High Flyer
They were 'Proctors' and 'Jackaroos' in those days.
Single wing aeroplanes,
two and four seaters,
either open engines, or open under your seat.
Exciting for a seventeen year old.
I went up with the commercial pilots,
logging up their flying hours.
Take off! Climb! Spin on one wing!
Roll! - 'keep looking forward! ',
Stall! - That was the most terrifying thing of all,
not knowing whether the engine would start firing up again.
There were no parachutes, of course.
Flying along the south coast of England,
around the Isle of Wight,
looking down on a 'patchwork' of fields, farms,
towns and villages,
all viewed in 'miniature'.
Those were the days when one felt immortal,
and there was something very romantic
about pilots who flew beyond the clouds.
That death defying, daredevil image.
Somehow, you didn't seem to suffer from nerves
when you were only seventeen, you just had an appetite
to sample the great, unknown, blue yonder.
Now I prefer to have my feet planted firmly on terra firma.
But Oh! those times when I was once a 'High Flyer'.
What memories!
Chocks away.............! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
poem by Ernestine Northover
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Related quotes
Red Baron / Blue Max
The son of a major, Prussian nobleman
His name bestowed by a holy Roman
The war broke out, and looked to the air
24 hours of training he was there
100 miles an hour, top speed his plane would fly
and if he flew behind you, you know you're sure to die
Eighty kills, that are confirmed
While other pilots have so much more to learn
Red Baron! Blue Max! The albatross flies high
Red Baron! Blue Max! He's got you in his sights
The Red-Battle Flyer
Roll right fire
He sees no faces
The ace of aces
His British quarry flew a reckless flight
A shot from the ground took the red baron's life
He flew with honor, he flew with pride
In 1918, The battle flyer died
Chorus
The red baron...Blue max!
The albatross flies high
The red baron...Blue max!
He's got you in his sight!
song performed by by Iced Earth
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Love of Flying
Houston Texas I was there,
when war planes flew in the air.
Yes, an air show with fighter jets,
flying through the air on many bets.
Making it safely to the ground,
pilots landing with no frowns.
Taking photos with pilots
who flew,
Chucky posed smiling gracefully too.
Chucky at 75,
learned to fly.
Yes, he would leave a message
saying he was in the air,
flying over Krendoll island without a care.
How I wish he was still here,
like Jean for they both share.
The love of flying now Everywhere.
Written by Christina Sunrise on Feb.9,2011
poem by Suzae Chevalier
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Love Of Flying
Houston Texas I was there,
when war planes flew in the air.
Yes, an air show with fighter jets,
flying through the air on many bets.
Making it safely to the ground,
pilots landing with no frowns.
Taking photos with pilots
who flew,
Chucky posed smiling gracefully too.
Chucky at 75,
learned to fly.
Yes, he would leave a message
saying he was in the air,
flying over Krendoll island without a care.
How I wish he was still here,
like Jean for they both share.
The love of flying now Everywhere.
Written by Christina Sunrise on Feb.9,2011
poem by Christina Sunrise
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Seventeen
Late last night
I get a call from a so-called friend
He wouldnt give his name
Says he saw you with another man
Feels like seventeen years
Its only seventeen days
Since I saw the real you
And I let you walk away
You left me broken
You left me stranded
The way you play this game of love
Its just plain underhanded
I spent a lot of time
And I spent all my money
Dont want no other fool
To put his hands on you
Who you been talkin to?
Yeah who you been walkin with?
Seventeen, youre just seventeen
Seventeen
They said I was playin with fire
I knew I had to take a chance
I had to take you higher
To a new experience
But little did I know
Id never get that far
Girl, you know you put on quite a show
Youre gonna be a star
When you grow older, girl
Youll remember I told you, girl
Seventeen, youre just seventeen
Seventeen, seventeen
Seventeen, youre just seventeen
Seventeen, seventeen
Seventeen, youre only seventeen
Seventeen, seventeen
song performed by by Foreigner
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Parting
The year is on the wing, my love,
With tearful days and nights;
The clouds are on the wing above
With gathering swallow-flights.
The year is on the wing, my sweet,
And in the ghostly race,
With patter of unnumbered feet,
The dead leaves fly apace.
The year is on the wing, and shakes
The last rose from its tree;
And I, whose heart in parting breaks,
Must bid adieu to thee.
poem by Mathilde Blind
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Pilots take no special joy in walking. Pilots like flying.
quote by Neil Armstrong
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Want An Alien For Christmas
This year for christmas
Theres something Id really like
So if youre up there somewhere santa
Please dont bring me another bike
I dont need any ugly sweaters
And I dont play much basketball
But theres something kinda special
That I want most of all...
