<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2627" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<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></BODY></HTML>