USHGA Hang Gliding January 1993 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

o 744 70 77855

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

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IHANG UNITED STA.TES I GLIDING AssN:

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Indudes 12 issues ·ofIIANG·_ GLII)lNffmagazine• (H0])ivision}or 6 issues ofPARAdLIDING- .. THE MAGAZINE (PG Division), lfahility insurance, ratings, and other benefits.

FULL MEMBER:

D 1 Division - $49.00 U.S. ($55.00 Ca11ada/Mexico*)($ 60,(X) Ini'l *) , . .• . . • . .. $ - - - - ~ - ~ Please check one: ·. D Hang Glicling QParaglidffig D Both Divisions - $64.00 U.S. ($82.00 Canada/Mexico*)($87.00 Int'l*)

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FAMILY. MEMBER:

D 1 Division - $24.50 ................. , ..... , ............. , . , • . . $

(Includes all benefits except

Please check one: D Hang Gliding D Paragliding D Both Divisions - $32.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $:

magazine. Must reside with

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full member of same division.)

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D 1 Year $35.00 U.S.($ 40.00 Canada/Mexico*)($ 50.00 lnt'l*) ..... ; ..... $_______ D 2 Years $65.00 U;S. ($ 75.00 Canada/Mexico*)($ 95.00 Int'I"') . . . . . . . . . . . S_,....~--0 3 Years $95.00 U.S, ($110.00 Canada/Mexico*)($140.00 lnt'l*) . . . . . . . . . . $....................~~..._...

..........•.................................................•.••... •.....•.........•...••.......•.•••~, ~

........

OTHER OPTIONAL MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS: 1ST CLASS MAIL SERVICE: ($24.00-U.S., Canada, & Mexico only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ -----AIR MAIL SERVICE: ($30.00-Western Hemisphere, $44.00-Europe, $57.00-AII Others) .............................. $_ _ _ _ __ NAA MEMBERSHIP ($24.00 annual dues includes FAI license) ................................................ $_ _ _ _ __

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INSURANCE INFORMATION The cost of the insurance is included in the full membership fees with the member as additional insured. USHGA provides a Combined Single Limit Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability Master Policy in the amount of $1,000,000 per claim which covers all recreational flying. USHGA's insurance is valid ONLY while flying in the U.S., U.S. Properties, Canada, and overseas while on USHGA approved business.

*Foreign paymen/S must be in U.S. FUNDS drawn on a U.S. BANK USHGA, PO BOX 8300, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80933 (719) 632-8300 FAX (719) 632-6417

(111'/2)

Open

Letter

Pilots

As the dust devils of summer dissipate, it's a good time to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the future. UP has certified six new hang gliders and four new paragliders. We've made some course corrections and encountered some turbulence, but turbulence is nothing new to our sport. In fact , it stimulates innovation and the development of technology. Our midsummer decision to make a change in marketing strategy caused quite a stir. We took an objective look at ourselves and the industry and decided that manufacturers and dealers must work together to put the pilots' needs first. We realized that pilots are looking for three things: service, performance and price. During the frenzy to devise complex dealer programs, sliding margins and volume discounts , perhaps the manufacturers lost sight of the fundamentals. We decided to get back to basics. We streamlined our administrative and production philosophy to reduce overhead. This enables us to offer pilots better value on UP gliders. We now offer realistic retail prices. While these changes brought applause from most, we didn't please everyone. Rumors began to circulate regarding the future of UP. Our response: UP is in business to stay. We've never been healthier. We're more efficient. We have a complete line of hang gliding and paragliding equipment. Our international network of subsidiaries and sister companies has flourished during 1992. UP markets through a dealer network. Dealers provide a vital link in our service to pilots. We also encourage pilots to call the factory for help in selecting a glider, to ask technical or tuning questions, or to offer us feedback on our products. Our loyalty to our supportive dealers is ongoing and unconditional. UP is committed to producing the best-performing, mostaffordablypriced gliders available. With our new complete glider line, a streamlined , more experienced staff, our "pilot-friendly" marketing strategy and a re-dedication to pilot service and support, UP is poised to provide the greatest value and highest degree of service of any manufacturer in the industry. We welcome your comments, questions and inquiries, so feel free to call us at 1-800-266-3287 (1-800- COME2UP).

P.S ... . We invite all TRX and XTR pilots to contact us for a free copy of the revised Owner's Manual featuring new, in-depth tuning instructions.

UP International • 4054 West 2825 North • Mountain Green, UT 84050

Special Minter Offer

New

American made HIGH QUALITY parachute from Free Flight, one of the most respected Hang Gliding reserve manufacturers in the business. Now at a price competative with the low cost and inferior import canopies.

$375 22 gore $395 24 gore PARA-SWIVEL by Skyrohr

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Tow line recovery system. Preserve the life of your tow line with this in-line system that automaticaly opens when line tension is released and ejects the parafoil to fly your line back down.

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Call for a Catalog Order phone l-800-677-4449

HIGHER THAN EAGLES by Maralys Wills (with Chris Wills) l

HIGHER THAN EAGLES documents the drama of a family overtaken by man's oldest d1:eam-flying! It is the story of BOBBY WILLS, a stubborn, feisty boy who overcomes a difficult childhood to achieve his dreams-including becoming the simultaneous U.S., Canadian and British hang gliaing champion. But it is also about a family, swept along by one son's vision to the point where they qan never tum back, even when tragedy strikes. "A stunning, totally captivating book ... a brilliantly written human drama about a family alternately inspired and torn apart by the sport. The story of a boy who lived life with a passion that very few will ever know." -Gil Dodgen, Editor Hang Gliding magazine

$19.95/Hard Cover (+$3 .50 S/H)

Available from USHGA • P.O. Box 8300 • Colorado Springs, CO • 80933-8300

(USPS 017-970-20- ISSN 0895-433X)

32 The U.S. Nationals At Telluride by Ralph Karsten

Brad Koji rakes top honors in Colorado's rugged mountains.

35 Li&, Sink and Temperatures in a Model Thermal by Alan J Fisher

The developer of the Thermal Snooper gives us some insighrs into rising air.

38 Sky Gods Speak - Larry Tudor by Davis Straub Lots of how-to advise from multiple world record holder Tudor.

41 Lockouts And Other Paths To Disaster © 195)3 by Dave Broyles You can lock out with a payout winch. Some general safety advise for cowsrers.

Columns

Departments

Hang Gliding Organization Directory ... 10

Airmail ..................................................... ..7

by Harry Marcin ................. 15

Calendar of Events ............................. ...... 14

USHGA Reports ....................................25

Update ..................................................... 16

Competition Comer ...............................28

Classified Advertising ............ ..................49

Accident Reports ....................................44

Index to Advertisers ................................ .54

by Dan Johnson .........58

Ratings ... ,..................................................56

Cartoon -

Product Lines -

JANUARY 1993

Just when you thought you had to settle for less ...

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The most satisfying and refined glider ever built for the new fledgling pilot. ..

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H E V E

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What do you want in your personal, custom harness? X-STREM strength X-STREM low drag X-STREM comfort and X-STREM simplicity Then you want X-STREMAIR - a structurally integrated back frame harness by AS/.

Gil Dodgen, Edito,/Art Director John Heiney, Leroy Grannis Photographers Harry Martin, Illustrator Dennis Pagen, Rodger Hoyt, G.W. Meadows Staff Writers Tim Rinker, Design Consultant Office Staff Jerry Bruning, Executive Director Greg Huller, Ratings & ICP's Cindy Evans, Member Services PJ More, Special Projects & Competitions Siu Clark, Insurance & Member Se,vices Jeff Elgart, Marketing & Advertising D. Dean Leyerle, Merchandise Services USHGA Officers and Executive Committee: Gregg Lawless, President Paul Voight, Vice President Russ Locke, Secretary Dan Johnson, Treasurer

REGION 1: Gene Matthews. REGION 2: Lynda Nelson, Russ Locke, Ray Leonard. REGION 3: Joe Greblo, Sandy King, Gregg Lawless. REGION 4: Rod Hauser, Glen Nicolet. REGION 5: Mike King. REGION 6: Ron Kenney. REGION 7: Bill Bryden. REGION 8: Randy Adams. REGION 9: Pete Lehmann, William Bennett. REGION 10: Matt Taber, Rick Jacob. REGION11: Jeff Hunt. REGION 12: Paul Voight, Paul Rikert. DIRECTORS AT LARGE: Dan Johnson, Jerry Forburger, Jan Johnson, Dennis Pagen. HONORARY DIRECTORS: Ken Brown, Jim Zeiset, Doug Hildreth, G.W. Meadows, Tom Kreyche, Mike Meier, Rob Kells, Fred Stockwell, Gregg McNamee, Michael Robertson. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS: Art Greenfield (NAA), Ken Baier (Paragliding). The United States Hang Gliding Association Inc. is an air sports organization affiliated with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which is the official representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), of the world governing body for spo,t aviation. The NAA, which represents the U.S. at FAI meetings, has delegated to the USHGA supervision of FAl-related hang gliding activities such as record attempts and competition sanctions. HANG GLIDING magazine is published for hang gliding sport enthusiasts to create further interest in the sport, and to provide an educational forum to advance hang gliding methods and safety. Contributions are welcome. Anyone is invited to contribute articles, photos, and illustrations concerning hang gliding activities. If the material is to be returned, a stamped, selfaddressed return envelope must be enclosed. Notification must be made of submission to other hang gliding publications. HANG GLIDING magazine reserves the right to edit contributions where necessary. The Association and publication do not assume responsibility for the material or opinions of contributors. HANG GLIDING editorial offices: 6950 Aragon Circle, Suite 6, Buena Park, CA 90620 (714) 994-3050. HANG GLIDING (ISSN 0895-433x) is published monthly by the United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc., 559 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Suite 101, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903 (719) 632-8300. FAX (719) 632-6417. Second-class postage is paid at Colorado Springs, CO and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: HANG GLIDING, P.O. BOX 8300, Colorado Springs, co 80933-8300. The USHGA is a member-controlled sport and educational organization dedicated to exploring all facets of unpowered ultralight flight. Membership is open to anyone interested in this realm of flight. Dues for full membership are $49.00 per year (of which $15 goes to the publication of Hang Gliding), ($55 Canada & Mexico, $60 foreign); subscription rates only are $35.00 ($40 Canada & Mexico, $50 foreign). Changes of address should be sent six weeks in advance, including name, USHGA number, previous and new address, and a mailing label from a recent issue.

JANUARY 1993

VOLUME 23, ISSUE No. 1

Air Mail~ LESSONS FROM THE SOARING WORLD

VIETNAM VETERAN HANG GLIDER PILOTS

Dear Editor, I fly sailplanes, and am excited about beginning my hang glider training. As a future hang glider pilot I have an interest in the regulatory issues, and how other ultralight soaring pilots cooperate. The USHGA will do well to recognize paraglider pilots as fellow soaring pilots and, as a result, gain support from their group which shares similar goals and concerns. It troubles me that the Soaring Society of America decided not to recognize hang gliding as an accepted form of soaring flight. Hopefully, this will change soon. Several recent letters to Soaring magazine illustrate the feelings of alienation hang glider pilots have felt when in the company of sailplane pilots. Most of these letters call for understanding and embracing of all forms of motorless flight. I've braved some derision and skeptical attitudes to express my interest in hang gliding to other sailplane pilots at gliderports in Truckee and Middletown, CA. My reading of hang gliding training manuals and magazines allows me to impress these higher-performance soaring pilots with the "newer" hang gliders' capabilities and achievements. While a few sailplane pilots come from a hang gliding past, most of my fellow glider guiders don't even consider hang gliders as "real aircraft," certainly not as one the/d fly. Yet, whenever I leave a Hang Gliding magazine on the table, it winds up being the topic of conversation. "IfI were a litcle younger, I'd even think about trying chat," is a common statement. A few of the younger sailplane pilots have caught my enthusiasm for this more accessible, freer form of soaring. Could we be tapping into a group of future hang glider pilots and support here? I would be happy to distribute any literature you send at the local gliderports. Awareness, alone is a step in the right direction.

Dear Editor, We want to hear from you! Trying to form a club, USHGA Chapter, network, anything! The main function of this group is to provide fellowship and open communication with each other. Please drop me a line and let me know what you're doing, what you're flying and your military history and maybe we can put together some kind of a national charter. Please contact me at:

Bruce Rhymes Citrus Heights, CA

Harold Airington RR66 Box 88 Tularosa, NM 88352.

FLYING SITE BONANZA Dear Editor, I just returned home from 10 days in the Carson City, Nevada area where Adventure Sports put on three clinics: Basic and Advanced ICP, and Tandem 1, 2 and Instructor Clinic. The first two clinics were run by Ray Leonard, while the tandem clinic was headed by Eric Beckman. The clinics were interesting and informative - a great way to learn how to pass along our wondrous sport to others - but that's not why I'm writing!

The Carson Cit)\ Reno area probab91 offers more flying sites per square mile than aro1where else in the countiy Within an hour of Carson City there are sites that face every wind direction and are suitable for every hang glider or paraglider pilot skill level. Most are accessible by two-wheel drive and many offer some of the best soaring conditions around: Slide Mountain, Red Rocks, Peavine and McClellen are just a few of the more famous sites. In between clinics Ray, Dave and I flew several sites on both hang gliders and paragliders. With instruction from Ray, Dave and I were able to attain our Class I paragliding ratings. Ray has been around hang gliding for 20 years now and is probably the only master-rated hang glider pilot who also holds a Class 3 paragliding rating (somebody should do a full-length article on this guy). So, when you get to town be sure to look up Ray Leonard and Jackie Danskin at their

~ Air Mail shop in downtown Carson City. Thanks Ray, Jackie and Eric. We'll be back! Thomas Ellis Orinda, CA

Dave Sharp Alamogordo, NM

HANG GLIDING 911 COMMENTS Dear Editor, As a retired pilot, long-time driver/social member of the hang gliding community and licensed physical therapist, I read both installments of "Hang Gliding 911" with some interest. I have a few comments. First, contrary to what was reported in the article, most ankle sprains are caused by turning the ankle inward, sole of the foot toward the center of the body, injuring the ligaments on the outside of the foot (inversion sprain). Landing sharply on the outside of the foot after a jump or during landing with the foot in its normal relaxed position (pointed and turned inward slightly), can cause this type of sprain. Sprains of the inside aspect of the ankle (eversion sprains) are much less common due to an extremely strong set of ligaments, bony anatomy which resists this motion and the lower likelihood of the foot being in the position described above. Eversion sprains are more frequently associated with fractures, which often occur on the outside of the ankle. All ankle sprains should be X-rayed to rule out fractures. Second, I agree that fractures of the humerus are the most common arm inju1y in hang gliding. When subjected to torsional forces around this long bone as described by the author, the bone fractures along the "spiral groove," an anatomical feature of the humerus which marks the path of the radial nerve as it courses its way from the neck to the hand. Humeral fractures need to be handled with great care, since the nerve, which both innervates the muscles which straighten fingers and twist and extend the wrist and provides sensation to the back of the hand, can easily be damaged by the unintentional movement of jagged pieces of broken bone. Finally, thanks for introducing the concept of RICE (Rest, ke, Compression, Elevation) to the hang gliding community. The acronym is often expanded to PRICE, with the "P" standing for protection of the injured part from further injmy. While the

PRICE principles are almost always applied in cases of major trauma, adherence to this basic and simple treatment for minor trauma (like those all-too-common ankle sprains) can make the difference between full and speedy recove1y and a nagging inju1y which lasts for months. Of course, persuading a pilot to rest an injured ankle when his buddies are at cloud base is a virtually impossible task - but, that's a whole 'nother story! Susan Hearn MPT Philadelphia, PA

JAMAICAN HANG GLIDING EVENT PROMO Dear Editor, I have been obse1ving hang gliding with interest and excitement for a long time. On a recent visit to my homeland of Jamaica, I was struck with the idea of having a hang gliding event there if interest could be generated among hang glider pilots in the U.S. The prospective location which seems to be ideal is a tourist attraction on the southern coast of Jamaica called Lover's Leap. The site overlooks the Pedro Plains with a vertical of about 1,600 feet to sea level, and overlooks the Caribbean Sea from a distance of about five miles. I am in touch with a member of the Jamaican government who is enthusiastic about the idea, and would be willing to jointly promote these events. Interested pilots can write to me at the address below, and indicate what is needed to successfully promote such an event. Pursuing this exciting idea further will depend on the level of response I receive. Anthony Henry 10920 Water Port Court Mitchellville, MD 20721

MULTI-LEVEL CERTIFICATION COMMENTS Dear Editor, In response to Chuck McGill's letter in the Nov. '92 issue concerning multi-level certification, Mr. McGill has some good

points but asks the question, Why should the certification system be any different for the manufacturer than the student pilot? I think the answer is very simple SAFETY. What he seems to be saying is that there are pilots who, at their own risk, would buy an uncertified glider that has been flown successfully. This would circumvent the stringent testing which inhibits designers from exploring new ideas and designs. This is a valid idea, however it has one big problem. Our sport luckily survived the days of the standard, the divergent Mariah, and aftermarket ideas that rendered gliders uncertified. (Remember Stu Smith's baffling accident?) We've gotten away from those days and are now much more experienced and have a respectable image. It's not worth the price of finding out in the turbulent Sierras that an uncertified glider has a problem with recove1y from an unusual attitude. I know this sounds bureaucratic, but unfortunately litigation, site closures and negative public image are realities we still have to deal with. Mr. McGill, don't give up. I envy anyone with the time, talent and enthusiasm to design a new wing. Don Ruzek Bedford, VA

RIGID WING TOWING Dear Editor, As a long-time rigid and Rogallo wing hang glider pilot I have read with interest the recent articles and editorial comments on the SWIFT and rigid wing Class II gliders in general. Owning and having flown George Worthington's original EA.I. worldrecord-setting Mitchell Wing many times in the mid l 980's, and with extensive Icarus V flying time back in the 70's, I am acutely familiar with the pros and cons of the rigid wing hang glider/foot launched sailplane controversy. Since those times I have come to believe that the most effective overall use of these gliders would be through row launching. A well set up trailer to transport the wing to the valley floor or flatlands tow site would HANG GLIDING

Air Mail~ greatly reduce the hassles of dealing with huge wing-carrying things on top of fourwheel-drive vehicles bouncing up rough roads to precipitous takeoff sites. So after six years of inactive rigid wing flying I finally got it together and got my Mitchell Wing re-covered and ready to fly. Having constructed a semi-enclosed pod and windscreen complete with a three-wheel landing gear setup on the hang cage I set out to experience towing. My thanks to Mr. David Kincheloe and the members of the Central Carolina TowTo-Soar Club for helping me successfully complete six tow-launched flights on the Mitchell Wing. The flights were made at the beautiful Laurinburg/Maxton North Carolina airfield on the old 8,000' auxiliary runway. On the fast high tow the wing literally leapt into the air after a short 25-30 foot takeoff roll into a steep angle of attack. I was flying like a "bat out of hell" due to my unfamiliarity with the high angle of attack typically experienced while under tow, which forced the tow truck to drive up to 65 mph to maintain line tension. Over the next five tows I learned to reduce my initial angle of attack on takeoff and then increase it with safe altitude, eventually reaching 2,000' before release. I have no doubt that as my experience increases so will my altitude under tow. What an experience! It was great not to have to disassemble to go back up, not to mention all the extra airtime you can get in marginal to non-soaring conditions. Now I can truly see the full potential of towlaunched cross-country on Class II footlaunched sailplanes/ hang gliders. Yes, some will say that taking off and landing on wheels is no longer hang gliding. I don't care! The bottom line is that Class II or Class I, I am out there to have fun. I hope this will provide incentive to others to get out those old rigid wings, dust 'em of and join the fun. Chuck Rhodes Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy Havelock, NC

For more info contact Chuck at (919) 4477256 after 6·00 PM EST - Ed.

SWIFT COMMENTS Dear Editor, I have been enjoying the ongoing controversy created by the Swift. Its performance is impressive and my opinion is that each of us should fly whatever type of craft gives us the most pleasure, because that's what we're in this for. As for competition, in sailing the races are often restricted to one design. Even sailplane competitions are divided into classes. Larry Witherspoon's "wish" glider sounds like something to work toward, but in Feb. 1991 Dan Johnson mentioned a rigid wing glider (Apex) with a glide of 16: 1 to 20: 1. Whatever became of this?

r-----------,

GONE

BALLISTIC l 0.6% to 23.4~o IN ONE YEAR! That's over l,OOOnewbuyers! According to l,431 USI-IGA member surveys from late ·g L pilots ..going ballistic" leaped from 10.6% to 23.4% since '90.

BRS' popular "Quick Draw" CORDLESS model can be easily installed on many leading harnesses,

$499.

Oliver McMahon Nashua, NH

FLYTEC COMMENTS Dear Editor, There are several points in Dennis Pagen's article about the Flytec 3030 I would like to comment on. He writes that the 3030 has no total energy compensation and that only Ball has speed rings available. AFRO, the maker of the Cirrus 8000 and the XC 8000 come with speed rings and are TE compensated. Second, I think he should have mentioned that the development of the instrument was a joint project between Brauniger Flugelectronic and Flytec. The Brauniger LCD VII and the Flytec 3030 are almost identical. Finally, as a pilot and long-time reader of your magazine I understand that it is always good policy to please your advertisers. But seeing a full-page color ad face-to-face with a three-page not-so-subtle sales pitch for the same product at least appears not to be objective. Achim Hagemann Santa Barbara, CA

THANKS FOR YOUR BUSINESS ! Now,totheother76.6%ofyou ... We can think of many good reasons you should go ballistic today. Here's four of our very best: JEFF WYNS (7 /89) BRS Save #35 GREG ROSSIGNOL (6/90) #40 CARL SHORIT (8/90) #44 BRUCE BOLLES (7 /91) #52 BRS has documented 54 saves thru 12/31/91

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JANUARY 1993

~-----------~

11 Hang Gliding Organization Directory Send additions, deletions and changes to: USHGA, P.O. Box 8300, Colorado Springs, CO 80933 (719) 632-8300 Revised December 1992 NAME

CONTACT

ADDRESS

CITY

STATE/ZIP

PHONE

Adventure Wings ............................... Alan Chuculate .................... PO Box 83305 ................................ Fairbanks ....................... AK .... 99708 ................ (907) 455-6379 Fairbanks Hang Gliding .................... Lyndon Thomas ................... PO Box 85132 ................................ Fairbanks ....................... AK .... 99708 ................ (907) 479-5538 Rocket City Airs ports ........................ Robert Patterson .................. 106 Southside Square ..................... Huntsville ...................... AL .... 35801.. .............. (205) 776-9995 Sail Wings Hang Gliding ................... Larry Haney ......................... PO Box 5593 ................................. .Little Rock ..................... AR .... 72215 ................ (501) 663-3166 Bandito Action Sports ....................... Stan Mish ............................. PO Box 22369 ................................ Flagstaff.......................... AZ .... 86002 ................ (602) 774-6410 Desert Hang Gliders .......................... Bob Thompson .................... 4319 W Larkspur ........................... Glenclale ......................... AZ .... 85304 ................ (602) 938-9550 Sky Sails of Arizona ........................... Bill Holmes .......................... 1130 E Grovers #266 .................... Phoenix .......................... AZ .... 85022 ................ (602) 493-1216 Reel Altitude/HG Aclvcntures ............ Bracl Lindsay ........................ 954 E Paradise Lane ....................... Phoenix .......................... AZ .... 85022 ................ (602) 863-9909 Adventure Sports Tours ..................... Doug Gordon ...................... 1327 E Bell De Mar ....................... Tempe ............................ AZ .... 85283 ................ (602) 897-7121 Arizona Airfoils .................................. Eric Smith ............................ 5306 E 18th Street ......................... Tucson ........................... AZ .... 85711 ................ (602) 790-3507 Hang Gliding Promotions ................. Max Pachenko ..................... PO Box 5580 .................................. Balboa Island .................. CA .... 92662 ................ (916) 852-6517 Owens Valley Soaring ........................ Kevin Klinefelter .................. 5201 Wesrriclge Rd RR 2 ................ Bishop ............................ CA .... 93514 ................ (619) 387-2673 Pilots Supply...................................... Bret Hilliker ......................... 2766 Mojave Court ........................ Cameron Park ................ CA .... 95682 ................ (916) 677-4953 Moyes California ............................... Bill Hartke ........................... 22021 Covello Street ...................... Canoga Park ................... CA .... 91303 ................ (818) 887-3361 Accelerated Flight Systems ................. Freel Lawley .......................... PO Box 1226 .................................. Del Mar ......................... CA .... 92014 ................ (619) 481-7400 Chandelle San Francisco lnc .............. Ancly Whitehill .................... PO Box 799 .................................... Forest Knolls ................. CA .... 94933 ................ (415) 488-4202 DODECA ......................................... Karl Myrenne ....................... PO Box 1383 .................................. Fremont ........................ CA .... 94538 ................ (510) 490-4385 Hang Gliding Hanger ....................... .Dan or Tim Fleming ............ 1446 North Van Ness ..................... Fresno ........................... CA .... 93728 ................ (209) 264-7627 Seedwings .......................................... Bob Trampenau .................. .41 Aero Camino ............................. Goleta ........................... CA .... 93117 ................ (805) 968-7070 Torrey Pines Flight Park .................... Bill Bennett .......................... 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Dr .......... La Jolla ........................... CA .... 92037 ................ (619) 452-3202 Ultralight Soaring Software ................ Eric Raymond ...................... 33274 Baldwin Blvd ....................... Lake Elsinore .................. CA .... 92530 ................ (714) 678-3931 Lake Elsinore Hang Gliding ..............John Pitt .............................. 32700 Riverside Dr #507 ............... Lake Elsinore .................. CA .... 92530 ................ (714) 678-2482 Windgypsy ........................................ Keith Lamb .......................... POB 506 Elsinore W.Marina ........ Lake Elsinore .................. CA .... 92530 ................ (714) 678-5418 Action Soaring Center ....................... Barnie Haneke ..................... 1689 Armstrong Road .................... Lodi ............................... CA .... 95242 ................ (209) 368-9665 Western Hang Gliders ....................... Philip Godwin ..................... PO Box 828 .................................... Marina ........................... CA .... 93933 ................ (408) 384-2622 Mission Soaring Center ..................... Pat Denevan ......................... 1116 Wrigley Way ......................... Milpitas .......................... CA .... 95035 ................ (408) 262-1055 Natural Flying ...................................Jim Woodward ..................... 17506 Hoot Owl \Xfay .................... Morgan Hill .................. CA .... 95037 ................ (408) 779-7976 Thermal-Quick Release Biner ............ Robert Kalember .................. 19431-4 l Bus Ctr Drive ................. Norchridge ..................... CA .... 91324 ................ (818) 701-7983 Flight Systems .................................... Dan Skadal.. ......................... 1915-B E. Karella ........................... Orange ........................... CA .... 92667 ................ (714) 639-7777 Wills Wing lnc .................................. Meier-Kells-Pearson ............. 500 Blueridge Ave .......................... Orange ........................... CA .... 92665 ................ (714) 998-6359 Skyline Soaring .................................. Paul Sussman ...................... .428 Heathcliff Drive ....................... Pacifica ........................... CA .... 94044 ................ (415) 359-8080 Upward Bouncl .................................. Scott Smith .......................... PO Box l 175 .................................. Palm Desert .................. CA .... 92261.. .............. (619) 322-9214 Ultimate Hi Aviation ......................... Roger Chase ......................... 13009 Acton Avenue ...................... Poway ............................ CA .... 92064 ................ (619) 748-1739 Hang Gliding Connection ................. Phil Sergent .......................... 1887 O'Conner Avenue .................. Redding ......................... CA .... 96001 ................ (916) 241-6974 Pacific Airwave .................................. Ken Brown .......................... 1083 Madison Lane ........................ Salinas ............................ CA .... 93907 ................ (408) 422-2299 HG Manufacturers Assn .................... J. Michel Bernasconi ............ 7377 Tustin Road .......................... Salinas ............................ CA .... 93907 ................ (408) 422-2299 High Adventure ................................. Rob McKenzie .................... .4231 Sepulveda .............................. San Bernardino .............. CA .... 92404 ................ (909) 883-8488 H.G. Center of San Diego ................. John Ryan ............................ 4206-K Sorrento Valley Blvcl .......... San Diego ...................... CA .... 92121.. .............. (619) 450-9008 Air Sport International ..................... .Teel Mack ............................ 10343 Roselle Street ....................... San Diego ...................... CA .... 92121 ................ (619) 457-4454 Airtime of San Francisco ....................JeffGreenbaum .................... 3620 Wawona Street ...................... San Francisco ................. CA .... 94116 ................ (415) 759-1177 Compact Wings Paragliding .............. Ca,y Mencles ........................ 1271 Avcl Floribuncla ...................... San Jacinto ..................... CA .... 92583 ................ (714) 654-8559 The Eagles Wings HG School ........... Rod Mitchell ........................ 815 Grand Avenue Ste 101 ............ San Marcos .................... CA .... 92069 ................ (619) 744-2463 High Energy Sports ........................... Betty Pfeiffer ........................ 2236 W 2nd Street ......................... Santa Ana ....................... CA .... 92703 ................ (714) 972-8186 Mallettec Varios ................................. Mark Mallett ........................ PO Box l 5756 ................................ Santa Ana ....................... CA .... 92705 ................ (714) 541-2625 Foot-Launched Flight Sen,iccs ........... Robert Brown ...................... PO Box 22343 ................................ Santa Barbara ................. CA .... 93121 ................ (805) 966-2962 Hang Glider Emporium .................... Ken clcRussy ......................... 613 N Milpas Street ....................... Santa Barbara ................. CA .... 93103 ................ (805) 965-3733 Roberts Glider Instruments ............... Gilbert Roberts .................... 3340 Cliff Drive ............................. Santa Barbara ................. CA .... 93109 ................ (805) 682-1088 SBHG&PG/Air Tech/Brauniger ....... Achim Hageman .................. 29 Stare Street ................................ Santa Barbara ................. CA .... 93101 ................ (805) 962-8999 Bright Star ......................................... Eric Beckman ....................... PO Box 1254 .................................. Sausalito ......................... CA .... 94966 ................ (707) 576-7627 Wright Brothers Wings ...................... Kevin Wright ....................... 23875 Buckboard Ct ...................... Sonora ............................ CA .... 95370 ................ (209) 586-6012 True/light Concepts ........................... Quackenbush/Spinelli .......... 13185 Gladstone Avenue ................ Sylmar ............................ CA .... 91342 ................ (818) 367-6050 Tahoe-Sierra Wave Flyers .................. Craig Beck-Pres .................... PO Box 79 ...................................... Tahoe Vista .................... CA .... 95732 ................ (916) 583-6136 Windsports Soaring Center ................Joe Greblo ............................ 16145 Victory Blvd ........................ Van Nuys ....................... CA .... 91406 ................ (818) 988-0111 Ultra/light Hang Glicling ................... Will Brown .......................... 13155 Snow/lower Dr .................... Waterford ...................... CA .... 95386 ................ (209) 874-1795 Sacramento Hang Gliding ................. George Hamilton ................. 308 Bridge Place ............................. \Xiest Sacramento ........... CA .... 95691 ................ (916) 373-0551 Ball Variometers ................................ Mark Ferguson ..................... 6595 Odell Place Ste C ................... Boulder .......................... CO ... 80301 ................ (303) 530-4940 LID Enterprises ................................. Cindy Drozda ...................... 5000 Butte #183 ............................ Boulder .......................... CO ... 80301 ................ (303) 440-3579 Parasofr Inc. Paragliding ................... Granger Banks .................... .4445 Hastings Dr. .......................... Boulder .......................... CO ... 80303 ................ (303) 494-2820 Eagle's Nest HG/Para School ............ Ron Wilkinson ..................... PO Box 25985 ................................ Colorado Springs ........... CO ... 80936 ................ (719) 594-0498 Colorado Clouclbase .......................... Bill Swearingin ..................... PO Box 16934 ................................ Colorado Springs ........... CO ... 80935 ................ (719) 630-7042 SKY Climbers .................................... Circ Toepel .......................... 29007 Richmond Hill Road ........... Conifer. .......................... CO ... 80433 ................ (303) 838-2655 !'rant Range Hang Gliders ................. Bob Faris .............................. 1621 Wagon Tongue Drive ............ Ft. Collins ...................... CO ... 80521 ................ (303) 482-5754 Colorado H.G. Center. ...................... George Greer ....................... Heritage Sq. Bldg S-1 ..................... Golden ........................... CO ... 80401 ................ (303) 278-9566 Golden Wings ................................... Ludwig Goppenhammer ...... 1103 Washington Avenue .............. Golden ........................... CO ... 80401 ................ (303) 278-7181 Pendulum Sports ...............................Jim Zeiset. ............................ 13154 County Road 140 ................ Salida ............................. CO ... 81201 ................ (719) 539-3900 Steamboat Ultra/light ........................ Richard Denney ................... PO Box 771703 .............................. Steamboar Springs .......... CO ... 80477 ................ (303) 879-6284