I want an alien for christmas
Bring me an alien this year
I want a little green guy
About three feet high
With seventeen eyes
Who knows how to fly
I want an alien for christmas this year
He can live in the bath tub
So dont worry about a thing
And Ill take him out for walks
When it gets nicer in the spring
Ill always keep him company
Hell never be alone
And we can hang around the house all day
And watch the twilight zone
I want an alien for christmas
Bring me an alien this year
I want a little green guy
About three feet high
With seventeen eyes
Who knows how to fly
I want an alien for christmas this year
I want an alien for christmas
Bring me an alien this year
I want a little green guy
About three feet high
With seventeen eyes
Who knows how to fly
I want an alien for christmas this year
I want an alien for christmas this year
song performed by by Fountains Of Wayne
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Treetop Flyer
[transcribed by sean c]
By stephen stills(? )
I could be a rambler from the seven dials
I dont pay taxes cause I never file
I dont do bidness that dont make me smile
I love my aeroplane cause shes got style
Im a treetop flyer
Treetop flyer
I fly any cargo that you can pay to run
The bush league pilots, they just cant get the job done
Youve got to fly down the canyon, dont never see the sun
Theres no such thing as an easy run
Im a treetop flyer
Treetop flyer
I fly low, Im in high demand
Go 15 feet over the rio grande
I blow the mesquite right up off the sand
Im seldon seen, specially when I land
Im a treetop flyer
Born survivor
Now people been askin me whered you learn to fly that way
Was over in vietnam, chasin the nva
The government taught me, and they taught me right
Stay down below the treeline and youll be alright
Im a treetop flyer
Born survivor
So Im comin home, Im runnin low and fast
Promised my woman this is gonna be my last
I get the ship down, I tie her fast
And then some old boy wakes up, and he says, hey son,
Wanna make some fast cash?
Im a treetop flyer
Well theres things I am
And theres things I am not
Yes Im a smuggler and I could get shot
I aint gonna die, I aint going to get caught
You see Im a flying fool, and this aeroplane is, whoo, hot
Im a treetop flyer
Born survivor
Workin alone
song performed by by Jimmy Buffett
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Gulf Coast Highway (feat. Willie Nelson)
(Nanci Griffith)
Gulf coast highway, he worked the rails
He worked the rice fields with their cold dark wells
He worked the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico
The only thing we've owned is this old house here by the road
And when he dies he says he'll catch some blackbird's wing
And we will fly away to heaven
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring
She walked through springtime when I was home
The days were sweet, our nights were warm
The seasons changed, the jobs would come
The flowers fade, and this old house felt so alone
When the work took me away
And when she dies she says she'll catch some blackbird's wing
And she will fly away to heaven
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring
Highway 90, the jobs are gone
We kept our garden, we set the sun
This is the only place on Earth blue bonnets grow
And once a year they come and go
At this old house here by the road
And when we die we say we'll catch some blackbird's wing
And we will fly away to heaven
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring
Yes when we die we say we'll catch some blackbird's wing
And we will fly away together
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring
song performed by by Emmylou Harris
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Gulf Coast Highway
(nanci griffith)
Gulf coast highway, he worked the rails
He worked the rice fields with their cold dark wells
He worked the oil rigs in the gulf of mexico
The only thing weve owned is this old house here by the road
And when he dies he says hell catch some blackbirds wing
And we will fly away to heaven
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring
She walked through springtime when I was home
The days were sweet, our nights were warm
The seasons changed, the jobs would come
The flowers fade, and this old house felt so alone
When the work took me away
And when she dies she says shell catch some blackbirds wing
And she will fly away to heaven
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring
Highway 90, the jobs are gone
We kept our garden, we set the sun
This is the only place on earth blue bonnets grow
And once a year they come and go
At this old house here by the road
And when we die we say well catch some blackbirds wing
And we will fly away to heaven
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring
Yes when we die we say well catch some blackbirds wing
And we will fly away together
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring
song performed by by Emmylou Harris
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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17 Again
Yay though we venture through
The valley of the stars
You and all your jewelry
And my bleeding heart
Who couldnt be together
And who could not be apart
We shouldve jumped out
Of that airplane after all
Flying skyways overhead
It wasnt hard to fall
And I had so many crashes
That I couldnt feel
At all...
And it feels like
Im seventeen again
Feels like Im seventeen
Times might break you
God forsake you
Leave you burned and bruised
Innocence will teach you
What it feels like to be used
Thought that youd done everything
You didnt have a clue
And it feels like
Im seventeen again
Feels like Im seventeen
Looking from the outside in
Some things never change
Hey hey Im a million miles away
Funny how it seems like yesterday ...
