The sheer joy of flying

[stevedrew]

Dear Forum,
Found this in the November 2000 issue of Aviation History magazine, thought you might appreciate it.

It is a poem by young American volunteer pilot, John Gillespie Magee, who served in England and was KIA at 19.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth
On sun-split clouds-and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of-wheeled and soared and swung.
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air,
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue.
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor eagle flew -
And while with silent, lifting wind I've trod
The high, untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.


VBR

Steve Drew

I never really understood that poem until I started flying myself...

[Vigilant]

There are a set of modern footnotes to that poem that have been published in various aviation magazines. Along the lines of:

* Pilots are reminded that any sky dancing on laughter silvered wings must not infringe IFR airspace and must be carried out within sight of the ground and clear of cloud at all times.

Vigilant

This is one of those literary moments that leaves one with regret that you'll never know the author personally. I believe John Magee was a Canadian serving with the RAF, but shall always wonder what it might have been like to go flying with him and I hate to imagine his passing.... Don't you just know how much you would have liked him....
Regards, John

Although Magee joined the RCAF (and was killed in a flying accident) he was born of missionary parents in China and could be claimed equally by the United States and Britain. Ronald Reagen quoted from "High Flight" following the Challanger space shuttle tragedy. There is a recent biography of Magee (but I cannot recall author title and have not yet found it on the net - further proof that the internet is a river a mile and an inch deep). If you liked "High Flight", you may wish to consult THE COMPLETE WORKS OF JOHN MAGEE, THE PILOT POET, published by This England Books, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, 1989, with a biographical chapter composed by Stephen Garnett.

[Barrett]

Am not sure, but I sorta think that his biography has been released by Grub Street.

[Vin]

I wonder whether the blokes flying at high altitudes (oxygen deprivation) in winter (freezing extremities) in radial engined ‘planes (nausea from caster oil fumes) being shot at by German pilots (no parachute) felt the same as Magee ?


Vin

Well, fortunately if they didn't feel the same way, they always had the option of living in mud for 24 hours a day while being shelled constantly, and occassionally facing machine-gun and rifle fire when going over the top!

[mike_baram]

......or driving during the rush hour in Los Angeles.

[Barrett]

Vin cited castor oil fumes from radial engines. Actually, it was rotary engines. Otherwise I'd have never survived 15 years of flying behind those "externally lubricated" Wrights! For close tolerances and smooooth running you can't beat a Pratt & Whitney.
However, Merlins are way cool.