Airship Over Atherton

by Christopher Cummings

  “We put on ballast until it is in equilibrium with the air and it then floats at that altitude. In this case so it would be just off the ground, like dad was a few minutes ago. If need be I can release gas too,” Willy replied.

  Stephen made a huffing noise. “Huh! You release gas all the time!” he jibed.

  “Shut up Steve! How about it dad?”

  “Yes, alright. Hop on and we will add more ballast containers, but I insist on people holding the mooring rope.”

  Willy climbed aboard. Two more water containers were added. Not enough. Two more were added. The airship rose sluggishly when released. Two more containers of water were tied on. This time the airship just drifted slowly up. Another two were added- and the airship sank down onto the ground so that Willy had to put his feet down to hold the frame upright.

  “Too much. Half empty one,” he instructed.

  Stick dripped water out until the airship just drifted clear of the ground.

  “A bit more. I need a metre or so of clearance.”

  “Why is that? To get up over the mountains?” Stick laughed.

  After a bit more trial-and-error adjustment the airship floated two metres up. Willy’s father untied the mooring rope and knotted a bowline in the end of it.

  “Two of you hold this, one in the bowline,” he ordered. Stick got in the loop and Noddy took hold of the rope.

  “Leave it slack,” Willy instructed. He adjusted his position and looked around. The airship had begun to drift sideways across the field in the breeze.

  “This is fun! Out of the way everyone!” Willy cried. He began to pedal. The airship started to push forward through the air. Willy could feel the breeze on his face and saw the ground sliding past just under his feet. He felt a tremendous sense of achievement.

  “I did it! I did it! She flies!” he cried exultantly.

  He pedalled harder. The airship began to rock and sway. The front of the frame bumped the ground and snagged in the grass. Willy sat back and eased up on his pedalling. He became aware that his progress was crabwise under the influence of a cross-wind. He tried turning the steering to compensate, using a tree on the far side of the field as an aiming mark.

  As the airship flew slowly along Willy glanced back to check the rudder was working. The sight of the flickering disc of the propeller just behind him gave him a delicious compound of thrill and satisfaction. Stick and Noddy trotted along at the end of the rope, followed by Stephen and Marjorie.

  It then dawned on Willy that the trees ahead were starting to loom large. “I’d better try to turn around. I wonder how she performs beam on to the wind?” he muttered. He turned the steering and pedalled hard.

  The wind had been slightly abaft his starboard beam. Willy tried to turn to port. He saw the trees ahead seem to slide away to his right. As they did he put the rudder over to stop the swing, then centred the steering. To his consternation the airship continued to swing so that within a moment it was facing back the way he had come, but still rotating to the left; all the while drifting backwards towards the trees.

  Willy took a look behind him at the rapidly approaching trees and stood up the pedals while giving a slight starboard rudder. The gears growled and the chains whined and rattled making the propeller spin with a trembling ‘vrrrrr!’

  The backward movement over the ground stopped. Willy kept on pedalling. Slowly the airship began to inch forward against the breeze. It seemed to take forever before it picked up any noticeable speed. Willy began to puff and perspire and wondered if he should call out to Stick to haul on the rope.

  However, once he had overcome the initial inertia the airship began to push forward at a walking pace. Stick and Noddy easily kept pace beside him, keeping the line slack. Marjorie trotted along beside him, skipping and smiling and calling encouragement. Willy managed a smile but he was starting to tire and puff. The shed began to grow larger and the features of the waiting people became distinct.

  Willy decided he would finish in style. He began to pedal as hard as he could and started a slight turn to port with the intention of bringing the airship around to face down the field again. The propeller hummed and the airship took on a definite nose-up attitude and began to climb. Willy was astonished at how quickly it climbed. Within a few seconds he was ten metres up and Stick was dragging on the line.

  “She’s gone aerodynamic with the wind under the nose,” Stick called. “Help me Noddy, Stephen.”

  Willy eased up on his pedalling- had to anyway as he was out of breath and had the beginnings of a painful stitch in his right side. The airship began to sink. Willy gave more left rudder and it suddenly yawed badly, went nose down and he had to pedal frantically to recover steerage speed. The airship turned sharply beam on to the wind and began a distinct crab-wise movement again.

