USHGA Paragliding Vol13/Iss3 March 2002

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SUPER FLY, INC. · EXCLUSI VENORTH AMERICAN IMPORTER/DISTRIBUTOR· [801] 255-9595 · info@4superfly.com · www.4superfly.com · 552 W. 8350 5. ·

PARAGLIDING • MARCH 2002

AIR MAIL

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

UP.DATE

CLASSIFIED ADVEIITISl'G

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

INCIDENT REPORTS

GLIDER REvmw: THE ADVANCE SIGMA 5 © 2000 by Akin Chucu!Ate, photos by Mary Hobson

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

KAHANA VAILEY REoPFNS article and photos 'by Marc "Nalu" Hill

UNDERSTANDING THIRST AND FLYlNG

by Daniel L. Johnson, m,ised by Grant "Groundhog" Hoag,,

D~OP

WARRANTIB IN PUBUCATIONS: The: matedal presented here Is published as

COVER: Let's go in the snow. FIJ,ing the South Side, Point ofthe Mountain, Utah, '92.

Photo by Jay Carroll Jay is this month's featured photographer in our photo gallery. See page 39.

MARCH

2 002

part of an Information dis-

semination service for

SOARCASTING

USHGA membem. The USHGA makes no war-

by Davis Straub

ranties or representations and assumes no llabWty conceming the validity of

any advice, opinion or rec-

ommendation exprc88ed in the matedal. All individuals

PARAGLIDING PHOTO GALLERY This month} featuredphotographer: Jay CarroO

relying upon the material do

so at their own risk.

Copyright © 2002 Urutcd States Hang Gliding Assn., Inc. All rtshts reserved to Paragliding and Individual ~ntrlbutors.

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Gil Dodgen, Managing Editor/Editor-in-Chief Steve Roti, Contributing Editor Dave Pounds, Art Director Will Gadd, Dennis Pagen Staff Writers

Jayne Depanfilis, Executive Director, jayne@ushga.org Jeff Elgart, Advertising, jeff@ushga.org Paul Defranco, IT Administrator, paul@ushga.org Sandra Hewitt, Member Services, sandra@ushga.org Natalie Hinsley, Member Seivices, natalie@ushga.org

COMBINING THE MAGAZINES

USHGA Officers and Executive Committee:

Jim Zeise!, President, jimzgreen@aol.com Mark Ferguson, Vice President, mark@ballvarios.com Russ Locke, Secretary,russ/ocke@juno.com

Bill Bolosky, Treasurer, bolosky@microsoft.com REGION 1: Bill Bolosky, Mark Forbes. REGION 2: Ray Leonard, John Wilde, Tim West. REGION 3: David Jebb, John Greynald, Alan Chuculate. REGION 4: Mark Ferguson, Jim Zeiset. REGION 5: Frank Gillette.

REGION 6: James Gaar- REGION 7: Bill Bryden.

REGION 8: Doug Sharpe. REGION 9: Randy Leggett, Felipe Amunategui. REGION 10: Tiki Mashy, Matt Taber. REGION 11: R.R. Rodriguez. REGION 12: Paul Voight. DIRECTORS AT LARGE: Jan Johnson, Dennis Pagen, Russ Locke, Steve Kroop, Chris Santacroce.

HONORARY DIRECTORS: Aaron Swepston, J.C. Brown, Ed Pitman, G.W. Meadows, Bob Hannah, John Harris, Larry Sanderson (SSA), Dave Broyles, Gene Matthews, Ken Brown, Rob Kells, Liz Sharp, Dan Johnson, Dixon White. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS: Art Greenfield (NAA).

The United States Hang Gliding Association Inc. is an air sports organization affiliated with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which is the official representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), of the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA, which represents the U.S. at 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 reseives 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 (9'\9) 8887363, fax (949) 888-7464, e-mail: GilDodgen@aol.com.

The USHGA is a member-controlled sport organization dedicated to the exploration and promotion of all facets of unpowered ultralight flight, and to the education, training and safety of Its mc,mbership. 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 Paraglidlng), ($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 11 times a year: Jan., Feb., March, April, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. by the United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc., 219 W. Colorado Ave., Suite 104, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 (719) 632-8300. FAX (719) 632-6417. 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.

Dear Editor, I want to commend the editorial staff of Hang Gliding and Paragliding, as well as the Executive Director of our organization for making the hard choice to explore the very real possibility of melding our two magazines into one.

As the editor of a monthly magazine published by a non-profit recreationist organization, I can certainly empathize with the plight of the USHGA editorial staff in having to produce two magazines each month. But the stories in the January issue of this magazine adequately addressed the editorial reasons for the merger. So, it as the Director of Communications (a.le.a. Marketing Director) of the publishing organization of my magazine that I want to address this issue. I offer these comments from more than 10 years of experience in the field of non-profit publishing and marketing.

Like USHGA, my employer, the Washington Trails Association, is comprised of a broad, diverse membership.

Our members are all over the political, economic and social map. But the membership has one common tie: a love of hiking. Likewise, the equally diverse membership ofUSHGA has a unifying love: the love of flying.

But USHGA has a problem, too. Its membership isn't as unified as might be expected and desired, at least on its face.

The problem is this: The public face of any organization is its publication.

Presenting a unified front is difficult enough with a single magazine, but with two magazines, USHGA shows a split personality. In the best of times, this creates problems, and these are certainly not the best of times.

As we move forward into the 21st Century, the sport of foot-launched flight faces some substantial obstacles. The regulations that allow us to fly are under review and it's possible that our sport might be substantially altered before all is said and done. To ensure that our interests are represented in the best possible manner, we must be unified. And that means

having a unified voice in the form of a single magazine.

Combining our two good magazines into a single great publication will be a huge step in this direction. The policymakers at the FAA will see a unified organization working for a single interest.

Likewise, land managers with the National Park Service, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, as well as the various state and local land agencies, will see a unified group of pilots, and will give greater credence to our desires for access to legitimate launch and landing sites on public lands.

Yet it is not only non-USHGA folks who will learn and benefit from this new, unified front. Despite the initial debate and disagreements, the end result of the magazine merger will be that the membership of our organization will become a more cohesive group. Why? Because we will learn more about each other by being exposed to more of the details of each other's passions. As a relatively new paraglider pilot, I honestly know next to nothing about hang gliding. But I'd like to know more, and I'd like to think I'm not alone in that desire to know more about the folks who share the air with me.

I don't fear losing space in the magazine "to the other side" - I look forward to seeing more space given to the other side so I can learn from them. Hang glider pilots and paraglider pilots aren't that different, and I have to believe that any pilot will appreciate a well-written story about an epic flight or the simple joys of flying.

As I see it, the only real sticking point in the magazine merger debate comes down to this: What do we call it? I'll stick my neck on the block and offer up my suggestion to get the debate going: Flight, the magazine of the United States Hang Gliding Association.

What do you think?

Dan A. Nelson Puyallup, WA

Dan is the editor ojWashington Trails magazine, published by the Washington Trails Association. You can visit them online at www.wta.org.

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MARCH

2002

VOLUME

13, ISSUE #3

PARAGLIDING

DIS

CA

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NDARS

PRICE i',USHGA 2002 PARAGLIDING CALENDAR - First everl Spectacular photos. CLEARANCE! 1/b S 5.00

QTY_ ToJal WeighLIQTAL $ _ __

PUBLICATIONS <HHE ART OF PARAGLIDING by Dennis Pagen *NEW*. Covers ALL aspects. 274 pgs ........ 3/b ,~BIRDFLIGHT: As the Basis of Aviation. Otto Lilienthal's flight documentation a century ago.1/b ,A,PG INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL by D. Pagen. *NEW* Paragliding, used in !P's. lllustrated ........ 1/b TOWING ALOFT by Dennis Pagen/Bill Bryden. Covers ALL aspects of towing. 372 pgs ... ........ 3/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 ....... 3oz DELUXE FLIGHT LOG BOOK 4.25" x 7" 68+ pages. Log over 270 flights.

FLIGHT LOG BOOK The Official USHGA flight log book. 40 pages Log those flights! ....... 2oz

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Send to Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ USHGA#_ _ _ _ _ Phone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

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

S

ECK OUT OUR NEW APPAREL AT WWW.USHGA.ORG

Dear Editor, I read the "USHGA Reports" in the January issue of Hang Gliding magazine and I fully support the combination of our publications. While there are many differences such as performance, control and use that separate the two sports, they have much in common with each other.

We hang glider pilots share many things with paraglider pilots: the same air, the same thermals, and many of the same flying sites. In these areas a combined magazine can provide information that benefits both sports.

At the same time we share many of the same concerns, not only threats of injury and safety-related issues, but threats to our sites and occasional regulatory threats.

This is where a closer relationship between hang gliding and paragliding can be most beneficial. When dealing with an issue such as the potential closing of a site, or regulations that restrict our flying, we must be spoken for as one large group, with similar goals, expectations and guidelines. Combining our publications would facilitate easier communication between us on matters such as these, helping to keep us all on the same page (literally).

I would also like to compliment the recent addition of more photographs to the magazines. Hang gliding and paragliding are very visual sports, and features such as the "Photo Gallery" and the spectacular covers and centerspreads speak volumes about why we are so involved in this sport. Keep up the good work!

Justin Aten Madison, WI

Dear Editor, Yes, yes, and yes. It's about time! Good idea. Been waiting for this. Skywings and Cross Country do it. We should have done it a long time ago.

James B. Brown Seim-Machi, Japan

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SEE AND AVOID Dear Editor, I just read Joe Gregor's "See and Avoid" article in January 2002 Paragliding. I would like to add two important points to this excellent article. I was also taught to crosscheck in and outside of the cockpit while learning to fly "real" aircraft. It was hammered into me that the responsibility of avoiding a collision is mine. I was taught the scanning method of concentrating upon 10-degree portions of sky for three seconds before moving to the next portion, and so on.

Your eye can therefore catch any movement. This "IO-degree" method is very common and is taught by all Cessna Pilot Centers.

When it comes to being seen by other airspace users, the color of your wing makes a huge difference. Yellow is highly visible in most situations. Light blue is highly not-visible in many situations. This is clearly illustrated when comparing several photos in the photo gallery section of January Paragliding. Perform a test the next time you fly. Determine which color gliders are the most visible: a) against blue sky, b) against terra firma, c) against clouds. You could do the same by viewing a photo of the start gaggle at a larger competition.

Now you have the answer as to which glider will be the easiest to spot from that tour plane. All the tourists will have their eyes on you, but only pilots of brightly colored gliders will be seen.

Dave Calkins Anchorage, Alaska

SUPERFLY IS SIMPLY SUPER Dear Editor, I am absolutely compelled to write the most enthusiastic letter of appreciation I have ever written. I don't often write these types of letters so I don't know if I can do it justice.

