MAY/JUNE 2021
UNITED STATES HANG
VOLUME 51 #3 $6.95
GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING ASSOCIATION
HANG GLIDING RENAISSANCE + SPEEDFLYING + VOL-BIV NEW ZEALAND
Custom Colors Shown.
To Personalize 2 US HPA PI LOT your Delta 4, visit: www.flyozone.com
USHPA PILOT 3
"The sky looks fantastic, I feel the fever in my fingers. Airborne, they feel directly connected to the sail. I can sense a nice thermal in front, the wing searches for it and passes turbulence without sign of chord deformation. I pass a strong shear before the core, and add brake input: nothing deforms in the chord and the brake pressure is perfect, talking to me as if I were the airfoil. I’m inside, the wing turns with just a thought. Already gently banked, a stronger core is hitting my wing tip, so I try to catch it. The wing turns tightly on the tip with a nice yaw/roll response, I pu pull, and yet I can still ask for even more. I can’t but cry and yell my joy alongside my screaming vario. Full bar now, riser control in hands, I feel like an eagle, my arms are my wings. I’m singing through the air..."
Luc Armant Ozone R&D pilot/designer
Pilot: Alex Colby
Photo: Jorge Atramiz
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Terms Ending in 2022 Martin Palmaz, Executive Director executivedirector@ushpa.org Beth Van Eaton, Operations Manager office@ushpa.org Erika Klein, Communications Manager communications@ushpa.org Chris Webster, Information Services Manager tech@ushpa.org Galen Anderson, Membership Coordinator membership@ushpa.org
Bill Hughes (region 1) Tiki Mashy (region 4) Paul Voight (region 5) Kate West (region 5) Terms Ending in 2021 Jugdeep Aggarwal (region 2) Steve Pearson (region 3) Kimberly Phinney (region 1) Sara Weaver (region 3) Jamie Shelden (region 3)
OFFICERS Steve Pearson, President president@ushpa.org Matt Taber, Vice President vicepresident@ushpa.org Jamie Shelden, Secretary secretary@ushpa.org Bill Hughes, Treasurer treasurer@ushpa.org For change of address or other USHPA business
+1 (719) 632-8300 info@ushpa.org
Matt Taber (region 4) REGION 1 NORTHWEST [ AK∙HI∙IA∙ID∙MN∙MT∙ND∙NE∙OR∙SD∙WA∙WY ] REGION 2 CENTRAL WEST [ Northern CA∙NV∙UT ] REGION 3 SOUTHWEST [ Southern CA∙AZ∙CO∙NM ] REGION 4 SOUTHEAST [ AL∙AR∙DC∙FL∙GA∙KS∙KY∙LA∙MO∙MS∙NC∙OK∙SC∙TN∙TX∙WV∙VA ] REGION 5 NORTHEAST & INTERNATIONAL [ CT∙DE∙IL∙IN∙MA∙MD∙ME∙MI∙NH∙NY∙NJ∙OH∙PA∙RI∙VT∙WI ]
The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association Inc. (USHPA) is an air sports organization affiliated with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), which is the official representative of the Fédération Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), of the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA, which represents the United States at FAI meetings, has delegated to the USHPA supervision of FAI-related hang gliding and paragliding activities such as record attempts and competition sanctions. The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, a division of the National Aeronautic Association, is a representative of the Fédération Aeronautique Internationale in the United States.
HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING ARE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES
USHPA recommends pilots complete a pilot training program under the direct supervision of a USHPAcertified instructor, using safe equipment suitable for your level of experience. Many of the articles and photographs in the magazine depict advanced maneuvers being performed by experienced, or expert, pilots. These maneuvers should not be attempted without the prerequisite instruction and experience.
POSTMASTER USHPA Pilot ISSN 1543-5989 (USPS 17970) is published bimonthly by the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc., 1685 W.
Uintah St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80904 Phone: (719) 632-8300 Fax: (719) 632-6417 Periodicals Postage Paid in Colorado Springs and additional mailing offices. Send change of address to: USHPA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO, 80901-1330. Canadian Return Address: DP Global Mail, 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3.
4 US HPA P I LOT
cover photo USHPA by MIKE PILOT ISAACS 5
Flight Plan [ Editor > LIZ DENGLER ] We recently conducted a reader survey about how we have been doing with the magazine. We asked what type of stories you want to see and in what format. Thanks to all members who participated. I plan to dig into the survey results and provide readers with some of the knowledge I glean from it. For now, I want to focus on two items. First, I want to reiterate that the only reason this magazine exists is because pilots like you contribute to every issue. Thank you to all the pilots who have previously sent stories, articles, photos, and other content to the magazine! I appreciate your hard work in pulling those pieces together. The second item on my list relates directly to the dearth of hang gliding content in the magazine. I assure you, this is not an editorial decision, but rather a lack of content. Content comes directly from our community, and although I solicit many stories, I don’t know what everyone out there is up to. Hang glider pilots: please send in stories or pitches. Of the hang glider pilots who responded to the survey, 75% said they would consider contributing. That is a huge potential pool of hang gliding stories, and I, for one, am excited to read them! I endeavor to keep a balance among the wing types, so of course, I want stories from everyone. Paragliders, mini wingers, and speed flyers and riders, please continue to send in content—we still need your stories too! If you have a story in mind or something you would like to see more of, please send me a note to editor@ushpa.aero! I work with every contributor (even the ones who tell me they aren’t writers) to help craft their pieces. Throughout the editing process, I work to maintain the author’s point of view and voice while editing for clarity and flow. I believe that the magazine should remain a place where pilots of all wing types, abilities, and backgrounds can regal us with their tales of free flight. It is also a place where we can come together to learn, stay informed, and inspire others. Looking ahead, I am excited to see what new tales of free flight and yet undiscovered pilot stories we will print in USHPA Pilot’s pages.
USHPA PILOT needs more hang gliding contributions. Had a great flight? STORY! Learned to tow launch? STORY! Bought a new glider? That's a STORY! Anyone can do it, and we are here to help. Contact Editor, Liz Dengler at editor@ushpa.org
Pilot Chris Chaney flying his U2 145C at Magdalena Rim just west of Las Cruces, NM.
Martin Palmaz, Publisher executivedirector@ushpa.org Liz Dengler, Editor editor@ushpa.org Kristen Arendt, Copy Editor Erika Klein, Copy Editor copy@ushpa.org Greg Gillam, Art Director Beth Van Eaton, Advertising advertising@ushpa.org STAFF WRITERS Dennis Pagen Lisa Verzella Jeff Shapiro
PHOTOGRAPHERS Ben White
SUBMISSIONS from our members and readers are welcome. All articles, artwork, photographs as well as ideas for articles, artwork and photographs are submitted pursuant to and are subject to the USHPA Contributor's Agreement, a copy of which can be obtained from the USHPA by emailing the editor at editor@ushpa.org or online at www.ushpa.org. We are always looking for great articles, photography and news. Your contributions are appreciated. ADVERTISING is subject to the USHPA Advertising Policy, a copy of which may be obtained from the USHPA by emailing advertising@ushpa.org. COPYRIGHT ©2020 US HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING ASSOC., INC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of USHPA.
2021 May/June CONTENTS 11 ACCIDENT REVIEW
5 FLIGHT PLAN
Before You Fly this Spring
8 LAUNCHING
by JOHN HOVEY
10 FINDING LIFT 11 ARC
14 GEAR
62 CALENDAR
Single Skin Paragliders
63 CLASSIFIED
Who needs them and why?
64 RATINGS
18
67 FINAL
by CHRIS GRECI 17 ETHICS
The Pilot's Code
by STACY WHITMORE 18 ASSOCIATION
HG Renaissance Committee Finding and retaining hang glider pilots. by SARA WEAVER
22
42
20 WEATHER
Coastal Soaring
Tongues of wind and ram-air ramps.
by HONZA REJMANEK 28 FEATURE
The Ordeal
Life reflections and revisions. by JEREMY POTTENGER 32 CHAPTERS
36
50
22 TRAINING FOR THE X-ALPS
42 SPEEDFLYING BRIDAL VEIL FALLS
by GAVIN McCLURG
by CARL WEISETH
What does it really take?
History of the crown jewel of Salt Lake.
36 51 STALLS
50 THE VOL-BIV BOND
by CODY MITTANCK
by KINGA MASZTALERZ
The practicality of training stalls.
Traversing the wild New Zealand terrain.
Mask Up and Fly
Taking on tandems during COVID-19. by JENNA P. LYONS
48 PERSONALITIES
The JZ Chronicles A legend departs.
by PETE LEHMANN 58 SKILLS
Postponing the Inevitable
Working low-low thermals. by DENNIS PAGEN
6 US HPA P I LOT
Reliable Paragliding Equipment advance.swiss
USHPA PILOT 7
NOW IN 6 SIZES, FROM 1.85 KG Experience the freedom and simplicity of paragliding. The PI 3
Light Versatility HIKE & FLY PARAGLIDER
unites low weight and a pronounced fun factor. This light wing now weighs from 1.85 kgs. The choice of size means that you can use the PI 3 for Thermaling and Travel, Hike & Fly, or even as a Mini Wing for Climb & Fly Touring. The decision is yours. Available in sizes 16 / 19 / 21 / 23 / 25 / 27 m2 Distributor: superflyinc.com, info@superflyinc.com, 801-255-9595
Photo Sepp Inniger – Gasterntal, Schweiz
Launching
[ Latest Gear ]
GIN GINGO 4 The Gingo 4 is an all-round harness with a revolutionary new back protector. It has traditional three buckle geometry making it comfortable for kiting. It can be used in schools but is also a great option for the traveler that needs a light and compact harness with great protection. This is all thanks to the Aerobean protector, which gives pilots the best of both worlds: the lightness of an airbag harness with the robust protection of a moussebag. It is made with 70D mélange fabric and it boasts bias bound seams. Gingo 4 is available in 5 sizes to accommodate most pilots. It comes with carabiners, a Y-bridle, and a s peed bar. It is available from Super Fly: www.superflyinc.com, service@superflyinc.com, and 801-255-9595. GIN POLYGON T-SHIRT Made from a high quality pure cotton, the Polygon t-shirt features a treatment of the GIN logo and glider silhouette based on straight lines only: the fastest route between two points! It’s available in four sizes and one color. It is available from Super Fly: www.superflyinc.com, service@superflyinc.com, and 801-2559595.
8 US HPA PI LOT
PRION 5 The all new Prion 5 builds on the success of previous Prion versions with its improved launch and handling. Prion 5 also boasts several innovative improvements including easily adjustable brake toggles and colored brake lines that define the usable range of brake travel (BTI). The Prion 5 also has more complex construction than its predecessors. Its clever mini-ribs work to increase performance and decrease brake pressure. It comes in four colors and five sizes from 55-140 kg. It is available through Super Fly: www.superflyinc.com, service@superflyinc.com, and 801-2559595.
GIN FUSE 3 Gin’s new Fuse 3 tandem is available in 37 and 41m sizes. First impressions are “efficient, reliable and fun”. It has improved inflation, smoother launch characteristics, and very low shooting tendency in strong conditions. The brake pressure is light, and turns are well coordinated and precise. Several improvements over the super successful Fuse 2 include: new big ears control system that makes it easier and faster to pull the ears in and lets the pilot use the brakes with the ears held in; it's one half of a kilo lighter than the Fuse 2 weighing in at 6.5kg in the 37m² size; 41m² is 7.2kg; new fabric that has PU-based composite coating to make it extremely durable (the wing uses the 32g/m² weight cloth everywhere, with 40g/m² on the upper surface leading edge); the trimmers are marked with the neutral position and have replaceable webbing. The trim tab provides a wide speed weight range offering versatility for light pilots and passengers. The Fuse 3 is supplied with an XXL rucksack, and available in Lemon, Acid, or Turquoise colors and is available through Super Fly: www.superflyinc.com, service@superflyinc.com, and 801-255-9595.
FLYMASTER USA is pleased to announce the availability of screen protectors for the Flymaster Vario LS and Flymaster GPS LS instruments. Not only will these disposable screen protectors prevent scratches to the instrument but they also reduce glare from the sun. Available for $15. More info from Flymasterusa.com or email jugdeep@flymasterusa.com.
PILOT USHUSHPA PA PILOT 27 9
consensus was that we would have a from this adventure. I am continually tough time making any distance. unpacking the memories of flights We abandoned Mansfield and over fresh, new terrain, our teamwork returned north to the Omak Airport in the face of all the weather chalto fly from there. The conditions still lenges, the friendly and helpful peoweren’t quite right so we packed up ple we met along the way including again and headed to Dorothy Scott to Rick “the Mountain” Mullins, and the do a ceremonial flight across the bordifferent shades of Americana we felt in each of the legs across the 11 states. der and back. The local news met us out there along with the airport man- The trip has probably also confirmed ager. The manager mentioned that he again just how hopelessly addicted we are to free flying. saw a news report about our trip and We were lucky to be able to drink in was surprised to hear that we wanted to fly from his airport. We relayed our the richness of this experience and at the same time to be able to share concerns to him about crossing into Canada before returning, and he stat- some of that with others through ADVANCE SIGMA 11 The SIGMA 11 is the social media sharing and ed that with the airport only 2.5 miles both based on a totally new profile. It incorthe Susan G. Komen partnership. from the border and oriented northporates ADVANCE 3X3D shaping and We raised over $30,000 in the fight south, it was common to do a final utilizes C/B steering which give it that against breast cancer. approach from just over the border 2-liners feel and workSpecial to makethanks it one of FLYNEO 3.0/AIRBAG The FlyNeo to all those who contributed and in order to STRING land there. The plan was the best performing wings in the C Class. String an north, ultralight paragliding helped beatoutstanding our goal. I also to tow up3.0 to is the release and Pilotsus report pitchbecame stability and speedflying harness that weighs in aware upon returning that the extra continue across the border then turn as well as very precise handling. ADat just 250g (M). It comes in three sizes VANCE high quality/lightbuild systems effort to publicize events like these south and land back at the airport. (S, M, L). The harness is so light that it work to land as theitSIGMA 11 around 4 is worthwhile can truly inspire Theisflight would be a beautiful finish barely noticeable when hiking up but kg. There are no C-wiresinsolocal folding is a others. X-Flight articles newsto our fantastic journey. provides excellent support and comfort dream. The Sigma comes in three and colors Asduring Rick the towed us high to the north, papers, TV and radio interviews, flight. When combined with (red, white, and turquoise ) and there are thethe sunlight crept out from the a high even local storytelling in our own free String Airbag, it also provides five sizes from 60-128 kg. It is available clouds enough to light up the levellong of protection. It comes with Austria flight community created a positive from Super Fly: www.superflyinc.com, Alpin Rocketribbons Carabiners andrays the harness response. Hang gliding seems to be lake in silver as the service@superflyinc.com, and 801-255is $500off with the airbag at $200 bounced the light chop fromavailable the somehow 9595. cool again. We may take our through Fly:wake www.superflyinc.com, wind lines Super and the from boats flying for granted, but people truly service@superflyinc.com, and 801-255running up and down both sides of want to hear about it. 9595. the border. The mountains too were displaying their shades of brown and X-Flight Round 2 KLIMBER P The second gener- Though for most of the trip we were tanNIVIUK juxtaposed with2 the dark green ation of the Niviuk Klimber P was created pines along with a colorful tapestry challenged by weather and logistics, to offer a balance between low weight of apple orchards, corn, and soy in the the flying was always a blast. We all and high performance. A powerful valley beneath us. found it refreshing to fly over new two-liner to go further in hike-and-fly The flight was surreal—we had finalterrain and meet new people. We were and cross-country. Naturally competitive, flying hang gliders where no one had ly done it! Over a year of planning, it was designed for the X-Alps. Mountain flown hang gliders before. When we 1,800+ flying miles, 7,500+ road miles, lovers will find in the Klimber 2 P the landed, we enjoyed our interactions 13 traffic warnings andchallenge. tickets, four ideal partner for any Perfect those pilots who insurmountable seek to reach high with new people and got a kick out of flatfor tires and almost peaks and then travel long distances weather conditions, and weXC were here. their quizzical expressions when we withbroke the most optimizedand wing told them of our journey. Robin outinternally the champagne, by Niviuk so far. Fordrivers, more inAlmost as soon as we reached Canwedesigned toasted our tug pilot, our formation contact eagleparagliding.com. and each other for accomplishing the ada, we started talking about what objective. would be next. X-Flight 2020? We are Oh, Canada! still talking, but whatever the next adventure looks like, it probably will involve warmer clothes, oxygen, and Robin Reflects passports. It has been difficult to “come down”
RECORDS
are made to be
BROKEN.
NAA encourages pilots of ALL LEVELS of experience to set records.
Dozens of records are established each year.
Know the rules before you fly! ➽Is your FAI Sporting license valid? Check here:
old.fai.org/about-fai/fai-sporting-licences
➽Your Official Observer must not only be a member of USHPA, they must be independent and not be perceived to have a conflict of interest.
➽ Initial notification of a record claim must be filed via the NAA web-site within 72 hours of the attempt.
Learn more at:
naa.aero/records
(General Info & FAQs)
naa.aero/applications-downloads/
(Records & Sporting Codes Downloads)
GOOD LUCK!
Finding Lift
[ Executive Director, USHPA > MARTIN PALMAZ ]
Fying sites map
Interested in a more active role supporting our national organization? USHPA needs you! Have a skill or interest and some time available?
VOLUNTEER! ushpa.org/volunteer
Fall Board Meeting November 11-13, 2021 Van Nuys, CA
If, over the past few years, you clicked on the “Flying Sites” page on the USHPA website, you would have encountered the message: “COMING SOON.” We’re thrilled to finally introduce a long-awaited USHPA site map that helps pilots locate sites, plan flying trips, and fly in new areas. In 2016, Recreation RRG (RRRG) began annually collecting site information from renewing chapters. By 2019, the data was fully standardized, verified, and incorporated into RRRG’s system, providing a source of comprehensive, accurate site data for the USHPA site map. We would like to thank everyone for their patience as we worked to implement this digital site guide. We’re excited to be able to provide this new, valuable resource to members and hope that it benefits your flying. To protect our sites for all pilots, we ask that you contact the chapter associated with a new site before flying there. It is important to learn the site rules or hazards to avoid jeopardizing access to the site and pilot safety. Learn more about this new feature below. Where is the site map? From the USHPA homepage, go to the Pilot Resources tab and click “Flying Sites.” The site map is only accessible to members, so you’ll need to log in to view it. This provides an exclusive membership resource and helps protect any sensitive site information.
