Amazing Stories
Disabled paraglider celebrates 100th flight Michael Miller	105 lb grandmother turns paragliding pro Lan Chirico	73 year old logs 450 flights Lee Crabtree

The Michael Miller Story
No grounding Miller Disabled paraglider celebrates 100th flight Dy Doug Pacey Special to the Press Michael Miller took his first paragliding flight three years ago. Since then, he has made 100 flights and received his paraglider's license. What is so phenomenal about Miller is not that he has logged 100 flights, but that he did it when no one thought he would, even himself. "(One hundred flights) is a mile-stone," said Miller "I didn't think I would go this far." Miller suffers from cerebral palsy and is reportedly the only paraglider in the United States with such a disability to be licensed by the U.S. Hang Gliders Association. "He has to overcome so much to attain the same results as others," said friend and paragliding instructor Marc Chirico. "That's what makes Michael and his flying so special." Miller, 37, made his 100th flight off Poo Poo Point on Tiger Mountain last Thursday amid a celebration for him with nearly three dozen friends and fellow paragliders. Also in attendance was Sen Dan McDonald, who flew tandem with Chirico. This is a major accomplishment for him," said McDonald. "People have been telling Michael that he couldn't do a lot of things and he's just been saying, 'Why not?' all his life."	"It's a celebration for a fella that just won't quit." A want to fly. Chirico met Miller in 1996 and saw that he had a desire to learn how to fly. Chirico and his instructor-rated wife donated their time and equipment to teach Miller how to fly. "Michael wanted to fly and it was very clear that he would have to put forth far more effort both physically and emotionally to overcome the challenges to fly." Two weeks after Miller went on his first flight, he returned to fly again. When he returned, however, the instructors discovered that he had read and memorized the entire 250-page pilot's manual. After that, the instructors knew Miller was serious about flying. "He was convinced that he wanted to learn how to fly." "He was good enough to convince his instructors that he was able." Courage, desire show The severity of Miller's ailment, or rather the amount of his courage and dedication, was evident the first time he flew solo. Miller had controlled the wing in seven tandem flights with Chirico beforehand, but Chirico and other instructors still had concern about whether Miller would be able to keep contol of the wing. "(Michael's) hands are so wrapped over that we decided to tie his hands to the controls so he wouldn't lose his grip on the brakes," said Chirico.	Miller landed his first solo flight without a hitch and does not need to have his hands tied to the controls anymore. Miller, who has a rating of P-2, or that of a novice pilot, is able to fly by himself without being under the direct supervision of an instructor. He needed a minimum of 25 flights, along with certain launching, flying and landing skills, to earn that rating. Miller also easily passed two written tests. "He's earned his rating. He's an intelligent person and has a very level head on his shoulders when it comes to deciding if it's safe to fly or not. Other pilots respect his decision-making, if Michael says, 'I'm not flying.' A lot of the other less-experienced pilots will take that in heed." Miller does not limit his time spent at Tiger Mountain to jumping off of it; he also drives the Tiger Mountain Shuttle that takes paragliders from the landing zone, which lies next to Issaquan-Hobart Road, to Poo Poo Point, where the paragliders take off. Miller uses his own pick-up truck as a shuttle, "every flyable day." "He's a very giving individual. He'll hand you his wing if you want to fly even though he may want to fly, too. Michael is an inspiration to our community." E-mail Michael at: goflyhi1960@juno.com