USHGA Hang Gliding April 1998 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

A Publication of the United States Hang Gliding Association • April 1998 • $3.95

No other flight rk diversity, dedication a hi§t~Q' Our complete re is to help you your flying dreams and hang gliding Pilot.:.. enjoy con5ii:..tently good winter flying and training at Lookout. An easy cliff launch and 20 miles of ridge provide great soaring for low time pilots. Perfect for your first mountain soaring flight. Over the 10 years, Lookout Mountain Flight Parl< trained over four times more pilots to novice I n any fli school in the U.S.A.

Discover okout Mountain Flight rk, we wrote the official USHGA training manual. For A e Brochure call 1-800-688-LMFP 7201 Scenic Hwy, Ric,ing Fawn, GA 30738 www.hanglide.com

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Service & Custom Work

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16 Against The Wind: 56 Loops The Hard Way by.John Heiney John sets another looping record, chis time from aerorow at Quest Air.

24 Flying In Ethiopia 1998 by Dennis P(lgen © An African aerial safari .

35 The First Annual Falcon X-C Contest

kY Rob Richardson, introduction kY Ben D1111idson Great X-C flights arc possible on entry-level gl iders. Rob proves ir, and in troduces du.: 1998 Wills Wing Falcon X-C Contcsr.

40 Twenty-five Years In Hang Gliding by Greg Shaw Mission Soaring Center celebrates a miJcsronc.

46 Wills Wing's 25th Anniversary

kr Ofy Olson Three days in the Magic Wingdom - WaJlaby Ranch.

Columns

Departments

USHGA Reports, by Rob Kells ........... 28

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

Preis Comer, by G.W Meadows ........30

Updatc .. ... ............ ..... ............... ...............8

USHGA Direc.."tor List.. ........................ 37

Calendar of Events ........ ....................... 13

Product Lines, by Dan Jol111son .......... 63

Ratings ....................... ..........................20 Classi6ecl Advertising .................. ........ 52 Index to Advertisers ............. .... ............62

APRIL 1998

Gil Dodgen, C11icf Dave Pounds, John Heiney, Gerry Charlebois, lfottlna Grny, tcroy Grannis, Mark Vaughn Photogmphe1:, Harry Marlin, 11/ustmtor D1mnis Pagen 1 Mark Stucky, Geoff Mumford, G.W. Meadows, Jim Palmieri, Stii((Wrilers

Air Dear Editor, On behalf of Kauai's hang gliding community I would like to ask fr>r suggestions and any support: you can offer to help open sites on the Garden Jsland. Currently, the only avaibhle flying site requires a 4-00-foor uphill hike with your glider to a tiny set-up area that overlooks a Hang IV launch. Tbc LZ is even smaller than the set-up area. The problem in securing better sites here has been with the powcrs-that--bc state and private landowners, and the FAA. 'There are a few sites that would be great if we could just get approval to fly. Herc is what we need to help secure sites ic)r us and all you air junkies who would like to fly the most bcautifol island on rhe planet. We need letters from you saying that you would like to visit this island, but due to a lack of flying sites you would choose another of the Hawaiian islands (or whatever else you can think of that we could use to demonstrate the need for safe, legal sites, and that we could promote hang gliding and tourism, and improve safety). We also need wisdom and experience. If you have gone through something similar, and have useful information as to how we might secure more sites, we are all ears. h's my belief that, above all, our local hang gliding community needs to come across as responsible, accoumable and insured, wben it comes to our communi-ty and the powers-that-be. In addition, I fed that we need to share our excitement and passion for flying with these people. Any and all suggestions as to how we could do this would be greatly appreciated. 'T'his island is a jewel. Imagine being on vacation, flying over lush tropical waterfalls, following a nice little cloud street in 8() ... degrce weather. Sound nice? Without your help it may not happen. With your help we cannot fail. Please send letters to:

G.W. Meadows, f'resirkmt Bill Hrydcn, Vice President Russ 1.ockc, Socmtary Gtmff Mumford, Treasurer

Leifur Thor POSTMASTf:ll: SEND CHANCE or ADDRESS HANC C,UDINC, P.O. BOX 1330, Colorado CO 80901·!330.

APRIL 199B VOLlJlv\l

2B, ISSUE No. 4

6742. A Kinmoo Rd. Kapaa, HT %746 thor@hawaiian.net

Dear Editor, f want to thank the pilots who were involved in the purchase of the Mohawk Trail lZ. If you all hadn't been so committed to the purchase and pm your own money into this rescue, I wouldn't have given a second thought to helping. T believe that if there were more pilots who were this committed to site preservation there would be more of it. The pilots involved made a commitment and worked al soliciting support from the flying community. Thal is how I got involved. Tf there were a network of those who could donate or loan funds to rescue sites, based at USHCA Headquarters, J feel there would be many more pilot-owned sites. Again, J wish to commend Brooks Ellison (especially), 'firn Donovan, Collene Carson, Jeff Porter, Matthew Carr, Peter Judge :rnd many unnamed pilots who made a commit rnent to sav-· ing Mohawk'] bi\. Dutcher Sterling

Dear Editor l am responding to Ralph Karsten's letter concerning high-wind unhooking that appeared in the January l 998 issue. He suggests putting a foot in from of the basetubc, holding the nose down and unhooking. In my experience this practice is nor safe or even possible in very high winds, especially if they are gusty. The safety issue arises because if your nose is ever Ii ftcd, rhe foot in front of the bar will present a greater chance of injury if the glider flips over. [ wiLnessed this exact accident two years ago and the pilot ended up in the hospital with a blown-·out knee. I also don't think Ralph's method is possible in truly strong winds, for if your weight is on the from foot your body must be leaning forward which means your harness straps are tight and you

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eirber cannot reacb or release the carabincr. Perhaps Ralph is speaking of lower winds (about 15 mph) but when winds are 20 to 40 mph, as sometimes occurs when we land in the West, I believe the method I described is 1he only solo escape. The incident l referred to in my original article (October 1997), which occurred in the Owens Valley, described a siruation in which no one could unhook using lhlph's mcd1od with which most of us arc familiar. These pilots were very experienced since i1 was a pre-World meCI. l used to use the method Ralph suggests or some variation thereof until 1 found that ir didn't work as winds got above a certain strength. l suggest for safety's sake tha1 all pilots practice the technique T described a couple of times and have ir in reserve for those occasions when the wind is surprisingly strong. I also urge pilots to be careful when unhooking in high winds since iris a

very vulnerable situarion to be in. Prom my perspective, I would avoid putting a foot in front of the basctuhc if possible, which my method is designed to facilitate. Dennis Pagen Sand Ridge, PA

Dear Editor, Hang loops caught on carabincr gates and/or dangerous carabiner orientation such as depicted on the January 1997 cover of Hanf; Gliding have inspired dcvclopmcm of a new safety device designed to securely keep harness mains and hang loops in their respective corners of the carabincr. "Gate Savers" slip right on virtually every commonly-used carabincr. They

work bcncr tbm the old "bike tube around 1hc mains" system because they arc more secure, they work on both ends of the 'bincr, and they don't cause harness main chaffing from being squeezed against the carabincr. Plus, rhey aoually cost less than most bike tubes. Like parachute saft:ty locks and pnraswivcls before, Gate Savers arc destined to become standard equipment on every hang gliding harness. Rodger lloyt

Rodger is willing to send a set to anyone who sends him im SASF by August J, J 998. You can checlc them out and either send him $'5.00 or send them bade. He may b!' contacted at: 956 Ave., Central Point, 01< 97502-2797 (54 I) 664· 5915. lid.

All of the bCJlow lmrnosses will t>c solc1 for $550 + op\ions, list price is $799 , options. This is nn opport1111ity to buy ll1c finest t1m1g glicJincJ harness over m;iclc: frn "ricn/r,r prices". /\irtirm, will cilso use 11p its rnmc1inimJ materials for Custom built l1mnossr,s. [ho price for a custom built harness (with rm1tc,rials in stock) is $650 + options. AlthoucJh Airtime: is qoir1g out of business, suppon of our· products will lJc maintainod throucJh High Energy Sports, so p111cl1c1sr,rs will maintain top qunl1ty support for their l1mm,ss. 100% money back/satisfaction 9mmmtec on all purch,•,sr,s

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1999 USHGA HANG GLIDING CALENDAR PHOTOS SOLICITED

he Hang Gliding Calendar Selecrion Commirree, wich lighr rabies glowing and loupes in hand, is anxiously wairing ro see your besr shors. Launching, landing, soaring, serring up, breaking down, rhermaling high, saving low... ger che picrure! And when you do, please send 'em ro us; we wanr to see 'em all. Slides (transparencies, chromes, etc.) work besr for che highesr qualiry reproduction possible. Imagine your glider being admired around che world. If your beloved imagery is chosen, you will be che envy of your club, and you will have demonsuared your mastery of the fine art of hang gliding phorography. Ir has been rumored chat good karma will follow all chose who send us calendar candidate phoros. The deadline is May 31, so don't waste rime! Sendro: USHGA Calendar, Arrn: Jeff Elgart, PO. Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. Your phorography will be created wich che urrnost respect, and will be returned after che selection process. Quesrions? Call or e-mail me at (719) 632-8300, jjelgarr@ushga.org. Who knows, your phoro may end up on rhe USHGA Web Page Gallery ar www.ushga.org. 1/lo,tl)lluFo,~r,-

UNITED STATES HANG GLIDING ASSOCIATION, INC •

....~~:.M .:.,-.;:,:,::. " ~

\..g-i

Membership Benefits Liability Insurance Annual subscription Voting Privileges """'· Eligible for Awards PIiot Proficiency Ratings

NEW USHGA MEMBERSHIP CARD

"\Tau will find something differem in your l mailbox when you renew your USHGA membership chis year. We have done away wich the old laminated membership card and replaced it wich a new "plasric-form" perforated membership card. Not only are chese new cards a real tin1e and money saver for che Association, chey are quite flexible, better looking and also easier ro carry. We welcome your comments at ushga@ushga.org.

KITTY HAWK AIR GAMES AND THE 26TH ANNUAL HANG GLIDING SPECTACULAR - MAY 8-11, 1998

his may well be the flying evem of che year for sport aircraft! Hosted by worldfamous Kirry Hawk Kires, che Kirry Hawk Air Games will combine the chrill of compecicion flying wich a carnival arrnosphere of fun, in addirion to instrucrion and an exposicion. It will all take place at a locacion famous for flight - Kirry Hawk and che Outer Banks of orch Carolina. ineceen ninery-eighr marks che 26ch Anniversary of che Hang Gliding Spectacular, che longest continuous-running hang gliding compecicion in che world! This year che Spectacular will be bigger than ever, with sponsorship from che Air Spores Association

and conrributions by ocher air sports emhus1ascs. Evem highl ights include: • Street Dance -A benefit fund-raiser fo r che Friends of Jockey's Ridge - live music, flowing beverage and fun. • The 26ch Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular- Pilots compete on the sand dunes of Jockey's Ridge, resring cheir pilocing skills. • Alcirude Comperirion ar the Currituck Counry Air Park- Gliders will thermal cheir way ro park records for altimde, duration and distance. • The Rogallo Foundarion - Hall of Fame Induccion and Awards Banquet honoring Francis and Gemude Rogallo of Kirry Hawk, ASA scienrist and inventor of the flexible wing. • Seminars/Guest Speakers - Expert pilots and designers from across che conrinenc will offer open forums on a variery of sport flying ropics. For a registracion package, exhibicion package or sponsorship information contact: Kitry Hawk Kites, Bruce Weaver, Recreation Manager, l-800-334-4777 (exr. 14), PO. Box 1839, ags Head, NC 27959.

TOWING ALOFT HITS THE SHELVES

he first book on rowing mechods and techniques was released on February 1 and is a great success. The manual by TO:f,,,~1Y..,.~... Dennis Pagen and Bill Bryden has been very well received by hang gliding and paragliding schools and dealers around che world. The book covers all surface and airro-air rowing mechods for all classes of gliders and paragliders. Techniques are described from che pilot's and row operator's point of view. The book includes che following rapics: rowmg equipment, rowing rigs, payout winch, stationary winch, static-line rowing, aerorowing, boat rowing, checklists, safety requirements, operaci ng row systems, launching, climbing, releasing, flying tugs, maximizing rows, airport operations, emergency procedures, and much more. Many phoros and illustrations enh ance this 8.5" x 11", 384-page book. Don't miss

1;!,:!!FT

H ANG GLIDING

IC:::RR,S,C,

News magazine - ISSN32

+ 6000 hang gliders sold

1998 World's Championship Results Analysis Congrat1tlations to G1tido Gehrmann and his Topless. An /CARO pilot did not win the World's Championship, that's true, and we're disappointed. We know that a mix of ability and good luck is always necessal)' to gain the vict01y, and this time it didn 't happen to our Champions. · Anyway /CARO -as a Manufacturer- got a very important succes, so con.finning that the world leadership has been reached. We aren 't overestimating ourselves: we can say it after carefully analyzing placing distribution per Brand. Just look at the figu res, and you'll be conviced. Let's start by considering how many pilots per Brand brought the competition to an end: it's clear that Four are the important Brands on which it makes sense to carry out statistical examinations. Icaro and Moyes show a well-balanced massive participation, while Wills Wing and La Mouette are at a lower -but sti ll important- level. Other brands figures are marginal for statistics, although a few pilots in this group got an excellent score. Anyway we're speaking about a Championship in which a meaningful number of pilots took part, and a good 146 of them fin ished the competition. As a Brand !CARO wins hands down, while La Mouette reaches the prestigious target of the individual victory, and generally has an acceptable result thanks to some good performances. On the whole Moyes loses. For Will Wing is a debacle. Let's see the details.

Icaro got these placings:

5 within the tint 8 62% 14 within the first 30 47% 23 within the first 60 38%

Otben 26%

Icaro

tot. points

Icaro

219,744

Moyes LaMouette Will Wing

39 19 15

196,811 112,874 59,325

If we repeat the analysis taking into account just as many pilots as Will Wing (i.e. the best 15 placings for the other 3 Brands) the above mentioned differences raise even more. That's why we spoke of Will Wings' debacle: the best (16th) and the second (39th) seems to be an exception. The main group of its pilots is placed around I00' rank. Even a very good pilot as Nelson Howe, 2" last year at Pre World while flying !CARO, gm no more than an anonymous 44• place.

learn - 38% -

- -.,.,..-ff'--. .

- - -- - ' ='---- - '

.. I l J

tot. points

Icaro

116,262

Moyes LaMouette Will Wing

15 15 15

102,999 99,567 59,325

The righ1 table visually summarizes the whole above analysis, showing the first (,(} platings spliued up in columns according 10 the related Brands. You'll see at a glance that our statement -although apparently pre· sumptuous- is definitely true: the 1998 Worl's Championship results have Staled a true lcaro's leadership among hang gliders manufacturers.

• •m~••

llfflmA.

10 ll ll IJ II ll 16

··- ·· Gibson M.

,...

..-··-.,....,... _

~s.

- o. Baeumer J.

•

JO JI

l2 J3

JI .15 3' J1

-"-"···

··- ·-

JI JI 4G II 12

-1.

21 ll

I I I

Bondarthuk O.

-T.

7 6 4 4 3 3 3 2 2

Will\Vings Moyes LaMouette Others

"I!

39 35 19 15

146

total

Moyes is definitly losing. especially if compared with !CARO. In fact the total number of lcaro's and Moyes' pilms are comparable, or rather Moies has more pilots but scored less points!

Moyes - 20% -

LaMouette Will Wing Airwave Bautek Guggenmos Tecma Avian UP Airborne Aeros Quasar Ell ipse SolarWings FreeFlight Seedwi ngs

27'1,

tllat ... Ille IOltd~ first I rGIP~ • Dlt of Ill Is • ICARO, 11d ... II 11J 111 (8) I gooil Ill Dlt at tine II ICARO's: these figures are Impressive Indeed!

learn - 47%

pilots

Icaro

Moyes

T1lat -

Others - 13

Brands Moyes

# of pilots per Brand who finished the competition

-=·"'-

Todlod, G.

- ··

Saldanha C. Elkins S. Fu'ita N. Walbe(: R.

Baier 8 .

Etz L. Barber M.

4l 46 17 18 41 JO 51

EtJIIII -·-~-

Kratzner C.

Steohens M.

G. Oelkru2M. SondallA.

A-0.

;, 55 5'

Palmarini J..f.

57 58

ICARO 2000 srl - V ia Verd i, 19 - 21 0 38 Sangiano (Va ) - Tel. ++39-332-6483 35 - Fax 64807 9 http: //www.icaro2000.co m - E-Ma il : stoff@icoro2000.com

Poulel E.

u your opportunity to discover towinis, improve or review your lowing skills. Order Towing Alofi from your dealer or send $29.95 plus 3.50. shipping to: Sport Aviation Publications, P.O. Box 101, Mingovillc, PA 16856. More information and an order for.tn arc available at: www.lazerlink.com/ µpagen-

bks.

s your school listed in the USHGA Organization Directory? We arc currently purgand reorganizing the Organ.ization I)ircctory for better .fonctionality. If your school or business hasn't a kttcr from LISHGA for d.irecrory-listing confirmation now, contact us; you may be out on valuable, and more importantly, free advertising. Send your school nam.e, contact person, address, phone, e-mail and Web site address to: USI'.[GA Organization Directory, Attn. Jeff Elgart, eo. Box 1330, Col-orado Springs, CO 80901 (719) 6:32-8300, ushga@ushga.org.

AND COMPETITION SYMPOSIUM

ichael "Hollywood" Champlin is pleased to announce that there wilt be a Crnss--Country and Competition Symposium held .in conjunction with the. Atlantic

Coast Championships at Wallaby Ranch, Florida. The Symposium is scheduled for Saturday, April 25 (the day before the meet begins) and will feature several top U.S. competition pilots sp1:;aking on various subjects rdat· ed to cross-country and competition flying. This will be an all-day event and will culminate with a question-and-answer "round table" discussion involving all of the participants. The syrnposium will be conveniendy located near Wallaby Ranch. For more infrHmation contact: "Hollywood" (561) 642-· 26:36, mechamplin<r,)flinct.corn.

Fly X-Cwill

in the Owens from Walt's Point during the 1998 season. It is hoped that the site be open as early as May I, although heavy snows may postpone this, so be sure to call for opening dates. Our bead·· quarters will be at the Dow Villa Hotel. They have spcdal acconunodadons for pilots as wcJl as a pnol and hot tub. Please call for hotel reservations at 1,800,824-9:317 or (760) 876· from Europe. Meetings take place at 8:00 am at the Lone pine Airport, and free rides to launch arc provided. Oxygen rentals and refills will be available at launch. Our contest, rhc lntcrnational Masters of Hang Gliding, held August 3-9, will impao the flying at Walt's point, so, if you arc a free··

We are the exclusive importers

for The Cosmos Samba and La Mouette's Topless hang gliders. Also, coming soon is the Pegasus, the top of the line hanglider that will represent the sport of hangliding at its best! Feel free to cal\ us for more information. Dealer inquiries welcome.

you should consider another week. We can only accommodate 60 contesrants, since the U.S. Forest Service will only allow the blocking of one lane of the road, The entry foe is if paid before July 4, will require GPS-validatcd turnpoints (no mandatory cameras) and the goals will he at the many convenient airports in the valley. A chuck wagon service will be provid,, ed at goal while scores are tallied. Contact: I ..333.. 0WENS-XC for more information.

Flight is now offering acrotowing for gliders at their private airport 45 minutes northwest of Orlando, Florida. 'Towing and instruction arc av,tilable by appointment. Skydiving, model aircraft Hying and hot-air ballooning arc also available. In addition, half-acre home sites arc available for pilots who would like to live where they fly. Contact: Frank B. Arenas, Free Flight International, HO. Box 600, Coleman, FL 3:3521 748-6629, fax frecflight@sum.net,http://www.skydi, vewww.com/frccflight.

kySpons@ International is now on the Web at http:/ /airstuJicom. About lnsttu··

Continued on page 38

SEX

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TOTAL

(03/97)

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 I. 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. 2. or sustained by me as a result of my as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System). 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; Each of the property owners on or over whose property I may launch, fly and/or land; e) All persons involved, in any manner, in the sports of hang gliding and/or paragliding at the site(s) where I ~ 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 All other persons lawfully present at the site(s) during my g) msrHJI.\Rt;a:: the tDJu,r,1.~rfrom any and all claims and liability for IN}'UR,fES, however caused, even if caused by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the n1,,;,i;.c;,1,n;;;u to the fullest extent allowed by law. A against any of the loss or damage on account of I INJ'URJfES. If I violate this agreement by filing suc:h a suit or making such a claim, I will pay all attorneys' fees and costs of the and co111strued in accordance with the matte1rs whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this Agreement 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

/';1rticipant's Jignat11re

IJate MR 8/97

f Calendar of' cvcn1s items WI I ,I, NO r he listed if only 1c11uuivc, Please include exacr information (event, date, contacr name and phone numhcr), Items should be received no Luer rhan six wceb prior to the cvenL We request two months lead time for region:1/ and ILttional meets.

APRIL !-DEC 31: Sffond Falcon XC Falcons only. Pom sec> tions: West Central, East. Prizes in all s,:ctions and classes. Jiang 2 and up, Three classes: Pro (I Ltng It), Amateur (Hang Recreational (! Jang 2), Towing allowed with maxirn11m release alrituclc of 2,000', No entry fee, send S/\SL Contact: Tek Flight Products, Colebrook Winsted, er 06098 (8(J0) 379-1 fax (860) 738-3(J)0, tck(t1Jencu1eL

APRIL 18-19: JJth ilnmud Or!'rlnsidc Open, Oceanside, OR. by the Oregon Hang eliding h:1sed in Portland. Contact: Roh Stephens (">03) 6814%1.

APRIL 26-MA Y lltlcrntic Coast

12th !l1mui1/ Stnuar/ S1nith Gliding Tournr11ne111, Moore Mtn., l\:rry Lowe Orchards, 10 miles north of Taylorsville, NC off I6. $115 entry includes T-shirt, b:irhcrnc, dart tournamcnL Tasks: landing, bomb drop, dmation and ,. Trophies for 1st through 3rd in each cvenr. hm flyers, $25, Contact: Travis Bryam (70/i) 758-');l:31, or Ben Burri! (lO!i) Y)2-37(i5, MAYI

17: !99R Midwest Open S;1rin,~ Lhrm:1/J/17nsfJ1/)S, All pilots arc welcome to us the peak spring X-C season in rhc Midwest at Twin 0;1ks !\irpon, \Vhitcwatcr, Wisconsin. Rigid and rwv.""'n" c:ire,mrw\. declared goal :md open I 'j() miles, max alritudc $50 cnrry kc includes rary club membership, acrorows each (limi1 rhrce per day), pri'l,c ty. AT required (available 011 Al'RII 1998

Contact: Creg Dinauer (G08) 221-3681, Cdina:mer~h:10!.com or I ,arry Bunner (815) 7Yi5388,

M/\ Y 22-25: Cosmos Clr,ssic, Cosmos, Minucsora, Leisure and competition classes. M ilcs of tow roads and be;iutiful, wide-open 1errain m;1ke this one of rhe greatest towing f1ying sites in the country, Leisure cl:iss: wrnl airtime. Competition class: XC, trianracc-to--goaL J ,ast year's X-C record was 160 miles, Contact: Dave Alan (612) 9297177.

JUNE 6- l 3: Sandifl Umsic, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Eighth annual lt50 WTSS point mce1 at Sandia Peale The premier meet of the season! Price includes: entry top--quality X-C tasks, glider and pilot rransponarion to launch, turnpoint film and processing, compureri:t.ed scoring, full· rime paid sraf{ free oxygen refills, gift ccrriftcatcs from local businesses, conveniem mce1 headquarters with reduced room rates, awards barbecue, T-shirt and more! Trophies for Class 1 topless/kingposted, and Class Sixty-pilot maximum field, lt5 spots reserved for pilots ranked in rhc rop 80 USHGA or wp 100 PIRS, Remaining entries will he based on ranking, comperi1ion and flight experience, First-rime entrant,, must have: US] IC!\ Advanced all Special Skills, 100+ hours mm111tai11 thermal experience. Datahack cameras required, Oxygen and CPS recommended. Early registration postmarked before May 1, $375 rhercafier. Refundable until April :30. lmercs1cd in competing in Class 2? Call us ASAP so we can plan! Contact: M ikc l 11 SL Dr., Albuquerque, 11 (505) or M.1rk Mocl10 (505) 298-2922. E-mail ro mmocho(ilrr(,(i,com, 12-14: Wild, Wild West Regionalr. 00 until May $12'5 after. Contact: Adventure (702) 883-7070, advspts(21lpyramid.11ct, registration form at hnp:/ /www. pyramid.ncr/advsprs, 19,-21: S1mdir1 Hy S:mdia for the big air and miles during the annual X--C Challenge, Trophies for longest flight and most cumulative miles. $:'10 cntty gets you guide pilo1s, free oxygen refills, T-shirt and a party! Minimum I Jang f!l with mountain thermal and experience. Hang gliders (Class l and 2) only, Contact:

Sandia Soaring Association, P.O, Box 14571, J\lbuqttcrque, NM 8/191. 6-11: 199R Chelan X--C C!tissic, Chelan, WA. I JG and PG pilots call your own tasks: rri:mglcs, our-and--rerurn or open distance, Drivers' contest, T--shins, barbecue, Entry $70, Profits support the sire. Contact: I ,ori l ,awson or Tom Johns, 41t20 191 st PL SE, Issaquah, WA 98027

71ill(>li7, Y 25-AlJG. I: Wild Wr'.1t !1ang Cham,;ncms111/1s (li'50 $275 uncil Junc J 2, aficr. Contact: Advcn rmc -Sporrs

(702) 883-7070, advspts<2ilpyramicLnct, reg isrration form ar hnp://www,pyrarn id,nctladvsprs,

AUG 1-3: ~f/cstcm Canadian Chrirnpirmshzj!, Colden, BC X-C: racing m Cana(fo's besr world-class site, Mount Seven. $30 Canadian cnrry frc, includes traditional free Sunday 11ighr beer bash. Individual and te;tm scoring. Hand.-crafred trophies and many Comacr: Meer Director Jeff Runciman (lt03) 293-9027 (h), (lt03) 250-9077 (w), or Meet Coordinator Karen Keller (lt03) 293-lt008, skyward @1)cad vision .co In, www,cadvision,con1/skywarcl/wcc 1998,hrml.