Visit the website for further details and How to use the site map the most up-to-date When you open the map, you’ll see sites repinformation: resented as blue markers across the United
States. Click on a site marker to view the site name, location city and state, site latitude and longitude, as well as chapter information including the chapter’s name, location, phone Do you have questions number, email, and website. about USHPA policies, You may be able to find more information programs, or other about the site, including site rules, access, site areas? Email us at: dangers, and landing areas, by clicking the communications@ chapter website link. USHPA chapters submit ushpa.org this information annually to the RRG and Let us know what are encouraged to make it accessible to help questions or topics improve pilot safety. If this information is you’d like to hear more available, we also strongly recommend that about! all pilots familiarize themselves with it before
ushpa.org/boardmeeting
10 US H PA P I LOT
flying a new site. Whether a comprehensive guide exists on the chapter website or not, it is essential that you contact the chapter before flying a new site. They can offer advice to help you stay safe and inform you of any site rules to help ensure that the site stays open. Sometimes, you may need to be a member of the chapter or fulfill other requirements to fly the site. Are all sites included on the map? The USHPA site map includes sites managed by USHPA chapters, which are updated each year when the chapter renews. If your local or favorite out-of-the-way site is not affiliated with a chapter, it won’t be included on the map. There are also some especially sensitive sites that chapters have requested not be listed to help ensure that pilots only fly there after working with the chapter. Even though all the sites listed are managed by chapters, some of these sites may not require USHPA membership to fly them. Check with the managing chapter for membership requirements and other rules. While USHPA membership may not be required for some sites, it’s always important to be a current member so your liability insurance benefit protects you against a claim for damage to any third party, including a landowner’s property. What’s next? In addition to the web version of the site map, we’re exploring options for a comprehensive site guide mobile app to help pilots easily find sites and access chapter contact and safety information from their phones. If you have any feedback on the new site map, please send us a note to info@ushpa.org We hope the site map is a beneficial tool and that it helps you discover new, exciting places to fly. Remember: Always contact the chapter before visiting a new site to stay safe and preserve access to our free-flight sites for all pilots. Have fun exploring the many wonderful sites around the country! - Blue skies, Martin Palmaz Executive Director, USHPA
USH PA PILOT 11
Accident Review Committee
[ analysis by > JOHN HOVEY ]
Before you fly this spring
AIRS Accident/Incident Reporting System is standing by at airs.ushpa.org If you've been injured or experienced a close call, file a report today. All AIRS reports are completely confidential.
your gear out with the full intention of giving it a complete inspection and enjoying a kiting session—with no chance of flying. This will take all the stress off, and you can focus on the task at hand: remembering your preflight procedures, launching techniques, and keeping that glider over your head. 2. Set up your hang glider and run with it. This is the same idea as #1. Perhaps your hang glider has been under wraps all winter. Doesn’t it deserve the same love and respect paragliders give their equipment during that spring kiting session? We think it does. Take your glider to the park or the soccer field, set it up, and practice a few runs. Practice your hang check too. Have fun with it. 3. Reserve practice pull and repack. Springtime is the perfect time for a reserve repack. You may choose to do it yourself, or you may choose to send it in for a professional repack. But even if you plan to send in your parachute to the shop, why not set up a simulator session and give yourself a practice pull? Find a swing set nearby, in a neighbor’s yard or a park, and clip your harness so you can swing freely. Uneven carabiner height is fun, and you get bonus points for having a friend twist you up and give you a push. The important thing is that you take the opportunity to practice the extraction and the throw. Now get to it: Look for the handle. Locate the handle. Slide your hand down and grasp the handle. Pull straight out and away from your harness, and continue the throw all in one motion. Release the handle so that the reserve inner and we will want to go flying again. Take some bag reaches full line stretch before popping open suggestions, leave others, use what you can, and to release the reserve inside. If the reserve didn’t look out for each other. We’re a small community, extract, stuff it back in the harness and go again! and the fewer of these ARC articles we have to Most manufacturers recommend that the write, the better. reserve be hung up to air out for 24 hours before 1. Go kiting (ground handling) in a non-flying being repacked. Many people skip this step! environment. Why kite in a non-flying environDon’t. Before you repack your reserve (or send it in for repack), hang it up somewhere nice and ment, like a soccer field? We recommend this dry to let the creases ease themselves out. because it can be too tempting to change your 4. Update one element of your kit. This might plans when kiting on launch or in the LZ. Odds are you will see someone getting ready to fly, and be a shameless plug for retail therapy, but that’s okay. Everything wears out eventually, and it’s you might skip your kiting session altogether great to have new stuff. If you’re looking over in favor of getting in the air yourself. We say, your gear and you can’t think of anything to remove the temptation. Go to a soccer field or upgrade, may we recommend replacing your cara park (where it’s allowed, of course) and break
As I sit to write this and stare out the window at blizzard-like conditions—5 degrees Fahrenheit and snow pelting my windows in a 30 mph gale—I’m certainly dreaming of better conditions. This is the time of year I am wishing for longer days, warmer weather, friends on launch, and happy times in the LZ packing up our gliders and comparing notes from a great flight. That said, the Accident Review Committee notes a very dependable trend of springtime accidents. The causes include a tricky combination of pilots who aren’t quite current since they have not flown much over the winter and stronger than expected spring conditions. Springtime produces the strongest and punchiest thermals. Novice pilots may be unaware of or not fully appreciate this risk, especially if they learned to fly during the prior summer or autumn. Fun fact: The equinoxes (inflection points where the day and night are of equal length) fall on March 20 and September 23. That means that May 1 has as much solar power available as August 15! Combine that heating potential with snow still on the ground and overall colder air, and you’ve got a recipe for some serious instability. In these conditions, novice pilots (and rusty pilots) can easily set themselves up for more than they are prepared for. Luckily, we can do some things to get ready for this season. It will eventually stop snowing,
SAF ET Y
When was the last time you did a no-wind forward launch with your paraglider? Be honest.
abiners? Carabiners don’t get a lot of attention; however, they do not have an infinite service life. Check your manufacturer’s instructions and if it’s been a couple of years, replace them. Why not try steel? Fun fact: The lighter the pilot, the more stress is put on carabiners. This paradox stems from cyclical loading: the gentle springing motion of a lightly loaded carabiner oscillating fully open against the gate. A heavier pilot tends to induce less cyclical loading, the carabiner being sort of smashed against the gate more consistently. 5. Write out your preflight. Here’s an exercise that takes nothing more than a pen and paper. Sit down and write out your full preflight, clip-in, and hang check procedure in as much detail as possible. Visualize yourself doing each step. Then see what you missed. Send it to a friend to double-check your work. Why not carry this visualization exercise even further? If you’re having fun, get a fresh piece of paper and start listing the steps needed to conduct a flight. Write out the main elements of a flight with your favorite reminders. Describe walking to launch, what to look for, your launch procedure, and everything involved in managing the flight and setting up to land, all the way through packing your glider. This can be a great way to prime your mind so that you don’t have to remember everything for the first time when you do go out to fly. 6. Visit a training hill. This can be an excellent refresher in springtime. You might observe some lessons and be able to hang around to learn what’s new in the world of instruction. You might make a new friend, find a mentor, or find someone in need of a mentor. You might even learn something! You could even practice some launches. When was the last time you did a nowind forward launch with your paraglider? Be honest. 7. Get a buddy to check you over. It’s always a smart plan to bring someone with you for that first flight after some time away from flying. It’s more fun too. Even if your friend can’t fly that day, have your buddy watch you preflight and give you feedback. It’s a great double-check for you and a reminder for them. Win-win! Even better than having a buddy check you over would be to get together with an instructor. This can be appropriate at all levels, but especially for someone in their first year or two of flying. From when you took your P2/H2, you may have 12 US H PA P I LOT
forgotten a lot. Springtime conditions are likely to be dramatically different than the last time you went flying in, say, August or September. Your instructor will be glad to help you get back into the air safely. 8. Have an instructor review your gear for you. At the flying site, the shop, or an instructor’s house—wherever! Bring your kit and set up a simulator session. Set things up and have your instructor look over everything. Be honest about how your equipment was stored over the winter and bring up any concerns you might have regarding any of your gear. Many pilots have little lingering doubts about aspects of their kit, whether it’s fabric condition, line lengths, or something else. Have someone with some knowledge and experience take a look. The last thing you want on a bumpy spring day is to be less than 100% confident in your equipment. Flying safely involves layers of confidence: confidence in your skills, confidence in the conditions, and confidence in your equipment. 9. Seek out mild conditions for your first flight. There is an interesting springtime phenomenon where pilots like to watch the forums, waiting for that great day in the spring with good XC conditions to make their triumphant return to free flight. This is probably a bad plan if you haven’t been flying over the winter. A better idea is to look for a day with mild conditions where you are guaranteed to get a sledder. This primes your mind not to expect great things and instead focus on the fundamentals of a thorough preflight, controlled launch, and safe landing. This is what you want for your first flight back after a break. Expect to feel that your bump tolerance has diminished over the winter, and give yourself a break. Short flights are fun too, and XC days will arrive soon enough. 10. Write out a progression that might bring you back up to speed. Back to the pen and paper! After you’ve had your day or two of sledders, sit down and make your plan for the spring and early summer. List the drills and milestones for yourself to get back to where you were last year, and, if possible, include some formal training as well. May we recommend an SIV course? We hope this list helps you get back in the sky safely and comfortably, and we hope that your springtime flights bring more joy than jitters. Once again, look out for each other and don’t go rushing headlong into the strongest conditions of the year. Happy landings!
USH PA PILOT 13
STILL FLYING HIGH! NEW PROGRAMS IN 2021 D O NA T E WI T H YO U R US H PA MEMBER S H IP R EN EW AL O R A T F O UNDATION FOR FR EEFLIG H T.OR G PRE SE RV E S & E NHA N C ES FLYIN G S ITES LIK E BIG S UR , SA NDI A PEAK & MT. S EN TIN EL P R O M O T E S S AFETY & ED UC ATION WI T H T HE I NST R UC TOR S UPPOR T G R AN T PR OG R AM SUP P O R T S ALL LEVELS OF LOC AL T O I NT E R NATION AL C OMPETITION S
FFF IS A 501 C(3) NONPROFIT STAFFED ENTIRELY BY VOLUNTEERS SINCE 1989 E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R @ F O U N D A T I O N F O R F R E E F L I G H T . O R G O R
C A L L
5 5 9 - 6 7 7 - 7 5 4 6
Single Skin Paragliders
[ contributed by CHRIS GRECI ]
Who needs them and why? BELOW The author on his Niviuk Skin 3 at Mission Peak in Fremont, CA. Photo by Vinh Tran.
I’ve been flying paragliders for five seasons and came to the sport from many years of kiteboarding, where single skin technology advanced quickly. From my kiteboarding, I found that kites utilizing this technology were especially great when riding on snow or ice; they were safe, powerful, robust, and easy to handle. I owned half a dozen single skin kites and really enjoyed the feeling of the
Single skin paragliders are useful in the right time and place, for the right audience. In my opinion, they should be more popular than they are.
smaller sizes with high loading. From my experience on the snow, I wanted to try the same type of single surface wing with paragliding, thinking these characteristics would carry over nicely to free flight. I ended up with an 18m Niviuk Skin 3 and have enjoyed getting to know it. Though I am speaking generally about all single skins, it’s important to note that most of my experience has been on the Niviuk Skin 3. Each wing will have its own characteristics, but this piece should give you an idea if a single skin is right for you. Due to their construction, single skin gliders are not considered aerodynamically high-performance wings. Having a single surface adds both lift and drag in a way that reduces performance overall, and the glider flies a bit slower than traditional paragliders of the same size. However, aerodynamic performance metrics like speed and glide angle are not always everything pilots care about. We often look for fun, playfulness, and something to let us easily hike-and-fly the backyard hill! Single skin paragliders are useful in the right time and place, for the right audience. In my opinion, they should be more popular than they are. So what type of pilot are they for? I have outlined three pilot profiles that would be well-suited to give a single skin paraglider a try.
Hike-and-fly pilots
The obvious type of pilot to own a single skin are hike-and-fly enthusiasts, especially ones who commonly only have limited time to fly at the fringes of the day. These gliders are incredibly light, ranging from under a kilogram for the Dudek Run&Fly to around 2.4 kg for my Niviuk Skin 3. As they don’t have a rigid internal structure, they pack smaller than you can imagine folding a wing. These lightweight, compact, and portable wings are perfect for a quick hike-and-fly for exercise before or after work. Some of these wings pack so small they can fit inside your helmet!
Curious and playful pilots
Some pilots are very curious about the air
14 US H PA P I LOT
USH PA PILOT 15
2021 PHOTO ANNUAL 〉 SEND IN YOUR IMAGES We know you've got high-resolution images you want to share, so for the NOV/DEC issue USHPA PILOT will feature the best photographs taken by members taken in 2020-2021. Submissions are due September 10th. Captions should include location, pilot name(s), photographer name, and a short description. Review the guidelines at ushpa.org/editor Submit images at ushpa.org/editorial-dropbox
and love to try new things. These wings “talk” a lot and give you much more information about the airmass’s behavior. Is this scary? Perhaps at first, but this information is felt through line tension in a way that does not cause wing pitch, roll, and yaw any more than a traditional paraglider. Playful pilots who like ground handling will love kiting these wings. Single skins provide a lot of precision and are more forgiving when kiting, making some challenging skills more accessible and easier to practice on the ground. A lot of this is due to their slightly slower speed. Pilots will love practicing kiting up hills, sidehill landing, top landing, spot landing, etc. We all like to fly, but defying gravity and playing on the sand dunes like Spiderman swinging through the city is really fun too!
Newer pilots looking for a second wing
Beginner pilots can find a lot of value with single skin gliders, much like the curious pilot. The information given by the wing allows for quicker learning about air texture (gusts, turbulence, and light thermals). Single skins are easier to kite, making the learning curve faster and safer while still allowing a pilot to learn the concepts. Their stability and very low weight prevent them from rolling to the side as easily, which gives you more time for corrections when ground handling. This all may sound good, and, generally, single skin
And we’re always looking for stories! No matter your experience level or wing type, we want to hear about your epic adventures, everyday flights, and community updates. Send in stories that are important to you— weekend adventures, gear reviews, fly-ins and competition pieces, trip-of-a-lifetime stories, photo essays, learning moments, educational pieces (weather, flying techniques, site reviews), and creative content such as poems or artwork.
gliders can work for newer pilots with one caveat—a single skin is probably best as a second wing in a beginner’s quiver. For all pilots, I would recommend a single skin wing that includes trimmers. A little trim when launching in stronger wind can help you penetrate and get you terrain clearance sooner. Single skins don’t shoot forward much, so you can use the trim with a lot of confidence if you want some speed. That said, while single skins can handle some wind, your standard paraglider is better for windier days. For those new to single skins, remember as pilots we should make no assumptions. Treat this wing as an unknown experience, like you did with your first traditional paraglider. It is important to spend a few hours kiting the wing at your local park or training hill to prevent any surprises when you fly it for the first time. Single skin gliders do everything slightly differently, and you want to be as familiar as possible before entering any critical phases of flight like launching or landing. The great thing is you don’t need much wind at your local park. Practice those light wind inflations in the tightest space possible, and you’ll be pioneering new launches in no time from your favorite hiking trail. Besides understanding what type of pilot you are, another good way to determine if
HERE Pilot Dave Oddy on his Niviuk Bi-Skin at Ed Levin in Milpitas, CA. Photo by Alex Honda. BELOW Single skin wings pack up nicely for hike-and-fly. Photo by author.
single skin gliders are right for you is with the following pros and cons list.
PROS
• It’s light—great for hiking adventures in the mountains • Take off from just about anywhere • Tight radius turns • Pitch and yaw stability • Return to straight and level flight quickly • Recover quickly from small depressurizations (technically, I can’t say deflation!) • They don’t collect sand, so they are great to play with at the beach • They’re a conversation starter
CONS
• Less flare energy for landing (try using the rear risers) • They fly slower (about 4-6 km/h slower) than standard gliders and have a similar sink rate. Be more careful near compressions and venturi • Big ears are effective, but you feel more loss in the aerodynamic structure. If you are listening to your wing, it will be telling you it wants to open up and fly again • Not recommended for towing Among those new to single skins, how a single skin handles cravats is a common question, but I have not seen this as an issue. On my Skin 3, there are dense upper-level cascade lines to give the wing structure and generally prevent the fabric from passing through. A quick pull on the stabilo is very effective; there is no internal trapped air behind the line to resist your input—the fabric just slides out. Try it while kiting to get a sense for it. If you are the type of pilot who is drawn to some of the fun of single skins, give them a try! They are great wings to buy used. Some people did not have the opportunity to read articles similar to this, bought a single skin and only flew it a few hours before deciding to sell. You can find cheap, slightly used gliders on the market! If you’re not one of the profiles I mentioned above, your flying style might not be wellmatched for a single skin. Hopefully, this information helps pilots make more informed wing choices. 16 US H PA P I LOT
USH PA PILOT 17
The Pilot's Code
[ contributed by STACY WHITMORE ]
Although I penned the Pilot's Code, I don’t feel like I am the author. I borrowed many of the concepts from others like Ken Hudonjorgensen, Thomas Stankoski, Bill Belcourt, Steve Mayer, Chris Santacroce, Willy Dydo, Gabriel Jebb, and many more. No, this is not an official USHPA policy. I have worked to compile the following in an attempt to unite our community. I present this code each year at the Red Rocks Fly-In at the beginning of the event in hopes that my fellow pilots will rally around the concept. By following the Code, I believe that free flight can become what it should be: an activity that builds a community including both pilots and non-pilots. Too often, I have seen
people leave the sport and seen sites closed because a few pilots were not trained in how to treat people or property. If every instructor in the country made the Pilot's Code, or something similar, part of their instruction, it could make a huge difference in our sport and how the rest of the non-flying community sees us and understands free flight. Yes, we all have differing opinions on certain aspects of life, but I genuinely believe that the following are aspects of our sport and lives that we can all unite behind. Of course, this is an evolving concept, but it is one that I think we can develop together as members of the free-flight community.
The Pilot's Code of Conduct The air calls to us all Everyone is welcome in the air regardless of age, gender, race, sexuality, nationality, creed, experience level, or wing type.
The air unites us as one community All pilots shall bond together as a community of
like-minded souls. A family of aviators, humble, teachable, and willing to learn, share, triumph, and cry with one another.
Share the air and be aware of hazards Share the air with all aviators in a display of good airmanship and cooperation. Be aware of all hazards and possible interruptions of airflow, not just for you but those flying around you. Be aware of personal and equipment limitations so that reunions with planet Earth may be gentle. All pilots are equal Let each pilot be respected as equal and free to follow their own bearing and to speak openly, as we work together to grow the sport.
Respect new pilots and their voyage ahead May the old legends help forge new ones; treat new pilots with respect and share your knowledge. Value the voice of established pilots May the new pilot, full of passion, hear and absorb the wisdom and experience of those who came before. They have your best interests in mind.
Be present in the moment All personal issues are suspended while flying. Be 100 percent focused on the task at hand. If internal weather is cloudy, don’t fly.
ET HICS
Respect the land and the landowners Leave each launch and landing zone better than you found it. Check in with local pilots, and know the site rules. Being a pilot means taking responsibility for our actions Each pilot shall make their
own decisions and blame no one else for the outcomes.
Living in a bigger world requires a bigger responsibility Never do anything, whether
flying or not, that reflects poorly on the sport.
