Breezy flying is a lot of things, but point and shoot, get there first, minimum time in the air it is not. Piloting the Breezy is about flying, getting off the ground, looking down, carving around, loitering about, just enjoying the sensation of flight and taking in the view from above.

The plane is a capable purpose-built machine. It gets off the ground in short order and climbs with ease. Takeoffs require just a bit of back stick for rotation and climb out angle, nothing out of the ordinary. The cruise is comfortable, and landings are stress free. The big engine and Cub-like wing get you up quick, and the draggy airframe brings you down without excess speed just as well. Short landing strips are a straightforward affair for the Breezy.

Sharing the flight with a passenger is a wonderful way to aviate, often inducing an infectious grin. My best attempts to describe the upcoming flight to a first-time passenger involve the mental graphic of mating wings to a motorcycle. The Breezy is stable in flight, but it will still do most anything you ask of it (within reason). If a little excitement is desired, wrapping it up in a tight 360, and looking down to watch as th2 wing appears to fly backward will usually bring a smile flying some ·nap of the earth is always a pleaser too, 25 to 50 feet off the deck following the contours of low hills and creek beds.

The plane will take you most anywhere you want to go while providing the full aviation experience along the way. There’s not much dial twisting or LCD monitoring, but the view is unobstructed, the wind is in your face, and you even experience the aromas of the local area. Flying over the blooming citrus orchards is preferred to loitering above large chicken ranches and cattle feed lots, but everything adds to the enjoyment.

I have given rides to many first-time fliers and seasoned pilots alike, and their individual experiences seem almost universal in description. The passengers with flight history tend to do more comparing and contrasting with their own flying, but overall the trip !eaves a deep impression of almost dreamlike flight. I’ve had only 0ne passenger admit to closing her eyes for some of the flight, but she was somewhat coerced into going by her husband, so I discount that example. By and large the participants have praised the experience. l know I sure don’t get tired of taking flights in the Breezy.

The logistics of piloting the Breezy are simple. Anything that isn’t mechanically held in place will blow away. If I am going into unfamiliar airspace, I strap my GPS to my thigh. All of the instruments, gauges and radios are easy to monitor and adjust from the front pilot’s seat. Many pilots have asked if it is difficult to fly without a front cowl or instrument panel to use as a horizon reference, and I always say, “No. it’s real’ easy.” But I qualify it with the statement that I have close to 400 hours in hang gliders, so my presumed need for a horizon reference may not be the same as it would be for someone who has only had flight time behind a cowl or dash. Most Breezys are flown by folks who have no hang-glider time, so I have to assume that it is fairly easy to get accustomed to the sight picture.

Crosswind landings are simple to handle by design due to the relatively small cross-sectional area of the fuselage. The wind just blows through the airframe and keeps on going. The wide stance of the main gear and the large distance from the front wheel to the main wheels make for a stable and straight-tracking rollout. Overall, the ease of piloting lets you focus on the sensation of flight and the quality of your flying experience. You gotta try it!

-Matt Hlavac