USHGA Hang Gliding August 1996

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P" Ji",. I ii! l\111\' ll.1wL \(' '/!) 1!1

A precision for the serious pi lot.

Rugged, dcpe11dablc and easy lo read.

NEW! SMALL HALL Great for lrnncJ .. held wind mcasmcmcnt or paraglidcr Airspeed Indicator using Bracket.

Small Hall ................ $23.50 Paraglidcr Bracket ..... $6.50 Now available: Small I fall for hang gliders, 0 to 70 mph

Hall Brothers 5" Dia. ABS Plastic Wheels $24.00/pair

P.O. Box IO I 0-H, Morgan, lJT 84050, USA Mastercard I VISA I C.O.D Phone (801) 829-32'.l2 Fax (801) 829-6349

(USPS OL7-970-20 - ISSN 0895-433X)

16 Glider Review: Wills WingXC 132

by Aaron and Kerie Swepston A look at Wills' high-performance glider fo r smaller pilots. \

20 Right-Of-Way Rules

by Jeff Greenbaum

Better defin itions and common misunderstandi ngs.

24 The 1996 Sandia Classic by Mark Mocho

Larry Tudor wins chis pre.scigious event.

34 The Truth About Helmets

by Pmtl Gazis Whar should you be looking lor in a helmet?

36 Short-Packing A Hang Glider © 1996 by Dennis Pagen Breaking gliders down for storage or shipping.

40 The Super Floater: Part II © 1996 by Dave Broyles A look ar how this cxrraordina1y glider fl ies.

48 Hang Gliding Interviews: Kari Castle

by Catherine Gockll'J' A visi1 wich rhe Women's World Champion.

Columns

Departments

Accident Reports, by Luen Miller ........... ] 2

Airmail ....... ............................. ................ ...4

Hawker & Vitrio, by Haffy Ma1·tin ......... 22

Calendar of Events ................. ... ................. 6

Cartoon, hy Russ Brown ......................... 19

Update............ ..........................,.... ............. 8

Product Lines, by Dan Johnson ... ..........63

Ratings ..................................................... 14 Classified Advertising .............................. 52 Index co Advertisers .................................62

3

Dear Editor, Do you wish hang gliding were safer, with frwer deaths and injuries, as I do?

Well, there's something you can do about it. Fill our and submit an Accident/lnciclcn1 Report Form every time you experience an accident or incident (an event in which injmy was just barely avoided). ff you don't have an AJRF just write who, why, what, where, when and how on a piece of paper and send ir to the USHGA. Submitting an AIRF helps achieve two important goals. First, it helps others become safrr pilots by "learning the easy from your mistakes. Second, the very act of filling out an AI RF will enhance your personal safety hy lcHcing you to think more carefully about what happened and why, and engrave the incident in your memory. Writing down information is a common study and memory enhanccmcm technique which forces you to or1;a111izc your thoughts more clearly. [r's only natural to want IO put an event such as this behind you and never think about it again. But you can't learn from your rnistakes if you ignore them.

Some people foolishly believe that publicizing their experience will make the opposite is true. l them look had, say that someone who has valuable safotyrclatcd information, and refoscs to share it with others, is a schlemiel.

So, keep flying safoly. And if you don't, keep those forms corning.

Gayle "Student Ellett Sylmar, CA Hang Gliding Association

Dear Editor, I would like to thank the entire flying community in the Ellenville, New York area. While on a hang gliding vacation with the Sault Ste. Marie] Jang Gliding Club, we sroppcd over in die Finger L,1kcs area ro fly some of the great sites on our way ro Ellenville. Unfortunately, my first attempt to cliff launch was a bomb, and my glider suffered broken battens, downtubes and a leading We headed for Ellenville the next morning. Upon arriving we were greeted by some of 1he local flyers at launch and were given the addresses and phone num-

bers of the local shops. Paul Voight of Fly High Hang Gliding took time om of his busy day whelp repair n1y Sport and give me a few pointers on cliff-launch technique. His help and advice got me lx1ek in tbe air the very next day. Thanks Paul. I would also like to thank Black of Mou main Wings for the use of bis training hill and the great service at his shop, and 'fony Cavelli for rhe opportunity 10 fly from the Ellenville launch and the use of his LZ and camping area.

All the pilots in the Ellenville area helped to make my vacation a pleasant one instead of a bad memory. Tcertainly will return to Ellenville lo fly again.

or

Dear Editor, In the December 1995 issue of Hrmg Gliding John TIeiney chose perfect words to describe the important contributions to our sport made by Bob 'Tbmpenau. All of those mentioned in John's letter arc worthy of "Hall of'Fame" recognition.

The reason 1 single out Bob '[}ampenau is my recent purchase of a new Sensor 61 OF 114. As [ think most hang glider pilots know, the glider features flaps.

They arc integrated into an casy-to··pull VG system, with no burden placed on the pilot to operate them. They arc fully deployed with the VG full loose and disengage as the VG is tightened. The glider handles so well with flaps on it's some-· thing that has to be experienced. Takeoffs and landings are efficient and safo. The 610 F can be flown around all day wirl i VG full loose providing the pilot a wide speed range. In light conditions I bad ro wonder what was keeping the glider up.

Pulling the VG full on extends the glide and top end ftmhcr and handling remains superb.

'The addition of flaps adds a mere four ounces of weight to the glider, with no additional setup time required. The improvement in performance is signifrcant.

Congratulations to Scedwings and Bob T\-ampcnau for an outstanding and innovative glider.

Paul Boyanowski Allen Park, MI HANG GLJDINC

GREAT BRITAIN

ITALY ISABELLE PIAGET ALIAN BARNES MANFRED RUHMER LIUBOMIR TOMASKOVIC

WOMEN BRITISII OPEN AUSTRIA CHAMPIONSHIP CROATIA CHAMPIONSHIP

MANFRED RUHMER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ALEX BUSCA VINAS FRANCESC GABRIEL FRADE KATH LEEN RIGG MANFRED RUHMER

ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP SPAIN CHAMPIONSHIP PORTUGAL OPEN LADIES BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP PRE"EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

GREAT BRITAIN AUSTRIA CROATIA

AGER MONTE CUCCO SPAIN PORTUGAL ENGLAND HUNGARY

MANFRED RUHMER MANFRf:D RUHMER MARCO GUNTHER

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP AUSTRALIA INTERNATIONAL RACE BASSANO ITALY SWITZERLAND CHAMPIONSHIP SWITZERLAND ANNELIES MULLER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WOMEN USA FRANCO IAVERDINO ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP ITALY MANFRF'D RUHMER PRE"WORLD AGER SPAIN VINAS fRANCESC SPAIN CHAMPIONSHIP SPAIN

MANFRED RUHMllR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

FRANCE

USA JUST FLY anounces full stock and immediate delivery of the popular ICARO 2000 full helmets. After it's initial offering, demand was so overwhelming, it caused the sole North American distributer to be temporarily out of slock on some sizes for about a 2 week period. The full face carbon fiber and kevlar hang gliding helmets are in stock in many hong gliding shops in the U.S., but are available stroight horn JUST FLY. Satisfaciton guaronteed.

White $249. Carbon Optic finish$ 269.

p.o. box 450 Kilty Hawk. NC 27949

-Via

Tel. ++39-3~32-648335 - Fax ++39-332-648079

r Calendar of events items WJLL NOT be listed if only tentative. Please include exact information (event, date, conract name and phone number). I terns should be received no later than six weeks prior to the cvem. We request Lwo months lead time for regional and national meets.

UNTIL SEPT. 2: Yosemite National Park htmg gliderf!:ying every weeleend, through Labor Day. 16 pilots per day. Meet at Glacier Point at 7:00 AM for and orientation with the site monitor. Must show current laminated Hang IV card. donation. Monitors arc volunteers from the Yosemite Hang Gliding Association. Call USH GA office at (719) 632-8300 for reservations.

Coutact: Breck Beets (619) 473--9713.

UNTIL OCT. 31: Region 11 dCU.)llft···i,u,•tv Contest. Sum of best three X--C dis-ranees. $10 entry to a USHGA Chapter officer required prior to any flights that count. Hight 11111st originate in Region 11 and Louisiana). Contacr: Jeff Hunt (512) 2529.

UNTIL OCT. 31: Region 7,,rn,.H,,,, .. ,,,_mp XC Competition. Monthly-rallied X-C corn petition. Flights must originate from a site in the Region. Scoring determined hy best three open X-C or our-and-return flights per month. Pilots will vie for slot in the Nars to represent Region 7 (March through June). Send $IO entry and flights reports to: Peter Birrcn, 502 Shadywood Lane, Elk Grove, IL 60007. Info, rules and scoring formulae will be sent. Monthly scores published in RcelNews.

UNTIL OCT. 31: Region 7 rmd Under Competition. Cross-country com-petition for Region 7 pilots who have yet to exceed 50 miles in a single flight.

Flight must originate within Region 7.

Longest single flight made by October 31 wins. No cnt.ry prize for fim place. For derails sec June !Jang Gliding or contact: Spectrum Hang Gliding, 5116 Pratt, Skokie, ll, 60077 (847) 329-8337.

UNTIL NOV. :rn: VvOR Nationr,l Team Club Challenge. Most cumulative miles flown (HG/PG flights) by a duh. No 6

fc;e, roving and next contest administration rewarded to winning club. Contact: Mark Mulholland ar markmulholvl\101.com or (408) 929-1753. Send club entries to Mark at I Cropley San Jose, CA 95132. Entries will be tallied monthly and posted on the Internet.

AUG. 1--31: Oregon Festivctl of Foot-Launched Flight Month/,y X-C Contest. $100 and plaque ror first place for most accumulative miles flown in August from rhc six contest sires by a registered USHGA pilot. cnuy fee (ftir purchasing an Con tacr: Lake Co. Chamber, 126 N. East Lakeview, OR 97630 I) 947 -6040.

AUG. 1--7: Oshkosh EAA Fly-Tn, Oshkosh, Wl. Volunrecrs needed for LJSJ-f( ;A tent. Contact: USHGA (719) 632-8300.

AUG. 3-5: Western Ci:mrtdicm Hang JM;mhum,,111·1,. Golden, BC. team scoring. ·reams must include on <50-hr. pilot. Coal racing with & with om rnrnpoints.

Cameras required. Entry $30. Contact: Doug Keller (403) 293-100H, c--1n:1il: skywardv0cadvision.com.

Clinic. SEPT. AUG. 4: Lllunch 4: Paraehute Clinic. Contacr: Mission Soaring Center, 1116 Wrigley Way, Milpitas, CA 95035 (near San Jose) (408) 262-1055, fax (108) 262-1388, e-mail mschg@aol.com.

Hobbs, New AUG. 4--IO: Hohhs Mexico, 150 WTSS points meet. Price includes: entry top-quality XC tasks, firsr daily row is free, turn point film and computerized scor-ing, paid staiC certificates from local businesses, convenient meet bead-quarters at Ifobbs l ndusrrial Air Park, awards T--shin and more! 60-pilm field. Tow raring required. Pree entry to pilots who bring a tow rig and commit to towing four pilots. AlJG. 2-3: Tow clinicf;r non-·tou;pilots. GPS highly recommended. Early registration if postmarked before July J, afrcr. Refundable until June 30.

Contacts: Cnrt Graham, Crossroads

Windsports, 5923 Eugenia Hobbs, NM 8H240 (505) 392-:3638 or (505) 392-8222. Jeff Hum, Red River Aircraft, 4811 Red River Austin, TX (5 or e-mail to eff@aol.com.

West Hang and lnvitatiorwl, Golden, BC Canada. money! Three care-· $20,000 in gories in horh sports: lighLweights (50300 middleweights (300-600 hrs.), heavyweights (600 hrs. plus).

Entry deadline May 15. $200 U.S. emry fee payable to Fly West HG. Contact: Fly West He; Ltd., 199 Marlyn Place, Calgary, Alm., Canada e-mail por-T2A-3K9 (IJ03) t·eour@cadvision.com.

AUG. 8- I 1: limt Cot1st ''"'"'""'"''""" Center Dasie and Advanced ICP. Administrators Lars Linde and Alan Clrnculate. Pre-registrarion required.

Comact: Lars Linde (908) 747--7H45.

AUG. l 0: 20th Annutll D1kesidc Mt. Swansea, l nvermere, BC. Advanced rating required, rain date Ang. I 1. BBQ, parry, free camping.

Entry $20. $1,000 cash plus prizes. PG welcome. Contact: Dano Saunders (604) 342 0355.

AUG. 17-18: Region I I Parctgliding ancl Htmg Gliding IrJU) Meet, Junction, Texas, Kimble Counry Airpon. All lev-· els, types of" safe pilots welcome.

Dinner party Saturday evening.

Contact: Kimble County Chamber of Commerce (9 ! 5) 446 3 l 90 or Regional Director JdTHum (512) 467 2529.

I I Tow AUG. 18--19: Junction, Kimble County Airpon.

All levels, types of safe pilots welcome.

Dinner parry. Contact: Kimble Conmy Chamber of Commerce (915) 11i6-3190 or Jeff Hunt (512) 467-2529.

AUG. 20-25: WHGS meet, Prcddvor, Slovenia. Contact: Bojan Marcie tcl./fox 386-61--2646.

HANC CUDIN(;

r Mt. Nebo 1:11.a-1,•h~,un11n1'r Mr. Nebo Staie Park, D:irdancllc, AR. ( camp grounds, sw1mm1ng pool. Potluck dinner Sat. night. [nrcnncdiatc>· and Advanced-rated site. Cont,1ct: Dave l (501) 9(,/ 881 J, or (501) 22') :$655.

I 996 Glidt

Con/ts/,

IVl<Jrnm1•.s1,1e 1:Jigh1 l'ark, Charlestown, NH Factory demos 1hroughout the weekend. ( :ontacr: (60:l) 51i2 lili 1(1.

AUG. 31

rahor flying ft1n. Co111.1c1: ( 2/i 5-826).

ca1np111g & McNamec

rahor Alamogordo, NM. Sponsored by tlic Hio (;randc J\ssociarion.

Pun flying, contests, dinner, ere. Meet in L'/. at '):00 /\M each $20 on sire. Con1act: Dave 52'7-081i4, or Tommy West 13.

AUG.

Comact: tel. 90-31 1Oli690.

1Olili 56,

fox 9()-'I 1

SFPT. 11 14: World Aerobatic Hcmg ,h11m;.,1m·1sh1jJS, Telluride, CO. entry includes smoke, banquet & rides to launch. 12 pilots max. C:omacr: I .co Van l )erBosch (970) '/28-G972..

rl1clm:rH'ar11.el1dui.e Com/Jetzt11m at Pinc Mt., CJ\, sire ol·some Southern California's flights. Two-hour drive from LA with camping available on si1c. l .aunch is ar 7,000' MS], over ( ;orgc Wilclcmcss looking the to 12,000' MS!.

Arca. Altitude arc common this rime of'year. :ie1);1rarc Lnmcl,cs Corl IC and PC available.

Both closed-course racing ,md open d isr,mcc cond irions perm itri ng.

No 1urnpoint cameras required.

Intermediate rating with TUR sign-off f<:c of $30 includes required.

T-shirr. Respond <>mail to skyptsc.. ro,ck\vcll.uJm or call Hang Gliding at (805)

Pl!cnZJille 8th Annual

ream Free competition is will be limited. $100 ,:111ry per ream or individual (party included). c111ry frc ro SNYI !CPA, c/o 163 Searsvillc Pine Bush, NY I 2 566 or call (9 lli) /!i4 331

SEPT. 1-30: FestiMl FootLaunchr:d Flight Month91 X-C Contest.$ I 00 and plaque for first place for mosl accmm1Lirive miles flown in '"'""m'""' from rhc six contest sites a lJSI !GA pilot. $'i entry fee (for purchasing an Coman: Lake Co. Chamber, 12G N. hst St, I .:1l,;ev1ew. OR 976:10 1) 94l-GO!i0.

SEPT. 7-9: 1hcrrnal mul X-C Pinc Mrn., OR. SEPT l I Pine Mtn. Pinc Mrn., OR. I losrcd Desert Air Riders. ( :omac1: Phil Pohl 1) 389 Ii 086 or 317 tnoo.

AlJCUST 1996

SEPT. 9: Pre-C:ompetition jrn·J!rst World Air Games in 1997, Anatolia,

SEPT. 15: Tclluriclc Air Poree S;Jerd Contest. $20 entry. Cash prize for I sr place. Comact: Leo Van Dcr!losch (970) 728 (i9'72.

SEPT. 19--22: 23rd Coupe Teare Saim Hilaire Touvcr, 1:rancc. Contact: Martine l .angc, rel. 76 08 3399, fax 76 972056.

2nd Annual SjJccd Contest. [ )ash for cash from McClellan

SEPT. 21

Peak rn Washoe State Park, between and Reno, NV. Ca.sh Carson Pri·1es. ( :omac:t: Adventure Sports, :3650 #22 Research Carson ( NV 99706 (702) 883-7070 ext. l I for fox.

Contest rmd Ul,trr1lw1'1t 111n.r;u1D. Pro and sporting classes. I fang I II and acrotow expcri cnce necessary. l pilots max. Entry $1 Prizes. Acrotow clinic available.

Conrnct: (818) %0-9028.

OCT. li-6: Octoher'., Brst

1996,

sponsored the S,111ratow11 Mountain ] Jang Cliding Club. North Caroli11a's traditiord aut11m11 flight fesrival has always provided great /lying with cash h:aturing Bug's Fabulous Barbecue Chicken Dinner" on Smurday night. Arrival and day 011 Friday wid1 a fun competition on Sarunby ,md Sunchy. World's easiest cliffla1mch rha1 can he used in light winds from any direction or stronger F, SE or S winds. Two other launches facing SW and NW. $JO entry fee includes T-shirt and family camping in rhc LI.. Samrday niglir's dinner will Conr;1ct: blow you aw,ry for only Doug Rice (910) Vic l .cwellrn (910) 59'5-6505 or 70272. 1(aJc<lll1t:>l!Scrve.,

2nd Annual

cf !'t1rr~~liding

Black Mm., l\uno Rd., Ramona, CA. Sponsored SDI J(;PA. One or two advance registration $30 and $/iO on-site $J5 and Send clicck to SDI lCP, P.O. Box li202J8, San Diego, CJ\ l 0238. h:c includes barbecue, drinks, '!'-·shirt, contest entry and campground use. Contes! both with pri1.cs. Launch at 2,900' above hcamiful Pamo Valley with huge, flat LZ. Best glass-oil in San Plenty of campground space. Contact: Mark LaBianca (619) li84-9025 (nighrs).

1"un Ml'l't,

n

OCT. 20 . . 26: 1996 Tt'(/rfl l .flflU1?11'2C, Scqua1chic Valley, TN. hy TTT. Teams of 3. 5 pilots fly in various X-C: tasks. llang l If and above. 50pilot limit. Cash and lots of fi111!

You'll he a team if you don't have one. Contact: Team Challenge, P.O. Box 5/ili, Signal Moumain, TN 37:377 (425) 8fl6-<i391 NOV. 21-24: F(/ll US!TGA 8011rdof' Directors San Diego, CJ\. All members arc encouraged ro attend' items in writPlease send your to the USIICJ\ office. Contact Karen Simon at USIH.;A headquarters for informarion and reservations: (l 19) 632-8300.

7

Bl update NASA AWARDS $500,000 GRANT TO BRS TO STUDY ADVANCED MATERIALS FOR PARACHUTES

N Plu.ie

ONE-WINGED EAGLE FLIES AGAIN

O

sceola. a 15-yar-old. one-winged bald eagle had the opporruniry to By again through the SJ>O" of hang gliding.

Osceola suffered a gun.sho, wound in 1983 and the resulring damage required ampu12rion of his left wing.John Stokes, a hang glider pilot of21 )'eats, has worked with 0SCCQ1a for most of 13 years. He originally bad the idc:a to llr with the c:agfe in I ?84, bur• busy work schedule fu~ a series of dela)".

Finally, this spring. Osceola and John goc into the air al Lookout Mouncain.

C.,.,rgi:i. The ffighcs were accomplished

through aerotowing. The c,gle's custom lurness was built by Lookout Mm. Flight !':ark's harness division and a Falcon 195 tow glider was donated by Ma« Taber, owner of L\,ffP. To da«, Osceola and Scolce$ have made six flighcs, ,vith a coul airrin1e of one bour ~nd 40 minuccs.

Osceola can currencly be seen as the stat of the Wings of America Birds of Prey Show ,r Dollywood, DoUy Parton's theme park in Tennessee. Look for an arcicle in an upcoming issue of Hang Gliding and watch the Disney Channel in December for a video of these flights. (patent pending).

The second sysrem is a lighrweight scacionary winch designed to launch glidm from restricted or unimproved sites.

Powered b)' a 20-hp Honda. four-cycle V-twin. this S)-~tcm utilizes an Industrial Torque Convener (variable-speed transmission), and can be deploytd as a straight starion:uy launcher or as a reverse pulley tov.• system.

TOW LAUNCH SYSTEMS NEWS

B

esides ,heir s=dard disk brake-.:onrrollcd pay-out winch, TI.S is now producing a hydraulic pay-out system and a stationary powered winch.

The new hyd,.ulic system is a ;c,lf-conr.toncd, true fluid-controlled pay-our ,vinch. similar in \\"Cigh, ond size ro the rt.$ Standard system except chat the line tension is governed by hydraulic fluid pumped through a variable-flow r,:strictor

Boch new systems arc designed ro incorporate TLS's standard automatic line lcvding m,fod components and can be delivmd fully assembled or as panially completed kits. The fully assembled systems will hold up to 5,000 feet of cowline and an, priced S2, 195 and S3,495 rcspeai"dy.

Dealer inquiries are welcome. For fur. thc:r i.nfom1.ition cone3a:; Tow Launch Sv,;tcms, 7010 Mark. San Antonio, TX 78218 (210) 824-1803. fax (210) 8058386.

ASA has announced the oward of IJ concraro and Ballistic Ra:ovtty Systans was among the fortunate recipient<. Work on d,c half.million-<lollor, two-year proj<xt is now underway.

According to Chief Engineer Tony Kasher, "Tbe goal of this innovati\'e research is to build parachute canopies from entirely new materials which a,uld significandy rcduce the weight and bulk of emergency parad1utcS. • BR$ will srudy, design, build, test and evaluate full-sized canopies made ofexotic materials following the successful deployment ofsmallscale pamhutes during Phase I. BRS will also im'tStig:tte innovative methods of manufueturing these new parachutes - which ha,ie been dubbed '"compo$ite canopies" - in an dfon ro reduce the co.st of parachute systems. Like the overall concept, such manufacturing will be trail-bluing work.

COSMOS, MINNESOTA CROSSCOUNTRY CHALLENGE

W

ow, 7,500'-8,000' cloudbascs, 4008001pm dimb races. ewer J,400 miles flown! fa·crybody sl·ycd out, and l..uty Bunner didn't land until 8: 15 pm on Sunday after srnen hows, 15 minutes in the air and 129 miles.

Congratularions to 6m-ploc., Jerry Uchil)i who flew 185.8 miles. Larry Bunner came in second with 162 miles, and Dav., Dybsand pb.ced third with 139.2 milc:s.

The oursmnding perfonnance oward goes to fou"h-place Doug Johnson who flew 97.7 miles. Dougs glider was scolen after the firs, day's flight, bu, he found it on the second day. kept his cool, didn't launch uncil alter 2:00 PM, and still Aew 60.8 miles.

Sreve Rewolinski broke his personal record with a 93.6-mik Bight, as did D:we Dybsand with an 86.6-miler.

NEW EARPLUGS TAKE THE PAIN FROM THE PLANE

F

lying can be a pain-in-the-car, especially for tho"' with colds or allergies. The problem is the result of narrow Eustachian

8 HANG GUOING

Update rubes that pm'tnr air from ffowing into the middle ear ar a rate rhat equali,,cs pressure.

Ea.Planes car plugs solve the problem, and arc no,v available at most dmg srores and airport gift shops for about SS. A ccran1jc pressure regulator iri E.arPlancs slows the now orair into and out of the car can:1! 1 lcssoting dtc air pressure differ~

the dealer nearest you dial roll-fu:c (888) ('_.0smosUS.

encc on rhe exterior and interior of the middle <ar and helping rhe Eu.srachian cubes co function more normally.

Contact: Warren Cowani Assoc.iates (310) 275-0777.

