Chapter 7: Lets Go Fly A Kite

Mark climbed into the pilot’s seat and strapped himself in. He checked he could speak to Joey through his head set and Joey spoke back again. Then Joey heard Mark call the control tower and tell them he was ready to take off.

They waited for several minutes then just as the control tower told him he was cleared to take off, a steward came along and moved the safety tape between them and the runway.

As they pulled out onto the runway, Joey waved excitedly to Andrew who waved back. Mark moved out into the middle of the grass strip that was the runway and faced into the wind. He did a final check on his control’s, and they started moving along the runway going faster and faster.

Although the take-off speed is rarely over fifty miles an hour, it’s very close to the ground. With its open build and being very noisy, it always seems to the uninitiated as if you’re doing a hundred and fifty.

In quite a short distance, Joey felt the change in vibration and sound as they left the ground. They soared up high. Down beneath them they could see roads, railways, canals and rivers. Then Mark went in a big circle going higher and higher as he went.

‘Most people flying today are taking off, going up about five hundred feet, doing a circle and landing again.’ Mark told him through the intercom. ‘But the maximum safe height for a microlight is ten thousand feet.

As it’s your first ever flight in anything and you’re a friend of Andrew, I’m taking you up to ten thousand feet. To do that we’ll need to do a much wider circle, so we’ll be airborne a lot longer.’

‘The higher we go, the colder it gets.’ he said, ‘So as you haven’t got a flying suit on to insulate you, if it gets too cold for you tell me right away.’ ‘I will,’ Joey said thinking it would have become extremely cold before he would be doing that. ‘Thank you so much, this is wonderful.’

When Mark told him they had reached ten thousand feet, he looked out in all directions. Way over in the distance he could see the Royal Liver Buildings on the River Mersey and North Wales far beyond. Looking over the edge of his seat he could see straight down to the ground and saw cars and trains, even a ship on the Manchester Ship Canal, all looking like models.

People looked like ants. As they flew along Mark told him, ‘Once you’re flying straight, it almost flies itself. I hardly need to hold the steering bar. Watch.’ he said and took his hands off completely. They flew on as if nothing had happened.

‘I’m not going to,’ Mark said, ‘But if I didn’t hold it for hours we would just fly on reasonably straight, unless the wind got up.’ He took hold again. ‘If you look over far to your left,’ Mark said, ‘You’ll see a big jet plane just taking off from Ringway.’

Joey watched it climb slowly up into the sky then disappear into the clouds. ‘We’re at ten thousand feet,’ Mark said, ‘So we’re just under two miles high. That jet will probably fly most of its journey at seven miles high.’

‘If you reach over my head and take hold of the bar by my hands,’ Mark said, ‘You will feel how little movement I have to make to keep us on course.’

‘Have you got a firm but relaxed hold?’ he asked. ‘Yes.’ Joey said. Mark took his hands away completely. ‘Well, now you are the pilot.’ he said. He left him to it for several minutes then took hold again. ‘Ok, I have control.’ he said. Joey let go. He felt so excited.

He could see they were making a very big circle. The airfield was just visible way below in the distance. ‘We have to go round so we can land at the same end of the runway we started our take off from,’ Mark told him. ‘An aeroplane always takes off or lands into the wind.’

He started descending a little, but it was so gentle Joey didn’t notice until they were past five thousand feet. He spotted the Trafford Centre in the distance, a vast and well-known shopping centre.

Mark contacted the control tower for permission to land. ‘You’re third in line,’ he was told, ‘Stay on your present flight path.’ As they eased down lower and came round Mark pointed out the motorway they had to cross over just before landing.

‘Because of the height of the motorway lights, we have to come in high enough to clear them safely,’ he said. ‘Then once we have crossed over them, we have to drop sharply to the runway, so when you feel us dropping, don’t worry.’

‘Roger.’ Joey replied. As they approached the motorway the control tower came on and said, ‘You’re cleared to land.’ Mark acknowledged and soon they were crossing over the motorway.

Then suddenly they dropped sharply and were flying along a few feet above the ground. They didn’t go far before the wheels touched down gently and they raced along the runway.

Looking over the side and seeing the ground racing past so close was a bit unnerving. It crossed his mind it was a bit like doing a hundred miles an hour in a baby’s pram. However, they raced along the runway uneventfully and soon slowed down to a stop.

Mark immediately moved off again and taxied back into his parking spot where the steward was waiting to put the safety tape back. As the engine shut off Joey realised just how noisy it had been.

They got out and Joey returned his helmet. He thanked Mark for taking him up. ‘It was an amazing experience and I’ll always remember it.’ he told him. Mark shook his hand. ‘Glad you enjoyed it.’ he said. They walked over to Andrew.

Joey ran the last few feet and gave Andrew a hug. ‘That was fantastic,’ he said, ‘Mark even let me fly it.’ ‘Thanks mate.’ Andrew said to Mark as he hugged Joey back. He reached one hand out and slipped him a twenty-pound note for the charity pot without Joey seeing it.

They headed back to the car, stopping to look at a few other ordinary planes on the way. ‘Perhaps next year we could come again, and you can try one of those.’ Andrew said.

Joey clearly liked that idea, then as they walked on, he was quiet and thoughtful. He had been pleased when Andrew started spending more time with them, because he had taken a liking to him. But him talking about a trip out next year suggested he was still going to be around then.

Joeys first thought was to feel happy at the idea. Then it started his mind turning in a different direction. He started to think about how much his mum liked Andrew too and how much happier she had seemed since he came on the scene.

Initially he had just put it down to Lewis getting her the house, but now he thought about it more he realised it was Andrew, not the house who was responsible.

They had got back in the car by now and Andrew had noticed how quiet he had gone. ‘Joey,’ he said, ‘I know Lewis will probably always be your first choice and I understand that. But Lewis will be going to university soon and won’t be around. I just want you to know that you can always ask me anything without feeling I’m going to either laugh at you or repeat it to anyone.’ He stressed the anyone.

Joey smiled at him, ‘Thank you,’ he said, ‘Can I ask you something now?’ ‘Of course.’ Andrew said. Joey swallowed then said, ‘Do you want to marry my mum?’ ‘What makes you ask that?’ Andrew said. ‘I’ve just realised that the reason mum is so much happier now is not getting the house, it’s because you are in our lives.’ he said.

‘How would you feel about it if I did?’ Andrew asked. There was no hesitation with Joeys answer. ‘I’d love to have you as my dad.’ he said. They leaned together and hugged. Andrew kissed Joey on his cheek. ‘Thank you for that, son.’ he said.

As they parted, Andrew said, ‘To answer your question, let me tell you that I have been wondering all week how to ask you a question today. My question was going to be, ‘Joey, can I have your permission to ask your mum to marry me?’

Joeys face lit up. ‘Well, I think you already know my answer is a resounding yes.’ he said. They hugged once more. ‘I was hoping to propose after our meal tonight,’ Andrew said. ‘But I think I’ll do it as soon as we get home now, then our meal out can be a celebration. Assuming your mum says yes of course.’ he added.