USHGA Hang Gliding May 2000

A Publication of the United States Hang Gliding Association • May 2000 • $3.95

(USPS O17-970-20 - ISSN 0895-43.3X)

16 The Michael Champlin World X-C Challenge by john Scott An X-C come.st for everyone.

22 A Puerto Rico Reconnaissance © 2000 by Dermis Pagen Great flying in rhis semi-auconornous U.S. possession.

36 Situational Awareness © 2000 by G. W Meadows, mrtoon by !-/any Martin Remaining aware of che hig picrurc.

40 The Spin On Spins

© 2000 by Dennis Pagen Something ro he concerned and knowledgeable abour.

44 Cummings Valley Condors

by Jerry Schimke Soaring wich che nearly-extinct Cal iforn ia C ondor.

47 The Masters In Hang Gliding

by Tiki Mashy No, nor Hang V pilors -

Lori S:md1e2 and her hang gliding art.

Columns

Departments

Wing Tips, by Rodger Hoyt .................. 6

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

High Perspective, by M. Robertson .... 28

Update .............. ....... ............. ..................8

President's Corner, by David Glover ... 30

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

Incident Reports, by BilJ Bryden ........ .38

Ratings ....................... ................... ....... 56

USHGA Director Listing .................... 43

Classified Advertising .. .. ...................... 51

Hawker & Vario, b)' Harry Martin ..... 50

Index tO Advertisers ................ .............62

Product Lines, by Dan Johnson ......... 6.3

MAY 2000

3

Gil Dodgen, Dave Pounds, Art John Heiney, Gerry Charlebois, Leroy Grannis, Mark Vau!1hn 1 Bob towe Photo/!,mphers Harry Martin, 11/ustmtor Dennis Pagen, Mark Stucky, Rodger Hoyt, G.W. Meadows, Jim Palmieri, Bill Bryden S1arr Wrilcrs Staff

Phil Bachman, Executive Diroclor, phbachman@ushga.org Jeff Elgart, Advertising, ,u,11,a1'11m11,""'" Joanne Peterson, Member rjpriterson@ushga.org Natalie Hinsley, Merchandise Se1vices, njhinsl<0y@ushg,wrg John Halloran, Administmtive Dimc1or, jghalloran@ushga.org Ckda Ungles, Member Se1vices1 cungles@ushga.org USN GA

David Glover, !'resident, r1m,1r/C,1!rl:1v1r101r,•vr>r, Mark Ferguson, Vice !'resident, markrfilhi,'lv:irios Bill Bryden, Secrctary,hl;rydM@hsonline.net Geoff Mumford, Trcasuror, gmtm1frxd@apa.org

Jim : Frank Gillette.

6: Jeff Sinason. REGION 7: Bill Bryden.

RECION ll: Sharpe;. REGION 9: Randy Geoff REGION IO: David Clover, Taber. REGION 1·1: l(cnt Robinson. REGION 12: Paul DIRECTORS AT LARCE: Ed Pi1rnan, Paul Rikert,

Dan Jan Johnson, Dennis I IONORARY DIRECTORS: G.W. Mc•adows, Hanirnh, Randy Adams, John Hnrris, Steve !<mop, Larry Sanderson (SSA), Chris DuP,iul, Gene Mallhews, Lms Linde, Ken llrown, Rob Kells, Michael Robertson, Uz Sharp, Russ Locke. EX-OFFICIO DIRl'CTORS: Art Grc,mfiold (NAA).

HANG GLIDING rnagozine is published for Ing sport enthusiasts lo crea1r, further the and to provide an oducalionn\ forum to advance 111c1hods mid safoty. Contributions are wf'I .. come. is inviled lo contribule articles, and illustrntions hang gliding activiti,is. the, material is to be ;i self.";1elrlressed return envelope must be unclosod. must be made or submission to other hang glid'1ng public;1tions.

HANG GUDING magazine resurves the 10 edi1 con!ributions whero necessary. The

and

do 1101 assume responsibility for the rnaleri·" or opinions of contributors. MANG GLIDING edi!orial offices; 3144"1 Sanla Suite A·256, Rancho Santa (949) 8/lil· 7363, fox (949) The USHGA is a mc,mber·"controllecl sport om,,m;,,;,tir,n dedicated to the exploration and promotion all facets of rmpowered and to the education, training and safely to anyone interested in !his realm of mernbcrship are $59 {of the publication oi ($70 rates only mr; ($46 non.LJS/\). should be sent six wer:ks in name, LJSHCA numhcr, previous and new a mailing label /mm a recent issue. tho E. Pikes Peak Ave,, , c;olorado Colorado 1>090:\ .. 3657 (7'1 !l) 632·1\300. FAX 6.12-641 PERIODICAL l)OSTACE is Colorado Springs, CO ;ind al additional rmiling

POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: HANG CL/DING, P.O. BOX 1330, Colorado Springs,

co !l(ll)()j • 1330.

MAY 2000 VOLUME 30, ISSUE No. 5

Air M ii TENNESSEE INVITE

TOPPERS

Dear Editor, I have rccen tly been elected president of the 'Tennessee 11·ce Tbppcrs. Most of you have probably heard of this club headquartered at the "Hang Gliding Capitol of the East," Dunlap, Tennessee.

For those of you who arc not famiJ". iar with the TTl~ the club owns both the launch and landing Add at Henson's Gap and also owns the launch at our Whitwell site. Both launches arc located in the beautiful Sequatchie Valley, a unique geological feature tha1 is a trench 1,500 feet deep, four miles wide and 50 or so miles long which offers great cross-country flying with farm fields and roads everywhere.

Over the years, the club properties have been developed and groomed to include such facilities as a clubhouse (stove, fridge, wood stove, telephone, beds, maps), a bath house (showers, sinks, flush toilers) and much landscaping, including several thousand square feet of grass sod on which to set up our precious wings. Our neighbor beside our Henson's l.Z has put a lot of work into clearing and planting grass in the lower part of the field, so now the usable landing area is approximately 40 acres.

I'm writing to invite all pilots traveling in the southeast region to drop by and become part of this great flying community. I would also like to encourage any "old-timers" who have been members in the past to come back and fly with us. 'The cost of membership has held steady at an incredibly reasonable $40 for one year. For this you gain access to all of the club's facilities and can enjoy a friendly, laid-back atmosphere with a minimum of hassles. lknson's is one of the best sites in the country for new pilots to take their first mountain flights, made possible by the world-famous radial ramp, a modern

marvel of hang gliding technology.

Whitwell is a more advanced site (Hang JII's and up) which faces the opposite direction, thus allowing flying on most days. On non·flyable days the surrounding area offers miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails as well as excellent rock"climbing cliffs and swimming holes. Chattanooga is a 40minute drive away and offers many great tourist attractions including a wor]d . renowned fresh-water aquarium.

This year we have two club parties scheduled. 'The first is Mayhem (May which is a celebration of the return of spring and the great conditions that accompany it. Later in the year we will be hosting Octoberfest (Sept. 30) as an opener to the Tc'.am Challenge which is a week-long competition geared toward encouraging pilots of all skill levels to test their abilities against both beginners and seasoned competitors.

Becoming a member is simple, When you arrive at either Henson's or Whitwell, just go to the signup station, ftll out a form and drop it down the slot along with your payment (a check is preferable but cash is okay). If you'd like to take care of the formalities before you travel you can download and print out the form from our website at: http://wcb.infoave.net/ rdanshdl/rrcctoppers/ and mail it to us. The website also has other goodies, includ·· ing information about the sites and directions to get here.

As a final note, Twould like to say that although the advent and subse·quent popularity of towing has resulted in a marked decline in membership over the last five years or so, I believe that the club is still the finest outfit in the country. 'fhe fact that there is no business operation here, either school or dealership, means that there is a relaxed, no-pressure atmosphere. 'This is a club that is by pilots for pilots a perfect place to indulge in the purest form of flight.

Feel free to call me at (423) 949HANC GLIDINC

p

s

A I ook 211 rr1e ':iport or Hc1ncJ Cili(Jinq Irie Wing 2mcJ Wriy 11 Work\ 1~1igr11 Skills to Lr1e HecJ1nncr Level f l1c]r1t Skills 1o 1J1e Novice Level I ly1ncJ ConcJ111ons I l2m(J Cil1cJ1ricJ [qu1prm,n1 More c:ilx)ut 1r1c /Jrinuplcs of IJrqkmncJ for I i1qr1 Al111ucJc (jet t1nq St&t ecJ 1n T2mcJcrr1 cmcJ fc)W Trr11ninq 1)1101 Sl1oulcJ Know Cil1cJ1nq Imm 1lie /Jro I lie\"

Plus

USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901

l -800-6 l 6-6888 fax

Air Mail 4999 or e-mail me at mid st@compuserve.com for more info on any TTT topic, or for information on the Team Challenge call Steve Bellerby at (416) 588--2:396, sbcllerbyQ)aol.com.

~y Rodger }loyt

Mark Furst Dunlap, TN

HAWAIIAN FLYJN' INFO Dear Edi ror, The recent arricle about hang gliding and paragliding in Hawaii provided great infrmnation. I Iowever, regarding rhe Big [sland l was surprised at the terms "bandito" and "somewhat disorganized," since it is mostly om-of-town pilots and instructors who fly bandito here and don't even try to contact local pilots.

The article also created the impression that anyone can fly here, anywhere he wants, and that we have unlimitedpotential flying sites. That impression is false and could endanger the fragile coexistence we have with Parker Ranch, the DLNR and the University of Hawaii, (NASA Observatory).

It was also suggested that there is "enormous unrealized soaring potential." That might be true, but the Big Island is very difficult to fly, with I l out of the 13 climate zones existing on earth being here. The flying site at Kealakekua has an intermediate/advanced landing area with low approaches over power lines.

The launch sire is a very shallow, usually very light··wind takeoff, with power lines right below it. Any light crosswind can be porentially disastrous for novice/intermediate pilots.

For flyi11g-conditions and general information call (808) 968-6856.

Please check with the local pilots, get a briefing and come prepared.

o you hear rhe sound of rubes clan king together when you set your bagged glider down on the ground? Among other things, it could he your keel hitting the crossbar center junction. Not only does it make a lousy xylophone, unnecessary wear and tear to have these parts consrantly chafing during transport!

When you fold your wings, wrap your from velcro sail tie (the one closest to the nose) around the keel as illustrated. This holds the keel up and keeps the tubes separated. ike giant Macy's balloons, thermals lean with the wind, and the top of a wind-tilted thermal can be as far as two miles or more from its source.

Just think: that's like a two-mile-long thermal you can't rmss 1t ifyou're flying parallel with the wind, that is.

When flying crosswind, your direction of flight is perpendicular to the therrnal's inclination. Your approach will be on the rhennal's shortest plane, vastly decreasing your chances of intersecting

it.

Tip: When flying downwind, fly

downwind.

Hctve a hot tip?

Achim Hagemann Mountain View, H l

6

it to "Wing Tips" do Hang Cliding ma'ra2;zne or e.. mttil rbhoyt(t!~~o. com.

An adventure book by Judy Leden, hang gliding and paragliding champion. Hard back, 24 pages of color photos - $26.95 Send your order or ask for a brochure:

Po Box 43, Spring Mills, PA 16875 - USA Tel/Fax: 814-422-0589 E-mail: pagenbks@lazerlink.com Web stte: www.lazerlink.com/-pagenbks

Order of up to $25: $3.00 Order of $25 to $50: $4.00 Order of over $50: $6.00 Save 10% - Order two books or more Save 20% - Order 5 books or more We accept credit cards.

custon11zi~d by you!

High Energy Sports offers a variety of safe, comfortable harness styles. Each harness is cut according to your body dimensions. You customize your harness with your choice of colors and options. We have over 30 different harness options available. You only pay for the options you order.

High Energy Sports Quantum Series Parachutes... The best you can buy! A reserve parachute is one of the most important purchases you will make. If properly cared for, your parachute will outlast your glider and your harness. A para-chute can be your last hope (or survival in a very bad situation. Make sure you have the best. .. make sure you have a Quantum Series l'arachute by High Energy Sports.

1521 E. McFadden #H, Santa Ana, CA 92705 phone: (Tl4) 972-8186 fax: (714) 972-1430 bettp@aol .com

by D. Pagen and B. Bryden Techniques for pilots and operators.

Payout winch, reel-in winch, static line and aerotowing. A must-read for all tow pilots - $29.95

Update LAST CALL FOR 2001 CALENDAR PHOTOS

T

H E MAY 31 DEADLI E IS ALMOST HERE, and we need your help! The USHGA Hang Gliding Calendar relies heavily on our esteemed membership for photo conrributions to this wonderful project. If you have some hot hang phorography, send it to us and send it today! Launching, landing, setup , breakdown , truck/aero/boac/dogsled rowing, whatever. If there is a hang glider in the photo we want to see it. If chosen, your photo will be immortalized for all the world to admire.

Remember, the deadline is May 31 !

Send your photography (horizontal slides preferred) ro: U HGA Calendar, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901. All photography will be treated with the utmost of respect and properly returned. Don't delay - send 'em today! If you should have any questions please cal] Jeff Elgart at (7 19) 632-8300 , or e-mail jjelgan@ushga.org.

Woody Valley harnesses they may call and arrange for a dealership. Customers may also comact the manufacturer directly.

Woody Valley has a complete line of harnesses for both hang gliding and paragliding, and more top competition pilors fly Woody Valley harnesses than any other.

Concacr: (914) 6473377, www.woodyvalley.com, mmwings@aol.com.

TENAX FROM WOODY VALLEY

T

he Tenax, the first completely windtunnel-designed and tested hang gliding harness in the world is here now in the U.S. Now yo u can get the ultimate in drag reduction with the comfort and attemion to detail that comes from Woody Valley.

The Tenax is purported to be the most aerodynamic harness ever designed and offered for sale. Up until now yo u had to chose from eirher carbon, hard-shell harnesses or the Nailor from Woody Valley.

The Tenax is available from most hang gliding dealers. If your dealer does not carry

TO FLY, DISCOVER HANG GLIDING TODAY!

A new video just released by the United .li.srates Hang Gliding Association is helping people from all walks of life discov-

er how modern hang gliding can easily help them realize their drean1s to fly. The video was created to show how hang gliding has evolved into a safe, affordable and fun way ro fly. It demonsrrates how modern technology, combined with enhanced training techniques, have made hang gliding easier to learn and safer than ever before.

The video's inspiring imagery likens hang gliding to flying free like a bird. A discussion of advances in hang glider design and co nstruction and descriptive facts abo ut world records offer background for the viewer ro understand that modern hang gliding is not the same as when it was first introduced in the 19GO's. "Hang gliding has evolved into a new, exciting and safe form of aviation," said the video's Producer, Paul H amilton of Adventure Productions.

"Filmed at several major hang gliding schools throughout the United States, tl1e video covers the gentle and easy training options fo r beginners, as well as the extreme aspects of hang gliding which make it educational, entertaining, and fun to watch," said Hamilmn.

Viewers experience a typical tandem discove1y flight through a complete sequence of rowing into the air behind an ulrralight, releasing at 3,000 feet, and in-air instruction for performing basic turns and speed control with a certified instructor

Fun. Flying. Friends. ~ 19-22, 2000 ' .. ad t4e '8eadl Dune Competition at Jockey's Ridge Flight Park Competition Clinics, Demos & Speakers • •~ Street Dance (we've taken it BAC K to the STREETS!) Rogallo Foundation Awards & BBQ Demo New Gliders from Moyes,Wills Wing & US Ae ros

CALLING ALL KITTY HAWK KITES INSTRUCTORS Come to the Instructor's Reunion - May 20, 2000

HANG GLIDING SPECTACULAR 8

SPONSORED BY KITIY HAWK KITES CALL l-800-334-4777 OR CHECKAT www.kittyhawk.com

H ANG GLIDING

FEATURING THE

USHGA Nationals of Paragliding , Stunt Hang Gliding, and Hang Gliding Speed Run. $25,000 cash purse August 30, - September 5, 2000 Aspen , Colorado, USA REGISTRATION/INFORMATION

www.redbullwings.com e-mail: fly@redbullwings.com Phone: Othar Lawrence at 970.948.0808

... hanggliders, planes, paragliders and rigid wings.

For pilots, who dream our dream of flying!

alongside. Other options for learning to hang glide arc described, from training on a beginner hill to simularor training. ·1 'he progression from the bunny hill to the more advanced techniques of gaining alti-· tude on rising air currents concludes with the final message, "Discover Hang Gliding, Today!" ''Almost everyone I meet says that they have always wanted to hang glide. This production was designed to help them realize their dreams and to start hang gliding, today," says Matt ·1 aber, mastermind and director of the production. Matt Taber is owner of Lookout Mountain Flight Park, just outside of Chattanooga, 'Tennessee, the largest hang gliding school in the United States.

"Hang gliders are certified to strict standards similar to general aviation aircraft for strength and safe flying characteristics. 'fhis video will help spread rhc message that modern hang gliders are now safe and easy to fly," says Rob Kells, president of Wills Wing, the Lirgcst hang glider rrnmufactur· ing company in the United States. Rob was

instrumental in the video's production from conception to final production.

Phil Bachman, Executive Director of the United Stated Hang Gliding Association says, "l foci this video will help hang gliding schools recruit more students and present the positive image hang gliding has earned over the years."

The video is 10 minutes long. It is available from the United States Hang Gliding Association by calling 1-800-616-6888 or by visiting the Association's Web site, www.ushga.org. The cost is $15.95 plus $4 shipping. lt is also available from local hang gliding schools or Adventure Productions, ( 717--0175 (phone/fax), www.advcnturcp.com.

NEW WEB

A

new Web site bas just been created for pilots focusing on local and national pilot fun and flying. Currently six areas arc included: l) A site for the Reno/Tahoe/Carson :uea that will be updated. lt will be a free service and pilots

can also submit photos of the sites for publication. 2) A new concept in running a cross-country competition over the sutnn1er of 2000 from Slide Mountain will set a standard for fim-flying virtual competitions. 3) A video site guide filmed by pilots from all over the nation will allow them opportunity to get their footage in circulation and have it be part of a new site-guide video series. 4) Details of current events and local fun fly-ins, demo days, and in the Reno/Tahoe/Carson region. 5) A new AirGcar section geared at equipment and techniques for intermediate and advanced pilots. 6) A new version of a "Whack Tape" is currenrly being nq(ot11atc:d with the infamous Whack man himself, Paul Voight.

Visit www.aclventurcp.com and click the "Pilots Advantage" section. Please note that the six areas listed above may be modified by the time you read this. Visit the site for current, up-to«date inforrnation.

P

aul Hamilton of Adventure is calling for flying footage to be ed in a new video site guide. After talking with many pilots from sites around the country, Paul is aware that there are many pilots flying and filming their sites. "Ifl can get enough footage from different sites from around the country, I will produce a U.S. Site Guide video," he comments.

This is your chance to be part of a project to highlight you and yom site. Certain criteria will be necessary in order to make certain the footage and info is included in the guide.

Contact: Paul Hamilton, OI paul@adventurep.com. You can also go to the "Pilot's Site Guide Video" page in the "Pilot's Advantage" section of the Adventure Productions Web site at www.advcnturep.com.

U

pdated software is now available free of charge to all Aircotec 'fop Naviga·· tor pilots. This is the Swiss manufacturer's top-end flight deck. For more information visit http://lehua.ilhawaii.net/ ~hagemann/aircotec.htrn or call (808) 968-6856.

10

HANG GUDINC

*MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION * ATTENTION: USHGA RELEASE (ON BACK SIDE) MUST BE SIGNED FOR MEMBERSHIP PROCESSING

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UNITED STATES HANG GLIDING ASSN., INC. PO BOX 1330, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80901-1330 (719) 632-8300 www.ushga.org FAX (719) 632-6417

- - - - - - - - - -

(02/00)

In consideration of the benefits to be derived from membership in the USHGA, (Pilo~ and the parent or legal guardian of Pifotif Pifotis a minor, for themselves, their personal representatives, heirs, executors, next of kin, spouses, minor children and assigns, do agree as follows: A. ~ 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. means personal injury, property and/or or timimcial injury sustained by Pifotas a result of THE SPORland/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System). If under 18 years of age, the term" SPORTS IN}URIES"means n1>1r..:nn::11 injury, bodily injury, death, property and/or sustained by Pilot as well as personal bodily injury, sustained by Pilot's parents or legal guardians, as a result of administration of any USHGA programs.

3. 11111..,....,,.,,:;;u P.4R;rJE.f' means the following, including their owners, officers, directors, agents, spouses, employees, officials (elected or otherwise), members, independent 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 Pilot-'.sproficiency 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 Pilotlaunches, flies and/or lands; Each of the property owners on or over whose property Pilotmay 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 D "All persons involved" 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 g) FOIRE,rER ..... ,............... AND the PJIRTIESfrom any and all liabilities, claims, demands, or causes of action that I INJ'URifES, however caused, even if caused by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the nc:,r.cpa.;,c:u may hereafter have for PAJ'iTIJ.~S. to the fullest extent allowed by law.

