[FIRST AEROBATIC FLIGHT]
12-05-99
Zlin 242
SWF-SWF
1.1 dual
1 landing
"Aerobatics intro- loops, Cubans; unusual att. training- stalls, accelerated stalls"
Cool; steady breeze; low broken clouds
Another free Sunday approaches... what to do with it? Well, I do have a free aerobatics lesson coming to me, thanks to my winning raffle ticket at the Sussex airshow last summer, so I call to schedule my free half-hour of fun.
The first CFI at Rifton Aviation I'd spoken to isn't available, so he gets me in tough with Jeff Seckendorf, who he endorses as a very good instructor and seasoned aerobatic pilot. Jeff warns me that clouds may move down onto the aero box over Stewart that day, but he'll meet me there at 12:30 regardless.
Early to bed Saturday night; light breakfast; one cup of coffee... the long drive up to stewart induces a buildup of... what? Edginess? Yeah.
I arrive early and peek inside. This is not so much a flight school as a swanky corporate-grade FBO that happens to own an aerobatic toy for instruction only.The girl at the reception desk, who to my surprise appears to be Amish or Mennonite by her traditional attire, greets me, cheerfully answers my questions, and offers me coffee and cookies. For some reason I pour myself another cup of coffee and head outside to the parking lot for a smoke. As I do so, Jeff pulls up. I set the cup of coffee on the roof of my car so I can put the unlit cigarette back inside. Just as I say hello to Jeff, a gust of wind knocks the Styrofoam cup over.
"Wind's pickin' up a little," I note, shaking coffee off my hand.
We go inside and sit down to discuss the lesson plan. I've thought and read about aerobatics and certainly watched quite a bit of it, but I can't quite focus on what he is saying as he explains about the specific control inputs, etc.
It all just seems unreal, I guess... am I really going to get upside-down in an airplane today?
The feeling will grow stronger...we enter the hangar, which is huge. How huge? Well, a Falcon 50 is sitting there with plenty of room to spare, a light twin of some kind seems lost in a corner, and the Zlin looks like a toy standing next to the jet.
It's a brand-new Czech trainer, a bit heavy and draggy for aerobatics, but it looks very capable.
Jeff spends a minute or so searching the cockpit for any loose or unnecesary objects, then a ramp rat opens the enormous motorized hangar door, and he and Jeff pull the Zlin out onto the ramp.
A 727 is parked just outside, as well as a Learjet. The Zlin looks a little bigger out here, but it still promises lots of fun.
The walkaround is very simple, and it reveals that this is a very sweet machine, well-engineered and sturdy. Side-by-side seating, with dual sticks and the engine controls in the center. It weighs about as much as the familiar Cessna 172, but sports a 200-hp engine. I admire the fresh new interior and panel, and breathe in the exotic mix of avgas fumes and leather. My heart rate increases slightly.
I learn how to don a sport parachute while standing on the wing, Jeff
