USHGA Paragliding Vol12/Iss3 March 2001

PARAGLIDING• MARCH 2001

COMP. LIMES

INCIDENT REPORTS

UPDATE

THE SEGOND MIUEN,NlUM GUP artidt andn,hoto$ byJosl.i Cohn

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PRESIDENT'S CORNER

by R.ffCristtfl

FLUN'G 0 :FF ll:IE END OE THE MAP

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

S0ARING DUMONT

COVER: Jeff Cristo/ and Judah Kuper flying in Nepal. See story on page 24. Photo by Brett Schreckengost.

VJDE© J«VIEW: J.lAM.GCIDER- GROUND l:IaNDLING AND nm A.Rn OF KrFtNG

by Tb""m Htirpole

'blSO:.A]Mlill OF W'A~U:S IN PUJlUO\..

llONS: 111e mate11al presented,hti;e iS published as Po/t ef fill information cli$o. semAnatl@ sezylce f(>t OSH~A rnemhers. lhe WSHGAI rnak:~ no wl!'.rr~nties or reprnsematio.lils aJ1d il~Qtnel) no lta!}iH'ly <::05cen).!1'& the valiclilJ of any advi,.ce, opinion or rtcom.ri1enclation tjp/esse<l 1n tbe material All in;di,<idm1 ls

rdpng upoo the matetja( do so at their own ristc. ·e opyri~t'@2001 1.Ji1ited State;:$ Hang.$1Hling,As$n. 1 In~ .All .rights reserved to J!aragliding a1~c;t intijvjduat contribu1ots.

MARCH

2001

3

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 SeNices, njhinsley@ushga.org

USI-/CA

and Executive Committee:

David Glover, President, david@davidglover.com Mark Ferguson, Vice President, mark@ballvarios.com Russ Locke, Secretary,russlocke@juno.com

Bill Bolosky, Treasurer, bolosky@microsoft.com REGION 1: Bill Bolosky, Mark Forbes. REGION 2: Jamie Shelden, Ray Leonard, Scott Casparian. REGION 3: David Jebb, John Greynald, Gregg Lawless. REGION 4: Mark Ferguson, Jim Zeiset. REGION 5: Frank Gillette.

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

REGION 8: Doug Sharpe. REGION 9: Randy Leggett, Geoff Mumford, Felipe Amunategui. REGION 10: David Glover, Matt Taber. REGION 11: Kent Robinson.

REGION 12: Paul Voight. DIRECTORS AT LARGE: Jan Johnson, Dennis Pagen, Russ Locke, Steve l<roop, Aaron Swepston. HONORARY DIRECTORS: Geoff Mumford, J.C. Brown, John Borton, Paul Rikert, Eel Pitman, G.W. Meadows, Bob Hannah, John Harris, Larry Sanderson (SSA), Dave Broyles, Gene Matthews, !<en Brown, Rob Kells, Liz Sharp, Dan Johnson. EXOFFICIO DIRECTORS: Art Greenfield (NAA).

The States Hang Gliding Association Inc. is an air sports organization affiliated with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which is the official representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), of the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA, which represents the U.S. at 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: GilDoclgen@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 St«tcs Hang Gliding Association, Inc., 219 W. Colorado Ave., Suite 104, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 (719) 632-8300. FAX (719) 632-6417. PERIODICAL POSTAGE is paid at Colorado Springs, CO and at additional mailing offices.

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

MARCH

2001

VOLlJME

SITE PRESERVATION HELP NEEDED Dear Editor, The San Diego Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (SDHGPA) needs your help. The club is trying to secure permission to land foot-launched gliders in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park where it is currently illegal to do so.

Laguna Mountain is one of the premier cross-country sites in Southern California.

The SDHGPA has a permit to launch at Kwaaymii Point (Upper Laguna). We also have informal permission from a few private landowners to land in the Mason Valley and the San Felipe Valley. However, this will change in the ve1y near future. Our LZ's are in jeopardy.

The state of California is aggressively expanding the Anza Borrego Desert State Park by purchasing large parcels of land from private landowners, including those owners who used to give us permission to land on their properry. The park has already purchased land at the Scissors intersection, and it is now illegal to land there. We recently learned that the Banner LZ property is for sale and is a possible park acquisition. If this land becomes part of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park we will lose our ability to land at Banner.

Fortunately, the Anza Borrego Desert State Park is now in the process of writing its general plan. This plan will guide the use of the park for the next several decades. In order to secure designated landing zones in the general plan we must lobby the plan authors.

The SDHGPA has already formally requested that a provision be incorporated into the park's general plan which would allow footlaunched, non-motorized gliders to land in designated non-wilderness portions of the park. Park officials have made it clear that they are unlikely to approve our request without a significant show of public support.

Here's how you can help: We have a sample form letter on our website that you can simply download and send or use as a model for your own letter. (feel free to write your own letter, as a personal letter is preferable.)

Please visit the official website of the SDHGPA at members.home.net/falcon I 70.

In addition, it would be great if you e-mailed the park as well as sent a personal

12,

lSSIJE

#3

letter. They'll probably count each of them independently! You can also enlist your friends and family and have them send letters as well. The park e-mail address is anzagp@parks.ca.gov.

The number-one indicator of public support is a personal letter. If we are to preserve our ability to fly cross-country we need eve1y available pilot to send a letter of support.

Please take a few moments to help your sport and your friends.

Lisa Iulianelli, Esq. President, SDHGPA

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE Dear Editor, I've been chinking about some stuff for a few months now, and instead of just letting it atrophy in my brain (God only knows I have precious few functioning neurons left to waste on rotting thoughts), it seems high time to put fingers to keys.

If I had to sum up the gist of this letter it would be entitled something like, "Why do we do what we do?" But such a summary would imply that actual coherent text would follow, and I would hate to mislead anyone with such an obvious ruse.

In writing this I have decided to do something suspect, namely, withholding my name.

The problem is that ifI do use my name all those pilots who know me will just chink, "Oh, chat's just so-and-so, and he's probably just scared himself," or some ocher rationalization for dealing with (i.e., denying) these words. In addition, I chink there are several pilots just like me at most hills. With any luck you are all going to be wondering if you know the person writing this, and maybe, just maybe, take these words a little more seriously. So, for purposes of chis text, let's just call me Zippy the Pinhead, or Zippy for short.

I have been flying for several years, enough to spout the standard rote about seeing friends and acquaintances die (fortunately for me only, most have been more acquaintances than friends). I am a P3 but don't imagine it would be all chat hard to get my P4, except I don't really have any motivation to do so.

But here's the problem. Starting a couple

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

~1 (02/00)

RELEASE, WAIVER AND ASSUMPTION Of 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 THE SPORTand/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System). If Pilotis under 18 years of age, the term "SPORTS INJURIES"means personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or finandal injury sustained by Pilot as well as personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilots 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's proficiency rating(s); c) Each of the hang gliding and/or paragliding organizations which are chapters of the USHGA; d) The United States Of America and each of the city(ies), town(s), county(ies), State(s) and/or other political subdivisions or governmental agencies within whose jurisdictions Pilotlaunches, flies and/or lands; e) Each of the property owners on or over whose property Pi/otmay launch, fly and/or land; D All persons involved, in any manner, in the sports of hang gliding and/or paragliding at the site(s) where Pilot PARTICIPATES IN THE SPORl "Ail 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) Ali other persons lawfully present at the site(s) during Pilot's PARTICIPATION IN 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, Iwiil 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. SEVERABULITY. 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 I am the parent or legal guardian of Pilot and am making this agreement on behalf of myself and Pilot If I am the parent or legal guardian of Pilot, I AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND REIMBURSE the REI.EASED PARTIES for their defense and indemnity from any claim or liability in the event that ~lot suffers SPORTS INJURIES as a result of Pilot's 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 IN PART BY THE ACTION, INACTION, OR NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASED PARTIES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW. I have read, understand, and agree to the above RELEASE, WAIVER AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT. Adult Pilots Ji{nature

Date

Ji{natureQ/!'!lot'; Parent or letzl Guardian ifl'llot under 18yearJ ofil1e.

Ozte

MMR 12-97

BIGGE

of years ago I found myself doing increasingly questionable things, such as launching into sustained winds that were within one or two mph of the top speed of my glider, or launching when the prevailing wind was from a direction that is well !mown to produce rotor.

In spite of two accidents early on in my paragliding career, none of these questionable flights have resulted in anything more than being a little scared. I have always landed exactly where I wanted to (except for X-C excursions which are a different ball of wax) and without mishap. (Ironically, the two accidents I had were during my "cautious" phase.)

To mal<e matters worse, the local pilots have fallen into this game of actually encouraging me to launch. The wind will be honking up the slope, nobody is launching, and up I will walk, glider bunched in hand, and get something al<in to a hearty, "Uh oh, here comes Zippy, everybody stand back!" All this served to do was boost my already inflated ego. I'd be thinking stuff like, 'TU show those wusses." But chis kind of behavior is exactly what we are not supposed to do, that is, don't be the wind dummy. Nevertheless, because I had managed to pull it off so many times, and because of the encouragement (no matter how indirect), off I would go, time after time, the first one off the hill.

But wait. It gets worse! A few years ago I started getting into spiral dives. It started with being in a bad situation (huge cloud suck) in which big ears were about as effective as a can of Lysol in a waste treatment plant. I ended up cranking a big spiral, and after managing to pull out of the thing without dying, found myself wanting to do more and more of them. I wasn't happy unless I could peg my vario' s maximum rate of descent. Of course, this led to wingovers, the bigger the better. If the inside tips didn't blow off it wasn't big enough.

So now all I can think about is learning the SAT. The whole thing is absolurely ludicrous. I push the envelope, get comfortable where I am, and then need to push it further to get the same rush I did before the last push. If a shrink were observing this behavior I'm sure he would call it something like "self destructive behavior," "addictive personality," or "compulsive risk-need fulfillment." And I'm

MARCH

2001

not a stupid person. I can see this stuff myself, but in spite of it all I keep flying and continue to push the envelope!

And the thing is, I can see the roots of this behavior in many of the people I fly with. We all seem to have this drive to keep getting better. But what does that mean? If all it meant were improving our launches, landing approaches and judgment, "getting better" would be a good thing. But that's not what I see. Getting better appears to mean a willingness to fly in ever-more-questionable conditions, bigger thermals, higher winds, possible rotor, on scarier gliders, etc.

The problem is that I don't really know what to do about it. There appears to be something in my psyche that is behind this behavior, and I think this problem is shared by the majority of pilots. The pilors I !mow form an incredibly diverse group: low to vety high incomes, all kinds of careers, all ages, all kinds of personalities, etc. I used ro think the common thread that united us was the desire to fly like a bird, as free as possible, simply experiencing flight in the purest way we could achieve. But now I am beginning to think that fulfilling this type of yearning is not possible without that bad-psyche component (let's just call it Pilot Psyche, or PP). The two appear to be coupled.

So here's the bottom line. I think that most of you likely suffer from PP to some degree or another (hopefully to a lesser extent than I). But most of us appear to enjoy our time on this planet and are not in any hurry to see it end. So just be aware of this PP thing. If you want to do aero, try to indulge that desire over water (with a life jacket and rescue boat). Ask yourself what you are gaining by launching into that thermonuclear prevailing wind. Do you really need that extra X-C so bad that it's worth trying to turn in that ratty thermal 100 or 200 feet off the deck? Do you really need a DHV 2-3 or 3?

I know that all this stuff has been said before in various ways, but what we have really is the coolest sport on the planet (at least in our eyes). And I like you guys! So it's entirely within my rights to be selfish by making this tiny attempt to keep us all alive just a little longer.

Zippy

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TRUii! COMFORT All of our paragliding packs have multiple suspension adjustment points to fine-tune the fit. Also included are comfortable padded foam shoulder straps and hip belts - just like hiking and climbing packs.

INNOVATIVII! Dll!SDGN We have analyzed each feature and every function to make sure the packs are practical without excessive "bells and whistles." True innovation is in the details.

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7

Tastes are induvidual !

CALL FOR ARTICLES

I

n an ongoing attempt to improve the qualiry of Paragliding magazine, we are looking for authors to write for our publication.

Topics of all kinds are of interest: flying stories, flying sires, how-co, technical, gliders and equipment, competition, record setting, pilot profiles, you name it. The most important ropic of all, however, is getting more airtime!

Don't worry if you are nor a wtally eloquent writer; our editorial staff is here to help. You may contact the editor at (949) 888-7363 or GilDodgen@aol.com.

NEW BOOK: THE ART OF PARAGLIDING

S

Humans are individuals. Colour and des ign have always expre ssed individualism . You have furnished your flat individually, your c ar has a personal note . Th e n why do you still fly a paragli d er with the same design as all the others? PRO-DESIGN offers you

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PRO-DESIGN , Larchenweg 33, A- 6 161 Natters in Tirol Tel: +43 (0)512-54 64 44, Fax: +43 (0)512 -54 64 45 -20 E-mail: offi ce@pro-design.at, www.pro.design.at

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pore Aviation Publications is excited co announce the release of a new book entitled The Art of Paragliding on March 1, 2001 (subtitle: Learning Paragliding for Beginner co Intermediate Pilots).

Authored by Dennis Pagen , this book is rhe fruit of 10 years of practice and two years of intensive research on rhe latest paragliding techniques in the U.S. and other countries.

Top instructors (including D ixon White of Air Play, 1999 Inscrucror of the Year) participated in making this manual rhe most complete and up-to-dace on the market.

Besides actual flying skills and scep-bystep training it covers equipment, safe procedures, how paragliders work, and launching and landing in two special chapters. The material is enhanced with Safery Tips, Pro Tips, and special Caution notes where necessary. Quotes and srories from world-class pilots are also included. There is a total of 13 chapters divided into three pans: Beginner, N ovice and Intermediate levels. This book follows the recommended USHGA teaching methods and is designed to be readily used as a training manual.

The Art ofParagliding is in a large 8-1 /2" x 11 " format for ease of use and clariry of figures. There are 248 illustrations and 81 photographs which greatly enhance understanding. The book has 374 pages and a four-color cover. The book covers ground handling, learning judgment, history of paragliding, equipment concerns, perfecting turns, avoiding dangers, flying in wind, troubleshooting

common mistakes, parachute insights, learning to soar, thermal lore, flight rules, performance factors, USHGA rating guide, weather for paragliding, emergency procedures, and much more.

Whether you are new to the sport, wish to review your skills or want to learn about the latest techniques and equipment, The Art ofParagliding will provide many insights into paragliding that pilots of all levels can find nowhere else. This book is the most extensive ever compiled on the subject. Its comprehensive and well-organized outline makes it easy to use as a reference book.

The Art ofParagliding retails for $34.95 .

Ir is available at dealers (incuding USHGA) or send $34.95 (plus $5.50 shipping) to Sport Aviation Publications, P.O. Box 43, Spring Mills, PA 16875, cel./fax: (814) 4220589, pagenbks@lazerlink.com. More information and an order form are available at www.lazerlink.com/ ~pagenbks.

FLYTEC'S NEW ALTI-KNIFE

F

lytec USA is pleased to introduce the new Flyrec/Vicrorinox altimeter pocketknife. Flyrec, the manufacturer of state-ofthe-art aviation electronics has reamed up with Victorinox, the world's leading pocketknife manufacturer, to produce the new A!tiKnife. The AltiKnife will display al ti rude in chree-foo t mcrements up to 18,000 feet (6,000 meters) and will display temperatures between 0° F and 140° F (-20° C to 60° C).

The knife features are: large blade, small blade, corkscrew, can opener, combination/ three-mm flat and #2/3 Philips screwdriver, six-mm screwdriver, cap lifter, wire stripper, reamer/punch, scissors, key ring, multi-purpose hook, sewing eye, tooth pick, eyeglass screwdriver, altimeter in feet or meters, temperature in F and C The Alti-Knife carries a two-year warranry on electronics and a lifetime warranry on material and workmanship.