HANG GLIDING

Hang Gliding Organization Directory NA!v!E

CONTACT

ADDRESS

CITY

STATE/ZIP

PHONE

Tek Flight Products .......................... Ben & Alegra Davidson ....... Colebrook Stage ............................. Winsted ......................... CL .. 06098 ................ (203) 379-1668 Valley Forge Hang Gliding ................ Steve Schaeffer ..................... 17 6th Avenue ................................ Wilmington ................... DE .... 19805 ................ (302) 652-6426 Microflight Products Inc ............................................................... 16141-6 Pine Ridge Rd .................. Fr. ivlyers ........................ FL.. ... 33908 ................ (813) 454-6464 MAP of Gainesville ............................ Mikc Pleskovich ................... 1031 NE 20th Avenue .................... Gainesville ...................... FL. .... 32609 ................ (904) 376-4367 Sky Hook Towing Inc. ...................... Todd Braden ........................ PO Box 540562 .............................. ivlerritt lsland ................. FL.. ... 32954 ................ (407) 452-8143 lv!iami Hang Gliding ......................... James Tindle ........................ 2412 N i'v!iami Avenue ................... Miami ............................ FL.. ... 33137 ................ (305) 573-8978 Flyrcc USA ........................................ Rob Kayes ............................ PO Box 561732 ............................. Jv!iami ............................ FL.. ... 33156 ................ 800 662-2449 Central Florida Flyers ........................ Steve Flynn .......................... 705 E Marks Street ......................... Orlando ........................ FL.. ... 32803 ................ (407) 894-5715 Hang Glider Heaven ......................... Frances Tut Woodruff ......... PO Box 1470 .................................. Clayton .......................... GA .... 30525 ................ (706) 782-6218 Somhern Air Time Inc ...................... D. Lawron/M. Wagner ........ 2475 Pruett Road ........................... Duluth ........................... GA .... 30136 ................ (404) 476-5446 Lookout Mm. Flight Park ................. Matt Taber.. ......................... RT 2 Box 215-H ............................ Rising Fawn ................... GA .... 30738 ................ (706) 398-3541 Cloudbase .......................................... Chris Smith .......................... RT 1 Box 240 ................................. Wildwood ...................... GA .... 30757 ................ (706) 820-2017 Sport Aviation Hawaii ....................... Bill Fulron ............................ 46-389 Nahewai Street ................... Kaneohe ......................... HI .... 96744 ................ (808) 235-6307 Maui Soaring Supplies ....................... David Darling ...................... RR 2 Box 780 ................................. Kula ............................... HI .... 96790 ................ (808) 878-1271 Treasure Valley Hang Gliding ........... Mike King ............................ 11716 Fairview ............................... Boise .............................. !D ..... 83704 ................ (208) 376-7914 Spectrum Hang Gliding .................... Angelo Mantas ..................... 1733 W Alrgeld .............................. Chicago .......................... IL ..... 60614 ................ (312) 929-1547 Raven Sky Sporn ............................... Brad Kushner .............................................................................. Chicago .......................... IL ............................... (312) 360-0700 High Expectations HG ...................... Dan Harrowicz ..................... 15 \Y/esrfield ................................... Des Plaines ..................... !L ..... 60018 ................ (708) 699-8545 On-Line Tow Sys/Air Wear ............... Larry Capps .......................... 403 S 28th Street ............................ Herrin ............................ IL ..... 62948 ................ (618) 942-5317 Raven Sky Sporn ............................... Brad Kushner .............................................................................. Waukegan ...................... IL ............................... (708) 360-0700 Kentuckiana Soaring .......................... Mike Kelley ......................... .425 Taggart Avenue ....................... Clarksville ...................... lN ..... 47129 ................ (812) 288-7111 JJ Mitchell Hang Gliding ..................John lv!itchell ....................... 6741 Columbia Avenue .................. Hammond ..................... IN .... .46324 ................ (219) 845-2856 Airborne Sails of Indiana ................... Richard Sacher ..................... 6 Sylvan Lane ................................ .Jeffersonville ................... IN ..... 47130 ................ (812) 288-6597 Prairie Hang Gliders .......................... Ron Kenney ......................... PO Box 785 .................................... Elkhart ........................... KS .... 67950 ................ (316) 697-2577 Aeolus Hang Gliding lnc ................... Dan Craig ............................ Martins Pond Rd Box 744 .............. Groton ........................... MA ... O1450 ................ (508) 448-5214 Maryland School of HG .................... Richard Hays ....................... 2700 Paper Mill Rd ........................ Phoenix .......................... MD .. 21131 ................ (410) 527-0975 Great Lakes Hang Gliding ................ .Jay Darling ........................... 9746 Karen Court .......................... Bridgman ....................... MI ... .49106 ................ (616) 465-5859 Pro Hang Gliders ............................... Norm Lesnow ...................... 569 \XI Annabelle ............................ Hazel Park ...................... MI ... .48030 ................ (313) 399-9433 Michigan Soaring Supplies ................ Doug Coster ........................ RR 1 Box 294-C ............................. Honor ............................ MI.. .. 49640 ................ (616) 882-4744 Traverse City HG/Paragliding ........... Bill Fifer ............................... 1509 E 8th Street .......................... .Traverse Ciry .................. MI .... 49684 ................ (616) 922-2844 Skyline Sky Dogs ............................... Dan O'Hara ......................... 2719 Lindahl Road ......................... Duluth ........................... MN .. 5 5810 ................ (218) 624-4500 Sport Soaring Center ......................... Pat Caulfield ........................ 2074 Vienna Lane .......................... Eagan ............................. MN .. 55122 ................ (612) 688-8218 Ballistic Recovery Sys Inc ................... DanJohnson ........................ 1845-HG Henry A,·enue ................ Sourh St. Paul ................ MN .. 55075 ................ (612) 457-7491 River City Hang Gliders .................... Roger Lockwood .................. PO Box 234 .................................... Fort Benton ................... MT. .. 59442 ................ (406) 622-5677 Glacier Sky-Sailing ............................ Robert Hubbard ................... 250 Creston Road ........................... Kalispell ......................... MT. .. 59901 ................ (406) 755-3932 \'\fest Wind ....................................... Craig Althen ......................... 1025 Whitefish Stage Road ............ Kalispell ......................... MT. .. 59901 ................ (406) 755-6841 Falco Flying Co ................................. Lee :vfetzgar ......................... 812 Kemp #2 ................................. Missoula ......................... MT ... 59801 ................ (406) 542-6617 Corolla Flight .................................... Greg DeWolf ....................... PO Box 1021 .................................. Kitty Hawk .................... NC ... 27949 ................ (919) 261-6166 The Buzzard Club ............................. T.Bryanr/D.Smith ................ 1246 Cedar Rock Road .................. Lenoir ............................ NC ... 28645 ................ (704) 758-9331 Kitty Hawk Kites !nc .........................John Harris .......................... PO Box 1839 .................................. Nags Head ..................... NC ... 27959 ................ (919) 441-4124 Airhead Windsporrs ........................... Hugh A. Manin ................... 939 S Hastings Avenue ................... Hastings ......................... NE .... 68901 ................ (402) 463-6255 Sidewinder Tow Systems ................... Bob Hladkr .......................... 217 E 23rd Street ........................... Kearney .......................... NE .... 68847 ................ (308) 236-5892 iv!orningside Flight Park .................... JeffNicolay .......................... RFD 2 Box 109 .............................. Claremont ...................... NH ... 03743 ................ (603) 542-4416 Enterprise Wings/UpOverDownUnder.Nelson Howe .................... PO Box 378 .................................... Franconia ....................... NH ... 03580 ................ (603) 823-8195 The Airworks ..................................... Chris Wilson ........................ 8609 Cherry Hills Road NE ........... Albuquerque .................. Nrv! .. 87111 ................ (505) 821-1640 Up Over New Mexico Inc ................. Chuck Woods ...................... 9500 Palomas Avenue NE .............. Albuquerque .................. NM .. 87109 ................ (505) 821-8544 Delta Wing of Ruidoso ...................... Riker Davis .......................... PO Box 2599 .................................. Ruidoso .......................... NM .. 88345 ................ (505) 257-2873 Adventure Sports ............................... Ray Leonard ......................... 3650 Research \Vay ....................... Carson Ciry .................... NV ... 89706 ................ (702) 883-7070 Hang Gliding Inc .............................. Karl Earnhart ....................... 849 Shrubbery Lane ....................... Las Vegas ....................... NV ... 89110 ................ (702) 452-5554 Adventure Video ............................... Paul Hamilton ..................... 4750 Townsite Road ...................... Reno .............................. NV ... 89511 ................ (702) 849-9672 Second Chanrz Recovery Sys .............John Dunham ...................... PO Box 12671 ................................ Reno .............................. NV ... 89510 ................ (702) 829-2077 Wings and Wheels ............................. Paul Yarnall .......................... 2440 Brickyard Road ...................... Canandaigua .................. NY .... l 4425 ................ (716) 394-8651 Center of Gravity Harness .................Jay Gian forte ........................ RR. 173 .......................................... Chittenango ................... NY .... 13037 ................ (315) 687-3724 Ultralight Flight Systems ................... Bob Murphy ........................ 15 Dean Street ................................ Deposit .......................... NY .... 13754 ................ (607) 467-3110 lvlountain Wings Inc ......................... Greg Black ........................... 150 Canal Street ............................. Ellenville ........................ NY .... 12428 ................ (914) 647-3377 Land, Sea & Air Hang Gliding .......... Eric iV!cNett ......................... 5957 E Seneca Turnpike .................Jamesville ....................... NY .... 13078 ................ (315) 492-1020 JANUARY 1993

11 Hang Gliding Organization Directory NAME

CONTACT

ADDRESS

CITY

STATE/ZIP

PHONE

Susquehanna Flight Park ................... Dan Guido ........................... 35 Catherine Street. ........................ Mohawk ......................... NY .... 13407 ................ (315) 866-6153 Aerial Adventures ............................... Peter Fournia ....................... 28 Woodlyn Way ........................... Penfield .......................... NY.... 14526 ................ (716) 377-0535 Fly High Hang Gliding Inc ............... Paul Voight .......................... RR 2 Box 561 ................................. Pine Bush ....................... NY .... 12566 ................ (914) 744-3317 North Coast Hang Gliding ................ Mike Del Signore ................. 1916 \YI 75th Street ........................ Cleveland ....................... OH ... 44102 ................ (216) 631-1144 Skyward Enterpriscs ........................... Mario Manzo ....................... 2259 S Smithville Road .................. Dayton ........................... OH ... 45420 ................ (513) 256-3888 Glider Wings ..................................... Stephen Michalik ................. 4501 North Villa ............................ Oklahoma City .............. OK ... 73112 ................ (405) 943-5484 Oklahoma Airwavc ............................ Scott Greenawalr .................. 11325 #0 North May .................... Oklahoma City .............. OK ... 73120 ................ (405) 751-3460 HG & Para. School of Oregon .......... David Raybourn ................... 14185 SW Yearling Court .............. Beaverton ....................... OR ... 97005 ................ (503) 223-7448 Oregon Paragliding ............................ Kcv Arends ........................... 1012 NW Wall Street ..................... Bend .............................. OR ... 97701 ................ (503) 389-5411 So. Oregon Hang Gliding .................. Wesley Roberts ..................... 1406 Schutzwohl Lane ................... Grants Pass ..................... OR ... 97527 ................ (503) 479-5823 Litek Varios ....................................... Chuck Kanavle ..................... 4326 Fish Hatchery Rd .................. Grants Pass ..................... OR ... 97527 ................ (503) 479-6633 Airtime Oregon ................................ .Tom Sapienza ...................... 91409 Place Lane ............................Junction City ................. OR ... 97448 ................ (503) 998-1220 Ainvarc ............................................. .Doug Lange ......................... 7205 SE Johnson Creek Blvd .......... Portland ......................... OR ... 97206 ................ 800 935-2247 Airtime Hang Gliders ..................................................................... 28700 SW Ladd Hill Road ............. Sherwood ....................... OR ... 97140 ................ (503) 625-7650 Valley Forge Hang Gliding ................Jeff Frclin ............................. 150 N Bethlehem Pke #A302 ......... Ambler ........................... PA .... l 9002 ................ (215) 643-4782 Mountain Top Recreation ................. Jeff Hostler ........................... 224 Rodlin ..................................... Pittsburgh ...................... PA .... 15235 ................ (412) 697-4477 Wind walker Hang Gliding ................ Dari Gearhart ....................... RR 2 Box 2223 .............................. Schickshinny .................. PA .... 18655 ................ (717) 864-3448 Wind Spirit Hang Gliders ................. J oc Miller ............................. 845 Central Avenue ........................ Southampton ................. PA .... l 8966 ................ (215) 357-6026 Wind Drifter ..................................... Richard Cobb ....................... 623 \YI Foster Avenue ..................... State College .................. PA .... 16801 ................ (814) 867-8529 Sky High School of HG .................... Bill Umstattd ....................... 733 Stoke Road .............................. Villanova ........................ PA .... 19085 ................ (215) 527-1687

Aero Sail ............................................ Dennis Van Dam ................. 1617 \YI 40th Street ........................ Chattanooga ................... TN ... 37409 ................ (615) 821-5945 Crystal Air Sports Motel .................... Chuck & Shari Toth ............ 4328 Cummings Highway .............. Chattanooga ................... TN ... 37419 ................ (615) 821-2546 Sequatchie Valley Soaring .................. CliffWhitney ....................... RR 2 Box 80 ................................... Dunlap .......................... .TN ... 37327 ................ (615) 949-2301 Systems Technology Inc .................... Chris Pyle ............................ PO Box 7203 .................................. Knoxville ........................ TN ... 37921 ................ (615) 531-8045 Hawk Air Sports lnc .......................... Bruce Hawk ......................... PO Box 9056 .................................. Knoxville ....................... .TN .. .37940 ................ (615) 933-9296 Memphis Air Sports ........................... Phil Vance ............................ 382 Washington Avenue ................ Memphis ........................TN ... 38105 ................ (901) 526-0790 Kite Enterprises ................................. Dave Broyles ........................ 211 Ellis Strecr ............................... Allen .............................. TX .... 75002 ................ (214) 727-3588 Austin Airsports ................................. Stcvc Burns .......................... 1712 Waterston .............................. Austin ............................ TX .... 78703 ................ (512) 474-1669 Red River Aircraft .............................. Jeff Hunt. ............................ .4811 Red River Street ..................... Austin ............................ TX .... 78751 ................ (512) 467-2529 Hill Country Paragliding Inc ............. Marie Osowski ..................... PO Box 200644 ............................. Austin ............................ TX .... 78727 ................ (512) 794-1160 Texas Paragliding Inc. ........................ Charlcs Fontenot. ................. 13252 Kerville Folkway .................. Austin ............................ TX .... 78729 ................ (512) 335-4837 Red River Aircraft ............................. .Tom Doogs .......................... 3108 Frazier ................................... Ft. Worth ....................... TX .... 76110 ................ (817) 921-6957 Total Air Sports ................................. Mark DeMarino ................... 6354 Limestone .............................. Houston ......................... TX .... 77092 ................ (713) 956-6147 Cloud Nine Sports ............................. Jonzy .................................... 1695 South 50 West ....................... Bountiful.. ...................... UT ... 84010 ................ (801) 295-6813 Wasatch Wings .................................. Gordon Pollock .................... 2534 E Murray Holladay Rd .......... Holladay/SLC ................ UT ... 84117 ................ (801) 277-1042 Hall Brothers ..................................... Lany Hall ............................ PO Box 771 .................................... Morgan .......................... UT ... 84050 ................ (80 I) 829-3232 UP Intcrnational... .......................................................................... 4054 West 2825 North .................. Mountain Green ............ UT ... 84050 ................ (801) 876-2211 Vulture Gliders .................................. Charlie Baughman ............... 13077 South 3600 \Y/est ................. Riverton ......................... UT ... 84065 ................ (801) 254-6141 John Heiney-Photographer ............................................................. PO Box 822 .................................... Riverron ......................... UT ... 84065 ................ (801) 254-5285 Windrider Wind Sports ..................... Kevin Stowe ......................... PO Box I 7675 ................................ Salr Lake City ................. UT ... 84117 ................ (801) 272-6908 Mm. High Equip. & Supply ............. Patrick McLaughlin .............. 516 12th Avenue ............................ Salt Lake City ................. UT ... 84103 ................ (801) ,364-4171 Silver Wings Inc ................................John Middleton ................... 6032 N 20th Street ......................... Arlington ........................ VA .... 22205 ................ (703) 533-1965 Allegheny Gliders Inc ........................ Dave Deming ....................... 136 Parker Avenue ......................... Newport News ............... VA .... 23606 ................ (804) 930-0356 Blue Sky ............................................ Steve Wendt.. ....................... PO Box 212 .................................... Penn Laird .................... .VA .... 22846 ................ (703) 432-6557 Air Zone ........................................... .JeffBowman ........................ 294 Sharpe Road ............................ Anacortes ....................... WA ... 98221 ................ (206) 293-3282 North American Paragliding .............. Mike Eberle ......................... PO Box 4 ........................................ Ellensburg ...................... WA ... 98926 ................ (509) 925-5565 Cascade Soaring ................................. Tom & Lori Johns .............. .4420 191 Place SE ......................... .lssaquah ......................... \Y/A ... 98027 ................ (206) 747-1647 Cowlitz Hang Gliding ...................... .lv[ike Wonser ....................... 2134 Holcomb Loop Road ............. Kelso ............................ \YIA ... 98626 ................ (206) 423-7627 Sentek ................................................ Darrell Hambley .................. 16212 Bothell Way SE #F252 ........ Mill Creek ...................... \'v'A ... 98012 ................ (206) 338-9149 Big Bird Wings .................................. L.W. Fitzpatrick ................... 1203 NE 82nd ............................... Seattle ........................... \Y/A ... 98115 ................ (206) 523-2436 Parapente US/Thermal Tours ............ Mark Chirico ....................... 2442 NW Market St Box 31 .......... Seattle ........................... \Y/A ... 98107 ................ (206) GOSKYHI Flight Gear Inr'l .................................JeffWilliamson .................... 2346 Minor Avenue East ................ Scattle ............................ \Y/A ... 98102 ................ (206) 329-4859 NW Moyes/La Mouette .................... Tina & Larry Jorgensen ........ 22808 65th Avenue East ................. Spanaway ....................... \Y/A ... 98387 ................ (206) 847-4595 Spokane Air Craft .............................. Larry Strom .......................... \Y/ 3208 4th .................................... Spokane ....................... WA ... 99204 ................ (509) 458-4444 Glide Path ......................................... Martin Bunner ..................... 1107 88th Ave I ............................. Kenosha ......................... WI .... 53144 ................ (414) 859-2777 Air Magic .......................................... Neil Roland .......................... 1915 \'\food .................................... LaCrosse ....................... WI ... .54603 ................ (608) 781-6113 Water Specialties ............................... Wayne Colden ..................... N3945 Nichols Creek Road ........... Waupaca ........................ WI .... 54981 ................ (715) 258-3951 Raven Sky Sports ............................... Brad Kushner ....................... PO Box 101 .................................... Whitewater .................... WI .... 53190 ................ (414) 473-2003 Eagle Air Sports ................................. Jim E. Bowman Jr ................ 778 Pass Creek Road ...................... Parkman ......................... WY ... 82838 ................ (307) 655-9848

The USHGA Official Chapter listing will be published in the spring. 12

HANG GLIDING

II!! Calendar of Events Calendar of even cs items WILL NOT be listed if only tentative. Please include exact information (event, date, contact name and phone number) . Items should be received no later than six weeks prior to the event. We request rwo months lead time for regional and national meets. Jan. 9-10: Blue Balls Fly-In, Hat Creek, CA. Fun contests, supervised Hang II and up. Spot Landing, duration, Sky God, fireworks , camping. Be prepared for cold weather. Contact: Paul (916) 893-5948 or Jim (9 16) 533-6850. Jan. 15-29: 2nd New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Safari. Beginner to advanced. Limited group size. Contact: Santa Barbara HG & PG Center (805) 962-8999. Jan. 16-18: ICP, Seattle area. Contact: Tom Johns, Cascade Soaring, 4420 191 Place SE, Issaquah, WA 98027 (206) 747- 1647. Jan. 17: Parachute Clinic. Simulated deployment, emergency harness exit, practice hook knife use and 'chute repacking. 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, NAS Glenview, Hangar 1, Glenview, IL. RHGPA members $ 15, non-members $35 includes dues. Contact: Peter Birren (708) 640-0193. February 4-7: Basic ICP, cow and foot launch. Hang II candidates welcome. Hosted by Michael Robertson and James Tindle. Contact: James Tindle, Miami Hang Gliding (305) 573-8978. Feb. 5-14: American Cup, Tumut, NSW Australia. International reams invited. Contact: Ian Jarman, 143 Wynyard St., P.O. Box 558 Tumuc, NSW 2720 Australia, tel. & FAX (069) 472888. Feb. 6-7: FAA Northwest Aviation Trade Show and Conference. Includes hang gliding seminar. Contact: Lori at Cascade Soaring (206) 747-1647. Feb. 13-14: Valentine's Day Fly-In. April 10-11: Vision Classic. April 17-19: Paragliding lmtructor Certification Clinic. April 24-30: Hang gliding ICP, basic and advanced. May 1-2: Tandem Clinic. May 29-31: Reno Rampage (hang gliding and paragliding flyin). June 18-20: Wild West Regionals for Region II. Contact: Ray Leonard, Adventure Sports, 3650 Research Way #25, Carson City, NV 89706 (702) 883-7070. Feb 13-14: Photography Clinic. John Heiney will conduct this rwo-day seminar. Topics will be mounting, activation, exposure, and film recommendations. Bring your camera and

mount. Contact: Airtime of San Francisco (4 15) 759- 11 77. Feb. 19-21 : ICP, Santa Barbara, CA. John Heiney, Achim Hagemann . Fee $150. Contact: (805) 962-8999. February 20: Glider Tuning and Maintenance Clinic, Lookout Mountain Flight Park, northwest Georgia. $25 in advance (free for LMFP Eagle Package students). February 27: Parachute Clinic. $49 in advance (free for LMFP Eagle Package students). March 5-7: Imtructor Certification Program. Candidates should already have completed Apprenticeship and Red Cross. $150 in advance. Contact: LMFP (706) 398-3541, Fax (706) 398-2906, or send $1 for our color training brochure, directions, accommodations info ro: LMFP, Rt 2 Box 215-H Dept HG, Rising Fawn, GA 30738. Feb. 21: Annual Glider Maintenance Session. Offseason glider repair and tune-up time. 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, NAS Glenview, Hangar 1, Glenview, IL. RH GPA members free, non-members $20 club dues. Contact: Peter Birren (708) 640-0193. Feb. 25-28: Soaring Society ofAmerica annual convention, Washington State Trade and Convention Center, Searcle, WA. Displays, lectures and seminars. Contact: Soaring Society of America (SSA), P.O. Box E, Hobbs, NM 88241 (505) 392-1177. March 6: 1993 USHGA Region 8 regional meeting, Littleton VFW, Littleton, MA, 9:305:00. Anyone wishing to add to the agenda contact: Randy Adams (603) 543-1760 or just show up. March 11-14: Tandem Tow Clinic. Tandem 1 and 2 and Tandem instruction. Hang III candidates welcome. Contact: James Tindle, Miami Hang Gliding (305) 573-8978. March 13-20: Venezuela International Hang Gliding Champiomhips, La Victoria. Outand-return, triangle, open distance race co goal. Enny $150. $4,750 in prize money. Contact: Luis Aulescia, Final Calle 3-B, edif. Cantabria, piso 2, La Urbina, Caracas I 070, Venezuela. tel (58) 2-2420844, FAX (58) 2-2427374. March 13-20: Paragliding X-C Meet. March 2027, 1993: Master Cup ofHang Gliding. Governador Valadares, Brazil. Contact: Haroldo Castro Neves, Av. Brasil, 2.920 5° andar - CEP 35020 -070, tel. (033) 271-1333, FAX (033) 271-6769.