Hang Gliding Renaissance Committee
The volunteer committee is dedicated to finding and retaining hang glider pilots
H
ang gliding participation has been in steep decline in recent years. The USHPA Hang Gliding Renaissance Committee was formed in 2017 to find and facilitate solutions to address this problem. This dedicated volunteer committee includes several hang gliding giants who have already dedicated years (many, their whole lives) to preserving one of the earliest forms of human-powered flight. The Renaissance Committee began by identifying and describing the challenges facing the sport of hang gliding. These include portability of equipment, aging participants, lack of visibility and marketing, competition with paragliding and other recreational activities, a lack of locations and schools, ease of entry, insurance, weather dependency, heavy focus on competition, a decrease of general avi-
18 US H PA P I LOT
by SARA WEAVER ation, and, most importantly, instructor retention. Many of these issues are intertwined. If hang gliding isn’t visible or marketed, potential students never show up. Without new students, schools can’t pay instructors. If instructors can’t make a living, they move on to other jobs, and schools have to close. Expensive and complicated insurance limits the ease with which a new school can open, but without insurance, schools can’t operate, and flying sites are lost. Narrow weather windows, heavy or cumbersome gear, and fewer flying
sites mean that some students never make it past their beginner ratings, and move on to other sports with easier access. That paints a grim picture—it’s one we’ve all heard by now. The Hang Gliding Renaissance Committee aims to tackle each of these issues one by one until the dire trend of attrition is reversed. Success will take time, but in the three years since its inception, the Renaissance Committee has achieved two significant victories. The first was the development of the Alpha series gliders from Wills Wing.
Narrow weather windows, heavy or cumbersome gear, and fewer flying sites mean that some students never make it past their beginner ratings, and move on to other sports with easier access.
USH PA PILOT 19 LEFT Zac Majors landing the Alpha 235.
U SH PA PILOT 9
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The Alpha, specifically the Alpha 235, massively increases controllability near (its very low) stall speed, and Matt Taber it can practically land itself. It flies Chair and Owner slow and easy, providing a brand new Lookout Mountain Flight Park pilot with an encouraging experiKORTEL KARRE SQUARE STEERence ABLE fromRESERVE the first lesson. a Karre is Ensuring a lightSteve Pearson positive experience for new students weight square and steerable reserve Managing Partner and Engineer is crucial for their retention the from Kortel in France. Thereinare Wills Wing sport.four sizes with weight ranges from kg (1.17 kg) to 220 kg was (2.52 kg). The100 second major victory Prices range from $800 to $1250 Mike Meier Philipp Neumann’s newly developed available through Super Fly - www. Managing Partner and CFO quad-tow system (in conjunction superflyinc.com, service@superflyWills Wing ADVANCE STRAPLESS 2 The with inc.com Lookout Mountain and with and 801-255-9595. Strapless 2 weighs a mere 195 support from Wills Wing). It requires grams is designed for the hiker Tikiand Mashy an ATV, a tow rope, two turnaround and mountaineer who does not pulleys, and a training glider like the Owner compromise on weight and volume. Alpha. The turnaround pulleys are Cowboy Up Hang Gliding The Strapless 2 now has lightweight anchored at either end of the field, shoulder straps. The Strapless 2 isDoyle certified (EN 1651) for a takeoff while the ATV tows the glider with Johnson weightOwner of 110 kg. $400 through or without landing gear (youtube. Super Fly - www.superflyinc.com, com/watch?v=4bYPvx3fg2I). This Bluewater Hang Gliding service@superflyinc.com and 801system can easily be used to safely 255-9595. train solo students from beginner to Joe Greblo advanced and turns any big field into Founder and Former OwnerSHIRT ADVANCE MONOCHROME a tow park. It is an invaluable tool Windsports Hangmonochrome Gliding The well-known LOGO by HAT Theschools Advance that ADVANCE can be utilized new T-shirt is now available in a second Logo Cap is now available in a new and established flight parks alike. color combination, “Blue Melange.” Joyne DePanfilis color, “Sky Blue.” The summer cap The T-shirt comes in the same sizes These inventions can help a new is a classic for look and can be Executive Director and Trustee and with the same Advance quality school get started or increase stuadjusted to any head size. The Foundation formonochrome Free FlightT-shirt.dent retention as the original by improving both Made in Portugal, it is 95% cotton the student and instructor experiandPaul 5% elasthane Voight for a comfortableence. Still, more must be done. fit andOwner wearability over the years. The focus of the Renaissance ComSizes available: S, M, L, XL. Colors: FlyHigh Hang Gliding mittee has recently shifted to insurBlue Melange and Black Melange Tandem/Instructor Administrator available through Super Fly - www. ance and instructor support. Instrucsuperflyinc.com, service@superfly- tors are the cornerstone in growing inc.com 801-255-9595. Martinand Palmaz the pilot base, yet many express USHPA Executive Director frustration with the complexities of obtaining and maintaining RRRG insurance. Members of the RenaisJames Bradley sance Committee have received the Consultant and Facilitator results of the 2020 USHPA member Chair of USHPA outreach survey and are working on Strategic Planning Committee compiling the responses into actionable steps. John Harris The progress of the Renaissance Owner Committee depends entirely on Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding volunteers. Do you have a story to share or time to dedicate to help the Sara Weaver Renaissance Committee succeed? If Competition Pilot so, reach out to hang_gliding_chair@ ushpa.org.
DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS Do you know someone who... ... is passionate about hang gliding and paragliding? ... is strongly motivated to help with the protection and growth of free- ... can both create and communicate goals to achieve their ideas, and then follow through on them?
Then please nominate him or her for the BOARD of DIRECTORS of USHPA! You may also nominate yourself. (No need to re-nominate current directors.)
Directors are the cornerstone of the US Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. They develop policy to support the USHPA's mission and represent our members in the sports of hang gliding and paragliding. Under USHPA’s new governance structure, directors will have more ability to bring about change than ever before - and heightened responsibility to go along with it. In addition to the qualities listed above, we’re seeking individuals who can see the big picture, are willing to try new things, and have the ability to understand and work for all our pilots, regardless of any individual affiliations.
Director requirements include: • Participate in monthly board meetings via teleconference. • Actively collaborate with committees. • Represent USHPA members, both regionally and nationally.
Submit your nomination BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1st at ushpa.org/page/call-for-nominations
The USHPA welcomes and encourages your participation in this process. We also encourage members with unique viewpoints (such as women pilots, younger or college-age pilots, instructors, etc.) to run and contribute their valuable perspective to the organization.
Coastal Soaring
[ contributed by HONZA REJMANEK ]
Tongues of wind and ram-air ramps
WE AT HER
Originally published in Cross Country Magazine. options downwind along the coast, so there is no stress of not being able to penetrate to an LZ. Eventually, you tire of crabbing along Arriving at a coastal mountain site launch this invisible hill and spiral down into a light around noon on a nice spring day, you find coastal breeze for a nice beach landing. a group of student pilots set up and ready What this example illustrates is that there for their second flight of the day. Shallow are times when light winds on launch and cumulus clouds are forming behind launch. in the landing zone, just 4 km away, do not There is much talk of how most students guarantee an uneventful flight. Experienced got up above launch just after 10:30 a.m. in pilots and instructors can get caught off BELOW The developing abundant, mellow thermal lift. Nice cycles wind is shown in red. A are coming up launch, and there is no sign of guard even if they have flown the site many north wind is forecast but whitecaps on the ocean 1,000 meters below. times before. On the day of this example, on launch it hasn’t arrived there had been north wind forecast, so it did As you set up, the first student launches – it is blocked by higher not appear out of nowhere. It was a modunder the guidance of their instructor. Their mountains to the north. On launch is solid, and the flight starts unerately strong cross coast wind setting up the coast the wind arrives along a steep coastline where the mountains but the convoluted coastal eventfully. Less than a kilometer out on the topography means that 4 km glide, the student encounters a strong reach 1,500 m. it is pushed up against crosswind along with some turbulence. After Thus, the way the wind set up was interthe mountains, causing a scary cascade due to poor glider control, esting and not immediately apparent. The blocking and stagnation. the student crabs out slowly. From the LZ, progression by which the wind established “Tongues” and “ramps” of itself had to do with the fact that launch air are the result. the student reports light winds. On launch, was partially blocked by taller mountains to the north. Down near the coast, a lot of air was being rammed against the mountains along the convoluted coastline, causing blocking and stagnation. The wind was being forced over an invisible ramp made of air. The landing zone was down in the relatively stagnant air. It is important to keep in mind that what we see as the terrain is not necessarily what the wind sees. Just as we see the leading edge on a paraglider looks like it has cell openings, the air sees a rounded leading edge. Wind does not establish itself in comnice cycles give way to occasional moderateplex terrain in a nice, even manner. Here it is ly-strong gusts, and the instructor prudently helpful to think in terms of metaphors such as tongues and ramps. tells the remaining students to pack it up. Often, moderate synoptic wind will decouAfter a 20-minute assessment, you decide to fly because conditions are still within your ple or disconnect from the terrain below at comfort zone. However, you adjust your night. This is because radiative cooling acts flight path to account for the now evident to stabilize the lowest layers, making it more strong crosswind on the glide out. As you difficult for the wind to mix down to the surget out over the ocean, you point cross-coast face. As the day turns on, we begin to see a and into the wind. You are almost parked recoupling or reconnecting of the surface air and find that you can soar an invisible hill. with the wind above. A lot of air down low There are no whitecaps below, but further has to be brought up to speed. Sometimes upwind, the ocean surface is now showthis causes invisible ramps in the air. Flying or soaring on such a ramp can be a strange ing tongues of textured water with some sensation. Fly upwind, and you encounter whitecaps. There are plenty of open landing 20 US H PA P I LOT
USH PA PILOT 21
more headwind. Fly downwind, and you can fly out of the wind altogether. It is almost like flying into a wind shadow of an invisible hill. Some refer to this as soaring a shear. This does not necessarily mean that it has to be turbulent. Sometimes it is truly like ridge soaring a shallow, sloped invisible hill in strong wind. Just as a thermal core rises faster than the whole thermal, the wind on the windy side of a wind line blows faster than an advancing speed of the wind line. Large bodies of water, when viewed from above, allow one to ponder this phenomenon—calm water on one side of a wind line, strong wind on the other. Yet the wind line progresses slower than the wind speed that is evident on the water. Sometimes the line even stalls out! The curious pilot cannot help but wonder what is happening to all the wind at the line. The only place it can go is up at some
It is important to keep in mind that what we see as the terrain is not necessarily what the wind sees. angle. This can allow for magical soaring of invisible ramps or hills far from any obvious terrain. In complex terrain, wind advances less like a line and more as tongues of air breaking in. These might still exhibit some ramp-like structure. The strong intruding wind might affect an area on the glide path between the launch and LZ while it still could be reasonably light both on launch and in the LZ. The best defense is to be aware of the forecast wind direction and strength. If you do not feel it on launch, then do not discount the forecast as a bust. It might be that the wind is not coming, or it could be that the wind has not made it to you quite yet.
877.FLY.THIS
HANG 2 & AEROTOW TRAINING DEMO GLIDERS
WILLS WING
Sport 2 155 Sport 3-C 155 Falcon 2 140 Falcon 4 170, 195
AIRBORNE BLADE RACE 152
AEROS TARGET Target 13
MOYES
Gecko 170 Malibu 2 188
What does it really take?
TRAINING
FOR THE
X-ALPS
by GAVIN McCLURG Adapted from my blog post: www.cloudbasemayhem.com/thinkingabout-competing-in-the-red-bull-x-alpsread-this-first/
W
ell, we’ve done it again! Team USA 1 is in the Red Bull X-Alps 2021—our fourth race. The thought of all the mileage, sweat, and tears necessary to build a solid campaign kept me in the “probably no” category for most of last year. Still, my team kept reminding me how much fun we have had in the past events, not only in the run-up to the event but also during the 12 days of fighting to reach Monaco. In the end, on the day the application opened, I threw our hat in … one more time. After that, for nearly a year, it is always the same: endless checklists and refinements, flying as much as possible, 22 US H PA P I LOT
and of course, the physical training handle (and could we prepare for) the that just kept getting harder… and hard- inevitable conflict and stress the race would throw at us? And the scariest of er… and harder until finally the blessed taper arrived two weeks before the race them all—did we have what it takes? Huge projects are like huge goals. kicked off. Then there’s nothing but anticipation and unsettled nerves until They have to be broken down into manthe gun goes off in Salzburg, Austria. ageable segments. Otherwise, they can In a change from the prior stories I’ve never be tackled. So let’s break it down. written for USHPA Pilot, I would like to delve into the ins and outs of this THE PHYSICAL demanding race and the training reDuring the race, for 11.5 days, athletes are allowed to move from 5 a.m. to 10:30 quired to get there. When I think back p.m., and for one night of their choosto my team’s first campaign in 2015, the race’s most unwieldy aspects were all ing, all participants can keep moving all the things we didn’t understand and night. Known as the night pass, the top couldn’t anticipate or prepare for. How three competitors of the prologue can hard was it really when it came to the use two night passes. So other than one physical aspect? Could I fly safely in night (or for the (un)lucky three who the conditions the race required? What podium in the prologue, as I did in 2015, about all the logistics? What were the two nights!), pilots are moving either critical things my team needed to be on the ground or in the air for 17.5 comfortable doing? How would we hours a day. On unflyable days the top
USH PA PILOT 23
athletes will cover 90-120 km in those 17.5 hours. That’s with a pack, carrying all of their gear (7-10 kilos typically without food and water), going up and over and across the Alps. Keep in mind, if it’s unflyable, athletes are traveling in the rain, snow, and wind, often on busy roads with a ton of traffic. In each of my three campaigns, I’ve climbed at least the height of Everest four times (that’s 120,000 feet) which averages out to at least 10,000 feet each day (many days end up close to 20,000 feet). Even in good flying years, athletes cover at least a marathon a day in distance on foot. I’ve averaged four flights per day in all three campaigns. And, even though the Alps have established launches everywhere, I can count on two hands the number of “normal” launches I’ve used and even fewer when it comes to landings. Last year I touched down briefly on a winding road with a car barreling down on me before winging it over a waterfall.
If you’re considering participating in the X-Alps, don’t just read those numbers and assume you can tough it out. Think ultrathon every day. If you’re considering participating in the X-Alps, don’t just read those numbers and assume you can tough it out. Think ultrathon every day, WITH a pack, WITH a ton of very sketchy flying, WITH endless decision-making, WITHOUT much sleep. You cannot simply will yourself across the Red Bull X-Alps course. Blisters alone take out several athletes every year. You need to train!
TRAINING
I read that Chrigel Maurer, who has won the last six Red Bull X-Alps races, shoots for 30,000 meters (a bit over 98,000 feet) of vertical per month in the months leading up to the race. As I write this in January, last week I did 18,000 feet of vertical, and this week I
will be at 22,000 feet. In the fall, I’ll do the vertical on foot and fly as much as possible, and in the winter, I’ll do the vertical on skis and either ski or fly down. Typically, I’ll travel as much as possible to places like Valle de Bravo, Mexico, or Colombia in the winter to stay current in my flying. Obviously, this year, with COVID-19 complicating travel, it’s easier (and safer) just to stay home. For each race, the training begins in earnest on September 1, which gives me a little over nine months to prepare. My team and I break the nine months down into three specific three-month periods. The first is dedicated to a ton of time in the gym. I work on core strength to accommodate the pack
HERE The X-Alps demands launching…and flying in conditions that are rarely recreational. Gavin considers his options above the Davos turnpoint, day 5 of the 2019 race. Photo by Vitek Ludvik. OPPOSITE Strength training in the gym builds durability, resilience and a strong core for carrying the pack and the long miles on pavement. Photo by Jody MacDonald during training for the 2015 race.
and establish the muscle cushion that will take the beating and help save my joints. I also do a substantial amount of heart rate threshold training (think uphill intervals that make you want to puke) and limited time poking into distance. I do quite a bit of walking and hiking, but nothing more than 20 km. After the first period, we spend three weeks in a diabolical “stamina” phase meant to really push my limits. This phase is painful, filled with evil intervals and long bursts of max heart rate work and muscle endurance training (bounding uphill with a heavy pack, intervals, and generally stuff that just hurts) that uphill athletes use to springboard to a higher performance level. The second three-month segment is dedicated to aerobic base training. Most workouts are done at a moderate heart rate (around 145 bpm), which is where I spend most of the race, and I go uphill A LOT. This is all done on skis or foot, almost always with the pack, and sometimes the pack is loaded up with a lot of weight. This period also starts to condition my feet. 24 US H PA P I LOT
I commit about 10-15 hours per week to training in the fall (this does NOT include flying, ground handling, logistics, team planning, etc.—this is just the physical training). Right now, in January, that’s up to 20-25 hours per week. By spring and the final phase, this will be up to 30-35 hours per week, and I will keep that pace until the last couple of weeks before the race. The final phase of training includes all of the above, with several multi-day race simulations each month to model the output, sleep deprivation, and caloric needs I will experience in the actual race. My secret is Ben Abruzzo, my trainer and one of my team members since our first race in 2015. Overtraining is as sinister as undertraining, and getting it right should be handled by a professional. Having a competent trainer allows me to unload one huge stress point—will I be physically ready?
en-time competitor Tom de Dorlodot. Michael Witschi (one of the best comp pilots in the sport) threw his reserve, and veteran X-Alps pilot Michael Gebert pulled out because the conditions were so sketchy. In the 2017 edition, Antoine Girard got so broken trying to launch on day two of the race he had to pull out. I saw two other super talented pilots crash in violent foehn conditions later that same day. The thing is, to be remotely competitive in the X-Alps, flying in conditions that we shouldn’t fly in is part of the game. You need to have wicked ground handling skills, acro skills, and be super-duper comfortable flying in the lee, in rotor, and generally in conditions that would and should terrify most pilots. From interviews I’ve done with veterans of the X-Alps for my Cloudbase Mayhem podcast, most of the competitors would classify themselves as “professionals.” In other words, flying FLYING The Red Bull X-Alps is not a race for rec- is their main job. Some are test pilots for wing manufacturers, others are reational and even most competition sponsored athletes who make a living pilots. In 2015, the legend Toma Cocofrom flying World Cup Competitions, nea nearly lost his life. Ditto for sev-
USH PA PILOT 25
and several are Red Bull athletes. They all have one thing in common—they fly a LOT. Most put in well over 300 hours per year. Also, many are accomplished professional ultramarathon runners, but the fastest distance runner in the world wouldn’t have a chance at placing well in the X-Alps. Although the race is always won in the air, you need to be comfortable and competent operating in often quite hostile mountain environments. In the 2019 race, an unusually high spring snowpack left all of the high mountain passes buried in deep snow. Ice axes and crampons were mandatory equipment. Pilots need to have top-landing dialed, should be able to safely launch in REALLY strong winds when exhausted, need to be very comfortable with cross country flying in conditions that are really on the outer edge of “safe,” be able to ditch it into postcard landing spots in rowdy conditions, and be very adept at assessing weather on the fly. There’s no safety director in the X-Alps to dictate when conditions are too dangerous. Every move is 100% the call of the pilots and their teams. This all takes years of practice. When the Red Bull X-Alps race committee selects participants, they want to see that a pilot can be autonomous in sketchy places and make good decisions. They don’t want yahoos who say things like, “I’m fearless, and I’m going to kick ass!” This race isn’t the place for that attitude.
turnpoint in Switzerland. Much of that was traveling on snow in overcast and rainy weather. Very few athletes run or even jog during the race—there’s too much trauma on the joints, and the pack grinds you down. Pilots have to be very efficient at moving fast all day, especially uphill. You can cover a lot of ground in 17.5 hours! My team
knows they have five minutes from the moment I land to have my next launch mapped out and sent to my phone. You cannot get stuck. Walking down is to be avoided at all costs.
