USHGA Paragliding Vol12/Iss2 February 2001

UPDATE

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

INCIDENT REPORTS

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

DIXON'S NOTES

COVER: Tandem flying in Chamonix Valley, France. Photo by Brett Schreckengost.

FEBRUARY

2001

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Gil Dodgen, Managing Editor/Editor-in-Chief Steve Roti, Contributing Editor Dave Pounds, Art Director Will Gadd, Dennis Pagen Staff Writers Jeff Elgart, Advertising, jjelgart@ushga.org Joanne Peterson, Member Services, rjpeterson@ushga.org Sandra Hewitt, Member Services, slhewitt@ushga.org Natalie Hinsley, Member Services, njhinsley@ushga.org

USHCA

Committee:

Di\vid Glover, President, david@davidglover.com Mark Ferguson, Vice President, mark@ballvarios.com Russ Locke, Secretary,russiocke@juno.com Bill Bolosky, Treasurer, bolosky@microsoft.com REGION 1: Bill Bolosky, Steve Roti. REGION 2: Jamie Shelden, Ray Leonard, Scott Gasparian. REGION 3: David Jebb, Johri 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, Felipe Amunategui. Geoff Mumford. REGION 10: David Glover, Matt Taber. REGION 11: Kent Robinson.

REGION ·12: Paul Voight. DIRECTORS AT LARGE: Ed Pitman, Jan Johnson, Dennis Pagen, Steve Kroop, Russ Locke, Aaron Swepston. HONORARY DIRECTORS: J.C. Brown, Dan Johnson, Paul Rikert, G.W. Meadows, Dave Broyles, Bob Hannah, John Borton, Randy Adams, John Harris, Larry Sanderson (SSA), Chris DuPaul, Gene Matthews, Lars Linde, Ken Brown, Rob Kells, Michael Robertson, Liz Sharp. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS: Art Greenfield (NAA).

The States Hang Association Inc. is an air sports organization affiliated with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which is the official representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FA!), of the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA, which represents the U.S. at FAI 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 unpowered 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 Paragliding), ($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 monthly by the United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc., 219 W. Colorado Ave., Suite 104, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 (719) 632-8300. FAX (719) 632-6417. PERI· ODICAL 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.

FEBRUARY

2001

VOLUME

BIG EARS Dear Editor, I did a double take when I read "Pilot Profiles" in the November issue. I was struck by the curious phrasing of two of the questions, "Are you pro or con big ears (and B-line stalls)?" It's a little like asking, ''Are you pro or con 2x4's?" How can anyone be pro or con a maneuver that can help you make a safe and controlled descent? It would have been more helpful if the questions had been phrased, "Do you ever pull big ears (or use B-lines)? How often? In what situations?" They could then get into techniques for pulling and releasing, peculiarities of the wings, etc.

Paragliding technology is evolving, and we need to keep open minds about any technique that will make it a safer sport.

Gene "Kahuna" Dursin Captain Cook, HI

AIR & SPACE MAGAZINE Dear Editor, Air & Space is the Smithsonian Institution's bimonthly magazine. It covers the spectrum - past, present and future. For my money it is by far the best all-round aviation magazine.

The January 2001 issue has, unusually, several items pertaining to hang gliding and paragliding.

The first is a major feature, "Soaring on Silk," by Tom Harpole. The article centers on one school, Airplay Flight Park in Washington State, whose instructors include an ex-Alaskan women's boxing champion.

Harpole describes the reverse launch so: " ... reminds me of handling drafthorse teams, as I did in the forests of Oregon 25 years ago." (There's nothing like analogy with familiar activities to

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get a point across.) Paragliding in the U.S. is fueled by individuals who have given up homes, businesses, and ways of life in order to fly. Indeed, the school is kept afloat by a "cheerful coterie of Microsoft millionaires ... " Written for Air & Space's readers, who are familiar with machines with wings or fins and propelled by gigantic motors, the eight-page article with its handful of good photographs is sure to expand their horizons.

The second item concerns hang gliding. Opposite an article about the space shuttle's hundredth successful launch, and below an item on a newly opened naval warfare museum, the quarter-page article describes Los Angeles' newly opened Dockweiler State Beach hang glider park. It has taken instructor Joe Greblo 14 years of campaigning to reopen this site. Those who flew in the mid-l 970's will recall it as famous in the pioneering days of standard Rogallos and the early rigids. The article has a small but beautiful color photo of a bamboo and black plastic standard Rogallo lifting off. On the dune behind, multi-colored, dacron-sailed, aluminum-framed Rogallos are held pointing eagerly into the wind.

That's not all. There's a short piece

by Paul MacCready on the pedal-powered Gossamer Condor which, in 1979, crossed the English Channel from Britain to France. Many among the team, including pilot Bryan Allen, were experienced hang glider pilots. The Gossamer Condor nowadays resides in the Smithsonian's museum.

Air & Space magazine's website is www.airspacemag.com.

Everard Cunion England

PARAGLIDING

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.

CLINICS/MEETINGS/TO URS THROUGH APRIL: Airplay "beginner class" openings starting January 6 in Flagstaff, Arizona and weekly through April. Classes are available daily, but we do restrict class sizes. Be sure to book early.

Contact: dixon@paraglide.com, (520) 5264579.

THROUGH MAY: SunSports Paragliding Clinics. March 31-April I: Tandem Clinic.

April 14-15, May 12-13: SafetyandActive Flying Clinic. April 28-29, May 26-27: Thermal and X-C Clinic. Contact: (541) 387-2112, http://hometown.aol.com/ rsunsports/ myhomepage/ index.html, THROUGH OCT.: Two-can Fly Paragliding Clinics/Competitions, Point of the Mountain and Utah mountain sites.

Feb. 17-22: Southern California trip. April 27-30: Instructor Training. May 5-6: Instructor Recertification. May 11-15: X-C training course with Todd Bibler, Bill Belcourt (held U.S. and North American X-C records), Dale Covington and Ken Hudonjorgensen (held Utah X-C records), and Mary Anne Karren (U.S. Team member). May 19-20: Tandem II & Ill. May 25-27: Thermal Clinic. June 9-10: Mountain Flying Clinic. July 20-22: Thermal Clinic. Aug 10-12: Maneuvers Safety Clinic. Aug 14-16: Maneuvers Safety Clinic. Aug 17-19: Maneuvers Safety Clinic. Sept 1-8: Snowbird X-C Competition. Sept 29-30: Mountain Flying. Oct 5-8: Instructor Training. Oct. 20-21: Instructor Recertification. Oct 27-28: Tandem II & Ill. Contact: Twocan Fly Paragliding, 474 East Tonya Drive, Sandy, UT 84070 (801) 572-3414 (ph/fax), khudonj@uswest.net, www.twocanfly.com.

FEB. 1-28, 2001: Brazil Paragliding Tour 2001. Warm X-C flying in the middle of winter! Experienced U.S. instructors guide you to one of the premier flying sites in Brazil. Governador Valadares, FEBRUARY

2001

north of Rio, is a popular site for worldclass competitions. Mild thermal conditions, light winds and gentle terrain allow magnificent flying from morning until dusk. Fly X-C or locally; the best midwinter flying anywhere. Hospitable city, pleasant entertainment and dining are abundant. Transportation to launch and retrieval available. Lodging and two meals per day provided. $1,200 for any 12 days.

Contact: Adventure Sports, (775) 8837070, www.pyramid.net/advspts.

FEB. 9-11, 2001: USHGA Board of Directors meeting, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Contact: (719) 632-8300, ushga@ushga.org,www.ushga.org.

FEB. 23, MARCH 26: Airplay "Skill Excellence Clinics" for Novice, Intermediate and Advanced pilots. Fourday clinics begin February 23 and March 26. Skill Excellence Clinics include SIV Lake Maneuvers at Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Perfect in-flight active piloting from boattowed launches to over 2,500' AGL. Guidance on B-line stalls, spirals, wingovers, and asymmetric fold recovery.

Clinics also focus on thorough weather analysis, reserve use, ground handling and active pilot training. Great for every pilot who wants to improve their academic and practical skills. As with other Airplay educational programs you can expect a thoroughly developed teaching syllabus that won't leave you disappointed. Be sure to inquire immediately to reserve class space.

Contact: dixon@paraglide.com, (520) 526-4579, P.O. Box 2626, Flagstaff, AZ 86003-2626.

MARCH 31-APRIL l: Paragliding tandem clinic in Hood River, Oregon.

Contact: Steve Roti, sroti@qwest.net, (503) 284-0998, or Rick Higgins, rsunspons@aol.com, (541) 387-2112 for details.

APRIL 14-15: Paragliding safety clinic in Hood River, Oregon. Contact: Rick Higgins, rsunsports@aol.com, (541) 3872112 for details.

APRIL 28-29: Thermal/cross-country clinic in Hood River, Oregon. Contact: Rick Higgins, rsunsports@aol.com, (541) 3872112 for details.

Oregon XC distance record of 83 miles set

by Rick Higgins on an APCO Allegra!

The Damsel In Distress

by Peter Reagan n such an action sport it is hard to believe how much flying occurs in our imagination and how dependent our safety is on our alertness and the mood we are in. Perhaps one of the most important learned skills in flying is being aware of changes in our mental state that may affect our decision-making ability.

Just to get you in the mood to think about mishaps, here's a report of a nearmiss incident at a tropical vacation spot: "Recently I received a tandem rating, and on a certain flight we performed a textbook reverse launch after normal attachment to the glider. Once airborne it seemed like the chest strap was very tight. When we were dear of the hill I looked down to loosen it but found it already loose. It turned out that the starboard locking biner on top of the spreader had opened and was hooked to the opposite riser. I was able to release the offending snag with some weight-shifting and physical force. The risers had been connected to the spreaders during a prior launch and I cannot remember if I really checked them. When was the last time I looked at my auto-locking biners after they dicked shut? I can say that I'll be removing that from the list of things I'm complacent about."

It's not a coincidence that this pilot was just learning to fly tandem. There are so many new details to pay attention to that the risk of a lapse is greater. To a lesser extent this is true with any new glider, or for a tandem pilot, with any new passenger.

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LATE SPRING, MOUNTAIN SITE, MIDDAY An intermediate pilot waited for her turn and then carried her rosetted glider to launch, spread it out and launched into a thermal after a reverse inflation. It became immediately apparent that her leg straps were not fastened and she began to slip through her harness. A pilot on the ground yelled, "LEFT TURN!" The pilot immediately executed the turn and began to accel-

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erate toward the ground as her glider began to collapse asymmetrically. At a low altitude she slipped free and crashed on her right side at high speed. Miraculously, she impacted on one of the friendlier parts of a generally quite hostile, rocky slope. When bystanders reached her moments later she was unconscious and slowly sliding down the hill. An orderly rescue followed, and EMT's arrived about 30 minutes later. She was treated and released from a local emergency room that evening.

We have previously reported a few of these accidents in the U.S., and several have occurred worldwide. They are often, though not always, fatal. The pilot's response is just what is recommended, turn into the hill and try to land or crash as well as possible. It is almost impossible to fly to an LZ like this, and most people are physically unable to climb back into their seats.

This accident is the closest analog we have to the hang gliding failure to hook in.

Attempts are being made to find an engineering solution. There are newer harnesses that combine the chest and leg straps so it is impossible to dip one on without the other.

But it will always be possible to put on the harness without dipping it together. The best policy is to never have the harness on without the leg straps connected. Many people will undip the legs to walk to launch. This may be a little more comfortable, but vastly more dangerous.

THE DAMSEL IN DISTRESS ACCIDENT A very experienced pilot observed the previous accident from the air. He immediately tried to top-land and hit some uneven ground harder than expected in midday thermal conditions. He suffered a complex and compound left ankle fracture.

The first minutes after a serious accident are extremely dangerous for all present. Many critical decisions can be made too quickly This can hamper the rescue and endanger other people. I have not seen these accidents reported in paragliding over the last few years but it is common to read news stories of would-be rescuers being killed or injured during their rapid response. A famous BASE jumping accident occurred several years ago in Venezuela

when a world-class jumper ran off a cliff without his chute moments after his girlfriend crashed below.

There is a famous spoof on the life of the hospital intern called "The House of God." It contains a list of instructions for when you are called to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Number one is: "Take your own pulse."

In the end we are all human, and even the most experienced, the calmest, the best trained, will make sub-optimal decisions under this kind of stress. We may actually cope better with our own emergencies than those of others. Recognize the abnormal mental state you are in when disaster strikes. Adrenaline is powerful and capricious stuff. Calm yourself down. Take some deep breaths and briefly dear your mind.

Consciously evaluate your own situation.

Try to resist the urge to take unnecessary personal risk. Think about how you can be most useful. Is there a role you are especially suited or situated for? (While recovering from this injury this same, very level-headed pilot was on the scene of another nearmiss accident and calmly and effectively took on the role of communications center for a rescue operation taking place over square miles of desert.)

We can still do a lot better with our accident reporting. Our best estimates suggest that at least four times as many significant accidents occur than are reported. It is everyone's responsibility to report accidents.

Unfortunately, this means that it may seem like it's no one's responsibility. We do have good reporting of fatal crashes, but reports of even very serious accidents are often not sent in. The anecdotes I write about do begin to teach us how to fly more safely, but it would be nice if our statistical analyses could be more meaningful.

The victim has the primary responsibility for reporting a mishap, but for many reasons this individual is often resistant to doing so. There are a few areas of the country where a local instructor steps up to the plate and takes safety seriously enough to ensure that summaries are turned in. There are a few local dub officers who also do this. I wish to publicly thank all of these special people. •

PARAGLIDING

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by Dixon White e sure to read through previous articles from this column so you'll follow some of the ideas more easily. You can order back issues from the USHGA or you can find the articles reprinted on the website www.paraglide.com.

The low winter sun angle in our northern hemisphere hears less surface area. Behind every bush, blade of grass and tree is more shadow, and the days are shorter than during the summer so less heat is accumulating. However, thermals may still exist even in the winter when the pressure is low and the upper atmosphere is cold, so still do your "thermal index" modeling and don't ever get complacent.

Expect the triggering of thermals to generally occur later in the day than in the summer, and for a shorter duration and interval. Very late in the day look for thermals over forested areas, as they give up their accumulated heat. Just because you're freezing cold doesn't mean there aren't thermals; heat still wants to rise.

Get yourself some long johns, a good windproof flight suit, a bali clava and some warm gloves.

The thermals generaJly won't rise very far or for very long, but it's a hoot to make the most of light conditions.

Getting good at using nominal lifting air may very well become your favorite kind of flying. It's fun to work super light lift as a welcome change from rhe summertime experience of hanging on in nuclear air. Leave the vario behind and fly by the seat of your pants. Maintain horizon reference, even while making circles. Try to feel yourself being lifted, and feel the sink and being pushed sideways through the air. Work on using every bit of buoyancy to maximize your stay in the air.

