USHGA Paragliding May 2000

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PARAGLIDING e MAY 2000

INCIDENT REPORTS

AIR MAIL

USHGA DIRECTOR LISTING

UPDATE

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

IT'S ALL ABOUT SAFE1Y

by Gary Brock

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

1999 PARAGLIDING ACCIDENT SUMMARY

by Paul Klemond

PRESIDENT'S CORNER

PILOT REPORT:THE EDEL PRIME TANDEM

by Mark Ryan

UNOFFICIAL STATE X-C DISTANCE RECORDS

by Steve Roti

WHAT Goon Is YOUR CHUTE IF You CAN'T GET

by Betty Pfeiffer

OUT?

COVtr?: Mark Ryan

launching the Edel Prime Tandem in Alaska. See story on page 22. Photo by Duane '\Vtitts.

MAY

2000

A.C.K.! -ALTITUDE, CONTROL, KOGNIZANCE © 2000 by W.K. Laurence, graphics © 2000 by Tim Meehan

A PARAGLIDING ADVENTURE IN COSTA RICA article and photos by Debbie Webb Halbach

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES IN PUBLICATIONS: The mate1ial presented here is published as part of an information dissemination service for USHGA members. The USHGA makes no warranties or representations and assumes no liability concerning the validity of any advice, opinion or recommendation expressed in the material. All individuals relying upon the material do so at their own risk.

Copyright © 2000 United States Hang Gliding Assn., Inc. All tights reserved to Paragliding and individual contributors.

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-----------Gil Dodgen, Managing Editor/Editor-in-Chief Steve Roti, Contributing Editors Dave Pounds, Art Director Will Gadd, Dennis Pagen Staff Writers Office Staff Phil Bachman, Executive Director, phbachman@ushga.org Jeff Elgart, Advertising, jjelgart@ushga.org Joanne Peterson, Member Services, rjpeterson@ushga.org Cleda Ungles, Member Services, cungles@ushga.org Natalie Hinsley, Merchandise Services, njhinsley@ushga.org John Halloran, Administrative Dire(1or jghalloran@ushga.org USHCA Executive Committee; David Glover, President, david@davidglover.com Mark Ferguson, Vice President, mark@hallvarios.com Bill Bryden, Secretary,hhryden@hsonline.net Geoff Mumford, Treasurer, gmumford@apa.org

REGION 1: Bill Bolosky, Steve Roti. REGION 2: Jamie Shelden, Ray Leonard, Scott Casparian. REGION 3: Ken Baier, lohn Greynald, Gregg lawless. REGION 4: Mark Ferguson, Jim Zeiset. REGION 5: Frank Gillette.

REGION 6: Jeff Sinason. REGION 7: Bill Bryden.

REGION 8: Doug Sharpe. REGION 9: Randy Leggett, Geoff Mumford. REGION 10: David Glover, Matt Taber. REGION 11: Kent Robinson. REGION 12: Paul Voight. DIRECTORS AT LARGE: Eel Pitman, Paul Rikerl, Dan Johnson, Jan Johnson, Dennis Pagen. HONORARY DIRECTORS: G.W. Meadows, Bob Hannah, Randy Adams, John Harris, Steve l<roop, Larry Sanderson (SSA), Chris DuPaul, Gene Matthews, Lars Linde, Ken Brown, Rob Kells, Michael Robertson, Liz Sharp, Russ Locke. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS: Art Greenfield INAA).

The United States Hang Gliding Association Inc. is an air sports organization affiliated with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which is the official representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), of the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA, which represents the U.S. at FA/ meetings, has delegated to the USHGA supervision of FAl-related paragliding activities such as record attempts and competition sanctions.

PARAGLIDING magazine is published for paragliding sport enthusiasts to create further interest in the sport, and to provide an educational forum to advance paragliding methods and safety. Contributions are welcome. Anyone is invited to contribute articles, photos and illustrations concerning paragliding activities. If the material is to be returned, a stamped, self-addressed return envelope must be enclosed. Notification must be made of submission to other paragliding publications.

PARAGLIDING magazine reserves the right to edit contributions where necessary. The Association and publication do not assume responsibility for the material or opinions of contributors. PARAGLIDING editorial offices: 31441 Santa Margarita Pkwy., Suite A-256, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688, phone (949) 8887363, fax (949) 888-7464, e-mail: GilDodgen@aol.com.

The USHGA is a member-controlled sport organization dedicated to the exploration and promotion of all facets of unpowerecl ultralight flight, and to the education, training and safety of its membership. Membership is open to anyone interested in this realm of flight. Dues for full membership are $59.00 per year (of which $15 goes to the publication of Pa,ag!iding), ($70 non-U.S.); subscription rates only are $35.00 ($46 non-U.S.). Changes of address should be sent six weeks in advance, including name, USHGA number, previous and new address, and a mailing label from a recent issue.

PARAGLIDING (ISSN 1089-1846) is published ten times a year (Jan./Feb., March/April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept.,Oct., Nov., Dec.) by the United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc., 559 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Suite 101, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903-3657 (719) 632-8300. FAX (719) 632-641 7. PERIODICAL POSTAGE is paid at Colorado Springs, CO and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: PARAGLIDING, P.O. BOX 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330.

GET OFF THOSE SCARY GLIDERS AND LISTEN TO EXPERIENCE Dear Editor, As I write, a pilot friend is in bad shape after an accident, and as his original instructor and friend I ask myself, "Why?" What could we have done to prevent this tragedy. Last weekend when I last saw him he was an energetic, enthusiastic pilot with 25 miles X-C flying that day. He wanted to bring his friends into the sport of paragliding. What happened?

I first met him less than a year ago. He had been referred to me by his friend to learn paragliding. His medical background made him an orderly, deliberate and perceptive pilot. He asked me many questions about the sport. I saw how committed to the sport he was when he showed up with a newly purchased glider for his second lesson. I allowed him to continue with his DHV 1-2 glider that I was unfamiliar with because I saw he would continue with or without me. This is where I saw his first weakness: He was more ambitious than cautious. He put meeting a schedule ahead of safety.

He raced through his P2 course and with the help of his friend took off for flying at Point of the Mountain, Utah. Here his first accident occurred. Flying in winds too strong for him, he put his new glider into a barbed wire fence. Luckily, only the glider was damaged and a quick repair let him get back into the air soon.

He continued in his devotion to the sport and before long announced that he had his P3 rating and would be competing in the U.S. Nationals in Aspen on an intermediate glider.

I was surprised and nervous about this announcement. I wondered if such a new pilot should fly in a competition so soon.

I cold him that he could learn a lot about flying in a competition only if he had the correct objectives: to learn how more experienced pilots fly. He should base his decision on whether to fly or not on his gut instincts and not whether other competitors were flying. I suggested that he launch after the task had been opened and -------- - - - ~ - - -

MAY

2000

Vo L l 1 M [( 1 1 , Is s t IE

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fewer pilots were overhead, make safety his number-one objective, and forget about winning points. I cold him not to fly a DHV 2 glider, rather stick with his limited experience on a DHV 1-2 wing.

The Nationals went well for him. We often met after a day's task and discussed how it had gone for us and others. We discussed how to thermal and fly parts of the daily task safely. As it was my first competition, I was also in learning mode despite my 10 years of flying experience.

As winter came upon us, he became frustrated and impatient with sled rides, hoping for more airtime. He wanted to fly every day but the winter weather was limiting him. I encouraged him to come on my Mexico trip where pilots could hone their thermaling and cross-country skills.

Work obligations prevented him from taking the trip south and he impatiently stayed in Colorado.

Upon my return, I saw his impatience and suggested he go out with me and learn to tow away from the rotor and downslope winds of the Rockies in wintertime. He was excited about towing. He already has bought his first competition DHV 2-3 glider, but I encouraged him to stay on his already familiar, intermediate DHV 2 wing. "Try something new with only one new variable," I told him. I had to repeatedly remind him to stay directly behind the truck on his first tow. He apologized later, saying he was overcome by the excitement of getting into the air so easily. I warned him that impulsive action or inaction can have disastrous results.

His second tow was much better. His ambitious nature had him flying 10 miles on his second tow launch. I stopped my towing instruction to retrieve him. On his third flight he got even higher and asked whether he could go cross-country again.

I needed to continue the towing instruction so I told him yes, but I wanted him on the ground within an hour.

His third flight was even longer. On the 15-mile drive back he told me he had hit some big lift averaging 1,200 feet per minute and taken a 50% asymmetric -------------"

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deflation. I asked him if he was glad he had been on his familiar DHV 2 glider.

He smiled and said that had been enough for him to handle. I commented that DHV 2 gliders were also enough for me and that is why, despite my great experi-ence, I never fly DHV 2-3 wings. I get more enjoyment out of pushing my limits on a DHV 2 than I do out of flatter-turning, higher-speed, better-glide scary flights on a 2-3 wing. I commented that most of the time competition gliders are better until all hell breaks loose.

Hell broke loose for him three days later. He had another large asymmetric collapse at a familiar site, but this time he was on his competition DHV 2-3 glider.

A friend of his (a USHGA instructor) had reservations about the conditions and flying that day, but my friend flew anyway.

He ignored a more experienced pilot's reservations and paid for it dearly. The instructor cornmcntcd that he did not actively control his wing and the glider hit the ground before he did. The instructor felt that a more active pilot might have still crashed in that turbulence but walked away from it.

Here is how to avoid such accidents:

I) Use the DHV safety reports and my scale to avoid flying gliders beyond you skill level. DHV reports arc at http://www.dhv.de/ deucsch/ testbcrichce/i ndex_e.html. Rely on what the independent experts say, not what a salesman recommends.

Granger's rating scale: DHV 1 0 (safest) DHV 1-2 0.5 DHV2 DHV 2-3 2 DHV 3 3 (most dangerous) Compare how it does on the full report by adding up all the numbers in your glider's DHV report and multiplying by-1 to find out how negative your glider is.

I feel that a beginner pilot's first glider should be a zero or no lower than -3. An intermediate pilot's wing should be no

6

lower than -15. Only a P4 pilot with the experience of a safety clinic and the desire to compete should go lower than -20.

2) Rely on experience about whether to fly or not, and how to fly. My friend ignored the instructor's concerns about the weather and launched despite chem.

Intermediate syndrome grabbed him hard. Experience is what we all need to rely on in this sport. If you don't personally have much experience, benefit from that of others. USHGA should rescind an Observer's ability to issue P3 and P4 ratings. My friend had recently asked me to evaluate him for a P4 rating. I had given him the P4 written test to do and told him to bring his log books for verification of his experience. I encouraged him to attend a safety clinic.

I feel chat Advanced Instructors are the only people qualified to evaluate a pilot's skills and recommend improvements and additional training to make him a better and safer pilot. Airtime alone is not enough. Safety, thermaling and X-C clinics are needed to turn a novice pilot into an advanced one. Observers should only verify skills. Benefit from an instructor's expertise to avoid tragedies like that of my friend.

Having flown paragliders for more than l O years now, and experienced a terrible personal accident five years ago, I know about intermediate syndrome. I also know about the joy I get from flying every day. Follow my guidelines and you too will have an enjoyable experience in the spore of paragliding.

I have made two resolutions for my school and business: 1) I will only issue P4 ratings to pilots who have successfully completed a safety clinic. Advanced pilots need to know how to control extreme situations like big asymmetric deflations, spins, surges and stalls. 2) I will only sell DHV 2-3 wings to pilots who have a P4 Advanced rating and will never fly one myself.

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PARAGLIDING

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@redbullw1ngs.com Phone: Othar Lawrence at 970.948.0808

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

For pilots, who dream our dream of flying!

A

pco is pleased ro announce rhe new Allegra. All three sizes are now certifi ed in DHV l -2 (trim and accelerared).

According ro rhe manufacrurer, rhe Allegra offers high perfo rmance wirh rhe safery of a beginner glider.

The new Fiesra is cerrified DHV 1/ACPULS Standard , and was designed ro be rhe m ainsray of Apco's producr line. It is availabl e in four sizes: extra small, small, medium and large, coveri ng weight ranges from 60 ro 120 kg (rota! takeoff weighr).

T he goal was ro produce a glider with superior performance and handling, fulfilling rhe expectations of the most ambitious imermediate pilor, bu t with great emphasis on safery and user-friendly flight characte ristics. Safery was of param ount importance in the design process.

Comact: Aerolight USA, (305) 6393330, fax (305) 639-3055 , www.aerolight. com.

RENSCHLER FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS AND SKYLINE FLIGHT SUITS

H

igh-tech, solar-powered flight instruments used by many rop PWC pilots are now available in the U.5: the SOL-3, SOL-5, SOL-7 and "Solar," which is as small as a match box with no batteries req uired, the perfect backup vario. All SOI..:s are upgradeable.

Skylin e fli ght sui ts are also now available in U.S. There are two versions: a thin summer suit and a light, insulated one. They fearure high-quali ry Ge rman manufacruring and a double zipper in from with a fl y.

Contact: Imernational Paragliding, in fo@advance- usa.com, (732) 7 47-784 5.

XIX.NEWS

A new XJX entry-level intermediare glider .r\.has been released. The "Art" is available in four sizes, three of which (24, 26 and 28 111 2) have been certified DH V C lass 1-2.

According ro the manufacturer, grou nd han,8

dling and launching rhe Art is easy. The canopy was designed ro be responsive, damps our dismrbing pitching and yawing, and is highly res istant to collapses . Designed fo r maximum stab ili ry and perfo rmance, rhe glider is safe and enjoyable to fl y.

Construction includes the latest techn o logy and attention to derail. T he glider co mes wi rh a three-yea r warrantee.

XIX president Michi Ko bler is offering 1,000 Swiss Francs for rhe longest documented X-C fli ght on an XIX canopy this year. You may also win a new XIX harness.

For more information vis it the XIX homepage at www.xix.ch.

TELLURIDE X-C OPEN RESULTS

F

o ll owing are rankings for rhe 1999 Telluride X-C Open co mpetiti on, a recap of which was written by Scott MacLowry and published in the January/February issue of Paragliding. Th e final resulrs we re inadve rrenrly om itted.

Place

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 12 14 14 16

Pilot SCOTTY MARION CHAD BASTIAN ERIC REED JEF F Wl LLIAMS JEFF CRISTO L NEAL MICHAELIS MARK FERG USON JJLL NEPHEW PAUL FERGUSON CHRIS SANTAC ROCE JOSE CASAU DOUMECQ MATTHEW BOROCZ ROSS ROB INSON WA DE ELLETT DAWN HIRST TOM WEBSTER

Poi111s

11 85 1000 895 879 797 784 774 771 76 1 500 378 220 220 214 214 0

NEW PARAGLIDING AND KITE SURFING SHOP IN HAWAII

P

aradise Paragliding has become G raviry Sporrs. Tandem Instructor Pere M ichelmore and partner Marc "Nalu" Hill have opened a new kite-surfing and paragliding school and shop in Kailua, Hawaii . Also joining Pere and Ma rc is PWC's Peter Brinkeby from Sweden who is competing on his Edel M ill ennium glider in the Wo rld C up air races.

The shop is centrally located o n the island of Oahu near all the flying sites, one

block from Kailua Beach . They offer complete paragliding lesso ns for beginner to adva nced pilors, kire-s urfing lesso ns and a full y stocked shop full of the latest roys .

They are also dea lers for Edel and Swing gliders and gear, and carry all major brands of kice surfers and boards. Contact: Graviry Sporn, 767 B. Kailua Rd , Kailua, HI (808) 26 1-5 URF, www.pa radiseparagliding.com , www.grav1rys porrs.org.

SIXTH ANNUAL DEMO DAYS

F

rom May 26 until Memorial Day, May 29, D emo D ays will take place at wo rldfa mous Po int of the Mountain , Utah.

