Flying on a Dragon

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When I first read Dragon Riders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey, a dream was born. I imagined the thrill of flying on the back of a dragon. Sure, it seemed like a silly dream. I’m afraid of heights and when was the last time you saw a dragon soar overhead? In books it’s easy to do things that scare you in real life, so I enjoyed book after book about dragon riders.

When Anne McCaffrey passed away in 2012, it seemed like the end of a dream—no more dragon riders. Well, the dream is alive and well. Other authors have written dragon riding novels and I’ve published my own. Dragon Defense is a science/fantasy which features fledgling dragon riders flying to the rescue. This book was so much fun to write that I promise more dragon riding will appear in future editions.

So how does one describe an experience like flying on a dragon? Authors usually try to write about their own experiences. Luckily I’ve actually flown on a dragon. Want to see the pictures? I’ve got them here somewhere. I can hear you scoff! You clear your throat and titter behind your hand, but it’s true. We have a family friend who built his own dragon named Puff. Yes! Puff is an Air Cam, an open cockpit airplane that looks just like a dragon. A clever artist molded a fierce dragon’s head and gave it a realistic paintjob on the front of the aircraft, then he painted the wide blue wings with veins. Even the wheel covers were molded to look like talons. I hear more laughing! I guess I must search for those pictures.

The dragon riders feel exhilarated as Puff races down the runway and leaps into the sky. Soon air whips through your hair and a winged shadow flickers across the ground below. Puff floats gently in the wind with her two wings spread wide apart. Buildings and trees look like model train sets and lakes are mere puddles. We were in Florida so I shuddered at the sight of logs floating offshore, logs with teeth. An Air Cam is a two-engine plane, originally designed to take pictures of wild animals without frightening them. But this slow moving plane is perfect for dragon rider training. A dragon rider must practice keeping the mouth shut to avoid swallowing bugs, and lean into the turns when the dragon tilts its wings. A leather seatbelt is essential equipment, along with goggles, helmet, and warm leather coat. Wind gets cold even in Florida.

Our pilot friend knew I was afraid of heights, so he offered to land right away. “No,” I said into my microphone. “Now that I’m up here, let’s fly around for a while.” For years I had dreamed of flying on the back of a dragon and wanted to enjoy the experience.