KNOWLEDGE OF THE ALPS
The Alps are a complex maze of dense, imposing mountains that create their
GROUND GAME
On average, pilots will launch three to four times every day. Sometimes it’s a big haul from the valley bottom 2,000 meters into the alpine to find a usable launch. Other times it’s just a quick pack and 500-meter ascent to clear a col after a slope land. On rare days when it’s completely unflyable due to rain or snow and wind, the fittest athletes will cover over 100 km on foot. In the 2019 race, on day six and seven most of us had back-to-back 4,000+ meter days on foot to reach the Titlis
ABOVE During COVID, training required getting creative. A log, a 60 lb sandbag, and his daughters' support in this case does the job! Photo by Mattie Mulick. OPPOSITE Strength training in the gym builds durability, resilience and a strong core for carrying the pack and the long miles on pavement. Photo by Jody MacDonald during training for the 2015 race.
Neynens from New Zealand and I were both rookies in 2015, and he’s been competitive every edition despite not living in the Alps. Nick’s vast experience with vol-biv around the world allows him to make excellent decisions on the fly.
YOUR TEAM
own weather systems. It can be flyable in one valley and suicidal only 15 km away! Did you watch Chrigel fly from Davos up the Rhine and top land Titlis in the 2019 race? Not many pilots on Earth could have pulled that off that day, but I’d gamble that number goes to zero if that wasn’t your backyard, as it is for Chrigel. For every competitor, especially non-Europeans who will never get as much time flying and learning this vast mountain region that the race covers (the course changes every edition but typically goes through at least six countries), their team is critical when it comes to route decisions. Reavis Sutphin-Gray is my weather and tech guru. My job is to go where he tells me as fast as I can. It’s his job to calculate everything else, and the list is vast. From the moment I land, he is working on finding a nearby suitable launch (enough tree clearance, aspect of slope, hazards, slope angle, is there a trail or discernable route, time of day, sun angle, overdevelopment, wind, etc.). When I’m in the air, Reavis updates me on the weather (improving, deteriorating, dangerous), route choice, and a long list of other things. We spend a great deal of time as soon as the course is announced in March pouring over past tracklogs, XContest flights, and Google Earth, but nothing replaces actual time flying in the Alps. Before my first race in 2015, I had 26 US H PA P I LOT
several seasons of flying in the Alps, and before every edition, I’ve always spent at least a month training on the course line, but it’s a fraction of what the European competitors get. Nick
Without an amazing team, you don’t have a chance. That’s just a fact. Your team gets less sleep than you do and will be doing almost all of your thinking. The X-Alps is 12 days of physical chess with a big dollop of random thrown in to make things interesting. You can’t bull your way across the course; you have to think. You’ve got to get along with your teammates and have a blast even when shit isn’t going right. They have to juggle not killing themselves AND not killing you.
TOP Gavin grabs a quick dinner with his team during the 2019 Red Bull X-Alps. Photo by Vitek Ludvik. BOTTOM Gavin gets in some vertical training while dialing in his gear in Southern California three months before the race. Photo by Ben Horton.
EN/LTF-C The future of glider design depends largely on simulations. Instead of designing and producing prototypes one by one, we can now accurately simulate hundreds of paragliders using our in house simulation program; ALULA. In effect, we are now able to test virtual prototypes using this program, and on the CURE 2 we made hundreds of virtual prototypes that have created a comfortable, fast, stable, and maneuverable wing with exceptional passive safety and performance.
Discover all of the technology designed into the CURE 2 at www.flybgd.com/cure2 PHOTO VITEK LUDVIK
BGD-USA.com • 801-699-1462 Your team is in charge of just about everything. Cooking, charging instruments, packing gear, updating social media and content, finding suitable places to stop the van for the night, assessing the route, weather forecasting, maintaining group dynamics, driving, stocking the van, mapping, and navigating. They are also responsible for athlete assessment—how much juice do I have and can I get in the air before the deadline. I have to carry mandatory gear (see below) all the time, but Ben can carry anything extra—dry pair of shoes, water, food, rain jacket, dry socks, external battery, supplements, sunblock, repair kit, spares, etc. He hikes to every launch I do whenever possible. So he’s carrying more weight than I am and doing a good chunk of the same vertical. He’s a beast! My other supporter, Keith Cockrum, drives a separate vehicle to get out ahead of the race van to give me support if I land in a place the race van can’t reach. He shops for food whenever possible and handles the million little crises that crop up on any given day. The supporter role in the X-Alps is
about the furthest thing from a holiday there is. The race is incredible on so many levels—the flying, the incredible beauty of the Alps, the intensity, the competition, seeing what you’re made of, and a lot more. All of that is awesome. But I keep coming back for more because none of it compares to the experience you have with your team. You’re going to battle for 12 intense days with people you completely rely on, and the laughter and joy we experience isn’t replicable in anything else I’ve ever done.
WHAT’S IN MY PACK
Mandatory: Wing, harness, helmet, phone, XC Tracer (vario for backup logging), Flymaster Live, Garmin InReach, safety flare Optional: External battery, extra clothes, gloves, water, food, supplements, electrolytes, goggles, POV camera, trekking poles, balaclava, earbuds, catheter and pee tube, sunblock, sun hat
COVID-19 AND THE 2021 RACE
I still don’t know where I got COVID-19, but it was probably training in my gym
at the end of September. I found out just after arriving at the Red Rocks Fly-in, and thankfully, to my knowledge, everyone in my vicinity avoided the dreaded disease. I immediately headed for home and luckily was only sick for a few days which I spent camping solo on the beautiful Mt. Harrison. There, I was able to continue training and even got a couple of nice flights.
C
OVID remains a pretty serious threat to the race. The organizers remain optimistic, but as of this writing, U.S. citizens still can’t travel to Europe, which is in the midst of a third wave and cross-border traffic remains impossible or difficult. There is talk of the race being delayed to August. All our teams have been vaccinated or will be soon, so we remain optimistic too! I figure the worst-case scenario is I’ll have spent nine months getting super fit (there are undoubtedly worse things!), and Team USA 1 will be “forced” to spend all the money earmarked for the X-Alps on a killer bivvy trip instead! But we’re hopeful we’ll be in Salzburg June 16 when the gun goes off, and we hope to make you all proud.
THE ORDEAL
Life reflections and revisions
I
t’s not the air that will kill you—I forgot that in the madness. This world is turbulent. Not only the eddies and gusts for the air but also the pursuit of life and success. However you interpret the winds, the struggles, or the challenges that lie ahead, this perception determines the outcome. How do I perceive paragliding? It is one of the most beautiful arts on this planet at this time in history. I have not considered myself as being an artist, and yet, there is art all around. Some capture it with photog-
28 US H PA P I LOT
by JEREMY POTTENGER raphy, others with oils and paint, still others by tossing their body, mind, and soul into the void. Paragliding is an art practiced in many different ways by many different people. As I grew to understand this, I forgot the dangers involved. One false step, one wrong move, one ill-timed launch... I write this article not to try and take away from the beauty of the art of free flight, but to bring light to how quickly we can go from being safe and secure in our confidence in this sport to having months or years in recov-
ery or worse. Though there are many ways to end up on the downslope side of this hill, the one good check to perform before each flight is on our mental state. Leading up to my incident, as some have pointed out, I was very turbulent. Turbulent in mind and life. I had lost a very close feathered friend, one of my falcons, and had just fought with another (human) friend. It would be accurate to assume I was utterly overwhelmed in life, business, and the pursuit of happiness.
USH PA PILOT 29
Not wanting to face those issues, I used the peace and quiet of free flight to “escape” reality. In retrospect, this was not the answer. This art requires clarity of mind, spirit, and body. Although I was very physically fit, I was not mentally fit. I was flying as much as possible, but I was not focused on a perfect launch, perfect form, or perfect flight, all of which must safely align to glide over the rocks, trees, and ground. The lack of those necessities mixed with a misaligned mental state can lead to a misjudgment, spelling disaster. A misjudgment like the sun setting at my back, the air switching katabatic, the micro-lift disappearing, the improper wing choice, or the unforgiving launch. Disaster. For a while up to this point, I had been flying my trainer mini-wing, the BGD SEED; it’s a wing designed for ground-handling only, not for actual flight (BGD is very clear about this on their website). But it flew so nicely in the strong and laminar conditions at the South Side Point of the Mountain, Utah, that I had gotten complacent. It was not designed for the mountaineering lines and “speed flights” I was pursuing. But it was light and easy, and I was confident. Caught smack dab in intermediate syndrome, I felt nearly invincible. I train falcons to chase ravens and seagulls away from the county landfill, orchards, and vineyards. We fight daily to discourage them from eating our trash and toxic waste. We call this art "falconry abatement." On the day of the incident, I had worked late and was anxious to get out and fly. It had been a long day fighting the war against wildlife foraging in the waste of the county landfill. I hiked up to a launch I now call “The Shredder.” Alone on the steep staircase of granite and bedrock far out in the west Utah desert, I was without communication, a safety net, or a plan B. Did I make any precautionary plan in case something went wrong? Did I even tell anyone where I wanted
to explore, the line I wanted to fly? No. Intermediate syndrome reigned. My falcons could fly, and so could I. The ravens were playing out front of launch, and my trusty dog, Leia, was by my side, ready to chase me back down to my truck. A short 2,000-foot flight back to the valley floor and a sunset flute session to honor my fallen falcon after; that was all that was on my mind the night of March 5, 2020. I found a ledge with a clearing I deemed large enough to get the wing going before throwing my body, life, and world off the cliff. My first attempt should have been all the warning I needed; I ran forward and tripped, nearly tumbling over the cliff. As the air began going katabatic, I rushed to get set up for a second attempt. (Did I mention my turbulent mental state?) On the second attempt, I changed my trajectory to avoid the rock in my original runway and sent it. Launching, I was roughly 30 feet off the ground, but I didn’t account for the bouldery ledge below. As my glider sank, I impacted the ledge with my right leg, left shin, and airbag and went into a straight tumble. Back, neck, then legs again, stopping
on the third impact. The airbag on my harness, the Speedride by Gin, and my helmet saved my life, but my ordeal had just begun. I found myself lying broken and bleeding at the bottom of a rocky cliff. It was clear that my right leg was shattered; my left was bleeding and sore but mobile. “It’s only sprained,” I thought to myself. I did a quick self-assessment, and the rest of me seemed mostly okay. I had a big gash on my left hand, but I could move. I wasn’t knocked out, but my connection to consciousness was tenuous at best. I crawled away from my glider and harness and looked down below. It was at least 2,000 feet down to the sanctuary of my truck, and the light and warmth of the day were fading quickly. I chose to stay at the crash site, using my wing and dog as protection from the elements and whatever creatures the unforgiving desert was about to throw at me. Staying put seemed smarter than trying to crawl out in the freezing cold, at night, on a busted leg. The pain was fierce, but my training from Wilderness First Aid and Boy Scouts reminded me to stay calm and
ABOVE The author and his companion. OPPOSITE The author on his BGD SEED.
HERE At sunrise, waiting for a moment to launch.
make a plan. I tried to gather any ma... if they found my body). No food, no terial for a fire, but the materials were water, no first aid kit. How would my meager at the base of the cliff. I was family and friends ever forgive me? so ill-prepared. In that moment, all I I recorded a couple of videos saying had to my name was a hooded sweater, goodbye and curled up in my wing hiking pants, a cell phone with no ser- to await whatever fate was in store vice, a lighter, and a wallet with identi- for me. Passing out from the pain, fication (for when they found my body not even Leia recognized me in that 30 US H PA P I LOT
broken state. I was alone; broken and alone. A pack of coyotes howling nearby and a mountain lion lurking about elicited many conversations with my creator. Somehow, I survived the night. That sunrise the next morning was the most beautiful I had ever seen. I had no way to call for help, no
USH PA PILOT 31
inReach, Spot, or safety net. That morning, there had been a dirt biker riding the road below, and I had seen a pair of hikers across the ravine, but every attempt to signal for help hadn’t worked. “I got myself into this mess. I have to get myself out,” I said to myself. I decided it was time to start crawling, more like scooting, back to my truck. With one leg shattered, the other “only sprained” leg bore the brunt of the crawl out. I had to scoot on my butt, lay on my glider as a cushion, and lift my weight with the less broken leg. “It’s only sprained,” I had to keep repeating to myself. Leia’s comfort and the tiny patches of softer earth and grass were my only relief throughout the day. For 27 hours, I alternated
between crawling, resting, and passing out from the pain. Once at my truck, I still had a three-hour drive to get myself, my dog, and my falcon crew back to food, safety, and medical aid. One poor decision nearly cost all of us our lives. It’s been over a year since “The Ordeal.” I’ve been through four surgeries to repair seven broken bones, including both legs (it wasn’t just sprained). My recovery included 13 screws, two plates, and one pin to get my feet and legs back to a semi-pre-accident state. Daily physical therapy and yoga have fought off infection, pain, and total loss of life and limb during recovery. I have proven to the doctors and myself that I won’t allow this incident to stop me from making the best of the
2020 USHPA AWARDS Call for Nominations Every year, USHPA gives awards and commendations to those making "aboveand-beyond" contributions to our sport. You know who's worthy of recognition in your community; please let us know, too. Make your nomination at ushpa.org/page/award-nomination-form
NOMINATIONS ARE DUE OCTOBER 1. PRESIDENTIAL CITATION - USHPA's highest award is presented to a member or non-member who has made significant contributions to the sport. ROB KELLS MEMORIAL AWARD - Recognizes a pilot, group, chapter or other entity that has provided continuous service, over a period of 15 years or more, to the sports of hang gliding or paragliding or both.
time I have been gifted. My new mission is to continue to fly my glider (not the SEED) and train my falcons with more awareness. I now put on full motocross riding armor before each flight and have started seeing others, especially speedfliers, do the same. My relationships with family, friends (human and otherwise), and my creator are stronger than ever, but it took nearly destroying myself to get here. Please don’t make the same mistakes I made. Take time to thank your friends and family for their part in your life. Listen and respect the advice you’re given, whether you feel it applies to you or not. And from here on out, please include a mental assessment in your pre-flight check. I certainly will.
FAI PEPE LOPES MEDAL - The medal may be awarded annually by the FAI, on recommendation by the FAI Hang Gliding and Paragliding Commission (CIVL), for outstanding contributions to sportsmanship or international understanding in the sports of hang gliding or paragliding. CHAPTER OF THE YEAR - This award recognizes the USHPA chapter/club that has conducted successful programs that reflect positively upon the chapter and the sport. NEWSLETTER/WEBSITE OF THE YEAR - This award recognizes an outstanding club publication (printed or web-based). INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD - Nominations should include letters of support from three students and the local Regional Director. One award per sport per year may be given. RECOGNITION FOR SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION - Awarded to any number of non-members and organizations that have done exceptional volunteer work that has significantly enhanced and promoted our sports in the U.S. COMMENDATIONS - Commendations are given to any number of USHPA mem-bers who have contributed to hang gliding and/or paragliding on a volunteer basis.
NAA SAFETY AWARD - The NAA presents this award to an individual, recommended by USHPA, who has contributed to safety promotion in hang gliding or paragliding.
BETTINA GRAY AWARD - The Bettina Gray Award was created to honor the woman who contributed so much to our sport through her photography. This award is issued to the photographer (male or female) whose work (three examples needed for review) is judged best by the committee in consideration of aesthetics, originality, and a positive portrayal of hang gliding or paragliding. One award will be given each year.
FAI HANG GLIDING DIPLOMA - This diploma may be awarded every year by the FAI to an individual who is considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the development of hang gliding or paragliding by his or her initiative, work, or leadership in flight achievement.
BEST PROMOTIONAL FILM - This award recognizes the videographer whose work is judged best by the committee in consideration of aesthetics, originality, and a positive portrayal of hang gliding or paragliding. One award will be given each year.
USHPA EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AWARD - This award recognizes outstanding service to the association during the year by any member or non-member.
Mask Up and Fly!
[ contributed by JENNA P. LYONS ]
Taking on tandems during COVID-19
CHAPT ERS
ABOVE Scott Harris with For many people, 2020 was a year to simply put a tandem passenger over on a pair of sweatpants, pour a stiff drink, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. let go of any type of expectations. But that is not
32 US H PA P I LOT
how Scott Harris operates. Harris, the co-owner of Jackson Hole Paragliding (JHPG), had two main priorities going into the 2020 tandem paragliding season: safety and color in the sky. Harris and Tom Bartlett co-own JHPG, a paragliding school, guide service, and tandem outfitter, which operates primarily from Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Harris runs his tandem business and manages his employees like a welloiled machine. With the gorgeous backdrop of a sunrise on the Tetons and a coffee in hand, he starts each day asking his tandem pilots to circle up. Then, he gives a pep talk and chats with his employees about how they can all work to be safer and more competent pilots.
More often than not, the morning circle is full of healthy banter and plenty of laughter and jest. Harris is a consummate professional at boosting morale, but he also holds his employees to strict standards about being on time, keeping their gear safe and ready to go, being respectful, having perfect launches and landings, and maintaining a professional appearance. In the end, this all leads to a very experienced group of tandem pilots taking passengers on the flights of their lives in one of the most scenic places on earth. Incredibly, JHPG had one of its most successful tandem seasons ever in 2020 despite things looking dismal in the spring. According to Harris, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort had concerns about JHPG’s ability to adhere to social distancing guidelines, and after a spike in COVID-19 cases in Jackson Hole, the idea of taking tandem
USH PA PILOT 33
passengers out and latching them onto the harness of a stranger seemed reckless. But by the end of May, businesses were reopening, the gondola opened, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort accepted the idea that saved tandems at the mountain: Mask up and fly! After scrambling to salvage a season, Harris and his team persevered, followed CDC guidelines, made tandem paragliding happen, and had the most successful tandem season JHPG has ever had. It just looked a little different than it usually does. JHPG’s protocols for flying in 2020 included separating passengers from pilots on the gondola ride up the mountain. Harris considered taking temperatures of both passengers and pilots, providing different helmets, and making everyone wear surgical gloves. But after considering the fact that thermometers may not be accurate and that intake questionnaires may not be effective either, the resort and JHPG agreed to simply “Mask up and fly.” In the end, embracing the mask policy and making it part of the message was the most significant factor in having a safe and fun tandem season. All pilots and passengers were required to follow a strict masking up policy. Harris made JHPG buffs and shirts with the new slogan. He made sure to take pilots’ temperatures and to monitor them for any COVID-19 symptoms. Everyone social distanced as much as was practical and washed their hands often. JHPG normally utilizes both a tram and a gondola to get up to two different launches. However, this year the tram was closed for maintenance and ended up being closed all season
due to pandemic concerns. Only the gondola was utilized to transport pilots and passengers to launch. This ended up being a boon for the business since all visitors were funneled to the lower launch, and it was easier to sell tandem flights to passersby. According to Harris, the upper launch accessed by the tram is often too windy and ends up leading to wasted time anyway. However, the biggest success was that JHPG had a completely incident/injury-free season in all tandem operations even with new additions to the team. JHPG had positive facilitators who did a great job encouraging people to take tandem flights and coordinating the entire operation. There were only two scares in which tandem pilots potentially had contact with
ABOVE LEFT Tandem pilots and facilitators masked up and organizing flights and paperwork. RIGHT Scott Harris smiling in the sunshine on launch. BELOW Tandem pilots walking to the resort after their morning pep talk.
