poem High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth 1
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; 2
Sunward I've climbed 3, and joined the tumbling mirth 4
Of sun-split clouds 5 - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of 6 - wheeled and soared and swung 7
High in the sunlit silence 8. Hov'ring there 9
I've chased the shouting wind along 10, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. 11
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue, 12
I've topped the windswept heights 13 with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew - 14
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space, 15
Put out my hand and touched the face of God. 16
- John Gillespie Magee Jr

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Supplemental
  1. Pilots must ensure that all surly bonds have been slipped entirely before aircraft taxi or flight is attempted.
  2. During periods of sky-dancing, crew and passengers must keep seatbelts/shoulder-harnesses secured.
  3. Sunward climbs must not be attempted above the aircraft service-ceiling.
  4. Passenger aircraft are prohibited from joining the tumbling mirth.
  5. Pilots flying through sun-split clouds under visual conditions must comply with applicable minimum clearances.
  6. These hundred things must not be performed in front of FAA inspectors.
  7. Wheeling, soaring, and swinging should not be attempted except in aircraft rated for such activities and within utility-class weight limits.
  8. Be advised that sunlit silence will occur only when a stall is imminent or engine malfunction has occurred.
  9. "Hov'ring there" will constitute a highly reliable signal that a stall has occurred.
  10. Forecasts of shouting winds are available from the local weather station. Encounters with unexpected shouting winds should be reported.
  11. Pilots flinging eager craft through footless halls of air are reminded that they alone are responsible for maintaining separation from other eager craft.
  12. Should any crewmember or passenger experience delirium while in the burning blue, an Irregularity Report is required upon flight termination.
  13. Windswept heights will be topped by a minimum of 1,000 feet to maintain minimum visual separation.
  14. Aircraft engine ingestion of, or impact with, larks or eagles must be reported to the FAA and the appropriate maintenance facility.
  15. Aircraft operating in the high untrespassed sanctity of space must maintain radio communications regardless of meteorological conditions and visibility.
  16. Pilots and passengers are reminded that opening doors or windows in order to touch the face of God will result in loss of cabin pressure.

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