March 21 : Towing Equipment Clinic. Establish and reaffirm standards and procedures for static line cowing. Open discussion and practical testing of weak links, gauges, etc. 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, NAS Glenview, IL. Contact: Peter Birren (708) 640-0193. April 10-16: The Great Race, Lookout Mountain Flight Park, northwest Georgia. 21-mile ridge race from LMFP to Point Park and back. Fly any combination of days or all week. $75 entry fee includes competition, one-week flight pass and Great Race dinner/party. $1,000 cash and other prizes. LMFP Demo Days all week. April 16: Great Race dinner and keg party. Contact: LMFP (706) 398-3541, Fax (706) 398-2906, or send $1 for our color training brochure, d irections, accommodations info to: LMFP, Rr 2 Box 215-H Dept HG, Rising Fawn, GA 30738. April 23-25: 1993 Mount Rope Challenge, Laurinburg, NC. Open distance X-C, spot landing and duration tasks at North Carolina's premier flying site. Emry fee $50. All registration money given away as seven prizes. Come fly NC's best sire and win money too. Contact: David Kincheloe (9 19) 376-9601 or Steve Bland (919) 3626971. May 22-30: Sandia Classic at Sandia Peak, Albuquerque, NM. 450 WTSS points guaranteed. 60 pilots maximum. 45 sloes reserved for national and inrernarional pilots ranked by WTSS and PIRS, remaining sloes allocated according to postmark. Price includes: entry fee, cash purse of at least $1,500, paid staff, pilot and glider transportation, oxygen refills and top quality X-C tasks. Early bird price $250 through April 30, $300 after May 1. Refundable through May 15 . For a pilot information package, contact Mike Gregg (505) 2755978 or Mark Mocho (505) 298-2922. Sandia Classic, 12117 Sr. Mary's Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111 U.S.A. Oct. 1-3: October's Best Fly-In, 1993, sponsored by rhe Sauratown Mountain Hang Gliding Club in North Carolina. Great Autumn flying with cash prizes and "June Bug's Famous Barbecue Chicken Dinner." The flying sire features three different launches that face SE, SW and NW and handles evecyrhing in berween. Free camping in the LZ. Contact: Mike Nester (919) 983-0875 or Doug Rice (9 19) 994-4377.

H ANG GLIDING

II!! Calendar of Events Calendar of events items WILL NOT be listed if only tentative. Please include exact information (event, date, contact name and phone number). Items should be received no later than six weeks prior to the event. We request two months lead time for regional and national meets. Jan. 9-10: Blue Balls Fly-In, Hat Creek, 01. Fun contests, supervis~d Hang II and up. Spot Landing, duration, Sky God, fireworks, camping. Be prepared for cold weather. Contact: Paul (916) 893-5948 or Jim (916) 533-6850. Jan. 15-29: 2nd New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Safari. Beginner to advanced. Limited group size. Contact: Santa Barbara HG & PG Center (805) 962-8999. Jan. 16-18: ICP, Seattle area. Contact: Tom Johns, Cascade Soaring, 4420 191 Place SE, Issaquah, WA 98027 (206) 747-1647. Jan. 17: Parachute Clinic. Simulated deployment, emergency harness exit, practice hook knife use and 'chute repacking. 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, NAS Glenview, Hangar l, Glenview, IL. RHGPA members $15, non-members $35 includes dues. Contact: Peter Birren (708) 640-0193. February4-7: Basic ICP, tow and foot launch. Hang II candidates welcome. Hosted by Michael Robertson and James Tindle. Contact: James Tindle, Miami Hang Gliding (305) 573-8978. Feb. 5-14: American Cup, Tumut, NSW Australia. International reams invited. Contact: Ian Jarman, 143 Wynyard St., P.O. Box 558 Tumut, NSW 2720 Australia, tel. & FAX (069) 472888. Feb. 6-7: FAA Northwest Aviation Trade Show and Conference. Includes hang gliding seminar. Contact: Lori at Cascade Soaring (206) 747-1647. Feb. 13-14: Valentine's Day F91-In. April 10-11: Vision Classic. April 17-19: Pamgliding Instructor Certification Clinic. April 24-30: Hang gliding ICP, basic and advanced. May 1-2: Tandem Clinic. May29-31: Reno Rampage (hang gliding and paragliding flyin). June 18-20: Wild West Regionals for Region II. Contact: Ray Leonard, Adventure Sports, 3650 Research Way #25, Carson City, NV 89706 (702) 883-7070. Feb 13-14: Photography Clinic. John Heiney will conduct this two-day seminar. Topics will be mounting, activation, exposure, and film recommendations. Bring your camera and

mount. Contact: Airtime of San Francisco (415) 759-1177. Feb. 19-21: ICP, Santa Barbara, CA. John Heiney, Achim Hagemann. Fee $150. Contact: (805) 962-8999. February 20: Glider Tuning and Maintenance Clinic, Lookout Mountain Flight Park, northwest Georgia. $25 in advance (free for LMFP Eagle Package students). February 27: Parachute Clinic. $49 in advance (free for LMFP Eagle Package students). March 5-7: Instructor Certification Program. Candidates should already have completed Apprenticeship and Red Cross. $150 in advance. Contact: LMFP (706) 398-3541, Fax (706) 398-2906, or send $1 for our color training brochure, directions, accommodations info to: LMFP, Rt 2 Box 215-H Dept HG, Rising Fawn, GA 30738. Feb. 21: Annual Glider Maintenance Session. Offseason glider repair and tune-up time. 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, NAS Glenview, Hangar 1, Glenview, IL. RHGPA members free, non-members $20 club dues. Contact: Peter Birren (708) 640-0193. Feb. 25-28: Soaring Society ofAmerica annual convention, Washington State Trade and Convention Center, Seattle, WA. Displays, lectures and seminars. Contact: Soaring Society of America (SSA), P.O. Box E, Hobbs, NM 88241 (505) 392-1177. March 6: 1993 USHGA Region 8 regional meeting, Littleton VFW, Littleton, MA, 9:305:00. Anyone wishing to add to the agenda contact: Randy Adams (603) 543-1760 or just show up. March 11-14: Tandem Tow Clinic. Tandem 1 and 2 and Tandem instruction. Hang III candidates welcome. Contact: James Tindle, Miami Hang Gliding (305) 573-8978. March 13-20: Venezuela Intemational Hang Gliding Championships, La Victoria. Ourand-return, triangle, open distance race to goal. Entry $150. $4,750 in prize money. Contact: Luis Aulestia, Final Calle 3-B, edif Cantabria, piso 2, La Urbina, Caracas 1070, Venezuela. tel (58) 2-2420844, FAX (58) 2-2427374. March 13-20: Paragliding X-C Meet. March 2027, 1993: 1'vfaster Cup ofHang Gliding. Governador Valadares, Brazil. Contact: Haroldo Castro Neves, Av. Brasil, 2.920 5° andar - CEP 35020 -070, tel. (033) 271-1333, FAX(033) 271-6769.

March 21: Towing Equipment Clinic. Establish and reaffirm standards and procedures for static line towing. Open discussion and practical testing of weak links, gauges, etc. 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, NAS Glenview, IL. Contact: Peter Birren (708) 640-0193. April 10-16: The Great Race, Lookout Mountain Flight Park, northwest Georgia. 21-mile ridge race from LMFP to Point Park and back. Fly any combination of days or all week. $75 entry fee includes competition, one-week flight pass and Great Race dinner/party. $1,000 cash and other prizes. LMFP Demo Days all week. April 16: Great Race dinner and keg party. Contact: LMFP (706) 398-3541, Fax (706) 398-2906, or send $1 for our color training brochure, directions, accommodations info to: LMFP, Rt 2 Box 215-H Dept HG, Rising Fawn, GA 30738. April 23-25: 1993 Mount Rope Challenge, Laurinburg, NC. Open distance X-C, spot landing and duration tasks at North Carolina's premier flying site. Entry fee $50. All registration money given away as seven prizes. Come fly NC's best site and win money too. Contact: David Kincheloe (919) 376-9601 or Steve Bland (919) 3626971. May 22-30: Sandia Classic at Sandia Peak, Albuquerque, NM. 450 WTSS points guaranteed. 60 pilots maximum. 45 slots reserved for national and international pilots ranked by WTSS and PIRS, remaining slots allocated according to postmark. Price includes: entry fee, cash purse of at least $1,500, paid staff, pilot and glider transportation, oxygen refills and top quality X-C tasks. Early bird price $250 through April 30, $300 after May 1. Refondable through May 15. For a pilot information package, contact Mike Gregg (505) 2755978 or Mark Macho (505) 298-2922. Sandia Classic, 12117 St. Ma1y's Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111 U.S.A. Oct. 1-3: October's Best F!y-!11, 1993, sponsored by rhe Sauratown Mountain Hang Gliding Club in North Carolina. Great Autumn flying with cash prizes and "June Bug's Famous Barbecue Chicken Dinner." The flying site features three different launches that face SE, SW and NW and handles eve1ything in between. Free camping in the LZ. Contact: Mike Nester (919) 983-0875 or Doug Rice (919) 994-4377.

HANG GLIDING

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Second Chantz Recovery ,)y!,1c111", Inc., announces a

revolutionary recovery system

for paraglidcr and hang glider

'fom Sanders, world-famous skydiving photographer and cinematographer, will be releasing a new hang gliding and skydiving video, "Over 'T'he Edge," by late February. It will be approximately one hour in length, and was all shot 011 16mm film or with broadcast quality video cameras. The subject of the video is skydiving, hang gliding, scuba diving and BASE jump·· ing. BASE stands for Buildings, Antennas, Spans (bridges) and Earth. The hang gliding segments planned to be edited into the film arc flying in Yosemite and John Heiney setting the world consecutive loop record. The video is currently being edited. Tbm welcomes music sulnnissions if there are any talented hang gliding musicians. Sample music can be submitted to: Aerial Focus, 'lcim Sanders, 8 Camino Verde, Santa Barbara, CA 91 :303. You arc all familiar with T()m's stupendous work, whether you arc aware of it or not. He has done the skydiving filming for countless TV comrncrci,1/s, as well as sequences for James Bond movies and lilms like Point Navy many more. This issue's ccntcrsprcad is a still rakcn while filming a sequence for "Over The with Eves 'fall Chief' in Yosemite California.

pilots. The system is called the Pocket Rocket A.LR (Air Initiated Recovery). The new system uses a patent-pending, compressedair rocket motor that can be filled from any SCUBA tank in the world. The operating pressure of tl1e rocket is between 2,000 and .'3,000 PSI. The system can be inspected by the pilot by simply looking at a built-in pressure gauge. According to company president, John Dunham, the new rocket has been accepted fill' use in a NASA research program which needs to recover small remotely-piloted vehicles after each test flight. NASA's requirement was for a safe, reusable, non-explosive deployment system. Encouraged by NASA acceptance, Second Chamz has introduced ro the civilian market several "Cool Thrust" recovery systems. The company feds that the A.LR, system will make explosive, solid--propellant rocket motors obsolete. According to the manufacturer the A.LR system has these advantages over previous types: I) It can be shipped and used anywhere in the world without government hazardous mate· rials restrictions or related high shipping costs. 2) Overseas travel with the device on the airlines will be legal. 5) It can be filled upon receipt by the encl user, from any one of millions of SCUBA tanks. 4) Since there is no burning propellant, a certain danger factor has been dirninatcd for the user and bystanders, 5) It can be deployed for rest or curiosity purposes with a very inexpensive reload service charge. The system has been demonstrated to be capable of deploying the average hang gliding recovery parachute in less than l /2 second to full line stretch. Full parachute opening can be obtained in two seconds or less, The system has been tested more than :300 times in various environmental conditions, and has demonstrated the ability to hold its pressure for four months in tbe field, The system will come with a "air-tight" guarantee. The unir is now being supplied in several including a front- or side-of-tbc-harncss--mounred paragliding version, and also a harness-mounted Quick Draw version for hang gliding. All styles will be ,tvailable for use with the pilot's own parachute, or can be purchased with one of the company's own low descent r:tte statc--of.tbe-art parachutes. Second Chantz has built nearly 8,000 recovery systems for aircraft, registered more than lifr:-sav· ing uses, and celebrates its tcmh in 1992. For a free 15-pagc color info package and a video of die system in operation, please write: Second Chantz Inc., l~O. Box 12671, Reno, Nevada 895102671 USA. Or call: (702) 829-2077, FAX (702) 829· 2079.

H/\1':C CJ IDINC

Update NOWAC OMISSION

IDAHO X-C OMISSIONS

The optical character recognition gremlins embarrassed me again. Left out of Kari Castle's article on the Nordic Women's Aviation Competition in the last issue was this final sentence: "Special thanks to the Norwegian Aero Club for bringing me over and to Wills Wing for sending me over with a crispy new HP AT 145 to win with!"

The authors of last month's "Idaho X-C Wrap-Up" article wish to include the fifth and sixth place pilots in the Open Class category. They are: fifth place, Clair Packer, who flew 82 miles from Mt. Bonneville in a 145 HP AT; sixth place, Dave Kriner, who flew 40 miles from "The T" in a 135 Comet.

-Ed.

GREAT RACE SET FOR APRIL 10-16 Lookout Mountain Flight Park's 17th annual The Great Race is scheduled for Saturday through Friday, April 10 through 16 at the Flight Park in northwest Georgia, with The Great Race catered dinner and keg party on the last night, Friday, April 16. The 21-mile out-and-back ridge race features more than $1,000 in cash prize money, plus

HUNGARY JOE'S FLYING CIRCUS A circus is three rings of fun, entertainment and thrills! The Sylmar Hang Gliding Association of Southern California decided to put this kind of spirit into its continuing efforts to achieve a safety-conscious club. Circus Barker Jim Brown and Ring Meister Joe Szalai implemented a clinic at Kagel Mountain in the spring of 1992. A new, improved version has been designed for the 1993 winter-spring season. Jim is a weekend flyer whose weekday game is stress analysis (mechanical, not mental). He feels the stealth bomber is the ultimate hang glider. Joe is a Kagel LZ resident whose nickname attaches him even now to the native Hungary he left 11 years ago. With him came a love for a sport just emerging from infancy that was oppressed by Hungarian politicians who believed it might be used as an exit device. Joe's dedication to hang gliding has earned him the respect of club members who find him always willing to share his knowledge. Honing the skills of weekend pilots is the thrust of the clinic. Open to pre-approved Hang III and IV pilots, it emphasizes controlled flying procedures and precise landing skills. There will be classroom study, complete with instructional videotapes. \'(Teacher, flying techniques, and cross-country flying are the planned topics for discussion. At the launch, takeoff timing to maximize soaring conditions will be stressed. Through the use of radio communication, Joe will be able to suggest improvements in flying and thermaling techniques. There will be a precision landing contest. This will be a variation of the traditional spot landing format. Instead of heading for a

JANUARY 1993

single point, pilots will have to follow a line on the final phase of the touchdown, and then land as close as possible to the spot chat will be mid-point. Restricted landing field (RLF) practice will feature a 150 x 200 yard simulated restricted landing area, complete with imagina1y trees, obstructions and boulders made of poles and ribbons. Combined with the RLF session, there will be a visit to the emergency landing areas that are available and a review of how to use them effectively. Day trips to different flying sites in Southern California are planned. This will provide another outlet for local pilots since Kagel can be a single house thermal site creating crowded, accident-prone conditions. At each site, the appropriate launch and landing zone techniques will be discussed. A video camera provides an all-important end to this story. Utilized to record landings, lengthy discussions on how to improve technique are possible. Some less-than-perfect landings inevitably bring on those caustic remarks pilots often have to endure and the crowd's request to see it over again - again and again. Lest you think it all work and no play, there's always a cooler of ice at the end of each long day along with the pilot camaraderie for which hang gliding is famous. This is a program with no box seats or hot dog vendors. Just plain ingenuity, a strong

desire to improve the safety record, and a willingness to reach out and share knowledge is all it takes to get it started. It's something any club can do, and just maybe it will mean fewer reported statistics in Doug Hildreth's accident column.

- b)' Barbara Emley Mrs. Barley is assistant editor ofthe Sylmar Ed

Hi-Times and a fir:elmzce write,: -

pri"es from hang gliding manufacturers and suppliers and local area merchants and pilots earned pri"es restaurants. l ,ast from Wills Wing, Ball Variomercrs and others. This year's prizes arc expected to be the same or more, including $100 spot-landing contest cash prizes each day when the winds aren't Great Raccahle. Non-competition flyers arc welcome ro soar high above I ,ookout's 12-rnilc ridge during the competition and enjoy a bird's-eye view of the racers below. 'J \mdcm flights off 1,:34 0-foot J.ookout Mountain arc :ivailablc for family and friends, and rhe new Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga and white-water rafring on the nearby Ocoee River (white-water site of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics) head a long list of family activities in the area. The Grear Race takes place rhe week before the East Coast Championships (at nearby Sequatchie Valley), giving competition pilots two chances to win prize money from one hang gliding trip to the Southeast. Lookout Mountain Plight Park's spring Demo Days will also he held every day during The Creat Race, so pilots can fly the latest and greatest from the major manufacmrers. As in past years, in-air starts and restarts allow competitors a flying start to begin with, and a second chance w start if needed. You can compete j11st one day, or lwo days or any combination of days all week; you choose the days and wind conditions you want to fly. You can fly the course as many times as you like each day without having ro land in between flights. Your single fastest rime for the week counts. Many competitors make three or more official flights to the turnpoint (civil war battlefield Point Park, overlooking Chattanooga) and back without landing -- more rl1an 50 miles of fim flying in a single flight! For more information call: I,0okout Mountain Flight Park (706) 398-354 J, Fax (706) 398-2906. For our color training brochure, directions and accommodations info, send $1 to: LMFI~ Rt. 2 Box 215-H, Dept. I re, Rising Fawn, CA 30738.

OCEANA On Satmday and Sunday, September 1213, the Tidewater Hang Gliding Association, with support from Kitty Hawk Kites (KH K), performed within the half hour allotted time slot beginning at 9:30 AM at the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival's opening event, the Oceana Airshow at the Master Jct Base. Saturday's 15-20 mph winds were turbu-lcnt, but thanks 10 the l 0,000-foor runway and the strong breeze, we were able to achieve a tandem tow to 3,400 feet! On Sunday, although the winds were again l 'i--20 mph, we were more organized and accomplished three tows to 2,500 feet, the second flight being a tandem flight with Commander Fontana, the Airsbow Director, as passenger. Commander Fontana was so impressed with the professionalism displayed by both the tow operators and the static presenta-" tion, that he invited us back for 1993's Airshow and promised a midday time slot to demonstrate acrobatics in our portion of the show. Of' COlll'Se, WC will do everything possible ro encourage interest and continue to promote a positive image of our sport. Sincere thanks to Hernando, Rich, Will, and Cheryl ofKHK and club members Vickie and ( :hris for their persevering support.

Drew C'oopcr

The 1992 US] !GA National Fly-In ended in spectacular fashion on the last day of the /i.m-flying event when local Lookout Mom1t;1in pilor Gary Engelhardt flew his Wills Wing HP AT l 58 I 54J1 miles (Great Circle distance) from Lookout Mountain Hight Park to Swords, Georgia, a tiny com-rnuniry 70 miles cast of Arla ma on lnrerstare 20. The previous site record from Lookont Mounrain was 1:30.1 miles in April l 985, also flown by Engelhardt.

The nine-day fly-in last October saw lots of flying, mostly at the area's southeast facing sites. But the last d,iy the winds blew northwest and strong, perfect for cross-country record attempts from I ,ookout Mountain. Engelhardt said he was exhausted at the five-hour mark, still 2,000 feet above the ground with J.ake Oconee just ahead of him. The fields on the other side of the lake looked srna1ler and less inviting than those below him, so he spiraled clown and landed safely. Had he known he was so close to l 55 miles, Engelhardt said he may have crossed the lake and pressed on, trying to eclipse the I 57-m ilc East Coast record. The National Fly-In also saw many pilots aerotowing for the first time, using Lookout Mountain's Dragonfly aerotug. The expanded 4 5-acre landing field with a 2,200-fr>ot grass runway made acrotowing easy for both solo and tandem flights.

Mount Washington, NH is the highest flyable mountain on the East Coast (6,200'). Ir also has the highest recorded wind speeds 1 mph) of any place on earth. Recent incidents have put the site in jeopardy. This is a I lang IV site only! Use extreme caution when judging conditions. Visi1ing pilots arc welcome, but please make sure rhe road is nor blocked by you or sightseers.

l1AN(; CIIDINC

u f'(ogal/o is honored at the museum in an exhibit where he is called a 20th century Lilientha/. 11

1 11

John Harris and Francis Rogrzllo at a Iilienthal memorial in Berlin. This num-

made hi// is where Lilienthal conducted his f/it,hts. As guests of the Berlin Kire Club for the Ninth I nternarional Drachenfosrival, h·ancis Rogallo and his family and friends from Kitty l lawk, NC:, were treated to a special event. Rogallo visited Anklam in Eist Cermany, where a press conference was held at the I ,ilicmhal Museum. Rogallo is honored at

the museum in an exhibit where he is called "a 20th century l ,ilienthal." A retired NASA scientist, Rogallo is best known /cir his l 948 invention of the flexible wing, a design which made hang gliders possible. "This is what Lilienthal meant," Peer Wittig, museum staffer, said. "Hang gliders, nor powered flight." 'The small, well-organized, beautiful museum opened a year ago, and features the lifr of Ouo Lilienthal, native to Anklam, and his flying inventions. The dream of flight was Lilicnthal's great purpose in life, museum director Dr. Bernd Lukasch said. 'Tve been a hm of his as long as I can remember," Rogallo said of Lilienthal. He

7 at 4000 feet, and you are happy looking at the new calender, dreaming of next. And your harness is in gathering spiders. Why not use the slack time to get that you've been thinking about? As an introduction and off season RC/ is offering free installation of any recovery system pu,rchas«~d :this winter. You will get the benefits of rocket deployment as having your entire harness and emergency system inspected,

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was d1rilled to visit the museum, and wrote in the guest book, "a lifelong hero of mine and an inspiration to follow in his footsteps." I.ukascb said, "We think l;rancis Rogallo is the Lilienthal of our century. It is a great pleasure to have him here and a great honor. We want ro develop this as a museum of the pre-history of flight and the realization of Lilienthal's dream, private artistic flight. The realization of this dream came from the design of Rogallo." Rogallo, 80, traveled to Berlin with his wife Gertrude and daughter Carol Rogallo Sparks, and friends from Kitty Hawk Kites John Harris and Nancy McWilliams. In addition to the trip to Anklam, the group visited Lilienthal's grave in Berlin and several memorials in the city, including the manmade hill where he conducted his flights. Rogallo was honored guest of the lnternational Kite Festival, and attended the event both days, signing autographs and visiting with kite flyers and observers.

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A1JOVE

Hubba Goodman tmd Nelson Howe tahe o{ltts a team and find a rnay,ic bubble. B!'.'LOW: Rick/acob addresses the crowd Note valleyfr1l;, Photos by Jim Kolynich.

r's over with, hur it's just beginning, We're speaking of the third annual Sequatchie Valley Team Meet that took place in 'Jc:nncssce this past October. The meet is continuing to evolve into the premier training camp for new competition pilots, The lessons and sue· cesses gained rhis year will carry meet over to make next even better. What do we mean by team meet? The concept involves flying and plan·· strategy to maximize a team score, This concept is great because it fosters cooperntion among pilots and a sharing of information that can't help hut improve pilot awareness. The only problem is that a manufocrnrcr co11ld cas· ily field a bluc·chip team that would walk, er, fly away wirh the competition, thereby dis, comaging teams of lesser ability, However, there's :1lways an equalizer and in this case it was rhc rules: Three levels of pilots were defined A, B and C Those rated in the top 40 in world learn points or flnishing in the top ten of die East Coast Championships were A pilots. All the rest were B pilots except for those who had never flown cross .. coumry

m competed before. 'There were four A pilots, 26 B pilots and I Ii C's. Pilots i11 I\ category could receive a maxi· 11111111 of 100 points for making goal. The B pilots received 200 points and C pilots were awarded j()O points, II' you didn't make goal you got a portion of these maximum points. From this it should he obvious that a team of Ace's could not win the meet. In fact, an ideal team would have two or three C pilots and perhaps one A to offer advice and garner points on the tough days. This year eight, five- or six-human reams entered. They had colorful names such as l ,eaks ( ;eeks (led by pilot cxtraordinaire John

Ohio Leak), T'hcrmal I Whack, First In hight and Pink Friction. Every team had at least a couple of C pilots except rhc Mountaineers who started out with three but lost one when a pilot declared she was better than a lowly C After realizing that this would be detrimental to team scoring she went back to argue that she should be a C afrer all, since her boyfriend on her team was bcner rhan she and was rated a C He mo was promptly rared a B by the meet director, Rick Jacob, exercising rhe wisdom of Solomon, The meet started off with a hlcssing from Aeolus, the wind god, Strong, straight-in wind with thermals in streets gave rhe competitors a chance to make goal 15+ miles south, Thirty· eight did exactly that. The event of the day was team Pink Friction member Ron "Muff" Dively, making goal then flying back live miles to escort a floundering tc,1mmare along to goal. This is the concept of ream flying in action, Subsequent days rurncd srnhlc, A huge high, or haa as it's known loc1lly, squatted over Sequatchie, making thermals sparse and long H1\N(; GJ [!)INC

raunchingiom the.famous Henson'.( (;ap raditd ramp. Photo by Jim Ko6mich.

Place Temn I) Ohio Whacks 2) First In Fright

Points

Pilots

1370.21

Mack, Wright, Alden, Fayerweather, Cornett

1332.78

Lyon, Guderian, Goodman, Bland, Kincheloe Laughrey, Rogers, Lloyd Wojnowski, 'fhompson, Kennedy

4) 5) 6) 7) 8)

Clinchers Leaks Geeks Thermal Lites

Pink Friction Mountaineers Best OfBoth

1329.4 1260.75 1206.77 1084.S:3 1064.31

flights scarce. On the second day the greatest distance achieved was 8A7 miles by an Ohio Whack pilot (last name Cornett, first name unreported). Pilots mainly practiced their gliding skills in headwinds, tailwinds and dcadwinds. This was nor idle practice, however, for real differences in glide were apparent, which could parrially lie arrribured Lo pilot skill. Some pilots lost excessive altitude on launch while others went too slow in a headwind. Only a few realized the benefits of taking ofr with the vc full tight. One highlight of all this "diving for distance" or "bail and flail in the tail" as it was sometimes known, was the the flight Bubba Goodman who worked baby's breath thermals during one day's short window to more than double rhe distance of the next closest competitor. His distance: 7.2 miles, bm it took him several thermals and exceptional effort.