W ings, harnesses, va ri os, helmets and most other paragliding-related gear will be available to participants ro try, free of charge.

Manufacmrers and team pi lots from many top co mpanies will be there to show off their smff Safery and informational talks will keep pilots busy when they can't fly.

This event has been a huge hit every yea r, and chis year there will be more brands of wings an d more lectures. They will also have sire guides to mountain sites to rake some of rhe pressure off the Point and offer yo u a chance ro demo wings in a moumain setting. Pre-registration is $30 and includes a T-shirt, on-sire registration does no t include a shirt. Additi onal club annual dues of $35 are also required for anyone fl ying the Point.

Contact: C loud 9 Soaring Center, 12556 S. Minuteman Dr.# 1 Draper, UT 84094, info@paraglider.com, (8 01 ) 576-6460 .

FIRST WORLD PARAGLIDING ACCURACY CHAMPIONSHIPS

T

he BHPA Acc uracy Panel (on behalf of the British H ang G liding and Paragliding Associati on) are pleased ro invite all nations to submit a ream ro compete in the first-ever World Paragliding Accuracy Champio nships. These C hampionships wi ll be held at Middl e Wallop Airfield , near Andover, H ampshire, E ngland from August 12 ro 19.

After rhe extremely successful Pre-World event held in August 1999, which was attended by some 110 pilots from fi ve countries, it was determined char Middle Wallop, which is the largest grass ai rfield in Europe, was the ideal ve nue for the Wo rld C hampionships.

Continued on page 45.

PARAGLIDING

Why?

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2001 USHGA Regional Director Nominations Solicited 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 200 I. USHGA members seeking position on the ballot should send to headquarters for receipt no later than August 20, 2000 the following information: name and USHGA number, photo and resume (one page containing the candidate's hang/paragliding activities and viewpoints, written consent to be nominated and that they will serve if elected).

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

Nominations are needed in the following regions. The current Directors, whose terms are up for reelection in 2001, are listed below.

Ballots will be distributed with the November issue of HANG GUDING and PARAGLIDING 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.

Reg# l 2

3 4 5

Current Director Bill Bolosky Ray Leonard Ken Baier Mark Ferguson Frank Gillette

6

Nominations are not needed in Region 6for this election.

7

Bill Bryden

8

Douglas Sharpe

9

Geoffrey Mumford

10

David Glover

11

Nominations are not needed in Region J !Ji;r this election.

12

Paul Voight

States within region 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, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota New Hampshire, 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 nominate

REGIONAL DIRECTOR ELECTION NOMINATION FORM _ as a candidate for Regional

Director for Region # _ _ _ __

I understand that his/her name will be placed on the Official Ballot for the

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

USHGA#- - - - - - -REGION#- - - -

, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --------------- - - - - - - - - - -

Calendar of events items WILL NOT be listed if only tentative. Please include exact information (event, date, contact name and phone number). Items should be received no later than six weeks prior to the event. We request two months lead time for regional and national meets.

COMPE1TfION AUG. 12-19: First World Paragliding Accuracy Competition. full details available from the BHPA at: http://www.bhpa.co.uk/bhpa/about/ contact.html.

AUG. 26-30: 2000 French Open National junior Championship, at la Vallee de la Blanche (Dormillouse/St. Vincent !es Forts) and la Vallee de l'Ubaye (Barcelonnette). Organized by Lame in Air and Les Ailes de la Blanche clubs. 21 years old and under only. Contact: http://www.citeweb.net/lpvl/ parasoljr/ ang lais/anglmenu.html, parasol. j r.2000@mailcl u b.net.

SEPT. 9-16: Snowbird X-C Competition.

Open-distance event and new state record attempt. No turnpoints, no race. GPS required. Contact: Ken Hudonjorgensen, Two-can Fly Paragliding, 474 E. Tonya Dr., Sandy, UT 84070, (801) 572-3414, khudonj@uswest.net.

SEPT. 23-24: Fly and Bike Festival, Chelan, WA. Spot-landing contest at Chelan Falls Park, scored on accuracy and landing form. Three best landings count.

Contact: Marilyn Raines (509) 682-2251.

For accommodations call Chelan Chamber 800-4CHELAN.

FUN FLYING MAY 27-29: 24th Annual Starthistle Fly-In. HG and PG. Woodrat Men. in southern Oregon. Barbecue, contests, prizes, excellent flying and lots of fun.

Contact: Donald Fitch (541) 482-5117, President@RVHGA.org.

12

SEPT. 2-4: 10th Annual Pine Mountain Paragliding Fly-In, Pine Mountain, Oregon. Contact: Raven Young (54 l) 317-8300.

SEPT. 4-8: 2000 Mauna Kea Fly-In, Hawaii. Weather is more favorable in September, airfares lower and accommodations and car rentals more easily available. Fun fly-in designed for intermediate to advanced pilots. Entry fee of $250 includes airport pickup, five days of 4wd transportation, retrieval, guide and stateof-the-art weather information. HG and PG pilots invited. Contact: Achim Hagemann, (808) 968-6856, tofly@excite.com.

OCT. 28-29: Women's Halloween Costume Fly-In, Chelan, WA. Prizes for best costume, best food, best flying contraption and more. Contact: Marilyn Raines (509) 682-2251. For accommodations call Chelan Chamber 800-4CHELAN.

CLINICS/MEETINGS/TOURS THROUGH SEPT. Cross-Country Excellence Clinics. Join Airplay X-C and thermal specialists Mark Telep and Dixon White for intense thermal and X-C skills development. Thorough training on active piloting, reading terrain, weather, reserves and more. Fly at the famous Chelan Butte where many pilots have had their best X-C flights. Air-conditioned luxury retrieval vehicles, glider demos and more. Lodging options available with complete transportation. Seven-day clinics: JUNE 4-10, JUNE 18-24, JULY 2-8, AUG. 20-26 and SEPT. 3-9. Three-day clinics: JULY l 4- l 6th, AUG. 4-6 and AUG. 11-13. Maximum of four clients per clinic. Sign up now for the most valuable clinic you'll ever take. (Take more than one!) Contact: (509) 782-5543, dixon@paraglide.com.

UNTIL OCT. Two-Can Fly paragliding clinics, by Ken Hudonjorgensen, Point of the Mountain and Utah mountain sites.

MAY 20-21: Mountain Flying. MAY 27-29: Thermal. JUNE 25: Intro to X-C

(Olympus to ... ). JULY 28-30: Thermal.

AUG. 1-3, 4-6: Safety Maneuvers Clinics with Chris Santacroce and Ken Hudonjorgensen at Strawberry Reservoir, Utah. AUG. 26-SEPT. 9: X-C Intensive

and Snowbird/UT X-C Competition.

SEPT. 1-3: Thermal. SEPT. 22-26: X-C Training Competition. Friendly comp with instruction from Ken Hudonjorgensen, Dale Covington and U.S. team members Todd Bibler, Bill Belcourt and Mary Anne Karren. OCT. 7-8: Mountain F{ying.

OCT. 13-16: Instructor Training. OCT. 21-22: Tandem (T2 and T3). OCT. 28-29: Instructor Recertification. Contact: Ken Hudonjorgensen, Two-can Fly Paragliding, 474 E. Tonya Dr., Sandy, UT 84070, (801) 572-3414, khudonj@uswest.net. For clinic descriptions and prerequisites visit www.twocanfly.com.

2000: Flying in Brazil 2000. Wonderful warm weather, flying in an exotic setting.

Be part of the Adventure Sports trip to Govenador Valadarez, Brazil. Experienced instructors and guides. Take side-trips to Carnival or any of the beautiful beaches.

12 days, $1,200 for paragliders, $1,400 for hang gliders. Includes room with breakfast and lunch, ride to launch, retrieval and guided tour. Save $ I 00; register by Nov. 15, 1999. Contact: (775) 883-7070, www.pyramid.net/ advspts.

MAY 11-13: X-C Towing Clinic, Boulder, CO. Parasoft Paragliding and Super Fly hose a towing and X-C clinic. MAY 19-21: Tandem 2/3 Course. Point of the Mountain, Utah. Join Super Fly and Tandem Administrator Chris Santacroce for a three-day course designed to provide you with all the information and instruction you will need to obtain your Tandem 2 or 3 rating. Tandem l rating is a prerequisite. JUNE 16-18: Pilot Tune Weekend.

Point of the Mountain, Utah. Join Super Fly, Chris Santacroce, Jeffrey Farrell and World Team pilots for a weekend of perfecting your flying technique. Ground handling, ridge soaring, thermaling and beginning X-C will all be covered.

PARAGLIDING

II

Transportation provided. $200. JULY 14-16: Pilot Tune Weekend. Point of the Mountain, Utah. Join Super Fly, Chris Santacroce, Jeffrey Farrell and World Team pilots for a weekend of perfecting your flying technique. Ground handling, ridge soaring, thermaling and beginning X-C will all be covered. Transportation provided. $200. Contact Super Fly, Inc. (801) 255-9595 or info@4superfly.com.

MAY 20-21: Paragliding Thermal and X-C Clinic in Hood River, OR, with Rick Higgins (Oregon State PG X-C record holder) and Steve Rori, Advanced Instructors. Contact: Steve Roti (503) 284-0998, sroti@uswest.net, or Rick Higgins (541) 387-2112, SunSportsPG@aol.com.

MAY 26-29: r;th Annu,d Demo Days at Point of the Mountain, UT. Dem~ wings, harnesses, varios, helmets and most other

August 8-10th (6 participants max)

August 11e13th (6 participants max)

paragliding-related gear, free of charge.

Manufacturers and team pilots from many top companies will show off their stuff. Safety and informational talks. Site guides to other mountain sites offer a chance to demo wings in a mountain setting. Pre-registration is $30 and includes a T-Shirt; on-site registration does not include a shirt. Additional club dues of $35 required for anyone flying the Point.

Contact Cloud 9 Soaring Center for more info or send pre-registration to: 12556 S. Minuteman Dr.#1, Draper, UT 84094, info@paraglider.com, (801) 576-6460.

JULY 15-16: Powered Paragliding Clinic

by USHGA Certified Advanced Instructor Hugh Murphy. The California's central coast is the most beautiful place in the country to develop the skills unique to motorized paragliding. Syllabus covers a smooth transition from paragliding to motorized paragliding with a safe, easy

learning curve. JULY 22-23: California Coast Ridge Soaring Clinic by Hugh Murphy. Soar the Golden State's beautiful coastal sites from Monterey Bay to Santa Barbara in smooth ocean breezes. JULY 29-30: High Wind Clinic by Hugh Murphy. Take your paraglider confidencly all the way to the top of its speed range in the ultimate safety of our soft sand dunes.

Clinic will increase pilot's control authority and confiderce in strong-wind launch and landing techniques. Make reservations early. Contact: Surf The Sky Paragliding, (805) 772-8989, www.bmac.net/ paragliding.

AUG: 8-10, 11-13: Three-day Parasoft Safety Clinics, with scooter winch. Six participants max, Lake McConahay, Nebraska, three hours northeast of Denver Contact: http://parasoft.boulder.net/ safety.html.

$451

50% deposit required on sign up

lake Mcconnaughy (3 hours NE of Denver)

• pitch osc1llat1ons

· wing overs

: ~Fa8b~~ ~~I : ~~r~o~f~ rd~11~fi~~~s • b-lme stall 1

• lull stall to reset glider

PARASO

• recovery from deep stall

or parachutage

• ~~quer~~~~~2~1ng approach • spin avrndance and recovery · spiral dive entry and exit • mastering maneuvers

IMPROVING PILOTS SAFETY SKILLS THROUGH SAFETY CLINICS SINCE 1992

313-494-2820 http : //par as oft. b o u Ider. n e tis a f et y. ht m I

MAY

2000

13

--------------------------------------------

designing and developing a new Internet presence. If 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 about the Association and our sport is there. Our mission with the new site is to increase communication, give you valuable information, keep you in the know, reduce costs, and make your flying experience more enjoyable. Let us know what you think. ushga.org - what can't it do?

USH

by USHGA President

USHGA.ORG - SPECIAL PARTS • Renew or join USHGA (where did that renewal notice go?)

• Classifieds (sell your stuff, buy new stuff) • News • Calendar • Information and forms (exciting yet helpful) • Member directory (volunteer inclusion) • Search function (you'll find it here) • Site index

David Glover USHGA.ORG -

0

ur new Web site is a clean, fast, updated and powerful tool for you. I am very proud of the efforts the USHGA office have made in

• •

WHERE TO FLY

Instructors/Schools/Dealers/Chapter/ Club listings (send prospects here) Observers and Examiners Links

USHGA.ORG - BOARD OF DIRECTORS INFORMATION • Message board for members to post to • Directors e-mail links (tell them what you think) • Meeting minutes • Committees • Bylaws USHGA.ORG - HEADQUARTERS Feedback/ contact us Regulations USHGA.ORG - PILOT INFORMATION • Update your personal profile • FAQ's • International information • Pilot rankings (your name here?)

• Merchandise (let the masses know coming soon) 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 think is important the Web site should do that it isn't, let me know and we will try to webify.

Thanks, David Glover david@davidglover.com Ill

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14

The best hang gliding video series in the world!

WEATHER TO FLY, CB300 STARTING PARAGLIDING, CB100A TURNING POINT IN ALPINE THERMALL/NG PARAGLIDING, THE FREE FLIGHT CD-ROM

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PARAGLIDING

t

h

e

a

n e w

r

swi n g

C

u

s

"The ARCUS is the best all around paraglider that I have ever flown .

It has it all: speed. glide, sink rate, great handllng, light brake pressure. excellent thermalllng characteristlcs, qualfty of materials and workmanship, as well as superior stability.

There is no need for a pilot to even own a DHV-2 or DHV 2·3 to get performance anymore. Everybody from new P·2's to veteran P-4's will be happy with this glider· Wally Anderson Merlin Flight School

"I found the performance and flying enjoyment of Swlng's new ARCUS beyond my expectations. Sw1ng's ARCUS has raised the bar with this newly released entry level glider All the speed, performance and looks of a performance g lider, in a DHV 1 paragllder Any student choosing this glider will likely wear it out, rather than sell it off tor greater performance as they progress down the line.

Advanced pilots will rediscover the sheer fun of safe flying without feeling overly restricted My DHV 2·3 1s going to have to share air time with the ARCUS as I ended up buying one for myself" Rob von Zabern Paragliding Magazine. July 99

"I never expected a beginning paraglider could have such a fantastic combination of great thermalllng performance. eye-watering speed capability, rock-solid stability, and carefree maneuvering. The ARCUS Is my idea of a flying dream come true."

Mark "Forger" Stucky Paragliding Magazine, July 99

......,.,-,LLS....,,.,,,,Nt:; Qu a l i t y

aircraft

for

exceptional

people.

'

by Gary Brock

For the last couple ofyears I have been attempting without success to attend a paragliding safety clinic. Unfortunately, it never seems to fail that just as I get my ducks in order the phone rings and my plans are dashed-such is life. This has become such a regular event that when I called Chris Santacroce ofSuper Fly, Inc., to let him know that I wanted to attend one ofSuper Fly's safety clinics, Chris could not restrain himselfand proceeded to administer a liberal amount ofgrief

Pilot and clinic buddy putting the checklist to use.

ince my initial exposure to aviation came via the military, procedures have been hammered into my head. From day one it was a litany of reading, studying, memorizing, visualizing and practicing. I never really gave much thought to the process until I encountered a situation chat required an immediate response, a response thar would nor have been intuitive, but one char would save my hide and give me rhe opportunity to reflect upon the event. I soon realized chat the structured conditioning had provided me with the capacity to handle an emergency situation, something chat I could not have done when I first started flight training.