For more information on the Alri-Knife contact: Flytec USA, 1-800-662-2449, or (352) 429-8600, fax (352) 332-8611 ,

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GARMIN ETRE:X LEGEND AND VISTA armin International, the leading manufacturer of navigation electronics, is pleased to announce two new additions to the eTrex line. Like their predecessors, the new eTrex Legend and Vista are among the industry's smallest GPS handhelds. Packaged in waterproof cases, these new handhelds have a powerful new feature set. In addition to a 12-channel GPS receiver, the Legend and Vista boast a new high-resolution, 160 x 288 pixel display, new innovative joystick for quick and accurate map panning, and eight megabytes of built-in memory for uploading increased street-level map detail.

With the eTrex Legend, Garmin has loaded a full basemap of North and South America into one small unit. The basemap contains lakes, rivers, cities, interstates, national and state highways, railroads and coastlines. The eTrex Legend is also equipped with additional memory totaling eight megabytes. The added memory allows the eTrex Legend to accept downloaded map data from Garmin's entire line of MapSource CD-ROM's. The eTrex Legend comes in a brightly-colored translucent blue case that really makes the unit stand out.

The eTrex Vista combines a basemap of North and South America with a Flytec barometric altimeter and electronic compass.

The compass provides bearing information while you're standing still and the altimeter determines your precise altitude. The eTrex Vista also boasts an internal memory capacity of eight megabytes, which allows it to accept downloaded mapping data from Garmin's MapSource CD-RO M's. A silver case gives this unit a high-tech look.

Some of the noteworthy features of the Vista and the Legend are: 12-channel receiver (differential ready), built-in basemap of North and South America, high-resolution display with 160 x 288 pixels, convenient rocker switch allows for quick panning, enter and selection functions, up tol6-hour battery life using 2AA, permanent user data storage (no memory batteries required), 500 user waypoints, automatic 3,000-point crack log, submersible construction, compact size (4.4" H x 2.0" W x 1.2" D), eight megabytes of internal memory, ability to

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download additional information from MapSource line of CD-RO M's.

Additional features of the eTrex Vista: electronic compass, barometric pressure altimeter, automatic 12-hour pressure barogram and display, display of current elevation (one-foot increments), total ascent, average ascent and descent rates, graphic elevation trend display (two minutes to two hours), ascent/descent rate, max and min altitude.

The eTrex Legend and Vista will prove to be invaluable tools for the serious outdoorsmen and pilots alike. For more information on these exciting new GPS units as well as the complete Garmin recreation, marine and aviation line contact: Flytec USA, 1-800662-2449, or (352) 429-8600, fax (352) 332-8611, info@flytec.com.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PARAGLIDING

D ocky Mountain 1'.Paragliding school of Colorado proudly opens its doors as Colorado's premier paragliding school. With more than 30 years of experience, the Rocky Mountain Paragliding team is focused to make you a safer, more confident pilot. Their certified instructors offer lessons starting with radiocontrolled beginner lessons in the gentle foothills of Boulder, Colorado up through and including intermediate and advanced courses emphasizing skills for the transition to high-altitude mountain and cross-country flying. They offer almost all brands of equipment, tandem instruction, tow ratings, service and repairs. Call (303) 579-9971 or visit their website at rmparagliding.com.

WORLD MICROLIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS COMING THIS JUNE - U.S. TEAM PPG SLOT OPEN

T

he World Microlight Championships will take place this June 23 to July 1 in southern Spain during the Second World Air Games, and the U.S. Team is looking for a powered-paraglider (PPG) pilot to complete the team roster.

This Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAl)-sanctioned event includes the highest level microlight competition in the world for five classes including single- and two-seat fixed wing and weight shift (trikes) and powered paragliders (PPG's). Over 100 microlight pilots from more than 20 countries are expected to compete. More information about the Games can be found at: http://www. wag200 l .org/FrameMainO l .htm.

The PPG Championships will take the form of a new and exciting type of mobile event starting at the World Air Games microlight site at Beas de Segura and ending on the beach at Sanlucar de Barremeda. A highlight of the championship will be a task inside the Olympic stadium in Seville!

In principle the competition will fly a navigation task every morning to a new competition site 30 to 50 km distant. This means that teams must be equipped and sufficiently manned to manage this move on the ground. The organization will not transport pilot equipment. A local task may be flown in the late morning or early afternoon and a precision task for the entertainment of the media and local people will be flown each evening.

A detailed "fly book" containing information about all the flying sites, hotels and other facilities near them will be produced well in advance of the event.

There are three types of tasks: Precision - Rewards a pilot's skill in handling his machine in tasks such as clean takeoff and precision landing, "fast-slow," and the famous slalom task which can be very spectacular. Scores 33% of the total score.

Economy- Rewards a pilot's skill in speed and fuel management in flights up to 100 km which can last many hours. Scores 33% of the total score.

Navigation - Free or set flights following marked goals on the ground, estimating times and speed in some complex combinations. Flights may be up to 100 km in length. Scores 33% of the total score.

This is a great opportunity to represent our country and gain international flying experience with the best PPG pilots in the world. And, of course, there are the charms of southern Spain - beautiful countryside, delicious cuisine and friendly people.

PARAGLIDING

Selection to the team entitles team members to funds devoted to help defray personal expenses for the trip. Fundraising for the team through the World Team Fund drive has so far raised $4,000 out of a planned $ l0,000 with five months to go. Money from the Fund is disbursed, as available, to the Team upon receipt of evidence of direct expenses incurred by the Team in the travel to, and participation in, World Microlight Championships or World Air Games.

Funds are equally divided between classes. If more than one pilot elects to enter a class, a process will be established to rank the pilots with the highest-ranking pilot receiving the most funding.

To be considered for selection to the U.S. Team, contact the U.S. Ultralight Association (USUA) for an application. By mail: U.S. Microlight Team, c/o USUA, P.O. Box 667, Frederick, MD 21705, e-mail: tomusua@aol.com, tel: (301) 6959100.

NEW VIDEO: A HIGHER CALLING

A new cross-country adventure film is .!"\now available from Dawn Treader Productions. A Higher Calling is the story of six paraglider pilots whose goal is to fly cross-country together through Western Nepal. However, this journey's curious beginnings lie half a world away on the steep, cold slopes of Alaska. A Higher Calling recently won the People's Choice Award at the Ban ff Mountain Film Festival and is currently touring with the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Check out www.banffcentre.ab.ca for tour dates and locations. The film is 45 minutes long and is available on VHS from www.dawntreaderfilms.com. (See the terrific article in this issue of the magazine. - Ed.) SEATTLE AEROBATTLE VIDEO

B

ig Vision Productions is pleased to present the new digitally mastered video, Seattle Aerobattle, North America's paragliding aerobatics championship. Join worldclass pilots as they compete in the ultimate showdown of spectacular aerobatic routines over the safety of a lake. Marvel at the energy of extreme aerial maneuvers beyond the cutting edge of the sport, including controlled change of heading during spins and l\l(ARCH

2001

stalls, asymmetric spirals and loops. Witness a successful reserve parachute deployment when a competitor's maneuver goes awry.

Set to high-energy music, this video is a surreal play of color, sound and mind-bending moves that will take you higher. Contact: www.iparaglide.com.

IPARAGLIDE.COM NEWS

P

aragliding is now officially on-line. Our North American adventure tours, toplevel instruction and videos are designed to take you to the cutting edge and beyond.

We offer state-of:.the-art paraglider brands including Airwave, Firebird, Gin, Ozone and XIX, available through fast, safe, on-line shopping with worldwide delivery to your door. Contact: www.iparaglide.com.

APCO SIMBA

T

he Simba was designed to replace Apco Bagheera, and the goal was a glider that would have performance comparable to or better than the best open-class competition gliders without compromising safety. DHV 2/Performance Class was imperative. The Simba is now certified and successfully met these design goals .

Performance compared to the Bagheera includes: top speed five km/h higher, trim speed two km/h higher, LID half a point better (especially at higher speeds).

Handling: more direct and immediate, better-coordinated turns, bigger margin for negative spin/deep stall/full stall. Safety: DHV 2, trim and accelerated/ACPULS Performance Class. Design features include: main and partial diagonal rib structure (unique Apco design), full diagonal rib structure on C-lines (further reducing footage of C/D lines), higher aspect ratio, integrated minimal-drag hook-up points (unique to Apco), compression line brake arrangement (unique to Apco), split C-riser, updated planform.

It is available in four sizes: XS, S, M and L. Standard and competition versions are also available. A Simba flown by Chris Muller of Canada recently won the PrePWC open class in Mexico, beating all the hot protos and top competition gliders flown by the world's best pilots.

Contact: Aerolight USA, (305) 6393330, info@aerolight.com, www.aerolight.com.

SHGA MERCHANDISE ORDER FORM

CALENDARS

ERICE

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USHGA 2001 HANG GLIDING CALENDAR-We have a few left. *CLEARANCE* (reg. 10.95). 1/b $5.00

$_ __

PUBLICATIONS ,~THE ART OF PARAGLIDING by Dennis Pagen *NEW*. Covers ALL aspects. 274 pgs .... .... 3/b ,~TOWING ALOFT by Dennis Pagen/Bill Bryden. Covers ALL aspects of towing. 372 pgs_ .. .... 3/b ti-PARAGLIDING-THE COMPLETE GUIDE by Noel Whittall. Comprehensive, color. 200 pgs ... 2/b UNDERSTANDING THE SKY by D. Pagen. THE most complete book on micrometerology .... ... 2/b PARAGLIDING-A PILOT'S TRAINING MANUAL by M.Meier/Wills Wing. Covers all aspects .... 2/b ACCESS & THE GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT by B. Moorman.. .2lb A RISK MGMT MANUAL by M. Robertson. Includes Charts/Reliability. Become a better pilot' .. tlb FLIGHT LOG BOOK The Official USHGA flight log book. 40 pages. Log those flights! .... 2oz CERTIFICATION BOOKLETS Document your skill level sign-offs. Specify PG or HG. . ..... 2oz

$34.95 $29.95 $26.95 $24.95 $19.95 $19.95 $ 9.95 $ 2.95 $ 1.95

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

$29.95 $39.95 $35.95 $29.95 $19.95 $35.95 $35.95 $34.95 $33.00

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

VIDEOS ti-BALI HIGH An exotic PG adventure on the island of Bali, Indonesia. (38 min). .. .... 1lb ,~WEATHER TO FLY Dixon White educates us on this very important subject. (50 min) .... ...... 1/b o"cTURNING POINT PG & HG Tame the elusive alpine thermal. Beautiful Euro footage.(24 min) tlb ti-STARTING PARAGLIDING Covers the basics of your first flights. (30min)....... .. ...... 1lb MASTERS AT CLOUDBASE A paragliding music video, set to hard hitting music. (20 min) ....... 1lb FlY HARD Rob Whittal & C. Santacroce paraglide the westcoast. Rock soundtrack. (36 min) ... 1/b PG: THE MOVIE Owen's Valley world competition. Hot action, rockin' soundtrack. (40 min) .... .. 1lb CLOUDBASE PARAGLIDING Great intro. video. Meet the hot pilots, fly the hot sites. (36 min) .1lb HAWAIIAN Fl YIN' HG & PG in Paradise. Amazing launches & awesome scenery! (46 min) ...... 1lb All our videos are in USA/VHS NTSC format only

MISC. WINDSOK™ 1.5 oz. ripstop nylon, 5'4" long w/11" throat. Pink/yellow or pink/white (circle one) .. 2/b $39.95 ZING WING Flying toy. Launch it skyward and watch is soar. .................................................... 8oz $ 2.50 WINDSEEKER Hang glider flying model. It loops & soars. Lots of fun to fly, you'll want two ...... 8oz $ 3.00 LICENSE PLATE FRAME Chrome plated. I'd Rather Be Paragliding ............... ...... 1lb $ 6.50 PAYMENT must be included with your order.

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Send to: Name_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ USHGA#_ _ _ _ _ Phone_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Street Address (if possible) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

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

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR AWESOME APPAREL AT WWW.USHGA.ORG

by Dixon White f you find yourself needing further explanations of terms and concepts there's a good chance it was covered in one of the previous articles. You can order back issues from the USHGA or you can find them reprinted on the website www.paraglide.com.

Remind yourself prior to every flight that you want to work on skills that may be weak.

Big ears, speed bar, flying one-handed and getting in and out of your seat are skills that all "novice" pilots should be ve1y comfortable performing. More "advanced" pilots who have completed training in wingovers, spirals, symmetric folds, asymmetric folds and B-line stalls should consider practicing these skills when conditions and altitude allow. By working on your weak skills in soft atmospheric conditions you'll be able to perform them more easily when you' re under duress in a stressful situation. If you've forgotten these skills, or lack confidence, be sure to seek supervision from a qualified instructor before flying in strong conditions. Having only done big ears or B-line stalls a couple of times a year ago while at a clinic isn't good enough.

Take advantage of altitude and smooth conditions, and give eve1y skill at least 30 tries over the course of a number of flights.

These skills arc a ve1y real part of being a competent pilot and you shouldn't be flying in anything but simple conditions without them. We've seen novice pilots who aren't comfortable doing big ears or using their speed bars launch in ve1y dynamic air. This is not appropriate. Dynamic air should be flown by more advanced pilots, and real advanced pilots should be proficient in the use ofB-1ine stalls, spirals, wingovers and pilot-induced symmetric and asymmetric folds, in addition to the skills mentioned above for novice pilots.

An initial skill that's a must for a novice pilot is flying one-handed. Letting go of your brakes to get into your seat, to find the speed bar or to take a photo is very risky and should be avoided with determination. Flying onehanded allows the pilot some surge and roll control if the atmosphere suddenly gets thrilling - chis is very important. Have your instructor show you in a simulator how to bring your control toggles (a.k.a. the "brakes") together in front of your face on the inside of the risers. Don't reach around the

I

MARCH

2001

outside of your risers as your arms will be restricted in movement. If you have taken a wrap on the brake line you should let it go prior to putting both brakes in one hand. Put the brakes in your dominate hand, or in the hand chat's on the side of your reserve handle.

If you have a front-mounted reserve, either hand can hold both brake toggles. The reason for using your reserve-throwing hand for steering one-handed is to avoid an accidental reserve deployment if you reach down to your scat bottom to help pull your seat board under your legs. Flying one-handed Feels strange at first, as you need to actually pull your hand opposite the direction you wish to turn. Practice making turns while flying onehanded and doing gentle pitch control.

Now that you feel comfortable flying onehanded you'll want to practice getting in and out of your seat. This might seem dumb, but letting go of your brakes or grabbing your risers with both hands to get in or out of your seat might lead to uncontrolled pitch input, and thus possibly an asymmetric fold while near the ground - read accident. (Side note: Many of the full-protection harnesses, which we can't recommend enough, make getting into an upright position a little rough. You must get out of your seat when nearing the ground and be in an upright PLF position so you can land with your feet. Landing on your "bum" is statistically ridiculous! Even though your harness has protection you can still land hard enough to compress a vertebra.)

You'll also want to practice finding your speed bar under the front edge of your seat so that you can quickly get it in place without hesitation. Some pilots fly with a speed stirrup, which can really help with getting in the scat and finding the speed bar, bur you still want to feel comfortable flying one-handed.

Now that you're in your seat you should take a wrap on the brake line. All of the gliders we've seen from the factory have had brake lines that were adjusted to allow for kiting/launching considerations, and were thus a little long, which is just fine. Don't shorten your brakes. By taking a wrap you're giving yourself additional "feel" of the glider and the ability to make more commanding surge-control inputs when needed. When you advance to dynamic air you will find yourself using the full extension of your arms to dampen pitch oscillations. You might as well get used to this skill early on in your development.