Winter flying might also bring your FEBRUARY

2001

local area widespread regional wind flows that can be soared for hours with relative ease. Watch for a day when you have a stratus-clouded sky and look at the winds aloft for a model of upper-level wind flow that isn't too strong for your skills and aircraft. Be aware that a cloudy day that breaks into sunshine may develop thermals very quickly, and be sure to account for this potential increase in a continually updated evaluation of your immediate atmosphere. It can take only a few minutes of direct heating for the air to get turbulent on an unstable day, even in the winter. More advanced pilots who have solid active-piloting skills will look for areas of direct sunshine and boat around in those potentially productive spots looking for lift. This can be a great time of year for pilots to begin flying unfamiliar sites that have been unapproachable in the summer.

Take advantage of the soft winter conditions to make loads of flights. Sled rides are great - really! You can often fly all day in the winter and make many flights, and thus perfect your skills on many levels. Try bringing up your glider in all sorts of conditions and make clean and straight launches. Make a mark on the ground and try to make your launch without running to the side. "Loafing" off launch as you stare up at your glider often causes failed launches. A key to your success is to keep moving with your eyes on the horizon so your glider has more airspeed and is consequently more manageable.

Get those accurate landings down pat.

Keep your eyes on your landing target with your knees as a reference point. If the target is getting higher on your horizon you'll need to straighten out your flight path and get a better glide with your hands at trim. If your target is getting lower on your horizon, you'd better do something to reduce your glide. Glide reduction to avoid overflying a target can be accomplished by making S-turns while holding about one-third brake. Keep an eye on your target as well as the traffic while making the turns. You'll notice your slope angle changing and you'll be able to straighten out your path and make your target. •

Feel the Effect

USHGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/OFFICE MANAGER POSITION AVAILABLE

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he USHGA is currently finalizing responsibility and salary requirements for the position of Executive Director/Office Manager for our Colorado Springs office.

Interested candidates should send inquiries and resumes to the Chairman of the Selection Committee, Jim Zeiset, Region 4 Director, fax (7 19) 539-3900, e-mail JimZGreen@aol.com, 13154 County Rd. 140, Salida, CO 81201.

NEW VIDEO SCREEN SAVER RELEASE, "IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT MOUNTAIN"

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The result of many years of development in aerodynamics and profile design: The EFFECT

is the realization of the best possible performance potential in the basicintermediate class. * It meets all safety criteria and stands out with fantastic handling , convincing flight perfo rmance and a remarkable speed range (max. speed 51 km/ h with speed syst em ). PRO-DESIGN guarantees best finishing and use of top-quality materials . That is why we now offer· you a quality warranty of 3 years or 400 hours airtime. Dial +43 (0 )512-54 64 44 or surf our homepage : www.pro-design .at and arrange your test flight!

No compromise in safety. Top -quality materials and finishing.

Ongoing research and development.

Paragliders since 1986 ! ' EFFECT 32 134 '3613c DHV1 1-2 accelerated

Pro-Design, Larchenweg 33, A-6161 Natters in Tirol Tel: +43 (0)51 2-54 64 44, Fax: +43 (0)512-54 64 45-20 E-mail:office@pro-design.at, www.pro-deslgn.at

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he "In Search of The Perfect Mountain, A Paragliding Adventure" video screen saver is the latest from Paul Hamilron and Adventure Productions.

You get live-action paragliding video images with a great soundtrack ro thrill you at work or at home. You can now get your flying fix easily on almost any computer. The paragliding odyssey rakes you ro Sr. Anron, Ausuia; Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; Sun Valley, Idaho; Point of the Mountain, Utah; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It features lots of in-air footage, aerial maneuvers, and rours of the areas from a pilot's point of view.

Using the larest in multi-media technology, you can play full-length video with rich stereo sound as a screen saver. Adventure Productions reamed up with Diard Software, a leading cusrom video screen saver software company, ro create this cutting-edge multimedia program for Windows. It easily plugs inro your existing Windows screen saver program wi th a separate control panel ro control viewing options of full screen, quarter screen, random viewing, vary the playback speed and size, mute the audio, and control the location of the movies.

System requirements are W indows 95/98/NT/2000, 486DX2/66 (Pentium 120 or bener recommended), 16-bit color required (24-bit color recommended), 16 MB RAM for W indows 95/98 , 32 MB RAM for Windows NT, 8X CD-ROM drive, 650 MB hard disk space for the high-quality video .avi file. The screen saver is easily installed or uninstalled. You can also choose ro play the .avi file from your compurer CD-ROM drive using Microsoft's multimedia player.

"In Search of The Perfect Mountain"

video screen saver on CD-ROM is available for $ 19.95 each plus shipping of $4 (USA/Canada/Mexico, $10 for all ocher countries), from Paul Hamilton, Adventure Productions, (775) 7470175, paul@adventurep.com, 6553 Srone Valley Drive, Reno, Nevada 89523 USA. For more information check the Adventure Productions Web site at www.adventurep.com.

AIRPLAY FLIGHT SUITS

A

irplay is now carrying "Peru" Flight Suits. These unique flight suits are very attractive and available ." t.;· in many different colors ' ~ · t .' and sizes . The wind and r.. waterproof cloth has a satin-like feel that's a pleasure ro wear. A bali clava srowed in the collar and half gloves srowed in the sleeves are brilliant when conditions get just a little more chilly than yo u expected. The suits have all the best standard flight suit features, including a radio pocket with internal PTT routing, full-length, two-way zippers, vario holder, and warmth withour bulk. They sell for $295. Contact: Airplay, www.paraglide.com, dixon@paraglide.com, (520) 526-4579 .

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NEW SCENIC AND MAGIC GLIDERS FROM AIR CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE

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ntil now pilots had ro chose between high-performance tandems that can be a handful ro control if conditions are not ideal, or tandems that are easy ro fly but often lack the performance needed for good cross-

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country flights.

Airwave is proud to present its new D HV 1-2 tandem glider, the Scenic, which they believe is the first tandem glider to bridge this gap. The Scenic incorporates several new innovative design features, including a partially dosed leading edge and unique "eternal trimmers." The Scenic has passed DHV flight tests and is currently completing the rest of the certification formalities.

The new high-performance Magic M has passed all DHV flight tests with a 2-3 rating.

Even the DHV pilots, who have flown nearly ever glider that exists, were enthusiastic about the handling and thermaling characteristics of the glider. Airwave is currently working on the S and L which should be available soon.

Contact: Air California Adventure, 2800 1orrey Pines Scenic Dr., San Diego, CA 92037, (858) 452-9858, 1-877-FLY-TEAM (toll free), aircal@ix.netcom.com.

USHGA CHAPTER INFO

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t is time to renew your USHGA Chapter affiliation. Please return the following to the USHGA if you want to maintain site insurance and Chapter affiliation with the USHGA: a Chapter printout (with any changes noted); a current roster of your membership (no exceptions!); a copy of modified bylaws (if appropriate); a copy of all current site permits issued to the chapter; a check to cover site insurance premiums.

The cost per site is: $250 for the first site; $175 for the second site; $160 for the third site; $140 for the fourth site; $115 for the fifth site; $100 for each additional site.

Site insurance premiums must be received with the renewal each year before February 15, so that renewal insurance certificates can be ordered. The existing coverage is automatically terminated at 12:00 PM on February 28. If coverage is terminated it can only be reinstated upon receipt of the insurance application and a check to cover the premiums. Any late renewals received

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after February 15 will be assessed a late fee of $25.

IfI can help you with the renewal, or anything else, please contact Joanne Peterson at (719) 632-8300 or e-mail rj peterson@ushga.org.

To help you make a list of Chapter members you can go to our website (www.ushga.org) to find a list of USHGA members in each state. Click on "Members Only," then dick on "Current Members" and follow the instructions to make a list, and then use a highlighter and mail in a list of your Chapter members. Please send a printout of information with the name and title of person making the change. An officer of the Chapter must verify the printout. In addition to verifying the information on the printout, please verify that USHGA is on your Chapter's newsletter mailing list. If your chapter has been modified its bylaws structure, a copy of the revised bylaws must accompany your renewal.

SUPER FLY UPDATE

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ue to company growth and expanding product lines, Super Fly is moving into a new facility. Please send all packages and correspondence to: Super Fly, Inc., 552 West 8360 South, Sandy, UT 84070. The address is very similar. They are in the same business complex but a bigger unit, #552. The phone, fax and e-mail numbers remain the same.

Super Fly has just completed negotiations with Skyline Flight Gear and has been named their exclusive North American distributor for their high-quality products.

Skyline makes flight suits, paragliding harnesses, airbags, reserves, backpacks, instrument panels and other accessories. Brochures and price lists will be available in February.

This year will be even bigger as Super Fly anticipates new DHV 2-3's from Gin, Firebird and Ozone. They are also expecting a new DHV-1 from Ozone. Gin will complete testing and development of a new competition-class glider, and Firebird is currently working on a new tandem glider for summertime release.

SNOWBIRD CORRECTION ops! The dust devil photo on page 16 of the December issue was placed on its side. It should have been rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise with the wider part of the

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dustie at the bottom of the photo. See the article in this issue about the record-setting flights at Snowbird 2000 mentioned in Ken Hudonjorgensen's December article.

VISION QUEST PRODUCTIONS NEW VIDEO, A WING AND A PRAYER ,

,lision Quest Productions' new video, A

V Wing And A Prayer, is 34 minutes of great aerobatics and scenic flying in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Aspen, Colorado and France. It is not a documentary or an instructional video, but a paragliding music video for visual entertainment. The music is new and some of it is pretty hard core, designed to make someone who doesn't fly feel the rush of aerobatics and the thrill of thermaling and ridge soaring. There was a premiere showing in Jackson Hole and it received good reviews from local pilots. All profits from this video will go toward the next video which will be much more involved, including travel documentaries, cross-country flying, interviews and more aerobatics.

The video sells for $26. Send check or money order to: Vision Quest Productions, P.O. Box 655, Jackson Hole, WY 83001, visionquest@wyoming.com, (307) 7340342.

NEW APCO AVIATION PHONE NUMBERS

A pco Aviation announces a recent change r\in their telephone and fax numbers as a result of a reorganization of the telephone company in Israel. Their address remains unchanged. The new numbers are: (tel) 011 972 4 6273727, (fax) 011 972 4 6273728, http://www.apcoaviation.com.

SUNSPORTS PARAGLIDING UPDATE

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unSports Paragliding is pleased to announce the partnership of Mark Telep and Rick Higgins. SunSports has been in business in Hood River, Oregon since 1996.

Mark Telep has been paragliding for nine years and is a P-4, Basic Instructor, Tandem Instructor, and the Washington State paragliding X-C record holder (120 miles).

He also holds the unofficial U.S. triangle paragliding record (60 miles). Rick Higgins has been paragliding for six years and is a

PARAGLIDING

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P-5, Advanced Instructor, and Tandem Administrator. He has over l ,430 flights, 830 hours of airtime, and holds the Oregon State paragliding cross-country record (83 miles). Mark and Rick will be competing in the U.S. Nationals in Chelan, Washington on the new Apco Simba (D HV 2) in 200 l.

SunSports features Apco, Sup'Air, flytec, Hanwag, Icaro, Kiwi, and Kenwood products. They also offer beginner and advanced instruction, instructional tandem flights, clinics, consignment sales, and reserve repacks. Please visit their website at: http://hometown.aol.com/ rsunsports/ myho mepage/index.hcml.

Mark Telep may be reached at: chatspec@hotmail.com, (541) 386-2692, cell (54 l) 490-8197. Rick Higgins may be reached at: SunSportsPG@aol.com, (54 l) 387-2112, cell (541) 490-2643.

2001 IPARAGLHllNG RANKINGS Rank Pilot 1) Marion, Scotty 2) Cohn, Josh 3) Belcourt, Bill 4) Bibler, Todd 5) Reed, Eric 6) Santacroce, Chris 7) Criss, Bo 8) Gadd, Will 9) Bastian, Chad 10) Armstrong, Rick 11) Ferguson, Paul 12) Patterson, Jon 13) Smith, Kevin 14) Lawrence, Othar 15) Brock, Gary 16) Hintz, Kevin l 7) Haley, Mike l 8) Covington, Dale 19) Carr, Mike 20) Williams, Jeff 21) Smith, Brad 22) Snicselaar, Carl 23) Michaelis, Neal 24) Hunt, Jon 24) Walling, Mark 26) Schoyen, Rolf 27) McCutcheon, David 28) Truax, Tom 29) Kelley, Gregory 29) Robinson, Ross

Points 1014 916 381 377 269 229 211 208 178 166 165 149 133 115 109 107 87 78 73 68 67 59 50 48 48 46 44 43 42 42

31) 3 l) 33) 34) 35) 36) 37) 38) 38) 40) 4 l) 41) 41) 41) 45) 46) 47) 47) 49) 50) 51) 52) 53) 53) 53) 56) 57) 57) 59) 59) 61) 61) 63) 63) 63) 66) 66) 66) 69) 69) 71)

71) 71)

71) 71) 71) 77) 77) 77)

80) 80) 80)

Bartlett, Tom Nephew, Jill Maze,Jim Davenport, Chris Cristo!, Jeff Scales, Nat Gage, Charlie Ellett, Wade Weinstein, Josh Scholes, Kevin Ames, Jeff Bellik, Mike Ferguson, Mark Horvath, Mark Gunnuscio, Brad Gillette, frank Phillips, Steve Silvera, Cherie Soffici, Alex Reed, Mike Onstad, Stephen Pliska, Chris Bloxham, Brad Reeder, Mike Wood, Michael Prairie, Steven Banks, Granger Bradley, Alan Band, Annie Smith, Mike Cappelli, Lou Taylor, Dave Cooper, Jerry Donovan, Rich Sommerset, Paul Holbek, Lars Michelmore, Pete Kocurek, Richard Gackenbach, Ronald Merrick, Colter Borocz, Matthew Norris, Lee Anne Olsen, Dan Peters, Chris Rademacher, Kurt Webster, Tom Rose, Roger Ward, Mike Wilson, Bruce Bell, Monte Hirst, Dawn Mcomber, Dan

--~--

FEBRUARY 2001

41 41 40 36 35 33 30 29 29 28 27 27 27 27 23 22 21 21 20 18 17 15 14 14 14 13 12 12 11 11 10 10 9 9 9 8 8 8 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 4

SOFTWARE REVIEW

s FROM WILCO PUBLISHING

by Steve Roti e's the middle of winter in North America and I'm here at home going up in a thermal at 1,600 fpm. I don't mean at my home site, I mean at home in my office, weightshifring in my desk chair while I play Hangsim on my computer.

