BULGARIA is becoming a more popular tourist destination every year. During summer, the Black Sea offers great beaches, the countryside offers a wealth of history and the mountains offer challenging mountaineering and skiing, but one area of Bulgaria that has not been widely publicised is its skies.

It comes as no surprise that during communism, sports like skydiving and hang-gliding were state-sponsored activities and people were actually paid to fly. Since the fall of communism and consequently the personal costs associated, the popularity of sky sports dropped down. But even with the expenses of sky sports, some just can't keep their feet on the ground.

Simeon Simeonov a veteran "birdman" of 20 years has spent more than 2600 hours in the air, in other words, more than three and half months flying the skies in hang-gliders, parachutes or his vehicle of choice, the "Trike", a type of ultra-light aviation.

Man has always had a fascination to fly like a bird. It is more than a century since the Wright brothers made history on December 17 1903 and flew the first powered flying machine. Aviation has come a long way since that inaugural day with aviators striving to not only use flying inventions as a form of transport but to replicate the sensation of flying like a bird.  

Ultralight aviation was pioneered in 1976 by John Moody with a 10 horsepower go-cart-powered engine.  A Popular Science writer once wrote about Moody's invention: "If you have ever dreamed, as everyone has, of leaping into the air, circling and soaring like a hawk and landing on your feet as lightly as a thistledown, then John Moody's Ultralight Flying machine (a hang-glider with a motor) maybe for you."
The Bulgarian Monotrike inventor, Simeonov developed a love for flying at the very young age of six. He sneaked away from home and ran down to the local airfield where he convinced a local pilot to take him for a joy flight. This early passion has stayed with him to this day. After spending countless hours flying hang-gliders, he developed a hunger to create a flying machine that could take off like a plane with wheels or with floats on water in just 25 meters. The key for him was to invent something that was light, easy to use and would provide the same sensation of flying like a bird.

Sticking with the hang-glider design, he spent the next two years developing a prototype with wheels and an Italian made two-stroke engine to power the propeller. In the beginning the flight path to success was difficult. Much of his personal savings went into the project, but his dedication and perseverance paid off with him launching the worlds first Monotrike engine powered glider in 1999. The Monotrike is lighter than its predecessor, the Trike, and it gives a much closer sensation of flying like a bird. Although Simeonov says that the ultimate bird like flying experience still remains the non-powered hang glider, the Monotrike allows pilots to almost fly where they want, when they want. The only factor that stops a pilot from flying is the weather. Thermal shifts and Nimbus clouds are a Monotrike pilot's foe.

Flying with Simeon Simeonov and the Fly Air Co:
No different to many others in the world, I also had the dream of flying like a bird. In my pursuit of being a bird, I jumped at the chance of flying with Simeonov in his Tandem Trike. We took off from Bozhuriste Aeroclub, 15 km north-west of Sofia. The now seldom-used 800-meter runway lines a huge open grassy field. Along one side sits the home of the HQs of the 1st Radiotechnical Brigade and 1st SAM Brigade of Air Defence Command. The airport was constructed sometime around the beginning of the century where it was used as an air force base during World War 1, and then after by the clandestine paramilitary air units between 1929-1934. A small monument has been erected to remember Bulgaria's paratroopers.

What I found interesting about this old airfield is that it is the home to Sofia's first airport terminal - an old house surrounded by overgrown bushes and trees.

When taking to the skies, safety is always a priority; my pilot checked and double-checked the wing, engine, harness and support structures before we embarked on our adventure. The Tandem Trike starts up in the same way as a lawn mower; shout "Contact", pull the cord and jump in. I was fitted with a safety helmet, then secured in my seat with a seat belt and then told by the support crew - Simeon's long-time partner Elana, that I was ready to go.

Seconds later we were in the air, the Trike needed less than 25 metres of runway and it was in the air. Our flight took us across the green fields surrounding Sofia and to the edge of Vitosha Mountain. I can't say the experience was flying like a bird, but it was the closest experience I have had to date. The feeling of the wind passing over my body and of floating through the skies was exhilarating.
Fly Air Co office is based in the heart of Sofia. Simeonov runs tourist joy flights on a tandem Trike for a cost averaging 160 leva an hour. The Trike is very portable and can be transported very easily on the roof rack of a car to anywhere in Bulgaria for flights. Simeonov was once hired to go on an air reconnaissance mission to look for someone's stolen car. The Fly Air Co also sells two types of Monotrikes, a 15hp, 27kg model that costs 2700 euro and a 28hp model for 3650 euro. Both prices quoted are without the wing (hang glider) which costs anywhere between 500 euro for a second hand model and 8000 euro for a new hang glider. If you are an experienced pilot but don't want to fork out the cash for your own, the Fly Air Co. has three aircraft for hire.

No licence is needed to fly a Trike, however proper instruction is a must.  Simeonov offers flying courses over seven to 10 days depending on weather conditions. After about 15 hours of flying tuition you will be ready to go it solo.

For more information:

FLY AIR Co.
Mailing address:
7A Khan Krum Street, Apt 16
Sofia 1000
BULGARIA

Tel/Fax:

+ 359 (0)2 95 222 75
Tel:         

+ 359 (0)888 466 301
+ 359 (0)898 809 215
E-mail:   

sgsimeonov@hotmail.com
flyair@abv.bg