C. I WILL OR A CLAIM against any of the loss or damage on account of If Iviolate this agreement by filing such a suit or making such a claim, I will pay all attorneys' fees and costs of the n11..,..,.,,• .,JJ.,u P;~R11ES. I shall be governed and in accordance with the All disputes matters whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this Agreement Court located in the U.S.A. to the exclusion of the Courts of any other State or Country.

E. 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. f. I at least 18 years of age, or, that I am the parent or legal guardian of Pilot and am making this agreement on behalf of myself and If I am the parent or legal guardian of Pilot, I AND the for their defense and indemnity from any claim or liability in the event that fl!ot suffers even if caused in whole or in part by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the 111,;;,r.a;;;J'a.;,c:u P.AR:rlE.S'.

I have Ar/alt ?tlot', Signat11re

Date

Si;:nat11re of!'!lot', Parent or Legal Gt1ardian 1/Pilot under Ill years ofage.

Date

MMR 12-97

1

s USHGA is issuing its annual call for nominations to the national Board of Directors. Ten positions are open for election in November 2000 for a two-year term beginning January 2001.

USHGA members seeking position on the ballot should send to headquarters for receipt no later than August the following information: name and USI !GA number, photo and resume (one page containing the candidate's hang/paragliding activities and viewpoints, writ1en consent to be nominated and that they will serve if elected).

Candidates must be nominated by at least three US! !GA members residing in the candidate's region.

2000

Nominations are needed in the following regions. The current Directors, whose terms arc up for reelection in 200 l, are listed below.

Ballots will be distributed with the November issue of JIANG GLIDING and I'ARAGLJDING magazines.

USHGA needs the very best volunteers to help guide the safe development and growth of the sport. Forward candidate material for receipt no later than August 20 to: USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901-1330.

I 2 3 4 5 6

Bill Bolosky Ray Leonard Ken Baier Mark Ferguson Frank Gillette

7

Bill Bryden

8

Douglas Sharpe

9

Geoffrey Mumford

10

David Glover

11

Nominations are not needed in Region I I .fiJr this election.

12

Paul Voight

Nominations are not needed in Region 6.f<;r tMs election.

Alaska, Oregon, Washington Northern California, Nevada Southern California, Hawaii Arizona, Colorado, El Paso TX, New Mexico, Utah Idaho, Montana, Wyoming Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas Illinois, Indiana, Towa, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota New I Iampshire, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont Washington DC, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico Texas (excluding El Paso), Louisiana New Jersey, New York

The following form is for your convenience.

****************************************************************************************** I hereby

REGIONAL DIRECTOR ELECTION NOMINATION FORM as a candidate for Regional

-------··-----······---------~--····-···-----------------------------------------------! understand that his/her name will be placed on the Official Ballot for the Director for Region

2001 Regional Director Election if three nominations arc received by August 20, 2000.

r Calendar of events items WILL NOT be listed if onlv tentative. Please include exact infon~ation (event, dare, contact narnc and phone number). Items should be received no later than six weeks prior to the evenr. We requcsr rwo months lead time for regional and national meets.

COMPETITION MAY 12-14: S'peed Gliding Ncttiomd Team selection event, Chelan, WA. Two min days follow the dates. Contact: John Borton, CompCommittce@aol.com.

MAY 19-21: The Port Funston Air Races are back, again! The first air race of the century, flve-rnile out-and-return course.

Think you're fast? Prove ir! Cash prizes, awards, T-shirts, barbecue. Entry foe $100. Limited to 40 entrants. Contact: David Ruiz, 1268 A 25th Ave., San Francisco, CA 94122 (4 15) 564- 7203, daviclr@rosewood.his.ucsf.edu, or e-mail Alan Sakayama, av8er@Zlmindspring.com.

MAY 27-29: Midwest Championships, to be held at Twin Oaks Airport and supported hy Raven Sky Sporrs. Great X-C challenge for Intermediate to Advanced pilots. Conracr: Rik Bouwmcestcr (262) 681 toplcss@hcxccpc.com.

JlJNE 1-SEP'I'. 30: Slide Mountc1in Cross-Count~y Challenge XCuuk:. Seasonlong X-C challenge. The challenge is to break the late, great Doug Cook X-C records. Doug holds flex-wing distance records of 134, 124 and 94 miles in three directions. (He was killed in a motorcycle race.) Emry $20 with the total d ividcd among winner(s), Slide Mountain maintenance, and Doug's family. Contact: www.advcnturep.com (click on "Pilots Advantage"), or e-mail Paul T fomilton, pilotsadvantagc(,hadvcnturcp.com, or call Paul at 747-0175.

JlJNE 16-20: Region 1 l competition, Hearne, TX. hm competition for all!

Om-of-region pilots welcome. Current site record is 130+ miles. l;riday is "for... ma\" practice day, Saturday/Sunday arc competi rion days. Pilot rnccting 10:00 AM daily, GPS scoring with racc··to·goal.

Contact: flydallas@aol.com, (972) 9600516.

14

JUNE 21-24: Red Bull 5;)ecdrun.

Minimum $12,000 in prize money. June 20-21, training days. Contact: phone Ol l-43-5356-73736, fax lr3-535662 5184, Kitzbuhcl, Ausnia, infri<rhrcd·· bullspccdrun.com, www.redbullspccdrun.com.

JUNE 23-25: Wild Wild Wc:st Regionals, Competitive lim flying with some of the best pilots at one of the best flying sites in the West. McClellan Peak as well as Slide Mm. arc the Ja1mch sites and the open desert is the LZ. I .ocation, Carson City/Lake Tahoe, NV. includes party, T-shirts and Silver Belt Buckle Awards.

Registration: $100 until May 30, then $125. Contact: Adventure Sports 883-7070, advspts@lpyramid.net.

JUNE 23-29: Sandia Open. Day event, open-distance fonnat. l 1-3/IJ pilots with appropriate sign-offs. Set a personal best or break a world record. Rigid, topless and kingpost awards. Best 4 our of 7 days scored. X-C Seminar by #1 best rigid pilot Dave Sharp. A non-profo event sponsored by the Sandia Soaring Association. En try foe $12 5 or $100 before June. Online website and rcgistra· tion: http://www.nrnia.com/ ,,jfdcmps/ssa.lum . Contact: Mel Glantz/Sandia Soaring Association, 271 0 Parsi fol St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 871 12, rnglan tz@uswcsL.net.

JlJLY 3-8, 2000: Chelan XC Classic.

Started in l 979, one of the nation's top events of the summer. I Iang glider and paraglidcr pilots come from all over the U.S. and the world, and choose the task they will fly: straight-line, out-and-return or triangle. Pilots start from Chelan Butte and for the most part fly over the wheat fields to the cast across the Columbia River. Contact: 427-· '] ;1ggart@scanetcom.

JULY 7-9: 2000 King Mountain Meet, King Mountain, near Moore, Idaho.

Open and Recreation classes, super-killer grca1 trophies, barbecue Saturday night, daily prizes, driver awards, handicap scoring system. Pre-registration encouraged. Contact: Lisa 'fate, Meet Director (208) 376-791 Ir, Zoolisa@Zlaol.com.

AlJG. ] 3·20: T.one Star Championships, l learne, TX. USHCA-sanctioncd NTSS points meet. Aerotow (eight rngs), with tasks to be 60+ mile tri;mglcs, 90+ mile multi-leg tasks, and 100+ mile races to goal. Open to 60 pilots and includes both Class I and Class II. GPS turnpoint verification, GAP scoring. Meet organizer, Austin Air Sports, meet director, Steve Burns Contact: (409) 279-9382., (IJ09) 279-6382 fax,(409) 229-2699 cellular, www.a11stinairsport:s.com.

AUG. 26 ..SEPT. 3: Pcm American Chc1rnpionships (Continental Championships), Dinosaur, CO. Contact: G.W. Meadows 4803552, www.justfly.com.

SEPrl~ 2.-4: F-Ieam Big-Muney X-C Competition, Lake Elsinore, California. $500 first prize, killer trophies, more cash top places, prizes, free ·r-shins to comperi tors, free barbecue, men's, women's and novice trophies. Excellent first comp. Enjoy Lake Elsinore's I 0,000' days. Free camping, activities galore, fun! $50 pre-entry, $60 day of meet. All glider types okay; handicapping of gliders gives everyone a chance. Contact: Mickey at skyboy@)cz2.net, (909) 6723604.

SEP'l~ 23-24: Fly and Bike Chelan, WA. Sp~>t-landing contest at Chelan Palls Park, scored on accuracy and lancltng frirm. Three best landings count. Contact: Marilyn Raines (509) 682-2251. For accommodations call Chelan Chamber 800-4CHELAN.

OC1: 1.:7: 'Jennessee Tree 7rw;ers learn Challenge. Sequatchie Valley. X·C competition in which pilots fly together on teams and arc scored according to their experience. Always a fun and educational experience! More info at http://Wcb.lnfoAve.Nct/ ~danshcll/trcctoppcrs.

MAY 19-21: South Cttrolina SJYringtime

Fly ..fn, at Glassy Mountain near Greer, SC. Come enjoy flying and competing (spot, duration, X-C, balloon toss, etc.) at this

HANC CIIDINC

beautiful so11rh-G1cing moumain. Plaques awarded ro all 1sr, 2nd and :3rd place finishers in all competitions (except balloon toss). $20 entry fee for competition flying, $IO for fim flying. Fly-in T-shirts and sweatshirts available. Classy Lnmcl1 is I, 500' J\C L. Conracr: Paul Peeples, P.O. Box 2121, Brevard, NC 28712 (828) 885 25:36, pbra nnen p<i1)citcorn.11cr.

raring required. Conran: Brad Cryder (828) 6:,12-9810, foothillsflightCii)hotmail.corn.

MAY 19-22: 28th !lrmual !fang Gliding Spcctttrnlar ttnd Air Grimes in Jockey's Ridge State Park, Nags I lead, NC: and C:urriruck County Airport, Currituck, NC. The oldest conrinuous hang gliding competition in the world and Airsporrs Expo will include diving, paragliding, ulrralights and more.

Dunc cornperirions hegin on rhc 19th.

Demonstrations, acrornw competition, street dance and awards ceremony. Annual inductions into the Rogallo Hall of"Famc will close the ceremony on Sunday evening. /\II USHGA-rarcd hang glider pilots arc welcome to compete. ( :omacr: l<iny Hawk Kites, Inc. (800) :Dli-4777.

MAY 27-29: 2r;th !lmmril Millermium Memorir/l /)ay The Rio ( ;rande

MAY 19-22: Kilty Htlwk J<itl,r lnstrurtor !ilumni Re1.mirm, ,held in conjunction with the 28th Annual [ Jang Cliding Spectacular.

If you arc one, or know any former Kl JK instrucrors, please get the word our rhat we want to sec you this spring! Conucr: Bobbie Servant, bobl1ic(r1)kittyhawk.com, MAY 20-21: ht!::c McClurr Coyote Howl 2000, Fly-fn ofrhe Millennium. hm meet

for Hang 111 and above. I mp roved launch and landing areas. Cash and lots of trophy awards, speed runs, X--C:, pylon course, acrobatics, endurance, spot landings. Enter one category or all for one low fee of$/i0 if paid before April I 5, $50 aficr. Limited to the first 100 pilots, Send check to: Doug Prather, 1691 Vivan Rd., Modesto, CA ()5358 (209) 556-0/i69.

MAY 27: TT/. Mayhem/Old- Timn:r Reunion. Ger ready for a great party, whether you arc an old--timcr or a newbie or somewhere in between. Contact: Mark Furst, mklstCri)cornpuscrvc.com, (li23) 9/i9-A999.

MAY 27 -28: Scrrmd Ann1111/ Foothill, Fun Mrrt, Stony Poim, NC:. Kingpostcd, topless and rigid wings welcome. Last year's winner flew 67 miles and rook home $100. l'ri1.cs for rnp three finishers in duration and open X-C:. 20-pilor limit, $35 entry fee. J\crotow

MAY 2000

MAY 27-29: 21th li11nua! Starthistlr Hang gliding and paragliding, Woodrar M tn, in southern Oregon. Barbcrnc, contests, pri1.es, cxcellenr flying and lots of fi.m.

Contact: Donald Fi rel 1, (541) /i82-5 I 17, PresidcmCr1)RVI ICA.org.

Soaring Assn. is celebrating 20 years. hmflying competition, bomb drops. Dealers and demos available. ( :amping and dis-· coums rn1 rooms. We arc shooting for 100 pilots. ( :omc join us for three days of norh · ing bur fi.ml l•'.ntry fee oF$25 includes dinner and awards parry, free beer and lots of fun.

Many pri1.es awarded. T-shirts and other apparel avail:ililc. Come fly Dry Canyon and help ccldirarc 20 years with the R(;S/\. For more info or c:irly entries contact:' 1'0111 and Cindy West (505) li'.37-521.3 or mail Rio Crandc Soaring Assn., Inc., 2216 Pecan Dr., Alamogordo, :'\IM 883 I 0.

JUNE 2--li: Drmo /)(lys r/nd Fun Second annual fon tly-in/demo days by Paul Hamilton and US Acros. Aeros gliders featured, plus including Stealth and the new rigid-wing Sralker. Demos for Airwavc products as well. Crear flying, mobile parry, purchase gliders at great prices.

All invited, Informal and free with prizes, ( :onract: www.advcnturep,com (click on "Pilots Advantage"), or e-mail Paul Hamilton, pilotsadvanragcCr1)advcnn1rcp.co1n, or call !'au! at 71/-0175.

SEPT. J9: A ii.in

Rod, 25th !IJmivcnaiJ1 ne;ir 'l 'hurmonr, Maryland. Experience rhc longest conrinu-· ously operated launch on the casr coast.

Bonfires, food, camping and contests arc all planned. Comacr: Brian Vant-I lull (410) 88() .. ] 61[6 or Brianvh<i1)marlowc.umd.cdu.

J\lso check om our website rhis summer:

SEPT. 30: October/i:st in Srptemhcr, hosted by rhc Tennessee Tree Toppers. Plan 10 party until rhc wee hours of October I, C:ontacr: Mark Furst, rnk l stf1\:ompuserve.com, (/i25) 949-li999,

OCT. 6-8: Octohff'., Nrst F!y.fn. The ninth Saurnwwn Mmmtain, North Carolina clas-

sic will use a new format. C:ompcri1ion and begins Friday ar 2:00 \'M with a half ends Sunday at 2:00 l'M with a half day.

Also, a new accumulative point sysrc111 will he used, As always, great Friday and Saturday nighr dinners, breakfast and lunch in the 1./. Saturday and Sunday, free camp· ing and hot showers. Contact: Vic Lewellen (336) 595-6505, or Tony Salvadore (336) Tl2-T7Wl. Visit the SMHCC: wcbsirc for skill level requirements and directions: www.gcocirics.com/pipclinc/dropzo11c/5650/,

OCT. 28-29: Womm '., I irrlloween Costumr Chelan, WA. Prizes for best c:osrume, best food, best flying contraption and more, C:omact: Marilyn Raines (509) (i82-225 l.

For accommodations call Chelan Chamber 800-4CHELAN.

2000: in Hrrzzi! 2000. Wonder/id warin flying in an cxoric set:ring. Be pan of the Adventure Sports trip to Govcnador Valadarcz, Br;vil. Expcricncccl insrrucrors and guides. Take side-trips ro Carnival or any of rhc beautiful beaches, 12 clays, $1,200 for paraglidcrs, $1 ,4 00 for hang gliders. Includes room with hreakfosr and lunch, ride to launch, retrieval and guided rouL C:onracr: 88j-7070, www.pyramid.net/advspts, OWENS VALLEY 2000: Fly wirh a World Champion, 10-rimc National Champion and X-C world record holder Kari C:asde as your guide in the Owens. Private onc-onone or group instruction availahlc. Further your flying education. C:onract: Kari Castle (l60) 872-2087, karicasrle(a1rclis.org, www.norrhwesrourdoors.com/fly/

UNTH. NOV.: U/e, The lrmr, with Michael Robenson will be ing !P's, seminars and inspirational talks.

Contact: High Perspective, (905) 294-7.536, stafflrDfl yl1 igh .com.

MAY 23-25: IP at Kitty Hawh Kites. $250.

Contact: Bruce Weaver !iii l-2/i26.

JUNE 23-25: l:'.1111 (,r1,!her·mvat Ickes Pccrcarional Park, Ostcrhurg, PA. Free admission, parking and camping. C:omacr: (8 l Ii) 27(d.353, dickcsCr1lJx:dford.ncr, hrqi://www.hedford.ncr/dickcs.

,I .)

Th: Michael Chaniplin

World X-C Challenge veryone knows a Tom. Each region has irs own local legend who, for wharever reason , despire his or her ralenr, doesn't compere ar rhe narional level. I certainly don'r fall inrn chis ca tegory, bur if rhey're like me, family and job comrnirmenrs prevenr me from joining rhe competition circuir. Knowing rhar th ere are plemy of pilors om there, nor jusr rhe legends, who share m y predi cament, I decided rn try rn come up with an idea for a yearlong X-C comest chat would allow parcicipanrs from various regions the opportunity rn compere against one another wirhouc having rn leave hom e.

The main problem in holding such a comest is obvious: cross-country pocencial varies widely from region rn region . A sys tem had rn be in place char would allow pilots from Hobbs, New Mexico rn compete fairly with the pi lots from Delaware, for example.

When crying rn come up with such a system it occurred to me char since sire records, for rhe mosr pare, represent rhe bes t in each region , rhey could be used as a basis for scoring. The beau ty is in its simplicity. I didn'r have to come up with so me complex and arbitrary hand icapping sys tem to make rhings fai r ir's already builr in. Pilors wo uld simply divid e rheir mileage on a give n fli ght by chat particular sire's d istance reco rd, and just for rhe purpose of having a nice whol e number, multiply by 1,000.

Us ing chis sys tem, a pilot flying 100 mi les in the Ease, for example, jusr might earn 1,000 points (excl uding bonus points, rhe concesr m aximum), but if the same fligh t occurred at, lee's say, Hobbs, New Mexico, the pilot

E

16

The reader may or may not have heard of To m Truax, but here in Southern California where I live he is a Local Legend. A holder of countless site records, you could fill a book with his exploits. From his innate ability to read weather conditions, to his tenacity and patience, he is truly a remarkable pilot. What he isn't, however, is nationally ranked. He rarely participates in our sport's major comp etitions. wo uld score a less impressive 330 points.

As a hang glider pilot m y original inrenc was rn make chis a national conresr open only to chose who fl y my crafr, bur since all soa ring aircrafr have their own site records to score againsr, I rhoughc, why not open it up rn every-

one? And, along this same line, why not open ir up rn che whole world? W hat made ir all doable is the Internee.

I first announced my idea to the H ang Gliding Mailing Lise, an e-mail based discussio n group, and thanks to fellow liscee and Ca nadian paraglider pilot Randy Park.in , a Web site was set H ANG G LI DING

I

• /

Michael Chmnplin World X-C Challenge winner Mmh Poustinchian.

up just for the comest. Originally known as the World Soaring Challenge, the contest's Web page allowed pilots to register their flight scores along with any site record that they knew about (we now have more than 200 site records lisred). Jiowever, the page didn't have the capacity to automatically update when pilots made their entries. When Bay Arca pilot .Jack Axaopoulos found our about this, he volunteered ro take over the site. Thanks to .Jack and Epicenter 'fochnologics, the contest's Web page now automatically updates. The reader may visit the Web page at http://www.hanggliding.org.

As menlioned, the contest was originally put together with the local legend in mind. One pilot who fit this category was Michael "Hollywood" Champlin.

For those who don't know, Michael passed away this past summer from injuries sustained in a Class 2 hang glider accident. Owner of rhe Florida opendist.ince hang gliding record, Michael had, with the exception of perhaps Larry Tudor, more 200+ mile flights than anyone. Rather than pursuing World 'learn poinrs, Michael spent his summers chasing world records. He was not only highly respected as a pilot, but as a person as well, and although I had never mer hirn (other than trading a frw e--mails), I found it only fitting, afrer first getting permission from his family, to renarne the contest in his honor.

When setting up the contest I tried to make it as easy as possible for pilots ro MAY 2000

PW PW FW

17

participate. There were no entry Ices or pre-registration requirements. All pilots had to do was check their log books at the end of the year and then break out their calculators. Although the partici-pating pilots' top five scores for last year's contest weren't due until February 1 of this year, we encouraged panicipants rn register their scores on the Web page as the year progressed. Unfortunately, this might have been a mistake, because J think having the eventual first- and second-place winners' scores displayed scared a lot of people away. The winner happens to be Mark Poustinchian of Arkansas who scored 4,687.76 points out of the contest's 5,500-point maximum.

The rules state that multi-wing pilots can either submit scores for each cliscipline, or combine them for one total.

Mark included one rigid-wing flight with his other four flex-wing scores, three taking place in a three-day span.

On 8/28 Mark flew l 00 miles from Mt. Nebo, breaking his own 85-mile record.