Hangsim is a flight simulator in which you can fly a hang glider, paraglider, powered paraglider, glider (sailplane) or a motorized ultralight. It comes from Wilco Publishing, a Belgian company that specializes in producing add-on modules for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Hangsim offers different types of flight experiences for people with different interests, including free flight for those who want to fly around leisurely and see the scenery, competition for those who want to race, and "fun flights" for those who want to leave reality behind and shoot down other gliders with rockets. (Ic's probably best not to try chis kind of "fun flight" at your local site or the FAA might have something to say about it!)

Speaking of flying sites, Hangsim offers a number of choices in two geographic regions: France and California. In France

12

you get to choose between Chamonix, the gorges of Verdon, or the volcanic region of Puys in the Massif Central. In California the choices are San Diego, Torrey Pines, Del Mar, Los Angeles and Orange County.

The screen shot accompanying this review was taken midway through a flight in the Chamonix valley, one of my favorite places to fly in the real world. The terrain graphics are detailed and realistic looking from the air, but it is possible to fly out of the simulated sites on a cross-country flight in which case you're presented with flatlands of repeating patterns.

The Hangsim screen can be configured in a variety of ways, from 640 x 480 all the way up to 1600 x 1200, and can be displayed in either full-screen mode or in a window. Instruments are optional, the screen

shot shows the "small panel" which includes a G-meter, compass, elapsed timer, GPS, airspeed indicator, altimeter, variometer and tachometer (for motorized gliders).

Hangsim works best with a joystick but I've got to admit that it feels strange flying a paraglider with a stick. It feels more like flying a sailplane, even though my GPS tells me that my glide angle is 7-to- l and I'm moving through the air at paraglider speeds. By pushing the joystick forward it's possible to pitch the paraglider forward (lower the angle of attack), something we can't do in the real world. Turning and thermaling feels fairly realistic, especially if you lean into the direction of the turn to get the feeling of banking with the glider.

The manual has a darn good description of the software and how it works, as well as a chapter on "Meteorological

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RISK AGREEMENT

In consideration of the benefits to be derived from membership in the USHGA, (Pilot) and the parent or legal guardian of Pilotif Pilotis a minor, for themselves, their personal representatives, heirs, executors, next of kin, spouses, minor 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 THESPORTand/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System). If Pllotis under 18 years of age, the term" SPORTS INJURIES"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's 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 Pilot-'.sproficiency rating(s); c) Each of the hang gliding and/or paragliding organizations which are chapters of the USHGA; d) The United States Of America and each of the city(ies), town(s), county(ies), State(s) and/or other political subdivisions or governmental agencies within whose jurisdictions Pilotlaunches, flies and/or lands; e) Each of the property owners on or over whose property Pilotmay launch, fly and/or land; ij 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 PARTICIPATIONIN THE SPORT. B. 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 all, 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. SEVERABUUN. If any part, article, paragraph, sentence or clause of this Agreement is not enforceable, the affected provision shall be curtailed and limited only to the extent necessary to bring it within the requirements of the law, and the remainder of the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.

F. I REPRESENT THAT Pilotis at least 18 years of age, or, that Iam 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 INJURIES as 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.

G. I VOLUNTARILY ASSUME ALL RISKS, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, OF SPORTS INJURIES, HOWEVER CAUSED, EVEN If CAUSED IN WHOLE OR 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 Ii/nature

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f1inature ofPilot's Parent or lepl Guardian ifPilot under /8 yms ofafe.

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MMR 12-97

The glider selection screen.

Flying over the Gorges of Verdon.

Considerations" including sections on "Meteorology for the Pilot," "Micrometeorology in Hangsim" and "Gliding Techniques." This chapter was likely written as a crash course in free flight for non-pilots who want to fly the simulator, but it makes fun reading for pilots who want to understand how thermals and air flow are modeled in Hangsim.

This leads us to the environmental options available in the Hangsim program.

While it is possible to choose a predefined environment for your flights, it's more fun to use the menus to customize Hangsim's micrometeorology to your preferences.

Let's see, I think I'll put cloudbase at 1,000 meters and cloud tops at 6,000 meters, then I'll set the thermals at 8.0 meters/second (about 1,600 fpm) and the thermal size at 200 meters. Sounds like a good day!

You can also choose the wind direction and wind speed if you want to do a little ridge soaring.

Hangsim retails for $39. Is it worth buying? If you have a recent Windows computer (I tested Hangsim on a 500 MHz Pentium III running Windows 98) and a joystick (or you're willing to spend

FEBRUARY

2001

about $20 to buy a decent one) I'd say Hangsim is worth it. The program can be used for recreational as well as educational purposes. When I'm done flying around Chamonix I plan to let a few beginning paragliding students try it out to see what they can learn from it.

Hardware And Software Requirements Computer. Pentium 166, Windows 95 or 98 Memory: 32 MB RAM, 64 MB is advisable Video card: Graphics card with hardware acceleration (direct3D). DirectX 6 minimum Hard disk: 200 MB of free space Other: Joystick (it's possible to use a mouse but a joystick is better) Note: A friend of mine tried to install Hangsim on Windows 2000 and wasn't successful. That'll teach him.

Here are two websites where you can read more about Hangsim: http://www.hangsim.com http://www.wilcopub.com/ nonfls/hangsim. htmm

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15

photos by Bo Criss

Todd Bibler's Story fter calling flight service for the winds aloft I knew we wouldn't be flying Snowbird, but Ken Hudonjorgensen was highly optimistic, saying that the wind on launch was light. However, I felt that Twin Peaks, just upwind of the tram tower, was just blocking the southwest wind and I was not at all sure about flying.

And so there we were, learning about the daunting yet tantalizing opportunity of flying Snowbird, Utah. Until the wind gets very strong the launch is protected, the thermals are strong, and you can launch early, climb high and glide out of the mountains into the friendlier terrain of eastern Utah and Wyoming.

At 11 :30 AM I was still getting ready, looking over the edge, finding and laying out a tarp to cover rocks, and dawdling and joking with the ocher pilots. I was not in a rush to go - big mistake. Bill Belcourt launched at noon and I was laid out right behind him, but even though it had been blowing in lightly for an hour, suddenly there is nothing to pull up in. I tried repeatedly for 15 minutes. By this time Bo Criss and Dale Covington were also laid out next to me. Bill climbed almost instantaneously to 15,000' and disappeared as we were desperately waiting for anything that would get a glider overhead. Suddenly, Bo pulled up and went straight up, like dry leaves in the fall. I have seen this at Snowbird before, and successfully pulled up into the same whirling dervish a moment later with Dale right behind me.

Soon we were climbing in a strong,

16

quickly drifting thermal. It was clearly windy, and it was just as clear that we were never going to get the altitude that Bill had gotten 30 minutes earlier. At 13,000' I topped out and headed down the ridge line, first over Baldy, then Sugarloaf, then the Devil's Castle, sinking to ridge-top level in strong wind, heading toward the lee side of the range. Cursing myself for launching too late into chis wind I was thinking oflanding at Bonanza Flats just behind Guardsman's Pass, as I crossed the pass onto the south face of Jupiter Peak. I turned and faced into the wind and parked in the turbulence. I knew I wouldn't have the guts to sit there for long before I bailed to the meadow just to the east, but almost immediately a small thermal came along and drifted me north off the peak, and I knew I could get to Park City to land if it came to chat. I was so relieved to get out of the mountains safely that I was surprised when the bubble I was drifting in suddenly got strong and I watched Dale and Bo catch it below.

Climbing to 15,000' my anxiety disappeared. The usual cloud street marked the way toward I-80 and Wyoming. Bill was 30 minutes in front and I left the thermal to glide under the first cloud, which immediately dissipated. Finding no lasting cores, and with the clouds melting as soon as I reached them, I drove on to Coalville, catching a big one over the first hill east of town, with a golden eagle as welcome company. Immediately the eagle started attacking the trailing edge of my wing. I was yelling and flapping to ward off his extended talons, and you know what flapping does to your airspeed. The thermal took charge, turning flapping fabric into a spin-

ning glob that thankfully quickly surged back into a clean machine. The eagle had departed.

At the legal limit I crossed Chalk Creek to the cloud street which was now set up right over I-80. Connecting the cloud dots led directly to Evanston without much effort. I have never spent so much time so continually high, and was glad for my oxygen and insulated suit because the cold was nearly intolerable. In fact, the cold was somewhat responsible for the fast flying because I didn't want to gain any more altitude.

Bill was still way out front, but the junction of Highway 189 and I-80 was not far ahead, and with my altitude and ground speed in the 50's to low 60's heading northeast I wanted to cut the corner and head for Kemmerer. Radioing, Bill told me that he got low, slowed down and was now only five miles ahead and heading up 189. Only a moment later he radioed to say that the west wind was blowing him east and he was not going to head toward Kemmerer. With a ground speed of 60 mph heading northeast I saw little evidence of the west-northwest wind Bill was experiencing, so it was off to Kemmerer for me.

There were no longer any clouds except for the short-lived wispies at the top of the strongest lift. A long glide took me too close to the ground five miles south of Kemmerer. Setting up for a landing, I ran into a sweet one that got me back to 16,000' and drifted right across the 100mile mark on my GPS, exactly three hours from launch. I couldn't believe how fast we were going.

But suddenly that changed. Glides were still fast, but the climbs had become significantly slower. Ten miles northeast of Kemmerer I was waffling around looking for strong climbs but not finding them.

PARAGLIDING

TOP: Snowbird Resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake City. ABOVE: Ken Hudonjorgenson launching offHidden Peak at the top

of the tram.

FEBRUAR Y 2001

17

Instead, I seemed to be circling forever to gain altitude and losing patience. I never got as high as 16,000' again. At this point I made a mistake by not heading east, but continuing to fly up 189. I still had good ground speed going northeast and Rick had caught up in his car. My intuition was saying to go east. I knew Bill was east of me and he said there was a west wind where he was, but I ignored all the signs and continued gliding up 189. As I got lower I realized that the wind was westerly at the lower altitudes, but now I was in a bad position to cross to the east because of the large reservoir blocking the way. Luckily, another thermal blundered into me that tracked right over the lake and back up to 13,000'.

Due east a dirt road ran straight through the sage-brush plain to the horizon, and down it for 20 miles was not even a fence post. Turning into the wind, the flight ended at 150.4 miles and 5 hours, 15 minutes after launch. As I watched the sun go down I knew that spending a night out here would definitely be worth it - complete darkness, stars, no signs of civilization.

Bill Belcourt's Story

0

n September 15, 2000 the wind forecast called for 17-19 knots at 9 and 12 out of the southwest by afternoon, which is a bit strong for Snowbird since we usually only fly on lightwind days because launch is at 11,000', and is subject to some major shadowing by the surrounding peaks. I felt that if we could get up before the wind materialized this could be the day to go far, since most of the flying would occur in the flats of Wyoming once we left the mountains. This feeling was heightened by early cloud development over Park City and the Uinta Mountains, and the fact that launch conditions looked pretty good.

I got ready and paced around, hoping that one of the wind dummies would launch first so we could see whether or not we were squarely in the lee of the Twin

Peaks which dwarf the launch to the southwest. This didn't happen since the dummies were experienced comp pilots themselves and weren't going out there first either.

I mentally prepared myself for a good lee-side buttkicking and launched at noon.

I had a smooth climb to 15,000', much to my surprise.

I radioed this back to the others and encouraged them that it was good. Little did I know how quickly it was changing.

The drift of the thermal seemed reasonable and I headed toward Park City and tried to relax a bit and stay loose. Todd Bibler, Dale Covington and Bo Criss launched 15 to 30 minutes after I did and got worked a bit in the increasing wind, but all got up and out.

Cloudbase over Park City was at almost 18,000' and I headed toward Rockport Reservoir under a small cloud street. I left the clouds after the street ended and ventured toward Upton, Utah near a feature called the Red Hole, which looks from the

.......................................................................... air like a small valley with a bunch of red sandstone cliffs. This general area, as we discovered on previous days, is synonymous with black hole, but I was at almost 18,000' and couldn't possibly sink out here again from this altitude, besides, maybe yesterday was a fluke. Fifreen miles and 9,000' later, all the while with a ground speed of 35-40 mph, I was convinced of the physical properties of the Red Hole.

I arrived at the side of Porcupine Mountain lower than I wanted to be but in the right spot to get out after the long and dismal glide. After a few weak pieces of lift and some close study of the local shrubbery, it finally came together and I got back to 17,800' - then my oxygen ran out. I should not have tried to milk another day out of that bottle.

From then on I had an easy time to Evanston, Wyoming (around the 55-mile mark) in a blistering two hours. Todd was a thermal or two behind, and I keep telling to him to step on it because I knew we could fly faster together. East of Evanston I had to choose between continuing east following I-80 or head north following Highway 189 toward Jackson. I struggled to get high at the intersection of the two highways and finally got back to 17,700' in a wind-twisted terror that I had to keep convincing myself to stay in. When I checked my ground speed in both directions I discovered that I was flying 60 mph heading up 189, so north it was. I relayed this to Todd who was getting closer, but we still managed to miss each other during the whole flight.

With no more clouds and wind-distorted thermals the going got slower through the next section to Kemmerer, Wyoming, and I would turn in anything going up in the slightest. I felt that getting low in the wind in this area would make getting up much less probable. I also had gotten pushed east of Kemmerer by an increasingly easterly drift and fast-tracking, shredded lift. It seemed that the earlier strong south wind was a localized phenomenon. I drifted along at about 3,000' to 4,000' AGL over all the likely producers I found. The terrain in this area is surreal - crumbling bands of pink sandstone scribbled on alkaline flats, and all very desolate. I finally got back to 14,500' just short of Opel, Wyoming and just passed the 100-mile mark. I then headed toward the dam on the south side of Fontenelle reservoir.

FEBRUARY

2001

At this point Todd caught up and was now a few miles to the north on 189. I was drifting east, five miles south of the Fontenelle dam and east of 189, looking for lift, deciding on a change in direction to fly and trying to get our driver on the same road. I made the decision to abandon trying to stay with 189, headed east, and luckily picked up Highway 28 heading northeast toward Farson, Wyoming, and got a great climb at 5 :30 PM to 16,000'.

Todd, on the more northern track, also decided to head east but without the benefit of any paved roads. I ended up leaving Highway 28 as I was having to crab to stay with it, and I cut the corner with the last of my altitude toward another busy-looking road to the southeast. I had just enough to make it and land in Eden, Wyoming on Highway 191 in 5-10 mph winds for 154 miles in just under six hours.

Dale Covington's Story e had seen similar conditions the previous day but not quite as strong, and I was optimistic as I headed up the canyon. When I heard the winds-aloft forecast as we arrived at the base of the mountain, I began doubting the viability of the day, but headed up the tram anyway. Conditions seemed surprisingly good on top. Light cycles were coming up the southeast (sunny) side of the mountain instead of the forecasted southwest side that faces into the wind shadow of AF twin peaks.

