[Chris McKeon]

You know the way I see it, People who ride Skateboards would be, or are good HG Pilots. I want to as I recover from My Last HG Flight 12 Years ago Today, March 28th. I want to pursue riding My Skateboard once again. There is an vertical maneuver I would love to add to My bag of tricks. That maneuver is a Skateboard Trick called a Varial 720.

I have a Friend, an HG Pilot named Bruno who at the age of Heck, I so not know. Bruno must be 75 or 80. Well Bruno I gear is riding Skateboards. This is so cool!

So Twelve Years ago I came oh so close to failing My reality check. Here I am, not doing anything that My Doctors Prognosis was for my recovery. Hell the way they had doing was that initially I would die. Then My condition was upgraded to; He will not ever be much better intellectually than a Potato. Also that Charlton said that I would never walk again. just wonder what his thoughts would be for Me ever Flying again? Through My experience. I have come to realize that if You are injured bad enough, Doctors will simply write You off. So much of my repeating that kind of brutal, negative Dribble. Heck I am getting more and more Healthy everyday. I will Fly again. I plan on getting High with a little help from My friends.

[Bob Kuczewski]

[Chris McKeon]

Hello everyone.

OK here I am an Post Crash, severely injured Predator Pilot. A Pilot who is attempting to regain His rightful position back up in the Air. I want to Fly so badly. In fact Flying is something that I think about almost constantly.

So here is My Problem. I need to get My Tail-Feathers down to Southern California's Dockweiler Beach to take My first Flight in twelve Long agonizingly long years of My not having flown. What I am trying to determine is How I will get Myself down there , and where I will sleep. So this is My Hail-Mary request for anyone who might feel some Petty regarding this wounded Predator Pilot's Dilemma of trying to get Myself down there from up here Brentwood California. To I am guessing San Diego. I might get Myself a Plane ticket and Fly to the San Diego Airport. Then I could procure a local Transportation as in a Taxi, a Bus, a Limo, a Bus? I do not know how I will do this yet? I could get a room in a hotel? Maybe there is someone who I have yet to meet, that will help Me out.

It is amazing to Me. I, if I do make what will be a couple flights of maybe 50 Yards each. I will need to jump through so many hoops.

If anyone has any help to offer Me regarding My Quest to regain My Place back in the Sky, Please Give Me a Call; 925-497-1059. Good By Chris McKeon; "The Phoenix Guy in the Sky"

[Chris McKeon]

Well this is a safety adversary;


Do not under any circumstance fly above Beach on Sunday May 22nd. For that Air-Space will be a dangerous place to be Flying. For I will be Flying there.

[Chris McKeon]

Check this out; I am also concerned about Hang-Gliding. So rather than type about how bad things are. I want to exert a positive influence upon our Sport. To do this I want solicitat Pilots to come to My Next Fly-In that will be held up on Mount Diablo some weekend this Spring. My Fly-In will most likely will be held this Spring. OK, here is how My Fly-In will be be run. I will have a contest where Pilot's will launch from any launch that they want to launch from. Pilots will fly in any direction they chose to Fly. They will Fly 50 Miles out, then they will return to Diablo. They will land as close to the cone that I will place at the Juniper LZ. The Pilot who lands the closest to the Cone will win the contest.
By Winning the XC-Spot Landing Contest, I will donate $500.00 to the Club of the that Pilots Choice. But in the event that the winning Pilot Whacks his or Her landing, They will donate $500.00 to the Club of My Choice.

So, come to Diablo this Spring and Fly Compete and win $500.00 for Your Club.

[Chris McKeon]

You Guys really do not have a concreate idea of how I feel knowing in fifty one days I shall be Flying. I have not flown a HG in 12 years. But oh Boy I am going to Fly! The only worry regarding what I will do, or what I will not do. I am a little concerned that I will be Soaring around, and I will just forget to descend and land thus ending My Flight. I can see it now; someone will ask John or Bob. Have You seen Chris? John or Bob will reply by saying; "I am not sure, He launched at Docweiler twoo days ago. Hw must still be Flying". I just hope that I remember to land.

