flying burning pianos (OT)

[Tom Servinsky]

That same stunt was done on Northern Exposures TV program several years
back. I forget the radio host character who was always looking for the Zen
in life. Anyhow his new high was to fly an old upright with the same device
you have described. Interesting background....the tuner who worked in
conjunction with the TV show is from the state of Washington passed the
inside scoop along.  There was much detail work in planning for this stunt,
to their credit. The piano was pre-disassembled before the flight because
they wanted the keys and parts to start falling off during flight. Someone
had taped the show and used it during one of the convention technicals.
Quite amusing.
Tom Servinsky,RPT
----- Original Message -----
From: <Tvak@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2001 8:56 AM
Subject: flying burning pianos (OT)


> I was channel-surfing Sunday night and came across a show called SEEING IS
> BELIEVING.  One of the segments highlighted the activities of Hugh Wheeler
> from Shropshire, England.  A rich, retired gentleman with time on his
hands,
> Hugh decided to build a Trebuchet, which is a medieval weapon, sort of
like a
> catapult.  This trebuchet was about 3 stories tall, and was able to hurl
cars
> in the air.  Hugh loaded a vertical piano onto the thing, strapped a
> container of gasoline to the piano, doused it and set it on fire, and
> launched it a distance of about 2 or 3 city blocks.  The sight of the
burning
> piano flying through the air was priceless, as was the explosion when it
hit
> the ground.  Unfortunately the sound of the explosion masked the sound of
the
> harp breaking apart, the strings snapping, etc., all of which I would like
to
> have heard.
>
> Who among us couldn't comprise a list of pianos that we've serviced in the
> past which would benefit from such treatment?  (See thread entitled
"Re:Betsy
> Ross".)
>
> Tom Sivak