AEROIMPORTS AND COSMOS U.S. ohn Olson, furmerly ofSaf.ui Sky ,ours,

J

has announced an arrangcm.ent co

import qualicy trike equipmen, from Cosmos ULM of Dijon. France. His comP""Y• Acrolmpons, is worl<lng to org;mitA: and cxpruid the cxiscing and loose-knir dealer nerwork in the U.S. Aerolmports is \\'Orki.ng to improve cuscome.r service :and sales while taking steps ro reduce the retail price of Cosmos produru nationwide.

"Cosmos and rhci, affiliar. Li Mouette offer the world's most compler. line of recrearional flying eqwpmenr available anywhere today,• says Olson. "Li Moue«e manuF.tcrnres paraglidcrs. hang gliders and b.,ckpack paragliding engines, while Cosmos fubricates arguably rhe finest crikes and c:rike wings and a new COfl\'CntionaJ three-axis machine christened rhe Helios."

Of particular imeccst is the Cosmos P~ 11 Skyhook tug, powered by a 65HP. water-cooled, twO-Srrokc engine eqwpped with rhe Cosmos Quiet Propulsion System. "I bough, one for £0,vingwhen it became obvious that che Skyhook was the h,nds.<fown bes, rrike for rowing." says Malcolm Jones of Wallaby Ranch. " But I've come to appreciate Aying it so much chac I don't do nluch t.0\11ing with my Phase ll. lt's my roy!"

"Malcolm hos become ooc of my mosr cmhmiasric dealers." says Olson, "and I chink he tus a lot of knowledge and skill ro imparr to his clients... Cosmos has 2 spare-part..< in,,e.ntory in chc Scates to i1nprov~ cusromer service.

TI,e Cosmos Phase LI Skyhook can be seen and flown at Wallaby Ranch. or, for Al;GUST 1996

OCTOBER'S BEST FLY-IN OCTOBER 4-6, 1996

N Hang

orth Carolina's popular full fly-in, hosred bv the Sauratown Mountain Gliding Oub, is coming a.round for rhe fifrh rime chis yeir. Anyone int<t'CStcd in fun, good flying, great food and hospitllicy is invited. Once again1 ch~ Saurarown Mounrain Hang Gliding Oub will poli.sh up its flying site and provide pilors with an opponunicy to flex their skills, pony down or chill out ar one ofR<gion X's final social t"\'Cnts or the )'<at. located 30 minutes north ofWinnonSalcm, Sauracown is th~ clo~t mountain site co coastal North U!Olina and i, o:n-

trally located relative ro rhe rest of ,he smte and southern Vuginia. Dual launch ramps built wirh flow-rhrough, expanded metal provide safr and easy launching &om rhc cliff's edge at 2,460' MSL The ramps fuce .south..,,, :UC sclf-launchablc in lighr co modcrarcly soarable conditions, and arc grcar for light wind.< from any direction. The primary lZ sirs 1.250' ~101~ lfanch. Southwesr and northwest launches ore also available. Money raised at October's lk$t goes ,oword sire i.mprovemenc and annual maintenance.

Despite honor stories you ma)' have heard about rurbulencc in the East, October hos olw2ys proved to be rdarivdy safe. In 1995 we hod excellent conditions over the weekend. Mitch Shipley frorn Herndon, Virginia dominored rhe fun compedtion a.nd won the x~c event wich a 17-miler. Herhenwon the duration contest with• 4-hour, 16-minute llighr which also earned him second plaa, in the spot-landing comest behind local pilot Jeff ~-nolds.

October's Ben is known for irs fun armospherc. Los, year, hometown boy G. W. Meadows pulled the bes, gag early

Bl

Sunday morning. While mos, pilots and the official, were still in the LZ expecting winds to be over the back, G. \'ii. borrowed novice pilot Vic Lcwdkn's glider and gear and launched in a light rulwind. \'<lhile Aying out to the LZ GecDub imimcd a struggling pilor wirh a series of mild whipstalls and panial spins rhat had some onlookers worried. Look for "JuSt Fly" to be rcprcsemcd again ,his year.

Sauratown is a versa Lile Oying sitt' that hos co be visited robe appreciated. Loca.l food artLSt June Bug Covingron has be.:n secured 10 ,crvc up his mouch-w:uering barbecued chickm dinner Sarurday night.

So don', be left our: come to where the fun flying is. For more informarion check the "Calendar of E""nts" in this issue.

- submitted by Doug /?k;,

CUTIING EDGE HANDPORTA BLE POWER

C

urting Edge Enterprises is ple:J!Cd co offer, at a special incroduaory price, a pomblc AC and DC rcch,ugeal,le powi:r source. Unlike currenrly a,'3.ilablc powrr supplies, Curting Edges l'oworporc has an on-board inv,,ncrro make both 115-volt AC and 12-volr DC power available for your h,ng gliding excursions. The unit is compact and lightwi:ight, and can be rcchargcd ,virh du, supplied wall chugcr or in your \'t:hicle without the engine running.

Jc is available in both 50- and 140-wau models. Also a\'ailable is an Optional lowwan.ige, high-luminosicy (equivalent to• Coleman lantern) fluorescent bulb which will run for 14 hours on a single charge.

Powerpon allows you ro run and charge video cameras, deccric hand cools, laptop computen, cdl phones and much more. I, sells For S89.50 plus shipping.

Conract: Roger Hall, Curring Edge Enterprises, 1803 Mission St., Suire #546, Sama Cruz. CA 95060 (800) 206-0115.

DISTRICT RANGER PRESENTED AWARD

RRanger

anger David Caner of che Cold Sprin[;< Dlstria, U.S. Fores, Service.""" recently presented with a Special Commmdation from ,he U11ited Smcs Hang Gliding Associ3cion. The presentation wa, made by Jame; A. Hale, D.C. site coordin,tor for 1he Crntral Arkansas Mountain Pilots 9

(CAMI)), the area chapter of the Rrnger Cai:t:cr was .instrmnentalin that the chapter had through to get g<wernfue11t permission to use: I1oresr Serviccl;ind for a. launch site. The ""'""'''' '·"'°''"'·" known to kmg .a.11d ofren 1xustn1tu1g (>tl~ that. 11a:naKer1y<:ars

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I by he saga of injury and destruction resulting from launches involving wind, cliff,, wire crews, etc., continues with more selected rcpons.

#1) An lmerrncdiate pilot with less than one year's experience cleared his wire crew and was waiting to launch when the wind lifted the glider and it started Lo drifr. 'Tti stabilize it, the pilot started walking down the ramp until he felt that the only option was to launch.

Once airborne the glider continued to drift right until it clipped the mast of a windsock with one wing tip. The glider nosed in and turtled. The pilot held on, swung through the control /iarne, and suffered broken arms and curs on his face.

A pilot asked for a wire crew. At the center of the ramp the glider began to lift so rhe pilot yelled "Clear!" and charged off. The glider immediately stalled, dropped its right wing, contacted the ramp, and pivoted around the neck of a spectator seated on rocks just off rhe ramp. The glider cleared the ramp in ;m uncontrolled, diving banked turn, coming around 180" just before impacting on a sheer rock cliff face. 'The glider then Fell eight feet to ,l ledge. The pilot lost consciousness and was hospitalized. Ffe suffered injuries to the head, face, elbow and leg (tibia and/or fibula break?). The reporter recommended: l) request that spectators move; 2) move ro very edge of ramp; and 3) stabilize the glider nose level, wings level, and evenly loaded bcfi:>rc launching.

A pilot had wire help but couldn't

12

keep his glider level. On his third lifted just as he cleared attempt one his crew and started to run. The wing continued to lifr until rbe glider turned I00°, rhcn flew 20 feet before the pilor flared into trees. 'The winds were switching, with a main righ1--crossing compo· nent. The reponcr recommended: don't launch jusr choose a good because you cleared your crew; and make sure your wings are level and evenly loaded before launching.

In 20-mph condidons, with other pilots using two-· or three-man crews, a Vlcry experienced Advanced pilot started a launch run 20 feet back from a sheer cliff. One wing tip dropped before he reached the cliff edge, he was unable to correct, and rhe glider was turned back in10 tbe ridge. No injuries. The glider and vario were totaled.

A newly rated Intermediate pilot set up with a very inexperienced wire man 011 one wire. As be approached launch rhe nose of the glider entered rising air and turtled rhe glider. The pil01 tried again, walking forward with the glider's nose horizontal. As the glider began to rise again he yelled "Clear!" and launched in a slipping turn. He frll 80 feet, hitting one wing before hining his hand or arm. He suffered a dislocated shoulder. The glider suffered a broken keel, broken leading edge and broken battens. T'he reporter recommended: keep your nose down on cliff launches; use wire help. tlG) A pilor was attempting a wireassisted cliff launch in winds 10-20 mph

straight in. The Intermediate pilot had three years experience and had flown the site several times previously. He gave very little instruction to his launch crew and quickly walked to within four feet of the lip. The wind gusted, and as the right wing came up the pilot yelled "Clear!" and tried to push off The glider slid off to the left, rhc left wing struck a srone pylon, and the glider was rotated 180° back into the cliff: The pilot hit his face on a rock which just fa inro his helmet opening. I fr suffered fractures to his nose, cheek, jaw, eye socket and fore-·· head. Glider damage was limited to the left dowmubc and some s,iil rash on the leading edge. Recommended: better AWCL technique; get pilots certified in first aid.

A Master pilot with Ci30 hours, flying for 1G years, got impatient. He had launched other pilots from a sheer cliff launch on a good, thermally day in 5-20 mph winds. On his second step one wing lifted and the glider winged over, crashing back into the hill next to launch. The pilot covered up just before impact and wasn't injured. The glider hit saplings and was minimally damaged.

Had the pilot gone over the cliff the outcome might have been fatal. The victim feds his nose might have been high, or more probably he was gusred jnst as he was launching. 'The glider suffered a broken clowntube. Recommended: don't be im1x1tient, inattentive, complacent or overconfident. #8) An Advanced pilot with 400 hours and 20 years experience launched when conditions were strong: 20-30 mph with gusts to 35. The pilot rnoved to launch and waited for a lull. He cleared the wire crew, and as he started to launch the nose pitched up and one wing went forward. 'fhe glider was blown over the back and the pilot attempted ro rnrn hack imo the wind. The right wing dipped, the glider sideslipped, then the right wing tip hir. The pilot suffered a cur and scratched knee where he bit a rock. 'The glider suffered a broken outer HANG GUIJINC

and inner leading edge. The reporter recommended: better high-wind launch technique or back down when conditions arc strong. #9) An lntc:rmediarc pilot with .f7 homs and 135 flighLs attempted a launch on a ramp which was short, about four or five On the third with a 10-14 wine\ straight in to pilot wi-re help launch, to nm. Three steps i1110 the and launch one came up quickly, ca11sthc other to on brush or the ground. The pilot corrected hard but gm no response to the inpm. The tip then the glider hegan to ;:md the pilot prepared 10 meet the hill.

Tbcking his lcfr arm and shoulder under, he pushed out wid1 his arm. The right hir, then the nose of rhe glider, rhen pilot's lefr arm and shou lcler blew through the carbon fiber upright. '] here W,lS 110 injury. The glider suflcrcd

AUCUST 19%

a broken downtube and a broken leading if l O) An Advanced, experienced" 1 pilot launched in windy conditions with gusts to 20 mph. The pilot yelled "Clear!" to the right wire man who didn't lcr go until the pilot was well into the air, turning the glider. Ile passed downwind over the right side of launch to a road below approximately 50-).00 away, hilting at 20 25 mph. The glider pancaked on top of the pilor. One witness said that rhc pilot wasn't communicating well with the wire crew and launched when the side wire rncmber (an Advanced pilot) was looking backwards. The pilot suffered injuries to his elbow and knee. 'T'he glider was destroyed. Recommended: better communication with the wire crew. ltl l) An active and current !\dvancecl pilot with 1,000 flights and 1,000 hours blew a launch due, he says, to a "com-

plcte failure to attain airspeed, possibly due to a sudden wind change." The pilot suspects bad luck on a tricky launch at a short, unimproved ramp above a steep cliff No new equipment or tcclrniques were involved, and no unusual pressure or distractions were present. A second reporrc:r questiolled rhe of the wire help. Severe injuries were suffered to 1he face (fractures) and hack (fracture).

The pilot will have pcrmancm, rot,il hearing loss in one car as a result of this incident, his first injury in 24 of hang gliding. The hospital reported that he was lucky to escape with his life. #l ).) A pilot on a ramp had wire help.

An pilot was 011 one and had pressure, but didn't announce it.

The pilot yelled "Clear!" and lunged, the wire man uncurled his and one wing lifted. The other wing dropped, caught brush and the glider spun 111 slow motion. No injury. Ill

IAWRENCE LEHMANN

Rcgion 4 BAXTER, KAMERON:

10 LARRY: Miami, FL; D. Air EVANS, LYNN ANN: Naples, FL; B. EVANS, ROGER: R; B. 11y.u1J1·,,1u,.:" MORRELL, STEVE: l'rcslcy/Lookom M111 J:p POTTER, ROBERT: Johnson TN; C:. 'l 'horcson/l .ookcrnt Mm FP

l.1\; T. l-lagcr/Lookom Mtn FP

CO; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch 12

Region 8 MURRAY, ERIC: A11bum, Nil; R. MURRAY, HAROLD: llookscn, Nil; R.

ELLEN: Valarie, NY; C:. Thoreson/I ,0okou1 Mtn FP SHERWOOD, MIC: Fndwel, NY; B. Spirit

Region 10

FORMEL, PAUL: Altamo111c NOEi.: Mou111;1in View, CA; P. Dcnevan/Mission ELDER, JAMES: CA; B. Ream/Mission

Region l TflOMS!•:N, BROGAN: Scanlc, WA; l. Alexander/Mission

I .OREN: CA; G. HG GOMEZ, RAMON: San CA;!'. Dcncvan/Mission KRANZ, PETER: CA; A. Mclean/Mission MERRJMAN, KRISTI: Cl\; D. \.)LJ;K(ZC:lli)IISIJ/ SMITH, BRUCE: CA; A. 1Vlc.lea111/IYl1.1s1<m SOARES, RYAN: Clovis, CA; R. Soares/Ccmral THOMPSON, RONALD: l'aciftc1, CA: c;.

HG Club RICHARD: Lemon Grove, CA; R. Mitchell/The COTE, NATM: San Bernardino, Cl\; R. McKenzie/High Advenmre SANNER, DANIEL: Lemon Grove, CA; R. Mitchell/The SNEDDON, DAVID: Niguel, CA; J>. Phillips/Lake ST GERMAIN, ROBY: HI: J. Forb11s/C:lo11dhasc Em WEBBER, ED: hmnrnin CA; R. Mcl<.cnzic/lligh Adventure '-.AJLIL,ll''•'•

3

NAlM: San I\crnanlino, CA; R. Adventure FAIR, MTCHAEL: Mission CA; R. Mitchell/The Eagle's D. Flight SZABO, GEZA: Los Angeles, WEBBER, ED: Foumain Valley, CA; R. Advemure WHITE, DARREL: Lake Elsinore, CA; I'. vU'U''""··•, BEVERLY: MARCELO, MARLON:

HIWDJlK:KS:OJ\J, ROBERT: Janesville, W!; B. Kushner/Raven Sports MCKINSTRY, MARTIN: Wheaton, JL; H. Kushner/Raven Sports

F IAN: Sharon, CT; B. lhvidson/Tek Flight NUTTING, ANDREW: Cbremonr, NH; R. Corbo/Momint;sidc FP ROlTHER, ROMAN: Cumberland, RI; R. Corbo/Morningside J:p

Region 4 TOOKER, DAVE: Fr Collins, CO; M. Windsheimer/Golden WOODHOUSE, DUSTIN: Provo, UT; Z. Majors/Wasatch Region 7

HENDRICKSON, ROBERT: fancsville, WI; B. KushnC'r/Ravcn MC KINSTRY, MARTIN: Wi1ca1on, fL; B. Kushner/Raven Sky PAUGA IH, WALTER: Sylvan Lake, Ml: P. Hawk ROSS, RONDA: Harbor, Ml; P. Hawk Ki1cs Region 8 DOHERTY, GEORGE: Arlington, MA; J. Atwood HOCHSTETTER, L PATRICIA: Sharon, CT; A. Davidson/Tek Flight MATASOVA, DINA: New Britain, er: R. Corbo/Morningside 1:p RIBOTfO, JAMES: Wayland, MA; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP STEVENSON, MARLIN: New Bri1ian, CT; R. Corbo/Morningside FP WHITE, SAM: Somerville, MA; D. Haxrcr/Morningsidc fl'

Center

, DAVID: Chantilly, VA; J. Middleton/Silver Region 10 BAKER, LARRY: Miami, H.; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch BLAND, CfIERYL: Dmham, NC; S. Bland/Sky's the Limit BROSKA, JAMES: FL; C:. Bowen/Quest Air MORRELL, STEVE: TN; L. Presley/Lookout Mtn FP POTTER, ROBERT: Johnson City, TN; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mtn J~P Region 11

KEY, DAVID: Richardson, TX; R. Bachman/Kitty Hawk Kites KEY, M.D., CHARLES: Dallas, TX; R. Bachman/Kitty Hawk Kites Region 12

PIKE, ELLEN: Valatie, NY; C. Thorcson/Lonkom Mtn rP

Region 9

ADAMS, KEVIN: Johnstown, PA; P. Venesky/Kirty Hawk Kites AYELLA, RICHARD: Ellicon MD; R. Hays/Maryland School of HG BRANNAN, PAT: Charloncsville, L Presley/Lookout Mrn FP DINWIDDIE, WILLIAM: Alton, VA; P. Vcncsky/Kiny llawk Kites TORRANCE, ELLEN: Lynd1burg, VA; I'. Vcncsky/Kirry llawk Kites VANT-HULL, BRIAN: Baltimore, MD; R. Hays/Maryhmd School HG

14

Region 2 EPPERLY, STEVE: Grass

CA; K. dcRussy/HG/PG Emporium

Rcgion 6

BRADEN, ROGER: Kirbyville, MO: T. liraclcr11::,17 Hook ·rowing

HANC GLIDING

I Region 8 PETERSON, STEPHEN: Farmington, CT: D. Williams/(:! IG/\

ROBFRT: Paw111ckct, Rl;J. Ni,:olay//\~ornmgsi,1cFP

Region 10 GIMENEZ, ALEJANDRO: Groveland, FL; C. Bowcn/Qucsr /\ir LEWIS, KEVIN: Merritt lshrnd, FL; C Bowcn/<2ucs1 Air

')

PETE: Virginia Beach, VA; It Mitcltcll/Thc

PAUL: l\rcvard, NC:; ll. Burrill/Ultralight 1:Jying WAI.L, MH<E: Chartanooga, TN; C. Tl10rcson/Look01tt Mrn FP WRIGHT, SHELBY: Miami, 1:L; M. Zidziunas/Miarni HC

Rcgion 4 FRANK, DAVID: I )raper, UT; Region 5

11 CUNE, DUANE: Plano, TX; R.R. Rodrig11cz

SANTACROCE, CHRISTOPHER: Ketchum, ID;

MARK: Glen Carclncr, NJ; G. Black/Mmmtain HUNTER, BRIAN: Pittsford, NY; Crcavcs·Trnmdl/Rochcster

JlM FENISON MARCO GUZMAN ARTURO MELEAN JOTlN MCCORMACK

JERRY: San Francisco, CA; P. S11ssm:m/!ikylinc l-IE'l'ZEL, WlLLIAM: ()akbncL (~A; S. '-nn"·"'"'"'"''"''""

JONES, LEO: Sama Rosa, CA; J. James POTTER, MATTHEW: Fresno, CA; R. Soarcs/Ccmrnl TlG ROCKWELL HT, Bmling:11nc, CA; A. Whitchill/C:lt:rndelle

MARK POlJSTINCHIAN

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1,)1'

GLIDER REVIEV\I

Wills Wz'ng recently released the 132 XC, and even though there have been reviews written on the /a,.ge and medium sizes, this new small size represents a significant contribution to the sport - not just technologically but philosophically.

XCis the THE 1 3 2 small high-p<rformance glider from Wills \\'ling since the fir>t

short-li,·ed 130 Duck m ,he earh• 1980'.s. l""here .arc C\VO general reasons gi~-en for

no, building small gliders.~The firs is cha.1 it ii; Jifficuh to create a

smaller glider tha, handles and performs properly.

lradi,ionally, gliders that """' lx'l'n Kaied down rn a small $ia: bave undergone con,promi.scs in handling

or scabili1y. The shorter leading edge rubes arc proportionally srilTer, as is ,he sailclo,h. which changes me'""' and billow. so the gliders have often been considered <OO stiff to put ituo production.

I he second. and probabl) mos, importam reason for no, producing small highperformance gliders m the pas,. is that smaller pilors don't represent a lorge enough market to 1uscifi· their devclop-

Tbfl32fa,m txrepnonally ll.'t'JI " '' ' " k111g~ f"'Jt '"71'K b,ln11d ,/~ ro11rrol bar "P"'·

mem. h has bc:cn assum«l that there arc insufficic111 numbers of smaller pilots for whom ,o build the gliders. so these pilot> ha"e had co Ar ,vin~ chat arc n1orc suitable

for meclium-siud ffim. Enter ,he Japane5".

Jopan is a geographically small coUDU)', but it has a rathe, large population. This popubuon no, only embraces technology, but :tlso hang gliding and paragliding.

Hang glider manufucturm worldwide h.-·e reali,.cd me huge potcmi21 market there, and have been worl<ing to dC\·clop equipment mat ,hey will bu1•. Smaller pilots here m ,\merica o,,·c a great deal 10 the Japanese pilots. and now that there arc smaller gliders popping up fm1n various ma.nu• fucturers. Lhc: truth

obout the viobilil)• of

16

the smaller Ameriern pilot popubtion .,;u

finallv be rcvcaJcd. The 132 XC is significant for its rc:d,nology even n1ore ch-an for its siu. R.·uhe.r thilfl refer you to previous articles, ,,-e can CO\'er ch< fcarures anew. since che pilocs in1crc.1cd in this glide, 1112y not havi: read the rcviC\vs of the larger sizes.

The 132 XC incorpomca all of che innovative features thou the LVlO latgC'r sizes do, including shear ribs, quick-folding basctube, rear haul-back for the crossbar, kingpost SU.)pc!n5ion, raked control bar, internal rcllcx compensator. and a sail designed complccc)y on a compuccr and cue on a

computerized sail table, with several unique ftarurcs.

Scrup is 1ypicil Wills Wing. scarring with the quickly assembled folding base-rube. Srand the glider up, spread the win~. stuff' ribs. puJI back the cro~<ibar rr.srrain, from rhc rear (like c,.cryone prefers these cbysl. arrach th~ nose ,vircs \Vith chc kr:y• hole mng and cam lock, apply the aosc fuir• HANG Guo,"c

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY AARON & KERIE SWEPSTON

biggest questions, because if you can't glide with other pilots or keep up speed-wise, you simply get left behind whether in competition or recreational cross-country flying. Speed and glide at speed are two extremely important aspects of a glider's performance, so we paid a lot of attention to how well the 132 XC races.

I am always amazed at how fast pilots say they fly, because the numbers are typically so much greater than those I read on my instruments when I'm flying at the same pace. Considering that all four of our airspeed indicators read consistently with each other, all I can do is give the indicated speeds and comparative speeds from other gliders that we have

used

ing, and install rhe rip ribs and rip fairings or riplets. Setup is almost that quick, with no real surprises and no rime-consuming extras.

The crossbar haul-back is a typical Wills Wing keyhole-type assembly in which the haul-back shackle firs over a slotted stud, and has no direct mechanical safety. Pilots often wonder what keeps the shackle in place in flight. In addition to the fairly high tension in the haul-back cables themselves there is the tension in the front-co-rear flying wires once the nose wires are connected.

It is extremely difficult to tension or derension the crossbar haul-back with the nose wires attached, so che security of the system becomes obvious. With the XC, Wills Wing finally has a setup system that is second to none, and in the case of the folding basetube, superior to all.

During setup you will notice certain things about the glider that are different from others. Look at the sail carefully. At the nose you will see that the leading edge mylar AUG UST 1996

inserts are not accessible from the outside as on all other gliders. The leading edge panels have been closed rogether at the center seam, and access to the inserts is from the inside of the sail. This keeps dirt and bugs from sliding down the inside of the leading edge pocket, bur more importantly, it provides for a more even spanwise tension distribution in the leading edge panels, most notably in the middle third or half of the glider. Assuming that the root seam is shaped properly, joining rhe leading edge panels in this manner could eliminate the need for half ribs in the quest to achieve a cleaner, buckle-free airfoil.