On the very next day he turned around and knocked off another record-breaking flight of l 05.5 miles, only to follow that up with a 102-miler on 8/30. (Note: Record-breaking flights earn pilots 1, l 00 poims. [1,000 points for the flight itself and 100 bonus points], however, if a

Lori Allen lr1unching at /,ookout Mountain Hight Park. Photo by Susan Murdoch. record is broken more than once throughout the contest year, the previous record holder(s) must adjust their scores to the relationship of the final record, although they're entitled to keep their bonus poims.)

Coming in a close second was rigid-wing pilot Davis Straub with 4,662.04

points. Since rigid wings have exhibited a remarkable resurgence in our flying community, l had to make some slight adjustments in the rules in order to accommodate them (sites simply don't have known rigid-wing records). I mention this because these adjustments both helped and hindered Davis's score. One HANC GIIDINC

of the rules in place states that if a site has no known rigid-wing record, pilots will base their score on the existing flexwing or paragliding record, depending on which is the farthest. However, bonus points will not be given out to rigidwing pilots for breaking non-rigid-wing records. On 12/20 Davis flew 374 kms from Mt. Borah, Australia. Because there was no known existing rigid-wing record, Davis scored 1,000 points for the flight even though he bested Godfrey Wenncss's world paragliding record of 335 krns (the flex-wing record is 230 lorn), not 1, I 00 points had Tallowed the bonus points Davis would have won. On the other hand, Davis benefited from a rule (as did all rigid-wing pilots) that allowed him to score three of his flights against a rigid-wing record that was shoner than rhe existing flex-wing record. "That rule has been changed this year to state that rigid-wing pilots will base their scores on the longest sire record regardless of the crafr, excluding sailplane records. 1--fowever, had this rule been in effect last year, Davis would have remained in second place, just ahead of Canadian flex-wing pilot Annand Acchione who scored 4,056.25 points.

In fourth place was rigid-wing pilot Ramy Yanctz. Thanks to Peter Birren, Ramy won a Linknifc for being the topplacing tow pilot. Rounding out the top five was flex-wing pilot Pete Lehmann.

Pete's entries were not:able for two reasons. I~irst, he had the longest flight of the year, knocking off a 239-milcr from Rock Springs, Wyoming. Second, two of his flights were performed on a singlesurface hang glider. l mention this because I have added a single-surface hang glider division to this year's contest.

Readers may visit rhe Web page rn get more derails.

The highest-placing paraglidcr pilot, "ferny Deleo, finished 10th. 'Erny had the longest paragliding flight of the year, flying 139 miles from Pinc Mountain, California. The flight is probably the longest foot-launch record in the United Stares.

(Note: Another paraglider pilot, Eric Recd, was still waiting on some record confirmation as of this writing. If and when the records are con ft rrned, he will more than likely move ahead of ·rony.)

Unlcmunately, no sailplane pilots entered flight scores. Hopefully, now that the USHGA is working on a partMAY 2000

Rich Burton &.

Glen Volk

150 Miles Miles 105.5 Miles 133.B Kms

98 Miles CA

117 Miles

100 Miles

*Bo Pete Leh rnann

FW

Bill'.sHill, PA

80.2 Miles

Bunner

PW

Lehmd, rL

144 Miles

Deane Williams

RW

GA

102.l Miles

*Armand Acchione

FW

Bn1ssds, Ontario

117 Miles

Davis Straub

RW

.Australia

321 Kms

Ralf Market

PG

Canon de! Cbicamocha

FW

Ihsterholt, Denmark

FW

Ratoul, IL

Lauridsen

Kms

Dave Whedon & 68 Miles

PG

34 Miles

FW

103 Miles

*Broke the site recotd more than once.

RIGID-WING PILOTS BREAKING NoN~RW SITE RECORDS Kevin Frost

Pickle Butte, Idaho

105 Miles

Davis Straub

Mt. Borah, Australia

Kms

RECORDS POSTED TO THE CONTEST'S WEB PAGE WITHOUT SCORES Nick Roberts

Pass, South Africa

139 Kms

Nick Pain

FW

Malverns, UK

158Miles

Prank Peterson

FW

Cloud 9 Picld, MI

90 Miles

Chris Muller Ron McKenzie

Kms

314 Kms 126 Miles 107 Miles

Lo1.1 Heienon

98 Miles

Jg

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nership with the Soaring Society, that will change in foture contests.

The top placing female pilot, and winner of a PT'J'2 from Mike Dillon and Flight Connections, Inc., was flexwing pilot Nancy Smith. l confess here rhat when I first announced the winner of th is generous prize I inadvertently declared rigid-wing pilot Rita Edris as the recipient, after misreading Nancy's score. I laving already senr Rita the Push Tc) 'falk, Mike refused to allow me ro pay for Nancy's rightful prize, sending one to her on his own instead. Thanks again Mike.

When seeking out sponsorship I tried to do it in a way that would encourage local pilor participation. Two organizations that came through in this regard were Lookout Mountain Flight Park and the British Columbia Ifang Cliding and Paragliding Association. Through David Glover, Lookout offered a one-year duh membership to the pilot who had rhe highest-scoring flight from the flight park. That pilot was rigid-winger Deane Williams who scored 1, I 00 poinrs for breaking the Park's existing rigid-wing record. And, as treasurer and vice president of the British Columbia Association, lan McArthur offered a twonight!three-day Executive 1:lying Adventure for the highest-placing BC: pilot and spouse at his Bed and Breakfost near the Sun Peaks Resort at the base of'lcxi Mountain. The winner of this $600 value prize was Stewart Midwinter.

I would like to rake rhis opportunity

An explanation of the scoring system using Mark Poustinchian's winning score as an example: I) On 5/9/99 Mark flew his rigid wing 118 miles from Magazine Mtn. that had an RW site record of 137 miles: ((118/1 1000) 861.31 points.

2) On 8/12/99 Mark flew his hang glider 60.5 miles from Magazine Mtn. that had an FW site record of85 miles: ((60.5/85) * 1()00) 711.76 points. 1<ital to date: 1573.07 points.

3) On 8/28/99 Mark flew his hang glider 100 miles from Mr. Nebo, breaking the PW site record of 85 .miles: (l 000 + ] 00 bonus for breaking the record) JJ 00 points. Total to date: 2673.07 points.

4) On 8/29/99 Mark flew his hang glider 105.5 miles from Mt. Nebo, breaking his own one-day record of 100 miles: 1100 points. 'Iota! to date: *3720.94

points.

5) On 8/30/99 Mark flew his hang glider 102 miles from Mt. Nebo, which now had a record of 105.5 miles: ((102/105.5) * 1000) 966.82 points. Pinal total: 4687.76 points.

Mark was able to retain his bonus points for breaking Mt. Nebo's site record the first tirne, but because the record was broken again he had to go back and make an adjustment to his third flight's score. Instead of scoring 1100 poinrs his final score for the flight was 1047.87 points: ((100/105.5) * 1000) + 100 bonus.

to thank all of the sponsors, including those not previously mentioned: Dutcher Sterling, who along with your author contributed $300 to go to the first-place winner; Gerald "Penguin" Myers, who donated $100 for rhe second-place prize; and finally, Kevin Frost (Glidaho '98) and Davis Straub (a copy of Windows 98 SfCrcts) who donated raffle pri1.es as an incentive to get people 10 either enter their flight scores or register existing site records on the comest's Web page.

I We

•1 your

you.

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Overall, J would have to say that the contest was a success. Although we didn't ger as many competitors as 1 would have liked, the contest saw over 20 sire records broken by participating pilots. And although [ am still tinkering with the scoring system, especially for rigid wings, the system in place now worked as intended. A stay-·at-hornc pilot lrom unrcnowned Arkansas walked away as the winner. Ill

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By the time your read this, the dread ofdreary winter is just a twinge ofmiserable memory filed away some it would in the midrt offanuary or February. But in six months you'll be longing for some warm <t) 2000 by Dennis Pagen

A partial group of pilots, and friends rm the cloudy lr,st comp d11y. J>hoto

by Dennis A1gen.

where in your limbic system. So the thou;i.1t ofa winter getmuayf{ying safari may seem less attractive than skies and some friendly pilots to share the experience. Then you should remember Puerto Rico. y wife Claire and I were invited to this Caribbean island by the FVLPR (Puerto Rican Free Flight Federation www.fvlpr.org) to put on an instructor training program and a series of lectures concerning thermal ing, cross-country and cornpetition flying. We were also invited to participate in the coumry's national competition. We spent two weeks there, from February G to 20. Our little sojourn was filled with flying and the forging of new friendships.

FOR THE TRAVELER You can read the general story ofT\1erto Rico in any number of books. What con-· cerns us here is that the island is a U.S. possession with semi-autonomy. As a result, the people maintain a Latin culture but are very tuned into the U.S. mainland way of life. While Spanish is the native tongue, English is spoken everywhere, especially in the pilot community. ln addition, the currency is tbe good ol' U.S. dollar bill. Finally, nearly every franchise fast-food restaurant available in the U.S. is present in

Danny Leon runs from Arecibo.

Photo courtesy Danny Leon.

abundance in Puerro Rico. To chose who have sold cheir soul co che junk food devil, chac face is no small comforc.

Whac all this is leading up co is the suggestion chat Puerto Rico is perhaps the easiest country co visit for inexperienced or xenophobi c would-be travelers. You want a tropical island wich flying, beaches, sunshine and cropical attractions? You don't want co hassle with passpo rts, international driver licenses, dri ving on the wrong side, lPPI cards, currency exchange, language problems, menu translacion , food choices, venomo us serpents, chat inscrutable metric syscem? Puerro Rico is yo ur descination!

HANG GLIDING HISTORY Flying hang gliders in Pueno Rico began in the early 1970s with home-builc bamboo

24

and plascic gliders . A couple of pilocs from that era are scill fl ying. The modern period of Puerto Rican hang gliding began when Phil Haynes of Morningside ( ew Hampshire) came down and opened a few sites.

He purchased takeoffs and spread the word in the mid- l 980s. Lacer he imported insrrucrors who rrai ned Puerto Rican pilors and insrruccors. Mosr of the advanced pilots now flying regularly began ar the end of che '80s or early '90s under his influence.

Besides Phil's presence, other U.S. insrruccors spent time in Puerto Rico, notably Tammy Burcar, Jim Prouse, Sanros Mendoza and Ricky Rojas. Ricky is a native Pueno Rican who worked ar Lookout Mountain for a period, chen returned ro his roars. He bought a launch sire, acquired a Wills Wing dealership and helped the sport

cake off Today che FVLPR has about 40 members and a score of avid cross-country pilocs. A couple of experienced instruccors work part time. But che current growth in che piloc pool comes from Team Spirit Hang Gliding. The company is composed of Bobby H as tings and Keisha Salko, an energetic duo who migrated from Morningside. T heir permanent busin ess is on the southeast corner of the island with easy access co rhe main flying sice.

They run a regular school fo r locals in both hang gliding and paragliding, but they also are ser up co offer cours, flying vacations and training ar all levels ro mainland Americans or other foreigners. They will provide equipmem, transpo rtatio n and lodging. How's this idea: Tailor yo ur vacaH AN G GLIDI NG

Launching.from Arecibo. Photo courtesy Danny Leon.

rion co suir yo ur whims. Schedule your fl ying around warer spans and visirs rn famous sighrs like rhe El Morro fore and walled ciry in Old San Juan , rhe El Yunque rain foresr park, rhe Bacardi rum wo rks or rhe garganruan relescope array in rhe hills of Arecibo. Bener ye r, schedule rhese experiences aro und fl ying. Tean1 Spirir will pur yo u up in rheir guesr rooms or in nearby horels all for reasonable rares. Be sure ro check om rheir websire ar www.mailways.ner/ reamspirir. Remember, Puerro Rico is only a shore hop from Miami and rhere are direcr flighrs from numerous U.S. ciries.

THE EVENTS We were mer ar rhe San Juan airpon lace Sarurday n ighr by Danny Leon and Miguel M AY 2000

Molina. These rwo officers of rhe FVLPR along wirh Pedro Rodriguez seem ro be rhe prime movers in rhe pilor communiry.

They organized rhe meet, rhe seminars, rhe ITP, rhe exrra-curricular acriviries and our irinerary. In face, Danny gave us his apanmenr wi rh a full refrigeraror for our twoweek sray, a gesrure char was more rhan kind. We apologize, Danny, for making you move in wirh your girlfriend. The evening was warm and sulrry, a welcome change from rhe sub-freezing wearher we had left:. Thar very morning I had plowed several inches of new snow from my long driveway. o maner whar happened we figured we were in a compararive paradise.

Whar happened fosr was a Sunday geracquainred flighr, rhen three days of grueling insuucror seminars ar Pedro's mounrain

hideaway home and nearby rraining hill.

Afrer char we were invired for a day of sailing, snorkeling and sky surf111g by Roben Rumph, a Canadian pilot living permanently on rhe island. The R&R was grearly appreciared. Nexr we proceeded rn fl y our hearts out.

Claire was give n an HP AT 145 and I had a Moyes Xrralire for a day. Condirions were a bir windy wi rh lighr rhermals bur we managed ro sray up as rain clouds moved in from rl1e sea, dropping rheir moisrure.

They were passing lefr and righr and we flew wirh impuniry until a large cloud aimed righr ar us. We all lefr ro land, bur mer rhe rain mid-way our. We followed Pedro ro his favo rire bailour spor wi rh gliders char wouldn'r slow down below chesr speed and rurned like diesel locomorives

25

An aerial view of Cubuy- the launch.

Photo coui·tesy Danny Leon.

due to the spoiling effect of rain drops on the leading edges. But the litde 15-mph gust-front wind helped slow the landings and we were fine, except we were soaked and had to carry our gliders across the lmeedeep mat of springy biota. But who cares?

We're in the tropics!

After a couple of more free-flying days, the competition began. There were 13 pilots entered but some didn't make it on various days due to work obligations. There were three topless gliders in the meet, and the test older models. But good-sinking gliders were rhe main requirement, since rhe week tended ro exhibit uncharacteristic weak lift.

Claire graduated to a 137 Super Xtralire and I was given a Wills Wing XC after the CSX I expected became unavailable.

After two rounds my lovely wife was in

26

first place, having won by making goal first both days. In hot pursuit was Roberto Perez flying an HP AT. Roberto wiped me off a couple of times in the meet by climbing superbly. He has "patience" written on his bar, which is his virtue. On the third day he jumped imo first by making goal the fastest with only one other finisher, Miguel Molina. On the fourth day the scores didn't change much since rhe top half of rhe field all got stuck at the last mrnpoint.

All the flying to that point was from C ubuy, rhe sire near San Juan on the somh side of rhe Central Cordi llera that form the spine of corpus Puerto Rico. Bur the forecast was promising for a new sire, about one hour away at Penuelas. This sire is in the dryer portion of the island and ther-

mals there can boom. I fi nally got my CSX and was anticipating a great flight.

We arrived, set up and set a task: 25.5 miles to the west near the somhwesr corner of the island. It took most of us nearly an hour to climb high enough to leave. T he problem was chat the sea breeze shifted and only allowed us sporty, light thermals. Bur then the convergence moved over us and we all hit cloud base.

Miguel and Nelson Franquiz had left earlier and essential ly made goal distance, but the goal field was misplaced. T he rest of us went on course en masse and glided fo r broke. Some of us hit the deck alo ng the sunny bur unproductive countryside. I was furthest along in the group when Clai re hit a boomer. I came back upwind to fi nd it but got there too low. I struggled wi th a H ANG G LI DING

couple of more thermals but finally decked it in an upland pasture surrounded by brush. Tt took me two hours to pack up and struggle to a road after scaring the wits out of three kids who ran away screaming (rnles of the legendary goatsucker abound in Puerto Rico) and feasting on avocados and grapefruit frorn an abandoned orchard.

Meanwhile, Roberto and Pedro fought on a few more miles. Bur the unstoppable Claire found low save after low save and eventually dribbled into goal. That success put her over the top and scaled her win of the meet since rhe next two days were blown and rained out.

THE FLYING Puerto Rico has typical island weather with a dry and a hurricane season. It rains in the fall and is drier the rest of the year. It is also influenced by the sea breezes and the moist air results in cloud bases maxing out at about 6,000 feet MSL. But the forecast isn't unfavorable, for the combination of sea breezes from the north, south and cast form rnany convergence zones which can be exploited by the savvy pilot. Cu buy and Penuel as both bcncli t from these convcr-gcncc zones and often exhibit a cloud highway with billboards that say, "Cet your free lift here!" Other flying sites arc scattered around the island with nearly all directions of wind covered. The pilots arc still exploring the cross-co1mtry porcntial at some of the newer si tcs.

Claire and I were impressed with the skill of Puerto Rican pilots. Some of them have participated in recent U.S. and World Meets. All of them have honed their skills in the changing local conditions that tend to reward those with the ability to cling to thermals. But the best thing about Puerto Rican flying is the friendliness of all the pilots. Perhaps it is the island lifestyle or their relative isolation from the larger flying community, but we could not help but be touched by the graciousness of our reception. We'll be back to fly again with our friends. II

Competition Results 1) Claire Pagcn (Moyes Super Xrralire) 2) Roberto Perez (WW HP AT) 3) Nelson rranqlliz (Laminar ST) 4) Miguel Molina (Moyes CSX)

5) Dennis Pagen (WW XC, Moyes CSX) 6) Daniel Leon (WW fosion) 7) Pedro Rodriguez (Moyes Super Xtralite)

MAY 2000

Bohby Hastings lands in the official field at Cubu:y. /,aunch is directly above his le/i Photo courtesy Danny Leon.

27

AHigh Perspective 30 YEARS AND COUNTING © 2000 by Michael Robert:wn

''

c don't see things as they arc, we sec rhings as we are." Anais Ni n's words are so true, eh? Tlrns, any attempr at memory, especially when separated by gaps of time, result in even more potential disparity between what's remembered and what happened. Add to that our own present point of view and yon understand, gentle reader, why this disclaimer is necessary: Any resemblance to real people or events is coincidenral. OBE (Old Bald Eagle) is the fictionalized cm-rent manifestation of YE (Young Eagle), om central figure.

YE had been encouraged to compete for Canada in the U.S. National Kite Flying Championships. llc loaded up the Barracuda fastback 273 high-perfor-· mance with his flat kite sruff and headed southeast. This CH was an awesome road vehicle wid1 one caveat, ir would go 140 mph. YE and four orher owners all lost their driver's licenses riding its runaway horses! Nova Scotia and New Orleans arc nor far apart in the alphabet but arc sepa· rated by a lot of miles.

The bed in the back helped the drive go quickly, and before long YE was marveling ar tbe causeway across Lake Pontcliatraine. The way people spoke and the way they were buried (above ground) accented the changes in climate and topography. Of course, the lt1<Kl and the jalJ. are legendary.

The reigning U.S. champ was decidedly from the right side of town. John [(rooncr, Jr. was a perfect southern gentleman with his neat blonde locks and extensive stocks. His law degree was little used. Following JK, Jr. to his favorite

2B

crawdad crawl that first night prepared YE for the high-jinks to come.

"Follow me," was the innocuous lcad--in, bm the actual following was anything but ordinary. As John passed a graveyard he swerved off the road and practiced slaloming around the above-ground caskets. It g:we a new meaning to cryptography. The reason for his choice of conveyance, a big Buick, became apparent shortly thereafter. JK, Jr. didn't like stop signs. He chose a unique way of expressing his annoyance. He would pull off the road and knock them over! Some rook three or four whacks. I was amazed to sec him back up and hit 'cm again soft enough so they didn't snap back and

damage the hood.

Some of the Canadians were excellent divers. YE had competed in college. The pool at the motel was within range of the staircase. As one evenings' festivities peaked, everyone headed to the pool.

The competition was to sec who could climb up the stairway the highest and still dive into rhe pool without hitting the bottom (or missing the pool). YE fol t the stairway was an unnecessary limita· Lion and rnadc it onto tbe roof Just as he was surveying what seemed a possibly foolhardy height, rhc manager appeared and hollered, "Get down from there this minute!" That made the decision. YE backed up, took three running steps and lcapr. His momentum and dive angle, as well as his degree of sobriety, ,1llowed him to hit the water, careen off rhc bottom and emerge onto t·he pool deck in a heartbeat. He bit the deck running and disappeared to hide under somebody's bed.

Plat kite competition, as far as YF knew, had two events: tricks and slalom.

The former was like a high-bar routine with each "trick" having a value. In the latter, the competitor "showed" as many and as diffkult tricks as possible in 35

An mrly Rogallo "Gull Wing. '·'

H/\NC CiiDINC

fl

h seconds. Also similar ro warer skiing was rhe "slalom" event wirh the rope being shortened until there was a winner.

There were other unique forms of com· petition in crawdad coumry. One measure of victory was who could fly deepest into the Sycamore trees (measured by the amount of hanging moss collected on the wing rip) and emerge intact.

Another interesting variation was ro fly beside the rows of boar houses and land on the communal corrugated roof; skiing along a ways. Boat houses in New Orleans were like cottages here, or camps in New England, bur, being close to town, allowed naughry afrernoon activities. I can only imagine whar some of these interlopers must have thought as a combination earthquake/machine gun rattled toward them.