I booked a trip to Valle De Bravo after seeing an advertisement in

Paragliding magazine, a 20-minute phone conversation with Chris Santacroce and a quick review of my finances. The trip was fantastic, to say the least. Due to some personal health problems, by all rights this letter should have been titled, "The best of times and the worst of times," and that is probably an understatement.

The trip involved six days of beautiful flying, with opportunities for new P2's and up. I explained that I was a new P2, and I had interrogated Chris enough to really feel comfortable about his team keeping a wary eye on me, as I felt that I didn't fly often enough to completely depend on myself. I got that and much, much more. On only the fourth day, after flying every day, I had my personal-best flights for time aloft, a multi-hour tandem flight, and my first thermal flight with huge altitude gains. It was an experience I will never forget.

I am pretty physically fit and travel often, and I hadn't even considered what would happen if I suddenly became extremely ill, but I do consider it now because this unluckily happened. I won't bother with the details because they don't matter. What I want to tell you about is the heart and professionalism demonstrated by the two Superfly instructors.

When I became sick, Jeff Farrell and Chris Santacroce took me on with care and concern that would normally only be expected from family. I could go on for paragraphs, but couldn't say it any better than that. You can trust these two men.

I personally do and will be doing a lot of business with them in the future. I don't feel I can tell enough people about them and how they do business, and I now understand why they have such a high return rate. I only hope to have the privilege of attending anything with them again. My wife echoes every word I've written, and she was kept up to the minute through the whole thing.

Buck and Wanda Wynne

PARAGLIDING

UPDATE

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THE ART OF PARAGLIDING

by Dennis Fagen $34.95 Covers all aspects of paragliding.

Equipment, ground handling, judgment, · techniques, troubleshooting, soaring & more.Ii'i· Iii· 274 pages, 248 illustrations, 86 photos. 2/bs

ill·- ~

2ND ANN UAL ~ U~ER LAKE F~

PARAGLIDING-A PILOrs TRAINING MANUAL

by Mike Meler/WIiis Wing $19.95 Covers all aspects of paragliding.

Equipment, beginner skills, techniques & more. 2/bs.

UNDERSTANDING THE SKY ~ . $24.95

book on rnlcrorneterokl for of photos & llluslrallons. 2/bs.

MANUAL

WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH ALL THESE T-SHIRTS? rankie Aspinwall had a problem that many paraglider pilot face. She had been to many fly-ins and visited many flying sites during the last 10 years, and now she had a dresser full of paragliding T-shirts. What to do with them? Frankie talked to her mother Lucy and they came up with a solution make a quilt out of the T-shirts.

Lucy has been making quilts for 20 years, so she brought plenty of experience to the job. Nevertheless, she reports that making a quilt out ofT-shirts was a challenge. You can see the results of her handiwork in the photos. In the big picture Frankie (left) and her sister Lola hold the quilt up. In the detail pictures you can see two of the paragliding T-shirts that were incorporated into the design.

Although Lucy is not able to make T-shirt quilts for anyone else, she does have some practical advice for those who might want to make one themselves. About fabric selection she says, "You can't use cheap fabric to make a quilt." Lucy recommends ironing the T-shirts onto knit perky bond to make the stretchy T-shirt fabric easier to work with.

Lucy says that making quilts is her way to relax, adding, "I make quilts for my pleasure." She is a breast-cancer survivor, having been through treatment three years ago. When asked if she'd like to fly in a paraglider Lucy replied, "I would but my poor body wo uldn't handle it, but ifI were able I would love to fly."

F

- submitted by Steve Roti

BANDIT POWER UNIT

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SHIPPING IN THE f1, Up to 2 lbs add $5.00 3-4 ~ 5-6 /bs add $6.50 7-8 lbs Int'/ orders ema/1 us for s 'h oha

e~ Colorado USHGA. PO Box 1330 Springs CO 80901 -1 1-800-616-6888 Visa/MC fax (719) ushga@ushga.org www.ushga.

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he Bandit is powerful and light, has the strongest frame on the market, is 99% made out of aluminum, and uses the well-known Cors' air Italian engine (21 HP at 7,200 RPM, especially designed for Bandit Paramotors). It has an excellent climb rate, can be fitted on a trike in a second, is powerful enough for tandem, allows weight-shifting, and weighs under 60 lbs.

Other features include: quiet operation, electric starter, recharges the battery in flight, very efficient anti-torque system, double kill swi tch on the handle, DHV-certified, eight-inch air-foam back protection system , two to six hours of airtime, rolls easily on the ground, spl it-in-four safety cage, and a detachable bottom hoop section that makes it compact and easy to repair if bent.

Contact: Claude Fiset, Bandit Paramotors, 642 Tico Rd., Ojai,

P A R AGL I DING

In the history of hang gliding there have been just two flights of more than 400 miles.

They had just one thing in common:

Brauniger Competition/GPS! More standard features than any competing vario, and at a lower price.

Two year warranty. See your dealer for details Stay up longer, go further, fly Brauniger !

a BRXUNIGER FLUGELECTRONIC

Service and Distribution in USA by Wills Wing, ph: 714-998-6359 fax 714-998--0647

www.willswing.com

Coming in May! You've heard about it and it's on its way.

The May issues of Hang Gliding and Paragliding will be combined into a single, exdting, more robust magazine. This is a test.

Read it and let us know your thoughts. The results will be published in a following issue:

iiiiiii.iiiii::

FlYT EC '::.iiiiiiiiii

BLUE ,SKY AV

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ON

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Within the May issue you will find a postage paid response card. Fill out the card and send it back to be automatically entered in our drawing. You may be the lucky winner of a Flytec 4005 , a Ball M-19, or a Brauniger Sonic.

Thanks to Steve @ USA Flytec, Scott@ Blue Sky Avionics, and Rob @ Wills Wing for their generous donations to this test issue

uper Fly Hard, the long-awaited sequel movie to the 1995 smash hit Fly Hard, is now available. This film features Chris Santacroce, Rob Whittall, Othar Lawrence and Pablo Lopez. It was shot in Hawaii, Utah, Switzerland and Turkey. Breathtaking scenery and spectacular aerobatics will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is 40 minutes long and sells for $35.95 plus shipping.

You can order it by e-mailing info@4superfly.com. Please include your name, address and credit card number.

Super Fly is pleased to host the Point of the Mountain Demo Days, May 17 -19.

Please note the date change from previous years (not during Memorial Day this year).

The So Cal X-C Competition is during Memorial Day (http://w-vw.socalpgopen. org/2002/ about.html).

The Demo Days are the ultimate oppor-

S

The

tunity to share the air with friends, and it is also your chance to get leading-edge information from industry experts about new technology and techniques. Most importantly, you can see and fly all of the new gliders back to back. While three days isn't enough time to fully evaluate every glider, it is a great start.

The 2002 Point of the Mountain Demo Days will include the usual dawn-till-dusk activity with endless demo flying, informative sessions (midday), trips to other local sites, towing, powered paragliding, special demonstrations, some cross-country, a record attempt and some parties.

All of the nation's leading handlers of paragliding and powered paragliding products will be there and will sport a whole host of new models and accessories. Registration is $35 and includes a T-shirt and a party.

This year there will be some new, surprise guests who promise an even better show than ever.

Contact: info@4superfly.com. You can

order last year's video from www.dkfly.com.

TORREY IDIINl(I;'~ AND !PARAGLIDING AIR RACES, 3-5, CONJUNCTION WITH MANUFACTURERS DEMO DAYS AND AIR EXPOSITION, MAY1

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orrey Pines Gliderport is once again hosting the world-famous Air Races for both hang gliding and paragliding from May 3-5. The Gliderport is located in the heart of Southern California and is one of the birthplaces of both of these great sports.

Pilots from all over the United States and the world will meet together to participate in the pylon racing events. We anticipate a maximum of 64 racers in each sport, making this a big challenge. The races will be judged in two categories for each sport. The Open Class is open to any wing as long as the pilot flies within the placarded weight range. The Serial Class is limited to intermediate-rated wings or below with no additional modifications.

of Paragliding

by Dennis Pagen

The book everyone has been waiting for: • The most complete manual on the market • Beginner, Novice and Intermediate levels • Follows USHGA teaching methods • Ground handling, step-by-step training, judgement, equipment, troubleshooting, weather, learning to soar and more.

• 8 1/2 x 11 format, 374 pages, 248 illustrations, 81 photographs, four-color cover

OTHER PARAGLIDING BOOKS NEW! PARAMOTORING From the Ground Up - by Noel Whittall • The only book available on powered paragliding - $31.95 Flying With Condors, by J. Leden - World travels of a great pilot - $26.95 Understanding the Sky, by D. Pagen - The Weather Bible - $24.95

**Add $5.50 to your order for S&H**

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Check our web site for Paragliding Videos (7 titles available) - www.lazerlink.com/-pagenbk~ SAVE 10% off order of 2 ooks or more SAVEi 10% off order of book and video combinations

Sport Aviation Publications, PO Box 43, Spring Mills, PA 16875 Tel/Fax: 814-422-0589 - E-mail: pagenbks@lazerlink.com Visa and Mastercard accepted

MARCH

2002

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Pilots will be judged on speed and landing accuracy. The fastest pilots will progress to the next rounds. Cash prizes worth several thousand dollars will go to the top pilots and there are lots of equipment prizes for those close to the winner's circle. Amateur events will also take place, including spot-landing contests, bag drops and more.

Extensive media exposure is guaranteed because the proceeds of this event will go to charity. The entry fee is $150 or sign up a team of four for $450. The Air Races will be held in conjunction with a Manufacturers Demo Days and Air Exposition, May 1-5.

Contact: Torrey Pines Gliderport, (858) 452-9858, fax (858) 452-9983, http://www. flytorrey.com, aircal@ix.netcom.com.

NEW EDEL GLIDERS

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del is pleased to announce the release of their new 1-2 glider, the Live. Italy's Michael Nesler is the designer. The Live features closed-cell technology, improved stability, speed and performance. They have also replaced the Corona harness with three new ones. The Eva (Evolution) is designed for the beginner pilot or school. The Reva (Revolution) is designed for the beginner to intermediate pilot. The Techno is designed for the competition pilot.

The Edel Excel is now available from U.S. dealers. Certified AFNOR Performance and DHV 2-3, the Excel is for the passionate X-C pilot who wants to fly a very high-performance glider. The innovative new cell panel design, partially closed leading edge, and more efficient line layout evolved from the Millennium Development Program. The new technology was combined with the flying characteristics of the Response to produce an excellent all-around performance glider. The Excel has all the performance that you would expect plus precision maneuverability that make it the ultimate flying machine.

For more information contact: Air Action, (530) 945-5866 or (530) 604-2765, www.shastaskysports.com.