While my primary experience in aviation was decidedly institutionalized, when I discovered paragliding I believed chat I had stumbled onto a form of aviation that would not require an extensive amount of study and practice. I thought of paragliding as a "spore" with a bit of adrenaline thrown in. It wasn't long before I discovered chat I was wrong - way wrong.

Thankfully, my revelation came early, and involved an escape chat was far coo close for comfort. I had been ridge soaring at Elsinore, California for an hour or so, and was not paying attention to what I was doing or what was going on around me. To make a long story short, I was too deep in the brakes and encountered a small, punchy thermal embedded in che ridge life. The wing went negative, and at ch at moment I realized chat I wasn't sure what had happened or what I was going to do to recover. Puc simply, I hadn't done my homework. Fortunately, my ignorance did not prevent a safe, albeit dramatic recovery.

After chis insighrful moment m y perception of paragliding changed. I realized chat my lackadaisical attitude toward paragliding hadn't served me well, char the environment in which I was fl ying was far more complex than I had initially thought, and chat if I was going to endure paragliding it was time to apply myself. I became motivated to know and under-

S

PARAGLIDING

.

I

l

srand rhe machine and rhe enviro nmem , and pro mpdy se c abour fi nding ways rn has ren rhe learnin g curve .

Al rh ough rhere are m any pub licarions ch ar can help rn accelerare lea rning abo ur paragliding and m ereorology, l soon realized char rhe rext didn't address or enh an ce th e required mo rnr ski lls. W hile ir certainly helps to know as much as possibl e abo ut the m ech anics of a co nt ro l inpur, yo u really ca n'r m as rer rhe in pm or procedure umil yo u practice and co m mie rn memo ry rhe phys ical p rocess of rhe procedure.

Artending a safery clini c wo uld give m e a han ds-o n opponuni ry to learn rhe techniques used to recover from wing m alfun crio ns, and also lee me experi ence fi.rsrhand so me siruations char I wo uldn't wa nt to enco umet beyond rhe co n fi nes of a learning environmenr. T h e sa fery clinic wo uld also allow me ro prac rice proper posrure and weighr shifong, become more fa mili ar wirh large pirch oscillarions, p racrice spirals, induce and recove r from large asymm erri c collapses, p rac rice large win govers, and, ifI wa m ed rn, induce sralls and spins (all over wa rer and under rhe guidance of an indi vidual well ve rsed in rhe afo rememion ed acriviries) .

Shortl y afte r ralking wirh C hris I was rewarded wirh an e-mail highli gh ri ng rhe eve m s of rhe weekend, including a list of rhe required equipment and m arerials.

Wh il e I am o ne of rhe mosr expecranr individu als aro und wh en ir co mes rn rh e topic of service, I was n'r anticipating such a swift res ponse, and was pleasantl y surp rised by Super Fly's rhoroughness.

Ir see ms as rhough I am always packing m y equipmem ar rhe lase minute, and chis rrip wo uld n or be any di ffe ren r. Afrer loading m y equipment ar oh- mo-ea rly in rhe bl essed mo rning, I sec our o n rhe fourh our plus d rive ro Lake H avasu Ciry, Arizona. W ith Joh n Lee H ooker, Lucinda W illiams, Bob Marley, M uddy Wate rs and rh ree can s of Red Bull usherin g me ch ro ugh rhe nexr few hours, ir was n't lo ng umil I was srepping out of my wheels into a sea of so mhwes rern sunshine.

M AY

2000

As always , Chris was primed and ready. H e info rmed me char I would be doing a row as soon as I could collecr rhe gear. Before long Jeffrey Farrell had h auled our a demo Bonanza, and rhe scope of rhe fli ght began ro rake shape. C h ris asked if I had ever rowed before, an d I sheepishly acknowledged char I had a few dubio us tows wirh a mu mal fr iend . W irh chis co nfess ion, C hris succinctl y refreshed my mem ory as I was p refli ghred fo r rhe tow.

After having been in uoduced to the row op erators, Enlow and Ja n, I was

an ach ed to rhe towline char had been uns pooled fro m rhe win ch mechanism an cho red wirhin rhe bowels of rhe vessel bobbing abour jusr offshore. Ir was a p roduce of ce n ain ry; I have n ever lee anyone scrap m y bun to anythin g so qui ckly.

Ir must have been rhe adrenaline. Wirh rhe sli gh t bow of m y h ead, Enlow spirired rh e boar fo rwa rd, and I was immediately cognizant of being conn ected to a 35 0cubi c- in ch C hevy engine. The w ing cam e up sm oo rhly, and I was unerly baffl ed w irh rhe ease of rhe w hole ordeal. In face,

Launch seen fivm the boat.

17

over the course of the three-day clinic Chris often said, "I can't believe how easily these people have learned to tow. It's amazing."

For the first few seconds it was an epiphany of faith, but rhen Chris blew the whole thing by transmitting his directions: "Hey B-Rock, how you doing up there? You need to turn a little to the left.

Stay over the wake of the boat, and look at your wing every 10 or 15 seconds. Sit back, enjoy the tow, and if you start to wander, Enlow or Jan will let you know."

It was nice to know that Chris would be along for the rest of the flight.

Watching Enlow and Jan slowly script my destination upon the fluid palate of the lake below, I forced myself to relax a bit and took in the scenery. I must say

18

that northern Arizona takes on a much more pleasing hue when seen from a paraglider. I believe that most tow-experienced pilots would agree that being towed to 3,000 feet AGL behind a boat is not an act that demands fantastic abilities. I also believe they would agree that the experience provides a massive amount of extraordinary sensory input. It was an awesome experience, and without a doubt the highlight of the clinic.

Once I had been delivered to the proper location and altitude, Enlow made a 90° turn to indicate that it was time to release from the towline. I pulled on the release mechanism located on the righthand side of the tow bridle, and was mesmerized with the drogue chute falling toward earth.

With the release of the towline came Chris's voice and direction: "Okay B-Rock I want you to turn 90° to the right to get a little further out over the water. Now, when you get there, we arc going to perform a few asymmetric collapses, and then work our way into the more demanding stuff." Following Chris's direction I turned the paraglider toward the middle of the lake, and briefly appraised the Bonanza perched stoically above my head. When Chris was comfortable with my placement over the water, he began his directive dialogue.

Within the eternity of five minutes, Chris talked me through myriad wing malfunctions starting with asymmetries, from small to large, then adding a bit of speed bar to make it a little more interesting. After completing asymmetries we did a few symmetrical collapses, then finished off with stalls and spins. While the stalls and spins are not an obligatory part of the clinic, Chris was there to add his knowledge and experience to the adventure.

Through the entire process Chris provided an excellent oratory on how I would induce the malfunction, what I could expect as a result of the malfunction, and what I would do to recover from it.

Chris's narrative was uncanny and almost cartoonish in accuracy. When he described what the wing would do during a malfunction the wing would follow his dialogue to a tee. Must be some kind of metaphysical thing.

Having spent the majority of my altitude on clinic tasks, I was left to waste the last 500 feet of altitude as I wanted, and quaffed it by performing some rather shabby wingovers. (I really need to work on those.) Then, once I had landed and peeled off my equipment, Chris introduced some of the safety clinic attendees.

I was surprised with the size of the clinic, as I was expecting only eight or ten people, so this clinic was a bit large with 13 participants.

For the remainder of the day I ambled about the launch area chatting with the clinic pilots, attempting to ascertain the motivation behind each participant's involvement in the safety clinic. Through the various conversations it became apparent that the majority of the pilots were there for the very same reason I was: to encounter the full array of possible wing malfunctions, and to learn, practice and commit to memory the procedures used

PARAGLIDING

Another pilot on his way up.

Enlow and Jan making it happen. during recovery from wing malfunctions.

However, there was one young chap who mentioned something about looping, but as Chris lacer pointed out, "The safety clinic is not designed or intended to make you aerobatics pilots." le didn't cake long to recognize che fundamental rhythm of the safety clinic.

From the point of liftoff until the point of landing, the average flight took approximately 20 minutes, with the majority of the flight spent dedicated to attaining altitude. Once a pilot initiated a tow, the preparation of the next pilot in the queue began almost immediately, and with the assistance of his safety clinic buddy, the "up" pilot's preparation was efficient and methodical.

While the wing of the up pilot was being laid out he was preflighted by his clinic buddy utilizing a safety clinic checklist. The checklist was thorough and effective, bur more importantly, it served the purpose of placing the preflight responsibility on the up pilot's clinic buddy. With the apprehension and anticipation of the impending flight, it was

MAY

2000

improbable that the up pilot could consistently perform a safe, effectual preflight.

So, with the use of the clinic checklist the clinic buddy became the up pilot's final safety monitor.

Once the pilot aloft had released the towline, the boat crew would quickly rewind the line while keeping a close eye on the pilot performing maneuvers. As soon as the towline was reeled in, the boat would hustle back to the launch site to position for the next up pilot. As the boat pulled into position, the boat crew would heave the drogue chute with towline attached to another pilot waiting onshore.

Once the line had been brought to the up pilot, it was the clinic buddy's final task co attach the towline to the up pilot's tow bridle.

While the clinic buddy's primary firnction was to act as the up pilot's final safety monitor, the buddy also served an additional function. Once the up pilot had been launched, the buddy briefed Chris on what the pilot being towed wanted to accomplish during the flight. There was an enormous amount of teamwork taking

place, and because of it, each pilot had the opportunity to take a least two tows per day, with a few getting three. The efficiency of the system was well proven, with most tows taking place mere seconds after the previously towed pilot had landed, if not before.

One important benefit of attending the safety clinic was utilizing the simulator. Over the course of the three-day clinic, each pilot was expected to spend a fair amount of time suspended from the simulator. Initially, pilots were asked to evaluate their posture, then readjust their harness co attain a more effectual in-flight posture. Once pilots had adjusted their harnesses accordingly, the simulator allowed them time to break down specific procedural sequence, into a stepwise process, then practice and commit to memory the proactive and reactive inputs.

This may appear like an innocuous chore, but by hanging in the simulator each pilot afforded himself an optimum opportunity to understand and master the tasks at hand. While the simulator

Continued on page 50.

19

.........................................................................1. and hazardous terrain obstacles, 1999 Paragliding Accident Summary turbulence bad decisions while focusing on achieving a spot-landing, and inadequate flight planning resulting in a forced landing in an unintended location.

by Paul Klemond (paul@kurious.org) ere is a summary of all paragliding accidents reported to the USHGA which occurred in the U.S. last year (1999). The purpose here is to share factual information and interpretations that will help pilots improve their decision-making, thereby preventing future accidents.

USHGA received 55 reports last year, double the number reported the previous year. This does not necessarily mean that twice as many accidents occurred, just that twice as many reports were sent in. This may be due in part to the $5 coupon USHGA offers for each report. This year we are unable to correlate accident data with general membership data, as results of the membership survey were not available at this writing. Based on past membership surveys, a good guess is that one in three or four accidents were reported last year.

To obtain an accident form check the USHGA Web site at www.ushga.org or phone (719) 632-8300.

H

PHASE OF FLIGHT Here is a breakdown showing the phases of flight and their relative likelihood of resulting in an accident during 1999:

Chart I PHASE

1999

1998

Kiting

8%

6%

Launching

27%

23%

In-Flight

27%

26%

Landing

39%

45%

Kiting accidents are those in which the pilot is clipped in but does not intend to leave the ground. These accidents occur on both level ground and on slopes, and usually involve unintended takeoff or falling and being dragged. Predictably, these accidents are more likely to happen to student and beginner pilots. Some of these accidents occur to students under direct supervision of an instructor.

Launching accidents include any accidents in which the pilot initiates a launch but does not leave the ground, or in which the pilot does leave the ground but has an accident within 10 seconds or so, before stabilizing in flight. Common launch accidents

20

include losing control and being dragged while pulling up, and taking a collapse during or immediately after takeoff. Relevant factors include marginal conditions in which flight should not have been attempted, and incorrect or insufficient piloting input to prevent loss of control. Marginal conditions are sometimes detectable on launch, and were a factor in at least 20% (one out of every five) reported accidents.

One common launch accident involves a collapse before the pilot's feet have left the ground. Some pilots quickly blame turbulence, but often the pilot has failed to maintain load tension on the A-riser on the side that collapsed. One way to avoid this problem is to be aware of the height of your hips as you run off launch. If you feel loading/tension decreasing on your seat on either side, lower your hips such that your seat is always pulling downward, thus maintaining loading or tension on both of you're A-risers. It can be challenging to do this Nature while running or turning of Injury from a reverse launch, but it Back will help. Remember to simultaneously use brake pressure to "actively pilot" your wing even before your feet leave the earth.

In-Flight accidents are those in which the pilot launched successfully and did not intend to land, but lost control of the paraglider during flight. Common factors include turbulence-induced collapses, aerobatics or maneuvers, and reserve deployments (both accidental and intentional for training purposes).

Landing accidents involve any situation in which the pilot has decided to land before the accident occurred, and the intended landing is imminent. This has consistently been the most hazardous phase of each paragliding flight in the U.S. Common factors in landing accidents include low-level

NATURE OF INJURIES A breakdown showing the nature of injuries sustained in reported accidents is shown in chart 2.

Note that in some accidents the pilot sustained more than one of these types of injuries. Back and pelvis continue to be among the most common and most severe injuries reported. Several non-injury incident reports indicated that foam back-protectors helped prevent serious back and/or pelvis injuries. The DHV recently concluded that foam back-protectors are the most effective type. See www.dhv.de for more information. Also, the Sup'Air USA Web site has good (if not unbiased) information on this: see www.supair-usa.com for more information.

Ankle, foot and knee injuries remain common. Several such reports indicate that

Chart2 1999

1998

Accidents

%

Accidents

%

12

29%

5

23%

Foot

7

17%

5

23%

Ankle

7

17%

4

18%

Other

7

17%

I

5%

Knee

4

10%

2

9%

Arm

3

7%

5

23%

Pelvis

3

7%

3

14%

Chart3 Pilot Rating

1999

1998

Accidents

Accidents

Members

Student

15%

6%

(unknown)

Beginner (Pl)

9%

17%

5%

Novice (P2)

31%

29%

39%

Intermediate (P3)

13%

11%

27%

Advanced (P4)

20%

11%

25%

Master (PS)

0%

3%

4%

Tandem Instr. (T3)

15%

14%

NIA

Unrated/ Unknown

11%

3%

NIA

PARAGLIDING

Chart 5 Factor

1999 %

Cases

1998 Cases

%

Year

# of Fatalities

1999

1

Strong Thermals

12

25%

4

13%

1998

4

Collapse

12

25%

6

19%

1997

4

Ridge Soaring

11

23%

(unknown)

(llnknown)

1996

4

Marginal Conditions

10

21%

5

16%

Flight Plan Failure

6

13%

2

6%

Competition Wing

4

8%

3

10%

Spot Landing 1

3

6%

(llnknown)

(unknown)

No Hook-lmife, Water 2

3

Dragged

3

6%

(unknown)

6%

2

(unknown)

6%

The one fatality last year was unusual: The pilot apparently fixated on and landed in a somewhat narrow, urban, manmade waterway, was dragged in the current and drowned.

GENERAL FACTORS

Many accidents are attributable not to one specific cause Tangled Lines 4% 2 1 3% but to a number of contributing factors. Here is a summary Stale skills 1 2% (unknown) (llnknown) of factors involved in the acciEquipment Failure 0 0% 10% 3 dents reported in 1999. It is Mid-Air Collision 0 0% 1 3% difficult to identify all relevant factors for most accidents 1 Spot Landing: Pilot made poor decision(;) therefore the numbers in chart 5 should, be viewed as bare minimums. in rm effort to make a Jpot landing.