All those fake celebrities
And all those viscous queens
All the stupid papers
And the stupid magazines
Sweet dreams are made of anything
That gets you in the scene
And it feels like
Im seventeen again
Feels like Im seventeen
Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree
I travel the world and the seven seas
Everybodys looking for something
Yea
song performed by by Eurythmics
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Days Go By
I'm changing lanes
I'm talking on the phone
I'm drivin' way to fast
And the interstate's jammed with
Gunners like me afraid of coming in last
But somewhere in the race we run
We're coming undone
Days go by
I can feel 'em flying
Like a hand out the window in the wind as the cars go by
It's all we've been given
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by
Out on the roof just the other night
I watched the world flash by
Headlights, taillights running through a river of neon signs
But somewhere in the rush I felt
We're losing ourselves
Days go by
I can feel 'em flying
Like a hand out the window in the wind as the cars go by
It's all we've been given
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by
We think about tomorrow then it slips away
We talk about forever but we've only got today
And the days go by
I can feel 'em flying
Like a hand out the window
As the cars go by
It's all we've been given
So you better start livin'
You better start livin'
Better start livin' right now
Cause days go by
I can feel like 'em flying
Like a hand out the window in the wind as the cars go by
It's all we've been given
So you better start livin' right now
Cause days go by
These days go by
So take 'em by the hand
They're yours and mine
Take 'em by the hand
And live your life
Take 'em by the hand
Don't let 'em all fly by
Come on, Come on now
Don't you know the days go by
song performed by by Keith Urban
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Swallows in the summertime
Swallows in the summertime
The swallows have returned again,
Reminding me of those halcyon days of my youth,
Many years have passed since those blissful days,
I would spend many happy evenings watch them dart around.
The swallows always return each summer,
Spreading their joyful wings over England's green and pleasant land,
Every summer I wonder how many more times will I see the return,
Although it's summer again, I ‘am approaching the winter of my life.
When the swallows return again next year again,
I wonder if I will still be here to see them again,
Flying on the wing under the clear blue skies of summer,
If I ‘am, I will sit by the babbling brook and watch their dance once more.
If I see the swallows return once more,
I will remember those summer days of long ago,
When I was a lad and the countryside seemed to go on forever,
And in my mind I will be young again.
By Christopher Tye
poem by Christopher Tye
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Seventeen
(track 2 - time 3:18)
(aimee mayo/bill luther/chris lindsey)
Backseat of her daddys car
I was trying not to go too far
Kept thinking about the words the preacherman said
Lightnin flashed across the sky
I saw love in a young girls eyes
And thats a look you never forget
Seventeen only comes once in a lifetime
Dont it just fly by wild and free
Goin any way the wind blew baby
Seventeen livin on crazy dreams
Rock and roll and faded blue jeans
And standing on the edge of everything
Seventeen
Legs hangin off the bayou bridge
Feedin fish potato chips
And talkin about the mysteries of the universe
Yeah the world was somewhere else
We had the summer all to ourselves
And the stars went off like fireworks
Seventeen only comes once in a lifetime
Dont it just fly by wild and free
Goin any way the wind blew baby
Seventeen livin on crazy dreams
Rock and roll and faded blue jeans
And standing on the edge of everything
Seventeen
Seventeen only comes once in a lifetime
Dont it just fly by wild and free
Goin any way the wind blew baby
Seventeen livin on crazy dreams
Rock and roll and faded blue jeans
And standing on the edge of everything
Seventeen
Yeah seventeen
Sweet seventeen
song performed by by Tim McGraw
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Days
The days
Are flying
By, like the
Aeroplanes
In the sky…
I'm waving
At them,
Wishing
Them all
Goodbye!
Knowing
That -
The planes
Will make
Their
Return
Trips -
But the
Days,
Gone by,
Will never
Come by…
poem by Aparna Chatterjee
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Museum of Women Pilots
They were ladies with a task at hand
In an area unknown to most
Usually when it comes to flying
The women would only host
But this museum is dedicated to
The women who learned to fly
If you knew of their determination
You never would ask why
We all know about Amelia Earhart
But she was only one of many
Who knew in the core of their hearts
They had to make flying their journey
We honor them every single one
In a place where they have special slots
In history forever and ever
The museum of women pilots!
poem by Marilyn Lott
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At Seventeen
I remember you when you were only seventeen
the sun was high above us then
and all the fields were green
and dressed in grey and white
the world was at your feet
but you'd no time for fame or lights
you were myth made real
and every part of me believed
I remember dancing in your arms at Christmas time
the local band played Maggie May;
the world was out of sight
and you were harmony
in every move you made
and I was just a teenage fool
with sense enough to pray
that I might spend some time with you
(chorus)
And now you've crossed the great divide
Your pain is gone, at such a price
And I will think of you, in grey and white,
I will think of you on autumn nights
I will think of you at Christmas time
And I'll think of when your lips touched mine
And I'll remember you at seventeen
When the sun was high
and all the fields were green
I remember you outside the gym when we were young
your eyes were full of sunshine,
there was passion on your tongue
I didn't have the words
to tell you how I felt
but still you took my hand, and walked
where love rose and fell
and I'll remember when we touched
And now you've crossed the great divide
Your pain is gone, at such a price
And I will think of you, in grey and white,
I will think of you on autumn nights
I will think of you at Christmas time
And I'll think of when your lips touched mine
And I'll remember you at seventeen
When the sun was high
and all the fields were green
13 03 2010
Battle Of Britain: Attacking Enemy Aircraft
Life is diced in fatal split seconds agonized flying.
