AndyB Posted July 15, 2022 Share Posted July 15, 2022 18 months ago I had spinal surgery, two lots of 12 hours. Cut 3 wedges out of different vertebrae and bent me back upright by 40 degrees. Back surgery great but they paralysed my legs by accident. I have been told by every doc that I will never walk again. Rubbish, I could fly, walking's easy! I stopped using my wheelchair 6 months ago. I've fallen (proper on my face falls) 94 times now. My quad muscles are now about 30%. I've been out ground handling and all is good. I've walked around with my machine on and all is good. However, with the machine on my back I then cannot pull the wing up, it's just too much for my quads and I collapse forward immediately. If there is over 6mph wind I can hold my ground and get the wing up (by not bending my legs much), but I know that if I try to run, splat! So now I have put next year's PMC summer fly in in my calendar. A year to get strong enough. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 Your determination is magnificent Andy. I'm gobsmacked at your faceplant total and the fact you are keeping a running total. Didn't I see you put your kit up for sale recently? Presumably that has changed. It would be fantastic to see you fly at next years PMC. Good luck, as if you need it, you make your own by the sound of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subtlealpine Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 Very inspiring Andy, I admire your perseverance which will surely be rewarded very soon. I sincerely wish you the best. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted July 18, 2022 Author Share Posted July 18, 2022 On 17/07/2022 at 08:20, alan_k said: Your determination is magnificent Andy. I'm gobsmacked at your faceplant total and the fact you are keeping a running total. Didn't I see you put your kit up for sale recently? Presumably that has changed. It would be fantastic to see you fly at next years PMC. Good luck, as if you need it, you make your own by the sound of it. Yes, I sold my kit, when there was no hope. Then I ignored the doctors and I bought some more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffw Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 What a fantastic achievement you must be proud. very well done Andy, and like Alan said would be great to see you at the next pmc flyin. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulg18 Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 When I started reading your post I thought you were going to say you were going down the trike route, but to have the determination to carry on foot launching is incredible. Best of luck to you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 4 hours ago, paulg18 said: When I started reading your post I thought you were going to say you were going down the trike route, but to have the determination to carry on foot launching is incredible. Best of luck to you. I fly mostly in Teesside and southern Spain. There is hardly anywhere suitable for a trike, I've tried. I made a trike for my machine with interchangeable beach wheels and grass wheels (trike for sale soon!). The one place I can find in Teesside, the field is too rough and I got thrown by a bump. In Spain, too many people on the beach (can avoid them if running!) and the only "field" is way too rough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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