2 \X1ater Landings: Pilot wmflying near 11 Aerobatics

2

4%

3

body of water but was not carrying a hool,knife, or did not use it. One report suggested that tandem passengers should have a hookknife available to them for emergency use. This presents some interestingpotentirzf problems but would clearly ha1Je helped in one particular situation. overweight pilots and tandem passengers may be at greater risk for ankle injuries during launching, landing, and landing following a reserve deployment.

QUALIFICATIONS OF INJURED PILOTS Pilots of all skill levels are injured in accidents every year. Here is this year's breakdown by rating. The "Members" column shows the percentage of all USHGA paragliding members who have the rating shown in chart 3.

Before you draw too many conclusions about which levels of pilots do or don't have the most accidents, bear in mind that the above data only tell you which level of pilots report the most accidents.

FATALITIES We had fewer fatalities in 1999 than in the three years before:

MAY

2000

Eight tandem accidents were reported in 1999, up from four in 1998. This follows the general increase in reporting and does not necessarily indicate any change in the actual number of accidents occurring. There were no tandem fatalities in 1999.

Chart4

10%

FLYING NEAR WATER Flying near bodies of water poses special hazards. Pilots flying near water should carefully consider the hazard posed by closedcell-foam back protectors such as the Sup'Air "Mousse Bag," "Bump Air" and many others. These components cause the harness to float "butt skyward," forcing the pilot face down underwater. E1Jen exceptionally athletic

pilots ha/Je had great difficulty in these situations! Pilots are advised to seek alternative forms of back protection when flying near water, or to plan reliable harness escape techniques prior to launching. If you do attempt to jump from your harness before hitting the water, be warned that pilots have experienced an inability to perceive their height above the water, in order to determine when to jump safely.

TANDEM ACCIDENTS Chart6 Who Was

1999

1998

Passenger Only

50%

50%

Pilot Only

13%

25%

Both Pilot and Passenger

38%

25%

Injured

TANDEM: PHASE OF FLIGHT Chart 7 1999

1999

Solo

Tandem

Kiting

0%

8%

Launching

50%

27%

In-Flight

0%

27%

Landing

50%

39%

Phase

Tandem gliders are generally much more difficult to launch than solo gliders.

Launch skills might be an area in which our tandem training program can reduce tandem accidents.

INSTRUCTORS Instructors as a group showed huge improvement in accident reporting in 1999.

This is especially important since few students are familiar enough with rhc USHGA to even know that accidents should be reported, much less how to report them.

Just a reminder to instructors: ICP administrators do not have access to accident reports. So please report your accidents to help us identify ways to improve the instructor program for everyone.

PLEASE REPORT YOUR ACCIDENT If you have or witness a paragliding accident, or even just an "incident" that others could learn from, please take a few minutes and report it to USHGA. You can get a report form from any instructor, or from USHGA at (719) 632-8300, or you can use the web at www.ushga.org. USHGA will give you a $5 merchandise coupon for each report you submit. All reports are anonymous. There are no risks or consequen~es for submitting a report.

Paul Klernond is the 1Jolunteer chair ofthc USHG'A Part1gliding Accident Committee, and can be reached kY e-mail at paul@kurious.org. II

21

I

THE

will make some comparisons between the C\VO, but as the manufacturer will cell you, the Prime is a totally redesigned glider. There aren't many of them in the country as of chis writing, so I was pretty stoked to get to fly one.

Twenty-two flights lacer, here is the skin-

I Edel Prime Tandem THE "LITTLE BIG WING"

by Mark Ryan

I live in Alaska, the "Last Frontier, " where I perform tandem flights commercially, and since team pilots arrive here touting their gear I've had the opportunity to test models ranging ftom the French Advance to the infamous "Whooptie Kite. "In this article I will not offer an endorsement for ''the latest, greatest" anything, but I will tell you of my impression of the Edel Prime, big sister to the Galaxy.

ny.

Out of the box you will find impeccable stitching of crispy, single-coated fabric. Only rime will cell about the durability of this material , but an obvious benefit is its relatively light weight (10. 7 kg). Other notable improvements are small strips of Velcro that keep the main A-riser and solitary split outside A-line organized together as one, unless under tension while flying. Speaking of lines, they are of a manageable number with easy-clearing outer material, and not so racy and thin that they easily kink or knot. o offense comp pilots.

When equipped with a speed system you can expect the current risers to keep you locked into any setting much better than previous models, as a result of better marching of webbing thickness, spring weight and clasp size. As for hook-in points, factory spreader bars , still designed with just one attachment point option for the pilot in command and two up front , have an extra C\vo inches separating you from your human ballast.

From the way the Prime looks upon lay-out and overhead, and despite what the specs say (42 m 2 flat), I was convinced I was flying a "smallish" tandem.

You will find that it "drives small" (easy handling) but "flies big. " In reality, with a 14.6-meter wingspan (flat) the Prime is just as much of a launch hog as any Monster or Twin 2.

Upon lay-out, an immediately noticeable design change is the swept-back look and straight trailing edge. For some reason, in any hint of breeze at our nearsea-level site, the wind seems to easily sneak under her backwards, disturbing your horseshoe or wall. So, while attending to all other preflight preparations, one must manage to keep the leading edge pressurized or contend with the classic bucking dragon.

On the runway, in forward or reverse, wing pressurization is bomber. It will happen , but as of yet there has not been even a hint of a tuck on launching, even

Continued on page 33.

22

PARAGLIDING

•

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

by Peter Reagan hen my kids were young we used to read them a book called Rain Makes Applesauce. Now, looking out my window at this gray Oregon day, I am forced to admit that in this house, rain makes accident reports. It also hones my desire to fly to an edge sharp enough to do damage.

Following repons of mishaps around the world, one conclusion stands out. The single most significant cause of accidents is choosing to fly when one shouldn't. A few of us are naturally cautious and don't try anything unless we're certain it will work.

But most of us pilots are more adventurous.

It doesn't come naturally for us to shrink from the unknown. It is a balance we must studv and learn.

Flying is seductive and addictive. We often call it a fix when we get some airtime after prolonged bad weather. Pilots at all levels of experience are vulnerable to this potentially lethal malady of over-eagerness.

We need to maintain vigilance about dangerous states of mind, even as we watch for hazardous weather. Whenever it's been a long time, whenever we've traveled especially far, or the site is especially exciting, we are at higher risk. Are other pilots around you reluctant to fly? Force yourself to listen to them. They are trying to help, not ruin your day.

AUTUMN, POPULAR SOUTHERN HANG GLIDING SITE, MIDDAY

An eager beginner paraglider pilot showed up at launch alone, encountering a group of experienced local hang pilots. They discussed his plans with him. The site is 1,500' AGL with a 5.5/1 glide to the LZ. Three prior, known paragliding flights had been made from here and on two of them the LZ was not reached. The pilot had minimal if any thermaling experience. The hang pilots advised him to wait until glassoff when the lift would be more consistent.

They then launched and thermaled to a few thousand over and prepared to go cross-country.

They observed the para pilot try several inflations, finally getting away from the hill. He flew through a thermal, getting

about 100 feet over launch, then hit the expected sink behind it. He lost altitude rapidly and was forced to try to land on a maintenance road lined with 70-foot trees, only 500 feet below launch. He lost control of his glider about 20 feet above the ground, either because of rotor or tangling in a branch. On impact, he broke his ankle and wrist, and had multiple spinal fractures. The hang pilots orchestrated a rescue.

This accident occasioned quite a bit of discussion at USHGA, and risked the loss of the site, at least for paragliding. The situation was complicated by the fact that the experienced pilots on launch were of the hang persuasion, and thus had some difficulty establishing rapport with the victim.

But it goes without saying: You ignore the advice of experienced local pilots at your own peril! Rethink what you are doing.

Can you handle all the possible outcomes?

POPULAR NORTHWEST MOUNTAIN SITE, SUMMER EVENING

An experienced local pilot, trying out a new harness, aborted a launch and walked back up to try again. On relaunching, he became immediately aware that he hadn't reattached his leg straps. He slid down and was hanging by his armpits in the risers. He was unable to pull himself back up, but still had the brake handles and managed to steer himself into the trees to the right oflaunch.

Unfortunately, he ended up suspended 30 feet above the ground and finally fell from his harness, sustaining a vertebral fracture, a rib fracture and facial injuries, in spite of his full-face helmet.

Paraglider pilots don't have the out-ofsight, single carabiner hook-in problem that hang glider pilots do, but this scenario is probably the closest thing to it. It is more common when harnesses have frontmounted reserves, since the straps can't be seen and one feels pressure on one's lap.

This accident is most common after detaching the straps to walk back up. It is often fatal. Though distressing, the outcome here was close to ideal.

Much debate centers on the best reaction to this mishap, and a way has been devised to climb back into one's seat. But European experiments have shown that a large minority of normal people don't have the arm strength for self-rescue. The current universal advice is to abort to the side,

--------- -----------

24

as this pilot did, and land side-hill as best you can.

SUMMER EVENING GLASS-OFF, HIGH DESERT

Here's an analogous problem. In almost five years of paragliding I've done some pretty stupid things, but last Thursday just about took the cake. With 10 pilots present, I launched first, in fairly strong conditions, went up immediately to about 50 to 70 feet over launch, crossed the hill at least three times scratching for lift, then at about 150 feet over went back to the launch area, swooped a big "showoff" kind of turn, straightened out, caught a big cycle in the face and starred going backward and up at about 500 fpm. I decided I had better check out my speed system hook-up points, and when I looked down just about had a heart attack. My right riser was "outside" the 'biner and only being held in place by about a quarter inch which was hooked between the gate and the outside point.

That's pretty much the end of the exciting part of the story.

I decided not to throw my reserve and not to attempt to attach the riser properly while in flight. What I didn't consider, but should have, was to weight the left side of my harness as much as possible without causing a turn to the left. I did keep my left hand at the ready in case the riser let go, in anticipation of the inevitable severe, right spiral dive. How this "stupid" mistake happened doesn't really matter. We all make "stupid" mistakes and I've come to know that no matter how many little "rules" we make up for ourselves, we will find ways around them.

Almost enough said. We can decrease but not eliminate the occasions on which we experience this much adrenaline.

Whenever you are in a hurry to launch, stop and take a couple of deep breaths.

Then do your preflight, more slowly than usual. Think of each little gizmo that's supposed to be clipped to something else one at a time.

SPRING, THERMAL SITE

This site tends to have a certain amount of turbulence at launch and can get gusty in the afternoon. At the time of the accident the wind was reported as 6 to 12 mph, somewhat cross. A Relatively inexperienced

-------- - ----------------------'

PARAGLIDING

i--------------

pilot, third in a group, pulled his glider up and took off. Immediately he experienced a full frontal collapse and reported seeing his wing on the ground in front of him while he was still in the air. He suffered a broken foot and numerous bruises.

Similar accidents have occurred at this site. The launch demands more expertise for safety than it looks like it does, because of the frequent turbulence. Variable gustiness on the ground translates into a real rodeo in the air. The pilot must time the launch correctly and be ready for anything.

It's critical to fly the glider away from the hill without taking one's hands off the brakes. All of chis underscores the value of local experience and the importance of understanding one's own limits.

ONE LAST EVENT OF INTEREST

A P4-rated paraglider pilot crashed after doing a B-line stall on his DHV-2 raced glider, approximately 200 feet over the side of a hill. The pilot was very familiar with

MAY

2000

the site and was performing for his family, who were videotaping. During the maneuver he dropped about 100 feet, then released the B-lines. The glider seemed to recover, but actually entered parachutage.

The glider spun left without pilot input.

The pilot sensed loss of pressure and pulled down both brakes as he was spinning. This seemed to stop the spin (at 180 degrees) but put him into a full stall. The chute went back, dropped fast, and the pilot immediately put his hands up. The wing surged to slightly below horizontal and the pilot was face up, back to the ground, and free-falling. He fell under the crumpled canopy and slammed into the side of the hill. He landed on his left back side and bounced about 10 feet, suffering cracked ribs and extensive bruises. The pilot was able to walk down the hill and was not hospitalized.

This was a very experienced pilot who had attended a recent maneuvers clinic.

The family spectators were probably a fac-

tor clouding his judgment, but at least the videotape allowed minute dissection of the accident. I found it very instructive that he himself noticed several sub-optimal responses (not using the speed bar to recover the B-line and recovering too slowly, and not controlling the full stall or the surge).

This underscores how hard it is to recover dependably from a complicated malfunction close to the ground. The obvious basic lesson is that even if we arc good, experienced and well trained, we are still human.

We need time to recover from our mistakes. We need to do maneuvers with a lot of ground clearance. Modern gliders don't recover from B-lines as dependably as wings from the early l 990's.

It is not a benign maneuver, and this pilot was very lucky to walk away. The excellent passive safety features of his harness saved him a lot of grief. I very much appreciate his extremely detailed report.

Please report your accidents. It's cathartic. Ill

25

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United States Hang Gliding Assn., PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901-1330 (719) 632-8300 1-800-616-6888 www.ushga.org fax (719) 632-6417 email: ushga@ushga.org

-

Board of Directors REGION 1 Bill Bolosk ~R - 00) (425) 557- 9 1 bolosky@microsoft.com

7

Steve Roti (R - 01) (503) 284-0995 sroti@uswest.net Gene Matthews (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 - 01) (408) 353-5159 jrshelden@aol.com Scott Gaspari an (R- 01) (650) 218-3984 gaspo@igi.org Ed Pitman (L- 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

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

REGION 6 Jeff Sinason (R - 01) (314) 542-24 73 jsinason@swbell.net

REGION 10 Matt Taber (R - 01) (706) 398-3433 fly@hanglide.com

John Greynald (R - 01) (805) 682-3483 throgrog@aol.com

REGION 7 Bill Bryden (R - 00) (812) 497-2327 bbryden@hsonline.net

David Glover (R - 00) (706) 657-8485 david@davidglover.com

Gregg Lawless (R - 01) (858) 484-2056 glawless@sempra-slns.com Rob Kells (H - 00) (714) 998-6359 rob@willswing.com Gil Dodgen (Editor) (949) 888-7363 (949) 888-7 464 fax gildodgen@aol .com REGION 4 Mark Ferguson (R - 00) (303) 439-8542 mark@ballvarios.com Jim Zeiset (R - 01) (719) 539-3335 jimzgreen@aol.com Larry Sanderson (H - 00) (505) 392-1177 Larryssa@aol.com Liz Sharp (H - 01) (303) 530-0718 eas@cmed.com REGION 5 Frank Gillette (R - 00) (208) 654-2615 Watercyn@cyberhighway.net

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REGION 11 Kent Robinson (R - 01) REGION 9 (972) 960-0516 David "Randy" Leggett (R - 01) flydallas@aol.com (610) 258-6066 1as@ot.com REGION 12 Paul Voight (R - 00) Geoffrey Mumford (R - 00) (914) 744-3317 (202) 336-6067 flyhigh@frontiernet.net gmumford@apa.org Jan Johnson (L - 00) (914) 695-8747 Dennis Pagen (L - 00) (814) 422-0589 hm janj@uarc.org pagenbks@lazerlink.com Paul Rikert (L - 00) Chris DuPaul (H-00) (914) 946-9386 (540) 672-0065 Krisdupaul@aol.com Lars Linde (H - 00) (732) 747-7845 Jarslinde@compuserve.com Art Greenfield-NAA (X) 1-800-644-9777 awgreenfield@naa-usa.org

REGION 13 (lnt'I) Jan Johnson (L - 00) See Reg 12 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

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OUR ADVANCED INSTRUCTORS

DIXON WHJTE, USHGA Instructor of the Year and Director of Airplay Paragliding, is a Master Pilot and Tandem Exami11er with a five Diamond award from USHGA for O\'er 5.000 accident-free Oights. He has cenified hundreds of pilots and has supervised Ol'er J8.000 sludent flights. DLxon has been featured in numerous paragliding articles and shows.

