What if it’s a backwards thruster?
When in doubt on almost any subject, I consult the old Pulp Magazines.
from WEIRD TALES:
WITCHES were long ago accepted as an established fact. The consentaneity {sic} of their testimony was considered, by their inquisitors, as irrefutable proof of their reality. The concensus {sic} being, that to become a WITCH one must first feed a consecrated wafer to a toad, which is then burned & the ashes are mixed with the blood of an unbaptised infant, the powdered bone of a hanged man & certain herbs, the nature of which we do not feel it consistent with the public welfare to divulge. With this noxious brew the WITCH anoints the palms of her hands & a stick, which when placed between her legs immediately transports her to the convocation of WITCHES.
The accompanying Lee Brown Coye illustration features a Stick with a suspiciously vulva-esque knot on it, which makes it pretty darn clear just how that Stick is inserted between the legs.
In other words, bristles-out.
Come on now… everyone knows that witches fly in mortars and use the pestle for speed and directional movements! The broom is just used as a tool to cover their flight path! It is not ridden on per se. What is wrong with you people?
Sheeshh…
I think that story seriously damaged me as a child. The chicken legged house still gives me creeps.
Both ways are correct, it really depends upon what generation you’re from.
In the good old days, horsepower and muscle-brooms were all the rage, it was all about power and acceleration, how quick you could get off the line. Hence, the bristles in front.
These days, the kids are all about aerodynamics, top-end speed, and customizing the back ends of their rides. That’s why you see so many rear-bristled brooms.
Me, I’ll take the throbbing rumbling kick-in-the-pants feel of a front-bristler anyday.
But Arnold, wouldn’t the broom’s status as an ultra-light depend on how fast it goes?
A broom is clearly powered, by magick forces, so the question is simply one of speed. Now, maybe your beginning witch only putters along at a few knots, by what about your Baba Yaga class of witch? Surely they get the broom going at more that 55 knots.
I think the Federal Aviation Authority should look into this issue.
Ahem. I’m not Arnold but I have some experience in ultralights.
An aircraft that would ordinarially fly faster than 55 knots can be made legal under Part 103 by putting a limiter on the throttle that prevents it from exceeding 55 knots. Simply a matter of modifying the propulsive componet of the spell so as not to exceed the speed limit.
Although, truth is, the FAA has been lax about enforcing certain parts of the regs. They’re much more concerned that an ultralight only have one seat (thereby limiting potential damage solely to the person flying it) than it exactly conform to the speed or weight limits. Behave yourself and most likely they won’t check the speed (unless you’re creating sonic booms or otherwise being a nuisance) and probably not the weight, either.
If the witch in question wishes to fly a faster, heavier broom, or one large enough to accomodate a passenger, she/he would have to obtain a license to fly under Federal Aviation Regulation Part 91. Which is exactly what I did when I wanted faster/heavier/more seating. The broom would have to duly licensed and certified as airworthy, as well, but could probably be brought in under the rules for licensing experimental and homebuilt aircraft. The chief difficulty that I see is installing some sort of seat belt/harness/restraint system on the thing.
And I still say bristles-behind. In front makes it looks like a canard and we all know canards fly bass ackwards 