AUG. 2-9: /998 Roldrmi/lo, Co!omhia, International f fang Contact: Crant Smith, fox I 629-M7/i, grantl{')srn ithsefo i r,con1 ,co,

AUG. 3-8: International M,1stcrs Owens Valley, CJ\ will host a points meet with cash prizes. Both Class I aud Class 2 pilots will fly from world renowned sites like Cuntcr, Walt's point and Cerro Cordo. Enrry foe is only $95 ($12'5 afrcr July 4, $200 afier I), To compete ar rbc greatcsr sires in the world comacr: john Ryan 19) lt(i 1-14/i l, AUG. 9-23: Wmnen'.1 World Meet, l-lungary, Aug. 9-EI training 14 2}, contest days, dosing cererno11 ies on rhc 2:3rcL

,,o'un,,:n;:,c,

SEPT, West Coast l'tl,''t1f!l1d,'1w 1<e,,iw1;1flLs. $ JOO u11 til Aug. j I,

$ :z5 afrcr. Contact: Adventure (702) H8:3-7070, advsprs(a>p,,rra11r1HLncr, registration form ;H htrp:/ /www.pyramid.net/advspts.

FUN APRIL I 0-12: 20th Annual [-lrmg Gliding 1md fl11iy1gliding E:tster rtt Ten Mile, southeast \Vashington by the town of Asotin. l .;rnnch is l ,700 fr:ct /\Cl. on the breaks of the Snake River Canyon. No entry fee, free camping. Fun fly-in with a Samrday-nighr potluck and barbecue on launch. Contact: Scotr Johnson (509) 243-· 4988, usairlJornel'.rilvalley-inLerncl'.net, or Tom Heathman (509) 256-3304, hcman@vallcy.. internet.net.

MAY 2-3: 27th !lnnual Mt. Sentinel Missoula, MT. Missoula l fang Cliding and Paragliding Club. Con1act: Chris Beebe (406) 54}-0317 or Karl Hallman (406) 728 .. 05.3-1.

JUNE J 9 .. 22: Summer Sol.rtice Fly-In, spon-· sored by the Buzzard Roost Gang. Some of the best flying site.~ in Northern C:alifr1rnia. Lake tow at Iron Canyon Reservoir, fly off Chalk Mr. (3, l 00' ;\C;L), catch a glass-off at: I lar Creek Rim. Lake activities, mountain biking and hiking for the whole family. Excellent overnight camping accommocla1ions including hot springs. Contact: Pat Blackburn (530) (104 .. 2765 or Sonny Compton (530) 243-25:Vi, ulrimatcl1igh@hotmail.com.

JUNE 27 ..28: 10th Ultml{~ht Fly-In, Ickes airport. Contacr: Don H. Ickes, RD l, Box 300A, Osterbnrg, PA 16667 (814) 276-3353, frecflyr!fr)nb.11c1.

SC. Enjoy flying and competing (spot, duration, X-C, balloon toss, etc.) al this beautiful sourh-focing mountain. Plaques awarded ro all first·· through third-place hnishers. $20 entry fee frJr competition flying, $JO for fun flying. Fly-In T-shirts and sweatshirts available. Classy launch is l ,500' ACL. Contact: l\rn] Peeples, P.O. Box 2121, Brevard, NC 28712 (704) il85-2536, phran 1101 pl'.r'lc:i tcom. net.

JULY 1-5: 1998 Lakeview, OIU!rmual]uly 4th Festival of Pree One Grand X-C comest pays $1,000 cash to the longest X-C flight from Black Cap during the Festival. Paraglidcr miles doubled. Sugar Hi]J .. Lakeview Trophy Dash, J st place pfr1.c $ l 00. pc; and HG spot-landing comest prizes $50 each. Lots of family fon. Registration and pilot meeting on July I, fly 2-4, aw:mls July 5. Registration incl11ding site guide is$ JO. Registration alone $5. Contact: Lake Co. Chamber of Commerce ) 947-60/iO orjulcs Gilpatrick I) 947-3330.

MAY 21~-26: 18th !lnnual Memorial !Jay Ny-ln, !llmnogordo, NM. Sponsored by Rio Crande Soaring Assn. Alamogordo is cele-

JUI Y 3-5: 5th Annual 4th olfu!y Party at Iron Canyon Reservoir in Big Bend, CA, sponsored by rhe Buzzard Roost Cang. A

brating i1s 100th birthday. Comest or fim flying, rrophics, shirrs, dinner, ere. The hesr fly-in yet! Meer at LZ ar 9:00 AM on the 24rh. Emry $20 for contest or fim flying. Mail advance entries w 22 l 6 Pecan Dr., Alamogordo, NM B83 l 0. Contact: Tom & Cindy West (50'5) 437.. 5213 or Robin Hastings (505) 54J .. 5741L

long list of fon activities. Coincides with rhe Buzzard Roost c;:mg's July dub meeting. Contact: Pat Blackburn (530) 604-2765 or Sonny Compton (530) 243 ..2534, ult:imatchigh1'.r1)botmail.com.

MAY 15--17: 1998 South Girolinr:1 SJ>ringtime F!y.. ln ar Glassy Mt. near (;reer,

JUNE I-SEPT. 30: 1998 Official l.ak1:view, ORflyingseason. $100 each month frlt' the longcs1 11ight from an official l .akcview flying site. $ J ,000 LO the pilot with the four--month cumulative total for season (paraglider miles don .. bled). $50 per motllh random drawing just for showing up ,md registering! lkamifol and plentifr1I flying sites, friendly l:mdowncrs, good retrieval ro;1ds, and flying great enough ro set all the current Oregon State distance records for HC and PC. Comact: Lake Co. Chamber of Commerce I) 947-6040.

JULY 10- 1 l: 5 Pun Meet. Daily low entry foe. Contact: Lisa Tate (20g) :376-7914, Zoolisa@laol.co1n.

most scenic sires in Northern California. Contact: Pat Blackburn (530) 604-2765 or Sonny Compton (530) 2{3 .. 2534, ultimatchigl11fh]10rmail.com.

AUG. 17-22: 25th Telluride Hang Gliding

ofthe All previous

Festival panicipams arc invited ro a reunion to celebrate 2 5 years of hang gliding in Telluride, Colorado. Contact: Luigi Chiarani (970) 72g .. 9525 or the Telluride Air Force, P.O. Box 456, Telluride, CO 8143'5.

AUG. 28 .. 30: Mt. Nebo w1et-·ot-,)11;112mer Fly-In, Dardanelle, Alt Camp sites, cabins and swimming pool on top. USHGA Intcrmcdiate or Advanced r:11ing required. Contact: Dave Dunning (501) 968-67.31 or Phil Morgan (501) 968-5014. For campsite or cabin reservations call (501) 22()--;';655.

APRIL: Fxxtacy clinics throughout Calijrm1ia ttnd NeMcla. ( :omact Mike Eberle (509) 925--5565, napil'.rDcburg.com for exaer dares and locations. MAY 8-10: clinic tit Raven Sky ,SJ>orts in Whitewater, Contact Mike Eberle (509) 925--5565, napi@cburg.com, or Brad Kushner (41 ii) 473-g8()0 for de1ails. Check out www.fun2fly.com for a great slide show of the

APRIL-MAY: Owens Valley, with Kari

to the Call to schedule a clinic or touL SEPT.-NOV.: "Owens ti! its Best; to the Owens Valley, with Kari Castle. to nine-day adventures. Privare one--on--onc flying, guide sctvice and instrucrion also available. Contact: Kari Castle (760) 872· 20B7, karicastlev1)1clis.org.

APRIL '.l-5: Paragliding !CT. Contact: JULY 1() .. l 2: Region 5 Mtn. Fun Meet, near Moore, Idaho. X-C meet, $40 entry foe, T-shirts, daily awards. Contact: f ,isa Tate (208) Zoolisa/ti1aol.com.

AUG. 7-9: 2nd !lnnual l!ttt Creel, l?im F!y-!n cmd Festival, sponsored by the and the NC\<I.PA. This site-improvement fond-raising event prornises to surpass even last year's success. Cuarantccd rime for all. l ncl11des live musical emertammg contests with prizes, and a chance to Oy at one of the Bu:aard Roost

Adventure Sports (702) 883 .. 7070, advspts@pyramid.net, registration form at

hnp://www.pyramid.net/advspts.

APRIL 3-6: Basic Instructor Certification ,,r,ws,,1n--, APRIL 18 .. J 9: lldfJtmced Instructor (Dunlap Hight Park).

Center 25th MAY20: Parachute lst Annual Dunlt1p, Memorial D,1y Weekend Fly .. [n (by reservation only). Contact: Mission Soaring Center, 1116 Wrigley

Hi\NC Ci IDINC

Way, CA ')5035 (near San (408) 262. f 055, fax (![08) 762· 1:',88, MS('.l·J(;(t1l;1ol.com.

APRIL 4: Pamchute rlinic with 10:00 AM, Bradshaw Mom1tai11 School (near Arizona l lang Cliding cleployn1c11ts, prncricc dcf1:1tions and repacking. Bridle ,md swivel insrallarion available, special dis· pa1·;iclil\llcs. $ I prior ro ar the door. Add Bring y011r harness and parachute; we'll he doing lots of dcployrncnts. Towing and flying at Mingus Mountain the following day. IB required for Cont:ict: Rob Rich:mlson, Ccmcr (520) ()32·

APRIL 25:

and Competi1ion

An all·day event to be held in c0111u11c11011 with the "Atlamic Coast Championships" ar Wallaby Ranch, Florida. Several top·rnnkcd U.S. compcti·· rion pilots will be speaking and an~;wc:nr1r: qtl(.:Snons on various topics rclmcd to cross· coumry and competition. Comacr: M icl1acl "Hollywood" Champlin ('i(; I) 6/i2 26%, mcchampli n@)fli net .com.

:\)!Jr!f!1?s111m.

!CP and instrurtor'.I" workshop. a must. J\w:ndancc limited. to: Tck Plight Products,

Colebrook

Winsted, CT 0609/L l'01:1r.-,1.a11 fl G and PG ! CP :1 t

l'crsnc:ct1·ve near "I 'oromo, Onrario, Canada. leaders include Midwel

Rohcnso11, Willi M ullcr, Lars Linde. C:onract: Michael Robenson (()OS) 294· 2'5.l(i, fox (90'i) 294·8495, fly(r1lj nfornm p.nct.

6: Rth Annual !!OP/I rmd House, AOPA Hcadquancrs,

Frederick Municipal Airport, M:iryland. OCT. 2325: AOl'A EXPO '9R, Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Spri11gs, CA. Contact: Warren Morningstar (::JO 1) 695·2167., warrcn.morningsrar(r'\1opa.org. 31:

"1 (J/(/l!y Clinic, BC. Canada. Learn w X C and place higher in comps. Cct to know the sire and practice for the Western Cmadian Championship, which follows the clinic. Friendly competition format. Enter any time during the week. Nighrly discus sions on flying x.c, best for X-C in the Colden, Invcrmcrc Valll:y. Pri,,es in many Entry ft:c $7.0 Canadian. Camping available: Colden Municipal Campground 34,i-5412 (right in rown, book early), Pines (250) '.J44.6680, Whirc Tail Comacr: Geo/' Sdrncidcr (403) 28Ci·:::IT70 (h), (liO:l) 264 7422 ext. 1407 (w), fox (4():)) 2S6. J 763, or gsch neider@lbh 1crangc.corn.

p A look dt lJ1c Sporl or I lcmq n1c WincJ cmcJ Wi1y Ii Workc, 11 Ski/le, to I r1c I lcq1r1ncr level Sk1/Js ID rric /\JOViCC' level ( OIKJiliDrb

l,1ricJcm c1ricJ low Tl1inq\ 1)1101 Sr1oulcJ Know

Cilos'oc1ry or fK)/\JU\l lf)S

CilicJincJ Tc1rnc, L11c PrcJ I lies"

co 80901 1 APRIi

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6-6888 fax /7 J 9) 632-6417 www.ushga.orrJ

ebsrer's New World Dicrionary defines hang gliding as "rhe spore of gliding rhrough rhe air while hanging suspended by a harness from a large rype of kire." My definirion goes beyond rhe physics of flying, and always includes rhe rerms "fun" and "personal challenge." As a new hang glider pilot progresses rhrough rhe unnaturally pleas urable experience of metamorphosing into a human bird, personal challenge can become as compelling a reason to fly as fun. World-class competition and world records are at rhe extreme end of rhe personal challenge spectrum, and relatively unimportant to rhe vast majoriry of hang glider pilots. What is important and perhaps essential to a pilot's enjoyment of flying is rhe achievement of something previously thought ofby others, or just by oneself, as impossible. Most hang glider pilots know rhe excellent feeling of hooking a thermal and climbing rhousands of feet. But remember the absolute joy yo u felt rhe first time yo u circled in a thermal and climbed a hundred feet? If you can remember char feeling rhen you have grasped rhe essence of rhe personal challenge pare of hang gliding. We do nor need to sec a wo rld record or win a world meet. T he great or minor challenges we meet and overcome every rime we rake to rhe air are part of what lure us into rhe sky. The general ass umption is chat we fly for fun, bur I believe chat personal challenge is why we choose soaring wings rather than engine-driven craft.

THE TURBO-TUG LaseAugust I spent five days at Quest Air Soaring Center near Orlando, Florida reaching a freesryle seminar. Russell Brown (coowner of rhe flight park wirh Campbell Bowen) asked me if I wanted him co quickly cow me high enough co sec a new loop record. Over the past several monrhs Campbell and Russell had developed a new engine installation for the Dragonfly, resulting in che "Turbo-Tug." They were eager to show me the superlative climb rate of their new baby. Ac rhe time I was focused on practicing for rhe World Aerobatics C hampionship which was only a few days away. Bur I did not forger Russell's suggestion. The Turbo-Tug is essentially a Dragonfly with a specially designed engine mount supporting a 115-horsepower Rotax turbocharged, four-stroke, horizontally opposed airplane engine. This new power plant puts our rwice rhe horsepower and uses one-third H ANG GLI DING

park experience. The first thing you notice less gas, in addition ro creating less noise sonably priced. Considering that I have and vibration. It has a 1500-hour TBO is the size of the place. Ir is huge. Ir is a 50walked out of many restaurants after reading year-old grass-runway airport near the (time before overhaul) , is all-around more the menu, I feel that most hang glider pilots reliable, and prowill find C hoctaw duces an average solo How many times have you found yourself 13,000 feet above the W illy's ro be an row climb rate of excellent place ro 1,000 feet per ground and setting up your landing six minutes later? Normally, the strap on the feed bag. For those desminute. The average tandem climb rate is object is to stay high as long as possible. A 13, 000--foot sled ride should perate moments, Groveland has abo ut 800 feet per minute. It uses less take close to a hour. One might feel that losing that much altitude that McDonalds and oil roo, since a fourHardee's. stroke has a sump oil fast is not really hang gliding. Of course, it depends on your definition When you go to system. Quest Air be careful Ask a row park ofhang gliding. nor to get too comoperaror if the abiliry for table. Camping at ro tandem row to the airport, nearby altitude in half the qualiry food and time with greater dependable rows to reliabiliry is a signifial titude could cause a cant breakthrough pilot to develop from a business selective memory loss (what job?) . standpoint. Better climb rare means more rows per day. THE GENESIS OF Two-srroke engines A PLAN It had been nine have a way of letting yo u down just when years since I set the the big weekend 52-loop record. No arrives. Four-stroke one had broken it, reliabiliry will prove primarily because of to be a major advanthe difficulry of gettage for rowing busiting high enough in nesses. The more smooth air, which serious aerorow parks have their orders in quaint village of Groveland. The niece and requires a balloon drop or an aerorow. The for Turbo-Tugs already. A conversion kit nephew of the airport's founder had been climb performance of the average tug gets will be available soon. worried char low usage by airplanes might quite poor at around 10,000 feet. Balloon mean the end of their w1cle's dream. They Campbell Bowen, Russell Brown and pilots who are willing ro go that high (espewere happy to be approached by Campbell Dragonfly des igner Bobby Bailey have been cially with a glider/pilot dangling from the at the nucleus of aerorow innovation in rhe and Russell with rhe idea of towing hang basket) are rare. U.S . since early in the decade. Campbell When Russell Brown offered to tow me gliders. To everyone's delight, hang gliding has revitalized the place. convinced Bobby to build an ultralight up for a record run it occurred to me char I The amenities in the area surrounding specifically for rowing hang gliders. Once would need a place where the elevatio n is Quest are extensive. The center of Orlando rhe first Dragonfly was working, they dedilow. Ground clearance rather than altitude is is about 40 minutes to the east. That cated themselves to developing a complete what counts. I knew from calculations that I means, of course, Disney World, Epcor would need to start at least 12,000 feet towing system that would make safe hang Center, etc., plus every kind of restaurant above ground level. At a coastal area chat gliding instruction by aerorow possible. I and store you might desire. One and a half should mention here that Gerard Thevenot would be roughly 12,000 feet. In Utah, hours ease of Quest is Cape Canaveral with and Renauld Guy were rowing hang gliders where the surface is about 5,000 feet h_igher, in France and around the world with trikes its occasional space shuttle launch. About I would have needed ro find a balloonist five miles east of Quest Air lies Clermont, years earlier. However, aerotowing in the who was willing to take me to the lin1it. In U.S. did not catch on as a viable option home of supermarkets and restaurants, Florida I had Russell with his Turbo-Tug including very nice Chinese and Thai cafes offering to cake me up. The advantage of until the development of the for vegetarian meals. Dragonfly/can-launch system led by Campdoing it at Quest Air was obvious. Besides, I bell Bowen. Quest Air is about one mile south of m_ight not have thought of the idea of breakGroveland, home of two highly appreciated ing my record if Russ had not mentioned it. QUEST AIR SOARING CENTER AND barbecue restaurants. The newest one is I have been preoccupied with glider building HANG GLIDING SCHOOL called Choctaw Willy's. I found their meals me last few years and had no plans to set Quest Air offers the quintessential aerorow rasry, with generous portions, and quite reaanother loop record. Thanks Russ! APRIL 1998

One drawback to doing it in Florida was the prospect of driving my djesel VW van 6,000 miles round trip. For those of you who don't know, the Volkswagen Vanagon Diesel holds rhe record for being the slowest production vehicle on the American road. Mine is so slow that I have nicknamed it the "Glacier. " I knew it would take four days of driving one way, some of it on the shoulder, to avoid holrung up traffic. The performance of this automobile in a headwind or at high elevations is not to be believed. I keep it because of the ruesel dependability and fuel economy.

We arrived at Quest Air on Sunday night (12/28/97) . The winds were strong on Monday. The El Nino-induced stormy condicions had been in place for weeks. We had three days before we had to go to Miami

A break came my way when my friend Kaori from Tokyo faxed and said she would come to Utah and ride with me to "see America." I thought, "through the windshield of a Volkswagen?" but I rud not argue with her. I wanted the company and possibly a relief driver. As it turned out she did not do much driving. She put her foot to the floor and thought there was something wrong with my car. Of course, she was right. Because of my job with Altair, involving at this time the development of a new novice glider, I had a limited period of time in which to attempt tl1e record. We drove in

Hang Gliding to demo Predators. We waited all day Tuesday hoping for a calm evening. No luck. Wednesday, December 31, 1997 dawned with less surface wind. Jim Prahl called Flight Service. Winds alofr were reported as 49 knots at 12,000' and zero degrees Fahrenheit. We decided to row up a few K anyway and see what it was like. I figured I would do a few maneuvers to loosen up. I had not done a loop since Rosariro, and very little flying at all. Judging by the winds-alofr report I felt there was very little hope of making the

heavy snow through the entire state of New Mexico. We ate Christmas runner at a Burger King Express in a gas station near Tucumcari. I had rhe Whopper value meal. I was glad that I had rhe opporturuty to offer Kaori the experience of Christmas in America.

SETTING A NEW RECORD

record run. However, just for the heck of it I prepared for this flight as if it were the one. The Quest Air Force had briefed me as to controlled airspace in the vicinity. I put on all my cold weather gear to make sure I could loop comfortably. I wore long underwear, jeans, ski pants, three layers under my ski jacket, ice climbing mittens with two heat packs in each, and a balaclava under my helmet with goggles. I asked Brad Kushner to operate my video camcorder. Jim Prahl and Buddy Hendricks volunteered to be my two observers for the chance at an official Guinness record. Buddy would watch from the ground with binoculars and Jim would observe from rhe tug after towing me up. We all expected rhis to be just a shake-down run. For about the first minute of the tow it was rather turbulent. I almost pinned off, thinking it was just too rowdy to do anything. Then at about a thousand feet it smoothed out. We towed for several minutes in nice smooth air when I decided to look behind us for the airfield. I could not find it until I realized it was directly below us. I think we did nor get more than a quarter mile away from the field before we started going backwards. Soon it was apparent that we were losing on the airport rapidly. One of the first things a person notices on his firs t row-up at Quest is the lakes. There are lots of small lakes in Florida. Whenever I am about to do maneuvers I try to imagine where I might hit ifI make a mistake and have to deploy. Parachuting into a lake with lots of clothes, a harness and glider is not a pleasant thought, especially for me since I do not swim. If one deployed high with excessive wind drift among many lakes, there would be a good HANG GLIDING

ckmce of raking a clip. 'I 'his concerned me. 1:or my first loop record (in case you missed the "Spectacular World of Guinness I got my altitude by hot Records" air balloon. Bill Dohbs was the balloon pilor and 'l<m1 Sanders lilmcd. Ascending hy balloon is the most casual way. I have made about 30 balloon drops fc1r demonstrntions. Your arms arc completely rested when you arrive at ,dritudc. The rwo rhings that made rhis record attempt rcasomblc were the short time it took to tow up by 'l\irbo·· and the unique vc l,::itme or the Predator. As you pull the VC; the rrim speed allowing you ro ,1djust I he pn,ss1.1re while you tow. 'lrJwing up was 1:iJiy-plus loops would be some· thing else. As you might expect, l feel the Predator is the best freestyle glider there is, bm that was one of my goals along with easy h,mdling, climb rate and crosscounrry performance. As we went up and backwards we ;1pproached the biggest lake in the area. We were at the point where I thought I could still make it back to the fteld iC f did nor do any loops. J wondered what Jim thought of' the situation and wished we had taken the time to set up r;1dios. Now we were backing out over the big lak<: and l knew J w011ld nor be landing at Air. l knew tha1 Jim could descend into lower winds and drive back to the licld iflic had cnol!gh ft1cl. With the 'Jiirho'lirg's lower focl con· sumption I was not worried, so [ decided to leave it up to Jim. As long as he stayed on tow, r would. While still over the big lake f got the from Jim to release. l on tow ;mother rninurc and received another NE release signal. We were at 13,660' and had just rowed backwmls for seven miles. I pinned off. Jim stuck with me while I stowed my release, checked my chute pins and assessed the situation. l folt uneasy about looping over big warcr umil it occurred to me thar even under canopy the strong wind would take me away from the lake. I was probably ,l little under 13,000' now. Heading upwind, l aimed the Preda tor at the ground and commenced looping. Cc,nsJC!c:r111R 1lic thousand-fooHkcp turlmlcnt surface we rowed through after launch, l knew I had around 12,000 fret to work with. Tlic Special on which l set my record could do tight loops, and lost less than 200 feet per loop. l was about 9,500 feet /\Cf. for the 52-loop record. Al'RII I 99is

Nine years later I was the Predator, ;1 slippery creature. It speed much to do higgcr "diamc· more and tcr" maneuvers. I had nor determined the looping sink rate ofthe before this ancmpl'. In order to bear the old record I had to do my loops as as possihlc to conserve alti"· rude. Another was my poor muscle condi1ion due to roo much desk/shop work and !lot flying tcir the past couple of If I did not break rhc: record 011 the aucrnpt my muscles would he too sore to rry on this trip. I was nine years older, in poorer condi · tion and pulling 111orc C's in trying w keep my loop., small. At loop 1125 I knew this was not going robe easy. I had a slighr head cold, so the C forces were doing weird things to my c;1rs and sinuses. I felt I was losing clarity at and a Ccw times found my head during the: dive to clear our. As I noticed the ground gening close I had no idea if! had enough ground clearance to make it 53. I was in the frmics now and had 110 options but ro continue and conserve. Around loop #50 I noticed a high-tension line directly below me. I )ming each dive for the last six loops I was aimed right at the power line because of my rearward clrif'r cmscd hy the headwind. l was thinking aboul how tired I was getting. Theoretically: the chance of rn,iking a mistake became greater with each loop. I had liule confidence in the accuracy of coum, but when f went over rhe top on l was sure I had succeeded. I was just entering the tmbulem layer, lmr held on through two more rowdy ones just ro he sure. As I pulled out of I he last one at about 500 frc:t l was still headed right for the power line. It was time to select an l.Z. The sur· wind was about I and gusty. My arms felt like In the turb air it was a 10 make it over a power line and imo a vacant lot near some houses. I was burned out and sore. l unhooked, nrrncd the glider and took a 11,ip while rhc Quest Air Force hunted me down. I had landed about nine miles from the ,iirfidd. Just what l w,mted --· a cross-coun1ry loop record. Jim had circled me while I looped so he could cou111. Buddy had stuck with me with his binoculars through the obscrvarionally difficult situation. Both thought they had missed one or two loops, bm had dd1nitcly counted 56. Buddy thought [ might have done one or two ;1frcr I disappeared from his

view. Jim thought he might have missed one or two at the beginning while he was scanning for traffic. The official number for the Cuinncss people that we all agreed 011 was '56. 1 figured l had ach icvcd abo 111 frcr per loop altitude loss, and a 2,000 foot-per minute descent rare. Jim said he was in (j() .. mph dive around me as we descended. I had called the NAA hcCore the attempt hoping to get an FA! record. inf<irmcd me that had decided nor to s;inction loop records any more to avoid encouraging pco pie to do dangerous things. So apparently there will be no NAA m l;A[ loop records hence forrh. Oh well.

