Look Up! It's a Bird! It's a Plane, It’s Gabriel!

Story by Gabriel McCrea, FNN 4th grade reporter for FPCS Online Academy. Photo by theculturetrip.com. 

April 3, 2021: I was flying 6,500 ft in the air thinking to myself, “What am I doing?”. While in the airplane I had my wingsuit on saying to myself that I will totally run into the Dolomite Mountains in Italy. When I was ready to jump I was more afraid than when I walked across the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge in China.

My annoying brother shoved me out of the plane in the middle of my thoughts. I closed my eyes for a second and spread my wings like a plane. 

The reason I am in Italy is because my pen pal Sofia moved to Italy a year ago and begged me to come and see her. She showed me the beautiful trees in the Rocca Pietore, Province of Belluno, Italy. While we were in the plane she told me that wingsuit flying is not that bad if you are not scared of heights. While I was still in the air, it was more fun than I thought it would ever be.  And I can never forget my brother jumping out of the plane backwards. He thought he was so cool. He got so unbalanced that he almost fell. When I reached the ground, I wished that I could do it over again. But before you come to Italy, I need to tell you about Italy and wingsuit flying.

What’s famous about Rocca Pietore is the MOMENTANEAMENTE CHUSI Serrai di Sottoguda, a canyon where you can hike and go ice climbing and Piana di Pezze, a ski resort. Find out more about Piani di Pezzè and more at https://www.google.com/travel/things-to-do/see-all?g2lb=2502548%2C2503770%2C2503781%2C4258168%2C4270442%2C4306835%2C4317915%2C4328159%2C4371334%2C4401769%2C4419364%2C4472151%2C4482438%2C4486153%2C4491350%2C4509341%2C4517258%2C4523593%2C4270859%2C4284970%2C4291517&hl=en-US&gl=us&ssta=1&dest_mid=%2Fm%2F0gk23j&dest_state_type=sattd&dest_src=tsvr&s a=X&ved=2ahUKEwim2_3-le_vAhWCMlkFHeZMDZMQzTooATAYegQIExAC#ttdm=46.402159_12.025363_12&ttdmf=%252Fg%252F1tsbkz58  and https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g1195063-Activities-Rocca_Pietore_Province_of_Belluno_Veneto.html 

 Here's some steps to take before you start wingsuit flying.  First learn how to skydive, Second, get coaching to make improvements. Finally, you can get more tips at http://wickedwingsuits.com/wingsuit-coaching/learn-wingsuit-flying/ 

I have to leave to go wingsuit flying again. Remember to be a bird, be a plane, be yourself.