We proceeded to dither away an hour fiddling with gear and getting ready while keeping an eye on the cycles, which remained fine. As soon as we were ready, of course, the wind switched to southwest, and Bill was able to get off into a light thermal, climbing nicely to 15,000'. Bo, Todd and I stood waiting for the next cycle.

When it finally came through it seemed pretty good, and Bo took it, or more accurately, it took Bo, thrashing and flopping, and plucked him skyward. Bo

did a splendid job of keeping his glider under control, and flew away from the hill in lifting air.

One must question the judgment of someone who would willingly choose to launch right after watching that, yet my only thought was, "Here's my chance; ifI don't take it, I won't get off," and Todd and I launched, not wanting Bo to have all the fun. The climb was one of the roughest I've ever experienced, and we were getting tossed around in sort of a generally circular pattern. I was glad to be sharing the air with such good pilots since I trusted them to keep their gliders under control.

We never got too high over Hidden peak, but ended up running down the ridge toward Park City, where I watched Todd get low at Jupiter Peak. I came in behind him and ended up in the same position, nearly on the ground and scrambling in a litcle nasty scrap. Todd had found something, and it seemed to be working a bit better above me. Bo rejoined us, coming in over me after finding a strong shot in Big Cottonwood.

At this point I remember turning into the wind and really looking at the low, leeside position I'd managed to get my sorry self into, and realized I'd need to track this squirrelly litde thermal like I'd never tracked before.

When I finally opened my eyes I was climbing nicely toward cloudbase in a big, beautiful thermal, with Todd in his usual position, specked out and miles ahead, and Bo not far behind him. I finally started to relax a bit and really enjoyed the climb to base.

A cloud street was forming from Coalville toward Evanston, as was one toward the northeast off into no-man's land. I had lost sight ofTodd and Bo by the time I reached Echo Reservoir near Coalville, and decided that Bo's radio wasn't working. I determined that the cloud street heading toward Evanston was still building and might develop more to the east, so I headed that way. I was staying between cloudbase and 14,000' most of the rime, taking time to climb when the lift got better, but staying under the clouds and flying them with ground speeds of 40+ mph at the higher altitudes. The

19

cloud screec petered out over Evanswn, bm the lift continued and I cuc rhe corner up toward Highway 189, circling in whatever scraps I could find. With ground speeds like chis, all I needed was to stay up as long as possible and not chink abouc how far I would need w walk if I sank our.

At this point I was flying berween 14,000' and 12,000 ' when my oxygen ran out. After hours ac higher, colder altitudes I was starting to gee uncomfortably cold, and looked up w see my glider shivering along with me. Ac least I wasn't alone in my discomfort. I drifted toward Highway 189 just somh of a power planr and sraned getting lower as I approached the hogback that parallels rhe highway. I was scarring w warm back up again, but at chis point I needed w decide whether to follow the lift over the back of the hogback inro desolate desert or cry to ridge soar che hogback north along the highway. 1 decided that the ridge-soaring concept was a poor one, but was unwilling to commit to che empty, desolate desert. I followed the lift some, but kept crying to cheat my way north, not wanting to get too far away from the road, and left the thermal that would have gotten me back up in order to stay closer to roads and houses.

I was still hearing Ken on the radio, nearly 100 miles away back on Hidden Peak, and could hear Bill and Todd ahead of me. I was amazed at che range we were getting, and knew there was a chase vehicle om chere somewhere lookiCTg for me.

What a comforting choughc as evening approaches and you're getting low over the sagebrush desert. But I also knew rhat Bill and Todd were scill getting good climbs.

The chermals were scill our there! I drifted northwest coward Highway 30 where it passes through Opal, hoping w find another one, but ended up ridge soaring a little ridge for several miles to the north before finally touching down exacdy l 00 miles from launch and a mile or so from the nearesc houses, just west of Opal, Wyoming. The family I interrupted in the middle of dinner was gracious and let me use their phone before giving me a ride om co the highway where I was quickly retrieved.

Thank you Ken, Janet, and all the volunteers and fellow competicors who made this such a greac comp.

20

Bo Criss's Story nowing that great crosscountry days oftentimes come in pairs, I was interested ro see what the day would hold for us, the competitors of the Snowbird 2000 X-C Competition. On the previous day the Utah state paragliding disrance record had been broken by Chad Bastian, who had flown 91

K

miles. Todd Bibler had flown a very respectable 87 miles as well. This day, however, didn't seem encouraging as I called the winds-aloft forecast. They were reporting 17 knots from the southwest ac 12,000', too strong for us co attempt the 11,000-foot launch at the cop of the tram at Snowbird. I called Ken, the meet direccor, expecting instruccions to head co our alrernarive launch sire at Inspiration Peak in Provo. Ken was already ar the Bird, and sur-

A dissipating cloud street at near61 18,000 feet pointing me toward Wyoming.

Crossing the state fine in a desolate section of Wyoming.

Landing 10 miles north of Evanston, Wyoming. Not much out in these parts.

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.................................................................................1. prisingly, the winds were light. I met some other buddies at the base of the canyon and we booked up to the Bird with one thing on our minds: the possibility of going big and going far.

On launch the winds were calm, but I think we all felt a sense of urgency to get in the air before the winds increased. A southwest wind is probably the least favorable to launch into at Snowbird's Hidden Peak. Just southwest oflaunch, Twin Peak towers over Hidden Peak and can hide the wind and create lee-side conditions. I was concerned that it was hiding the wind we might encounter. I spoke with Bill to see what a top-level pilot thought of the day. He commenced, "If we can get up and out it could be a really good day and we could go far."

This was all the encouragement I needed to suit up and get ready.

Bill found the first thermal and climbed smoothly into the sky to 15,000'. He made it look enticing as the rest of us waited for the next cycle. It took quite a while, but 15 minutes later a cycle was reported coming up and looking good. I felt a nice breeze and pulled my wing overhead in a reverse launch. Immediately I was plucked into the sky going backwards with violent wing oscillations. I quickly rotated my harness around, searching for pressure in the wing and hoping to fly straight away from the hill, and managed more than a handful of yaws and pitches for what seemed like an eternity. The dust devil I had mistal(enly launched into finally released its deathly grip and I flew straight away from the terram.

The thought crossed my mind chat I wanted out of the air, but I wasn't sure that the bottom of Litcle Cottonwood Canyon would be the friendliest LZ. I ran into a strong, windblown thermal and decided to climb as best I could for more clearance and safer LZ options. To my surprise, Todd and Dale were launching. Didn't they see the narrow escape I had just pulled off? In any event, they joined me over the spine in my gnarly, windblown thermal, and together we climbed at an angle into the sky. It was a turbulent climb and I held on for dear life as Dale and Todd moved upwind of the thermal and climbed significantly better. I was still puckered from surviving launch and wasn't ready for more turbulence. I stayed in my steady climb but drifted farther downwind out into the middle of the canyon, and realized my mistake as I fought my way upwind toward my winged friends.

22

At 13,000' I knew I had no business thinking that I could make it safely out of the Wasatch Front, as I would need at least 14,000'. Todd and Dale were about 500' to 1,000' above me and heading east toward Park City, and I was coming up short on my approach to the highest peal(S in the area. I decided to head east as well, in hopes oflanding safely at Solitude, the next ski resort in the area. I was low and sinking like a rock as I crossed over into the next canyon, but at this point ran into one of the strongest thermals I have ever encountered.

It was as if all of Big Cottonwood Canyon was lifting at the top of the canyon. I decided to put my Gin Bonanza on its wingtip to wing load my glider and to make sure I didn't lose this last chance to safely escape the Wasatch Front.

As I climbed strongly I saw Todd ahead of me climbing in a nice thermal. This has become a very typical sight while flying Todd ahead and above me. Dale, on the other hand, was low over the terrain, searching for lift. I joined Todd in his thermal, climbing slowly and drifting nicely over Park City, and Dale joined us as we passed Park City and positioned ourselves under a cloud street heading to the northeast. The thermal steadily increased to 1,600 fpm, and I decided to go on glide at nearly 18,000'. At chis point my radio was dead and I had lost my visual on Todd and his stealth-technology purple Vertex. I followed the cloud street on glide as I crossed a large canyon north of Coalville, and at 14,500' caught another thermal back to 17,500' over a peak with a radio tower.

It was now decision time since the cloud street forked. One street headed northeast into no-man's land, while the other followed I-80 to the east. I checked my drift with my GPS and decided that the winds were predominancly from the southwest, so I decided to head toward no-man's land following the wind. It seemed to be working as I descended and ascended back to 16,500', but to my disappointment my cloud street dissipated into only an occasional cumulus.

By chis time I was alone and five to eight miles north of the ever-building cloud street that had formed over I-80. The good news was that I was traveling 46 mph over the ground and had a good chance at crossing the state line of Wyoming ifI could just stay in the air. Seeing a distant town directly northeast in my flight path also inspired me to go the distance and set myself up for an easier retrieve. I had willingly put myself in

no-man's land, knowing that I might have to walk eight miles out of the desert, but as I got lower my senses were heightened and I relaxed.

I heard a faint beep on the vario, and knew that chis was a chance to climb out or at least drift across the earth to a more hospitable LZ. I melted into the harness, cleared my mind, and turned with everadjusting circles in the windblown, blue-sky thermal. I had become bird-like. Nothing was on my mind but riding the wind. It was truly a great moment in my flying career.

Approaching low over the northern suburb of Evanston, Wyoming, I figured I had one last chance, and the foothills beyond the town looked promising. I did find some lift and realized chat I was dealing with strong surface winds. As I thermaled, my GPS was reading a 46-mph downwind leg and a two mph upwind leg. The thermal I was in was leaning at a steep angle and I didn't have a good climb rate, so with only 400 feet of altitude I searched for a good LZ. A gravel road sauntered through the barren hills of Wyoming, and to my pleasant surprise a truck had stopped and was waiting for me to land. Then I felt one more thermal 100 feet off the deck. I turned in it but fell out the back and descended rapidly. My approach reminded me of landing on the South Side at the Point of the Mountain as I crabbed to the right and backwards, touching down in the middle of the road, 30 feet in front of the truck. I spun my harness around to control the wing as the wind picked me up again, and with a strong pull on the brakes the wing came down quickly and I bundled up the glider.

I approached Paul, the driver of the truck, and asked ifI could catch a ride into town. He agreed, and as I got in the truck he explained that he hadn't seen anything.

He had only stopped in the road because chat was where the best phone reception was for miles around. He had been talking on the phone, and when he looked up, there I was, in a flight suit and helmet, with electronics hanging from me and attached to my paraglider.

I checked my GPS on the way back to town and realized chat I had flown my personal best of72 miles. I soon met up with Kelly Rhodes, who had volunteered to chase the competitors, and we grabbed lunch and headed out in search of Dale.

What a truly amazing day. I can't wait until next year.• PARAGLIDING

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knew flying was possible in Larin America and had already flown in Brazil, Ecuador and Peru. My friend Jeff had jusr learned ro fly, so we rhoughr a road rrip wo uld be a grear way ro carch up on each orher and flying. Ulrimarely, he backed out, bur after the seed was planted in my head, what was originally ro be a road rrip curned into a flying uip thanks ro an America West Internet special.

I hadn't seen an ex-girlfriend in over five years and she lives in Leon near excellem flying sires, so I decided to visit her and go flying. Five years ago, with her by my side, I had contemplated rhe Bajio Valley from rhe Cristo Rey on rhe Cubilete extinct volcano . Soon I would rake off from rhe launch on the shoulder of that same mountain with her by my side.

I arrived at Guadalajara from Reno , connecting in Phoenix for abour rwo C-nores (round rrip) . Afrer changing money at rhe airport I hopped in a cab ro a bus terminal and caught an ETN bus ro Leon. This is the best bus line in Mexico , with fully reclining seats sized like firsr-class airline seats. After a call from the terminal Laura arrived along wirh her mom, brother and sister-in-law.

I was to stay with Javier, her brother.

The following morning Laura fetched me and we went in "El Boche," a yellow l 970's Beede, to the Cubilere.

After a 20-minure drive on a modern highway we stepped back onto a cobblestone access road. I asked the locals where launch was and they tried to send me to Dolores Hidalgo, a hisroric rown where Mexico's independence from Spa in was declared. The campesinos misunderstood my launch (despegue) question and thought I was asking where Delores was , and pointed down the valley the wrong way. One local uied to send me off of a hill with power lines right above. I learned the lesson that in Mexico you need ro make sure you know where launch is, and only fly when there are many other pilots present. This may mean flying only on weekends until yo u are familiar with a sire. Another local, a delivery truck driver who spoke Spanish as his first language, showed us the

I

24

Paragliding in Me: l

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launch. Unfortunately, the wind was from behind, and the light upslope wind was jusr a roror. I confirmed that the best conditions would not be until January, and decided that I would have to return to rhis site on another rrip, and on a Sunday when local pilots would be

l

·-.

~

rhere. The LZ looked coo l next ro a 16th_century church in Santa de Aguas Buen as.

That weekend we went ro Puerto Vallarta. On Sunday, Javier wanted ro rerurn after only being rhere rwo days because he had ro feed hi s rabbirs (the

PARAGLIDING

ico's Switzerland

by Andre Gupta, photos by Laura Munoz

The idea ofparagliding in Mexico first struck me around Labor Day when a cold.front brought.frost to my residence in eastern Quebec. I noticed the thermals weakening, and gone were the 4, OOOjoot climbs ofmid-summer made in eight minutes over Mt. Yamaska. Soon the days would be short and snow would arrive, closing the access road to launch.

....

.,

The author launching from El Pinon. El Renon is the big rock in the background,. to the right.

caretaker had run out of food for the farm animals which h e had to feed). His last name is German, and the uptight character of his allemand ancesuy was coming our. I told him char Laura and I would go to Yelapa, a small village 40 km south of Vallarta on the coast, and

FEBRUARY

2001

access ible only by a motorized rowboat from Boca de Tomarlan 3 5 km south of Vallarta. N ot wanting to leave us alone, h e agreed that we should go for rhe day to Yelapa and he would wait for us. A coastal soaring sire crawling with scorpions , chis fishing village has rwo launch-

es. The main one is a 30-minuce hike up a creek, and you can cake a horse or hike up . On the right is a small, dusty clearing GOO vertical feet above the town.

This is where I went. I managed a beautiful reverse pull-up followed by a running launch on my second attempt. The wind was too light to stay up but the flight was beautiful and my beach landing was memorable. The ocher launch is called Yelapa-Tapa and is a 90-minuce hike up and 2,000 vertical feet over the coast. It is a bit tricky to find, so ask locally and remember that the launch is just after the road changes to a red clay color. Be careful whom you ask, because Mexican men will often invent directions instead of celling you that they don't know.

