Birdman set for take-off on a wing and a prayer

By Callan Date
IT’S a bird, it’s a plane … no, it’s Berwick’s own birdman Peter Day.
And this Sunday the 61-year-old daredevil will be wowing Moomba crowds as he glides through the air with his homemade hang glider.
The birdman veteran will be competing for the fourth time in the event he describes as optimising the fun and laughter of Moomba.
“We need more laughter in this world and if we get a bit more laughter from the birdman it’s great,” Peter said. And as you sit down and watch Peter’s previous Birdman jumps that he has recorded, you can’t help but laugh.
On one occasion in the late ’80s he pretty much crashed straight to the water after travelling only a metre or so from the platform.
A second attempt some years later saw Peter glide through the air and record a 10-metre effort.
But this year Peter has his sights set some distance down the murky waters of the Yarra with a 20-metre jump on the cards.
Splashdown is the craft that he hopes takes him into uncharted territory in 2007.
“I have probably spent about 60 hours making it,” he said.
The aluminium and polystyrene hang glider design has double wings and, according to Peter’s calculations, should take him a fair way.
“The wing span is that big we have to hire a truck to take it in on the day,” he said.
“I’m semi-retired now so this year I have been able to put a fair bit of time into it.
“I have made every craft for each jump, but I think this one will go the furthest.”
Along with the laughs will come some money for Red Cross – an organisation for which Peter regularly volunteers.
“Moomba require a $200 entry fee to go towards charity, so I have chosen Red Cross,” he said.
The Birdman event will take place this Sunday, 11 March from 12pm to 1pm at Birrarung Marr on the Yarra River.