And so the meet went not with outstanding flying, but with real opportunities 10 learn JANUARY 1993

for all pilots. 'The low-key atmosphere is ideal to get your first t;istc of'compctition. The prcs-sures of launch are a rc1lity in :my meet and here you could get used to the whole process without overtaxing your adrenal glands. The seminars presented by Nelson I !owe on competition flying were one of the hest features of this event. Nelson was a roving roustabout of competition lore as he was placed on the lowest team each day to help with strategy and scoring. In Ll,e future, daily seminars will be incorporated ro help pilots broaden their horizons, further their goals or simply ocrnpy their minds. An adjustment ro the scoring system to reduce the value of C pilots and make all teams' scoring potentially the same will enhance the chances for everyone to win. The idea is to continue to attract A pilots for their shared expertise and C pilots for their enthusiasm. This meet can be a valuable tmining sys rem for future competitors. And don't forget the hundreds of dollars in prize money as well as the nice gifrs donated by Pacific Airwavc. We hope to see some more new faces next year, or just maybe you feel ready for the East Coast Championships in the spring.

And so the meet went not with outstanding flying but with real opportunities to learn for all pilots. The low-key atmosphere is idea I to get your first of competition. The pressures of launch are a reality in any and here you could used lo the whole without overtaxing your adrenal glands. 11 1

If Readers start out on the training slopos of 1974 and slowly advanco to 200+ milo flights downwind in tho Owens Valley. A truo story, woll told. Available from: Chris Gregor Publishing, Dept. G P.O. Box 26595 Fresno, CA 93729-6595 $10.95 plus $3.00 shipping & handling California rosidents add $.85 sales \ax

• I N by Rob Richardson

andia is the only moumain flying site close to Albuquerque, New Mexico --· the locals don't even bother to call it by name, but simply say, ''the mountain." I .orntcd just northeast of the city, the spectacular I 0,678' crest is a highly visible landmark fcJr many miles around. Known fix its strong, turbulent thermals, large altitude gains arc common. The local club has arr:mgcd fr>r free oxygen fills for its members, and flying with oxygen is frequently needed here. There's a wind talker on launch that the locals all call the Little Green Man, and it's only 15-minutes to launch! X-C potential is good here in several directions too! Sounds great, doesn't it? Now for the bad news: Since itJ thf' only site in town, Sandia is lo")ORFM1:1Y tightly · They do allow visi1ing fftmg IV pilots to fly, but only if accompanied by an approved "guide." There is a seven-member elected Mountain Committee that reviews all issues involving pilots and ratings, including determining which loc1l pilots can become approved guides. Even the local pilots must have a minimum of 10 guided flights before they can request a mountain rating from the committee (to be allowed to fly without a guide). Acnially, it's even :1 little tighter than it sounds so for: There arc two launches at Sandia (the Crest a.nd the Peak) and each requires separate approvals for guides

RIGHT Sandia landing z:onr' and launch.

(h"FT 771e author /aunchesfi"om 5imdia Crest.

Sounds great doesn 1t it? Now for the bad news: Since it's the only site in town, Sandia is EXTREMELY tightly regulated." 11

and pilots. The guide system m:iy at first glance appear to he a "clique" whose sole purpose is to keep om those pilots who don't "fa in." 'falking, to the locals, some of them even foci that way, since it can be very hard frir them to get guides to meet diem for the IO required guided flights per launch. After talking it over with some of the members of the Mountain Committee, however, it became clear that this

transatlantic balloonist Ben Abruzzo, h,tdn't been a hang glider pilot in the early 70\. Roth launches are at almost 11,000' MSL, and require excellent launch skills. 'T'hc Crest launch is the harder of the two, but it seems a little easier ro find a "Crest Guide," especially if you have a driver (thanks, Betsy!). If you can ,mange it (I couldn't), try to get a "Peak Guide" ro take yo11 to the Peak launch. It's a 15--minutc express tram ride to launch that only costs $6.50 (for a one-way trip), doesn't reqnirc a driver, and doesn't leave a vehicle at launch! 'There's also a rcstamant on top and plenty of interested spectators with lots of questions. Because this is such a high-profile area, there arc only a few "Peak Guides," but one may be available on a weekend day if you call in advance. Some caution is also required

is merely their attempt to preserve a very jiugile site. The. Crest launch is in an area that is off.. limits to the general public, and surrounded by expensive communications equipment. The launch itself would be a prime site for a trans-· miner or two. The !bk launch is highly visible, only accessible hy tram, and wouldn't exist at ;ill if the original owner of the tram, the late

before heading up to the Peak, since bringing gliders back down the tram if it's blown out can he a major hassle or at times even impossi-· blc due to high winds or crowds. The current LZ is slated for housing development, possibly as soon as 199.3, so be sure to

check with the locr!l pilots on the current JZ situation be/1;re corning here. While it lasts, the I .'I. consists of a huge, fairly flat dirt field with scattered cacti, and power lines on two sides. lt would appear that no landscaping has been done other than some cactus removal in ;1 small portion of rhc field and the addition of two windsocks. The wind direction changes constantly, ;md the two windsocks arc seldom within 90° of each other. 'T'his, coupled with the 6,.300' altitude of rhe I .Z, makes for challenging landings. H1\NC CIIDINC

Site Info -

Sandia Mountain, New Mexico

SITE NAME

Sandia Mountain

CHAPTER

Sandia Soaring Association (SSA) P.O. Box 14571 Albuquerque, NM 87191 (505) 275-1406 QeffWolford, President) (505) 243-8664 ("Little Green Man")

LOCATION

Northeast of Albuquerque, NM. Take the Tramway Blvd. exit from either I-25 or 1-40, and head toward the mountain. Just south of the tram entrance, head west on Paseo Del Norte. Turn right and head north on Lowell, and within a half mile you'll pass Wilshire. The LZ is on the east side of Lowell, at Wilshire. Note: This LZ is slated for development, and

may not last through 1993. ALTITUDE

Peak: 10,378' MSL, 4,000' AGL. Crest: 10,678' MSL, 4,300' AGL.

RATING

Both launches: Advanced (Hang IV) with the following special skills: TUR, CL, AWCL. Paraglider pilots are not permitted at this time.

PROTOCOL

Eve1y pilot must be a current USHGA member with liability insurance, and must be accompanied by an approved guide.

RESTRICTIONS

The LZ is in the 1,500' ring of the Albuquerque Airport ARSA, so all pilots must remain below 7,800' MSL if past Tramway Blvd. Cross-country pilots also need to be aware of additional airports to the north and east.

FEES

Visiting pilots - no fees! Full membership: $25/year. Includes an almost monthly newsletter. NOTE: MEMBERSHIP DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO FLY WITHOUT A GUIDE PILOT. THE MOUNTAIN COMMITTEE MAY APPROVE MOUNTAIN RATINGS AFTER 10+ GUIDED FLIGHTS.

LAUNCH

Peak: Large, long dirt ramp with a 30° slope. Crest: Large, fairly short dirt ramp with a 40° slope, and a steep, unforgiving drop-off below.

DIRECTION

Peak: Launchable in southwest to west winds under 20 mph. Crest: Launchable in south-southwest to northwest winds under 20-25 mph.

SETUP AREA

Peale No problem for 20+ gliders normally, or 60 during competitions. Crest: Lots of room for 20+ gliders within 100' oflaunch. DO NOT BLOCK THE ROAD!

ROAD

Peak: Ride up the tram for $6.50 one-way. Four gliders maximum per trip. 15 minutes. Crest: Paved, easy 2WD access with a locked gate. 45 minutes to an hour.

CAL1.1PING

No camping is available in the National Forest, but there are campgrounds on the east side of Sandia. No camping at launch or in the LZ.

X-C

Good, with restrictions. To the west and south there are airspace restrictions, and you must get to at least 14,000' to even think about heading east. Site records include 201 miles to the east (Bovina, TX), 165 miles to the northeast (Pasamonte, NM), and 100+ miles to the north, northwest, and west.

EVENTS

Sandia Classic: USHGA-sanctioned competition with World Team points, held in late May.

BEST TIME

June is usually best at Sandia, with September also being good. The site is usually blown out during the spring, and starts being flyable mid-April.July-September is monsoon season, and frequently unflyable in the afternoons. Sandia is also flyable in Winter, but it's so cold (below 0°) and the winds so strong and north that not much flying gets done then.

FREQUENCY

151.925 mostly (USHGA)

CONTACT

Chuck Woods (505) 821-8544 Mark Macho (505) 298-2922 Sandia Soaring Association (505) 275-1406 QeffWolford, President).

MISC

This site is so tightly regulated that it was difficult to get the Mountain Committee to approve publication of this article. The guide system rakes a good deal of persistence to work through, and it is absolutely imperative that eve1yone do so! One other thing I noticed about the site during my visit is that comparatively little after-flying socializing seems to take place - everyone seemed to have to go someplace. I've been assured that I either caught them on an off day or that I need to brush my teeth more often.

JANUARY 1993

Site Info - Cliff Ridge/Dinosaur, Colorado EDITOR'S NOTE· In the November 1992 issue ojHang Gliding we ran a site report article 011 this site, but inadvertently left out much ofthe text in the "site info" box. See page 20 ofthat issue for the body ofthe article. We include the site info i11 its entirety here.

SITE NAME

Cliff Ridge/Dinosaur

CHAPTER

None

LOCATION

10 miles northwest of Dinosaur, Colorado. Take I-40 west from town 8-9 miles, and turn right on county road 16. The LZ's are 4-5 miles north, on your left. NOTE: CONTACT A LOCAL BEFORE DRJVING TO THE LZ!

ALTITUDE

8,100' MSL, 2,100' AGL.

RATING

Intermediate (Hang III) with TUR, RLF, and FSL sign-offs, Class 2 paraglider pilots. Novice (Hang II) and Class I pilots may be able to fly in the lighter early morning and lace evening conditions. Paragliders are not recommended at all during summer months.

PROTOCOL

Eve1y pilot must be a current USHGA or APA member with liability insurance.

RESTRICTIONS

There is no restricted airspace until you reach the Control Zone at Hayden (100 miles from launch). If you need to go through the CZ your driver can call the tower and get permission for you to fly in it. (Ir has happened!)

FEES

None

LAUNCH

Three large cleared dire areas with roughly 25° slopes. One of the launches is covered with carpet scraps.

DIRECTION

All launch sites face from south to southwest, and are generally launched into thermals rather than the prevailing westsouthwest winds.

SETUP AREA

Room for literally thousands of gliders. I counted 98 gliders and 86 vehicles (not a very good car-pooling ratio) in the photo from the 1990 Nationals, and you can see that the setup area has hardly been dented!

ROAD

Last eight miles are a rugged 2WD road, or 4WD when wet. 55-60 minutes. NOTE: 4WD is recommended, since it may start raining before your driver gets down the hill! Also, make sure that you and your driver close all of the gates chat you open on the way to or from launch.

CAMPING

Lots of free camping available at launch, the Dinosaur Town Park, or the road up. You could even camp in the LZ if you wanted to, but it's very hot in the summer.

X-C

Excellent potential, but very desolate. You must have a driver chasing for X-C, since it can be days before a vehicle goes by on many of the roads. Current site records include 145 miles to Saratoga, WY by Keith Lamb, and 47 miles on a paraglider by Bob Schick. The longest flight was actually from a tow launch, and was 178 miles to Hannah, WY by Mark Mallet.

EVENTS

Memorial Day Fly-In: Fun fly-in run by the Rocky Mountain Hang Gliding Association (RMHGA) each May.

BEST TIME

Due co the roads and weather, Dinosaur is only flyable from late March through early November, with good flying June through August. The best time is usually late June or early July, when altitudes from 14,000'-16,000' are common.

FREQUENCY

151.625 and other USHGA frequencies.

CONTACT

Mike Warden (303) 374-2459 Torn Wood (303) 879-3935 RMHGA (303) 933-7158

MISC

The closest groce1y store, bank, or bar is in Rangely (17 miles from Dinosaur). Rangely also has an excellent public recreation center with an indoor pool, sauna, and gym - highly recommended for after flying or unflyable days. River rafting and kayaking are available in the National Monument.

(Dinosaur, CO) (Steamboat Springs, CO) (Lakewood, CO)

HANG GLIDING

USHGA Reports 1992 Regional Director Election Results by Jerry Bruning, Executive Director, and the USHGA Staff

he 1992 Regional Director Election results for two-year terms commencing in January, 1993 have been tabulated. Both "new" and "incumbent" candidates ran successfully in their regions bringing about several changes in the mal<eup of the USHGA's elected Board of Directors. The following incumbents were reelected to serve their regions: Region 1 Region 3 Region 8 Region 10 Region 12

Gene Matthews Sandy King Randy Adams Rick Jacob Paul Rikert

The following nominees were elected as Directors in their respective regions: Region 2 Region 4 Region 7 Region 9

Ray Leonard Rod Hauser Bill Bryden William Bennett

We again congratulate the Directors who were reelected, welcome the new Directors and offer our full cooperation to all of you during your tenure in office. We want to thank all of the members who took the time to vote for their candidates and for returning the questionnaires to us. The election documents are on file at USHGA Headquarters and are available to all candidates and elected Directors for review.

ELECTION BREAKDOWN During the 1992 election period we received 1,079 ballots for eligible candidates out of a total membership of 8,245. The response rate was 13.1 % compared to 14.8% for last year. The low ballot return can be partially attributed to the fact that five incumbents did not have any opposition except for write-in votes. JANUARY 1993

Here is the percentage of votes by region: Region 1 Region 2 Region 3 Region 4 Region 7 Region 8 Region 9 Region 10 Region 12

9.3% 16.6% 14.5% 15.7% 5.5% 7.2% 11.2% 14.2% 5.8%

There were numerous write-in votes for eligible members, but due to space limitations we cannot publish all of those names here. If you need to contact your regional Director and do not ha\'e his or her telephone number or address, give us a call (719) 632-8300 and we will provide the information to you.

Air Sports Council by Russ Locke n December 5, 1992, representatives of five air sport associations met in Chicago to determine what issues we had in common and how we could leverage off each other's efforts. Jerry Bruning and I represented the USHGA and the rest of the group included: the Soaring Socie1:y of America's Executive Director Larry Sanderson and President Gene Hammond; the U.S. Ultralight Association's President John Ballantyne; the Executive Director of the U.S. Parachute Association, Jerry Rouillard; and from the Balloon Federation of America, President Mike Wallace and Vice President David Lowe. What came out of this meeting was a new group called the Air Sports Council. I say group, because we agreed that we did not

want to form another association, but have a convenient way to bring the weight of our combined membership, which totals some 55,000 pilots, to bear on issues of general concern. Each of the five sporting associations will designate two individuals to sit on the Air Sports Council. Normally these two individuals will be the specific association's President and Executive Director. The council will meet once a year. Each association will provide the other members of the Council with quarterly reports outlining information of general concern. To further communication, each association will ensure that each member of the Council receives all of the individual associations' magazines and-or pertinent newsletters. All activities of the Council will go through the Council Chairperson. The Council members will decide on a yearly basis which member association will have Chair responsibilities. For 1993, the Chair responsibilities will be with the Soaring Society of America. There is no financial obligation to be a member of the Council. However, it is anticipated that at some future point all the individual associations will likely have a small budget line item that allows the Council to back bill for general acnvmes. A lot of the time in Chicago was spent getting to know each other, discovering what kinds of things we have in common, and what we're doing differently and why. We spent a fair amount of time on general topics such as insurance, liabilities, membership growth, etc. That dialog will continue and ultimately we all stand to profit from these exchanges. Obviously, the Council has great potential to serve as a political action body. In fact, one of the first official duties of the Council will be to meet with the new Director of the FAA, when that individual is named sometime next spring, and establish our presence as a focal point for the Feds to utilize on issues concerning airspace regulations. This Council has a lot of potential to help our sport. We're currently working on a legal document that captures the mission, objectives and operating parameters of the Council. That agreement will appear in next month's

m,g,,inc. H,,s off rn Lmy Sanderson who conceived of and organized the Chicago meeting.

![+]~ -

~ 25

~ USHGA Reports USHGA Committee Meets To Integrate APA Membership Into The USHGA by USHGA President Gregg Lawless

committee composed of Gregg Lawless, Russ Locke, Randy Adams, Gene Matthews, Mike Meier, Ken Baier, Fred Stockwell and Claudia Stockwell met in Orange, California on Sunday and Monday November 22-23, 1992 to discuss the integration of the APA membership into the USHGA. The focus of this committee was to decide how the USHGA would provide membership services to APA members over the next year. This committee intentionally avoided issues that were determined to be long term, such as the continued development of the paragliding rating system, in order to ensure a smooth transition for all APA members. The following decisions were made by the committee regarding the transition:

MEMBERSHIP All APA members will receive the balance of their APA membership in USHGA membership. Dual members will receive USHGA paragliding membership through the later of their two expiration dates (APA/USHGA). APA members who are also USHGA members will keep their current USHGA membership number. APA members who are not USHGA members will be added to the database at end of current system, in accordance with normal procedures as determined by the office.

RATINGS APA Class 1, 2 and 3 pilot, and APA instructor ratings will be converted to equivalent USHGA paragliding ratings.

APPOINTMENTS All present A.PA examiners (approximately seven) will become USHGA paragliding ICP Administrators subject to USHGA regional director approval. This appointment will expire January 1, 1994. No new paragliding ICP administrator appointments will be

The focus of this committee was to decide how the USHGA would provide membership services to APA members over the next year. This committee intentionally avoided issues that were determined to be long term1 such as the continued development of the paragliding rating system1 in order to ensure a smooth transition for all APA members. 11

This appointment will expire January 1, 1994. No new appointments will be made until the USHGA establishes a specific process for this appointment. All present APA towing administrators (approximately six) will become USHGA towing supervisors. This appointment will expire January 1, 1994. No new appointments will be made until the USHGA establishes a specific process for this appointment.

APA DIRECTORS All current APA directors will be appointed as USHGA Honorary Directors through December 31, 1993. USHGA regional directors will be encouraged to use these directors as resources for the administration of paragliding issues in their region. Ken Baier, APA President, was named as the USHGA's paragliding committee chairman. Ken replaces Fred Stockwell who has held the position for the past two plus years.

NAME CHANGE A name change for the USHGA is not an issue for this committee.

POLICY ESTABLISHMENT There will be no immediate change in the means by which paragliding policy is set in the USHGA.

MEMBERSHIP CARDS Membership cards will not be changed.

made (exception, John Bouchard) until the USHGA establishes a specific process for this appointment. All present APA maneuvers administrators (approximately 10) will become USHGA maneuvers administrators.

CHAPTERS APA Chapters will be sent USHGA chapter requirements, and invited to apply to become USHGA Chapters.

HANG GLIDING

USHGA Reports ~ USHGA Chapter requirements and a list of existing USHGA chapters will be sent.

INSURANCE USHGA's insurance will cover all APA members transitioning to the USHGA. The APA insurance policy will be retained until its expiration in February

1993.

SITES All site issues will remain local and left up to local chapters, members and landowners. This transition confers no new rights on paraglider pilots as USHGA members to fly sites which are not approved for paragliding.

MAGAZINE The USHGA will enter into a two-year contract with Fred Stockwell to provide its paragliding division members with Paragliding - The Magazine on an every other month basis (six issues annually). The USHGA will retain editorial control over a minimum of 42 pages per year (assuming six issues per year). Stockwell will be assessed a penalty for every 10 days that the mailing of the magazine is past the established due date. Fred will retain control of all advertising sold in the magazine.

• Information Handbook • Organization Directory • Insurance Information • Merchandise Order Form • Accident Report Form • USHGA Decal • Safe Pilot Application • Alamo Rent-A-Car Card

In addition, the new APA members received a letter of explanation and welcome from USHGA President Gregg lawless. The committee has attempted to ensure that all the major issues impacting chis transfer have been covered. However, in the event you believe something was missed, we would appreciate your letting us know by calling the USHGA headquarters office.

f-..

If you have any questions, please feel free All APA members have received new membership and rating cards along with the following materials:

co com,o ,he USHGA office m

your USHGA regional director.

1,.

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JANUARY 1993

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f41 Competition Corner 1993 SANDIA CLASSIC

he organizers of the Sandia Classic hang gliding contest would like to extend an invitation to all U.S. and international competitors planning to fly and compete in the United States during the summer of 1993. The dates will be May 2230, 1993. This period of the year is characterized by strong lift, high cloudbases (18,000 feet, 5,500 meters) and excellent cross-country potential. The 1991 contest had task lc:ngths from 30 to 104 miles (50 to 150 km) and the 1992 contest tasks were in the 70- to 75-mile (115-km) range. In 1992, 58 competitors representing five countries flew a total of 11,196 miles (18,030 km) on four contest days. The competition will be held from 4,000foot (1,220-m) Sandia Peale, located at Albuquerque, New Mexico. Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, with a population of 450,000, and has many hotels, motels, restaurants and entertainment facilities. Contest headquarters will be in a bar/restaurant only 10 minutes from the base of the mountain. Cross-country retrieval is via paved toads connecting with the U.S. Interstate system. Competitors will be transported to launch by aerial tramway. Departing from a base elevation of 6,559 feet (2,000 m), the tramway arrives 15 minutes later at che top of the mountain, 10,378 feet (3,163 m) after traversing 2.7 miles (4.35 km) of cable, including the world's third longest free span. Gliders will be transported by a truck with padded racks, and the road up the back is paved. Restaurant facilities are at launch. The price includes: enny fee, daily pilot and glider transportation, daily film and processing, daily prize giveaways and a guaranteed purse of at least U.S. $1,500. Also, gift certificates for several meals at local restaurants are included in the pilot package. Free oxygen refills will be available at contest headquarters each evening. A professional comest director and paid staff will insure a quality competition. Due to space limitations, only 60 competitors can be accommodated. There will be 45 spots reserved for pilots ranked by PIRS or WTSS, with the postmark of the entry fee used to determine any unranked entrants. Racing requirements are: USH GA Advanced (or equivalent) with extensive mountain

experience. USHGA membership is required. Foreign pilots may purchase a three-month membership from USHGA or the Sandia Classic organizers. U.S. HGMA or DHV certification is required for Class 1 gliders. Class 2 must have passed pitch stability tests and will undergo a safety inspection. Class 3 glider (paragliders) are not allowed at Sandia. Pre-registration price is $250 in U.S. funds through April 30. After that date, the price will be $300 and is refundable through May 15. For a pilot information package write to: Sandia Classic, 12117 Sr. Mary's Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111 U.S.A.

THE WASHINGTON STATE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

by Davis Straub e you guys having fun yet? We sure are. With spring and early summer emperatures averaging four or five ~ degrees hotter than normal, Washington State pilots enjoyed a record year. Lionel Space starred the season off on April 7 with a 48-mile flight from Tiger Mountain, a popular X-C site 20 miles east of Seattle in the foothills of the Cascades. Tiger is popular because it is close, not because it is an easy place to fly cross-country. Lionel navigated across mostly wet and forested areas to get as far as the rural town ofTono for the furthest flight to the south from Tiger ever. The weather was still great and on May 21 Lionel set the new western Washington record of 63 miles again from Tiger Mountain, again to the south. But he didn't stop there, and on August 23 he flew 74 miles from Tiger to land five miles south of Chehalis near Interstate Route 5 to win the Western Washington division of the Washington Cross Country Championships. This year there were more long flights by more pilots in Western Washington than ever before, by a long margin. Flying was also hot in the eastern part of the state as Mike Dailey took the eastern division championship with a flight of 146 miles from Chelan Butte to past Colfax near Washington's eastern border with Idaho.

"We have opened up a new X-C site in Western Washington at the south end of the Olympic Mountains1 and are looking forward to flights into Oregon. 11 Day 3 of the Chelan Cross Country Classic was a cloud flying day with bases at 9,000' at the start of the day, but near 12,000' by the end of the day (six hours later). Numerous pilots got far this day with a strong prevailing northwest wind that sent pilots toward the southeast corner of the state. Mike was able to extend his final glide for 26 miles for a glide ratio of 17: 1. Raymond Wolfe took the eastern division championship for pilots with no previous flights over 50 miles with an out-and-return flight of72 miles. Flying on June 6, Raymond flew from Chelan Butte out to Coulee City and then back to the Chelan Airport - an out-and-return the hard way to win a cross-country championship. Nineteen ninety-two was a great year for flying in Washington, with more skilled pilots learning more about the best routes each year, and making a determined effort time after time to best the previous records. We have opened up a new X-C site in Western Washington at the south end of the

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Pat Page ?,ives us view o/faunch. Photo by the pilot.

his year the U.S. Nationals were held i11 'll:lluridc the week of Labor Day, one week before the Telluride I Ling Gliding Fcsrival. It was no doubt an easy choice for some to decide whether or not to go and a difficult decision for others. The weather in 'fc:lluride can be most iffy, if past Festivals arc any indication. Long bouts of hopelessly soarablc days arc frequently followed by equally long bouts of had weather. When Tdluridc has a good day it is always spectacular flying, and one good day can make the trip worthwhile. For whatever reason, this year's Nationals was tl1e smallest in ages only 30 pilots. Despite the few cmrics, the field was made up of most of the LOp com-· petitive names in hang gliding. I had been debating flying in the Nats lor several years and it seemed like Telluride offored the best chance. I have flown in the Festival since 1985, so I felt I had the benefit of familiarity with the site and typical weather conditions. Despite this, I wound up in ·frlluride the night before still 1m;iblc to make up my mind. I\ good forecast and plenty of support from old acquaintances finally convinced me. Not having arranged any kind of ground crew and having never flown in a national competition before, it was a go-for.. it decision. I was not disappointed. The first day offered up excellent weather with the launch at Cold I Till. The rask committee called a task to a tmnpoi!H ;H Colona, a rown northwest of" Telluride between Ridgeway and Montrose, with goal at Ridgeway. It was not a long task in terms of miles, lrnt it proved to be a challenge ;is northwest winds frequently prevail from Montrose to Ridgeway, making the rurnpoim diflicull. Excellent cloud development over the north range made pass;1gc out of" the valley easy. Ol!l over flats, many pilots were forced down between Ridgeway and the turnpoillt, with only a handful ~ Mark Bennet!, Brad Koji, HAN(; CLll)INC

Kari Castle and Chris /\rai making goal. Mark had the best time winning the day. The Ridgeway Reservoir, snuggled in its canyon and providing fow thermals, claimed many vie-ti ms. [ struggled for an hour over Log Jl ill Mesa, two miles north of goal with the occ1sional Green Tc:am pilot, trying 10 get cnough lifr to get up and make the turnpoint. The day was ;i good lesson in strategy, as gcrting out on course earlier would have gotten me more ]iii and less wind. The next day was blown out, i<lr which I was grateful. The rest did me some good. Day two again offered good weather, and we used a Paradox Valley launch, the alternate launch in case of southerly winds. The task was called for a nm to goal just past the town of Norwood, miles to rhe cast. l .arry 'fr1dor was the first one o/T the launch to scratch in the light lifr and was soon followed by many others. /\gain I blew my srrntegy, rhinking T could take off and gcr up just before the start tarp wem out, hut by that rime it was downwind on the launch and I with two other competitors lost 45 valuable minutes waiting on launch for launchablc conditions, When they did come, the lifr was over 1,500'/rnin, with no need to go ro cloudbasc, which was probably abom 18,000'. Thcr~ was a street of lift stretching to the cast from launch, and l was able to srnfF the bar on my trusty 510-C and fly the first IO miles only losing about 300'. I found moderate lifr our over the flats, however, and made it to goal in an hour and 10 minutes. Only six pilots did not make goal. Nelson l !owe won the day, barely ahead of Dave Sharp. The next day was blown out, bur was good )ANLJ1\"Y 199]

TOP !.EFt Brad Koji, l 992 National1 Champion.