How fast is this little glider, and how well does it glide at higher speeds? Thar is always one of my

ent airspeed indicators to measure just how fast we could go, as well as two different types of harnesses.

The instruments were a Brauniger Competition, a Ball airspeed, a SkyWarch, and the Small Hall that comes with the glider. The harnesses were our custom cocoons and Moyes Extreme pods. We figured that part of rhe difficulty in reaching those blazing speeds that everyone claims is that we normally fly in cocoon harnesses, so we wanted to be as streamlined as possible for our tests. On to the results.

Kerie Swepston (Left) and CJ Sturtevant with ear-to-ear grins the day they took delivery ofthe 132 XCs.

17

you can change them in a few moments. If you like one altimeter in feet and another altimeter in meters you can set it that way. You determine how the vario looks, feels and reacts. All of this in a small, efficient design. Call us on our toll-free number to find out how Flytec USA can suit you better.

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(Aaron) Hooking in at 165 pounds with my cocoon harness the rop speed, VC loose, was 36 38* mph steady-state. With VG foll tight rhe top was usually 40 mph and a1 times 42. not blazing, but ftJr 1Jc1·s1Jectwe compare it to the l Sport at the I HP AT a1 148 Merlin ar 41, rhe 146 RamAir ar and the 137 Xtralite at 44. Pirch pressures were comfortable bur slightly higher tlwn what 1 prefer and am used to. Racing around for an hour makes the bar pressure secrn that rnuch greater. Flying with the pod-style harness yielded slightly higher top speeds, in the neighborhood of two or three mph more at the upper cud. Presumably this would also mean a better glide at those speeds. ·fclp speed with the VG loose resulted in obvious trailing edge distonion, bur no flutter. 'T'he trailing edge billowed upward between ribs two through five but never broke up, vibrated or fluttered. Backing off a bit in speed allowed the sail to resume its normal shape.

At top speed with the VG tight this trailing billow disappeared completely from the tips, bm became concentrated in a single panel between ribs /ciur and flve, which f1ut-tcrcd at speeds in excess of 44 mph.

(Kcric) Hooking in at 1 pounds with a cocoon J was able LO reach and maintain 35-37* rnph with the VC loose, and :-,9.;j 1 mph VG tight. Switching to a pod·style harness increased overall top speed one to three mph. My impression of the handling is that it is lighter than the 1 Super Sport in the sense that it reacts quickly to input. I was able to thermal in pretty strong conditions with the VG full on with no problem. Midrange on the VG produced handling pressures similar to those of the Super Sport. lt flies extremely solidly and straight at high speed, with relative case. Out of 1he box from the factory the glider was trimmed two notches too slow for me, but after making that ch;mgc and correcting for a slight left turn everything foll into place and I was at home on the glider.

Our conclusions ,1bout the 132 XC arc pretty positive overall. ·rhc workmanship and construction of Wills Wing gliders arc without fault. There is no question about tbc quality of the materials and the skill of the technicians at the G1ctory. All hardware, rnbes, flttings and cables are mcriculously crafted to exacting srnndards. The sails arc cm and marked by a compmer, then assem-· bled and sritched so accurately thar it is difflcult to find :my scam or stitch out of place.

Speaking of seams, Wills' sewing machines arc also electronically controlled and expertly AUCUST 1996

n operarcd so that even the little details, like

u nnccessa ry.

stop stitching being replaced by bar tacks, become blatantly obvious when one com-pares Wills gliders to those of other

I've been /lying a 143 Sport ('or four years waiting for something a bit racier to come along, and 1 believe it is here.

marn 1focn1rers.

Aside from the obvious quality of construction, there is the design itself. Straight om of the box the XC: looks a bit sofr. The sail is not momitcd extremely tight on the frame, and the ribs arc not very firmly tensioned. Cone is rhc drum-like resonance when you tap on the top surfoce. This initial impression may concern some people like me who arc used to tight sails, hut in the case of rhis glider the overall package needs to be assessed. The handling is very easy, even easier than the 143 Super Sport, but nor squirrelly. The 132 XC feds a bit more solid in its response even though it is quicker. When flying ar mid or high speed the glider tracks straight and steers easily. PJ 0 does not seem to be a problem, and the use of tiplcts for high--speed tracking seems

Afrcr ;i nurnhcr of sidc-hy--sicle races with several different gliders, and numerous flights with the glider in differcm configurations, f'vc concluded that l can cover ground, fly in a straight line, ancl literally keep up with the big boys. I'm very excited because [ feel like I've entered a whole new arena of flying that wasn't previornly available to a pilot of rny size without serious compromises. With a glider optimized for smaller pilots there is now a lot more within our re,1ch.

in top 19

LOW MAN HAS RIGHT-OF-WAY VERSUS GIVING WAY TO THE RIGHT WHEN APPROACHING ANOTHER GLIDER HEAD ON If these rules had equal precedence there

move aside and avoid the lower glider, except when the two gliders are approaching head on, in which case the pilots must give way to the right.

It is the "gray area," medium-distance situation that requires better communication.

This is one of the trickier situations with which we regularly deal in ridge soaring. The lead pilot should always try to be very clear as to his intentions. If he feels that there is enough room to complete a turn safely before the approaching pilot arrives at the turnpoint, the lead

"GIVE WAY TO THE RIGHT" RULE would be conflicts all the time. In ridge EXCEPTION soaring, "give way to the right" is the rule that should take precedence. In a situation There is an exception to the "give way to the in which a glider with its right wing to the should indicate ridge is approaching - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - · - - - - - - - • pilot this by initiating a he right-of way rules which govern our flying combine the clearly sharper reversanother glider that is

T

.

.

..

slightly lower, with its international rules and the less-structured but just as impor- ing turn. If the lead ' pilot feels that there is left wing to the hill, who has the right-oftant, principles of common etiquette. The rules in and of not sufficient room way? I have always and thus wants to themselves are fairly basic, but to make soaring with other pilots safer we need "invoke" the exemptaught that the rule "low man has the clear and thorough definitions, otherwise misunderstandings may create tion, he should indiright-of-way'' includes cate this by executing a the addendum "when potential danger. The following is intended to clarify and better define the clearly wider and shalflying in the same lower turn reversal. direction." This takes intended purpose ofthese rules.

The trailing pilot care of situations in should watch the lead which there could be pilot closely to anticia problem resulting pate his intentions. If from the overlapping you are the trailing of these two rules. pilot and see that there More simply, "give is definitely room for way to the right" takes the lead pilot to comprecedence over "low plete a turn reversal, man has right-ofthen begin giving way

by Jeff Greenbaum ~\ way." to your right as early as Common courtesy possible to allow for ~~~~~ should still be a factor. even more turn comIf the pilot who is pletion time. If you are lower, with his left the trailing pilot and wing to the hill, is in see that the lead pilot is jeopardy of sinking executing a wide turn, out if he moves away stay along the ridge. from the ridge, someOn occasion I have times the pilot with encountered lead pilots the right-of-way (right who are not clear as to wing toward the hill) their intentions. In this will veer away from situation I have found right" rule that occurs when one glider is the ridge as a courtesy. This is an invitation that the best solution is to clearly indicate my just behind another - for example, on a to the other pilot to stay along the ridge intentions through my actions, and if the and essentially invokes the "unless well west-facing ridge with two gliders heading other pilot's response is still unclear, to clear a clear" rule (see below). I feel that this is an south. If there is not enough room for the turn and reverse direction myself to avoid the acceptable courtesy as long as there are only lead glider to complete a reversing turn and other pilot altogether. two gliders in the vicinity at the time of the be on the give-way-to-the-right side, then he "UNLESS WELL CLEAR" encounter. If other gliders are nearby it is must stay out from the ridge until it is clear best to stick to the standard right-of-way for him to reassume the ridge.

This is a disclaimer of sorts that we use in a protocol (give way to the right), because of This means that if there are two gliders variety of situations in which there is an the potential confusion and chaos that not directly behind the lead pilot, the lead pilot obvious and well-understood lack of conflict doing so might cause. will pass (give way to the left of) both glid(enough distance so that the applicable rules In common situations while thermal ers before returning to the ridge. If there is can be set aside). For instance: Two pilots are flying the standard rule is "low man has clearly enough room to complete a reversing soaring a large cliff on a good day with a right-of-way." When a glider is coming up turn, the lead pilot should complete his turn very wide lift band. Because the lift band is in the usual fashion and pass on the normal beneath you in a thermal, never forget that so wide, neither pilot is making passes just in the pilot cannot see you! It is your duty to give-way-to-the-right side. front of the ridge (they are well away from

Right-Of-Way Rules

Better Definitions and Common Misunderstandings

-

20

HANG GLIDING

it). These pilots might pass in opposite directions in violation of the "give way to the right" rule. As long as there is a safe distance between the gliders this situation falls under the "unless well clear" disclaimer. The key here is that the situation is unambiguous and both pilots are aware that the exception is being invoked.

-----

ALWAYS OVERTAKE ANOTHER GLIDER ON THE RIDGE SIDE This is the commonly accepted rule when passing another glider on a ridge. You must make sure that there is a safe distance between you and the glider you are overtaking, the ridge and any potential rotor activity. You also need to be wary about flying into the other glider's wake turbulence. In addition, you should watch out for the other pilot moving closer to the ridge in preparation for a reversing turn. Using a whistle or shouting to make the other pilot aware of your intentions is a good idea. If you come up behind a glider that is flying slower than your glider will fly, and there is not sufficient room for you to safely overtake it, you will need to clear a turn behind you and make a safe reversing turn. This situation should be planned for before you are on the lead pilot's heels.

CLEARALL TURNS Speaking of clearing turns, not all pilots do this. "Clearing a turn" means looking to the side and behind you prior to beginning your turn. The problem is that "prior to" is often interpreted as "at the start of."

Using several "head checks" can be thought of as a "turn signal," and is a good way to make a habit of properly clearing your turns. This also facilitates better pilotto-pilot communication, since other pilots will see you looking around and know that you are planning to initiate a turn. It is important to make a habit of clearing your turns even when there are no other gliders AUGUST 1996

in the air; the purpose of clearing a turn is to spot a glider you thought wasn't there.

FIRST GLIDER IN A THERMAL SETS CIRCLING DIRECTION You must circle in the same direction as the other pilots when entering a thermal with gliders already in it. If there is another glider that has entered a thermal below you, and that is circling in the opposite direction, you have a couple of options. If you are absolutely certain that you and the other guy are the

only two pilots in the thermal, the simple solution is to change direction and circle with the pilot below. If there are other gliders circling in your direction you should leave the thermal if the incorrectly-circling pilot is close to your altitude. It isn't worth it. Once again, the lower glider has the right-of-way as he comes up underneath you. It is your duty to get out of his way, even if he is circling the wrong way.

Sometimes thermals are next to each other. In this situation things get tricky. If possible, try to circle in the same direction as the glider in the thermal next to you.

Close-together thermals sometimes merge as they rise, and this will ensure that there will not be conflicts.

The basic rules, in and of themselves, are fairly clear and simple. If you are uncertain about a special situation that has not been covered here, ask some experienced pilots to find out what the conventional wisdom is. The key to all of these rules is quite simple: keep your eyes open at all times, be aware of the location of other pilots, and keep the rules in mind that apply to the situation in which you find yourself. •

21

N

ew Mexico's worst drought in three decades and the wngest task ever

Accually, the rainfall was minimal and didn't affect the competition too much.

We lost the one canceled 106-mile task on Tuesday, June 11, and two days were canceled due to big thunderstorms and intermittent rain in Albuquerque. Since the state had been suffering a widespread drought, pilots were cautioned to avoid complaining in public.

This year's Classic was the most sue-

Mark to show up wi th their gl iders. The trip up the back of the mountain is on a paved road, and only takes an hour.

The setup area was cramped with the number of gliders in the meet, so everyone had an assigned setup position. Each day rhe positions rotated so everyo ne had a chance at the best spots, along with the spots in a different time zone.

On Sw1day, Day 1, Mike Gregg and his hand-picked task committee analyzed all available weather fo recasts and selected a primary task and an alternate. T his year, Mike's committee was comprised of Tony Barton, elson Howe, Jim Lee, Dave Sharp, Larry Tudor and Glen Volk. The combination of fast racers, long-distance specialists and competition savvy rep resentatives from most of the major manufac-

cessful in its six-year history. The pilot field was the largest yet, with 68 competitors. Most of the top-ranked U.S. pilots were on hand, along with several foreign pilots. Included in the ranks were British team pilot Robin Hamilton, Swiss team pilot Tony Marty and Canadian team pilors Don Glass and Chris Muller.

Organizers Mike Gregg and Mark Macho kept co the same basic formula as in past years, since it seems to work. Only staffing changes were made due to scheduling conflicts with some of the long-term staff members. Mike cook over the job of meet director, while Mark handled glider rranspon, launch direction and score keeping. Karl "Boris" Mayforth was safety director. Steve Hill and Sean Rudolph were goal officials, and did they ever get a workout!

Afrer loading 70-plus gliders on the rransporr truck, pilors rode the Sandia Peak Tramway to the top of 10,378-foot Sandia Peak, where a daily pilot meeting was held while competitors waited for

curers resulted in challenging tasks every day.

The task called on Day 1 was a 47.7mile run east along Interstate 40 to Clines Corners. Actually, it was an alternate task, since the primary and even the secondary tasks looked tenuous because of thunderstorm possibilities. Afrer photographing the start clock at the base of the mountain (which had a special signaling tarp to designate the actual task selected), competitors headed over the back of Sandia and used the powerful New Mexico desert thermals to stay high and race to goal . On the first day there were 34 finishers with elapsed times ranging from the winning time of 1 hour, 14 minutes and 2 seco nds (38.6 mph) to nearly three-and-a-half hours . The top 10 finishers were: Larry Tudor (Wills Wing XC), Jersey Rossignol, Glen Volk, Al Whitesell, Lionel Space, John Greynald, David Gerdes, Mitch Shipley, Mike Barber and Terry Reynolds.

The start clock was 100 feet in diameter, with a minute hand that was moved in

called at the Sandia Oassic were both canceled for the same reason.

Rain. The first rainfall in the area in nearly three months. It's getting to the point where we might start getting sponsorship ftom the American Farm Bureau.

TOP: Sandia Classic glider setup area.

ABOVE: Spectators view the Classic from the High Finance restaurant deck. OPPOSITE: British team pilot Robin Hamilton /,aunchingfrom Sandia.

Photos by Doug Knowlton.

by Mark Mocho 24

H A G GLIDI NG

five-minut< increments by Dale and Linda Dubbert. You would think tha1 a I00-foor clock would be plcncy big. but <0me pilot> \\'<"rt" taktag their stare photos from o,·er 16.000 fee, and ilie dock darn neor dis•pp<ared. Photo judging was an ex.1cting 1ask, ably h.indlcd by Doug Knowl1on who used an clecuonic photo m'<rscr mat could 1.oom in on small details and di:splay rhe image on a color television. 11 was scill tougJ, to rc:ad some of ilie phoros. Some compctimrs used dara back camer:tS. ,vhich t:nahll-d chem to ger a'- n1uch ..tS a four-minute time advanuge on the cl(>Ck

hand. Dara back cameras were u;...J ac S~nd1.1 fi1r the: tirst [lffiC', and a fe\V problems aros.:, mainly wiili the difficuhy in reading ,he orange nme stamp againsc ilie light brown terrain of1he desert. Some

C1n1era!, '"~re ob,~ously inferior. with 1.in,e stamp,. too cfon to read a< all. In iliose- cases the photo judge h,td 10 refer ro the accual dock rosi1ion.

Dail) scorl."S wrre c.alculared ::u n1cct headquarters, ilie Ramada Inn F.-tsr hn1d.

Man> pilots oook adv,mtagc of ilie reduced room r.ue ar 1he R.1m,da, and much socializing in ilie swimming pool ,md Jacuzzi rook place afier the daily competition flights. Supplcmen1al oxygen sysmns were also refilled. so pilors had a re,d)' suppl)• of"brain gas· for ilie high JJUrudcs c:ncounrcral at rhe S;andia Ct..sic.

Liond Space's cxcdlcnt scoring program \\';li used for this year's m«t. Lionel ddinirdy deserves 1he ,hanks of ,he meet organizers for providing such a po,\·trful and c,sy-10-usc program. Once basic pilo, dara is entered, along wich the coordina,es of all possible nirnpoinis •nd goals. ilic scorekeeper onl)· needs to define ilic cask using thr turnpoint tJ.blt and cirhcr c.nce.r J pilot's S<.lrt •nd l111ish cime> or his land AUGUST 1996

limy &trton lnund,n Ins A1rbon1r "Shark. • P/i(JtO bJJay BlndnllOOd ing coordinace.,;. Since ne1rly every pilot

using a GPS recei,•er. the process ,vas quick and painless. In •ddi,ion. •ny pilo, usmg • Garmin GPS could ha,.,. all 25 !>ondia ,urnpomts and .JJ of ,he 1996 U.S. Natioo.Js rurnpoints uploaded from che scafT's Garnlin receiver. This lictle service was much appreci31ed by rhe pilots, \\':15

who \\'e.n? able ro a,•oid potential error~ and a dreaded c:ise of "GPS thumb."

Monday, Day 2, had an ambitio<L< 72.2-mii< rask c.JI southem ro Cedarvale.

This had to have been ooe of the mosr powerful comptticion days ever c.Jled in the world. The task was acrualh• 100 short! l11crc were 51 finishers. and ch·c: winner.

Tony furcnn (Airborne "Shark"), blazed rhc course. recording an unbelievable time of 1:1 ~:59 for an average speed of 55.53 mph! 1ony gor high over Sandi• and found strong lift aU .Jong the course line.

How strongi \VeU, he said he onl)' stopped co rum th= times. and "only ifl flew into somerhing big and going up ar over 1.500 f«r per minute."

The rest of che rop IO into goal were: Pete Lehmann. Jim l.tt. Chris Arai.

Robin Hamihon. Jim Yocom. Brad Koji, Al Whitesell, John Grcyn.Jd and Mike

26

B.,rbcr. Even the slowest finisher had an elapsed rime that was fusrcr than the slowest time on Day I, a rask th.at "''!lS only rwo-thirds os long.

After Day 2 the msk committe.: '"'" derermincd ro really go for it. They called for• 106-mile shot to Sam,i Rosa. since the weather forecast still looked great. lsol.,ocl thunderstorms were pn:dictcd, bur they fd, rh,r rhe risk ,v:,s manageable.

Once ,gain, sub--Orbitol pilots wok cheir clock phoros and beoded out.

Unforrun•tely, a l•rge cumulonimbus cell developed and squatted m.Jevolendy asuide chc <ask route at about rhc 70-mile mark. The fmesr gaggle Ocw right up co it, took a good look •nd came ro a scn:cch1ng h:21c. The cask comm1rtcc con~ ferred ,over the radio while in the air .1nd C3lled b:,ck ro Mike Gregg With the recommendation char the ra~k be canceled in the n:ltne of safety. Mike concurred, so che goal st:aff and Mike broadcasr the mes.<age on all known pilor frequencies. Neod.} everybody gor rhe word, either by mdio or as the """rher god., emphasi:zed che poinr "irh li,ghming, h3il and violenr gusr fronts. Mose pilots rumed around and headed back \\..St. Some made nearly 30

area we "·ere racing in announced che scan of a fll3jor milimry exercise. Over

15,000 Air Force, Marine and C'.ercn,n Luftwaffe personnel were raking pare in the annual "Roving Sands" training C"xercise. and ,vc were cold co expect h,gh- and low-levd activity involving bombers, =kers, sre.Jrh fighcers. air superiority fighrers. atr3ck 3ircraft :ind cargo planes buzzing around in • Sf* cial MOA o,·er che eastern plains of Nt!\v Mexico. ~lne ~10,\ ,vas quickly dubbed "Millions Of Airplanes by ,he Sandi• C'.bssic pilots, and m, dtcoded not ro lnre.rfere since \""e \.\rt:rt: ht".1.vily oucgunncd.

The wk commintt decldcd insrcad on a race 41.3 miles nonhcasc ro Jack Gallcnc's priv·.tre airsuip nf':lr S3nt.:i Fe. Jxk has enthusoastic:ally supported che '»ndfa Classic every YC'M, and we rhaak horn by sending a sw,rm of hang gliders in his dircetion on a n:gular basis. lbis year was no exception. There \...-ere 50 finishers with elapsed tim..-.. ranging from Swiss pilot Tony Marty's I:06:45 (37.11 mph, Moyes Xtrolite) to just over two hours. The rest of the top IO induded: Brirish pilot Robin

I farnilton, 'I 11dor, Chris Arai, Jim John Creynald, Mitch Shipley, Canadian Chris Muller, Nelson I-Towe and Al Whitesell. As usual, tbe goal crew was kept hopping as flocks of gliders thundered across the goal lille in packs with only seconds separating them.

Mother Nature took over the meet at this point. Moisture corning up from Mexico made Thmsday look like a potentially serious thunderstorm day. Some pilots were pretty insistent about going up the mountain, hur the meet director overruled them and the day was called off The over Sandia had black·hottomcd CU··nims hy 2:00 pm, and gust fronts and lightning did their little show by early evening.

On Friday morning we awoke to completely overcast skies and imerminem rain.

Pilots were discouraged after watching the bubbly TV weathermen happily predicting five days of mucl1,11ceded rain. ln particular, about a dozen Pacific Northwest pilots were so depressed that they just gave up.

Admittedly, in their neck of the woods, when a f<.1rccast calls for live days of rain it means I 0. However, this is New Mexico, and we're used to Mother Nature making vinually all forecasters look stupid regularly.

The Se:lttlc pilots were constantly asking us, "What's it going 10 do?" Mike and [ kept telling them, "We don't know!" "But you're LOCALS!" they'd argue. We'd reply, "That's Wl·IY we don't know!" packed up and headed home in disgust.

So, naturally, Saturday dawned with jus1 a slight ovc:rc1st and relatively low clouds.

We saddled up and went flying. Because of the moisture and expected light lifr, a shorr 38.4-mile task ro Estancia was called. It was a pretty good call, as conditions were very tough. A wailing game was played om on launch, with pilots being extremely courtc> ous whenever someone wanted 10 slide in the line 10 launch. "Oh, of comse, J would be delighted to let yon get in front of me," they'd chirp, "Please, be my guest!" lt was quire different from die pack of skywolves we had on most days, In any cvcm, launch went extremely well every day. We were get· ting all 68 competitors off within 90 minutes most days, and even with the waiting game all pilots were oflin under two hours.

Eleven pilots lost the struggle to get from the start clock to an altitude sufficient to make it over the mountain, landing in from for a zero score. 'l wo others made almost no distance, but any distance was important. A pilot who only made .5'7 miles got 99 points and another who flew two miles got 186 Aucusr 1996

1 Association held the third annual in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Nineteen pilots cw.c.1cu. flight, daily fligbt and most cumulative The event was held to .minin1izc the crowded likely to be c~ncountered. Guide p.ilots were provided by tbc dub each day and all entrants received a commemorative T'.-shirt and refills. was during the week. Long flights were every day, off with John Elling who recorded a 11 l -miler on Monday. On 'Tuesday Burt logged a l flight to Tucumcari, NM, As great as that was, Wisconsin pilot Steve Rewolinski flew over Burt's head on bis way to a 166-milcr, the longest flight from Sandia siuce last X-C Challenge. took over the contest at this point, logging a 11 () . . mile flight on the 19th and a on the 20th, eased off on l:lrlday, and Jeff Clayton took the final daily prize with a fine 8J,.miler north to Vadi.to, NM. A party was hdd to celebrate the success of the contest, and nearly everybody end·· up in pool, especially if they didn't want to goswimm.ing. Thanks to John Nagyvary for letting us his place again this year.

Nobody wa.s surprised at tbe results, since we'd been bt1'1:zing about flights all week.

John Elling and Jeff Clayton won one day, while Steve Rewolinski took other rl1l'ee longest flight award and most cu.1.milative at 486, Second in mileage was John Elling at and the new Sandia Soaring President Brent DePonte, who 216 for the induding a 93~mile11 car:nc in third, The congratulates a!Lthe winners, and would like to invite you to join us next year!

