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COLUMBIA — The dust is still settling on River Road as Deputy Police Chief Tom Dresner, off duty for the evening, steps out of his pickup.
He sets up an electronic wind meter on a tripod and begins examining the readings. "Generally anything below 10 mph is good," he says.
- Tom Dresner uses the riser lines to practice controlling his parafoil before takeoff. When flying, Dresner looks for large, open fields where wind tends to be less choppy.
- An electronic wind meter displays current, maximum and average wind readings for Tom Dresner while he gets ready for takeoff. As the evening temperature goes down, the wind becomes less choppy and more flyable.
- Tom Dresner unfolds his parafoil before takeoff, on Saturday in the Missouri River Valley. The parafoil, often confused with a parachute, easily lifts Dresner and the 80-pound motor that propels him.
In a few minutes, as the cooling temperature settles the gusts of wind, this empty field becomes Dresner's aerial playground.
When he's not managing Columbia's police force, Dresner is a paramotorist. He propels himself around the countryside with a small but powerful propeller-engine and a parachute-like airfoil.
"I just love aviation. Never pursued a career in it though," Dresner said. He describes himself as growing up in the "Right Stuff" generation, following the space program and aviation during childhood.
The only rules for paramotorists are put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration for ultralight aircraft. Dresner can fly low enough to brush his feet along the ground but can't go near "congested" city areas, according to the administration's regulations.
It may seem risky from the ground, but Dresner said it's actually a safe sport.
"You can't get off the ground unless you're doing everything absolutely right," he said, unfolding the airfoil.
The sun nears the horizon as Dresner starts up the roaring engine and leaps into the air.
For a brief moment, it seems like he might fall back to the earth, but the engine kicks, and the wind pulls him higher.
He has just enough time to watch the sun set over the Missouri River from his vantage point in the sky.
Show Me the Errors 
Comments
mr.dresner,
again i ask you do you have a companion dog? if you do how can you look your dog in the eyes after what your swat thugs did to those dogs? i am still asking the national humane society to bring the shooters of the dogs up on charges of animal cruelty and animal neglect!!!! i won,t stop until charges are brought! i love animals and love dogs,i have a dog and love her as if she were my child.shame on you mr.dresner!!!! and shame on the columbia police swat team!!!!!!!!