7r my.first loop record (in ctise you missed the (:';pectaculctr World of Guinness Recordr" coverage) Igot my altitude by hot

balloon. Bill

Dobbs iuas the balloon pilot and

Torn Sanders filmed. Ascending by balloon is the most casual way. f htwe made about

hallo on

drops for demonstrtitions. Your 11.rms are completely rested when you arrive at altitude.

LOOP RECORD HISTORY knowledge the original idea for a loop record came from Rudy Kash:1zi, a European who did consecutive flips in a Standard Rogallo while standing on rhc comrol lxu. He had his feet fastened to the basctube. Since his sail invcncd each time 1 do not know if' you would call them loops, hut he gets credit fr>r it in book. It was in the BP era (before and it seems it was even before helmets. lt was certainly bcfrlrc gliders were ready to be loo1JCd, 'fo the best

100 MILE

AWARDS

Region 4 MC BURNEY, IlRIAN: Phoenix, AZ; R. Richardson/Ariwna He;

CHARLEY WARREN Region 7 HUGHES, SHAWN: Ann Arbor, MT; N. I .es11mv/lilvir1<,Advcmures

Region 2 ADAMS, THOMAS: Pleasant l lill, CA; P. Dcncvan/Mission Center PRINCEAU, GARY: San Jose, CA; P. Denevan/Mission Soaring Center WATSON, CHRIS: Foster City, CA; C. Filer/Mission Soaring Center Region 3 CLARK, GERALD: San Diego, CA; T. Rowe/Hang Gliding Center ERIKSON, HOWEY: Lake Elsinore, CA; K. I larrison/Advcnrnrcs Unlimircd Region 8 PAULES, ALLISON: Boston, MA; D. Baxrer/Morningsiclc Fl' Region 9 GATEWOOD, JfM: Chesapeake, VA; P. Vencsky/Kiny Hawk Kites PYLE, CHUCK: Mclean, VA; J. Middleton/Silver Wings SWEENEY, RORER'f: Lancaster, l'A;J. Harpcr/V;illcy Forge HG Region 10 ANDERSON, ERIC: St Percrshurg, FL; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch BENNElT, KARL: Wellington, FL; J. Tindle/Miami HG BUDBILL, LOUIS: Mablcron, GA; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mtn. FP CALDERON, JORGE: San Juan, PR; K. Salko/Tcarn Spirit I-IG KOPCZYNSKI, DALE: Wilmington, NC; A. Torringron/Kitry Hawk Ki res MC CRANELS, CHUM: Singer Island, FL; J. James/Miami HG MORGAN, SANDRA: Travelers Rcsr, SC; M. Joncs/Wallahy Ranch PERRY, JEI 1FREY: Atlanta, (;A; M. Taber/Lookout Mtn. FI' RAHN, RAYMOND: lslamoracb, FL; P. Vencsky/Kiuy Hawk Kites REYNOLDS, GREG: Sarasota, FL; fvl. Jones/Wallaby Ranch SIERRA, SALVADOR: Miami Beach, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch SOTO, MARIELA: Rio Picdras, PR; I(. Salko/Team Spirit IlG STEIGELMANN, TOM: Flar Rock, NC; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch SURFACE, SALLY: Columbia, SC; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch VAN WORKlJM, JOHN: Satellite Beach, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch WEBSTER, STEVEN: Mobile, Al.; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mtn. FP Region 12 CHEN, MATTHEW: New York NY; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch TAUERCJO, JOHN: Srarcn Island, NY; D. Jewell/Fly 1 ligh HC Region 13 EDIHCIO, RICARDO: Venezuela; D. (;Jover/Wallaby Ranch JONES, GARY: Uk; D. Clover/Wallaby Ranch MARK SAWTELL: England; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch

Region 2 DONAHUE, MIKE: San Jose, CA; C:. Filer/Mission Soaring Ccmer LALLAS, KRISTY: Berkeley, C:A; G. Audronaco/Bcrkclcy J l(; SHERROD, PAT: T.ivcrmorc, CA; D. You111/Mission Soaring Center

Region 8 YODER, RYAN: S Burlington, VT; C. Elchin/Kiny IJawk Kites Rcgion 9 FITZWATER, JR, ROGER: Ephrata, PA; J. Harper/Valley Forge HC l'ADGETT, STEVE: Takoma Park, MD; J. Micldlcron/Silver Wings SWEENEY, ROBERT: Lancaster, PA; J. Harper/Valley Forge HG Region JO ANDERSON, ERIC: Sr Petersburg, FL; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch BENNETT, KARL: Wellington, FL; J. Tindle/Miami HG JACKSON, MATT: Land O Lakes, FL; D. Clover/Wallaby Ranch LUNN, I IEIDI: Miami, Fl.; F. Foti/Miami I re; PERRY, JEH1REY: Atlanta, CA; M. Taber/Lookout Mrn. PP STERR/\, SALVADOR: Miami Beach, Fl.; M. ]ones/Wallaby Ranch STETCELMANN, TOM: Flar Rock, NC; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch VAN WORKOM, JOTIN: Satellite Beach, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch WFBSTER, STEVEN: Mobile, AL; C. Thorcson/1.ookom Mm. H' Region 13 EDIFICIO, RICARDO: Venezuela; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch JONES, GARY: Uk; D. Clover/Wallaby Ranch MARK, SAWTELL: England; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch

Rcgion 2 DIPPON, THOMAS: Sunnyvale, CA; P. Dencvan/Mission Soaring Center REDDY, SRIDHAR: Foster City, CA; D. Yotm1/Mission Soaring C:cnrcr Region 3 GORSKI, GREGG: N Hollywood, CA; F. Ballard/Windsports KURTH, SIMON: Goleta, CA; T. BurcadFly Away HC MARCOTT, MlCHAEL: Santee, CA; J. Ryan/Hang Gliding Center Rcgion 6 BASS, C RUTH: Dover, AR; T. Middleton/Soaring Cenrer Region 8 MC NA MARA, JIM: Amston, CT; I). Glover/Wallaby Ranch Region 9 CHAMBERLAIN, RICHARD: Springfidd, VA; S. Wcnclt/Bluc GRAHAM, MATTHEW: Takom:i Park, MD; _J. Gregor/Observer JENI<INS, MICHAEL: Coaresvi\le, PA; J. l hrper/Vallcy Forge H(; YUDOVIN, MICHAEL: Chevy Cli:tsc, MD; J. Ryan/llang Cliding Center Region 10 BARTON, CHARLES: Wimer Haven, FL; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch HOLMES, LEN: Pembroke, NC; D. Clov::r/Wallaby Ranch JACKSON, BEN: I.and O' Lakes, 1:1.; D. Clover/Wallaby Ranch KNIGHT, LINDA: llcnclersonville, NC; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch continues ...

Hi\NC GUl)INC

t·n,,,.1m·n Machine fril,e oHPrc,

and tlw

almost an•vwlher·e n•r1,11rrflP~.~ wind direction. The total soaring Matt l~1ber, Loui<ouf Mountain Fliqht Pdri<

Performance/Fl'atur1•s: 600 f-oot /1r1i11 clirnb rc1t1' IOD foot L1kP off dnd Lrndinq

F/111 pdl't 10':l dnd quick s0t--up $'>'>00 (without winq)

L o o I< o u t Mo u n t ii i r1 FI i q ht Pii rl, Phone: /06.'398.3541 7201 ScPnic llwy, Ri•,inq Fawn, Ga. 30738 a i rwave c0voy .net

RIGGING

AND HARDWARE FRAME: PARTS GLIDER B.AGS AND BAGS HARNESSES ( 'I'RAINING AND KNEE HANGERS)

!iliclers

Fast Turn around. P.O. Box 128 I 761 Neeson l=ld. #4 Marina,

9:3933

MC/'V":i.sa/ .An1e1c

LEAPLEY, DOlJG: Raleigh, NC; C. Thorcson/1,ookour Mtn, FP LEON, DANIEL: Haro PR; R, 1Tastings/Team Spirir HG PERRY, JEFFREY: Atlanta, CA; M, Taber/Lookout Mtn, FP Region 13 MARK, SAWTELL: England;!), Glover/Wallaby Ranch

1998 TOP 30 SCHOOL/CLUB LEADERS IN BEGINNER (HANG 1) RATINGS ISSUED

RANK SC1100L,,,.,,.,., ..... ,,,,,., .... ,,..,,, .. ,,,.,, ....... ,.. BECJNNER 1 2 3 4

Lookour Mountain Flight ParL ................................ 28 Wallaby Ranch ............................ ,, ....................... ,, ... 17 Mission 13 Kitty Hawk .t\,ll.,:s •• ,, ...... , .. ,, .... , .. ,, .....,, ....................... ,, ... u Miami I..Tang Gliding ............ ,. ... ,, ................................ G Morningside Plight Park .............. ,, ............................. 6 Adventures lJnlin1ited ...................... ,,.,, ....... ,,,,,, ... ,.... ,5 Wasatch Boringuen Airtime .. ,, ...... ,,,,,,,, ..... ,..... ,,,,, ... ,,.,, .. ,,.,,,,,, ,,3 Fly High Hanl~ Gliding ........................... ,, ... ,, ........... ,,3 Silver Wings ...................................... ,................. ,, ...... 3 Berkeley Hang Glidi11g .... ,.. ,,,,,,,,,, .... ,... ,.... ,........... ,,,,,,2 Evolucion .. ,.,,,,,,,,,,,, .... ,,,,,,,, ...... ,.. ,... ,,,,,,, .. ,... ,,,,,,, .... ,,2

4 Region 2 FILER, CHRIS: Seaside, CA; J, Borton/Thin Air Designs

4 7 7

Rcgion 7 BIRNEY, KEVIN: Boilingbrook, lL; J Nielsen/Raven Sky Sports

9 9

Rcgion 9 MC GUIRE, JAMES: Easr Smithfield, PA; Tl, Casper/Soaring Ccnrcr Region JO

PERRY, JEFFREY: Atlanta, GA; M, Tabcr/Lookom Mm, Fl'

9 1 12

12 12

N.W.l,C .. ,.,,.,,,,,., ........ ,........ ,....... ,.. ,, .... ,....... ,............. 2

Region 12

BABARCSIK, LASLO: Passaic, NJ; T, Covclli/Ellcnvillc FP LENARD, JANE: Ellenville, NY; T Covelli/Ellcnvilk: FP

12 19

Region 13 MARK, SAWl'ELL: r,:ngland; D, Clover/Wallaby Ranch

TANDEM

l 998 TOP 30 SCHOOL/CLUB LEADERS IN NOVICE (HANG 2) RATINGS ISSUED

RANK SCHOOL.,,, ...... ,,,.,, .. ,,.,,, ..... ,.... ,,, ........ ,, ......... NOVfGJ4.' Lookout Mountain Flight Park .... ,,, .......... ,................ 19 Wallaby Ranch ..................... ,, ......................... ,........ , 12 Mission Soaring Center .. ,,, .......... ,, ........................... .11 Miami Bang Gliding ........ ,.................................... ,.... ,8 Wind sports International,, ... ,,.,, .. ,,,, .. ,, ........ ,,, ... ,, ... ,.... A Airtime Above Bang ,"rn,u111;,, .....,.... , ...., .........................J Boringucn Airtime .......... ,,., .. ,......... ,,,,,.,, ............ ,... ,... .3 Go ... l..fang Gliding .......................................... ,.......... .3 Kitty rlawk Kites., ... ,........... ,, ...................... ,......... ,.. , .. 3

l ERIC ANDERSON ROBERTA DVORAK NELSON FRANQUIZ TIMOTHY GERKER HEmILUNN M BRENT MC CARTER SANDRA MORGAN GREG REYNOLDS SALVADOR SIERRA TOM STEIGELMANN SALLY SURFACE JOHN VAN WORKUM MATTHEW CHEN SAWTELL MARK

2 3

4 5 6

6 6 6 6 6

Rocket

Airsports ...................... ,........................... 3

Wasatch Arizona Hang

Center .................. ,................... 2 Austin I\11:sp<Jrn, ........ , .... , ............ ,.................. ,.... ........ ,... L Berkeley Hang Gliding .... ,.............. ,.... ,....................... 2 Flying Adventures ..... ,, .. ,... ,,, ... ,,, .. ,....... ,.......... ,, ..... ,,,,,,2 Ma1yland School of Hang Gliding ........................... ,.. ,2 Morningside Flight Parlc,, .. ,............... ,,,,., ... ,........ ,, ..... 2 C~uesr Air, ....... ,, ... ,............ ,........... ,.. ,.. ,.. ,.. ,........ ,......... 2 Rainy Day Hang u11uu1~,.,,, ..,, ..............................,,,,, .... ,G Raven Sky Team Spirit The Eagles Wings HG, ............................................... 2 Valley Forge Hang ,111.u1J1!4 .................................... ,,,,,.,L

23 schools tied with .................................................... ,]

12 12

RICHARD ROBERTS DOUG NEWBY JOSEPI I SZALAI M BRENT MC CARTER MIGUEL GUTJERREZ

Raven Sky "1"·'1 c:, ... , ....,. ............................. ,,. ....... ,, .. , ... ,,L, Rocket City Airsports .,, ......................... ,, ......... ,, ......... 2 Team Spirit }fang Gliding ......................................... ,,2 Western Hang Gliders ,, ........ ,........ ,, .. ,, ........ ,, ...... ,, ... ,,.2 24 schools tied at ,, ... , ............................. ,, ........... ,, ....... 1

12 12 12 I

Rcmkings u;ere compiled,forn ratings published in the January, /Jpri! 1998 issues oj'Hang Gliding ma::eazme,

HANC Cl!DINC

he big bird circled in closer for a curious look. Ir had never seen such a gigantic, colorful species sharing an afternoon thermal. Soon other birds came wheeling in and we climbed together. A fishing eagle, a sacred ibis, a few thickbilled ravens and white-backed vultures all were in one thermal with me flying my glider above a convoluted mountain in Ethiopia. Why Ethiopia? For one thing, there is no place in the world that has the variety of soaring birds to match Ethiopia in rhe winter dry season. They migrate down from Europe and the Mid-East and come across from West Africa to join the local populations. You can find 15 species of eagles just for starters, as well as the magnificent lammergeier, second in size only to the condor on land. Bur magnificent natural flying companions are nor the only reason to visit such an exotic place as Ethiopia. The quest is adventure, and when yo u add the thrill of free flight to the unique cultural blend yo u have an unforgettable experience as we did on our African aerial safari. ETHIOPIAN DREAMS Ethiopia lies just north of the equator near the Eastern horn of Africa. While the famous Rift Valley splits the country, Ethiopia mostly consists of a high plateau surrounded by desert which leads to a certain isolation. T here are several species of birds and mammals found only in Ethiopia. The high mountains (the highest peak is Mt. Ras Dashen ar 15,160 feet) lift the Indian Ocean breezes, so much seasonal rain falls on the highlands. Ethiopia is the source for the Blue Nile which produces 80% of that river's ultimate flow. Ethiopia is not the desert most people imagine. We walked through a rain forest and swung on lianas like Tarzan in the Rift Valley south of the capital, Addis Ababa. The people in Ethiopia have likewise been somewhat isolated by the desert "moat" around their country so they have evolved unique religious and social traditions (see sidebar). For example, their time and calendar is skewed from that of the western world. It is 1990 in Ethiopia as of this writing, and the clock starts at 6:00 AM and runs to 6:00 PM, rhen starts again (whereas ours starts at noon and midnight). Their principle language is Amharic and ir is written with over 200 characters representing sound values. English is a common second language.

L Y

•

Ethiopia is the only country in Africa that hasn't really been colonized . The Italians tried and failed twice. Etl1iopians are fiercely proud of this fact and this lack of Europeanization adds to the country's charm. All the Italians left was a few runnels and spaghetti. I first became interested in Etl1iopia in the 1970's when I was living in Europe. Ir seemed to be perhaps the most exotic of the African nations. I read a bit of its history and was fascinated by the accounts of all those restless Englishmen searching for the sources of the Nile in the last century. Ethiopia was about the last country in Africa to be explored, and still there is less accurate information about its geography than any other place on the continent except perhaps the Congo basin. Our maps showed us that. We had road maps and topographic maps which only occasionally agreed with each other and frequently didn't march what we saw out the window. This latter point will come into focus a bit lacer. My interest in Ethiopia was piqued again in the 1970's with the burgeoning of the mysterious Rastafarian cult in Jamaica

and their elevation of the then Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie to the status of God. Who wouldn't want to go see the god of reggae music? But Haile Selassie wore out his welcome in Ethiopia and got the boot in 1974. A severe socialist government took over and Erl1iopia became a country yo u wouldn't want to visit until about five years ago when ilie regime was defeated, a form of democracy instituted and tourism returned. So for the last few years I have been talking up Ethiopia to any potential adventuresome pilot. My wife Claire soon caught the enthusiasm and it was due to her efforts that we actually went, since she made the necessary arrangements while I was busy wiili anoilier project. We easily recruited our perennial traveling partner, Wayne Sayer, and then added our two Washington, DC-area friends, Dave Powell and Dave Salmen. We were five eager pilots - a car load - so ilie personnel was in place. EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATIONS The next thing to attend to was equipment. We expected to be making short H ANG GLIDI NG

hops on buses and small in-country aircraft. The watch-words of wisdom were: travel lightly. Okay, for the chree-and-ahalf-week trip I had two pairs of blue jeans, two sweatshirts, one coat and seven disposable T-shins. Disposable means I could give chem away once they were dirty (they were received with great relish) since they came from my infinite supply of barely-worn old hang gliding shires. Apparently chis procedure is not uncommon, for half the T-shirts in the country display some slogan coucing a rock group, produce or pop philosophy ("Things go better with Coke"). Incidentally, for chose readers who gamble in the stock market, chis part of Africa is definitely part of the Pepsi generation. Coke is barely visible. Bue the real equipment consideration was the flying gear. We made careful and wise choices which I believe really made the trip possible or at least much more convenient. We cook along small Ball M 19 varios, folding High Energy cocoon harnesses and two-merer breakdown Target hang gliders. (The Target label was clearly written on the leading edge and we hoped the occasional gun-coting soldier couldn't read English.) We wish to thank Ball, High Energy, G.W Meadows of U.S. Aeros and Aeros Hang G liders (manufactu rers of the Target) and simple co maintain. The performance for the sponsorship they provided. The varcapabilicies, while less than chat of blade ios were accurate and sensitive with a memwings in glide, is nearly the same in sink ory. The harnesses packed down very comrate. (We measured Claire's maximum glide pacdy and were comfortable in flight. The racio very carefully from a 1,000-foot hill Targets were the key co our success, I on a dead-calm, overcast day. It was 7.7 to believe, for at two meters they are no longer 1.) We couldn't reach as far to a landing than skis. In fact, when we showed up at field, bur because the glider lands so easily, the airlines we breezed right through checkmany more nearby landing field opcions in and were wished were opened up. "happy skiing" several Once I landed in a nmes. tree-surrounded socThe Target is a cer field in the middle single-surface glider of town. I would with great handling highly recommend and good perforthe Target for pilots mance fo r its class. traveling as we did, T hree of us had 140 and we intend co cake sq. ft. gliders and the chem on any ocher ocher two were 180 hang gliding trip sq. ft. They weigh 50 which doesn't entail and 5 5 pounds competmon. respeccively. In a pioneering effort such as COUNTRY chis safari, it makes Claire and I arrived in great sense co use Dennis, Solomon (left) and Haile (right) pose Addis Ababa on Janugliders chat are easy to with the Target in its short-packed length. ary 2 from Paris in the fly, quick co sec up middle of the night. Photo by ~yne Sayer. APRIL 1998

T he rest of the crew arrived che next morning, having flown all night on Saudi Airlines. We thought we would flounder around the capital for a few days while we got our shift coged1er, but you don't find help in Addis, it finds you. The first morning we had acquired a pair of guides, Solomon (or Teddy) and Haile, with good English skills, and they promised us a vehicle the next day. By 1:00 (western time) we were piled in a Land Cruiser with our driver Gecu at d1e helm, our copious luggage in back and our gliders on th e roof. We were eight in all and we made a quick escape from the hubbub and agitation of Addis. We headed south co cry some mountains with 3,000- to 5,000-fooc AGL potential. T hat first day we reached the cop of Mc. Zik'wala, an extinct volcano a couple of hours south of the ciry. The wind was honking, so we went back down and bedded for the night in a nearby town, Debre Zyac. Tinles were cough. T he hotel was expensive (almost mree dollars for a double with an in-room shower) but it had a grassy backyard where we could build the

der who said radar would detect us and the planes would shoot us down. The main air force training restricted area cuts across the top ofZik'wala and another great mountain chain we had hoped to fly. We were given permission to fly anywhere else in the country, so we headed furmer soum into tl1e Rift Valley.

gliders up from their six-foot length. We worked in teams and got the job done in several hours. Now, with experience, we could probably do all five in about half the time. That first night in the south we learned not to get a hotel next to a mosque. The muezzin calls the faithful to pray at obscene hours of the morning (4:30 AM) through the typical overdriven loudspeakers as is standard in all Muslim countries. But here the minute or so tirade is extended and augmented by the howling of countless dogs - some apparently wild on the hills - which starts the roosters crowing, which starts the donkeys braying. This cacophony may continue for 15 minutes or more, during which time, I can only guess, the faithful are beseeching Allah for it to stop. Earplugs are definitely recommended in Ethiopia. Word got around and we got a visit from the local military base. They were curious and concerned, but gave us permission to try out our wings at a local low sire. We went a couple of miles east of town and flew a 200-foot hill. The wind was at least 20 mph - very unusual for the tropics bur the Targets had no problem penetratmg. Two significant things happened on that flight: Wayne Sayer took off and became the first hang glider pilot to fly Ethiopia (as best we could determine). He also set tl1e cross-country record of about 200 yards. We broke down in an unruly mob of awestruck onlookers who couldn't believe what they had witnessed. This state of affairs set the tone for the whole trip, since 26

THE SOUTHERN LOOP While we made a few tourist stops along me way to see ostriches and Lake Ziway with its tl1ousands of water-birds and marabou storks, our destination was Awasa, an upscale college town on a beautiful lake. We saw a potential flying site driving in, so afrer checking into tl1e Unique Hotel (one dollar a night) we checked it out. The hill was facing the prevailing wind, even when the gliders were sitting on the bur had no road going up it. We negotiated Toyota, they attracted constant attention as for local lads to carry our gliders for a tidy we did. My biggest mistake was landing in $2.20 per glider. The next day we trudged tl1e aforementioned soccer field afrer an up the 800-foot hill with our harnesses, X-C flight, for tl1e emire town turned out and there we encountered a grassy slope for d1e occasion and quite a press ensued and a straight-in light but soarable wind. until the police arrived to beat back the Thick-billed ravens - distinctive with rabidly-curious mob. I had a bizarre hallutheir white necks and oursized Roman cination that I was Princess Diana for a noses - were frolicking in the up air. A brief spell. tumbling, rolling pair did something that I Wherever we went all the children conwouldn't have believed had I not witnessed stantly tried to get our attemion and ask it. They were landing in the lone tree at for money. Obviously, at some rime (probtakeoff and relaunching. As we watched, ably during the drought relief efforts a one bird floated toward a small branch and decade or so ago) the bleached-skin forgrabbed it with his beak (it was showing off eigners were providing ready handouts. so its gender is assumed). It hung on wim Equally obviously, its wings spread and someone taught them kited a while in me to yell "you you" to airflow. When it was get our attention. We sure we were encountered mis impressed, it folded behavior in even the its wings, reached up remotest villages, and with its feet, grabbed we could only marvel me branch and hung at how such a practice upside down before could spread so thorletting go and diving oughly. We named away to perform such places "you you" Crowd control was necessary after every some more aerials . towns and Claire landing. Photo by Wayne Sayer. We couldn't wrote a poem about hope to equal this the you-yous from Youville (apologies to bird's display, but we soon set up to launch Dr. Seuss). Eventually we began to perform in the light lift that carried us up to 2,000 a service for the children and future travelfeet over. Again the takeoff crowd was ers. In several towns we trained the kids to dumb struck by our performance. We were chant "Elvis lives!" rather than "you you!" able to fly very close to me hill and the I'm sure it will be a welcome change for the crowd, much to their delight. Again, the next travelers and may even get the chillanding was a mob scene by the time Dave dren the reward they desire. Salmen and I landed afrer a couple of hours Our hopes of flying the volcano alofr. Zik'wala were dashed by a higher commanWe decided to head further south in H ANG GLIDING

hopes of finding a site with a road ro the top. But here our detailed topographic map proved its 11nrcliahiliry. Roads change con-standy. As they erode Lhey arc abandoned and no longer 11scd, while a new one is bulldozed along another route. The few asphalt roads arc mostly poorly maintained with potholes and sometimes huge waves caused hy the unregulated truck weights. Apparenrly the truck drivers aren't regulated as well, for we saw several that had driven over the edge of steep prec1p1ces one just after it happened. We also saw the remnants of a hea,{-on collision between two buses. But, in general, driving seemed very safe for we rarely wem over 45 km/h mph) due to the bumps and constant crowds of people, log-horned Zebu, donkeys, camels and even baboons on the road. The people use the roads for 1hcir rnain transportation by ic)Ot. This makes Ethiopia seem ovcrpopulatccl, but it's hard to tell, for everyone apparently builds their grass burs next w the roads for convenience. The expected high rnoumain roads never materialized, and as we crossed the Rifr Valley near the Kenya border we ended up in "Indian country," fording srrc;uns and eventually running up a river bed for hours until we reached die frontier town of I<onso. Dave Powell's CPS came in handy keeping us posted as to our progress. The boys especially liked the topless ambiance of Konso, but we decided ro push on and reach Arlia Minch tha1 night. There we explored more potential but low cloud base dimmed our prospects. We drifted up the west side of the Rift Valand found a good site at Socio, but die weather worsened. 'This was supposed to be the dry season, but even in Ethiopia they were ralking ahom the unusual El Nifio effects. With a complete lack of weather information, we rolled the dice and decided to hc,id norrh of Addis Ababa for the remainder of our s1ay.

