My Lawnmower-Powered Aircraft Has Arrived

April 17, 2015|Richard Nikoley||

 Just yesterday.

IMG 3125
 

The manual has been read cover-to-cover, everything quite intuitive if you already know how to fly a hang glider safely.

I’ll be busy getting a few things sorted before flying it, such as having the emergency parachute integrated into the harness, then getting all attachment points fitted to my wing.

Soon…

doodlebug over mystic wales hang gliding 1328135944
Doodlebug over Mystic Wales

I’ll be flying down to Cabo next Wednesday, Beatrice on Saturday, both returning same flight Monday. We’ll be staying at the new prospective place, and either paying the $3,900 upfront for the first six months of rent, or finding something else.

Once I’ve made a decision, I just don’t fuck about, about it. Get ‘er done. If you later find you made a mistake, then just get something else done.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT AND HOW IT WORKS

Free The Animal is an eclectic writing project about everything since November 2003. 23 years, 5,500 posts, 5 million words.

It's a paid membership blog. Most posts are free and public, but only paid members can comment. What determines whether it's free or paid is when I publish. Monday through Friday, free and public. Saturday and Sunday, for paid members. That's it. Membership info here.

11 Comments

  1. Austin on April 17, 2015 at 08:46

    Can’t wait for a video! I’d imagine it would be fairly easy to stop/glide/restart in the air. Is there an average run time? I’m imagining if you time it right and hit thermals you could practically be flying all day.



    • Richard Nikoley on April 17, 2015 at 09:16

      Fuel burn is about 2 liters per hour at cruise, about half throttle. I think it’s about a 4 liter tank, so I’ll be able to scoot up to Cabo and back (about 20 miles) pretty easy.



  2. Vadim on April 17, 2015 at 09:08

    What is the name it Richard?



    • Richard Nikoley on April 17, 2015 at 09:21

      Vadim,

      It’s called a Doodlebug, made by Sywell Aerodrome in the UK. No longer in production.

      http://www.flylight.co.uk

      Got mine 2nd hand via I think a Canadian original owner and then a guy in Washington State. It’s hardly been used. There’s not so much as a microscopic detectable blemish on the leading edges of the prop.



  3. Jed on April 17, 2015 at 12:06

    All this talk of ‘gyrocopters’ in the news. Is your rig the same kind as that which landed on the White House lawn?



    • Richard Nikoley on April 17, 2015 at 12:36

      Wouldn’t know. I don’t watch or read mainstream news, figuring important news will find its way to me. This doesn’t qualify. Fuck Obama and his stupid bitch. That’s what I always say. Fuck Bush too, and whoever the next King might be.



  4. MordWa on April 17, 2015 at 18:00

    Try not to crash and die before posting that Animal Farts recipe you’ve promised 3 times now-!
    (I kid, I kid.)



    • Richard Nikoley on April 17, 2015 at 18:13

      I’ll take the bright and high road, and note that you’re paying attention.

      I haven’t released the recipe yet because I still need Sisson and Skyler Tanner’s input. Packages off to them tomorrow. Mark sent me 2 bottles of new Primal Flora which I got yesterday, and popped three tabs this morning,

      Patience. We are collaborating,



    • dad on April 17, 2015 at 22:05

      Let me know how M. Sisson’s Primal Flora works out for you.
      I read about it on MDA, and sounded pretty good. One that I take smells like horse shit, and makes me smell like horse shit.



    • Richard Nikoley on April 17, 2015 at 23:03

      Laf dad.

      Have you been drinking? :)



    • dad on April 18, 2015 at 08:55

      of course I have, what else would I be doing when I’m home alone.