FLY ABOVE ALL ADDS SECOND WORLD TEAM PILOT TO UST OF TALENTED INSTRUCTORS n the spring of 2002 Bo Criss joined Fly Above All as an Advanced Instructor. Bo is a tandem pilot and holds an Advanced Instructor rating, focusing on thorough,

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patient and safe instruction.

Bo brought his enthusiasm, instruction, aerobatics and X-C skills to share with Fly Above All's students. His greatest interest is in training solid pilots, advancing their skills and building enduring friendships with the students he teaches. He is the perfect addition to Santa Barbara's flying community and Fly Above All. Bo began paragliding in 1995 and quickly fell in love with the sport. He gained skill and confidence flying at the Point of the Mountain in his early flying career. Then Bo discovered cross-country flying. The challenge and rewards of flying cross-country have led him to compete in more than 10 competitions since his first at the U.S. Nationals in Lakeview, Oregon in 1998. In 1999 Bo placed fifth at the U.S. Nationals in Aspen, Colorado. His personal distance record of 72 miles was earned at the 2000 Snowbird Competition with a fourth-place finish. Last summer Bo was on the U.S. Team and competed at the World Paragliding Championships in Grenada, Spain.

In the last few years Bo became intrigued with the aerobatics movement that is sweeping the U.S. He competed at the 2000 Seattle Aerobattle and has since become a solid maneuvers coach. Bo helped coach seven over-the-water safety courses during the 2001 flying season.

Fly Above All is delighted to welcome Bo Criss as its newest instructor. Contact: Lee Anne Norris, Fly Above All, Inc., www.flyaboveall.com, leeanne@flyaboveall.com, (805) 886-9680, P.O. Box 3588, Santa Barbara, CA 93130.v

NEW MOVIE K Fly Pictures is proud to

D

present its newest film, Demo Days 2001. The film chronicles the festive air party held on May 24-28, 2001 at Salt Lake City's premier flying site, the Point of the Mountain. At last year's annual event, incredibly talented pilots took to the sky and demonstrated explosive aerobatics, including tumbles, SAT's, loops, death spirals and even two successful parachute reserve rides. Also featured in the film are the extreme dose-to-the-ground antics

of Terry Hawkins and a look at paramotoring at the Great Salt Lake. Your first question will be, "How did they pack in all of that action in one weekend?" And your next will be, "How do I get to next year's Demo Days?"

Come along and join the coolest paragliding party in America. This digitally mastered film with an excellent soundtrack and beautiful photography is 24 minutes long and is available on VHS at www.dkfly.com.

PARAGLIDING HISTORY HAS BEEN MADIE!

S

uper Fly team pilot Scotty Marion recently won the PWC competition in Tapalpa, Mexico. Scotty is the first American to ever win a PWC competition, the first American to lead in the PWC results, and the first American to win first and second in PWC tasks.

When asked how he did it he said, "Heck, I was just having so much fun flying fast." He led the lead gaggle every day but one. Scotty is flying his Super Fly-sponsored Gin Gliders Boomerang 2 in the PWC this year.

GRAYBIIRD AIRSPORTS PARAGLIDING IN FLORIDA raybird Airsports, owned and operated

by Gregg and Diana McNamee, added paragliding to its already existing hang gliding program at Dunnellon airport 25 miles from Ocala, Florida. Graybird and Gregg had been around for many years when an opportunity presented itself for a paragliding program. Bill (Bad Bones) Anderson, Ray Leonard and Joe Seitz came to Florida and proceeded to set up a paragliding tow and training program, which now operates full time. The Graybird Airsports Club flies hang gliders, paragliders and ultralights at the Dunnellon Airport with offices in Summerfield, Florida.

For more information about flying at Graybird contact: Gregg McNamee, 14141 SE 5lstAve., Summerfield, FL 334913101, (352) 245-8263, cell (352) 207-4783, fly@graybirdairsports.com, www.graybirdairsports.com.

G

PARAGLIDING

O

ne of the projects I inherited as USHGA President was the problem of both of our magazines arriving ever so much later to the members each month. Truth is, I was not aware that it was happening until one day last summer about the middle of the month when I started to look around for my current magazine. I asked my secretary if she had seen it (she sometimes takes it into the lady's room), but she reported that hers hadn't arrived either. I got it the next day and she got hers as well, so I blew it off as a postal or one-time situation. By the end of the summer it became obvious that there was a problem. There were financial issues at headquarters that still had my primary attention and then, suddenly, it was September 1 I . At that point we had only one problem, and that was getting hang gliders and paragliders back in the air. Once that was solved we had to get the schools back in service.

By then it was close to the end of October and my e-mail was ringing off the wall with, "Where's my magazine?" Well, hey, where's mine? I called the office and Jayne told me she had a bunch of complaints too and was checking it out. She didn't have hers either.

As you know, Gil Dodgen has been our editor since the beginning of time. For years and years he has been getting out our magazine on time. He knows what deadlines are.

I remember when I would receive Hang Gliding magazine in the first few days of the month. I also recall, when I submitted an ad, that the drop-dead deadline was the 20th of the month, six weeks prior to the month of issue. Hmmm, the drop-dead deadline for my President's Corner article was January 8 to mal(e the February issue. Hang Gliding magazines are arriving as late as the end of the month for the month of issue in California, and Paragliding magazines two weeks after that. We are not happy with that, the members are not happy with that, and neither is Gil. How did this come about? Here's my take on it. Back in 1995 we published Hang Gliding every month and you could set your clock by it. Then we bought out the Stockwells and dropped the job of Managing Editor/Editor in Chief of Paragliding magazine on Gil too. When the smoke cleared we were cruising along with Hang Gliding once a month, Paragliding

MARCH

2002

once every two months, and we had lost a few unnoticed days in the schedule. At the end of 1999 Paragliding members amounted to over a third of our membership and were growing, while hang gliding growth was stalled. During the fall BOD meeting it was subsequently decided to publish Paragliding magazine monthly. This greater responsibility was also dropped on Gil. Now, instead of putting together one magazine per month and another one over an eight-week period, he had to get a magazine out every 10 working days. So, every other month you would get your magazine a day later. Not many members noticed, including the BOD. Then this past summer we changed printers for both magazines, saving the members $4,500/month. Unfortunately, while we saved money, the total turnaround time increased by four days because of the printer's greater production time. In addition, the printer was in Canada and the bulk-mailing house was in New York, causing west-coast members' magazines to be delayed a few extra days. Finally, September 11 came around and the post office dropped the ball for a week. Then we all noticed.

So what can we do about it? What have we done about it? Well, we've moved all the deadline dates up a couple of days for each of the last two months. Last month the printer put a trace on the magazines with the post office but they haven't heard the results yet. The printer is also cutting four days from their production schedule to match the old program. We have asked the printer to express the magazines to a Chicago mailing house to see if that can reduce average delivery times. Jayne had the February issue shipped to Chicago to test that theory. Gil moved his ship date up by seven days for February Paragliding and four days for February Hang Gliding, but he did it by working seven days a week. He reports that by the time of the May test/combined Hang Gliding and Paragliding issue he will have it in the members' hands by the first week of May. The May issue will have combined content but respective Hang Gliding and Paragliding covers (at least that is the plan as of this writing). This will take a monumental effort by editor Gil Dodgen and guest art director for the May issue, Aaron Swepston.

The USHGA office and BOD will be supporting them in any way they can. Jayne has

issued a letter to the advertisers, moving the ad reservation deadline to eight weeks before the month of issue with a drop-dead date of six weeks.

Yes, we are getting the problem fixed but it's not a permanent fix. We can't expect Gil to maintain this kind of work schedule. The real fix is to combine Hang Gliding and Paragliding into a single, oncea-month issue. The larger magazine (more pages) will open up new advertising possibilities as well as better exposure (more newsstands). The reduction of duplication will allow for more time to be spent on quality and content issues.

Combining the magazines isn't something that is going to happen in spite of the membership's desires. Yes, the BOD and Executive Committee are in favor of it, but we won't take that action without the support of the members. Look the May issue over, fill out the enclosed card and indicate your preference. The last time we broached this question less than two percent of the members responded. This time we would like to get at least 20% of the members to respond to the survey. In order to facilitate this goal we have teamed up with Flytec and Wills Wing to offer Flytec 4005 and Brauniger Sonic variometers as prizes in a sweepstakes drawing made up of all the returned insert cards. The staff and the BOD request that you take the time to vote your preference and return the card as soon as you have had an opportunity to review the May combined issue. •

13

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h

1 m © 2002 by Alan Chuculate, photos by Mary Hobson

This review ofthe Advance Sigma 5 is the 12th article in a series ofrecreational paraglider reviews. The first section ofthe lead review, which appeared in the November/December 1998 issue ofthis publication, provides a preview to this series and is recommended reading ifyou missed the first installment. hese reviews also offer pilot educational insights into the understanding of the aerodynamics of paragliders and the techniques of flying paragliders safely.

This is the second performance (DHV 2) glider I have reviewed. Some pilots will consider moving up from their first or second wing into this glider category. According to the owner's manual, the Sigma 5 was designed for the experienced pilot who knows how to fly in thermal conditions.

Advance recommends the Sigma 5 for pilots who have one or preferably two years experi-

ence flying an intermediate glider. From my perspective as a pilot and an instructor, stepping up from a DHV 1 to a DHV 2 wing is generally not recommended, and stepping up from a DHV 1-2 glider to a DHV 2 wing represents a significant tradeoff of security for performance. See the sidebar tided "The Complete Intermediate Pilot" to help you assess your preparedness for advancing to a DHV 2 wing.

THE COMPANY Advance was founded in 1988 by designer Robert Graham and Operations and

CERTIFICATION·

Morkl .

Alpha 4 Epsilon3 Epsllort 35

Sigma 5 Omega 5 Bi~Beta 2

Category Begl;iner

Novice Intetmecl1ate

JJHV!AFNOR. 11st.wdard f,;2f$t.wdavd 2/StMdard

·;Performance · 2~PeH'ortnance · l\gvapied Tandem

2~3l{)[>mpeddon

1~2/Bi-'Place

Administrative Manager Rolf Zeltner. Valery Chapuis, Sales and Marketing Manager, joined the team later. Their brand is known for using only the best materials available and the best construction. The company manufactures a full line of paragliders and kites. These kites are power kites, also known as traction kites. They are for surface riding (surfing), on the water with a board or skis (water surfing, more commonly called kite surfing), or on the land with a three-wheeled buggy or a skateboard (land surfing), or on the snow with a snowboard or snow skis (snow surfing).

Advance also manufactures paragliding and kite accessories, including paragliding harnesses, which are optimized for use with their wings. Their paragliders are made by pilots and for pilots. Their motto is to build gliders that have a soul! The original Sigma was the first glider Advance produced 15 years ago, and the fifth generation of that glider is the subject of this review.

