Airborne moto

The Edge X microlite in all its glory

Thanks for all the feedback on my photos from my incredible flying experience last week with Eddie and his microlite. Amongst the emails was a request for a couple of close-up photos of the two-seater microlite (or ultralight or trike as it's also known). Built in Australia, the Airborne Edge X trike is so adaptable that it's been used across the globe for tracking migratory birds, elephant conservation in Africa and of course, archaeology studies in Cambodia. I found the seats to be very comfortable with plenty of leg room and if you have the right camera equipment (I didn't) then the trike is simply fantastic for ariel photography. It's made of aluminum and weighs under 200kg. If I recall correctly, Eddie can fly for at least a couple of hours before refuelling, at heights of over 1,000 feet and at a steady 40 miles per hour. A wind-free day is the perfect time to fly. We had a little bit of wind during our flight but in Eddie's secure hands I hardly noticed. And if you want to buy your own 'flying moto', you are looking at around $25,000 per trike.

The microlite up close and personal

The propeller was just behind my passenger seat, which was behind Eddie's pilot seat

The man himself, Mr Eddie Smith, pilot supreme

A look at the control panel during the flight, with its dials for altimeter, speed, temperature and tachometer, and room for Eddie's feet!

This was the take-off and landing runway, not exactly Heathrow, but the trike is tough and can handle rough terrain