  As the airship lost altitude Willy’s father and Stephen ran over and reached up to grasp the frame.

  “OK Willy, stop pedalling,” his father ordered.

  Willy did so. He climbed down and stood gripping the frame, his legs trembling from the effort.

  “Phew! That was hot work. What fun!” he cried, wiping perspiration from his eyes.

  Marjorie ran over, her face alight with happiness. “Oh Willy, that was wonderful!” she cried. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. Willy was too excited to care and responded with a hug.

  “Who’s next?” Willy’s father asked.

  “Me please,” Stick asked.

  “OK. That’s fair. You ran with the mooring line. Stephen, you take the mooring rope this time and you can go next.”

  Willy eased Marjorie’s arms from around his neck. “Be careful Stick. She’s a bit awkward to steer,” he cautioned.

  They all laughed. “Bit awkward!” Stephen howled. “When you did that pirouette at the end of the field we thought for sure you were going to do a back somersault!”

  “Yeah well. So don’t wreck her Stick. Be careful on the turns,” Willy said.

  Stick nodded. “I will. I think she just jibed, like a sailboat changing tack on a downwind reach. I’ll try turning up into the wind.”

  After a few more words of advice Stick mounted and began pedalling. The airship moved off down the field. Willy stood and watched apprehensively. He wanted to run along with it in case of problems but was still too puffed.

  Stick was a careful pilot. He turned smoothly when only half way down the field and came back with barely a wobble. Stephen then climbed on and Noddy took the mooring rope. Stephen wasn’t as heavy and the airship rose several metres before steadying. Willy worried and walked along behind him as he pedalled down the field. As they turned Willy saw a vehicle arrive at the shed. It was the family from the next farm. They had driven over to see the spectacle.

  Then it was Noddy’s turn. They had to haul on the mooring line to get Stephen down. He climbed off and Noddy climbed on. Noddy was too heavy. The frame rested on the ground.

  “You great lump Noddy,” Stick said. “We will have to release some ballast.”

  “Yeah, OK,” Noddy answered. He reached forward and, before Willy could utter a word, had jerked at the cords holding the ballast containers. The slip knots came undone and six ballast containers fell off. The airship suddenly shot up. Marjorie and Stick both grabbed at it and managed to hold it.

  “You bloody nong Noddy!” Stick cried as he dangled from one end of the frame; Stephen having let go of the other end. Willy had the mooring rope and it was almost jerked from his grasp. He gripped it tight and hung on. Stick’s feet lifted two metres off the ground and Marjorie was on tip-toe. For a moment Willy thought the airship was going to lift off with all of them but then their combined weight told and it settled back to earth.

  “Silly bugger Noddy!” Willy snapped. “We meant empty a bit from one container, not jettison the bloody lot!”

  They tied on two containers and tested the flotation. The airship rose up to nearly its full height. It was pulled down and two more containers tied on. Then i
t floated at about four metres.

  “OK Noddy, pedal,” Willy said.

  Nothing happened. Willy looked and saw that Noddy was sitting rigid, staring straight to his front. He was gripping the handlebars tightly and his face was beaded with sweat.

  “Start pedalling Noddy,” Stick cried.

  “Too high. Get me down,” Noddy cried. He was just above their heads.

  “You’ll be right. Get going,” Stick urged.

  “No. Too high! Let me off,” Noddy replied.

  For several minutes Noddy sat there while they tried to encourage him to have a go but no amount of talking would budge him. They pulled him down and tied on one more ballast container and adjusted the trim. Noddy trembled slightly and kept licking his lips and blinking as sweat ran into his eyes.

  “Come on Noddy, pedal,” Willy urged.

  “Don’t be such a sook,” Stephen said. “Your bloody feet are nearly dragging on the ground.”

  Noddy looked down and gave a sickly grin. He wiped his face and reluctantly began to pedal. As the airship slid slowly forward Willy walked with it, the loop of the mooring line around his waist.