THE ADVANCE PARAGLIDER PRODUCT LINE

26

All Advance gliders have Greek letters for their names, in consideration of the Greek mythology of Icarus. Some of these letters are used in aerodynamics. Their entry-level wing is the Alpha (alpha is the symbol for angle of attack). Their bi-place wing is the Bi-Beta (beta is used as the symbol for bank angle). Advance looks forward to the day when they produce a paraglider with an LID of 10: 1 and will use the Greek letter Delta, uppercase or lowercase, which is a common European name for a hang glider. See Table 1. For the remainder of this article I will refer to the Sigma 5 simply as the Sigma.

SIZING The Sigma is available in four sizes referred

14

PARAGLIDING

to by numbers: 23, 26, 28 and 31. These numbers approximately correspond to the flat surface areas of the respective sizes. I flew the size 28. With a hook-in weight of about 200 pounds I am at about one-third from the bottom in the weight range on the 28.

See Table 2.

CANOPY CONSTRUCTION

Rather than using a less costly grade of fabric for the bottom surface or a heavier grade for the ribs, Advance uses what they consider to be the single best grade of Nylon (polyamide) cloth available for all portions of the canopy (ribs, top surface and bottom surface). That cloth is French Porcher Marine Skytex 44 gm/m2.

Advance minimizes drag at every opportunity throughout their canopy construcuon.

•

•

•

•

The seams are placed internally in the static filler air rather than being exposed to the airflow moving past the wing with its resulting skin-friction drag.

The airfoil shape is controlled internally through the use ofV-ribs (diagonal ribs) to reduce the parasitic drag of the lines.

Four closed cells are used along the leading edge. These locations correspond to the cells, which are between the areas of the wing supported by each of the lowest lines. See the photo. These reduce the viscous drag produced by open cells.

Vertical surfaces at the wingtips, known as winglets, reduce the induced drag of wingtip vortices by providing an effective

Photo] -Advance curved air inlets and position ofSigma four closed cells. Note the single cascade ofinner and stabiliz:er lines and dnuble cascade ofmiddle and outer lines. to trailing edge along the chord to maintain the pressure differential above and below the wing.) The winglets provide the Sigma with an impressive glide ratio while using a lower geometric aspect ratio than other glider brands in its class.

A lower geometric aspect ratio has the additional benefit of reducing the potential to cravat (a locked line entanglement of one wing usually associated with a large asymmetric collapse). Advance builds their wings around the winglets rather than adding winglets onto an existing design, and they retain their signature appearance. See the photo.

• •

Every profile (vertical rib) has a diagonal

increase in aspect ratio. For sL'Tiplicity,

reir1forcement from a line attach.L'Tient point.

The Sigma has a Nylon strip sewn to each cell running along the entire D-row to prevent stretching of the canopy

MARCH

2002

•

Advance maximizes the definition and rigidity of the canopy construction so it is less subject to performance-robbing and handling-deteriorating deformation and distortion.

winglets can be thought of as vertical barricades that block performance-robbing spanwise airflow. (Lift is maximized when all the airflow moves from leading

Photo 2 - Shark color winglets and Sigma name. Note brake line rings and routing; brakes off

•

Photo 4 - The Advance logo as center cell marker. Note the A-row internal reinforcement strap.

•

between the lines. These tension strips have the effect of resisting the bulging apart of the non-load cells, so Advance refers to these as compression straps.

They are also used in the A, B and C rows at the closed cells, and at the center section in the A-row. See the photos.

Mylar tape is used along the entire leading and trailing edges. Compared to using Nylon tape or no tape, this stiffening aids penetration of the leading edge and adds durability to the trailing edge.

See the photos.

The cell width is scaled, becoming smaller from the center to the wingtip for three-dimensional tapering to control the planform. The wing planform is the shape as viewed from directly above or below which shows the leading edge sweep, the chord taper and the aspect ratio.

The vertical ribs at the leading edge are reinforced with Mylar (polyester sheet) for stiffness to keep the air iPJets open and provide good inflation characteristics.

The bottom surface has a distinctive, arching curve at the air inlets, strength-

Photo 5 - Sigma mesh cell openings. Note the fluorescent-green Mylar leading-edge tape.

15

Photo 6 - The wing-tip cleaning hole with Velcro access at Mack/gold seam. Note fluorescent-green My/,ar trailing-edge tape and brake line routing ring. erring the canopy and restraining the bottom surface from moving separately from the ribs. In addition to the functionality, the curved openings create a more aesthetic and distinctive appearance, and other manufacturers are beginning to copy this. See the photo.

In addition, there are two other features this wing has which are both functional and distinctive.

Photo 7 - The Advance top-suiface accent patterns and 2001 color combinations.

There are three cells per side adjacent to the stabilizer, which are nearly closed.

They each have a narrow Nylon-meshcovered rectangular slot. This approximates the benefit of a closed cell but still allows a small amount of air entry for progressive collapse recovery reventilation. See the photo.

The very tip of each stabilizer has a Velcro opening for cleaning out debris that collects there. See the phoro.

leading edge color and the main canopy color. See the photo. The four standard color patterns for 2001 and 2002 are listed in Tables 3 and 4 respectively.

The new colors were phased in beginning in January based on fabric stock and production demands. When the inventory of gliders with the 2001 color patterns are depleted, these older patterns will only be available at extra cost. Contact the Advance U.S. importer and distributor, Lars Linde, at International Paragliding in New Jersey (609-865-7629) for current availability of a particular color combination. In all looks, the bottom surface is white.

Advance uses a different accent pattern on the top surface for each wing in their product line, so that independent of the glider's colors, each model is distinguishable from the others. They refer to this as the look. See the photo. Advance also changes their fabric colors each year. Each model has a two-color combination, although new for 2002, and only for the Sigma, they have added a third color stripe on the top surface between the

The Advance logo in black is used as the center cell marker at the leading edge. See the photo. The Advance name appears on the bottom surface in black on both sides near the wingtip. The Sigma name appears on the top surface in black on the stabilizer on the wings. The winglet colors match the leading edge color, so the Shark-look Sigma has blue winglets while on the Tiger they're black. See the photos.

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•

Name

Main Color

Top Surface Leading .Edge Color

Coral Tiger Shark

royal blue gold blanc (white) rouge (red)

rouge (red) noir (black) royal blue silver gray

Fox

Table 3 - 2001 Advance Color Patterns

16

PARAGLIDING

ference in its turn control or response.

LINES

Zenith The line configuration is mixed. The inner lines and the A PRECAUTION REGARDING BRAKE LENGTH ADJUSTMENT stabilo lines use only a single The Sigma owner's manual cascade while the middle and outer lines use a double casstates that there should be a Pearl minimum oflO cm (4 inches) cade. See Photo 1.

The Sigma uses Betech of slack between the brakesDyneema (polyethylene) at all released position and the start levels of the control (brake) of trailing edge deflection, to Cristal prevent inadvertent braking lines and for the upper load when using the speed system lines, while the middle and lower load lines are all and causing a loss of airspeed.

Technora aramid. As is stanIt continues by suggesting that dard, all lines have polyester the brake line be kept long, Aqua sheathing, but the light-coland shortened only in flight by ored sheathing of the upper using a wrap to avoid inadverlines gives the appearance of Photo 8 - The Sigma 2002 tent braking during inflation. being unsheathed. The lower cowr combination names. Applying brakes while using A-lines are blue and the Note narrow cowred stripe the speed system adds stability remaining lines are yellow, between leading edge and at the price of reduced perforexcept for the brake lines and mance. This can be a safety main canopy cowrs. stabilo lines, which are orange. benefit when flying in turbuThe scabilo line is attached co the lence, which I use when the air feels trashy.

C-riser rather than the B-riser. There are three lower lines per riser except for the RISERS 0-lines, of which there are only two.

Advance uses narrow 22-mm (0.87-inch) polyester webbing for the Sigma risers.

UNUSUAL BRAKE LINE RIGGING Narrow webbing translates to reduced drag Advance has an unusual brake line configuand it seems like an obvious benefit that all ration at each wingtip, using a pair of rings manufacturers should incorporate, especially for the brake line to slide through. The on faster wings. The Sigma has a four-riser brake line is routed to the outermost ring, configuration but lacks split A-risers. The then back inboard (toward the wing root) A-riser is distinguished by color with blue through the second ring, then inboard furtape while the remaining risers are black. ther co a V-cab attachment. See the photos.

The toggle retainer is the popular magnetic When the brake is applied, it pulls the trailsnap-lock. Plastic inserts are used in the ing edge of these two outboard cells together quick links as line keepers and to keep the and down. So rather than simply cambering nut from turning. the trailing edge (a downward deflection) The accelerator uses Brummel hooks like a hinged flap as other paragliders do, the (commonly called sister clips) for simple Advance configuration pinches the trailing attachment of the stirrup, but the connecedge of the outboard cells together which tors, which Advance uses, are more difficult adds a small twist. Without seeing a smoke to use than those of any other manufacturer test of the effect of airflow at the tip, I can I've encountered. I attribute this co the only imagine that it applies a small yaw blunter bevel angle at the slit. See the photo. force. They claim after numerous tests that The brake line pulley is attached to the this rudder effect at the wingtip increases rear riser with a relatively short length of turn effectiveness over simple cambering, webbing. I found during flight that the but I couldn't distinguish any significant difbrake line was rubbing in the pulley block

Name

Main Color

Top Surface Leading Edge Color

Sigma Strip Color

Zenith Pearl Cristal Aqua

rouge (red) gold blanc (white) royal blue

gold violet noir (black) blanc (white)

orange blanc (white) rouge (red) noir (black)

Table 4 - Sigma 2002 Cowr Patterns MARCH

2002

17

Bowl at Lake Elsinore, I had to abort my first attempt because I was too tentative with the unfamiliar glider. My subsequent nowind launches were successful each time by making a full commitment to the launch.

Photo 10 - The Sigma risers.Note the short brake pulley webbing attachment.

Diagram 1 - The Sigma risers showing accelerator configuration. Note one is speed-line, two is foot stirrup and three are pulleys.

with my hand held in some positions. I attribute this friction to the shortness of the pulley's attachment, which limits its freedom to twist to accommodate all hand positions.

(leading edge collapse or tuck).

ACCELERATOR The Sigma uses an accelerator configuration, like the Gin Bandit, which I reviewed in the December 2000 issue. I believe Advance had this design first. There are two speed lines per riser set, one for the A-riser and another for the B-riser. These share a common attachment at the sister clip. The A-riser speed line uses a single pulley, while the B-riser speed line uses two pulleys. The C-riser's connection to the B-riser uses a metal ring rather than a pulley. According to Advance, when full accelerator is applied, the A, B and C risers are shortened by 19 cm (7.5 inches), 16 cm (6.3 inches), and 9.5 cm (3.7 inches) respectively. See Diagram 1 and the photo.