COVID-19 cases. This was impressive to me, especially considering the number of people who ABOVE Tandem pilots visited Jackson Hole Mountain Resort from all taking off from the over the world. All tests were negative, and those gondola launch. Photo by employees quarantined while their tests were author. pending. JHPG ended up flying 2,195 tandem flights off the gondola launch on the mountain and ended
Strict adherence to CDC guidelines, a positive attitude, and safe launches and landings are what kept JHPG pilots and passengers healthy and safe this season. 34 US H PA P I LOT
their season on October 9, 2020. I recently had a chance to debrief with Harris about the 2020 tandem season. I also visited Jackson Hole several times during the summer of 2020 to fly, meet Harris and his team of tandem pilots, and talk with some very stoked tandem passengers. In the end, my conclusion was that Jackson Hole Paragliding did everything in its power to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while still allowing passengers and pilots to populate the sky with color and laughter. While I would like to believe that a spiral dive and some G-forces would spin the COVID-19 right out of any human being, in the end, strict adherence to CDC guidelines, a positive atti-
USH PA PILOT 35
-
CLASSIFIED RATES Rates
start at $10.00 for 200 characters. Minimum ad charge is $10.00. ALL CLASSIFIEDS ARE PREPAID. No refunds will be given on ads cancelled that are scheduled to run multiple months. For more info, visit
www.ushpa.org/page/magazine-classified-advertising SCHOOLS & INSTRUCTORS
HAWAII > PROFLYGHT PARAGLIDING > Call Dexter for friendly information about flying on Maui. Full service school offering beginner to advanced instruction, year round. 808-874-5433 paraglidemaui.com
NORTH CAROLINA > KITTY HAWK KITES > The largest hang gliding school in the world, teaching since 1974. Learn to hang glide and paraglide on the East Coast’s largest sand dune. Year-round instruction, foot launch and tandem aerotow. 1902 Wright Glider Experience available. Dealer for all major manufacturers. Learn to fly where the Wright Brothers flew, located at the beach on NC’s historic Outer Banks. Also visit our NH location, Morningside Flight Park. (252) 441-2426, 1-877-FLY-THIS, kittyhawk.com/hang-gliding TENNESSEE > LMFP > provides unmatched service & attention to students & visitors. We have over 40 years of experience making dreams of flight come true on Lookout Mtn & can't wait to share our passion with you. Visit www. flylookout.com
PARACRANE Paragliding Tours 2020 > Fly Costa Rica, Brazil and Europe with veteran tour guide Nick Crane. Small groups, flexible schedule | Costa Rica-Jan 21-31 & Feb 4-14 | Brazil-Feb 19-29 | Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Italy June 1-10 and Sept 8-18 | France, Italy, Switzerland Sept19-29 | visit: www.costaricaparagliding.com, contact: nick@paracrane.com FLYMEXICO > Valle de Bravo for Winter and year round flying tours and support. Hang Gliding, Paragliding. Guiding, gear, instruction, transportation, lodging. www.flymexico.com +1 512-467-2529 PARTS & ACCESSORIES
GUNNISON GLIDERS – X-C to heavy waterproof HG gliderbags. Accessories, NEW HAMPSHIRE > MORNINGSIDE TEXAS > FLYTEXAS TEAM > training piparts, service, sewing. Instruction rat> A Kitty Hawk Kites flight park. The lots in Central Texas for 25 years. Hang ings, site-info. Rusty Whitley 1549 CR Northeast’s premier hang gliding and Gliding, Paragliding, Trikes. Hangar fa17, Gunnison CO 81230. 970-641-9315. paragliding training center, teaching cilities Lake LBJ, Luling, Smithville www. since 1974. Hang gliding foot launch flytexas.com 512-467-2529 and tandem aerowtow training. ParaSERVICES VIRGINIA > BLUE SKY > located near gliding foot launch and tandem training. Richmond , year round instruction, all LMFP has a full glider shop and sew Powered Paragliding instruction. Dealer forms of towing, repairs, sewing , tunshop for all pilot needs. From annual for all major manufacturers. Located in ing... Wills Wing, Moyes, Icaro, Aeros inspections mountain air while pilots did wingovers above to bigger fixes, we have you tude, and safeNH. launches andour landings Charlestown, Also visit North are what PG, Mosquito, Flylight, Woody covered. Visit www.flylookout.com or Carolina location, Kittypassengers Hawk Kiteshealthy and the landing zone. The Valley. Nutella waffles and soy kept JHPG pilots and ABOVE LEFT Author www.blueskyhg.com call 706-383-1292 Flight School. 603-542-4416, www. cappuccinos in the sunshine at the top of the safe this season. Observing how they managed coming in to land at flymorningside.com Jackson Hole Mountain gondola at launch weren’t half bad either. the situation gave me hope for a normal future. CLINICS TOURS WINGS Resort. & HARNESSES Photo by Scott I can’t wait&to go back and fly in Jackson Hole Harris reiterated to me the age-old adage that NEW YORK > SUSQUEHANNA FLIGHT Harris. again. My time flying with Harris and his team overcoming adversity does make the victory PARK > 40 acre park. Awesome training BAJA MEXICO > La Salina Baja’s BEST LMFP has the largest fleet of new & of seasoned tandem was one of thewings high-and isRIGHT sweeter. hills with rides up. 600 mountain take BEACHFRONT Airsport Venue:pilots PG, HG, used one ofLooking the largest down at My favorite part of visiting Jackson Hole and lights of an otherwise bizarre year. resort. Photo author. off. Best facility in NY to teach foot PPG: FlyLaSalina.com. by BajaBrent. Wills Wing dealers in the US. by With GT spending time with Harris and hisinteam wascom, He’ll hook you up! Site intros, launch. New and used WW gliders Harnesses just next door, we deliver top watching passengers and pilots flying. I could canbajabrent@bajabrent. learn more about Jackson Hole Paraglidstock. www.cooperstownhanggliding. tours, &You rooms. quality custom orders on your trainer, com laughter resonating through the crisp com, 760-203-2658 pod, or cocoon. www.flylookout.com hear ing at www.jhparagliding.com.
Parting is such . sweet sorrow
We know that it can be hard to toss your old issues of USHPA Pilot in the recycle bin. Instead, give them a second life and help grow interest in our sports! Consider donating old magazines to your local community. Toss them on the table at work, or donate to doctor’s offices, auto repair shops, libraries, or other local businesses. 64 USH PA PI LOT
51 The moment right before getting twisted up. Photo by Alex Baker.
36 US H PA P I LOT
USH PA PILOT 37
STALLS
by CODY MITTANCK
THE PRACTICALITY OF TRAINING STALLS
R
ecently, I started supporting pilots in maneuvers training over the local lake. Over the years, I have mentored many pilots, but this was the first time I worked with such a diverse group in terms of age, skill level, and years flying. Despite the range of skill levels, the maunevers practice essentially became stall training for the majority of pilots. This experience got me thinking more about the stall— what’s the best way to train, should we expect to master it, how many stalls does it take to become proficient, and is it even a necessary skill for an XC pilot? The main thing I’ve noticed is that getting comfortable with stalls takes longer than we think. On average, it takes a pilot 51 full stalls to get to the point where the stall becomes a tool that they can use with confidence. Until that point, using a stall “out in the wild” in an emergency situation has a 50/50 chance of making the situation worse. I started saying “51 stalls” because when I said “50 stalls,” pilots interpreted that as a large, round number, potentially out of reach for what they felt they could invest in terms of time and money. But it does seem to be right around 50 for most pilots to make a breakthrough on stalls. The first 10 stalls will feel extreme and scary; you will likely lose sleep over them, and you won’t be able to recount exactly what happened during the stall or why it went wrong. In the next 20, you’ll notice the fear subsiding,
and you will be able to recognize the stages of the stall and the associated sensations. The whole maneuver will seem to be happening slower, and your brain can process it. For the next 20 stalls, you will be able to make corrections during the stall. Now you are anticipating what the wing will do and acting, not reacting. Reaching 50 stalls is above and beyond what you will get in a single SIV course. With this in mind, it may serve pilots to redefine what SIV is. For most people, SIV is something they do once or twice at the beginning of their flying career or once every few years, despite their current number of stalls or their level of comfort with them. I’ve begun referring to SIV as Maneuvers Training, which focuses on the training or practice of a maneuver until you have it dialed. You can also think of it as the next phase in your safety training. The first phase is a traditional SIV where you pull collapses and do your first spins and stalls under radio guidance. Maneuvers Training could be considered the next phase when you practice and refine these maneuvers with the aim of becoming comfortable performing them without an instructor on radio. I recommend pilots get the stall dialed on an EN-B wing with a two-reserve open seat board harness (after you’re confident with the stall on the EN-B, then add your pod harness, but always train with two reserves). There is a massive safety difference between high and low aspect ratio wings, so
why not be as safe as possible while learning and then step up to your hot wing after you have the maneuver dialed? I’ve noticed that experienced XC pilots who fly EN-C/D wings have difficulty swallowing their ego and training on a low EN-B wing. Meanwhile, newer pilots with no (or less) ego start on a low EN-B and quickly surpass the experienced pilots in their maneuver skills. I also recommend doing your training in a continuous block as much as you can. If you have to break it up into multiple years, just remember you can’t start where you left off. Even the best acro pilots will take a week to get back into the rhythm at the beginning of the season. In my own experience, once you build the foundation and get confident with the stall, it may then only take one or two stalls at the beginning of the season to regain your confidence. For me, when I haven’t stalled my 2-liner in a while, the fear always sneaks back in. Fear will keep us alive, but at the beginning, for some, it may feel like an insurmountable wall. I’m a big believer in a progressive learning approach to help conquer fear. Maneuvers can be stepping blocks towards more advanced maneuvers. For example, energy management and familiarizing yourself with the shooting behavior of your wing is a prerequisite to the stall. When the wing restarts from a stall, you want to already have a feel for how hard it will shoot. If you end up in a spiral, you want to have practiced safely managing the energy
EN-B wings have high passive safety but can still do many traditional acro maneuvers well. Photo by Alex Baker.
with a controlled exit. In addition to doing the prerequisite maneuvers, make sure you understand the phases of a stall before jumping right in. There are three major phases: entry, tail slide, and exit. You will hear many different names for stalls referring to different techniques, such as “stall-ball,” “acro stall,” “2-stage,” etc. Good stalls can require quite a bit of finesse and can change according to wing category. Because of this, it may seem that instructors/mentors are describing it differently. Watch as many videos and read as many descriptions as you can so you have some reference before going to your training course. Each instructor may have a different approach, but it’s in your interest to have them explain why their approach is safe, what can go wrong, and what the proper reaction should be. The best advice I can give is to be able to envision the maneuvers before you try them. If you can visualize the maneuver and explain how to do it, that will help you get on the same page with your instructor/mentor 38 US H PA P I LOT
regarding semantics. Following a simple description of how to do the maneuver and trying it repeatedly until we get it may not be the best prescription for all pilots. It may be that we’ve been flying for years and developed bad habits, or perhaps we just don’t learn intuitively. We may want to try other approaches that can bring awareness to some fundamental mistakes we are making. Malin Lobb with Flyeo in Annecy, France takes a thoughtful approach focusing more on the skills an individual needs to learn to control their wing in any situation and less on checking off a list of maneuvers. His drills bring awareness to your position in the harness, arms, and brake range. Check out his interview on the Cloudbase Mayhem episode #133 for more details. But is the stall actually important to learn? I did an informal survey with many of the world’s top pilots and instructors, including Russ Ogden and Jocky Sanderson. I asked if they felt it was important for XC pilots to have the stall dialed and how many times
they personally had to use the stall in the “wild.” I can boil down the responses to this: There is a wide range of innate ability in our sport, but for those pilots who pursue thermal flying or anything other than the most benign soaring sites, it behooves us to become comfortable and confident with the stall behavior of our wings and master it to the best of our individual ability. Each pilot said they had to use the stall at least once in the “wild.” Personally, I’ve had to stall or spin to remove a cravat or line-over during an XC flight many times. The big question then remains whether this training can be done safely. Doing this training over water dramatically reduces the risk but doesn’t completely eliminate it. When I’m training over the water, I always remind myself that I need to avoid two scenarios: an autorotating spiral/SAT while twisted, and going into the canopy (getting gift-wrapped). Water’s surface tension is essentially as hard as the ground in these scenarios, so make sure you know exactly how a messed-up stall
USH PA PILOT 39
could lead to either of these. The good news is these are not situations that happen spontaneously. They are the result of a cascade of bad reactions and bad timing. You need to be able to envision exactly what you’re going to do if, for instance, you get twisted up or if you miss catching the wing when it shoots on the exit. For
lap when I throw. Doing this keeps the wing in tail slide while the reserve opens. By doing this, I end up throwing my reserve more often, but I avoid the two fatal scenarios mentioned above. I found that from tail slide, the reserve opens beautifully. Other instructors I have spoken with agree this is an ideal position to throw the reserve.
ing is the experience of throwing the reserve when it’s needed and without a reminder over the radio by the instructor. It is a priceless experience that will build your confidence and may save your life one day. We have a wide range of abilities in our sport. Some pilots may take years of training to master the stall, while
For those pilots who pursue thermal flying or anything other than the most benign soaring sites, it behooves us to become comfortable and confident with the stall behavior of our wings and master it to the best of our individual ability. example, I make a rule for myself when I’m training acro—in specific situations, if I’m out of control or about to get twisted up, I immediately go to tail slide. While in tail slide, I check my altitude, how many twists I have, then throw my reserve if needed. In these situations, this keeps me out of the wing, keeps me from getting into a “locked-in spiral,” and keeps my hands from getting locked into a twist. I keep both toggles in one hand buried in my
Still, we need to be careful about fixating on a particular scenario or generally overthinking when it is time to throw the reserve. As with everything mentioned here, talk it through with your instructor. It’s crucial to have an attentive instructor at this phase of training. Always have a working radio just in case you need a calm, friendly reminder to get the laundry out. In my opinion, the most important experience a pilot can walk away with after stall train-
others get it down in a weekend. In my mind, the varying time and ability required doesn’t detract from the importance of pursuing stall training if you want to be an XC pilot. If you have not mastered the stall yet, during the training you will still have gained valuable experience recognizing the phases of a stall, confronting your fears, and, at the very least, your limitations. After all, the most important thing an XC pilot needs to stay safe is experience.
51 Gavin McClurg having fun with stalls over Lake Wallowa, Oregon.
40 US H PA P I LOT
USH PA PILOT 41
SPEEDFLYING
USH PA PILOT 43
BRIDAL VEIL FALLS HISTORY OF THE CROWN JEWEL OF SALT LAKE
I
by CARL WEISETH
hands-down the most bang for your t’s 5:30 a.m. and pitch-black outside buck,” said speedflyer Eric Henrickson. when my phone begins to vibrate “It’s an enormous flight, with deep gulwith incoming texts. Arash Farhang’s speedflying forecast is trickling ly-lines that match the glide of most out to a tight-knit cadre of fellow Salt Lake City pilots, all begrudgingly awakening to Farhang’s dawn-patrol predictions. “Winds are light, NNE” “I think the Bridal Veil North launch goes” “Meet at LZ at 6:30 am - hiking by 6:50” My grogginess immediately snaps into excitement, and I’m up—moving through a well-rehearsed ballet of pre-dawn packing and preparation for the two-hour hike-and-fly sprint that awaits. Bridal Veil Falls is the crown jewel of speedflying lines in the greater Salt Lake City area. The iconic multi-tiered waterfall serves as both a regular tourist attraction and locals’ hang-out spot during summer before freezing into a statuesque ice-climbers’ playground in the plummeting temperatures of late fall and early winter. With several steep speedflying launches at the top of Cascade Mountain and open gravel landing areas near the base of the falls, the steep canyon leading to the mouth of Bridal Veil is a speedflyer’s dream come true. “We have a lot of amazing flights around Salt Lake, but this one is LEFT Erik Henrickson flying down the face of Bridal Veil Falls. RIGHT Windsock adjacent to the landing area at the base of Bridal Veil Falls. Photos by Erik Henrickson.
speedwings. And getting to swoop a beautiful waterfall at the tail end of the flight? That’s the icing on the cake!” The Bridal Veil area, and Cascade
TOP LEFT Bob Bills flying his hang glider with skis attached, to drop over the summit of Cascade Mountain. Photo by Jimmy Christensen. RIGHT Brian Clark kiting his Mirage speedwing on the summit of Cascade with Bridger Henriksen. MIDDLE RIGHT Bob Bills on the first ski-descent of Cascade couloir, after retrieving skis from the summit. Photo by Jimmy Christensen. BOTTOM Derek Choux speedflying down the face of Bridal Veil Falls. Photo by Carl Weiseth.
Mountain looming above it, have long been favorite waypoints for paragliders and hang gliders launching from nearby Inspiration Point. Bob Bills, one of the first hang glider pilots to begin pioneering the area in 1975, tells a story of when he and fellow pilot Jimmy Christensen dropped skis from their gliders so they could later hike to the top of Cascade and ski down one of its many steep couloirs. “I had a quick release jury-rigged to 44 US H PA P I LOT
USH PA PILOT 45
LEFT AND RIGHT Arash Farhang on Cascade summit.
the skis and flew with them like a tandem passenger dangling below the bar,” said Bills recounting their adventure. “After thermalling up above Cascade, I did a few practice passes and then one final dive-bomb run above the clear snowfield at the top. I thought I was about 50 feet above the summit when I dropped the skis, but once they started falling, I realized it was closer to 200,” he said with a laugh. “Still, both Jimmy and I managed to find our skis and, as far as I know, were the first people to ski down that couloir. Certainly the first after dropping skis from a hang glider.”
A
lthough glider pilots had been flying the area for many years, it was renowned local speedwing pilot Bridger Henriksen who first envisioned launching from the top of Cascade to access flight-lines leading
to the top of the waterfall. In 2014, Henriksen began searching for potential hiking routes to the top of the bald summit he had scouted on Google Maps. After being initially thwarted on a bushwhack approach up the east side of the mountain, Henriksen rallied fellow speedwing pilots Arash Farhang and Brian Clark for a pre-dawn west-side attempt, starting at 4 a.m. from Squaw Peak Road above Rock Canyon. Nearly six grueling hours later, the trio arrived at the summit and made the first speedflight from the top of Cascade Mountain, down into the adjacent Provo Canyon and alongside Bridal Veil Falls. “All three of us were able to kite our
wings on launch and then push off to the northwest, gliding down the ridges leading from Cascade towards Bridal Veil,” said Henriksen. “I remember landing and high-fiving with the guys while looking back up at the waterfall. It was the realization of a dream for all three of us at that point, and it felt pretty amazing to have finally gotten the flight after months of thinking and planning.” Although the three pilots had successfully flown from Cascade to the waterfall along the adjacent ridgelines, they had also gotten a glimpse of the steep, committed canyon-line exiting directly above the falls. Accessing this flight path down the waterways that
Rotor and sink have the potential to be violent and life-threatening when dropping behind the ridgelines into the canyon.
funnel into Bridal Veil would require a long, traversing glide over several ridges before spiral diving into a deep proximity flight with no “outs” other
than successfully gliding through the mouth of the falls. Unfortunately, it seemed it would also require another six-hour slog to the summit. That
ABOVE Erik Henrickson flying down the face of Bridal Veil Falls.