Mexico newspaper caught of "'"'""«'Association.A family is atternpting to raise enough money t<> a new custom wheelchair for tbeir son, injured in a freak hang gliding accident seven yearn ago, Dustin Splane, his father and a brothcr-in,law wei:e at a flying site near The brother-in-law wa.s getting ready to launch, and Dustin was holding a flying wire. 1'he wind gusted, and Dustin was tb rown off the di ff and injured. He is now a paraplegic, only able to move his thumb and blink his eye1s. bis doctor's prediction that he would stop gtowing after such severe injuries, now has gone from 5' and 1 pounds at the time of accident to and 165 pounds today; He ha.s outgrown his wheelchair and the etrntom that him and atrophy and skin problems. Medicaid will provide enough to the bask chair, but it wi!J take another $5,000 to purchase the cuswm modificati.ons.

'The Sandia Soaring Assodation has contributed .$200 to the family; and calls on pilots to help as well. We were shocked to find that nobody in the flying com.. mun.ity had ever heard of this accident. The SSA contacted the family, and we arc in the planning stages of trying to hold a fund,·rais.ing fly-in to help out fru:·· Sandia Soaring Association at P.O. Box 14571, Albuquerque, NM 87191 for fimher infonnation, Donations can sent to; Mrs, Jan Melchert, J>.O. Box NM 87317, miles against the prevailing wind to land at Clines ( :orncrs, the first day's goal .

Dieter Coerkc (Moyes Xtralire) and Jose Pereyra missed the cancellation notice and attempted to skirt the storm on its southern Dieter was successful and made it to

goal, but the goal staff had already packed up and left. Jose was only a few miles short. 'fhcywcrc disappointed, bm folly agreed with the cancellation decision.

A problem arose with the task calls for the rest of the week. Pilot NOTAMs for the 27

points. Surprisingly, there were 29 pilots who made at least half the task distance, and there were five finishers. It was definitely a tribute to some extremely talented and determined competirnrs!

Brad Koji (Moyes Xtralite) had the fastest time at I :22:58 79 mph), with Chris Arai, Larry Ti1dor, Kari Castle and Dave Sharp also making goal. All five finished within a 10--minute window, but there was a 30-minutc difference in elapsed times due to different start times.

The final day, Sunday, was another example of why weather forecasters in New Mexico are driven ro drink. The weather was back on track, with eminently soarable conditions. Normally, on the last day of a comest, a shorr task is called to get pilots back in rime for a party. This bunch, however, would not settle for some weenie task when there were miles to be flown and races to be won! The task committee settled on a 73.3-miler to Milagro. The announcement was met with overwhelming approval.

Another waiting game on launch ensued,

a lare, fast day. as some pilots were Launch conditions had been unusually mellow for Sandia for most of the week, and thar helped out pilots who preferred to launch later. Normally, the ones at the back of the line have to deal with pretty tough cycles coming through.

As it turned om, the strategy was valid.

Almost all of 1he top l O finishers started between I :53 and 2:30 l'M. I ,ionel Space was the last competitor Lo launch, but had the fifth fastest time. Fifteen minutes sepnratcd first through 1Orh, and rhcrc were 33 happy pilots al goal.

Robin I lamilton (Airwave Klassic) had the fastest time: at 2:0 I :32. He was followed

by Chris Arai, Kari Castle, Tcmy Marry, Lionel Space, Brad Koji, Al Whitesell, Nelson Howe, Dave: Sharp and Larry· fodor.

Pilots checked in at headquarters early and headed out to the Elena Gallegos picnic area at the base of the rnotmrnin for the awards party and barbecue. Steve Hill called the finish times in hy cellular phone Lo scorekeeper Mark Mocho, and the scores

were done by 8:30 PM. Mike opened the awards presentation by thanking all the pilots for coming ro this year's mecr. He nlso recognized the entire sta/F and our loyal sponsors. The Sandia Classic has probably the widest--ranging list of sponsors oLmy hang gliding meet in this country. They include Fuji Film (task film), Smith's Food & Drug Centers (film processing), Dean Witter, Inc. (cash, organizing assistance, postage, etc.), High Finance and Assets Grille Restaurants (food, beer and prizes), Cellular One (mobile phones), 'Ii-iGas Industries (oxygen) and the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division (landing areas, picnic area).

George Boyden from the Sandia Peak Th1mway spoke briefly, thanking all the pilots for their cooperation. He expressed the 'Ji-amway's support for the event and invited us back next year. Without a doubt, the existence of the 'foun is one of the major factors which makes this meet pleasant and convc-nient (c)r the pilots.

Awards were given out to some pilots

who

rncntion. rcc:ct\rc(1 the Cood Sportsman award. was instrumental in a accident victim on one the prac The pilot and were pinned position, but the cliff in a helped the glider and assist rcscrnng rhc pilot, who suffored minor ! le received a vario donated hy

or

USA. Jack :-,1111m(lns, ccnific11c toward an flight computer for his finish in this, his first comest.

Robin lfamilton's fourth

was good for

ccrtiflcatc as the top-plac

1rophy was the winner of the special "Covernor's Race" on Saturday in honor of New Mexico ( ;ovcmor Johnson, a hang gliding support·

er. The trophy is a bcautihd silver has··rclicf ,)l.llll'lllllL

or tbc sratc of New Mexico.

Aircrnfi came up wirh two

The Tangent Flight Computer is

I) 2) 3)

to be the best XC vario market. No other flight ,rnml\11.\.!I

4) 5) 6)

has accumulated as

marir'cornp<"tition miles.

Whether

·e a tech-weenie

or -phobe,

want the real

7)

"Now I trai·HtJn•rt truck with over Photo hy Mark Morho.

efficiently as audio great.

It's pretty n

be able to get my ey

off

my instruments.

Dangerously addictive, frighteningly necessa17.

I love it."

"The Tangent is the best performing climb and glide instrument I've flown with.

I like how you can person· ally tailor the myriad of functions the

boasts to suit your style."

A

R

A

DESIGN 110 I Glendora Ave Oal•tland, CA 94602 SIO 531 2261

30

$500 certificates. were awarded to Lionel Space for the best flnish on an older model glider, and Jim Zciset for the best finish on an older model body. Mitch Shipley was given a Wills Wing gear bag for being the biggest air hog in the meet.

Mitch was nearly at the front of tbe launch pack and often waited until the end of the start window bdi.)re heading out on course. · !'he top 10 finishers were next to be honored. In tenth was Mitch Shipley points). Ninth went to Nelson eighth to Al Whitesell seventh to Jim Lee 1. , . , , 1 u. 1 sixth to Tcrny Marty Fifrh was Dave Sharp, last winner with and fourth was Robin Hamilton with 4,208.3 points. All these pilots received medals engraved with the Sandia Classic logo.

The thinl·place pilot was Brad Koji, who scored 4,265.5 points. Chris Arai took second, gathering points. Pilots burst into applause when they realized that the winner had to be Larry 'fodor, who took lt,413.9 points om of a possible 5,000. Larry won the first day's task and made goal every day, finishing first, sixteenth, third, third and tenth on the daily tasks. The top three pilots were the only ones to make goal every day, prompting Larry to remark that, "winning this meet wok a lack of bad luck." We wish Larry the best of luck in his next two projects: breaking his own world record in Wyoming and trying out fatherhood, as his lovely wife Claudia is expecting in August.

'J 'he Classic was a great success this year.

Pilots got to experience some of New Mexico's best and most challenging conditions. There was plenty of variety in the tasks, necessitating a wide range of pilot skills and requiring everyone to use their best judgment.

We can't wait for next year! Ill

8) 9) 1O) 1 I) 12) 13) 1Ii) 15) 16) 17) 18) 1

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Tudor Arai Hrad Koji Robin Hamilton Dave Sharp Tony Jim Lee ·Albert Whitesell Nelson Howe Mitch Shipley Kari Castle Rcto Schacrli John \.JIICYIJd!U Pete Lehmann Mike Barber Lionel Space Steve Rdsell Glen Volk Wayne

Terry Reynolds Mark Boh Ken Ostrander Jersey Rossignol Barry lhteman Kevin Gendron Ryan Glover Jack Simmons Steve Lee Butch Peachy Jerry Braswell Jody Lazaro Dieter Goerke Bruce Barmakian Clark Farson Martin Pepper Jim Steele Tony Barton Jose Pereyra George Reeves Jon Lindburg Ta mes Zciset Andrew Beem Chris Muller Mark Grubbs Jim Yocom Tony Peralez Mark Mason Larry Costanza Greg Kendall Roh Kayes Vince Furrer Jeff Cook David Gerdes Phil Proctor Don Class Jeff Gritsch Wayne Lueth Lisa Verzclla Greg Wojnowski Davis Straub Dennis Yeomans James Reynolds Scott Comeaux Jim Steel Brad Randel John Kerry Jim Woodward Bronwyn Hamilton

USA USA USA CB

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USA

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SW! USA

3930.5 3870.7 3754.5

USA USA

USA USA USA USA USA USA

USA {JSA USA USA USA

USA USA USA CAN

USA USA USA USA

USA USA USA USA USA

USA GB USA

USA USA USA

USA USA USA CAN

USA

USA USA USA USA USA

USA USA USA USA USA CAN

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA

USA USA USA USA USA USA

3723.6 3658.5 3655.9 3623.2 3524.9 3476.1 3460.7 3435.5 3419.6 3419.0 3:386. I 3370.4 :3326.2 3302.7 3279.3 3221.3 3215.4 3204.5 3140.0 3130.1 2991.3 2910.9 2848.1 2737.2 2707.9 2702.9 2587.3 2571.1 2535.4 2348.5 2251.5 2195.6 2191.7 2185.9 2139.7 2081.2 1962.8 1913.6 1891.3 1885.0 l 833.6 1755.0 1688.4 1620.5 1559.0 1484.7 1467.0 H47.3 1343.8 1273.1 1193.4 1113.8 935.0 800.6 706.2 528.8 496.1 346.6 333.5

HANC GLIDINC

THE TRUTH ABOUT

here is a lot of misinform:uion in ffle fl)ing community about helmets: ohout whar they do. why we wear them. and jusr whar kinds arc a,-ailablc. My friends and I have, learned much about this

T

subject -

more. in faa, than v.•c c;:\'C:r \\+:tnced

to know. This knowledge was obtained

by Paul R. Cazis

through din:cr. firsr-hand experience th.,i was nor always a terrific amount of fun. Since rm a generous fellow. I'd like ro share this knowledge with you.

WHAT HELMETS DO A helmet must do rhtce things. The different hdmcr standards - ANSI. DOT, SNELi and the proposed French hang gliding helmet srandard- are all supposed to mwure how wdl a helmct does these things. Thoe things arc: I) Resist pencrracion 2) St:1)' on your hetd 3) Absorb the energy of an impact Pm~rmri-011 Rnwanct'

Some manufucrurers refer ro this as the

LEFT: Romer opeo-fuie. BELOW: Lueo Millers cbughtcr Stq,banie models th• Ar.ii VX. Photos by Luoo Miller.

"DOT strength resr." Ir is probably the LEAST IMPORTANT quality of a hclmct.

True. no one wanrs • hole in his head, but :it the speeds we fly. I suspect rhar jusr about any hard-shdl helmet could do the job.

Sraying 011 This u important. If )'OUr helmet comes off ir can't do very mud, to pmtecr yotL I've heard of one manufuaurer ,vho claims their chin srrap is mtmd,d ro break, as a "safety feature." ro "absorb energy." Righr. Sutt: ching. And people u_d to think rbey were bcncr oft without sear heirs so they could be thrown dear of the car in rbe event of a collision.

Absorbing &,ergy This is crucial. It is the most imponant job a helmet eaa perform. Its also the most difficult. In panicular. i, requires a sufficiendy thick liner. Cold hard physical law, - the s:un< kind of physical laws that allow us ro lly in rhe fim place- meaa that• 1hinner liner simply cannot do the job. If you ,mack your head and your helmet can't absorb the shock, you are going to gt:t a concu.~sion.

RIGHT: Left"' right - lcaro, Panoramic Trekking and Panoramic RcBcx. Phoco by Luen Mille,.

34

WHY WE WEAR THEM "What." you ask, "is the big deal? Why should I ,,.·orry about -a concussion? lsa't it just Like in the movies? You wake up in a few momcntS, after a gentle sleep. You unc:r the rradirional three words. 'Where am I?' Then you hop into bed ,vith an :u:trnctivc: n1e:mbcr of the appropriate gender and/or ,pccics."

Wrong. Nor even do,c.

HANG GLIDING

Even a "mild" concussion, if 1here is such a thing, involves some chance of hrain damage. Brain is a Bad Thing. It is also permanent.

Modcrnte concussions can cause problems wid1 vision, balance, coordination and memory. These usually fade after a few but they arc not a terri fk amount of fon, and the memory problems mean that you will nor remember that hypothetical romantic: interlude even if it does occur. 'frust me.

Serious concussions arc Bad News. They usually involve contusions, intracranial bleeding and brain damage. Brain damage is PERMAN ENT No one ever "recovers" from a serious concussion. At best, the vie· tim can look forward to a (very) long vacation from work, Aying, driving a car and leading an independent life, while they learn how to use undamaged parts of their brain to compcns:11c for the parts that arc gone forever. At worst ... well... you don't want to know about that.

The crnmmy thing about head injuries is that they happen at we should otherwise be able to survive. l :orcnsic statistics show that our bodies have at least a 50%i chance of a direct 40 mph irnpact with solid rock. (fat people have even better odds because they have buil1-in padding.)

Om heads arc more fragile. Even a IO mph can cause a concussion, and a direct 20 mph impacr with something solid is going to do some oamagc.

Since our bodies arc so tough and our heads arc so it makes sense to put armor on our heads to make them tougher. 'll!J\T'S why we wear helmets; so a trivial and otherwise survivable crash won't rum us inro a trivial and otherwise healthy vegetable.

WHAT TYPES OF HELMETS ARE

OUfTHERE? 'Ihcrc arc three kinds olhelmets: useless helmets, lightweight helmets, and motorcycle/motocross helmets. I will discuss each of these in tum.

Useless Helmets Some helmets arc so insuhstanrial that useless. These include bicycle helmets, construction hard hats, skydiving helmets, climbing helmets, kayaking helmets, hockey helmets, and even a lcw of the helmets marketed spcciflcally for hang gliding.

While diverse in shape and appearance, these helmets generally have four things in common:

1996

l) light.

2) They're cheap.

3) People who fly with them think they arc clever and wonder why the rest of us arc so stupid.

4) arc completely and utterly useless.

Think about it. If you're going to wear a you might as well wear one that works. bother with a helmet at all?

01herwise

w;:tnt to wear a marginal 1Jet1net, that's fine, as long as they wN1,,,,7,, that a trivial mistake, jr(Jm someone with more substan/;rotectwn might walk away sm;itmf{, could win them an exnenhelicopter ride that they'll nev·· remembei; 11, weird dream-like rmd long mom11s (f tedious rehabilitation.

I JQ'/:Jtlm:zefJt f !e!rnets

I ,ightwcight helmets designed for flying arc a recent development. Typically, these arc ful] .. facc designs with hard composite shells and approximately 3/4" of foam padding.

Most liglnwcight helmets weigh around l <314 po1 mds. Prices range from $150 ro Three wcll-·known examples arc the Panoramic 'frckking, Reflex and UVEX. \\/hilc rhcrc is no official standard, as yet, for lightweight flying helmets, most conform to the st,rndard proposed by the French Federation de Vol 1.ibrc. This was described in rbe l 993 J\pril/ May issue of' Cross tnagazinc and subsequent discussions on the Internet. l hclievc it was derived from the following French motor vehicle standards: Penetration resistance the NF 77.. 305 motorcycle standard. When placed on a durnmy head and struck with a calibrated spike, the helmet must not allow the spike lo penetrate closer than five millimeters to the skull. This is similar to the Arnericm DClT rno1orcyclc standard. on rhc NJ; 72 307 motorcycle standard. When placed 011 a dummy head and yanked forward wirh a calibrated claw, rhc helmet must nor rotate forward more than a specified angle. This also resembles the American DOT motorcycle standard. the NF 72 403 Energy ahsorption Bicycle Stancl:ml. The helmet must prevent

the head from r'Y1wr1enr111,., cration greater than 300 or a crnmu11a·· tivc deceleration greater rhan 150 C's rnorc than flvc milliseconds during a l ()-mph impact. 'I 'his is similar to American J\NST Bicycle Standard!

In an otherwise survivable crash mph), one of these helmets should keep you alive. The chin strap should keep it your head and the shell should keep objects away from your skull. On the hand, if you smack your head much than 15-20 mph, even with a glancing blow, you arc pretty much guaranteed to su/Fcr a concussion, and possibly a one.

Motorcyclc/Motorross Helmets A good, modern motocross (MX) helmet weighs around 2.75 pounds and around $300. This is lighter than those motorcycle half shells we used to fly wid1 and chet1per than some of the trendy Eurohclmcts.

The big difforcncc between an MX met and a lightweight helmet is the amount of energy ir can absorb. The and SNELL standards (as for as pilots arc concerned, the two standards arc equivalent) require that a helmet must be able absorb, not just the shock of a single I 0-· mph impact, bur the shock of multiple 1 mph impacts. Since kinetic energy is proportional to the squtlre of velocity, this means that a DOT or SN El .I ,·approved MX helmet can absorb THREE TT MES AS MUC:11 ENERCY as a lightweight me!.

MX helmets arc designed to prevent a concussion in rhc event of' a direct 11c;10-on impact with a concrete curb or solid rock at 17 mph. Since most ground is sofrcr than rock :rnd most crashes arc not hcadon, 1hcre's a good chance one of these mets will prevent a concussion at speeds to 30-40 mph. Even if it doesn't, the liner can easily make the di{frrcncc between a briefT lollywood-stylc fantasy and an unplcasanr experience with nent consequences.

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? Obviously I believe in real helmets. they may look not look as sexy as those trendy lightweight Eurohclmcts, some of those Eurohclmcts arc jusr glorified helmets. [ wish I'd had a real helmet l needed it, and I wish

. l ,

.1111 IDllt:

,

copyright

Breaking gliders down fr1r stmYJt;Je or shipping on r:tirplanes is not a dij]icult undertaking, but there are a few tricks that malee the whole process we'll walk you through this process step by step to minimize work stre.s:r, blind r:tlley excursions tmd glider dmnage.

Many airlines (bur 1101 all) will take hang gliders if they arc hroken down to their minimum length (usually 12 to 13 feet). Some airplanes such as the Boeing 737 do nor have holds large enough to accommodate such a length, so before you go to the trou ble of breaking the glider down, checL out the capabilities of your intended carrier.

S71;'P l

Remove the basetube

Take the basetuhe off at both ends, including the VG rope. Be sure to tic a loop knot in the VG rope so it doesn't slip up the dowmube and cause all manner of hassle when you reconstruct the glider. Now pad both ends of the basetube.

Padding can he m:1de from high-density foam, bubhlepack, newspaper or cut--to--size cardboard boxes yon rescue from the dumpster. Use packing tape to hold the pads in place. Put the basctube aside and proceed to step 2.

S'f 'BJ> 2

l?ernoving the leading edge Mylar

·ro remove or not remove, that is the

question of primary importance. If you have ever viewed folded Mylar on a packed glider, you would be inclined to remove it for shipping. Once you sec how easy it is to do, you will ahsolutely want to remove your Mylar before folding the leading edges forward.

'T'here arc two problems with pulling Mylar out: the scam stick tape used to hold t·he sail seams for sewing ofren sticks to the Mylar and holds it in. Also, the Mylar is too wide for the narrow inlet at the nose. We'll solve both of these problems here.

Begin by laying your glider on its side so one leading edge is up and rhe leading edge pocket can be laid entirely flat (remove all sail ties). Now move the Mylar forward from the sail opening of the pocket. If it slides forward easily, you arc in luck. If it

36

doesn't, it is stuck on the aforcrnentioned tape. Usually Mylar smck on the top seam (see Figure 1). free it, reach your hand inside the and fold the Mylar back and down away from the seam, thereby breaking the hond. Cive the Mylar a good jerk while you bend it away from the top seam and it may come free. !Cit doesn't, extend your arm in as far as you can and break the Mylar free. Tf it still won't come om, use a broomstick to move the bend fur ther in. In extreme cases [ have had to free the Mylar all the way with a long mbc.

Once your Mylar is free, maintain the rr>'.lrm,_,,-,1 bend of the top portion so the wide portion of the Mylar can clear the opening at the nose, CAUTION: 'fhe lower portion of the Mylar has slits to allow it to form a compound curve when the glider is set up. Remove the Mylar carefully so you do not catch a slit on :1 se,1111 and tear the Mylar. (If you do tear your Mylar repair it wirh clear packing tape.)

Once the Mylar is out, you can wrap iiin a fairly tight roll, little encl ro big end, and tape it up. J use this roll to protect the leading edges that we'll pull our in the next step.

Replacing Mylar The greatest fear pilots have, next to whacking in front of an unsympathetic audience, is inserting Mylar. I have seen all sorts oflrncus pocus involving long rods, strings or incantations, but none of this is necessary when you learn an easy technique.

The whole process takes less time to do than read about.

First, lay the entire leading edge pocket this is flat as when removing the Mylar important. Now insert the tip of the Mylar into the pocket (the slit edge is the bottom side) as far as you can. When the Mylar gets

a certain distance in, it tends to fold and overlap itself due to friction. Bcfcire this happens, fold the top of the Mylar back so it forms a rigid curve as shown in Figure 2. ·rhe Mylar is flexible enough to form a gentle curve in this manner wi1hout damage.

The curve makes it very stiff and now you can insert rhc emirc piece. Tei help prevent overlap ar rhc tip, rnove the Mylar in and om as you proceed.

Once the entire Mylar is in rhc pocket you may still have some part of it folded hack at the top. You can straighten this by purring your arm inside and pushing it srraight, or shaking the whole leading edge pocket. A sruhborn fold will come out if' you nm your hand along the pocket a couple of ti mes.

NOTE: On Wills Wing gliders the upper cables nm rhrough a hole in the Mylar. Unfortunately, you must remove this cable to remove the Mylar. Once you take out the Mylar you can fix the situation for the future by m:iking a V-slit in the Mylar where the cable goes.

5''/1iP3 Once the Mylar removed you should roll the glider on its back and take out the leading edge outboard sections. On most gliders you can do this hy popping off the webbing or bolr rhat holds the sail in the slotted tip. This is most readily done when the wings are slightly opened, hut f have found that a medium-sized screwdriver easily pops the attachment off in any case (see Figure On some gliders, Velcro tabs must be opened first as shown.

The screwdriver can be used to put the tips back on as well, and is much easier to use than ropes and back muscles. If you don't have a screwdriver, place your heel on the leading edge and pull the sail or web-bing with your hand to pop the attachment 011 or off Once you remove a lc;1ding edge mark it pilotJ' le(l or This is very important for the safety of your next flight. Remember, if your gl icier is on irs back, the pilot's left: leading edge will be on the right side as you look at the glider from tail 10 nose. When reinserting leading you must line up the slot that keeps them from twisting.

Make sure the tube slides all the way in HM-IC CLIDINC

you should feel a solid doinh. Wrap the vulnerable forward part of 1his bding section with padding. This is where l use the rolled up Mylar inserts. Roll them tight·· ly around the whe and 1ape them in place. pull the sail all the way forward on the: remaining leading edge: Lubes and care· folly pad the rear of' the inboard (from sec· tion) leading edge. In my this is the most commonly damaged area during shipping, so pad ir well. I choose to make wooden or tightly rolled newspaper inserts to further protect this rnbc end.

STEP4

Fold the sail

Assuming you had the sail rolled previ· ously, now fold each leading sail section f<lrward as shown in Figure Ii. You cm nestle the cmtbo;ml rube you removed partially inside the sail as shown.

When both arc neatly /()]dcd, place the sail tics around the whole pa1::1<agc.

These tics may be tight but should lcJOS· cncd as the cover is zipped up. Now store the basetube and battens (battens may fit snugly in the leading pod<et ar the nose) as shown in

STHfl

the cover

Usually the rearward part of the pac:kai:;e is so it sometimes helps to ttlrn the glider around so this portion is at the widest pan of the cover (the front). Start from the narrnw end and hcgin the cover up. h helps to have a friend squeeze the cover it will be tight! Once together as you zip you get the entire cover zipped, move the to the end with the excess cov .. zipper er length. Open the cover a bit, fold the excess inside and it up Figure 6).

The zipper can be concealed inside the COV· er if you wish.

The whole process of breaking down a glider may rake a hit more than ;m hour with one helper. However, iris not diffirnlt if you follow the above procedure. The method omlined is rhc simplest and is designed LO protect your glider from dam· age as much as possible. When you reassemble ir, you should have a set of' as fine as when they were fi1rlcd. •

AUClJST 19%

35. believe it that I'd hought my best Hying buddy that MX helmet for her birthday.