The next article will include more skilldevelopment suggestions. II

Oregon XC distance record of 83 miles set

by Rick Higgins on an APCO legra!

• 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.

Large, illuminated display, 40+ memories, 1.5w or Sw transmil output, scan function, lockable keypad, CTCSS encoder standard, DTMF selective call, full featured! SALE S149 to $229.

Dry-cell battery cases (AAx4), PTT's for all brand radios, antennas, etc.

A~IIJl:flf[Piro [lkdr, IKamut This comfortable "One Size Fits All" radio harness instantly adjusts lo hold any radio snugly to your chest.

Features all-Cordura construction, large bellow cargo pocket and pen/antenna pouch. $44.95 IL-we, fffl9'Gu..,_.h9 Solid Cordura construction protects your investent! Fully opens to cover gear or cinches up around unfolded wing, harness, etc., offering protection and portability. Unique "Cinch Closure" design stays cosed! Built in slow bag and shoulder straps. The best quality and design available today!

ld. . .m Hook Knlvu Beautifully crafted aluminum hook knives all feature replaceable stainless steel blades and lightweight construction. Knife pockets available.

4" Single blade design. The best small hook knife available.

4 3/4" Also a single blade design, with snap strap. Incredibly rugged!

The 8" Raptor. The highest quality Hook Knife available today. Light- weight and very strong, the handle is designed lo fit your hand even while wearing heavy gloves.

COMPETITION JULY 3-8: 2001 U.S. Paragliding Nationals and Pre-PWC. Join the countty's best pilots at the premier competition site in the U.S. Register and book accommodations as soon as possible, as entries are limited to 100, and Chelan is ve1y busy on the Fourth of]uly weekend. Contact: josh_cohn@hotmail.com, www.chelanpg.Sk.com.

JULY 5-10: 200 I Red Bull Wings Over Aspen, Aspen, CO The format for this year's event has changed. The Paragliding Cross Country will be replaced with Paragliding Aerobatics.

The competition will feature three disciplines: Paragliding Aerobatics, Hang Gliding Aerobatics and Hang Gliding Speed Run. 15 pilots in each discipline will compete for a $36,000 prize purse. For more information or if you are a top pilot and would like to compete contact: Othar Lawrence at f1y@redbullwings.com or visit www.redbullwings.com.

JULY 28-29: Ojai Comp. Duration event on the 28th, taking off from the Chief and landing in downtown Ojai. Race to goal with turnpoints on the 29th, also from the Chief, landing in Ojai. Contact: Claude at info@f1yoja1.com.

FUN FLYING MAY 5-6: Umpteenth Annual Miller Canyon Fly-In, sponsored by the Southern Arizona Hang Gliding Assn. at the Miller Canyon flying site in the magnificent Huachuca Mountains near Sierra Vista, AZ. Fun contest, trophies and great camping. Add another T-shirt to your collection. Big desert thermals so mountain experience is required. HG and PG. Nearby launches for all wind directions.

Enny fee only $10. Contact: Morey Brown (520) 760-2884, MoreyOOO@aol.com.

CLINICS/MEETINGS/TOURS

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) 526-4579.

THROUGH MAY: SunSports Paragliding Clinics. MARCH 31-APRIL 1: Paragliding Tandem Clinic in Hood River, Oregon with Steve Roti and Rick Higgins, Tandem Administrators. Tl, T2 and T3 ratings to qualified pilots. Contact: Steve Roti, sroti@qwest.net, (503) 284-0998, or Rick Higgins, rsunsports@aol.com, (541) 3872112. APRIL 14-15: Safety & Active Piloting Clinic in Hood River, Oregon with Mark Telep and Rick Higgins. Learn to fly more safely by active piloting and choosing the right weather conditions. Contact: Rick Higgins, (541) 387-2112, or SunSportsPG@aol.com, or Mark Telep, (541) 386-2692, or thatspec@hotmail.com.

APRIL 28-29: Thermal & X-C Clinic in Hood River, Oregon with Mark T clep (Washington State PG X-C record holder of 120 miles) and Rick Higgins (Oregon State PG X-C record holder of 83 miles) Contact: Rick Higgins, (541) 387-2112, or SunSportsPG@aol.com, or Mark Telep, (541) 386-2692, or thatspec@hotmail.com.

MAY 12-13: Safety & Active Piloting Clinic in Hood River, Oregon. Contact info above.

MAY 26-27: Thermal & X-C Clinic in Hood River, Oregon. Contact info above.

THROUGH OCT.: Two-can Fly Paragliding Clinics/Competitions, Point of the Mountain and Utah mountain sites. 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 11 & 11! 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: Two-can Fly Paragliding, 474 East Tonya Drive, Sandy, UT 84070 (801) 5723414 (ph/fax), khudonj@uswest.net, www.twocanfly.com.

THROUGH APRIL: Airplay "beginner class" openings starting Janua1y 6 in Flagstaff, PARAGLIDING

111111

MARCH 26: Airplay "Skill Excellence Clinic" for Novice, Intermediate and Advanced pilots. Skill Excellence Clinic includes 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 his 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, A2 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, rsunsports@aol.com, (541) 387-2112 for details.

APRIL 7-22: Hy Hard, southwestern US. Join iparaglide for a 16-day "Fly Hard" adventure tour through California, Nevada and Arizona.

Tour commences in San Diego, CA and ends in Phoenix, AZ. Fly Torrey Pines, Lake Elsinore, Kagle, Crestline, Horse Canyon, Alternator, Eliminator, Goodsprings, Sloan, Merriam Crater, Sheba Crater. APRIL 16-18:

Three-Day Simulation ofFlight Incidents (SF!) Clinic, Lake Havasu. Learn recovery and prevention techniques for all possible unintentional, non-standard flight occurrences.

Instructors Anne and Enleau O'Connor, top U.S. aerobatic pilots of Seattle Aerobatde fame. For your safety, all clinics conducted over a lake with a rescue boat on standby.

Specialized tow rig. APRIL 28-MAY 13: Fly Hard, central west U.S. 16-day "Fly Hard" adventure tour through California, Nevada and Utah. Commences in San Francisco, CA and ends in Salt Lal<e City, UT. Meet up with top U.S. aerobatic pilots Anne and Enleau O'Connor. Fly at the Dumps, Ed Levin, Herd Peak, Mt. Shasta, Desert Peak, Point of the Mountain, Olympus, Snowbird.

MAY 19-JUNE 3: Fly Hard, northwestern U.S. 16-day "Fly Hard" adventure tour through Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Circuit tour commences and ends in Seattle, WA. Fly Tiger Mountain, Dog Mountain, Silver Star, Snaggletooth, Dalles Mountain Ranch, Peterson's Butte, Ecola State Park, Oceanside, Cape Lookout, Hoover Ridge, MARCH

2001

Pine Mountain, Bachelor Mountain, Black Butte, Grizzly, Mt. Harrison, Water Canyon Flight Park, Cougar Ridge, King Mountain, Big Sourhern Butte, Cliffside, Lake Chelan, Bal<er Lake. AUG. 18-SEPT. 2: Fly Hard, beautiful British Columbia. 16-day "Fly Hard" tour through British Columbia (BC) Canada. Commences in Vancouver, and ends in Calgary. Fly Ipsuit, Mr. Currie, Blackcomb/Whistler, Black Tusk, The Chief, West Lion, Mt. Mackenzie, Mt. Cheam, Mt. Slesee, Grouse Mountain, Mt. Mercer, Mt. Elk, Bridal Falls, Woodside, Anarchist, Blue Grouse, Coopers, King Eddie, Mara Lake, Mt. 7, Mt. Swansea. Contact: www.iparaglide.com.

APRIL 14-15: Paragliding safety clinic in Hood River, Oregon. Contact: Rick Higgins, rsunsports@aol.com, (541) 387-2112 for details.

APRIL 28-29: Thermal/cross-country clinic in Hood River, Oregon. Contact: Rick Higgins, rsunspons@aol.com, (541) 387-2112 for details.

MAY 11-13: Parasoft Paragliding School Tow Cross-Country Clinic. Chris Santacroce and Granger Banks will again coach pilots through the easiest way to go X-C - the flatlands. Last year they coached David Taylor on 36-mile flight into Wyoming, a 31-mile improvement over his previous best. Each day they will call a 5-20 mile X-C task, and with three tow rigs and several chase vehicles the group will head off over the flatlands of northeast Colorado with abundant landing fields. X-C strategies will be taught by Granger and Chris each morning at a complimentary brealctast. Chris will have the latest Gin, Firebird and Ozone gliders to demo.

Details at http:/ I parasofr. boulder. net/XCClinic.html.

MAY 25-28: Memorial Day Demo Days.

Demo gliders, harnesses, helmets, varios and more. Industry experts will give product talks and safety lectures. Pre-registration $45 with T-shirt by May 15, $45 without T-shirt at the event. This year we are going to try for an "old-man's reunion," are collecting vintage paraglider equipment, and hope to have many of the sport's founders. For more info or to register contact: Cloud 9 Soaring Center (SO 1) 576-6460, info@paragliders.com, or mail registration to Cloud 9, 12665 S. Minuteman Dr. #1, Draper, UT 84020.

tf

Percy Remes Grave, local Valle pilot, testflying my Quarx.

The Second Millennium Cup VALLE DE BRAVO, MEXICO - JANUARY 29 TO FEBRUARY 2, 2001

article and photos by josh Cohn

There has been a lot of (perhaps silly) controversy about which was the real turn ofthe millennium. Depending on whom you listen to it was either January 1, 2000 or January 1, 2001. So it is fitting that we get to have the Millennium Cup twice. 've been to three meets in Valle for three years in a row now. The two constants have been the weather and Beatriz Rugai as a key part of the organization. Valle probably owes a large part of its enduring popularity to the weather this time of year, which is amazingly consistent. One leader of tour groups who'd been there for five weeks likened it to the movie Groundhog Day. But taken in smaller doses as an antidote to the U.S. winter, the flying is great fun.

The first Valle meet I went to, organized by Will Gadd, drew the top U.S. pilots of the time and was a good old time.

Last year's Millennium Cup was organized

by Erick Salgado and sponsored by Sol to the tune of $15,000 in prizes. It was fun chasing Chris Muller (first overall) around the sky and lucrative for him and me (as second overall and first serial), though

I

marred by a lingering photo controversy from the first day. You've got to love GPS scoring, which worked beautifully this year.

Unfortunately, Erick wasn't able to get the sponsorship proposal in to Sol in time this year, so there was no prize money. But he says that it will be there next year.

Besides the weather and the organization, the local people and cuisine confirm Valle's reputation as a top winter destination. I waited all year to taste the tortilla soup at El Portal again. Landing out usually draws one to 20 kids out of the woodwork to help you fold up and guide you to town. You can tell how frequented a landing place is by the glider-folding skill of the kids. That's enough uavel writing, on to the competition.

TASKl The first day was the worst. Soon after the

Why?

window opened, Chris Muller was in a tree to the left of launch. All of us on launch as well as some in the air were worried, and some even gave up the task to carry him to the helicopter. It turned out that he had been coring a thermal close to the hill after launching and had fallen out the back side when a tree rudely interrupted his turn. I guess it shows that the unexpected happens to even the best pilots. To add insult to (okay, someone else's) injury, I bombed out just after the first turnpoint. Ronny Helgesen won the 40-km task, with Matt Taggart just behind.

TASK2 This was a 47-km task from the radio towers at the far end of the mesa, to Saucos, to goal at the Torre launch by the lake. The final leg to goal presented a choice between taking a straight line through a wide valley with blue sky or somewhat disintegrating clouds and detouring back to the mesa to stay in the convergence longer. Ronny was flying aggressively as usual and, finding himself in the lead after the last turnpoint, took the more direct line, which unfortunately didn't pan out. Meanwhile, after a slow start, I'd had the luck to nearly catch up to the lead gaggle. Mark, Matt, Carlo and I took the more conservative line to goal and barely made it. It was an exciting finish, with Mark coming in just ahead of Matt, who crossed goal between the tops of two trees, and Carlo needing to soar up 75 feet to cross above launch. As a result of the wind coming around the shoulder of the mountain, Carlo figured that if he'd been any lower he might not have made it. We talked to Chris Muller that evening and learned that he'd be all right after a month or so in a neck brace. He was incredibly upbeat.

TASK3 At 75 km, a longer task involving a few laps across the mesa, with goal up in a high valley toward the volcano. Ronny was leading again, until the final climb, when he got stuck on the ridge before goal, with Mark joining him. I somehow got a better piece of a climb than Matt and Steve Ham and left them below. I thought I had goal on glide, but remembering the rough air in the lee of the ridge there last year, I made a few turns above Ronny and Mark on the ridge, then bailed over. Of course, once over goal it was nearly impossible to get PARAGLIDING

down. I won the day, followed a little later

by Ronny and Mark, then Matt and Steve.

TASK4 This was a 68-km task with light east winds forecast, a task zigzagging back and forth across the mesa and convergence.

However, the wind had other things in mind. It picked up out of the southwest to 10-13 mph, which gave us a lot of crosswind legs in the shady lee of the mesa. It wasn't possible to fly in the stronger winds over the top of the mesa, so we ended up in the lee, perhaps with a bit of wave help.

No one made goal but Steve Ham hung in the longest and made the last turnpoint. I was a distant second, with Matt and Carlo, with whom I'd been flying, just behind. I had an exciting walk out, including a confrontation with an angry dog that was luckily impressed by the large stick I picked up. On the subject of confrontations, a small party we were having in an apartment was nearly broken up by a large number of cops, called by the landlord. He was claiming the place hadn't been paid for and any number of similar fantasies.

Luckily, the cops took the side of the tenants. So, when in Valle, don't rent an apartment with a very good view overlooking the lake from a morbidly obese guy. I would recommend the hotel Doris, where I've stayed the last two years. While the location near the bus station is not ideal, the owner, Rodalfo, is great, the rooms are clean, and the price is reasonable.

TASKS A 42-km task, Cerro Gordo, Saucos, the monastery near Saucos, then goal in the next valley to the north. The southwest wind made another appearance, leading to more interesting crosswind and upwind legs. Ronny was leading again until I had a piece of luck at the last climb. Ronny was climbing slowly under a big cloud ahead of me. I saw a white hang glider searching, then flying in low and getting a better climb than Ronny under the same cloud. It turned out to be Paris Williams, a pilot from Southern California who was practicing for the hang gliding meet the next week. I came in above him and climbed nearly to base, with a 5. 5: 1 glide to goal before leaving.

Descending into the valley, the quartering tailwind became a strong crosswind, as the valley flow predominated. Ronny MARCH

2001

came in about 10 minutes later, underlining the importance of a quick climb. A little later Mark and Matt raced in - practically a tie. Twenty minutes after Matt, Steve came in, carrying the banner for the "just make goal every day" strategy. Felipe Karam was at goal, but didn't get scored for it due to a turnpoint problem. Some time later, Jari Naponen was caught unaware by the valley wind and an under-

estimated goal altitude, landing 100 meters short. The scoring was going to be close between Matt and Steve for first overall.

It finally went down in Matt's favor by 17 points. Two U.S. pilots who should have fared better if not for getting sick were Scotty Marion and Ryan Swan.

Big thanks to Dixon's Airplay for the support on this trip! II

19

Eight Hours And 120 Miles Into Arizona article and photos by Jeff Cristo!

The day began as so many do, the club truck bouncing its way up to launch.

We joked about flying to Santa Fe and gazed up at the blue sky looking for the first cumies.

n Telluride, Colorado , gearing up and gerring dressed is serious business. Cloudbase had regularly been over 18,000 feet during the previous month, with four-hour-plus flights char cook me almost as far as the New Mexico border, 65 miles away. With the oxygen system full and numerous layers of clothing, I laid out my new Advance Epsilon III. Friends launched and climbed out above me.