The glider comes with a two-step stirrup, which is needed to extract the full range of speed system travel. With full accelerator applied I was surprised to see some flutter on the bottom surface air inlets, although the canopy felt solid with no tendency to frontal

GROUND HANDLING I could inflate the Sigma in kiteable winds either forward or reversed with no hands, however, it tends to want to overshoot in the wind if the brakes aren't applied. As the winds diminish, the canopy exhibits the opposite behavior, slowing or stopping short of full inclination. This characteristic becomes increasingly prevalent as the wind speed approaches zero. Therefore, for lightwind launches it is imperative to follow through with both the arm sweep and the launch run during the inflation. I discovered on my first no-wind launch with this wing that it requires continuous tension in no wind. On the short runway from Edwards

IN-FLIGHT HANDLING AND STABILITY Due to the rigidity of the canopy's construction, the Sigma slices through the air like a knife-edge, and its trajectory (flight path) can be controlled very precisely. I particularly enjoyed making spiral landing approaches, and observing pilots commented that it looked like a fun glider to fly. The Sigma has a high trim speed and light handling, and it retains its energy well, so caution is warranted when performing wingovers and during surges. Though fast and responsive, it exhibited better collapse resistance than I anticipated. A wing profile (rib shape or airfoil) derived from the more pitch-stable intermediate Epsilon 3 is used for the Sigma 5, so the current generation glider (Sigma 5) is more tame, forgiving and slower than its predecessor (Sigma 4), which was rated as DHV 2-3 accelerated. According to Advance, the tradeoff of stability for performance between the Epsilon 3 and the Sigma 5 is much smaller than it was between the Epsilon 2 and the Sigma 4. Advance says the Sigma 4 pilot will immediately feel confident on the Sigma 5 because it is more natural and intuitive to fly. I had a few brief ridge-soaring flights on the Sigma 4 a while back, so my experience with it is too superficial to comment on this comparison.

The Sigma exhibited good penetration

Table 5 - Sigma performance data applicable to all sizes.

18

PARAGLIDING

<;lU is a recreatlcirialpiloti;eady to ·move up·to,anintermediareglider, ;mdho:wJ~ge a step.should be made? Most pilots·m~kGJ this st1;1ppi;ematurely and often p.i,,y a p!ike later on;because ofit, I've provided:my consel'Vttive $Uggt:lSteclanswers below :in a Ghedil)st,fotm. · :You'reJully, 1i11·epared to move up . when you're ho.th comforrable. and ptofo;;ient in nearlyiltll,~pe~ts offlying i,kill ;ind safozy ma:rters,,.includlng:.. . .. Yo~~e.able tl;llaun~p. ~opsistentLy, both fon,val'Q. an4 · wlthoui proplems or clelays. · " :YoJ,ltte COJp/orraa}(!l/Witltboth Cotnmµni.µid coo.aiinati~nwhen,beit1g . ane;;hotedfor an a&Sisteif windy ~,µnch, however, you raretYneed to, use anchpring. . . · .· ··.· ·.· .· .•.,.. ·.· . " Yqu,ca~ therm~i,c1P'~atisfact0rily, such that there di:e tl~es :whep yOu're sharing top of the $WC~ wltli sprhe of the other local pilots. · · · • You're l,}Ot having probl~111s w;ith traffic ' t\I!lbulence.

• Vi . . le td readiand ~onsistent:ly mll.ke.saf'eand acc~rat!:!blhdlngs in every lo.cal, .6omp:1orily used LZ'without any problems; · " You'te·cornfortable 1,1sing illl descent techri,i,ques on y(l)urtcurrent glider: - Big;,ears

cati~n

me

,Acc<literator, ·• ~jg ¢ars with aG:celerator · - Spif!al dive ~ B-stfall • ·Yoil.re (l;omfortable with full frontal and 60!lfo asyllln'letdc collapses on your current glider:and• you can expeditliously and collapse resistance during the one flight

I had in strong thermal conditions, but I chose to land and fly my hang glider due to my concern for potential blow-back at higher altitudes.

PERFORMANCE According to Advance, the Sigma achieves its maximum LID of 8.5 at a trim speed of 37 km/hr. (23 mi/hr.), but the slope of the polar curve changes little from 33 km/hr. (21 mi/hr.) to 39 km/hr. (24 mi/hr.). See Graph l. So a little brake can be used in rowdy air for safety, or a little accelerator can be applied to penetrate winds without significant effect on glide ratio. The flatter the polar curve at maximum LID (lift-to-drag ratio), the wider your range for maximum glide, MARCH

2002

The ~mrfarto mo'{~ µp Js dependent on; • , :Yi:1~tiogge4tnow:s; I? .• ¥our:Safezy:~oord~ • Hor lpngyquvf~eenµying;md how ,·l(;)ftg onryoµ.itcwire~t.•glider.

• ·TheJey:e!Iqfyqurtµrtent glider (DHV . liM:NOR:S.tan®d,· ol:.DHV 1-2), ~ , The,lev:¢1 ofglideJ: I}'QU!fe tnoving Up to . .1;:~lyQ!iY2 o.rAFNPR

perform recove.ry from<?a9fiwitho1,tf complkatio.ns. . •. · • You knowhowrore~gpiz.ean4hqwto exit from spin entry. .,· ... ,... , i .....· . : " You're familiar with ancl: Hrtd<?ill~;tnd"t!'i:f potential complicationSdutit;tg ~l:!ir

JJ•,,:.J;,.,,,,r.:i,,ti+rt:rin:atice)'. \

1

'c

,;

Jr,~f .inio;Ih ~e.,Sig9~r5, is ·ahigstep · frim:i1 . .. . t gF!ler such as the Alpha 2. ~1!\.~h a st~p carj. be madelltlf'¢ly, but ~ere I

recove.ry atefouv criteriawim whic;:h you must .

• You know how to recq'gt1!z.e ,.'C;ompiy; familiar with the " · ijeµiOl:\;l .COt;lScientfoUS and COi1Setva• frqm ,Parach,ut.tl s tl~with:theconditkms in wh~chyqu. amount of;iltitude ~µ;i:~(ed tor~:ctr\rffr.it JQhoose !(:) la;14nch !l;ild 6y, including the surM, · 11 &~,tnOfe:c~,n,scJenti(:)usand.c.onsetva~ • You've memorized t;lie, .tir:e w1th yoµt al:r~peed (pqth mini~ performfog afull stall•··.···:,.· . .•. N~~~i-!' · . a;cl,tn~tJf!J)::. , stand the potential c~nitli~tions EI.lifi~g · er b~ .ft· .lau~ch .1Jotil,yoµ'.ve · recovery. . ' .. . . ·.

•, . : .. , :< G6n,9:itl90.s ~t~. par~c~ • You've demonstratc;:d s9i\ie f?r~ of'oolf .. ,.. . . ..• 01ft new( '\Viog; .· . . . · · servativc;: judgment,. s!l~~;~n~~ faf:t~ij}i,, A¥?1Y6: .·. agreat~.~rgjnot · ing when you knew cl'ie ctj.ndit1()1l~ ,~re .ertor froilJ the tert;ain until yoµ\re excessive foryour win~q;y?~i~~~ ...... · •att:ai~eq:tliesatri'e'leyel·pfeon:fide*e even though; other more•~perien~~d,· ••.. . Wi~h yoµf o . . . ~s:,yciu nmyhave pilots were lat1nchin:garid iflyitlg'iiu~i~~s~ .. ·~1th'y94ttQrterit ing,· fully. . . ,··· .• ·. ·...•· · . w>' 0 / J!fyou don't hltvt: ca}np!~te cO:nt,lden.c@ You've attended at lea&t ,ontplqt:s~ety clinic and successful1tpelifoifn:ted'~J '• in yoµr.skilfo·a$;apijot, making it• more conservadyetransltt<iln{toiIJ.:aOMV l •to a !lecoverecl from,all rhe.}lrt~ewv~ts,; · including full stall.and spin oniour,qur.,. DHN':hJ, 01'ftofl1 a PHY JTj to:a tnOJ;e · clarnpeR,~dDW:Vl.w:oajd~eme.right rent glider. ·chofo~.,,

Advance says the minimum sink rate of 1

mis (200 ft./min.) is achieved using 20% to 30% brakes.

There's no doubt that the Sigma's glide ratio is excellent, but the sink rate seems compromised. In steady ridge lift, while the Sigma had me up there, other wings were able to maintain higher, although I don't know what their wing loading was. If these other pilots were very light or underweight on their wings, that difference in wing loading could have accounted for the difference in altitude. Table 5 shows the Sigma airspeed data provided by Advance.

BIG EARS Since the Sigma lacks split A-risers, the pilot must reach up to pull down the outer

A-line(s) to induce big ears. While Advance has an add-on big ears kit for the Alpha and the Epsilon to assist fledgling pilots, they feel that a Sigma pilot doesn't need this feature.

In addition, they did not want to produce a split A-riser that might vibrate in flight, which is what their tests showed. The force required to pull down the outer A-lines are low, and like most performance wings, the ears will remain dosed until they are pumped open or the accelerator is applied.

Advance recommends applying ears first when used with the accelerator, to steepen the flight path or trajectory and reduce the potential for a frontal, but I found no complications in coastal ridge lift independent of which was applied first.

19

Graph2-The relationship ofban ) angle to loadfactor.

,

6 5

-

4 8u'"

J:; 3

-"

"O

"'0

---1

2

-~

1

/

I

J

0

0

20

40

60

80

Bank Angle (degrees)

B-STALL The owner's manual notes that a wing with increased aspect ratio is less forgiving of excessive riser displacement during B-stall, and that such excesses can damage the glider by deforming the rib, although according to Advance there's no risk of tearing the fabric on the Sigma. This is the first I have heard of canopy damage due to B-stalls, but after thinking about it, it makes sense.

Unlike most gliders, I found the Sigma to have a range of B-stall. A slight pull will provide a slower descent rate and a very mild recovery surge. A larger pull induces a faster and more typical descent rate with a larger recovery surge. In coastal ridge lift, when I released the risers slowly, the glider had a slight but delayed surge with a temporary phase of parachutage (synonymous with constant stall, deep stall and parachutal stall) following the riser release. Remember, with any wing, the probability increases for sustained parachutal stall in turbulence and therefore thermals.

metrics on the Sigma seemed unusually high compared to other wings, which is consistent with the stability it exhibited when thermaling. When performing 50% collapses with hands-off recovery, the Sigma was slow to rotate and recovered with a turning dive within 90° of rotation. This behavior seemed very forgiving, especially for a DHV 2 glider.