AROVE Setting up on the Gold l--fill UiFT 1992 Telluride rnay:ic at Tomboy Mountain.

for a Paradox glass-off flight. Paradox is a 1,900' red rock ridge that stretches for 25 miles. lt is right on rhc edge of the LaSal range and the CanyonLmds, and the scenery is spectacular. Day rhrec was a Gold Hill launch day with goal being rhe Norwood airport, this time an upwind task. I was concerned about the possibility of landing in the canyon west of Placerville, but as l learned, the terrain along the western route out of '[c:lluridc is mostly landing areas. The strong west winds made forward progress difficult in the valley, and ascending the north range of rhe Tcllmidc valley mrbulcm. /\ number of pilots at the front of the pack found strong rotor nirbulcnce and sink trying to thermal up behind Lasr Dollar Mountain, which is the last mountain barrier on rhc west end of the north range. I found the headwind too diffirnlt 10 pcncrrarc and thcrmalcd up on lron Mountain instead. lt was a rough and powcrfiil ride, but afrcr getup 1 was ,ible to '.War the peaks of the range all the way around to rhe front side or

Last Dolbr where I was again joined by the Green 'learn. By that time all of us had verified some part of the certification package on our gliders. Strong winds over the flats made main·· raining altitude the rnain game. Gliders rained om of the sky over Hastings and Iron Springs Mesas. Finally, unable to hold on to the increasingly broken and weakening thermals, l sufforcd atrrition of altitude and landed on the mesa myself, tied for fourth place. No one made goal. Zoan:log, making it to the last field on the mesa where four pilots were tied for firsr, broke the first place tic by diving over the edge of the mesa and landing in the canyon at the base or the Norwood hill. If you ever go hy there get a good look, 'cause there's no place to land. Zoar weaved through trees, hushes, power lines, cars, rrucks, past a bridge, by a house, over the river, past rhc island, back over the river and into the sofr willows. He had plenty of confidence because he had landed so well in rhc canyon the year before, Inn finally did admir he didn't sec some of' the power lines

until the last minute, forcing him to add a few extra weaves around the trees. Anyway, he got first place for the day. The next day blew kinda hard on the launch again. The last day a more challenging task was called, since some of the pilots wanted to see more countryside. The task involved a turnpoim at the Ridgeway reservoir dam, then landing on top of the Willow flying site, some miles distant to the cast just west of Gunnison. It's about a three-hour drive from Telluride and was a GG-mile task. Again, as the tarp went out a cloud of gliders buzzed ro the north range, with me too low again to keep up. T almost got forced down into Oop's field, but snagged a gnarly one and finally got up over Sneffcls Peak. Most of the pack was gone by that time, I figured probably well on their way to Willow. I just tried to maximiz.e my alritude, as the previous task to Ridgeway proved that one had to stay west of the Reservoir to find lift. Figuring on northwest winds again I angled out over the Dallas Divide as l left Sneffols. This allowed me to make the turnpoint in a somewhat leisurely and effortless fashion at l 5,000 feet. On the way I noticed a sizable number of gliders either very low or on the ground near Ridgeway. The northwest wind coming down the valley was stronger at lower altitudes. T got drilled crossing the canyon north of the reservoir, but managed to get up somewhat in the foothills of the Cimmcron range on the other side. The northwest wind was strong and cross to the Cimmcrons, making the task of crossing them difficult, as was the tumpoint. Jim Zcise1 struggled in the air until 5:30 PM (!), when he finally made the turnpoint. I struggled together with Mark Gibbo in five separate attempts

to cross the range. The thermals would break up at 12,000', the top of the range. The drift

was quartering into the range, with lots of sink near the peaks. Finally on rhe fifth attempt we were close enough that Mark was able to go for it over the back side with only about 300' over the top. I figured I'd get a little further north by soaring the range but it just wasn't soarablc. [ got a ways north, got drilled again, but finally popped up over the top again north of Storm King, the highest peak on the north end. All this effi_m only got me an additional half mile ahead of Mark. Larry 'foclor made it past Sapinero. One more thermal could have gotten him there. Brad Koji and Chris Arai, having made the turnpoint, saw a street south of the turnpoint that seemed to be headed in the right direction, got under it and made it to goal. I saw Brad's barograph readout from his vario later and it clearly showed how he rode ridge lift up

the from of Willow in order to land on top at goal. We didn't know it then, but that was the last day. Many thanks go to Nick and especially Betsy Kennedy for putting together a wellmanaged, safe and fairly run event. Betsy was the goal keeper and spent some long hours in the middle of nowhere. Jeff Burroughs was faunch and safety director and provided some level-headed attitudes as well as some good tunes on Gold Hill. Overall I had firn at this meet. I lound the competitors hclpfr1l and caring about each other, and good sportsmen in general. The tarp start seemed to work really well. We never had any tasks in thre;nening conditions or over threatening terrain, which was a special concern of mine. The overall atmosphere was really upbeat and fon! l hope to be back next year.

Results I) 2) 3)

Brad Koji Chris Arai Larry 'Jbdor 4) Matk Bennett. 5) Jim Lee 6) Kari Castle 7) Dave Sharp 8) Nelson lfowe 9) Tony SattOn 10) Mark Gibson

11) L2) 13) 14) 15) 16)

17) 18) 19)

20)

Mr. Zoardog

21)

J. C,Hauchecorne

22) 23) 24)

Ch.arlie Baughman Butch Peachy Ralph Karsten Jim Zeiset Kenny Brown Tom Haley Eric:Kaye Dave Little

25) 26) 27) 28) 29) 30)

Davis Straub Luigi Chiarani Bob Newbrook Rodger Nelson Tbny Brown Rob Kayes Steve Karafyllakis Frank Foti Nick Kennedy Ralph·Hyde

Spomrnanship Award: M;uk Bennett, Sponsored by Wills Wing, Inc. This contest was supported and sponsored by: Pacific Ai1wavc, UP International, Pendulum Sports and the Telluride Air Poree. Comest Offtdals: Jeff Burroughs, Safety and Launch Director, Scoring Assistant; Betsy Mucnnich I Kennedy, Organizer, Goal Director, Banquet Director; Nick Kennedy, Contest and Scoring Director.

HANG GLIDING

Tech Topics

Lift, Sink and Temperature Distributions of a Model Thermal by Alan J Fisher

here probably has never been an atmospheric thermal with an exactly circular cross section and with a precisely vertical axis. But the overall average of a very large number of thermals will approach that description. Thus it is useful to characterize such a highly idealized model of a thermal. And at least two spin-offs of that study should benefit you, the glider pilot. The vivid model depicted in Figure 1 provides you with an image of the otherwise invisible air velocities. That mental image can aid in better recognizing where you are ranging in the coordinates of a real thermal, and why it is so affecting your flight, whether in the torque induced by grazing a thermal, or rising within, or going over the falls. In addition, the magnitude of temperature rise inside and well outside the thermal will be detailed. Both kinds of information will hopefully encourage development of improved instruments for you. But let me say up front that I am nor a micrometeorologist and char my conclusions are based upon hang glider pilot reports to me, text books, as ,veil as my own assumptions and interpretations. It is realized that the air velocities will necessarily be largely radial near the ground and at the top of a thermal bubble. However, you cannot soar there. Figure I depicts vertical air velocities for the soaring regions of a model thermal. Flow directions and magnitudes are shown along with the velocity profile in the

Air Velocity

Radius

Figure 1

JANUARY 1993

cut-away quadrant. A parabolic profile for lift would occur if flow were completely laminar. But I believe turbulent flow must occur in the steepest parts of the distribution to cause either the sombrero hat shape illustrated or an even flatter crown. In Figure 2 profiles are drawn for the parabolic 2 case, the profile 4 of Figure 1, and a still flatter crown 8. Note in this figure that velocities V and radii R are normalized so that the maximum velocity is unity and the radius of changeover from lift to sink is unity. Such scaling allows easy modeling of a thermal of any strength or size. The family of equations the author developed for these curves are also indicated in the figure. One may calculate that when each equation is integrated (through 360 degrees and through the R's) for volume per second, they yield equal and opposite volumes per second, that is, down-going air equals upgoing air. And when the differential of each is evaluated at R=L the slopes match for a continuous profile through the radius of changeover. These were the only two requirements in developing this pair of equations. The right part of Figure 2 shows that in any case of likely crown shape, the distribution of sinking air around the thermal becomes nearly the same in shape if not magnitude. What was really surprising to me is indicated in the far right part of that figure. Note that the resulting equation for -V causes the downward velocities to asymptotically approach the -W4 curve shown in dashed line. This immediately produced extra confidence in the model as I had independently concluded that the increase in air temperatures well outside a thermal approximated a +R-4 rule. I had deduced

12000

-I

C> <! (I)

+.5

R:00 R·E-4_ R.4 [ -V] R:1:

-.5

-1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Figure 2

that rule from ongoing reports from tv,ro hang glider pilots who were using the thermal snooper instrument. To better understand that connection, examine Figure 3. It plots ambient temperatures for an example day at 7:00 AM and 2:00 PM. And a 2:00 PM blue thermal is depicted to the right rising from "Hot Ground" to "Inversion." Also plotted are the temperatures "Inside Thermal." That line has a slope of the dry adiabatic lapse rate because without con-

E <i: 1000 I

A mental image can aid in better recognizing where you are ranging in the coordinates of a real thermat and how it is affecting your flight. 11

.? ..o~

'\':~/~ 0 -

\ I I I

__ .,,.

(._ambients___:)

65 66 67 68 69 70 71

72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80

Temperature (°F)

Figure 3 36

HANG GLIDING

densation occurring, rhe rising core m usr change remperarure at that rare. However, ambient air is at a temperature like at point A on the 2:00 Pi\! line. And if that air is caused by a nearby thermal to sink, it must also change temperature at the dry adiabatic lapse rate to later arrive at (exaggerated) point B warmer than at ambient air C. In the Figure 3 example the sinking air becomes one and onethird degree warmer than the ambient for e1eh 1,000 feet it sinks. Or, on a more likely scale, ir will be .013° F warmer for each 10 feet it sinks. So how much warmer is obviously determined by the differences in the two lapse rates, how long that air has been sinking, and its downward velocity. The -R-4 dowrrvvard velocities of the model thermal would produce the +R- 4 temperature distribution suggested by pilot reports. Thus, those pilot observations give credence to the thermal models presented here. If the foregoing is indeed the cause of very slightly warmer air well outside a thermal, the effect must be greater the longer the thermal has existed. And it must be less ,veil outside a just-formed thermal. But I currently have no definite pilot feedback concerning that

longevity factor. It may be seen in Figure 3 thar rhe midaltitude core temperature of the thennal is 2° F warmer than the ambient - more near the ground and less near inversion. But near the changeover interface from lift to sink, the mixing eddies of turbulent flow transport air hori7.0ntally. This causes the 2° F to become slightly less if the pilot should circle outward toward reduced lift. The snoopers clearly indicate that. And gliding quite near, and through, the sink, the temperature diminishes rapidly to finally follow a (2° F)(RJ-4 curve. According to that curve, rhe temperature rise of this example becomes .125° F at R=2 and .025° F at R=3. The Thermal Snooper instrument, used for reports to me, beeps for each meaningful change of .007° F Thus, it would alert to this mid-altitude thermal with 17 beeps for an R=2 flyby or with three beeps for a flyby at three times the radius of lift. Other kinds of information essential to potential snooper designers is available from the author. The author was the developer and producer of the THERMAL SNOOPER instrument before retiring. Profit from the sales of rhat instrument to hang glider pilots

Fly With The Pros ... Fly With Redstone! "Redstone's Free 800 number makes buying air tickets easy from anywhere in the U.S.A" Rick Jacob, Sequatchie Valley Soaring "Angela was instrumental in getting pilots and gliders to Brazil for the World /1,feet." Pete Lehmann, Team Leader, 1991 World Team

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"When I can't fly myself, I call Redstone." Nelson Howe, Enterprise Wings Rep.

supported what has been learned. So it is fitting chat such information be handed down to chose pilots and co developers of their instruments. This article is the beginning of that handing down. Aclmowledgments: /II/any thanks to my son Jeff

![ti

Fisher for producing the figures for this article and '" both Rick Ma,rm and Jefffa,· the accurate flight reports and recoidings with their Thermal Snoopers. ...;

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any 'foclor started flying in J 973. He went w his first meet in 1976, the 'wansce meet in British Columbia, and won that meet in 1977. Larry won the 1992 F:1st Coast Championships and is currently ranked number three in WTSS competition points in the U.S. He holds the world distance record and declared goal distance record of 302 miles set in 1990. This interview and those that follow wok place at the 1992 Nationals ar 'ft:lluride, Colorado. Did l find out the rop U.S. pilots' secrets to superior flight performance? I'll let you be the judge.

Ir used to be if you went to a big imernational competition there would be IO people you could name who were going to win - - now there arc probably 40. It wasn't until l starred Hying in competition and doing it for the love of flying with the best J[l

pilots an<l improving my own skills, that J really began to enjoy compcti-t:ion. lt:'s more fun to compete against people whom you respect:, and if you can improve their skills by telling them how to do rhings better, then it's going to make the competition better. There some really great people our there who arc ... open and helpful. What I like more than any-thing is jnst being out there with the best, dis-playing your skills and ability with people whose skill and ability you respect. The contest titles aren't so important anymore. They're all hang gliding contests with the same pilots. ft has little to do with proving who is best in the world. What really mmters is that you arc out there doing ir and growing from it. As a human you're pushing things. Not what you get out of it, but how you arc evolving as a human. Keeping an open mind about what is possible. Almost anyrl1ing is possible; it's just a rnatrcr of visualizing it and doing it. My nnmbcr one most important thing in a competition is to have Cun, especially because after is said and done, and you're not in first place, the experience of the compct i rion hasn't ]di you with anything if you havcn't had fun. When I used to fly all day five days a week in lltah, l used to feel completely in lllnc with the weather, and the and t·hc texture of the ;iir at any hour of the day, and just had a feel for how each thermal would work. I've got so

much airtime and experience that I am at home in the air and can spend a lot more time evaluating what's going on, then concentrating on my flying.

J read in magazine articles that the only time you're lcarniug anything is when you arc going cross--coumry. J don't believe that, because I got good hanging om on the ridge with orhcr really good pilots in Salt Lake City, and spending hundreds of hours working every type of thermal, with the other pilots as visual indicators as to how 1 was doing. It's some" thing that American pilots don't get a lot of practice at bcecwsc were always doing our own thing. Europeans fly in big gaggles every weekend and in competition, and that's how they get better. It's because they have a visual barometer as to how rhcy arc doing at any time. I foci the rhcrrnal more than use the vario. The other day my vario wcnr out and l was laughing because I was having so much frrn flying without it. l could foci it. I absolutely didn't need ir. [ use my vario to indicate a trend toward the core and hear increasing pitch as I go toward rhc core. 'rhat's the only thing I use the vario for.

Real European style [involves I flying more positionally or strategically, trying to max om the conditions with the people you're with at the time, rather than to bear them by HANC CLIDINC

doing different. Even if you do try something diffrrcnt there's still the gaggle watching you, and ifit docs work they're going to be right there anyway. There's no advantage to he had !going out] if you're nying with the top pilots. Gaggles have a hcncr chancc: through diffic:ulr areas than an individual docs. When you have a gaggle made up of the top pilots, they can run faster than an individual because they search om the strongest cores and sprc:1d out between thermals. It's similar to bicycle racing, guys arc running point for their top pilots. When the time is right there's a break away where the tc1m pulls away from With the Americans ir balances on the of the individual. the

It's taken about 75 or 80 competitions for ir to sink in that [ shouldn't be in a hurry to launch early. A lot of· rimes I've been sitting in ;1 top position, and when the last round comes up l am so ;mxious to fly that I make a mistake hy bunching too With a tarp start, you can launch larc and hope that yo11 get a thermal right to cloud hasc and then you don'r waste any energy, bur in reality you launched earlier! then you'd be on top of rhc !iii as the conditions build and you arc in a better place srrarcgically. With the start rarp you can'r get anybody om in front rhar is other than your best guy because you have ro be really good ro get out in from anyway.

ny a pretty good course line picking a l just look at heading and not drifring where I want to go and go there. I pick the foreground and background. I'm really scnsi tivc to the drift. upwind of your course line if there's a pretty good crosswind. If you flnd yourscl/' downwind, you /Jnd yomsclF working hack. I make a decision that is going to give me the highest odds of finding the good !iii l use the clouds as the best indication. Fly the air that you arc in. Make your own decisions. Be dclilicratc in your actions; don'r Ji\NU/\RY IC)() 1

waver around from one gaggle ro another, leaving one thermal to find another one.

Conrcsts arc won or lost on the weak days. There arc going to be days when it's almost impossible ro stay up, and those people who can hang iu there arc going to win. (Herc ar 'lclluridcj I'm not going to be racing. Go to rlic moon and stay there. Ccr established early with yom altitude advantage. If you're down

seen in magazines lately that there are ways of flying around thundere,·n,·rnr safely. J just don't Jf 111°•11f·' that. Ninety limes of hundred you can away with ii; but the lirnes you are going fighting for your life." 0

low you'll flnd yourself with your head 11p looking at where everybody else is, and then getting there and not finding what they've got, whereas if you're above them you cm race over ;md get the lift. l'm not aggressive. I'll hang back lin a thermal] if the conditions arc weak, but if anyone is 10 Vind lifr it's going to be me. Before l leave a thcnml [ know where I'm going to go. If l don't feel comfortable about leaving a thermal l wait until it's history, but for the most p:1rt I'm prcny confident. Most oC

the flying we do is in arid conditions where there's a really high probability of finding lift, so l'm usually not too nervous about leaving to go 011 course. I fly fast between thermals. I don't fly at diCforcnt speeds between rliermals depending . l have on their found that there arc certain speeds where I plummet and there arc other speeds where my glider likes to track, and ir doesn't take much strength or concentration 10 hold ir there, yet l'm still getting pretty good performance. I spend less time thinking about rhc speed that I'm flying at and more optimizing my comsc line and keeping my body position real right and my head down and the glider not yawing around.

There arc times rhat I'm scared in the Owen's Valley when I'm flying in real strong, turhulcnr air, and you've got overly under· skilled pilots etming in front of you when don't like flyyou're in a thermal. Plus, I ing in overdeveloped conditions because I've had too many bad experiences. 'J'hundcrsrnrms arc so unprcdicrnhlc. I've seen in magazines lately that there arc ways of Hying around tlnmdcrstonns safely. l just don't believe thar. Ninety times om of hundred you can get away with it, hu1 the other times you arc going to be fighting for your lifo. A hang glider is really not equipped ro he flying in the type of air a thunderstorm can generate. I'm not worried about which way rhc wind is blowing if l have ro land. I can usually ligurc out which way the wind is blowing pretty quickly and accurately and make it into small landing areas or land in bushes wirhout too big a wony. I don't like f1ying in rurbulcnt crosswinds on mountains. I have a hard rime getting up on the mountain foce if it's cross. I don't have (im doing it. I err on I he side of I leave a place because it's raspy and danl;erous while other people arc hanging in there dose. I can't have fun if I'm consciously doing something that is srupid or dangerous. I have flown when ir didn't frcl comfortable flying and that upsets me. My compc1itivc streak sometimes comes our.

My awareness of the dangers is clearer. It wears on your confidence, because you know what you're doing isn't right because you've seen people in the past getting hurt or killed doing it. You know chat maybe you are going to make it through because you're a better pilot, but you still know that what you're doing is right on the edge. To do chat and get away with it doesn't really give me any feeling of accomplishment. In the last couple of years hang gliding competitions have taken a turn for the better because they don't force pilots to go off into dangerous conditions.

FLYING THE BACK OF THE MOUNTAIN A lot of the things I learned from my instructor when I was beginning flying I really believed, because he was my instructor. Now through all of my competitions I've seen that a lot of it really isn't true. For instance, don't fly on the lee side of the mountain. Well, now in competitions we're flying all the time on the south side of the mountain when the wind's

Cross Country

blowing north, because that's where the best thermals are. Even though it's turbulent and raspy we seem to get avvay with it, and there's no rotor as we've seen in all the books, lurking out there to spin you down. You can get rotored in if the winds are too strong, of course, but you normally can feel chat out. The lessons that I started out with were for beginners and safety and not necessarily the truth.

and the glider, then you can start flying with ballast, then your gains are even more evident. For modern competition it's going to be having low drag equipment and a big range of wing loading chat you can fly. I fly more and more with ballast. When I'm flying with ballast I try to carve my turns as opposed to twist-

ing ,round. I let th, gfab fly itsdf

t-11

I'm flying the HP AT 145 with 25 or ~ 30 pounds of ballast. ~

ANALYSIS SPECTRA Analytical thinking separates people at the top. If they can do the analytical thinking and still keep their natural and intuitive flying then they'll be on top. This Australian pilot came to my house in Ucal1 and we put together this program on a spreadsheet on a computer I had, that had theoretical values of drag for everything from cables co harness lines, pilot, downtubes. It became apparent that you could do more to improve your performance by cleaning up the pilot drag than by buying the best state-of-theart glider. If you can improve both the pilot

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HANG GLIDING

Towing

BELOW Glidn; several seconds after launch, pilot relaxed andfollowing tow rope, straight downwind ofwinch, in sweet spot of crosswind tow. Note turbulence indicator flag to side oftow rig.

As a standard practice, in all subsequent articles or letters, I shall follow the recommendation of the USHGA Towing Committee and refer to the fon'e exerted by the tow line as TENSION, and use PRESSURE onfr to refer to the brake line pressure ofa payout winch.

n the early days of towing, most tow pilots were water ski kite dudes who learned to fly on flat kites. The flat kite was a diabolical invenrion that varied in several ways from the more modern Rogallo tow kite.

The flat kite had no pitch control, and was held up in the air by brute horsepower. Altitude was almost solely controlled by the observer via an auxiliary rear-facing throttle. Also, the yaw attitude of the kite was fixed via a rope bridle which kept it facing the boar. JANUARY 1993

The only control of the kite by the passenger . was roll. That slalom competition was possible on a flat kite was a miracle of cooperation between pilot and observer/throttleman. These flat kite pilots took up flying Rogallo wings, and usually found them easy to fly. However, The Rogallo tow kites had three-axis of control, and needed more management than just roll to make them fly. Thus, lockouts often came as a ugly surprise ro those early pilots. A lockout is a situation in which the glider is so far to the side on a tow that it is impossible for the pilot to roll the glider back toward the center. If a glider is low, out to the side of the tow vehicle, banked to the outside, the tow line is tight, and the pilot is incapable of turning the glider back to the inside even by pulling in and rolling the glider, then he is locked out. Some pilots believe that it is impossible to lock out a glider using a bridle attached to the center of mass. NO! It is easier to avoid a lockout while flying a hang glider using a centerof-mass bridle than using a fixed-point tow bar. However, once the lockout happens, it is equally dangerous with either system. At this point I am going to claim esoteric knowledge. Being a tow pilot who has flown extensively over the water, I have been in and survived a number of lockouts. Why? Well, it is hard to get a glider out of the water and back onto a boat, so pilots did not commonly cut away from the tow line with only slight provocation. Further, the consequences of a lockout were not commonly dangerous usually no worse than the wind knocked out of the pilot. So, you may ask, what?

Well, I learned the dynamics of a lockout uncommonly well. Most pilots are not aware that even with a payout winch, once a glider is really locked out, a progression begins in which the glider continues turning farther and farther away from the tow line in a slipping turn. Since the turn is slipping, the airspeed continues to increase until the surface is encountered. As this process gets worse, a point of no return is reached. Past the point of no return, even if the tow line is released, the glider is gonna hit the lake or worse, ground, no matter what the pilot does. This means that over land it is extremely dangerous to delay correction of a lockout. The only recourse is to cm loose as soon as the lockout is recognized. So, the keys to dealing with lockouts are: 1) AVOIDANCE! 2) EARLY RECOGNITION AND RELEASE! So what about avoidance? The neat thing about avoidance is that it is free. By that I mean that it doesn't cost you anything. Ninety-nine times our of I 00 you can avoid a lockout by just following a few simple principles. I) Follow the tow rope. If you are always flying along the direction the tow rope is taking close to your glider, you can't lock out. 2) Relax and fly the glide1: If you keep a loose grip on the control bar and make small, prompt corrections, you won't over-control and allow the glider to bank away from the tow direction enough to cause a lockout. These two tips involve no cost because this is the easiest, most relaxed way to tow a hang glider.

TOW TENSION AND LOCKOUTS Does higher tow tension cause lockouts? No, but recovery from a lockout is harder at high tow tensions, and also a glider accelerates to the point of no return in a lockout more quickly. On the other hand, most gliders are less prone to pilot-induced oscillation (PIO) at higher tow tension. PIO is a common cause of lockouts for new tow pilots. Tow tension above about 175 pounds should be avoided because airframe distortion due to the increased wing loading means a degraded climb rate. Excessive tow tension also risks possible damage to the airframe. In addition, a sudden release from the tow line at high tow tension may cause a glider to whip stall or tumble. I generally train pilots for tow using a line tension of 120 pounds, and work the tension up as they get experience. A lockout is no 42

harder to avoid at higher row line tensions, and in fact, my observation of pilots training for tow indicates that some gliders are easier to tow at higher tow line tensions. This doesn't mean, "Driver, crank up the pressure, and Katie bar the door!" Line tensions past the recommended 175 pounds don't increase climb rate proportionally to the increase in tension, and do greatly increase the dangers of towing.

RECOVERY FROM LOCKOUT ALL SYSTEMS The symptoms of a lockout are: low altitude, tight rope, banked away from the tow rope, and inability to roll or turn the glider in the direction of the tow rope. First, the pilot should pull in and tty to roll the glider in. Second, the pilot may try punching the control bar out. 1 Third, the pilot must release before the point of no return. Remember that it is better to release soon, rather than late, if one is in a lockout. If the pilot waits too long, the glider will still hit the ground after the tow line is released. After the pilot cuts loose he should roll the glider straight and, if possible, into the wind for a landing. For training purposes I recommend that an experienced tow instructor ride the tow rig with a hook knife prepared to cut the tow rope if the student starts to lock out.

RECOVERY FROM LOCKOUT STATIC LINE TOW All of the previous material is appropriate for static line tow. On static line tow an additional consideration is that the pressure is not automatically limited by the use of a payout winch. In this case, assuming a very strong weal{ link that doesn't fail, the point of no return in a lockout occurs sooner, due to the rapidly increasing tow line tension as the glider turns away from the tow path. As the glider turns away, the angle of attack increases because the force from the tow line is angled increasingly rearward, and the lifr produced is greater, which increases the angle of attack even more. Extreme forces can be generated by this process. Thus, the recovery techniques mentioned won't work as well on static line tow. Of utmost importance then, for static line tow, is a weak link which breaks at a low tension. I personally recommend a 1-G weak link for such applications.

ADDITIONAL STATIC LINE TOW CONSIDERATIONS Granted that most static line tow is done with a long tow line so that the angle of the line relative to the ww path doesn't change rapidly, on the other hand, a static line tow provides a tow force which is out rather than down for a very long time. This is why a static line tow bridle requires a third line attached to the glider's keel to minimize the angle of attack until the glider is high on tow. Unless the tow bridle has a variable length top line, the glider may well tend to tow from the top line alone as it gets higher. This will tend encourage PIO both in the pitch and roll axes. Refer to comments on PIO later in the article.