  After only about fifty paces Noddy began turning.

  “What are you doing?” Willy asked in surprise.

  “Going back. That is far enough,” Noddy replied. He pushed the steering hard over.

  “Not that way! The other way!” Willy called.

  Too late. The stern of the airship swung round. Willy had to throw himself flat to avoid being struck. He felt the frame touch his back as it passed over. Worse, his hands were impaled by dozens of small burs. He scrambled up, dusting himself and shouting in alarm.

  “Pedal Noddy, pedal!”

  The airship swung completely round, then began a second rotation. Noddy made no attempt to pedal. He seemed to be frozen in place. Willy braced himself and dug his heels in. The strain came on the mooring line. He felt it pulling him over so he leaned hard backwards. His feet slipped and he fell onto his backside and began sliding along through the dust and burs.

  With an effort Willy scrambled to his feet. He ran towards the still rotating airship which was drifting slowly towards the trees. As the frame swung towards him Willy lunged at it. He grabbed hold and hung on. He lost his footing and went down on his knees but he hung on and his weight pulled it down into the dust.

  Marjorie, Stick and Stephen all came racing up and also grabbed the frame. Willy started to get to his feet. He noticed Noddy fumbling with the seat belt.

  “Stay on Noddy, till we have it under control!” he yelled.

  Noddy ignored him. He flung off the seat belt and tumbled down in a scurry of legs, arms and dust. The others hung on. Willy’s father and mother and Shona joined them and helped steady the machine. Stephen began to swear until Willy’s father sharply reproved him: “That will do. No harm has been done. Good training for the ground crew. Now, Marjorie, your go.”

  “Oh no! Not me Dr Williams. You have a go,” Marjorie cried.

  “I will in a minute. You go first.”

  “Oh I couldn’t. I’m scared,” Marjorie replied, shaking her head. She glanced at Willy. He stood up and gripped the frame.

  “We will hold it steady,” he said encouragingly. “Go on, have a go.”

  “We need more ballast,” Stick said. “Marjorie’s not as fat as Noddy.”

  “I’m not fat!” Marjorie replied hotly.

  “OK Sis. It’s just your big bum,” Stick said.

  “Don’t be horrible Stick,” Willy said. “Come on Marjorie, hop on. We will walk the airship back to the shed before you start.”

  Marjorie reluctantly climbed on and settled herself on the seat. They walked the airship back to the shed and added two more water containers. Willy helped steady Marjorie while this was done and he ensured she had the safety belt correctly fastened. When they had she gave Willy a nervous thanks. She was very pale and her freckles stood out clearly. She bit her lip and looked anxious.

  Once the airship was lined up facing down the field Willy said: “OK Marjorie, start pedalling. I will come with you.”

  The others let go and Marjorie started pedalling. Willy still had the rope looped around his waist and the others walked along behind ready to assist. As the airship began moving forward Willy grinned at Marjorie and gave her a ‘thumbs up’. She managed a smile in return and continued pedalling. Willy then moved out to the side to be well clear of the propeller.

  Marjorie also only went fifty metres before asking for instructions on how to turn. Stick ran to the front of the frame and helped pull it around when it was found she could not pedal fast enough to get steerage way. When the airship was around Marjorie was unable to pedal fast enough to make any headway against the breeze so Willy walked along in front and used the mooring rope as a tow line.

  When they arrived back at the shed he helped steady the frame while she climbed down.

  “Good girl!” he applauded. She beamed with pleasure.

  Willy’s father then had a go. Stick took the rope. Willy and the others followed, just in case, as the breeze was noticeably stronger. Willy’s father took the airship right down to the end of the field, then across one side, moving crab-wise in the wind and pedalling furiously, then back to the shed. As he dismounted Willy turned to his mother.

  “What about you Mum?”

  “No thanks. Not for me. I’ll just take the photos. Besides, here comes Aunty Isabel. It is time for breakfast.”

  Willy glanced at his watch. He was astonished to see that it was 8:30. They had been with the airship for nearly three hours. It was tied securely to the tractor and they all began walking back to the house. Willy’s father clapped him on the back and put an arm around his shoulders.