One of the local had developed a vendetta against sailboats. Apparently, early in his learning, a sailboat had tacked across his row boat's path, causing him to crash. Henceforth, he became a

®

sailboat hunter. Banking steeply beside a sailboat, he would vigorously kick the stays 011 one side of the mast with his skis, hard enough that the shock occa·· sionally de-masted rhe prey.

Competitions were held in the sweltering heat that July weekend on the bayou between the shoreline and the levee.

There was no Chevy. There was no wind. Word got out to the TV crew that YF had a unique nick. lt was called "the bailout," and involved climbing inro a bar-sir, then unhooking the harness and swinging back into a hock dismount (catching the bar with the backs of the knees and doing a flip). It was normally a stunt reserved f<ir high-wind days so the ground (water) speed was minimal. The lure of ABC caused YE rn go for it. The boat blistered down the course. YE foh he was going I 00 mph, bur ABC would make him famous. He got in position, unhooked and threw the trick at them. It was perfect! As he surfaced with the clasped-hands signal, an excited yell

reverberated from YE, "Did you get it?" "'rhat was great, kid, This time we'll shoot ir." "WHAT!" The second one wasn't as good as the first, but still passable. On the third "take," YE over-rotated and landed flat on his back. He was coughing hlood for three days. That was t·he one they used. h1me was revealing its fickle face. The pain lasted for longer than 1 5 minutes.

Winning the U.S. Nationals title from JK, Jr. was a shock, but when YE learned he had ser a new "world record" in rhe 1ricks event he suddenly realized how hollow this whole competition thing was. Ir also added a new dimension ro the term "small world."

YF learned that competition and cameras arc a potentially dangerous combinarion f'or rhe Young Ego. A lirrlc common sense would h;ive gone a long way, Inn common sense isn'r as commo11 as the name implies. When spread across humanity ir's very rhin, like butter on a cheap cheese sa11dwich. 111111

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p

rn r designing and developing a new Internet presence. ff you aren't on the Web, ushga.org is a good reason to get there.

(Do you live in a cave?) Most everything you would like to know abour the Association and our sport is there. Om mission witb the new sire is to increase communication, give you valuable infor·· mation, keep you in the know, reduce costs, and make your flying experience more enjoyable. Let us know what you what can't it do? think. ushga.org

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Spend some time at ushga.org. Most of the information is available now, more soon. Click around there is a great deal of information here. If there is something you thiuk is important the Web site should do that it isn't, let me know and we will try to wcbify.

'J'hanks, David Glover david@)davidglovcr.com II

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on'r get: me wrong, I'm not saying I have ir all figured our (quicr rhc opposite), but I do think it's time for us to change the way we teach cerrain things about aerotowing specifically and hang gliding in general.

'There cire very few things in hang gliding cts convenient cmd cool as aerotowing~ but the more aerotowing becomes popular, the more accidents will happen. I've lost several friend, to aerotowing accidents, and

Im beginning to notice some 11-ccident trends that don't

'IWO STORIES

include fatalities.

l wns in the front sem of a Schweitzer 2-33 during my ninth instructional sailplane flight. It was 1994 and Juan Cruz, the man who would end up teach-ing me more than anyone else I've mer, was in the back scat as my instructor.

We'd been on tow for a minmc or so, and at abour 400 to 500 feet, while we were flying back parallel to the airport after a

180 off the end of the runway, all of a sudden [ heard the telltale gunshot sound of the Schweitzer tow rcle;isc letting go under line tension. J looked left, looked right, and after abom two seconds heard a lower, throaty, aaaainnnnnch noise (like the buzzer on a g:imc show when you get the answer wrong), followed by the

3fi

words, "You're dead."

Man ob man, I knew better than that!

Juan had told me over and over that I needed to know what I was going to do at all times while on row, and that l should know my plan of action should the rope break at any moment, even before it happened. My transgression had H/\NC GI IDINC

been looking from side to side to size up the situation and find the airport. I should have already known where the airport was and my proximity to it. l should have had a pbn of atrack in mind that would require no sizing up of the situation. The point Juan made was that, ar lower altitude, the couple of precious seconds I wasted could have resulted in a fatal accident. This was possibly the best (albeit frustrating) lesson of my aviation career.

Ir was the foll of 1999 and I was on the beach with my fly rod, trying my hand at surffly fishing. For those not familiar with fly fishing, placing the fly where you want it involves casting the line from front to hack a few times to pay the line out. So there l was, whipping a hook 50 to 75 feet om over the breakers and behind me over the beach. While doing this I was keeping an eye out on every back-cast for beach combers who might be a bit miffed should my day's goal and theirs meet in an unplanned manner. As l fished, a lady was slowly strolling north, stopping and stooping periodically while searching for rhar perfect seashell. I watched her creep toward my spot on die beach for about 20 minutes. As she neared the area where l was back-casting she was completely oblivious rn me flinging a sharp hook attached to a fluorescent line in her pathway. Expecting rhis very scenario, I stopped my fishing and let her pass by, complcrely unaware of my angling.

Why did l tell you these stories?

Because they offer lots of examples that parallel what we do while /lying hang gliders.

SITUATIONAL AWARJ,:NESS When it comes rn critical or lifc-thrca1ening endeavors whether mountain climbing, hang gliding, or even driving a car it's important that we focus on what we're doing to ensure that we live through it. Using a cell phone while driving a car is a perfect example of nor focusing, and the potential dangers associated with a lack of focus.

What I'm offering is the theory that we can focus roo much 011 the exact tcch-niqucs involved in a task, and risk "fozzing our" when it comes to peripheral concerns. This greatly influences the safe completion of' the general task thar encompasses the specific task on which MAY 2000

we arc focusing. What I'm referring to is best described as "situational awareness."

During the sailplane incident there was no c1ucsrion that J was focused. I was focusing on keeping the row plane in the exact proper place in my windscreen.

This hadn't become second nature to me yet, so quire a bit of focus was required to perform this rask as expected. The prob-lern was that I wasn't seeing the big picture. l wasn't keeping track of where the airport was. Those who have acrorowcd either hang gliders or sailplanes will probably remember the first time: You're so in tcn ton staying in rhe right place behind the tow plane that you don't know where you arc by the time you get off row. Don't get me wrong, it's good to be fcKuscd, hut we've got ro temper that with an awareness of other critical factors while flyiug.

The lady who passed untouched behind me on the beach was very focused, intent on finding that lovely souvenir. However, she ,vas nor aware of rhc whole situation. I, on the other hand, was very aware of what I was doing, and nearly as focused on her and orhcrs on the beach as I was on catching that fish.

Had l been as fornscd ou catching a fish as she was on fo1ding a shell, the story probably would have been much less boring. l accomplished my goal of learning to surf-cast while being aware of my surroundings.

AEROTOWING ·J'hcrc arc rhose who argue that aerotow-ing is more dangerous than foor-launching, and this argument may go on for quite some time. I agree and disagree with this claim. lf you take an average pilot our or the mountains and put him in a towing situation, rhcrc will be a period of rime during which he will be much more in peril than if he'd stuck with the launch method at which he is skilled.

Likewise, if you rake a pilot who h;is done nothing but acrorow for 10 years and put him on a mountain launch, that same, da!lgcrous, learning-curve time period will cxisr. Ir all depends on your current skills.

When towing hang gl idcrs there arc more mechanical items involved that can create problems. There arc line releases, and depending on the type of towing, there's a rng, a winch, a launch dolly or any of a host of gadgets or gear that can

fail or get in your way. However, the great thing about towing is that there is an emergency procedure for practically all situations that might arise as a result of using this apparatus. The rrick is recognizing the situation quickly and implementing the appropriate emergency pro-cedurc for the particular emergency.

We occasionally hear about pilots who get parts of their glider or harness caught on the row dolly while acrorowing. Most likely the pilot was too focused on some-thing else during launch. Maybe he was focusing on tnning his radio, making sure the release was hooked up properly, or that the wheels on rhc dolly were facing in rhc right direction. All of rhcse things arc important, of course, but you should not focus on rhem so much thar you lose awareness of the big picture.

So, what do we do? Every aspect of hang gliding is a learned skill, and we must recognize while learning a new skill that we arc in danger of losing sight of the big pictiirc if we focus too much 011 a smaller detail of that picture. We should learn our new skill as quickly as possible, and concentrate on bringing the big picture into focus as early as possible during the acquisition of that skill. ] ,et's apply some of this to foot-launch (lying. Have you ever seen sornconc whack a bystander in the head with a leading edge as he is launching? Most of us have. Remember, ;i pilot is responsible for everything related ro his flying. Often the pilot is so focused on launch conclirions that he frirgcrs about what is going on around him. I-lave you ever seen two pilots scuing up their landing approaches at the same time and not seeing each other until the last moment? It's the same thing here: so much focus on the LZ or the approach that a pilot forgets the simple rule of clearing turns.

In summary, you should make it a very high priority to include the big picrnre in all your flying (and life). When learning a new skill that requires a lot of focus, be aware that you arc purting your-self in a more dangerous situation if you concentrate excessively only on the new rask at hand. 'fry ro bro,1den yom focus as soon as possible while learning your is that new skill. What I am not you should not pay attention to your ing and just gaze around. As in many things, a proper balance is the key. II

37

rts effort by rhe pilot to free it. Though nor likely to carry the cart alofr, it clearly distracted newer pilots.

by Bill Bryden> [JS!-!GA Accident Review Chairman ow familiar docs this evcm r-"l!sound?

An advanced pilot was launching from a ground launch vehicle (also called a GLV, cart or dolly). The glider climbed 10 to 15 feet with the cart dangling from rhe glider's control bar. 'T'hc tug pilot observed this and released rhe glider. T'he dolly came b;ick down onto the ground and then the glider nosed over very aggressively, slamming the pilot headfirst into the ground causing a serious back injury.

A year ago we reported a Nita I accident involving a ground launch can. The USHGA had very few problems acrually reported prior to rhis tragic accident, yet in its wake, stories about can problems seemed to abound. Some additional incidents were consequently reported from 1999 and previous years. We'll review some of those additional submissions this month. ln the above incident, inspection of the glider revealed that the speed bar's neo·· prc:ne grips had rope burns across the top of them. It appears that the hold-down rope (that the pilot grips to keep the glider seated in the dolly cradles) actually looped over the top of the bowed section of the speed bar. It is speculated that a glider with large training wheels might require this length of hold-down line but it was clearly too long for a glider without the big wheels.

Some ofrhe incidents reported subse.. quent to last year's fatality included the following:

As a glider started lifting the wind died and it settled back down on rbe cart frwward of 1bc cradles. The glider yawed a bit and one wheel dropped down between two parallel cross-frame 3[3

members of the cart. As the glider straightened out the wheel was trapped between the two tubes and lifted the cart as airspeed increased. This weight .. ed one side of the glider which the pilot had to aggressively correct for until the can luckily dropped free.

A pilot launched and a vario safety string snagged on the cart. The pilot climbed to about 20 feet with the carr dangling from one side of the control frame, managed ro release and landed with the cart still attached. " A glider equipped with a tail fin had a small portion of the vertical fin support extending through and below rhe keel. The: pilot observed that the glider repeatedly seemed to not come out of the cart properly and it was later observed that this small section of fin tubing was snagging on the nylon keel support strap.

An advanced pilot utilizing a fiberglass, shell-Lypc harness snagged rbe launch cart's hold-down rope and carried the cart alofr several hundred feet before it fell free.

An advanced pilot was launching from a can and one of his harness zipper lines hooked under a handle on the dolly, carrying it aloft. 'T'his can design used "handles" instead of the ubiquitous rope hold-down. These were short bars protruding from the control bar cradles parallel to the control bar which the pilot gripped together with the bar. Sadly, the: cart's owners acknowledged this problem had occurred before.

A club regularly used a cart that had narrow lJ.-sh,1ped slots in the cradles to accommodate the control bar. These were shaped such that during stronger crosswind launches, which tend to yaw the glider into the wind a bit, the control bar would wedge in the cradle and not easily lift om ofit, ofren requiring

Of these events, how many seem familiar to you? 'The problems in each of the above situations are relatively obvious.

The need to tuck harness lines, VG strings, vario safety cords and other dangling lines om of rhe way before launch cannot be overstated. ls rhis step listed on your final takeoff checklist? The need for harness and cart designs that minimize snag potential also cannot be overstated.

Unfortunately, many people tend to construct their own ground .. [auncb carts.

Without good design, failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), and similar engineering processes, too many of these home--brcw rigs arc bound to include known flaws or incorporate new ones.

When you figure the value of one's rime and the effort required to procure: parts and materials, you'll ofren find ir more c:conomic1l to simply purchase a unit from a manufacturer who has already learned rhe imporranr lessons.

Though a cart looks simple, it is a very safety .. critical machine. 'T'herc: can be unique interactions with some gliders and wheel configurations that arc unsafe. Pay particular attention to joints. One round rube crossed over another ,md bolted to another can create a good snag trap.

Wheels must not wobble excessively at higher speeds, which creates extensive: drag rhat is translated to the control bar, effoc-· tively pulling the bar in. In extreme cases this can be aggressive enough to nose the glider over. Control bar supports and hold .. down lines are particular rrouble spots, as are rear keel supports. Carts can provide a safo way to launch bur only if the design is good and your launch proce.. dures are thorough and rigorously followed.

Particularly disturbing in tbc: above reports is a tendency by a few pilots to tolerate known cart problems and presum.. ably trivialize the significance of the cart when it comes to pilot safety. This attitude injures and kills, and you'll carry a boatload of guilt afrerwards. [f you're one of these folks, please, fix your carts before you become an accident. II

HANG GLIDING

Part

I

e's tim e to heighten our awareness to lower our anxiety. It's rime to moderate the potential for a dace with dire face.

A few months back we presented a two-part series on spins and dangerous velocities which rigid wings are capable of achieving. From many communications I have received since rhen, it appears rhac quite a few pilots of the Exxcacy-cype gliders felt they were immune to spins and only rhe Swift-type gliders would spin. This belief is a misco ncepti on chat can lead to mishaps. Our purpose here wi ll be to understand spins as they relate to hang gliders in practical detail. Our goal is to enjoy accident-free flying.

Before we begin, lee's make a few important points to focus our attention.

I

1) Spins and spirals are two different maneuvers with different effects.

Hang glider pilots have long enjoyed the peace of innocence when it comes to spins and their consequences. We simply didn't worry about spins because our flex wings were nearly unspinnable, unlike most other aircraft, including sailplanes and paragliders. But recently we have paid a price for our innocence. The lack ofattention to the spin phenomenon has made a Jew pilots victims of sudden surprise spins on rigid wings.

2) Loss of altitude and loss of control are the two main dangers associated with spms.

3) Spins are one of the major killers in general aviation.

4) Rigid-wing hang gliders may have serious spin characteristi cs (or entries).

5) Inadvertent spins can be avoided

through knowledge, train ing and practi ce.

We will address these points and more in the course of this article. But first, in order rn understand spins we muse first understand the principles behind chem.

~ UNTJIVISTEE.D

WING-

r!GUR.E 2-. -........,-Wl.:rT EFr.L=GT

40

H ANG GLIDI NG

SPIN ENTRIES For rhe most pan, the aerodynamics behind a spin are well understood; rhey have been srudied a lor. However, rhe behavior of low-speed flying wings (hang gliders) have nor been studied in detail and cenainly the practices of pilots (scratching on a ridge or in thermals, reaction to a spin) have not been seriously addressed. The aerodynamics we present here are straight out of the many avaiJable textbooks. The comments on the wing's and pilot's reactions stem from aviation instructional texts, my interviews with pilots and my own experience with spins.* Let us begin with a definirion and descriprion of a spin. A spin may result when a srall occurs asymmetrically across a wing. The presence of a sralled condirion increases rhe drag dramarically so the sraJled portion of rhe wing rends ro fall behind rhe unstalled ponion (see Figure 1) . If the stall isn'r eliminated by correct control from the pilot, rhe wing will begin to rotate around rhe stalled side as shown. What happens next depends on rhe design of the aircraft, bur us ually for a rigid-wing hang glider the results are: a sudden, rapid dropping of the nose (the normal response to a hard stall) and a rapid aurorotation around the spin axis.

The term autorotation is used because rhe process becomes a stable, uncoordinated turn. The glider will continue spinning unril a planer gets in the way or the pilor performs the proper controls to remove the stalled condirion. (On cenain wings the glider may self-recover after entering a very steep dive, bur m uch altimde loss and very high speed will occur.)

A map le or ash seed spinning to rhe ground is autorotating just like a glider in a spin. You can readily observe these effects with a Sryrofoam model flying wing. To induce a spin, toss it so ir hits a pole with one wing.

SPIN CAUSES What causes an asymmetric srall in the first place? The main reasons are rurbulence or stalling in a mm. If you are flying slowly, near srall, an updraft can sud-

*I do not have extensive rigid-wing experience except under power. I have spun ultralights and flex wings. I have flown the Exxtacy and the Millennium and intend to buy a rigid wing when the design evolution slows.

MAY 2000

r/.AJ AIR.FOIL-IO°fo,HICK

-rHICKER.. AIRFOIL -

/3 %

------rORWARD STALL

rOf<WARD/-IIGfi POIN'T" (Ft-eX-WING-

-rYPE!.)

,r!Gt/~E -:,. - All<POIL_ EFPl:=CTo .

denly increase rhe angle of arrack on one wing and srall ir. Usually such an updrafr will also lifr rhe wing. If a pilot flying a spoiler-comrolled wing moves ro the high side to bring rhar wing down, the spoiler acrion may slow the lifted wing and furrher increase irs angle of arrack. A spin can resuh in exueme cases. A glider conrrolled with ailerons may be less susceprible to such an exacerbation by rhe pilor since an upward-deflecring aileron on the high wing acmally reduces the rendency to stall. (Recall rhar in a previo us article we mentioned the Mitchell Wing's habir of spinning when used for slow soaring flight. It is controlled by both quasiailerons and rip rudders that drag a wing back. ) In a mm the inside wing is ar a higher angle of attack than the outside. In face, the angle of relative wind a wing "sees" increases in a uniform, linear manner from outside tip to inside rip as shown in Figure 2. Thus, if we slow roo much in a mm, some portion of the inside wing will stall while the rest of the wing remains unstalled (the place where the

stall occurs depends on the twist in the wing as we discuss below) .

Again, we should note the effect of conrrols: If a pilot cries to increase the rate of turn when flying near stal l by activaring a spoi ler or rip rudder on the inside wing, the increased drag will slow that wing an d may resul t in a spin. T his event is rhe most common cause of spins in airplanes and sailplanes (using a rudder rather than a spoiler ro increase the turn rate). Later we'll see how to prevent this mistake.

SPIN FACTORS There are five principle facrors affecti ng a wing's tendency ro spin. T hey are: 1) the wing's twisr, 2) the airfoil, 3) the center of graviry position, 4) the wing's sweep and 5) the wing's taper. We' ll look ar each of them wirh an interest in understanding enough to predicr the spin tendencies of a given design.

Wing rwisr, also called washout, is a built-in lowering of the angle of attack of a wing's tip compared to its root (center).

The flexi ng of the sail on a flex-wing glid41

An airfoil with the high point fimher forward may reach a relatively high angle of attack, but often separation occurs in the forward part of the airfoil which can make post-stall drop more abrupt. Flexwing gliders ofren have far-forward high points, but their stall is typically benign since they have lots of twist. Rigid wings usually have more airplane-like airfoils.

An important airfoil factor is the change in airfoil along the wing. Tn general, to combat spin tendencies an airfoil should be of greater thickness relative to its chord (front-to-rear length) at rhe outboard area as compared to the root.

Unfortunately, this arrangement is detri-mcntal to higher--speed performance when twist is employed since these 0111board areas will be at low angles of arrack where thicker airfoils produce more drag than thinner ones. Once again we sec a design dilemma.

The placement of cen-of gravity (CC) an aircraft has a great effect on its spin susceptibility and recovery. An airplane with too much weight rearward will be more likely to spin, and if the improper balvpwe.LLJA!Gr c,r.,.use.D ,.,.:rr ance is too great, Nose f?;SACH/2.S 1/P AND the spin may be 111/C/{:f!!ASES rr.s ,ANG-J-E OP unrecoverable. On A'T'rACJ<., a hang glider, we 1{ocrr can change the cc; of the system in flight by moving our body forward and back. T'heoret-· ically, we could ,ivoid spins by not

er provides 12 degrees or more of twist (depending on the design) in flight. The result is that the outboard sections of such a wing are at a very low angle of attack and the outboard stall that causes a spin does not occur under normal circumstances. The drawbacks of such a large amount of twist (often airplanes and sailplanes have abont three degrees) is reduced performance since the entire wing isn't operating at an optimum angle of attack. One of the reasons rigid wings can get better performance than a flex wing in many situations is their reduced twist. Bur the penalty is greater susceptibility to spins. The twist foctor is a clear design tradeoff The airfoil of' a wing has a role to play in spin tendencies because a spin is precipitated by a stall and airfoils have greatly varying stall characteristics. For example, a flatter airfr>il rends to stall at a relatively lower angle of attack (see Pigure 3).