Ethiopia has a ;3,000°year histoty. It was .known to tht'. ancient world as Abyssinia and is mentioned in writings of Hebrew, and Egyptian historians. 'There is a long Christian tradition in Ethiopia dating from the second century or so when persecuted monks sought a haven in the country from the excesses that were Roman. But even more interesting is tbe claim that the biblical Queen of Sheba came from Axum in northern Ethiopia. biblical account says she visited Solcnnon in about 950 B.C and bore him a son. The Ethiopian account claims the son brought back the Ark of the Covenant .for safe-keeping in Ethiopia and it resides to this day in a guarded temple in Axum. 'There is a book supporting this possibility tided 171c Sign and the written by the frll'rner East Africa correspondent for the well-regarded Economist magazine. If you need a on the importance of the Ark of the read Exodus or rent Lost Ark. 'fhe disappearance of rhe Ark is one of the great mysteries of history. More recently, Ethiopia prospered under Haile Selassie's benign autocrac:v. who successfully fought off the Italians. That he was made a god by the 1i,,,cr,d·d 1·i,cmc is due .in part to the matter of black pride and his defoat of the white imperialists. But the clincher was when he arrived in Jamaica on a state visit in the I 960's. It seems that tbe counn-y had sufforing fro1r; weeks of nearly non-stop but when Selassie's touched down the rain stopped, the clouds opened and the sun shone gloriously. co1.nc1e1c111ce was regarded as an omen, and I guess religions and gods have been ma.uirurate<l as a result of!css dramatic occurrences. It helps, perhaps, if you're viewing the world with a substance-altered perspective. is no evidence that Haile Selassie ever this godship, but Emperors tend to on that illusion anyway. Ethiopia doesn't approve of the Rastafarian sacraments, but they tolerate a Rasta colony in :-:.11,as11.en:1enc, a town we passed through. Reggae music is everywhere. Most people's ofEthiopia is of starving people on TV during the some years ago. This famine was created by a drought in a vc1-y localized area. It was worsened by the Mengistu regime which thwarted relief efforts, since this area was a hotbed and revolution against Me:ngistu's heavy·handed control. Tbday, Ethiopians appear well~fod in general and plenty of food is available. are many poor, but it appe:ars to no a percentage than other undeveloped countries. It is our sincere hope that in some small way we have promoted tourism and roads, and most people their helped with a hit of economic inflow. 'There are cooking fi.1el (wood) and water to their grass homes. Deforestation and erosion a major problem, but everywhere we saw fast-growing eucalyptus trees imported from Australia and planted on the hillsides. 'T'he n1ain problem when it comes to flying in Ethiopia is the lack of roads up the mountains. However, there are enough good sites to make the trip worthwhile, and we saw a couple of nice roads being built, mainly to the tourist areas. This is a good and we can only that prnspcrity as the infrastructure improves. My last experience came as US. Customs which thought I smugf~lmlgcarpets until they X,rayed the glider and saw it contained tubes. Then sui~gciste:cl that I was bringing it back new and owed a duty. But I showed them my hasn't even stamp from Ethiopia and asked, "Now, how do you suppose a seen a McDonald's can make a hang glider?" 'fhey let me go right away. 1111

THE NORTHFRN LOOI> !--leading north we found a magnificem ea.,;t--tactnfY cliff with a promising 5,000fiJot vertical. As we stood on launch at l 0,300 feet MSL, we could only speculate where to find a landing field, for a sc;i of clo11ds covered the land to the horizon abour 1,000 foct below us. We promised to return and decided to rouratc (the act of playing tourist) hy visiting the spectacular rock-carved churches at I ,alibcla, a day's

drive over an 11,500-foot pass to the west. The town was great bm definitely on the tourist route, for prices at Lalibcla were jacked up (three dollars for a showcrlcss dive which was all we could find). And when we returned to the Rift V;11lcy, the sun was shining! We promptly checked into the Michael Solomon lfotcl in the town of K' obo where we made many friends, since it

1\PRIL 1Y9/l

turned out to be our base for several days. We drove 20 miles north to the town or Alamara and found a sire on the switchbacks that climb above the rown. We dollar machete we had purchased down south. The next day we went flying and the wind was straight in ar the upper launch.

Continued on page 18.

I ~y Rob !{ells r-'llllr'"""'llhe USHGA Safety and 'fraining Committee has been working 011 rcfine1nents for the Instructor Certification Program fflr almost four years. A new program with progressive changes was adopted at the fall US l !(;A Hoard meeting, to be implemented in July 1998. l;cedback on the new system was received from concerned members, and during a two-day meeting of instructors :it the spring USHGA Board of Directors meeting. With this feedback the new program to certify h:mg glider and paraglidcr instructors was refined further. The main changes to the program are brieAy outlined below. For all the specific details we suggest that you contact the USHGA office to get a copy of the new program. Instructor Administrators were creat·· ed for hang gliding instructor programs, as has been done in paragliding for a number of years. The program was streamlined to make it more accessible to instrucror cm-· didates. The former program required 10 days of apprenticeship with a certified instructor, and atrcndancc at an I nsrructor Certification Program (f CP). The new program strongly recommends 1he above previously required items, and includes a very comprehensive examination and testing day frillowing the Instructor Training Scrninar (ITS). lt is now possible for a qualified instructor candidate to skip some or all of the apprentice days, bypass the ITS, and go directly to the resting phase for cenifica· 1ion if he or she is qualified. Realistically, most candidates wil I need to spend some time on the training hill. 'J 'hc former instructor programs were

conducted by any USHGA Advanced Instructor. 'The new ITS's will be nm by a much smaller grnup of ;1pproved rrs Administrators. There arc currently 21 Hang Gliding Administrators, and 10 Paragliding Administrators. T'hey arc distributnl ,iround the country, and all of rhcrn arc willing to travel to accommo .. date the membership. The smaller m11nber of program presenters will significantly improve the quality and consistency of fitrure instructors across rhc coun rry. More instructors will be trained and approved over time as Administr:itors, and any CUITCIH US! !GA Advanced Instructor is welcome to apply. New rcquircmcms are the FAA hmdarnentals Of lnstruction manual ;ind written exam, and the USI-TGA Instructor Manual must he read, understood and passed prior to obtaining a USHGA instructor rating. Other changes incl11de a comprehensive checklist of subject matter to make it easier for insuucror candidates to understand whar subject matter they need to know in order to become certified. Overall, rhc test to pass the instructor program will he rougher, but all the arbitrary "hoops" candidates had to jump through have been removed. It is hoped that the consistency created by the small .. er number of presenters, coupled with the foirness of a more objective resting system will make this new program more accessible to the membership, and improve the quality of instruction for both disciplines. These changes were unanimously approved by the Safety and 'Tbining Committee which was made up of wide spectrum of pilots and instrucrnrs involved in both hang gliding and paragliding. Ill 1-IANC Ci IDtNc;

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It's easy to think of USHGA members as people who need the organization and what it has to offer. Where this thinking exists, I wa111 to mrn it around. Tf we think of the USHGA as a business with a product to sell (membership services and benefits) then we will look at members as a customers people we need, not vice versa. With this attitude we will make the best decisions affecting our customers.

ACCIDENT REPORTS

by US!{C7A President W. Meadows THINGS ARE HAPPENING 'm writing this as I sit in a committee meeting at the spring 1998 USHGA Board meeting, and l'rn really excited abom how much things are starring to change. We're obviously geuing out of our "waiver defense" slump and the furure is truly looking bright /t)r this organization and the pilots who make it up. I began the meeting by outlining my goals for the organization while I am president. These goals include: First, find more ways to promote ,md fund the pro· motion of the sport w the general public. l have always folt that this is one of the most important things the USHGA should be doing for om sport. This, of course, won't come wit!iout cosr. It will be a monumental task to get creative and find new ways to fund promotions. T'his funding problem is something on which J will be working non-stop with our Executive Director. In the interim, we have freed up some money that was earmarked for nationwide promotion and have allocated it to our marketing committee which is already working on a slick promotional video that will be available to all members at a ridiculously low price, to help promote om sport to airport operators, landowners, civic clubs and even mothers. This video has been in the planning stage ftlr many years, and I'm incredibly happy that it's actually slated to be cornpleted before rhc end of the year. We'll be looking for more ways to

affordably and effectively promote out sports. Any of you with great promotional ideas, please feel free to send them to me in writing. My second is to get the USHGA hack in touch with its membership and to heal any real or perceived wounds that exist. With the wbol(: waiver issue behind us now (an issue about which many folks feel the Board did a poor job of commu· nicating with the membership), rhc Board realizes it has to go way overboard in ;ittempring to communicate well with the membership. There arc several ways in which we're attempting to achieve this goal. 'I'he new Web page has been up and running since March 1, and it is dynamite. We're in tbe process of pun ing practically all available USHGA inforrnation on our Web site. '!'his will be a rremen-dous asset to those of you who have \X/eb access. I expect you'll feel much more connected to your organization with this tool at your disposal. We've also prepared a "communica·· tion-items" list from this Board meeting that includes things the Directors foe] need to be made known to the member·ship. This ini<Jrmation will be disseminat·ed either by articles in rhc magazine, Web site posting, or (if rhe irem is urgent in nature) a direct mailing. With these com-· munication tools we're committed to doing our best to the membership up to date. The last goal is to treat USHGA memhns like valued customers.

Contrary ro what you may have heard, there has been no conspiracy to keep accident reports out of' the magazine. Quite simply, our accident review chairman retired from the position and it has taken time to find a replacement. I've restructured the system and am proud to report that you'll be seeing some great accident reporting starring next month.

LOOKING FORWARD I was very pleased by the nurnber of phone calls and e-mails I received in response to my first "View From Here" column, in which I asked folks to get involved. For every person who got in touch and offered assistance, or asked what they could do ro help the US11GA, l know there were another 10 who felt: the same way. As I rold rhc folks who asked me, promote rhe sport in your area. By working locally to increase awareness of hang gliding and the people who fly, our public image will get an overall boost on a larger scale. I suggest approaching civic clubs with a presentation abour hang gliding. You don't need to have anything to sell; just make folks aware. 'rhe "Newton's Apple" video is currently available from tbe USI-IGA offlce, and it is a tremendous tool for increasing public awareness of what we do. Since T am a Rotarian, I can personally assure you that the Rotary club in your area would be interested in a presentation. Tr is by taking these collective small steps that we'll complete the long journey to where we want to go. It won't just happen, how-· ever; we'll have ro work for it. I appreciate help in nrnving this organization toward growth. It's around the corner let's go get i r.

IIANC GLIDINC

The 1998 Women's World Meet will take place in Hungary this August. The U.S. Team members are Kari Castle, Claire Pagen, Tammy Burcar, Lisa Verzella, Patti Cameron and C.J. Sturtevant. Contributions are gratefully accepted in addition to raffle ticket purchases. Send your check or money order to Women's World Team, c/o USHGF, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330. affle prizes have been donated by: Quest Air - 1 aero-tow release, 5 assorted T-shirts, 10-pack of tows, free beer for 2 for a weekend, 10,000-foot tow, areo tow training course Hang II or above (up to 10 flights) Wallaby Ranch - dollies, releases and aerotow technical support Two-Can Fly - one introductory paragliding lesson Altair - a $200 gift certificate toward the purchase of an Altair glider Jeff Farrell - two copies of the video Fly Hard Mountain High - two oxygen systems SOL - one open-face helmet, one windsok, two $100 gift certificates for SOL helmets, harness or paraglider Just Fly - one Icaro Integral helmet US Aeros - one set of hand fairings, one X-C glider bag Moyes America - three $100 certificates toward the purchase of a Moyes Xtreme or Flex harness Kitty Hawk Kites - six hang gliding Tshirts Hang Glider and Paraglider Emporium - three introductory paragliding lessons Fly Mexico - five free flying days in Mexico F1ytec USA - a Flytec 4005 vario Fly Products - shirts and sportswear John Heiney - six aerobatic posters Paul Hamilton - three videos from Adventure Productions Pendulum Aerosports - two-watt radio & 12-pack smoke bombs USHGA - books and calendars

Gerry Grossnegger - nifty little string games David Beardslee - one tandem hang gliding flight Aeroligbt USA - one Kiwi Evolution helmet Icaro - live Icaro helmets Cameron Outerwear - three neckgaiters Team Spirit Hang Hang Gliding - Free clay's glider rental "Women Fly!" clothing for team members provided by Speak Im:.fl'he Women Fly Project

Raffle drawing to be held in May, 1998. The Women's World Team appreciates the donations of$100 or more from: Chelan Lanes/Mr. J's Lane Eleven, Mary Clor/S y Wear Inc. (t-shirts), Cloudbase Country Club, Paul Klemono, Lake Chelan Flyers, Inc., Carl Lawrence, Marin County Hang Gliding ~iation, G.W. Meadows/JustF1y (T-shirt printing), Pendulum Aerosports, Don Reinhard/Personal Flight, Davis Straub. Quest Air, An anonymous paraglider pilot $40 (5 tickets): Sam Martin, Nancy Ussery, Paul Hurl~ ($50) $25 (3 tickets): Karl Cameron, Tim Delaney, Christopher Delannoy, Carol Sperry, Valerie Carroll, Ken Hudonjorgensen, Belinda Boulter, Korrie van Deest $20 (2 tickets): Erica Corral, Greg Kendall, $10 (1 ticket): Phil (the Pill) Bloom, Kurt Dilley, Grant Hoag, Slade Kennett, "Chum" McCranels, Andy Pryciak, Philip Vangel, Davis Straub

O FFICIAL R ULES - NO PURCHASE NECESSARY I . Rafne open to U.S. Residents 18 years or older. 2. For eve,y $ 10 donated you will receive a ti cket fo r a chance to win the Listed prize(s . Tickets may also be obtained by writing "Go Women's Team" on a 3" x 5'' card and mai~ ing it with a self-addressed, stamped envelope 10 T ammy Burcar, P.O. Box 3274, Santa Barbara. CA 93 130. One entry per envelope. AJI ti cket req uests must be postm arked by May I, 1998. The Team or its affili ates are not responsible for any U.S. Mail or human errors. 3. See above list fo r prizes to be awarded. Odds of winning depend upon the number of panicipants. 4. Each entrant accepts and agrees to be bo und by these rules and the decision of the judges whi ch shall be final and binding and not appealable. 5. All Federal and State laws apply. 6. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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

Please send me Women's World Team raffle ticket(s). Prices: $10 each, three for $25, five for $40. Make checks payable to the United States Hang Gliding Foundation (USHGF) and mail to: Tammy Burcar, P.O. Box 3274, Santa , Barbara, CA 93130. NAME

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ADDRESS ~ - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - -- - ~

CITY ~ - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - -- - -- STATE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ZIP _ _ __ _ __ _ PHONE( _ _ _ ) _ __ _ __ _ _ _~ Your canceled check is your receipt. Ticket numbers will be written on the check.

I I hy Rob Richardson, introduction ~y Ben D11vidson Record--bretikingflights in the "hottest" (and most expensive) gliders known to rmm arefrJrever being hyped, while flights that may have required just as much sleill tire on{y seen in the dog-eared pages ofthe log hooks ofti host of unlmown pilots. MarL_y hang glider pilots seem tof~el that there is no point in going

unless they can

a large number of miles with which to ttwe the mttsses

so they never make

the attempt. In order to get these people involved, and to demonstrate that the Falcon is Rob Richardson

indeed, a great recreational glider that can offer the same rewttrds as gliders that

were not nearly as much fi,,m to fly, Wills Wing agreed to sponsor the "falcon "Organization ofthe meet wasftiendly, but ldi a lot to be desired in the way ofadvertising and hype to keep it in the public eye, so as to get as many pilots involved as possible. As meet organizer, l was less than a shining example ofa pilot. l went.from all during the contest

nearly every time l flew, to making no the product ofteaching responsibilities and greedfor con-

ditions that would produce tl "rneaningfi.d"flight .fl~~hts to

a slidefromfive- to 15--mile

The moral ofthe story is: In order to go somewhere you have to is thefollowing:

Jr sounded like Cun the first time f heard about iL. 'foo many people think that the only way to ge1 good flights is to the fosresr glider wirh the best LID, when most of the distance is usually provided by a tailwind. l think I asked for registration fcirms the next and by e-rnail a few minutes bdcHe I headed to the Mingus Mou11tain, Arizona launch with a 195 Falcon. I generally don't have much choice as to when I fly recreationally, so I rend to fly only on' Ii1csdays when the shop is dosed. If it looks good, If nor, I still usually fly. Al'RIL 199/l

Tl1e morning 1 registered for the con· test looked f:Ciirly promising for thermals, and since it was a 'focsclay I had planned ro go flying anyway. A former student of mine, Burk, was also flying that day and had never gone X-C Unfortunately (at least for the contest), he flies a Vision Pulse, so he wasn't able ro enter. Herc in Arizona we have terns of open space, and from up high it may look like you can land anywhere. When you get lower, you discover that big, empty field is full of plams th:lt hite. Cacti often fill those fields that aren't covered with creosote bushes or

trees. Around here, if got a choice between landing on something green or in a field full of big rocks, you go for the rocks! ror that reason, din roads frequenr-ly make the best l Z's. Launch is at 7,800' and it rook me over halfnn hour to climb to 16,JOJ '. There was only a tiny bit of drift even ar altitude, so I suggested we head over the back, northwest toward Seligman (another flying Corey de/erred to my experience, so I jumped over the hack and waited for him to get high enough to go over the back safrly. I was sinking pretty quick3S

ly as [ headed toward the next good LZ, Perkinsville Road, a dirt road about 20 miles from launch. I found another thermal, but was only able to gain 1,000' before losing it, and resumed my glide rnward the road. With my new Ball Craphics Comp and CPS, it became apparent that f was bucking a slight headwind heading this direction. So much for the superior judgment that comes from experience! Afrer about an hour and a half of frm flying I was getting rea1ly low over Perkinsville Road. I unzipped my harness and Corey finally called me on the radio. He was above me at 15,000' and didn't know the route. I told him my status, rocked upright, and started a fairly high nnal over the road. I was trying to figure out how I could come up with a excuse for letting a Hang lI pilot out-fly me when 1 hit a tiny bit oflifr. I figmed [ was high enough to do a 360 safely, so I started a circle. I didn't gain any altitude but drifted hack toward launch a liulc. Since I hadn't lost any altitude I decided to do another

Rob Richardson and Tc1urrt Sctlmnonc launch-at Horseshoe Mmdows in the Owens Valley, Califim1itt rm a 22 5 Falcon (j1rior to the contest start date) This ended up being r1 mile.flight. 360. /\frcr about 10 minutes of this Twas maybe 100' higher hut getting pretty far away from my LZ.

J looked at the brushy cactus field and knew that 1 had to make a decision. l could barely squeak back to the road and land, or stay with the little patch oflifr and hope to get up. Herc's the key thing about this flight: IfJ had been flying any other glider than a Falcon, I would have gone back and landed. I figured thar l could safely land a Falcon in the middle of a brushy field, and wouldn't mind carrying it back a half-mile to the road. Sol snick with it. Half an hour later I was up with Corey again and we were flying slowly toward Seligman again. When we arc together we usually fly as a team, 100 yards or so apart, and side hy side. This way we arc close enough to fly into thermals that the other pilot finds. We headed down Big Chino wash, and since we were high I sent our driver straight toward Seligman rather than down the wash. /\r this point we were fairly committed, since it's a long drive back to Big Chino wash. Half an hour later Corey called me on rhe radio, sounding kind of like he wanted to land. "} Iow much farI IANC Clll)INC

REGION Frank Gillettf,i (R 99) Rt i Watercyn 8 Declo ID 83323 (208) 654-2615 Watercyn@cyberhighway.net Fifer-Welch (H 99) Box 8225 Jackson WY 83001 (307) 733-6823 di. __wyo@compuserve.com

Sandy King (H - 98) 1425 Dunbar Ln NV 89704

REC:ilON 6 Sinason (R 99) 12954 Ballantine Ct Saint Louis MO 63146 (314) 542-2473 jsinason@itdcornm .corn REGION Bill Bryden (R 98) (HG Accident Chair) 6608 North 100 East f~d Seymour IN 47274 (812) 497-2327 llrn bbryden@hsonline.net

Tammy Burcar (R - 99) Box 3274 Barbara CA 93130 (805) 692-9908 tburcar@juno.com

Dan Johnson (L - 98)

8 Dorset St St Paul MN 55118 (612) 450-0930 CumulusMan@aol.com REGION 8 Randy Adams (f~ 98) PO Box 369 Claremont NH 03743 (603) 543-1760 randyadarns@cyberportal.net

Mike Meier

500 kJIUICI l'Ji:;jv Orange (714) 998-6359 mike@willswing.com

REGION 9 Pele Lehmann (R 99) 5811 Elgin St Pittsburgh PA 15206 (412) 661-3474 LPeteLehmann@compuserve.com

f~ob Kells

500 UIUIGI l'cli::J,:;; Orange (714) 998,6359 rob@wil/swing.corn

Geoffrey Mumford (R 98) APA/PPO 750 First St NE Washington DC 20002 (202) 336-6067 gkrn.apa@email.apa.org Dennis Pagen (L 98) 368 Dunkle Rd Bellefonte PA 16823 (814) 383-2569 pagenbks@lazerlink.com Chris DuPaul (H 98) PO Box 801 Gloucester Pt VA 23062 (804) 693-6742 skigolfnut@aol.com Art Greirnfield (X) 1815 N Ft Meyer Dr Ste 700 Arlington VA 22209 (703) 527-0226 NAA@ids2.idsonline.com

REGION 10 G.W. Meadows (R - 98) 1125 Harbor View Dr Kill Devil Hills NC 27948 (919) 480-3552 justfly@i11lerpaH1.com

Matt. Taber (R - 99) 7201 Scenic Hwy 189 Rising Fawn GA 30738 (706) 398-3433 airwave@voyageronline.net David Glover (H - 99) 1805 Dean Still Rd Davenport FL 33837 (941) 424-0700 fly@wallaby.com

De Wolf (H 99) 607 NC 27fl27 (919) 4153-4800 DeWolf7@aol.corn REGION 11 Dave Broyles (R 99) 211 Ellis Dr Allen TX (972) broyles@psuedospace.com

REGION 12 Paul Voight (R 98) 5163 Searsvil/e Rd Pine Bush NY 12S6E3 (914) 744-3317 ryanv1 OO@aol.com ,Johnson (L 98) E Frank Applegate Jackson NJ 08527 (908) 928-8370 fec@frontiernet.net Paul F~ikert (L 101 N Broadway White Plains NY 10603 (914) 946-9'.386 hrn Linde (H - 98) W Front St Bank NJ 07'701 747-7845 REGION 13 (Int'!) Johnson (L 98) Reg 12 Michael Robertson (H 98) Rf~ 5 865 Con Claremont Ontario Canada L 1Y 1A2 (905) 294-2536 flyhigh@inforarnp.net USHGA Executive Director Philip Bachman PO Box 1330 Colo CO B0901 (719) wk (719) 632-6417 fax phbact,rnan@ushga.org ushga@ushga.org

(L)·At IH\-Hr,nn1r:arv (X)-Ex

/Hlf;C JCJ.