The altitude loss was more significant than the rotation. The DHV test report for the Sigma 28 indicated a 2 rating for an unaccelerated asymmetric at the bottom end of the weight range, yet it was given a 1-2 rating at the top end. This seems contradictory to me since a higher wing loading produces a higher airspeed and this should exaggerate recovery behavior. This apparent contradiction may be explainable by a differing percentage of collapse. The fact that the percentage of collapse in D HV asymmetric testing is not standardized or reported is, in my opinion, a blatant deficiency, and because of this I consider the conclusiveness of the DHV asymmetric data as ambiguous at best.

SPIRAL DIVE The Sigma readily rolls into spirals and accelerates quickly. It's easy to overshoot when exiting due its excellent energy retention. Unless I have a real need to make an emergency descent, I limit my spirals to about 60° of bank (a load factor of two G's) to avoid stretching the canopy and increasing its porosity, and thereby shortening its life. See Graph 2.

ACCELERATED ASYMMETRIC COLLAPSES I performed a couple of accelerated 50% asymmetric collapses. The first was with 50% accelerator. With no pilot input, the glider rotated about 270°, but very slowly (taking five to 10 seconds). The second accelerated asymmetric with about 75% accelerator was not conclusive because of a complication. The plastic harness buckle which held my recline angle broke after inducing the collapse. Since I was looking up at the canopy, I can only assume that the risers snagged on this buckle. The glider exhib-

UNACCELERATED ASYMMETRIC COLLAPSES The A-riser resistance when initiating asym-

20

ired an unusual behavior, which was consistent with the snag. The center and wingtip both opened, but the glider had a large indentation at the leading edge about two-thirds of the distance from the root to the tip, as if some lines were being restrained. The recovery was very loud and abrupt, and my body was dropped dramatically toward the collapsed side because of the collapse and the buckle braking. I discontinued testing that day because my harness sagged excessively to the damaged side. I didn't repeat these tests after replacing the buckle because of concern about damaging my harness again.

SEARCHING FOR PARACHUTAGE USING BRAKES I did notice a slight tendency for the Sigma to enter parachutage when slowly applying brakes but before full arm extension. The sink rate increased suddenly and significantly, but it surged forward with only a slight delay upon release of the brakes.

SEARCH FOR INCIPIENT SPIN While I didn't perform any fully developed spins, I did search for the propensity for spin entry with overaggressive braking. On this point I disagree with Dennis Trott's review of the Sigma in the January 2002 issue of the British publication Skywings, where he stated, "There was no tendency to overbank or spin even with quite violent brake application." All wings can and will spin; it's only a question of the amount and rate of braking required. I had to brake more abruptly than I would naturally, and by doing so quickly I could feel the subtlety of the incipient spin in the smooth coastal ridge lift at Torrey Pines. Once you've experienced the kinesthetic sensation of spin entry, commonly called barstool rotation, it's easy to recognize it as it begins. The obvious benefit of this recognition is easy avoidance of the fully developed spin through immediate release of the brake with little to no surge, as the Sigma exhibited.

OfHER FLIGHT MODES TOWJNG

I did not have the opportunity to tow-launch the Sigma, but it is approved for towing both

by Advance and by the D HY. MomRFLIGHT

The Sigma owner's manual states: "This glider is not certified for powered acrobatic flight." I

PARAGLIDING

can't comment on rhe Sigma's suitability for motoring because I didn't have the opportunity to fly it with a motor. Please see the insert titled "Missing Glider."

HARNESS The Sigma is certified with a DHV GHtype harness, however, Advance recommends flying the Sigma and all their solo gliders using their harness, which has a sear board-to-attachment-point height of 44 cm (17.3 inches). They caution that if any other harness is used, the height of the attachment points should be between 42 cm (16.5 inches) and 46 cm (18.1 inches), and that the chest strap width is between 37 cm (14.6 inches) and 40 cm (15.8 inches) . The Advance harness is approved for rowing from rhe main suspension loops, but it does not provide for leg-crossing weight-shift steering.

SUMMARY The Sigma is an intermediate-level wing that's optimized for cross-country glide.

The wing is fast with light and responsive handling, yet it has a solid feel and it's fun

to fly! For a Performance wing it's surprisingly forgiving in col lapses, but the hazards of higher performance (parachutage, accelerated collapses, and easier spin entry) still lurk at rhe fringe of its flight envelope, so, as would be expected, ir lacks rhe safety of a DHV 1-2 glider. Ir's not as user-friendly as a novice-level wing, with its more demanding light-wind launching and lack of split A-risers.

Advanced has produced a quality constructed wing with some distinctively effective features (mesh tip inlets and cleaning hole access) , but surprisingly, with a couple of minor deficiencies (short brake pulley webbing lengrh and awkward sister clips). I originally had rhe impression that the winglets were strictly a marketing distinction, bur as I became more familiar wirh rhe company and rhe wing, I now believe they add a tangible benefit to performance.

In statistics, sigma means summation, and it's clear rhar rhe Sigma, now in its fifth generation, and as rhe sum of rhe Advance evolution, is a real serial-class contender!

About the author: Alan Chuculate has been paragliding for 12 years and hang gliding for more than 21 years. He is a USHGA Tandem Administrator for both disciplines.

He is the source for the increasingly popular Para-Lite SkyCruiser powered paraglider.

Alan is on the USHGA Board ofDirectors as a Regional Director for Region 3 (southern California and Hawaii). Ifyou have questions or comments regarding this article you're welcome to contact him directly by e-mail at AlanC@San.RR.com, or by telephone in San Diego at (858) 292-1552. •

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MARCH 2002

21

Good Job, Pilots!

by Peter Reagan mter seems to bring on a pensive mood, partly because you can't go outside much, but also because we've had another year of paragliding experience and can look back on it. For those of us doing the accident reporting, 2001 was particularly gratifying. It is not possible to know whether our reporting frequency is improving, but since many more trivial accidents are being reported we think we are getting a higher percentage of the serious ones.

For the third year in a row, serious injuries and deaths are becoming less frequent in our North American experience.

And last year, for the first time in over a decade, there were no unpowered paragliding fatalities. Here is a brief account of the single fatal paramotor event.

At a fly-in at a flight park, a very experienced motor pilot in his mid-40's launched, flew to five hundred feet AGL and then entered a steep spiral dive. He failed to pull out of the dive in time and splashed into a lake. He was conscious in the water but unable to get clear of his equipment before he drowned. He was known for low-altitude spirals and had been warned to allow more margin for error. He leaves a wife and child.

While this event involved equipment and techniques that we non-power pilots don't use, the judgment issues that led to the pilot's death are very familiar to us.

Intermediate syndrome can go on for a very long time. In the friendly skies you can sometimes get away with a lot. Water, on the other hand, can be merciless.

Three years ago, when I started to write these reports, I tried to find data allowing comparisons with other aerial sports and adventurous pastimes in general. Back then I could conclude that our sport was roughly comparable to horseback riding or motorcy:cling in terms of risk. Hot-air ballooning was also in the running. However, although the numbers

22

are small and I don't have a good way to measure statistical significance, our sport now appears to be getting significantly safer. Our fatality rates and major injury rates are quite a bit lower than those seen in recent statistics for horseback and motorcycle riding, perhaps by a factor of two or three.

Many factors are involved in this increase in safery. The more important ones include: 1) The maturing of the foot-launch communiry, so that there are many very experienced pilots throughout the country who are aware of the subtleties of flying hazards and from whom neophytes can learn.

2) Our sites are much better explored and their quirks understood.

3) Gliders and harnesses are a lot safer and manufacturers are more safety conscious as well.

4) There is more of an ethic of safety at all levels of flying.

5) People are more conservative in their choice of the glider they buy.

6) Schools are better organized, and the best ones are very much influencing the culture of safery.

As airline safery improved dramatically about 20 years ago the percentage of people flying commercially skyrocketed. With a little luck, our improved record may encourage more participation in the freest form of flight.

I continue to believe that accident review is more critical than ever. The worst possible effect of improved safery would be complacency. Unlike airline passengers, our own safery depends almost entirely on our own judgment and skill, and we are only reasonably secure if we continue to sharpen these. With that in mind, here are a couple of instructive examples.

MIDMORNING SUMMER ALPINE SITE - GENTLE UPSLOPE WIND A beginner pilot launched well and flew straight out about a quarter of a mile, maintaining his altitude. Then he turned parallel to the ridge and began to lose altitude at a normal sink rate. He chose to

turn back toward the lift but unfortunately tried to do a 180-degree turn toward the ridge. There was not enough room to complete the turn and he impacted the slope, suffering leg and ankle injuries that required surgery.

Three years ago, when Steve Roti first asked me to write these columns, I was pretty sure that I was selected because I'd already had most of the accidents I'd get to report. I was lucky when I did this one.

I almost completed a turn when my foot hit a rock. I was rotated forward, so in effect I did a swan dive a couple of feet above a boulder field 20 yards wide. At the far side some of my lines caught in an uphill tree, dumping me unceremoniously in the one patch of soft grass in the area, proving once again that luck works some of the time.

Chris Santacroce finds it helpful to instruct beginner pilots to always look away from the ridge as they soar. That minimizes the chance of turning the wrong way.

Turning toward a ridge is an element in the next report as well. In past years we have reported on a few unwitnessed fatalities during glass-off conditions involving less-experienced pilots. This could easily have been a fatal error. It's easy to misjudge how far one is from a slope as one is gliding away from it. In ridge lift, never turn toward the ridge. Don't try a 360 in a thermal without leaving lots of extra space. Don't tempt fate.

DRY COASTAL HILLS, EVENING, LIGHT WIND, MODERATE THER-

MALS Two pilots were soaring along a ridge in light lift. The reporter, pilot A, noted another glider approaching from the opposite direction somewhat lower than she was. Pilot B turned in front of pilot A so that they were both flying in the same direction, A just above and behind B. Pilot A became concerned about possible wake turbulence and decided to turn away from the ridge and give her companion some clearance. Suddenly, pilot B turned sharply toward the ridge. She continued in a very tight turn and simultaneously

PARAGLIDING

/if S

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H

1F

;;y \

: fl1'1£'#1 1N~BB!• encountered lift. A 270-degree turn placed her directly under pilot A, now too high to avoid. Pilot A screamed a warning, then found herself first sitting, then enveloped in the other glider. She fumbled for her reserve handle, but couldn't see anything.

Seconds later B's canopy fell away and A looked up to see a 50% asymmetric deflation in her own wing. She had also reversed direction since she'd last been able to see. She countered with some contralateral brake and the glider resumed normal flight. Meanwhile, pilot B was observed to pendulum several times to within several feet of the ground, but to finally regain control. Both pilots landed safely and were able to discuss the flight immediately.