After a tense ride back to Leon we crossed the Sierra Madre Occidental toward Valle de Bravo, the Switzerland of Mexico. Once in the D .F. we took a bus from the south terminal to this secret place. To my surprise, it was a beautiful lake, big enough to cause a soarable lake breeze. Although we wanted to stay in the fireplace cabins they were all over $100 per night, so we opted for the Hotel Mary overlooking the Zocalo (town square) . In fact, our room, at under $20 per night, offered a four-star view of the square and main cathedral, all crowned by the Torres-Las Antennas launch (in Mexico they like last names , so launches often have rwo names) . Dinner was trucha (trout) navarra at the Cueva de Leon overlooking the Zocalo. Succulent trout stuffed with spinach and smothered with local vegetables was downed with Modelo N egro , a premium Mexican cerveza.

Awaking at 9:00 AM , we went down to the Mallecon (waterfront) where the local school, Alas de Hombre (Man can Fly), organizes a local shuttle to launch at both che Torres launch overlooking che local lake and El Penon launch 15 miles south of Valle. We were going to El Penon. Here the launch is 1,500 feet over the piano (sled run) LZ. Crosscountry flights are possible over the back of the launch to the Penitas where you can land, or ideally climb our over the white cross on the plateau just before the

25

Flying away from launch toward the laguna. The LZ is just right ofthe sailboat dock in the wwer left corner of the photo. The town is just to the right ofmy body.

first big rock (Penita). From there a good thermal can take you over the Karnak.ate behind the second Penita. Then, a climb out over St. Augustin and another thermal over the Escalera and you can glide into Valle, overflying the lake and landing in the Santa Maria (waterfront) LZ, the same one used when flying from La Torres. Sounds easy, right? Apparently dozens of pilots make it all the way from El Penon to Valle daily in January when conditions are stronger than they were when I was there.

I launched in a nice cycle and quickly climbed to 1,000' over launch. A little sink but good lift throughout helped me maintain. Flying out over the spine, my brakes felt real heavy as I moved forward. Then I was back in my harness as my wing started to climb first at one, then two, then four meters per second.

A brake and weight shift to the right, and the ground was dropping away at almost 20 feet per second. Sixty seconds and fifteen 360's later and I was 4,000 feet over the ground. After about 45 minutes of decent-sized thermals the inversion broke, and it was possible to

26

go all the way to cloudbase almost 10,000', 2,500' over launch. Tio, the shuttle operator (tiofly@hotmail.com), had told us that if we flew more than one hour we should try to land at least as far as the Penitas, because the truck would first go to the Piano LZ and then stop at the Penitas, working back toward Valle. I headed out toward the Penitas but could not find lift. Scratching, I tried and tried but could not get over Kamekate to catch the house thermal, sure to be dribbling off the peak. Soon I was just next to the penita rocks but too low. I knew that this flight's duration was limited, so I headed toward the LZ. Bouyant lift kept me up, but when the valley wind picked up in gusts I found myself in sink with little penetration. I stepped on my speed bar and landed next to a pea field.

My goals for this week were to make it to Valle de Bravo and soar into the sunset over the laguna, a much easier goal. That afternoon I tested the Torres launch, but unfortunately it was very early so I landed before sunset.

Nonetheless, the flight was amazing,

with lift continuing almost out to the lake. Flying over the lake with 1,500' of void between me and the water was nothing short of spectacular. Landing at the LZ, a spit of land sticking out into the lake, was empowering, like an airplane making a water approach with land beneath me only during the last few seconds of the flight.

Every day for the next eight days started the same. A coffee either in the plaza or at the waterfront was followed by chilaquiles or local pan dulces (sweet bread) and fruit. On weekends the whole gang was there, including pilots from Mexico City. Usually we ate breakfast at the Cafe de Papalotes above Alas de Hombre or the Botana waterfront cafe. You can store your wing there overnight or admire the view ofTio's beautiful sister who runs the place.

Inside the cafe or waterfront at the Botana we would wait for the shuttle, organized by Tio, which left for the Penon around 10:30 AM daily.

On the third day, part of my dream came true. In the morning the thermals were strong. Over the Penon I flew side PARAGLIDING

by side with a pink Nova. I didn't know who the pilot was, only that we came quite close several times. Although I didn't make it to Valle I had flown with a very special man, the likes of Reinhold Messner or Ed Visteurs. That afternoon I went to the Torres a bit late at 4:40 PM and was on top by 5:00. Fortunately, the wind was just calming down and paragliders were starting to launch. At the Torres, lift is laminar, so you won't climb as high as at El Penon, nor can you sink as fast. It makes for a relaxing flight after lunch with the occasional cerveza. The lift is consistent and predictable, and with the right conditions you can soar 600' over the antennas. I quickly climbed to 400' over them. l reminded myself that the wind might change in the LZ, in which case I would have to land flying straight into the beach, away from the water. Conditions were so smooth, and it was surreal to see Josh, a Point pilot, doing spiral dives out toward the lake. He would then fly toward the mountain, climb 1,000' and repeat the show.

It reminded me of the previous day's glass-off flight at El Penon. Glass-offs at El Penon are second to none, with buoyant lift at up to two meters per second taking you to nearly 1,000 feet over launch. As the flight wore on we all worked our way out toward the LZ. Dexter and Jeff had come down from the Point. Jeff was flying without a vario (it had been damaged in Yelapa) and Dexter was flying tandem his mom.

That left Persey, a local English-Mexican pilot, Josh, Abe, Adrian (visiting from England) and me. Josh started trying to do "the Seat," a new aerobatic move in which the wing spins backwards with the pilot perpendicular to the ground, and the wing is supposed to spin around the pilot.

Flying the glass-off at El Penon is so different from flying the noontime thermals. It is like a different part of the mountain - so tame. Our friend Josh jumped over the Seat, and did five negative spins and five full stalls before recovering. This is the equivalent of jumping a 100-foot cliff, but he landed upright after losing at least 1,000 feet. I could

FEBRUARY

2001

not believe my eyes in my peaceful five o'clock bubble of tranquility. Jeff only wished he had his camera. Josh came to within l 00 vertical feet of the mountainside but recovered and flew away from the hill in time to land near a church. He survived it. (During that flight I landed at the official LZ, a big mistake, since I didn't notice the glistening mud until it was too late. I hoped it wasn't too deep and prayed that my remaining 20 feet of height at best glide would get me over it. I came down on the far edge of it. Once some boys helped pack all my stuff I went out to the road which is pretty far away.

Remember to choose your LZ, and that the official LZ is not always the best, especially in Mexico where landowner issues are rare.)

I continued flying, watching the colors change over the lake and sur-

rounding sierra. After nearly an hour of primo soaring I came in to land again with 1,500 feet over the lake to burn. I did many tight spirals to lose altitude, and my approach was a bit tricky, especially as I sank, as my drift was strange during my final approach turns. I came in parallel to the water and made a final, slight turn to the lakeside to land. I came in unexpectedly fast and hard. I looked at the windsock, fearing that the wind had gone catabatic, but it was coming from the lake. I started folding my wing and checked again, and this time the wind was coming from the mountain. Yes, the wind had been changing during my approach; that is why I had been drifting out toward the lake.

To my surprise, Laura was not there.

I was to go to El Restaurante Suiza. I had forgotten my one-hour return

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promise and she had gotten bored. I arrived and was surprised to see 200 paraglider pilots eating Swiss hor d' oeuvres. I ordered a fondue and Laura introduced me to Carlos Cheveiri, a pilot next to whom I had flown for 20 minutes earlier in the day. For chose who don't know who Carlos Cheveiri is , he is the famous mounrain climber who has climbed all 14 8,000-meter peaks. He was there with his wife and four-monthold daughter.

The evening festivities were to continue. The parry was at La Herencia Cafe (5 0 yards on the left as you leave the town square , heading toward the water) where Modelo Negros were less than a dollar. Jeff, Dexter, Josh and Abe (all from Utah), Coco from France (an awesome aerobatic pilot), Adrian, Laura and I made the owner's night. In face , she ran low on beer and closed shop early, forcing us to move on to El Paraiso (co nrinue from the square beyo nd Herencia another l 00 yards). Here we feasted on

the best queso fundido in town, a casserole of melted cheese with either chorizo or mushrooms accompanied by hot tortillas and cornishons . Around 1:00 AM we cal led it quits.

I awoke to fog heavier than I have

ever seen , and the routine was broken.

Finally, by 11 :00 AM the truck left. I was desperate to get to Valle, so after gaining the romine 1,5 00 ' over launch I headed straight for the pass between Sr. Augustin and Kamakate. In my altimdeand-exciremenr-induced stupor I had forgotten paragliding 101 - aim for the high points. My mountain-climbing in stincts had taken over, where you aim for the pass and then follow the ridge.

Down I wenr. I wasn't going to cross over the tree-covered pass so I headed right toward the high field about 500 vertical feet above and 1,000 yards to the Valle side of the Penitas LZ. I saw rhe road and wires and was determined to clear the Penitas and make the LZ. My ride depended on ir. I soon entered sink and so did my spirits. Then I flew into , and unfortunately through, a thermal , so my spirits sunk and rose like the NASDAQ during the fall of 2000. I hit a rotor and finally chat was ir. I was goin g to land, so I picked a nice spot at

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28

PARAGLIDING

the end of the field closes t to the Penitas LZ. Upo n landing, six kids ran up to m e, wanting to pack my w ing. T he going rate is 50 cents per kid, but because of the whea t and light thi ckets I didn't want to risk ir and declined .

After packing my wing I headed downfield coward a hopeful trail (rhe nifi os h ad warned m e about getting los t) . My mountaineering instincts prevailed, and 25 minutes and two burr-slides lacer on the steep trail and I was by the road.

Finally the truck cam e and cook m e back to Valle.

After flying I wandered coward the warerfronr, and there were local campesinos with horses to rent to visit the local waterfalls. The h orses cos t about five dollars per h our and the round trip cakes up to three hours . O ther non-flyin g activities avail able at the waterfrorn include water-skii ng (ab our $4 0 per h our fo r the boat and skis) and sailing (a bo ut $50 to rent a sun fis h for two hours). Ocher more affordable activiti es include a visit to the local migrating m on arch burrerfl y sanctuary. Take a taxi (about fi ve dollars) coward Toluca and ask to be left at the pullout by th e big field wh ere the horses han g our. Ir's about 10 miles from the cown. Go on a weekend when horses are there sin ce their owners doubl e as guides, otherwise, the hike is about an hour and rhe way is poo rly m arked. Just foll ow the trail up (always go up) and if yo u arrive at any totally fl at intersections go right, otherwise go up . T he mon arch butterflies hang out on spruce rrees about 1,000 ve rrical feet above the h orse corral. There is also a larg-

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Dexter Clearwater and the author standing on the El Penon launch.

er reserve near Ascuncion. You should take a bus to get there. Near Ascunsion there are also hot springs. It might be worth sneaking into the castle-like hotel on the waterfront about 200 yards from the LZ. Inside you will find clean restrooms, showers, a hot tub and a heated indoor swimming pool. The castle faces the lake and offers beautiful sunset views.

A few hundred yards from the castle (a.k.a. Miramar) are several floating boathouse restaurants. They are pretty cool and I have seen them elsewhere, most recently in Guayacuil, Ecuador.

Each boat offers similar cuisine, however, the lakeside views vary. The one we ate on, the Bolsa Flotante, was the closest to the setting sun (the food was mediocre). I recommend the Bolsa as a must-visit at least to enjoy the sunset while sipping a tropical drink Otherwise, the Botana, across from the Alas de Hombre, offers great chicken and cheese sandwiches and a nice smoked trout salad (ensalada de trucha ahumada, for four dollars). If you are

30

really hungry try the antijitos mexicanos (Mexican sampler) at the restaurant across the street from the boats and on the corner of the street going uptown. It is on the second floor and has a nice view of the water.

On our way back to the town square we noticed a large procession. It was a parade and the participants were carrying various representations of Christ.

Every 20 yards or so a Christ statue would pass, usually carried by four to eight devotees. Apparently it was the Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Although the procession was interesting it was not spectacular. Later that evening everyone gathered by the uptown Cathedral. We stopped at the market along the way and sampled local favorites, including pasole and my favorite, tamales verdes.

Once by the cathedral we met many other visiting pilots from all over the world. Around 11:00 PM the fireworks started, and rocket remains came sailing down toward us and passed two feet

from my face, only because I moved out of the way. The festival seemed a bit like New Year's Eve, with many revelers drunk and fireworks lighting the sky. I felt it appropriate that I make a wish, as the next day would be my last in Valle.

Just before midnight a four-story pyromaniac's dream, a pyro-house, went up in smoke. Wheels started spinning and the fire light changed from a chicken to a horse to an Indian chief. One wheel on the pyro-house would light, and then as it ended it would light another, working all the way to the chimney. Once the chimney wheel finished, more fireworks went off. The church bells were ringing as an errant rocket flew into the bell-tower and sprayed sparks all over the tower boys.

I woke up the following morning thinking that this was it. This was, after all, the "New Year." My flight at El Penon started out very weak, and had I not paid attention I would have sunk out. Patiently working every thermal 1 managed to climb 1,500' over. I repeated this routine a couple of times, hoping the thermals would become stronger. I waited and waited, and didn't want to give up too early because only a few days before I had landed too soon, only to watch one pilot climb through a breaking inversion and make it all the way to Valle. I also didn't want to wait too long because on some days the afternoon wind picks up and tears the thermals apart, weakening them. Timing is everything. Leave too soon and sink out, leave too late and miss the good thermals.

After about an hour I caught a strong thermal that lifted me to 2,000' over launch, and I flew straight toward the first Penita and the famous White Cross. There was little usable lift and I was getting low. I flew over the field, setting up to land and reminding myself to watch out for the electric wire that cuts my favorite field in two. I was sinking at three meters per second and barely moving forward, then I stared moving forward and rising, first at one mis, then at four. This was a big thermal. I started coring it, falling out of it on the back side toward the Penitas. I got 800 feet in about 30 seconds and was now high

PARAGLIDING

enough to fly not only over the second Penita bur toward Karnak.ate. I still wasn't sure if I should follow the thermal down the valley and away from Valle or abandon it. Since I had at least 1,000' AGL I decided to head for Kamakate and flew quickly toward the mountain.

There was no lift as I approached the ridge. Perhaps 1 wasn't high enough over the ridge summit. I was sinking and had to do something.

Unwilling to commit to a lift!ess ridge, I flew back toward the Penitas LZ and set up to land in my favorite field.

My approach was good and I had altitude, so I started to do a 360 but turned into four mis sink. I feared I would not make it around and have to make a downwind landing in a cornfield, so I turned back our of the sink. I had plenty of field, so after a few S-turns I started flying over the field - a piece of cake.