Soon I'd joined the colorful wings circling overhead, as big, fluffy clouds grew over Gold Hill. Neal had just returned from flying and surfing in Bali, and we planned co fly cross-country together. I jumped from developing cloud to developing cloud heading southwest. His flight path took him over che Ophir Valley co the

I

20

challenging terrain of Swamp and Waterfall Canyons. As I chermaled wich two eagles over San Bernardo Peak a few miles from launch, eal radioed. He was on the ground. Jc would be another long day alone in the sky.

The lift tracked back coward the Wilson Range. I accepted that if I sunk out I'd be hiking for at lease a few hours.

Sinking our wasn't in the cards, however, for soon I was back at cloudbase (which as usual had been rising as the day progressed). I headed south and left the ugly, dark clouds of home, crossing over the small outpost of Dunton and hopping thermals along the ridge beyond. I rejoined the Dolores River Valley as the dark storm cloud developmenr caught up to me. As I flew our from the massive

monster I found the vario pegged with the mist approaching.

On full speed bar w ith big ears I was sucked up toward the clouds. In my head I heard over and over the briefing recording from chat morning: "Cumulus tops to 35,000 feet. " As though on cue, my oxygen ran out. I pulled multiple B-lines and intense spirals to descend and escape. My vario showed 400 fpm down in B-line, but I was going up while spiraling. After several minutes I was covered in hoarfrost, my glasses were frosted, and my toes and fingers were numb. I found I could only hold a B-line seal! for a minute or two, then I had co release it co shake out my fried arms . Ir reminded me of ice climbing, only harder and more terrifying.

Evencual ly I saw pieces of ground PARAGLrDING

appearing below me. I exited the bottom edge of the beast and went on full speed bar again as the cloud began to fall out behind me. I saw no need to continue any farther than the nearest LZ, and wiggling my fingers and toes I realized I'd be fine (except for my frost-nipped nose). After a very long glide out to the edge of the desert I was still over 17,000 feet and would easily make it across Highway 666 to Mesa Verde.

Back on best glide, I contemplated how particularly evil the mountains and thunderheads looked, disappearing behind me.

Approaching the mesa I reproached myself for wasting altitude on full speed bar earlier.

It would mean some time spent low before hooking a thermal that would take me back to base, now 16,000 feet over the desert.

Mesa Verde National Park had been the scene of a huge fire the previous week. I flew over the charred ruins, checking out the smoldering mess. I noticed a yellow flicker along the downwind edge of the burned area, and a column of smoke starting up. As I flew along the western edge of the mesa the smoke grew into a huge, leaning, billowing cloud with leaping yellow flames at its base. The smoke showed the wind drift to the west. I turned away, heading to distant but safer-looking fluff balls over Sleeping Ute Mountain.

I didn't think I would make the huge

22

valley crossing south of Cortez, but as I approached the Ute Indian Reservation gambling casino I found the parking lot thermal and gained a key 1,500 feet. This got me to the small reservation town of Towoac. As I was only 200 feet over the ground I flew toward a tiny power line-surrounded LZ. On final I caught a little lift and turned in it, mostly out of habit. Soon I had cored the leaning thermal back up for another 10,000-foot climb.

I was over the Sleeping Ute Mountains and again at cloudbase, with the whole southwestern desert stretching out before me. I flew, jumping small cloud to small cloud to the edge of the development.

Looking east I couldn't see the highway. I worried that I would be in for a long hike when I sunk out in the empty blue sky to the south. Unbelievably, as I headed out, I found a thermal every few miles that would take me back to over 14,000 feet. I never got below 8,000 feet again until landing. I was inspired by the smallest of cumies just beginning to pop out in front of me. I never actually reached them, but they reassured me that lift was out there for the finding.

After at least a dozen more climbs I approached the San Juan River and got out my cell phone to tell friends back home where I was. I asked a Durango pilot, Carl,

if he'd do retrieval and he agreed. I couldn't remember the name of the huge, familiar volcanic plug, Shiprock, which I was approaching, since my brain was so addled after six hours, too much altitude and too little oxygen.

Just before the San Juan River was yet another thermal. Turning and drifting away form the river I realized that the Four Corners National Monument was directly below. Within just seconds I flew over the boarders of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah - pretty amazing considering my wing only does 25 miles per hour!

The Carrizo Mountains south of Teec Nos Pos had some cloud development, but again this meant leaving the highway. I had the state record already, yet wanted to maximize the flight. To turn toward the remote desert mountains and continue on my way was an easy decision. After all, I was having the flight we could only joke about on the truck ride up that morning.

It was getting late and the sun was about to sink behind a hazy, thick bank of clouds to the west. I knew these would be the last thermals and sadly looked into deep, narrow canyons below, wondering where the flight would end. Amazingly, the evening glass-off kept me in the air an extra half hour and I was able to fly over the forbidding canyons to the narrow Sheep Skin Mesa beyond.

After eight hours and 120 miles I landed on the mesa above Round Rock and Rock Point Arizona. Even though I've spent years in the desert Southwest and pretty much knew where I was, on landing I called Carl, and in a dazed and confused state told him that I was near Monument Valley. In fact, I was south and east at least 50 miles.

Carl drove 750 miles around the desert, with the Shiprock, Kayenta and Navaho Tribal Police all unsuccessfully looking for me. The cell phone battery died after landing. It wasn't until midmorning the next day that I found some locals who kindly drove me first to retrieve my paraglider, then to the highway, 45 minutes away by car. That afternoon Carl drove to Shiprock and picked me up, more than earning his dinner at our favorite restaurant back in Telluride.

Thanks Carl.•

PARAGLIDING

fter flying cross-country off the end of the map, selling Air America Paragliding School, chopping off my ponytail, pulling my suits and ties out of the storage locker, moving to Wenatchee, Washington and having a son three years ago, I found myself in a rare moment with some personal time. I had just discovered a box of slides and photos from the last event Air America Paragliding ever sponsored and found myself thermaling down memory lane.

The goal of this informal cross-country competition was to bring as many of my local pilot friends together so I could fly cross-country with them at my home site, Elsinore, California. The first-place winner I announced would win his weight in beer.

The idea for such a silly prize came from a Cross Country magazine article I had read years earlier about a French competition in which the winner won his weight in wine.

You can always count on those French for a laugh.

Pilots being pilots they began pushing me with questions like, "Is that all-up weight or pilot weight?" Finally, when the pressure got unbearable, I announced "nal<ed pilot weight." Talk about a conversation killer. Just like little kids who push their parents, they realized they had pushed too far. However, being forced to play by my own rules I thought, "This is one competition I'm not sure I want to win."

Conditions gave us three out of three flying days for the comp with an open-distance format, a point per mile on the honor system. Since not all the pilots could fly all three days we made it the best two days' score to determine the winner. With 15 men and one woman, a Japanese pilot named Senko Koyama in the comp, and having to weigh in and collect the first prize naked, we all secretly hoped Senko would win.

Senko got off to a good start on day one by launching early. She had hired me to coach her for the week prior to the competition so she was current and had flown Elsinore quite a bit already that week.

Elsinore is an east-facing launch, just 15 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. In the morning, thermals start to move up the face of the "E" launch and by 11 :00 AM the inversion layer has climbed to about 1,000 feet over launch. Depending on the day, between 11 :00 AM to 2:30 PM, the onshore flow starts to probe the generally flat area MARCH

2001

by Joe Gluzinski behind launch and triggers off sometimes massive and violent areas oflift. As it pushes through, your thermal track starts to tal<e you toward or even over Lake Elsinore. That's what Senko did. She took a drifter over Lake Elsinore and flew about seven miles east, winning the first day.

Most of the pilots never even got off launch before it blew down that day.

Day two was very stable and required superhuman patience. Rob Von Zabern had the longest flight that day. I got drilled early on, and after getting retrieved drove to Skylark Field at the south end of Lake Elsinore where they run a sailplane and skydiving operation. After telling the skydiving operation that we had a paraglider pilot getting ready to cross the valley directly over the airport runway we settled down and waited for Rob to make his move. Being slow going that day, and Rob never getting too high, we began to look for signs of lift that would help Rob on his low crossing. Spotting a dust devil I 00 yards from my suburban we jumped into my car and raced over there, doing doughnuts in the dirt to mark it better and maybe increase its force. After about five or six laps, with everyone sliding into each other in the car and a lot of laughing, I looked downwind to see a grim-faced utility worker standing there like a statue, hands on his hips, glaring at the idiot who was dusting him off. Coyly driving away, I politely waved to the man as I kept my distance. No hard feelings, huh? Our winner that day was Rob Von Zabern after a valiant effort but no cooperation from the flying conditions.

Day three dawned as another high-pressure day with Japanese pilot Senko

Koyama leading. German-born Joe Weber won the day by flying patiently and making it all the way to Soboba, a flight of about 26 miles. After retrieval we all made it back to the LZ at Elsinore for the awards ceremony, where Joe was carefully weighed in naked and collected first prize of 180 pounds of mostly Miller Genuine Draft.

Being the good-natured guy he is, Joe generously donated most of his beer booty to the other pilots in the comp and the "E-Team" hang glider pilots. (What German guy wouldn't get a headache from 180 pounds of Miller Genuine Draft?)

Besides, do you really think I was going to spend the extra money and buy him Heineken?

Author's bio: He's back. No it's not the Terminato1; it's Joe Gluzinski. Joe got into the sport in 1990 with a skydiving background In the early 1990's he taught paragliding, flew in competitions and tested reserve parachutes in his spare time. In 1995 Joe and Bill Gordon organized the US. National Championships at Chelan, Washington. In 1997Joe cut offhis ponytail and retired from paragliding to raise his son. This year he's coming out ofretirement to compete in the Nationals in Chelan. You can reach Joe by e-mail at JoeGluzinski@aol.com. II

23

In mid-November of 1999, as the flying season was winding down in North America, six

er

paraglider pilots from Telluride, Colorado left

for Nepal to fly cross-country as a group and make a film about their adventures. A Higher

Calling is the result of their efforts.

by Neal Michaelis, photos by Brett Schreckengost

T

he film recently won the People's Choice Award at the Banff Mountain Film Festival in Canada, and is currently touring with the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour (www.banffcentre.ab.ca) as well as exhibiting with other festivals throughout the world.

A Higher Calling tells the story of these pilots and their quest to fly cross-country together in western Nepal. Neal Michaelis, Jeff Cristo!, Josh Weinstein, Donn Pinkney, Judah Kuper and Brett Schreckengost made up the crew. All of us would fly and film since there was no separate film crew.

Brett, a relatively new pilot, would shoot from the ground much of the time. And when we went cross-country as a group he would fly tandem with Jeff and shoot video from the passenger sear. We weren't trying to set any records on this trip. We just wanted to fly cross-country wherever we could in the region. Finding launches and landings became our daily routine as we made our way through the countryside.

The real adventure, however, seemed to begin every time we landed - a new village, new people to meet, people who had never seen paraglider pilots before and were often a little wary at first. Our gliders became a vehicle into the culture, with instant immersion upon landing.

We relied upon the hospitality of the locals to house and feed us, and it was abundant wherever we landed. After spending the night in someone's home, the next day would begin by trying to arrange for porters to carry our gliders up to a reason-

24

able launch. There are no roads throughout most of Nepal, just foot trails. If you can see a spot up high to launch from, you can probably get there by way of these intricate trail systems. There are usually many people wherever you land who are more than happy to carry your bag for a small fee. Depending on where you land,

however, you may only have kids to pick from or you might have to carry it yourself.

If you get stuck with one of these little guys carrying your bag you may end up watching your friends fly around for a while before your glider arrives on launch.

When people think of Nepal's topography they often think first of the big mounPARAGLIDING

Machapuchare, just across the Modi Khola to the south ofAnnapurna. rains, the Himalayas. It's hard not to. From the moment you first see this giant range it draws you in, compelling you to come closer. From a pilot's perspective these mountains are both intriguing and terrifying. And so we found ourselves at the beginning of our trip passing up perfectly nice rolling hills with little cu's forming overhead, to hike up the Annapurna trail into the big mountains for a chance to fly next to these awesome peaks. From the trailhead in Birethaani we hiked up the Modi Khola River valley toward the Annapurnas. Annapurna One is over 8,000 meters high, and just across the Modi Khola, to the south of Annapurna, is Machapuchare, the Fishtail, at 7,000 meters. Despite the immense size of these mountains, we decided to head up the trail toward Annapurna base camp in search of good launch sites along the way.

One long day hiking from the trailhead found us in Gandrung, a stone village perched a few thousand feet above the river below. The next morning as we drank our tea we spotted what appeared to be a reasonable looking launch about an hour up the trail from us. The hour stretched into two as we waited for our porters to arrive

26

with our bags. As we came out into the clearing that was to be our launch, we realized that what had looked good from a distance was marginal at best. This would have to do since there were no other launch options before the trail wound back down to the river and into the narrowing Modi Khola valley - not really a valley at all upriver, but more of a chasm. This was the highpoint of the trail for a long way and thermals were already pumping through at this early hour. If we could just get off the hill we would be okay.

It was necessary to teach our porters to hold the leading edge of the gliders high but let it go when we pulled up. Our chosen launch was flat with low-angle terracing in front - two steps back, four-foot drop, flat, two steps back, four-foot drop, etc. Plenty of strong cycles were coming through, but it was impossible to inflate without assistance. With the help of our porters we all got into the air safely after numerous botched attempts and one big deflation just off launch.

To our surprise we couldn't climb vety high in these rowdy little thermals. There had been an inversion in the valley all morning and it had lifted overhead before

we launched, but apparently not high enough. The thermals would blow apart just 500 feet above launch and we could get no higher. After a couple of hours of flying in these strong, narrow thermals, taking whacks regularly, and with nothing to show for it, we decided to head out before the valley winds picked up. Each of us had been talcing our share of closures and we were ready to leave. We only needed to cross one side canyon of the Modi Khola to make it back to Gandrung for the night.

The next day would be a little more of the same, launching from the same spot up the trail. However, our X-C goals had changed somewhat after the thrashing we had just endured. Our goal on this day was to fly away from the mountains once we got up, heading south toward Pokhara, the main town in western Nepal and second largest in the countty. To bench up next to Annapurna South or to cross the Modi Khola and climb up next to Machapuchare, as had been our dream, seemed totally crazy now. Since we had arrived, there had been a steady spindrift pumping off the peaks, a menacing reminder of how inhospitable these mountains can be to a paraglider pilot. Perhaps on the right day magical X-C flights could happen across these mountains, but we weren't going to wait for it. Back to the rolling hills south of the Himalayas, on its lower flanks and foothills - this is where good cross-country flying is consistent, and all in splendid view of the big peaks.

Despite our best efforts to mal<.e the 25 miles back to Pokhara we couldn't make it out of the Modi Khola valley. Like the day before, we could not climb much above launch, all the time getting worked. We made our way down the valley but could only go five miles before the ever-increasing valley headwinds forced us to land. So we would walk and bus it back to Pokhara where we would hatch a new plan. After half a day of hilcing and half a day on the roof of a bus (the roof top is the preferred seating on Nepalese buses, just watch your head for power lines), we were back in Pokhara with cold beers in hand and the best maps we could locate laid out before us.

Our journey would begin from the established launch site in Pokhara and go west with the wind. The Sarankot launch sits 1,500 feet above Fewa Lake and the town of Pokhara with the regular landing zone at the lakeside next to a bar and PARAGLIDING

MARCH

2001

27

Author Neal Michaelis flying at Pokhara, Nepal. restaurant called Guru's, which is the paraglider pilots' hangout in Pokhara and seemed to be patronized solely by pilots while we were there. Sarankot would be as good a place to stare as any for our crosscountry journey. We were still uncertain as to whether all six of us could stick together.

