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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm sorry I laughed Bob, no...really!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But the important thing is, you saved the
plane.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Seriously, I'm glad you're OK.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ken</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=rcaerobob@cox.net href="mailto:rcaerobob@cox.net">Bob Pastorello</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=discussion@nsrca.org
href="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">NSRCA</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, May 15, 2005 12:42 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> A Fall Tale</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Interesting start to a beautiful flying day
yesterday. Just gorgeous day. Van loaded, drive to the
field. Empty! Yee ha! Gonna be great.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Unloading everything, just
taking my normal sweet time, enjoying it. I get out so rarely, that I
was just really enjoying the day.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Well, I like to back the van
up close enough to the cable ( our pits are separated with 1" oil drilling
cable, strung through 2" drill pipe spaced about every 15' - VERY strong
stuff) so that getting everything out is less walking.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Got the wing out, the flight
box, the cradle....then comes the fuse. Always just a little tricky
pulling it out of the van without bashing the tail, or straining the
gear....the Icepoint is a little awkward...but I got it out.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Turned, holding the fuse
by one gear leg, other hand supporting fuse about halfway back. I very
carefully looked down at the cable, stepped over it with the right leg...made
sure I'm clear. Look back to make sure tail isn't bashing anything and
step over with my left foot.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Almost. The next few
microseconds are somewhat of a blur, but they replay a little more
slowly....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> My left toe snags the
cable.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I fall forward with fuselage
across the front of my body. Knowing FULL WELL what is about to
occur, my mind processes the relative risks of various falls, and I determine
that the AIRPLANE MUST BE SAVED!!!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> So, as I'm falling, I extend
my arms, bracing for the impact that is rapidly approaching. As my right
knee impacts, my right shoulder (still holding the gear leg in the right
hand) impacts, but I kept the fuse off the ground.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> About 5 mincroseconds later,
my LEFT knee hits the earth, followed by left elbow (remember left hand is
holding fuse body), and as I fall closer to the ground, I turn loose of the
airplane. It sort of does a horizontal roll and thumps to the ground,
falling on canopy and one stab/top of fin, but only from about a foot or
so.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Me, on the other hand - well,
I end up nearly full face flat on the ground, having tripped on a cable strung
20" above the ground. I thought I had died. Every limb immediately
began hurting, every limb joint felt like electricity was flowing, my forehead
was bruised, and dignity SEVERELY damaged.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
But I "saved the
PLANE".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Today, I feel like a truck ran over
me.....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
But I "saved the
PLANE".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'll be parking closer to the opening in the
cable from now on.....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><BR>Bob Pastorello<BR><A
href="http://www.rcaerobats.net">www.rcaerobats.net</A><BR><A
href="mailto:rcaerobob@cox.net">rcaerobob@cox.net</A></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>