Jongo, a Moyes boy through and through, started my flying training in Mudgee at the age of 40. Fell in love with thermals and had 8 wonderful years. Quickly got sick of coastal flying and then only did tow-ups out of Forbes, Hay and Wilcannia; or flying from places like Tumut, Corryong, Mt Buffalo, Tamborine, Heaton in the Hunter Valley, Manilla, and the Owens Valley, USA. Longest flight - 135km from Manilla Highest altitude reached - 19,500 feet in Owens Valley; thank goodness for the oxygen bottle Greatest achievement (probably) - along with a local and our team, opened the first take off "ramps" at the Manilla site; a site that is now world famous, thanks to the site and the miraculous survival of a lady pilot who was sucked up to 70,000 feet, passed out, and survived. Scariest moment - needing an emergency landing high in the mountains near Tumut. Only one area that looked like a paddock but was full of grey tree stumps, all of which looked, from 600 feet, of being 6 feet apart. Gritted my teeth and, thinking hospital here I come, came in for the final leg, only to see all the tree stumps hop away. Flight I regretted - towed out of Forbes; bugger all thermals; seemed like I was in the air for hours, just heading down wind but never getting higher than 700 feet. Just kept going as it was a group comp. Fly as far as you could and the first to land had to get back to the car and find everyone. I finally found a thermal but as I got to maybe 1500 feet found that I was directly upwind of an airfield; a fairly big one. There was a small plane heading away from me, clearly preparing for takeoff. What should I do? This was the first decent thermal in hours; 800 up. The plane turned around and prepared for takeoff. I continued circling; stupidly. The plane then taxied back towards the hangers. Oh oh I thought, I've been spotted and I'm in trouble. I skiddadled as fast as I could and landed near a farm. Unpacked as fast as I could; put the glider in the trees and hid. Within a minute a small plane was doing circles over the area before leaving. The farmer came out, picked me up, took me in and started serving the beers. Boy was I grateful. The forgotten flight - competing in the Aust Champs as I usually did; think it was the first day. Nothing much happening by midday so thought I would tow up and check the conditions. No memory from then on. Was told I towed straight into the first willy willy of the day; locked out and plummeted to earth. One of the spars broke and went through my face; took my nose closer to my hairline and fractured an eye socket. Local meds took me to local hospital who said, too big for us. Air ambulance took me to other towns who said too big for us, and I was flown to Concord Repat hospital who must have said, Just our cuppa tea. Anyway, ten months off work, and pretty much no eyesight for that time, and life was restored, along with a return to work. I never flew again. Well not quite true. Several weeks back at work as a building inspector, fell of the roof of a three story building. Five more months off work.
Everyday Jongo I dream of being in the air. I watch the cu's forming and I hear myself planning the next turn; and like in the Owens Valley, screaming in the radio, o god, I'm going up at 2500 foot a minute; and I feel ice starting to form all over my face, and my hands solidifying on the bar. One must continue to dream. jwt