What if one pilot sank out, or someone took off and no one else could catch him?

These logistical questions were problematic, but as long as we split up the three video can1eras we would be able to caprure some sore of adventure regardless of how it went.

If we got split up and lost all radio contact we would ultimately regroup in Pokhara.

So no worries.

The next day dawned clear and cloudless with light easterly winds, bur proved to be too stable for any real progress. Josh, Donn and I all made it to base together 1,500 feet over launch while Judah and Jeff (flying tandem with Brett) were still grovel-

ing in front oflaunch. After waiting at base a while we got impatient and glided south over Fewa Lake but came in too low on the other side to cross the hills which border the lake on the south side. I arrived first and cried to work little lee-side thermals which I quickly realized would never lift me over the ridge. As Donn and Josh glided in I suggested they side-hill it into some small terraces while I continued to shoot helmet cam from the air. This was my excuse for making them land first. It would give me a chance to see how workable the landing was chat I had picked our.

They landed without incident and then I came in and Josh filmed my landing. We started up for the ridge and hopefully a launch into the sunny windward side when some eager porters found us and grabbed our bags before we could even haggle a price for the short hike. These guys were fast, and within 40 minutes we were at a

decent launch sire on the other side.

From a high point on the ridge we radioed Jeff, Brett and Judah across the lake at Sarankoc. They had sunk our and were in the process of going back up to launch for another attempt. We informed them of our intention ro launch again as well, and our plan to cry to make a few more miles ro the southwest. We wished chem luck and made a plan co get in radio contact again the next morning.

Very light cycles at our chosen launch site forced us to front launch, and equally light thermals only enabled us to scratch out a few more miles before we dined. The group had split up on the first day which was a bit discouraging. But we weren't very far from each ocher and we had stayed in contact at lease.

The next day we awoke to a more promising sky. Little cu's were forming early over the highest hilltops. Our glide the evening before had brought us to the bottom of a valley and we were now looking at a bit of a hike to get to any good launch. The higher hillsides looked extremely promising for launching and going X-C bur seemed too far away for us to get into the air early enough to go anywhere. If we hiked all the way up we would only gee a late afternoon flight and then have ro wait until the next day ro go X-C. Ir looked good chis day and we didn't want to squander it. As we discussed lower and closer alternative launches, the radio squawked to life. It was Jeff They hadn't had any luck with their second flight at Sarankoc and had spent the night in Pokhara. They were now on a bus (on the roof, of course) heading southwest to find us. The road out of Pokahara heads southwest for 10 miles before turning due south all the way to the Indian border. We had

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Jeff Cristo! and Judah Kuper preparing to launch. flown over the road the day before after crossing the lake and had landed in the valley where the road doglegs to the south.

This is where we regrouped, near a place called Arukharka. We quickly had porters and were off to a new launch approximately 1,200 feet AGL. What looked like a nice, clear launch from a distance was actually a boulderstrewn clearing, but workable. No lack of launchable cycles here. It was noon and pumping through. Josh got off first and went straight up to base and waited for us.

Donn was next and immediately joined Josh a couple of thousand feet above us.

Then it just died on launch. After at least half an hour of stiff cycles it just stopped.

Judah got impatient waiting and decided to take a light cycle, scratched around and sank out. The group was separating again and we had only just regrouped that morning. I was struggling with stomach problems which had come on the night before and Jeff and Brett were still getting there tandem rig and video camera prepped.

They aborted a couple of launches among the boulders before I felt good enough to flake out my wing and try. I fumbled around, feeling lousy, before I finally got off. Jeff and Brett took the same cycle right behind me.

I scratched around with them on my tail for a couple of passes in front of launch before I decided to try a rocky spur off to the right from launch. As I approached the

30

spur, sure enough, a boomer grabbed me and I cranked in, not wanting to lose it. I looked over my shoulder to see the tandem wing climbing right below me in the same thermal. As I climbed out I looked for Donn and Josh but couldn't locate them. I radioed them but still couldn't figure out where they were except downwind. Pretty obvious east/west ridge to follow with a long valley to the south, ending eight to ten miles later at a pass and possible venturi. Jeff and Brett climbed up to me while I waited, then they suddenly lost it and were sucked back down to launch level. I continued to wait, hoping they would hook it again, climb up to me, and we would chase Donn and Josh together. They weren't going up or down.

I got impatient and decided to head off I radioed my good-byes and started drifting downwind in light thermals. I covered 10 miles and numerous side canyons while drifting in this light stuff. I could see Donn now, a mere speck probably seven or eight miles ahead and several thousand feet higher than I. I had drifted but not climbed much, and now I was looking at the pass with only a couple of hundred feet of clearance and 20- to 25-mph winds. If I sank at all I would cross too low and get throttled in the rotor. At 20 to 25 mph (my GPS was showing Oto -5 ground speed when pointing into the wind and 40+ when going downwind) I didn't want to be anywhere close to the ground when I crossed

the pass, and ran downwind into the next valley. I was starting to feel a little nervous at this point and couldn't help thinking that I would have to be carried 10 miles to the road if I crashed and hurt myself here. I thought: "Should I attempt to land before I get to the pass? Backwards landing into a steep, terraced hillside? No! No! Focus.

Stick with it. This is what it's all about.

Right now!"

The radio then squawked and broke my train of thought. It was Donn.

"Hey, Neal, watch out when you get to that high pass at the end of the valley.

Really windy. I got worked there."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm there now, busy, can't talk."

"Concentrate, very light lift. Don't lose it," I said to myself aloud. Then I started hearing voices. Another distraction. "What is that?" A few hundred feet below me hundreds of kids were rushing out of a little hilltop school, chasing me as best they could across the steep, terraced landscape.

"What a cool image, but no time for that now. I've got to concentrate. Get over the pass, then you can relax on glide as the land falls away from you in the next valley." And before I knew it, that is exactly where I was, taking in the views and a drink of water.

As I made it across the valley on glide I joined up with another east/west ridge, over more little hilltop villages, more schools, and children running around with their heads to the sky. It was like a mirror image of the ridge I had just flown across on the other side of the pass. The sound of "namaste" climbed up to me on gentle thermals releasing from the top of the ridge. I waved hello/ goodbye as I continued downwind. Five or six more miles and I would have to cross a deep river gorge and the confluence of the Modi Khola and the Khali Gandaki rivers. I could see that Donn and Josh had made it across and were still high, much higher than I was. I made it across with just enough altitude, then dropped into the Khali Gandaki River valley upstream of the confluence, working south-facing slopes as I continued west and upriver.

Donn and Josh were close now, maybe just a mile downwind and a couple of thousand feet higher than I. I'd been gaining on them, or maybe they'd been waiting? They didn't see me yet and I tried to radio, but my radio was on its last leg and PARAGLIDING

Donn only caught a little of what I said.

He didn't realize I was so close until I passed under him 15 minutes later.

Unable to climb up to either of them, I continued on, hoping they would follow.

Getting nothing, I decided to glide across a deep gorge formed by the Khali Gandaki River. There is a fairly good-sized town perched on a cliff 700 feet above the river and one of its tributaries, the Khare Khole.

I glided over the town and up against the hills on its east side. Donn and Josh had decided to follow and were gliding across.

Still finding nothing I ended up flying down to some cultivated fields at the edge of the town. It was a good-sized town and all I could think about was that there was sure to be some cold beer down there not what you come to Nepal for, amenities, but it sure would be a bonus after this beautiful flight. I hoped Donn and Josh weren't bummed that I led them to the dirt, but we had had a great flight and at least the three of us would land together.

I was quickly surrounded by hundreds of people upon landing. Word traveled fast about our arrival and it seemed as if the whole town was coming out to greet us.

Donn landed next, and a few minutes later when Josh came in to land the field was so crowded that it was difficult for him to avoid hitting people. He flared over an old man's head as a kid tripped and fell in front of him. Josh's helmet cam was rolling and he got it all on tape. We tried to explain to the curious onlookers about our flight.

With the little bit of Nepali that we knew and the little English that some of them understood, I think we made it clear that we did not jump out of a plane as they had first assumed.

Out of the crowd a uniformed soldier suddenly appeared in front of Donn and asked him if he was with the airforce.

Donn tried to explain that it was just sport, for fun. He was then asked for his flying permit, which he just happened to have.

We all had one. It had seemed pointless when we were in Katmandu to pay for these flying permits, but we obliged. Some extra money had been necessary to grease the wheels of the bureaucracy in order to get the permits in a timely fashion. They were issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal and were entitled "paraglider operation." It had seemed like a big waste of money, until now.

We had flown 26 miles from launch MARCH

2001

over terrain we had never seen before and landed in a town we didn't even know the name of. This had been the best crosscountry flying I'd ever done - on-sighting a launch, flying over unlmown terrain to an unknown LZ in a foreign and unfamiliar country. I love flying cross-country at home as well, but those mountains and valleys are familiar to me. To just go, and make it somewhere with your friends to a place none of you have ever seen before is the best kind of adventure flying you can do.

We all agreed that this had been the best flight of our lives and we celebrated it in the town of Baglung with some cold beers.

Of course there was the issue of Brett, Jeff and Judah. Where were they? Were they together? Brett and Jeff obviously were, since they were flying tandem. But had Judah relaunched and joined them, or had the tandem sunk out and joined him.

Despite these unknowns we were having our adventure and hoped that they were having theirs. Regardless, we were going to hike to the nearest launch the next morning and go flying. If they were in the air at the same time we might have a chance of making radio contact.

We decided chat we were going to hike our own packs and forego finding porters.

We bought some namlos in the town and fashioned them around our bags. The namlo is a simple, woven loop of fabric that goes around your load and across your forehead to carry the weight. This is how the locals do it and so would we. The sight of us awkwardly using this very simple tool gave everyone we passed a good laugh.

A couple of painful hours later we were still far from what appeared to be a good launch site. My stomach problems were getting worse and continued hiking was not an option. We would have to make it work from where we were. Josh launched first off a flat terrace with some assistance and scratched around in front of us. I walked down to a steep launch which seemed a little better. As usual, curious onlookers followed our every seep. They must have been wondering what the heck we were up to. We tried to explain that we were going to fly. Even if they understood what we were saying I'm sure they doubted it. And so an entourage followed us to every launch and out of every landing field.

Once in the air we found it to be too stable. It was afternoon already and not a single cloud had formed yet. You could

scratch around close to the hill all day but you weren't going anywhere. So we scratched and glided our way a few miles up the Khare Khola to a small village where some festivities were taking place. I think it was a wedding. Out of the crowd of colorfully dressed women that surrounded us emerged a young man speaking decent English. Susan Seertan invited us to his home and he became our host for the night. He was the only person in the village who knew any English and he was happy to speak with us. Hundreds of kids followed us to his house and refused to leave.

We were quite a spectacle with our wings, instruments, video cameras, radios, camelbaks, etc. We weren't on a trekking route and this certainly wasn't a place that western travelers visited. We were offered a meal of daal baat, the traditional Nepalese meal of rice and lentils. We were served dinner first while many of the kids from the village watched our every move. We slept on a dirt floor in a small, second-story room of the house wrapped up in Josh's wing. We shared this room with Susan's grandfather, who talked loudly in his sleep all night. However, this was probably better than the room downstairs with the goats which had been offered to us at first.

The next morning we pointed out to our host where we wanted to hike to, and asked if he could find us some porters. He insisted that we would need only one man for our three glider bags. My bag alone weighed over 60 pounds with all the video equipment, solar chargers, etc. He would have to get us more men. My stomach was worse than ever. In my condition flying was questionable and hiking with a heavy pack for 3,000 vertical feet just wasn't going to happen. I'd be lucky ifl could make it carrying nothing but a video camera and my camelbak. After much debate Susan agreed to get a second man who would carry my heavy bag. Barefoot and with 60+ pounds on his back he easily dropped me on the hike. Barely able to keep up with the porters (one of them carrying both Josh and Donn's packs), the entourage of kids, and my flying buddies, I began to really start worrying about my health. Ifl was at home and felt like this I wouldn't even consider leaving the house, and here I was hiking up to some unknown launch site to huck myself off, stopping every 15 minutes along the way to relieve myself.

31

We must have climbed close to 3,000 vertical feet and still no worthy launch site had materialized. Despite my condition I kept insisting that we go higher and find a better launch. The porters protested, requiring a few more rupees to keep chem going. We climbed higher, but still no usable launch sites appeared. Josh was willing to make a bushy, weedy, eight launch work and so was Donn . I needed something better ifI was going to be able to pull it off in my condition, so higher we went until we eventually found a smooth, easy site. Susan had hiked all the way to see us off and we took some photos with him before we said our good-byes and launched.

Once in the air I felt a bit better.

Nonetheless, we all decided it would be best to rry and backtrack toward Pokhara in case I got any more sick, and we could also look for the ocher pilots. Donn was coming down with something intestinal as well, and neither of us wanted to end up 50 miles from the road in need of medical attention. The only option here is to fly or

32

hike yourself out. So we worked our way upwind for a few more days until we spotted Brett, Jeff and Judah flying with a gaggle of griffin vultures. They had made their way to a small village with a smooch, grassy, two-sided launch just above it. This was, in face, the higher launch chat we had wanted to hike to on the day we had split up with them.

They had made themselves at home in this tiny hilltop village, and the people there had made them feel completely welcome. On one occasion a goat was slaughtered in their honor and dancing and singing went on late into the night. Dancing and singing Nepali folk tunes became a nightly occurrence. The locals seemed to find it very amusing to watch us dance in our western style to their music. Brett, Jeff and Judah were sure chat they had found the Shangri-La of paragliding and had decided to stay camped in chis idyllic little village for a while, flying out-and-returns and rriangle flights every day. The launch was perfection, a sure thing, launchable off either side of a ridge and the highest launch for miles. Why leave? So, we too decided to stay on with chem at chis site for a few more days before finall y saying goodbye to the whole village. Many of chem came to launch to see us off, and we were each given a malai of flowers to wear around our necks for good luck.

Our mutually declared goal for che day was to fly the 12 miles back to Pokhara and land in che courtyard of a Tibetan refugee camp at the north end of the town. The sky was forming up perfectly with little cu's marking che way for us. I launched and headed for the elevator ride at che end of che ridge. This spot was a sure thing and you didn't have to wait there long for your lift to cloudbase. As I flew around waiting for my ride I watched two griffins fly in to join me. One of chem started to dive

aggressively right at me, aiming for my head.

With a seven-foot wingspan he was quite intimidating, and at the lase minute I had to squawk loudly at him to keep him from hitting me. He retracted his wings and barrelrolled away from me, and at chat very moment a strong thermal grabbed my wing.

I cranked in and so did the two griffins. The three of us climbed to base together in harmony and then flew down a perfect cloud street toward Pokhara, surfing the forming edge of the misc the whole way. I flew closely with these huge birds for half an hour before we went our separate ways at the end of the cloud street. I had my goal and I guess chey had cheirs. This was without question the most amazing flight I had ever had with birds, and I got much of it on video.

I was now on an easy glide to Sarankot, and just beyond was the Tibetan refugee camp, our goal. Everyone seemed to be having an easy flight and it seemed that we would all regroup at our chosen LZ. Each of us was equipped with Tibetan prayer flags chat we planned to unfurl behind our gliders as we made our final approach to the camp.

A eight and thermally LZ gave us a challenge, but we all safely made che landing among an excited and joyous crowd.

We spent the next six hours hanging out at che camp with Tibetans of all ages. Some had left Tibet years ago, some had been born at che camp, and ochers had just recently arrived. It was more than a camp really.

Tibetan culture was surviving here in exile and had been doing so for well over 30 years.

This was a fitting end to our journey.