Pilot B was inexperienced, and apparently worried about another inexperienced friend back on launch. She reported that she never noticed pilot A. In a collision so close to the ground these two pilots were very lucky to escape without injury. Collisions are not commonly reported in the United States. They are probably underreported especially when the outcome is benign like this.

However, a few years ago we had a fatal accident under almost identical circumstances. The only difference was that the lower pilot was a foot or so higher. The upper pilot became lodged in the leading edge and the two fell to the ground together.

Both pilots had opportunities to decrease the risk in this situation. The lower, less-experienced pilot B may have had more to learn. She launched with a preoccupation about another person and therefore wasn't concentrating. I low do you make sure to notice traffic? In this uncrowded situation the best way is to inventory the gliders in the air before you launch and always know where all of them are. In more crowded conditions this is not possible and there is no substitute for simple vigilance in all three dimensions.

It's always harder to notice a pilot at a different elevation than yours.

New pilots will have more trouble keeping track of other gliders than experienced pilots. Unfortunately, the level of attention necessary will very much distract

MARCH

2002

from the esthetics of the flight, not to mention the freedom of movement that the pilot has.

Finally, pilot B took a significant risk in turning toward the ridge at such a low elevation. Aside from the risk of impact, the pilot abandoned the logical traffic pattern and confused pilot A. Pilot A was aware of the oncoming traffic, but assumed she'd been seen. In so doing she lost her only chance to affect the outcome. If you don't make eye contact or get some kind of acknowledgement from a pilot closing in, it's important to make some n01se.

I imagine that this kind of accident will become increasingly common, as our gliders get safer, our skills improve and our sites get more crowded. All of us who fly at popular sites are aware of near misses, and most of us have probably experienced them. There are no good rules for determining how many gliders can safely fly in a given parcel of air. The fatal accident a few years ago engendered a lot of constructive discussion. There are so many variables. Conditions can radically alter the amount of usable airspace. Pilot experience, competence, familiarity with the site, and how well we know the other people in the air will change things even more. We all need to be conservative about this. If it feels crowded it makes sense for some of us to go land. This is also a good argument for exploring new sites and flying at less-crowded ones.

Except when a pilot has died, we make every effort to preserve the confidentiality of these reports. A few years ago, the editor requested that the male pronoun be used to designate a pilot of either sex. At the time, female pilots, and especially very experienced female pilots, were rare enough that disclosing their gender often identified them. There are many more women involved now, and we have changed that policy with this issue.

Thank you all for your continued participation in the accident reporting system. Every report affects the year-end summary, and many will be described in detail in the magazine. They all contribute to increasing pilot safety. Ill

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®

Perhaps if you attach an outrigger?)

HHA members began to seek ways to obtain a permit to fly. One of the ideas was to try to assimilate paragliding into the ancient alli' (royalty) sport of cape flying.

The Hawaiian kings would position themselves on a ridge with capes attached, trying to soar with the help of the trade winds (right idea, wrong equipment). Another idea was that perhaps we could help spot fish for the fishermen in the bay (yeah, right).

We settled on going to the "local neighborhood board meetings" to see if there was any opposition to, or concern about us flying in this beautiful and precious valley.

The local communities were actually in support of us, and several individuals even made tandem flights. The only concern was from a small minority of fishermen who said we scare the fish (so much for the spotting-the-fish idea). It was a long and tedious process on which several club members worked many hours, especially Alex Colby who is a local resident. Some attended neighborhood board meetings and many worked on the Fishpond Restoration Project. Club members became very active .in the affairs of Kahana Valley State Park.

National Geographic magazine obviously thought the valley was noteworthy, and published a lengthy article about it.

The pictures accompanying the article were taken in the air - from, you guessed it, a paraglider. National Geographic was told by the State of Hawaii Visitor's Bureau to contact Graviry Sports so the photographer could take pictures during a tandem paragliding flight. (Talk about the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.)

Today, when you fly to Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines you will see a fiveminute video on tandem paragliding, as

one of the many exciting things to do during your Hawaiian vacation, paid for by the Hawaii Visitor's Bureau.

It has now been a year, and finally the DLNR has put the club's petition on the agenda at their monthly board meetings.

THE OUTCOME The DLNR board approved our permit.

The upside is that paragliders can once again fly in Kahana Valley; the downside is that the permit does not include hang gliders, as the board felt that the "rigid-framed

wings posed too much of a danger to beach-goers." We have a conditional permit for three months, after which the status of our operations will be reviewed, and hopefully then we can include hang gliders. We are open to helpful input from the hang gliding community.

If any paraglider pilots are planning a Hawaiian flying vacation in the next couple of months please contact an HHA member, or I may be reached at: Gravity Sports, Marc "Nalu" Hill, nalufly@aol.com, www.gravityhawaii.com. Ill

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BY MARCH 20th Or you will miss the April Magazine.

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26

PARAGLIDING

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MARCH

2002

27

THE

Non-Drinking Pilot

UNDERSTANDING THIRST AND FLYING

by Daniel L. Johnson, revised by Grant "Groundhog" Hoag

What is thirst? How do you know whether you're dehydrated? Guess what? Thirst doesn't tell you how much you need to drink. ou're a skilled, experienced paraglider pilot. You aren't the sort of folks who crash. Bur, guess what? We know a few really skilled, experienced pilots who've bent rigs and bodies because they did something wrong. Maybe you do, too. Besides, have you met anyone who started the day saying, "Hey, I think I'll crash my glider and bust myself up today!" Me neither. And that's the point: If pilots meant to crack up, we wouldn't call crashes "accidents." We call those other crashes "suicides, " and that's a whole different essay. Accidents happen because some little things were done wrong; judgment wasn't as fine as usual, the old brain missed a tick, shorted out, didn't coordinate

Y

28

as well as usual. A mistake was made, and a "mistake" is something a person does that is uncharacteristic of them - a lapse, an error, an unintended miscue. The brain didn't click.

Today's essay regards the brain as just an extremely complicated, elegant bit of soup.

To work well it's got to have the right balance of water and "stuff." If it gets dehydrated, it doesn't work right.

So dehydration will make good pilots into bad ones, bur dehydration doesn't announce itself. Ir doesn't make a big, spectacular enuance. Ir sneaks in, hides under the bed, and bites when we aren't looking.

George the Great has been happily floating over the landscape for three blissful

hours, and perhaps is noticing that he could use a drink of water. But he feels pretty good.

And his brain isn't tested until some stress arrives, so Mr. Great doesn't know that his brain has shrunk, and that a good pilot can have an accident because his brain has temporarily stepped to the sidelines.

Or closer to home, Grant, an experienced hang glider pilot, made a small mistake that damaged his glider when he landed in the Chalfant Valley north of Bishop some time ago. He had taken a wonderful four and a half hour flight north along the Sierra Nevada ......---Mountains and into the White Mountain Range. During this flight his altitude was often above 14,000 feet, maxing at 16,500 feet MSL. To ease thirst, he had been nursing two pints of water for the flight.

Even so, during the last 30 minutes, he grew increasingly fatigued even though he was descending.

Four hours into the flight he radioed his chase crew to say that he was having concenuation problems and would have to land. His landing flare was poor, because of the fatigue from dehydration, and he broke his leading edge by whacking on what would have otherwise been an easy landing. The cause of the increasing fatigue and diminished alertness was very likely dehydration. A contributing factor might have been residual hypoxia.

When we hear pilots talk about thirst and hydration, we often detect misunderstanding.

The reason for this article is that only pilots who know and understand thirst will make wise decisions regarding avoiding dehydranon.

Along with good ideas, misconceptions about thirst and hydration keep getting spread around, like bad jelly on good toast.

"Thirst can't be trusted," tops the list. Like many misconceptions, it's partly true; thirst isn't a "fuel gauge." This is an oversimplification, well intended, bur like all oversimplifications it fails to educate and sometimes misleads, causing bad decisions. This common advice assumes that people are dumb and need to be fooled into doing what's best. Or worse, you've learned to carry a bottle of liquid in your harness to pound down after you've landed, long after you needed it. If you're that kind of pilot, you need to read this article even if you think you don't. If you'd like to learn a better way, read on.

HOW THIRST WORKS The truth is that thirst can be trusted - if you know how it works. If you're happy with the idea that thirst can't be trusted, and that

PARAGLIDING

the only way to avoid dehydration is to wear a big Camelbak and suck on it constantly, simply stop reading here and do something more interesting, like reviewing consumer ratings of adult diaper capacity or skin adhesives for condom catheters. To tell folks that thirst can't be trusted and you therefore have to drink constantly is like teaching that the best way to avoid stalls is tell students to always fly fast. It might "work," but it doesn't make a more proficient pilot.

Okay, now that I have you upset, let's talk. In truth, thirst will not keep you ideally hydrated. Thirst is not a fuel gauge; it's a warning light. Thirst begins after we're already mildly dehydrated. It doesn't increase in intensity proportionately with our degree of dehydration, and it's relieved before we've fully rehydrated. But thirst can be trusted because it's consistent and reliable. If you understand how it works (read on) and pay attention to your own thirst, it can teach you how and when to hydrate.

WHAT DOES THIRST FEEL LIKE? I suppose you think you know. Bue I'll bet you haven't experimented to see if you really do. Thirst is not "dry mouth," it's not crusty boogers, it's not a headache. Any of these might accompany thirst, but thirst is an appetite. An appetite is a desire to have something. We are sentient beings, capable of sensing and learning about subtle messages from inside ourselves (no, not those messages, the ones from your body).

Thirst is that sensation we get when we've just finished a bowl of salty soup. The mouth is moist - after all, we've been practically drinking the soup. But quite swiftly the glass of water the waitress brought before the meal sneaks into the center of our attention. It looks good It tastes good. This appetite is thirst, and it feels a little bit different for everyone. Thirst is water hunger.

Now, there are quite a few sensations that travel along with thirst from time to time: dry mouth, lack of sweating, a feeling of being too warm, weakness, fatigue, and so on, depending on the circumstances under which thirst develops.

VOLUME DEPLETION When we lose both salt and water in proportion, we are not dehydrated, we are "volume depleted." This develops when we sweat heavily. We lose salt as well as water, which causes our blood volume to shrink, and we have to replace both the salt and the water.

This is what Gatorade and similar high-sodi-

M ARCH 2002

um sport drinks were designed for. The main symptom of dehydration is weakness and fatigue. Try getting yourself dehydrated on a hot day by working very hard. You'll feel a combination of thirst and volume depletion.

I suggest that you deliberately experience thirst and volume depletion so that you know what they feel like for yourself, so you know your personal symptoms. If you weigh yourself before the test and during it with an accurate (digital) scale, you can correlate your sensations with the degree of depletion (a pint is a pound the world around). You'll be surprised at how vague your body's signals really are. But they are not subtle. Thirst is real.