46 US H PA P I LOT
is until a chance meeting between Henriksen and an old-timer local unlocked what has now become a well-established two-hour hike up an easily overlooked, west-facing couloir scree field. “Through sheer happenstance, I ran into this guy who must have been upwards of 70 years old at the top of Provo Peak—not exactly an easy hike,” said Henriksen. “We got to talking, and I mentioned trying to access Cascade, and this guy got a twinkle in his eyes and gave me directions to the same couloir we’ve been using to hike up to launch ever since.” Henriksen was the first pilot to successfully fly down the heart of the gully on what is now considered the formal “Bridal Veil Speedflying Line” among local speedwing pilots. However, he is quick to give Farhang credit for pioneering several steeper, alternate iterations of the line—some with substantially more technical entrances to the main gully via narrow pathways between the trees. Farhang has now flown from the summit of Cascade over 100 times and continues to find new flight paths down the mountain. “One of my favorite elements of speedflying is getting to merge both the technical and creative components of how I select a line and how I fly it,” said Farhang. “Between the countless couloirs on the west face, and the various gullies leading into Bridal Veil, Cascade Mountain has proven one of the most diverse speedflying locations in the Wasatch—and one of the best for exploring new ways to fly.” Although Cascade has rapidly become a local favorite among experienced speedflyers, local pilots, including Farhang, are all quick to point out that this is not a good location for novices. In addition to constricted landing areas, wind forecasting can be challenging for even the most experienced locals. At the same time, rotor and sink have the potential to be violent and life-threatening when dropping behind the ridgelines into the canyon.
USH PA PILOT 47
Local instructor Ben White urges any pilot considering a launch from Cascade to get a thorough site introduction from an experienced local pilot, and wisely writes in his Paragliding and Speedflying Site Guide: “Landing in Provo Canyon is best done with a friend in radio contact to provide live updates with weather conditions. It is possible to have light wind conditions at the summit of Cascade and very windy conditions at the bottom of the canyon.”
group of pilots, there’s nowhere any of us would rather be. When a parking lot full of surprised onlookers greets our waterfall swoops with cheers of
excitement several hours later, it’s clear the broader community enjoys the majestic beauty of Bridal Veil Falls as much as we do.
E
arlier this year, a private development contract for the property containing Bridal Veil Falls garnered community outrage, as Provo-based real estate developer Richard Losee sought construction of a high-end drug treatment facility and private tram up the falls. However, on December 9, 2020, the Utah County Commission unanimously approved a conservation easement for Bridal Veil Falls, putting an end to discussions about private development at the iconic Utah County landmark. The Commission also unanimously approved an amendment to the Utah County Capital Improvement Plan, allocating $500,000 for improvements at Bridal Veil Falls, in addition to the $1 million already allocated. “Bridal Veil Falls is more than just a local tourist attraction or epic flying site,” said White. “Public enjoyment and recreation in the broader Provo Canyon around Bridal Veil Falls add more value to the lives of our community than a private corporation sitting in the canyon could ever hope to achieve.” Our small squad of sunrise speedflyers rallies by the flickering light of headlamps at the base of the waterfall, and the shared excitement of the group seems palpable. It’s early, it’s cold, and we are in for an arduous hike, but we are jittering with anticipation for the adventure that awaits. As we share stories and swap forecast predictions, it’s obvious that for this eclectic
ABOVE Arash, Bridger, and Brian brimming with excitement after landing in front of Bridal Veil Falls following a pioneering speedflight from the summit of Cascade Peak.
The JZ Chronicles
[ contributed by PETE LEHMANN ]
A legend departs
This is a shortened version of this story. For the full piece and to enjoy additional images of JZ’s life, please visit the full story on our website: www.ushpa.org/page/jz-obituary
PE RSONA LITIES
ABOVE JZ one evening at one of the huge Telluride fall fly-ins.
48 US H PA P I LOT
In October 2020, the ultralight-soaring world lost one of its giants, Jim Zeiset or, as he was better known, JZ. JZ was many things in the sport of hang gliding—an important figure in what is now USHPA, an organizer of a World Championship, and the owner of Pendulum Sports. He was perhaps best known as the leader of The Green Team, a traveling circus of green-clad competition pilots who he led in domestic and international competitions. JZ was an inventive and successful entrepreneurial engineer, the world’s best shade tree mechanic, and someone who made at least two fortunes building a prosperous business that survives him. He fathered two sons, enjoyed four marriages, and led an exuberant life. None of the above gets to the heart of JZ. He was, as he said, results-oriented. This didn’t always make him the easiest person to be around, as it was his way or the highway. He could be a bastard. At the same time, he was an extraordinarily kind and helpful person, who financially supported friends in difficulty, funded flying events, saved the lives of perhaps three crash victims, could fix anything, and would never leave a stranded pilot by the road. JZ was always there to help.
THE GREEN TEAM ORIGIN STORY
JZ’s ultimately tumultuous life began near Philadelphia. JZ graduated from Wichita State with a degree in aeronautical engineering and began working there for the U.S. Air Force. At his brother Danny’s urging during the mid-seventies, he became involved in hang gliding in Colorado. Having a plan to establish his own business, JZ
had settled in Salida where he bought property and established Monarch Manufacturing. As the business expanded, the itineraries of his marketing trips had a curious way of matching the rhythms of the hang gliding competition circuit. By the early eighties, he had become one of the region’s most experienced and competent pilots. He was active in opening and clearing sites (often involving dynamite and, on one occasion, an automatic weapon), organizing events, and flying in them. The above serves as an introduction to the legendary JZ, the one who conceived, funded, and led The Green Team. JZ had always been gregarious and, with his forceful personality, a natural leader. By 1986, he was one of the central figures in Colorado’s then very active hang gliding scene. Over time, the motley crew of pilots orbiting around JZ was transformed into The Green Team. At some point, JZ was inspired to form a hang gliding team that would be part traveling circus and part advertising write-off for his increasingly prosperous business. The essence of the Green Team (named for JZ’s favorite color) was that for a fee that varied from zero to 50 percent of costs (and one’s soul, as Erik Kaye, author of “Eagles in the Flesh” says), a team member would be provided with a state-of-the-art, green and white glider decorated with Pendulum Sports logos, a similar harness, a flight-suit uniform, entry fees, and transportation to contests. There were no formal criteria for membership in the Green Team other than to be one of JZ’s friends, a decent pilot, and living somewhere beyond conventional society’s norms. Flying in competitions across the continental United States, Australia, Brazil, and Argentina, the Green Team left a trail of fun, outrage, and a touch of criminal misbehavior. JZ was bailed out of Brazilian jail (into house arrest with his Brazilian girlfriend), while Zoardog set a Telluride mountain on fire during a spirited aerial battle involving pop flares. There was a knife fight at the 1989 Nationals in a Dunlap, California cowboy bar involving the Green Team, local rednecks/cowboys, and the first post-Soviet Russian hang glider pilots visiting the country. At the time of his passing, JZ still had a cowboy’s knife as a souvenir.
USH PA PILOT 49
A USHGA/USHPA LEADER
JZ’s prominence within his USHGA region, along with his certainty of knowing things better than others, made it inevitable that he would be elected to the then-USHGA Board of Directors, where he was to become one of the organization’s mainstays over three decades. He served as president and long-time member of the executive committee, providing (with others) leadership in the organization’s transition from a California club to a national association. Indeed, he and Russ Locke (the then-president of USHGA) were key to moving the organization from Southern California to Colorado Springs. Later he was one of the early advocates for bringing paragliding into what is now USHPA. He was also a vigorous participant in the BoD’s nightly meetings of the Financial Redistribution Committee (the poker game), which enthusiastically welcomed his well-funded presence. One of his most considerable contributions to the sport during those years was in hang gliding competitions. He served as the U.S. Team Leader at several World and Pre-World Championships in Switzerland, Australia, and Brazil. He later became the BoD’s go-to person to organize events in times of need. In 1994, with no bids to organize the U.S. Hang Gliding Nationals, JZ was asked to quickly throw together a meet. This he did at his home site, the 12,200-foot-tall Mt. Princeton. Using Green Team manpower, he built (illegally, of course) ramps at launch. The road up Princeton was incredibly rough and made even more difficult to negotiate by the existence of Forest Service water bars (bumps) across the road. In the days leading up to the event, the fleet of overloaded rental minivans had trouble crossing the bars. In a classic example of JZ’s can-do mentality, he bought a small bulldozer and erased the Forest Service’s water bars—a fact only discovered when the local Forest Service official (an ex-girlfriend of JZ’s, as chance would have it) came to observe the first day of the competition. The competition was only allowed to continue with JZ’s guarantee that the water bars would be restored and the ramps removed after the comp.
TWILIGHT
In time, a period of financial difficulty and the inevitable mellowing of age led to the decline and ultimate demise of the Green Team. For a while after that, JZ continued to fly hang gliders, sailplanes, Dragonflies, and his beloved green
Cessna 320 twin. This aviation odyssey was not entirely free of incident, and along the way, JZ notched three parachute deployments, two midairs, some broken fiberglass, and bent metal. But he walked away from it all. In the end, JZ’s declining health slowly robbed him of the ability to fly hang gliders. Still, he remained a presence in the community, financing events, providing wisdom, and even driving for visiting pilots with his vehicles that retained glider racks long after he had stopped flying. Visitors from around the world were welcomed with open arms at The Ranch. When I last visited JZ two months before his death, he was in a calm, contented place. He and Amy, his wife of 22 years, were living happily in their extraordinary new house. JZ had finally retired, leaving the once again flourishing business in the exceptionally capable hands of his son, Zack. JZ was at peace when he died and experienced an equally peaceful departure. As rough as JZ could be, he was also one of the kindest and most intelligently interesting people I have known. Particularly late in life, as some of his rough edges had worn off, I was surprised by how thoughtful and judicious he had become. Many will miss him, a genuinely larger-than-life pirate at rest.
JZ was a pilot’s pilot. It didn’t matter if you were from Garden City, Kansas or Kazakhstan, Jim would do anything to help a fellow aviator. Jim taught a whole generation of pilots younger than him how to get up the mountain and then fly it. Even in his waning years, he sponsored and supported events like Dinosaur reunions and site preservation efforts, and made Colorado Fly Week possible. He always mentored, “Take care of the pilots first and you can’t go wrong.” CELEBRATE THE MAN’S LIFE Friday, July 2nd: JZ’s ranch in Salida, CO. Music and food. Family, friends and aviators welcome. Saturday July 3rd-5th: JZ Memorial Fly-In at his favorite home site, Villa Grove, CO. Music & food. Details of these events and registration will be available once the official site is completed at www.jz-life-well-lived.com Stay tuned and we hope to see you then. - Larry Smith & Amy Zeiset
TOP Getting ready to launch with the Green Team. Photo by the late Gerry Charlebois. BOTTOM A recent shot of JZ and his wife Amy.
THE
VOL•BIV
BOND
TRAVERSING THE WILD NEW ZEALAND TERRAIN
by KINGA MASZTALERZ
50 US H PA P I LOT
USH PA PILOT 51
BELOW Cath Deacon at Karioitahi. OPPOSITE Trial biv on the coast. Photos by Kinga Masztalerz.
I
n February 2020, a small group of brave pilots came to New Zealand for a first-ever vol-bivouac (vol-biv) course I organized with the support of my partner Chris Wright. I had been planning this adventure for years, wanting to share the experience and knowledge I wish someone had revealed to me when I first got into vol-biv myself. New Zealand is simply the best vol-bivouac playground. The North Island has endless grassy cliffs with reliable laminar wind, perfect for learning all the necessary skills for vol-biv. The South Island has stunning wild mountains with a very low tree line, so there is plenty of space for top landings. And since there are few roads, the vol-biv style is the best and most natural option for flying there. When Cath Deacon, Graham Rose, and Kay Kuehne landed in Auckland, they had between 250-350 hours of airtime under their belts and decent cross country flight experience in good conditions, but not much top landing, strong wind, or real mountain flying experience. These pilots were three very different characters
with different backgrounds, and we planned to live together for two weeks like a happy (and sometimes tense) family, using our differences to learn from each other. We spent the first week on the North Island, training and preparing for our adventure. The conditions on the North Island aren’t generally thermic but can be quite windy. We spent our days on the coast, practicing all the skills which most 300-hour XC pilots lack but which are crucial for staying safe in the mountains. When it comes to vol-biv adventures, it doesn’t matter if you thermal a bit faster or slower or if you fly 30 or 100 kilometers per day. If every time you land, you have to land at the bottom of the valley because you can’t safely slope land or if on a good day you can’t take off from an imperfect slope, your vol-biv adventure will become difficult and frustrating very soon! On Karioitahi Beach, we practiced dozens of top landings in different places, touch-and-gos, and various ground handling exercises. We also went through our gear, ditching everything unnecessary, and finding our personal balances between
weight and comfort. A sleeping bag is nice to have, but maybe I can sleep wrapped in my wing—is being cozier at night worth this extra kilogram? Do I need all this food, or can I be a bit hungry for a few days if it means my backpack is lighter, and I can move faster? We talked about theory, wind, and clouds and analyzed tracklogs of interesting lines. Not lines of massive triangles flown in perfect conditions; 90% of vol-biv flying doesn’t happen in great conditions (and even if conditions are ideal, we might find ourselves in an imperfect spot). Instead, we focused on flights in tricky conditions, with low cloudbase, OD, and wind. The understanding of wind is crucial for any mountain flying but even more so in New Zealand, where the sea breeze can come both from east and west, and a foehn-like nor’wester can enter suddenly and frequently. As we worked on our skills, we kept an eye on the weather to the south. Once it started to look good for a second week, we took off for a trial night out; fly the coast, top land, set up our tents, cook dinner—vol-bivouac with
52 US H PA P I LOT
USH PA PILOT 53
a sea view. On our last day on the North Island, we went to a new place with no obvious take-off spots. Everyone independently selected a spot to launch. We went through and discussed our choices, and I saw how well they understood what they were doing—they all pulled it off like pros. I couldn’t have been happier, knowing we were headed to the South Island as ready as we could be for the adventure to come.
A
fter landing in Queenstown, we stocked up on freezedried food, ate an obligatory Fergburger (a Queenstown staple), and headed toward the mountains. Conditions were relatively stable but good enough for the whole team to thermal up and jump to the back ridge. We slope landed, reassessed, relaunched, glided as far as we could, slope landed next to a little waterfall, and camped in stunning surroundings.
TOP LEFT Kinga in her natural environment. Photo by Cath Deacon. TOP RIGHT Hiking to the take-off through native manuka forest. Photo by Kinga Masztalerz. HERE Cath and the Tasman Sea. Photo by Kinga Masztalerz. OPPOSITE, TOP Kay on the North Island. MIDDLE LEFT Kay making dinner during trial biv on the coast. MIDDLE RIGHT Graham gliding towards the rest of the team after a night on Mt. Soho. Photo by Graham Rose. OPPOSITE BOTTOM Getting ready. Photo by Kinga Masztalerz.
The next day we hiked to the top of the ridge where we had camped and waited for the thermals to kick in. I believe in guiding from behind. I advise and, of course, act if there is a potential danger. But instead of immediately saying what we’re going to do, I would rather ask, “What do you think about the wind? Where do you think is a good place to take off? How far can we glide from here if there is no lift?” On this trip, Graham, Kay, and Cath constantly analyzed, dis-
cussed, and made the decisions, and day by day, they understood more. At some point, Kay, Cath, and I landed on the trail in the valley while Graham landed alone on the slope of Mt. Soho. He decided to hike to the top and glide toward us; I was confident in him, and he made all the right decisions. After a grueling hike with no track, Graham reached the top of Mt. Soho in the evening. After assessing that it was too windy to launch, he decided to spend a night there; in the morning, he glided out and slope-landed by our camp on Roses Pass. He summed up his adventure in his unique style: “I was scared, 54 US H PA P I LOT
this exact situation when training on the terrain was so wild with ravines the beach, so I was thrilled to see his everywhere, and I didn’t know what conditions would be like in the morn- calm and correct reactions, but also it meant that fatigue was catching up ing. But then it was so awesome!” It with us. became my favorite quote of the After a downwind glide and slope week; he grasped what we do out landing, we hiked a ridge and some there—that it’s so much more than “lazy” ideas started creeping in, such just covering distance. as, “Maybe we can take off here After four nights in the mountains, instead of hiking higher.” In this case, everybody was getting tired. On the “here” meant from a shallow nob that first, rather windy, launch of the required turning downwind and day, Kay turned the wrong direction putting ourselves straight into the and launched with a full twist. He lee side. No, we didn't do it; we hiked reacted perfectly, steering above the 30 minutes to a higher point where twist as he flew away from the hill, we could see Wanaka Lake. Taking untwisted, and continued as though nothing happened. We had discussed a plunge in the lake was our goal of
USH PA PILOT 55
ABOVE Kay following Graham toward Wanaka Lake. Photo by Kay Keuhne. RIGHT Graham flying into the sunset. OPPOSITE, TOP LEFT Dinner time! RIGHT Vol-biv wouldn't be complete without some river crossings. BOTTOM Rare moment of having a road to follow. Photos by Kinga Masztalerz.
choice, so we took off and flew as far as possible; some of us landed on Wanaka Beach, others a bit short, but we all made it to civilization. That night we ate real food and slept in beds! Refreshed, we reunited in the morning at the trail. The forecasted nor’wester had arrived, and fantastic lenticular clouds striped the sky. We didn’t fly that day or the next and instead decided it was a perfect opportunity for some solo time. Everyone picked a spot, far from others, and stayed there for the next 24 hours with no phone, watch, or electronics, only a notebook and a pen. Meditation in different forms has been practiced in almost every philosophical system throughout history. Our minds are always busy and distracted, but when we stay still for hours with no distractions, we start looking inward. If we let this introspection happen, we’re likely to learn some very honest and basic things about who we are, what’s important to us,
and what we want. The next day we debriefed, both together in a group and individually in one-on-ones. It took hours as there was much to share and discuss. It had been an intense week! On our last day, after a cloudy morning, the sky slowly opened. While we waited for thermals to start working, Graham shared what he wrote during his
solo time. “I trained and focused and have been rewarded with what I sought: adventure, challenge, and self-belief. The challenges of vol-bivouac adventures are endless and complicated. But with a keen spirit, safe understanding, and adventurous attitude to flying, it is truly exceptional when it comes together. After a high point
ABOVE LEFT Graham's adventurous spirit meant he often went to land on random dunes. Photo by Kinga Masztalerz. RIGHT Graham, Kinga, Kay, and Cath, all happy in the mountains. HERE Camping on the Roses Pass. Photos by Kinga Masztalerz.
