That helped a LOT.

It was a fun family day at the farm and we all had a great time. Here's one of my favorite photos of the kids. We used the big clock to time our sessions, and they were playing around with it.

 

[gismo]

This meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society will please come to order! You do a better job than many of the so-called professional writers.

Editing is usually thankless. A thousand good edits are wiped out by one bad one.

Leave it to Diana to thank an editor. Sheesh, you might as well thank a used car salesman (j/k ken).

 

[Diana]

This meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society will please come to order!

You do a better job than many of the so-called professional writers.

Ken, that is SO sweet, thank you.

 

[Diana]

Re: Article in Sport A/A-Aggraviation

I was going to get my copy autographed by the author in June, but alas, I'll just have to settle for a smearing of lipstick.

I had to restrain her from rolling the IAR the other day, btw....

Are these two things connected somehow, like a Bob Hoover thing...lipstick and rolling?

Hey, maybe we can roll it in June! It'll be fun!

 

[Diana]

Leave it to Diana to thank an editor. Sheesh, you might as well thank a used car salesman (j/k ken).

I didn't have to be nice to Ken??? Why didn't somebody tell me sooner!

 

[Diana]

As a follow up to the article:

It was a great Thanksgiving at the farm for many reasons. One enjoyable event was finally taking these kids for their first aerobatic ride. They are as tall as me now and they finally fit into the parachute. We reviewed the egress procedure and parachute use and they remembered it all as if it were yesterday.

We had a discussion about the different maneuvers available to them and they ended up wanting them all and more. They both wanted to keep going and they both flew the airplane for awhile too and they hated to have it all end. Logan and Elizabeth both liked the Split S the best of all the maneuvers. I look forward to flying with them again.

Here are a few pictures from Thanksgiving on the farm. The rest of the family kept warm by the bonfire while we did aerobatics over the farm for them to watch. It was a GREAT day with our family.

 

[Ken Ibold]

As a follow up to the article:

It was a great Thanksgiving at the farm for many reasons. One enjoyable event was finally taking these kids for their first aerobatic ride. They are as tall as me now and they finally fit into the parachute. We reviewed the egress procedure and parachute use and they remembered it all as if it were yesterday.

We had a discussion about the different maneuvers available to them and they ended up wanting them all and more. They both wanted to keep going and they both flew the airplane for awhile too and they hated to have it all end. Logan and Elizabeth both liked the Split S the best of all the maneuvers. I look forward to flying with them again.

Here are a few pictures from Thanksgiving on the farm. The rest of the family kept warm by the bonfire while we did aerobatics over the farm for them to watch. It was a GREAT day with our family.

Score another couple of converts for Diana!

They have great taste in maneuvers. The Spit S is my personal favorite, too.

 

[Diana]

Score another couple of converts for Diana!

My goal is to have my passengers not just enjoy the ride (and not puke ), but for them to fall in love with it and want more.

One of the nice things about taking passengers like this is that they aren't grading my maneuvers like in competition. They don't notice or care that I still barrel out of a 1/2 Cuban (the kids asked for the full Cuban 8 after the 1/2 Cuban) or maybe the loop isn't perfectly round. After having gone through the ordeal of the competition I've noticed that the less rigid kind of aerobatic flying seems more fun now.

They have great taste in maneuvers. The Spit S is my personal favorite, too.

Mine too! It's a pretty view.

(BTW, we're talking about your magazine over on the purple board.)

 

[Dean]

Good job Diana, more airplane junkies!!!!!!! And I would have to say the split S is the tops in my book too.

 

[SCCutler]

Link is not working? "File not found."

 

[Diana]

Link is not working? "File not found."

I think that either Chip's site isn't working, or he took it off. Here is another link:

http://www.areeda.com/flying/dr/diana_sa_article_2.pdf

 

[Diana]

Good job Diana, more airplane junkies!!!!!!! And I would have to say the split S is the tops in my book too.

I'm not sure why it's a favorite, but it is. It's usually the last maneuver I do since it's a way to lose 500' real quick.

These kids were quiet passengers while we did aerobatics. They didn't say much, but giggled from time to time. I talked with them after each maneuver and they said they liked it. It's so hard to tell with some people. I have a similar reaction to theirs when riding along during aerobatics. I'm pretty quiet, outwardly, but inside I'm whooping and hollering and going Woooooooo Hoooooooo! Yippeeeeee!

It's easier to assess those people who laugh and holler and talk out loud while you're taking them upside down.

 

[ScottPA]

Great article, Diana. Thanks

 

[Diana]

Great article, Diana. Thanks

Thank you Scott! It was a fun project. Ken helped me a lot with that one.