42

pnshing out too much in different situations. Yet to fly at minimum sink we nrnst fly near stall which means weight back. So we get the double whammy (which can lead to a single wham!): we fly slowly in turbulence or turns and our weight (CG) is relatively far back. lf you place your hang point back on your glider, you compound the problem because you may have a tendency to get too slow when you are not paying attention. Certainly a friend flying your glider in a rearward hang point configuration may get a surprise; be may literally take your glider for a spin.

We'll look at the final two points, sweep and taper, together. Sweep is an angling back of the wings and taper is a narrowing of the wings from the root to the tip. We determine d1ese factors by looking at the wing's planform which is its shape viewed from the top. These maners are illustrated in Figure 4.

When a wing is swept back, the updraft induced by the airf1.)il at the root meets the wing portion further out and back and increases its local angle of attack. This effect is shown in Figure 5.

As a result, the greater the sweep, the greater tbe effective increase in angle of arrack on the outboard pan of the wing.

For that reason, a flex-wing hang glider with a geometric twist of 12 degrees may experience a virtual or aerodynamic twist of perhaps six degrees or less. Thus, as a rule of thnmb, the more sweep in a wing, the more spin tendency.

Taper affects a wing's stall characteris-tics very much like sweep bm the mechanism is slightly different. The lift distribution on a wing depends in part on taper.

Figure 6 shows how the lift develops at different parts of a wing. Note that the wing with an elliptical plan form will have an elliptical lift distribution and theoretically the entire wing will stall ar the same angle of attack. On the other hand, if a wing is straight-tapered, the lift distribution will be altered as shown. The greater the amount of taper, the more the outboard area (tip) is loaded in relation to its size. 'The result is a tendency for such a wing to stall near the wing tip first. A start! ing illustration of this phenomenon is the fact that the early standard hang gliders had perhaps 20 degrees of washont, yet could be spun due to their great taper (and sweep) which went from around a 17-fi>ot chord at the root to HANC Gl.lDINC

zero at the tip. (For more information on rhis matter sec references 1, 2 and 3 at the end of Part II.) When a wing does incorporate sweep, taper or both, wing twist is the normal way to overcome the associated spin problem, thus the configuration of a flex-wing hang glider. The Exxracy and other similar designs use less sweep and zero raper which helps reduce the spin tendency, so less twist can be incorporated.

I-lowever, as we'll sec below, some of them will spin aggressively. The Cloudbuster incorporates a very wide tip area which should help reduce tip stalls although rhis area may not be placed optimally for such a purpose. Figure G shows a glider with sweep and taper, with and withollt twist.

SPIN RESUITS Early in our discussion we described the action of a typical rigid wing entering a spin. Now let's finish that description.

Once the glider's nose drops and the spin begins in earnest, the configuration of the spin flat or steep, fast or slow -

Board of Directors REGION 1 Bill BoloSkY. /R 00) (425) 557-7981 bolosky@microsoft.com Steve Roti (R 01) (503) 284-0995 sroti@uswest.net Gene Matll1ews (H ·· 00) (206) 488-1443 skydog@gte.net Bob Hannah (H 00) (206) 328-1104 paraskr@aol.com REGION 2 Ray Leonard (R 00) (775) 883-7070 advspts@pyramid.net Jamie Shelden (R 0·1) (408) 353-5159 jrshelden@aol.com Scott Gasparian (R· 01) (650) 218-3984 gaspo@igi.org Ed Pitman (I_- 00) (530) 359-2392 epitman@c-zone.net Russ Locke (H - 01) (408) 737-8745 russlocke@juno.com Ken Brown (H - 01) (415) 753-9534 kennyb2u@aol.com

depends on how much of the inside wing is stalled and the craft's design. Current rigid wings appear to spin in very nosedown, high--bankcd positions according to pilots' accounts. This situation is the least desirable since it results in rapid alti-· tuclc loss (see Figure 7).

In the midst of a spin rhe unstalled outside wing swings rapidly around rhe stalled inside wing. The outside wing rends ro I ifr because of its high airspeed which then steepens the bank angle.

Opposing this steepening tendency is the centrifogal force dTect acting on the wings and the pilot as well as the upward drag on the stalled inside wing.

We might be tempted LO rhink that the nose-down attitude or steep bank would recover rhe proper airflow on the stalled wing, hut this isn't the case. The reason is that rhc inside wing has very lirrlc airspeed because the axis of rotation of the wing is much closer to the center of the glider rlian in a normal turn. In fact, in some cases the axis of rotation is inside the lower wing so the tip of the wing is

Contninued on p11ge 4R.

REGION 3 Ken Baier (R 00) (760) 753-2664 airjunkies@worldnet.alt.net

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Gregg Lawless (R 01) (858) 484-2056 glawless@sempra-slns.com Rob Kells (H - OD) (714) 998-6359 rob@willswing.com Gil Dodgen (Editor) (949) 888-7363 (949) 888-7464 fax gildodgen@aol.com REGION 4 Mark Ferguson (R OD) (303) 439-8542 mark@ballvarios.com Jim Zeiset (R - 01) (719) 539-3335 jimzgreen@aol.com Larry Sanderson (H - DO) (505) 392-1177 Larryssa@aol.com Liz Sharp (H 01) (303) 530-0718 eas@cmed.com REGION 5 Frank Gillette (f, - 00) (208) 654-2615 Watercyn@cyberhighway.net

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01)

John Harris (H OD) (252) 441 -4124 ucanfly@outer-banks.com Steve Kroop (H - 00) (352) 331-6729 usaflytec@aol.com

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Michael Robertson (H .. 00) (905) 294-2536 flyhigh@inforamp.net USHGA Executive Director Philip Bachman PO Box 1330 Colo Springs CO 80901 (719) 632-8300 wk (719) 632-6417 fax phbachman@ushga.org ushga@ushga.org EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President-David Glover Vice President-Mark Ferguson Secretary-Bill Bryden Treasurer-Geoff Mumford KEY: (R)-Regional (L)-At Large (H)-Honorary (X)-Ex Officio COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Competition--,John Borton CompCommitte@aol.com Membership & Dev-Steve Roti Site Mgmt-Randy Leggett HG Accident-Bill Bryden PG Accident-Paul Klemond Awards-Jan Johnson Bylaws-Paul Riker\ Nat'I Coordinat.-Dennis Pagen Planning-Geoff Mumford Safety & Training-Bill Bryden Tandem-Paul Voight Towing-Geoff Mumford Publications-Dan Johnson (03/14100)

MAY 2000

M M

V

I COULDA GC)NE TO HAT PLY-IN C)N AUGUST 14-15, BUT INSTEAI) ...

Although jerry Srhirnl:e is a parailider pilot we thought our Hang Gliding readers would enjoy hisfctscinating story. he/.

Flying the glas~Hdfat Iiat

owever, my eldest sister, Anita, graciously invited me and my rwo other sisters ro visit her newly completed home and ro attend the Mountain Festivnl in 'Tehachapi on the Hat Creek weekend. It's been quire a few years since the four of us hnvc: had such a reunion. And because: there is a place called Cummings Valley nearby, where the locals paraglide at abour 4,000 feet elevation, I choose Tehachapi instead of Hat Creek.

After a Saturday morning of Mountain Festival parade and craft booths in the park, T had the urge to go paragliding. The wind was blowing pretty hard in Tehachapi, so I expected it to be blown out and really wasn't committed to flying. But I did visit the site, just about four miles by GPS from Anita's house, to see if anyone c:lse was flying. Nope.

No pilots in the air and not a soul in sight in the vicinity of the LZ. I don't advocate flying alone, but as long as I was there I thought I might just as well bike up the hill and check the wind speed. Not too bad 8-10 mph.

Should be flyable ifl could catch the house thermal. As it turned out, I missed the thermal, but soared the ridge for a six-minute flight. Since any flying is better th,m none, I felt a little bit satisfied and headed back 10 Anita's to call it a day.

Early Sunday afternoon I returned 10 Cummings Valley to find a hang glider pilot breaking down bis glider in the hang glider LZ. He had flown from Bear Mountain and said that conditions were pretty punchy. He'd flown about 50 minutes and reached 7,200 feet where conditions were okay, bur be said that out over the valley it was pretty rough, even for Cummings Valley (whatever rhar meant). Tn particular he was bounced around quite a bit while landing, but he still thought

my favorite ways to spend an evening

44

Creek Rim, C'ctli:fornia, is one of

watching the sun set over Burney Mountain, flying down out ofthe glass-offto the then sharing a favorite beverage in camp with some ofthe nicest people around ['he !-fat Creek Fly-In is always a good time, andf?Jr sure this ye11r I was planning to attend and participate. it would be flyable. l proceeded ro the paraglidcr T.Zand measured the wind speed at six to eight mph.

That seemed eminently doable. With the previous day's experience under my belt [ figured it would be a shame nor to head up the bill a few hundred feet and reassess the situation. lt was hot, and the hill was pretty steep, so it took about 20 minutes to get GOO feet up over the LZ for another look-sec. The wind was 8-10 with peaks of about 14-15 as the cycles came through. I could see dust devils out in the valley from time to time, and that produced an amber light in my mind, but they didn't appear to he highly inrense with cores c:losely packed, extending thousands of fecr into the air.'[ 'he air coming straight up the hill seemed very inviting. 'frue, I was alone. I never fr:el great about flying alone, and seldom do it. Bm it had worked okay the previous day, and 1 did have my cell phone in case l needed to call 911 .

And, in a worst-case scenario, if I crashed, the hillside was pretty bare and my glider would be visible, so someone would hopefully see me. ln any event, the conditions seemed very

This condor was hatched in the San inviting and l folt quite Diego Wild Animal con fidcn t that all Par!:: on Mtirch 27, l 994 and released at would work om well.

So [ hid om my glider, fion Canyon in the climbed into my flight Los Padres Ncttional suit and harness, went Forest on February though my checklis1 8, 1995. Photo by and hooked in. After .foannct Behrens, Wildlife Biologist; building a wall and checking out all the US Fish and Wildlife Service. lines, J waited for a favorable cycle, lifted the glider overhead and took o!J; climbing immediately and constantly at a very comfortable rate a few bumps, hut these were thermal conditions and nothing unexpected.

The hang glider pilot had mentioned thar he found the best lift right over the paraglider launch ridge, so that's where I started to explore the air. Sure enough, ir didn'r take long to get several hundred feet above launch.

The ridge to the west, over toward Bear Mountain, looked like it would be fun to explore, so I headed out: in that direction.

Sure enough, there was lift to get up to the top of the ridge and look around. I could see in the direction of my sister's house hut HANC GLIDINC

couldn't pick out its exact location. Srill, it seemed like a good idea to try going cross-country and landing in her front yard.

So back [ went, l, 500 foet over launch, heading down the ridge roward Anita's place. The lift wasn'r as easy to find on that part of the ridge. The scattered blue oaks, which were all over rhc place, had some space between them in which it looked like I might be able ro land without ending up in a tree, but I didn't have anyone following me in a chase car, so landing out wasn't a very attractive option.· !'his was especially so since I was continually flying within sight of the 'lchachapi maximum-security correctional facility, and hitchhikers arc not a welcome commodity on the roads in this area.

If I landed m Il I was guaranteed a good hike, and since it was a prct ty hot day this prospect had limited appeal.

So, ali:cr losing a lot of alti-

rny conservative nature prompted me to rnrn back toward launch to regain some height. I .ooking down al rhc blue oaks below me made me wonder if l had overextended my explmarion. What the heck had J gotten myself into? Did I make a big mistake? Bur no, there was some lift, right over the little hill where I thought it should he nor great lifr, but enough to give me a linlc margin of comforr. Then one more little bounce and I was over the last little ridge between launch and rne, and rhc lift was stronger. l was okay! Up the face of rhe mountain I flew, moving west again, figuring I'd head back over toward Bear Mounrain.

At about 300-liOO feet above launch I noticed some vultures circling below me, om farther away from the face of the mountain rhan I had been flying. Hey, thought l, vultures know where good thermals arc, I'd better get out there with them. Yup, they knew where the good ones were. By rhc time I got as far away from the mountain as they were, they had climbed to rny altitude.

I noticed that they had some unusual coloring at the elbow of their wings. As they circled gracefully in rhc thermal and l approached, the recognition came ron· MAY 2000

dors! Could it be? Yes, 120 conditions were a bit punchy, and l was 100 : busy, actively flying my paraglidcr. Where 80 : were Oh yes, over there. Arc we in the same thermal? Yes! GO 11 40 Dig those birds! My 20 : gosh, how exciting! 'lei be thcrmaling with 0 i condors. U11bclicv"' <P "' able! Unexpected!

Thrilling beyond words. Three or four times around in this thermal and there they went, moving on to another. l followed.

They drifted back ro the original position and we all went round and round some more. One of rhc biggest (with an orange head) had large, numbered tags on its wings, one hl11e, one red, each wirh a large number "8." We flew 011 and Number 8 came in to take a better look Its legs were lowered to lower its speed. It passed l O feet over my glider, directly between rhc sun and me, casting an unbelievably large shadow on my canopy as it gracefully continued to thermal with me. How many of them were there?

Wow, there were four. No, five! No, I'll be damned if there weren't six of them!

They seemed as interested in me as I was in them. They continually drifrcd from place ro place, choosing the best lih in the vicinity. For 15--20 minutes we comin11ed sharing the same thermals as we gained altirude, our relative height always within about l 00 feet of each other. Sometimes I would be on the top of the heap, sometimes on the bottom. Other times all seven ofus would he circling in the same thermal ar the same level, all or us within 100 yards of each other. The closest encounter at the same level was about 30-50 foet. ['JI tell you, for a hird with nearly a 1Cl-foot wing span, that's mighty close. And they were all well man-ncrcd. We all circled in the same counterclockwise direction and maintained eye conract.

I had heard that vulrures have a defense mechanism which can result in a person get-ting plastered with unpleasant fecal material.

I don't know if' there is any truth in this or not, bur I had heard it, and it was on my mind as one or another of the birds would past me and get in front, lined up per-to bomb me if ir wanted to. No such behavior was noted, only a very friendly "come and play with us some more" kind of

l

attitude. In fact, they were leading me from thermal to thermal in the direction of Anira's house, so once again I cmerraincd the notion of flying the four miles home and going back for my car later.

Then they started to drift back fort her up the rough terrain of the canyon, deeper into the forested area, and I lost confidence.

When J conservatively headed hack toward the launch area, my ncwfcrnnd playmates kept circling farther and f~mher into the wilderness and l lost contact with them.

What exhilaration! What satisfaction! I folt that I had gained new understanding and insight into the flying cnvironrncm of Cummings Valley. l flew back toward Bear Mountain and grabbed a thermal, riding it back to the top of the ridge where the convergence threw me into the sky at 1, 1/iO fi)Jn. After attaining 6,900 feet MS], I was ready to fly down rhc ridge, picking up rhcrmals all along the way to Anita's house. I had ilown with the con-dors! l was a sky god!

However, before I got even as far as the condors had taken me 25 minutes earlier, the expected thermals had not materialized.

J had flown into 900 f[)m sink, and J was low, way back over the wilderness. No longer a sky god, I realized that J was not a condor.

The condors had honored me by allowing me to join them for an exquisite quarter to a third of an hour, but now J was once again a frail human being, only visiting this splendid airspace above rugged wilderness, and out of my namral clement. I turned back, surveyed the v;1llcy for dust devils or other indications of perilous landing conditions, and realized that the adrenaline high was wearing off and I was getting very tired from all the active flying. It was time to land.

Over the valley and the I Z the air was more fluky and agitated than over the mountains. (Hmmph. ls that what the hang 4S

glider pilot meant?) I now wanted to get down fast, so I made a few rums in a spiral dive, went into big ears with the speed bar and plunked down softly a few feet from my waiting car. What an absolutely wonderfol experience it all was. Tsure wanted to do it again, but expected that ir was a oncc-i11<1Jifetimc experience.

EPILOGUE An experience is over when it's over, but when is it over? l thought condors were nearly extinct. ls this true? Who was bird Number 8 and who were its buddies? Were they really condors?

Only Nurnbcr 8 had a red/orange head while rhe others had gray/black heads. Were the gray/blacks a different species? Where did they come from? How did it happen that we encountered each other and flew together? ls this normal behavior? These and hundreds of other questions pestered my mind, kept me awake at night, and generally kept the experience of flying with the condors

46

very alive and real long after leaving Cum-· mings Valley. I literally couldn't keep my mind off of the encounter and was forced to do research to seek answers to my questions. I Jere's what I found out.

California Condors, gymnogyps calijrJr· nirmus, are amazing animals (charismatic mcgafauna according to Greg Austin of rhe U.S. foh and Wildlife Service, Hopper Mm. National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Southern California). The condor is the largest flying land bird in North America.

They typically weigh in at about 20 pounds, arc IJ5-55 inches high and have a wingspan of8.5to9.5 Mankind 11carly forced the species inro extinction through habitat destruction, lead poisoning, power line accidents, egg collection and ra11dom shootings. By the l890's the condor population had already decreased to about 600 birds. 'T'hc 191JO estimated population was G0-100 birds. [n 1983 the total population was reduced to 22 (before breeding season). It was only through heroic intervention under the cover of the Enclangcrcc{ Species Act and its predecessors that the condor's precipitous tumble clown the road to extinction was halted. J\ joint private/government effr>rt to study and preserve condors was started in J 979. In 1983, eggs removed from nests in the wild were hatched and chicks raised in an environment designed to simulate their natural habitat. By 1987 there were no wild birds, and all 27 existing condors were in the captive-breed· ing program. In l 992, seven condors were reintroduced to the wild. Graph I traces the population history of the condors since the I %O's. Currently there arc 49 condors flying free in California and Arizona. T'herc remain 118 condors in the captive breeding pro· gram operated by three institmions: San Diego Wild Animal Park, the Los Angeles Zoo, and the Peregrine Fund World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho. The U.S. Vish and Wildlife Service Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex coordinates the program.

Were "my birds" really California Condors? Indeed they were! Although at time of release, juvenile condors arc the same size as

mat\ll'e birds, their coloration is different.

Condor R08 (red tag, numbered 8) is a female hatched on March 28, 1994 in the Los Angeles Zoo and released into the wild in the Lion Canyon vicinity of the Los Padres National Forest. She is one of the oldest and dominant free-flying females. As such, she is one of the first reintroduced condors whose head and neck arc turning from the juvenile gray/black coloration to rhc mature red/orange. In fact, she and R07, a contemporary male, have been observed by Fish and Wildlife biologists in some preliminary courtship behaviors and may produce an egg (possibly even a fertile one that hatches) in the year 2000.

Why were they where I was? Well, I 0,000 to l 00,000 years ago you might have nm into them anywhere from British Columbia ro Baja, California, throughout the Southwest ro Florida and north to New York Sratc. But by J 91JO the condor's range was reduced to the mountainous areas of Southern California as shown in Figure 1.

Also indicated arc the locations where Condors bred in captivity by the California Condor Recovery Program have been released in the Los Padres National Forest. Condors arc naturally curious and exhibit strong social behavior. From time to time mosr of the 20 birds in Southern California will be gr0t1pcd together. Then one or more individuals will go our exploring. They have been sighted as far north as Bishop, on the cast side of the Sierra (approximately 200 miles from their release point) and in the Springville vicinity of the Sequoia National Forest on rbe western slope of the Sierra (by a hang glider pilot).

Since paraglidcr pilots have flown more than l 00 miles in a single flighr, it is no surprise that these magnificent birds arc also far ranging and have been observed to travel in excess of 150 miles per day. Apparently the 'fransversc Range between Tcjon and the south end of the Sierra is a favorite foraging area fix condors. So here they happened to be flying through, looking for a large dead animal to cat, and l happened to be in the air at the same time. I'd guess that a chance encounter like this would occur far less often than one time in a million. (With such good luck, maybe I ought to play the lottery.)

Figure 2 is an expanded view of rhe Cummings Valley where the encounter occurred, showing the estimated track of our joint flight. lt is anybody's guess as to why the drift of our track was to the east and

Continued on page 48.

11/\NC GLIDING

THE MASTERS IN HANG GLIDING

Lori

ez

by Tiki Mashy

W

1erher or nor yo u've ever visired Wallaby Ranch, surely, by now, you've seen rhe exrrao rdinary anwo rk on rheir shins, posrer prims and nore cards. Jusr looking ar rhe "Fine An of Hang Gliding" series you can see rhe incredible blending of rhe polished masrers reflecred in each flying piece.

"Th is all began four years ago," says Lo ri , a successful arrisr by rrade, "when Malcolm (owner of Wallaby Ranch) commissioned me ro rransform a vinrage aviarion posrer ro reflecr rhe hang gliding genre." Inreresringly enough, Lori had never flown hang gliders before accepring

MAY 2000

Who'd have thought that the masters would emerge in hang gliding.