When: April 1 thro.ugh Decernber 1998. What (g!ide1): A Falcon of course, any Palcon, but only a Falcon. Where: All of the U.S. as divided into four sections 1n an to make skill, not the determining f<)r the winners: "'

West Coast (West of Route 5, Regions 1, 2, 3) West (Regions 1, 2, 3, 4 ,wd 5 east of Route 5) Central (Regions 6, 7 and 11) East (Regions 8, 9, 10 and 12)

Prizes will be awardtxl for all areas for all ''classes.')

Why: Prizes generously cfonatcd by Wills Wing to reward. pilots who fly for sheer enjoyment and go places. Who: Any .Hang II and up. Pick the apprnpdatc to enter: ~

Pro (Hang IV)

form and get a landing witness for any

flight. 3) Send us notification within two weeks of the flight who, where, when, how many miles. Submit all flights. Who krwws which one will win?

.Entry Fee:

is NO ENTRY but a sclf~addresscd, stamped envelope is required any cortespondence rcquir,ing a return (Le,, entry form; You will receive a fand.ing form rhat you will make a bunch of copies of: fill ollt, have witnessed for flight, andwhkh you should save .in .case verification of any of your flights is needed. A pilot can fly in any region(s) bm will receive only 011e if placing in more than one region/section. forms can.also be obtained from http:/ /www;angelfire.com/ ct/i n~tructor/ falconxc.html. E-mail conespondenee arid entry forms are acceptable; in fact, they a.re preferred. For e•mail se11d tq: tck@snct.net.

behavior automaticalStupidity or ly disqualifies you.

Am,:1te11r (Hang III)

• R.ecreadonal (Ifang JI)

Please no

'fhfo ls for fon

serious fon. 'Towing? wirh a maximum altitude of 2,000

Mail to: 'lek

How: l) Enter. 2) Fly with a landing

Stage, Winsted, 06098 (860)379~ (860) 738-3630. 1668,

ther to Seligman? l'm getting pretty he complained. I told hin1 that we really should at least clear Picachio Peak to make retrieval easier, and he said he could man· age that. It rook a lrttlc while to get high enough to dear the peak, and at one point a guy in a tower below ns (not even a pilot) started asking us about our Rights. We told him, managed to get up, and made it over the peak. I wcnr firsr and Corey followed a few minutes later. When we got to Seligman our two-· or duce-mph headwind suddenly became 20 ro 25! T was a little higher at that point, so Trn;maged to cover an extra mile an land 60.3 miles from launch, while Corey came

Products, Colebtook

straight down for 59 miles. This was his first X-C flighr! (Ar least he didn't out-fly me after all.) All things considered, I love nying a Falcon, It may not be capable of a 200milcr, bm who cares? f fly X-C for lu1J. f'll never make the kinds of decisions needed to set world even if 1 could get my skills to that level. This 60-milc flight was four and a half hours of the most fon f've had in a long time, and I even made ir back in time for dinner. Thank you Wills Wing for sponsoring rhc comest and for the nice jacket you gave me, During this contest I'm shooting fr)r 100 miles. II

mcnts, rhc long·mll-of-print pamphlet Marshall Macfarlane, is available at the site, as is a free ciralog. The company is working on a list oflinks and would like vendors and custorncrs with Web sites to contact them. SkySpons may be contacted at 1-800· AIR-STUFF from the U,S. and Canada, or (810) fox (810) 735 .. ]078, airstufffDaol.coin.

MOUNTAIN WINGS NEWS ountain W.ings, Inc. and sister compa·· ny Eastcoast Paragliding Center arc happy to announce an exclusive importer/dis· tributor relationship with Woody Valley rfar.ncsscs, The four aesthetically-pleasing, formfitting harness styles offer numerous features and options, including internal or external BRS, drogue chutes and various pockets. Look for Dennis Pagen's upcoming article on rhis product. Customers may order direct or through a hang gliding dealer, Por additional info, a catalog, or a Woody Valley poster, or if you're imcrcstcd in becoming a dealer con· tact: C reg Black (914) mtnwings@aol.com. T'hc two companies have also teamed up to form Ellenville Airsports, which will be operating at the Resnick Airport in Ellenville, NY Offered arc winch towing, step towing and acrotowing, l 00 feet from the base of the l 2-mile-long Ellenville ridge. Also available arc tandc1n instruction and two-place ultra·· light training, Three stationary hydraulic winches arc used ro eliminate w,1iting, and you may test fly an assortment of gliders from Moyes, Aeros, Airwave, Altair, Bright Star and Flight Design without the restrictions and limitations imposed by wind direction. Storage and repairs arc available in a private hangar. Ellenville Airspons builds and sells winches in addition ro training pilots and operators. Contact Greg at the phone num·· her and e-mail ahovc.

\.J'af!,2mcnt Manuals have been shipped from the USHCA office withom three key pages: page 10, the Wind RCR (hill); page 12, the Wind RCR (tow); page the Windividual RCR. Only the headings are included. If these pages arc missing in your manual please contact USHGA Headquarters.

HANC CL!DINC

"30 YEARS COVERING THE COMPLETE FLYING SPECTRUM "

Twenty-five Years in Hang Gliding

Mission Soaring Center hang gliding school and retail shop is celebrating 25 years in business this spring. It is hard to believe hang gliding as a sport has existed that Long, much Less a hang gliding business. The changes at MSC mirror in many ways the evolution of the sport, and we thought a nostalgic story about the school's history might give you an amusing Look at the 'old days" of hang gliding: where we've been, and with that in mind, maybe some thoughts on where we're going. IN THE BEGINNING at Denevan, owner and founder of MSC, had read about a bamboo and plastic, do-it-yourself glider in Popular Mechanics. Bue unlike the rest of us, he decided to actually build one. An article in Joe Fousc's Low and Slow newsletter convinced him chat aluminum, rather than bamboo, was the way to go. Armed with plans from Herman Rice's Hang Gliding Bible, h e headed co Los Angeles, California for the 1972 Turkey Day Fly-In, with the

P 40

ulterior motive of visiting Washington Supply Hardware, a Mecca of aerospace surplus including aluminum cubing. The Fly-In didn't fly, but there was plenty of action co check out at an ocean-front dune called Dockweiller Beach in El Segundo, California, and Pac liked what he saw. Ac Washington Supply, Pac bought all the usable lengths of aluminum cubing they had. No one knew much about alloys or temper back then. Some of the pieces he purchased had the flexibility of overcooked H ANG GLIDI NG

APRIL 1998

Instructor Ron Hess with an unknown student at the arina Beach training site. The glider is a Seahawk.

, which proved to be rather useless

for ;1 hang glider. Par and five friends salvaged what rhey could, built one glider, and ir flew! Sharing one glider among five pilots just wasn't making it, and crashes were caring their rnbing supply in a hurry. Time to buy more ruhing and build more gliders! But the retail price of tubing was an "outra$1.65 a foot. Pat did some searching until he located wholesale tubing for $.30 a foot, $1,000 minimum order. Thar was a lirtlc steep for one more glider. Ir also lcfr him with a !otofextra rnhing. So, in March I 9T3, Pat opened the garage doors of Northern California Hang Glider Supply, pnrvcyors of fine aluminum. Regular requests for od1er parts soon led to the $150 C:omplcre Airframe I<it. For another $12.. 50 NCH GS supplied a 20' square of plastic sheeting and a roll of deluxe duct tape. Dacron sails were available by that time, bur the quality varied and the result olicn wasn't as smooth as plastic. lJnfon11natcly, plastic had a wayofstrctching in the heat ;md cracking in rhe cold. 'fake your pick and lake your chances. Many pilots wanted help building their gliders from kits, and most wanted help flying them. So Pat became an official manu-facturcr and an unofficial instructor, with a new name ro match: S11pcr l;ly Sky Sails. lnstrucrion was still haphazard at best; the nc:l!'sightcd leading the blind. Super Fly began raking friends down to the dunes at a spot called Sunset Beach to show them the ropes for fon. As skills improved, pilots were busy searching for bigger :rnd better flying sites. Par was most interested in sites where he could help people learn to fly. He was cruising down the coast on a trip to Los Angeles when he found a road leading to the dunes at Fon Ord, near Monterey, Cal-ifornia. Wh;ir ;1 place! 'fraining dimes and miles of coast for that amazing new idea, dune (or ridge) soaring. Soon Super Fly was heading ro Marina Beach regularly and a formal teaching program was horn. ] ,arc in the l 970's hang gliding was evolving at warp speed, and Super Fly was no exception. Pat realized his first love was training, 1101 rnanufacturing. lk couldn't keep up with rhc likes of the Wills boys and, besides, his gliders only cost him abom $ l 00 more rhan he sold rhcm for. Super Fly became a school, and hired expe-· ricnced insrrucrors. Me;mwhilc, a club formed by Dave Kil-

boume, Jim Diffcndcrft'.r, and other waterski tow kite enthusiasts was evolving into the Wings of Rogallo hang gliding duh, as they moved their flying frorn the Sacr;1mcnro Delra ro Coyo1c Hills on the cast side of the San Francisco Bay. (The WOR is probably the oldest hang gliding club still going strong, with 600+ members these days.) They began flying from a launch on privarc property above Milpitas, California, imo a little county park called Ed Levin, af1cr the Coyote sire was closed to hang gliding. Flying sites were opened and shm down almost monthly, ir seemed. Coyote Hills. Mission Ridge. Then rhe Milpitas site. Open, then gone. Sanra ( :Iara County soon bo11gl1t the ranch lands above Ed Levin Park and rhc clnh mo1mtcd an effort to renew hang gliding ;1ctiviry there. The club soon learned for more ahout politics than ever wanted

to know, bur perseverance was rewarded,

and flying resumed. Ed Levin became a second major gathering spot for Bay Arca pilots. lnstructors soon discovered how usc-ful the park was for advancing new pilots gradually to advanced skills. We could sec then how critical access was to the health of the sport (some things don't much at all over the Pat, first as WOR club prcsidem, then as USll( ;A Regional Director, continued to push for more sites. Objective: Mission Ridge (with some groundwork hid for a more distant dream, a third sire at Mr. Diablo). The Diablo Condors joined Pat in the Mission Ridge project and Jim Leech ran foll tilt at the Diahlo project, and suddenly, in 1983, we had two new flying sites in the B;iy Arca. During all this action, several things were becoming abundantly clear to PaL First, sites in the Sama Cru:;, Mountains near his garage-shop were dosing and sray-

HANG

GLIDING

flfGHT

SIMULATOR

ing closed; the action was shifting to the hills on the east side of the San Francisco Bay. Second, he was busting at the seams and no longer able to give Bay Area pilots the level of service they deserved from his mountain retreat. It was time for a new location. With Mission Ridge in view from his new office window, Super Fly became Mission Soaring Center. Hang gliding was rapidly leaving its ground-skimming roots in the dust. We were discovering the intricacies of soaring and thermaling. The 360-degree turn was no longer considered advanced aerobatics. An afternoon of "go back up the hill until you stop crashing" had evolved into unbelievable 10- and even 15-lesson packages of instruction! Instructors were now certified by the USHGA. Instructors were now taught how to teach. Pat was in his element here, and the Mission Soaring training program evolved rapidly. An MSC instructor, Jim Shaw, developed a major revision of the USHGA Instructor Certification Program based on MSC techniques, and conducted training seminars around the country for new instructors. Never satisfied with the quality of hang gliding training, Pat (and Greg Shaw, another MSC denizen) organized a USHGA-sponsored Instructor Newsletter, providing a forum for discussion of new ideas and approaches co teaching. (Ir continues co this day electronically as an Internet site run by Ben Davidson.) The early years of hang gliding are incredible for what we didn't know. The last few years are equally incredible for what we have learned. Gliders, especially those for entry-level pilots, have nev~rbeen better handling or easier co fly. Training has improved dramatically thanks to our grow-

ing understanding of the fundamental skills required to pilot today's hang gliders. And some remarkable new cools are becoming avai lable. TODAY AND LOOKING TO TOMORROW Pat and his crew at MSC have done a lot of head-scratching looking into the future, and have focused on three critical elements of a bright future for the sport. First is the obvious access issue. Without convenient places co fly and (even more critical) places to train, the sport will not spread far beyond the fanatical few. It should be no surprise that a new student turns away from the sport when told there aren't many places we are allowed co fly, and those sites aren't very usable thanks to the weather. The USHGA has recognized this and devotes a significant part of its resources to access. Pac has jumped into this issue with both feet, buying Dunlap, a mountain soaring site near Fresno, California, that was closed when the landing area went up for sale. And great credit must be given co Wallaby, Quest Air, and other aerotow operations who are creating a who le new ball game of flying access! Then there are the more subtle issues. It rakes coo long to learn these days; new pilots are discouraged by the months it takes to make progress coward those ratings. As we wrestled with the safety aspects, and began to really understand the skills required co fly successfully, lessons have jumped in number and new pilots lose interest before they can "get to the good stuff." Th is is an area, though, where some really cool new things are happening to help students get those skills more quickly.

Better gliders definitely help. In addition, recent innovations in technology have given us some great new cools that general aviation has had for years: simulators and tandem instruction. Last year, Dan Harris walked into our shop with a device that launched us right out of our socks. Computer simulation technology had finally evolved to the point where it could generate a believable simulation of hang gliding flight. Dan designed a full-size control frame interface co drive the simulation, and presto, a virtual-reality hang gliding flight simulator. Watching even a trained pilot sweat and grip the basetube with white-knuckled determination co make chat virtual thermal for a low save, will convince you of the believability of the simulation . It even flares on landing! Ir is an incredible way to give students and even non-pilots a taste of what lies in their flying future . This amazing device is in production, and MSC had distributed simulators to major schools around the country. This simulator also addresses another side of the access issue. It helps make hang gliding more accessible to non-pilots. We have always had a problem promoting hang gliding because we cannot really convey what the experience is like to someone who has not been there. Enter the simulator. Our fledgling pilot learns almost instancly chat, "Wow, I can do this," and "Wow, this is really, really FUN!" Instant, convenient hang gliding, and people suddenly "get it." Coupled with promotional efforts (developed by Roger Watson, another long-rime MSC team member) to be more visible through booths at public festivals and our World of Hang G liding HANG GLIDING

Center exhibit booth, sirnuhttm:

Mission Soaring is celehrating years in the hang gliding business

Web site (www.hang-gliding.com), this has the potential of being a breakthrough pro· motional tool for t:l1e sport. Thanks to the success of' aerotowing, tandem is becoming a viable training tool as well. Skill comes with airtime, and tandem allows training flights to hist minutes iastcad of seconds. With aerMow, the student spends most of his lesson flying, rather than getting to launch, setting up, and breaking down. And it reduces dramatically the time lost "weathered out." The rirne needed to acquire skills goes down, convenience goes up, and students who have /tin become pilots. Our third issue is the social side of flying. The evolution of hang gliding has had one additional, unanticipated impact on the sport. l•'.arly on, the variety of flying activities among pilots was minimal. We all hung out together on the same hill, and lialr the fun was mixing with other pilots. As the sport has developed, however, our single big party ar the local hill has splintered among specialized training, coastal, mountain, and cross-·coumry sites. Places like l .ookom Mountain, Georgia, or l .ake· Oregon, or Pon J:uns1011, California, or Point oftl1e Mountain, Utah, arc gems becrnse they arc gathering places for ;1ll kinds of pilots. Since it is not dependent on that rare coincidence of perfect weather and geography, acrorowing has given us another breakthrough answer. Destinations like Wallaby Ra11cl1 or Quest Air arc rhc "hang outs" of hang gliding's expanding futnre. Launch and landing is the same place, and that's right next to the pool where everyone who is nor flyiug hangs out. Begin11crs once more get a chance to listen co the experts, and we get the synergy again rhat provides

an outlet for all that adrenaline. There arc definitely some bright spots in our future. Looking hack over 25 years of hang gliding, it's astonishing how far rhc sport has come. But judging by the breakthrough innovations in design, training, flight parks, and promotion we have witnessed in the last year or two, we "ain't seen nothin' Mission Soaring Center has worked hard to play a role in rhar evolution. Those efforts have only been possible through a vital and successful shop, rnade possible by the commi tmcm oflongtime employees like Roger and ( ;reg, and the confidence in our service and programs we have received from pilots in the San Francisco Bay area. We want to thank all those pilots who have supported our business through the years; their success is our reward. II

on Mcty

Saturday,

They

will he partying at the shop after a rnanufacturers' glider Day in honor oftheir cmniversary 'There will be food, rnusic, old hang gliding movies) prizes for the f<ids) tl raffle fiJr a Pro vario) sale items, and lots rf

fun. Everyone is welcome to drop by and say hello/

Mission Center is a f/t!l-sr:rvice hang .ipecialty shop located in MiijJitas, J 'hey have been sr:rving the hang since 1973 and offer a fit!/ nu•rf°J•J/1 r,,,., 11·p a nationally· ,1,,,,)/1r·hn,mt and cornprehen/,essons are nw1,,,.,·n1Pyear round cit tht San Francisco Bay

Center may bt contact·· ed at: I I I 6 Wrigley Miq1itas, C!I 95035 (108) 262 1055, (108) 2621388, MSCH (;!fDcwl. com,

Airspeed lndicato1 ... $23.50 Long Bracket... ..... $7.00 Short Bracket ......... $6.50

NEW! SMALL HALL Great f'or hand·hcld wind measurement or paraglidcr Airspeed Indicator using Bracket. Small Hall ............... $23.50 Paraglidcr Bracket ..... $6.50 Now available: Small I!all for hang gliders. 0 lo 70 rnph

Hall Brothers P.O. Box/()]().[]. Morgan, UT 84050, lJSA Mastercard I VISA I C.O.D Phone (801) 82')-3232 Fax (801) 829-6:149

www.ushgo.org www.usl1go.org www.ushgo.or(J

6Juo6qsn·MMM

i II hy 0/y Olson, photos hy Roh Kells

l was riding my bilee through ]acleson, Wyoming, in the summer ~f 1981, when I spotted what I thought was a remarhable sight· there,

parleed in front of the Silver Dollar Saloon, was a tiny Datsun picleup, burdened with the weight of a stacle rf sail·~ . ...,,;;.:;;.c:.c,.;:.:.:~:::Ju&~t:~

cloth. I braked to a halt and looked closer. Long, sldnny hagJ~ maybe a dozen ~f 'em, emblazoned with a familiar logo. WlLLS WIND: I read Well, llalleli1Jah! I thought I'd died and gone to Glide-

head Hecwen. The long arm of Wz'llr Wing had reached the Tetons! ow many other pilots have sirni· Jar memories? Well, quite a fow if you gauge by the crowd that gathered to celebrate the Wills Wing 25th Anniversary Celebration and Celebrity Bash, presented by the Wills Wingers themselves, and hosted by the capable crew at Wallaby Ranch. The weather was

great, the tugs were flawless, the gliders were everywhere. During the brief ceremony afrcr dinner on Saturday night the speeches were kept rncrcifi1lly short, in favor of a bonfire. What rnore could a tourist ask for? Barefriot girls, dancin' in the moonlight? [, myself, enjoyed ir immensely. I even went so far as to grab a

Wills Wing Falcon l 95, load it on a dolly, and follow a tug to the nearest gaggle. There were other indications that a good time was had by all. And I do mean all. '!'he towing session Thursday was a near record··serrer frll' the Wallaby Ranch Hands. They made sme there was plenty of flying available to aft,. For those of you as yet unfamiliar with the Country Club style of Wallaby R.anch bang gliding: Reveille is played around dawn to the tune of a Dragonfly tug angling into the sky, with a 1andem glider following behind. That sound, sweet music to a towhead, kept playing all day long, with only a brief intermission for breakfast and lunch. It played through rhc late afternoon and on into the evening. When the Vinal prop had stopped humming, and the last Ranchcro had hung up bis helmet, the tally sheet listed 1lt2 rows. The caterers arrived Thursday afternoon as well, erected a big-top for the fc'.S·· Livitics, and hid plans ro feed 200 people. Pat Dencvan of' Mission Soaring set up his Nintendo hang gliding simulator, and kegs were unloaded into the tent. By rhat evening we were quenching our thirsr and circling in the simulator. Yet there was more t:o come. Friday brought more arrivals and more Florida sunshine. The lisr of visiting pilots read like the script of some wild, obscure winter games of our own, played out in the shimmering swamps of tbc somh. The atmosphere was more like a cornc-onecomc-all fiesta than any corporate do. A foast was laid at our fr'.et and a party was joined in the sky that afternoon, with all the lalest equipment in hang gliding as the party favors. Many a pilo1 had numerous flights, trying 1his or that Wills Wing on for size. We were treated t:o even better weather on Saturday. I invited my cousin from Orlando to visit. A wuffo w hang gliding, he gawked at the warm blue and gazed at the green grounds around him. "Now, arc these here all Wills Wings?" he asked. "Uh well ... no," T answered, and then l too looked around us. There were a couple of folcons and an Ultra Sport being readied for launch. Three Fusions were in the other line. Beyond them l couldn't see

Continued on page 50. HANC CUD!NC

NOTE: U.S. AEROS CAUTIONS AGAINST

ROBA TIC FLIGHT IN ANY WING THA T YOU HANG FROM - SURE LOOKS COOL THOUGH HUH?

*New* AEROS RACER The Most Aerodynamic fabric harness in production!

Only for Racing Pilots "where every reduction of drag matters" Destined to be copied - soon!

•custom colors •custom sizing •in flight variable pitch •full length inside storage •internal parachute container •special parachute deployment bag •tow loops •internal camera pocket •radio pocket •drag 'chute pocket •top notch hardware and construction J •adjustable leg straps •adJustable stioulder straps •backpack/luggage style bag

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Continued.from page 27. hounded by numerous calls from the which I landed. We all had eventful launches since the embassies. He was very apologetic, After chis flight we continued south to clearance over the switch-back below was returned our passports and said we were Deb re Sina and the great cliff we found. not great and we had to time launch with a welcome to fly anywhere in the region. Without the clouds, it looked just as spectacthermal cycle while IIRllff~~7:"'!-;-;"'."'":"'..,...,.7"."!'r':"""l The minor official in ular as before, bur the roads we thought would lead to landing fields didn't exist, so Ala.ma.ca had hinted avoiding occasional trucks winding up chat we were jeoparwe opted for a landing field on a plateau near the road with a 1,200-fooc vertical. Baboons che tortuous road. dizing securiry by flywere everywhere on the rock faces where we But we all launched ing over military set up, and the wind was coming in quite eventual ly and spent installations, but our a couple of hours commissioner said nicely. A steep grass slope lead to the cliff darting in and out of chat was not the case, edge and self-law1ehing was possible. Claire the clouds and playbut we may be scarwas first off and I was second, and we soon found ourselves heading out to land after a ing with the a.buning the people. Of vain scratching attempt. The two Dave's foldanc birds. This is course, we knew chis where I shared the The cliffedge at Debre Sina. Photo by was also BS since lowed our example, but Wayne was able to thermal of the open- Wayne Sayer. everyone was mobfmd a snarly thermal co get above the cop for a great soaring flight with wuimiced vistas. ing paragraph. This is bing us with eager also where I probably set the Ethiopian interest on every flight. We probably all flew too early, but chose cross-country record as I flew upwind I believe the real reason all chis hapthings happen when you are pioneering sires. about nine miles. This is also where our pened is chat Ethiopia was a socialise police trouble began. scare (read: everything not specifically FINAL DAYS We returned co Addis Ababa for the lase allowed is disallowed) five years ago and residual paranoia exists. We lost a couple of UP THE RIVER couple of days to unwind, break our gliders down co two meters, buy souvenirs and flying days due to the incident, but some As I chermaled over Ala.ma.ca I probably good resulted. First, we fOLmd a number of attracted the attention of che entire town, play tourist. There are some exceptional deals to be had in Addis for the purchase of great flying sires on the way to Mek'ele for tl1ey were all partying in the streets (unfortunately we didn't fly chem since we since the day was pare of their Temkac hand-woven baskets and rugs. Also, Lucy, didn't have our gliders). Second, we have che 3.5-million-year-old Australopithecine, epiphany celebration. When I landed hopefully smooched the way for future resides in the National musewn in Addis about seven miles south of town I was pilots in the region. Third, we made a lot of and deserves a visit. approached by an official on a motorcycle friends in the area who were upset chat we who wanted to see my permission papers. Our trip was a success from the point of were being officially view chat we wanted What papers? We had contacted the hassled. Even the cop to experience the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington, DC was our friend and he exotica of Ethiopia and they said we should have no problems and we wanted co would always oblige as did the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa. But chis field ryro didn't know chat. He was us by opening our explore the flying posbeer boccies with his sibilities. We saw a courteous bur insisted that we drive back to pistol. Finally, we pletl1ora of animals town and pick up a cop co drive back to went back to Alamaca and birds. We met K' obo co call the more in1portant cops. to harass the minor many nice people and The reason we had to drive co K'obo is chat were often befriended official and present there are no phones in Alan1ata. The reahim with a bill for our and aided in our travson we had co pick up the cop is because gasoline and lodging el and flying. he has no transportation. up co Mek' ele and Mobbed again at /,anding. Photo by We found Eventually we called the French and back. Bur we found Dave Powell abo ut nine good flyAmerican embassies for aid. But since it out char he had been was a holiday (Temkat) we couldn't get ing sires, but only called to Mek'ele himself by his superiors immediate action. We stayed the night in flew five. With hindsight we know now and we surmised (hoped) ir was to gee K'obo after relinquishing our passports. chat che best prospects lie north of Addis reamed or, more appropriately, augered. Ababa. Weatl1er and our long trip south Then we were requested co head north co Maych'ew at which point we were requestreduced the amount of flying we did do, ed co head further north to Mek' ele, the AIRTIME AT LAST but I wouldn't want co trade the experience After our official incident we only had territorial headquarters. By the time we of chat trek for any amount of airtime. Our about five days left, so we headed for sites arrived in Mek'ele it was coo late for any advice to future travelers in Ethiopia who we had previously scouted during the bad official visits so we found a hotel and wonintend co fly is to get a letter of introducweather spell. We flew near the town of tion from the Ethiopian Embassy in Washdered how long we would be counting Efeson from a good dirt road 1,600 feet cockroaches in an Ethiopian jail. The next ington, DC. We requested one but it cook above the valley floor. We managed a little morning we met the head commissioner too long co arrive. This letter perhaps cross-country and dus was the town in for the entire Tigre region who had been would have helped us in the Ala.ma.ca show-

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1-800-334-4 777 http://www.kittyhawk.com down, bur then we were told the minor official couldn't read. Also, we advise renting a car (which always comes with a driver) and hiring guides. There are no road signs anywhere in Ethiopia and there are no street signs in any city or town, including the capital Addis Ababa! You get around city or country by asking for directions. Good luck if you don't speak the language. We recommend our guides Haile and Teddy. Just go to APRIL 1998

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upper Churchill Street in Addis and ask for them - they don't have an address, bur all the locals know them. We have trained them to be a good wire crew and they know the sites we have flown. Ethiopia is about as otherworldly as you can get, on this planet at least. Ir was constantly full of surprises, and that's why we travel. It is a great place to fly, in my opinion. Claire and I want to go back and explore further. We have traveled and flown

in 18 countries, but this was our most interesting trip by far. It was a memorable African aerial safari.

