Friday, December 2, 2011

Would you believe you could fly....at age 89?! What would your idea of a hair raising fundraising be?

London, Aug 1 (ANI): An 89-year-old Brit man has broken the record for the oldest man to cross the Channel, flying at 1000ft, at more than 100mph while strapped to the wings of a plane.





Tom Lackey, who will be 90 next month, performed the amazing wingwalk over the 25 mile stretch of water on a plane just 20 years younger than him.





He made the incredible feat to coincide with the first channel flight by Frenchman Louis Bliriot 100 years ago.





It was also part of an incredible 1million pounds fundraising drive by the pensioner for cancer research after his daughter Anne Joynson became ill last year.





Plane-crazy Lackey, from Solihull, West Mids, and his pilot Mike Dentith, 59, left from Sangatt near Calais at midday on July 25.





Just over half an hour later daredevil Lackey broke the age and language barrier and touched down among jubilant scenes at the Duke of York military school, in Dover.





The thrillseeking grandfather-of two, who has done nine wingwalks, said the flight was the longest and best he had ever done.





"It was fantastic experience flying over the sea, a remarkable day," the Sun quoted him as saying.





"We flew over the Channel at 1000ft at over 100mph, it is an amazing feeling having the wind hit you like that.





"The view was absolutely beautiful, it was quite an emotional experience as well as a thrilling one," he said.





He said hundreds were waiting to see him off in France, including the French equivalent of the red arrows.





"The French aerobatic team had to delay their display by half an hour because they said they wanted to see the mad Englishman take off," he said.





"It was incredible finally seeing the white cliffs of Dover coming into view, when I saw them, I knew I had done it.





"It was a bit of a bumpy landing though, it can be when you are standing on top of the plane," he added.





Lackey is already a Guinness world record holder - he is the oldest person ever to do a loop the loop while standing on the wing of a plane.





His antics have raised more than 1million pounds for charity, each stunt more adventurous than the last. (ANI)|||I think that is a grand gesture! If you are able to do it why not? You ain't dead until you think you are so good for him.|||what possible good does it do anybody to do a walk fly or pull a truck





why not sponsor someone for mowing pensioners gardens , cleaning up our streets or doing a good deed|||That was so brave of him and great news for the charity. I'm too much of a coward to contemplate doing that. Although your idea about doing other stuff for the elderly is a great idea.|||I'd like to try that, not sure I'd do it at that age though.

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