[Chris McKeon]

You know something? Most if not all of You have not even met Me. Yet I hear thing from You Via Texts, and I have communicated with a couple of You from having spoken to You via the Phone. That has been Cool. As I assume You Guys must have gotten somewhat regarding What happened to Me. Yes I did the pounding of poundings on March 28th. 2010. Yet for some reason, much to My Doctors Chagrin, my Body was able to recover from my injuries. So after Twelve years it looks as though I might be flying again, Yea Baby! I had made an effort to Fly a Wills Wing 330 Condor down at Dockweiler Beach down in Southern California. I now have another option to fly a Condor. My Friend Dave-C's Fried has a Condor up here in northern California that I can use. So being that I am verging being destitute. Also John already had offered to drive up here to Northern California where John and I could take Dave-C's Condor to a training Hill. So if I do end up Flying for the First Time in Twelve Years up here in Northern California. I sort of feel bad that some of My new long-distant Flying friends will not be there to see me fly, sorry guys. But You should know that besides My being a physical wreck. I am severely limited in Monetary sense. It is funny, well the thought is funny to Me anyways. But regarding My Life. Those Beatles Lyrics goes through MY head "I get hi with a Little Help from My Friends'.
Or Maybe I should rewrite those words to say this; "I get to Cloud Base, with as little help from My Friends.".

One More Thing; Bob would You please copy and paste this Message, then send it to John for me. As i believe you are aware of already. my E-Mail is down.

Thank-Yopu Chris McKeon; 925-497-1059

[Chris McKeon]

I realize that I am not a Poser in the strict definition of the Term Poser. but never the Less, that is how I feel. Each time I walk into My Garage and I see My 158 Predator sitting there on it's rack. I think to Myself; There lays the best, the strongest Climbing, Flattest Gliding, best cross Country Hang Glider on the planet. I think Chris; {You are not worthy} Heck I should be doing as used to do on a Day like Today. I should be flying My Predator. Flying and kicking a**, Flying, Climbing so strongly then topping out in a given Thermal, then Heading off Cross Country.

So no more lamenting from Me over how I am not out Flying My Predator. No worries, because I will Fly again this Year. I am going to Fly My Predator again But First I will Fly an 330 Condor.

[Bill Cummings]

Would the beach be a more forgiving landing zone than LZ further north?

[Chris McKeon]

You know; It is the case with almost all of You. You Guys do not know Me except from My Brain Damaged ramblings that I have put up here on this Hawks Web-site. Well I just want to say to all of You that You might want to ask John about how well I flew. Heck everyone knows John. I am confident would say to any of You that I am a pretty good Pilot.

REGARDING MY LANDINGS:

I landed a Glider fairly well. Hell the leading edges in My Predator bear testament to that fact. I really find it hard to believe Myself that My leading edges are over twenty Years old. Someday I might after My Glider has had a I-R-A-N done to it. I know that now is the Time that when ever I can persuade John to do the I-R-A-N. I will set that 158 Predator up and Photograph it's leading edges. That way I could Post Photos to show how well the old Predator looks.
Concerning My ability to land. Landing was always something that on the one-Hand, while I was flying XC I would positively Dread having to Land. For We all know when One must land during an XC Flight, Your Day of Flying is over. I always felt that For a Pilot to Whack Their Glider was a Sinn. Look at the Damage that is done to the Leading edges. I remember walking up to Glider that was sitting there in the set-up area at Fort Funston. I looked at it's leading edges. They looked like swiss Cheese! And Get this, that Pilot primarily only landed His Glider at His Primary Flying Site, Fort Funston. Note; His Glider was not a 20-25 year old Glider either.


Well the time is coming when I will undergo the Most significant Flight that I ever have made, or will ever make. Yes, all Eyes will be on this Post-Pounded Phoenix Pilot. Yes I am Shure that I will be more Nervous than a Virgin on the Verge, I will do my Hang-Check, I will balance the wing, set the Pitch. I will call out Clear! Then I will simply Stride that great Big 330 square foot Glider into the Air.