The Virgin of Guadalupe was watching.

Although she didn't grant my wish of making it to Valle she did remind me of the wire. I looked ahead just in time to see it about 50 feet away as I was approaching fast. I made a quick left to fly perpendicular to it and landed just at the edge of the field, unharmed. I look forward to many more days of flying and thank Senorita Guadalupe for looking out for me. Valle de Bravo won't go anywhere, so I can always come back when conditions are better.

During the previous few weeks the conditions had been weak at Valle because remaining moisture from rains meant the ground couldn't heat as much.

The ground air had been heating less than normal so the thermals were weaker. In addition, the air above the ground cools less when it is humid because more FEBRUARY

2001

energy has to escape for this air to cool.

This creates less of a difference between late-morning ground temps and 1,000-meter AGL temps. The summer rains ended late last year, hence the muddy LZ below El Penon. Normally the rain stops in late September, bur last year it didn't stop until about November 20. As the season progresses the conditions get stronger until they are too violent for most paraglider pilots. Starting in early February pilots are discouraged from flying between 1:00 and 4:00 PM. On the flip side, there are stronger thermals and more daylight. By April I paraglider pilots can't fly until the summer rains arrive in June, calming down the thermals. However, this year is a late season, so the drying process is behind schedule. Experienced paraglider pilots may enjoy flyable conditions into midApril this year.

If you are interested in flying this year it is not too late. Affordable pilot packages priced from $399 are available, and include roundtrip transport from Mexico City airport (a two-hour drive), seven nights of accommodations at Hotel Mary, an unlimited six-day local transportation pass to the launches, and retrieval provided by the Paraglider Network. There are more details at www.paraglider.net. I highly recommend going to Valle de Bravo first to get oriented with flying in Mexico. If you are interested in flying elsewhere in Mexico I recommend that you check out www.termica.org or www.paraglider.net.

Most other sites are best visited on Sundays when local pilots will be around to orient you. Finally, there are several Internet cafes in Valle for your convenience. Ill

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31

Winds Less Traveled

GOING DOWN UNDER TO GET UP OVER article and photos by Don Kruse

"Try the Less-traveled sites that are near some well-known sites in Australia and New Zealand. In addition to Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand, try soaring at the 39-mile-Long beach at Waiuko (one hour south ofAukland by car). In addition to Manilla, New South Wales, Australia, try the High Adventure Flight Park at john's River (one hour north ofSydney by plane)."

NEW ZEALAND

0

nee in a while all rhings seem ro magically come rogether ro make for an effonless advenrure rhar is 100% fun. fu a P-3 with roo many sled rides ir was rime for a change from California flying. Since I had previously been in New Zealand for helicopter bungee and from abseiling, ir seemed like a logical place co find new air and new skills. Although headed for Queenscown, I only got as far as Waiuko Beach, less than an hour's drive southwest of the Auckland International Airport.

I hooked up with "Wings and Waves" by e-mail and then met the owner, Reuben Muir, who cordially provided transportation from a downtown Auckland hotel to the soaring site at Waiuko. The site is excellent, especially for novice and intermediare pilots. The LZ is an unobstructed black sand beach 100 yards wide by 39 miles long. A short climb up the 150-foot dunes leads to pleasant green grass launches. A T-shirt is fine for rhe mild Occober weather (rhe seasons are reversed here) and the soaring is almost magical as you soar along the almost endless north-south beach bounded by the Tasman Sea co the west.

There are no hotels in the beach area so Auckland is yo ur best bet for accommodations. The roads are all paved on the 45minme trip ro the beach. The weather seems to vary greatly, as one micro-area will have rain, and a few miles away another area will have brilliam sunshine. Should one encounter temporarily poor flying conditions, Auckland has much ro offer rourists. Auckland is aptly called the "City

32

Lee Scott at North Brother launch, overlook toward Camden Haven (2WD paved road to launch).

PARAGLIDING

of Sails," rhe reason being char nearly everyone has a sailboat of some kind.

Nightlife and restaurants (especially seafood) are great. A recent addition to downtown is the Sky City Casino, and as a stalwart pilot you should have no trouble walking on the clear plastic floor and staring at your feet suspended 1,000 feet above rhe downtown area.

Unfortunately, the Novocel high-rise no longer provides frontal abseiling from the roof Fixed up with harness and boom line, all one had to do was stand on the roof edge, lean forward until perpendicular to the wall (facing the sidewalk), and run down the outside. The new owner of the hotel chain wasn't comfortable with patrons running down rhe outside of the building. Stairs and elevators are now the only options. (But likely the Kiwis will find another high-rise!)

Queenstown on the South Island is perhaps the most popular paragliding alpine site in New Zealand, and seems to be the

primary destination for most U.S. pilots.

Consider, however, an additional side trip to Waiuko for a casual flight at a very, very long beach site with "winds less traveled."

Australia does not seem to be enough.

The magnificent scenery and the great friendships that develop will make any pilot chink about returning as soon as possible. In my case, it was just six weeks lacer char I was again on chat 14-hour flight from California. This time rhe des-

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The pilot cottages are two-bedroom, folly equipped homes located within the 450-acre High Adventure Flight Park.

Bonny Hills soaring site near the village of Laurieton. tination was Port MacQuarie, Australia, a one-hour prop-plane flight north of Sydney. The flying site was High Adventure Flight Park. It had a good website that appealed to my level of flying.

Lee Scott is the owner of the park, which is a 450-acre pastoral paradise complete with two cottages (sleeps about eight pilots) a hangar, classroom, training slopes and kookaburras. (Should you be interested, a kookaburra is a medium-sized, ground-feeding bird that dines on reptiles and snakes. It has weak legs, poor flight dynamics and a large voice. As soon as one bird makes a single statement, tens and even hundreds of other kookaburras chime in to produce a choir of gossipy agreement. Fortunately, the din subsides after a minute or so, then it will be calm until the next piece of gossip is heard.)

I booked into Lee Scott's High Adventure for about a week. He offered a packaged deal which included a cottage, transportation and instruction. I soon learned why pilots "live in" at the flight park. The activity level is astounding. As early as 7:30 AM an ultralight or a cable winch is operating to quickly lift novice hang glider pilots up for training flights.

Paraglider pilots, meanwhile, are attending classroom sessions or kiting. Time is not wasted with exhausting hikes with your glider. Each day is filled with a maximum of actual flying time. At about 10:30 AM pilots fill the two 4 x 4's (gear in a tow trailer) and head out to any or all of

34

A view from the porch ofone ofthe pilot cottages at High Adventure. the nearby flying sites.

My first experience was at Middle Brother Mountain (about 1,800 feet vertical). When I saw the ramp launch jutting off the cliff I began to think about possible excuses for not flying that day. Since P-1 's were launching, this P-3 didn't have much choice. Upon launch I was concerned about not clearing the 150-foot eucalyptus forest so I headed straight for the LZ. Lee came on the radio and said, "Count l, 2, 3, look right, shift weight right, pull brake right, and hold!" I was doing my first real thermal climb at about 500 feet per minute. I was concentrating on the horizon and trying to keep an eye out for other pilots. I then glanced downward.

Unbelievable! The landscape had shrunk and I couldn't even locate my launch site.

This was no sled ride like I was used to.

This was flying!

After landing about 45 minutes later I asked, "Why did I get into a big thermal when everything out there is green?" Lee answered, "It's not a matter of color, mate; it's all about temperatures." On most days the thermals are about 200-500 fpm, but up to 1,000 fpm on good days. Best height gains are in the spring at around 7,000 feet AGL, and the ideal flying months are September until April. It is the variety of sites that makes this area unique.

There are least 15 sites within a 20-mile radius.

Another alpine site in this area is North Brother Mountain, and it very likely offers some of the most beautiful flying to be found anywhere. Every direction that you scan, you experience awesome scenery - carved mountains, long PARAGLIDING

beaches, lakes, eucalyptus forests, green pastures and a winding river. Although the LZ can't be seen from launch, just ridge soar, thermal for a while and then head out for the river, then follow it upstream toward Taylor's Lake and there it is, a lush LZ! At about 4:00 I'M it's back to the flight park for more classroom work or kiting.

So, it's typically an eight-hour day filled with flying and instruction, with a minimum of unproductive time. Although the cottages have fully equipped kitchens, pilots head our to nearby Laurieton ( l 5 km away). The local restaurants are excellent and pub life is an Australian experience you don't want to miss.

When instruction is a weeklong "immersion process," progress is rapid. On their fifth day, new pilots were competent in thermals, and at soaring, cliff launches and the Australian reverse. Given the current exchange rate, it is very likely that a prospective pilot could train at High Adventure and get new gear (including the air fare) for about the same price as just the gear and training in the U.S. So, the trip and vacation would be essentially free and you'd acquire your ratings more quickly.

Lee Scott has been an instructor in Australia for 20 years and will pass along wisdom and tips that can greatly benefit a pilot of any experience level.

So, for fun, variety and really spectacular scenery, you might want to consider High Adventure (on the east coast, midway between Sydney and Brisbane). The Manilla site (featured in the November 2000 issue of Paragliding magazine) is inland to the northwest in the same general area as High Adventure. A plan might be to take a plane from Sydney to the Pon MacQuarie area, rent a car, enjoy the local sites, then make a round-trip drive over to Manilla (thermal and active flying skills permitting). On your return to High Adventure to dust off your wing you will likely want to stay there a while longer for "the winds less traveled."

CONTACT INFORMATION AUSTRALIA (Laurieton/Port MacQuarie/ John's River area)

High Adventure Flight Park - Contact Lee Scott, www.highadventure.com.au. Near

FEBRUARY

2001

The 39-mile-long Waiuko Beach on the Tasman Sea - south view ftom launch.

The Waiuko site with broad, unobstructed black sand beaches - north view ftom launch.

Laurieton, New South Wales, 370 km north of Sydney. (A one-hour flight on Qanras to Port MacQuarie or a four-hour drive. You can also take a bus or train from Sydney International Airport.) Note: Manilla is about 275-krn drive (three hours) northwest of Laurieton.

NEW ZEALAND (Auckland/Waiku area) Wings and Waves - Contact Reuben Muir, www.wings-waves@xtra.co.nz, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand. 111111

35

THERMALS -

PART II

Thermaling Technique

by Will Gadd, illustrations by Tex Forrest y favorite part of flying is undoubtedly thermaling. In fact, thermaling may be my favorite thing to do in life.

There's nothing like hooking a sharpedged, positive ripper of a thermal and riding it upward for a couple of miles. My least favorite part of flying is also thermaling, those days when everyone else goes up flying straight and you hit the deck like a dropped park bench, repeatedly. On those days you're glad you landed alone so no one else can hear you scream. The following is my latest "thermaling system." I hope it helps you develop yours.

M

THERMAL THEORY A little more thermal theory is useful to understand how to fly them. I believe that thermals close to the ground are often quite small and relatively violent. As they rise they tend to smooth out and expand.

Pressure also tends to influence thermal formation. High-pressure days tend to produce smaller, sharp-edged, "punchy" thermals. Lower-pressure days can produce very strong thermals, obviously, but they tend to have mellower edges and be larger m size.

The day's lapse rate also influences thermal strength. A hot day with a very strong lapse rate will produce stronger thermals. Think of a very warm piece of air rising out of a collector on a day with a strong difference in air temperatures between the ground and, say, 5,000 feet above it. A thermal will rise quite quickly in this situation. An inversion is the opposite, and not surprisingly, thermals usually stop or at least slow down at inversions.

The above factors (and hundreds more, but this is a start) give each day its thermal "profile." If you launch on a clear, blue day (indicating high pressure) with a good lapse rate (you checked the day's soundings), you might expect sharp-edged, strong thermals. If, however, the sky is filled with soft cumuli and looks somewhat

36

hazy due to moisture, you might expect softer thermals. The first thermal of the day provides some good clues about what's happening. If it rips you upward and all you have to do to stay in it all the way to base is turn a bit, then you're off to a good start. If it's small and difficult to stay in, and it ends abruptly 1,000 feet later and you can't take it any higher, then you know the day will be more difficult. I make a mental note of three important characteristics of each thermal I use during the day.

What is my average climb rate? Not the spikes, but the true climb rate as expressed by a 20-second average? How high do I get before it totally falls apart, and are there any altitudes that seem tricky to keep climbing through? And, finally, what is the size and drift of the circles I'm making?

The climb rate tells you what to expect as the day progresses. Climb rates tend to improve until late in the day, and thermal size also tends to increase as the day wears on (sink too, unfortunately). If you're getting solid 600-fpm climbs, it's probably not worth stopping in 100 fpm on a glide unless you're low (anything going up when you're low is great). The peak thermal altitude is also useful. If you are getting to 6,000 feet AGL consistently but a strong thermal suddenly "stops" at 4,000 feet AGL, you've probably lost it and should search for it. However, if the thermal stops at 5,800 feet it's most likely done and time to go on glide. Remember that the peak altitude of the thermals should increase as the day progresses. On good days in Texas it's not uncommon to see thermals in the morning only reach 4,000 feet AGL, then 6,000 at noon, 10,000 at 2:00 PM, and 14,000 at 5:00 PM. This progression is generally less dramatic in the mountains but still observable.

Finally, the size and drift of your circles at various altitudes also tells you what to expect on the next climb, as does information on wind speeds aloft. This tells you

at what angle your thermal will be flowing from a collector so you can intersect that line. (Note: Very strong thermals will have no problem pushing the wind around them like a bridge abutment in a river.)

COORDINATED CIRCLES, NOT SWINGS Okay, so you're flying along and your vario starts beeping with the good noises. What

to do? First, did your glider surge forward or fall back behind you just before the

beeps? If it went behind you you're probably dealing with a "gust." Wait to see if the beeping continues or goes back to sink. If it's a thermal and the beeping increases, turn. I don't worry too much about which direction. If one side of the glider is notice-

PARAGLIDING

ably more pressurized or higher above you, lean meaningfully in that direction and pull on the brake smoothly. How much pull? Higher pressures in your glider indicate a stronger thermal, meaning you can pull harder. However, the most common mistake in thermaling is to pull too aggressively on the inside brake. When you do this your body tends to swing to the outside of your turn in a small wingover, then your body swings back under the glider, you lose the turn and fly straight out of the thermal. Many pilots then crank another wild-ass turn to try and get back into the thermal. I flew this way for about five years before figuring it out.

What you want to do is fly in a "coordinated," banked turn. This is like riding a bicycle; you and the bike are at the correct bank angle for your speed and the sharpness of the turn.