If you're a conservative recreational pilot who docs nor go X-C you may not need a DOT-approved motorcycle helmet. ff you never get low, never land out, never misread the wind direction, and always arrive at the designated LZ with enough altitude to set up a proper landing approach, you should always end up in ground effect, headed upwind, with your wings level. Under those conditions it's hard to sec how you could hit anything much foster than your stall speed. Still, you should ask yourself: Am I really that conservative?

X-C: is another matter. 'fhe overwhelming odds arc that you won't need a helmet at all. Bm if things do go poo, which can happen on an X-C flight if you flush, have to plll down in bad terrain, and read the wind direction wrong or clip something with a wing tip and cartwheel it's easy to hit faster than 20 mph. Then a real helmet can be a lifesaver.

nan:-~,netL 1:111rc:tHJm1.rt1er. or 11111-tace helm,etr believe me, come look at our sm1ast1ed hdmet collection.

D(J'l~at'.>Provc:d 11101:or,:vclc heln1ets are out 01)t10,ns: street or motocross. Street helmets come in more vanetles,

CONCLUSfON One of the most· important things about flying is the freedom it us. This includes the freedom to chose our own level of risk.

I'd be the last person to insist that everyone wear DOT-approved niororcycle helmets ... ... but... ... if someone decides to take a chance should not be under any illusions about precisely what chance they have decided to take. ff they want to wear a marginal helmet, that's fine, as long as they real-· i'.f.e that a trivial mistake, from which someone with more subsrantial protection might walk away smiling, could win them an expensive helicopter ride that they'll never remember, a weird drearn-likc stay in Intensive Care, and long mond1s of tedious rehabilitation. best flying buddy, who is in a good position to know abom these things, has the following words to offer: "Wbile there are no guarantees, safety can be signifkandy affected by equipment. l believe everyone should use tlie best safety equipment, within reason, to protect rhcm· selves. [ believe the following to he even her .. tcr advice: "Keep your skills sharp. Practice launches and landings at the training hill occasionally if your skills start to dcclinc. Be reasonable, exercise good judgment, and remember you arc not invincible." II

it not even a sma II difference.

Statistical evidence DOWN catch on my basetube, to my

won't the chin

.like unless prc1tulJer,am he,lrnets, you should not came to worse,

catch 0:11 your basetube:

What about ear holes? those motm:cycl.e helmets don't have car Wi:>n't I die ifI Hvwith<Hlt eat: holes?

A:No.

lack

HANG CLIDING

.

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The Super Floater - Part II The Journey Continues © 1996 by Dave Briryles It iJ absolmely essential rhai I point out that I liked 1he Super Floater so much that T became a dealer, so everyone can suspect me of11t!es hype and hyperbole. However. I believe thm mirh serv1'S better than ficrio11, so _you may r11ke me nt my word while I continue the Super F!ofller sngn. oon ahcr n,'(civing my pl:anc I \\':.l.'i pul 1n the s:ime position

S

Kem Anderson of Wind \X~-Jk« \\'>S when he h,d ,o decide

,vhcthc:r or not to lei n1e fly Lhc1r one and only factory proCO!)'J'<'- I h,d <O list<n 10 various pilot$ ,alk ,bout their qu.ui-

Rcmons ,nd tell cock-,nd-bull siorie, in order w figure out whether my glider wo.,ld be s.1fe in their h,nds.

I mok my Super Hoa,er, "hich I had jusc 6cied with a CG cow hook, ,o th• Fault Llne Hyers' home airport co let all qu.u,ficd comers test fly it. first l toY.ied ir up v..'lch 3 payout ,,._..inch to stt ho\,· the ,ow hook worked. and how the ~uper Hoa«r would row "'th a l2nd-b,sed U)\\ S)'S<fm, 3 l l i payout winch operated by lrS des1go• er, Chris Gagliano. I was sure from the gross weight ofa Super Floo«r and pilot (about 350 pounds) ch,, it would ,ow a< the SWle line tt"J\sion :is a rande.m hang ~lidcr, so ,ve set u ac 2-00 pounds ,,•1th 3 400-pound weak link. The launch was smooth, and .mer a rclaU\'dy 1!.r climb 10 gee dear of ,he ground l nosed ,hoe plan< luc.k until the airsprcd ,,·as 25 n1ph. As the ,o,,· ccn;1on 1ncn::1sed due to rope' payo111, ,he pl;ine scen1ed ro speed up e\'en ,,ich the same slick

pre;_sure umil ftnall)', at the rop of the ,ow. I was ll}1t1g a< almost 40 rnph. Thi, L< "di under chc \'nc .1nd mancuvenng speed of rhe au-crafi and i\ no call~ for alarn1.

I tipped ,he nose down and released ,he ul',iine. lbe day was moderarely cold, abom 40 dcgrces, typical for the middle of winter in Texas. I kn('\, thi:T<' \\'Crt thcnnals. .t5 1 ho1d pas'Cd, ocrnsional colun1ns of buzzards on chc ,v.,y rhc:rc. but chcr ,,~re not c:IO"< together. There ,v.1~ J Sch\\·eiu;r l-26 pilor 1henn.tling. in the dis-

roncc whee< he had been dropped by a row plane. lmmedia«ly I found rha, 1here was sufficienr lift for rhe Super Floirer right where I had released fmm me rnwline. I started cin:lin!(, bur wasn't really trying to ~C3) up 3S I knC\,. chcrc \\'ere people bclo,,· "·ho ''"'anted to tot my pl.one. ().,,pire my haphazard rhermaling technique I soon nor iced rh.1r I \\"as a\'er.tging 50 fpm up or n1ore. aln1os:1 no ma.ttcr wh.11 I did.

Remembering che people below I son of moseyed downwind co the end of ,he runway. buc the Super Floaicr deica«d me. I found ch.u ic ""' son of like a Ouiji board. Ir seemed thar my hands moved on rheir own 10 keep me climbing. I ordered myself 10 fly down. and pu,hed the «ick forward ro •n .1irspeed of 4'i mph. The ,-ario 1mn1edia1ely responded. telling me I wa, climbing ac 100 fpm.

Hn1111n1. I ,;on of rhoughr the \':lfio \\'JS aaing up. but no. ml :i1ti·

-IO

tude \\i;tS increas-in~. 1 n1usr ha,'c tlo,vn Lhrough the: mother of \\'llltcr thermals. I finally kicked the rudder and put ,he Super Floater imo a slip and finally starred burning 08"enough almude <0 em« the pmccrn. I slipped i, down right onto the gr:iss .crip and rolled 10 a ,rop.

I found chat m,· lirde excursion had l:1>1ed a half hour. The Sch"eitter had long sine,, londed. "\X1ho is nex,:· I o.skcd ..md immediately had a list of hang glider and sailplane pilo1< who wamed <0 go up. I bcg,n ro norice a di~ curbing trend: As each pilo, exited the plane he had a grin from car to car. I w:,; tempted rn save ,hese people from permanent face distortion through "couple of quick slaps. but instead ju.<r lisrened while they told me how much fun rhe Super Floater was and how wdl i, lb,. Music. of course, 10 my cal'$. As I briefed rhcse pilot> before th<)' flew l told ,hem that ,he main characrerisric of rhe Supc,r Floater \\i.l} th:u thctt "·ould be nn surprises.. Ir ,vouldn·r spin unless vou fon:ed it. and its srall was so mild that YOU could hardh- fed it.

• The Jay cnJeJ wirh happy pilots and I had a big gria ~1ysclf.

HA.,G Guo,~c

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The Super Floater

LE.FT: Aerorou1 la1md1 ar Qtmt Air. Photo by Woca'.1 }om,.

ABOVE: 117oca'., Jones footin' it near

c"1udbasr in a Sul'" Floam:

for mv nexc srunt l took che Super floater out co nly uajnin~ site co see ho,,• ic ,,·ould scooter 10,,· from a relacivdy rough field. I ma.de Jbouc fi,·e co,vs. each to 400 or 500 fcec. The ground "·as mo,,·cd bui ,-ery rough furrowed. The plane took it well. boch launch· ing and landing.

""'h

I began re.1d~·ing tOr my second rnp to Sun 'n' Fun to r~pr6cnt

the USHGA, rhe Super Flo,ier and rhc Pmodacryl Prug. To impro,-e ,he "'" performance of che Prug l replaced the stock 30-HP motor "irh a M-Hl' Rot:tx ultr:tlight engine. This gave It approx:in1:11elr c.he chmb race of a rocker ,,rithout :1 glider m CO\\'. and

, climb rare of 650 to -50 fpm with the ~per Hoacer behind ic. To make a long scory short, che Super HolCer and the Pterodacryl worked great togecher. J'he test of the srory about my crip will rake che fonn of a Aighc re\;C\v!

SUPER l'LOATER FLIGHT REVU:.-W So whor is rhi., wonderful to)' phne? It looks a Jo, like the onginal AcGl'ST 19%

wood-and-clocb Super Aoai<r of rhc l 9"0's, but is made wich cradicional hang glid« macerials, 606 i-T6 aluminum and dacron co,·ering. Probably rhe closm rdam·e is another Klaus Hill design, ,he Fledglin11. The Super Tioarcis "'ni,t is made of rwo spars hdd apan by compression struts. The "·ing :assembly is insened into a ,,'lng covering made a greac <le:tl like a hang glider';, down ro the le:,ding ed~ pocket wich insert.cl mylar. ·n.e wing is rhen given shape b)' inserting ribs very much like chose of a modern hang glider, except thl! they are hinged ac che end. The lunged portion makes up the full-span ailerons. which are sewed onco che main wing covering and made ofhea,T, reinforced dacron much like che cr2iling edge of a full-race competition hang glider.

Bue. you ask. ho,v can such an aileron noc Bex into uselessness?

fhe ~uper floater has five cable-operated aileron horns on each ,,.1.ng. ThlS means [hat the re;tl compJ,..x.,cy ul' the ,,·,ng 1.s in the cable and pulley syscem inside the wing. The 2ilerons arc also sriRcned by a uansvuse nb on chc tr.iiling edge. The fuseloge is really a fi,·e·inch

~,

diameter rube with an outer structure covering it for better aerodynamics and appearance. The pilot's seat is padded and comfortable, but the flying position is supine much like in a race car, with a side stick in the perfect position for effortless operation.

The advertised performance numbers for the Super Floater are a stall speed of23 mph, minimum sink of 180 fpm at 28 mph, and max LID of 15/1 at 38 mph. Vne is 60 mph.

I weigh about 185 pounds clothed and ready ro fly. I made a number of flights at Mountain Green, Utah at the factory and my indicated minimum sink was between 120 and 150 fpm. The indicated stall speed of the Super Floater on my Hali airspeed indicator was about 20 mph. I did a number of 360's with an indicated airspeed of23 to 25 mph and a bank angle of about 30 degrees. In these rums the indicated sink rare varied from 150 fpm ro 180 fpm.

On these flights I flew over a much larger area than I would normally cover in a hang glider. I had a sense that the glide ratio was much better than the competition hang gliders I have flown, but as I was not able to fly side by side with a hang glider I cannot verify this.

The SF has a trim system which allows one ro adjust the pitch trim in flight. I normally trim the glider to fly about 25 mph hands off, but can easily change the trim while under row or ifI am flying faster for a distance.

Standard instrumentation on the Super Floater is a yaw string and a specially marked Hall airspeed indicator. A hang glider vario may be easily clamped to the tubular frame surrounding the pilot. I did most of my flying with a Bali M50 clamped to the frame in front of my feet and above the aerorow release.

During aerorow the Super Floater is much easier to manage than a regular sailplane, and it is also easier to aerorow than a hang glider.

42

ABOVE: The Pterodacryl Ptug.

Photo by Barbara Flynn.

RIGHT Woody Jones over central Florida.

Photo by the pilot.

The row plane ideally should fly at 35 to 40 mph. The Super Floater rends ro drop below the optimum flight point when rowed under 30 mph, and the handling gets a litde twitchy above 50 mph. Other than that, one just follows the row plane. Control under row mostly consists of keeping the wing of the row plane on the horizon and keeping the yaw suing suaight. Many of the pilots test flyi ng the Super Floater have commented about the ease with which it aerorows.

Ground-based rowing is almost effortless. One just keeps the wings level and pulls back on the stick to maintain 30 mph during the climb. The plane comes with a three-string aerornw release on the nose built into the glider, but there is an optional CG release available for better climb with ground-based rowing. I understand that the SF will ground row from the nose release, however I have only ground rowed from the CG hook. I have rowed behind a payout winch and with a scooter row stationary winch. The typical climb rate with each was about 500 to 600 fpm.

Aerornwing the Super Floater at Quest Air allowed me the opportunity to fly in real thermals for the first time. My first therH A G GLIDI NG

maling flight was on a weak day during which I bad the longest flight of the day. I based my diennaling technique ou my hang gliding experience. I flew with one eye on rhe airspeed and looking around to clear my rnrns, while listening to the audio on the vario, occasionally checking the visual indicator and my altitude. Despite the claims of the factory that min sink is ar 28 mph, I found that the glider t:hermaled best for me at 23 mph indicated. Twas flying with both the Hall meter and a propeller AST, and frmnd tbar the Hall and the propeller 2/i. Because l was iu a bank, and indicated experiencing some C force, the T-lall was reading low. In level flight the two agreed.

The glider also gave me a physical indication oflifr, pitching up its nose when enter-· ing lifr straight on and the lifr side wing when passing to the side of the lift. This was very consistenr with both my hang gliding slight) sailplane experiexperience and ence. What was noticeable was that 111;meu· vcring the glider in or around a tl1ermal was practically effortless. The stick gave foeclback, hut it was like power steering, requiring hardly any effort. My rherrnaling strategy was ro circle in lift, holding a constant air .. speed while flattening the turn in lifr and tightening ir in sink. 1 fly wilh the vario set at minimum damping, and average our the variations in my head.

My next thcrrnaling flight srnnccl a little too early, and after a 3,000-foot tow and chasing a forming cloud, which turned our to have no lifr under it, I arrived in the pattern at '750 foct. The Quest Air people claim not to have a house thermal, but over rhe swamp west of the field I found a thermal. This particular place is where l had found thermals 011 the weak day, and on previous visits to Quest wi rh my hang glider. I started circling, and after ,l while found myself ar 3,500 feet.

Meanwhile, the row planes had been me as a diennal marker and were cl ropping off gliders in my neighborhood. None of these pilots flew directly into my thermal, but one glider was !di above me and rhc pilot had rhe disconcerting habit of" rhc direction of his turns as f thcnnaled up to him. Since the Super Floater has an excellent sink rate the air above me was ofgrear concern, thus J was very pleased with the Super l :Joatcr's overhead visibility. The view below was also quite good, alrhough not the com· plctcly unrestricted view ro which prone hang glider pilots ,ll"C acc11s· torncd. What was of greatest importance since my head was only a foot below ,rnd behind the leading was clearing turns, and Twas alternating between watching the AS! and the sky in fronr of my inside wing tip. My impression is rhat the location of the IS such that it occludes less in a turn than a hang glider but the blind spot is in a difhTcnt place.

On this day I found myself in much stronger air than during rhc previous flight. I had wondered how the Super Floater would handle turbulent thermals. One of the exciting mornents when thcrmaling a hang glider is leaving a strong therrnal and going over the falls, and fcrn:ing oneself w wrap the glider back into the thcrm:11 while recovering from the dive. I found that this was much less scary in the Super Floater. Rather than being in a dive with my feet banging the keel, I just momentarily saw an airspeed of 35 to !JO and an increase

in the noise level. The fabric.-covcred fi.1sclage behind me made a fair amount of noise in the 35- to 55-mph speed range. In fact, the Super Floater was a tittle nosier than a hang glider at speeds above 30 mph. I soon grew accustomed to it, and was able to block the sound out entirely. Regardless, it was easy to punch back into the thermal and continue circling.

I did a number of 360's in rhermals where the vario was going from below zero sink ro fr1ll-scale positive in a single circle, and this was very easy ro deal with. Of course, knowing that there was a BRS rocket-1xopclled llES QS550 Quantum Reserve right behind my back certainly increased my confidence level. On the Super J:loarer the big red handle protrudes from the underside of the wing just above and in front of your head where it is easy to look up and locate it.

My impression of the thermaling capa· bilities of the glider was that it would circle ;is tight as a hang glider at exacrly the same speeds and hank angles, but with a lower sink rate.

Plying technique for the Super noatcr consists of turning the glider primarily with the rudder and elevator while using the ailerons to maintain the proper bank angle.

Once the hank angle is established, rudder pressure should be adjusted so that the yaw string is straight back or shows a slight yziw ro rhe inside of the turn. A characteristic of some sailplanes and the Super Floater is that you have ro hold slight reverse aileton in a tight, /for turn to keep the wing from over-banking. I found that I did this naturally, and surmised t:har since in a tight, flat turn rhc inner wing is flying much slower than t·hc outer wing, the aileron needs to be deployed to increase the lifr on rhc slower wing. T believe that this capability accounts fi:ir the excellent sink rate in very tight turns.

Some hang glider pilots may not be familiar with a yaw string.

For those who haven\ flown a sailplane I refer them to the movie "'fop Cun." The string trailing up rhe lront center of the canopy of the F-1 Ii is a yaw string, and indicates to the pilor the direction o/' the airflow relative 10 the aircrafr. Ir is very easy in most three-axis aircrafr 10 fly the plane yawed at an angle to the airflow. This is ind~ ficicnt, and in sailplanes and F-1 where rhe pilot is concerned about maximizing glide slope, it is importam 10 keep the yaw string straight back.

On the other hand, on most sailplanes, spoilers provide glideslope control. Because or weight and cost considerations the Super Floater doesn't have spoilers. So how docs one control glide slope for landing? Well, the Super l:Joater slips like a bandit. The technique is ro just jam one rudder petal to the stop, and hold the glider level or banked die opposite way with rhe ailerons. This will cause the Super J:loatcr 10 glide like a brick. One can instantly reduce the glide ratio of the SJ: from beucr than that of a competition hang glider 10 rhat of an old standard billow cruiser, then easily straighten out the wings and land without risk. During this maneuver the yaw string shows that you have attained a satisfactory yaw angle and suitable ineffi.. cicncy hy pointing way off to tbc side. 'fhe Super Floater stalls very gently in gliding flight. The stall is so gentle that I have done some that were only noticeable because of a sudden increase in airspeed. Pulling back on the stick and climbing

at a 45-degree angle unril the glider stalls still produces a predictable and pretty unfrightening stall. [ also tried the same thing while holding the rudder at foll lock, and the resulting stall was still pretty easy.

The plane dropped into a turning dive that changed into level flight without much input.

I did nor get the glider to spin, but another pilot, Campbell Bowen, who is more aggressive than I, did get it to spin by climbing at 45 degrees until the glider stalled, and, just at that moment, applying full left rudder and full right aileron. The glider spun nice· ly two rnrns but recovered immediately when the controls were neutralized. Incidentally, this guy also flew the Super Floater cross-country IO miles upwind to a sailplane field, soared with the sailplanes (out-thermaling them), then flew back. He has done the same in a hang glider, but stated that it was considerably easier with the Super Floater. As the Super Floater is stressed frJr four G's positive and two negative it is a urility-rated aircraft, not an aerobatic one, but having done spins and stalls I am certain that it would take major mishandling to come to grief doing these kinds of maneuvers.

Landing the Super Floater consists of flying down to the ground, then rounding out the glide to kiss the ground with the wheel. Once the wheel touches, nosing the plane forward causes the landing skid to touch the ground. Once the skid starts dragging, the glider rapidly halts.

Because of the rhree-axis control, taking off or landing in cross., winds is very easy. Because of the light wing loading, the Super Floater is almost as vulnerable to gusts while on the ground as a hang glider. However, if the pilot cums the glider into the wind as it rolls to a stop, it is very easy to manage the plane with the pilot in the scat or the tr.im set at full-down elevator.

Foot-launching the Super Floater is limited by irs weight to winds that help the pilot pick up rhe plane. l was told by the European distributor thar in England a Super Floater has been footlaunched and foot-landed in six-.,knot winds, but I can only assume that this is a very manly task best undertaken by a pilot built like

Arnold Schwartzenegger. [ rnust admit, however, that the gentleman who did this was about my size and apparent age. I am 54. Who knows? Certainly tbe Super Ploater has been very easily footlaunched and landed by Larry Hall and others in winds of 20 mph at the Point of the Mountain.

Serup of the Super Floater, without some sort of holding fixture, requires two people. These two people, if experienced, can take the glider out of rhe trailer and set it up in 30 minutes. Or, four people working in typical Three Stooges fire drill fashion can do it in one hour. A nailer designed for long-distance travel or as a permanent home for the glider should be four feet wide, five feet high, 20 feet long and covered. A short, uncovered trailer can be built to carry the glider for retrieval purposes.

'The biggest drawback to the Super Floater is that, compared to a hang glider, it is not very portable. fts portability is more like that of a sailplane, requiring a proper trailer for transportation. Another factor is thar the very best way to launch it is behind an ultralight 1ug.

There arc only a handful of certificated tow planes that will tow slowly enough, examples being the }3 Cub, the Super Cub, the Malle, and possibly an L-19 or a Champ. On the other hand, it has such nice ground-tow characteristics and such a good sink rate that ground towing the Super Floater is sure to be a viable way to soar. I have my own ultralight tug, the Pterodactyl Ptug, but I am its only pilot, so I plan to tow behind my trusty payout winch this summer unril I get some Ptug pilots trained.

I have yet to let anyone fly my planes who has not loved the way they fly. So far, the biggest complaint I have heard relating to the air·· craft itself is that the seat becomes a little hard when the pilot stays up more than an hour or so. 'rhc factory has been so advised and is researching more comfortable seat cushion material. 'fo sum up, l am 54. While l love flying hang gliders and paragliders, I am sure that when I am too old to wam to risk flying either, I will still be able to fly a Super Floater safely without fear of injury, and have a hell of a lot offim doing it. B

The Improved Tracer (IT) features continuous webbing structure, adjustable padded leg straps, adjustable shoulders, hook knife, steel carabiner, easy rotation for excellent sit-up-ability, skid plate toe protector, bungee retractor channel, custom sizing and a wide range of colors & options

44

HANC GLIDING

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(05/96)

In consideration of being granted membership in the USHGA, I , - - - - - - - · - - - - - - - -..,____,______, for myself, my personal representatives, heirs, executors, next of kin, spouse and assigns, do agree as follows: ~ The following definitions apply to terms used in this Agreement: means launching (and/or assisting another in launching), flying (whether as pilot in command or otherwise) and/or landing (including, but not limited to, crashing) a hang glider or paraglider. nrnnPrtv d,a.m:a.ge and/or 2. ne1r~nna1 or sustained by me as a result of my PAJfirtCIP~lifOllf!N ru,r:: r,,,n,1r~nr1 as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System).

3. means the following, including their owners, officers, directors, agents, spouses, employees, officials (elected or otherwise), members, contractors, sub-contractors, lessors and lessees: a) The United States Hang Gliding Association, a California Non-profit Corporation (USHGA); b) Each of the person(s) sponsoring and/or participating in the administration of my proficiency rating(s); c) Each of the hang gliding and/or paragliding organizations which are chapters of the USHGA; d) The United States Of America and each of the city(ies), town(s), county(ies), State(s) and/or other political subdivisions or governmental agencies within whose jurisdictions I launch, fly and/or land; e) Each of the property owners on or over whose property I may launch, fly and/or land; D All persons involved, in any manner, in the sports of hang gliding and/or paragliding at the site(s) where I PA,"IT/Cl}'AT'E 11 AII persons involved 11 include, but are not limited to, spectators, hang glider and/or paraglider pilots, assistants, drivers, instructors, observers, and owners of hang gliding and/or paragliding equipment; and g) All other persons lawfully present at the site(s) during my ,,.,,.,.,,...,,, .... ,1. .....,...... Wll,IVS: AND the 111C:!L.C:J&l,ll[;IJ PAJrTll:.:Sfnim however caused, even if caused by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the 111i.:,1.c:;,1.,c:,v PJqR11ES, C. I WILL OR A CLAIM against any of the loss or damage on account of If I violate this agreement by filing such a suit or making such a claim, I will pay all attorneys' fees and costs of the ns;;.,r.s;;..ps-,s;;,u PJ4RTTES. ACIKNlOV\flEDGE that the non-participant third party liability insurance obtained by USHGA does provide coverage for INDEMNIFY the in paragraphs A. 3. d) and A. 3. e) above for their defense and indemnity (to the limited extent that the defense and indemnity are not otherwise covered by collectible insurance) in the event that someone suffers personal bodily or property as a result of my negligence (whether active or passive) or willful misconduct in connection with my E. I can terminate this Agreement only by either (I) sending written notice of termination to the USHGA National Office postage prepaid return receipt requested, in which case the termination will not be effective until one year after I cease being a member of the USHGA or 30 days after I place the written notice in the mail, whichever is later; or by (2) signing and returning to the USHGA National Office a later version of the Official USHGA Release, Waiver and Assumption of Risk Agreement. However, even if I terminate this Agreement, all of the terms of this Agreement will continue to apply to INJURIESwhich I suffer in whole or in part before the termination of this Agreement. f. I this shall be and rnt1«:tv,,,.,.r1 All disputes matters whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this Agreement Court located in the of California, U.S.A. to the exclusion of the Courts of any other State or Country.

