About Me

My name is Michael Lohrum. I go by FLEXWING on the forum.

I try to live my life in a way that affects others in a positive manner. I teach robotics to middle school students. I have built high and low ropes challenge courses for Life Adventures that helped thousands of kids and adults learn more about themselves. Most importantly, I’ve helped make a loving supportive environment for my son to grow. I have been married to my beautiful wife for 11 years. In that time we have never fought or treated each other disrespectfully (so much for make up sex). I am a happy, fulfilled person and proud of the way I live my life.

I am a carpenter by trade, building custom homes. I have a background in electronics from my time in the U.S. Navy. I have to many hobbies, robotics is at the top of the list.

Here is a true story from my youth.

How I threw myself off a cliff

In 1981 I built a glider with a 22-foot wingspan out of cardboard, wood, string, 4mil plastic, and a carpet tube. At the age of 17 I wasn't a complete idiot, well I guess I should let you make that decision for yourself. I spent two weeks building the glider in my basement during the summer break. I built it in three parts so I could transport it to the hill. I loaded it into my van and drove to the top of the hill behind Collinsville high school. On top of the hill is the football field. The large flat area gave me a great place to test the glider's airworthiness before taking the big plunge. I ran back and forth across the football field trying to get the glider to fly. After adjusting the points that the harness connects to the glider it started to lift its own weight as I ran along. Some younger kids had joined me on the top of the hill. I talked to them several times while trying to catch my breath. They didn't think I was dumb enough to try to fly off the top of the hill. After several hours they left me with only my stupidity to keep me company. After all of the practice I started to get the glider to fly under control, of course it would only support it's own weight. I found that I had to shift my weight from side to side to keep it flying straight. I left the glider on the football field then walked to the crest of the hill. I sat looking down the steep hill in the hot summer air. My intended landing spot is about 200-feet below in a large grassy area at the bottom of the hill. Some tennis courts are just beyond the grassy field. The longer I stare down the hill the closer the tennis courts seemed to be. Waves of fear, excitement and terror rushed through my body as I thought about flying from the top. I stood on the crest of the hill assessing the conditions. There wasn't any wind for most of the day but now there was steady breeze blowing straight up the hill. I knew that it was time. As I walked back to the glider I went over my flight plan in my head. I would get the glider up to flying speed on the football field. If everything felt right I would simply run off the edge and fly to the bottom of the hill. Hopefully I could land before running into the tall fence around the tennis courts. I got in the glider and picked it up. I looked across the field it was about one hundred feet to the edge. I took a deep breath and started to run. With the help of the wind the glider lifted sooner than I expected. I ran harder and harder, the glider was flying great. I could feel the harness pulling on me. I'm going to fly! I'm going to fly! My heart was pounding as I neared the edge. I was running full blast when I committed my body to my dreams. Just as I left the edge the glider hit the column of air rushing up the hill. Wham!!! It felt like a belly flop from the high dive. The glider jerked into the air. The nosed pitched up violently. The glider's tail broke off just behind me. The wing flipped several times like a piece of confetti. The only difference was that I don't normally strap myself to giant pieces of confetti. I hit the ground as the wing disintegrated around me. I slid to a stop about ten feet down the hill. I lay on the ground for a while looking at the heap of wreckage around me. I had a few scrapes and bruises and a cut on my leg. I stuffed the mass of wreckage into the van. After such a daring display of aviation prowess I wouldn't want to be remembered for littering. I drove home, sat on the floor and ate a bag of Oreos while watching Gilligan's Island. I remember thinking (I now belong to the group of aviation pioneers that I considered heroes. George Cayley, Otto Lilienthal, Orville and Wilbur Wright) I felt great pride.
Looking back I can only think that human pain receptors don't function when you're 17. I wish I'd had a video camera at the time. What a uTube moment that would have been. Oh, and that part about not being a complete idiot, I guess I take that back.
I eventully became a hangglider pilot. I still want to build another glider. The next one will be built from stuff you can get at the average home center. I will hopefully enter in the Red Bull Flugtag.