Well, they're here: van Gogh, Seurat, Miro, Matisse and Picasso. I'll bet these classic art masters never imagined that cool-chick hang glider pilot and professional artist Lori Sanchez would transform their fine art masterpieces into totally awesome hang gliding art. rhe assignmenr - obviously a quick fix ar Wallaby. Wirh success, rhe project yielded whar is now Wallaby's signarure posrer prinr and one really cure flying chick. Heck, ir's nor uncommon ro find Lori skyin' our above rhe Ranch in her

Wills Wing Ulrrasporr. 'Tm as passionare abo ur my flying as I am abo ur my anwork, " commenrs rhe Ranch Arrisr.

Basically, rhe reason her work is so popular wirhin rhe hang gliding commu-

Continued on page 56 47

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Continued from page 43. moving backwards. Yo u can witness chis effect by looking at photos of gliders spinning with smoke bombs on rhe wings or paragliders spinning with their wings fo lding from the rear. In a rigid-wing hang glider this rearward fl ow probably does n't lase very long because of the steep nose-down attitude.

Ir is useful to po nder about why a rigid-wing hang glider spins so steeply. I can only speculate, fo r my search of the literature (extensive but not exha ustive) tu rned up no studi es don e on spin behavior of flying win gs. (Any Ph .D. candidate our there need a top ic?) My guess is chat the relatively wide spans co mpared to rhe craft's mass contributes to the steep banks, and th e swept configurati on with airfoils char break stro ngly during stall contributes to the signifi cant nose-down attitude. Nore char Fledglings with their sh orter spans produce relatively flat spins.

Also note chat aircraft with less sweep

48

(such as a paraglider) spin relatively fl at and nose-up.

Before we look at how to gee out of a spin , we pause to learn a bit about spirals.

A sp in is an un coordinated (a wing is stalled) low-G, low-speed man euver (bur yo u are still descending fas t en ough to dent the earth if you hit it). Spirals are coordinated, h igh-G , high-speed man euvers. By coordinated, we mean char rhe enti re wing is fl ying nicely and no slipping or skiddi ng is occurrin g. A spi ral is essenrially a di ving turn. Rare of turn and eve n nose-down attitude may be the sam e in a spin and a sp iral , so the main way to tell rh e difference is to no te airsp eed and G fo rces. Spin s sometim es end in spirals, so pil ots shoul d recognize rhe difference.

You can easily gee our of a spiral by inputting oppos ite roll control , then pulling our of th e dive gently. H ow do you ge t our of a spin . . . ? Next month we'll answer char pithy question. •

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Call Lookout Mountain at (800) 688-5637 Continued fi'om page 46 no rth. Maybe the condors were simply our on a day rrip. Maybe rhar is their normal search parrern for food. Or maybe rhey really did wam ro rempr me ro head our fo r my sister's house. I don'r know. Nobody knows.

Thar's pan of rhe grand mysrery of ir all.

There are so many questions.

Forrunarely, I'm no r the only one in the dark abom many as pects of condor behavior.

In facr, rhe FWS is very imeresred in any reporred sighrings. While rheir biologisrs are moniro ring the birds wirh radio-celemerry, it is impossible ro keep rrack of all of chem all rhe rime. So they request rhar informarion such as rag numbers, exacr dare and locarion of sighting, number of birds, and any behaviors seen (i.e., soari ng, foraging, preening, roos ting) be reported ro the Hopper Mounrain Narional W ildlife Refuge Complex ar (805) 644-5185 .

T he FWS does know char, "by nature, condors are exceptio nally curious and show no fear of humans. And while birds born and raised in the wild could learn abo ut the M AY 2000

hazards of their environmem from their parems, capcive-relea.sed birds have no such role models." Therefore, iris very imponanr ro the survival of the condor species char humans srick ro the old adage, "Don'r feed the wild animals ." Ir is crirically impon am char condors learn ro fend for themselves, and ir can only be done if humans a.ssisr by nor feeding them. The FWS doctrine requesrs char people remain more than 100 feet from a condor on rhe ground or on a roosr. If they happen ro land near yo ur vehicle on a moumaimop (they are curious), FWS encourages people ro flush the birds by ma.king loud verbal noises or clapping hands. Anything we can do ro make rhe birds less comforcable around people will ulcimarely be in their besr imeresr.

The borrom line: 1) Don'r approach condors on a roosr or feeding on the ground. 2) Scare them away if they have landed on or near yo ur car. 3) If yo u ger a chance ro fly wirh them, do ir! You won't be sorry.

The author may be contacted at jschimke@pacbell.net. - Ed •

•

www.hanglide.com

Jerry Schimke started flying paragliders in 1991 at age 54 and has a USHGA Advanced rating. Sharing the air with birds {pelicans, red-tailed hawks, seagulls, black vultures, otherparagliders, hang gliders, etc.) has been one ofhis great joys while paragliding. The experience ofAugust 15, 1999 (described in this article) far surpasses any of his previous adventures while sharing airspace with the native flyers. Photo by Kay Schimke.

49

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VISIONS & l'ULSFS BougltrSold-Traded. Raven Sky Sports (2C2) lil:l-8800, br:1dv1)hanggliding.com

PlJLSF 11 M Harness, vario, hand deployed & ballistic 22gorc p,irachutes, cxrrns $:l,000 01\0. (:J21) lt51t-'.325(, l'lorida.

WW RAMAIR 158 --- Creen Team dition $800. (970) 209-5')00.

PULSFS & VISIONS l\oughrSoldTr;idcd. Ravcn Sky Sports (262) iiTl-8800, hrad(i1lhanggliding.com

WWXC: 112 --- (;re:ll condition, new wires, xc bag $1,'iOO OllO. (858) 581-68')1.

SPECTRUM lltli -- Red/white, hours $1,600.

SupcrXrralite 127, red/white, 100 hours $1,800. (951) ')78DCJ:l,

Excellcnr condition, never crashed, WWXC: I li2 low hours, red/white/blue asymmetrical sail, folding b:tsetubc, XC: hag $1,8')5 OllO. Jim (.301) 72')-0771, 1h c. II yi 11 g.d ttcJc(;!lcxci te.con1

SPECTRUM CLEARANCE SALF

good COIi-

Three 165

in ncnr new condition, w/all opdons Raven Sky Sports (2(,2) ,fn ·8800,

WWXC:112 --· Like new, <10 hours $3,500 0130. (')Tl) 398-li'Jll 12 noon NJ.

TIRED 01' TOWINC? Tired ol driving ro sites? Create your own, power up the sensible way wirh SWEDISH AEROSPORTS MOSQlJITO HAR NESS. Lightweight, powerful, affordable and most importanrly-l'un! Ctll BILL of TC I IANG GLIDERS, your U.S. SUPPLIER at 616-·922-2844. PS: SEEING IS BELIEVING, new video made by Fast Coasr Video, now available $1:1 includes shipping. 'l 'cl ianggl idcrC.:hj11no.c0111 PACKAGE C:G 2000 harness, QS-330 chute w/paraswivcl, Ball M 50 vario. $1,000 takes all. (G07) lil2-li625, RAYMOND EQUALJZER Paul (51:3) % 1-281 /.

PARAGLIDERS

b rnd@hanggl id ing.com WWXC I 55 Fxcellcm rnndition, magenta & blue, includes winglets & 1i1, f'airi $2,400 OHO. SauratownSkyC<ilaoLcom, (Jl(,) EST

ntaviC::t1pionccrnct.nct

STFAITI 1 151 Bcau1ifid glide,, excellent condition, blue/yellow, only 10 hours $2,495. Crl6) 92256') 1, j"kcsoarsC0 \10Lcom SlJPERSPORT 15:l

5'8"-6'2", blue/white,

Blue/yellow/white, excellent

Cood condition $1,800, (617) /i') J 7367, adminGllfott1ra.lcs.rni1.ed11 WWXC: 155 Low hours, clean, nice condition $2,100. (262) 473-8800, bradGllhanggliding.com

SUl'ERSl'ORT I 'i:l Superne:tt rnstom sail, very low hours, WW /,n included $2, I 00. (262) 17:l-8800, bradvihanggliding.corn TIU 1'i5 White/black, <5 hours $2,000. (307) 8561710, c.srarksv,lwyoming.com

OVER 50

New, used, really cheap. (303) 3'1T-89')5

leave message.

RIGID WINGS FXXTAC:Y 160 1998, one red/white, one green/white, both have 20 hours, like new $6,000. (')70) 20') 5900.

condition, spare downLubcs) custom shipping crate

$1,500 OBO. WW/,J h:trncss w/1'1 )A chmc, Flyte, 3010 v:trio-make olln, (70:l) 68'!-9501, l·'.rik.'l '\10masCi1)worldncr.at 1.ner

AIR SPORTS lJSA --WWW.FJYFOR.FUN.NET

EMERGENCY PARACHUTES ROCKE r· RFSl'RVFS With large polyconic;1l Gtllopy $55(). (:lOJ) :J/i7-8')'J5.

w/swivel $:3'75. 20 gore $ I ')'J. Many more available. Raven Sky Sports (262) li?:38800, brad<rihanggliding.co111 20 CORE !'!)A -

ULTRA! JG! ITS AIRBORNE EDGE TRIKE.~- Tug, trainer, fresh engine, electric start, quiet kit, 3 blade lvo, litll instrumcnr package\ intercom systcrn headsets and hcl1ncts1

p,nachure also. EXCELLENT CONDITION $13,900. l will crate & ship. (808) 822 5309.

HARNESSES

AIR SPORTS USA WWW.FIYEORFlJN.NET

100 gliders in stock. Lookout Mountain,

TRX 110 -- Only 20 hours, short dowmube $1,600.

(801) 571-8772, ikev1)inco11ncc1.com TRX 158 -

Fair condition, carbon dow111ubes $400.

WWI JP 170-low hours, great condition, virgin wires,

new b:tg $JOO. (208) Yi 5-1128, kalbus@lmicron.net

52

llARNFSS EXCHANGF CTI UT ES (970) 6/i 1 9,, 15, lmp://gunnisonglidcr.s.com/

FRFFDOM MACHINE & Falcon 225, 18 hours $5,500. (:321) 4 5/i-3256 Florida.

lllCll ENFRCY POD IIARNJ\SSFS -- Sizes & monthly, $:lOO-iiOO. cc; I OOO's $250. each. LMFI' pod, 5'9" $400.

1ec,r,un•e" & stirrups ;tlso available. (262) liTl-8800, brad<rilJ1anggliding.com

No mountains or tow park? No probSLIP TRIKE lem, scll~launch and soar! l.ighrcsr weight, most coin,, pact, most priced. ( :,111 or email for free brochure; refundable () for video, Liberated Flight (9itl) 727 2173 UBFLICTTT<rilaoLcom

McNF IT TRAININC I !ARNESSl'S - - Light, stro11g, durable. Thousands o/' students have rrairn,d in over the past IO years. (20/) 72')-')867.

WANTED

MOSQUITO MOTOR HARNESS /.oltan (:305) 22.1-5828 evenings, Miami.

Mi\CIC: Ill 155 And Dream 165 or 18'5-wrecked, worn our. F.1x (505) 821t-1868.

$2,900.

MOSQUITO POWER JIARNF.SSES Two, slightly used for demos, one has 6 hours, one has 8 hours, $3,675 :md $3,875. Call Gerry at (808) 822 · 5:309, birdip~iJa\oha.net, Visa/MC accepted.

Interested in forming an aero MAINE PlLOTS rowing club in mid coasr Maine, Call Eric (207) 72998(,7,

HANC CLJr)ING

s Tl IF. 111\NC CLJDINC CENTER- 6.l 12 Malcolm Drive, San Diego C:1\ n 115, (619) 2(,5 5.120.

COLORADO i\lRTIMI·; i\l\OVE 111\N(; CUDINC

l ll(:11 i\DVENTURF I Jang gliding, paragliding school. Equipment s,dcs, service, rentals at Southern California's mile high site, Crestline. USI IC;\ Instructor Rob McKenzie. By appointrnrnt year ronnd. ('JO'J) 88:\ .. 8li88, www.fly1a11de111.co111

lessons, s:ilcs, service. Colorado's most ext1nte111ce,:.I! Wills Wing, Moyes, Altair, 1ligh Energv, Ball, l'iytec, l'light Councctions :rnd much more. Call (.lO.'l) 67/i· 2/i 'i I, Evergreen, Colmado /\in imcl I( ;v1l:1ol.com

CONNECI"ICUJ' MACIC ;\II( l.ocatcd in Northern C:alil'ornia.

I.csson.1, .des, scrl"icc. (/07) %:l-3ii55.

ivlKli needed. J .. iJ()0.688-56.17.

TRX 160 -

MOUNTAIN WINCS. -· l,nok under New York. l'I.OR][)A

111 good shape. (91(,) li'i2-6/i01,

fly xcG1)y;1\10<).com SCf!OOLS & DEALERS

1.J\RCFST !!/\NC CIIDINC SllOP

ln thcWcst!

Our deluxe l'Clail shop showcases rhe latest equipment

and !us two virtual reality hang gliding flight sim1da1ors. We stock new and used .. Wills Wing, J\ltair and Moyes gliders, and :di the lwttrsl new harnesses. Trade ir1'.-i ate \VcluHllC.

()ur comprehensive training program, located at the S:rn Francisco !lay Are:1·s finest beginner site fratmcs:

gently sloped "bunny hills," Wills Wing l':ilcons of· all sit.cs and com/()rtahle training harnesses!

"FIRST FLICJ IT" 15 minute video 1011r ,,r our begin .. ner !cf.son program shows ,i swdcnt's skill progression .$20 (ship11ing inclndcd).

1116 Wrigley Way, Milpius Ci\ 95035 (nmrSm1josr).

(408) 262-1055. fox (li08) 2621:l88.

l/SI !CA CERTIFIFD Ti\NDFM INSTRUCTION - By ( ;rcgg JvlcNarnce. Aero tow rraining & ratings.

Dealer for all major flight and aerotow cquiprncnl, 1.S hmm from Disneyworld. Call (.l52) 489--9%9.

NJ\TIONJ\I. SC:l 100! NETWORK·-·· RINCS LOCALLY. for inf,Hmation call David (70(,) (S7· 8485, davidv1ldavidglover.con1

fly(tt!grayhirdairsports.co1n w,v,v.gr,1yl)irclairsports.con1

AIABJ\MA

f,()Ol<OUT MOL;NT1\IN Fl.lCIIT l'i\RK - Sec ad under ( ;eorgia. Nearest mountain training center to Orlando (only 8 hours).

LOOl(OUT MOl/NTi\lN FLICI IT PARK ad under ( ;corgia.

Sec

ROCKE!' CITY i\lRSPORTS

The f,111, safr place to learn to fly. We help you learn quickly and safrly with US! J(;;\ ccnificd probsion:d instructors. Creal place f,H first cross country flights. Three sites and Learn rn a Moyes-Bailey aerotug for those "other" acrotow and earn your i\T raring. Mention this :1d, bring a friend and receive one lesson 1/2 price. Call (256) 88().8512 nr (256) 77(,.l)()<J'i.

Ci\LIFORNIJ\ DRFJ\M WEI\ VER I !/\NC CLJl)]NC Trnin on \X/ills Winr, l':ilcons. Four hour lessons $ I00. T('J) lesson package $750., includes tandem oil 2,000 fi. hw lessons MOO. ( )r buy your new equi1,men1 here and get all future lessons for $75 each. Call, scheduling lessons five days a week, hidav through Tuesdays. Ideal 1rnin i11g hill. Arca s most INEXPFNSIVE prices. Your northern Calil,,rnia MOSQUITO 111\RNl'SS dealer.

Call for Mosquito rkn10ns1r:11ion or clinic. I kiler fc>r Wills Wing, Altair, [ ligh Energy Sports, Ball varim, C:amelbaks and more. Ta11dcrn i11stntctio11. LJSJ !( ;;\ Advanced lnstrnctor Doug Prarl,cr (209) 556-0li69 Modesto, (:i\.

FLY J\Wi\Y IIANC: (;Lll)JNC;/l'ARJ\C:LIDINC: Santa R,rbara. Tam Ill)" llmc.u (80'i) <)57-911i5.

MAY 2000

CiL DERPORT 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive San Diego CA 92037 Since 1928

NO MORE BUNNY. ..

THE HILL W[TH IT!

111\NC CLIDINC AND Pi\RJ\Cl.Jl)JNC US! [CJ\ ccrrificd instr11ction, tandem instrnc lion) s,tlcs, service, repairs, parachute

and site

toms. San Diego's world class soaring ccnrcr. Visa and MasterCard accepted. C:111 (858) Ii 52 .. 'JB58 or check us out at hup://www.flytorrcy.com

WF HAVE

The most advanced

time it 1;1kes on the naining-BUNNY llll.L, and with more in-flight :1i1 time. YES, WF CAN TEi\(:J I YO\J f'J\STFR AND SAFER. For year rouml rr:1ining fun in the sun, call or write Miami I Jang C:liding (.,05) 285S978. 2.550 S llaphorc Drive, Coconut Crc,ve, l'lorida

known to hang gliding) Leaching you in

.1.i1:n.

ad is Li\'.s BFST S!NCF l <J7/i 20 minutes from l.i\X. hill scrl"icc walk-in center. Training for all skill levels, rentals, guide service, sales, lodging at world Etmous Mountain l'ligl11 Parle 325 sunny clays a year.

Victory Blvd., Van Nnys CA <.JHOCi, (818) 'J88 0 l 11, fox (818) ')88-18(,2, www.windspons.com

by 1nore

than 10,000 enthusiasts, Advertise with us today, 53

ifi IIAWAII

The Acrotnw FliglH Pmk Satisfoction Cuaranl(:cd [UST 8 MJLFS FROM DISNEYWORJD

• YEAR ROUND SOARINC; • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK • FIVE TUGS, NO WAITING • FVERY DIRECrlON

Qlfr'.ST AIR SOi\RINC CENTER Your vacation gliding location. 052) 1}')-0213, fox 052) ii?')Visit our website at: ww\v.qucstairforce.coJll or

email us: qucstaitvi)wndi:11.nn

BIRDS IN PARADISE llying on Kauai. Ccnilicd 8225:lO'> or (808) GJ9-

GEORGIA ILUNO[S

50+ .l'ilL:E demos to fly: Topless ro Trainer ( ;Jidcrs: l .ami1ur, Moyes, Wills,

l't,11 service

HANC CUDE CJIICACO

Airborne, Airwave, Exxtacy, Mille:rnit1111 La Moucnc, Sensor; also h;1rncsscs, varios, etc.

tow planes. l•'ull timc ccrriflcd instructors, insrrnctors, Jlli11ois X-cormrry record 176 miles.

32S-J (,8'i, www.hangglidccbicago.com

Ages I'.) To Tl have learned to fly here.

No one comes close to our level of' experience and success with undcm acrotow i11stn1ction.

lU\VFN SKY SPORTS li8')-'J700 or (7.62) li73-8800. 2 hom.s f'rnm 90 minme.s Ii-om l'al:11ine or Lihcrryvillc. best instructors, tlil'

cquiprncnt, the best results

A GREAT SCENE FOR FAMILY AND FIUENDS ...

rhc Midwest. Training prngr:1111 r,,1 cornlc1in,c:dl'int.cgr;1t·· ed foot launch and acrotow certification. i\pply

IO morels & rcsrnur:mrs wirhin 5 mins., comping, hot showers, shade rrccs) sales, srorag(\ ralings XC retrievals, great weather, climbing w:111, trampoline, DSS TV, ping pong, picnic tables, swimming pool, Cle.

o( yonr in\ro lesson costs \O ccniCication npgrade! Please .sec om ad nnder WISCONSIN.

1

Flights of over 167 miles and more than hours.

Articles in 1{1mg Glit!ing, Kitplr111rs, Skywings, Cross Country and others. Feamred on numerous TV shows, including ESPN2.

Visir us on the Wch: http://www.wallahy.com

1-800-803-7'788

FULL J IOOK-UPS Laundry, propane, recreation room. l-800-803-7788 LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FI.ICl!T PARK Sec our display ad. Discover why FOUR TIMES as many pilots earn 1heir at Lookout than at ,my other school 1\Xie wrote Olfo:i:11 Training Manual. ()ur specialty·c11srnrncr .sarisfoction aud fun with the

Please call us for references and video.

1805 Dean Still Road, Disney Area, FL 3383'7 (863) 121--0070 phone & fax

fly@wallaby.com

BEST FACILITIES, L1rgcst inventory, camping, swimming, more! For a trip, imro flight or lesson Lookout Mountain, outside Chattanooga, your COMPLETE cen tcr. lnfor (800) 688-LMFP.

INDIANA RAVF.N Si(Y SPORTS - - (2(,2) li73-881l0. Please om ad under Wisconsin. hralK1'hanggliding.corn MARYLAND MARYLAND SCI 1001.

INC. Ceriil1cd in.srrucrion, spc:cialc,i11.r; launch. Dealers for Wills \Ying, Moyes, year-round ins1rncrion.

(Ii 10) www.mshg.com

MFXICO

Conservative• Reliable• Stare of the An F.Il.G. lNC:./FLYlNG FLORIDA SINCE 197/i Malcolm Jones, Ryan Glover, Carlos llcssa Laurie Croft, Jercmie Bill, Kerry I .loyd Torn Ramseur, Sherrod, Rhett Radford Tiki !'mis Williams

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

54

BUNKHOlJSE WARM & COM l'ClRTABLE fl)' LMFI'! 32 bunks, hot showers, open all year, 2/i hour lion. 1-800 80'.31788!