There are two short movies from this adventure on Kinga's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/KingaMasztalerz/
Part 1. North Island
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T0ymLDwtxY
Part 2. South Island
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6i-84bkWSU
56 US H PA P I LOT
yesterday, I’m a little sad to think about our little band of sloggers breaking up to continue our lives. A bond is born between those who share amazing experiences.” The thermals kicked in, and we took off into the sky together for the last time that week. However, I’m sure we’ll meet again very soon. The bond is born.
Your expertise as a pilot has earned you exclusive access to top brands. Your involvement with the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association and your status as an advanced or master-rated pilot have earned you an invitation to join Experticity. It’s an exclusive community where you can get deep discounts and insider information from brands like Kelty, La Sportiva, The North Face, Brooks Running, Diamondback Bicycles and many more you know and love. Because brands like these recognize that experts like you know more, do more — and deserve more. Signing up is simple and free: • Go to the members-only section of the USHPA website to learn how to sign up • Join the USHPA team • Complete your profile to lock in your access • Start enjoying up to 70% off top outdoor brands
USH PA PILOT 57
Postponing the Inevitable
[ contributed by DENNIS PAGEN ]
Working low-low thermals
As sure as sunrises and taxes, gravity cannot be forestalled forever. We endeavor to develop our skills to postpone the final outcome gravity dictates, but in the end that most mysterious force is victorious. Yet that doesn’t stop us from fighting it, and in truth, the main fun in flying is to see how long we can evade the inevitable outcome of a flight: landing. In this piece, we will look at some of the safety factors in delaying landing and explore some of the hard-earned, time-honored tricks to postponing the inevitable.
hinted that there is a difference between eastern green thermals (where humid conditions cover the countryside with cool, green biology) and western tan thermals (where arid conditions allow more intense surface heating). In a quick review of eastern green thermals, we should be aware that they are typically of shorter duration because the fields and hot spots that heat the overlying air to generate thermals are often limited by borders of trees and other cool areas such as ponds, lakes, green fields, brush, etc. In addition, the humid air at the ground level is lighter than the dryer air aloft so, typically, thermals will release LOW THERMALS before they have as much excess heat built Successfully working a low thermal does not up compared to thermals in arid regions. This always imply a save, as in getting back up to early release is one reason why dust devils continue your soaring day—sometimes all we are rare in greener areas since it takes a quick can manage is a low prolong. But scratching accelerating thermal to produce a dust devil. such an itch is sometimes the most satisfying The frequent presence of inversions in the of all. How low is low? For the purposes of East tends to slow a thermal’s climb rate even this article, I will arbitrarily state that a low if the inversion is hundreds of feet above thermal is anything you catch 200 feet or less where you are trying to thermal. In this case, the upper part of a rising thermal will be slowed by the inversion so sections of it lower, or a new thermal trying to rise in its path (a common occurrence) will lose some momentum. Finally, the frequent presence of hills, dips, valleys, copses, buildings, roads, and other terrain disruptions result in thermals getting off the deck. That’s disappointingly low in fed from different hot spots with different the East. In the dry West, where the thermal upward velocities. So we can state most assurfeed can be more vigorous, consolidated, and edly that a very low eastern thermal is almost continuous right from the get-go, let’s call very always weak with a broken, scattered core. low anything below 100 feet. On rare occasions, Working such a low thermal requires a I have had a save from these positions of altipilot to continually be aware of the varying lift, wrapping up in the stronger shots and tude deficit both east and west; I know others flattening out as the lift diminishes. Down low, have pulled off a save from even lower. Obviously, days are different, and sometimes we rarely can find a good core, set a circle size, and wind up. Frequently we must shift to a in eastern drought, we encounter surprising thermals down low, especially in warmer areas point slightly to one side of our previous circle like the American South (Florida). I recall some center. Flying with a tight group in competidays in Brazil, where it is green and humid tions, all trying for the same save, illustrates but hot, when thermals could be worked even how often the core pumps in one place, then below 100 feet with a bit of luck. jumps to another as pilots can be seen to rise and fall relative to one another. It is a constant dance requiring adjustments all the way. I likTHERMALING GREEN The first thing we’ll look at for delayed landing en it to dancing like an angel on the head of a success is the nature of low thermals. We’ve pin when the pin is prone to topple or wobble
SK ILLS
The more non-standard landing situations you can handle, the more options you have, and ultimately, the safer you will fly as long as you respect your limits (and the laws of physics).
58 US H PA P I LOT
USH PA PILOT 59
without warning. All this may sound tentative and like a lot of work, but some pilots have developed a knack for such delicate labor. It is a labor of love because even though a high and far flight makes you smile for a week, a successful low scratch may stay with you for the rest of your flying memory.
THERMALING TAN
As implied, in arid regions—Australia, the western U.S., Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries—the vast, hot layers of air produced by the relentless sun will accelerate abruptly off the ground and feed for a long time—at least long enough for a good working pilot to get high enough to relax again and forget former fears of landing. So, in this case, the technique for working a low thermal tends to be more centering in the core as soon as you feel the lift and focusing on not drifting out of it as it spirals up. Often, a problem when scrabbling low in the West is finding a thermal in the first place because the strong, tall thermals normally result in the thermals being spread out more than in areas with a lower lid. Often many of us have glided 10 miles or more between thermals in the serious desert. Typically, the technique— whether in Texas or Timbuktu—is to get very high in each thermal, so search time is extended. Meet after meet, everywhere from Albuquerque to Turkey, Spain to Chelan, we have found that once you get below a certain
level—sometimes as low as 1,000 feet up—it can be very difficult to find lift. One saving grace in these areas is the production of dust devils. There have been many XC flights where we didn’t fly from cloud to cloud but from dusty to dusty.
TO LAND
We often teach our new cross-country pilots that the most crucial skill is landing. In this context, landing means assessing the situation from the air, including obstructions, slopes, turbulence, detecting the wind direction, and setting up properly for a safe touchdown. With practice and time, landing skills improve so a pilot can safely negotiate more challenging situations and conditions. For example, in Costa Rica and Santa Barbara, we have landed on strong crosswind beaches. In Chelan and Valle de Bravo, we land in moon dust; in the Owens Valley and at Dinosaur, we often land in knee-high sagebrush. In Maryland, it is knee-high corn; in Puerto Rico, headhigh brush; in Brazil, six-foot weeds; in Canada and Spain, a field of belligerent bulls. The point of all this is not to dazzle with the varied landing experience, but to let newer pilots know that the more non-standard landing situations you can handle, the more options you have, and ultimately, the safer you will fly as long as you respect your limits (and the laws of physics). An experienced pilot who can land in a variety of places and wind conditions will have more options when very low and
looking for a thermal or when trying to hang on to drifting, scrappy lift. However, such practice is not what we should be doing early on in our thermaling career. But learning to postpone landing can be done safely with proper caution because usually when we find ourselves low, we have already located ourselves near the designated landing field. Thus, the initial problem is simply how to work a serendipitous surprise bit of lift while remaining in position to land safely. Let’s assume that thermal lift is found bubbling somewhere near our landing field, and we determine that we can manage a 360 and still get to the field with a safe margin over any obstructions (trees, buildings, fences, etc.). In most cases, we encounter the lift somewhere in the landing pattern—perhaps as we are “boxing the field” or cruising around looking for wind indications. In any case, safety dictates that we judge our position with respect to the field before and after each 360. With a paraglider, we can keep an eye on the field, at least in periphery vision for perhaps 3/4 of a circle, but with a hang glider (flown prone), direct vision to the field may be lost for about half the circle. In all cases, it is important to monitor our altitude (are we gaining or losing?) and position (are we drifting away from the field or perhaps moving over it in an awkward place that would make an easy landing difficult?). Regarding landing fields, it should be clear that some locations are easier than others when we are circling nearby and may have to drop in from a variety of heights or positions. A long landing field is most desirable because we can land there whether we go in a bit high or pull off one more 360 that loses altitude. With a wide landing field, we may have to pull out of our circling pattern and do part of a figure eight at the end of the field to get in properly. A small field is the toughest, for we must always be able to put ourselves in the key position to come in safely. A small landing field generally means we have to break off from any spotty lift sooner for a safe landing. Figure 1 shows a fairly long landing field and three different examples of thermal working positions. Position A is desirable in any significant wind because your drift will be toward the downwind end of the field, and you can break off and land if you are not climbing 60 US H PA P I LOT
much or even in sink. Positions B and C are problematic in much wind. You will drift away from the field and may have to leave light lift unless it is strong enough to maintain a safe glide path to the field (expecting headwind and a bit of sink). On the other hand, positions B and C are better in zero or very light wind because you don’t need a long downwind pass to approach the field properly, so you can work lower. Position B is best because, at any time, you can tighten your circle, if necessary, and drop into the field. Circling at position C will have you flying away from the field in some part of the circle, so you may have to reserve a little more altitude (not work the thermal as low as at B) in case all lift disappears. You may note that we have drawn the circles going both clockwise and counterclockwise at different positions in the figure. What this implies is that we should be familiar and comfortable with landing using left-hand or righthand turns. One of the marks of a consummate pilot is being able to set up landings in both directions. Some fields are safer one way, some safer the other, depending on field shape and obstructions. Practicing thermaling and landing with turns in both directions is part of preparing for being good at low saves. We can estimate that your chances of achieving a low save are almost doubled if you can thermal and land in both directions.
NOT TO LAND
It should be clear that we are not using the standard downwind/base and final approach recommended for most landings (for hang gliders, especially). Thus, we suggest the low working of a savior thermal is an advanced practice suitable only for those pilots with lots of experience landing in different fields in different conditions from different positions. Like gold, thermals are where you find them, but the more you prospect, the greater your chances of success. Weak rescue thermals down low can be rare, so here’s the plan: Once you have decided that hopes are dismal at the hill, or you have glided to a safe field on an XC flight, it is best to circle the field to scout for lift. That is a good time to determine the wind direction, strength, and variation as well. With the wind discerned, you can focus on feeling any lift available. As you fly around, your land-
USH PA PILOT 61
Pick up these hot titles by
DENNIS PAGEN
www.DENNISPAGEN.com Sport Aviation Publications PO Box 43, Spring Mills, PA 16875 pagenbks@lazerlink.com | 814-404-9446 ing setup from every position should be part of your constant calculations. Again, much landing experience makes you versatile. In this circuit of the field, be sure to focus on the downwind position and any small bumps or hills in the vicinity. The hills are obvious thermal triggers, though we should be aware that landing fields tend to be ideal thermal birthing grounds, especially in summer when ground cover is dry. In areas where trees surround a landing field, a bit of wind will often push the warm surface air to the downwind end and trigger a thermal. I have experienced lift over the downwind end of a field a hundred times due to this factor. If we are coming to a landing field low, it is almost always most productive to head straight to the downwind end of it and troll for lift (providing the field is large enough to drop into from the downwind position). An important thing to look for when hoping for a low save is wind indicators. If you are all that low, you should be able to see the field’s windsock or streamers. Always watch them to see
if they suddenly pick up or change direction. If so, fly yourself directly downwind from the indicator and look for lift. More often than not, if I want to prolong the flight, I will be focused on the windsock from as much as a half-mile out to help direct me to the most likely position to find lift. We should be aware that on thermally days, the release of thermals themselves will alter the wind on the ground, and we can learn to read where the thermal is located with observation and experience. Changing windsocks showing a sudden gust or veering or shaking usually indicates thermal activity. Wind is drawn into the thermal base as it releases and climbs, so it will be downwind of the blowing sock. Of course, being a good thermal pilot is necessary for remaining aloft at any height in many flying situations, but it is of the utmost importance when down low. Many times we may have to thermal tightly to stay within the confines of small, underdeveloped lift. Other times, the lift is so weak we
have to use larger, flat circles to even maintain as we go in and out of hot spots. When flying wide, we should always be prepared to instantly tighten up and wind up in any surprise little core that offers its services. We use experience, vario sound, sensitive feeling, imaging, and quick response to dance with the lift and make it surrender altitude. Earlier, I mentioned that a low save flight can be most rewarding. About 20 years ago, I was destined to land at one of our local sites. I approached the landing field and felt a bouquet of teasing lift. I worked hard and scratched only about 100 feet above the field for nearly 15 minutes. All the while, I was calculating my landing positioning with every 360—evaluating whether or not I could make one more. Then a lucky shot grabbed me by the collar, and I went up a few hundred feet. Gradually I was able to survive the scrabbly lift until it consolidated and became solid. I was up and away. I took a landing raincheck, and for a memorable space of time, I postponed the inevitable.
2021 CALENDAR Submit listings
online at ushpa.org/page/calendar. A minimum 3-MONTH LEAD TIME is required on all submissions. Tentative events will not be published. Please contact event organizers
regarding the status of events as these are subject to postponement or cancellation depending on how the pandemic progresses.
MAY 1-2; JUN 5-6; AUG 7-8; SEP 25-26; OCT 16-17 > MOUNTAIN FLYING / SITE PIONEERING CLINIC Various Utah flying sites. Learn how to pioneer a site, fly the mountain sites in UT, improve your safety in the mountain, quickly and appropriately plan the best approach to any landing zone, weather tendencies, patterns and considerations. Learn how to visualize air flow in the mountains. Two-can Fly Paragliding, Ken Hudonjorgensen, (801) 971-3414, email: twocanfly@gmail.com Website: www.twocanfly.com MAY 13-16 > 49th ANNUAL HANG GLIDING SPECTACULAR Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding School, Nags Head, NC. Join professional hang gliders, fans, and families for this Kitty Hawk Flight School tradition. This event is the longest-running hang gliding competition in the world! | (252) 441-2426, hangglide@ kittyhawk.com, https://www.kittyhawk.com/ event/hang-gliding-spectacular/ MAY 14-16 > EAGLE PARAGLIDING MARSHALL CLINIC San Bernardino, CA. Marshall is one of California’s most consistent sites. We get newer pilots off early and late in the day at Marshall, and fly through mid-day with experienced pilots. We enjoy team flying. Clinic goals are to get pilots familiar with the area, and the thermal triggers to make moves down range. We will work down range on XC missions. The Eagle Team will lead this 3 day clinic. cost is $895. Visit www.paragliding. com or call 805.968.0980. MAY 29-31; JUL 16-18; AUG 27-29; SEP 17-19 > THERMAL / WINGLISTICS CLINIC Various Utah flying sites. Learn thermaling efficiency, reading and deciphering terrain features for thermal triggers and reservoirs, understanding cumulus cloud formations and what they tell us about the type of thermals that are feeding the clouds, recognizing safe and unsafe cloud formations, working cloud base, weather related specifics that determine favorable thermaling conditions, launching and landing in thermic conditions, learning your wing’s language and what it is telling you. Two-can Fly Paragliding, Ken Hudonjorgensen, (801) 971-3414, email: twocanfly@gmail.com Website: www.twocanfly.com
JUN 6-11 > EAGLE PARAGLIDING WOODRAT MOUNTAIN CLINIC Ruch, OR. Woodrat Mountain in southern Oregon is where the Applegate Open competition is held. This clinic focuses on allowing pilots to become familiar with the area, and routes flown during the competition held each June. This clinic is great as it prepares pilots for the competition. The staff leading these clinics have been on the podium at the race to goal competitions held from this site, and know the area very well. Cost is $1595 for 6 days. Visit www. paragliding.com or call 805.968.0980. JUN 19–26 2021 > APPLEGATE OPEN Woodrat Mtn, Ruch OR. USHPA Sanctioned PG Race To Goal XC Nationals Competition. Open Race, Sprint Race, and SuperClinic Race entry fees $475 SuperClinic fees $675. $20 Local membership required. Registration opens Feb 3, 2020. Organizer: Terri Stewart, AO-organizer@rvhpa.org | Website: wingsoverapplegate.org JUL 11–16 > 2021 OZONE CHELAN OPEN Chelan Butte, Chelan WA. USHPA Sanctioned PG Race To Goal XC Nationals Competition. The Ozone Chelan Open is a new fun competition format (for the USA) where new to competition pilots get to race along with and learn from the best pilots in the USA/world with everyone flying EN-C or B wings. Organizer: Matt Senior, mattysenior@yahoo.com | Website: https://airtribune.com/events/next JUL 18–24 > 2021 US OPEN OF PARAGLIDING Chelan Butte, Chelan WA. USHPA Sanctioned PG Race To Goal XC Nationals Competitio. Organizer: Matt Senior, mattysenior@yahoo.com | Website: https://airtribune. com/events/next SEP 3-5 > EAGLE PARAGLIDING PINE MOUNTAIN CLINIC Ojai, CA. Eagle organizes clinics at Pine Mountain behind Ojai. Two local legends Tom Truax a.k.a. “Sundowner“, and “Diablo”, Tony Deleo each set the California state distance record from this site back in the 90’s. September is our favorite month to do clinics out there, and we held a clinic there years ago where a pilot flew 50 miles on his first Cross Country flight. We followed the Team Flying strategy we share at our clinics and on our tours with a group of pilots on this flight. Cost is $895. Visit www.paragliding. com or call 805.968.0980.
SEP 4-11 > 2021 HURRICANE OPEN / EASTERN US CHAMPIONSHIPS JUSTFLY-SVS Flight Park, Whitwell TN. USHPA Sanctioned PG Race To Goal XC Regionals Competition. Race to goal format; Live tracking; GPS scored; Retrieves; Parties; Friends, flying & fun. Organizer: Paraglide Tennesee LLC -comp@paraglidetennessee.com. https://airtribune.com/ SEP 27 – OCT 2 > RED ROCKS FALL FLY IN Cove and Monroe Peak, Monroe Utah. Why? Because flying Paragliders and Hang Gliders is awesome. Who? Paragliders and Hang Gliders from all over the world. The cap is 500 pilots this year. How much? $95.00 for the whole week. Plus $10.00 per ride up the mountain. World class presentations each evening. Anything Else? Interesting culinary experiences in Richfield and Monroe. Fee includes certificates for free or discounted meals at many unique and mouthwatering restaurants. www.cuasa. com OCT 01 – 03 > 2021 HSB ACCURACY CUP HSB Flight Park, Horseshoe Bend ID. USHPA Sanctioned PG Spot Landing Nationals Competition. The HSB Accuracy Cup is an opportunity to challenge your ability for spot landings. The venue offers wide open space within the scenic Payette River Corridor. The valley flow along with our arid weather support smooth air and consistent conditions. Camp out and enjoy the stunning landscape of iconic rural Idaho with the flying community. Organizer: Scott Edwards, hsbflightpark@gmail.com | Website: hsbflightpark.com OCT 9-11 > EAGLE PARAGLIDING OWENS VALLEY CLINIC Bishop, CA. The Sierra’s and White mountains provide excellent thermal and XC opportunities. A variety of launch locations means we will make a move to the launch which matches our forecast for the day. We can work as a group and team fly here as well, and put out some big distance numbers. The State distance record is held from this area by Dave Turner. The area is world famous and worth a trip in the fall or spring for some classic flying, and big distance opportunities. Cost is $895 for 3 days. Visit www.paragliding. com or call 805.968.0980. NOV 12-14, DEC 10-12 > EAGLE PARAGLIDING SANTA BARBARA CLINIC Santa Barbara, CA. This clinic is aimed at getting pilots familiar with the thermal triggers, and lines to take to get from lift source to lift source moving down the range. After attending this clinic you will have a better understanding of the moves necessary to get down range, and the confidence to get through the pass and fly to Ojai and beyond. The Eagle Team will lead this 3 day clinic - cost is $895. Visit www. paragliding.com or call 805.968.0980.