MARTI DEVIETII is an Advanced Tandem instructor \\ith a Single Diamond award from LiSHGA for oYer 1.000 accident-free flights. lie has a Bachelor's degree in Aviation Technolom· and is an Instrumem Rated fixed-wing pilot. Marty has supervised over l 1.000 studem ilights.

ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS include Da"e Wheeler. Ryan Swan, Mark Telep and Brett Zaenglein.

OUR FLIGHT PARKS Our Fligh1 Parks are perfect beginner training areas with dri\'e-up open launches and large landing fields. Small class sizes, two-way radios and state-of-the-art equipmem and trucks permit many nights per session and a fas1ye1 comfortable learning curve from a few feet off of the ground to I 0,000 feet above Lbe ground. Advanced pilots lHl\'e had flights of over 5 hours and up to -o miles Crom our sites.

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Unofficial State Cross-Country Distance Records

by Steve Roti

T

his is the fourth update of the paragliding state distance record list, and I'm pleased to report new straight-distance records last year in four states: Arizona, California, Pennsylvania and Wyoming.

In Arizona, Brandt May broke Dixon White's previous 100-km record with a 69-mile flight on June 13 from Merriam Crater. Brandt and Tanner Patty launched at 11 :00 AM and climbed from 6,800' MSL to 12,000' MSL before setting out cross-country. Brandt writes: "Within an hour and about ten miles a nice cu formed right over us and took us to 17,000' MSL. The -3 on the thermal index was forecast for 18,000' MSL chat day. At times we were tracking 40-45 mph across the ground. Tanner landed at 2:30 PM and had the new state record of 67 miles. Thirty minutes later I landed two miles ahead of him."

Something unusual happened last year in California: A state distance record was set outside the Owens Valley. Tony Deleo took off August 27 from Pine Mountain, located 25 miles northeast of Santa Barbara, where the previous site record was 60 miles by Tom Truax. Not only did Tony break the site record, he also broke Will Gadd's previous state record set two years earlier in the Owens. Tony flew through four counties (Ventura, Los Angeles, Kern, and Inyo) before finally landing seven hours later 139 miles from launch near the town ofTrona.

In Pennsylvania, Jim Maze broke his own record twice, first with a 37-mile flight on May 1 and again with a 66.2mile flight on May 16, both from the Kirk Ridge site. Jim reported an altitude gain of7,032 feet on the May 1 flight, an impressive climb for the east coast.

In Wyoming, John Hunt broke Jon Patterson's 68-mile record with a 77-milc flight from Phillips Ridge on May 27.

John flew 4 hours and 10 minutes, landing 14 miles past the town of Dubois.

OTHER NOTABLE FLIGHTS Quite a few long cross-country flights were made during the U.S. Paragliding Team weekend in Chelan last May. Many pilots were able to cross the Columbia River and fly over the flats. Three pilots crossed Banks Lake and landed near Almira, roughly 50 miles from Chelan. Mark lelep flew his FreeX Spear 105 miles, landing near the town of Reardon.

There was quite a bit of tandem cross-country activity too. First, David Frank and Shelley Seibel flew from Bald :vftn., Idaho (Sun Valley Ski Resort) to the Mackay Fish Hatchery, on August 22, 1998. They were in the air for two hours over rugged terrain covering a distance of 35 miles on an Advance Bi-Beta. Then on June 8, 1999, Will Gadd and Kim Csizmazia launched from Hobbs, New Mexico and flew 91 miles on a Firebird Monster for a new U.S. tandem straight-distance record. Josh Cohn and Bruce Wilson both broke 100 miles on solo flights during the same time period Will and Kim were in Hobbs going for the tandem record.

30

Last but not least is a new out-and-return record in Hawaii by Chris Pliska. Chris launched his FreeX Spear on July 4 at Makapu u on the island of Oahu, flew 21 miles to the back of the Kahana Valley and then returned to Makapuu in 3 hours and 45 minutes for a total distance of 42 miles. Chris writes: "Since we live on an island, ouc-andreturn flights are the only way to do massive distance in Hawaii. If this was straight-line I would have been 10 miles out over the ocean."

If your flight should be listed here and it's not, it's only because I wasn't aware of it. Send me information about flights that should be on the list and I'll update it periodically. You can e-mail cross-country flight reports to me at sroci@uswest.net, or send them by U.S. mail to P.O. Box 8989, Portland, OR 97207, or phone them in to (503) 2840998. Be sure to include your name, miles flown, duration, takeoff site, flight date, and make/model of glider.•

STRAIGHT DISTANCE RECORDS l'ilot

Mi/Km

Dur.

TakeojfSite

Date

Wing

Jeff Benncct

31/50

2hr35

Cobb .'v1ountain, AK

5/29/96

UP Vision

Brandt May

69/111.1

4hr

Merriam Crater, A7_,

6/13/99

Advance Omega

Tony Deleo

139/223.8

7hr

Pine Mm, CA

8/27/99

Firebird Flame

Peter Kloepfer

85/136. 9

4hr

Lookout Mm., CO

8/05/95

Nova Xenon

Marc Hill

.W547

3hr15

Makapuu Light., HI

1/11/99

Swing Venrus

Jeff Ames'

69.1/111.3

4hr02

King Mm., JD

8/22/97

Freex Spark

Bernard Winkelman*

69.1/111,3

4hr08

King Mm., lD

8/22/97

Apco Zen II

Othar Lawrence' 69.1 /111.3

4hr15

King Mm., JD

8/22/97

Firebird Cult

6115/97

Edel Saber

-------

·-·----------

Paul Lumlquisr/T

53/85.3

3hr35

Spring Hill, MN

Peter Swanson

34/54.7

3hr30

Morrell Lookout, MT 8/12/97

Edel Sector

Jim Maze

43.6/70.2

3hr16

Del. Water Gap, NJ

4/11/98

Edel Saber

Will Gadd/T

179.9/289.6

6hr

Hobbs, NM

5/30/98

l'ircbird Cult

Honza Rejmonck

48/77.3

6hr18

Slide Mm., NV

7/16/95

Edel Rainbow

Charles Warren 54.1/87.1

3hr24

Hammondsport, NY

5/17/98

Edel Saber

Rick Higgins

75.4/121.6

4hr35

Black Cap, OR

7/04/97

Apco Furura

Jim Maze

66.2/106.6

4hr20

Kirk Ridge, PA

5/16/99

Advance Sigma4

Todd Bibler"

90/144.9

4hr

Snowbird, UT

9/15/98

Nova Vertex

Bill Belcourt"

90/144. 9

4hr

Snowbird, CT

9/15/98

Edel Sector TX

Mark Telep

120/193.5

6hr15

Chelan Butte, WA

8/02/97

Swing Vcntus

77/124

4hrl0

Phillips Ridge, WY

5/27/99

Pro-Design Target

John Hunt

--------------·----

IT indicates a tow-launched flight * Three-way tie during the fourth task ofthe 1997 US. Paragliding Nationals, from King Mountain to the Challis airport. ** Bibler and Belcourt flew together from Snowbird, UT to Lyman, WY Oust past Fort Bridger) and landed in the same place.

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RELEASE, WAIVER AND ASSUMPTION

AGREEMENT

In consideration of the benefits to be derived from membership in the USHGA, (Pi/of) and the parent or legal guardian of Pilotif Pilotis a minor, for themselves, their personal representatives, heirs, executors, next of kin, spouses, mmor children and assigns, do agree as follows: A. DEFINITIONS - The following definitions apply to terms used in this Agreement I. "PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT 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. "SPORTS INJURIES' means personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilotas a result of Pilot's PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORTand/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System). If Pilot is under 18 years of age, the term "SPORTS INJIIRIES"means personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilot as well as personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilot~parents or legal guardians, as a result of Pilot's PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORTand/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs.

3. "RELEASED PARTIES' 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 P/lot-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; e) Each of the property owners on or over whose property Pilotmay launch, fly and/or land; All persons involved, in any manner, in the sports of hang gliding and/or paragliding at the site(s) where Pilot PARTICIPATES IN THE SPORT "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 g) All other persons lawfully present at the site(s) during Pilot's PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT. IB. I FOREVER RELEASE AND DISCHARGE the RELEASED PARTIESfrom any and all liabilities, claims, demands, or causes of action that I may hereafter have for SPORTS INJURIES, however caused, even if caused by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the RELEASED PARTIES, to the fullest extent allowed by law.

C. I WILL NOT SUE OR MAKE A CLAIM against any of the RELEASED PARTIESfor loss or damage on account of SPORTS INJURIES. If Iviolate this agreement by filing such a suit or making such a claim, Iwill pay all attorneys' fees and costs of the RELEASED PARTIES. D. I AGREE THAT this AGREEMENT shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.

All disputes and matters whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this Agreement shall be litigated, if at ail, in and before a Court located in the State of California, U.S.A. to the exclusion of the Courts of any other State or Country.

E. SEVER.ABULITY. 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 foll force and effect. f. I REPRESENT THAT Pilotis 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 Pilot If I am the parent or legal guardian of Pilot, I AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND REIMBURSE the RELEASED PARTIES for their defense and indemnity from any claim or liability in the event that Pilot suffers SPORTS INJURIESas a result of Pilot1s PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT, even if caused in whole or in part by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the RELEASED PARTIES.

n

G. I VOLUNTARILY ASSUME ALL RISKS, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, OF SPORTS INJURIES, HOWEVER CAUSED, EVEN If CAUSED IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY THE ACTION, INACTION, OR NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASED PARTIES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW. I have read, understand, and agree to the above RELEASE, WAIVER AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT. Adult Pilot's fi[nature

Oate

fignature ofPilot's Parent or I.eta! Guardian 1lPilot under 18years ofage.

Oate

MMR 12-97

Continued from p(lge 22.

handed" flying. The airfoil responds well to small inputs and is really quite manage-

in switchy, variable conditions.

Once airborne I was impressed with the performance throughout the range of wing loadings. This is especially importanr as a commercial operator because I have an aversion ro dragging around a bladder "just in case" and don't want ro deal with penetration problems. I tip the scales at 170, and my first victims in the new ship were skinny blonde screamers, making us light collectively (overall). 'fakcoffwcight is 140-210 kg. With no propulsion there is the usual tradeoff of reduced speed when lightly loaded. Since that that means getting to boar around all day even when conditions arc light, I have no complaints.

Under such loading, and expecting her to be a little soft, I was hesitant to make aggressive control inputs. Since becoming more familiar with the wing I have a bit of a romp on each flight. I am pleasantly surprised to find that in order to really wind up the new Edel tandem there is no longer rhe requiremenr for any "heavy

MAY

2000

able. Flying light or heavily loaded, should the need arise, either a tight spiral or, for the weak at heart, the combination of accelerator plus huge ears will get you where you wish you were. Do so with confi.drnce with this solid, stable airfoil.

Upping rhe speed ante, I had the opportunity to fly with some classic Harley Davidson enthusiast-sized gentlemen. Using our shallowest launch in negligible wind, I was expecting to run halhvay ro China. Confident, yet relieved at nor having become Siamese human bowling balls, liftoff was achieved quickly - happy beneficiaries of technological advances.

Even at a cool 170 pounds, being paired with these particular guys put me at the top of the range, allowing me to liberally zip around, slicing chunks out of the air mass. Solo pilots took special care to avoid my wake as impressive lift was created, keeping us aloft now with an even better glide. Still, whether thermaling on this strong day or just having a bit

ofa whip-around, small control inputs were all that were required to get a 1-caction, giving that "small-wing" feeling.

Wirh one particularly cooperative guest I did find out just how easy it is to experience rhe short-term conseq uenccs of overzealous wingovers. The Prime is rated AFNOR Tandem, DHV 1-2. \'vhether driving a bus or chis new sporty glider, the rules remain unchanged. No sleeping at the wheel or going any bigger than necessary.

With any amount of weight on board expect touchdown as straightforward as ever (minimum sink is 1.1 m/s). Keep in mind, however, char since your wing has the capability to go faster (trim speed is 42 km/h) it may take longer to decelerate than your last passenger vehicle. If you manage rn get your hands on one of these flying machines expect smooth handling and easy driving overall - or a mediumweight bivy sack in case you inadvertently land in the center of the zillion square miles of roadless wilderness that is my backyard. Ill

33

en a paraglider pilot purchases a new harness or new parachute, compatibility must again be checked. The purpose of this article is to address bag lock and other paraglider harness/comainer compatibility issues.

If we look at the skydiving industry we see that parachute containers must be certified for use with specific parachutes.

This requirement was a result of many bungled deployment attempts due to incompatible systems. The complexity of pilot chutes and the importance of parachute openings have spearheaded the evolution of the costly certification program in sport parachuting.

Although I am not advocating a compatibility certification program for paragliding reserve parachute containers, the importance of addressing compatibility issues cannot be overstated.

Without a functioning emergency reserve parachute when you need it, you greatly increase the risk of injury or worse.

Bag lock is a major problem with paraglider emergency safety systems, but it is not the only problem.

Through increased pilot awareness and a growing number ~f parachute clinics, many pilots have caught problems relating to the compatibility of their harness, parachute container and parachute before they were faced with an emergency situation.

by Betty Pfeiffer

34

THE PROBLEM Simply stated, if you cannot easily extract your emergency parachute when you need it you've got a problem.

The best way to determine if you have a parachute extraction problem is to sit in your harness in a simulator and slowly extract your parachute.

1) Try to pull the handle in such a way that the container does not open. It is just as important to know how your system does not work as to know how it does. 1 2) Now replace your parachute in the container and try to open it with the opposite hand. 2 You may need to twist your body in the harness to accomplish this.

3) Repeat this process until you are confident that you have memorized the "pull."

4) Continue your compatibility investigation by having your helper move the parachute from your throw range in a direction to simulate the travel of the parachute. Do this in several directions, paying special attention to how your bridle releases in each direction. Note any parts of your body that could get caught in the bridle and figure out ways to protect PARAGLIDING

yourself.

5) Have your helper hoisc you up by pulling che bridle chrough a suspended ring or wide pulley. Make sure che ring is very smooch and chick so ic will nor damage your bridle (wide pulleys are besc for chis procedure).

Pay attemion rn how che bridle releases from che harness and che posicion you will hang if yo u are ever under canopy wich a disabled paraglider. l In acrnal deployments you may find yo urself in unusual posicions. You may nor be loading the harness properly. By knowing what does not work you will nor waste precious seconds trying ro pull the handle in the wrong direction.

2 Many paraglider pilots insisted they could not reach the handle with "che ocher hand " until they were challenged to do so ac parachuce clinics. In my experience there have been only cwo pilocs who really could nor figure our a way co gee to che handle.

If yo u had any problems opening your parachuce comainer, consulc che follo wing for guidance. This informacion is far from complece and yo u may need to consulc your harness manufacrnrer for funher suggescions.

Problem: Cannot grab the parachute han-

dle.

Possible Causes/(Remedy): Flimsy handle is caught on Velcro. (Add stiffener rn handle and pre-flighc carefully.) Handle loop is too small. (Have handle replaced by qualified perso n. ) Handle is in a bad location.

Comments: Some old units have pug handles wich no loops. They are greac for avoiding getting handle loops accidentally caughc, bur chey are difficulc for some pilocs rn hold for a good suong chrow.

Problem: Your handle falls off the parachute when you pull.

Possible Causes/(Remedy): Handle was not properly attached to the parachute deployment bag. (Reanach handle and double check the ability to withsrand a hard pull. ) The handle was not sewn properly. (Have a professional re-sew the handle.)

Comments: As scrange as ic seems chis has been a big problem. There is no

MAY

2000

35

Sometimes we know intellectually that something bad can happen, but we are confident that it will never happen to us. Sometimes we can see a potential problem in a system, but since it never seemed to be an issue in real life situations, we minimize the danger. excuse for a pilot nor double-checking his or her safety system. Never ass ume eve rything is okay unless yo u have checked it yourself.