One of the most

common problems pi ots have is maintaining a consistent circle while thermaling. I expect you know what I mean. The correct technique is to start a turn with a smooth, controlled lean and simultaneous, progressive, inside-brake application. The glider will bank up, your body will follow it, and due to centrifugal force you will continue

FEBRUARY 2001

· and how your butt feels in the seat, not to stay outside of the glider's circle and smoothly ride the thermal up. Jerking the just the vario beeping (these are critical brake instead of applying smooth, increasclues). Listen to the noise in your ears as ing pressure will just swing you to the outwell; with practice, you can actually hear side of the glider, then you'll swing back the different air flows as you fly through under it and repeat. The glider will also lift or sink. If you can't hear the air, get a new helmet. At some point in your circle remain over your head in a true coordinateverything will add up to the best lift as ed turn. If it falls behind you, reduce brake. If it threatens to surge in front of defined by your vario, wing pressure and you, apply a quick correction while mainlift under your butt. If you're flying a coortaining your lean and turn. dinated 360 it's relatively easy to develop a mental map of where the best lift is in If you can't figure out what I mean, pull on one brake sharply and release it. each 360. Don't worry about the ground, You'll swing out from your glider, then but where you encounter the best lift back under it, usually with an oscillation within each circle. Try to develop a "menor two as a bonus. Then try leaning hard tal map" of what's happening in each 360. for a second or two and go back to neutral To fly toward better lift, maintain a lean. You'll swing out to the side of your coordinated turn, reduce the bank slightly glider then back under it, but not as much. as you come back around the 360 and move the center of your circle over a little Now smoothly lean, pull gently and progressively on the brake and hold it. You'll bit toward where you got the best lift. enter a gentle spiral dive or circle - same Never stop circling. Once in the best lift, thing. This is what you want. tighten the circle up slightly while main· Airspeed and bank angle are directly taining a coordinated turn. Perhaps you'll related. The higher the bank angle, the get solid lift during half the turn and general sink during the other half, so move more airspeed you need to keep the turn coordinated (think of a spiral dive). The the circle in the direction of the best lift lower the bank angle, the less airspeed again. Now you'll get solid lift during you'll feel on your face. Thermals are three-quarters of the turn and less lift durseldom perfectly consistent, and this ing one quarter. Move it again. Now you'll means that you will have to continually be climbing solidly for the full revolution adjust your brake and lean to maintain a of your turn at +400 fpm average, with coordinated turn. If your airspeed starts one portion of the circle going up at +600 decreasing and the glider levels out, lean a and another at +200. If you weren't in a little more, let up on the outside brake a coordinated turn, and most pilots aren't, little bit and increase your airspeed and chis would probably be due to the oscillabank angle. If your airspeed increases sudtions inherent in chermaling in an uncoordenly, lean a little less, pull a bit more on dinated turn, and you would not have a the outside brake and maintain your bank clue what's actually going on. But you angle. If you can learn how to thermal in a know to thermal in a coordinated manner, coordinated bank then you are well on so you move your circle toward the +600 and eventually lock in a perfect 1,000-fpm your way to thermaling efficiently. climb all the way to base. Irregular thermals may give irregular "instantaneous" CENTERING: THE MENTAL MAP readings on your vario, so focus on getting So, your vario is beeping like mad. How the best average climb rate chat you can. long do you wait before turning? If the day's thermals are small and you're low, Hang gliders and sailplanes can use all start turning immediately after you're sure kinds of funky ovals and figure-eights to you've hit something (not just a gust). get better average climbs, but I have found Rules of thumb about waiting two secthat paragliders climb best flying coordinated, continuously adjusted circles (or onds, etc., are meaningless in my experience. You've found lift, so initiate a straight if the thermal is big enough). smooth, banked turn and see what hapCIRCLE SIZE AND BANK ANGLE pens. If you climb really well for a quarter circle and then start sinking, open your cir- I find chat I thermal with 30 to 45 or more degrees of bank on days with small, cle up a little bit in the direction you strong thermals, 15 to 30 on lower-presfound the best lift, then tighten as the lift sure days and almost flat on days with increases. Notice the pressure in your wing

37

- - - - - - - - - - - - ./ often hear pilots say, "Dude, I light, wide thermals. Bank angle extremes got 2,000 fpm today!" They are

vary from almost vertical in dust devils to flying straight and Bat while climbing like almost invariably referring to mad under a big cloud. Somewhere between these two extremes is the correct .the lift spikes and not their true angle for your thermal on a given day.

Every glider responds differently to brake rate ofclimb. The only pliice in force and the amount oflean; what works for one pilot on his glider usually has little the world I've seen true 2, 000or nothing to do with what will work for you. However, every glider will circle in a fpm climbs is the Owens Valley coordinated manner, and the feeling is unmistakable once you get it. in July.

Here are a few scenarios to help pick bank angles for thermaling. Say you're flying along in -600 fpm and suddenly you're range of gliders), but there is a correct screaming up at +800. You turn, then go amount of brake to pull and lean to maindown at -400, so you move your circle tain a coordinated turn. It's like riding a bike; no one can tell you how to do it, but toward the +800 but can't lock it in despite continually recentering your circle. You you stay upright when it works. I generally probably need a higher bank angle and thermal with roughly twice the amount of smaller circle. If you're very low in a small brake pressure on the inside brake than the thermal you may only be able to get half a outside, and adjust my turn primarily with turn in. Do your best to just improve how lean and the outside brake. You will probamuch of each circle you spend in lift and bly do it differently, but you need to know you'll lock it in eventually as you climb. a good coordinated turn when you're in one.

Another scenario: You're flying along Don't change in -600 and your sink rate starts to decrease smoothly to zero sink, then +200, then directions when +300. I would keep flying straight until the thermaling, espelift starts to decrease, then initiate a relatively gentle bank and center on the best average climb rate. A relatively gradual, consistent rise in your climb rate is a sign of a large thermal. Often you can find very strong cores in large thermals that will offer much /;: ~ ..._ ~:Jff;, 7·~ higher rates of r (- ;J ........ ,., (.. ~ climb, but in gen- f;:!' ,,../ __ ; / I' . . .,,.4;,.,.r( ., era!, the larger the ~:-:;__( .-::_ ~! ·~ - ~;. J..-6:,~:_- · thermal, the less ,;::,_.,./ bank angle the better to maximize your i @! 1 cially when low. There are three climb rate. Some bank angle is usually \ good reasons for this. First, chang1· , ing directions messes up your coordigood; a glider won't turn in a coordinated circle without it, but you can By in a ? .'/f nated turn and you have to By straight coordinated turn with equal brake using (~ \ for some time between turns, which lean. Watch a good pilot By and you usually takes you away from the lift (all can tell that he is often controlling the directions but one lead away from the glider primarily with lean and modest {, ; lift). Second, you lose your mental "map" adjustments to the outside brake. , · 1 of where the' best part of your circle was.

There is no correct number of ) 'Ihird, the direction change will cause pounds to pull on your brakes 7 your vario to beep in all kinds of interestwhile thermaling, or distance to ( ·I ing but non-helpful ways. It is almost pull them down (one-quarter } / always better to simply move your circle brake is meaningless across a toward the better lift than try to switch

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38

--

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directions and By toward it.

If you're having a hard time maintaining a coordinated turn, try flying a bit faster. Use more lean and less inside and outside brake. Many pilots try to By a perfectly Bat circle. In truly massive lift this works well, and your glider may have its best sink rate with a fair amount of bral<:e on. However, I find that flying a bit faster with a mild bank often enables me to lock into the thermal's best lift. Don't confuse what works well while ridge soaring with what works best while thermaling; it's a very different game.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU LOSE THE LIFT First, know if you're at the top of the thermal or not. If every thermal so far has ended at 6,000 feet AGL and you're at 5,700, forget about it and go on glide. But if you're climbing well at 3,000 feet AGL and lose the thermal, it's time to go into search mode. If there's any wind at all, the thermal is probably either directly down or upwind of you. The first thing to do is expand the size of your circle and pay attention to your mental map. If you were climbing at +200 fpm and then start sinking at -600 on the upwind portion of the 360, open the circle up downwind. If the sink improves to -400 and then -200, move it even more downwind. If nothing good happens, try moving upwind. Again, an improvement in sink is as relevant as finding more lift, so work toward the areas of lesser sink.

In addition, pay attention to your ground speed. It will generally increase as you follow the air Bowing into a thermal, but decrease if you're bucking the wind Bowing into a thermal when flying away from it. (Remember that thermals, especially when low, pull or entrain air into them.) IfI'm low on windy days I tend to fall out the upwind edge of the thermal. If I'm high on a windy day I tend to fall out the downwind edge of the thermal. I have no idea why, but chat's how it works.

I've seldom encountered thermals that are smooth cylinders from the ground to base. The trick is to follow your vario, wing and seat pressure up in the best lift with continual, gentle adjustments to your coordinated circle.

PARAGLIDING

MORE CLUES FOR BETTER THERMALING If the outside of your wing loses pressure suddenly and ruffles or takes a mild collapse, you've just found a relative difference in lift. Perhaps you're in +600 and your outside wing just hit some +50. You want to move your circle away from the area where you just took the turbulence and move toward the better lift. If you're thermaling in a gaggle and see someone take an outside wing deflation ahead of you in the circle, it's probably worth tightening your circle away from that area and then opening it slightly to fly toward the better lift, tightening the circle as you encounter better lift. Most pilots tend to fly the "pattern" in a thermal rather than really watching the climb rates of the other gliders. If everyone climbs better in one half of their circle than the other, move your circle toward the better lift; you'll climb above the other gliders quite quickly using this tactic. If someone is out-climbing you off to one side, move your circle toward them. There's no heroism in climbing slowly by yourself.

If you see the glider in front of you in a gaggle start climbing like mad, you may want to start tightening your circle immediately so you are at a higher bank angle as you hit the rising air and can "grab" more of it. Fly the thermal, not the other pilots.

Look for pollen, plastic bags, bugs and other debris in your thermal. Birds in general and swifts in particular will almost always be in the best part of a thermal, so follow them immediately. Swifts and other small birds seem to eat the bugs that are drawn into thermals. If you see a group of them swarming upward, jump in with them even if doing so requires a short glide.

Because thermals are pulling air into them, trash often automatically centers itself in a thermal. I've climbed thousands of feet in the company of newspapers or other debris.

Some days produce thermals that seem to want to spit you out, and most of the time I've found that this is due to flying with too large a circle. Think of a spout of water shooting upward. If you stick your wing into the center and keep your circle within the column, you'll go up. But find the edge and you'll lose pressure on the outside of your wing. This creates drag, you lose your bank angle and tend to get "pulled" out to the side.

Try flying with your vario turned off.

Chris Muller and many other top pilots often fly long distances without their varios! I don't want to get too esoteric here, but how your glider feels in lift becomes clear if you focus on the dues. Turning your vario off forces you to pay attention to what's really happening with your glider in different currents of air. I've learned a lot in the last year by playing this game, especially in gaggles where I can watch other gliders.

The smoothest air is often right in the core of a strong thermal, and your glider will be more pressurized and stable if you are flying at a higher bank angle. IfI'm climbing quite fast, I know that the edge of the thermal is likely to be quite turbulent.

I've never flown away from a very strong thermal since I know I'll hit turbulence

doing so. The best thing you can do is Jock into the core and take it to base.

The most extreme variations between sink and lift tend to be below 500 feet off the deck. You're flying along in 600 down and suddenly you're ripping at 1,000 up, then falling out of the sky again. However, the best true average climb rates tend to be higher in the thermal until it cools to the point where it won't give you any more lift.

I often see spikes of over 1,500 fpm low to the ground on days when I can't get more than 600-fpm climbs on the 20-second averager. A thermal's real climb rate is what you can get out of it on the averager, not the "spikes." I often hear pilots say, "Dude, I got 2,000 fpm today!" They are almost invariably referring to the lift spikes and not their true rate of climb. The only place in the world where I've seen true 2,000fpm climbs is the Owens Valley in July, but crank a hard, uncoordinated turn and you can easily create your own 1,000+ fpm "thermal" as your vario swings up and beeps happily. This is a lie, but many pilots will believe it and keep creating their own thermals with wild turns when there is nothing.

Finally, all of the above is just my own theory based on sailplane books, conversations with other pilots and personal experience. What really matters is your own theory. Question it and refine it continuously for best results. If someone out-climbs you in a thermal it may be due to his glider, but it's much more likely that he did something you didn't. Don't curse yourself as he ascends faster. Instead, try to figure out why. Is he using larger circles or smaller?

Did he move his circle into better lift and you didn't follow? I don't believe that anyone is born a better pilot than anyone else, but some pilots do think about what they are doing and try to do better. I look forward to trying to do better this season, and wish everyone the best of luck! And, in the end, the best pilot is the one who is having the most

fun.

Will Gadd will be running X-C clinics across the United States and Canada this summer. Check gravsports.com for a schedule or contact him at gadd@gravsports.com if you're interested. • FEBR

39

ay Leonard suggested the beauty of the jungles and rivers of Brazil as a breathtaking backdrop . Steve insisted on snow-capped mountains and Nancy wanted the entire flying site to be on an island.

Jeff wanted bald eagles off each wing.

Everyone agreed that the sire should be easily accessible to North America with low-cost food and entertainment, hospi rable locals, and plenty of other activities in the event that the weather wasn't perfect. Of course, 250 hours a month of sunshine were essential.

Everyone laughed when Bill added, "I want a 50-pound salmon in every river, perfect thermals, trumpeter swans above and bears and cougars below. I want 20 feet of packed powder in the winter so I can launch on skis and a mountaintop pinnacle char faces every direction so that prevailing winds mean nothing. " After a couple of hours of good-natured kidding we all went home and forgot abour our imaginary flying sire. I should say, we just thought it was imaginary.

Last Christmas I read an article about a ski slope on a Vancouver Island off the coast of Seattle, Washington. It probably wouldn't have caught my attention except for the reference to trumpeter swans, salmon in every river, bears, eagles, cougars, 25 feet of packed powder in the winter and 250 hours of monthly sunshine in the summer and 15 hours of daylight.

What particularly caught my attention was the fact that they boasted a quad chair that they keep open all summer to cater to hikers and campers. Because I knew very little ', about Vancouver Island, British Co lumbia, I decided to phone Mount Washington.

There were just too many coincidental elements in the article for me to ignore the possibilities.

I didn't really expect much, having been verbally assaulted by numerous U.S. ski-slope managers who haven't yet figured out that our sport is much less dangerous that the one that reduced Sonny and Cher to Cher. Fortunately, as it rums out, Canada is not yet under the total control of lawyers. Common sense still takes precedent over victim-hood and frivolous liability suits.

I was immediately invited to their mountain for the purpose of conducting a feasibility study concerning the hang gliding and paragliding poternial. I was so

R

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PARAGLIDING

stunned by their cordial attitude that I planned an immediate trip to Vancouver Island. Its proximiry to Seattle made the rrek easy. I packed up my dependable Atlas and Solomon Snow Runners and headed for an island char sounded eerily reminiscent of the perfect sire we had once jokingly envisioned.