If any part, article, paragraph, sentence or clause of this Agreement is not enforceable, the affected provision shall be curtailed and limited only to the extent necessary to bring it within the requirements of the law, and the remainder of the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.

I have

Participant's fign.1t1m

understand, and

Date MR-ll/95

THE SENSOR 61 OF W/Interconnected Flaps & VG

SIMPLY OUTCLIMB THEM A New Way To Fly ~ii planes and Paragliders camber their \\ing, at" 111. The Trampcnau Flap,,. system. not onl)' boost!l your climb-rate, but also allov,:) ~10\,er and

,malle.r concentric ,urns lou'vc never experiencL-d a glider 1hat per~ form, at such a high Jc, d , yet handles lhi> easily.

Climb Fast, Glide Far l.o<Kening the \'Ci lO\\CfS Lhe flaJ)'i, incre.uing (amber into a hlgh lift slO\\ speed. thcrmaling airfoil. Oo1ninating ev\!t) core, you'll find ) ourself climbmg faster than )OU ever though! possible. Tightening the\ G rabc> the naps and n.-duLe~ the c1irfo1I camber transform in~ your" inJ? into a blade for maxlmum ,~ed-range and i;lidc ratio.

Launch And Land With Flaps rhe launch ildvantage Is becoming airborne \\'ith more ntarg10 and control. Landing with tlaps ba.s dual benefit,. \ou ma) ,1ccel~r.;tu.• abo\'C .IU MPH lncrea,ingly bullding drag ucgrading your glide. \\'hen it'< time to flare. \'our touch do,\'n SP.:eed ,,ill be noticeabl} SlO\,er'

, New .SpeedFoilrn Tubing lo\,cr Jrag, our ne"' airfoil tubing ror lhc king post and control bar boo(;l the glide ratio adding a point or mot'<' a1 higher ,p,;ed;, Other rea1urt>s on lhe Sensor 610f .1re: lOmputer-oplimiLcd. lamina.r*flO\, airfoil: 1,,el\'t ,hear rib,: control bar ape, aft or the CG: Kevlar band & dacron cord TI hem: iOiS T6 LE and rib<; semH:anUlevered cro1> tube> and a ,impUlkd I~ minute set-up. We all knew that e,-entually hang glider.. \\OUld be lh1, ~'()()d!

-THE SENSOR 61 0F WITH FLAPSWl-lAT YOU A L WAYS

SEEDWINGS

•

WANTED FLYING TO BE ... .JI Aero Camino Santa Barb.iraCa93117 Ph. 805/%8/7070 Fax 805/%8/00,q

Free To Fly: An

"Why would pu want to ask thar question?" demands Kari Castle. This was no ordinary intervie111, for my subjecr was the cheeky and irrepressible Kari Castle, 110111 - since the championships last winter ar Mt. Buffalo, Ausrralin

to the Owens VaJlcy from the Bay Arca in 1989 because of a combination of 2 long• distance romance and big-ciry blues. "J was ready co get out of the dry.• she sa.)1$ of her mo"" co Bishop, California, where she lives

- the \%mens \%rid Hang Gliding Champion. I never really did get a good answer to my question, "How do you see youru/ft" after she hoodwinked me imo telling her how I saw myself, then merely repeated most of what I'd said back to me in a good-narured parody.

now.

Kari i$ currencly sponsored by Powerbar.

H er

looks are all-An,erican.

Long, maighr blond hlir, bughing blue C)'<'S 2nd 2 d3fk tan gi\'e C:isrle, 35, more the s1e~1ypi~ California 1urlcr look 1h2n th,,, of a we:itherbeaten pilot. An ani• n1aced, confronro.cionaf

speaker, she likes 10 cell i, like ir is, but doesn't appreciatt her gesturing

hands, which seem 10 h•ve li\·es of their o,vn.

My fim day out flying ,,,irh K2n ,v:as revealing. The conditions \\'Crc onerous. The

first pilor rocketed sm,ghc up and b2cL-,.,.rd from launch; within seconds h<' \\'25 sucked up abo"e the clouds. and our of sigh,.

Kari, \\1Jchouc rushing in, ,vichouc running away, was qui<dy weighing the situation. Another pilot stepped up co the launch, and with ractics eq""1ly horrifying

48

co ,he first, sped off imo oblivion. Radios crackled. A fc:w minutes l2ter C..Stlc made her move, flying off into the roaring °'-vens Vall<) m2dnCM as ific were a walk

in the park.

Kari seems perfccdy ai home in a fidd - a life - that is dominated almo,,, c:ncirdy by men, and is able 10 dish it out and take it ,vith dcxrtrity.

We'd met at a lam da« 10 t~c some pictures ..4..nothcr pifor ""iS taunting her

abouc the phoro shoot as he aSS<mblcd his glider; "Go ahead, Kari; he teased, "$ho,,· us son1c cle:tvage!" Not to be subdued by such a suggestion. Castle assumed a comical posture. pressing her chest like a weight lifter, then pronounced, "But they g« all ,.,rrinkly ,,,hen I pinch 'cm togc:thcr!"

Origmally from Michigan. Kari mO\'Cd

Oakley. Hi Tee, T..,., SL-yline, Brauniger and Pacific Air'\vavc:.

How did you sea.rt hang gliding? " I was first attract«! to hang gliding because as a kid I ahva)~ had dreams about llyiog. l'd just rake off our of my b:tek yard and fly over the neighborhood. Those dreams are "ery ,ivid in my rnind. l bought a plane ride through a raffle. I think it ,.,., in grade school I don', know ,vhy ir hit me so hud, but \\rhen it came up for auction I remember thinking, "I gotta do it! I want that!" iO I jusr kept bidding rill I got ii ... I cook my lirrle brother and the pilot flew us O\'er our house just like in my dream. I remember that from the air I could figure out just where I ,.,., and I though, that was the nearest thing, that it was exactly what I thought it would look like. I think that kinda goc the bug going as far as being up in the air."

(FmaJJy, in 1981, Kari went co Calgary to visit a friend and signed up for hang gliding H .,NG GLIDING

Interview with

les.<0ns.J '·The first day l didn't get in the air bec-•use it kinda freaked me out a bit. I'd run. run. run, andjusr \vhen it ,vas about co lift me off the ground I'd panic, freak out and pull the bar in. which would cause it to crash. I just couldn't bdfovc that thing could lift me into the air. It was too good to be true. I had just enough speed to pile in reallj hard. Oh god. Yeah. I did that all day. The next day I crashed one n1ore rime, then once: I got in che air - once I let ir fly n1e - rha, was it. I was [howling, animal noises] ... you couldn't stop nlc."

HO\v difficult is ic co get sponsors?

"Really hard."

Why? "Liability. I think people sec liability as the biggest problem - chat if people put their name on my glider a.nd I crash or something, they probably assume they might be liable. I don't know."

Is that true chroughout hang gliding?

"ln the United Srates. In Europe you see all kinds of sponsored pilots.

"Wc"re sull livmg down the reputation of bemg crazy, <tup1d darcdc,ils. Ask anybody and they'll say. 'are you crazy? Thats death!'

They lllSt instantly rhmk that we're talcing a chance t.'\·cry single cimc "'~ Hy, ,vh1ch ls son1e\vh::n rru~. obviously, bur they rhiok "re have ab')()lutc:ly no con1 rol. We'r~ juSt

launching blindly. That\ the prc>blem.

49

a

ty. I'm more ofa free spirit. I tend to be a bit rebellious."

"] don't know.

Someone else might

think I am, but 1 don't think lam. I'm cardiil in my decision mak· I weigh every· thing out. I want to be recd sure. J rend to be 1hat way really, really cautious and that's how I've been with flying. Some pen· pie would say that my gcning into flying was risky. I don't mind taking some risk, as long as it's calculated and as long as ir ma kcs sense to me. As long as I understand what I'm about to do, and if I do it just right, every· thing will be fine.

That's usually the way it works." the same as

"I think so.

Definitely 011tdoor oriented. I wanted to play, play, play."

People just don't understand the level of sophistication we've reached in the sport.

However, most people look at paragliding and see a parachute as being cool, fun. · rhat's why that sport has grown so big, so fasr."

What arc the in terms of risk?

"They both have their own inherent risks because of the way rhc gliders fly, but paraglidcrs arc not rigid strucrurcs and so they collapse. That's how they absorb tur· bulcnce, which is fine, but if you're too low and they collapse ... Some arc better than ochers as far as how they recover. In the wrong conditions they're way dangerous, but it's the same with hang gliding and many other sports. 'Eike yom mountain bike down a rocky, bumpy, single-track path fast, and you run the risk of hitting a bump just right or catching a tree. Thczt scares me more."

50

Were you at11le1t1cr

"When ph1yiug, but I didn't p,uticipate i11 any organized sports. When I think of how J am whether flying my hang glider, riding my bike or playing baseball I always wanted to he the best, always worked really hard and tended ro do really well. I tended to be a pretty natural athlete in what I chose to do."

"Back then we weren't pushed like the hoys were. It didn't even seem like an option, really."

Hang gliding is so different than or1r.111Lnc:d sports. Do you think you would he as hap· py or happier in an sport like tennis?

"Probably nor [laughs], because ifI look at it realistically, it doesn't suit my personali-

bined men and women as would have been seven men ahead "Yo11 could assume that, but I'd like to believe that I'd heat all the boys too."

are the c01mr,et11t1cms ser,ar,atc,ct then? question. Why should we go on having separate competitions when there's 110 reason to, when other compcti-· dons aren't for men only? Men ,md women can compete; a woman can win, a man can win. There arc no special just-for-men com· petitions, so why is there a just-women's?

"T'hc whole reason the women's compe·-· tition arose, T believe, was to get women involved in corn petition. A lot of women wouldn't even try to do the comps because they knew they just wouldn't stand a chance, so by getting worncn to compete, it bnilr their confidence and now they're going to meets and doing pretty darn well. Still, there aren't that many women; most don't get om there and compete. But that's changing more and more." "'Thar's a

What

do you need to he a worldpilot?

"bxp<c:nc:nc:e. Although the newer pilots arc advancing so much more quickly because of better equipment, higher stan· dards in insnuction cvcrything's gotten safer."

Anything else?

"There's something to be said for some· one who is a natural. Flying is definitely in one's blood. For those who get addicted, there's just nothing else. f don't know if there are any particular physical qualities; they come in all shapes and sizes."

What about one's mindset? Is it necessary to be or to he a world-class pilot? Arc women more affect· ed by that?

"I think so. One thing J definitely saw as a culprit over the years as far as why there arcn'L more women flying hang gliders or competing is the way we're brought up.

We're brought up to be little girls playing I li\NC CUDING

with dolls, giving support to our little men who arc working so hard at their little sport, cheering them on. That's how I grew up anyvvay. it's getting better for the young

So

to "! don't know. That's a good question. I think l've always been a rebel, so I guess l'm your definition ofa forninist. l asked mysc!C 'Why aren't there more women Aying these But thar wasn't the reason l chose to I chose to fly because it looked so cool and I wanted to try it, and it just so hap pened that there very many women doiugit.

"I would get asked all the time, 'Why aren't there more women?' I'd answer, 'I don't know. crazy, because this is fun. It's all men too. Wooo. Cood odds.'"

Have you ever ""''"'"""' "Yeah, bm it didn't last very long."

"Never quitting completely, but after I mrnbled and pulled my chute ... that scared me. That me a lot. f didn't think about quitting, but I was so scared wards that: every time J flew f wondered, 'How can T this? J 'm so scared!'

Bur my heart kept putting me our on the hill. 1 couldn't sec myself doing anything else. It definitely changed how l saw hang gliding."

W.ts it here?

"Yeah. Ir was in 1989 here in the Owens before I was living hcre. It was rhe last day of a competition and my glider tumbled, which is somewhat common in this area because this is one of the most extreme places in the world Lo fly. It's like going to Hawaii for the waves. My glider tumbled, I threw my chute and landed close ro the top of White Mountain Peale My glider had disintegrated. I broke a couple oflinlc bones here and there and a tooth, and prerty much walked away more or less."

How the from the moment you lost control to when you landed? "ft seemed like an eternity. f had time to lie upside down on the glider looking at my then I got on the radio and broken said my glider had just broken up so I was going to have to rhrow my chute. T h;id rime

Aucusr 1996

to throw the chute, and once ir came out I

had tirne to unzip my harness and srnnd up, because the glider was upside down and I was on rop of it. I stood up on the keel and hung onto the control bar. So I'm standing there thinking of my mom and how she's gonna be really pissed cause I'm gonna die, cause I didn't call her and I was in fr)Urth overall. lt was the last day of the comp, and my glider broke; [ was so pissed. T rcmemher thinking, 'Jr's over. I might die too, oooh.'"

Were you more "I think it really me when J went to fly again. When I'd ger in the air, if it was at all bumpy, I would fly out and land and cry.

I'd cry because l was so scared. l'd cry cause I was so bummed that it scared me so bad."

How that last?

"A couple of years. After about three years it was almost completely gone. The first year was hell. .. you can't just turn the fear on and rum it ofC you have to get through it. Twas flying along ;md out of the hluc mother nature decided to whack me with this monster turbulence ... no warning, nothing. So from rhen ou, every rirnc I flew, even in the smoothest air, it was like, 'when's it gonna hit?' " Do you think that "I must be. I have been told that I come across ,is harsh. f know that; it's heen pointed out to me before, cause I tend to he a joker in a big way. l tend to joke around a lot and at other people's expense sometimes. l'vc learned over the years to try to be more careltil, more caring, about joking with people if I don't know them well enough. Some people don't understand it and they take offense at some of the things I say."

Do you think that men?

women scare

"] have been told that I'm unapproachable by friends of mine. Yeah. [ think that strong women definitely scare men, and that's probably why I'm nor married [laughter]. Especially someone in my position. In a male-dominated sport it would take a special man to be able to deal with what I've done ... being successfol." the center of attention all How is it the time?

"I like it, and then [ don't. I go through periods where I can't believe it; it seems weird to me, it doesn't even seem real.

Then other times I kind of gloat about it; it makes nic feel good. 'fhen other times I just want ro be lefr alone and go do my own thing. l tend to be a people person anyway, and enjoy talking to people."

How is the "[ get by. J don't really save money. [ used ro work a regular job in the winter waiting tables or construction jobs. I have no big sponsor that helps me to fly yearround. Many people have suggested getting a manager; I really like the idea because that's really not my forte." you want to be

m

"I've finally reached an age where stabila litity is starting to become appealing working de bit of stability, not a lot toward my own home, property. In five years hopefolly I'll be fo1anci,1lly closer to that, and hopdi.illy having a little more direction in what I sec myself doing with the rest of my career. l can't imagine it not being in the world 01 flying."

Ct11herine Gocleley is t1 free-lcmce photograph er t1nd writer specit1lizing in outdoor action t1nd adventure .1ports. She in Bishop, Califi1rni1L and Bouldet; Colorado. Ill 1

5I

HANG GLlDING ADVISORY Used lwng should always he disassembled before for bent or fost time and inspected dented dowmubcs, ruined bushings, bent boils (cspc·· the bean bolt), re-used Nyloc nms, loose thim· hies, or rnstcd cables, with non,,circuL,r holes, and on flex wings, sails torn or rorn loose from their anchor points front and back on the keel and ff in doubt, many hang gliding businesses will be happy to give an objective opinion on the condition of equipmcnl you bring them to inspect. Buyers should select equipment that is appropriate for their skill level or rnting. New pilots should seek professional instruction from a US] l GA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR. FLEX WINGS ATRBORNE SHARK, BLADE RACE, STING, BUZZ. New and nearly new. Demo ,L,ily. THE WALLABY RANCH (941) lt24 0070.

DREAMS CLEARANCE SALE Raven Sky Sports (Ii 1Ii) ltTo-8800.

1li

& 18'5.

FALCONS 140, 170, 195, 22'5 new and nsed.

Wallaby Ranch (9/i I) lt?.ft.()070. !'Al.CON 195 New, zero ainirne, immaculate, trade or offor. (.%0) 378-30/i I.

cahlcs, bolts. lligh Energy harness, helmet and car rack. All $1,200.

(408) :'rl8 ()')2'j, MARK IV 19 !iO hours, specdbar, wheels, cocoon harness, one new Airtime pod w/11cw chme, Ball vario $1,900. (}10) 'i'>'/17',8.

FALCONS CLEARANCF. SALE School use, one season. All sizes$ l ,'i00.$2,500. (Ii I ii) ltTl,8800.

MOYES XS} 142 Swiss tubing, small conrrol frame, "PProx 200 bonrs, great condition, BARGAIN price $1,'iOO. C,11 Erika (818) 887 ."3% 1.

'95 l'acAir tandem l'LY TWO $2,600. (It Iii) 4THl800.

Cood condition, OHO. ('!09) 69'J OB51 Elsinore.

I 11' AT 1li 5 --- Only 22 hours, gorgeous crisp sail $1,500. (702) 78G 79',G Reno.

MOYES XS 155 - With Coby fins, <30 homs, very good condition $1,350. Dan Armstrong (805) 8228852 c·nwil: danarmstro~1\1ol.corn

I [PAT 158 Good condition, grear glider.

Custom sail. Must sell, $1,000 01\0. Steve Alford (206) 788 0308.

MOYES XS 155 -- $1,300 OBO. (111) /i73-8800.

I ll'AT 158

$2,500. Ball 652 deck vario $300. (61 ')) fi(,6,371 '/.

DOUBI.F VISION -- Creat buy at $1,500. (86/i) 592- l li70.

hours, very good shape

Very good condition, <50 hours, reinforced airframe $700. (Bl 8) %0-907.8.

DOUBLE VISIONS & Pl.Y2 Wallaby lbnch ('lit l) lt21t-0070.

New and used.

DOUBLE VJS[ON $1,500. whirc & blue, good condition, never (;reg (919) lt53-1800 or DcWolf'7Gilaol.com

Red,

HPI I ---- Excellent condiiion $'750 OBO. C:C:2000 harness, 1 l "-G'2" mint condition, w/parachutc $1i50 OBO. (Ii l 5) 6G9/ll?.

1<2 14 5

cloth TF $!,GOO. (J(rl)

51i5-6\<i8.

DREi\M l 45 ----- (;ood coudition, neon colors $800. (lt23) 587-0877.

Vcry few honrs, beautiful sail, great DREAM 220 condition, $1,000 OBO. Steve Alford (206) 7B8 0308.

DREAM 220 35 hours, like new, original rubes, never been whacked, pins extra brand new sail (worth $1,200). $2,695 for both. ( :all Bod hi (51 O) 528-'/ I 50.

USHGA

KLASSIC !/iii With winglcts, /i() homs, mint condition, awesome colors $'.l,000. (205) B59-0703 evenings.

J<LASSJC: I <,G (80'i) 6!ili 88G4.

ADVERTISING ORDER FORM

50 cents per word, $5.00 minimum Boldface or caps: $1.00 per word. (Does not include first few words which are automatically caps.) Special layouts or tabs: $25 per column inch. (phone numbers: 2 words, P.O. Box: 1 word, E-mail or Web address: 3 words) photos: $25.00, line arl logos: $15.00 (1.75" maximum) DEADLINE: 20th of the month, six weeks before the cover date of the issue in which you want your ad to appear (i.e., June 20 for the August issue).

Prepayment required unless account established. No cancellations or refunds allowed on any advertising after deadline. Ad insertions FAXed or made by telephone must be charged to a credit card.

Please enter my classified ad as follows:

MOYFS XTRAl.l'l'F l.17 New, rnstom blnc & white sail $/i,000. Pro Design 23, 25 hours $1,800 OBO. Larry Walls (505) 8)1479/i.

MOYES XTRALITI'. 1lt7 50 hours, great condi tion, free delivery within Calif. $7.,700. (408) G951.

MOYES XTRALITE lli7 9 hours, IO flights, still crispy, perfect condition, indoor storage $1,000.

(Ii lli) 367 Ci'i38 MOYFS XTRALITE -- XS, XS3, XT, XL New and nearly ttew. Available immediately. N:Hion's largest Moyes dealer. THE WALi.A BY RANCH (941) 4210070.

Nurnber of months:---------··----·----·----·---------------,,--..-, ..

SECTION lJ Flex Wings IJ Emergency Parachutes IJ Parts & Accessories IJ Business & Employment IJ Miscellaneous IJ Paragliders IJ Videos

Begin with---··---------consecutive issue(s). My of$ _________ _

19

IJ Towing IJ Schools & Dealers

l..l Ultralights I] Rigid Wings

IJ Publications & Organizations IJ Wanted

lJ Harnesses

issue and run for

check, IJ money order is enclosed in the amount

NAME: -------·-·--------·----- ________ ----·-ADDRESS:

S2

Nurnber of

@$.50

Nurnber of

--·------,,,_,,________ ,___ @$1.00

USHGA, P.O Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 (719) 632-8300 • fax (719) 632-6417

liANC GUDINC

PREDATOR llr2

!'lies g,reat, green 1111dersml:1ce, IIi OG.

< 1 'j hours $l,700. ('i05)

1'\JLSI''. 1OM Brand new, never llown. l\luc, green & white $.l.000. (li08) !iii\ ll%. l'U!.SF 11 M - New, only 1 hour, hl11c/whi1e $3,000. I.Ii harness, like new, IIts 6' 1" $'i00. l'ly11·, )020, mint $600. (5(, I) \/,2. Wl I 6.

l'UI.SF I 1.\1! <10 homs, new condition. Clider, harness, p:iraclnttc $7.,'iOO. (20(,) 7.0li-97',7..

RAMATR Iii(,

SPORT EURO 167 l'llll r:tcc, grc:tt condition!

Also pod h:irncss w/parnchutc, Ball vario :md helmet.

All for $2,000. (719) li88-l0'l I

SUPERS!'() RT 1Ii l trade. (Ii I Ii) li7}·8800.

lmmaculalc, m11si- sell or

HAR.NESSI'S COMl'ORTAlll.E TR/\ININC HARNESSES Fully 1,added, strong, light, dur:1hlc. Four sizes. Call Laud, Sea & Air (.l 15) /i')) .. 1020,

SUPERSPORT 1':i:l -- l'.xcdlcnt rnnditiou and a joy to lly. Blue, yellow and white w/heavy doth trailing 'i:\ hours, ext remdy well cared for :ind conscrva flown. C:om11lcte inspection in Jan. ')(,, not f1ow11 si11ce. $2,?.'iO OBO, Also to sell: l<nce.h:rngcr harness, PVC: storage t ubc /i,r (Ii 15) 188. J 971.

liO hmm:, excellcnt condition, :1Ssy-

mctrical undcr.s11rfac(:, hc,n1tiCuL fl·cc delivery within C:iliL $'.l, 500. (li08) 7.52/i'JS J.

RAMAll<. 15/i Fxccll,·nt condition, foqcst glider around, awesome rnlors, extra ribs $2.,'iOO O\lO. ((, 19) lili8-578(, hangdvndavc~'1aol.rnm RAMA!lt l 54 ,,2.() homs, llics pcrfrctly, very Erst.

Bright colors $:\,000. ('i05) 872 ')017.

SELLIN[; OUT $2,200. Sport American 167, l l:nrier II 1'/'7, condition $400. 11:irncsscs-

Sl/l'ERSPORT 16\

Parts glider, more 1h:1u never used speed h:u.

SUl'ERSl'ORT l(d 1 'S homs, mint conditiou $1,950. Rohi11.son h:1rncss with clrnH' $?.50. (')JC,) ?Iii 7'Sli I SUPERSl'ORT I 6:l Excclkm condition, 199 I n,odcl .j; I ,500. (6 I')) (,J!i .'l8 I 'i S.< ::diC

$)2r), Tracer pod w/rockct &

TRX 1/iO RAC:F Single owner, excellent condition $2,800. New Z!i harness for 5'6" & chute $900.