Problem: D ifficulty opening Velcro parachute containe1'.

Possible Causes/ (Remedy) : Velcro is too wide. (Cover a portion of rhe Velcro hook to achieve desired Velcro strength.

Remember th at the longer Velcro sirs hooked together the more it grips and the harder it is to pull apart. ) Parachute container Velcro is buckling when you pull the handle instead ofpeeling open. (Insert stiffener between back of Velcro on flap and the harn ess m aterial. T his is done o nly on rhe edge of rhe co nta in er wirh rh e grommets.) Your container is too big for your parachute. (Stuff the co ntainer with foam to give ir rhe appropriate shaping.)

Comments: Mos t current paragliding systems h ave go tten away from relying on Velcro closures.

Be sure th e parachute is located toward the openin g relative to the fo am to minimize entanglem ent problem s.

Problem: You pull the handle but your safety locks do not release (bag-lock).

Possible Causes/ (Remedy): Your parachute handle is too short, relative to your safety pin, for your harness container system. (Have a longer handle or a shorter safe ty lock cord installed on yo ur parachute contain er by a qualified person .)

36

Your parachute is too small for your container. As it slides down, the handle is being forced into a poor position. (Add foa m or other fill er in rhe bottom of your parachute co ntainer to help hold rhe parachute in rhe proper pos ition.

M ake sure rhe fill er does nor inrerfere with any as pec t of rhe deploym ent process . Or, have yo ur parachute contain er made smaller. ) Your handle wes straight pins that do not rotate properly for an easy release. (Replace strai ght pins with a standard curved safety pin. ) The loop holding your pin is too tight. (Replace loop.) Your parachute is placed in the har1iess the wrong way (Flip rhe parachute over with rhe h andle toward rhe outside of rhe container and rry again. ) Comments: There were cases in Europe in which pilots had "ho mem ade" handles rhar actually ripped off Cotter pins are very dange rous fo r rh e following reaso ns: They can bind instead of releas ing properly if pulled in rhe wrong direction. In rime they have a tendency to fl are at rh e rips which can kee p them from releasing. They can bend easily whi ch can cause many problems. Some have very sharp rips rhar can puncture your parach ute co ntainer.

O ver rime yo ur bungee loops can lose their elas ticity or your rubber loops can rear.

Problem: Your safety locks keep slipping out oftheir holders.

Possible Causes/ (Remedy) : Loop holding the pin is too la1ge. (If yo u have a bungee with a knot in ir m ove rhe kno t to m ake rhe bungee sm aller or add was hers to make the loo p sm aller. If yo u have a diffe rent system , redu ce rhe size of rhe loop or repl ace rhe loo p.)

Comments: Be sure to p refli gh t yo ur safety locks be fo re every flight.

Acci denral deploym enrs as a res ult of non-secured safety locks h ave surprised many pilots.

Problem: You pull the handle but the parachute will not come out ofthe containe1: Possible Causes/ (Remedy): You are pulling in the wrong direction. (Try pull ing downward , then omwa rd with rhe handle to ex tract rh e parachute.)

Your parachute container is poorly shaped and forms a corner that you are fighting when trying to extract your parachute.

(Co nsult the harn ess manufacturer about fixing the problem. ) Yo ur deployment bag is the wrong shap e for your parachute container. (Replace the parachute container or deployment bag with rhe appropriate shape.)

PARACHUTE BRIDLE ROUTING So metimes we know inrellectually rhar so mething bad can happen, bur we are confidenr rhar ir will never happen to us.

So metimes we can see a potential problem in a sys tem , bur since it never seemed to be an iss ue in real life situatio ns, we minimi ze rhe danger.

Sadly, two years ago we learned an important lesson that cost one pilot his life. T he lesson is this: The way you have yo ur parachute bridle attached to your harness or routed from your harness can kill you.

BRIDLE PROBLEMS AND MORE Problem: D uring deployment, the bridle gets mught under the p ilot's chin.

Possible Cause: Pilot threw parachute in a bad direction.

Remedy and/or Comment: Du ring simulator deployment practice sess ions, visualize where the bridl e will be when yo u throw it in various directions.

So metimes your bes t option might be to th row in a bad direction and rake your chances.

Possible Cause: Pilot was placed in a bad position due to rhe emergency situanon.

Remedy and/or Comment: After you throw try to protect yourself from gettin g hung up on the bridle by covering yo ur face briefly wich your hands. Once yo u are hooked under your chin by rhe bridle, have strategies ready to try to free yo ursel f. On e pil ot found that only by removin g his helmet was he able to free the bridle. This is a last-resort effort!

Always be prepared to rake evas ive acn on.

Problem: Pilot is in a very bad position to impact the ground after a parachute deployment.

Possible Cause: The parachute attachm ent point on th e h arness was located in a bad pos iti on.

Remedy and/or Comment: Before you fly an unfamili ar harness, han g yourself

PARAGLIDING

by the parachute bridle and consider your body position and what it would be like to impact the ground, water or hillside in that position. The remedy might be having a qualified person relocate your parachute attachment points to a better position on your harness.

Possible Cause: The bridle was supposed to release from the channel on the harness but it did not.

Remedy and/or Comment: During a parachute practice session have someone hoist you up by your bridle to simulate the parachute opening. If you find the bridle docs not come free you may have a problem that needs to be addressed by the harness manufacturer. Be sure to play with the force in various locations relative to your body position. Remember, depending on the wind conditions in which you deploy, the parachute may not be opening straight over your head.

Problem: Parachute instantly tangles with the pamglider lines.

Possible Cause: Bridle is routed from a front-mounted or side-mounted parachute container straight up the front of the harness to the pilot's shoulder attachmen ts.

Remedy and/or Comment: Be sure to route the bridle around the side of the harness, then up the back to the shoulder attachments.

Possible Cause: Pilot throws the parachute straight out in front of him.

Remedy and/or Comment: When practicing deployments, throw to avoid tangling.

Problem: Bridle has a large loop where it comes out of the parachute conttliner.

Possible Cause: Bridle has slipped out of the container.

Remedy and/or Comment: Attach Velcro loops or a Velcro strip to the harness to better secure the bridle.

Problem: Bridle looks fuzzy.

Possible Cause: Velcro hook damage.

Remedy and/or Comment: Replace bridle with a new one that has a protective cover.

Problem: Bridle breaks during deployment.

Possible Cause: If the parachute is attached to a "yoke" built into the harness it could fail if: l) There is stiff web-

MAY

2000

bing coupled with soft webbing. The stiff webbing could cut through the soft webbing during a deployment. 2) There is a "half-hitch"-style loop that is not locked into place on the yolk, and during deployment the loop slips, resulting in friction-causing heat that causes failure in the material.

Remedy and/or Comment: l) Have a professional inspect the webbing types for compatibility. 2) Lock the loop in place by rotating the loop so it grasps the junction firmly.

Problem: The parachute separates.from the pilot during deployment.

Possible Cause: The connector link is too weak for the opening force and direction.

Remedy and/ or Comment: Make sure you have a stainless steel rapide link. (If it sticks to a magnet it is not stainless steel and should be replaced.) Make sure the load rating is stamped on the link so there is no confusion as to its strength.

Possible Cause: The harness attachment is inadequate for the opening force.

Remedy and/or Comment: Pull the attachment in the direction of your simulated deployments and inspect the stitching for peel mode.

Problem: 1'he pilot rotates under the prmzchute musing the lines to twist.

Possible Cause: On a shoulder-attached parachute system, pull outward on the bridles at the shoulder attachments in an attempt to unwrap your bridles or reduce the number of twists.

Remedy and/or Comment: If your parachute has a single-point connection this method will not work. You can try kicking your legs in a bicycle manner and attempt to rotate your body to counteract the spin.

VERY IMPORTANT Any time you change your harness, parachute or deployment bag, gain or lose weight, or suffer an arm or shoulder injury, be sure to practice getting your parachute out! Make sure all your safety system components are compatible. Practice extracting your parachute from your harness container while suspended in a flying position and in your launch position. Practicing parachute extraction does NOT mean you have to

repack your parachute, just get it out of your harness container.

HOW CAN YOU IDENTIFY INADEQUATE HARNESS CONSTRUCTION? Examine your harness. Feel fiir continuous-webbing structure or consult the manufacturer about the harness strength.

Inspect all the sci tching for frayed or pulled stitches. Be wary of worn or faded areas in your harness. Look at the bridle routing and your bridle attachment points to your harness. Pay special attention ro areas that rub. Consult the following if you identify problems.

Problem: Too fezu stitches holding a structuml component ofthe harness.

Possible Cause: Sewing machine operator and final inspector goofed.

Remedy and/or Comment: Return harness ro be sewed properly by the manufacturer.

Possible Cause: Harness design is inadequate.

Remedy and/or Comment: Have a qualified person reinforce the weak area.

Possible Cause: Heavy-weight thread was used with the proper stitch pattern and stitch size, but it just looks weak to the untrained eye.

Remedy and/or Comment: None needed.

37

deployment bag or container.

Possible Cause: Bridle is pulled too tightly into the parachute container.

Remedy and/or Comment: Allow enough slack in the bridle before it enters the parachute container to accommodate the harness stretch when your body weight loads it.

OTHER PROBLEMS TO AVOID Problem: Accidental deployments.

Possible Cause: Safety pins not securely in place.

Remedy and/or Comment: Preflight your safety pins before each launch.

you would experience if one carabiner attaching your paraglider to your harness failed with no safety connector.

In order to determine your personal strength requirements we will assume a maximum parachute-opening load of five G's after free-falling seven seconds.

Multiply your total launch weight (total weight of your paraglider, harness, parachute, clothed body, water, instruments, roll of toilet paper and anything else you f1y with) by five. Multiply that number by a safety factor of2.83. The final number cells you how strong the weakest link in your system must be.

2.83(Launch Weight* 5) = strength needed for your weakest link

Problem: Body entanglement inside the

harness.

Problem: Stitching is coming undone.

Possible Cause: Sewn in a bad direction relative to the forces being applied in use.

Remedy and/or Comment: Have it resewn by a qualified person using the proper stitch pattern and thread.

Possible Cause: Abrasion has weakened the stitching.

Remedy and/or Comment: Re-sew.

Problem: Parachute container is falling

off Possible Cause: Stitching has come undone or parachute container has torn.

Remedy and/or Comment: Re-sew.

Problem: Parachute container keeps open-

ing.

Possible Cause: Handle cord is the wrong length.

Remedy and/or Comment: Replace.

Possible Cause: Velcro has worn out or stitching on Velcro has come off.

Remedy and/or Comment: Re-sew.

Possible Cause: Parachute does not fit properly in container.

Remedy and/or Comment: Try loosening the leg straps or adjusting the harness lines a different way.

Possible Cause: Harness container is the wrong size for the parachute.

Remedy and/or Comment: Adjust or replace your parachute container.

Possible Cause: Harness parachute container is the wrong shape for your parachute.

Remedy and/or Comment: Replace

38

Possible Cause: Speed bar rubs handle when used while turning.

Remedy and/or Comment: Change your parachute container to locate the handle in a better position.

Possible Cause: Freshly packed parachute has not compressed and pushes the container open.

Remedy and/or Comment: Sit on your parachute after each repack to squash the air out. Do a knee test before you fly. Be sure the container is secure.

Possible Cause: Excessive straps tangle with pilot.

Remedy and/or Comment: Secure the excess.

Possible Cause: Radical control input allows pilot's arm to snag handle.

Remedy and/or Comment: Have a protective sleeve sewn to cover places of potential entanglement.

Possible Cause: Instruments or ocher options are located on the side of the harness.

Remedy and/or Comment: Move the option off the side of your harness.

STRENGTH ISSUES Your safety system includes your parachute, bridle, rapide links, carabiners and harness. Your system is only as strong as the weakest link.

How STRONG DOES YOt:R SAFETY SYSTEM REALLY NEED TO BE?

Your system needs to be strong enough to withstand the worst possible scenario, which is a free-fall deployment such as

Remember that safety systems can lose strength due to environmental damage (i.e., ruse, abrasion, exposure to UV, extremely wet climates, extremely dry climates, freezing and thawing, etc.).

In conclusion, the compatibility issues addressed in this article are far from complete. As a paraglider pilot it is your responsibility to keep aware of problems chat ocher pilots have faced and figure out if the same problem is possible with your system. lf you identify a design problem it is your responsibility to let your harness or parachute manufacturer know so the problem can be addressed properly. Keep in mind that sometimes solving one problem can cause a host of ochers, so the designer must make a decision based on probability and priorities.

As a pilot, you need to be intimately familiar with all your equipment -- how it works and how it does not work - to increase your chances of many years of incident-free flying. l would like to thank all the paraglider pilots who have kept me informed of problems and incidents through the years, as well as Bill Gargano who keeps me honest.

The photos were taken at a two-day parachute clinic for paraglider pilots in Campbell, California organized by the local club and Jody Lucas of Glide!!. The author may be contacted at: Betty Pfeiffer, High Energy Sports, Inc., (714) 972-8186, bettp@aol.com, www.highenergysports.com.

- Ed. Ill PARAGLIDING

-~~-· ........ -····

------~:c~;_~:~~~-:~-::

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F

or these reasons, preparation is the key to increasing your chances of making the right decision at the right time.

The A.C.K.! system is designed as a mental preparation exercise, so that in the

Continued on page 43.

MAY

2000

One of the most critical decisions you may ever have to make while paragliding is whether or not to throw your reserve, and your problems could well be compounded by having to evaluate a complicated situation, under disorientating circumstances, in a very short period oftime. ··················

39

A PARAGLIDING ADVENTURE IN COSTA RICA

''Buenos Dias, Dos Cervezas'' article and photos by Debbie Webb Halbach

Summer fades in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The tram closes, the days shorten, temperatures drop and the aspens begin their glow. Snow flurries become frequent and flying days fewer. Quiet descends on the town as tourists and locals head to warmer climes.

W

ererogoin he off-seaon? Well, here's Urah, Arizona, Cal ifornia ... Maybe Maui or Mexico? Such a rough decision. How abo ur someplace unusual, like Cosra Rica? Ir's sourh, ir's sunny, ir's safe, ir's cheap and you can drink rhe wa rer!

Cosra Rica is unique - a democracy flourishing in a rumulrnous region. Since abolishing rhe army in 1948, rhe governmem has been devoring resources insread ro ed ucarion, social services and conservarion. A leader in ecorourism, 27% of rhe coumry is prorected, home ro 850 species of birds and 250 species of mammals. In facr, Cosra Rica comains five percem of rhe world's biodive rsity on an isrhmus rhe size ofWesr Virginia.

The rerrain is incredible. Beauriful beaches line both rhe Pacific and Arlamic coasrs. There are lush rainforesrs, rowering alpine moumains, acrive volcanoes, raging rivers, dry pasrureland and ridal mangrove swamps. Costa Rica acrually comains ar least a dozen different climaric zones in whar is supposed ro be a tropical coumry.

Imaginarions run wild at rhe amiciparion of

40

ourdoor advenrures. Surfing, rafting, fishing, hiking, biking, diving, wind surfing, camping, bungee jumping and even swinging from enormous trees in what's called a "canopy rour. " Checking the Imernet, we realize rhar paragliding sires exisr bur information is scarce and pilots elusive . We finally discover Jungle Jim's websire. He's a gringo who claims ro be rhe only paraglider pilor in Cosra Rica. He recommends a hotel and prom ises ro guide us. So , wirh a lirde planning and a lor of Delra Sky Miles, four of us head ro San Jose.

Mid- November in Cosra Rica is perfecr.

The rainy season is rapering off and the high season, with its snowbirds, rourists and gringo dollars, is just around the corner.

