Sharon Tandem from SB to Ojai

Sharon Sweeney
Friday, November 10, 2000
Skyport to Ojai
Birthday Tandem with Tom Truax

PREFACE – December 1999

One beautiful sunny Santa Barbara winter morning, I was on a journey to check out the scary launching sites that I might someday find the courage to fly off of with my paraglider.

Tales of a man named Tom Truax and his daring flying escapades had intrigued me long before I spotted Tom, like one suddenly sees a rare bird that is suddenly right in front of you. The gossipers had already planted headlines in my mind that he must be the Mad Paraglider of the mountains. The gossip only increased my curiosity.

Tom was busy. He was quickly spreading his paragliding wing near the edge of a cliff so he could catch the wind cycle that would hoist him in the air to fly away. He was performing his unbelievable reverse launch where he positions himself facing his wing with his back to the cliff. He never turned around to launch facing forward. He kept stepping backwards off the steep-can’t-see-the-bottom cliff and the wind with a whoosh picked him and his kite up. Then like a high flying trapeze artist he turned around in mid air to start his flight. I thought I was seeing things. I could hear the hang gliders above me where they were perched on their equally do or die launch. They were watching to see where Tom could get lift. They said he was the best at finding lift where no one else could. And he is.

The Birthday Flight- November 10, 2000

I got up early, hoping to be able to fly. Looks windy from the computer projections. Tom calls. It is too windy to fly solo. How ‘bout tandem? Tony just arrived. We’ll be at your house in 10 minutes. Bring warm clothing...

Will I be back in time to pick up Nicole at the airport? When, he asks? 5:30 PM. No problem he says.

There is some hesitancy to fly tandem with Tom. He has been known to fly for hours, for many miles with the human ballast hanging there throwing up breakfast and sometimes dinner from the night before all the while freezing to death. The passenger is in the front blocking the wind for the pilot as he sits behind you. One advantage to being an instructor.

Don’t get me wrong. Tom’s a sweet, sensitive guy. He always asks how you are feeling just before you take off. I have recently found out he’s not listening to the answer because I make up weird responses just to check. He doesn’t notice, you’re taking off anyway. The same thing goes for Tom landing prematurely which he defines as anytime he has lift. The airsick, shivering body hanging in the air is not going to get relief until Tom decides to put the wing down, and not before. Still, in spite of all that whining I think tandem is better than staying on the ground. It’s actually a total treat, a grand gift. So we join up with Bill, Ron and Dan and head to the launch-Skyport.

I am not sure if I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the last time I was there. After three non aggressive take offs i.e. chickening out at the edge of the cliff Dan and Tom took matters into their own hands. Literally. They grabbed me and threw me off the cliff. We have the pictures to prove it.

Turns out I can handle the fearsome launch emotionally. It’s windy and Tom’s ready to go. We are the wind dummies. When Tom gets to any launch he’s secretly sure he’s missed the best cycle for take off and the best thermal he could ever catch. So he’s in a rush not to let it happen twice. He’s convinced he’s always five minutes too late. The window of opportunity will be for only a few minutes. So it’s a rush to get ready to go. Bill and Ron seem to be slowly contemplating their fates as I’m quickly harnessed up and ready to rock and roll. Tom’s saying “how do you feel? “I say, “ like having soup and salad”. He says “good.” We go. I run. I’m knocked off my feet sliding on my right leg. I keep trying to run lopsided. I feel a tug from the left and we’re in the air. Like a good wine, Tom doesn’t allow a launch to be over before it’s time.

The first order of the day is to get the victim/passenger settled into the seat and arms placed through the risers to the wing. Next is the search for the lift or you’re in for a short ride. There is plenty of wind from the west. There are clouds developing. We travel to places where Tom can usually find lift. It’s not easy. A tandem is a big wing to cart around the skies. We get over to the power lines which is like getting to first base. They are the only true obstacles in the canyon that determine if you land very very short in a place called the postage stamp or the snake pit. Catchy but very descriptive names. So we’re over the lines and head toward “The Round House”. This is a house that is owned by people for a view. Unfortunately they don’t like being viewed...close up...by people flying by. However, we need lift so we got to work working The Round House. Looks like some construction going on. We are close to it and I’m looking for landing sites on this mountain top. We try The Antennae Farm near The Round House. It is a collection of antennae. I feel like I could touch them with my toes. We seem to get some lift but just little thermals. Tom is trying very hard to dig out lift from somewhere. We are flying near a spine of a mountain and the wing collapses completely on one side. The tandem rocks a bit. We lose height from this collapse. Tom says that we may land in the mountains. This is polite language for we are going to crash into some bushes where we don’t want to be. There is an old rotten car that has gone over the cliff below us. The ground seems to be rushing up at me at a fast pace. At least I’m seeing the bushes in excellent detail. I am wondering what will be hurting soon. Then suddenly we rise a little, then a little more. We are weight shifting, using our bodies to give direction to the glider. This means Tom doesn’t have to apply any brakes to the turning process and lose any precious lift. He does a marvelous job of finding lift along spines of mountains that would seem hard to find with a magnifying glass. Lean to the left, lean to the right, stand up- whoops- don’t do that, figure eight along a ridge, catch the thermal and hook a 360 degree turn.

Then Tony launched his spectacular new hang glider. He got up at launch, meaning he circled right away to find lift right after he launched. That seemed to motivate Tom to not give up. He was upset that we didn’t get the quick and easy thermal after launching. He said it was because I had to settle in. Excuse me, but who’s operating this jalopy anyway? Being the free loading passenger with the instructor who holds my life in his hands it is not a good form to belabor this point. OK, it’s my fault. Perhaps it’s just a little later and Tony caught a good cycle. Anyway we thermal well, which means a lot of leaning left or right and going in circles getting higher.

At last we achieve the whatever thousand foot mark that Tom worked so hard and well for and set out on our cross-country adventure. Watching Tom pick apart those ridges for any lift and fly so well has been a thrill to be a part of. It is very technical flying. I kept thinking how much there is to learn.

PART 2 LATER....