STALLS ON LAUNCH PAYOUT WINCHES AND PLATFORM LAUNCH There has been a lot of talk about the danger of a release from tow at the wrong time. In my experience, releasing, accidentally or intentionally, is dangerous when the glider, level in roll, is at a very high angle of attack and is climbing rapidly. Should the weak link break or the release come loose at this point, the pilot will most probably whip stall into the ground. This is most probably the cause of the two tow fatalities in 1990. Having observed one of these fatalities, my first observation is that there were a number of things that contributed to the accident. I) The pilot released into the turbulence of a small dust devil. 2) The pilot was in the habit of pushing out at launch from the tow truck. 3) The pilot was using a wrist release with a short enough cord that the tow line was released when the glider pitched nose up. 4) It is my speculation that the pilot released at too high an airspeed. 5) It is also my speculation that the glider was mounted nose high as rigged on the truck. I believe that several of the factors will be present any time a dangerous stall at launch occurs. So, I recommend that a number of things be done to avoid the possibility of this ve1y dangerous problem. 1) Determine a safe launch speed range and never, ever launch outside it. This may vary some according to whether the tow platform is on the back of a truck or a trailer. It may also vary according to the size and wing loading on a glider. For a safe starting point, launch between 30 and 35 mph from the bed of a HANG GLIDING

truck, and 35 to 38 mph from a trailer rig. 2) Mount the glider relatively flat on the platform. Ten degrees of angle of attack should be about right. If the glider shoots off the rig, the angle of attack is too high and the control bar should be held in. The glider should rise to about IO feet of altitude \Vith the pilot holding neutral trim on the control bar, and then seem to hang there before starting to pull rope off the drum. If the tension is at the higher end of the acceptable range of tension, a little pushout may be required to start the winch turning. 3) The tmv release line should be attached to a point on the harness where it cannot be inadvertently released. 4) If low level turbulence may be expected, a series of wind flags paralleling the runway on each side will help detect the presence of a dust devil or thermal there. I teach my tow drivers and students to bring the tow rig to launch speed and then stabilize the speed before the pilot launches.

TOW RELEASE FAILURE VARIOUS CENTER-OF-MASS BRIDLES If the tow line is loose and the release fails, the pilot should reach out and shake the release to knock it loose. If the tow line is tight, then, if possible, the pilot should fly straight ahead until the line is loose and then try shaking it. If that isn't possible the pilot should use a hook knife to cut the line or tow bridle. If there is no hook knife the pilot should 360 around the tow line until he can land.

OSCILLATION AND OTHER CONTROL PROBLEMS ALL SYSTEMS Different gliders tow differently, but the primary control problems pilots face under tow are oscillation and over-control. A glider may have a natural tendency to oscillate or hunr under tow, but most commonly oscillation is pilot induced. PIO (pilotinduced oscillation) is caused by over-control on the part of the pilot. A major factor in overcontrol is an excessively tight grip on the control bar. Just relaxing the grip and letting the glider fly itself is often all that is necessary to entirely correct severe oscillation problems. Some gliders, when moderately banked away from the tow line, respond well to just letting the tow force bring the pilot over to the side and return the glider to the straight and JANUARY 1993

narrow. Some gliders will tow easily even in conditions that would scare a buzzard. Other gliders are just flat hard to tow, even with a skilled and experienced pilot. The turbulence of middleof-the-day thermal activity makes those gliders downright scary. Aggressive control withouc over-control is necessary for such beasts. Often, flying at higher airspeeds under tow will make difficult-to-tow gliders much harder to control. I have found that towing a hang glider using an airspeed indicator and maintaining about 25 mph indicated airspeed gives good controllability.

WEAKLINKSPLATFORM LAUNCH The proper strength for a weak link to be used with platform launch is determined primarily by the preset tow line tension and the mechanical characteristics of the winch being used. It is impossible to use a weak link weaker than the impulse tension experienced by the tow line at glider release from the platform. The impulse force is equal to the tow line tension plus the force needed to overcome the rotational inertia of the drum, plus the force needed to overcome the static friction of the brake. If the weak link is weaker than the sum of these, it will break on launch, normally before the winch even turns. What does this mean? The pilot CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT expect the weak link to breal( to protect him from lockouts. What does protect the pilot from lockouts? The nature of the payout winch is to release rope at a preset and relatively constant pressure. The lower that pressure is, the less force will be required to correct the glider and the easier it will be to recover from a lockout. The weak link then protects the pilot from failure of the payout winch to work properly, and little else. This determines that the weak link should be strong enough to not fail at launch and weak enough not to cause the glider to pitch up and then whip stall or tumble if the winch or rope jams.

crossed, launch relatively upwind. 2) The pilot should try to fly to the side of the tow rig, in case it stops suddenly. 3) The row driver should keep launch speed until the pilot and glider are on the ground.

WEAKLINKSSTATIC LINE TOW As mentioned earlier, I recommend that the 1G weak link be used for static line tows where possible. If water tow is being considered, it may be impossible to do a deep water launch with a 1G weak link. The maximum strength weak link that should be considered there would be the four strands of 205 leech line 2 , with the caveat that an observer should always be used for lockout protection.

CONCLUSION When a pilot is learning to tow, he should be under the supervision of an experienced tow instructor acting as observer and carrying his trusty hook knife, and under controlled conditions of wind speed, wind direction and turbulence. After a pilot becomes experienced, he should use his experience to avoid lockouts, whip stalls, release malfunctions, etc., and a checklist to rule out human factor errors. Regardless of anything else, most pilots will platform launch with a driver but no observer. This is not necessarily unsafe, but having an observer is never a bad thing, and you muse remember that few pilots, drivers or bystanders have the experience to react properly as observers in a real towing emergency. Generally, only a experienced tow instructor is going to recognize a difficulty you may be having 4,000 feet awa), Even if you have an observer, even if you have a radio, you must learn or be trained to deal properly with any towing emergency as though you are totally responsible for yourself.

}dost ofthe time you will be.

WEAK LINK BREAKS PLATFORM LAUNCH

1 "Crooked, Tight and Low, " by ]en)' Forburge1; Hang Gliding, October 1990.

Normally, if a weal( link breaks on launch, and if the launch is at a safe airspeed, the pilot can easily just pull in the control bar, fly down and land. A few simple rules to make chis possible are: 1) Launch into the wind, or if the wind is

2 "Weak Links, Lines and Releases, " by Bmd LindsaJ\ Hang Gliding, October 1992. Stay tuned for "Masters of Disaster - Advanced Towing Techniques."

m ~

I) Accident Reports by Doug Hildreth

vent: An intermediate pilot was landing in his normal LZ, but the wind was from an unusual direction. The pilot came in, off the target, "dragged" his thighs through the vegetation, and received a bad laceration of the thigh from an unseen sharp object. Comment: As we have discussed on numerous occasions, don't do that! Also remember that your "regular landing zone" becomes an unknown field when the wind comes from a strange direction.

Event: Tow pilot boat launched on pay-out winch without incident but found that the tow bridle was caught around hook knife sheath. This did not affect the tow, but felt strange to the pilot so at 80-100 feet he focused his attention on trying to free the line from the sheath. The glider quickly drifted to 90 degrees off line. When the pilot attempted to correct, the tow line caught on a control bar float. The pilot went for the release, the winch operator released all tow pressure, but the glider dove into the water. No serious injuries. Comment: As in foot launch, altitude is your friend. If the tow is progressing, don't try to "fix" anything at a low altitude. Fly straight and level and wait until you are higher. If you do try to "fix" something (harness boot, tow line, vario, camera), always keep your eyes 100% on FLYING, watching where you are going and what you are doing, and slowly and methodically remedy the situation by "feel."

Event: Experienced pilot flew site that required enough of a hike-in that it was a hassle to break down and hike out. Conditions were not good. Other pilots "blocked" the launch for some time. There was pressure to fly. Pilot successfully launched, but because of the conditions it appeared he would be just short of primary LZ. A closer, large field was separated from the prima1y by power lines. The pilot tried to get over the lines. When he saw he could not, he dove under the lines and popped over a fence to successfully crash in the primary field.

Comment: Judgement-altering factors: 1) Why didn't I break down when I should have? 2) All this time/trouble and I didn't even fly. 3) I'll have to ride down the hill. 4) What will my family/friends think (who came to see me fly)? 5) Frustration. 6) It's not macho (pride). 7) Why did I launch when conditions were so bad? 8) All of the above plus: I'm really good, so I can pull it off. It's macho. 9) Why would I want to land right there (even though ... )? 10) I don't want to cany my glider.

11) 12) 13) 14) 15)

16)

I don't know if my driver can drive right to me. I want the rest of the pilots to see my great landing. I always land next to the road. I want to wave to the passersby. I was so focused that I didn't think of an alternative. ("I always do it that way.") Why don't I ask the locals for direction and advice? They might say I can't fly. It puts me on the defensive. It makes me an outsider (yeah, I know I am but...). Nobody's going to tell me if or where I can fly. ~

Death Of A Comrade by Mike Vorhis lv!ost pilots do not deal with severe i11ju1y or death on a dairy basis. Most ofus are vague!J aware that this can happen, but for a variety of reasons we eliminate from our consciousness the possibility that those tragedies could happen to us, and by extension to those pilots close to us. To be a trury mature individual we all must realize, both on an intellectual and a gut level that "this could happen to me. "Mike Vorhis' insightful poignant and yet gentle article is an excellent step in moving us tozumd a balanced view. - Doug Hildreth

arly in September a man died with his head in my hands. He had been flying about as long as had I, perhaps a little less. We were both novices. I was setting up on the 300-foot hill in search of some quick three-spots. He'd been cleared for the 600-foot launch only the day before, and his friend was up there with him to film the flight of a lifetime. f'll call him Ted, and this is not a eulogy. I hope you can stand to read what I am about to share. I saw Ted's launch, although like everyone else there that morning I looked away for a moment. His glider lay serenely on the side

of the hill, flat, nose uphill, kingpost intact, maybe 100 feet below the top. I got to him first, tearing up the hill, feeling sorry for myself on a sore ankle. He was on his back under the glider with his head turned to one side, that beautiful kevlar helmet looking pretty good. I told him not to try to answer, that we were going to get him out of there alright. But that was before I saw his face. I saw him swallow. His right wrist was snapped, the hand still there only because the tissue had not severed. Harold came up, and we got the carabiner unhooked once we'd verified that 911 was being called from launch. Ted's left eye stared in unconscious horror, the other was closed. His awkwardly turned neck had red contusions from bleeding under the skin. He was losing existence, drop by drop, out his nose. More arrivals. We debated many things: Remove the harness? The helmet? Prepare for the paramedics to take him to the dirt road 200 feet below, or up to launch? An Air Force paramedic was with us, and he found a weak pulse at the carotid. Some of them swore they saw breathing now and then but I doubted. My old instructor Richard shov,,ed up then, and tried to help in makHANG GLIDING

That was then ••• 1973 U.S. Nationals Sylmar, California First Place - Chris Wills (right) Second Place - Bob Wills Photo by Clara Gath 1973

This •

now. 1992 U.S. Nationals Telluride, Colorado First Place - Brad Koji (right) Second Place - Chris Arai

In 1973, the first U.S. National Hang Gliding Championships were held at Sylmar California. Chris Wills won the meet on a Wills Wing glider. Bob Wills , brother of Chris and co-founder of Wills Wing , finished second , completing a one-two sweep of the event for Wills Wing . The following year, it was Bob who took first wh ile Chris finished second , and Wills Wing had a second consecutive one-two Nationals sweep . Nearly two decades later, at the twentieth U.S. Nationals in Telluride , Colorado , Wills Wing pilots once again swept the meet, taking first, second and third , and five of the top six places. In the last nineteen years , a total of 32 U.S. National Championship titles have been awarded for flex wing hang gliders in various classes and categories . Wills Wing pilots have won fifteen , nearly four times as many as any other manufacturer.

To win in competition requires both ability and a sing le minded dedication to the task at hand. At Wills Wing , we have tried to take these attributes and apply them also to the larger and more important task of providing pilots everywhere with the best possible products and services . As we prepare to celebrate our twentieth ann iversary in hang gliding , we would like to thank all of our customers over the years who have continually inspired us to pursue the very best that is within us.

LU~

500 Blueridge Ave Orange, CA 92665

Phone (714) 998-6359

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gt Accident Reports ing good decisions. He was noticeably struggling with the realities we faced, and I became his conduit to the others. We left the helmet and harness on, and prepared for a chopper on the 300, where Ed and I had been setting up. I was glad to have Richard up there, for he commands respect, and opinions and judgement were all over the map. The medics pulled up below in a cloud of dust, and we scrambled to haul their gear up the hill. It was already 20 minutes. They were not shy about things. Ted's head had to come upright. The helmet had to come off. Heart massage had to be applied. Never mind the damn wrist, pump that blood out of his mouth. Slice the harness off NOW His jaw was broken and his cheek had a gaping hole in it, so air pumped in came out the side. Hold his head like this, they told me. Try to get this cardboard thing around the neck. His blood was sticky, his face purplish, but no more than when I had first found him. Then they lost the pulse. We held the plastic litter while they fixed him into it for the steep journey to the road. Not enough straps; we used our belts. We were still talking to him - hang on Ted, things like that. A ranger and Richard, Eric and Paul belayed the rope above. The Air Force guy and I went with the two paramedics, carrying Ted, picking a route down the hill. We reached the truck, put him across the back of it, and ran behind holding the litter so he wouldn't fall off. "He's going to be okay, isn't he?" I asked a paramedic. "No," she said, looking at me like I'd grown up on musicals and cartoons. There was a better equipped medical crew near the helicopter, and they poked an oxygen tube down his throat and tried chemical means of regaining the pulse while we held the equipment and shielded the sun. Eventually they pronounced him dead and left, two rangers babysitting the body for several hours awaiting the coroner, sitting there by a covered basket with feet sticking out of it. Paul and Harold and I went back up to retrieve the harness and helmet. I hadn't !mown him, but I started to shake some around the voice and eyes, once it was all over. I understood then why Richard had been so quiet up on the hill. He'd known at first

glance what I wouldn't accept. I'd always thought they could work all kinds of magic, right there on the scene, with high-tech zappers and lung starters. I know now there is very little that keeps us on the living side of the line Ted crossed. They tried a few things, and then he died. Richard !mew. "You did good," a paramedic said later, his steady hand on my shoulder. "Remember, you didn't put him there." Didn't we? It was hard to feel exonerated. Up on the hill, trying to keep Ted from slipping down, we'd waited for help to arrive. Theories had hatched like mayflies: "He was being filmed. I just saw the film and it looks like he tried to turn back into the lens right after launch for a close-up." "That's crazy! He lawn-darted right into the rock face. Must have bounced back to here." "I saw him flying yesterday, man. He was really shaky." "Yeah, he was warned repeatedly against flying too slow." "Just didn't have it, man, he didn't deserve this, but I think he just didn't have it. Just a shaky pilot." "You can't be careless like that." "Shut up. Brains can hear even when they're out." But I had seen the launch, and I was looking at his feet, still there in the boot of the harness. I'd remarked to Ed from the 300 that his nose was up so high it looked like a stall directly out from launch. The wind was maybe five mph. Picnics going on in the park below. There had been no weird gust, and no attempt to fly into a lens. I think Ted took his mind off the wing to climb into his beautiful new harness, inadvertently pushing out to jam those feet down in. He'd stalled, I think, in mid-turn, and slip-turned right back into the hill. No flare was possible with the feet still in. The film said he'd gone in with the right wrist and head. All that high-tech helmet had done was transfer the danger point from the skull to the neck. The helmet had hit the rock, but Ted had hit the helmet. And then there was that "he just didn't have it" crap. Everyone was scared out of their minds, and yet each man knew he would likely fly again. This was some guys' way of convincing themselves that there was some Fundamental Difference between themselves and the fallen pilot at their feet

- some nebulous, catch-all quality that would save them from erring and paying the price. There wasn't. He'd made a little mistake, the kind that can get you a turned ankle in softball or a cold dousing on a classthree river. Ted was each of us. He was any of us. Yeah, he erred. So have we all. The risks we tal(e bear thinking about. Richard called me later. His attitude I thought showed courage, because he let it make an impact, let it leave its unanswered questions. "I've seen incidents of all kinds in my years of teaching," he told me, "though I have personally never lost a student. Now and then you hear, 'He just didn't have it, man, I tried to teach him.' Or 'He was unteachable, he was a space cadet.' Or 'She just didn't have the coordination.' It's a load of crap, Mike. The goal is to keep EVERYBODY from finding a way to kill themselves. If we didn't care about that we'd just let anybody who wanted to pick up a wing and have at it. Now a guy is dead. Did we fail him? The instructor community? The flying community? You, me, whoever taught him or flew with him? Sure, he looked fine, must have been carefully tested, made to go through all the paces. And he knew the risks. But was he out there trying to die?! He was a strong, young guy, seemed athletic. You tell me: Was he out there trying to be unsafe? If the man flew too slow, it's because IT FELT FAST TO HIM. Somehow nobody got through to him on how to tell if you're flying too slow, or on what might happen; or somehow he didn't pay attention to that part of the training. "The information is presented pretty consistently, and yeah, a student has a responsibility to know it cold. But the other side of the coin is, and maybe I just prefer to see this side, when we tell somebody they're ready for this level or that level, to a large extent they are taking it on faith. They don't know how good they are, how prepared they are. They're novices, for Christ's sake! I heard someone in the past wash his hands of the death of a 'spastic' student. I say he had an obligation to flunk that student, send him or her off to golf or volleyball, where they could stay alive. Nobody has said that about Ted, but I tell you I feel like we failed him. I thank God that neither you nor Tim nor Alan nor any of my students went in. I don't know what I'd do if you had, but I still share responsibility for Ted.'' HANG GLIDING

Accident Reports Yes, and so did I. He was one of us. Richard said that maybe when an experienced pilot gets into trouble you could attribute it to acceptance of increased personal risk, but if it's a beginner or novice you've got to also wonder if there was something in his or her instructional program that was missed. "There have to be more guarantees in the rating system," he told me. "Can we somehow universally GUARANTEE that a novice pilot will always be competent with basic launch and landing skills they're required to demonstrate for a rating sign-off! For that matter, what do we do to ensure competence in advanced pilots? Afi:er all, they appear to have some of the worst launches and landings of all pilot skill levels. Isn't that what our rating system is supposed to do - guarantee that a Hang II is ready to address Hang III tasking? And shouldn't we be able to expect a Hang III from Tennessee to have the same basic skill level as a Hang III from Oregon? We've got to keep finding more ways to avoid deaths. One a year is unacceptable!" He recalled further: "I heard all kinds of things when someone crashed in the early days, right up to the old, 'He was flying great when he got his racing. I think he must've got hit in the eye with something.' Excuses meant to buy us off or absolve us are not the solution to invest in. To mal<e up for the student's own inconsistencies we need to always improve the way we reach out to pilots, if we're going to get every one of them to the advanced level." Old-guard pilots have seen it all before, mind-numbing tragedies of flying buddies or grisly scenes played out before their very eyes. They get wise, careful. They put into place guidelines designed to lower the accident rate. And then younger groups come up through the ranks, seeing only exhilaration and success, and daring creeps in, until someone sacrifices himself and the young pilots get their dose of wisdom. Good safety records insulate us; boldness counters all efforts to put an end to anguish. I never grasped fully what risks we take before I met Ted on the side of the hill that day. Nobody shows us graphic This-IsWhat-Sometimes-Happens films when we're starting out, like they do when you get behind a steering wheel. Nobody wants to put off enthusiastic new equipment buyers; everyone wants to grow the sport. All I ever JANUARY 1993

meet are people with 600 hours and maybe a few stories. One paramedic told me she meets the other ones, the seven she's picked up this summer who either died or didn't move again from the neck down. I knew in some academic sense that you can get hurt and that you should keep your speed up. I knew in some intellectual sense that you shouldn't fly for a spectator or a camera. I knew that you ought to fly the glider first and play with the harness once you're safely away, even though I have seen more shaky launches than I care to by people more intent on disentangling their feet from some zipper string than on flying their wing. But I never knew, even in the most academic sense there is, chat you can die in a 5 mph laminar breeze with the sun shining and picnics going on below. The mind goes through all manner of questions in the weeks that follow, all by itself. His face stares when you lie in bed trying to sleep. Are you guilty of some crime against propriety for telling friends the story? Is there some sort of Destiny chat makes this kind of waste worthwhile, some Master Plan perhaps, wherein your witnessing the thing must come to some good? I am trying to do that with chis account. For Fate's own reasons were you 'supposed' to be there to watch this man die, there in the red grass with his head in your hands? Because he did. Were you there to find a way to call him back? Because you didn't. There are more things we can be doing. We can make rules against climbing inro harnesses until ,ve're WAY away from the hill. We can have oxy kits at training sites. We can minimize our hill-hugging soaring. We can make the LZ a place where critical comments are repeated in front of the pilot. We can make graphic case study readings and how-to-crash clinics part of Hang I requirements, while we're still at low altitude and impressionable. Richard cold me he wasn't good at handling tragedy. It hit him. And he might have thought he didn't add a lot to the efforts and reactions. But he in fact brings to the scene the most important ingredient for turning the loss to some good. He went to the glider and verified its trim position. He described to me what happens when you stall in a cum, and how much speed this slip-turn can pick up in a second's time, and how little control you have over what direction you

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slip. You become a leaf. And you can lean until you're wrapped around the downtube, but until you pick up enough speed to be an airfoil again you are just a dangling part of char leaf. If there is something hard to hit nearby, you are in big, big trouble. Richard also explained how I should ALWAYS be vertical ifl am going in, and COMMIT to contact and to a flare. Head-first is for baseball. Most importantly, Richard is not out there wiping his hands of responsibility. And he's not coming up with reasons why it won't happen to him by virtue of having "the right stuff." Nothing fundamental was absent from Ted. Ted was me. He was all of my buddies. As experienced as Richard is, he knows that Ted was himself as well. By knowing that, and by seeing Ted there on the hill, he may avoid Ted's fate. If this account can reach the flying community, maybe Ted will avert the loss and ruination

of othc, J;vc,. Please, respect the wind, and the rock. They are not merciful.

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Classifieds HANG GLIDING ADVISORY Used hang gliders should always be disassembled before flying for the first time and inspected carefully for fatigued, bent or dented downtubes, ruined bushings, bem bolts (especially the heart bolt), re-used Nyloc nuts, loose thimbles, frayed or rusted cables, tangs with non-circular holes, and on Rogallos, sails badly torn or torn loose from rheir anchor points front and back on the keel and leading edges. If in doubt, many hang gliding businesses will be happy to give an objective opinion on the condition of equipment you bring them to inspect. Buyers should select equipment that is appropriate for their skill level or rating. New pilots should seek professional instruction from a USHGAcertified school.

GTR 162 - Advanced Air harness, Bell helmet, \'(/indhavcn parachute, Litek Vario. First $1,500. Dennis (407) 242-8282 eves.

NOT JUST ANOTHERUSED DANGLE DIVER! - The mural inlaid HP 2-1/2 Race that you've seen in magazine ads, calendar, etc., is finally for sale. VG, swivel tips, extra reinforccn1ents, various custon1

HP 1 - Very low hours, immaculate condition $700. (216) 791-3610. HPAT 145 - Jan. 1991, 100 hours, flys perfectly, never crashed, pretty. Several 100+ milers, exrra DT's, references. Sacrifice $2,300 firm, (208) 237-9157. HPAT 158 - Excellent condition, 26 hours $2,350. (703) 989-1737.

mods. Still in clean shape, well used, but well cared for by a little old lady who only flew it to church on Sundays. $850/ncgotiablc, includes shipping. David Gibson (801) 272-5362. PACIFIC GULL 1975 - Vintage Rogallo, seat harness, bag, near new condition, purple/gold, $100 OBO. No. Calif. (5 IO) 825-4979 eves.

HPAT 158 - 40 hours, unusual care received $2,500. (615) 949-230 I.

SENSOR - Two VGC models. Low hours, high miles, good condition. White LE, red LS $1,200. Yellow LE, red LS $900. (815) 234-5388.

HPAT 158 - Clean glider, less than 75 hours $2,450. (303) 444-7863.

SENSOR B - With C kit. Very good condition, still crisp, $700. (805) 647-7759, also Kiss parts.

K2 145 - 10 hours $2,600. 20 gore parachute $265. Aluminized XC bag $75. (501) 663-3166.

SENSOR SIOB - 1983, yellow LE, rainbow doublesurface, very good condition $500. (704) 2984368.

ROGALLOS AXIS 15 - Custom sail, won't last at $800. Paul (714) 676-4425. AXIS 15 - Custom sail as seen in 1991 USHGA Calendar. PYRAM[D GUDER-Faired downtubes, sail crinkles like new, excellent condition, <50 hours $1,800. (410) 357-4144. COMET I - Excellent condition, low hours, great sink $500. Fred (518) 882-9071. DOVES WANTED - Electra Flyer, Doves A, B or C, wanted by instructor for school use. Any condition. Raven Sky Spans (414) 473-2003. DREAM 222 ASI 6141.

K2 145 - HPAT 145, both sweet $2,300. WW Z-3 harness, 5'5" pilot $450. Ball M-22 vario $400. Leave message (818) 353-1923. K2 145 - Mint condition, 5 flights, looks brand new. Red LE, spectrum undersurface $2,600. (501) 663-0905. K2 155 - Custom sail, excellent condition, low homs $2,700. (505) 293-5165.

Near new $2,300. (801) 254KISS 154 - 1990 w/K2 update. Excellent condition $1,500. 1-800-334- 4777.

DREAlv!S IN STOCK - All sizes, including 145's. Many other used gliders available, including Visions & Specrrums. Raven Sky Sporrs (414) 473-2003. FOIL COMBAT II 152 - Near new $2,725. Combat I 152 $2,100. HPAT 145, near new $2,575. (801) 254-6141.

MOYES GTR 175 VG - Rainbow bottom, blue LE, farings $1,800. Also Moyes pod w/chute, altimeter, vario. (303) 972-1245. MOYES XS 169 - Good condition $2,400. lvloyes XT 165, \'cry good condition $1,900. (616) 4655859.

FORMULA 144 - Very good condition $1,200. MOYES POD harness, excellent condition, fits 5'4"5'7" $150. (619) 934-2125. FOR SALE - SPORT 180, full race, only 6 hours. $1,750 or best offer. In perfect condition, call (512) 494-0096.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA USED GLIDER REFERRAL - BUY-SELL-CONSIGN, ALL MAKES, MODELS. CALL TODAY (619) 4501894 OR (619) 450-9008. SPECTRUM 165 - Orange LE, white midsection, yellow TE, plus speedbar w/wheels $1,900. Joe (708) 894-5858 evenings. SPORT 167 EURO - Excellent condition $1,700. Konrad (206) 293- 7109. SUPER SPORT 153 - Excellent condition, <20 hours, inlaid Wills Wing logo $2,600. Gregg (619) 484-2056. THE CHEAPEST HIGH PERFORMANCE GLIDER JUST GOT CHEAPER - Brand new TRX 140's and 160's $3,495 or best offer. Also, low time used TRX 140' s, excellent condition, make offer. Can ship anywhere. Lookout Mountain Flight Park, open every day (except \'>Vednesdays). (800) 688-5637, (706) 398-3541. TRX 160 - Flown one season. Grear shape, must sell $3,100. (718) 638-2054.