"Buenos dias, dos cervezas. " The local gringos, Americans and Canadians hiding, working or retiring in Costa Rica, claim this is all the Spanish you need here. We found, however, that as with any foreign adventure, a lirrle of rhe local rongue is always useful. So we packed up rhe high school Spanish, added a ron of emhusiasm , and fl ew into rhe capital, San Jose, where rhe oldest profession legally thrives. Quire a place. Ir truly deserves a wrire-up all irs own .

We remed a van and drove five hours ro rhe Pacific coasr. Driving here is an advenrure - narrow, rwo-lane roads, somerimes paved, bur rhe floodwarers are brutal and rhe porholes jarring. Obstacles abound: pedestrians, bicycles, cows, horses and overloaded trucks. Lots of trucks.

Passing is common and quire rhe life experience. Ticos (locals) might be horrible drivers, but their hearts are golden. Speed rraps are frequent, bur a passing local will always warn an oncoming driver, even grin-

P AR AG LID ING

Dave Iantuano at

Punta Caldera.

Launch site.

gos in a rental van, with a courteous flash of the headlights. Our only encounter with the policia was anticlimactic when, looking us over very carefully, probably thinking we had stolen a turista van, he let us off with only a Wyoming driver's license as ID. Remember to carry your passport!

"Sodas," or roadside cafes abound. Each is adorned with the same glowing "Imperial" sign, the local beer. Tempted at every turn, we didn't dare indulge for fear of losing our place in the long line of slow trucks headed to the coast.

Brazilito, a hideaway recommended by Jungle Jim, lies on the warm and dry "Gold Coast" of the Guanacaste region. Known for its pristine beaches and rugged jungles, surf spots adorn the shoreline and new development is quite a reality. We stayed at

the small German-owned Hotel Brazilito beachfront for $40/$20 per night, private baths, sun-warmed water (wh ich means a cold shower), and an excellem restaurant.

Off the beach are numerous cabinas where a private room can be much less expensive ($5 per night).

Now for the real adventure. After waiting three frustrating days for Jungle Jim to call us, we began exploring the backroads by motorbike, searching for potential flying sites. Everyone we encountered was helpful with a new suggested ridge to investigate.

No one, however, knew a Jungle Jim or had ever seen a paraglider!

Victor Gallo to the rescue. Owner of Tropical Bungee in San Jose, he paraglides as well. Turns ou t there are 12 or 15 local paraglider pilots and two or three hang glid-

er pilots in Costa Rica. Interestingly, there are no known paragliding sites or pilots in the Guanacasra area surrounding Brazilito, and there is an infamous Jungle Jim in every corner of Costa Rica! There are two predominant sites south on the Pacific coast at Puerto Caldera and Jaco. Other established and potential inland sires exist but are less consistent. This is a fledging sport in Costa Rica and there is no where to go but forward, and quickly. One of our pilots was leaving in two days and we were desperate.

Victor graciously agreed on very short notice to meet us at Puerro Caldera the following day.

Gambling on weather conditions, we embarked early for the long drive south.

Three hours later, lost, frustrated and tired, we feared the worse. Rounding a corner just past the port city of Puntarenas, one of our pilots caught the movement of a windsock on the cliff above. Then a small sign: "Vuelos libre del vista'' (written by a Czech pilot but with no coherence in any language). The launch sire at Puerto Caldera is a ridge 11 7 meters above the coastal highway. Easily reached by a short drive, the site sits in front of a thatched, open-air restaurant with good runes and good food but few customers. Recenrly purchased by a Swiss paraglider pilot, who, after striking a match and celebrating the millennium, plans a new restauram, cabins and camping foci Ii ti es.

Eleven o'clock to two o'clock is best for flying Puerro Caldera. Earlier, the wind is cross from the northwest, and later it is

Continued on page 48.

Web Site: http://www.flytorrey.com

A ATSCH paragliders Swiss Quali y - European Performance - Durability Torrey Pines G/iderport 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Dri¥ e, La Jolla CA. 92037 Tel.: 858 452 9858 Fax: 858 452 9983 Windtalker: 858 976 9984

42

PARAGLIDING

Continued from page 39. event of a real critical situation you will have already explored the decision-making process of a reserve deploymenr. We will not tell you when ro throw your reserve! This decsion, ultimately, belongs to the pilot alone. What we will do is explore a pair of situations using A.C.K.! so that you can decide for yourself what actions you may want to take and when.

USING A.C.K.!

To simplify the evaluation of a critical situation we will reduce it ro three considerations: Altitude, Control and Cognizance (which I spelled with a "K" to get a cuter, more memorable acronym). We will then use a bar graph to explore whether we have a high or low probability of a toss.

ALTITUDE: HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE? Our first and most quantitative consideration is altitude. Simply draw a line on the first bar to indicate how much altitude you have. The very top of the bar will be 2,000 feet or more, half way 1,000, one quarter 500 and so on. What you are evaluating here is how much time you have to deal with the situation. Keep your sink rate in mind when making chis evaluation. It will take longer to descend 500 feet at 600 fpm than 1,000 feet at 1,500 fpm. Your reserve will take time to open, so you must leave some altitude to deploy your reserve. With 500 feet of altitude you have a very good chance of get-

ting a full deployment, with less than that it gets increasingly less likely.

CONTROL: HOW BAD IS IT? Our second consideration is control.

Control is a little more subjective and therefore harder to evaluate. What you are looking at here is, "How bad is it?" Can I steer any course I want? Am I flying? Am I stalled? What is my rate of descent? The top of the bar represents complete control with no problems. Next is complete but compromised control. These would be situations involving such things as asymmetric folds or line entanglements, in which you arc flying and can steer any course but control is sluggish or difficult. Lower yet on the scale would be situations in which you cannot steer any course but can turn in one direction or only hold a heading, and your sink rate is increasing.

Below the halfway point we have constant stall or the inability to hold a course or steer, and beyond that is spinning out of control or balled up and falling like a rock.

1000 feet

Full Control Compromise Control limited Control

KOGNIZANCE: CAN I DEAL WITH IT? Our last consideration is Kognizance.

Before we go any further let me whip out my Oxford English Dictionary and read what it says about cognizance.

"Cognizance - Knowledge as attained by observation or information; a state of being aware." What you are evaluating here is, "Do I know what is going on? Do

Kool, Kalm & Kollected

ueless &Panicked

Confident Pilot who understands the situation MAY

2000

··················43·

I know what to do about it? Can I deal with it? Am I functioning mentally or am I panicked?" All of these considerations are quite subjective. The less cognizant you are the less likely it is that you can effectively deal with a critical situation, and therefore the more likely that you'll need to throw your reserve. At the top of the bar we have cool, calm and collected.

You understand what's going on and know what to do about it. Further down the scale we have decreasing understanding and rising panic, until at the bottom you are totally gripped and panicked.

Example: You are at 800 feet with a 65% collapse. You feel confident and know what to do.

Next we'll evaluate a more complex situation. Using A.C.K!, graph what you think the altitude, amount of control and level of cognizance is in each case. The lower (overall) the situation score, the more likely it is that we are dealing with a "throw" scenario, the higher the score the less likely it is. It will become immediately clear that no single factor necessarily means that you should throw. For instance: You're at 20 feet and you have a 20% wing-tip fold. You know it and know what to do about it. Do you throw?

Of course not! Only your altitude is low, everything else is fine. You're at 2,000 feet and lose all control. You're in a spin, you know it and know what to do about it.

Do you throw? Probably not. Only your control is low. You have lots of altitude and therefore time. You know what's going on. Why not try to get the glider flying again? You're at 2,000 feet, your glider is fine but you're spooked and feeling panicky. Do you throw? Why? Only your cognizance is low, everything else is fine.

Let's look at a fictitious situation and see how you do. Read the scenario, then graph it on the A.CK! chart. Decide whether you would throw.

SCENARIO#!

You meet this pilot in a bar. Over beers he tells you his story.

"I saw this cool ridge line that looked great for flying. It was a mile long with a sharp rock crest at the top but there was a grassy area about 200 feet down that I could launch from. I figured the launch was 1,000 feet above the LZ. I hiked up.

44

The wind seemed a little funky and there were some weird clouds overhead. Soon, however, the wind started blowing straight in. I launched. I flew around for a few minutes and found no lift, then all hell broke loose. My glider was going this way and that, collapsing. I tried to control it but things went from bad to worse."

Should he throw?

Graph your results using the simple diagram.

EVALUATION Starting with altitude, how high was this guy? Who knows? He doesn't say. This brings us to a Hugely Important Point: Know your altitude at all times! By remaining aware of your altitude you can greatly reduce the time it takes to evaluate a critical situation. Set an altitude below which throwing your reserve will be prioritized.

Back to our situation. The pilot said the launch was 200 feet below the crest and he was flying for a few minutes without lift. I would therefore guess that he was at 500 to 600 feet at best.

What was the level of control? Could he steer a course? l don't think so. Was he flying? Maybe, but from the pilot's vague description of the situation it's hard to tell.

He may have been seriously Maytagged by turbulence or could have been in a spin, or both. Any way you call it, his control was low!

Kognizance. Now for the subjective part. What information can we get from his story? Sounds like he was flying alone at a site that hadn't been flown before. The launch was below the top but he didn't mention climbing up to the top and checking the wind for a rotor. Now think about how he described the weather:

"Funky winds and weird clouds." This guy does not know his weather. Already, before he even flies, he's low on the Kognizance scale. He didn't identify what was going on with his glider any better than "all hell broke loose" and "going this way and that." So, we can mark him lower for not understanding what was going on. Last, he says, "I tried to control it but things went from bad to worse." If corrective input is done properly, things should get better, not worse. This tells us that he was not giving the proper input to regain control.

What was your answer? Should he throw?

SCENARIO #2 Our next pilot has had three days of instruction. In his mind this was enough for him to fly on his own. After launching from a 600-foot site he encounters a small, strong thermal. He's going to climb out in this baby. He buries one brake to turn into the thermal, thereby stalling a wing tip. The glider starts to spin. Due to the slope of the hill he is only 300 feet over the ground. Should he throw?

What did you decide? Our pilot decides not to throw. Not knowing how to recover from a spin he buries the other brake, thinking this will stop the rotation.

The result is that he stalls the entire glider. In constant stall, his glider slips backward away from the hill. Although he has been losing altitude he is still 300 feet over the ground because of the slope of the hill. What do you think now?

Our pilot still doesn't throw. At this point he let's off both brakes. The glider, recovering from the stall, surges forward hard enough for all of the lines to go slack, fully 90 degrees in front of him.

PARAGLIDING

concerning critical situations. You cannot draw graphs while falling out of the sky, so be prepared before you launch.

I'll leave you with a number of questions to help you evaluate yourself.

In the end it will be you, alone, who makes the decision to throw or not. If these questions raise questions about ur knowledge or skills, find the answers. If they don't, remember that regardless of skill or knowledge you may still find yourself in a critical situation and throwing your reserve could be your best option.

QUESTIONS The pilot swings back under the glider, missing the side of the hill by two feet. At the top of the swing he lightly touches down, unscathed.

EVALUATION I love throwing this one out. How do you argue with success? This pilot made a lot of poor decisions but nevertheless came out okay. Here's the question to ask yourself, What is the chance you could decide not to throw your reserve and not be seriously injured, given this situation? Are you willing to take this chance? By flying paragliders we open ourselves up to certain unpredictable risks. Throwing your reserve is a game of percentages, not a guarantee of safety. By throwing your reserve you have made the decision that the most likely outcome of your present situation is disaster. There is always the chance that the underskilled and unknowledgeable pilot may blunder his way back from disaster to safety, but if you are wrong, what is the price?

EVALUATE YOURSELF When I teach this clinic we explore a number of additional scenarios that space does not allow us to go into. However, now that you have been exposed to A.CK.!, try evaluating situations that you've heard of by using this system. Get together with your local instructor and your flying buddies to discuss events in your flying community. You'll find that others will view these situations differently than you. These discussions will add greatly to everyone's perspective about throwing a reserve (although there may not be agreement).

Hopefully this article has helped you to start to clarify your own parameters

MAY

2000

Can you quickly and accurately identify, correct and recover from the following situations?

Asymmetric tip fold Asymmetric fold of over 50% 3) Constant stall 4) Full Stall 5) Negative spin 6) Spiral dive 7) Frontal collapse • Can you control pitch oscillation?

• Can you monitor and maintain internal wing pressure?

• Are you aware of your altitude at all times when flying?

• How well versed are you in meteorology?

• Do you understand how turbulence is caused?

• Do you know the relationship between wind speed and its force?

Do you know the relationship between angle of attack and stall?

• Do you know what can change your angle of attack?

• Do you feel comfortable with your level of piloting skill or are you frustrated by it?

• Are you flying a wing that is appropriate for your skill level?

Bill Laurence is a Diamond Safety Awardwinning instructor and owner/operator of FlyAway Paragliding, the national sales representative for Pro-Design Paragliders, and has been flying paragliders for more than JO years. Ill

Continued fom page 8.

For more information contact: www. world paraglidi ngaccuracy.freeserve.co. u k, derek@godfrey3.freeserve.co. uk.

NEW THIN RED LINE HARNESSES

T

wo new harness models by the lightweight specialists at Thin Red Line were unveiled at the Free Flight 2000 show in Germany this April. Over a period of three months, Thin Red Line designer Maxim de Jong created the Thin Air in support of the growing number of pilots wishing to use only their lightweight gear for all their flying.

Replacing the venerable Alpine 600, the Thin Air offers a roomier, more comfortable fir, a cargo pouch of over l ,500 cu. in. (big enough for all your Alpine or X-C gear), a universal back protector sleeve, shoulderlevel emergency parachute anchor points, and a host of high-performance options including low-profile, front-mount parachute container, Technora bridles and Dyneema speed system. The price is $395.

The second Thin Red Line harness presented at the show was the all-new Vapor which replaces the Scorched Earth. Last year the Scorched Earth, which was the tool of choice for the wildest "para-alpinism" projects around the globe, made history by receiving full DHV certification, weighing just under one pound, a quarter the weight of its nearest competitor. The Vapor, using the new Thin Air design platform, becomes the new event horizon at only 12.5 ounces.

The price $265.

Contact: Thin Red Line Equipment Inc., (604) 858-2300, thinredline@uniserve.com, www.thin-red-line.com.

FLY PRODUCTS FLASH ly Products presents the Flash, their new powered paragliding trike, transformable into both single and tandem versions.

The Flash weighs only 15 kg and is constructed of two square bars of aluminum with a triangular series of cables and a steel cradle that is used to support pilot and passenger harnesses. It features quick and easy application of the motor to the trike, and the low position offers good stability during takeoff, while moving on the ground and during landing, even in a crosswind. Flash trike harnesses are manufactured specifically for the trike, and are very lightweight and easy to dismount.

Contact: Fly Products tel/fax +39-0735632486, www.flyproducts.com.

F

··················45'

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PARACLIDINC

the overwhelming thrill of flying at a place char still awaits the enjoyment of yo ur fellow pilots.

The second day was even better.

Ar ri ving a bit lacer, the onshore breeze was clocking in at 15-20 mph with blue skies.

The life was strong and 300 meters above laun ch was easy, fighting further life for che sake of the camera. Further alcimde could have easily bee n reached with good potential for a cross-country ride. Knowin g the inland terrain wo uld, of course, have been helpful, but there was chat undeniable sense of adventure chat brought us here in che first place .

Time permitting, we would have loved co try the other known sires and even uncover a few new ones. In Cosca Rica one has rhe feeling char any pasture or beach landing wo uld be welcomed by the landowner just for che excitement of it. The Cosca Ricans share char sense of independence and adventure that paraglider pilots thri ve on.

OTHER FLYING SITES Vicror Gallo has provided some bri ef descriptions of ocher fl ying sires.