I VALLE DF BRAVO Weck long tours, i1H1···out glidi11g. 1-800--861-71 ')8,

HANC Ci IDINC

s MICIIICJ\N

NFWJERSEY

CLOUD 9 SPORT J\VJJ\TJON ··- 1\emtow specialists. We carry all major brand gliders. hcc PVC glidet

MOUNTAIN WINC;S

.storagc/transpon tuhc with new glider purchase. Now in stock: Limin,1r ST: Wills Fusion, XC, Uln,1sporr,

NEW MEXICO

Falcon; Moyes l.i1especd, Sonic: Acros Stealth 2; Magic Kiss. Outrigger wheels, hunch cart ki1s. and othn

CROSSROADS WINDSPORTS Statl'-ol~thc.. an Iraining \Vith stationary sim11lator, Boom Bar, tandcrn\, vidl'o coaching. Towing for hang and paraglidcrs.

Rrnt:1ls. C:11npi11g on the Airpark' Call Cun (;raham in J lobhs ('50'i) 3')2-82.27..

;icccssorics in stock. C~all for spring 1andc1n lessons and

appoint1llcnts with the Dr:wchcnFliegen Soaring at Cloud ') i'icld. 1 I 088 C:oon Lake Rd. W., Webberville, Ml li88'J?.. ('i17) 27.3 868.l. ( :loud '!s;1 r1J.10l .co111, h n p:// mem bcrs.aol .col\1/ cloud'Jsa MICHICAN SOARING

Offering J\l.L 1llaJot Creal deals! (2.l I) 882·

NORTH CAROLIN/\ Look tmder New York.

UP OVER NEW MEXICO instruction, sales, service. Sandia Mottntain guides. Wills, Airwave.

Alhuqucrquc, NM (50'i) 821--854/i.

XC CAPITAi. OF THE C:J\ROLlNAS (828) 632-')8 IO f,,ot hillsflight ~1Jho1111ail.com

NEW YORK

AAA FLICHT SCHOOL MOUNTAIN WINGS I F.LLFNVILLE AIR SPORTS. Full service shop, flight park, li500fi. tow /ield, winch and aero towing, tandems, two .. placc U.I.. rraining. Airwave, Altair, Moyes, i\eros, lc:1ro 2000, Flight Star U.L., MOSQUITO powered harness, WOODY VJ\L.T.FY harnesses in stock.

The original V--MTTTS $29.00.

H

N

LI

I

•

or ('JI Ii) (,li7-.'.\3T1 150 Crnal St., Ellenville, NY

IN East.

NORM LFSNOW'S FLYINC AllVFNTlJRl·S -Since 1978. Fxpnicnce & arc II 1. Acrotowing lttll range of' lesson and hill in1rocluc1ory fliglm programs for beginner to advanced. i\croto\v clinit:s &

US! J(;A appropriate ratings available. US! !CA ceni/Jcd school. Please contac1 Norm I .csnow-Ma,ier Pilot, Examiner, Advanced 'l"at1dcm Instructor, Tow

Administrator. (2/i8) .3'J9-9/i.l:l, FUI.LTIMF school.

.. NY< :'s lirst ancl only ccrtil,ed Imig gliding, paragliding, microligh1.1 (trikes), powered paragliding. Distributors f,,r Avian. llcalcrs f,,r most major brands. l'ull service and equipment ,u best prices.

The most frirncll)' .service in rhc :1rca. Store address: 29 :JI Newtown J\ve., Astoria NY. Phone (718) 7000, WWW.FLYFORl'UN.NET

1\TR SPORTS USA

fo

11 lfa(i)ju no.coin, WW\V .~crio11SsJ)Orl s. con1/ 11 I

TRAVERSE CITY HJ\NC GLIDERS/PJ\RAGLIDERS FUI.1.-TIMF shop. CC'nif,ccl instruction, f,,ot la11nch and tow. Sales, service·, accessories for /\I.I. major brands. VISJ\/MJ\STFRCARD. Come soar our li50' dunes! 1'j()C) E 8th, Traverse C:i1y Ml li%8/i.

Offering powered paragliding lessons & dealer for iill' Explorer & used units. Call Bill al (231) 922-284/i, tchangglidcr((t)juno.com. Visit our paragliding school in

!'LY 111(;1 I I IANC CLIDINC, INC:.

Serving S. New York, C:onnec1icu1, Jersey areas (Fllcnville Min.) Area's EXCLUSIVE Wills Wing dealer/specialist. Also all other major brands, accessories. C:crtif'icd .school/imtruction. Teaching since 1979. Area's most lNFXPFNSlVE prices. l'xccllcnt scconcl:iry instruc tion ... i/' you've finished a program and vvisli to con1in-

11c. Fly the rnou111ain 1 ATOI. towing! Tandem flights! ( :0111.1c1 Paul 516'.l Scarsvillc Rd, Pinc Bttsh,

Jackson, Wyoming. ( :all 'J 'racic al 007) Tl')-8620.

MINNESOTA (612) :J/i0--1800 or (2Ci2) RAVFN SKY SPORTS li73-8800. Please sec om ad 11ndcr WISCONSIN.

NEVADA Sierra soaring at its he.st.

ADVFN'J'URF SPORTS Tours and tandems av:1il:1bk. ln.11ruc1ion from cntil!ed USHGA instructors with 21 years experience. Sales, service and instruction br appointrnc11t Carson C:ity/l.akc Tahoe NV. (T7'i) 88.l-7070

hnp://home. pyr:c111icl.nu/advsp1s LAS Vl•C;;\S AIRBORN W;\TFRSl'Cl!ZTS USH( ;;\ ccniliccl h,rng gliding instruction. Saks ,rncl service, ho:ll low, n1ounui11 soaring, X(: (702) 2J10-

79'i0 www.v1r1 rt:dhosu;.11c1/sl,,vsa1flt'11a111.ll1111

MAY 2000

SUSQUEI JANNA l'I.ICHT l'J\RI< - Coopcrsrown, NY. C:cniflccl lnstrnction, Sales and Service for all manufocturcrs. /i() acre park, 5 training hills, jc:q, hunk house, camping, hot showers, (,()()' NW ridge. We have the best f:tcilitics in N. New York slate 10 teach you how 10 lly. c/o Dan Cuido, Box 2')3 Shoemaker Rel, Mohawk I\Y 1.'lli07, (.l 15) 866 615:l.

• TANDEM INSTRUCTION Al'.ROTOWJNC • BOJ\T TOWJNC • BFAC:H RFSORT • TRJ\INJNC C:J\MPS • FOOT I.AUNCI l • CWEN YJ<:J\R ROUND • 1'1\RACIJ[)]NC • H~UI PM ENT SAi.ES AND SERVICE

(800) 334~4777 NAGS HEAD, NC Internet Address: http:/ /www.kinrhawk.com F-Mail Address: info(1lkittyhawk.co111 PENNSYLVANIA

advertising: new life for your equipment and cash in your pocket. What a deal!

MOUNTAIN TOI' RECRFJ\T!ON Certified instruction, l'itrsliurgh. (Ii 17-) 767-IJ882.. C'MON OUT AND Pl.J\Y! MOUNTAIN WINC:S

l .ook under New York.

Continued ftom page 47 niry is chat by m erely using che cools of her trade, canvas and brush, she cap tures char wo ndrous flying energy we all feel after a great fligh t. "The response co Lori's 'Fine Art of Hang Gliding' series has been overwhelming," says Laurie Croft, Director of Operations ar Wallaby Ranch, "Ir's taken on a 'collector's item' type attraction. H er hang glid ing arr adds class and culrure co our spore. T har's why yo u'll nor only find many of Lori's prints hanging in people's homes , bur also in their offices or ar their places of business."

What's her next hang gliding project?

Well, Lori is presently, once again, drawing inspiration from the classic masters (no pun intended) co create a design for che Wallaby Open 2000 . Last year's design received tremendo us praise and is still in high demand.

So there ir is, fine arc out of che swamps of Florida. Kudos, Ms. Sanchez, and surely the masters would give you a wi nk and a nod fo r your brilliant adaptation of their wo rk.

Vincent \Ian Gogh.

To order mounted prints and/or handmade note cards from the ''Fine Art ofHang Gliding" collection, or any of Lori's masterful shirt designs, you may contact FineArt@waLLaby.com or ca!! Wallaby Ranch at (863) 424-0070. - Ed. •

Lauri Croft & Lori Sanchez .

56

H ANG GLIDI NG

Inspired by a popular Art Nouveau aviation psoste1; Malcom Jones commissioned artist Lori Sanchez to do a modem version in the same spirit.

Mural designed for the Hard Rock Cafe in Baltimore.

M AY 2000

57

ifi PUERTO RJCO FLY PUERTO RICO Te:im Spirit Hang Gliding, HG classes daily, tandem instrnction available. Wills Wing dealer. c;lider rentals tor qualified pilots. PO Box 978, Puma Santiago, Puerto Rico 007/i 1. (787) 8'J().

0508, tshg~ilcoqui.ncr

Area's Of.DEST Wills TOTAL Am SPORTS Wing dealer. Certified instrncrion available. "j only DEAL with WILLS". 16121 Lakeview, llouston TX T70li0. (713) 937 8611.

UTAH

The natiou's CLOUD 9 SOARING CFNTFR largest and hang gliding shop, is now offer· hang guide services, repairs and at Point Monmaiu, U1:1l1. Contact 11s for an ill formation packet or stop by rite shop. (SO I) 576· 6/i60, inf,1(iilparagliders.com 12556 S. Minureman Dr. II I Draper, UT 8ii020.

TENNESSEE

HAWK A!RSPORTS INC P.O. Box 'J056, Knoxville, TN 379/i0-0056, (865) 945-2625. World famous Windsoks, as seen at the Oshkosh & Sun-NFun EAA Fly-Ins. Hawk~ilwindsok.com,

WASATCH WINGS Utah's only 1111l service hang gliding school, Point of the Mountain, moun· rain sites, towing. Dealer for Aeros, Wills Wings, Moyes, Airwavc :ind much more. Call Zac (801) 2/ili-7194, wingsC<1'wasarch.co111

WTSCONSTN RAVEN SKY SPORTS l!ANC GL!DJNG AND PARAC:LIDINC The Midwest's Premier aerorow flight park, founded in 1992.

INTEGRATED INSTRUCTION of foot··launch aerotow tandem skills, at package prices to bear any in the USA. Seven bcautilirl, hills E1cing all wind directions.

Four 10w no wai1ing! Three tandem gliders on wheeled undercarriages. WW Falcons for training from the very first lessons. \JSUA ultralight and insrruction. Paragliding tows. J;rce L•""t'"'i,· Salcs/scrvicc/accc·ssc,rics for all brands. Open 7 a week. Contact Br:id Kushucr, PO Box 101, Whitewater WJ 5.'l 190 (262) liT,-8800 phone, (2.(,2) liTl-8801 fox, W\.11w.h,111gg;liding.com, brnd0111angglidi11g.con1

VIRGINIA

www.win(lsok.corn

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FI.IC;J!T PARK

TANDEMS, LESSONS -- Sales and service. "l"'ci:tllzmg in acrotowing and pay-out winch towing.

Gror!lld (;car, tow rnkcofT/landing gear. www.surf'..air.com (262) 7g3.T7,i7,

Sec

ad undt:r Georgia.

TI\XAS

PARTS & ACCESSORIES

BLUE SKY

F11llrimc insrrncrion and service at Manquin Flight Park near Richrnond. Wills Moyes, Flight Design, Acros aud Airwavc gliders.

Adantic Mosquito dealer. Steve Wendt (540) li'.126557 or (80!i) 241-432/i, www.bl11eskyhg.com, hJucskyhg@lyahoo.co111 KITTY l IA WK KITES • YEAR-ROUND XC FLYING • THREE TUGS • TANDEM TRAINING • OPFN 7 DAYA WEEK • AERO TOWING • DRAGONFlYTRAlNINC • WlNCJ l TOWJNC • TRIKE TRAIN!NG • FOOT LAUNCH • FJY.J>lS AND CLINICS • PARAGUDING TOWS • 600 ACRF. E-\C!Ll'J'Y • SALFS AND SERVICE • 7,200' RUNWAY Steve Burns· 409.279.9382 email: shurns@1lpha 1.nct Fred Burns 281.471.lli88 email: :rnstinair(,ilaol.corn www.a11stinairsports.com .Jeff l !IJnt. Austin ph//;1x wwvv.flyrcxas.con1

lllLL COUNTRY PARAGLll)JNC INC Le:irn complete pilot skills. Personalized USHGA eerrilied training, ridge soaring, fool & tow launching iu cemraJ Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUC. TTON & EQO!l'MENT AVAILABLE. (915) 379.

1185. 1475 CR220,TowTX78672.

KITE ENTERPRISES

Foot launch, plat form

launch and acrotow instruction too. Training, sales) rentals and repair. Airwavc & Wills Wing. Dallas, h,n

Wonh and north Texas area. 211 Ellis, Allen TX 75002. (972) 390.. 9090 nights, weekends, www. Id t c-cnterpriscs.co111

58

AEROTOWING ACCESSORIES·~·- Sec TOWfNG. THE WALLABY RANCJT (863) 42/i-0070.

AMAZINC;LY LOW PJUCFS llobQ11brokcrforym1.co1n

On all Ball varios!

ll/\LL VARIO Model 652, audio vario, alrimc1cr, airspeed. $635 new, $250. (216) li76-223<J.

Sec North Carolina.

Certified instruction and SILVER WINGS, INC. equipment sales. (7(l:l) 5:l:l· 1%5 Arlington VA. WASHINGTON lJ.S. AIRBORNE SPORT AVlJ\TJON CENTER ....

Trikes, light uikes, hang gliders, paraglidcrs, powered pat.·agltc!,crs, harnesses, etc. l.aMouct te To11lcss and Top Secret and Su1lker wings. I rnportcr for the MinipLme new and used .

Beginner thrn actva11cc·cl powcrcdPG and pa1·agl1c!1ng. li988. Send $.'l pack (spccilj' info requested), PO Box 579, Asotin WA 0'Jii02. Ern,ril t1sairbc)r11e((1!J1omc.con1

1

website http:/lwww.vallcy-intcn1c1.net/cltp/t1sairbornc/

BEST 12" WJll'FI.S AVAILABLE·-- Super tough, lightweight, a must 1,,1' randcrn llyi11g. Built-in bushings. Only USA-lmilt wheel. $42.95, quantity discounts. J1nmccjjalc delivery. Lookout Mountain,

(800) 688-LM l'P.

Can't afford new equipment? Find bargains in our classified ad department.

July classifieds deadline: May20

HANC CUDINC

ifi HANG GLIDING GIFTS !Jang gliding and paragliding including Christmas ornaments, beer mugs, jewelry, mobiles, and MUCH MORF. Call for a free catalog! Soaring Dreams/Lisa Tate, 11716 Fairview /\venue, Boise ID 8.371.3. (208) .376··79 I Ii,

s

OXYGEN SYSTEMS

Zoolisa(d\101.com

Sf'ALED FlNG@SWITCII

•Newand fmprovcd • \X'atcr/Dust Resistant Push Butron • Field RcpLiccablc l'ingc1· Switch • f-lcavicr Gauge Wirc/fmprovcd Plugs • Increased Strnin Relief.11 J\1.1. Joints

The wor\d .. c\ass XCR-180 operates up to 3 @ll 8,000 Ir. and only lilb. Complete kit cylinder, harness,

cannula and 1-cn1otc

llowmetcr, only $.175.00.

STII.l. Tl:IE BFST --Top Navigator

Price $99.95. Extra finger switch $1 ').95 w/purchasc.

De,i\cr inquiries welcome. Call (') 13) 2(,8-7')/i(,.

MC/Visa. Visit our website at www.flightconn.mm TI IfS

NOTTI IIS

ili98.00 US -- DOT approved, w/opening face proi-ccwr, visor & helmet bag. Communications builr-in w!!lcx-hoom 111ic & dual earphones and adaptors avail,i\, lc. J .. goo.SKY PILOT (1-800-759-7it56),

(808) 968-6856, aircorcc@lcxcite.com TEK FLIGHT PRODUCTS

Hoyt, 956 (Slil) 6C,li-'i915.

Send $5 plus $1 s/h to Rodger J\ve., Central Point OR 97'502, I l lCl l PERSPECTIVE WI IEELS Real life savers!

I?.", light, tough. Firs all Send M 1.95; $Ii.SO shipping per pair to Sport Aviation, PO Box 101, Mingovil!e FA 16856. J\sk abom our dealer prices.

B

mounts

We have what you need and we l.J\MIN!\R l'J\RTS arc committed to same day shipping. AV8 Call ('760) 721 ·0701 or email at

Camera mount $48.50. Camera remoi-c (ask rebate) $1i5. Vario 111ounr $15. 6" wheels $29.75, wheels $.3/i.

S&l I included. TEK Products, Colebrook Winsted CT 06098. call (860) 379-1668. tekGilsnet.ncr or our page: http:/ /members. tripod.corn/ 1ekfligh1/indcx.hm1l

J\LI. J\C:CFSSORIFS IN STOCK' Flrtcc li005, (2uamum .l.lO, call! I .ow prices, fost delivery! ( :unnison Cli,lcrs, I 'iii') County Road I Cu unison ( :O 81 J..lO. (970) (iii 1-'J:l 1 5, http://gunnisonglidcrs.com/ I IJ\NC CL]l)FR CJ\MFRJ\ P!\Cl<J\CF Wired rl:tnote, includes mount, wide angle w/i11Ci11i1c standby, auro flash , 35mm ,rn10 rewind. Super light you need $18'). Complete. Vi.sa only SJ oz wclcorne. (702) 7.(,0- 7'!50. http://www.virt ualhosts. nc1/skysail/camera.h1111

MAY 2000

e

TROPI IIES I lang gliding/paragliding. custom designs for any size meet or budget! Call Tate/Soaring Dreams to discuss your needs. (208) 791 Ii, /,oolisaG1\1ol.com MINI VJ\RJO World's smallest, simplest variol Clips 10 helmet or chinstrap. 200 hours on batteries,() ..

18,000 Ii., C1s1 response and year warranty. Crcat for paragliding too. ONLY $169. Mallcttec, PO Box 1 575(,, Santa J\na CA, ')2735. (71 Ii) %6-12/iO, J\!l( :/Visa accepted,www.ma1lc1tee.com

59

ifi

s

DON'T GET Ci\UC!IT LANDfNG DOWNWIND! 1.5 oz. ripsrop nylon, lJV treated, 5'/i" long w/ I I" throat. Availahlc colors f111orcsccnt 11i11k/yellow or fluorescent pink/white. $:,9.95 (+M.75 S/11). Send 10 USH(;;\ Windsok, P.O. llox I .1:lO, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 -13:lO, (719) 632-8.100, fox (719) 6:l2 6/i I 11shga(al11shga.org VISA/MC accepted. Check the merchandise section of om web site w.t1snga.,1rg for ~1 color picture of d1is awesome windsok.

WOODY VALLEY - I larnesses, The best, All Models-In Stoel, MOSQUITO Powered harness, Take off fi-om /lat Stoclc The Best, Highest performing, Ridged Wing-/11 Stoel, LIGHT SPEED Second c;cnerarion Topless-In Stoel< SATURN Best in class, Two size dernos-111 Stoel, Glider Condoms The ultimare glider protection .fn Stoel, v. Mitts The ORIGINAL and still the best, NEW For 2000-./n Stoel, Moyes, Altair, Aeros, Airwavc, Airborne (;/idrrs, J fmnessrs, !lelrnrts, 1/arlios, Night Suits, Whee!,·,!)own h1hrs, Mountain \Xiings Inc. mtnwirtgs!f1l;tol.con1 Ellenville, New York (91/i) 6/i7-3377 since 1981 We will not be undersold I\USINF.SS & EMPLOYMENT DRAGONFLY TOW CLUB~- The success is in the smiles 1 Dragonfly kits :iv:1ilahlc NOW f,,r $ I 0,800!

Fully built for $12,800 plus you get llohby Bailey to train y011 at yom sire. C:all for details. Ken Brown dha Moyes America (Ii 15) 75:l-95:l4 FlyaMoycs&iaol.com gliding business. Reduced to half pricc-251<! All directions man-made hill with ten acres. Fxccllcnr location close to Phoc11ix/'l 'ucson and near 1nountain sites. ( ;iant :,iliop & stock. (li80) 777-8607.

SUMMER IS COM INC --- And it's too hot in the southern states. Corne 10 New York. We arc looking for sumrner time hang gliding instructors, c1ndcm instructors, tug operators, and shop help. TOP PAY, perks. For more info, contan Crcg Black at (')lli) M7 :UTl or mtnwings&<\10!.com

60

I IILTON !!FAD ISLAND, SC: Bea11tiCul isl.rnd snting, good pay. C:onucr Randy Prntt (8li3) 3/i l 55')0, rpsail7cs&/lrnsn.com WANTED · I Lmi\ Cliding/Paragliding instrnctors.

