Soar, Lion, Soar

I offer my sincerest apologies for my continually terrible puns. Alternate titles include a LOTR reference “This Day We Flight!” Don’t hit me.

Flight videos!!!111!!!

Today is the last day of the competition, and therefore the last day of BLOGSPAM 2014. I will try to keep you updated here as we attempt our final mission and wrap up events here.

UPDATE PARTY:

The ground taxi and first two flight missions were perilous, nerve-wracking affairs. This morning, while awaiting our third mission slot, we watched the rainclouds slowly roll in, painting the sky in somber gray.

The wind, of course, continued. Several planes met unfortunate ends, tumbling from funereal skies to a tarmac coffin.

Ours, however, was unfazed. With the steady grace of a seasoned veteran, it took wing against the wind. This mission called for three laps with the same weight as the last, but in a new configuration.

One. An easy lap, sweeping smoothly through each turn.

Two. More difficult. A gust lifted the nose to vertical, but our pilot turned the flip into a loop and continued on.

Three. A struggle forward, as rain began to spritz the crowd. Finally, time to land, a few short seconds more difficult than the previous minutes of flight combined.

Our first pass was spoiled by a sudden crosswind that threatened a rollover. We doubled back, for a second run. There was no need for a third.