HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-05-13, Page 16Experimental flyers find delight in Laizair.
BY CATH WOODEN The Laizair is powered by two six, •
horsepower chainsaw engines. It features
a .glide ratio of 0: 1 which items for
every foot in the air the Laizair will glide
13 feet,
The highest anyone has taken a Laizair
is 5,000 feet, although ;hey are usually
flown near the ground. Cruise speed is 35
miles per hour and top speed is 55; it stalls
at 17.
For an example of the Laizair's per-
formance, Terry says he flew it here from
Grand Bend in, 22 minutes and used one
quart of gas. Of course, gas consumption
depends upon the wind velocity. The
Laizair can travel m zero wind up to winds
of 20 miles an hour.
It takes off and lands on 75-100 feet of any
flat hard surface. Terry say O it is nice to
have somebody to help with take -off, but
he can do it himelf if he has to. Steering is
done with a stick and the craft can roll,
pitch, and yaw. Sped is controlled with a
separate throttle.
One of the nice things about the Laizair
is that it requires no licencing. However, to
fly one into an airport you have to be a
licenced pilot.
Terry Stewart is going •to be hard
pressed toiteep his feet on the ground this
summer. If you happen to seelum cruising
above you, you'll know that it isn't a bird,
it isn't a plane, it's a Laizair!
Everyone knows that since the begin-
ning of time, man has. had a fascination
wttti flying - flying unencumbered by cock-
pits and loud engines. Some have
• discovered freedom hanging from a giant
kite, but geographical conditions have to
be right and on a hang glider one cannot
stay up indefinitely.
. Lovers of the sky may have found their
answer in a Laizair.
During the last week, people in Goderich
have been stopping what they are doing to
watch Terry Stewart ( of Western Air
Seretiees) and his 1 Atka ir soar over them,
looking like something from an old
newsreel not in cluding the crashing part.
In esseoce, the Laizair is a powered
hang glider, but Telly prefers to describe
it as a type of small aircraft.. .
Terry built the Laizair from a kit,
•Jesigned by a 22 -year-old Port Colborne
man who has new sold hundreds of kits at a
eost of $4,300 to the buyer. A friend of
Terry's from 'Exeter, Elmer Rowe, bought
the kit, Terry did the 200 hours worth of
building and the two share 'custodyof the
Laizair.
The craft weighs 140 pounds. empty, and
has a -36L2 foot wingspan. The wings are
• Made Of 'aluminum, styrofeam; arid are
cover,ed with a plastic substance similar to
that.which covers a set of drums. . •
•
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Laizair cruises at 35 m.p.h.
the
lei
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Terry Stewart -swings his legs joyfully as he cruises by on his Laiziar, built from a $4,300 kit
designed by a 22 -year-old Port Colborne man. The craft is powered by two six -horsepower
chainsaw engines and can cruise up to 55 m.p.h. (Photo by Cath Wooden)
IGNAL-- STAIR
133 YEAR -19
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1981
.1)
SECOND SECTION
Record-breaking craziness at GDCI
7”•
4
0e•
Terry Stewart stands by the 'cockpit' of his Laizair which is controlled by a steering stick
and throttle. The plastic tube on the front measures wind velocity. (Photo by Cath Wooden)
New features to combat
low Gaol admigsions
Despite a gaping discrepancy between the
Canadran and American dollar, even U.S.
tourists are leaning towards frugality says
jail Lurator Harry Bosnell.'
And that frugality is evidenced in the
declining number of tourists touring the
Huron County Historical Gaol. Last year
admissions were down for the second
straight year, a problem relating directly to
economies.
We were down about 1000 in total ad-
missions but hope this will be a better year,"
Harry said. " Our dientelle is not from the
Clinton and Goderich area but the London,
Chatham, Windsor and Detroit area. The
dollar is the biggest problem and people are
Staying close to h-ome. American's are still
coming here but even they are on the frugal
side now."
Despite the decline in admissions the
historical gaol has plenty to offer tourists
and Bosnell explained that recent im-
provements will add appeal to the at-
traction. But the restoration process is a
slow one.
Turn to page 2A •
4-z?,•
•
GDCI students can be very strange. Sometimes they walk around with eggs in their
mouths, as Ken Wood and Connie de Haas are doing. Actually, they were racing
during record-breaking day Wednesday. (Photo by Cath Wooden)
Joe Trebish managed to cram 16 marshmallows into his mouth to take that unofficial
record at GDCI last Wednesday afternoon. His prize was two bags of marshmallows.
(Photo by Cath Wooden)
,
4,
• ,o.::bay.
Each year sections of the Huron Historic Jail are restored and new artifacts are added to.
impressive displays In the house., Work on the orig$uul kitchen is near completion and a
McClary's stove was added.(Photo by Dave Sykes)
A
O000h, did it break? GDCI student Susan Bushell used a highly unorthadox method to These two students in the throes of 138381071 shall remain nameless to protect their
catch a water balloon during record-breaking day Wednesday. But it worked. 1Photo reputations. Well, they weren't exactly in the throes of passion, but passing an orange
by Cath Wooden) trourattietidwitearoathee.--( PhoioItyCoth Waadea)