fandomhigh | Flight and Flying [Friday morning, Flight Club shed]

The flight simulator had been reconfigured again--this time to something that should seem a bit more familiar to Earth-based students: The F-16 Flying Falcon.

Anakin clasped his hands behind his back and began speaking when the students had assembled in front of him. "This is one of the aircraft used by the militaries of this world," he began. "It's good in air-to-air combat as well as air-to-surface attack, can go more than 850 kilometers before it needs to be refueled and can withstand up to nine G's--pretty high tech for this world's standards."

He opened the simulator door and gestured to the controls. "As you can see, it's configured differently than the systems we've been using in the last few weeks, but the joystick and the trigger button are located in the same place. The F-16 just isn't as sensitive as the starfighter--you'll have to yank harder at the joystick to get the same reaction."

He was completely oblivious to any kind of innuendo that might've been found in that statement. "You'll also be dealing with the Earth's gravity, so turns won't be as fast, and if you make the plane go up too quickly, the machine's been equipped to simulate G forces, so you might pass out. Please make sure to keep any cute but clingy kittens--or frogs--out of the cockpit, just in case."

He smiled at Cedric and Draco. "And for something different, Cedric and Draco have generously agreed to let you all ride on their brooms--the traditional form of flying where they come from. Again, please make sure the animals don't join you as you zip around the island." He glanced at the sky. "We seem to be having ~~conveniently handwavey~~ some breaks in the pudding-ing, so we should be okay for visibility."

He snapped his fingers. "Oh. Veronica Mars--she's teaching the photography seminar--and I have arranged a field trip for our workshops to Washington, DC next Sunday. It's an all day thing, we'll be leaving the island early in the morning and returning late in the evening. You don't have to come, but there's a very cool Air & Space Museum that I thought you might be interested in seeing."

He walked over to the simulator and turned it on. "You can take a practice run on the F-16, then there are two different exercises: an air-to-surface that will test your accuracy and an air-to-air one that will test your reflexes." He smiled. "Have fun."

[OOC: If you could RSVP for the field trip here, that would make V-mun and I very, very happy. Thanks!]

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"I'm afraid not," Cedric says with a laugh. "Most beginners learn how to fly and control the broom before even getting on the broom. Once on the broom, they stay at low heights and low speeds."

Blair breathed a sigh of relief. "Awesome man, low heights is right up my alley."

"What do I need to know?"

"Hold on tight," he says. "Try to keep your weight centered. Leaning might cause the broom to turn sharply or descend. It's a good broom. You'll be fine."

"Hold on tight, centered weight." Blair nodded. "Okay, I got it."

"All right." Cedric hands his broom to Blair. "Hope you have fun!"

Blair took the broom and mumbled the instructions quietly to himself before straddling it. "Do I say a magic word or something?"

[ooc: It strikes me that many conversations in this class end up talking about 'straddling my broom' or 'pulling the joystick'. Dirty?]

"I'll take care of that," he says, pointing his wand and reciting the incantation. Slowly, the broom lifts off the ground. "There you are."

"Eep!" Blair leaned forward and clutched the broom hard. "Whoa, boy, whoooooa. This is high enough."

High enough translated to less than a foot off the ground, but who's measuring?

[Woo! I wonder if Becky knows that Anakin's encroaching on her territory?]

"You're doing well," Cedric says, grinning. "Almost a natural."

"Totally, man." Blair smiled breathlessly while he concentrated on balancing a few inches above ground.

"Whew, that was exciting. I'm guessing I'm done for the day. Wouldn't want to take up everyone else's turns, you know."

[Hooker vs Jedi! Of course it would have to be a cage battle. Or mudpit. Maybe a cagey mudpit.]

"You did well," Cedric repeats. "If you'd like to ride again, come find me. It won't be a problem."

"Right on, man." Blair bounced happily. "Thanks for teaching me, Cedric."

Flight and Flying [Friday morning, Flight Club shed]

Re: Practical Flying: Broomstick (Cedric)

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Re: Practical Flying: Broomstick (Cedric)

Re: Practical Flying: Broomstick (Cedric)

Re: Practical Flying: Broomstick (Cedric)

Re: Practical Flying: Broomstick (Cedric)

Re: Practical Flying: Broomstick (Cedric)

Re: Practical Flying: Broomstick (Cedric)

Re: Practical Flying: Broomstick (Cedric)

Re: Practical Flying: Broomstick (Cedric)

Re: Practical Flying: Broomstick (Cedric)