[Chris McKeon]

OK I am so hopping to be a {DUNE GOON}. I mean what could be better than to be a Dune D Goon at the End of May? You know the Flite Which will be My first Flight in fourteen Years if I Fly after March Twenty-Eight, it will have been Fourteen Years since My last ill Fatted Flight.

[Bob Kuczewski]

:salute:

Enjoy this Pilot everyone,
and a bit of irony, watch at 1:50 where it shows from Palos Verdes, my home town Torrance Beach and Dockweiler off in the distance, both filled with courageous "test Pilots" and aviation history.

Forever Flying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWFOOJv0M4c

Great video Craig. Thanks for sharing it.

[Chris McKeon]

Well; Here I am doing what I really should not be doing. The thing that I have been thinking about is: Becoming a Goon, a Dune Goon at that. So, I will need to get Myself down to Southern California this coming May. Tio that end I have found out that I can get a ride on A Greyhound Bus for Seventy-Two Dollars. I plan as to be getting Myself down to San Diego at the end of May. I fully understand that if I were a "Good Pilot" I would simply get a Ride for Me and My Predator on up to say Mount Diablo.

I would, and I very Well could Fly My Predator Down to San Diego. But regarding My Being a: {GOOD PILOT}, I am not a Good Pilot. Anyways I hope to someday be an adequate Pilot. For there are Flights that I still want, Plan on attempting. I want to take a stab at exceeding the Maximum Distance that a Predator has Ever been Flown. I believe that the Pilots name who Flew a Predator a Hundred and Ninety-Eight Miles is named Jack Price. Anyways the Maximum distance that a Predator has never been flown more than a Hundred and Ninety-Eight Mikes I am thinking that after I am back up to Speed that My 158 Predator is definitely capable of being Flown at least Two Hundred Miles. Yes, I feel this Way because; I want to make Myself Totally Clear. Bob I am saying this Primarily to You Bob. I believe in the "Predator" For the Pretor has just as My Friend Zack Majors once said: "The Predator has a Phenomenal Sink rate". Well, I have Flown My 158 Predator while loaded heavily. But even when I was experimenting added Water as Ballast. My Hook in weight weighing as much as at least 340 Lbs. Every Flight packing such heavy Hook-In amount of Weight. I managed to Get up. On top of that My Predators Tremendous ability to land. I had No-Step Landings. Note to Bob: Bob I want to make Myself totally Clear here to You. I have been Praising My Predator. II am not at all Boasting regarding My Prowess as a Pilot. Yes, I simply Just love My Predator. I am not boasting here. I am simply Championing the Best over-all around HG ever made.

[Chris McKeon]

So: I tend to think about Flying quite often as of late. I really do wonder if I will ever Fly My Predator again. But thinking about Flying does no Harm Correct? I am currently living here in the Redwoods of Cazadero, where it is Wednesday the 2 4thof January, it is a Cold Dark Wet Day here at My Moms House which is located under Redwood Trees. Yes, it's raining here again.

I have been remembering a few Flights that I have had. It is like My Sister has said to Me: "You have had so many Flights, many interesting Flights. You should write about them and put them on the US Hawks Website."

So Here's a Flying Memory or Two:

I have written about these Flying experiences before. So please excuse My Damaged Brain's Redundant. Perseverant TBI born Perseverant Story telling. Anyways. I like just about all of You Love to Fly. I mean I have been up Flying. I remember Flights where I Was Flying in Conditions that were becoming quite Strong. Strong being either Wind Speeds that were up in the Thirties. Or Thermals that were oh so Strong! I was so Tired from climbing in Strong Conditions, that Ny Shoulders and My Arms were getting to so be sore and tired that I wished that I could land rest, then re-launch after I had rested a while and the Muscle soreness had left My Body. But since when I was Flying on a couple of too Strong, too Gusty a Day. I happened to be Flying over Flat Ground below Me if I was Flying above Mountains, I could just land, lay down. rest for a while. Then I could have simply relaunched then continued My Flying. On Days such as the One I have been writing about, well My Body was getting to be a Bit tired. After being tossed around by the strong Gusty Conditions. I was Flying out over the tilled Farm Fields below Me. No landing would be possible on the Vast expanse of Farmers Fields. For to Land would end My Flight. So that was what happened. I ended My Flying on that Strong Gusty Day doing that Filthy Cuss Word, I Landed.

[Chris McKeon]

So here I am sitting around typing on My Computer, I wish that I was where I was setting up my Predator. Yes, getting ready to launch. I am really looking straight ahead to the Day that I will Fly MY Glider since I have lost a Third of My Body weight. The last time that I Flew My Predator I weighed Two Hundred ninety-eight Pounds.