USH PA PILOT 63
CLASSIFIED Rates start at $10.00 for 200 characters. Minimum ad charge is $10.00. ALL CLASSIFIEDS ARE PREPAID. No refunds will be given on ads cancelled that are scheduled to run multiple months. For more info, visit ushpa.org/page/magazine-classified-advertising
SCHOOLS & INSTRUCTORS GEORGIA > LMFP >provides unmatched service & attention to students & visitors. We have over 40 years of experience making dreams of flight come true on Lookout Mtn & can't wait to share our passion with you. Visit www.flylookout.com HAWAII > PROFLYGHT PARAGLIDING > Call Dexter for friendly information about flying on Maui. Full service school offering beginner to advanced instruction, year round. 808874-5433 paraglidemaui.com NEW HAMPSHIRE > MORNINGSIDE > A Kitty Hawk Kites flight park. The Northeast's premier hang gliding and paragliding training center, teaching since 1974. Hang gliding foot launch and tandem aerowtow training. Paragliding foot launch and tandem training. Powered Paragliding instruction. Dealer for all major manufacturers. Located in Charlestown, NH. Also visit our North Carolina location, Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School. (603) 5424416, www.flymorningside.com NEW YORK > SUSQUEHANNA FLIGHT PARK > 40 acre park. Awesome training hills with rides up. 600 mountain take off. Best facility in NY to teach foot launch. New and used WW gliders in stock. www.cooperstownhanggliding.com NORTH CAROLINA > KITTY HAWK KITES > The largest hang gliding school in the world, teaching since 1974. Learn to hang glide and paraglide on the East Coast's largest sand dune. Year-round instruction, foot launch and tandem aerotow. 1902 Wright Glider Experience available. Dealer for all major manufacturers. Learn to fly where the Wright Brothers flew, located at the beach on NC's historic Outer Banks. Also visit our NH location, Morningside Flight Park. (252) 441-2426, 1-877-FLY-THIS, kittyhawk.com/hang-gliding TENNESSEE > LMFP > provides unmatched service & attention to students & visitors. We have over 40 years of experience making dreams of flight come true on Lookout Mtn & can't wait to share our passion with you. Visit www.flylookout.com
TEXAS > FLYTEXAS TEAM > Training pilots in Central Texas for over 30years. Hang Gliding, Paragliding, Trikes. Hangar facilities Granite Shoals/Lake LBJ, Smithville www.flytexas.com 512-467-2529 VIRGINIA > BLUE SKY > located near Richmond , year round instruction, all forms of towing, repairs, sewing , tuning... Wills Wing, Moyes, Icaro, Aeros PG, Mosquito, Flylight, Woody Valley. www.blueskyhg.com CLINICS & TOURS BAJA MEXICO > La Salina Baja’s BEST BEACHFRONT Airsport Venue: PG, HG, PPG: FlyLaSalina.com. by BajaBrent.com, He’ll hook you up! Site intros, tours, & rooms. bajabrent@bajabrent.com, 760-203-2658 PARACRANE Paragliding Tours 2021 > Fly Costa Rica and Europe with veteran tour guide Nick Crane. Small groups, flexible schedule, excellent flying | Costa Rica-Feb 15-25 & March 26-April 5 | Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Italy June 4-14 and Sept 5-15 | France,Coupe Icare, Italy Sept 17-27 | www. costaricaparagliding.com, contact: nick@ paracrane.com FLYMEXICO > Winter & year round flying tours & support for near 30 years. Hang Gliding, Paragliding. Guiding, gear, instruction, transportation, lodging. www.flymexico.com +1 512 656 5052 SERVICES LMFP has a full glider shop and sew shop for all pilot needs. From annual inspections to bigger fixes, we have you covered. Visit www. flylookout.com or call 706-383-1292 WINGS & HARNESSES LMFP has the largest fleet of new & used wings and is one of the largest Wills Wing dealers in the US. With GT Harnesses just next door, we deliver top quality custom orders on your trainer, pod, or cocoon. www.flylookout. com
Ratings Issued January & February 2021 RTG RGN NAME
Take your ratings and expiration date everywhere you fly. Download from the Members Area section of the USHPA website. Print, trim, and store in your wallet. Great for areas without cell coverage. Always available at www.USHPA.org Save the PDF on your mobile device for easy reference.
64 US H PA P I LOT
H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H3 H3 H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1
2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 2 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 2 3 3 3 3 4 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3
Derek Deike Kaveh Vejdani David McGee Cameron Rouleau Mark H. Russell John Dubnowski Eric Fassler William Vernon Hartman Jonathan Vargas Diaz Russell C. Watson Terry Chupp Alan ODonnell Derek Deike Eric Fassler Lynsey Harris William Vernon Hartman Jonathan Vargas Diaz Russell C. Watson Terry Chupp Alan ODonnell Hans Kloepfer John Jensen Alex Cheng Lincoln Kroll Chris Poppy Robert Alan Gibson Ric Caylor Jeffrey H. Vaughan Cliff Alameda Frank Caprioni Gus Dupuis Jesse Froehling Kevin Hogan Kevin Michael Hood Mathias Jacobsen John Kangas Corbin Kunst Jon LeVan Paul McCauley Zachary Penwell Benjamin Prizer Tyler Reid Subir Sidhu Bren Starcher Nathan Tueller Lily Tueller Cary Young Christian Black Michelle Blacklock David Carrier Michael J. Clancy Jr Michael Conti Brian Duffy Sachin Hejaji Joy Jing Jake Koch Joscha Koepke Quinn Luepke Caitlin Price Whitney Russell-Holcomb Mickey Sensenbach Andrew Shannon Evgenii Sirotin David Solomon Joe Stewart John Stilley Lorin Vandegrift Nicholas Weighall Jeff Zerger Matthew Chang
STATE RATING OFFICIAL
CA CA NM CA CA VA GA FL FL LA IN NY CA GA VA FL FL LA IN NY CA CA CA CA CO TN PA PA WA HI WA WA WA WA WA ID OR AK AK AK NE WA WA WA AK AK HI NV CA UT UT UT CA CA CA CA CA UT CA CA CA CA CA CA CA UT CA CA CA CA
Michael Briganti Patrick J. Denevan John Heiney Josh Patrick Laufer Dan DeWeese Steve A. Wendt Andrew Nigh Alan Friday Malcolm A. Jones Gordon Cayce Gordon Cayce Gordon Cayce Michael Briganti Andrew Nigh Michael Pattishall Alan Friday Malcolm A. Jones Gordon Cayce Gordon Cayce Gordon Cayce Clark D. Frentzen Dan DeWeese Dan DeWeese John Heiney Malcolm A. Jones Malcolm A. Jones Christopher Bruno Leo D. Higley Marc Chirico Jeff Hedlund Marc Chirico Marc Chirico Marc Chirico Derek Baylor Marc Chirico David (Dexter) Binder Robert Black Andy Macrae Andy Macrae Rob Sporrer Marc Noel Radloff Chris W. Santacroce Marc Chirico Lisa Dickinson David (Dexter) Binder David (Dexter) Binder David (Dexter) Binder Robert Black David Blacklock Jonathan Jefferies Rob Sporrer Nathan Alex Taylor Jason Shapiro Robert Black Mike Fifield David Blacklock Jesse L. Meyer Stacy Whitmore Rob Sporrer Robert Black Joseph B. Seitz Robert Black Jesse L. Meyer David (Dexter) Binder Mitchell B. Neary Jonathan Jefferies Jesse L. Meyer Rob Sporrer Vito Michelangelo Stephen Nowak
RTG RGN NAME
P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Alexa Colburn Laura Davalos Elizabeth Engle Jeremy Feinberg Christopher Gannon Zollie Goodman Roshel Gottron Jeffrey Graham Yu Gui Matthew Hayden Jeremy Hebert Patric Jameson Tomas Juozaitis Connor Kelsay Michael Lanham Joseph Madrigal Andrew Melville Nellie Milfeld Joseph Milunas Joshua Moore Dennis Shen Mohamad Tarakji Kimberly Weglin Wayne Wicks Xu Xu John Paul Arenas Seth Capehart Bruce Chartier William Dawson Helene Fiorucci Geoffrey Hartman Craig Jackson Rick Jensen Steven King Tessa Komer Badih Mekhtfi Danilo Pereira Calvin R. Pettit John Ripa Philip Ronnsaville Addison Slentz John Staples Saeed Toossi Scott Waterman Zachary Hill James Martin Alex Prohaska Marco Puerto Jarred Sawczyszyn Jack Swanson Michael Wittenburg Noah Wittenburg Kaliegh Wittenburg Cliff Alameda Frank Caprioni Gus Dupuis Jesse Froehling Kevin Hogan Kevin Michael Hood Mathias Jacobsen John Kangas Corbin Kunst Jon LeVan Paul McCauley Zachary Penwell Benjamin Prizer Tyler Reid Subir Sidhu Bren Starcher Nathan Tueller
STATE RATING OFFICIAL
CA CA CA NM CA CO AZ CO CA CA NM AZ CA CA CA NM CA CO CA CA CA CA CO CA CA GA WV TX TX GA MO MO SC FL GA TX FL SC FL GA MO VA VA VA MD UK WI NY OH WI IL IL IL WA HI WA WA WA WA WA ID OR AK AK AK NE WA WA WA AK
Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Christopher Grantham Charles (Chuck) Woods Max Leonard Marien Chris W. Santacroce Chandler Papas David (Dexter) Binder David John Hebert Stephen Nowak Charles (Chuck) Woods Chandler Papas Max Leonard Marien Jeremy Bishop Rob Sporrer Charles (Chuck) Woods Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Marcello M. DeBarros Rob Sporrer Jordan Neidinger Marcello M. DeBarros Chris W. Santacroce Christopher Grantham Rob Sporrer Steven Taylor Couch Christopher Grantham Nathan Alex Taylor Nathan Alex Taylor Grayson Brown Nathan Alex Taylor Stephen J. Mayer Stephen J. Mayer Thomas McCormick Thomas McCormick Sebastien Kayrouz Luis Ameglio Steven Taylor Couch Christopher J. Pyse Steven Taylor Couch Nathan Alex Taylor Rob Sporrer Max Leonard Marien George R. Huffman Stephen J. Mayer David John Hebert Miguel Rodas Esau Diaz Guerrero Jaro Krupa Mariyan Radev Ivanov David John Hebert David John Hebert David John Hebert Marc Chirico Jeff Hedlund Marc Chirico Marc Chirico Marc Chirico Derek Baylor Marc Chirico David (Dexter) Binder Robert Black Andy Macrae Andy Macrae Rob Sporrer Marc Noel Radloff Chris W. Santacroce Marc Chirico Lisa Dickinson David (Dexter) Binder
USH PA PILOT 65
RTG RGN NAME
P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2
1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Lily Tueller Cary Young Christian Black Michelle Blacklock David Carrier Michael J. Clancy Jr Michael Conti Brian Duffy Sachin Hejaji Joy Jing Jake Koch Joscha Koepke Quinn Luepke Caitlin Price Whitney Russell-Holcomb Mickey Sensenbach Andrew Shannon Evgenii Sirotin David Solomon Joe Stewart John Stilley Jin Sung Lorin Vandegrift Nicholas Weighall David Michael Autenrieth Russell Benson Thomas Betjeman Austin Bozeman Andrew Zachary Caloca Matthew Chang Xinnan Cheng Alexa Colburn Laura Davalos Lawrence DePorto Truman DeYoung Elizabeth Engle Jeremy Feinberg Zollie Goodman Roshel Gottron Jeffrey Graham Yu Gui Matthew Hayden Tomas Juozaitis Connor Kelsay Michael Lanham Andrew Melville Nellie Milfeld Joseph Milunas Joshua Moore Bartlomiej Nitychoruk Dennis Shen Ezra Stallings Mohamad Tarakji Kimberly Weglin Jay Brandon Whiteaker Wayne Wicks Xu Xu John Paul Arenas Seth Capehart Bruce Chartier William Dawson Helene Fiorucci Geoffrey Hartman Craig Jackson Rick Jensen Steven King Tessa Komer Linda McNulty Badih Mekhtfi Danilo Pereira
STATE RATING OFFICIAL
AK HI NV CA UT UT UT CA CA CA CA CA UT CA CA CA CA CA CA CA UT CA CA CA NM NM NM CO NM CA CA CA CA CA NM CA NM CO AZ CO CA CA CA CA CA CA CO CA CA NM CA NM CA CO NM CA CA GA WV TX TX GA MO MO SC FL GA TN TX FL
David (Dexter) Binder David (Dexter) Binder Robert Black David Blacklock Jonathan Jefferies Rob Sporrer Nathan Alex Taylor Jason Shapiro Robert Black Mike Fifield David Blacklock Jesse L. Meyer Stacy Whitmore Rob Sporrer Robert Black Joseph B. Seitz Robert Black Jesse L. Meyer David (Dexter) Binder Mitchell B. Neary Jonathan Jefferies Wallace K. Anderson Jesse L. Meyer Rob Sporrer Charles (Chuck) Woods Charles (Chuck) Woods Charles (Chuck) Woods Douglas Brown Charles (Chuck) Woods Stephen Nowak Vito Michelangelo Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Vito Michelangelo Charles (Chuck) Woods Christopher Grantham Charles (Chuck) Woods Chris W. Santacroce Chandler Papas David (Dexter) Binder David John Hebert Stephen Nowak Max Leonard Marien Jeremy Bishop Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Marcello M. DeBarros Rob Sporrer Charles (Chuck) Woods Jordan Neidinger Charles (Chuck) Woods Marcello M. DeBarros Chris W. Santacroce Charles (Chuck) Woods Christopher Grantham Rob Sporrer Steven Taylor Couch Christopher Grantham Nathan Alex Taylor Nathan Alex Taylor Grayson Brown Nathan Alex Taylor Stephen J. Mayer Stephen J. Mayer Thomas McCormick Thomas McCormick Steven Taylor Couch Sebastien Kayrouz Luis Ameglio
RTG RGN NAME
P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P5
4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 1
John Ripa Philip Ronnsaville Addison Slentz John Staples Scott Waterman Zachary Hill James Martin Marco Puerto Jarred Sawczyszyn Kaliegh Wittenburg Michael Wittenburg Noah Wittenburg William Abbott Brian Bevens Mathias Jacobsen Rachel Newell Frederick Roth Scott Witt Matt Bell Angela Bickar Dennis Canty Joseph Coffland Brian Lloyd Dang Ngo Jon Rasmussen Kevin Vaughan Scott Williams David W. Biddle Chris Brey Echo Campbell Logan Hulett Frank Kraljic Matt Pennington Steve Su Hayden Zadow Marco-Antoni De Alvarenga Eric P. Kurzhals Danilo Pereira John Ripa Daniel Brown Kyle Justin Bultman David Castillo Terry Frischkorn Alejandro Gallego Peter Gamache Karim Hamdi John Mendes Kaliegh Wittenburg Michael Wittenburg Noah Wittenburg George Barta Brent Alan Bauer Ross Desmond Dmitry Sidorov Tyler Burns Lynsey Ann Haynes Mehrad Mortazavi Jordan Newton Lindsey Ripa Katharina Roesler Stan Barankiewicz II Tyson Jensen Dustin O'Hara Jan C. Pauck Mark Stucky Marco-Antoni De Alvarenga Edward Chip Miller Jr
STATE RATING OFFICIAL
FL GA MO VA VA MD UK NY OH IL IL IL HI WA WA AK AK OR CA CA CA CA CA CA CA UT CA CA AZ CO CO AZ CA CO CO FL VA FL FL OH MI NY CT NY MA NY CT IL IL IL WA WA WA WA UT CA CA UT UT CA CA CA CO CA NM FL OR
Christopher J. Pyse Steven Taylor Couch Nathan Alex Taylor Rob Sporrer George R. Huffman Stephen J. Mayer David John Hebert Esau Diaz Guerrero Jaro Krupa David John Hebert David John Hebert David John Hebert Paul Gurrieri Kelly A. Kellar Marc Chirico Jake Schlapfer Jake Schlapfer Kelly A. Kellar Robert Black Jesse L. Meyer Jeff Shapiro Robert Black Robert Black Jesse L. Meyer Randolph Ruffin Chris W. Santacroce Robert Black Randolph Ruffin Chandler Papas Johannes Rath Sanders Sam Crater Jeremy Bishop Rob Sporrer William H. Stites Johannes Rath David W. Prentice Rob Sporrer Luis Ameglio Christopher J. Pyse David W. Prentice Thomas McCormick Sebastien Kayrouz Peter Williams Sebastien Kayrouz Peter Williams Philippe Renaudin Peter Williams David John Hebert David John Hebert David John Hebert Marc Chirico Jeff Shapiro Owen Shoemaker Roger Brock William H. Stites Robert Black Jesse L. Meyer Nathan Alex Taylor William H. Stites Jesse L. Meyer Pete Michelmore Rob Sporrer John Hovey Pete Michelmore Christopher Grantham David W. Prentice Kimberly Phinney
AIRS Accident/Incident Reporting System is standing by at airs.ushpa.org If you've been injured or experienced a close call, file a report today. All AIRS reports are completely confidential.
TAVIS N. LINSIN
GROWING YOUNG In between launch and landing patient flight happens nature of physical law quiet as clouds, unfurls innumerable silent decisions led me here I fly in discussion with the wind listening mostly, posing questions sometimes cares from the two-dimensional world evaporate in an equilibrium of forces I arrive in a perpetual present and trust in a larger love in lift I take a step toward heaven on earth the sun is simpler here dancing with the earth inspired currents of air rivers and rivulets like fingers massaging the wings of birds in the exchange of wind and wing lives a grand mystery pleasures in these conversations stretch across long summer nights logics are exchanged like love letters and my heart grows younger every day
PHOTO BY NANCY BLOOM
NOUVE
s ti v it
St Hilaire - Lumbin 12 - 19 Septembre 2021 Toutes les infos sur www.coupe-icare.org
Impression : bristol - La Ravoire - tél. 04 79 25 15 00
Illustration de Valérie DUMAS
fe
AUTÉ
és
8
rs d jou e
info@flytec.com 800.662.2449 flytec.com
naviter.com
Airspeed sensor with precise measuring Slim and aerodynamic to maximize your glide Sunlight readable color LCD with glove-friendly touchscreen A color-coded thermal assistant helps you center on the best lift Preloaded worldwide maps for convenient out-of-the-box navigation Connect with SeeYou.Cloud for Logbook, route planning, and flight analysis
68 US H PA P I LOT