We had spent five weeks in Nepal and had flown at least 30 days during our stay, but this was the first flight during which all of us sruck together and made it to a common goal. Maybe it had been nuts to think that we could all fly X-C together with five gliders, one of chem a tandem . We had cried, however, and were rewarded with many great flights , many more than are recounted here. On several occasions pilots landed out by themselves and wouldn't be seen for a day or so. Nonetheless, things always seemed to work out well for us.

For a better idea of what flying in Nepal is like, gee the video (www.dawntreaderfilms.com), or better yet, book yourself a ticket to Kacmandu, hop on a bus to Pokhara and find Adam Hill at Sunshine Paragliding lakeside in Pokhara. Or just head straight to Guru's. You're sure to find pilots there sipping a cold one next to tl1e LZ. •

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n January 2001 I discovered that paragliding the Dunes of Dumont can offer a ridge-soaring flight or a thermal experience. I was a solitary flier at this remote site, and my audience on the ground was a group of All Terrain Vehicle riders who were more than willing to offer transport when I was unlucky enough to sink out.

The Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area is well known by ATV riders and campers. This huge sandbox was created by the very winds that adventurous paraglider pilots are looking for. The dunes rise some 550 feet above the desert floor, and they offer launching options in all directions. The remoteness of this location means that there are no power lines, roadways or other customary obstacles, and landing zones can be as large as 20 football fields.

I began paragliding in 1997 when I was captivated by the idea of free flight from almost any place that has the right characteristics. I learned the basics in Colorado from flight instructor Bill Laurence, who said we must always respect property rights and be aware of airspace restrictions. My ambitions extended beyond the Colorado foothills and mountains, and my job takes me to many points on the globe. I began flying established sites in far-distant places, but I always had the urge to "fly the dunes."

The opportunity came when my family and I drove to the West Coast for the Christmas holidays. Our SUV pulled a trailer that carried two ATV's and my ProDesign Relax and Carrier wings in a Critter Mountain Wear Dirt Bag. I knew that I was equipped for whatever the Dumont Dunes had to offer.

As my son and I rode the massive circumference of the dunes on our ATV's, I observed that the dunes tend to maintain their general structure but constantly change with the wind. I knew that I would have to deal with subtle changes during my flights.

I found that the most ideal launch area is the main, eastern-most dune with a north face. A plateau at the top has a steep drop-off and a wide face. The dune's steep angle and a north wind of 9-15 mph offered an excellent soaring opportunity. Also, a spine trailed off to the west, which significantly increased the soarable area.

The wind was out of the west on the first day, so I found a west-facing launch on a lower shelf of the main eastern dune. The wind was 14 mph when I set up for launch. I easily did a reverse inflation at the edge of the

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34

•

1

umont

by Bruce Riley, photos by Nate Riley

Adventurous and exploratory paraglider pilots who want to fly out-of the-way, unestablished sites can get plenty ofthrills and experience soaring Dumont Dunes in Southern California.

Nate Riley at the top ofthe eastern-most, north-facing dune at sunset. Here is one ofATV's we used to scout the site.

Flying the north-facing spine.

PARAGLIDING

VIDEO REVIEW sand shelf and immediately climbed to 60 or 70 feet above the ridge. The life was consistent and smooth just like the texture of the dunes. I could not gain a significant amount of altitude over launch, but I was able to maintain at just under 100 feet or so. The sand shelf was not as steep as the north face of the eastern dune, but it was a long ridge of half a mile or more. It allowed me to fly back and forth and test the depth of the life. I could have soared chis spot all day, but I wanted to gee something to eat and review other launches in this sandy wonderland.

After landing near my campsite I took another ATV ride around the dunes looking for ocher potential west-facing launches. It was convenient for me to find many launch sites by riding to the top of various dunes. I also scouted sites with an east and south launch in case che predominant flow changed by morning. Once again I was amazed at the number of options available.

On the following day the wind was coming in from the north as I had hoped. One of the spectators in a dune buggy gave me a ride co the top of the main north-facing dune.

The wind was consistent at 16 mph. The launch was quick and strong, and I climbed co 220 feet above launch. The life was smooth and the view was beautiful. I flew for a couple of hours and landed co the cheers of an off-highway crowd. During the second hour of my flight I began to experience more thermal cycles than continuing ridge lift. I can only imagine the strength of the thermals at chis site during the summer months since it is only 10 miles south of Death Valley.

I should point out that this sense of exploration and the great flights offered at Dumont do exact a price. When people say chat sand gees into everything, they're not kidding. It's necessary to do a thorough

cleaning of the wing with a vacuum and brushes. Even with careful handling, the sand can take its toll.

I can't say chat everyone who travels to Dumont will have the same adventure I did, but it will be an unforgettable experience.

The off-highway visitors arc friendly and helpful, always ready to offer a brew to a flier who is parched by the sand and sun.

The winds that created these magnificent dunes make the conditions ideal for paragliding. Winter is the ideal time for a visit since the summer temperature can exceed 120 degrees. During my visit in January it was a comfortable 70 degrees in the daytime.

The Bureau of Land Management manages Dumont Dunes. Camping is free but is prohibited within 500 feet on either side of Dumont Dunes Road. There is no trash collection, so everything that is brought in must be taken out. The closest medical attention is in Baker some 30-plus miles away, and hospitals arc another 60 miles farther. Cell phones can work at Dumont, but there is no guarantee. To access Dumont Dunes, locate the town of Baker, California on Interstate 15 between Barstow and Las Vegas. Upon arriving in Baker, proceed north on Highway 127 for 34 miles to Dumont Dunes Road.

Turn right and proceed three miles to the base of the dunes.

Contact the BLM Barstow Field Office or access their website for more information and a map to Dumont Dunes. •

Contact !nfarrnation Barstow Field Office 2601 Barstow Road Barstow, California 92311 (760) 252-6000 Tim Read, Field Manager http://www.ca.blm.gov/barstow/dumont.html

United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc .. w e b s t e rn Renew

ernbersh. Your

Re 0 /fy1°n-/ine.

PARAGLIDERGround Handling and the Art ofKiting produced by Paul Hamilton and Adventure productions, featuring Dixon White

by 7orn Harpole

D

ixon White is an acknowledged institution in the paragliding world. What is not widely known is that he is an accomplished juggler, unicyclist and tight-wire walker who performed in circuses for seven years. He's a guy who takes on challenges incrementally. He tirelessly seeks to master each essential element of a complex, albeit playful undertaking, and he excels at teaching other folks how to aspire to sublime levels of play.

Although the name of his school is Air Play, White doesn't fool around, or in any way take lightly, his mission to teach people to fly as safely and methodically as possible.

Beyond methodical, however, is the implicit suggestion that, should you master the ground handling skills chat White offers here, you'll never feel embarrassed by the kind of ineptness that we see at launch sites too regularly. White, with a demeanor like your favorite uncle, starts out with a "rosette" laid on a hillside and takes you through seemingly every scenario, technique and rationale sport pilots must know to repeatedly launch safely, with classy confidence, and to ground handle a glider in a plethora of conditions.

The tightly scripted video anticipates the progression of skills and lays them out sequentially, although the amount of information contained herein will require several viewings of the 44-minute film.

One clement of ground handling and kiting that White misses in his purely didactic presentation, one that perhaps would polarize some people and so is left unstated, is the fact that these skills are for paraglider pilots only, sorry hang glider pilots. To experience these glorious and compelling moments you must fly an all-fabric aircraft.

Contact: Adventure Productions, (775) 7470175, www.adventurep.com. Dixon's website may be found at www.paraglide.com. - Ed• MARCH

2001

35

A User's Manual for Chelan U.S. National Paragliding Championships, July 3-8, Chelan, Washington by josh Cohn Che-lan, Lake. Pronunciation: sh&-'lan, Usage: geographical name, lake about 55 miles (88 kilometers) long, N. central Washington - Merriam Webster's Dictionary helan will always hold a special place in my heart. I won my first task in a meet there at the Nationals (even if it was cancelled for technical reasons). With the able assistance of Kari Castle I had my first long tandem X-C there. I then wind-dummied for the Hang Gliding Nationals and occasionally kept up. And all this was in the summer of 1995! Add the evening ritual of a refreshing dip in the lake, and you have a very memorable part of a summer.

It was the site of the '95 and '96 U.S. Paragliding Nationals. Many Women's Hang Gliding world meets have been held there.

The town of Chelan, Washington sits between the fjord-like Lake Chelan and the Columbia River. Chelan Butte, 1,800 feet above the town, has launches facing all directions. The view from launch is panoramic, with the Cascades to the west, Lake Chelan to the north, and the Columbia River gorge and then the high flatlands to the south and east.

On a classic day, thermals start rolling up the southeast "ants in the pants" and south "between the rocks" launches in the midmorning. I have rhermaled up and top-landed at 10:30 AM there. After a late-morning pause for a breather, the real thermals show up around 11 :00 to 12:00. Since the launches are right on top of the mountain, often it is possible to launch right into a fat thermal, start turning and not stop until cloudbase. Another result of this situation is that dust devils tend to form right on top of the mountain, behind the launches. This makes it a bad idea to leave your glider laid out unattended on top. The dust devils seem to find hang gliders a particular delicacy. It is fun to kick dust on the little dusties and watch them become visible.

Most tasks begin with a crossing of the river to reach the flats, which are nearly as high as launch. The early strategy for the crossing was to get as high as possible and glide onto the flats and hope for the best. This works pretty well if you can get to I 0,000 feet over

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36

the Butte. Then, in '96, the more stable conditions precluded getting that high and the meet taught us a lesson bour the site - it works fine to cross low and get up again on the rim.

The mistake to avoid is diving onto the flats low. The first several miles back from the rim never seem to work very well.

The flats are covered with winter wheat and other crops, with many fields plowed and fallow. There are also the curious features of the channeled scablands, best seen from the air. These parallel erosional features were created by a series of catastrophic floods from icedammed Lake Missoula near the end of the last ice age. The soil in the area is a fine, iceage loess, or wind-blown dust deposit, that produces really impressive dust devils. They are not nearly as fearsome as similar-looking dust devils in areas with sandy soil. Still, I wouldn't recommend flying into one anywhere near the dust. The dust can be a safety feature on landing. It is best to land in a dusty field or road so that if there is a dusty kicking off you can see and avoid it.

Flying X-C in Chelan feels like a chess game sometimes. The regular grid of roads every mile on the flats heightens the feeling.

This makes retrieval very good in most places, and aids glide calculation. On blue days a common strategy is to hang at the top of a thermal until a dusty kicks off within a glide. If you ever wished you could see thermals, this is about as good as it gets. Puzzlingly, there ofren seem to be good thermals that are not marked by dust devils. Perhaps they coalesce from bits of warm air that leave the ground separately.

On light wind days the area lends itself to triangles and out-and-returns. From the Butte to Farmer, Mansfield, and back, is a classic 85km FAI triangle, while Sims Corner offers a 92-km out-and-return, with a major road underneath the whole way. On days with more wind, dogleg tasks are often called. These can also be good open-distance days, with many flights over 100 miles made on paragliders, many of them by Mark Telep.

While I was on the PWC circuit last summer I met Mandy, the PWC's super-nice secretary. She asked me when and where we would have another PWC in the U.S. (There

1

was one in the Owens in 1992.) I agreed that it should be soon, since I was quickly running out of money traveling around in Europe. I figured the best place for it would be Chelan, considering the unique flying and the pleasant, friendly town.

Flash forward to the fall USHGA Board of Directors meeting. I thought I'd make the short drive down from Boulder to Colorado Springs to see what was going on. Somehow I found myself putting in a bid for the Nationals in Chelan on July 3-8. Either because enough people know my name, or there were not a lot of other options, the bid was accepted.

I have been to a lot of competitions over the past eight years, and developed some ideas about what is important from a pilot's point of view. I've also complained a few times to meet organizations when I felt it could be done better. So I feel like I've accumulated a karmic duty to put my money where my mouth is and show how I'd like to see it done.

A few principles have occurred to me: Safety. The most accurate and up-to-theminute weather forecasting available, including on-launch helium balloon soundings, combined with a knowledgeable safety director and well-organized rescue service should help.

Fairness. A meet director who is very familiar with the rulebook will be able to enforce the rules consistently and proactively, eliminating the need for most protests and controversy.

Chalknge. Tasks should be difficult enough to keep the fastest pilots in the air for several hours and give an opportunity for them to differentiate themselves. They should also be progressively more difficult, so that most pilots make it a significant way around the course. Ir is good to have a substantial proportion of pilots making goal, depending on the field, anywhere from 25%-60%. The event is for the pilots - the up-and-coming and the top pilots.

Sponsors. It would not be possible to have more than either a poorly-attended and expensive meet, or an inexpensive bur bare-bones one without generous sponsorship. This is looking good so far.

The end result should be to encourage the competition X-C paragliding scene in the U.S. If you've been reading my articles in this magazine you've probably guessed that this is a mini-crusade of mine.

So, mark the dates on your calendar: July 3-8. The website is www.chelanpg.8k.com.

I'd like to thank the first sponsors to step up in support of this event: Airplay excellence in instruction, Alan Bradley at Nova USA, Ball Varios, Apco Paragliders and Thin Red Line harnesses. II

PARAGLIDING

IS

by Peter Reagan 'm fascinated with the reactions we all have when another pilot has an accident. As a group we are personally very supportive of the victim, but there is always a certain amount of anger mixed in. There is certainly a degree of it in my column. Where docs this vindictiveness come from?

There are several aspects of this and some arc more subtle than others. Most obvious is that other pilots in the area need to stop having fun and help the victim. We also wony that accidents at a site will adversely affect our access to it, and that accidents in our sport prove to our friends and neighbors that we arc nuts, and to our loved ones that it isn't safe to love us.

But only somewhat less apparent is that we personally resent the implication that paragliding is dangerous. We are forced to justify continuing to fly when a friend is badly hurt and we don't want to have to consider the risks.

Finally, and I think most importantly, we have joined a society with it's own moral code.

All societies that are worth anything have a moral code. Ours is a little strange, maybe, because it in,~lude~/uch ,concepts as "Never fly mto a rotor, and Don t ever let go of the brakes'." Rules like this protect us from many accidents, but almost by definition an accident victim has broken a rule, if only because one of the rules is, "Don't have accidents!" Accident victims are always ashamed, and groups chastise members who have broken rules.

I also believe that this vindictiveness in ourselves impedes us from making real progress in helping other pilots mature in their judgment. Blame-assignment does not improve healing, nor does it foster learning. It actually makes it harder for us to accept our own responsibility. So who are the latest sinners in our midst?

I

VERY POPULAR BEACH SITE, STRONG, FLYABLE CONDITIONS An experienced visiting pilot comes to the site for the first time and sits on the ground watching launches and landings. He makes inquiries of the locals about landing protocol. After a half hour or so he prepares his almost brandnew DHV 2 glider and launches for a delightful two-hour flight. He decides to try to topland near a restroom facility. He flies deep behind the lift zone and turns to fly back out toward the beach cliff at 60 feet. He momen-

MARCH

2001

tarily drops his right brake to adjust his microphone. He hits turbulence and immediately has a deflation of85% of his wing, according to several observers. Two very quick spiral rotations occur and he hits the ground hard, sustaining multiple axial skeletal injuries without neurologic sequelae. Less than four seconds elapses from deflation to impact.

During his flight the wind had gradually shifted to a more northerly flow, more parallel to the cliff front, so more wind but less lift.

Many pilots began setting up to top-land. The victim came in high from the upwind side of the LZ on a path he'd seen many other pilots take previously when the wind was more straight in. Unfortunately, in a crosswind this flight path coincides with the rotor zone from a sizable gully in the cliff front. Many prior mishaps have occurred here. Locals and instructors all knew this was an area to avoid during northerly flow.