NB: Anyone contemplating a trip to Ethiopia (or anywhere in East Africa) would do we!L to contact us. We have a wealth ofinformation on health matters, logistics, costs, transportation, national parks, etc. In general we experienced fewer health problems than on our trips to Turkey and Mexico last year. • 49

Rob Kell, (left) rmd David Glover. Continued from page 16. very well, except for some kingposrs. They all bore the distinctive WW logo. Behind me was a RarnAir and an XC. Somebody broke 0111 an HP rhat looked exactly like my buddy Gordy's! It was a sea of\lC!ills Wings. A Wills Wing proliferation. "Just looks like it," T conceded. And there were orher logos, as well. Wills Wing invited the Thin Air Design team from California, who shipped out a new Millennium, the latest wing from Bright Star, and for which Wills makes the sails. The Millennium was an attention-getter. And, of course, Wallaby Ranch is a distributor for the Flight Design Fxxtacy. Bm it was quite obvious that this was "Wills \Ving meets Wallaby Ranch." Rob Kells had driven out from Southern California with a stack of' 11 wings. ]-le set up three Falcons, three Ultra Sports and five Fusious, mak, ing them available to any qualified pilot. Tl;ose wings, coupled with the nine Falcons, two Ultra Sports and one Fusion that arc offered as rent;ils by the Ranch, and you see what I mean. One pilgrim explained that he'd come down from the hills, dropped the family at nearby Disney World, and went looking for an acrotow rating. l le took a tandeminstruction tow with ,l Ranch instructor in the morning. Next, he took two tows on a

Yet another tandem aerotou; lmmch. 50

Falcon. 'fhen, he continued, he went trolling for thermals in a crispy-new Ultra Sport. That evening he boasted of a buoyant glass-off in one of Rob's new Wills Wing Fusions. Jusr another happy camper, awash in a sea of wings. Some Wills Wing employees, who have been procrastinating for decades about getting imo flying, took advantage of the action as well. Rob Kells explained to me that their harness maker, Gene Atkins, had a sudden imerest in flying afrer watching a few Wallaby tows. "Y<rn know Rob," he said, "T just never could get into the 'jumping off a cliff thing."' He was quickly dressed in a harness and towed alofr. Also initiated was WW

enough indication that the sky above the Ranch w;is foll oflazy thenmls, turned on for the Wills Wing gang. Ry the time the evening tandem session had begun, the tally edged toward 200. l sat and watched takeoffs and landings as the sun settled in the west. Kerry Lloyd, just one of the Wallaby tugsters, kept figures on his flying. He accumulated 135,000 vertical feet of' towing on Saturday alone. Even pan-time nigster Roger Sherrod was forced to climb our of his harness and inro a tug. When rhc dust settled there had been 227 operations from this field, making it pos.~ibly the busiest hang gliding site anywhere on the planet on February 21, 1998. All in all, Wallaby Ranch

employee Rick Zimbelman, owner Linda Meier, and Rob Kells Senior and his wife.: Lizbeth Kells. A rrnc family affair. Linda Meier said that if she lived near Wallaby Ranch, she would get back into hang gliding. But Saturday was a real testimony to the fact that hang gliding is alive and well, especially in club-type, flatland settings like Wallaby Ranch. No time was wasted gening one afrcr another glider into the sky. 'T'hc Ranch Hands worked in shifts, orchestrating launches with incredible efficiency. By the time they were served lunch by Mrs. Malcolm, the tow-coum had already cracked the 150 mark. And these were not re-launches, not hardly. One glance at the gaggles overhead was

saw /i2G Lows in three days. Jn terms of takeoffs and landings, this amounts ro I ,'704 operations! Bravo the Rancl10' This, alone, was remarkable. But what was even more astounding was how seamless it seemed. When you consider that no one had any desire to depart the local skies, that not one pilot decided to leave rhc festivities and head off imo rhe Wild Blue Yonder, the Ranch field was busy, indeed. Everyone handled themselves with great skill. Just getting down from the gaggles was a chore, with gliders circling everywhere. Happily, there was often enough lifr at 500 feet rhat you could wait your opening there, then dive down when the approach was clear. Back on rhe ground, I tried to count the gliders in the [\/\NC Cil IDINC

and lost track a1 ltO. Some lasted five homs, and the thermals topped ou1 at around '5,000 Ccer. l•'or February, it was quite ;1 hlas1 ! To say that the Ranch Hands were ready for this event is to understate. 111 anticipation these \Xlallaby Ranch embarked upon a mini sort of' rural renewal prnjcct. Hooches were moved, trailers were hauled, weeds were demolished. Tugster Carlos "Cloud" Besa was relocated I fi.:ct south. /\n unsightly pump house vanished. The parking area and Ben "The Bum" Benwas from the !Tees. P.m1cd nig·tmstcr Rhetr "The Wrench" Radford nincd up rhc tugs ;1s only lie crn. By the

pilots and Wills Wing dealers arrived from Brazil, Canada, n/,·1111h1:i r,Jt!2:1a11u, ]•'.quador, 1:rance, ,crrnanv, (;uarcmala, Mexico, 1,1r,ru,"" Puerto Rico, Sweden and Venezuela! An international a{foi1·. Those wirh an intcrcs1 were collected for a short Wills Wing scm· mar on morning, after the tandem session the thermals start·

cd POIJPlllE, course, no cclchrat ion would he complete withom a ceremony. On Sarnr. day night, we had one. US! !CA President C.W. Meadows kept it short and sweet, acluH1wllcllEJllE Wills Wing's contributions to our sport with a simple bm elegant award. Mike Meier ran a quick slide

read IVL1ralvs chronology, inal Wills Wing was incorporated on rnary 7, 1973 (count Then, in 1977, four friends came together to continue the work of the inal founders. Mike and Linda Meier, Steve Pearson and Roh Kells have been holding the fort ever since. 1n a remarkable testimony to rhis team, and to gliding in Wills now themselves ;H the top of the stack. That there arc few companies so su,ccc:sst111, credible and reliable, and so dedicated to hang gliding is indispu1:1blc. In rlic words of a Wills dealer I ,poke 10 rhc cquipmc111 is top-notch, you can read the manuals, make spare pans and Made in the you can count on US of'A." fndced, since rhose early Wills Wing has produced over 17 ,:WO and count /\nd they arc strong now, too. The release o( the Fusion has recoil· firmed Wills in 1he high performance market while the Palcon's rcp11la· 1ion as the fo1cs1 trainer is second to none. \'vho in 1lic world of' fiiot-launchcd, rccrca1io11al soaring can boast more con· trihutions? Ir will he a fun ride into I he Ist 011 a Wills 1

time rhc flrst pilgrim arrived, rhc Ranch {;1ee-job was complcrc and the Hying Cir· cus was to roll. Malcolm, Dave, Ryan and others choreographed rhc proceedings as only they know how. There arc no launch potatoes at Wallaby Ranch. When you enter the line for one of' the four mgs you'd bcncr be ready ro ;1viate. If' you're not, the Ranch I lands will quickly assess why, and the situation. Then you arc clipped into tlic towline and fi1ll throttle. Wills Wing dignitaries were available for advice and good cheer. Mike and I .in· da Meier, Srcve Pearson and Roh I<clls all helped make rhc 25th a mcmor;1hlc event. /\side from all of us who gathered,

show, highlighting their progress over the years. It seems that the original idea for hold· the 25th Cclcbr:11ion can be linked lo a conversation d 1at WW helmsman Roh Kells had with Jeff of' Morning· side Flight Park in New Hampshire. Rob said thar he was looking forward to hold an cvc:m to commemorate their I011Pl:v11,v and success, but nor looking f<>r· to hosting rhat many people in their shop. Jeff Wallaby Ranch. 'J 'he rest is J\nd quite a history ir has been. Wills was originally 1hc result the efforts of' two wild and craq brothers, Bob and Chris Wills, and their outspoken friend Chris Price. For a detailed account 1x1st

!!/\NC (;[,!!)[NG ADVISORY Used hang should always be disassembled before flying for first time and inspccrcd carch,lly for fatigued, bent or dent· cd downrnbcs, ruined bushings, bent bolts (especially the heart bolt), re-used Nyloc nuts, loose thimbles, or rllstcd cables, tangs wil"h non-circular holes) on flex wings, sails badly torn or torn loose from their anchor points front and back on the keel and leading edges. If in douht, hang gliding businesses will be happy lo give an opinion on the condition of equipmclll you them to inspect. Buyers should select equipment that is appropriate for their skill level or rating. New pilots should seek professional instruction from a lJSHGA CERTIFIED INS'f'RUCTOR.

FORMULA $850. Sport $800. Comet 135 $200. Moyes Mega $200 OBO. Don (205) 25/i-3288

face, great condition $350. (602)

Alabama.

DOUBLIZ SURFACE T/\NDEM - Moyes X2, good shape $2,500 or trade. bradf1)Jianggliding.com (414) li?.1-8800,

FUSTON 150 352 5).62.

DOUHLE VISIONS & l'LY2 -- New and used. WALLABY RANCH (911) 124-0070.

FUSJON li21··0070.

DREAM lli5 Creal shape, red/green/lire green $1,050. Raven Sky Spom (,j l Ii) liTl-8800,

goa1-sncows<ZPaol.coni

Like new, dl homs $/i,800. (6 I Ii)

Demo daily. WALLABY RANCH (941)

$600_ ('JOii) lt5/i-7885

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HP AT 158 Ugly but airworrhy $'550 or trade. (Ii lit) li7:l-8800, bradt?1)J1anggliding.com

H.EXWlNGS A BUNCH OF GLIDERS l'or sale, new, used and demo, ready to ship, from $600 up. EXTRA CLFAN/CALL AND COMPARE. TOPLESS: Moyes, learn, Wills, TR3. KINGPOSTED: Larninar, Conu:pt, SX, Xnalirc, Shark, XC, !<lassie, XS, UltraSport, SuperSport, Spectrum, XT, Sting, MK IV, Pulse, Falcon, Buzz, V2, Fly2 and more. WALLABY RANCH, FLORIDA. OPEN DAILY (9ft l) 424-0070 gliders@wallaby.co111

TI IF HANC; CLIDER 0/' tl,c ftmrre. Better glide, sink, speed and handling than anything else! Easy 10 fly. Available from Mike Eberle, North American Flight Design (50')) 925 5565; David Clover, Wallaby R:rnch (91t I) li21J-0070; Dave Sharp, !'rec !'light Sports (505) 186-3871. Sec www.fun2fly.com

/\CME TR.'3 Black on black, <20 honrs $.3,800. 00 I) 163-3509 Maryland.

F/\1,CON J 40 (51J) %1-2817.

AIRBORNE SHARK, BLADE RACE, STING, BUZZ_ New and nearly new. Demo chiily. THE WALLABY RANCI I (941) 424--0070.

FALCONS HO, 170, 195, 225 new and used. WALIABYRANCH (9,JJ) 42/i,0070.

EXXTACY NEW & USED IN STOCK, DEMO DAILY. WALLABY RANCH (91 l) 424-0070. New, cxrras, will ship $2,000 OllO.

KLASS]C Jli,j - White & red, nice shape, under 100 hours $1,900. (1 Iii) •173-8800, brad(ilhanggliding.com KLASS JC: 15/i 883-7852.

< JO hours, w/winglets $3,150. (608)

KLASSIC 155 Excellent condition, 20 hours $2,600. (702) 88·H030. LAMINAR 1li Brand new, kingpostcd glider, cool colors $3,ltOO. Manin C. (713) 783-5:315, freeairwavc((~)l10m1ail.com

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Mark lVl 7, good condition $900. Package: glider, C(; I 000 harness, Free

l'light ?.O gore PDA, Performance V/ alti111ctcrlv:1rio, only $1,500. (505) 821 85/ili.

LAMINAR iii ST~ (;real glider, low honrs, landing

F/\l,('.ONS-Ul.TRASPORT-1-IPATl 58 $2,700. (209) 1U5 35% 1'/\LCONS CLEARANCE S/\LF

$1,),00

School 11sc, one

mods done $/i,5()()_ /\I (208) 527-21i23. LAMINAR lit ST -- Excellent shape, 30 homs $4,500. Kevin (970) 259-335/i,

season. /\II sizes $1,500-$2,500. (4\!() li73-8800,

LAMINAR ST, 14, 13 in stock. WALLABY RANCH (941) ,ilfi-,0070.

USHGA CLASSIFIED 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 art 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 lo appear (i.e., June 20 tor 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:

SECTION

IJ Flex Wings CJ Emergency Parachutes IJ Parts & Accessories IJ Business & Employment U Miscellaneous IJ Paragliders IJ Videos

I.Hawing lJ Schools & Dealers u Ultralights lJ Rigid Wings IJ Publications & Organizations u Wanted IJ Harnesses

issue and run for-·-··--·--·----------, consecutive issue(s). My IJ check, IJ money order is enclosed in the amount

of $ --------·--------·-·--·----------------· NAME: ADDRESS: --·-·-·--·------------- ---··-·-·-----__________ -··-·- ···--· ____________ _

Number of .........._. _________________ -··---Number of .. v,w. ______,,_____ • ___________ . __ @$1.00

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

UTE DRE/1M H5 2'78-9'5M.

New, r:iinbow $600. (:,fl.3)

MI\CIC IV 166 h,11 race, good flying condition, no <-bm;igc, white with rainbow chevron, custom h;1g $500 OBO. (90 I) 382-2391. MARI< 1\117 T,accr, chute, vario, more! I.ow homs $2, I 00. (5/iO) 951-5228 c:le11ar1Gilvt.cd11 MOYES CSX Six flights, bhick forward wedge, grcen undersmfacc $/i,500. (719) 5:l')-5')00. MOYES CSX sx, XTL, xs:i, XT, CIC. New and ne:irly new. l\vailablc immediately. Nation's largest Moyes ddcr. WAL! ABY RANCJ-1 (9/i I) li2/i-0070. MOYES SlJl'FR XTRI\I .ITE SX/i 19 hours, excel lent condition, !till shop inspection $.1,)00 f1rm. Also, eq11iprncn1, new or used a frw limes: Wingovcr helmet/ PTT $1 00; II igh Energy ()u:rnt um pa1aclrn1c (<2Sii/iO) $300; Digifly v:irio Vl.110 Wing) wlairspccd $2SO; Moyes Flex harness $}SO; Mountain I electronic rnete1ed $/iOO; Yacsu 2M Ed (760) 872-1771. <:re:ll condition, JOO hours, red & white wlhird, hologr:1ph IY $2,'150. (81.l) 920 ).171i.

R/\Ml\m I 'iii ',19-5900.

Creen Team colo1s $1,200. (719)

VISIONS & PULSES

RI\MI\IR 15/i Excellent, extras, will ship $1,500 OBO (511) %1-7817.

Wil.l.S WINC 11/\RRIF,R 177 -- C:1e:1t co11ditio11, with harness $l50. (607.) ')7')-2/iliO ca11 demo.

RI\M/\IR 15/i I.ow hours, excellent shape. winglcts available $1,800. (l(H) li4'J-0'5 13.

XC 142 --- Rarely flown, 110 whacks, new condition. Te:d/magentalwhite $.1,000 01\0. Danny (Ii IO) I 637(,5, leave message (Maryland).

SENSOR 5 JO Vc;B --· Low :1irtime, excellent comlition $U)5. Wayne (70ft) 62<,-20')9. SENSOR(, I OF 150 - Five homs, lime/yellow undersurface .$:3,500. (719) 53')-5900.

XC: l '55 -- Low hours, crisp sail, like new w/winglc1s, Northwest glider. ;\ great huy at $:l,100, C,60) 897 <,liG3.

SENSOR 6 I 01' Crc:tt condition $7.,000. (70/i) 69:l liG8'l leave message.

XC: 155 Very good condition, winglcts $2,500. ll:111 652, excelle11t $2.75. Dream 2.20, only 12 flights, floats, excellent$ U50. (970) 728-.'l'JO'i.

SPFCTRUM I !iii Excellent condition, /i() homs, rccrnt annu:tl inspection $2, I 00 OBO. (GO'/) 27.l8 wlT7v''corncll.cdu

XTR/\LITE l.'l7 Mylar, I 'SO hrntrs, excclle11t condition $1,900. XC:R-IBO oxygen system, new $300. (970) 5li4-.%03 l\spcn, Colorado,

SPE('.TRUM \lilt (;re:tt bcginncr/intern1edia1e double smface glider, immarnlatc condition $2,000. (J60) 89'/-6/i6.l

REPLI\CEMEl\T CLIDFR SAILS - Recipture that like-new performance and handling, mad,· to your color choice. Mars. . ................ horn $800. l\ustrali:111 Xtralite \};.... ..horn $1,161. SX/i ... .. ................ horn $1, 17.l. CSX/i Mylar .............. ,.. From $1,245.

SPFCTRUM 16'5 (7/iO) l2')-lt099.

- Like new,

l 5 hours $2,000.

MOYES XS 169 New I ,F, extra clean $1,.lOO. (281) .l8 J --60l7 I louston, tt1.williams(fi1ssss,, om

Th,ec 165 Sf>LCTRUM ct l·I\R/\NCE SALE Spcc11ums in near new condition, w/all options $2,liOO :£:,,200. Raven Sky Sports (Ii I Ii) liTl 8800,

MOYFS XTRI\I.ITI•: I 117 Fxccllent condition, one owner, <lO homs, new Oct 9'5, $2,/00. (iiFl) (,98 1616.

SPORT ElJRO 1 '50 - Like new, wllarge control fiarne, race face $1,200, (61'1) 88')-ii937.

XT 165 ,.. .

.. .... J:rom 829.

:tnd many more. Dial ;\i,foil Sails phone or fox number and rcquesr an order form and/or a co1nprchen:,tve list. W c arc the original sailmake1s for mod of' gliders, with over 20,000 sails made by 11s. Phone 01 J-(,l-2-li32-\29/i4, fox Ol l-Cil-2-1i2:U8(H EMERGENCY PARACHUTES

MOYES XT PR() I (,'-j Novice/intrnncdiate double surface, hrn1r.s, grc;it sh:1pc $2,'100. (ii I Ii) lil.l-8800, h1ad(1)ha11gglidi11g.rn111

IIICI I ENFRc;y SPORTS deployed $275. (970) 728 :l'JO'i.

n gore, nevc1

I\FW & USED CLIDFRS -- l\t affordable p1ices. C:1\\ the Soaring Crnrcr toll-fi-ec 1-H88-9it/i-'ili:l:l.

SPORT I 67 AT Mint condition, rnstom fitll race spn trnm sail $ I, 500. ('i l 0) 606-0869.

SFCOND CIII\NT/. 1\/\LLISTIC ultralight/row plane $750. ('JOii) Ii 5/i-288'i.

PI\CI\IR MARK JV I'/ - Tracer h:trness, Qu:mrnm

Sl/PERSPORT lli:l

SECOND Cl !ANT/. !\IR ROCKET tight, never used $275, (808) deanlvilaloha.ncr

:no pa,achute, wheels, helmet $1,900. (5 I 0) 2')/i liOl 'J. l'l/1.SF <JM

Mint condition, 30 homs. Extras: new helmet) waterprc,ol bag, cxrra set of c1o·wnt11l>cs, c-raining harness 01\0. Bob (81/i) 88'i-6125. PULSES 10, 11M 38:l-9226.

RAMAlll 116 l lOURS AIR TIME, NEW CONDJTION $1,750. (501) 225-5397,

RAMAIR I ii(, wllins, 12 hours. CC-2000 w/HF dntte, 5'(,".(,'. l'lytcc DataFlight :lOO'isi w/ASI. Uvex lidl foce helmet. $3,300 ALL ITEMS !\RE AllSOl.lJTELY NFW! Package deal only. (51iO) 'Ll I 282'i.

I 99B

SUPERSPORT !G.1 --- Excellent condition, Oown orn' season, l II c pod harness, best offor. ((, 19) 26'i- 187 Ii. TIU Topless, 1997, 60 hours, white & black $3,2.00 shipped. (21iB) :)94-12.27 Michigan.

Tl(, --- Topless, carbon fiber frame, new gliders in stock: black, white or red $3,li95 FOB St. Petersburg, Florida. ACME Glider Company (81:,) 526-3679 or TRGl.lDERS<r1)aol.com TRX JliO Cood condition, cool colors, extras: r;-ick, carno XC and waterproof transport hag) lip {(n ,duminum and dacron $1,100. (508) 839-9210 nk I rk~''aoLrnm UP XTF 14'5 \!(; C:rcat pc1formance, good condi1io11 $900. (505) 881 8li79.

Cherry, air 822-1756

w/swivcl $1'.W. 20 gore $ l 99. Many mo1c available. Raven Sky Sports (Ii I Ii) lt7.l 8800, brad~1)hangglidi11g.co1n

:.>2 CORF PD/\

-- $2,500 each 01\0, extras. (71B)

Bor1gl1t-Sold-Traded. Raven PULSES & VISIONS Sky Sports (Ii I Ii) !ill 8800, bradvilhanggliding.com

APRIL

SUPFRSPORT 153 Excellent condition, very low airtime, wl,itc/lime g1ccn/blue $1,500. Red /\irstrc:,m harness wlclnue $150. ('JI 9) (,Jfi.'Jlt55 New Bern, NC:.

l'or

(71

ifi HARNJ•:SSES CLOUD BASF I IARNFSSES

Arni liltramitts, since I 972. Chris Smith (li2.'l) 82 l -59/i5.

NEW, USED And REl'URlllSHED harnesses. Buy, sell, tr:ide, consignment. (;unnison Cliders, I 54') County Road 17, Cunnison CO B1230. (970) (i,jJ. 9ll 5. l JJCI I FN ERCY COCOON 200lbs $350. ('JOii) Ii 5/i 2885.

l'ARACLIDERS FOR SALE: NEW AND \JSED ..< l Olm ...... Adv ........... $800 Athena 29 . Bi-Ritmo 3/ ......... <5hrs ....... 2 l'lace ...... $1,695 ...... $ I ,050 Boogie :lO, 32.. .......... < l 5lm ...... Beg Civic 3:3 ......... New. .. ... Beg ... $1,895 F.spirit 36. .. ........ <Glirs ......... lnt.. ..$1,550 .......... < I Olm.. .Beg ............ $1,250 Graffoy 3 I Ken do 29.. .. ........ < I Ohrs ...... Int ............. $1,250 ..dOhrs ....... lm.. .. .. $700 Miura .11,.'l.J. .. ...... < IOlm ....... <:omp ........ $1,liOO Mondial 33 ... Odyssey ?.8, 32 ........... < 1Shrs ....... Comp ........ $1,800 Prelude 27, :lO, 3.o ....... New.. .. ... Beg ............ $1,995 ........ New.. .. ... Beg ........... $1,895 l'revia 27 Rirrno 27, :31 .......... <40hrs.. .... Beg ........... $600 .. ........ New. .. .. .Im ...... $1,'JOO Sensor 31. Sonic2/i,JI... ...<IOlm ...... lm. ...$2,000 Twingo lil ... .. ........ <25hrs ...... 2 Place ....... $1,250 Vision 28. .. ........ <l Ohrs.. .... 1111 ............ $1,250 .. ........ <10hrs ...... Comp ........ $1,800 V-Max 31 . NAS PDA 22 Reservcs ... $375 Limited Quantities Full Face Helmets ........ $8'iea. Training Hclmcts ......... $55ea. COLORADO PARACUDING-SINCE J 986 Tele (30:l) 278-9'i(i(i Email: par:iglidingGilwwclg.com

HJI.l. SFRVJC:F SHOP Sales, rentals, repairs, guide service. Free brochure. (520) 632-li I lu1p://www.norrhli11k.com/ ·ahgc ARKANSAS OZARK MOUNTAIN IIANC; GLIDERS Sales, service and instrnction. I (i() Johnston Rd, Searcy AR 11iJ. (son 219.21iso.

