It is, quite possibly, the best toy ever. A piece of 1970s hardware called the Flying Turtle. It is a vehicle that requires the rider to be alert at all times. He or she is in constant danger. I’m sure that the instructions warned: Must be operated in the presence of an adult. Even a big kid is at risk.
Ideally, the rider needs an incline.
The story goes that Fisher-Price sent the Flying Turtle to my mother-in-law as a gift. I’m not sure what prompted her to bust it out before a holiday supper, but she knows her children. You didn’t have to ask my wife and her siblings what to do next. Mom segued into photographer mode. Pop watched from the garage. The kids lined up, in chronological order, to cheer each other on.
The glide from the top of the cul-de-sac to the base took about ten seconds. You can run faster than the Flying Turtle but that’s not the point.
The Turtle’s designers envisioned a toy with a drag coefficient and fun quotient that is evenly matched.
Whee-whee-whee-whee gave voice to more cheers.
The Flying Turtle gets its zip from four heavy duty plastic wheels attached to a metal frame. The handle bars maneuver dual wheels upfront with single wheels tucked beneath the yellow shell, left and right, at the rear. Nobody falls off the turtle, can’t happen. A seat that gave a five year old plenty of wiggle room is sized for a slightly larger booty.
The Flying Turtle met six kids on their terms and survived.