  “Well done son. She’s a great success: a real airship!”

  Willy breathed in deeply and glowed with pleasure. He felt he had never been happier in his whole life.

  CHAPTER 21

  NODDY’S FLIGHT

  After a large breakfast of cereal, bacon and eggs, toast and honey, all washed down by fruit juice, Willy led the way back to the shed. They each had another flight except Noddy. Willy released ballast so as to fly about five metres up. He made two circuits of the field, claiming this right as the inventor.

  His first circuit was a triangle:- down with the breeze on his starboard beam; then broadside on across the bottom of the field; and back with the wind on his port bow. He was up level with the tree canopy and found it a thrill a minute. On his second run he did a large oblong around the perimeter of the paddock. Reluctantly and apprehensively he surrendered his place to Stick.

  Stick also did a ‘high level’ run, with Noddy holding the mooring line. Stick seemed to manage effortlessly and showed much better control than Willy. He handed over to Marjorie who did a short, low-level circuit near the shed. She was soon out of breath and was happy to hand over to Stephen.

  Stephen insisted on a ‘high-level’ run and released ballast until he was ten metres up, close to the limit of the mooring rope which was now held by Willy. Stephen began by pedalling beam on to the breeze with Willy trotting along below.

  “Be careful Stephen,” he cried. “The wind is getting up and it has changed direction. It is coming more from the north.”

  “It’ll be right,” Stephen called down. He pedalled faster, causing the airship to rock alarmingly and to move so fast Willy was soon short of breath as he ran to keep up.

  Stephen then turned downwind and pedalled as hard as he could. Willy had to run as fast as he could to keep up.

  “Slow down Stephen,” he gasped. “Start turning now, you are getting too close to those trees.”

  Stephen called back that more speed would make the airship more manageable and kept on.

  “Turn Stephen! Turn!” Willy cried. He was so winded he could only croak it out. Stephen put the rudder hard over and pedalled furiously. The airship slewed around, shuddered visibly, slowed down and yawed violently. Stephen cried out in ala
rm as the nose began to pitch up and down.

  Willy stopped running and threw his weight against the bowline around his waist. The airship pivoted and stopped, then hauled him off his feet as the wind took charge. Willy found himself being dragged face first across the dust and prickles.

  “Steve! Pedal! Turn upwind,” he shouted.

  Stephen tried but the breeze took control and simply pushed the airship sideways. Willy tried to regain his feet to dig in his heels but was just dragged along. To his consternation he saw the barbed wire boundary fence coming but could do nothing to avoid it.

  “Yaargh!” he screamed as he was dragged against the fence. The barbs bit deep into his chest, stomach and thighs. The rope tightened against his chest. For a horrible moment he thought he was going to be scraped up over the top strand of barbed wire. Then the rope went slack. He looked up.

  The airship had snagged in the trees. A frightened and angry Stephen yelled down to be pulled clear. Willy could do nothing. The pressure of the rope again forced him hard against the fence, causing him to cry out in pain.

  Running figures materialized. Willy’s father grabbed the rope and heaved to create some slack. Stick and Noddy joined him, then Marjorie and Shona. Willy was eased off the fence. Blood showed but Willy was more concerned about his airship than his scratches. Overhead he could hear branches splintering.

  With an effort they hauled the airship clear. It snagged for a moment before something snapped and it then came down easily, stern first. Stephen scrambled off as soon as it was low enough and hastened to unbuckle the safety harness.

  Willy stood back and exmaine3d the blood trickling to mingle with the dust and grass all over his front. His temper flared. “You silly bugger Steve! You’ve wrecked my airship!” he cried, pain fuelling his anger.

  “You should have pulled harder,” Stephen retorted.

  “I tried. You were going too fast, and you should have turned a lot sooner,” Willy shouted.

  Willy’s father stepped between them. “That’s enough. It was an error of judgement. We are only in the experimental stage so mistakes are bound to be made. Now, let’s tow the airship back to the shed and examine the damage. Willy, you get your mother to look at those lacerations; and she can give you a tetanus shot as well.”