OK, I mean think about it. Providing My skills have not waned to the point Where regarding My Ability to Fly will have gone Completely AWO. I should be able to Climb better than I ever did. I think about being a Hundred Pounds liter. Regarding My talking about My new relatively lite weight. My Sister gives Me a hard Time regarding My talking about My New Liteweight. She says things to Me like: "You Sound like a Narsis tic girl.

[Chris McKeon]

OK, first off, I want to apologize for My Previous Post that because of all the spelling errors merited being Proofread by Ne. But alas I failed to do a Proof reading, I am so sorry. Please forgive Me, at Heart I am still just a Lazy, Slacker. I mean; I did not simply have a few spelling errors on My Post. No; I butchered the MY Post.

FLYING MEMORIES:

I have a friend Mikey F. Mikey is an old time HG Pilot who once got a ride in a Two seat Sailplane flying out of the Reno Airport. So, they Flew around, Worked some Thermals. After A while they were in Mikes Hang Gliding Mind. They were a long way from the Airport. Mikey was feeling a little concerned based on their Height and their Altitude thar it might be time to head back in the direction of the Reno AirPort. When Mikey voiced His Concern about how they Might better be Heading back towards the Airport. The Pilot said to Mikey: "Relax; We have SFO on Glide. SFO on Glide? are You Kidding? I mean that is a glide!

I have only Two experiences FLYING three Axis control. Both of My Flites were made while Flying a Two Seat Grobe Sailplane out of Byron California. I have no idea how a Grobe Sailplane rates regarding its ability to Glide. But I was Impressed. I quickly realized that if a Pilot were to Fly say a Grobe XC it could cover some Ground!

[Chris McKeon]

My current State, regarding My Personal status as a Pilot is a pretty sorry state of affairs. I have said this before in Previous Posts. So please forgive Me for My Negativity. Come On: the Flying experience is as all of You already know is chuck Full of all the Thrills, Chills, and Basic adventure is just such a fulfilling adventure. I feel for One that is Honored to have been and so Bleased to have been able to Fly.

[Chris McKeon]

So I experienced a Pounding, yes, a Pounding to: {Die For}. But as was said to Me by My Friend Woody: That was not Your Time. "The Good Lord must have other Plans for You." Yea I can accept a comment such as Wooddys. Here I am still doing so many things that I used to do. I talk the having My Voice sound like it always did. My inflection is good. Even My singing voice has returned. So, when I walk and I speak no longer do People think when they see Me, or hear Me Speak, Do People immediately think: "What's wrong with this Guy"? "He must have had a Traumatic Brain Injury". But I am not going to Fly this Week. I am with My Flying. I am just like a Reen age Boy regarding Sex. Even though I am not in any way having Sex with a Female. I CONSTANTLY THINK ABOUT flying. Also, as with rite now, I am talking about Flying. I want to Fly again so Badly, that it hurts. But some Day I will be Free. Free from as John said, I will be free of this "Gravity secured Penna entry that We all reside in.

[Chris McKeon]

Check these Thoughts of Mine. Yes, My Flying thoughts are always lurking up in My Mind. By the way as that public service announcement That was run on Televison way back in the Seventies said about doing Hallucinates caused the formation of a thought. Do not do Drugs, because a Mind is a terrible thing to Waste. I say to all of You Pilots; Don't crash Your Hang Gliders. Because a Brain is a terrible thing to Bash.

[Chris McKeon]

Well; Here I am sitting here at My Mother's House in Cazadero California. Yes, I do simply think about My Flying again. I mean just as Lonardo said, I think that He said something to the effect of: For once You have tasted Flight, you want to return. I am a pathetic Predator Pilot. Who survived an impact into Terra Ferma that I really was not supposed to survive. But as it turned out. I had no intention of fading away. I just could not go along with the Idea, the concept, the diagnosis that I would cease to live. Also, no I Definity could not wrap My Mind around the theory that I would never be much better than a Potato.


" FUTURE PHOMEX FLIGHTS"

So I cannot say at this Moment and time, where, when, and more to the point. Just what I will Fly. It could very well be a Sailplane up here at the Willams Airport, here in Sonoma County. I am this Year going to Finally get Myself down to Dockweiler Beach. OK, now I can hear Bob saying: "so You say that You are coming down in May for the Otto Lilienthal Meet. I will believe it when I see You there". I guess that Bob will be reasonable saying that I will not be coming down, but this Year I have already contacted Greyhound Buses and have found out that for $72.00 Dollars. I can ride one of Greyhound's Buses down to San Diego.