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April 2002 - Parastars Convention, Polk City, Fla
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4/21/02
Location: Polk City, Fla
Wind: 10 mph
Duration: 30 min
13.5.35
I
flew to Atlanta from San Francisco to meet my family and drive down to Florida for the Parastars Convention
at Fantasy of Flight. I was joined by my Dad (Melvin Beach) and his wife, Suzanne, and my Mom (Velma
Beach) and my sister (Annette Winchester). Dad met up with some friends in Florida and brought them
along to the fly in. My brother Randy Beach and his girlfriend, Sue, were planning to come along also,
but at the very last minute, his doctors told him he couldn’t go to Florida because they wanted to radiate
his thyroid gland. REALLY A BUMMER! He’s doing better now and we’re planning on making it to the convention
next year.
We had a fun trip down, stopping to eat some of my old favorites that are hard to
find in California ie., hush puppies, fried okra, Vidalia onion rings, and grits. It’s a good thing
that the trip only took 8 hrs or I might have put on enough so much weight I’d need a bigger motor.
Saturday morning we get to the field early and by the time the safety orientation is done (around 9am)
it’s getting windy, 10 – 15 mph. So I stay on the ground and watch the more experienced pilots and work
on building up my nerve. Watching the others certainly did a lot to calm my fears regarding windy flying.
Sunday morning we all get to the field at 6:30am. I want to get some air time in before the wind
comes up. There are a couple of pilots in the sky, but most are just waking up. I talked to some of
the Parastar officers and they tell me they don’t want anyone flying before the morning briefing because
they are trying for the world record at 9:30. So I’m kinda bummed out and mope around a while. But
there are still a couple of flyers up there. So, I asked again, if I could fly now before the record
attempt, and was given the thumbs up.
So, Dad and I lug the equipment to the launch area. The
wind was already coming up, about 10mph. I’m nervous like I always am before a launch. Set up for a
forward and go for it.
Six or eight steps and I’m flying. The easiest and best launch I’ve
ever had. I might have to re-think this wind thing. Climbed out right over Mom and Annette in their
lawn chairs at the edge of the field and made a couple of circuits around the field. On my second time
around the pattern at about 1000’ I get in some stronger but steady wind. For the first time, I’m PARKED.
I’m right at the edge of the lake that borders the field. I’m keeping an eye on the lakes edge because
I don’t want to start backing up out over the water. It’s the most beautiful experience. A bright Florida
sunrise and flat country as far as the eye can see. I’m watching the other pilots waking up from their
campsites and getting their wings laid out in preparation for the record attempt. I can see Dad looking
up. Another pilot parks next to me. We just sit there enjoying the spectacle. He gives me a wave
and heads out. I hang out a little longer, back off on the throttle, lose some altitude to get in some
slower air and make another trip around.
It’s starting to get busy up there and I’m worried that
I don’t have the experience to be part of the record attempt, so I land. Flared a little too early for
the wind, but it was a soft landing. I’m excited and smiling and after watching the 74 pilots that made
the new world record, I’m sure I will be a part of next years record.
It was truly one of the
most memorable events of my life. I can’t thank the Parastars and my family enough for making this happen.
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