This simple scenario actually raises several critical issues. first and foremost is respect for an ocean ridge-lift site. Most of us learn how to ridge soar before we learn to thermal, and staying up in the former seems relatively simple. We don't appreciate how much of our safety is predicated on our surprisingly sophisticated understanding of the quirks of our own local areas, as opposed to our ability to appreciate hazards at an unfamiliar site. We need to ask a lot of questions, and also think carefully about possible rotor turbulence from various obstacles. It goes without saying that anywhere near a potentially turbulent zone is a particularly bad place to let go ofa brake toggle, and this may well have affected the outcome. I will add that in the U.S., by far and away the greatest numbers of accidents occur at smooth, coastal, non-thermal sites.

Second, in ridge lifr a rotor is much more likely to matter than in a thermal situation. In thermal conditions the wind isn't as strong, and the air is going up, not sending the rotor sprawling out behind an obstacle. Laminar air doesn't have the internal give to absorb the energy of a rotor like thermally air does, so they don't damp out as fast.

Third, it would have been advantageous to have a way to communicate with the pilot in the air, to wave him off the danger. In this case I'm not convinced anything could have been done, but it is tantalizing when multiple bystanders watch what they know is an accident about to happen.

Finally, this particular glider is rated DHV 2 but has a ve1y high aspect ratio for that class.

It would be expected to deflate more readily and recover more slowly than a somewhat wider wing.

SAME SITE, A FEW DAYS EARLIER, LIGHT SOARING CONDITIONS An extremely experienced, Master-rated pilot practices death spirals, keeps banked up for one last 360 and slides in on his butt at high velocity, causing a non-displaced tibial plateau fracture and moderate harness damage.

Aerobatics is rapidly becoming extremely popular, especially at coastal laminar sites with big lift zones. To match this trend there is an increasing number of accidents involving minor misjudgments. These are occurring among extremely seasoned pilots. Aerobatics are fun and certainly allow one to hone his skills to a razor's edge, but they also increase risk. If you don't want to get hurt, learn maneuvers very slowly and methodically. Hold yourself back, and leave yourself space. No one can be exactly precise every time.

BEACH SITE, NO WIND AT LAUNCH ORLZ An inexperienced, unschooled, relatively elderly pilot hiked up to the 1,600-foot launch from the beach. Two other pilots happened to be onsite. They discussed alternative landing possibilities with him, and helped when requested to hold his wing. He did a running reverse inflation, turned and launched cleanly but with no brake input. They watched his sled ride to a landing zone on a paved road. From high up they noticed that he was not getting up after his landing. By the time they had flown down, a crowd had gathered and an ambulance had been called. He had broken his leg.

There are many obvious ways in which this individual broke our moral code. On the face of it, he probably had a sub-optimal flare and landed hot, was unable to keep his balance and fell. An important contributing cause is almost certainly lack of training. But at least two other factors should be mentioned.

Though the pilot could choose some grass or a beach to land on, he chose hard pavement.

Either of the other options would have been more forgiving. Finally, at the point of ground contact, an individual's ability to avoid injury depends on several factors, including age, weight, muscular strength, agility, bone density, skill and protective equipment. We each come with unique physical parameters outside of which we have a high risk of breakage. It takes honesty and maturity to allow for our own limitations. A 20-year-old soccer player is much less likely to get hurt in the same event as an older, more sedenta1y person. Think about the margin you like to fly with.

Thanks to all who have come fo1ward with their near misses and accidents. And let's be charitable toward the victims in our midst.

They are learning a lot right now, and have quite a bit to teach as well. Ill

37

People, Places and Things

by USHGA President David Glover PEOPLE There are so many people who make a difference in our sports and the USHGA. One of the best things about the position of president is having close contact with good people who care about promoting and helping the sports.

Steve Roti is a paraglider pilot from the Northwest. (He was a Regional Director until recently.) Over the last six months Steve has donated a skill he has to the Association that is worth tens of thousands of dollars. He is a database expert and has written dozens of applications for the USHGA which allow the office to provide a much higher level of service to the membership. His real value and help is incalculable. I greatly appreciate what he has done. With members like this, anything is possible.

Kenny Brown is one of the flyingest flying guys I know. Over the many years I have known Kenny he has been one of the biggest supporters of the sport. He has been a manufacturer, instructor, competitor (in almost all disciplines), and now is an importer. If the sport had another dozen like him our membership base would look radically different. Kenny likes to fly, but he has the attitude, "Who cares if it's just a

38

sled run -- let's go!" Even more important than Kenny's own flying is the joy he gets when others fly.

Paris Williams is perhaps the best allaround hang glider pilot. He performs well in all disciplines of flying. He is one of the top five cross-country pilots and a great dune racer (not as good as Kenny or John Borton, but who is?). He is a very competent and experienced aerobatic pilot and also likes to speed glide. Most importantly, he is one of the best instructors in the nation. I constantly hear excellent feedback about Paris's teaching techniques. He has taught all over the world using tandem flying, and is as comfortable foot-launching as aerotowing. He knows when and how to listen and has multiple ways to get students unstuck. He adapts his style to the student, unlike mediocre instructors who expect the students to adapt to the instructor. His teaching doesn't stop at the end of the flight; he has as much time as it takes to answer questions and give ground schools that are wide in scope.

Chris Santacroce and Chris Muller are similar to Paris with respect to paragliding.

The great thing about these three individuals is that they are much younger than the average member, so we still have a chance.

We need more members like Paris, Chris and Chris.

Jim Zeiser lives in Salida, Colorado, and his home location is important to the story. Jim has volunteered an especially large amount of his time, knowledge and money over the last six months. He has helped with every office/Executive Director transition the Association has made over the last 15 years. This time he is trying to work himself out of a job. Jim flies to Colorado Springs in his own plane to the visit the office almost every week. He is laying the groundwork for a strong financial foundation for the Association, is working on hiring the right person for the job of directing the office, and will follow up to make sure we do not get off track. I think we will look back on his work in five years and say that it was a most important time in making the Association and the sports strong.

PLACES The main flying season is about to start.

Organize a work party, volunteer at a competition, help secure a site. I see flying sites being lost all over the country. Access to launch and development in the landing zones are shrinking the number of footlaunched flying areas. Support your local instructors and schools so they can be a point of contact and knowledge in the fight to keep sites open.

Start thinking about towing. Nothing is better than running off the side of a hill or mountain - the views and landscape are incredible. One of the best parts about flying for me is the people. With towing in your area pilots get together to fly. Public airports get government funding and can allow for many forms of aviation. Sailplane ports and hang gliding can work well together and do. Put up a sign at work that says "HANG GLIDING" or "PARAGLIDING" with a local instructor's phone number or website. There is strength in numbers. The largest clubs, chapters and schools have the most clout and staying power.

THINGS 1) Please sign up for automatic credit card renewal. Go to the website, www.ushga.org, fill out the information and you're done. From then on you are signed up and won't miss a month of the magazine or experience a gap in your thirdparty liability insurance. You'll keep all your ratings and life will be good.

2) Link your hompage/website to www.ushga.org. This will allow for more paths and searches on the Web, and will end up helping people all over the country find a club or school near their area.

3) Fly in conditions and on equipment below your skill level. You can enjoy the sport more and longer with this attitude.

Have fun.

David Glover President, USHGA Thanks for reading the fine print. Now go and sign up for automatic credit card renewal. Please send your comments or questions to david@davidglover.com. • PARAGLIDING

BEYOND

EGREE

by Doug Hoffman, photos courtesy Nalu, Gravity Sports

Makapuu offers perhaps Hawaii's most famous, important and sought-after flying experience.

Established in the early days ofhang gliding, the Hawaii Hang Gliding Association (HHA) has enjoyed a long relationship with and leases Makapuu from Bishop Estate. The HHA welcomed the paragliding community into the club several years ago, and since then we have enjoyed a great camaraderie.

e club is now controlled equally by three hang glider and three paraglider pilots, with the deciding tie-breaking vote coming from a hangie. Although the site is used by both hang glider and paraglider pilots, the requirements to fly are not the same. It is MARCH

2001

recognized that the hang glider launch is one of the most technical launches in existence. It is a true cliff launch, and launching here must be similar to launching directly into a 2,000-fpm core - Hang 4's only!

Watching will leave you awestruck. The paragliding launch, however, is not as criti-

cal. The recognition of this allowed the club to establish the following requirements. If you are a visiting paraglider pilot expect to be required to show a P4 or equivalent rating or a P3 with 100 hours, 200 flights and X-C and AWCL signoffs. In both cases you must be a USHGA member, join the

39

HHA, sign the associaced waiver and fly with an advanced-raced club member on radio. Pere Michelmore and Marc Hill ac Gravicy Spores are both Board members and the shop is a good comacc for informacion and co pick up your helmec scicker. You can call the shop ac (808) 261-7873.

Wich the area primarily dominaced by northeascerly uade winds, blowing in che 10- co 20-mph range, Makapuu is only flyable by paraglider pilots a few rimes a momh. Usually in che winter between the end of November and April is besc. During this rime che winds slack as highs and lows drop down from che nonh Pacific and che weather gees cool (record low, 59 degrees).

These systems can hang around for less chan a day or for several weeks. Several years ago we had almost a month of perfect days, but that is very rare.

Because of the geometry of the 30+ mile-long Ko'olau Mountain Range the winds need to drop to four mph or less for Makapuu to be launchable in a para.glider.

40

Even at that prevailing wind speed the wind at lalll1ch is commonly 20 mph or more, so it pays co have a wind meter. lt is not uncommon co hear of visiting thermal pilots waiting all day for the lull that will never come. When the wind lightens, the mornings and evenings are epic glass, bur because of the light condicions che land hearing can dominace the light era.des and the wind can sh_ifc and lighten or screngchen withom warning, and rum the conditions on the ridge from perfecc soaring co rocor cemral. This is the reason for the sciff requirements co fly and che need for a club pilot co be with yo u. This is more common if there is a low sining over che islands.

When the highs are here the wind will scay lighc and scraighc all day long and the range will stay breathcakingly clear. These are the days for long cross-coumries.

Makapuu is locaced ac the eascem-mosc rip of the island of Oahu above Sea Life Park. To get co launch, find a club piloc, gee signed up and have him show yo u. There

are several launches. The one mosc commonly used and besc is called Cacrus, and ic is a nicely cleared, £lac, gravel spoc chat has enough room to lay om one wing, and has sufficient downwind space co be safe. There are whac appear co be several large bushes behind and co che lefc oflaunch (caution: these are Kia.we, abouc six feec call wich long choms). They have claimed at lease one piloc who launched on a scrong day and made ic co the edge several rimes bur couldn'c quire make ic pasc che edge, and was chen deposiced inco che center of one, wing scill flying. Ouch! Afcer spending over an hour gening himself and che wing our, it looked like he was a.eta.eked by wild cars!

As you take the short hike co launch you will get a feel for whac it will be like, and expect the wind to build as you hike. Don't be surprised if ic seems reasonable until you acrually arrive on launch. le seems that even chough you hike up che ridge in the wind it is often not until you rum the last corner that che wind shows ics true colors. As men-

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tioned before, it is common to have 20 mph on launch and see pilots using assists to keep from being dragged. This is a situation in which a wind meter is vital. If you don't know your limits and those of your glider make sure you have an adequate margin, and don't be fooled by local pilots making it look easy. The incident mentioned above happened to a pilot who launched immediately after assisting me and I witnessed it from high above him.

If a local offers you the classic invitation, "Looks good, you go first," helps you lay out and offers an assist, it may be a bad sign. (Can you say wind dummy?) If you arrive on launch and there are pilots in the air, don't be lulled into a false sense of security. Even a change so small that they may not have even felt it could cause launch to go from max to blown out. (Can you say Kiawe?) If you do find it and there are no locals there, don't fly! Don't even try.

Once off the ground one will generally find smooth, easy-to-work ridge lift, but it has been noticed that pilots who don't ever fly this kind of lift seem to bomb out even on good days. The lift will be near the cliff face, and because you launch from about 400 feet you need to get up just to make the LZ. That's right; you will not make the LZ on glide alone. There are other options, so if you aren't breaking even or going up don't just follow the cliff, because it falls away from good LZ's. If you're not going up at launch generally the lift will not get better as you head down the ridge, and it's time to head out. The beach may look tempting but it is narrow and often has large surf breaking right on it. Between the beach and the LZ is a treeless park with open picnic areas, which is a good option that no one will fault you for. We have seen more than one visiting pilot pick the road, but this is unacceptable, and if you refuse to give up you may not be left with good options (like the shark tank at Sea Life Park). Keep this in mind. If the wind is light on launch, it's lighter everywhere else.

Again, please fly with a club pilot. Most of the local P4 pilots have seen enough of the different conditions to make a safe call.

So, after all the danger talk, what are you left with? Makapuu itself is about two miles long, and as you fly down the ridge you fly past Sea Life Park, then past the hang glider launch at about 1,200 feet and the Magnum house. Soaring on the main ridge is great, with altitudes ranging from

42

1,250 feet on light days to 2,000 feet or so on strong days. On the light days the midday thermals can be kicking, and I've been to 3,500 feet and others claim to have been as high as 6,800.

The thermals will start at about 10:00 AM on low-pressure days and mellow or stop when the shadow from the cliff covers Sea Life Park. These days will keep you on your toes, because the sustaining lift will keep you close to the cliff and the thermals will rock you as they come rushing up the cliff face - so be careful. On strong days the thermals will not be noticeable, but there are several islands out in front, and the larger of the two, Rabbit Island, will cause mechanical turbulence somewhere on the ridge, so keep an eye on the gusts. You can see them on the water, and they will tell you where to expect it on the hill.

Once you have familiarized yourself with the hill and recovered from the breathtalcing views (which may cake more than one flight), what can you do? Fly X-C! Because of the conditions, the height of the hill and abundant LZ's, even those who don't know when to give up usually realize chat they're not going to save it with enough glide to hit an easy spot. The first jump is made from the ridge back several miles to the cow-pie thermal. (That's right - when you smell it, turn!) When you leave the ridge you will probably find little lift until here. The shape of this portion of the ridge is a bowl, and the lift is usually good but can be a bit bumpy. Keep an eye out for power lines. There are three sets in this area and thermals in excess of 1,800 fpm have been reported midday.

Once up again, one will want to proceed around Pu'u O Kona (2,025 feet) to the Green Wall. The Green Wall has Pu'u 0 Kona on one end and Pu'u Lanipo (2,621 feet) on the other. You'll generally find smooth lift here, and if the air is clear the views will be stunning. Your altitude here will depend on wind strength and cloudbase. Although there is plenty ofland for heating and thermal generation, it seems the moisture chat makes the wall green sucks the energy out of the air and leaves you with wonderfully smooth conditions.

The lift will vary depending on conditions, but your altitude will be limited by cloudbase which can be as low as 1,800 feet. If you are chinking about X-C, as we all are, cake a look at the Green Wall before you go.

If base is low and you can't see the ridge top

it may be better not to go. The lift can be strong enough to put you in the clouds and keep you there, so beware. Mind your heading and give yourself some distance from the hill if there are any clouds at all, because you will get to base.

Usually you can get down with B-lines and by being smart. If you don't do B-lines, X-C is not a good idea. Several pilots have reported cloud suck strong enough to keep them climbing even with B-lines, and at least one pilot was taken over the back because he entered the clouds, didn't B-Line and became disoriented in the clouds. If clear of clouds, altitudes of 4,000+ feet (higher for hang gliders) are possible, and that is with ridge lift only!

If you find yourself sinking out you may make a thermal save by looking out front.

The back ofWaimanalo is full of agriculture land and there are LZ's, but the good ones are a few miles from the ridge so don't wait too long. If, while on glide, you get back up to cloudbase, which has been done, your easy ridge X-C will have just become a thermal X-C. Good luck.