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~~ Classifieds VISION MK IV 17 - Excellent condition, violet LE, rainbow sail, comfort bar $1,750 OBO. (704) 598-3874. VISION MK IV 17 - $1,325. Comet II 135 $450. Raven 179 $400. (801) 254-6141. VISION MK IV 17 - Excellent condition, fared downtubes, extra downtubes, wheels, helmet, rack. $l,800 (415) 592-0890, (415) 358-9012. VISIONS & SPECTRUMS - Bought-Sold-Traded. Raven Sky Sports (4 l 4) 473-2003. REGION IV'S OLDEST, LARGEST FULL-TIME SHOP. "Celebrating Our 20th Year of Unsurpassed Safety!" RESERVE CHUTES (All sizes), never used, each inspected, repacked, new bridle and bag. $265 (20 ft PDA's $300) NEW, USED PARAGLIDERS (All Brands) ............................................ $500-$2,800 HELMETS (All Brands, Styles) ............. $58-$260 USED HARNESSES ............................. $75-$500 VARIOMETERS (Used, Demo's, All Brands) .................... $95-$500 LT DREAM 220 ........... <2 HOURS ..... $2,300 LT DREAM 145 ........... <2 HOURS ..... $2,000 VISION ECLIPSE 19 ... <60 HOURS ... $1,000 LT MYSTIC 177 ........ <40 HOURS ... $950 PRODAWN, PROSTAR EXCELLENT SHAPE.. ......................... $500 EA. PHOENIX 60 185 ....... <45 HOURS ... $450 Equipment 100% Guaranteed, inspected. All Major Credit Cards. COLORADO HANG GLIDING (303) 278-9566 24 HOURS GOLDEN WINGS l 103 Washington Avenue, Golden, CO 80401 TOLL FREE ORDER PHONE 1-800-677-4449 or (303) 278-718 l Mystic 177 VG ....... Exc. cond ....... $1,300 Vision 19 (used) ..... Exe. cond ....... $1,800 Several Sport l67 .......................... $1800 - $2,200 HP AT ................... Demo ............ $2,800 Many other good used gliders ........ $450-$1000 SANTA BARBARA HANG GLIDING CENTER(805) 962-8999, certified school, 29 State Sc., Santa Barbara CA 93101. MC/VISA/AMEX accepted. VARIOS: Ball 65 l $475, Ball 652 $575, Ball M22 $475, Brauniger PI! $450, Brauniger Plll $595, Brauniger LCD III barograph $995, Flytec 2020 $759, Flytec 2030 $850, AFRO XC 8000 $895. HELMETS: Aerodyne $79, Bell $119, Carbon Fibre full-face $259, Panoramic full-face $159. HARNESSES: Keller Hi Tee 2 $799, CG $499, HE Pod $499, HE Cocoon $299. PARACHUTES: BRS Rocket $795, HE 22 gore (new) $365, Free Flight 20 gore $365. GLIDERS: (new, used and trade-ins) TRX demo $2695, WW AT $2300, Comet I 8 hours $650, Vision MK IV $1400, W\Y/ Sport $1500, WW Super Sport $3395, Sensor 510C 20 hours $l250, Comet I I 85 $1250, Light Dream 185 $1250, Moyes XS $2900. EMERGENCY PARACHUTES A BEST BUY! -,- $265, never deployed, new bridle, bag (PDA's $300). Inspected and repacked, all sizes. Fully Guaranteed! Colorado Hang Gliding (303) 2789566.

ALL BRANDS - Bought, sold, and repacked. Inspection and repack $35.00 - Parachutes, bridles, inspected and replaced. AIRTIME OF SAN FRANCISCO, 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116. (415)SKY- l177.

COMPACT WINGS PARAGLIDING - Wills \Y/ings, UP and others. APA & USHGA Class II instruction. Great flying year-round. Southern California and European tours. Located at best paragliding site (Soboba). (714) 654-8559

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HANG GLIDER EMPORIUM - Best training hill in the west! Full service hang gliding/paragliding shop, established 1974. 613 N Milpas St., Santa Barbara CA 93103, (805) 965-3733.

FIREBIRD NINJA 27 C - With integral speed seat, great condition $2,200. (303) 963-9499. WILLS, UP'S, ETC - $795 + up. Instruction, equipment, southern California and European tours (714) 654-8559. ULTRALIGHTS ULTRALIGHT AVIATION -American and european trikes and wings. 1117 Cold Harbor Dr., N. Las Vegas NV 89030, (702) 399-4044.

THE HANG GLIDING CENTER - Located in beautiful San Diego. USHGA instruction, equipment rentals, local flying tours. Spend your winter vacation fl)'ing with us. \Y/e proudly offer Wills Wing, Pacific Airwave, High Energy, Ball and we need your used equipment. 4206-K Sorrento Valley Blvd., San Diego, CA 92121 (619) 450-9008.

WANTED WANTED - Used hang gliding equipment. Gliders, instruments, harnesses and parachutes. Airtime of San Francisco, 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116. (415) SKY-1177. SCHOOLS & DEALERS ARIZONA ADVENTURE SPORTS TOURS - Certified instruction utilizing the world's first man-made training hill plus other sires which all face every wind direction. Dealer for Pacific Airwave, Wills Wing, Ball and High Energy, 1327 E. Bell De Mar Dr., Tempe, AZ 85283 (602) 897-7121. DESERT HANG GLIDERS - USHGA Certified School. Supine specialists. 4319 W. Larkspur, Glendale, AZ 85304. (602) 938- 9550. ARKANSAS SAIL WINGS HANG GLIDING/PARAGLIDING - Instruction, sales, service. Pacific Airwave. P.O. Box 5593, Little Rock, AR 72215. (501) 663- 3166.

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HIGH ADVENTURE - Hang gliding, paragliding school. Equipment sales, service, rentals at Southern California's mile high site, Crestline. USHGA/APA Instructor Rob McKenzie. By appointment year round. (909) 883-8488. MISSION SOARING CENTER - Serving the flying community since 1973. Complete pilot training program with special attention to take-off and landing skills. Custom superlite training gliders. Comfortable training harnesses! Deluxe retail shop. Wills, PacAir, UP, demos, new gliders in stock! Best trade-in prices. T1y all the new harnesses in our simulator. Large selection of specialized equipment, beginner to XC. 1116 \Y/rigley Way, Milpitas (near San Jose) CA 95035. (408) 262-1055.

CALIFORNIA ACTION SOARING CENTER - In Lodi near Stockton. Personalized USHGA certified instruction, sales and service. Emphasis on special skills, techniques, launching & landing. Demo's. Ask abont tow clinic. (209) 368-9665. AIRTIME OF SAN FRANCISCO - HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING. Complete, safe & fun, USHGA & APA certified training program. Mountain clinics & ground schools. ALL MAJOR BRANDS. Quality airframe and sewing by factory trained repair technicians. Parachute services. Large selection of 2nd hand gear (buy & sell). Rentals available. Next to Fort Funston. The only full service shop in San Francisco! 3620 Wawona, San Francisco CA 94116. (415) 759-I 177. CHANDELLE SAN FRANCISCO, INC. Complete hang gliding and paragliding sales, service and instruction since I 973. Northern California's most complete repair facility. New and used equipment and demo's, lesson packages, clinics and tandem lessons. 6880 Sir Francis Drake, Forest Knolls CA 94933, (415) 488-4202.

TORREY FLIGHT PARK, INC. -At the launch of the world famous Torrey Pines Glider Port, one of San Diego's highlights! Unmatched convenience for pilots and spectators. Refreshments and souvenirs at the Cliffhanger Cafe. Certified Training program featuring tandem soaring lessons. New, used, rental and demo equipment by Delta Wing and UP. 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037 (619) 452-3202. TRUE FLIGHT CONCEPTS - USHGA Certified Instruction, Sales & Service. Become a better pilot in less time with our small personalized classes & tandem instruction. Our head instructor has over 13 years reaching experience. Only minutes from our local Kagel Mountain flying site. 13185 Gladstone Ave., Sylmar, CA 91342. (818) 367-6050. ULTRAFLIGHT HANG GLIDING - Wills Wing, Seedwings, Moyes, High Energy and more. Servicing Lake McClure area. (209) 874-1795 Waterford, CA.

HANG GLIDING

Classifieds \'-:/JNDGYPSY - USHGA Certified school specializing in personalized tandem flight training. Full service sales & repair facility in Lake Elsinore - call for site info. Wide range of new & used glider & flight accessories in stock. Proudly demonstrating Moyes, Pacific Airwave, Seedwings, ASI (Dreams), ESS rapid deployment parachutes. Ask about Windgypsy Safaris. \'i!indgypsy, PO Box 506, Elsinore West Marina, Lake Elsinore CA 92586, (714) 678-5418. \'i!INDSPORTS - LA's largest since 1974. Fifteen minutes from LAX. Central to Sylmar, Crestline, Elsinore and training sites. Vacation training, flying and glider sales packages including lodging and rentals. The most popular gliders and equipment, new and used in stock. Trade in your old equipment. 325 sunny days each year. Come fly wirh us! 16145 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys CA 91406. (818) 9880ll l, Fax (818) 988-1862. WRIGHT BROTHERS WINGS - UP, BRS, High Energy. USHGA Certified Instruction. (209) 5866012 Sonora CA. COLORADO COLORADO CLOUDBASE - Guided tours, drivers, videos, accessories. (719) 630-7042, FA,'{ (719) 630-8126. PO Box 16934, Colorado Springs CO 80935. COLORADO HANG GLIDI/\:G/PARAGLIDING - Celebrating 20 years of unsurpassed safety. 1st USHGA certified school in rhe U.S.A. Region's largest and oldest. Operating full time since 1972. (303) 278-9566. EAGLE'S NEST SCHOOL OF HANG GLIDING/PARAGLIDING - USHGA & APA certified instruction. Sales and service. P.O. Box 25985, Colorado Springs, CO 80936 (719) 594-0498.

MINNESOTA SPORT SOARING CENTER/MINNEAPOLIS Instruction, equipment dealers for Pacific Airwave, UP & Wills Wing. (612) 557-0044.

·-111F~ -

MISSOURI WE CAN TEACH YOU FASTER AND SAFER, MIAMI HANG GLIDING, INC. has rhe most advanced training program known co hang glid°ing today. USHGA certified school specializing in personalized flight training. Full service shop handling all makes and models of gliders. For more info call (305) 573-8978. GEORGIA LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK AJVIERICA'S #1 HANG GLIDING SCHOOL, flying sire. Find our why three rimes as many pilots earn their mountain wings at Lookout! Complete certified training-"bunny hill" to mountain soaring. We wrote USHGA's OFFICIAL FLIGHT TRAINING MANUAL! Our specialties: foot-launch, tandem and tow instruction, FIRST MOUNTAIN FLIGHTS, customer service and satisfaction. Lesson packages, rat-

ings, glider rentals, AEROTOWING. Largest inventory hang gliders (all brands), equipment. Complete sail/airframe repairs. Camping, S\'i!IMMING POOL. Send $1 for information packet. Route 2, Box 215-H, Rising Fawn GA 30738 (20 minutes from Chattanooga, Tennessee) (800) 688-LMFP, (706) 398-3541. SEQUATCHIE VALLEY SOARING SUPPLY See our ad under Tennessee. JDAHO TREASURE VALLEY HANG GLIDING Airwave, :-vfoyesi UP. Demo's, ratings, tours, service.

GOLDEN WINGS - Sales, service. USHGA certified instruction. Dealers for Wills 'v(fing, PacAir. 1103 Washington Avenue, Golden, CO 8040 l. (303) 2787181.

LID ENTERPRISES - Sail and harness repair Equipment manufacturing - Towing supplies - 5000 Butte #183, Boulder, CO 80301 (303) 440- 3579.

MOUNTAlN WlNGS -

(208) 376-7914. ILLINOIS RAVEN SKY SPORTS - (312) 360-0700 or (708) 360-0700. Please see our ad under WISCONSIN. INDIANA

JJ MITCHELL -

CONNECTICUT Look under New York.

USHGA certified school and instrucrion. TANDEM. PacAir dealer. 6741 Columbia Ave., Hammond, IN 46324 (219) 8452856.

FLORIDA KENTUCKlANA SOARING SKY HOOK TOWING - Tandem instruction. BOAT & AEROTOWING. Near all Florida major attractions. Come spend your vacation with us and learn to fly on rhe beautiful space coasr. Dealers for: Pacific Airwave, UP, High Energy, BRS, Second Chantz. Tow bridles, floats, serYice. PO Box 540562, lvlerritt Island FL 32954. (407) 452-8143.

Our advertising has a two-month lead time plan ahead.

JANUARY 1993

See Arkansas.

NEVADA ADVENTURE SPORTS - Sierra tours our specialty - USHGA & APA certified school and ratings. Dealers for Pacific Airwave, Wills \'i!ing, UP, Enterprise \'i!ings. Fly the Sierras with a full-service shop. 3650 Research Way, Carson City, NV 89706 (702) 883-7070. NEW JERSEY MOUNTAIN WINGS -

Look under New York.

NEW MEXICO UP OVER NEW MEXICO - Instruction, sales, service. Sandia Mountain guides. \'(fills, Seedwings, Pacific Airwavc, Delta, Moyes. Albuquerque, NM (505) 821-8544. NEW YORK AAA MOUNTAIN WINGS HANG GLIDING CENTER AND FLIGHT PARK - Now offering PARAGLIDING instruction and sales. Base of ELLENVILLE MTN. Four exclusive training hills. Area's only dealer for Pacific Ainvave, UP, Seedwings and Delta Wing with demos in stock. We are the largest, most complete H.G. accessol)' and repair shop of its kind in the count!)'. Many new and used gliders in stock. RIC supplies and kits, Ultra Pod camera systems. VISA and MASTERCARD accepted. Stop in and get your flight pass and gate combo. 150 Canal St., Ellenville, NY 12428 (914) 647-3377. In N.E. 1800-525- 7850. FLY HIGH HANG GLIDING, INC. - Serving S. New York, Connecticut, Jersey areas (Ellenville Mrn.). Area's EXCLUSIVE Wills Wing dealer/specialist. Also all other major brands, accessories. Certified school/instruction. Teaching since 1979. Area's most INEXPENSIVE prices/repairs. Excellent secondary instrucrion ... if you've finished a program and wish to continue. Fly the mountain! ATOL towing! Tandem /lights! Contact Paul Voight, RD 2, Box 56[, Pinc Bush, NY 12566, (914) 744-3317.

See ad under parts.

RAVEN SKY SPORTS - (414) 473-2003. Please see our ad under \'i!ISCONSIN. MICHIGAN GREAT LAKES HANG GLIDING, INC. - USHGA certified instructors. Dealers for Moyes gliders, new & used equipment. Located near \,:larren dunes (616) 465-5859. PRO HANG GLIDERS -

SAIL WINGS -

G/vlI PARAGLIDING SCHOOL Free color brochure. (516) 676-7599.

!n New York.

SUSQUEHANNA FLIGHT PARK Cooperstown, NY. Certified lnsrrucrion, Sales and Service for all major manufacturers. 40 acre park, 5 training hills, jeep rides, bunk house, camping, hot showers, 600' NW ridge. We have the best facilities in N. New York state to teach you how to fly. RD 2, Box 348A, Cooperstown, NY 13326, (315) 8666153.

USHGA instruction

since 1978. Advanced Instructor, Examiner.

Observer. Safety is # l. \,:le've been rowing for a decade. Corne on SE Michigan, let's wake up! \'i!e've got a soaring site now. Give me a call at (313) 3999433, ask for 1':orm. 569 \'(f Annabelle, Hazel Park MI 48030.

NORTH CAROLINA COROLLA FLIGHT - America's most experienced tandem flight instructor, reaches utilizing ATOL and Double Vision. Call or write for information Greg DeWolf, Corolla flight, PO Box 1021, Kirry Hawk NC 27949. (919) 261-6166

~~ Classifieds KITTY HAWK KITES, INC. - P.O. Box 1839, Nags Head, NC 27959 (919) 441-4124. Learn co hang glide on Jockey's Ridge, the largest sand dune on the ease coast, just south of where the Wright Brothers' first flight took place. Beginner and advanced lesson packages and camps offered. Advanced tandem tow instruction, 1500 ft. plus up. Dealer for all major brand gliders, complete inventoty of new and used gliders, accessories and parts. OHIO SKY\X'ARD ENTERPRISES - MARIO MANZOBasic instructor. Frame & sail repair. Seedwings, CGI 000. Dayton/Chillicothe. (513) 256-3888 weekday evenings. NORTH COAST HANG GLIDING - Certified Instruction. New & used gliders. Specializing in Pacific Airwave gliders. Mike Del Signore, 1916 W. 75th Sr., Cleveland, OH. 44102 (216) 631-1144.

TEXAS

PARTS & ACCESSORIES

A.A.S. AUSTIN AIR SPORTS - Come fly with us in the scenic Texas hill country. Om new airpark is located on Lake Travis, only minutes from Austin and Packsaddle Mtn. Flight Park. USHGA certified footlaunched and tow-launched training programs. \Y/c offer hang gliding, paragliding, sky diving and ultralight flying. Dealers for UP lnc'l, Pacific Airwave, Enterprise Wings and B.R.S. Austin Air Park has one of the finest repair facilities in the country. Services include: airframe & sail repair, parachute mounting & repacking, custom harnesses, gear bags and flying accessories. Complete tow systems available. Write ro: A.A.P., Route 2 Box 491, Spiccwood TX 78669 or call Steve Burns at (512) 474-1669. RED RIVER AIRCRAFT - Ha11g gliding specialists. Instruction, sales, service. Towing supplies. MC/VISA. AUSTIN-4811 Red River, Austin TX 78751. (512) 467-2529, fax (512) 467-8260. FT. WORTH (817) 921- 6957.

OREGON AIRTIME OREGON HANG GLIDING CENTER - Certified instruction. Dealer for AS!, Moyes, PacAir, UP and Wills Wing. (503) 998-1220. SOUTHERN OREGON HANG GLIDING Certified instruction, ATV retrieval. Pacific Airwave, Wills Wing, UP. (503) 479-5823. PENNSYLVANIA

KITE ENTERPRISES - Instruction, sales, repairs, rowing and foot launch. Dallas & North Texas area. 211 Ellis, Allen TX 75002. (214) 390-9090 anytime. Dealer, Pacific Airwave, Wills Wing. UTAH WASATCH WINGS - USHGA certified hang gliding school, dealers for Wills Wing, Moyes and Pacific Airwave. Flight operations at Point of the Mountain. Call Gordon (801) 277-1042.

MOUNTAIN TOP RECREATION - Certified instruction, Piccsburgh. (412) 697-4477. C'MON OUT AND PLAY!

VIRGINIA

MOUNTAIN \l(1INGS -

BLUE SKY - Tandem flight instruction, tow clinics, custom towing and flight gear, sail repair, PacAir dealer. Will run ICP's (703) 432-6557 Harrisonburg.

Look under New York.

WINDWALKER HANG GLIDING - Certified instruction. Pacific Airwave Dealer/Glider Accessories. VISC/MC accepted. RR #2 Box 2223, Schickshinny PA 18655, (717) 864-3448. TENNESSEE HAWK AIRSPORTS - New and improved hang gliding! Attention Novice and beginners! :,,Jew 360 degree training hill designed and built specifically for you. Conveniently located. Fun! Fun! Fun! Clinch Mtn. - The longest ridge, two launches. The popular light wind indicator \Xlindsok. Brochures available. Your satisfaction is the key to our continued growth and success. Hawk Air Spores, Inc., P.O. Box 9056, Knoxville, TN 37940-0056, (615) 933-9296. LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK our ad under Georgia. (800) 688- LMFP.

STAY WHERE THE FLIERS STAY - C1ystal Air Sparr Motel. Private rooms, bunkhouse, jacuzzi, pool. (615) 821-2546 Chattanooga, TN.

KITTY HAWK KITES -

See North Carolina.

SILVER WINGS, INC. - Certified instruction and equipment sales. Proudly representing Pacific Airwave, Wills Wing, Seedwings & UP. (703) 5331965 Arlington VA. WISCONSIN RAVEN SKY SPORTS HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING - Largest and most popular in the Midwest. Traditional curriculum, ridge soaring, mountain clinics, Dragonfly aerotowing & tandems by Brad Kushner. Sales/service/accessories for all major brands. PO Box IOI, \'(lhitewater WI 53190 (414) 473-2003.

Sec

SEQUATCHIE VALLEY SOARING SUPPLY Cerrified, two place flight instruction and first mountain flights are our specialties. Rentals, storage and ratings available. Dealers for all major brands. Located in the "Hang Gliding Capital of the East". For personal, professional service you can trust, call SVS, RT 2 Box 80, Dunlap, TN 37327. (615) 949-2301.

BIG WHEELS - Saves gliders on hard landings! Very snndy, excellent for solo/tandem flying, required for USHGA training. $36.95/set (plus shipping), discounts available. (800) 688-LMFP, (706) 398- 3541.

COMPOSITE FIBER 02 SYSTEMS - Lightest and smallest available $499.95 +S/H. Major credit cards. Other models and information available. Mountain High E&S Co., 516 12th Avenue, Salt Lake City UT 84103 USA. 1-800-468-8185. COVERBAGS, HARNESS BAGS, ROADBAGS In stock, lowest prices. Danny Scott custom harness $350. Sensor parts. Gunnison Gliders, 1549 County Road 17, Gunnison CO 81230, (303) 641-9315 p.m.

Proven Pilots Say That...

"... WIND ADVLSORY AIR/WIND SPEED INDICATORS

HELP You LAUNCH & FLY SAFE!"

Your ad is read by more than 10,000 hang gliding enthusiasts. Advertise with us today

(With Poplin Storage Bag) .£:..,~~- "~· ,i:/ ~

•

=~'"':::""...:(Box With Speed Conversion Chart)

DEPENDABLE - \Y/indtunnel tested & calibrated. BUILT TO LAST, impact & corrosion resistant. Easy to read. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Send check or M/0 for $15 (+$2 S/H), foreign orders add $2. To Pacific Resources U.S.A., PO Box 9064, San Diego CA 92169.

HANG GLIDING

Classifieds

EQUALIZER - Raymond harness, lg/xi, good condition $300 OBO. {6l9) 443-3316. GLIDER BAGS - XC $70. Regular $80. includes shipping. Full zipper. (501) 663-3166.

LA TEST UVEX HELMETS - Ultra lightweight {one pound), most popular hang gliding helmet, fullface protection, using world's strongest fiber. $299 (plus shipping), discounts available. (800) 688LMFP, (706) 398-3541.

GRADE A SHEEPSKIN hand fairings. REDESIGNED FOR SUPERIOR COMFORT, with NE'W MAP POCKETS standard. \Vannest hand fai:·ings in the world. Send $47 to Wyo. Aerolites, PO Box 880, Casper WY 82602. (307) 235- 330, acid SI 5 for X-large. Custom orders accepted.

iv!A}CON 5 \'(IATT - 3 USHGA channels, Hi/Lo power $359. Maxon l wart, J USHGA channel $190. ICOi'vl P2AT-$389. Uvex style aramid full face helmet, I lb. 5 oz., $299. Optional visor, headset, VOX & installation. X-C smoke bombs 45 sec., as low as $4. Signal mirror $8., Jack-the-Ripper curaway knife S 15., Silva compass $100. Camelbak $40. Pendulum Sports, Inc. 1-800-WE FLY X-C.

maxon

SP-2000 Series

NEW 10-CHANNEL PROGRAMMABLE MAXON SP 2550 - 5 watt handheld 2-way radio: three USH GA, three weather and four programmable frequencies. Durable, rugged, easy to use. Rechargeable nicad battery (typical l O hour life). Pilots # I choice' Special price: $349. Additional Maxon options available. Lookout Mountain Flight Park, (800) 688LMFP, (706) 398-3541.

..I HIGH PERSPECTIVE WHEELS-REAL LIFE SAVERS! - 12", light, tough. !-'its all gliders. Send $37 + $2.95 shipping per pair to Sport Aviation, PO Box 101, Mingoville PA 16856. Ask about our dealer prices.

MINI VARIO - \'(/orld's smallest, simplest vario! Clips to helmet or chinstrap. 200 hours on batteries, 0-18,000 fr., fast response and 2 year warranty. Great for paragliding roo. ONLY $169. Mallettcc, PO Box 15756, Santa Ana CA, 92705. (714) 541-2625. NE\V BAR MITTS - Attach in seconds without disassembling bar! Windproo( abrasion resistant, cordura with soft polarflcecc lining $26.50, (801) 7236067.

THE FAivIOUS ·'J.AMBIE LID" - Aerodynamic hang gli:ler helmet $85. Full- face version, with kevlar-fiberglass guard $120. Jack Lambie, 8160 Woodsbc,ro, Anaheim CA 92807, (714) 779-1877.

FAX your classified ad, membership renewal or merchandise order:

(719) 632-6417. We gladly accept VISA and MasterCard.

JANUARY 1993

QUICK RELEASE CARABINER - $49.95. Extra ball lock pin, $29.00. 10,000 lbs., dealers welcome, patent pending. Thermal 19431-41 Business Center Drive, Northridgc, CA 91324. (818) 701-7983.

SKY-TALKER II The Sky-Talker II, 2 merer FM antenna, will boost the transmitted and received signal by 3 times, and will not interfere with your vario. Internally installs in 5 minutes and automatically sets up and breaks down with rhe glider. This antenna is pre-runed and ready to go. Send $30 + $3 shipping and handling to: SkyCom Products, PO Box 530268, San Diego CA 92153. STOP GETTING RIPPED OFF - They can't touch this' Save $ mail orders. NEW-MAXON SP2000 10 ch. w/rone $339. VOX $99. HAM RADIOS, YAESU FT 41 IE $299. VOX $74. MOD $30., !COM 2SAT $289. MOD $40. ALINCO DJFlT $285. Dealer for Aircorec Alibi varios, Ball, BRS, High Energy, Safewhecls, V Mitts, Raymond, Second Charm. Tow rope 1/4" poly $30 per 1000', 3/16" poly $25 per 1000'. Send S.A.S.E. for sale flyer or call Kentuckiana Soaring, 425 Taggart Ave., Clarksville IN 47129 (812) 288-71 I 1 Calls returned collect.

~~ Classifieds PUBLICATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS PARAGLIDE USA - Subscribe to North America's most widely read paragliding magazine. 12 issues just $25. Send check or monev order co 425 Rider St., Ste. B7, Perris CA 92571 ~r call (714) 657-2664 or FAX (714) 657-4062 with your credit card information.

SOARING - Monthly magazine of The Soaring Society of America, Inc. Covers all aspects of soaring flight. Full membership $45. Info. kit with sample copy $3. SSA, P.O. Box E, Hobbs, NM 88241. (505) 392-1177. SYSTEK II VARIOMETER - Designed for thermal flying. Hang glider and paraglider pilots. Perfect for entry level pilots. Adjustable audio set-point, mount included, other options. Affordable $185. Systems Technology Inc. PO Box 7203, Knoxville, TN 37921 (615) 531-8045.

TOWING AIRCRAFT - From Red River. Towing supplies, bridles, releases, platforms and more. MC/VISA. (512) 467-2529. TOW ROPES- Make the move to quality. Spectraproven state-of-the- arr tow rope. Available with fiber bonding synthetic finish, longer lasting, easy to use hollow braid. Trade in your ultraline! Call David F. Bradley (215) 723-1719 or fax (215) 453-1515. ULTRALINE IN STOCK - 3,000' and 4,000' continuous lengths. The original Ultraline Source Cajun Hang Gliding Club, 110 Kent Circle, Lafayette LA 70508, (318) 981-8372.

DON'T GET CAUGHT LANDING DOWNWIND! 1.5 oz. ripstop nylon, UV treated, 5'4" long w/1 I" throat. Available colors: fluorescent pink/yellow or fluorescent pink/white. $39.95 (+$4.00 S/H). Send to USHGA Windsok, P.O. Box 8300, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-8300, (719) 632-8300, FAX (719) 632-6417. VISA/MC accepted.

