Jerry and I were visiting his parents in Huntsville and we happened to drive by an airplane show. It was raining so we walked under one of the hangers where four of the pilots were getting ready to fly in formations. Jer's parents knew one of them and he asked if Jerry and I wanted to go up with them!!!
This was no AA flight. The planes were tiny, two-seater, prop planes called "Russian YAK's" which is what they used to train pilots on how to fly bombers... Which means they are fast... and swoop up, down and all over the place... Which is what we did!
When the pilot asked me if I wanted to go up I said, yes, and ignored all the questions that went through my head, such as:
"Is there a parachute?"
"How old is this plane and do you often have it inspected?"
"You do realize it's raining, yes?"
"Who are you?"
"Do you have a strong will to live?"
I didn't want him to start second guessing his partner choice so I kept my questions [panic] to myself. The only question I asked was, "How long will we be up in the air?"
This question was key was because we just ate a big breakfast at this southern home-cooking place called "The Squirrel" and I needed to know how long I would have to hold on if my stomach turned on me; but the pilot answered me by saying, "Not too long."
I wasn't sure what that meant.
Even thought I was scared I couldn't help but praise God for arranging this for us! He knows I miss being flipped and twisted all over the place in cheerleading! :)
Here are the pics:
Me in the plane, strapped in, and ready for lift off [sans the peanuts and sodas].
Me in the plane, strapped in, and ready for lift off [sans the peanuts and sodas].
Jerry in his plane- you can see his smilling face! :)
Starting the engine. (We could wave to each other while doing the formations... Pretty fun!)
Lined up on the grass "runway" (Way down there on the left).
Me lifting off!! You can't tell but I am wearing an Anne Taylor shirt and big hoop earrings... which I just think is funny.
Us doing a diagonal, way up in the clouds!
I am in the back and Jerry is in the front. It's the scariest thing to look up and see the belly of a plane right on top of you!!!
Safe landing!
Jerry = Ecstatic!
7 comments:
Lauren! This is so fun... and random! I love that last picture of Jerry- you can tell from his face that it was a blast!!
this was so much fun to read and remember! John and I were on the ground thinking "have we just sent our kids to their deaths?"
SOOO fun!!! it reminds me in the Ya-ya Sisterhood movie when Sidda and her mom go up ina prop plane out of a grass field!
So fun! Yea Lauren. You are brave!
YOu are brave!! I got scared on the 5th balcony the other night at the new opera center!! My palms were sweating and I told Peter I was going to have to stare at him the whole time because I couldn't look up or forward or down. :)
Wow! I could not do that!! Looks like it was a blast though! :)
Wow! How random and fun!! Way to be brave! Thats a once in a lifetime!
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