On Sunday, April 19th, I got engaged! I had been planning a unique way to propose that involved the airplane for about six months. My first idea involved being inverted, but I was too worried about the FAA seeing the video and giving me a call. You all know the silly rule that solo aerobatics without a chute is ok, but dual aerobatics without a chute is somehow much different, chutes must be worn. This rule has always amazed me and left me scratching my head. So, anything captured on video with dual acro was nixed (although there may or may not have been a victory roll with me yelling "yeehaw, great balls of fire!" after she said "yes"). So, I came up with a zero-G scenario that had her catching the ring as I did a pushover.
The plane has been down for annual maintenance for a month and I have been trying to find the time in my busy schedule to get it buttoned back up and flying...so I could do the proposal. I really didn't have a "plan B" without the airplane...this was it! I knew nothing else would be as memorable as this. Unfortunately I got the airplane flying on Saturday, did a solo test flight as I always do after maintenance, and then the proposal flight happened on Sunday. Bottom line is, I didn't have time to practice the "delivery" or the camera angle. I was quite literally "winging" it.
Here is some of the backdrop of the story that you don't see in the video. Before the flight, I set up the GoPro camera in a slightly different spot than I have in the past, making sure it would hopefully capture the action. I don't think Sheryl noticed the new location, but she did question why I was filming a routine local flight? I just said I wanted to play around with some new camera angles...and she bought it. As we taxi out, I am just about to do my runup and I hear the GoPro beep three times behind my head. I think crap! My first thought was the battery was dead. I say to Sheryl, "did that thing just turn off?" She says, "no, but it says FULL". My heart sank as I just now remembered that I forgot to remove the last video from the memory card! I proceed to take off and my mind was racing...should I abort and do it another time? I didn't want to do this without video, but I am flying my first acro contest next weekend so it would be awhile if I postponed. After a couple minutes, I thought..."adapt, improvise, overcome"...I got this. "Honey," I say, "hand me the camera." After she hands it to me, I have her fly while I proceed to go into the camera menu and manually delete the contents of the card. Problem solved that easy, I then get it started again and we are back in business! Whew...disaster averted....carry on, I thought.
Since I hadn't had a chance to practice this with just the right amount of forward stick, I knew I was again going to have to adjust my game plan. My friend, Sean T. had said to me when I told him my plan, "be careful the ring doesn't fly into the back and get lost." Great insight, I thought. I need to be ready for this scenario, but how, without a practice run?
Just a couple hours before the flight, I was watching the sketchy weather, not knowing if we were going to get it in. I came up with my game plan in case the weather cooperated. I would practice, right there in real time with her, and not only would she not know I was actually practicing my "delivery" but also keep her completely unaware of what might be coming. I figured I needed two practice "trinkets" of some kind. I decided on a wine cork...which would be bigger, for my first try. Second was a quarter, which would have a similar size and weight of the ring. The added bonus was it was shiny silver to prep her eyes for the ring to follow. I was hoping to play tricks with her mind so it didn't immediately register that it was a ring. My thinking was, when the ring came up, she might...for a second think it was another piece of change...a nickel or dime maybe. Perfect, I thought, as I stuffed my trinkets and the ring in strategic locations in my front jeans pocket.
Mind you, I am doing all of this scheming, while being as nervous as a "long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs" and also trying not to tip her off in any way to know whats coming. Complete surprise was paramount to me. My new fiance is very observant, which I love about her, but it also meant I had to be very careful in my planning. As you will see in the video, I nailed that shock and awe requirement!
In the end, with all of the unrehearsed details and things that could've went wrong, I was amazed at how well it played out. With my first attempt with the wine cork going flying to the back because of overzealous stick input (thanks to Sean T., that wasn't the ring!), and with her catching the ring in the perfect orientation, I couldn't have asked for more to be honest. After the deed we had some great conversation on the flight home and I confessed, I didn't have a plan B...she responded, "there is no plan B, nothing else would've been as cool as this" as she loves the airplane and flying as much as I do. Yep, I am a lucky man!
Without further ado, here is my proposal video, (watch it in HD) hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed doing it...I really had a blast with this. I apologize for my "potty mouth" a couple times...I completely forgot I was being recorded as I was caught up in the moment. Also take note how fast I am chewing my gum, which is pretty comical in hindsight as I had no idea at the time...I may appear calm, but underneath I was a nervous wreck!
Lastly, all of this was possible because of a plane I built. The ways to use your RV to change your life never cease to amaze me! KPR, its all worth it.
