Love of flying powered parachutes leads man to new career
By BARRY HALVORSON news@leader-news.com

L-N Photo by Barry Halvorson Off In A New Direction Andrew "Gunny" Merta takes a pause from his job at Hughes Aero Corp., a local company that manufactures powered parachute aircraft. Merta traded his love of Harley-Davidson motorcycling for the ability to soar the skies in the unique flying machines.

There are several ways to describe the sensation - like being thrown back to the grade school playground and the first time you hit the swings.

There's the pendulum motion and the feeling of soaring in the sky with gravity trying to reassert control. But best is that feeling you get just as you reach the peak of the swing and you get that momentary feeling of weightlessness - that you can actually break free and fly.

And riding in a powered parachute, a kind of aircraft that uses a parachute as its airfoil, creates that same feeling of being a kid again.

While the pilot has control, nature also plays a part with the aircraft being subject to the whims of the wind, adding an extra dimension of adventure to each flight.

Among those most hooked into the sensation of flying these unique aircraft is Andrew "Gunny" Merta. In fact, he became so intrigued he became part of Hughes Aero Corp., a local company that manufactures this particular kind of aircraft.

"It's like nothing I've experienced before," he said. "I just can't get enough of it. I try to fly at least a couple times a week and would fly more if I had the time."

Before hooking up with Hughes, Merta admits to having been a Harley-Davidson enthusiast but gave it up, and sold his bike, to get into the air.

His energy about his new career and hobby are only exceeded by that of his wife. Prior to experiencing powered parachute flight, Janie Merta had a strict "no fly" policy in life. "It's like flying a magic carpet," she said. "From the start, I've always enjoyed it. It's a special experience each time I get to fly."

And the number of enthusiasts in the area is growing, in part due to the exposure the powered parachutes receive flying over and around U.S. 59. It has even led to the formation of a local flying organization.

On the third Saturday of each month, provided there are no fly-ins somewhere around the country, the Bay Area Recreational Flyers, or BARF, meet in Wharton to fly and exchange tales.

"They are a great group of people," company CEO and president Scott Hughes said. Hughes is both a powered parachute pilot and instructor.

"And the group is a boon to the local economy. They come in from all over, including from out-of-state, and stay for a few days. They stay in local motels and visit the local restaurants and bring a lot of positive attention to Wharton and the surrounding area," he said.

"They are a great bunch of people," Merta adds. "They come from all walks of life and many of them are professionals working in such fields as attorneys, physicians or business. But we all share a love of flying and our particular choice of flying machines. It creates a real bond."