Jeff B. Pelz -- Flight

Jeff B. Pelz
Flight

Thumbnails of me with various flying machines: (click on any image to see a larger, higher-resolution image)

Myra and I took a ride in a hot-air balloon to celebrate my 30th birthday a ...few years ago.

Sailplanes are my favorite, so when I attended a conference in Telluride CO I couldn't resist the urge to go up with 'Glider Bob'. The airfield is over 10,000 ft, and the shot at right is us circling in a tight thermal at 16,000 fasl. (Bob enjoyed the 60 degree bank a bit more than I did.)

When I can't be in the real thing, I enjoy flying model sailplanes. Here I am with my first plane, a gift from Frank Cost. I have since built several planes, and am currently experimenting with electric-boost sailplanes.

The wildest ride was this parasail ride. Once I figured out that I should be running when that speedboat took off, everything went fine (though it took a while to scrape the sand out of my knee-caps).

This is me with my home-built ultralight. It is powered by a 175 horsepower snowmobile engine, and can reach speeds of over 180 mph in a steep dive. I have won three international championships in this airship, including the gold medal for aerobatics at the 1995 International Ultralight Aerobatic Competition held in Leningrad, Russia. (Click here for the truth.)

pelz@cis.rit.edu

Last updated 8/30/96