CALIFORNIA

w/parnchutc, (,'5"

flJCI! l'NERCY POD HARNESSFS Sizes & styles monthly, $3()()./iOO. CC I OOO's $7.50. Cocoons $200 each. Kncchangcrs & stirrnps also available. (Ii Iii) li73i1800, br:id(dlhar!lgg.Jiding.com 1.MFP C:USTOMl!.FD POD - 5'10", paraclrntc, full face helmet, old style Ball, storage bag $700. (li23) (,<)8,161 (,.

RIGID WIN<;S SWIFI' --- NEW, focrory test flown only. 1:Jcdgc 3 best offrr. (805) /i892220.

8000.

Includes box, trailer, AST $/i,500 OBO. SWJFJ' I.ow airtime, one wing &unagcd. Call Stewart (li03) 276--50 I0, midroad/i1lc:1dvisio11.com UT :rn.ALIGHTS 53 lhs., Solo 210. (501) FOLDABJ .E Fl Y TRIKES 8 51 .,i()')lj s:1ilwingsspg(i1lho1rnail.com IKAROS SA -

THE BEST TRAININC HARNFSSFS -~ Kid sizes available !,,r those 100 small 10 fly, Inn jus1 right for a rope swing. McNett Training Harness (31 5) li92- 1020.

FLY AWAY llANC Gl.lDINC --- S:rnta Barbara. Tammy Burcar (805) 9(, 1-2766. HANG GLIDER EMPORllJM - Best training hill in the west! Full service gliding/paragliding shop, Sall\:1 Barbara CA established 197/i. PO llox 9:l 1!iO 1.'339, email: wcfly11niv(i1laol.com (805) %5· 37.3:l.

l .ook under New York.

SCHOOLS & DEALERS Tl RFD 01' TOWINC? Tired of driving to sites? Create your owu, power up the seusiblc way SWEDISH AEROSl'ORTS MOSQUITO HARNESS. I .igl11weigh1, powcrfid, a/fordable aud most import:mrly Fun! Call Bl LL of T.C. HANG GLIDERS, your U.S. SlJPPLIER at 6 [6-922-284/i. I'S: Check out the centerfold of January 1998 issue of lla11g Clidi11g.

ADVENTURES UNLIMITFD County's premier school. US] ]CA certified instru,::tic,n and tanWills Wing dem specialist. New & used dealer. (71 /i) Ii%

ALABAMA LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN Fl.IC! lT PARK

Sec

ad under Ccorgb.

ROCKE!' CITY AIRSJ'ORTS The i,m, safe place you learn quickly and safrly professional instructors. Creal

place for first cross coumry fligh1s. Three great sires and a Moyes-llailcy acrotug for those "other" days. Learn 10 acrotow and earn AT rating. Mcmion this ad, receive one lesson 112 price. ( :all a friend 5:33- 1025 or (7.(l'i) 776--9995.

PARAGLIDERS

THE HANG Gl.lDING CENTER Located in heamiful San llicgo. llang gliding and paragliding instruction, sales and service, conduc1ed at TORREY PINES and local mmmtains. your winter vacation llying wid1 us. Demo our of gliders and equip me111 at the always convenient and world famous TORREY P!Nl'S. We proudly offer !CARO (LAMINAR ST), MOYES (SX), WILLS WING (XC) and all kinds of stuff. M:1kns of' 1he DROGlJF CHUTE. 2181 Charles Way, Fl Cajon CA 92020, (619) /i6 J 1/ilil. l llCI I ADVFNTURF I Jang gliding, paragliding school. Fq11ipmc111 sales, service, rentals al Southern California's mile high site, Crestline. USJ-JGA Instructor Rob McKenzie. By appointment year round. (')09) 88:l-8/i88, www.ece.org/b11s/high_advcn\l\re

ARIZONA Fl.JCIIT Dl\SICN PC ll<AROS SA

$595. (509) '!25-5565.

l.ook under New York.

Our advertising a two-month lead tirne ahead. 54

ADVENTURE SPORTS TOURS Lessons nearby Phoenix/Tucson areas. Man-made trniuer hill Eiccs all wind di1ecrions. (:uaranteed ten f1igh1s per day! ·frmpe, A'/. (602) 897-7121.

Your 1s by 1nore 10,000 hang gliding enthusiasts. Advertise with us today. HANG GI IDJN(;

CONNE< :TH :UT

31401 Riversid;i Dr. Lake Elsinore, CA

92530

MOUNT;\JN WINCS

Look undct· New York.

FLORIDA

l'lJLL SFRVlC:E Sl !OP -- Located on I lwy 7•1 at tlw base of the San1;1 J\11a mountain range. Proudly rcprc AI.L major hr,111ds. Rentals avaiLiL!c tn qwili Open (, chys a week ')am-5pm. closed Oil Vis;i/Mastncard/ J\rnericall l•:xpress.

The J\erotow Flight !'ark MJ\CIC 1\IR l.ocllcd in Northern Californi;i. Lessons, sales, service. (707) '!GJ-3155.

S~11 isfoqip1.1_ ( ;ua_r:Jn tcc(l

l!Sl !CJ\ CFRTIFJFI) TANDEM INSTRUCTJON

J11st 8 miles li·orn Disney World

1VfcNamcc. Acrotow (raining & raiings.

Ccn1r:il to J\nrac1ions

fo,

major !light and ;1cro10w equipment, 1.5 hours ii-0111 Disncyworld. ( :all (}'52) 2/i5--82G.3. grayhircl«1'prnxis.net 11111,:I /www.gypzi.com/grnybird

YEAR ROUND SOARJNG • OPEN DAYS A WEEK FOUR TUGS, NO WAITJNG • EVERY DIRECTlON

JODl<OlJT MOUNT/\ IN FLIGHT l'J\RI< - Sec ad under ( ;corgia. Nearest 111oun1ain training center to and com "FIRST PI.ICI IT," a video lesson program, is ,1vai!ahlc for only :/,20 shipping (mr1y hi' 11pp!itrl lo your /i1111r1• !!'sso;i p11rcl1mes). Our deluxe retail slHll> showcases the Lucsi in h:rng gliding innovations. We

Orlando (only S hours).

'iO, NJCE demos 10 fly: Topless to Trainer C ;liders: Laminar, Moyes, Wills, ./\irbon1(\ Airw;1v(\ Lxxucy, 1V1illcnniurn

2'>llJ1Crlltm11cr and more: varios, etc.

'fHE HILL WITH IT!

stuck new and u.sed Wills, Airwavc and Moyes gliders, PLUS all the ho/IN/ new h,m,csses. Trade-ins arc welcome·. Take a flight ou our amazing new VIRTUAL REJ\UTY hang gliding flight sinrnlator 1 l 11(, Way, Milpitas (11{'(/r Sm, Jose) CJ\ 'YiO.l'i. (408)

J\gcs I :l To

have learned to fly here.

No one conics close lo our level of experience and sucG>.ss with tandcrn acrotow instrncrion.

A GREAT SCENF FOR l'J\Mll Y J\ND FRIENDS ...

1055. fox (li08) 262 l:l88, MSC!ICta',10/.rnin

www.l1a11g··gliding.co111

\X1F l IJ\ VE The most adv,rnced training known 10 Jiang gliding, teaching yo11 in half' the it takes 011 the training-BUNNY 1-l!L.I., and wirh more air time. YES, WE CAN TEACJJ YOU AND SAl'F.R. For year r01111d 1rnini11g !irn in the s1111, call or write Miami I Jang Cliding (305) 2858978. 2550 S Bayshorc Drive, Coconut Crnvc, l'lorid,1 :l:lU.l.

IO motels & rcstaurams wirhin S rnins., camping, hot showers, .shade trees, s,des, s1oragc, r;nings, XC retrievals, wcadic-r) rrarnpolinc,

DSS

ping pong, bungee swing, picnic tables, swimming pool, uc

Flights of over J10 miles and more than 6 hours. Articles in [lrm1, Gliding. f<itpfrmes, Sky wings, C:ross C01m1,_y and others. l'c,Hurcd on numerous TV shows, inclucling F.SPN2.. Visit us on the Web: hup://www.wallaby.com Please c11l 11s for references and video.

l!J\N(; C!IDINC AND PAHACI.lDINC USHCA cenif1cd instruction, tandem inslruc tion, sales, service, repairs, parachute 010w1 izcd instruction and silT tours. San f)icgo's exclu-

1805 Dean Still Road, Wallaby Ranch, l'lorida 3:18J79l':iB (9/i 1) li21i-0070 - phone & fox

sive for AIREA, J\l'CO and SOL. Visa and Masrercard accepted. Call (619) Ii 57.-')858 01· check 11s

Conservative

Reliable• State of the J\rr

F.l J.c;. INC./l'I.YIN(; l'LOR]])J\ SINCE 197/i since 197/i. Fifteen Crcsdine, F.lsinorc and traininl\ sites. Vacnion flying and sales including lodging rentals. and cqniprncnt, new and

11scd in in old 325 sunny day.s each yem. C:omc Victory Blvd., Van Nuys CA '> lli06. (818) 988-01 I I, Fax (8 I 8) 9881862.

APRIi. I CJ<)fl

QUEST AIR SOARINC C:F;,,.JTER Your vacation hang lornrion. (352) li2<J-02 I3, fox (.352) li29 '1846. our website at: www.qucs1aid()1Tc.com 01

Malcolm Jones, David Clover, Rhcrr Radford, Ryan Clover, Tom ltunseur, Carlos Bcssa, Chris Curr, Sherrod

em:1il us: qucstair(t1lsu11di;iLnct

BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT SAFETY

CRISPI BOOTS MA DE IN ITALY FOR PI LOTS WORLDWIDE

Removable rear insert and velcro strip for keeping the laces in place. CRISPI PARATEC BOOTS Removable side strenghtheners suede & leather with corduro edge Sympatex lining and Vibromsole. Multicolor. USS 210 & Crispi Tinos Purple color. No Inserts. USS 1SO

CRISP! AIRBORNE BOOTS Waterproof Nobuk. Vibrom sole. Shock proof Kevlar Tip. No Hooks. Grey with Black color. USS 240

KIWI EVOLUTION HELMET Carbon fiber. Only 20 ounces. Well Podded. Allow maximum visibility ond installation of earphones . In color White or Black. USS 220

KIWI HYPE HELMET Composite fibers. Only 22 ounces painted in color White, Black or lead with thin water decals and protected clear coating. USS 210

KIWI PLAIN HELMET Composite fibers. Only 22 ounces plain colors White or Black and protected clear coating. USS 190

AEROLIGHT USA, Inc., 1355 N.W. 93 Ct. Unit A-105, Miami, FL 33172 U.S.A., Tel : (305) 639-3330, Fax : (305) 639-3055 Email: paragliding@aerolight.com, Home Page: http://www.aerolight.com

Quest Air Force: Left to Right - Paris Williams, Erich Krauss, Brad Kushner, Jim Prahl Kirsten Corcoran, Russell Brown, Buddy Hendricks, Tyler Ross (absent: Bobby Bailey and Campbell Bowen).

Continued from page 19. so he must have had a serious need. ln recent hang gliding history Mitch McAleer was the first person I heard of who set a loop record. He did 24 which was the record I wanted to beat when I got the Guinness people interested. Tom Sanders and I worked with Guinness to break Mitch's record and make a segmem for their TV show. I did 33 loops at El Mirage dry lake after a balloon drop. Mitch found out about it right away, and soon after, while soaring at Elsinore, he got to 11,000' MSL and did 40. He was leaving for Telluride and left a joyful message on my answer machine that he had already broken my new record. The tone of his message made me determined co overshadow his new record if I could. I had arranged to go back to El Mirage with the balloon crew to do another drop co get some nose-mounted footage for the TV segment. After getting the footage, the balloon crew very generously re-inflated and cook me back co 12,500' MSL even though it was gercing late in the morning. Thermals and balloons do not mix. It was on this flight (with Jim Laguardia observing) that I set the 52-loop record that stood for nine years.

success since its public deb ut in April 1995, the new SuperF!oater offers: + Excellent 15:l perfon11a nce in sit-down soaring comfort (and no harness to buy!) + Superb joysti ck handling + Very sim ple aero or winch launching (foot launch is poss ible) ... ... al l for an amazingly low price. >- Fully built and test flown , the SuperF!oater is shipping now. Fly under Part 103 and thermal in close with your hang gliding friends.

Ultralight Soaring Aircraft

CUMULUS

FLY SAFELY Looping a utility-class glider (which is what all flex wing hang gliders are) is not recommended for several reasons, including: the safety factor in airframe strength is too low; tailless wings react badly to stopping upside down; dual instruction is not possible. However, mild freestyle can be a reasonable endeavor. If yo u need information on how to gee started safely, read my article "The Ups and Downs of Freestyle Hang Gliding" in the July 1994 issue of Hang Gliding magazme.

KUD OS Special thanks to Brad Kushner and Buddy Hendricks for their help and support, to Jim Prahl for not chickening out on the backwards tow, to Russell Brown and Campbell Bowen for the use of the Turbo-Tug and the facilities, and ro the entire Quest Air crew for the friendly atmosphere. •

APRIL 1998

or trnly independent soari ng, the Cumulus ultralight motorg li der is a highly refined choice: + Soar beyond 20: 1, sink as slow as hang gliders + Handle with ease and authority + Zoom beyond 80 mph, or chug along at 60 for better than 200 miles on less than 5 gallons of fue l. Even better. . . shut her down and soar for miles. Then, tap the electric starter and motor home easily. >- The Cum ulus is a three-year, to p-tobottom design offering superb oaring compati ble with hang gliders.

Call/fax to get info on these 2 great choices.

US A~ialion ' 26S Ec~o ln ' Soul~ St. Paul, 7 MN sso s' USA ' Tel/fax: 612/4S0-0930

ifi

GEORGIA

LAS VEGAS HANG GlJDlNC

KANSAS

USl !GA certified

PRAIRIE HJ\NC GLIDERS l'trll service school & dealer. Great tandem instruction, rowing&. XC packages. (:l I Ci) 375-29')5. MEX[CO

HANG GLIDING 1-800-80.3-7788 FULL HOOK--UPS Laundry, propane, recreation morn. 1-800-803-7788. LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLICI IT PARK Sec onr display ad. Discover why l10UR T'JMES as many pilots earn their wings ar Lookout rhan at any other school! We wrote USHGA's 0/Ecial Training Manual. Our specialty-customer sarisfacrion and f,111 wirh the BEST J1ACIUTIES, largest inventory, camping, swimming. volleylx1\\, more' For a flying trip, intro flight 01 lesson packages, Lookom Mount;rin, just outside Chattanooga, your COMPLETF rraininr;lservicc ccn·· tcr. Infoi (800) 688-LMFP.

NEW JERSEY

•••

BEA1JTIFlJL VALLE DE BRAVO Experienced, Professional group. Fabulous house) ala cute service. Open to all skill levels, rent or bring hg/pg. \\,sic packages: $100/day hg, $(,'!/day pg, equipmen1 trade cm1sidered. 1-·800-861-7198, flymcxico~il,10\.corn h tip:// me1nbcrs.aol .con1/ fly,11cxico/i 11dex.

HAWAJT BIRDS IN PARADTSF !Jang gliding & ultralight on Kauai. Certified tandem instruction. (808) 822 5:l09 or (808) 639-1067, liirdipl.i1l,doha.nct

HAN

clinics & USHC:A appropriate ratings available. US HCA certified school. Please con tact N orrn Lcsnow-Mastcr Pilot, Examiner, Advanced Tandem Tnsuucror, Tow Administrator. (248) :\9')-9/i:3.3, FULL-T !ME. school. www .ScriottsSport s. com nlfa@j11nc,.co111 TRAVERSE CITY HANG GLIDERS/PARAGUDERS HJLL-TIME shop. Certified inm11c1io11, foot launch and row. Sales, service, accessories for J\ LL m:ijor brands. VISA/MASTERCARD. Come soar our !i50' dunes! l S09 F 8th, Traverse City Ml li%81i. Offrring powered lessons & dealer for new & used nnits, the Whisper wd the Fly. Call Hill at (GI(,) Visit our school in J:1ckson, Wyoming. (:all'\ 'racic at MINNESOTA

ILLINOIS RAVEN SKY SPORTS (312) 360-0700 or (411) li73-8800. Pkasc sec om ad under· WISCONSIN,

SPORT SOAR! NG CENTER/Ml NNEAPOl JS !llstntction, equipment dealers for Wills Wing, Airwavc & Edel. ((, 12) 688-0 \ 81

bradl.i1lhanggli,ling.co1n

NEVADA INDIANA RAVFN SKY SPORTS -- (Ii! Ii) li73-8800. Please sec our ad under Wisconsin. bradl.ihhanggliding.com

NEW MEXICO MOlJNTAlN WFST JIANG Cl.lDINC Farming1on's ody fi,11 service school and \v'ills Wing dealer. Offering row and tandem /lights. (505) 6.l2 81ili3.

UP OVER NF.W MEXICO ~- Instruction, sales, service. Sandia Mo11111ain guides. Wills, Airwavc. Albuquer<Jttc, \JM (50'i) 821-854/i, NEW YORK

lesson programs for beginner to advanced. Acrotow

WARM & COMFORTABLF .32 bunks, hot showers, open all year, 2/i hour self regis1mtion. l -800-803· 7788!

I,ook 1111dcr New York.

MICHIGAN

NORM LFSNOW'S HYlNC J\DVENTURES -Since 1978. Experience & arc 111. Presenting the turbo dragonfly. l1t1rod11crory and foll range of

BUNKHOUSE

MOUNTAIN WfNCS

Sicrr:r soaring toms and ADVENTURE SPORTS tamlcrn our specialty. l!ang gliding/paragliding UST !CJ\ ceni11ed instntction. Sales and fi,ll service shop for Altair, Airwavc, Moyes, US Aeros, Wills Wing. 3GS() .. ),7 Research Way, Carson City, NV 8'!'/06 (/02) 88:l-'/0;0 web si1,:: phone/fax, email: http://www.pyrnmid.net/advspts

AAA FLIC! IT SCI !OOL MOUNTAIN WINGS, !NC.-27. yc:m e~pcricncc, fi,\I time/year round. !'111! service shop, Ii training areas and a /i,500' tow field. Winch and aero towing, t:rndcrns and two-place train· ing. We sell: Millcnittrn, Fxxr;rcy, Airwavc, Altair, Moyes, Acros, trikes. Woody Valley harnesses in stock. Save us about llying the mountain ,11 a discount. We do it all and we wo11 '1 be undersold. (9lli) (d7-3377 WWW,FL!CHTSCIIOOL.NET, crnail MTNWINGS~tlAOI..COM rn visir "' ar 1'50 Cmal Street, Fllenville NY I 2428. !.'LY I IJCI I l!ANC CL!DINC, INC. Serving S. New York, Connecticut, Jersey areas (Ellenville Min.) Area's EXCI .USIVF Wills dealer/specialist. Also all other major brands, accessories. Cert i/'ied school/instruction. Teaching since 1979. Area's most INEXPENSIVE prices. Fxcclle111 secondary ius1r11c1ion ... if you've finished a program and wish ro cont in 11c. Fly rbc 11101111rain! ATOL Tandem flights' Rd, Pinc Busl1, Cornact Paul 5163 NY 125(,6, ('JIit) lKAROS SPORT /\VIATION & Spartan Mrcrc,J1r,111 M::rn11fa,m,s1r1g. NYC's fost :md only ccrtifor and aikcs. Distributors/dealers all major brands. M,a111,Jacu1rcr for the BEST microlights in rite world, SPARTAN. at best prices. Tire most New and used For catalog send $5 to: !SA, friendly service in .3811 Ditmars l\lvd 111 !(), Astoria NY 11105. S101e: 29:11 Newtown Ave., Astoria NY. Pirone/fox ('718) 7'77-7000, email: lkarosl Jl.itlaol.corn Internet: hrrp://mcmbcrs.aol.com/ikaros 11 lfly.htm

SUSQUFI JANNA Fl ,!CHI' l'ARI< Cooperstown, NY. Certified J11s1rnnion, S.tles and Service /or :tll major n1annfocrnrcrs. 10 acre park, training hills, jcqJ rides, bunk house, hot showers, GOO' N\'(f ridge. We have the best in N. New York stale to teach you bow to fly. c/o Dan C:uido, Box 29:l Shoemaker Rd. Mohawk NY I Yi 07, (.315) 866-G l 5.'.\. 1 )

HANC CLIDINC

NORTH Ci\ROLINA

Flight Parle

TEXAS

KITTY JJAWK I<ITES

AUSTIN AIR SPORTS INC Certified foot launch, tow 1'i. tandem training. Sales/service, Steve & Fred ll11rns WINDEMERE (8JO) 6'!:l-5805. HOUSTON (281) li71 lli88.

Sil.VER WJNCS, INC. Certified instruction and equipment sales. (103) 5:J:l 1%5 Arlington VA.

I Ill.I. COUNTRY PARACI.IDINC JNC - Learn complete pilot skills. Personalized \JS]!( ;A ccnil,ed !raining, ridge so;uing, f()ot & tow bunching in central

Texas. MOTORl/,ED PARAGLIDING INSTRlJC. TfON l'i. EQUIPMENT AVAIIABLF. (915) T/9 1185. Rt 1, Box I GF, Tow' J'X 78672. KITE FNTERPRJSFS

Foot launch, platform

launch and ;1crotow instruction too. Training, sales, rent<1ls and repair. Airw:1ve &. Wills Wing. J )alias, Fort

Worth and north Texas are:1. 11 Ellis, Allen TX 75002. (972) }')().')()')() nights, weekends.

• TANDEM INSTRUCTION AFROTOWINC • BOAT TOWINC • PARAC:LIDINC MOlJNTAIN CLINICS • FOOT LALJNC:11 OPEN YEAR ROUND llFM:J l RFSORT EQUll'MFNT SALES AND SFRVICF

(800) I ntcrnct Addrc.1.s: 1.:.Mail Addrc.ss: hang-glidc~'\iutcr h:mks.rntn

RED RJVFR AIRC:RAFT/CO .. .JIANC CLIDINC 11 ! -- Jeff l lunt, li81 l Red River St., Austin Texas 78/51. Pb/fox (512) i\6/-257.'J rrajd]C,ilaol.com

Sec Norrh Carolina.

WISCONSIN RAVFN Sl<Y SPORTS 1 IANC Cl.lDINC AND PARACI.IDINC The midwest's Premier :wrorow flight park, founded in I 'J'J2.. l'cantri11g INTEGRAi' ED INSTR UC! 'JON of foor-1:ltlnch and aero tow tan· dern skills, at prices ro heat any in the USA. Seven bca11til"11l, grassy training hills all wind directions. hrnr Dragonfly tow planes, no v,raii-ing! Two tandem on wheeled tllldercarriagcs. WW Falcons for training li-mn the very /Jrst lessons. lJSUA tdtralight and tug instr11ction. Paragliding tows. Free camping. Sales/service/accessories for all brands. Open l days :1 week. Contact Brad I<ushncr, P() Box IO I, Wl1itewarcr WI 53190 (Ii I Ii) liTl-8800 phone, (Ii IIi) li?l-8801 fox, wvvw.l1a11gglidi11g.co1n, l)rac\(tbh;1ngglilli11g.corn

PARTS & ACCESSORIES

-- -------------- ----- ··-·-···········

TOTAL AIR SPORTS··- Area's OLDEST Wills Wing dealer. C:crrifled instruction available. "I only DEAL with WILLS". 6.,5/i Limestone, Houston TX 77092. (71J) 956-(,li\7.

AFROTOWINC ACCESSORIES Sec TOWIN( :. Tl rE WAI .l.ABY RAN CJ I (9ft 1) lt24-0D70.

UTAH

PENNSYLVANIA MOlJNT/\fN TOP RLC:RFATION Certified instnrction, Pittsburgh. (4 12) (,97-/ili7l. C'MON OUT AND Pl.AV! MOUNTAIN WINC:S

ARMAJ )I] .LO CLIDER BAC ;s --- Protect your from lJV :md all of natmcs elctncnrs. C:ustorn made heavy-duty polypropylene w/f'trll length zipper $105 (plus $10 s/h.) FXCLUSIVEIY through Kclltuckiana Soaring, li25 N Taggart Ave., C:l:irksvillc IN li7129. (812) ;,8/l71 I I, fox (812) 28/i-lil 15. MC/Visa.

Look under New York.

PUERTO RICO

HY PUERTO RICO Team Spirit Hang (;liding, HC cLisscs daily, t:mdem instruction available. Wills Wing dealer. Clidcr rentals f<,r qualified pilots. PO Box 978, i'um:t Santiago, 1'11erto Rico 00741. (7S7) 28'i09%. 'J'l,:NNFSSFF.

LESSONS, SALES, SERVICE, TANDEMS 1 888-9/ifi.'j/ilJ

BALL M-50 Air speed and Tl'., like new, just rec:rlibrarcd at factory, used very little $1i50. (80'i) 77.Hl70li evenings.

VERMONT EARTH ;\ND SKY ADVENTURE SPORTS Starting Marci, 1st, Bob Corbo&. Jon Atwood will offer spring inspections and lidl annuals. Advanced

training, from approaches to

acrobatics, thermal and XC techniques. All Wills Wing products available' Sray 11111cd 1,,r progress. (802) 7G:l 9265, email: carthsky~ilvcrrnontcl.com VIRGINIA HAWK AIRSPORTS INC: P.O. Box 90'\(,, Knoxville, TN T79/i0-005G, (li23) 2.12--li'J'Jli. J Jang ( ;liding and world fa mot ts Windsnks. LOOKOUT MOliNTAI N 1:uc;J IT PARK

Sec

ad under ( :corgia. 1\1,lJl,'. SKY l Iigh quality instntction, equipment sales, sewing, towing supplies, Clider Savers. Call Steve Wendt in J larrisonburg VA, (5/iO) li.12--(,557.

