Earthstar Forums

That is a great experience you share with the group. We have many bald eagles living here this winter. I have already flown near them, but look forward to flying with them. I was able to log 5 hrs of flying during the month of January in Oklahoma ! A rare event for around here. I hope our extreme weather continues to be mild until Spring arrives.

Ya that was fun, kinda like having a dog with wings.
Happy Flying
Mark
Sent from my iPhone

"True Story: Laughing Gull Balloon Capture - 1987" by Terry Gibson, based on facts provided by Mark Beierle


Many, many years ago Mark was invited to a birthday party at a nearby home, down in the valley from his home. He prepared some Helium balloons to take to the children at the party, placed them into his Laughing Gull aircraft and took off to the party. Mark lands his Laughing Gull aircraft on the 250 foot driveway at the property where the birthday party is being held. Passes out the balloons to the children, then proceeds to enjoy the celebration. Later a small little girl comes up to Mark asking if he will please get her balloon that came loose from her hand and has sailed off into the blue skies. Mark sees that the balloon is still within site, and tells the little girl "sure, I can recover your balloon". Mark then jumps into his Laughing Gull aircraft and takes off into the blue skies near the town of Pozo. He flies slow at the altitude of around 2,000 feet. Mark spots the little balloon floating along in the sky and carefully maneuvers the Laughing Gull into position near the balloon. While getting as close as he can, Mark reaches out to grab the string attached to the little balloon. Success ! Mark pulls the balloon into the cabin of the Laughing Gull. After his successful recovery of the balloon, he flies back over to the birthday party and places the balloon into the hands of that little girl.
Only a small bird, that can fly very slowly, very carefully and very straight could ever do such a thing, Laughing Gull had carried Mark into the sky that day and helped make that one little girl so happy.
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Mark Beierle designed and built this Laughing Gull aircraft. Based on Mark's experience, newer and more advanced aircraft designs have emerged from Earthstar. Mark is a pioneer in the successful design of the all new electric powered aircraft he calls EGull. Laughing Gull being a pre curser to future designs like the Thundergull models, Odyssey, Gull 2000, and the electric EGull.
This Laughing Gull is a senior bird now, one that has provided much joy in the skies over California. The gentleman who flew her for some 28 years in California has since passed. He and his Laughing Gull shared many great adventures. Now this little bird will get a through checkout and will once again fly the blue skies in the southern plains of North America. Older and wiser, like her new owner, Terry Gibson will pilot and provide the loving care that will bond these two for many adventures in the years ahead.


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The Laughing Gull aircraft described in the above "True Story - Balloon Capture - 1987" is this exact aircraft I purchased from Mark in Dec/2015 and now located in Lost City, OKlahoma.
Terry Gibson


Also, that's all the history I have for now, until I can make some, Happy and Safe adventures to you all.

Mr. Gibson sure looks like a retired navy seal, ambidextrous with over 50 weapons & that photo ought to be a candidate for gun control campaigns
rc

Hi Rahul
Are you looking at some unrelated photos, I don't know what you are talking about.
Mark
Sent from my iPhone

Hi Mark,

The gentleman in this photo. 1st time I saw it, he looked a lot more SEALish..



and then, what's the white instrument with white anti glare on the inner side, on the top left of this panel? and the big red button on the joystick?



rc

(once i download them to the phone, just gets a bit harder to traceback, where in the forum folders I got it from; especially when they're not enumerated)

Hi Mark,

The gentleman in this photo. 1st time I saw it, he looked a lot more SEALish..



and then, what's the white instrument with white anti glare on the inner side, on the top left of this panel? and the big red button on the joystick?



rc

(once i download them to the phone, just gets a bit harder to traceback, where in the forum folders I got it from; especially when they're not enumerated)

The big red button is probably a push to talk
For the radio. The white thing looks to be a timer
To time flight duration.
I still don't get the Seal thing. You probably should
Hold your carictor judgments since it's not that kind of group.
Happy Flying
Mark

Sent from my iPhone