Hurricane's weakness is comparative acceleration
offset by frame design extreme strength ruggedness.
Spitfire Me109 are dueling paired equals between
12,000 and 17,000 feet but above cut 20,000 feet;
Messerschmitt preys supreme out dived opponents;
but required much more skilled physical effort to fly.
Weak narrow undercarriage caused many fatal accidents
in take off especially landings in cramped cockpit but;
over Battle of Britain skies skill fate decides who dies?
Nazi Germany flies fighter aircraft veteran blood bathed legions.
Me109B-C models achieved blooded success in Civil War Spain.
Legion Condor's fighter unit spat swift death in floods of flames.
Lufwaffe's most successful wartime fighter pilots many received
operational blooding in Spain on developing early Me109 models.
August 1940 twenty-three Gruppen are in action on Channel front;
equipped mainly with new improved Me109E-3 which mounted;
death two machine guns in the nose two machine guns in the wings.
Nerves stretch various strengths shortcomings of Nazi Messerschmitt;
against RAF Hurricane RAF Spitfire largely cancelled out in combat.
Radar warns mass attacking enemy aircraft are;
coming in fighters fast scramble climb how far?
Operational heights gunfights haunt shot bar!
Good pilots dance a screaming dive dice death
combat inexperience quickly sliced new deck!
Youth pilots strapped into rotating blades in flight;
powered motors surge at prey target enemy bomber bay.
Rain of steel or bombs away a deadly game to play!
Good pilots trace desperate spins loops sky dives
roulette wheel slots death chanced blacks to reds!
Compasses fuel gauges throttle spinning rip firing burning;
fighting in 'Vic' fives on wing leader dealt death loosing.
Fighting in finger fours meant twos stay together winning?
Life survival paired few fighters survived lamb split alone
experienced Messerschmitt ME109s sought out stray solo sheep!
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Crows
THEN, suddenly, I was aware indeed
Of what he said, and was revolving it:
How, in the night, crows often take to wing,
Rising from off the tree-tops in Drumbarr,
And flying on: I pictured what he told.
The crows that shake the night-damp off their wings
Upon the stones out yonder in the fields,
The first live things that we see in the mornings;
The crows that march across the fields, that sit
Upon the ash-trees' branches, that fly home
And crowd the elm-tops over in Drumbarr;
The crows we look on at all hours of light,
Growing, and full, and going these black beings have
Another lifetime!
Crows flying in the dark
Blackness in darkness flying; beings unseen
Except by eyes that are like to their own
Trespassers' eyes!
And you, old man, with eyes so quick and sharp,
Who've told me of the crows, my fosterer;
And you, old woman, upon whose lap I've lain
When I was taken from my mother's lap;
And you, young girl, with looks that have come down
From forefathers, my kin ye have another life
I've glimpsed it, I becoming trespasser-
Blackness in darkness flying like the crows!
poem by Padraic Colum
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The Flying Gang
I served my time, in the days gone by,
In the railway's clash and clang,
And I worked my way to the end, and I
Was the head of the "Flying Gang".
'Twas a chosen band that was kept at hand
In case of an urgent need;
Was it south or north, we were started forth
And away at our utmost speed.
If word reached town that a bridge was down,
The imperious summons rang --
"Come out with the pilot engine sharp,
And away with the flying gang."
Then a piercing scream and a rush of steam
As the engine moved ahead;
With measured beat by the slum and street
Of the busy town we fled,
By the uplands bright and the homesteads white,
With the rush of the western gale --
And the pilot swayed with the pace we made
As she rocked on the ringing rail.
And the country children clapped their hands
As the engine's echoes rang,
But their elders said: "There is work ahead
When they send for the flying gang."
Then across the miles of the saltbush plain
That gleamed with the morning dew,
Where the grasses waved like the ripening grain
The pilot engine flew --
A fiery rush in the open bush
Where the grade marks seemed to fly,
And the order sped on the wires ahead,
The pilot must go by.
The Governor's special must stand aside,
And the fast express go hang;
Let your orders be that the line is free
For the boys in the flying gang.
poem by Andrew Barton Paterson
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