(602) %(,-!i/,71.

new parachute $700. llvex XL kevlar helmet $150. l'iytec :l005 $300. BEST OFFF.R ON Al.I.. Joel Codi11 (') 19) ')iU li25:l, godinj~'\,ls.net

condition, two harnesses, parach11rc, accessories.

I.Al.ER $76'l JETSTREAM $78'1 Both harnesses are designed with thC' same body. The diflcrenccs :tr" in the frames - the l.al.n being ilcxiblc :md a fi,ll b:id,-fr,1rne "comp" harness.

SENSOR JOE - Creal sh:ipe, extra dow111ubc, ucw h;ig, m11s1 sell $900. (:70/i) (,9:l-li(,8').

!'REE to good l1ome .. wa111s to fly again. Also digital v:uio/alt irncter, rn:1ke oflcr. (%0) :l8'i-/i·j()(i evenings Seattle W/1 :1re:r.

Via a conversion ci1hc1 haml'SS crn he converted ro the other (you virtually two harnC'sscs in one).

Airtime oC San Francisco 15) /5'!-1177, f,1x (Ii 15)

SENSOR (,lOF I Cood rn11di1ion, excellent performance, 200 homs $1,700. ('iii I) :18') :rn<J'J.

VlSION 18 070:l evenings.

SKYI !AWi< 188 Ball vario, foll L,u hcl111et, cocoon harness w/p:nach111c. $1,/,00 all (or part).

(71 Ii) 52871 /,8.

VISION ECI.IPSlc

cocoon

\JP COMET l (,':i

Chordwise cut (old style), good

759-1182, email airtimcQhmobius.nct

SPECTRUM I/iii :w hours, cxcl')knt condition $2,000. (708) 'J'i7 ,\281 Cl,icagn.

SPECTRUM I/iii Absolntc mint condition, <2 homs, f':iircd downt uhes, spe,·dhar, :111 the extras, hlue/ycllow/white $2.,:100 OB() will ship. Call Michael (81 O) 6'i9-(,'J7 I. SPECTRUM Hi5 Br:rnd 1H'w-110 time to fly. and white, specdhar, I I" wheels $2,7'i0. Also J l F harness, helmet, parachute. (%0) :178-

Sl'E( .'l'RlJMS l'x VISIONS Bought Sold'l'raded.

Ravrn Sky Sports (Ii I Ii) iiTl-8800.

SPORT ElJRO 150 I Ja)I' race, orange di:m1ond trilam LE, him, & i;old under.surface. Mctirnlomly rn:1im:1incd by ( :handclle. $1,200 OBO. Cinny (Ii I'>) li571i(,81i.

SPORT EURO U,7 crisp sail, lovv hours. r figh Enngy paraclllltC, \Xfing cocoon harness, Roberts vario, extras. All or part. Smokin' deal! (G(L!) '/5').1i?. I7.

AlJCUST 19%

Com! condition $500. (205) 859· I !!Cl I ENERCY POI) 1IARNFSSFS

Sizes &

RIGID WINGS

VISIONS & SPECTRUMS -~ llought·Sold- J'r:rdcd.

Raven Sky Sports (Ii 1ii) li7:l-B800.

WJI.I.S WINC HARRIER ll 177 $600. lligh Energy harness $1 50. !'light Design lrclrnct $}0 and Thom111en altimc1cr/barnmctcr $'/5 OBO. Call c·vc11ings (7(J:l) ':i0}·712.2.

l'I.FDCE 2A And !'ledge I A with extras. Both for lmt oflcr over $1,000. (60/i) ).'!'J-:l'/8'i.

SUPERPLOATER ULTRA!.IGIIT SAII.PI.ANE Two in stock, available for test /ligl,ts, Allen TX (near Dallas). (21 Ii) 9%-/706 weekdays, (21 Ii) :5')0-90')0 evenings & weekends .

.AO homs ..... $1,900 PlJI.SI'. 1OM ...

Slll'ERSl'OR'I iii.\.. .T5 hours ..... $1,700 ... $800 Sl'ORT 167A ..

SPORT 1(,7A .. . .. 100 hours ... $1,:\00 FALCON 27.5 .. .. .. ........... 2,5 hours ..... $7.,300 Kl ASSIC I/iii COMP ........ 'iO hours ..... $2,900 Kl.ASS IC 133. .. 50 lroms ..... $2,700 Vnltmc Cliders (BO\) 2'jli .. (,lli I EMERGENCY PARACHUTES Al.l. BJZANDS !\ought, sold, and repacked.

Inspection :1ud $2'i-$.l5. l':rr:rclrntcs, bridles, inspected and paraswivcls installed. AIRTIME OF SAN FRANCISCO, :l/,20 Wawona, S:1n l'rnnciscu, CA 9/i I J Ii. (Ii 15) SKY-11 Tl. 2/i CORF I'D/\ With swivel for tandem $520 01\0. (114) iiTl-8800

SW! FT - For sale :is of' l SI'')(,. Excellent condition, flies superbly, never n:1shed $'),000.

Includes delivery, one day fi·cc lesson, new box, paint, extras. C:11! Now! (5(l'i) 87,2-')017.

u L'l'RAl.[GlT rs AFRO'J'OW TRll<ES Used, new, rnstorn built.

Ccrtiilcd rrikc/111g 1r,1ining available. Brad Lindsay (602) 86:1990').

BUII.D/FLY Your own BACKPACK POWE!Um l'ARACI llJTF for fi1n/proft1. Takes off from level gro11nd un:1.1sistcd. S:1Ce, simple, Detailed hook with sm,rccs. Now only 19.'>'i.

Easy\Jp, 1089 Medford Center 112/ilig, Mcdf,,rd OH. 9750/i. http://www.w:1vc·.nc1/ e:1sy11p/

53

SO-BRE TRIKE K:1wasaki, Aprn wing, lvo prop, insrrumcms, two place, BRS, exceptional $5,800 oBo. (<i 1'>) 1t1ig.791n.

TUl<AN TRJf<EZlLLJ\ 503 IZornx, 18'i Dream wing. ittsmrmerns, exceptional $10,5()() OBO. ((, 1CJ)

CALIFORNIA ADVENTURES UNT.!MTTED Orange County's school. US] !CJ\ ceni{1cd instrncrion ,md "lll· speci,tlist. New & used equipment, Wills Wing dealer. (7 iii) lt%·8000.

HANG GLIDING li),,IJICY(UNl!i PA~fl<U.IDING

lili8-798\.

AIRTIMF OF SAN FRANCISCO HANG Gl.lDlNC & PARAGLlDlNG. Harness rnanufocUSl!G/\ parag!HJ111g

WANTED NF.ED SAlL ONLY For UP Cemini 18/i, low hours only please. ( :all Brad Lindsay (<i02) 863--9')0').

and hang

and

FlJU SFRVICE SHOP mountain on Aircraft, l'acAir,

Fon Funston. only full service shop in S:rn l'rancisco! 3<i20 Wawona, San Francisco CA '!Ii l 1<i.

Rentals avail· ahlc.

909-674-2453 31401 RiVC!'Sidc J)r,

(Ii 15) 759 I

SCHOOLS & DEALERS

Cl.O\JDBASF CORP. dha Rocket City Airsports.

Sales, rentals, service and ccrtiiicd instrnction at l<eel Mountain, Curley, Alabama. h,r information send SASE and $1 to PO Box li22, Gurley Al. 35748.

(205) 880-8512, (205) 776 9912..

LOOKOUI MOlJNTATN l'UCHT PARK

L11lrn Elsiuon,, CA.

Cl I AND FI.LF SAN l' RA NC] S<:O, l NC:.

Complete hang gliding and sales) service ,ind instruction since I ')73. Northern California's

ALABAMA

Sec

;1d under CcorgiCJ. i\RIZONA

Avocct & rnorc.

Next 10

rnos1 facility. New and used equipment and clinics and tandem lessons. 1595 E Ste I', San JZafacl CA 9ii901, (lil5)CLJDING.

92530

MAC!C AIR llang Located in Northern 1.essons, vice. USHC/\ certified rowing instruction. I.anding and thermal clinics. (707) %5-0411, (707) %3-3455.

HANG GLIDER EMPORHJM in the west! Full service hang gl1<1u1glpa1cagltll1t1g established J 974. PO Box l'.fl9. Santa Barbara 9:l]fi().[l}'J, (1105) %5>1713.

TllE HANG GT.JDJNG CENTER Located in heaurifol San Diego. LISI IC:/\ imrrnction, cqniplllcnr rentals, local tours. Spend winter vacllion f1ying with ns. proudly offer Wing, P,icific /\irwavc, High l\ucrgy, Ball and Moyes.

Manufactmcrs of THE DROGUE CHUTE. PO Box 1049, Lakeside CA 92010, (619) S<il 1009.

Our co,nprcl:,enstvc instruction program, located :n training sin\ features

the

" winch towing, superlitc

son progrnm, is ping (may he Our deluxe

training harnesses) of our for only $20 future lesson /mrchase.s).

sll,:,wcascs the latest in hang stock new, used and demo, Trade-ins arc welcome. l't,c\ new h:1rncsscs in our custom Way, Milpitas (near Sm! Jose)

055, fox (108) 2.62-1388, MSC! !(;(,1\101.com www.hang-gliding.com

TRUE FUGHT fl/\NG GUDING SCHOOL DONALD QUACKENBUSH has the only shop ar world famous Mountain, Los Angeles. Offering of hang gliding with MANTIS years. 13/i 12

ARIZONA HANC CUDINC CENTER INC.

We arc a full-time, FOLL SERVICE hang gliding shop located just minnres from the BEST sire in Arizona, Moumain. We have the most corn1m:hcnsivc available and can teach you to he a SA l'E in less ti me! Wc srock harnesses and instn1tncnrs from Wills, l'ac/\ir, Flytcc, Ball, t11(Hc1 \X/c need your instruc1or Rob Riclwrdson. 353 FI.YABLF DAYS LAST YEAR! 572 l-2B Rohen Road Prcscot I Valley AZ 8(,3] ,i

1-800 894-5/iJ},

I l!CH ADVF.NTURI•:

Hang

paragliding

school. Equipment sales, service,

at Somhcrn

California's mile high site, Crestline. US[IGA Instructor Rob McKenzie. By appointn1cnt year round. (909) 883-8li88.

520.772.,jJ]/i

ARKANSAS

by n1ore

lS

OZARK MOUNTA[N HJ\NC Cl.lDERS Sales, service and instruction. l (,0 Johnston Rd, Searcy AR 7211:l. (501) 77')--2li80.

W!NDSJ'OlffS minutes from LAX. J,:Jsinorc and

since 197/i. Fificcn to Sylrnar, Crestline, VacHion training, including lodging 1;lidcrs and equipment, new in your old equipment. 325 rnnny days c,1ch year. Come fly with us 1 1<il!i5 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys Ci\ 91 li06. (818) 988-0111, Fax (818) 988-18<i2.

COLORADO

us

S4

(818)

GOLDEN WINGS Lessons, sales, service.

USH GJ\ ccnif'ied instructors. Dealers for Moyes, Wilis Wing, Bl11c Sky Aircraf1 Co. and hc1\ir. J5/i01 W. 9th Ave., Colden CO 80401. (303) 278-7181.

I !ANG GI IIJINC

QUIFT FUGIJT CT1ilied instruction, lllnc Sky sales and service, Colorado and Sll!TO!lllding areas. Conlacl Sieve Dewey ('719) D~1·1.1•11•1.

IOOl<OUT MOUNTAIN FLIG!J'J' PARK

Sec

GEORGIA

rnountain training ccnLcr

CONNECT!CtJ'I' MOUNTAIK WlNCS

Look llnder New York.

FLORIDA

The Origin;,! & Mosl Experienced Acroiow Flight !'ark VF.AR ROUND SOARING Ol'EN DAYS A WEEK FOUR TUGS 8 MILFS FROM DJSNFYIORIANDO Demos: 7,0.1 NICE Rl•:NTA!.S 10 try Xmlite, XC, Klassic, Bbdc Race, XS3, XT, XL Laminar, Predator, Sting, Bnzz, MKIV, Falcon, Snperfloater, Eic.

WE I IA VF -- The mo.11 advanced training program known 10 hang gliding, teaching you in half the time it lakes on ihc 1raining-BlJNNY HILL, and with more in.flighr air rime. YES, WE CAN TEACH YOU FASTER AND SAFER. For year-round train .. ing /,111 in 1hc sun, call or write Miami I Iang Cliding (:lll'S) 285,B9'78. 26/i() S llayshore Drive, C:ocon111 Crove, l'lorida 3:l I J.'l.

Ages U to Tl I favc I.earned 10

AH inslrllcrors Adv,rnced Rared &

Tandem.

Tandc1n lnsLrucrion: Beginner to Advanced

all day, every dav.

Crc;ir scene for Family and Friends.

Rcmals, s;iles, rarings, XC rerricvals.

Camping, Nice climbing wall, rrampoline, ping pong, Mega· llungee .. Swing, picnic, swimming pool, etc.

Duration 6 hours 3/i minutes.

Read abom us in IIANG Cl.IDINC Oct. l 9')5 KITPI ANES Jan. 1995, cvvw.,11'1c '~ 1\/' the Web:

!'lease ask 11s for rcforences in your arcc1.

1805 Dean Still Road, Wallaby Ranch, Plorida 3383'7 (94 I) 12/i-0070 Ranch phone & fax.

Sime of rhe An ConscrvMive

Reliable

F.11.c;. lKC./1'!.YING Fl.OR][)/\ SlNCF 197ft M,rlcolm Jones, David Glover, Rhen Radford, Austin Collins, Tom Ramseur, Ryan Glover & Jim Applcron CRAYB!RD A!RSPORTS INC \ISJJCA & USUA ccr1iiicd ins1ruc1ion. Beginner rhrn advanced hang glider pilot tandem acrotow training & rnrings.

USU/\ ultralight piloi ihrn basic ilight insiructor !raining 1\/' ratings. 3 axis sticktime f'or Swift, Supcrllo,Hcr or Dragonlly pilot training. Jns1rnc1ion a week hy appointmcnl. IJcaler for ,ill and acrotow

1 5 minutes f'ro1n

Springs, 1.5 homs Disncyworld. Call Crcgg B.McNamcc (Yi?.) 215 ·82(,.'J.

Aucusr 1996

WEEKLY CABIN RENTALS

At Lookoul. Call

LOOKOlJT MOUNTAIN Fl.fCIIT PARK Sec our display ad. Discover why FOUR TIMES as many pilois earn their ar l.ookom 1ha11 at any orhet schooJI We wrote l!GA's Official Training Manual. Om specially-customer satisfaction and fon with rhc BEST FACILITIES, l:trgcsi invcmory, camping, swimming, volleyhall, more! ]tor a flying trip, intro flight or lesson packages, l.ooko111 Mountain, jnsl mu side yom COM· PLETE rraining/scrvice center.

(800) 688LMFP.

HAWAII

BIRDS OF PARADISE Hang gliding & ultralight flying on Kauai. Cenified tandem instrnction. (SOB) 8?.?. .. 5309 or (808) 6:l910(,7.

INTRODUCES QUEST AIR SOARJNC CENTER. Come Fly with the Originol DRAGONFLY TEAM [ .earn 10 Hang Glide with s1a1c .. of.1hc.. art 1andcm equipment and get a minimum of 6 to 8 homs of ainimc during yollr rraining. Hang 2 we can accelerate your thermaling skills, take us for a tandem soaring nigh1 in prime rime air' Camping fohing and swimming available, also close wall Central Florida Anracrions. [mcrcstcd in becoming a TUG PILOTi ( '.omc learn to fly rhe Bailey/Moyes Dragonfly Aero Tug on one ihe oldcsr grass airfields in Cen1ral l'lorida, wiih two 2100 foot rnnways and over 80 acres or wide open space. Find out how yoll can yom own Aero Tow Club or Flighi Pa,k s1a11ed.

Microlights Assembly and Training hicility on siic, FOUR NEW TUGS IN STOCK. Bobhy Bc,ilcy, Campbell Bowen and Russ Brown arc USUA and lJSl !GA Ccnificd Tandem lnstrucrors.

GL!DFR & EQlJIPMENT SALES AND SERVICE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK CALL FOR MORE INFO (901) 129-0213.

or

IDAHO TREASURF VALLEY HANC: (;LJDING lligh quality prodncrs f'rom rcpmablc manufacrnrers.

Proudly featuring Pacific Airwave, High Sports) Flytcc and more! Salcs service) seminars & 1

ing info. Boise, Idaho (?,08) 376-7911.

ILLINOIS RAVEN SKY SPORTS (.l 12) :l60 ·0700. Please sec our ad ,mdcr WISCONSJN. INDIANA

J.J MITCHELi.

TANDEM. UP, Pac/\ir dealer.

6Tl3 Columbia Ave., l lammond, IN li6321 (219) 8/i5-2856.

KENTl/Cl<lANA SOARING~- Sec our display ad.

RAVEN SKY SPORTS (Ii I ii) li/3-8800. Please sec our ad under WISCONSIN. KANSAS PRAIRIE IIANC CLIDERS Bed & brcakf'asr.

Full service school & dealer. Creal randcm instruc rion, towing & XC packages. (316) G'J'7 .. /i 103.

Tell the world your head Is in the clo1ds, by wearing great new cletblng and accessories

from the Uni ted States Haig Gliding Association!

Hile t-Sbl~t fR!'UI tllo.9' l lb

•taadard polo I IIPO"t'" $2 ... 00 l lb blue , green a b urgundy

earth polo f BPOLB 1 27.00 1 lb aprq,ce a ol1Ye

atone wa1hect oap1 1u.n &radieat t•ahtJ>t f BH'O'I U ... , , l lb

# IICSV U1.,, 11b blue , green & berr7

woodblock t-1h1rt l'l'VB U6.9~ 1 lb blu• PO, brown BO

cla111e t·1b1rt f B'l'CL.l ui,..9, l lb

Nam•·- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __

c11,_______~ Pllone No.

Qty

Item I

day ( _ }_ _ _ _ _. ...

I BCG 112.00 l lb re4 1 bl11• 4 p11rph

vool Jaeltet f B,TJ:VL 1 70, 00 3 ll>o

Color

logo

Price per Tot1I

I MLll

ah/ bh

$

$

S lll ll

ah/bh $

$

s

$

s II L n

ah/ bh $

$

s . l ll

ah/bh s

$

Size

S II L

1olt eap1

statc__Jlp _ _ _ __

n

ah/ bh

S•btotal

$

Colorado reshleats add 3.0%

$

Shlppt11

$

Total

$

Slllpptng Orders up to $35...·- - - · - - - · ·

( USA onlyl

_ Check/MHtf order eactoud _ Visa

_ Mutercard

...-.add S5 Orders S35 to S70- - - - - - · - - -..--add S6 Over S70 .._ call. lax ore-man Outside the USA ..._ _ _ _ __can, lax or e-mail

Card No•._ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Erp. date_ _Slgnat1rc_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Mall to: US Hug Glldln9 Assn., Inc

P.0. kx 1330 Colorado Spring•, CO 80901-1330

la41H llH9el- . .as.

IBDIIL '27.ff i 1ti

1-ffQQ-616-68'8 lax (719) 632-6417

e-mail: ushg1@m1rket1.com Please allow 6 weeks tor delivery.

101oall

an orou •tatf " " " otr101a1 11

Ml CHI CAN NORM LFSNOW'S FLYINC: ADVENTURES Ridge towing, !<,01 ·la\\nch hang gliders and paragliders.

Instructor, Examiner, Tow Administrator, lessons. Call Norm (810) YJ9.'J,t\3.

TRAVERSE CITY HANG GUDERS/PARAGLID· ERS FULL.TIME shop. Ccnificd ins1ruc1 ion, foot launch and 10w. Sales, service, ,,cccssorics for ALL major brands. VISA/MASTERCARD. Come soar our 150' dunes! 150') F 8th, Traverse Ci1y Ml pa1·agl1d1mg kssons l!i a dis· uni1, the WIIISPER. lk,lcr iuquiries Call Bill at (G 16) 'J22· 28/fli. Visit our paragliding school in Jackson, Wyoming. Call Tracie at (307) 7.19·86:W.

FLY I I](;( I I IANC CI.IIJlNC, INC:.

Serving S. New York, Connectirnt, areas (Ellenville 1\1111.). Area's EXCLUSIVE Wing dcalcr/spc· cialis1. Also all other major hr:inds, accessories.

Certif'icd school/ins1rnc1io11. Teaching since 1979.

Area's most INEXPENSIVE prices. Fxccllenr sec· ondary instntction ... il finished a program ,111d wish to continue. Hy moumain! ATOL Tandem /lights! Contact Paul 516:l Rd, Fine Bush, NY 17.56(,, (91/i)

OREGON

AfRT!MI' ORECON Ccrrified instruction on modern SAFETY,d>ROGRESS. Lots of new and cquipmcn1 and hardware in stock.

Dealer fin Moyes, PacAir, WW, Uvcx, Center of Gravity, High Fncrgy and lots more. Paraglidcr sales: Fl.lGllT DESIGN, l'crche, UP and Trekking.

Phone/fax (5/f 1) 998 I 120.

PENNSYLVANIA

SUSQUF.!!ANNA FLIC!!T PARK Cooperstown, NY, C:enil,cd Instruction, Sales and Service for all major manufacturers. 40 acre park, training hills, jeep rides, hunk house, hot in showers, GOO' NW ridge. We have 1he hes\ N. New York srntc to teach you how ro fly. RD 2, Box Jli8A, ( :onpcrstown, NY J :l:126, (31 '5) 866.6 ! 53.

MINNESOTA

MOUNTAIN TOI' RFC:REATTON Ccrtiflcd instruction, Pittshmgh. (ii 12) 697·41fT7. C'MON OUT AND PLAY! MOUNTAIN WINGS

T.ook under New York.

TENNl!SSl1E NORTH CAROLINA

SPORT SOARING CENTER/MlNNEAPOUS Instruction, equipment dealers for Wills Wing, l\,cilic Airwave & Edd. (61 ?,) 688,018 I. NEVADA

COROLLA Fl.IC! IT America's most experienced tandem flight i11str11ctor, teaches 11tilizing ATOL and Double Vision. Call or write for information DcWolC Corolla Flight, PO Box l 021, Kiuy I NC 27919. (919) /f'Bli800.

ADVENTURE SPORTS Sierra SoHi Aerotowing·Tandcm. Tours om specialty. I Jang ing/paragliding lJSHGA ccnificd instruction. foll service shop for Airborne, Blue Sky, Moyes, Pacific Ai1w;ivc, Wills Wing. 3650·22 Research Way, Carson City, NV 89706 (702) 883 .. 7070 phone/fax.

Park ITAWK AIRSPORTS INC P.O. Box 9056, Knoxville, 'J N .'37'),j().0056, (113) 93.'3.')),96, Hang Gliding and world famous Windsoks.

NEW JERSEY MOUNTATN WlNGS

Look under New York.

LOOKOUT MOUNT/\TN Fl.JGHT PARK ad under Georgia.

NEW MEXICO MOUNTAIN WEST !TANG GLIDING Offering sales, service, instruction in the Pour Corners area. Wills Wing, Pacific Airwavc. (505) 631,8/fli.'l Farmington NM.

A.A.S AUSTIN ArR SPORTS Certified foot launch, tow & tandem training. Sales/service AUSTIN, TEXAS Steve Burns, 1712 Waterson, 78703, (512) li74-1669. HOUSTON (71.'l) 471·llf88.

WILD BLUE YONDER- NM's only full time, foll service school & shop. \'X/e'vc got it! Albuqttcrqttc (505) AIR· 1),/iO.

Tandem fnsm1ction 'Acrotowing •.Boat Towing • Paragliding •.Foot Launch Mountain Clinics • .Equipment Sales and Service Open Year Round • Beach Rcsnrr

NEW YORK AAA FLIGHT SCHOOL MOUNTAIN WINGS and EAST COAST PARAGLIDING in Ellenville NY. Simply the largest, MOST PROFESSIONAL training facility itt the NE with l years experience. l

(800) ;,3/i.1777 Nags Head, NC Intemct Address: http://ww,,,,.ki1 t yha wk.com F·Mail Address: hat1g·glidct,11omcT·l>a11ks.co1n 0

full time ccrrificd instTuctors) ;j exclusive training

hills. We stock everything available 1,>r pilots and sell & service AIRWAVE, UP, BLUE SKY, WILLS WING and now MOYES, also SWIFT, SUPER· FLOATER and ALL PARAGL!DER BRANDS. Unbearable prices 011 gliders. Full time towing facility, ranclcrns, !Cl', clinics. We do it all. 1.8()().57,5:7g70, (9J!i) Ci1'1·33T7. 150 Canal Street, Ellenville NY l 2128, OUR EXPERIENCE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

Sec

TEXAS

UP OVER NEW MEXICO Instruction, sales, scrvice. Sandia Mountain Wills, l'acilic Airwavc.