Immediate full rime openings available. Live the

ernployrncnt is also available. Ask for Pat Dencv:m (li08) 262-1055. MSC! J(;<,1l,10l.com www.h,1ng··glidi11g.corn

I JARRY AND Tl IF I IANC CLIDER a heautifolly illustrated, hardcover children's book witl1 /i() color pages written for pilots to share the dream of' flight! To order: send $2/i.'J5 plus $:l shipping to SkyHigh Publishing, 20 I N. Tyndall, Tucson, Al. 85719 or call (520) /i28-8165 or visit htq,://www.llash.ne1/.,skyhipub Visa/MC: accepted.

PUBJ.ICATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

SOAR INC .... Monthly magazine of" The Soaring

Californi;1 drcarn ... insrrucr students :n the San J:rancisco Bay are;/s premier training silT'. Service shop

Society of' J\mcrica, Inc. Covers alt aspects of soaring

CALL USJ !CA h,r a m:1gazinc hack issue order lc,nn. From the early Crormd Skimmer to the present Jiang Gliding. (719) 632 .. 8300.

flight. Full $3. SSA, P.O.

$'i5. Info. kit wirh sample copy I 00, I Jobhs, NM 882/i 1. (505)

392-11

TOWING AEROTOW!NG ACCESSORIES l lcadqnarters f,H: The finest releases, secondary releases, Spectra '"V" bridles, weak links, tandem wheels, launch cart kits, etc.

T'IIE WAI.I.A HY RANCH (863) lt24 0070.

CLOUD 9 SPORT AVIATION I Jang gliding equiprncm and accessories. Launch carts $'JOO, partial kirs (5 17) 22.o-·8683 Cloud'JSA(,"1\101.com Sec carts :n ht rp://mcmbers.aol.rnn1/cloud9sa

BAG IT1 ff you don't have your copy of Dennis Pagen's PFRFOR1\~t\NC:E FI.YINC yet, avail:,ble through US! !CA llcadquarrcrs $7.9.')'i ( ,$5. 50 s&h for UPS/Priority Mail delivery). l JS HCA, PO Box 1.l.10. Colorado Springs CO 80 1)01. l-800--(,16--6888

UITRAI.INF In stock, ready to ship. :,/16"x:l000' $105. 3/i6"xli000' $lli5 shipping inclnded. Cajun I l:tng Gliding Cluh, 110 Kent Circle, l.afoyenc LA 7oso8. ci 18) ')81-1nn

www.ushga.org

More than 10,000 hang gliding enthusiasts read our rnagaz1ne every month. That's than 20,000 eyes your ad.

FAX your classified ad, membership renewal or order:

(719)

1 We

gladly accept VISA and MasterCard.

HANC CLJlllNC

s VIDEOS & FILMS

*NEW* TO FLY: DISCOVFR Hi\NG GLIDING TODAY, by Adventure Productions. Discover how modern liang gliding can easily help you realize your dreams to fly. This video was created rn show how gliding has evolved into a safe, affordable, and lim way "'J'o Fly". lt shows how modern technologies combined wid1 enhanced trai11ing tcch1iiqucs have made l1a11g gliding easier ro learn and safrr than ever bcfc,re. Filmed ,n several major hang gliding schools in the United States "This production has my best footage packed into a short 10 rninutc eye opener. We were able to cover the and easy training options for beginners, as well as, the extreme aspects of hang gliding which make it educational, entertaining, and fun to watch." Says producer Paul Hamilton. 10 min. $1 '5.95. This is the video you show your family and friends!

NEW* WEATHER TO FLY, by Advrnture Productions. A much needed insrrncrional video on meteorology. Dixon White, Master pilot and USHCA Examiner) takes you a simple stcp-by-·srcp process where to acquire wcarhcr data and how to interpret it. This video will help pilors of any aircrali understand more about modeling and forecasting. You'll learn about regional and local influences and how to determine winds alofr and stability. "Weather To l'ly" is an over-all view packed wi rh useful details and includes cloud lt is astraigln-forward presentation is easy ro follow. 50 min. $:l'J.95 NEW' STARTING !-TANG GLIDING, by Aclvenntre Productions. Produced especially to promote the sport.

Covers basic preparation, weather, proper attitude, launching and those ilrst Oights ..30 min

rnonntains. Also fcarures cornrnems frorn top pilots & great animation. 24 min $35.95 Currently our hottest .selling video' AFRONA\JTS HANG GI.TDING MASTERS, hy l'ho1ogra1ihic Expeditions. A docurncmary of hang gliding today. Superb lc,otagc, graphics & interviews. li:l rnin $29.'!5.

PARTY AT CLOUDBASE A gliding music video by Advent me Productions $1 'J.95.

HANG GLIDING EXTREME & BORN TO FLY by Adventure l'rodnctions, great hg action $Jli.95 each.

HAWAJIAN FLYIN by Space'), soaring in paradise, amazing launches $'.rl.00 Call US\ICA (719) 652-8300, fax (719) 6l2-Gli17, ernail: ushgaV1'nshga.org, or order off our web page www.ushga.org. !'lease add ,$Ii domestic s/h (, $5 /cir two or more videos). Crcat to impress your friends or for those

socked-in days. l'erfcct gifr /c,r the launch potato turned couch pmaro. J\lso, ask us ahout our p;.uagliding videos!

From the Telluride Festival in 1981, to the modern day freestyle competition. Follow the history of this dynamic gathering. $21J.'J5 Call USIICA ('/19) 632-8:100, fax ('719) <i:n-6/ii7, order from our web site www.ush 1;,1.or1;, Please add +$Ii domestic silt. ,\1JSCELLANEOUS

SPEED GJ.IDING: TEAR l/P THE SKIES By Adventure Productions $21i.9S Covers the speed gliding contest in Kamloops, British Columbia and then onto Telluride, Colorado.

Superior graphic animation, great camera angles. 2/i n11n11rcs.

TELLURIDE SPEED GI.IDING By Tatum Productions $19.95. Complete rnvcrage of this cvcm.

The sound of the gliders passing through the comrol gates is rotally awesome. 3J minutes.

Call USJICJ\ (7l'J) 632-8300, fox (719) G32.-6fi17, order Crom our web site Please add +$Ii

s/h in the US/\.

"AEROBATICS" Full color 2:l"x :l J" poster featuring John I lciney doing what he docs hest-LClOP!NC! Available through US! !CA J!Q for just $6.95 ( 1$/i.OO s/h). Fill that void on your wall! Send to USl-!CA Acrobatics Poster, ]'() Box 1_,00, Colorado Springs CO 80913. (USA & Canada only. Sorry, posters arc NOT AVJ\lLABLE on international orders.) SPEC\ A \.--Acrobatics poster & Frie Raymond posterBOTH FOR $10 (,M.75 s/h). Check the merchandise section o( our web site for a color pieturc of these beautiful posters. l·T!IFRFAI. SPORTS - World wide light aviation directory. FREE services.

TURNING PO TNT IN ALPINE THERMALUNG,

by Dennis Trott/Alpine Flying Centre. 50'Yc, HC, 50% l'C. Discover techniques to tame the elusive alpine tl1ermal. llcautifrd footage set against Europe's most dramatic

VIDEOS BOOl<S & POSTERS - C.11l US! !CA for your Merchandise order form (71 'J) Ci.l2-8300, email: ushgaG_ilushga.org, or check our web page www.ushga.org

()f ffll:: cf!EC~ ~i:;.1.f:Avfi:G( L.Afl::~ Tlie best hang gliding video series in the world!

STARTING NANG GLIDING, Fly Like An Eagle, CB2~ WEATf-lER TO FLY, CB300 contoctus CROSS COUNTRY 8000, CBB tor i=F?EE TURNING POINT IN ALPINE Tf-lERMALLING

Check our web site :for otber great videos/

See f1<[.:S

Sa•eaming r!ideo on or11' web 5:ite I

MAY 2000

Paul Hamilton 6553 Stone Valley Drive Reno, NV 89523 USA paul@adventurep.com

61

ifi

s listing Academy of'Mode! Aeronautics www.rnodelaircrafr.org 800--435-9262

Balloon Federation ofAmerica www.bfa.net 515-96] .. 8809

Helicopter Club of'Americtl Civc 'cm a rry! 2 for $5 ling Wings, l'O Box /i8'), Enumclaw WA 98022. www.zingwi11g.com

www.vtol.org 7()3 .. 684-6777

International Aerobatic Club

DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND.BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN TIIE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE HANG GLIDING CI.ASSJFJEDS.

www.iac.org 800,843-3612

C:I.ASSIFlED AllVFRT!Slf\:C RATES The rate for classified advertising is$. 50 per word (or group of char· acrers) and $1.00 per word for bold or all MIN].

MUM AD CHARCE $5.00. A fee of 15.00 is for each line art logo and $25.00 for each 1iho· to. l.lNEART & PHOTO Sl/.E NO LARGER Tl IJ\N 1.75" X 2.25". !'lease underline words lo be in hold prim. Special layouts of tabs $25.00 per column inch. Phone numbcr=2 words. Email or web address=}words. AD DEADLINES: All ad copy,

www.ssa.org 505.392.1177

Society of'America

U.S. Hr.mg Gliding Associr.ttirm www.ushga.org 19•(i32-8300

U.S. Pamchute Association www.uspa.org 703-836-3495

instructions, changes, additions and cancclLirions must-

U.S. Ultralight Association

be received in writing 1. 5 months preceding the cover date, i.e. March 20th for the May issue. Please make checks payable to USI !CA, P.O. Box 1:no, ( :olorado CO 8090]. 1330, (719) (,32·8300. Fax (719) yom classified 1 or email: u,u,~'"''"" with your Visa or Master( :ard.

www.usua.com 30 I -69 5.. 91 00

National Aeronautic Association www.naa .. usa.org 1 ·800-64-4-9777

STOJ .EN WINGS & THINGS

FUGHr DES[CN S2VT

Two paraglidcrs lost by the US posral service, shipped from CJ\UFORNIJ\ to HJ\WAll parcel post Oil August 19th, 1999. One large w/purple top, 01Je medium w/orangc top. I .ois hulmcs (530) 51i2A9:F. LFFT WI NC LET Lost for a GLASSY MOUNTJ\lN, SC on October 1999. (not a newer version). Painted deep bolt. (Would Ii/a: to repffict it or sell my 111i11g wing/et fi)J· price.) Paul (828) 885-25%, pbrannenpiiilC:[TCOM.NFT

AFROS STEAi TH 152 Stolen front QUEST AIR H.IGJIT PARK, Fl.on May 1st, 1999 (lasrdayoftl,c Nars.) Red under, blue tip, mylar top. Call Mark (248) .'\9/i. [ 227 mboltglidc0\tol.com ----- --~--------~~-------------·---- ......................... ..

J\T BAG/FIREBIRD c;.S!'ORT L l.ost at LAKE Cl!ELJ\N, WA launch area hy the rowns on May I (,th, 1999. AT bag is (;lider is Also SupAir pmplc/whitc harness, reserve, Piccolo v,trio. Darren 1lart (')'70) 'J25.J.li83.

EDEi. CORVETTE 2/i PG -.. Srolcn from storage locker in CLARK l{)RI<, JI) on May !ith, I ')99. Hot 1,ink/lime green, with trim tabs. Also CQ security chute, burgundy vertcr hdrnc·t w/scvcral site stickers on it (Funston, WOR, Dunlap, F.d Levin, etc.) And older red helmet. Rhoda, (208) 266· 150 S.

INDEX Adventure Productions ...................... 61 Angle of Atrnck ................................. 62 Arai Design ......................................... 6 Dan Johnson ..................................... 34 Flight Design ...................................... 9 rlytcc ................................................ 31 Hall Bros ........................................... 29 High Energy Spons ............................. 7 Just Fly ................................................ 5

Kitty Hawk ......................................... 8 Lookout Mtn. Plight Park ............ 48,49 Mastadon Designs ............................. 34 Moyes ............................................... 20 Neilscn·Kellerman ............................ 20 North Wing ...................................... 21

Red Bull .............................................. 9 Sandia Open ..................................... 29 Sky Dog Publications ........................ 30 Sport Aviation Publications ........ , ...... 37 U.S. Acros ........................................... 2 USHGA ...................... .5, 10, 11,20,29,35,39 Wallaby ...................................................... ,61 W csr Coast Atos ........................................... 7 Wills Wing ......................... Back Cover

Ask us about Grippie Flying Gloves.

1 "

Phone: 209.543.7850 Toll·Free: 888.530.9940 E·Mail: custsvc@a ng Ieof attack. net Website: http://angleofattack.net

100% G111m111teed. If not satisfied, return unused tubes for 100% money back. Major Credit Cards accepted.

OEM/Dealer inquiries encouraged.

Ad b Peter Birron: 847.640.0171

62

HANC CLIDINCi

~) 2000 by Dan Johnson S'.r. PAUL, MTNN., 'l'hc, season s on and the flow of piJ oU; i,; ,;outhward wr tr1i ,; n very Jy April. just cfoys, right as the Sun 'n a.in::how conclude;;, cornpc,Utlon uctiv:i wLJ explode ,\/al J aby Ranch one wC?ek and Que,-;L Ai.r the next. And maybe j a fresh season, but some old showing up. ••• Joe Bostik is back! Former national champion and lon9Limc successfu] compeLLL"ion ,Joe has been busy in his life an a:i inc jet jockey and fami1y man. However, }1e'Jl attend the Florida meets and will again b0, Flying for Wills Wing he did in his "former ·1 Joe, his and two chi:tdren only }rnndred m.i south Wallaby maki ncr tlw dual contc;.,t an E'asy reentry point. Good luck, Joc0! ••• Among other JIG conLc~sL personall Icaro' s unbc:eatab:;_e, Manfred Ruh:mar r0,sponded to L.aJk was becoming interes l:ed in hiqh1y red rigid wings. said, 11 1l1his ye2-n::will, for , continl1e flying f]E-)X winers and E,ven maybe next However, he admitted he working with Felix Ruhle on a cage-faired version of the ATOS. Ruhmer incl.icated he did noL expc-?ct to invest much time in the proj in 2000. ••• 'l'l:Jat'f, fine, perhaps, the I ead time': tor l.he popular riq:id [rom l:he German A. LR. company iE; now reportedly 10 weeks backloqged de,,pite roce;nL effortc, to pick up production wi t}1 more moJ cfr; world ncr to make Uie exotic Jeachncr 0xlge D-ce.11,3. 1,icr1 d nterec,t is continuing in Lhe nc"w millennia wi Lh Flight Designs al .so happy with produ t on t.l:Ja t is reaching higher levels propelled by strong demand for GllosLRu:3ter. ••• Another old friend, Joe Greblo wrot.e to say shop Windsports i,; "doing great with the timeJy reopening of the oJd l?laya Del Rey truining hill." ,Joe says they only missed six clays all wintc,r. "Tt' truly the, mo,;t besrinncr training hil] 've ever beard of," lw says. doe,m'l: hurt this site near popu1ar beach, next to a busy highway, and adjacent l:o an act.Lvc bicycle/skating path. "' ,Joe' been b1rny E,lsewhc'cre, too, helping anothc,r larcre shop ownc,r, Bay l\rea denizen l?at Deneven, erect "hod zontaJ cable-assisted training system," complete with sl.at onary wincll to contro] leve.l LJ ight. GrebJo says Ls his variation of my cable simula l:or that ran for yE,ars at CrystuJ Air Sports h1 Chattanooga. 41111/HI Speaking o wi most interesting contraption wa,; br01J9ht to my attention by Kevin Cosley. He U1e owner of a unique wincl:J.i ncr ,,ystern, bu ill. by my [cl low lJSHGA Board member, Ed Pitman. Cal I cd a "bidirectional step towing" wincll, compo,;ed of a ,Jtationary drum winch on ( ick enough by il:seJ f) and a pu]J E"Y polco whid1 you attach to your SUV or other beavier vehicl.e. 'I'hon using c1uc1J dnim[; and ba,;icall y t:owinq from cc;ach end ol a [j eJd, you can be power--stcp··l:owcd back and forth to tbennaJ he.i ght. Ear.Lier ,;Lep towing syc;l:ems the pi lot to fly downw.:ind and l:ow the Line witb him, ] osing all:.itude the way. 'I'hen you turn back

:L,,

M1w 2000

and an, progresc:-:ive1y towed h.iqher w.i th each "power c,troke." Jn Lhe CosJ ey system Lhat Ed built, you are Lowed under power .both cUrectiorn3.

Kevin suys that in their 2,300 foot field, they tow to l, 500- 2, 000 fee:L w3ing t:his sy,,tem. The wholE': shebang is welJ docume;nted on Kevin' web site at www.geocities.com/kpcos/index.htm. Endure: U1e Geocities ads that keep up and bet you' be pleasantly surprisc"d by wr.1al: you Sc!e, cerLain1y if y01J 're into aE, a launcb systE,m. Windows users (only, unfortunately) can also scoe videos on the site'!. eee Another enL.ry in l~.he "powerGc:l hang gJ ider" [ie1c3 is the North \AJing ATF soaring trike. ATF stands for "Ai 'l'ime Fix," und that's wha these machine:3 do some pilots. Those who attended the Air Sports Expo .in Albuquerque last March could examine one clo,3ely.

A stouL yel: light: trike, the A'I'F inde0:,d appears to be built by a hanq glider pilot for han(J glider pilot ... yeah, even f it doe::o have an enqine and prop. Boss Kamron Blevins has shown an eye for these things and I r.1ope to om': al:. Sun 'n Fun in a few days. Meanwhile, info: 509-886460 or aL Nort.hWing.com. (By the way, North Wing' local dealer in Albuquerque raved abouL: the customor service receives from Kamron.)

••• Airwave Gliders, now headquartc":rcd in Austria, reports concluding months of hard work movin9 all the, old UK facLory gear from an interim facl li t:y to thc,ir permanent one i.n Stubaital in 'J·irol (wllere L:he Stuba:i Cup is held) . Thc,y have a new 6, 500 square foot factory ciglLt in the middlo four good flying ;.::;it:es.

Now that CW Meadows has added this brund to his of interesting imports, American are sure to fo:i1ow. Info: Airwuve-Gliders. com or call 252.··480-3552. ••• Got some entries in the Oops!

Department. First, GW Meadows new businc,ss is not ea led '.l'hermal Riding Machines, but rather Thermal Riding Vehicles, A And n unother case, the Flytec varios boss, Steve Kroop set me st:raiglit on so-called Y2K problems. No problem exists on the 4000 sc,ries (my mention the 3/00 "PL" bud to do with operator error not Y2K, it turns out), however, the': 3000 series doE,s have a minor bug. 'J'he softwar~, doe::m' t provide century rollover, numc,rical]y. At the en~ of 1999, tlle 3000 units reverted to 190(). To correct the century error, "You merely rec'3et. tl1e time and you won't t:hc, problem for another 100 years," Kroop said. il Steve also mentioned the Flytec challenge: for any official world record f1i9ht, he' U rel.urn l:hEc cost of a. Flytec u"ed on tlle fliqht. That's worth a few hundred in sponsorship c:lol.lars. Info: 800-662-2449. Ji. Third, r failc':'d to men l:ion that Greg Black' s Mountain Wings i,; the importer of Woody Valley harnesses like tbe 'I'enax wrote abouL in 3/00. ••ED OuU:a room! So, qot. news or opinions'? Send 'em Lo: 8 D0n3et, St. Paul MN 5'-jl18. Messages or fax to 651·4 '50·· 0930, or e-mail to Cumu1usMan@aoJ. corn. Ji. AlJ "Product Lines" columns wiJl be available lat.er thJs year at www.ByDanJohnson.com. THANKS!

63

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F u s

I D

n 1 50

THE BEST PERFORMING GLIDER WE'VE EVER BUILT. PERIOD.

Wills Wing is proud to present the new Fusion 150 SP. We developed this gli der to provide our competition team with the highest level of performance. Prototypes of the 150 SP have won the last two annual Morningside Glide Angle contests by wide margins. In its fully equipped competition configuration, the 150 SP has demonstrated nearly two points in L/0performance increase over the original Fusion.And now this glider is available to you.

The Fusion 150 SP features an all new airfoil and sail cut,(now standard at no extra charge on all 150 Fusions), which significantly enhance both performance (by almost a full point in LID), and handling. Additional individually selectable options allow the pilot to customize the glider to whatever level is desired. Sail upgrades include premium Hydranet trailing edge cloth, fully enclosed spring tip battens, carbon fiber inserts to support and enhance the leading edge of the airfoil, and an option for an all mylar top surface .

Airframe upgrades include afolding speedbar, a faired carbon fiber speedbar, or afull carbon control bar with minimum profile streamlined downtubes, basetube, and narrow gauge, low drag lower wires.

www.willswing.com

USA 500 West Blueridge Ave. Orange, CA 92865 tel 714.998.6359 fax 714.998.0647

~

LLS~

Quality

Nli

aircraft

for

exceptional

people.

furope Fassergasse 27a, A-6060 Hall i.T. tel .. 43.5223.43747 fax 43746 e-mail: flywills@ping.at