Now, I'm no air-hog adrenaline junkie

FEBRUARY

2001

who has to pull big ears at 18 ,000 feet because I'm hyporhermic and my radio's dead . If I see anything char resembles a cloud within 50 miles I bag my chute and go watch Oprah. I'm just a 51-year-old weekend warrior whom Scott Johnson persuaded to upgrade from a Quantum to an Edel Arias last summer. I don't even hare sled rides as long as I can get in 10 in one

day thanks to a ski lift. I do have a few hundred hours under my belt and have learned to pick sires with cross-country and chermaling potential. I also couldn't resist rhe temptation to fly a site char has never been flown for an appreciative audience of ski-patrol folks who are excited about che sport.

The other great thing about flying a

41

brand new site with observers who haven't a clue about paragliding is that if you decide not to launch for any reason at all, you can dazzle everyone with a rash of meteorological stuff and create the illusion that you're a prudent judge of lethal conditions.

From the time I arrived at Mount Washington on Vancouver Island until I left, I was treated like royalty. In fact, they are so excited about opening the mountain to pilots that this spring Ray Leonard will conduct a Novice clinic for some 25 ski patrol and lodge employees. After giving the locals time to practice, Ray will return to conduct a tandem clinic for those who choose to provide flights for tourists. They will continue to keep the quad lifts open all summer which is ideal for paragliding and hang gliding.

Having been blessed to fly each of the following places, I can give you a realistic picture of this mountain. It's as if God took a chunk of the Swiss Alps and placed them in the center of the southern island

42

of New Zealand, then added the lush vegetation of central Brazil and picked up the entire island and set it 20 minutes off the coast of Seattle.

The multiple-summit launches face every direction and there are LZ's as far as the eye can see. The locals are extremely open and receptive to our sport, and a two-bedroom condo at the finest resort in the entire area is under $80 per night (U.S.). From Tanya Smith, Director of Public Relations, to Mark Paganelli, Nordic Supervisor, everyone went out of their way to make me feel welcome. Peter Gibson, General Manager of the entire mountain, is a prince of a guy. Best of all, if the flying isn't perfect, trophy fishing, white-water rafting, mountain biking, ocean kayaking among killer whales, and many other activities are all within a few minutes of the mountain. Bald eagles are everywhere, and it makes sense to carry pepper spray in the back woods given the vast number of bears and cougars that

roam the wilderness.

I'll be up there flying this summer with our Canadian buddies and would love company. You can take a virtual tour of the mountain by visiting www.mtwashington.bc.ca or call Tanya at (250) 338-1386.

It might sound as though I'm on their payroll, but the simple truth is, I'm not. I am, however, fed up with pompous U.S. ski-lift managers who deny us the right to fly. I'm equally tired of hour-long drives up fire trails in order to occasionally catch enough lift to stay aloft for half an hour, or running off ridges and flying back and forth over the same terrain, blowing whistles in order to avoid the traffic of radio-controlled airplanes. And, if I sink out, I want to be able to land 20 steps from a quad chair.

I used to think I had found the perfect site. First it was in Brazil, then Switzerland, but now I'm convinced that the ultimate site is in British Columbia. So, come on up! You be the judge. • PARAGLIDING

PARACLIDINC ADVISORY: Used paraglidcrs should always be thoroughly inspected before flying for the first time. If in doubt, many paragliding businesses will be happy to give an objective opinion on the condition of equipment you bring them to inspect. BUYERS SHOULD SELECT EQUIPMENT THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SKILL LEVEL OR RATING. NEW PILOTS SHOULD SEEK PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION FROM A USHGA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR.

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Begin with _ _ _ _ _ _ 19_ _ issue and run for _____ consecutive issue(s). My O check, O money order is enclosed in the amount of$ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ NAME: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ADDRESS: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ CITY: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _STATE: _ _ __ PHONE: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

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SUNSPORTS PARAGLIDING - Hood River, Oregon. Beginner lessons, tandem flights, advanced instruction, consignment sales. Mark Telep, P4, Basic Instructor, Tandem Instrucror; Rick Higgins, Master rated pilot, Advanced Instructor, Tandem Administrator. (541) 387-2112, SunSportsPG@ao1.com

info@kittyhawk.com TEXAS HILL COUNTRY PARAGLIDING INC - Learn complete pilot skills. Personalized USHGA certified training, ridge soaring, foot & tow launching in central Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. (915) 3791185. 1475 CR 220, Tow TX 78672.

• New and Improved • Water/Dust Resistant Push Burton • Field Replaceable Finger Switch • Heavier Gauge Wire/Improved Plugs • Increased Strain Relief at ALL Joints Price $1 I 9.95. Extra finger switch$ I 9.95 w/purchase.

Dealer inquiries welcome. Call (913) 268-7946.

MC/Visa. Visit our website at www.flightconn.com

KITE ENTERPRISES - Foot launch, payout winch tow and powered paraglider instruction too. Training, sales, rentals and repair. Edel, Airwave, Wills Wing, UP and DK Whisper. Dallas, Forr Worth and north Texas area. 211 Ellis, Allen TX 75002. (972) 390-9090 nights, weekends. www.kite-enterprises.com OREGON UTAH CLOUD 9 SOARING CENTER - The nation's largest paragliding shop and school. Open for LESSONS, REPAIRS, SALES year round. Next to world famous l'oinr of the Mountain. www.paragliders.com. 1-888-944-5433 or stop by at 12665 S. Minuteman Drive #1, Draper UT 94020.

VIRGINIA OVER THE HILL PARAGLIDING/POWEREDPG - Oregon/SW Washington. Sales, Service, beg-adv USHGA certified solo/tandem instruction. NOVA, FIREBIRD, GIN, OZONE, Wills Wing (SWING) FLYTEC, HIGH ENERGY SPORTS. Reserve parachute specialists. Authorized exclusive area dealer for the amazing new MINIPLANE POWEREDPG! We have great towing and motoring sites close in! Full service shop/rigging facility. Out of state pilots: Call us for free local advice & info on our great coastal, tl1ermal, and Gorge sites. There is NO SALES TAX to ANY customer buying in or from Oregon. New & used gear. Trades welcome. VISA/MC/AMEX 22865 S.E. Yellowhammer Gresham OR 97080 503667-4557 Toll free: 888-215-1442 email: orhpara@spiritone.com Web: overthehi11parag1iding.com

Renew your membership online!

FEBRUARY

2001

KITTY HA WK KITES -

See North Carolina.

HANWAG FLY 2000 BOOTS - The finest paragliding boot available! Protect your ankles in style with this state-of-the-art boot. Hanwag is the choice for paraglider pilots wanting the very best in quality and value. Order at www.flyaboveall.com or call (805) 9653733.

WASHINGTON DIXON'S AIRPLAY PARAGLIDING Please see our classified ad under Arizona. www.paraglide.com PARTS & ACCESSORIES CLOUD 9 SOARING CENTER- The nation's premier repair facility. Bill "Bad Bones" Anderson and the staff at Cloud 9 will take care of any repairs, reserve repacks, harness boo-boos or annual inspections. 1800-475-1504, 12665 S. Minuteman Dr. #I, Draper UT 84020.

Sell your unused equipment here.

HAVE EXTRA EQUIPMENT - That you don't know what to do with. Advertise in the Paragliding classifieds, $.50 per word, $5 minimum. Call USHGA for details (719) 632-8300, ushga@ushga.org or fax your ad with a Visa/MC, fax (719) 632-6417.

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

45

PUBLICATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

Windsok. Made of 1.5 oz. ripstop nylon, UV treated, 5'4" long w/11" throat. Available colors fluorescent pink/yellow or fluorescent pink/whire. $39.95 (+$4.75 S/H). Send to USHGA Windsok, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330, (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417. VISA/MC accepted.

MINI VARIO-· World's smallest, simplest vario!

Clips to helmet or chinstrap. 200 hours on batteries, 018,000 ft., fast response and 2 year warranty. Great for hang gliding too. ONLY $169. Mallettec, PO Box 15756, Santa Ana CA, 92735. (714) 966-1240, www.mallettec.com MC/Visa accepted.

UVEX helmets are the best and are now on sale for only $21 5, you save up ro $1 1O! Check out htrp://www.fun2fly.com/news.hrm or call 206-3209010 for more info.

PARAGLIDING: THE COMPLETE GUIDE - By Noel Whittall. The most complete guide to paragliding on the market. Over 100 color pborographs & illustrations, 200 pages, $26.95 +$4.75 s/h. USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. (719) 632-8300, fax your MC/Visa to (719) 632-6417. Our most populat book 1

~///PEOGt,~~fr~N The best hang gliding video series in the world!

WEATHER TO FLY, CB300 STARTING PARAGLIDING, CB100A

CH

~£L£j\5£5(

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Contact us

6°:t:,::;,,

TURNING POINT IN ALPINE THERMALL/NG PARAGLIDING, THE FREE FLIGHT C D - R ~

Ph./FAX 775-747-0175 vgitefor ORDER: via Web Site. Email.

Phone/FAX. or Postal with Credit Card. Check or Money Order.

, it otJJ' we ·aeog/ 1/Jg r ""eat 1'l

otn6 ~-

ADVE~:!25!..-:Paul Hamilton

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

Check out the weather info at www.wea.thertofly.com

':::~t:r; www.adventurep.com

ttfiLL AIRSPEED INDICATOR/WIND METER HAND-HELD WIND METER Monitor changing wind conditions. Responsive to slightest variation in wind velocity.

AIRSPEED INDICATOR Use with optional PATENTED paraglider mounting bracket.

Maximize your performance and skill.

RUGGED & ACCURATE: Molded of super tough LEXAN ® resin. stainless steel rod. Cal/brat/on traceable to National Institute of standards and Technology.

SJ:,?eei :.p. Omptu"r ...750.krO/h

Alrspiai~ lndtcate>r1$.2~;SO Poro ~lder Brocket $0;50

Hall Brothers, P.O. Box 1010-P, Morgan, UT 84050, USA Mastercarcl/VISA/C.0.D. Phone (801) 829-3232 Fax (801) 829-6349, hal1bros@carthlink.net

46

PARAGLIDING

PARAGLIDING: From Beginner to XC - By Sollom/Cook. A great addition to your paragliding library. Wonderful XC tips. See Steve Rori's review in the March/April 2000 Paragliding. Over 120 pages with superior illustrations & color photographs, $29.95 +$4.75 slh. USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 8090 I. (719) 632-8300, fax your MC/Visa to (719) 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) 392-1177.

TOWING SPECTRA 12 -- Braided tow line $0.18 per foot Minimum 1,200 feet. (702) 260-7950, www.virtualhosts.net/hang.h tm

Europe's most dramatic mountains. Also features comments 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 launches. 30 min $29.95.

FLY HARD: Viking Films newest release. Rob Whittall, Chris Santacroce & a vintage Buick convertible full of paragliders. Outrageous flying at several west coast flying sites. Meet HG aerobatics champion Mitch McAleer along the way. Excellent rock soundtrack, professionally filmed & edited, 35 minutes $35.95.

PARAGLIDE: THE MOVIE by Viking Films. Rockn-roll 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 slh (+$5 for two or more videos). Great to impress your friends or for those socked-in days.

FEBRUARY

2001

GIN BOLERO - XL Stolen in the MEDFORDWHITE CITY, OR area in August, 2000. Fuchsia color, has damage in center/leading edge, and/or patch, generally in poor shape. Also: XL Pro-Design "Jam" harness, med. High Energy Quantum reserve, Charley "Insider" helmet XL white, Flytec 40 IO vario, Alinco DJ-191 2-Meter radio. Contact Kevin Lee (541) 9551737, thermaltracker@bigfoot.com "AMERICAN FLAG" PARAGLIDER - Lost by Fed-X, identical to the one Scott Alan is flying in the inside back cover Paraborne display ad. (407) 9359912, scott@paraborne.com FLIGHT DESIGN S2VT - Two paragliders lost by the US postal service, shipped from CALIFORNIA to HAWAII parcel post on August 19th, 1999. One large w/purple top, one medium w/orange top. Lois Hulmes (530) 542-4937.

MISCELLANEOUS 50% OFF - On over 2000 hotels and discount cruises, airfare, car rental discounts. Info, call 1-800-6421202 ext 3612, fax on demand 1-800-642-1202 doc# 3612, http://www.hotelsetc.com/d/3612.htm VIDEOS, BOOKS & APPAREL - Call USHGA for your Merchandise order form (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417, email: ushga@ushga.org, www.ushga.org DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN THE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS.

STOLEN WINGS are listed as a service to USHGA members. There is no charge for this service and lost and found wings or equipment may be called in (719) 632-8300, faxed in (719) 632-6417, or emailed ushga@ushga.org 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 ........................... 46

VIDEOS

BALI HIGH, by Sea to Sky Productions. An exotic paragliding adventure on the island of Bali, Indonesia.

Great flying footage. 38 min $29.95.

WEATHER TO FLY, by Adventure Productions. A much needed insrrucrional/educarional video on micromereorology. Dixon White, Master pilot and USHGA Examiner, rakes you through a simple stcpby-srep process showing where to acquire weather data and how to interpret ir. For pilots of any aircraft. Learn about regional & local influences and how to determine winds aloft and stability. "Weather To Fly" 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% HG, 50% PG. Discover techniques to tame the elusive alpine thermal. Beautiful footage set against

STOLEN WINGS & THINGS

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES The rate for classified advertising is $.50 per word (or group of characters) and $1.00 per word for bold or all caps.

Phone number=2 words, PO Box=2 words, weight range i.e. 137-185lbs=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" X2.25". Please underline words to be in bold print. Special layouts of tabs are $25.00 per column inch. AD DEADLINES: February 20th is the deadline for the April issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA. Send to: PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE, Classified Advertising, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330 (719) 632-8300 or fax (719) 632-6417, email jjelgart@ushga.org with your Visa or MasterCard.

Aerolight USA. ....................................... 46 Apco ................................................ 5,7,l l Critter Mountain Wear .......................... 15 Flight Design ......................................... 29 Flytec ....................................................... 9 Hall Brothers ......................................... 46 Mojo's Gear ........................................... 33 Paraglider Network ................................ 27 Pro-Design ............................................... 8 Sport Aviation Publications ................... .29 Sun Valley Fly-In ................................... 28

Our advertisers appreciate your support and patronage. Tell them you saw their ad in

Paragliding.

Super Fly, Inc ........................ 2,Back Cover Thermal Tracker .................................... 31 Torrey Pines Gliderport .................... 33,41 USHGA ....................................... 13,23,27 Vision Quest .......................................... 25 Wills Wing ............................................. 21

47