Ed Williams Trains for Flying License

Ed Williams, husband of Susan Fieg Williams, of Orland Park, IL has begun training to acquire an FAA license to fly a single-engine airplane known as a "Power Parachute."

This small plane, which is regulated under FAA pilot's rules, looks somewhat like a small Everglades airboat, with a single seat sitting on three wheels with control apparatus and a propeller behind the pilot.  The propeller powers the plane forward on the ground as a parachute behind it inflates and provides lift.  It has a top speed of approximately 30 m.p.h. with a regulated ceiling of 10,000 feet (though only crazy people fly it at that altitude) and the unregulated ceiling is probably 20,000 feet or more with oxygen.  The plane can only be flown in light winds and has no stall speed but the engine can be shut off in flight allowing the plane to float back to earth using the parachute.  The plane can remain in the air for three hours on ten gallons of fuel.

Susan, who runs the Good Buy Travel Agency in the Chicago area, will not participate in Ed's endeavor, though she may stay on the ground and watch.  "She might not even watch," Ed said.

In addition to this exciting foray into aviation, Ed, a retired mechanical engineer, has for more than six years been building a single-engine, two-seater aircraft in his basement laBORatory ("Come, Igor...").  Known as a Zenith model 601-XL.  The plane can reach speeds of more than 130 miles an hour with a ceiling of 14,000 feet.  Though small, it has a conventional fixed wing  appearance and is large enough to accomodate pilot and passenger.  Ed looks forward to taking Susan up with him (good luck with that!!). 

It is possible that Ed can fly to a future Fieg reunion if conditions are right, though Ed may be reluctant to take the plane that far, due to the necessity of multiple stops to refuel.