VILLA CALETAS

Continued fom page 42. cross from the southwest, making the early afternoon the best when the wind is direccly from the west. The wi nds that morning were light and cross and we began wondering if we had driven a long way for lunch.

We waited and waited and waited. Vicror finall y arrived, undoubtedly del ayed by Costa Rican traffic, with a visiting pilot and his now ex-girlfriend. Originally from the San Francisco bay area, Honza and Nattie were fresh from three months of paragliding in Peru and looking ro set down roots with a mororized paraglider operation in nearby Jaco.

The cycles started co improve and in no time at all che five pilots had solid launches and were testing the ridge lift and exploring

48

nearby thermals char Victor and che birds had identified. H o nza, an experienced tandem pilot, was soon dazzling us with aerobatics. Curious ravens, black and rurkey vultures followed closely. Vehicles below honked and people chee red at the unfamiliar spectacle above.

The LZ lies direccly below - the beach, adjacent meadow or even che roomy neighborhood soccer field surrounded by excited liccle cicos. Honza demo nstrated a perfect cop-landing at the point of launch, avoiding the hike or ride back up and enjoying lunch all the earlier. This was the first of rwo flying days at Puerto Caldera, with high cloud cover and a 10-mph breeze for a window of about an hour. Perhaps just an ordinary flight , but there is nothing co mparable co

A mountain sire located opposite a five-scar hotel on che way co Jaco. If yo u survive che 45-minuce hike co launch, it offers a beautiful fli ght. With a 460-mecer elevation above sea level o r landing, it has a small soaring ridge. The breeze is consistent from the southwest. Around 11:00 AM, thermals can begin pumping with a potential bouncy ride considerin g the coastal temperatures.

The LZ is extensive; just watch out for the electric cable in the first nice pasmre. Try co land as close co the fence as possible considering che many mad oxen below!

SAN JOSE SITES

Tn general, mountain sires in the central valley are very unpredictable. One day it can be blown out and the next it may be perfect. You either need luck or time co lounge.

C loud base is anywhere berween 2,000 and 2,5 00 meters MSL. San Jose lies at approximately 1,000 m eters.

BEBEDERO

Flying chis site is like launching from the Swiss Alps, except conditions are not always chat great. In the dry season (December through April) the northeastern trade winds blast away. In the rainy season, the winds PARAGLIDING

Dave Iantuano, Victor Gallo, Honza, Nattie, Randy and Fred Alfano at the launch site at Punta Caldera.

are nor as srrong bur rhundershowe rs abound, especially in rhe afre rnoon. Ridge soaring is grear on a good day. Thermaling is also an oprion on good afrernoons . The approach is a 4wd road in rhe dry seaso n, which becomes a 30-minure, muddy hike in rhe rainy season. The LZ is abour 200 meters below in a pasrure next to the rown church.

SANTA ANA -

PABELLON MO UNTAI

This has been rhe besr sire for some great thermal fl ying. Launch is ar 1,800 m eters MSL. The launch sire is a small peak w ith nice pastures but surrounded by ravines and rrees. Access is exclusively by 4wd any rime of rhe yea r. A sled ride is nor so bad , considering yo u drive all the way up. Thermals abound on rhe valley slopes and rhere are great opportunities for cross-counrry flying, bur beware of rhe proximiry ro nearby airpons. Nobody has rried ir ye r! The LZ is a huge field in rhe valley, a short walk to rhe narural selrze r water springs.

PACAYAS

This sire is located berween rwo volcanoes : Iraw (the highest active volcano in Cos ta Rica) and Turrialba. Access is by 4wd and then a 30-minure hike over potato parches , mud , cow manure and grass. Launch is 140 m erers above landing and rhis sire can produce weird thermals. There is a shore soaring ridge. Once it scans hearing up, rhermaling can be great. The LZ is very open (except for the elecrric wire fences around every 20-square-merer parcel).

TRAVEL INFO San Jose International Airport is easily reached from the U.S., Mexico, Panama and South America. The Pacific airpons of Liberia and Tamarindo are popular for travel ro rhe Gold Coasr.

GETTING AROUND

Bus service is extensive and cheap bur very crowded. Car remals are a bir ex pensive.

Our 12-perso n van cost $4 50 per week.

Mosr rhe U.S. rental agencies do business here. Hire a guide. If yo u don't wa nr ro endure the roads on yo ur own, guide services can be convenienr and inexpensive.

Once we arrived at our destination , local travel by mororbike, alrhough nor inexpensive ro rem, was fun and far more efficienr when it came ro nego tiating rhe ever-changing road conditions. Taxi service is more flexible than in most counrries and can be

MAY

2000

arranged fo r a negoriared fee.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Hotels and cabinas (bungalows ) vary in Costa Rica as much as the cl imatic zones .

We enjoyed a few niglm in rhe "big ciry" of San Jose ar rhe infamous Hore! de! Rey and Casino - nice accommodatio ns and plenry of enrercainm enr for about S50 U.S. Hore! chains are common and inexpensive. In San Jose, inexpensive horels are nor usually as nice as those in oudying and beach areas .

For an extended sray in San Jose, "aparrhorels" with kitchens for rhe price of a medium bore! room are a wise choice. We enjoyed staying o n rhe Gold Coast, however, for closer proximiry ro flying si res, rhe sourhwesr region o r rhe San Jose area is a more logical choice. Jaco is a growing beach rown wirh many ho usi ng oprions . Ir is cal led rhe "surf capital of Cos ta Rica. "

CONTACTS Vicror Gallo (first and foremosr if you plan [O fl y) : Aparrado 1247-1007 San Jose , Cosra Rica rel: (506) 232-3956/383- 9724 (cellular rwice) fax : (506) 232-3961 cell phon e: (5 06) 383-9724 e-mail: paraglide@bungee.co.cr Costa Rican Tourist Board in the U.S. (800) 343-6332 info@rourism-cosrarica.com . . www.ro unsm-cosranca.com Cosca Rica websire ([ors of info on Costa Rica in general) \V\Vw.cosraricamap.com •

······ ···········4§

undoubtedly provided pilots with an opportunity to evaluate the technicalities of their equipment and procedures, it also allowed them the opportunity to become reacquainted with their reserve systems.

Although the likelihood of a reserve deployment during a safety clinic is highly improbable, one can never be too familiar with his safety system. The simulator was recognizably rhe most significant tool in allowing each pilot to accomplish his or her best during the clinic.

By the end of the third day there was a distinct change in each pilot's technique, with the most obvious change being in posture and weight shifting. Pilots began

us, Chris assembled the pilots in order for each to share his perceptions and insights.

While each pilot offered his experiences, it was nor difficult to distinguish rhe learned clarity of rheir remarks. They had changed in rhe course of rhe three-day clinic, and had become more aware of rheir abilities, limitations and environment.

Paragliding is a hugely accessible sport rhat can afford many hours of blissful flight.

That in itself can induce us to forget the stakes at hand. As many of us have witnessed or

r-r, i;;:it h'lrk- in rhPir h'.lrpP<.:<.;:P(.; '.'.lnrl :.:11lnu, th P

h'.lrl thP nppnrt11niry rn

shoulder straps to support their upper body weight. This allowed for a smaller frontal profile, a more dynamic roll-control response, and also provided for a more relaxed pilot. Pilots also began to cross their legs at the ankles , which allowed for a more streamlined profile as well as a more defined longitudinal cemer of gravity. With the improved posture and center of gravity, pilots were soon using weight displacement and hip rotation to more effectively and efficiently enter and counteract turns. Once pilots had mastered rhis practice there was a marked improvemem in their ability to recover from wing malfunctions. Ir was amazing how such a small improvement could significan dy enhance rheir overall performance.

As the Arizona twilight settled upon

muddle through , the consequences of

Continued from page 19.

50

offl1andedness or unfamiliarity can unfortunately lead to some very demanding circumstances. It is important for each of us to educate ourselves by any means possible, and the paragliding safety clinic is undoubtedly a bona fide step in the right direction . •

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51

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SUNSPORTS PARAGLIDING - Hood River, Oregon. Beginner lessons, tandem flights, advanced instruction, consignment sales. Rick Higgins, Master 1·,1ted pilot, Advanced Instructor, Tandem Administrator. (541) 387-2112, sunsportspgQi>aol.com TEXAS HILL COUNTRY PARAGLIDINC INC - Learn complete pilot skills. Personalized USHGA certified training, ridge soaring, foot & tow launching in central Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDINC INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. (915) 3791185. 1475 CR 220, Tow TX 78672.

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fl., fa.st rcspon~l' and 2 year warranty. Crear for hang gliding too. ONI.Y $169. Mallcttec, PO Box 15756, Santa 1\n,1 C:/\, 927J5. (71/i) %6-1240, www.mallettcc.com M( :/Visa accepted.

THE BEST-Top Navigator

HAVE EXTRA EQUIPMENT - That you don't know what to do with. Advertise in the Paragliding classifieds, $. 5(1 per word, $5 minimum. Call USHCA for details (719) (1.'ll-8.'lOO, ushga(,1\,shga.org or fox your ad with a Visa/MC. E1x (71 'J) (,52-6417.

Our advertising has a two-month lead timeplan ahead.

MAY

2000

(808) ')h8-(,85(,, aircotec~llcxcite.com

PARAGLIDING: THE COMPLETE GUIDE - By Noel Whittall. The most complete guide to paragliding on the market. Over I 00 color photographs & illustrations, 200 pages, $26.95 +$4.75 s/h. USHCA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. (719) G32-8.300, fax your MC/Visa to (71 'J) Ci32-M 17. Our most popular book!

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

53

es. 30 min $29.95.

FLY HARD: Viking Films newest release. Rob Whittall, Chris Sanracroce & a vintage Buick convertible hill of paragliders. Outrageous flying at several west coast flying sites. Meet HC aerobatics champion Mitch McAleer along the way. Excellent rock soundtrack, professionally filmed & edited, .'15 minutes $35.95.

PARAGLIDE: THE MOVlE by Viking Films. Rock-nroll world class competition at Owens Valley.

Professionally filmed & edited, 35 minutes $35.95.

Call or fax USHGA (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 6326417, please add +$4 domestic s/h (+$5 lt,r two or more videos). Grear to impress your 1·riends or for those socked-in days.

PARAGLIDING: From Beginner to XC ~ By Sollorn/Cook. A great addition to your paragliding library. W'onderfol XC tips. See Steve Roti's review in the March/ April 200 Paragliding. Over 120 pages with superior illustrations & color photographs, $29.')'i +$4.75 s/h. USHGA, PO \fox 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. (71 <J) 632-8300, fax your MC/Visa to (71 'J) 632-6417.

SOARING ~ Monthly magazine of· The Soaring Society of America, Inc. Covers all aspects of soaring flight. Full membership $55. Info. kit with sample copy $3. SSA, P.O. Box 2100, Hobbs, NM 88241. (505) .192-1177.

*NEW* WEATHER TO FLY, by Adventure Productions. A much needed instructional video on micrometeorology. Dixon W'hite, Master pilot and US HCA Examiner, takes you through a simple step-bystep process .showing where to acquire weather data and

how to interpret it. For pilots of any aircraft. Learn about regional & local influences and how to determine winds aloft and stability. "Weather To Hy" is an over-all view packed with useful details and includes great cloud footage. A straight-forward presentation that is easy to follow. 50 min. $39.95.

TURNING POINT IN ALPINE THERMALLING, by Dennis Trott/Alpine Flying Centre. 50'Yc, HC, 50% PC. Discover techniques to tame the elusive alpine thermal. Beautiful footage set against Europe's most dramatic mountain_..,, Also fe<.llll!T_<., con1ments from top pilots & great animation. 24 min

$35.95.

STARTING PARAGLIDING by Adventure Productions. Covers basic preparations, weather, proper attitude. ground handling & those first exciting launch-

54

ETHEREAL SPORTS - World wide light aviation directory. FREE services. http://www.cthereabports.com VI DEUS, BOOKS & APPAREL~ Call USHGA for your Merchandise order Conn (719) 632-8.}00, fax (719) (,32-64 17, email: ushgal/iJushga.org, www.ushga.org DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN THE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS .

FREE-X FLAIR M - Stolen from a vehicle in SAN FRANCISCO, CA area on April 20, 1999. Red w/white LE. Adnnce harness attached, purple/black/yellow. Call Stephen Ainge (516) 283-3240, ainge@hamptons.com STOLEN WINGS arc listed as a service to USHGA members. I"l1ere is no charge for this service and lost and found wings or equipment may be called in (719) 6328300 or fax it in (71 'J) C,.'\2-(,417 for inclusion in Paragliding & Hang Gliding magazine. Please call to cancel the listing when gliders are recovered.

Periodically, this listing will be purged.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Adventure Productions ........................... 14 Airplay Paragliding ............................ 28,29

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES The rate for classified advertising is $. 50 per word (or group of characters) and $1 .OU per word for bold or all caps. Phone number=2 words, 1'0 Box=2 words, weight range i.e.

137-l 85lbs=2 words, web site or email address=3 words.

MINIMUM AD CHARGE $5.00. A fee of $15.00 is charged for each line art logo and $25.00 for each photo.

LINEART & PHOTO SIZE NO LARGER THAN 1.75" X 2.25". Please underline words to be in bold

vlDEOS

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

MISCELLANEOUS

EDEL CORVETTE 24 PG - Stolen from storage locker in CLARK FORK, ID on May 4th, 1999. Hot pink/lime green, with trim tabs. Also GQ security chute, burgundy "vcttcr" helmet w/scvcral site stickers on it (Funston, WOR, Dunlap, Fd Levin, etc.) And older red helmet. l{hoda, (208) 266-1505.

APCO Aviation Ltd .......................... 25,27 Flight Design ........................................... 7 Flytec ..................................................... 23 Ha]] Brothers ......................................... 14 Mojo's Gear ............................................. 5

print. Special layouts of tabs arc $25.00 per column inch. AD DEADLINES: May 20th is the deadline for

Paraborne ............................................... 55

the July issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA. Send to: l'ARACLIDINC MAGAZINE, Classified Advertising, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80'!01-1330 (71 'J) 632-8.}00 or fax (719) 6:12-G4 ! 7, email jjclgart@mhga.org with your Visa or MasterCard.

Parasoft .................................................. 13 Pro Design ............................................. 10 Red Bull ................................................... 7 Sky Gear ................................................ 50

STOLEN WINGS & THINGS

Sport Aviation Publications ...................... 5 "AMERICAN FLAG" i'ARACLIDER - l.ost by FedX, identical to the one Scott Alan is flying in the inside back cover Paraborne display ad. (407) ').15-'!912, ,'iCOtt@)1)araborne.com

Sup' Air .................................................. 10 Super Fly, Inc ........................ 2,Back Cover Telluride XC Open ................................ 13

FLIGHT DESIGN S2VT - Two paragliders lo.st by the US postal service, shipped from CALIFORNIA to I !AWAI! parcel post on August 19th, 1999. One large w/purplr top, one medium w/orange top. Lois Hulme_..,

Thermal Tracker ...................................... 6 Thin Red Linc ......................................... 9

(530) 542-li9:17.

Torrey Pines Gliderport ................... .42,50

AT BAG/FIREBIRD G-SPORT L ~ Lost .1t LAKE CHElAN, WA launch area by the towers on May !C,th, 19'!'!. AT bag is purple/green, Glider is pink/white. Also SupAir purple/white harness, reserve, Piccolo v,trio.

Darren Hart ('!70) 925-2483.

USHGA ............................... 5,26,31,47,50 Wills Wing ............................................. 15

- - - - - ------------PARAGLlD!NG

ANew Glider Company From one of the foremost designers in the world.

- Gin Seok Song

Avoiloble Colors

....• .. ' Exclusive North American Distributor

576 West 8360 South • Sandy, UT 84070 • E-mail: info@super-fly.com