The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-05-13, Page 15Experimental flyers find deli
BY CATH WOODEN
Everyone knows that sine the begin?
►ung qj time, man has had a fadcination
with 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
Services) and histaizair soar over them,
looking like something from an old
newsreel not including the crashing part.
In essence, the Laizair is, a powered
hang•giider, but Terry prefers to describe
it as a type of small a ircraft.
Terry built the Laizair from a kit,
Jesigned by a 22 -year-old Port Colborne
man who has now sold hundreds of kits at a
cost 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 `custody' of the
Laizair.
The craft weighs 140 pounds empty, and
has a 36':: foot wingspan. The wings are
made of aluminum, styrofoam,•and are
covered with a plastic substance similar to
that which covers a set of drums. -
The Laizair is powered by two six -
horsepower chainsaw .engines. It features
a glide ratio of 13:1 which: means for
every foot in the air the Laizair" will glide
13 feet.
The highest anyone has taken a Laizair
is 5,000 feet, although they 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
qq,uart of gas. Of course, gas consumption
depends upon - the wind velocity. The
Laizair can travel in 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 says 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. Speed 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 to keep his feet on the ground this
summer. If you happen to see him cruising
above you, you'll know that it.isn't a bird,
it isn't a plane, it's a Laizair!
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 admissions
Despite a gaping discrepancy between the
Canadian and American dollar, even U.S.
tourists are leaning towards frugality says
jail curator 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
economics.
"We were down about 1,000 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 home. Americans 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 page2A •
Each year sections of the Huron Historic Jail are restored and new artifacts are added to
impressive displays in the house. Work on the original kitchen is near completion and a
McClary's stove was added. ( Photo by Dave Sykes) '
1
ht in Laizair
I,— sal reirsmo ;ow
Laizair cruises at 35 m.p.h.
the
maAL Jib I.
Terry Stewart swings his legs joyfully as he cruises by on his Lalziar, 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
STA
133 YEAR -19
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1981
SECOND SECTION
Record-breaking craziness at GDCI
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)
O000h, did it break? GDCI student Susan Bushell used a highly unorthadox method to
catch a water balloon during record-breaking day Wednesday. But it worked. 1 Photo
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)
These two students in the throes of passion shall remain nameless to protect their
reputations. Well, they weren't exactly in the throes of passion. but passing an orange
fir-o==3,ebi u Rh abotellyenth.-Wasinicsil
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