I created the ghost flight system in 1988 based on an idea from my brother. After I described it on the Halloween-l list it was then dubbed the Axworthy Flying Ghost (AFG). The AFG is the still the most popular effect I've created. There is something compelling about the way it silently glides around a very large area. The AFG is essentially a motor driven cable and pulley system, much like a ski lift in design. This is a difficult system to build and get flying consistently. Many have tried and failed, but it is worth the effort. It can be sensitive to the elements such as wind, rain, and chasing kids and failure modes are not always pretty.
No attempt is made to describe the building process here. My original description in the Halloween-l list is still archived somewhere and there are others who have built this system that have excellent documentation available.
Here are some images of components in my system. These components have some modifications (the guide wheels) left in from an attempt to modify the system for heavier ghosts. This setup around my house has five turns, or corners, as I refer to them. Two of the wheels are on a large maple tree, one is mounted on a tall post, one on the eve of the house and the drive wheel is mounted on a fence post.
