That's Waaaayyy up there...
Posted on 05/24/2004 7:06:18 PM PDT by Archangelsk
LONDON (AFP) - A British adventurer laid claim to being the first to fly around Mount Everest (news - web sites), at 8,848 meters (29,028 feet) the world's highest peak, in a microlight aircraft.Richard Meredith-Hardy, 46, took off from a base camp 25 kilometres (15 miles) away, then braved potentially dangerous downdrafts to reach the summit where he waved to "a shedload of climbers" and snapped photos.
"This place is seriously big," he said, according to a statement from his ground crew sent to AFP in London, "and we were lucky to get a break in the weather just days before we have to go home."
Meredith-Hardy, a two-time World Microlight Champion, made his flight in a British-built Pegasus XL-S powered by a Rotax turbo engine that was specially rigged to keep his flying suit warm.
His account of his feat, and photos, have been posted on www.flymicro.com.
Ping.
A "shedload of climbers" on Everest?
Is that how they pronounce it in Britain?
This guy was taking one hell of a risk.
I watched a guy near tehachapi pass in an utralight get caught in a downburst.
Dropped 150 ft in an instant and damn near took the wings off.
He stoped about 25ft off the ground.
He landed the thing and didnt go up again that weekend.
Bump
That's Waaaayyy up there...
Turbulence can kill you pretty quick. I got caught in a downdraft near the Tennessee river one day and found out the importance of tightening your seat belt well.
I hit my noggin on the overhead and it almost knocked me out. I think those guys knew what they were getting into.
Oh, Im sure they knew.
Personally I dont like the turbulance that comes off mountain faces.
Mountains have been the demise of many an aviator
I've never heard of a "microlight." Is that just the British term for an "ultralight?"
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