Once past the Green Wall you will be faced with a series of gaps, upwind glides and points to contend with. If you are planning to do the epic X-C make sure you have a well-used speed bar and use caution when approaching the gaps. Remember what it was like on launch. It may be just as strong in the gap and most of the gaps are followed by upwind glides. Don't be shocked if you find yourself well below the ridge while flying with the speed bar fully engaged to penetrate to the next point.

Keep an LZ within reach and remember that you can always go back to the lift, but it may be close to the gap, so use caution.

Stick with the locals and be safe. The conditions are never quite the same, but high pressure is better than low pressure because of cloudbase.

Paraglider pilots have been down the range over 35 miles to Goat Island one way, and out and back 25 miles in each direction, so long flights are common if it is flyable.

If you are sitting at home wondering how low the thermometer is going to drop, keep in mind chat Hawaii pilots are flying in shorts. Everyone speaks English, the locals are friendly, we have good medical facilities and the winter offers epic flying.

Hope to see you soon. •

PARAGLIDING

PARAGLIDING ADVISORY: Used paraglidcrs should always be thoroughly inspected before flying 1,,r 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. PARAGLIDERS APCO !-'!ESTA- DHV I $1,999. Apco Allegra DHV 1-2 $2,800. Apco Simba DHV 2 $2,900. SupAir harness $42'5. Flytec 400'i vario $3')9. I-lanwag boots $22'5. ('i41) .387-2112, Rick Higgins, SunSporrsPCQi\10!.com, Mark Telep, thatspecQilhormail.com l'IREBIRD BOOSTER - Large, 80-IO'ikgs., DI-IV 2, excellent shape $2,350. (406) 439-2239. Derails at http://hornerown.aol.com/hiplainz (click on "Fquiprnent Specials and Used Cear".)

CIN BOLERO-XI., 105-125kgs., DHV 1. Beautiful condition $1,750. (406) 439-2259. Details at http://homerown.aol.com/hiplainz (click on "Equipment Specials and Used Cear" I. http://www.fon2fly.corn/news.htm For new and used paragliders, rigid wings, helmets and more. This SALE page is updated li-equenrly so please check ir out or call 206-520-9010 for more information.

MAC I-IO RN FT - 15 hours, harness, reserve, helmet $1,000. (808) 277-2944.

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SOL UNO - Great condition, blue/white, }5 hours $UOO. (7M) .Wi-5000.

POWERED PARAGLIDERS ADVENTURE Fl - Excellent condition, 19%, electric start, Apco Pcrf I canopy 1 hour, Perf 2 canopy 30 hours, medium harness, 1 hour airtime on motor $5,000 OBO. (719) 687-5139, rnmunainskyl@juno.com ADVENTURE F3 1998 15 hours, total package ready to fly $4,800 OBO. (518) 745-5841.

EMERGENCY PARACHUTES CANOPY REPAIRS - 30 years experience, factory quality repairs, 3 l'AA Master Parachute Riggers. 1-800526-2822, geart,:Dparaequip.com HARNESSES BRAND NEW EDE!. - $250 OBO. AT harness, great shape, w/chute $450 OBO. (505) 286-5871, flysharp l@aol.com

US VOILES Wll.l.lWAW- Large, 92-l 15kgs., Al'NOR Standard. Well cared for and in good conclition, recent inspection $800. (406) 439-2239. Details at http://hometown.aol.com/hiplainz (click on 'Tquiµment Specials and Used Gear").

XIX SI-IOI' DEMO WINGS - Near new condition, Inter 28m $1,800. 1-'cmn 29111 $1,800. (858) 279-6997, email skypilotbrian~ilyahoo.com

FAX your classified ad, membership renewal or merchandise order: (719) 632-6417. We gladly accept VISA and MasterCard.

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

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

Please enter my classified ad as follows:

Number of months: ___________ SECTION O Paragliders lJ Emergency Parachutes o Parts & Accessories D Business & Employment

D Miscellaneous D Powered Paragliders D Videos

cJ Towing lJ Schools & Dealers

O Ultralights O Publications & Organizations DWanted O Harnesses

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

Number of words: _______ @$.50 = _ _ _ __ Number of words:

MARCH

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

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SCHOOLS & DEALERS ARIZONA DIXON'S AIRPLAY PARAGLIDING - Dixon White: USHGA's Instructor of the Year! Airplay: Top ranked school for years and featured in the best selling videos "Starting Paragliding", "Weather to Fly" and the "Art of Kiting". Perfect beginner training areas at both our Arizona and W'ashington locations. Arizona's "best" beginner season is September through May. Washington is "best" between May and September. At both locations drive-up to 360 degree treeless and rockless launches.

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GRAVITY SPORTS HAWAII'S ONLY PARAGLIDING AND KITE SURFING shop is now open. Come fly where the sun always shines and the wind always blows with USHGA TANDEM INSTRUCTOR PETE MICHELMORE and MARC "NALU" HILL and PWC'S PETER BRINKEBY (Edel) in beautiful Kailua, Hawaii. Fly the famous MAKAPUU sea cliffs, 80ktn out and return flights arc possible at 3,000ft msl and land on WHITE SAND BEACHES. Our complete PARAGLIDING and KITE SURFING shop is located just one block from the Kailua beach. Look us up on the web at www.patadiseparagliding.com or www.gravitysports.org. Start your HAWAIIAN EXTREME VACATION NOW! Call (808) 261-SURF. MAUI WOW WEE - Proflyght Hawaii, first school in Hawaii, located on Maui, is now under new ownership.

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PARAGLIDING

MONTANA HIGH PLAINS PARAGLIDING - Spring has sprung and the flying party has begun! Now is the time to step up to a new SUP'AIR harness. Mention this classified and get an additional 10% off any Sup'Air harness or reserve through April 15th. High Plains also sells Nova, Apco, Advance, Flytec, Renschler and more. Sec them all on our web site (http://hometown.aol.com/hiplainz), or call us at (406) 439-2239.

LEARNTO~ PARAGLIDE

,;v

at Kitty Hawk Kites Outer Banks, NC Lessons Daily Towing & Foot Launch Ycar Round Sales & Service CALL TODAY! 800-334-4777 252-441-4124

NEVADA ADVENTURE SPORTS - Sierra soaring at its best.

Tours and tandems available. Instruction from certified USHGA instructors with 25 years experience. Sales, service and instruction by appointment Carson City/Lake Tahoe NV. (775) 883-7070 http://home.pyramid.net/ advspts

f,'-Mai/ Addrrss info@kittyhawk.com

NEW YORK AIR SPORTS USA - Lessons, service, equipment.

Paragliding, hang gliding, powered paragliding, trikes.

Phone (718) 777-7000, WWW.FLYFORFUN.NET

SUNSPORTS PARAGLIDING - Hood River, Oregon. Beginner lessons, tandem flights, advanced instruction, consignment sales. Mark Telep, P4, Basic Instructor, Tandem Instructor; Rick Higgins, Master rated pilot, Advanced Instructor, Tandem Administrator. (541).387-2112,SunSportsPG@aol.com TEXAS HILL COUNTRY PARAGLIDING INC - Learn complete pilot skills. Personalized USHCA certified training, ridge soaring, foot & tow launching in central Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. (915) 5791185. 1475 CR 220, Tow TX 78672.

KITE ENTERPRISES - Foot launch, payout winch tow and powered paraglidcr instruction too. Training, sales, rentals and repair. Edel, Ai1wavc, Wills Wing, UP and DK Whisper. Dallas, fort Worth and north Texas area. 211 Ellis, Allen TX 75002. (972) 390-9090 nights,

NORTH CAROLINA

weekends. www.kitc-cnterprises.com

UTAH

OREGON

VIRGINIA

USHGA CERTIFJEO INSTRIJCTION Powered Paragliding•lbwing•l<Ootlaunch Tandem• Equipmcnt•Sales•Scrvkc

SOUTHERN SKIES - MOUNTAIN FLYING and POWERED PARAGLIDING instruction, sales and service with f,111-rime shop, I hour north of Charlotte. 7 beautiful flying sites nearby. (828) 6.12-6000 WWW.SOUTHERNSKIES.NET

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

Sell your unused equipment here.

MARCH

2001

CLOUD 9 SOARING CENTER - The nation's largest paragliding shop and school. Open for LESSONS, REPAIRS, SALES year round. Next to world famous Point of the Mountain. www.paragliders.com. 1-888-944-54.33 or stop by at 12665 S. Minuteman Drive #1, Draper UT 94020.

KITTY HA WK KITES -

See North Carolina.

WASHINGTON OVER THE ]{11.L PARAGLlDINC/POWEREDPC - 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, thermal, and Gorge sites. There is NO SALES TAX to ANY rnstomer buying in or from Oregon. New & used gear.

Trades welcome. VISA/MC/AM EX 22865 S.E. Yellowhammer Gre.sham OR 97080 503667-4'i'i7 Toll free: 888-215-1442 email: nthpara([Dspiritone.com

DIXON'S AIRPLAY PARAGLIDING Please see our classified ad under Arizona. www.paraglide.com WYOMING FIRST CLASS PARAGLIDING - In beautiful Jackson Hole. Ten flying sites including the Aerial Tram (4, 1.39 vertical feet). Awesome flying for pilots of all ability levels. Enjoy early morning sled rides, mid-day cross-country flights, and incredible evening glass-off soaring. Instruction-Tandem [lights-Towing-Kite Surfing-Sales-Service. Scott Harris (307) 690-TRAM (8726), Tom Bartlett (307) 690-4948, www.jacksonholeparagliding.com PARTS & ACCESSORIES

Web: overthehillparagliding.com CLOUD 9 SOARINC 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. 1-800-475-1 504, 12665 S. Minuteman Dr. #1, Draper UT 84020.

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FLIGHT CONNECTIONS. INC:. !'TT/I

FLIGHT CONNECTIONS, INC.

1 i (( )) {)1

•Newand Improved • Water/Dust Resistant Push Button • Field Replaceable Finger Switch • Heavier (;auge Wire/Improved Plugs • Increased Strain Relief at ALL Joints

MINI VARIO - World's smallest, simplest vario 1 Clips to helmet or chinstrap. 200 hours on batteries, 0-18,000 ft .. fast response and 7. year warranty. Great !or hang gliding too. ONLY $169. Mallettec, PO Box 15756, Santa Ana CA, 92735. (;14) %6-1240, www.mallettec.com VIC/Visa accepted.

Price $11 'J.'Vi. Extra l,nger switch $19.95 w/purchase.

Dealer inquiries welcome. Call (91.l) 268-7946.

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

PARAGLIDING: THE COMPLETE GUIDE - By Noel Whittall. Over I 00 color photographs & illustrations, 200 pages, $26.95 +$4.75 s/h. USHGA, PO Box 1.3.30, Colorado Springs CO 8090 I. (719) 632-8300, fax your MC/Visa to (719) 632-6417, www.ushga.org, ushgaeit1ushga.org SO ARI NC - Monthly magazine or The Soaring Society of America, Inc. Covers all aspects ol soaring flight. hill membership $55. Info. kit with sample copy $3. SSA, P.O. Box 2100, Hobbs, NM 88241. (505)

HAVE EXTRA EQUIPMENT - That you don't know what to do with. Advertise in the Paragliding classifieds, $.50 r,er word, $5 minimum. Call USHCA for details (719) 632-8.100, ushga@ushga.org or fax your ad with a Vi.1a/MC. fax (719) 6.32-6417.

TOWING SPECTRA l 2 -

Braided tow line $0.18 per foot (702) 260-7950, www.virtual-

hosts.net/hang.htm VIDEOS SUUNTO VECTOR WATCH -This watch supplies your altitude and climb rate, as well as your compass heading! Ir even has a baro1neter function to give you information about approaching or passing weather systems (high or low pressure). Order at www.flyaboveall.com or call (805) 965-3733 UVF.X helmets are the best and are now on sale for only $21 5, you save up to $II O! Check our http://www.fun2fly.com/news.htm or call 206-3209010 for more info.

IS IT SOARABLE? - Be sure with a USHGA Windsok. Made of 1.5 oz. ripstop nylon, UV treated, 5'4" long w/ 11" throat. Available colors fluorescent pink/yellow or fluorescent pink/white. $39.95 (+$1.75 S/H). Send to USHGA Windsok, P.O. Box U30, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-U.10, (719) 632-8500, fax (71 '!) 6.12-6417. VISA/MC: accepted.

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

Paragliding.

PUBLICATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS THE ART OF PARAGLIDING - By Dennis Pagen.

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!! Step by step training, ground handling, soaring, avoiding dangers, and much much more. 274 pages, 248 illustrations. The most complete manual about paragliding on the market. $34.95 +$4.75 s/h. USHCA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. (719) 632-8500, fax your MC/Visa to 1719) 632-6417, www.ushga.org, ushga@\1shga.org

Your ad is read by more than 5,000 paragliding enthusiasts. Advertise with us today.

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

Great flying footage. 38 min $29.95.

WEATHER TO FLY, by Adventure Productions. A much needed instructional/educational video on micrometeorology. Dixon White, Master pilot and USHGA Examiner, takes you through a simple step-bystep process showing where to acquire weather data and how to interpret it. For pilots or any aircraft. Learn about regional & local influences and how to determine winds alofr 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 THERMALUNG, by Dennis Trott/Alpine Flying Centre. 50°1<, HG, 50% PC. Discover techniques to tame the elusive alf,ine thermal. Beautiful footage set against Europe's most dramatic mountain.'.-i. Also features comments from top pilots & great animation. 24 min $35.95.

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PARAGLIDING

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. Rock-nroll world class competition at Owens Valley.

Professionally filmed & edited, 35 minutes $35.95.

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

MISCELLANEOUS FLIGHT GUIDANCE AND XC - In the Sierra Nevada, Spain: Horizonte Vertical, www.granadainfo.com/hv/, hv@granadainfo.com, Tel/Fax: 011 34 958763408

at Pinzgau, Austria. Soon to become collectors items!

Sizes medium & large, ONLY $10 (in the USA).

Proceeds benefit the US Paragliding World Team! Send your $10 to: USHGA Foundation, c/o PG World Team '99 T Shirt, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs C080901- 1330. 1-800-616-6888.

"AMERICAN FLAG" PARAGLIDER- Lost by FedX, identical to the one Scott Alan is flying in the inside back cover Paraborne display ad. (407) 935-9912, scott@paraborne.com

VIDEOS, BOOKS & APPAREL - Call USHGA for your Merchandise order form (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417, email: ushga@ushga.org,www.ushga.org

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.

DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN THE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES The race for classified advertising is $.50 per word (or group of characters) and $1.00 per word for bold or all caps. Phone numbcr=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" X 2.25". Please underline words to be in bold print. Special layouts of cabs are $25.00 per column inch.

AD DEADLINES: March 20th is the deadline for the May issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA. Send to: PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE, Classified Advertising, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330 (719) 652-8.300 or fax (71 9) 632-6417, email jjclgarc@ushga.org with your Visa or MasterCard.

STOLEN WINGS & THINGS

1999 WORLD TEAM T-SHIRTS - We still have a few left. Commemorating the world championships held

MARCH

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, Flycec 4010 vario, Alinco DJ-191 2-Meter radio. Contact Kevin Lee (541) 9551737, chermalcracker@bigfooc.com

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Adventure Productions .......................... .41 Aero light USA ....................................... .41 Apco ............................................ 13,14,15 Critter Mountain Wear ............................ 7 Dawn Treader ........................................ 33 Flight Design ........................................ .41 Flytec ....................................................... 9 Hall Brothers ........................................ .41 Mojo's Gear ........................................... 28 Pro-Design ............................................... 8 Sport Aviation Publications .................... 33 Sup'Air ................................................... 33 Super Fly, Inc ........................ 2,Back Cover Thermal Tracker .................................... 11 Thin Red Line ....................................... 17 Torrey Pines Gliderport ........................... 9 USHGA ................................................. 47 Wills Wing ............................................. 29

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