821,8541.

Albuquerque, NM

58

ALl'INF LODCF At Raccoon Mountain. Private rooms, lrnnkbousc, jacuzzi, pool. Work program. ((, 15) fl?, J .),5/f 6 Chattanooga, Chuck or Shari.

OHIO NORTH COAST !JANG c;L]l)JNG Ccniftcd lnsrruction. New & used gliders. Specializing in Pacific Airwavc gliders. Mike Del 1916 W. '15th St., Cleveland, Oil. 4410:1

HlU. COUNTRY PARAGUDJNG INC: - Learn cnmplcte pilot skills. Personalized USHGA ccnilied rrnining, foot & row launching in ccn .. tral Texas.

PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTION & EQlJIPMENT AVAILABLE. (915) 3'79·l 185. Rt 1, Box l<iF, Tow TX 78Gl2.

KlTE ENTERPRlSFS Instruction, sales, repairs, towing and foot launch. Dallas & Nonh Texas area.

211 Ellis, Allen TX 75002. (2 J If) 390·9090 anytime.

Dealer, Pacific Airwavc, Wills Wing.

TOTAi. AlR SPORTS Area's OLDEST Wills Wing dealer. Certified instruction available. "I only DEAL with WILLS". <,35ii Limcsrnnc, Houston TX 77092. (713) 956 6 I li7.

UTAH VULTURE GLIDERS S11pcrior USHGA instruc .. tion at The Poim of the Mountain. New Falcon train .. ers. Shop is IO minutes from hill. Dealer for Moyes, WW, PacAir. Call Cl«trlic (801) 25•'\.61!\ 1.

HANG CLIDING

VIRGINIA

PROM "BREADPJ\11" MAKI•'.\<

FOR HANG

BLUE SKY

m:w

COMt30 UNIT

AND l'ARAOLTIJING.

Lessons, sales, repairs, accessories, tow

ing. Custom sc\ving {(ir harnesses and sails, C;i!J Steve

Wendt :lt (5/iO) li3?. (,557.

My well-loved lightning quick v:1rio married to :111 excellent :1ltimctcr thanks to new generation lascr-

KITTY I !AWi< KITES

Sec Norrh C::irolin,t.

ll'immcd transducers.

into tough little RF still has reserve battery! lnter,::h:rn1.;eal1lc !,road Vekrn straps or base tube $2'J'i inc. (80',) (,8). mo11nring I 088. l.asc, trimmed rct rofit av'1ilahk for hrcad pans $S',. prooC box only Sx3x l

SlLVER WINCS, INC. -Ccrti!iccl hg/pg instrn,· rion and .sales. Proudly representing l':icii,c Airwave, Wing, Seedwings & lJP. (70.l) '>:l.l I %5 Arlington Vi\.

ROBFJUS CUDER INSTRlJMFNTS

:n·iO CLJFF IJRIVF

WISCONSIN

Si\NTJ\ l\i\Rlli\Ri\ Ci\ 931 O'J Ri\VFN SKY SPORTS I !/\NC Cl.llllNC /\ND Pi\Ri\CLJ!l[N(; L:ugcsr and most pop11lar in thcI\,1idwc,<-,\, Traditional curricul11m ridge soaring, 1

mountain cl!11ics1

acrotowing & landcms

hy llrad Kushner. for ,ill major br,11,ds. PO Box l OI, Whitewater \)(if 190 (•11/i) liTl-8800

Pi\RTS & ACCFSSORIFS

/\LL NEW UITRJ\I.ICIIT 1.i\MHIE I.fl) - The lightest, most comfortable IJ:Jng glider helmet. i\crody11arnic, low turb1dcnce, low drag shape. 1lightech look. Fi11ish is clear resin over the gold/bl:1ck wc:>V(' of' tlw supn-stro11g c:trhon/kevlar ourer shell.

Oprn Ltce, only 12 oz., price $160. l11tcgral /ctll face vcrsio11, only 17 oz. $I')') includes headset install:1tion. Measure around head and from bottom of ear-

lobe OVl'r lO)l lO bottom of' e:tr\obc for CttStOIII /Jt. Fro111 the desig11er, Jack Lambie, 8](,() Woodsboro, 1\ nahci 111 ( :i\ 92807. Phone and fox (71 Ii) Tl'J- I 8T7. !\I.I. TYJ'LS OF Cl.lDFR BI\CS i\nd the matcri als your own repairs. (')70) <iii l 'J:I 15.

I,,,

i\BSOUJTF.IY Tl IF BEST

Prices on rhe Ball Graphics Comp/(;:trrnin CPS & I ligh Energy Qu:mt11111 chutes. PROMOTIONS UNl.lMITED ((, 19) 229-00!i8, email: llobll I(,1Jaol.corn

AEROTOWJNC ACCI•'.SSORJES Sec TOW INC:. Tl!E WAl.l.i\BY IUNCJ f (91 J) liH-00?0.

BFST 12" WllFFI.S i\Vl\ll.i\BlE S,tpcr ligh1wcigh1, a 11111st fo1· training, t:tndcm in 011\y l.lSJ\-b11ilt I?" q11,111ti1y Immediate delivery. l.ookout Mountain, (800) 688 I.MFP.

Aucusr I 996

Ci\MFRJ\ RFMOTF. 20', f'its mos, cameras.

Snaps on over cxis1inf', shittier release. $1i5 (ask abo111 our introductory $10 rebate). Tck Prod11ct.s, C:olehrook Stage, Winsted CT ()(i()'JE. not included.)

Sl!lv!MFR Ci\LL KFNTlJCKIJ\Ni\ SUJ\RJNC Sl'ECIJ\I.! !\all Craphics Co1111> $1,/,95. Includes a free C:irmin :08 CPS ($200 v:rnle). Call (81 J.) 288 711 I for rhc best price.

GARMIN CPS Gmnin 38, !iO and IJ5 available uow! The 38 framrcs resettable trip odomcrcr, EZiui1 and backtrack fc,1rmc. The 40 and li5 have moving map, s:m:llirc srarus, compass and C!ll navigaiion.

Wr:1El!1rn1e only 9oz and complcrcly waterproof, all rhcsc units oflcr onc·h:mdcd opcra1ion ,rnd ro IJ<J feet! Prices $199.99, $275.99 and $289.99.

1·80(l,.J7:l·7') 17 enter f,,r orders, info or free i nformarion pack.

TEK 6" Wl IFELS Tck Flight Products, u,,rnrn<ll< 06098. (860) 17'). ]668,

011 the Web at:

phts $3.75 S/1-L

USHGA instrnctor Tom Sapienza, of Airtime Oregon says, "I've Jestnl mui reco!'rmund Wind 11,,,,,"'"''' Dependable. B11il1 to last. No batteries required.

MINI VARIO World's smallest, simplest vario!

Clips to helmet or chinstrap. 200 hours on ha11erics, 0, J 8,000 ft., fast and 2 for $169. m,wcuc•c, 15756, Ana CA, '!2735.

MC/Visa acccptccL HANG GUDER CAMERA MOUNT Shown on 2· 1/2" rube, $3'). 50 includes shipping. TEK FLIGHT PRODUCTS, Colebrook Stage, Winsted CT 06098. (860) 379.1668 (Camera nor included).

WIND ADVISORY With MOUNTING BRACKET only $2/i.50, i11cludes s/h. Yon save $15 1$2 s/h;

Mounting bracket with yom order. item purchased. Send Resources, PO Box 906/i, San Diego CA 92169.

(6 ! 9) 270--91(,7,, Satisfaction Cnarnntccd!

The worJcJ.-class XCR, I 80 operates up to 3 hours (f1)J 8,000 fr. and weighs only 11h. Cornplcrc kit with

HlGl I PERSPECTJYE WHEELS

Real lifo savers!

12", liglu, rough. Fits all gliders. Send $11.95 + $4.50 shipping per pair to Spon Avi:1tion, PO Box IO I, M ingovillc PA 16856, Ask about our dealer prices.

60

cyJindcri harness) on/off {]owrncrcr, only

PTT BUTTON SWITCH

cannula and remote

Finger mount with 1-!T's·uscr sclccrable.

Connects between and rndio 3.YJ.95. Check or money order. Voice (li23) 53J,801i5.

WJNCOVER COMPOSITES-LEE !-!ET.METS Fl $200, F2 $250. Arc $300. All three ,uc DOT cc.r· tifiecl r:irhou/kevlar hclmers. colors including clcarcoar carbon or mix and Add a cbucoat carbon diinguard to a red, white or bhH' Arc helmet and you'll be s1yli11'! Every option a pilot could want is available. Most colors and arc in stock. I lave yon taken a god lnok at your helmet lately? Call us now! (505) 758,0526, PO Box 2078, Taos NM 87571 wingovcr(ii>Japlaza.org

HANC GUDINC

SOARIN(; -· Monthly magazine of' The Soaring Society of Amcric:t, Inc. ( :overs all of l'light. l'llll membership $5'i. Info. with copy $3. SSJ\, P.( l. Box E, I lobbs, NM 882/i 1. ('i05) 392-1177.

TOWIN(; AEROTOWINC ACG:SSORIF.S for: Tire finest releases, sc,:onrJa1,·v "V" bridles, weak links, tandem kits, etc. Tl l E WALi .ABY RANC!l (9/i I) li21-0070.

DON'T CF'J CA\J(;HT I.ANlJl'.'JC DOWN WIND! o,:, ripstop UV lrcatcd, '>'ii" long w/ 11" 1hro;it. colors rlnorcscent pink/yellow or fluorescent pink/white. $:$9.95 (t $/i.00 S/1 l). Send 10 \JS]](;;\ Windsok, l'.0. !lox I 330, Color:ido Springs, CO iW')O I I YlO, ('/ I 'J) G:,2-8500, fax Cl 19) G:32 . (,/i I7. VISA/MC accepted.

DOWNWIND l'rom the early days of' rhe ?O's, ro air ol Owen's Valley, DOWNWIND is with thrill and exhilaration of' cross country adve11111rc. The pcrf'cct for buth pilots and llOll· pilnts. SI IJ\RF THE A true story, well told. Av:1il:1ble from USllCA I lcadqnartcrs for only $10.95 ( s/h). PO Box I :,,:,o, Colornclo Spt·ings CO 80'JO I 13:lO.

FOR SALE NFW ATOl. Srylc tow winch w/levcl· wind, .3500' of line, all accessories inchrdcs mounting frame, never used. Mllst sell $1,800 01\0. C:all (61 '.J) /i50-0!i\7.

THE ULTlMATF WINCH SYSTEM. pat·aglidcrs & mini-s:iilpl:rncs towing Will sll'aight or yo11 up ro Ii, '500' /'rom a fleld l lcavy, duty, built to l:isr, highly rcli,thlc and easy ro maintain Ideal for schools, /lying clubs, comrncrci:il tandem flights and private use. Over 5

Utilizes a TIIF 1.1'.PllYR RADIO MOUNT rlytec sario mount, a CNC machined Dclrin adapter block, a mudiftcd Lclr clip to hold rc1dio sLcurcly anywhere ou your glider's control Crame (requires 20 lbs of' force to remove). This mount in.(lig!tr access to rndio lit11ctions, fitll .l-1 /2 axis positioni11g provision for ;i li11c, quick of' radio while mount is au ached to

HIGHER THAN FAGl.ES

by Maralys l\[ Chris Wills. The Iii,· & rimes of' BOBBY WILLS, hang gliding the triumphs and tragedies of' the and rhc evolution o/' Wills \X/ing. $]9.95 hardcover (1$/i.OO Sil I), sec classified for USJ /C;i\ BOOKS ordering

and a fleece storage hag is included.

of intensive

ing in around

scl1ools systems in opcr;:Jijon world Very low operating cost, mttch cheaper and as efficient as ;icrotmving Easy and s:1Cc opcrai-ion) precise tension control, rapid t tnn-around tirnc ® J•'.asy to move, trailer mmmted ® No

more cndless driving to find Delivered in person with training!! 1 • A product of qualiry from Dist:rncc Design I uc To order ct!I (SI Ii) 3ii3-9(, I l.

Cunenrly avaibhlc !,,r Yaesu, !com, St:md:ml, Ali11rn and Kenwood. Call or send radio bra11d/modcl :md Ml[~·, I Ii h,xwood Road, $85 (+$5 s/h) 10: Bristol ( :·1 · 060 IO or at (8GO) 583-3<, 10.

PUBUCAT!ONS & ORGANIZATIONS

form. From dw early

to die present

! lrmg (,!iding. (719) (,32.,8 lOO. OH'!C:!Al. FAA SFCTIONAl And \/FR Terminal Arca Charts. All :m.,as, current (11p to elate New Classif'ic!lions). Section:,! m:q,s $7 c:ich, Terminal Arca Charts $Ii eacll. Add ship· fling :ind (Cal. residents only) tax. De:tler prices.

Airtime of' S.F. (Ii 1'i) 75'J. 11 Tl, L,x (Ii 1'i) Ti'J 1 182.

ll' you don't have yom copy of Dennis BJ\(; IT! l'agen's PERFORMANCE FLYJNC ycl, available through US! !CA lkadq1Jarters $7.'J.')5 (1$/i s&h).

lJLTRAI.INE

In stock, ready lo ship. J/J(i" x liOOO' $1!i5 included. (;]iding Club, 110 l<ctl!

Lafayette

3000' $105. 3/16"

I lang Cliding SPECIAL NEW PILCH EDITION & l'ar,rglidi11g magazine. Now available through \JSl!CA I $/i.95 each +$1.50 s/h.

I nf()nnat ivc

Aucusr 19%

SCO(Hlm. TOW STATJONARY WINCH L,,rn1plcte with rraining lc,r instruction $2,500. Dave Allen TX (near Dallas). (2 lli) 9% 7'706 weekdays, (2 lli) :,<)().')()'JO evenings & weekends.

C:ajttn l ,A 70508.

8) 981-8312.

61

VIDEOS & FILMS

STOLEN WINGS & THINGS

FIRST FLIGHT Follows rhc action of a new pilot's first lessons. This video is an emerr:iining friends and family how you VI JS 15 minutes. $20 includes p1u·cm1se:;. MISSION

BATTENS Ser of battens, white nose cone for WW Spon 167, left at north side Point of rhc Mountain, UT on 6/8/96. Reward. (510) 256 .. 4628.

POINT OF THE MOUNTAIN Award winning Fast Coast Video, hg/pg aciion at this U1ah mecca HANG GLlDING EXTREME & BORN TO FLY by Advcnlurc Video, grca1 hg acrinn $:31.95 each. HAWA!lAN FLYIN hy Space 9, soaring in par ,idise, amazing launches $:n. Call or fax l)Sf !GA (719) 632 8300, fax (71 ')) 6:l7. Git ll, pk1sc· , M domestic s/h (+$'i fill· 1wo or 111orc vidrns). Crear 10 friends or r·or those sockcd--in c\:iys. for 1he launch pn1aro rurncd couch pmar:o. us abom om paragliding videos!

WILLS WING XC 155 Losr on Lufrhansa flight between I.OS AN(;JJJ~.s and Munich, Germany on April 2nd, 1996. Yellow wired XC separating a (silver) bottom (sec 96 HG serial /13 l Contact Wills 9'J8 .. 6;)59.

Ri\MAIR 154 Stolcll from home in OAKLAND, C:i\ on December lli, 1995. Blue/pmple LE, red undcrsmfacc. (51 O) 3:W-(,263.

or money order LO:

Mouniain TN 3T\T7.

RAMAlll 154 S1ole1J from the IIAWAIIAN l!ANC GLJ])JN(; ASSN CIUB!lOUSF, MAJ<A ..

PUU Ill, during 1he /Jrs1 week of~c1,rernllc'I', 1995.

Whi1e LE, clue Rew.ml! Call 5.'l:H193.

or

S10len from the 1op WILLS WING 115 AT Bl.ACK MTN., MAPI.F l'ALLS, Wr\ on 16, 19')5. White LE, orange 1s1 panel, whirc 1111,:1--panc:1, yellow rear panel, white TE & mp Fluoresccm orange nose cone, nick in LE 12" from 1ip. C:ontacr James Fiescr/Wh:ncom Wings (360) 67J..30J7.

MISCEI ,LANEOUS

Wll.LS WING 115 AT - Stolen from VlCTORli\ llC:, CANADA on June 19, 1995. Whi1e LE w/orangc pa1ch on each side, orange/blue Moulton ((,O!i) il'50-6l07. undersurfocc.

"AF.ROHATTCS" hill color 7J"x :'\ ! " pom:r fc:1John Heiney wha1 he docs best-1.00PAvailal,lc: 1hrough t ] IQ for $6.95 (+$.'3. 'iO s/11). Fill rha1 void oil yom Send 10 USHGA Acrob,nics Pos1cr, PO Box l:)00, Colorado Springs CO 80933. (lJSA &. Canada only. posters arc NOT AVAII.ABI.F on in1crna1 orders.) SPF.Cli\L-1\.crnbatics poster & Frie Raymond posrcr-BOTJI FOR $10 (1$l.50 s/h).

COUNTRY I JOME In Lakeview Oregon. New 3 bedroom, 2 bath, ho1 1ub, .stream nearby, of Black Cap from the deck $%, 'JOO or ')/il-222/i.

FI.Y FVFRY DAY Wi1h a hang saver for your PC. Outstanding world's bcs1 hang Rio, Yosemite to name a $19.')5 for irnages, $29.95 for 4/i images (+$Ii s/h). M:ijor credir cards acccprcd. Cct i1 now & fly every day. 1-800-880, 1831. Chccko1tt our web sire www.auralis.com/auralis HYINC IN THE CANADIAN ROCKlF.S? Check 0111 "Wasa Lakeside Bed & Breakfo.11 and More". The uhima1e resort for pilios and 1heir fomilics. James Swansburg (60/i) ii22-355 I, email: Home Page: hnp:1/cyber·

62

\X!TNDSF.FKF.R Mol'l' fon rhau a barrel of' downrubes. fl soars, it loops, i1 flies! ONLY $3.00 s/h ($3 slh on orders 1,j'.J. J\lfor!' thfll1 :! or plcrtse m//) US! ]CA, 1'0 Box I :J:lO, Colorado CO 8090 I. (719) 632-8300, fox yom MC/Visa order 10 (719) 632-(i117.

V!DEOS BOOKS & POSTERS Call US\ lCA for your Merchandise order form (719) 632-8300.

DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-IHHJND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN Tl!E GARAGE. SELL TT IN THE JIANG GLIDING CLASSIFIImS. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES The rate for classified is $.50 per word (or group ol' characrers) and $1.00 per word for bold or all caps.

MINIMUM AD CHARGE $5.00. A foe of $15.00 is ch;irged for each line an logo and $25.00 for c;ich ph010. L!NEART & PHOTO SIZE NO LARGER THAN 1.75" X 2.25". Please underline words ro he in bold of rahs $25.00 per col .. umn Phone words. Email or web addr,,ss~3words. AD DEA DUNES: i\ll ad copy, instrucrions, changes) additions and cancellations

musl be received in wri1ing 1 1/2 monrhs preceding 1hc cover dare, i.e. October 201h for 1he December issue. Please make checks payable rn USHCA Classified Advcnising Dcpr. 111\NG Gl.J])JNG MAGAZINF, P.O. flox I :l:lO, Colorado Springs, C:O 80901-1130 (71')) 6.')2-8300 or fax (719) 632-6417 wi1h your Visa or Mastercard.

Adventure Productions ................ , ... 10 Aloft ................... , ..... ,............ , ...... , .... 2 Arai Design ..................................... 30 Aural is .......................... ,........ , ......... 39 Braunigcr .... , ..... , ..................... , .... , .. 48 Coby Fins ........................................ I 0 DK Whisper. ..................... Back Cover Flytec .............................................. 18

r·Iall Bros ........................................... 2 l:-Iigh Fnergy Sports ........................ .44 Icaro .. ,............................... , ............. , . 5 Just Fly Aviation Gear ....................... 2 Kentuckiana Soaring ....................... 15 Lookout Mtn. Hight Park ................. 2 Moyes ................ ,............................ 23 Pacific Airwave ........................... 28,29 Sccdwings ............... ,....................... .48 Soaring Center ................................ 39 Sport Aviation Publications ............. 13 US Aviation ........ ,........................ ,... 39 USHGA ...................... 11,45,46,56,57 Wills l

@ MTNN

Air show time we hanc:r gl l:o

are

by Dan .Johnson

the coun.Lry mi1 1

t.end

America event fter basc"bal1, country

the main airshow at Oshkosh no Wisconsin convention with . Some erally years to get l:o perform;

tows

us

J OWC,l'. ,

show the act

on

For this year' be one the headline act::;, repor shga E(xecutivc Di rec Lor, Phil Bachman. And, in a recc:ml: nE,ws release, 7th Annual (Wm,hington) EAA to Buchanan. "courage and empowerment to pcccr·· mr~n airsh.ows nationwide." and his and promote the 've booked. Good work, hang gliclJng in front centage general publ bope to A Wall 8treel: ,Tou.rnaJ tory docu·· ments 19 sports hopeful. Among o are such racquetball, water admittance pete witb j alai, un.derwater (Frirobee), and korLba11 Urn witb 197 Over 10,000 up from 7,000 in are

already ly

AucusT 19%

crowded ... " a to aclclc~d, severa worked hard to

become

a place th<~y ion. Wby all t.he and swell But also about rnon· water skj association officiaJ notes, come much easier if: you' ••• Worldwide hang could use everywhere. Measured over /96), USlIGA hang sion member· war; clown 1) . IL%, al though a modest ristrend wa,3 1996 got way.

(Overall is virL:uaJJy same l)ecaw:;e paraq} d.J vJ.si.on member] 4. 5 % over same per.i. ocl. ) are discussing membership f:uture; new may be Europe, i t ' s worse why some European club businessmen hard for participati.on. opinion of expert:c.c: meanD mucb, however, don't look proqn;;sf, on that anytime soon.

Tow Launch Systems, or ;3 Jy TLS, hac, id ne tension governed by u d met cecl a e flow restrictor." ( Sound c~nouc)h like Star: technocloubl t lk ) rop ic::, o Chris Ga;:(Liano also ha~, a powered winch with a 20-hor";e Honda Eour--sLroke r:unning through a. variable speed trarn3mission. The two f,y1;tems seem ~.;2, 195 and ;; , IL 9 '::i. 'l'LS ,., winch ~,ys terns across l:he LJ.S. a.n.d coun··· tr have~ program nd Call 210 824 1803 8386.

Linknife.

Erom the "old parachute technolo circus] used tow c::s," he c J the Linknife a departure." ·rhe bat3ic res on the that most tow lots a weak link. Often these lots use a new of s for each Jight, to be s11rc; ii~. f:w~cti.ons correctly cheap).

This weak-link safety pL1q.Josc, but can also a:i d from the towline. 'I'rue, lot.cc, don' Like giv· ing up metbods they know and that' often wise :icy. However, th:i s fn:,sh enougb to capture !.:tent· on. cren has literature t:o send that wLLI explain hi low-priced $15 de·vice. Cal 847 6/J.O J 07], 0208, or E--mail t.o RHGPA(daol.com. 's it for Lh:i mon.th.... So, 9ot nE~ws or iorw Send 'em to 8 Dorset, Paul MN 55118. V-mai1 l:o 612 450 0930.

Email to CumulusMan@ol.com. TBANKSJ

6l

QUALITY

Powered Paragliders

The Whisper is quality!

II shows Japanese engineering and attention to detail. which result in a

lightweight, compact and perfectly balanced motor unit This unit is powerful with the DK 20 H.P. engine.

Warranty is for one year.

Try one! Fly one! Buy one!

Shhhhh! ...The Whisp e r is here, but "e really want to Shout about the Fun of nying with a really quiet Powered J>nraglider.

Corne with t1s as " 'e step inro tbc air.

Experience the freedom of no longer being eanhbound!

For more infonnation call I

8 0 0 • 7 10 • 9 3 7 2