APRIL 199B

BEST !?" WJIFEI.S 1\VAJI.ABJ.E Super a rn11;;1 for (raining, tandern flying. Built-in bushings. Only USA-built I wheel. $1i2.'J5, qu,mtity di.o.,cou11t.s. Immediate l.ookoul Mountain, (800) (,88-LMFP.

GIFTS & TROPJ llFS Unique, unrn,ral I.Ii creative hang gliding related gifts and trophies. Free catalog! Soaring Dreams, 11716 Fairview, Boise lrfaho 83713. (20s) .rn;.7911i.

KENTUCKIAN/\ SOARING Comn1unicati011s -Specialist! Best !'rices & Best Service! ( \1smrner Satisfaction ( ;u,iranreed! VARIOS: FUGHT DECKS NEW BAI.I. CR/\PI JJCS PLUS B/\LI.Ml'J .. Fl.YT EC

..... $CALL .. $375.00 .. ... $CALL

MET.METS PEI .I .E Full Face, a few left ................. .... retail $160 ..... Clearance $95 CLOCDBASF lNSTRUMFNTS $25 Spring Rebate through li/31 /98. Call for details. The gh 18000 Alrimeter/Variomctcr is responsive and accurate. 1r sup plies critical pilot information without the conltrsion of superfluous fr:ttures $7h'). 758A Portola Street, The Presidio, San Frnncisco CA 9/i 129. (41 'i) 92.1-] 1Tl.

HF.AVYDLJTY, WATERPROOF PVC hill //10 zipper, $107 ppd. XCCarno or white. //'j zipper $65 ppd. Gunnison Gliders, 15/i') County Road 17. Gunnison CO 812.10. (970) 6/i 1.93 Vi.

Ri\DlOS-/\1.l. MO! JFLS AV /\JL/\BT .F YAESU FTl 1R . .......... 5 wart ................ $305.00 KENWOOD Tl 122 ........... 5 wan... ... $C/\JJ. F/C l'ingerswirch/l lcadse1.. .. f-leavy Duty ... $89.00 5/8 TFI.ESCOl'JC ANTENNA.... .. .. $20.')5 .. .. $17.9', 5/8 G/\IN DUCK/\NTENN/\.. Farralk Kenwood.... .......... Clearance.. ... $60.00 Yacsu Mobile. .......... 'iO watt. .$305.00 TUNE UP w/Warranty In1act.. .$.15-50.00 Pi\R/\CHUTES WILLS WING L/\RA .......... w/Paraswivcl. Ill(;J I ENFRGY QUANTUM ..

... $C/\Ll ..$C/\LL

MlSCFIJ.1\NEOlJS ARM/\Dll H) Glidcrhag ..... Regular &. XC: .... $105.00 WINI) ADVISORY AlRSPEED W/Cl:irnp .... $21.00 I!/\ LL I'(; AlRSPEH) ......... Clearance .. .. .. $25.00 I !OOK KNIFE.. . .................................... $1/i.')5 Hy FlNCFRSWITCll RADIO HEADSET Connections. 1-TEAVY..J)lJTY w!f'ingcr mo1u1tcd switch, comrnnnicate with hands on control bar or brakes. Safer flying and more reliable com111t111icarions. 90 day mfg warranty, w/repair service avail:tblc beyond warranty. Available l,,r Yacsu, [con,, Alinco, Kenwood &. other compatible radios. F11ll face or open helmets. $89 1$3.50 shipping, MC/Visa, dealer inquires invited. Kentucki:ma S0ari11g, 42') N Ave., Clarksville IN li712'J. (812) 2887111, fox 28/i-lii15. SPECIAI.TZING IN COMMUNICATIONS.

GARMIN CPS 12 $179. Many other sories available. Call Chad m (805) 569-1667

accesmore

info

si tc:

visir

our

web

KF.NTUC:KI/\N/\ SOARINC

HICI! PERSPECTIVE WJIEFI.S Rc,tl lifo savers! 12", light, rongh. Fits all gliders. Send $Ii 1.95 -, $/i.50 per pair to Sport Aviation, PO Box 101, M1ngclVlllc l'A 1685(,. /\sk abot1t om dealer prices.

TIIF NEW lNCREDJI\IF F/\RMIKE 515, 575 Just plug it imo the outlet in yom car and press the ptr butt1>n rhc co1mol piece when trans C11J be fit rhrough your sleeve and :11tach 10 your with Velcro. The earpiece is w;rshablc. Earmike 515 is lor !corn, Yaesu, i\linco and more. Farmike 575 is for Kenwood. Introductory price for the best mic in the rmrl,ct is $9/i.95. JSA ph/fox (718) ?77 7000.

(812) 288-7111 fox (812) 28/i ..fil 15

MINI VARIO World's smallest, simplest vario! Clips Lo helmet or chinstrap. 7.00 hours 011 baucrics, 0 18,000 fr., fosr response and year warramy. Great for paragliding mo. ONLY $169. Mallcncc, PO Box 157'56, Santa Ana CA, 92'135. (llli) 'J66-12li0, M< :/Visa accc1i1ed, 111rnalle1 tGilaol.com

Sell

ht! p://www.body1rt'nd.s.com/paraacc.htm

HANC Cllf)IN(;

A 'frne Hong t?illdtng Storv

b\l LARRY X,'U!)MINO

The worlcl-·dass XC:R 1SO opera res np to :l hours V'']8,000 ft. rmd only /ilh. Complete kit with harness, c:mnub and remote on/off ttov,rm,tcr. only $:375.00. SIVl/\1.L I I FL/VIETS Dealer overstock on small/xs kcvlar full face helmets. 7-5'X, offl Raven Sky Sports (Ii 1Ii) /il}-8800. hrad&1)hanggliding.com TEK FIJGI IT PRODUCTS

mo1111ls

DON'T GET Ci\UGHT LJ\NDINC DOWN WIND! - 1.5 oz. ripstop nylon, UV treated, 5'ii" long w/ 1 I" throat. i\vailahlc colors Cluoresccnt pink/yellow or lluorescent pink/white. $39.95 (+$ii.75 SIii). Send ro USHC/\ Windsok, P.O. Box I :330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 13:lO, (71 <J) 632-8300, lax (719) 632-C,!i I VISJ\//VIC: accepted.

SOJ\RI NC - Monthly magazine of The Soari11g BUSINESS & F.MPLOYMENT

Camera mount $/i8.50. Camera remote (ask ahom rebate) $/i5. Vario moum $15. G" wheels $).9.'75, S&l I inclnrlcd. TEK FLIGHT Products, Colebrook Or call (SGO) 379. 1668.

Tl TE lJJ TR/\ LlCI TT Ultra strong foll face protect ion you deserve. All sizes in stock. Only $279. Call Ni\Pf/Fligl11 Design at (509) 92Vi5G5 to order yours today!

Socici-y ol America, Inc. ( :overs all aspects of soaring

J JC INSTRUCTOR NFEDED

For spring&. summer '98. T:rndem needed, teach at the famous l'oin1 ol' the Mountain. hcndits. ( :0111act Hanley & Linda Comfort, The Soaring Center (80 I) 5766/i60, hx (80 I) 57G-M8~, or send resume: 126(,5 S. Minuteman U1,, Ill, Draper UT 8/i020, email I lBCWllaol.co111 L/VIFP NFFDS FXl'FRIFNC:FD I IF.LP sl,op. Call /\Ian or Marr ('!OG) 39fkl541.

6" wheels

Bi\C !Tt If you don't have your copy ol- Dennis Pagcn's PERFORMANCE Fl.YING yet, available through USI-ICJ\ I lcadquartcrs $2').')'5 (, $5.50 s&h for lJPS/Priority Mail delivery). US! !CJ\, l'Ollox 1,BO, Colorado Springs ( :o 80')01. I 800-G I 6-(,888

In the sew

MORI: 1'1YINC·IVIORF TI/VIEIVIORF /VIONFY /VI ark Yarnall, business rnemor & SU(:< :FSS IVIJ\G;\. /.INF Contributing Editor, believes pilots wmdd fly more, if they had the time & money. Learn how to have more t imc to Hy and the money to rake care oC your /,nances. Please contan (/02) 884-liOJO. SlJ/VIIVIFR JOB Driver wanted for hanf, gliding rrip to various sites in the wes1ern US/\. /Vlid-/Vlay through July, possibly August. $210 per week plus hotel. Call"] follywood" for more information. (561) (,li2·263(,, mcchamplin~1lfli11c1.com QlJJT YOUR DJ\Y JOB! Buy one of rhc nation's largest schools and paid ro ilyl Rapidly growing turnkey operation, for derails. Established over 5 years in 1hc Northwest. Earn/Learn. Terms. (50:l) 52/i-7709, wanted.

WANTFD I-fang Cliding/J'aragliding instructors. Immediate full rime openings available:. l.ivc the California drcarn ... instruct students ai- the San Francisco Bay arc/s premier naining site. Service shop

flight. l'ull member.ship $5'i. Info. kit with sample copy $3. SSJ\, P.O. Box F, Hohhs, NIVI 882ii 1. (50'\) l'l2 I 1'17. TOWINC AEROTOWING ACCESSORIES l lcadquancrs for: The finest releases, secondary releases, Speclra "V" bridles, weak links, tandem wheels, launch ctrt kits, ere. THEWJ\LLJ\BY RJ\NCII (9iil) li21t 0070. SCOOTER TOW svs·n:IVIS prices. (972) :J'J0-90')0.

J\vaibblc at various

UITR/\1.!NF - In stock, ready to ship. 3/16"d000' $105. }/16"xli000' $\Ii 5 included. Cajun Hang Cliding Club, 110 Kent Lafayette I.I\ 70508. (:l I 8) 981 8 l77.

VIDFOS & FIL/VIS FIRST FLIGHT -- Follows the action of a new pilot's first lessons. This video is an way to show yonr friends and family how you learn to lly. YI IS 15 minutes. $20 includes shipping (may he aJ!Plied to lesson p11rrhr1.1e'). /VIJSSION SOJ\RINC CENTER, 1116 Wrigley Way, Milpitas CJ\ 'J'\035. (li08) 7.62-10':iS.

Hi\NC CUD FR 11\NDJNC lO I ;\ must for all students at 1/2 price of a dowmuhe. Acrobatic J,,mg gliders at airshows of the Southwest: Phoenix, Lake Powell, /Vlcxico, 90 minutes. Send $35 to: JcfT Reynolds, 1902 E Sharon Drive, Phoenix /\'/, 8'i022. (602) /i87. 9723.

employment is also available. J\sk for Pat Denevan (IJ08) 2621055. IVIS(:J-1( ;Gi>aol.com www.li:,ng gliding.com PlJB!JCJ\TIONS & ORGJ\NIZJ\TIONS CJ\Ll. US! IC/\ form. From the early Hr111g Gliding (719) G:32-8300.

APRIL 199B

to the prcsctH

PARTY AT CLOUDBASF A 11:rng gliding music video by Adventure Productions $19.95. POINT OF TIIE MOUNTAIN Award winning East <:oast Video, hg/pg action at this llrah mecca I !ANG GI.IDINC EXTREME & BORN TO !'LY hy Adventure l'ruductions, grca1 hg action $:$-1.95 each. llAWJ\!IAN Pl.YIN hy 9, soaring in p:1tadisc, anw.ing Lnmches $Tl. USI IC/\ (719) 632 8:\00, fox (719) 6:32-6/i 17, email: l!shgav·!ll!shga.org. !'lease add ,$Ii domestic s/1, (, $5 for two or more videos). Creal to impress your friends or for those socked-in days. Perfect gif'r for the launch potato turned couch potato. J\lso, ask t1s abom our paragliding vidcosl

w/crnisc harness; blue/red parachute; blue Skylark v:1tio. Nick Colli us ((,01) 331-2602.

V!DEOS BOOKS & POSTERS~- Call CS! !CA for your Merchandise order form (7 l 9) 6:12-8300, email: usl1gaV1\1shgG.ort\· DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING TN THE GA RACE. SF.LL IT IN THE JIANG GI.IDJNG CLASSIFIEDS.

horn the first Telluride l'estival in 1981, to the mod cm day l't,llow the history of' this dynarni, Call US!-1( ;A (71 ')J (il2· 8300, fax (719) (,.l2 (,ii 17, email: llshga(i1't1shga.org. Please add , $Ii domestic s/h.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES The rate for classified advertising is $.'iO word (or group ofcbar acters) and $1.00 per word bold or all MINI MUM J\D CHARGE $5.00, A fee of 15.00 is charged l,1r each line art logo and $25.00 for each pho· to. L!NEART & PllOTO SIZE NO 1./\RGFR Tl TAN 1.75" X . !'lease underline words to he in bold print. Special layo111s of tabs $2.5.00 per column inch. l'honc 11umber 2 words. Email or web addrcss·:lwcmls. AD DFADI.JNFS: All ad copy,

MISCEI.I.ANFOUS

instructions, c!umgc.s, additions :1Dd canccll;.aions rn11s1 he received in I 1/2 Jllonths preceding the cov-

TELLURIDE AEROBATICS

er date, i.e. I 20th for the February issne. Please make checks payable to USllCA, l'.O. Box I 3:30, Colorado Springs, CO 80')0 I . J:J:l(), (719) 6:,28}00. bx (ll 9) 632-Cli 17 or email: 11shga~1l11shga.org yonr chssilicd wit Ir yonr Visa or Mastercard. STOLEN WINGS & THINGS BLACK FLFECE JACKET Lost at POINT OF Tl lF MOUNTAIN, UT. Wind meter in pocket. Frie Prorny (')70) 926-7(,7C. ·'AEROBATICS" l'llli color 23"x 3 I" poster fc:ntur ing John l kiney doing what he docs best-·l.OOl'IN( ;! Available through USJ!(;A !IQ for jnst $(>.95 (1$3.50 s/h). Fill that void on your wall! Send 10 US! J(;A Acrobatics Pmtcr, i'O Box 1:100, Colorado Springs C:O 80')33. (USA & Canada only. Sorry, posters arc NOT J\V1\ll.t\BI.E 011 intcrn:11ional orders.) SPECIAL-Acrohatics poster & Fri, Raymond poster BOT! I FOi<.$ IO ( ,$.3.50 s/h).

BAI.I. (;C.70 & <_;/\RMIN '15 Stolen from harness bag inside truck at BlJl'J!AJ.O MOUNTAIN, TJ\J.J. HINA, OK, Oil Ju!lc 8, I')97. Both tt1011111cd together 011 a single Ball clamp. Ball ( ;c: serial t1ttmber Ii J. !'etc llatnmcr (2lli) 5(i2-lii02, email: Pctc.l la11nncrv1lMCl.com YJ\FSU RADlO at TELLURIDE Fl.YIN, CO, 19')6, snial number Ii N20 I"/{U. Dave Broyles (2 lli) 72/.:3588. SOLAR WINGS SCANDAi. Stolen from VANCOUVER, BC CANAD/\ on August 10th, 19%. 1:\.6 meters, Jibe edge & Ulldersurfocc, blue chevron

CAL CLOVF

STOLEN WINGS arc lisrcd as a service to lJSHCA members. Newest entries arc in hold. There is 110 charge for this service and lost and found wings or cqnipmc111 ma)' be called in (719) 632-8300 or fox it in (71 'J) 6.,2 6/i 17 for i11cl11sion in I Cliding maga· zinc. Please call to crnccl the listing gliders arc recovered. Periodically, this will be purged.

Advcnrurc Productions ...................... 21 Acrolighr USA ................................... 56 A irtimc ................................. ,.............. 6 Airwavc .............. -- .... """"""'"···· ...... 2:3 Altair ...... -- ......................................... 3 I Arai Design ....................................... 28 Braunigcr ............................................ 7 JiJytcc ,............................................... 56

]·Jail Bros .......................................... .45 High Energy Sports ............................. 7 I caro ................................. ·-· ................ 9

Jusr Kitty Hawk Kites .............................. 49 Lookout Mrn. ],light Park .............. 2,21 Moyes ............................................... 39 Neilsen-Kellerman .............................. 5 North Wing ...................................... 21 Personal Plight .................................. 10 Sceclwings., .................................. ,..... 49 Sport Aviation Pub\ications ................. 5 U.S. Acros ........................................ .lt7 US Aviation ...................................... 57 USHCA ........ 5,7, 11, 15,21,29,45,56,62 Wills Wing ......................... Jhck Cover Women's World Tcam ...................... 31i

CABRFTTA

LEATHER GLOVES,

famom in cq11estri:rn cir· popularity in the hang gliding, pa1·adm1ing markets. t\vaibblc in men, women & sizes, 9 dilfrrcnr colors and priced Crom $27.')5-$:l').'h. h,r more info on riH'se superior kmhcr gloves contact: Cal-Clove, 2'J?.O A11b11rn lllvd, Sacramento CA ')5821. (91(,) li81 8701, fax (')16) 181--1168, email: c11-glove~11 j1rno.rnm

HANC GUDINC

@ 1998 by Dan Johnson S'l'. Pl\UL, MN ···· F'o1kt3, right off, it<?mt., of that don't to hang Tn t:.h<:: December ' 97 is:::;1ie; T wrote about :indu::1try eader, Ken Brown. 'I'he story m(;ntioned Ken' (?mployc,r, man named ,Jim Lee, who was killed uJtraliqht accick,nt. didn't focm; on J,ee as l:he sl:ury wc1s about Brown. HOW(,,Vc-?r, perhaps I sbou] d' ve spelled it ou\ Some; reade;rs thought· 1 mc'?ant Jim Lee, the high Ly rankE,d hang glider pilot·:. THIS IS NOT '!'RUE. wrote tl1at t.he; o/:h12r J:im uLtraLi.g}1t dove] ba:::ed in the? hang glidc::r cJim ·is nol: involved wiL·.h and Lives in L:hc, Some p:i l oU:: Uecember cmd put t:.hat news t:ed dc,ath at; the Wor Jd :in diJnuary, coricludinq tJic, pilot: had lost hi:, T'o mak,, hang wor.se, concerns expressed to .Ka thy, Jjm (t:he IIG pilot:). 'Phis surely scared the daylights out of so to even lel: me : J·i m , the, hamJ glider pilot, is very alive and well. Unfort:unate.Ly, have bad new:c; of my own Uw l. many n::adcn:; know, ] am l.hE? bu:::;:i Cumulus ultralight. mot:orgJidc2r under In late February, S(NeraJ had beE.m made, on this .Long ·awai L·.cd proj0,ct, desic1ner ancl manufacturer Jim Collie was ki.l (c,d while fl the cl.ory produel:i on prototype. IL the problem tc,d t·.o cl de] aminc1tion of l:hc D·cc-,11 skin which Jead l:o cal:astrophic Iailurc? of the Jett . wing. ,Ti.m was D t.c1lenl:ed enginE,er, a man of and a credit to the Ji.grit: c1.vi.ation industry he loved. To say he wi J be mi c,d i huge underst:atement. Many llanq glider pi.I ot· have j nquired ubou U1e Cumu.l c1.nd some had met Col Sbiprnent c::i.rn on hold pending Lhe complel:ion of ,m inv,2stigation. Now J turn l:o brighter news t.he hang g] iding community ... Yet another Tow Airpark sprunq up, this one :in t:he west· which makes it [i which r 'm aware. (IL you know of ol:ho1"s, pl let: me know!) . The addj t: on t:he Sierra Dragonfly Club near Carson City Nevada. Currenl:ly club i:c; locat.cd at an ght: park ed Parker. T'hey plan t.o move to Minden, well known name among sailpJ anE:c pilots who (':nj oy the reliabl soaring. 'l'he Si( ,rra Dn1gonfJyenc:; expecU.ng designer nobby Bailey t:o bring and build new tug by about· mid May. For more Ray Leonard' l\cfoc,nture Sports 707,-fl83 D'lO. In additional to aerotowing you' 11 be able to the Millennium nee L:he planned L:o offer fact:ory secvicc new D-cell glider from Bri.ghtsl:ar. :ird tiatinq for the, nE:,w competitor to L:he I am somewhat o the development T' ju:.,L: bc(m c3ent new photos igl1t ( 1ook,3 qood ! ) and e:mployc~r, BRS, is f:int1]i 0

APRIi

I gem

emerqency 'chut" sy,;tr:,m. 'J'he Ec,ar1:i.er Swift:s were so Lei w:LU.1. a ballistic 'chute. Jolm Borton, head man at western distributor 'l'hi.n A:ir De,;igns, be.I ieves "80% of t:he purchasers oJ t.his gJ i ck,r wilJ opt for ball ho tic 'chu 'chutes, Mike Sa:ndlin wants to q:iw, ,1way. Lrut:h, afte,r being inspired by Charlie l3auqhman' [nvert.ed Hang ;:;ystem q:iveaway, Mike "I have :3:imilar non ·product. " He t:o his "k.oel sta.bilized hang glider drogue •chute." He' had draw:i ngs and gu.i.dc'?Liner; on t:J1e for a year at www.wa1laby.com/mackey/drogue. Af:ter becoming isfLed th l:he version, Mi kc now wan t:s to it:... al Lhouqh you' have to make ymn own. He sayi; he's bc.;en ying witb t for E,even years and use::; iL on almost evc-,ry fligllt· mDk(~co land.i.nq,; Sancllin reportB, "Tbe cf on are minor ,md the steep glide am'! ,;hort: qrouncl i3kirn major con ic'kmce bu cler,, in qht situa i.ons." l\lso check the hanq qJi.cler home page [or mon'c' ck::L:ails and Uien, help yrnil'.selJ! Wa] laby enjoyed ct huge even\· Wills Winq Jaunched the:i r 25th Anniversary Celebration.. In t:hrce days of good weathc,r ( thank.s, El Nino, backing of[ ljttle), the Ranch logged <l?6 tows! l:uqs r·an com3Lstent:]y and managc,r David Clove.r say,, no one ever waited moni t:hcrn ten minu.L:es. A.Lt:itu.des reached 5, DOO and many pilots rc,corded four hour Not much country occurred h~cause of an impendj nq part:y under t. .he "bi() Len Over :uo p lot were present, :i.ncLucling represent.at ·i frorn no lc::s,; t:han ,'.]7, WW dealorc3l:"Jips, boU1 U.S. and oven;eas. 'T'he L: news: 7,ero prob1c::ms, zero injuries. Amen! However, since nobody wanted to lc,ave the party, WalJaby' $1,000 prize for the i.rst~ f]i.ght to reach Ceorqia went unc]aimed. cou1d l1appcm ! 'rh0, previous record was 1117 miles mid t:J1al:' s qett.inq cloc,e. If your own q.L:ider isn't good <::'nougli for t:he go] c1, ren.t one t:he Ranch. Manaqer Uavid tboy topless :iders plus t.he Exxtasy Dnd Millennium available. 'l'hey've sold over a dozen ot the ll·· eel ls already and deaJ in both. ComincJ up soon also at: Wallaby (don' cJuyc, ever inc?) is GW Moadow' Atlantic Coast Championships. 'J'hi.s event wLl l L:ake p1 tl1ei last week t:his monl:h, prec:i.:,eJ y pl.aced cicJht at Uic end ot the big Sun 'n Fun "Ho11ywood" Champlin j orqa.n :inq Count:r:y and Competition Symposium. already enli,;ted "11c.1me f]yers" ] ike Mark "C.1bbo" Gibson and Mike Barber. He bas tcntativc,Jy ned up Lar:ry •rudor, ;rim Lee, Brad Koj i, and Chris Arai (if a] t.o compete). Tbe aLI day evenl: i;, plarmc?d for Saturday 4/25/98 just: betore t:he contest. beqins. Info: Wallaby at 941-4::::40070, or mccbarnpl in@flinel:.com. Out ta room. So, got news or opinions? Sccnd 'em 8 Dorset:, St Pau:J MN ':i')lUl. F'ax or VmaiJ t:o 6J2 IJ':i0·0930. Post. eMai] to Cum11lusMa11@c1ol.com. THANKS!

DECISIONS,

8CIS1

The latest composite. semi-cantilevered technology yields adramatic performance increase for those pilots who require the very top of the line. measured sMility levels comparable to conventional designs with unsurpassed sink rate. l/0and high speed performance. Winner of siH out of seven major UJ meets in 19~7. One size -HffiGA certified. Smaller fusion under aevelopment.

With two U.S. and one Canadian national Championship titles. and aWoman's World Championship. the "HC" offers proven. competition class performance in amore economical. conventional configuration. Three sizes -HGffiA certified.

The move-up glider with all the features and performance you need. Set VG loose.and equipped with the optional keel mounted stabilizer. it is the perfect move-up glider from the falcon. With the V6 engaged. it becomes acapable advanced soaring and cross country machine. The most versatile glider we've ever made. Two sizes -HGffiA certified. Ultra Sport 13S coming soon.

THf industry standard for entry level hang gliding and pure. simple. recreational soaring. fHtraordinary

soaring performance in alight weight. hassle free design that is incredibly easy to fly. ijuite simply,the most enjoyable hang glider you can fly. four sizes -HGffiA certified.

LU~

Nti

Qua lit y aircraft for e x ceptiona l people .

500 west blueridge ave. orange. ca 92865 usa tel 714.998.6359 fax 714.998.0647 web: www.willswing.com e-mail: comments@wil lswing.com