WINDTALKER Ill *

VIDEOS & FILMS DARE DEVIL l'LYERS III-THE PARAGLIDERS As seen on Prime Sports Network. Paraglide in scenic Telluride, Colorado. $24.95 -

HAWAIIAN FLYIN'- Soar Hawaii and experience its beamy as only a hang Glider pilot can. $33.00. HANG GLIDING EXTREME - Hook in and hang on for chis whirlwind tour of the most spectacular sites in the US. $34.95

DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN THE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE HANG GLIDING CLASSIFIEDS. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES The rate for classified advertising is $.50 per word (or group of characters) and $ l.00 per word for bold or all caps. MINIMUM AD CHARGE, $5.00. A fee of $15.00 is charged for each line art logo and $25.00 for each photo. Please underline words to be in bold print. Special layouts of tabs $25.00 per column inch. AD DEADLINES All ad copy, instructions, changes, additions and cancellations must be received in writing 1 1/2 months preceding the cover date, i.e. October 20 for the December issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA Classified Advertising Dept. HANG GLIDING MAGAZINE, P.O. Box 8300, Colorado Springs, CO 80933 (719) 632-8300 or FAX (719) 632-6417. STOLEN WINGS STOLEN - WW Harrier II 177, from a barn in AUBURN, CA on Nov. 20th, 1992,. Serial # 7056. Black with red/orange/white center. Contact Bob Lynch (916) 823-5890. STOLEN MK IV 19 from LAURINBURG/MAXTON AIRBASE, NC (glider taken approx. 1 mile away from base) on Nov. 15th, 1992. Red LE, It. blue/purple undersurface, 1/2 ribs. Contact Brent Harsh (919) 387- 7116. STOLEN \VINGS are listed as a service co USHGA members. Newest entries are in bold. There is no charge for chis sen•ice and lost and found wings or equipment may be called in to (719) 632-8300 for inclusion in Hang Gliding magazine. Please call to cancel the listing when gliders are recovered. Periodically, chis listing will be purged.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS USHGA VIDEOS, PO Box 8300, Colorado Springs, CO 80933. Be sure to add $4 S/H. (719) 632-8300.

THE WINDTALKER - is remote controlled by telephone, and can keep 200 access codes, with preset numbers of calls that can auto decrement. Also will call you if conditions exceed threshold. Price is only $895 complete. Free information. Litek (503) 4796633. BUSINESS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FULL AND PART TIME - USHGA certified instructors. Innovative equipment, the latest training methods. Soaring Safaris. Send resume: Mission Soaring Center, 1116 Wrigley Way, Milpitas CA 95035. (408) 262-1055. USHGA BASIC INSTRUCTORS - And tandem row instructors needed at Kitty Hawk Kites, world's largest hang gliding school. Seasonal or career opportunities. Help us "teach the world to fly." Resume to John Harris, PO Box 1839, Nags Head NA 27959.

Videotapes For Hang 6/ider Pilots HAWAIIAN FLYIN' - Hang gliding in Paradise! Soar Makapuu, Haleakala and the Kaawa Valley. MOUNTAINS HIGH-The Telluride festival and aerobatic competition. Rocky Mountain flying at its best. FLATLAND FLYING-Larry Tudor and Joe Bostik explore truck towing and the· flatlands of Texas and New Mexico. Each tape $33 plus $3 shipping. CA residents add $2.82 tax. Space 9 Productions, 800 Heinz #9, Berkeley CA 94710. VISA/MC OK, Tel (510) 649-8111. MISCELLANEOUS IT'S NOT TOO LATE - To order your 1993 USHGA Calendar, $9.95, call USHGA for details. (719) 632-8300. MAPS - Largest selection in US. Map Srore, 1-800332-7885.

Adventure Video ................................... 29 AeroTours International ........................ 28 Air Sports International.. ......................... 6 AirWear Sports ...................................... 37 Bradley Co ........................................... .40 Brauniger ............................................... 55 BRS ......................................................... 9 Chris Gregor Publishing ....................... 21 Cross Country Magazine ....................... 40 Flytec. .................................................... 13 Golden Wings ........................................ .4 Hall Bros ............................................... 29 High Energy Sports ............................... 29 La Mouette ........................................... .47 Lookout Mt. Flight Park.. ..................... 34 Mountain Condo .................................. 29 Pacific Ai1wave ........................ Back Cover Paragliding Magazine ............................ 55 RCI ....................................................... 19 Redstone Tours ..................................... 37 Sequatchie Valley Soaring ...................... .4 Sport Aviation Publications ................... 27 UP International ..................................... 3 USHGA ........................... 2,4,19,37,48,59 Wills Wing ............................................ 45 HANG GLIDING

AV-LCD VI/VII U.S. Distributor: Advanced Air Technology 29 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (805) 962-8999 FAX (805) 964-3337

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Bttck /ssJ/eS Avt1!1t1f?le/

Subscriptions: $26/year U.S. $36 Canada - $44 overseas Back Issues: $5.00 each - All back issues available starting with July 1990.

3314 w. 11400 s. South Jordan, Utah 84065 Bus 801-254-7455 • Fax 801-254-7701

• Glider Reviews • Competition News • European Undate •Who's Who • Facts & Figures

fJtll Color Md/dZJite

II Ratings SAFE PILOT AWARDS BRONZE JERRY RATZ BRIAN JAMISON

LILIENTHAL AWARDS BRONZE JERRY RATZ

BEGINNER RATINGS PILOT: City, State; Instructor/School Region 1 HILDERBRAND, DARIN: Spokane, WA; J. Garner/Rocky's Flight School BRATLEY, MICHAEL: Bremerton, WA; R. Brown/Airplay'n Region 2 ANDRESEN, NORD: Hayward, CA; S. Seabass/Berkeley HG Club CHAMBERLAIN, MARSH: Palo Alto, CA; G. Pornaras/Mission Soaring COOK, ERIC: San Francisco, CA; R. Frey/Airtime of SF EMMONS, STEPHEN: Lafayette, CA; S. Seabass/Berkeley HG Club KRYNIN, HANS: San Jose, CA; J. Woodward/Natural Flying MARKESET, TORE: E. Palo Alto, CA; G. Reeves/Mission Soaring MOORE, MARK: Palo Alto, CA; G. Pornaras/Mission Soaring Center NUGENT, STEVE: Atwater, CA; W. Brown/Ultraflight Hang Gliding PICCHI, ALLEN: Cupertino, CA; G. Pornaras/Mission Soaring SUBLETT, ROGER: San Jose, CA; G. Pornaras/Mission Soaring Center WEINSTEIN, BERTHOLD: Livermore, CA; D. Senk/Mission Soaring Region 3 PITTS, SHANNON: Pacific Palisades, CA; D. Quackenbush/True Flight RODRIGUEZ, JUAN: Claremont, CA; J. Pitt/Lake Elsinore HG PATTERSON, MICHAEL: Santa Ana, CA; D. Skadal/Hang Flight Systems COELS, JUERGEN: Thousand Oaks, CA; G. Reeves/Windsport Soaring RICHMOND, ROBERT: Reseda, CA; A. Beem/Windsporrs Region 7 BROWN, STAN: Merom, IN;]. Hooks/Lookout Men FP CLAPHAM, JOHN: Clinton, IN; J. Mitchell DEBELAK, JON: Sussex, WI; A. Whitehill/Chandelle SF GEHLHAUSEN, ARIN: Lafayette, IN; P. Hall/Purdue Hang Gliding Club LONG, ERNEST: Columbus, IN; P. Mays/Lookout Mtn FP LONG, CHRIS: Columbus, IN; P. Mays/Lookout Men FP Region 8 CASEY, CHRISTOPHER: Brookline, MA; J. Porter/Aeolus CASGY, KEVIN: Hull, MA; J. Porter/Aeolus FRANCIS, JOHN: Dorchester, MA; J. Porter/Aeolus GORSKI, CHRIS: Goshen, CT; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP JENSEN, SCOTT: Cambridge, MA; J. Porter/Aeolus KIRCHHOFF, FRANK: Marlboro, MA; J. David/Aeolus MARCHESSEAULT, RICHARD: Marlboro, MA; J. Zagarella/Aeolus MCCORMACK, RICHARD: Holbrook, MA; J. Porter/Aeolus MUDGE, JAMES: Brookline, MA; J. Porter/Aeolus PIKE, CHARLES: Pettoboth, MA; J. Porter/Aeolus

Region 9 DALEY, ED: Arlington, VA; J. Middleton/Silver Wings HAYS, BRETT: Dover, DE; G. Evans/Lookout Men FP RYMER, WILLIAM: Sod, WV; W. Thornton/Kitty Hawk Kites TERRELL, SCOTT: Radford, VA; B. Weaver/Kitty Hawk Kites Region 10 ALLEN, HARVEY: Pauline, SC; R. Jacob/Sequatchie Valley Soaring BEACH, DEBORAH: Clearwater, FL; J. Tindle/Miami HG CROWE, RONALD: St. Pete, FL; P. Mays/Lookout Men FP MCCOLLOCH, WILLIAM: Piqua, OH; S. Wise/Sequatchie Valley Soaring MOREHOUSE, CURTIS: Clearwater, FL; J. Tindle/Miami HG PUGH, MARSHALL: Nags Head, NC; G. Ball/Kitty Hawk Kites SAAR, ILMAR: Pompano, FL; P. Mays/Lookout Men FP WILSON, JAKE: W. Columbia, SC; B. Weaver/Kitty Hawk Kites Region 11 DAUSCH, DOUGLAS: Garland, TX; T. Doogs/Red River Aircraft MCCUNE, DUANE: Dallas, TX; D. Broyles/Kite Enterprises Region 12 AMPELA, MICHAEL: Albany, NY; R. Clark/Susquehanna FP BATTLE, CLARK: Troy, NY; R. Clark/Susquehanna FP SOBAN, PAUL: Somerset, NJ; F. Valenza/Mountain Wings STAVRO POLIS, JOHN: New York City, NY; G. Ball/Kitty Hawk Kites SWEENEY, JAMES: Mount Vernon, NY; P. Voight/Fly High HG ZELLNER, CHRIS: Cragsmoor, NY; P. Voight/Fly High HG

NOVICE RATINGS PILOT: City, State; Instructor/School Region 1 HILDERBRAND, DARIN: Spokane, WA; J. Garner/Rocky's Flight School TORSET, NICK: Sedro Woolley, WA; R. Brown/Airplayn Region 2 BAKER, TODD: San Ramon, CA; D. Yount/Mission Soaring MCNEILL, JON: Davis, CA; H. Bittner/Airtime of SF MOORE, ROBERT: Benicia, CA; D. Murphy WIMER,JOHN: Half Moon Bay, CA; D. Yount/Mission Soaring Region 3 BEIN, ADAM: Mission Hills, CA; D. Quackenbush/True Flight Concepts COELS, JUERGEN: Thousand Oaks, CA; G. Reeves/Windsport Soaring CORBETT, SCOTT: Phoenix, AZ; R. Mitchell/Eagles Wings COWAN, RICHARD: Kapaa, HI; B. Swigart/Hale Manu L'HEUREUX, DANIEL: Vista, CA; R. Mitchell/Eagles Wings HG LOPEZ, JOSE: So. Gate, CA; A. Beem/Windsport Soaring MELLOR, KEVIN: Pearl City, HI; B. Swigart/Hale Mann PATTERSON, MICHAEL: Santa Ana, CA; D. Skadal/Hang Flight Systems RUIZ, JOSE: Westchester, CA; A. Beem/Windsport Soaring Region 4 BUXTON, SCOTT: Glendale, AZ; S. Mish/Bandito Action Spores KARTCHNER, GENE: Tooele, UT; M. Knowlden/Rebel Wings

HANG GLIDING

Ratings Region 7 BROWN, STAN: Merom, IN; J. Hooks/Lookout Mm Fl' DEBELAK, JON: Sussex, \XII; A. \Xfhitehill/Chandelle SF FIREBAUGH, JERRY: Lombard, IL; B. Kushner/RAven Sky Sports LONG, ERNEST: Columbus, IN; P. Mays/Lookout Mm FP LONG, CHRIS: Columbus, IN; P. Mays/Lookout Mm FP REUTER, ERIK: Champaign, IL; B. Kushner/Raven Sky Sports SONNEVELDT, ROBERT: Grand Rapids, Ml; G. Evans/Lookout Mm FP THOMAS, JOHN: Lisle, IL; J. Mitchell/]] Mitchell HG Region 9 HAYS, BRETT: Dover, DE; G. Evans/Lookout Mm FP LIEB, BEN: Alexandria, VA; J. Middleton/Silver Wings STOECKER, GARY: Greenwich, CT; J. Prahl/Lookout Mm FP THORNTON, GREGORY: Cheswick, PA; W. Thornton/Kitty Hawk Kites Region 10 ALFORD, LON: Sunrise, FL; J. Tindle/Miami Hang Gliding BEACH, DEBORAH: Clearwater, FL; J. Tindle/Miami Hang Gliding COLLISON, JOSEPH: Warner Robins, GA; J. Hooks/Lookout Mm FP MCCOLLOCH, WILLIAM: Piqua, OH; S. Wise/Sequatchie Valley Soaring MOREHOUSE, CURTIS: Clearwater, FL; J. Tindle/Miami Hang Gliding SAAR, ILMAR: Pompano, FL; P. Mays/Lookout Men FP SAPP, LEONARD: Merritt, Island, FL; T. Braden/Sky Hook Towings Region 11 BARESIC, GORAN: New Orleans, LA; B. Chalmers/Lookout Mm FP HILLMAN, WILLIAM: Dallas, TX; K. DeRussy/Hang Glider Emporium Region 12 BABARCSIK, LASZLO: Towaco, J\:J; F. Valenza/Mm Wings GARSIDE, MICHAEL: Wateruliet, NY; R. Clark/Susquehanna FP KRYVICKY, JEFFREY: Astoria, NY; F. Valenza/Mountain Wings VET, JOSEPH: Albany, NY; R. Clark/Susquehanna FP ZELLNER, CHRIS: Cragsmoor, NY; I'. Voight/Fly High

Region 10 GROVES, GENE: Orlando, FL; B. Chalmers/Lookout Men FP NELSON, JIM: Birmingham, AL; J. Reynolds/Lookout Mm FP STEELE, BARRY: Seneca, SC; R. Jacob/SVS STEWART, JEFFREY: Inman, SC; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mtn FP SUMMERS, WILLIAM: Rising Fawn, GA; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mtn FP Region 12 SUN, KIM: Greenwich, CT; P. Voight/Fly High HG

ADVANCED RATINGS PILOT: City, State; Instructor/School Region 2 HUGHES, DAVID: Soquel, CA; T. Shea/Wings ofRogallo KENNY, ALAN: Milpitas, CA; J. Newland/Wings ofRogallo KIRKLAND, CRAIG: Fremont, CA; R. Palmon PRATHER, CLARENCE: Modesto, CA; W. Brown/Ultraflight HG SCAMMELL, CHRIS: Salinas, CA; J. Greenbaum/Airtime of SF VAN SANT, LARRY: Camino, CA; R. Leonard/Adventure Sports Region 3 HOWELL, KEN: San Bernardino, CA; R. McKenzie/High Adventure KENDALL, GREG: Simi Valley, CA; M. Spinelli/True Flight Concepts NEER, ERIC: Anaheim Hills, CA; D. Skadal/Hang Flight Systems PETACH, FRANCIS: San Diego, CA; M. Fleming/Torrey Flight Park Region 4 RAYBURN, DAN: Shawnee, CO; S. Westfall Region 8 POND, ALAN: Stoughton, MA; J. Porter Region 10 VON OHLEN, BILL: Miami, FL;]. Tindle/Miami Hang Gliding

INTERMEDIATE RATIN GS PILOT: City, State; Instructor/School

FOREIGN RATINGS

Region 1 STAFFORD, MARK: Eugene, OR; L. Keller/Airtime Oregon

BEGINNER: KIMMERLY, KAREN: Richmond Hill, Ontario; Karl Dinzl

Region 2 FENSKE, CLIFFORD: San Marcin, CA;]. Woodward/Natural Flying FROESS, STEVE: San Jose, CA;]. Borton HURLESS, PAUL: Cupertino, CA; B. Ream/Mission Soaring Center

INTERMEDIATE: KATZER, WALTER: Toronto, Ontario; B. Chalmers/Lookout Mm FP

Region 3 THORP, JOHN: Honolulu, HI; D. King COMA, AGIM: San Pedro, CA; D. Engel/Southland HG Region 4 NEIMAN, JOHN: Aspen, CO; G. Pollock/Wasatch Wings VAN DER BOSCH: Telluride, CO; L. Chiarani/Telluride Airsports WHITMORE, TIM: Goodyear, AZ; S. Mish/Bandito Action Spores

ADVANCED: BUXTON, S.G.: Norfolk, England; G. Hamilton/Sacramento HG

TANDEM ONE RATINGS MARTY SLATTA: T. Johns

Region 9 MORGAN, EUGENE: Alburtis, PA; G. Black/Mountain Wings PHILLIPS, JAMES: La Vale, MD; J. Rowan/Mountaineer HG

JANUARY 1993

~ Product Lines ©1993byDanjohnson ST. PAUL, MINN. - Well, now that you've reached the "back of the book," what do you think of the new changes editor Gil Dodgen has made (with help from Dave Pounds)? The board of directors approved a graphic makeover in the interest of maintaining contemporary looks for HGM, one of the most popular benefits of USHGA membership. Several years have passed since the last redesign. ••• An irony in timing, Britain's Skywings magazine just implemented cosmetic changes as well. At the same time - though the reasons are unrelated Editor Tim Williams resigned after eight years in the post. As were the Brits with Tim, we' re fortunate to have a talented and longtime editor in Gil Dodgen. He's won awards for your magazine. He does all the layouts and edits all the articles and letters. Like Tim, Gil is basically a one-man band though he's logged twice as much time as editor. If memory serves correctly, Gil is entering his sixteenth year. Of course, he's supported by the USHGA office staff in several important functions (ad billings, classified ads, Jeff Elgart's slick photography, etc.). Nonetheless, most of the crankin' and bankin' to produce HG mag is done solo by the Gilster. •• • Another point of simultaneous irony comes as the Brits amalgamated their hang gliding association (BHGA) and their paragliding association (BAPC) into the BHPA (British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association) . With USHGA taking over office operations from the defunct APA, some may wonder if such a "merger" will take place in America (unlikely!). We wish Tim, Skywings II, and the new BHPA all the best. Interesting to ponder the message of UP's new ad in HG magazine. Late last summer, after the departure of main men Mike Haley and GW Meadows, the rumor mill was grinding away. Some had UP out of business, their money source evaporated. Others spoke of "acts of desperation," meaning factory direct selling to consumers. Big dealers were reportedly dropping the UP line. As with most rumors, some truth was buried behind the whispered stories. Says former Torrey Rat, now a UP production test pilot, Bill Hall, "We decided that we didn't want the high profile, high expenditure ways of the past. We took a more team approach within the company ... staff meetings, everyone involved with decision making." He admits sales have slowed with all the changes, but is convinced things are on a better track.

As a sidebar, he also reports they do the majority of their routine test flying after tows from UP' s Dragonfly tug ultralight. "It works incredibly well [for this purpose]," he says. On the road in Dunlap, Tennes se (at Sequatchie Valley Soaring), Vice President Monte Bell adds, "The XTC series introduces the auto X-bar tensioning system for ultra-quick set up." As the company is German Gilteseigel approved and with their UP-Europe operation finding success, they needed to offer layflat gliders. The feature is important to European pilots. Bell further stated, "The '93 quick set up will be added to the entire line of gliders, to include a folding base tube, auto X-bar, and constant VG attachment. And yes, this will be retro available." Further, he reports work on a new tandem glider. Finally, they've signed on highly-ranked competition pilot Tony Barton to provide additional info on UP products. Just dial 800/COME-2-UP. • • • Even such promising news won't quash all the rumors. If you have doubts or concerns, the old way may work the best: ask them yourself. If the response satisfies you, fine. After all, with the 800 number, it's their dime. ••• Late breaking news includes a new size Vision Pulse from PacAir. The 9 meter model has 29 feet of span, weighs only 48 pounds, and will handle pilots 100-165 pounds. Company prez, Ken Brown, says a small pilot "can lift the base tube 6-8" off the ground." Pilots 65" tall will find they won't have such a reach to insert the nose rib. Crossbar tensioning is also easier thanks to a two-point attachment. More news arrived from Bruce Hawk in Tennessee. You may know him best through his Windsok™ product. Yoo-shga and many dealers have sold them for years. Now Hawk says, "Our robot is up and running. Using it we can cut anything from fabric (Nylon or Dacron) . If we can draw it, we can cut it. Wow, computers!" Hmmm, sounds like

Wills' new factory, with microchips helping to manage equipment. Has hang gliding gone totally high tech? The man who built his own training hill, Bruce lost his lease. Undeterred, he found a new site. "The best one yet, it's located just across the highway from our new shop." Suitable for complete Hang One ratings, he reports the PacAir Pulses and Wills Spectrums that he deals "love the site." • • • We' re out ta room. So, got news or opinions? Send 'em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Fax/Msg: 612/450-0930. THANKS! HANG GLIDING

1992 USHGA MERCHANDISE ORDER FORM TOTAL

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1993 USHGA CALENDAR 12" x 12" full-color pictorial of the sport you love .................................................................................... $9.95 OTHER USHGA CALENDARS SPECIFY YEAR: 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 Excellent Photography-collect them alll .. @ $1.50 USHGA "TAOS" T-SHIRTS 100% cotton, oversized, fine-lined weathered look. COLORS: Ash Wine Blue SIZES: Med. Large XL........ ........................................................................................... $17.95 USHGA "OATMEAL" LONG SLEEVE 100% cotton. Natural color with fine-lined navy stripes and 3" screened logo. Available in MOCK NECI< or HOODED SIZES: Med. Large XL .................................................................................................. $19.95 COLLEGIATE SWEATSHIRT Super heavyweight 11 oz. fleece - 95% cotton, cross-weave w/ side gusset. 3 colors on ash. SPECIFY SIZE: MEDIUM LARGE XL reg. $39.95 ............................................ ....................... $34.95 "FREESTYLE" SWEATSHIRT 9 oz. set-in lleece - 50/50 heavyweight, beautiful multi-color design on white SPECIFY SIZE: MEDIUM LARGE EXTRA-LARGE.................................................... ........................................................... $24.95 ALSO FREESTYLE T-SHIRT 100% preshrunk cotton Med. Large XL ...................................................................................... $14.95 "LOOP" SWEATSHIRT 9 oz. set-in lleece - 50/50 heavyweight, red and white on navy SPECIFY SIZE: MEDIUM LARGE EXTRA-LARGE ....................................................................................................................... $19.95 USHGA Golf Shirt 100% combed ~otton. Colorfully embroidered. Colors White Red Navy Yellow Jade Black SIZES: Medium Large X-Large XXL (in white, navy & jade only) .................................................................................................. $22.95 USHGA LONG SLEEVE T-SHIRT 100% Cotton ""Simplistic" Design SPECIFY COLOR: WHITE or GRAY & SIZE S M L XL .......... $18.95 USHGA MTN. GLIDER T-SHIRT 100% cotton. Our most popular shirt. SPECIFY SIZE: M L XL COLOR white ash ............ $12.95 USHGA YOUTH MTN. GLIDER T-SHIRT For those up and coming pilots. SPECIFY SIZE: S(6-8) M (10-12) L(14-16) .................. $9.95 USHGA MTN. GLIDER CAP Embroidered SPECIFY COLOR: NAVY WHITE PURPLE RED ..................................................... $9.95 USHGA CORDUROY CAP Embroidered with ·Glider Trails·· design SPECIFY COLOR: ROYAL BLUE OFF-WHITE ..................... $9.95

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"NEW" Hang Gliding magazine "SPECIAL NEW PILOT EDITION" launching, landing, buying a used glider, etc. ....... $4.50 "NEW" Higher Than Eagles by Maralys & Chris Wills. The story of early hang gliding and Bob Wills. Hardcover.............................. $19.95 "NEW" UNDERSTANDING THE SKY by Dennis Pagen Micrometeorology for pilots. Almost 300 pages, 260 photos & illustrations $19.95 "NEW'* THE ART OF SKYSAILING by Michael Robertson. Covers material used in ICPs, including Charts of Reliability .................... $9.95 PARAGLIDING· A PILOT'S TRAINING MANUAL Produced by Wills Wing. Everything you wanted to know about paragliding ......... $19.95 HANG GLIDING FOR BEGINNER PILOTS by Pete Cheney The Official USHGA Training Manual Over 200 pages ........................ $29.95 PARAGLIDING FLIGHT-Walking on Air by Dennis Pagen Covering all aspects of Paragliding. Over 140 illustrations ................... $19.95 HANG GLIDING FL YING SKILLS by Dennis Pagen Our most popular book. For the beginner to intermediate pilot. ......................... $9.95 HANG GLIDING TECHNIQUES by Dennis Pagen Continues where FL YING SKILLS left off. For intermediate to advanced ............... $7.50 RIGHT STUFF FOR NEW HANG GLIDER PILOTS by Erik Fair Overview, humor, techniques and personalities ................................. $8.95 FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS Federal Regulations covering ALL types of aviation .................................................................. $8.95 USHGA DELUXE LOG BOOK 72 pages. Covering pilot ID, ratings, rules. maintenance, inspection, terminology ... and more ............. $4.95 USHGA X-C LOG BOOK 64 pages. Very clean! For those who like to document their flight. ........................................... $3.95 USHGA FLIGHT LOG BOOK 40 pages. The official USHGA !light log book ........................................................................................ $2.95

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Official USHGA Windsokrn Pink/yellow or pink/white ...................................................................................................................... $39.95 USHGA DELUXE LOG BOOI< COVER Gray colored and debossed with the Mtn. Glider design. Show olf your flights ........................ $4.95 USHGA LAPEL PIN Beautiful multi-colored Mtn. Glider design. Custom shaped pin w/ military clutch and epoxy dome ...................... $4.95 USHGA MTN. GLIDER SEW-ON EMBLEM The most beautiful patch you·11 ever own. 12 different colors used ................................... $4.95 USHGA MTN. GLIDER DECAL Full color 6" diameter vinyl decal. Guaranteed to last' ........................................................................ $1.50 USHGA KEY CHAIN ·soft Feel" Plastic. Custom Mtn. Glider shaped. Screened white on red...................................... ...... $1.50 USHGA SEW-ON EMBLEM Our original logo, in its original colors on this 3" circular emblem ............................................................... $1.50 USHGA EMBLEM DECAL Our original logo, in its original colors on this 3" circular sticker ................................................................... $ .50 USHGA LICENSE PLATE FRAME 'I'd Rather Be Hang Gliding PLASTIC-white with blue lettering ........................................ $5.50 METAL-(zinc) with white on blue lettering............ ... $6.50 "NEW" DAREDEVIL FLYERS 111 • THE PARAGLIDING VIDEO The Wills Wing gang paraglides at Telluride, CO (50 min.) ............ $24.95 "NEW'' HAWAIIAN FL YIN' video. Hang gliding and paragliding in paradise I Awesome scenery I (46 min.) ......................................... $33.00 '*NEW" HANG GLIDING EXTREME video. Let's you see some of the most spectacular sites and introduces you to some famous pilots I (50 min.) ............................................................................................................................... $34.95 MAGAZINE COLLECTOR BINDER Brown vinyl binder w/ gold lettering. Wire inserts to hold 12 issues of HG .................................. $9.00 'USHGA ERIC RAYMOND POSTER 24" X 37" Eric doing oxygen at 17,000 MSL over the Sierra Nevada Range............... .. .. $5.95 'USHGA HANG GLIDING POSTER 22" X 28" Colorful nostalgic standard Rogallo !lying into the golden sunset. (Circa 1977) ............ $3.95 'Posters are NOT AVAILABLE on International Orders-SORRY!

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