JUST WHEN DOES THIRST BEGIN? This varies from person to person. Studies of dehydration variously estimate that we are 2%-3% dehydrated before thirst begins. But it's not correct to make the obvious connection and assume that the average 170-pound pilot must lose three to four pounds of water before feeling thirsry. Last summer, when some of us were weighed before and after flying, it was pretty clear that pilots can learn to detect thirst at 1%. Why is this? Are the researchers wrong? Are soaring pilots more in tune with themselves than the general public?

Can pigs fly? Possibly. (But someone's got to strap them in a harness first.)

Here's the key: If you read scores of scientific articles carefully, you will discover that there's a lot of talk about percent dehydration, but a lot of silence about just what zero dehydration might be. You might think that your normal, comfortable status is a nondehydrated situation. Wrong. In fact, it's not all that easy to define what is a "fully hydrated" human.

Here's the deal: Our bodies are fancy soup, with a specific gravity of 1.010 to 1.012 (somewhat more dense than water, which is 1.000). If the specific gravity of our urine is less than 1.010, we're trying to get rid of extra water, that is, we're overhydrated. !fit's more than 1.010, we're conserving water, and are becoming dehydrated. People operate most of the time in water-conservation mode because it's inconvenient to urinate often. On the average, we run happily around, about 1% short of optimal hydration.

The worst that happens in this state is a hard stool, not usually something to write to the editor of the local newspaper about. This means that we can normally tank up with water equal to about 1% of our body weight,

before undergoing heat stress, without causing excessive, inconvenient urination. Since a pint is a pound, one or two pints of water early in the day can give us a head start on avoiding thirst (and dehydration - remember that thirst means we're already dehydrated).

This also means that when the research says that thirst begins at 2% dehydration, that thirst begins afrer a loss of I% of our usual body weight. We're not conscious of the first 1% that we're always short of, and once we're thirsty we can get back to our mildly parched normal state by drinking water equal to 1% of our body weight. (A liter of water is a kilogram of body weight.)

Thirst is a reliable signal that we need to drink a pint to a quart (depending on our size) right now, and to increase our rate offluid intake.

The few studies on dehydration and mental performance show that mental acuity and coordination are already decreasing at 1% dehydration, and are consistently and significantly decreased at 2%. You can probably keep walking at 5% to 8%, but you'll have trouble figuring out what direction you're going, and you surely won't be able execute a landing well enough to impress the girls in the LZ. Because thirst begins after we are mildly dehydrated, we want to stay ahead of it for peak performance. This means that we shouldn't wait until we're thirsty to begin hydrating.

WE CAN LEARN FROM THIRST We will sometimes accidentally get thirsty, or we can deliberately let ourselves get thirsty, in various conditions of weather and activity at times when it's safe to be dehydrated, and take note of our symptoms, weigh ourselves, and rehydrate. By intelligent observation we can teach ourselves how to recognize our thirst, how rapidly it develops, and therefore

how to avoid it.

The delayed onset of thirst is pragmatically useful, since if we became thirsty as soon as we needed an ounce of water we would be continually looking for water - a waste of time. And if thirst were exactly proportional to the need, we'd be in agonies of thirst, a distraction, when we can't afford to be distracted. Thirst is analogous to shivering: Shivering is a sign that we are already hypothermic. To repeat: Thirst is a sign that we are already dehydrated. You can trust it. Thirst reliably tells you that you have become dehydrated, that you've missed your goal of staying hydrated.

29

-----------------------~ Symptoms of Dehydration

12 0

INTENSE 10.0

trouble 8.0

Thirst Symptoms

sleepiness dizziness

6.0

chapped lips scratchy throat

4.0

!bad taste

dry mouth 2.0

normal

MILD

2

3

4

thirsty. You can trust this.

Thirst is a reliable sign that you are actually impaired, not a casual hint to take a slurp of water to wet your whistle. It's a sign that you should not get into a harness right now. It's a message, in the air, that you should drink large quantities of water immediately, and if no water is available in the Camelbalc, it's time to land and solve the problem.

Percent of Dehydration

Figure 1: As dehydration increases, symptoms ofthirst worsen.

Attention is offpeak at 1 %. Aerobic capacity is decreased by 5% at 2% dehydration.

Thirst can be suppressed as well. By trying to be tough, to ignore pain and discomfort, we can suppress the signals that give us clues about adjustments we need to make, like coming in out of the cold or drinking water, that let's us stay at pealc performance.

As noted, thirst appears at about 2% dehydration. The actual level varies from person to person. Sensitivity to thirst decreases substantially in old age. We can train ourselves to suppress this and other body appetites, or to be more sensitive to them, and we can discipline ourselves to respond to thirst.

We can also learn from urine color.

Dilute urine made by the well-hydrated pilot is pale or clear. Concentrated urine made by the pilot flirting with dehydration is golden and sinks to the bottom of the toilet. As you empty your bladder before takeoff, think of this. If your urine is dark, drink now, a pint or two.

LOST ABILITY Dehydration is a problem because physical work capacity and mental sharpness are both measurably decreased by dehydration. At 2%, athletes have lost about 5% of their aerobic capacity and coordination, and thinking ability are then substandard. Interestingly, there are many studies of dehydration's effects on athletic performance, but few on mental performance. But enough have been done to know that our ability to do arithmetic, to recall words we hear, to trace a line quickly and accurately on a piece of paper, all are decreased at just 1% dehydration and steadily worsen as the water deficit grows.

THIRST IS AN ALARM Is this clear? You lose your edge before you get

30

THIRST IS A MENTOR You can use thirst as a guide to learning how to hydrate.

Thirst is a clear sign that your present hydration strategy isn't working and needs to be revised. Let yourself get dehydrated in safe conditions, such as during ground activities, and note the conditions under which your thirst appeared: how hard you were working, how appropriate to the temperature your clothing was, what the air temperature was, the wind, the relative humidity, to what extent you were out in the sun. When you become conscious of thirst, ask yourself whether you might have been suppressing this appetite, whether there might have been some earlier inklings of thirst you might have picked up if you'd been paying closer attention.

HOW MUCH TO DRINK? Thirst should guide your rehydration strategy. If you weigh a hundred pounds, and you sense thirst at 2% dehydration, when you notice you're thirsty you're down a quart already. This should lead you to immediately begin rehydrating. Simple mental arithmetic should tell you how much you need to drink to be fully rehydrated, and how much you need to drink each hour to maintain hydration. (In runners, this is usually about four ounces every 20 minutes.)

For example, if it took you two hours working on launch in the sun to get thirsty, and you plan to continue working on the ground today, you need to drink a cup of water every 30 minutes to stay hydrated in these conditions, in addition to the quart you need to restore yourself, to change yourself from a raisin to a grape. Double these numbers if you weigh 200 pounds, as I do. Yes! A pint every 30 minutes!

More importantly, if you got thirsty before taking off, you should take an additional step. You are now about to launch

your glider in a dehydrated state. Instead of hooking up, delay your launch and rehydrate.

Wait 30 minutes, and spend this time in the shade, avidly drinking.

ESTIMATE WATER NEEDS Does this give you some clue as to the water you should be carrying? On a hot day (or with vigorous activity even on a cool one) you will lose 300 to 600 ml of water (a cup to a quart) every hour. You might lose up to twice this much if you're wearing heavy clothing for high-altitude flight. You may need to allocate one or two quarts of water just for the ground phase in order to ensure that you don't scare the spectators with an interesting launch.

While flying we usually exert ourselves more, and the rate of sweating continues. You can use this as an indication of the minimum amount of fluid you should consume during flight, about a cup every halfhour, even if you have no thermal stress and feel no sensation of thirst.

WE CAN BE FOOLED We need to be disciplined about rehydration, as thirst may be, under some circumstances, quickly slaked by small amounts of water. For example, when bicyclists were given water during a race (and their water consumption actually measured), and asked to estimate the actual volume of water consumed, they overestimated their water intalce tenfold. This essentially means that when they drank a scant ounce, they said they had drunk more than a pint. Amazing. But in few studies have people been so dramatically wrong - this is unusual. The lesson for us is probably that when we're busy, distraction hinders accuracy.

This pertains to paragliding because we're busy when we fly, perhaps too busy to think about whether we're thirsty.

In another study, people were dehydrated by depriving them of water for 24 hours.

Everyone rehydrated fully within 20 minutes after they were given access to water. And in other studies, of athletes, typically about twothirds of the water deficit was taken promptly after stopping, and the rest with the next meal. This is why we pound the Gatorade (or beer) upon landing.

WE DELUDE OURSELVES ABOUT THIRST Packing a lot of water is annoying because we usually have to pee an hour after drinking. In a harness, while flying X-C, it ain't easy. Just to let it go would be messy, condom catheters fall off, tubes kink, diapers leak. If we just PARAGLIDING

hold it, our bladders can burst. Then it's hospital time. So what do we do? When we fly locally, we can simply land after an hour.

Or we find ourselves suppressing thirst, because the symptoms of dehydration don't immediately point to water. When our body is working hard to conserve water, urine flow is scant. This is convenient, as it may eliminate the need to collect urine during a longer flight. But this is bad judgment. Your brain needs water!

A friend of mine said after a week-long bike tour, "l get a little weal( after a couple of hours. I don't know why ... " His wife interjected briskly, "It's because he doesn't drink!"

She was right. Physical weakness is a sign of dehydration. Unfortunately, a late sign of dehydration is impaired judgment, including the idea that it's not necessary to drink yet. Are you getting tired after flying one hour?

Maybe it isn't your strength; maybe it's your body getting dehydrated!

THIRST SENSArIONS INTENSIFY Thirst symptoms increase as we get more dehydrated, as illustrated in Figure 1. This means, basically, that if you've been focusing on your setup and have suppressed thirst until it can't be ignored, you can use the intensity of your thirst as a reliable guide to just how important it is to not put on that harness and move to the launch ramp, but instead to devote foll-time attention to sitting in the shade and rehydrating, or to consuming a large proportion of the water you brought with you on the flight. You did bring water, didn't you? There are plenty of easy ways to carry water in your harness. Use 'em!

Let me suggest that if you are definitely thirsty during flight, and have no water left, you should terminate the flight immediately.

Thirst is a danger signal - an alarm, not a hint.

WEIGHT REVEALS DEHYDRATION An excellent way to test your ability to recognize thirst or dehydration symptoms is to weigh yourself - not while flying, while working around home on a hot day. For about 25 bucks you can pick up a digital electronic scale. (Don't use an analog scale; they're too hard to read precisely.) Work hard, don't hydrate, and weigh yourself every half hour to an hour. Write the weights down as you go, because as you get dehydrated your memory will be shot and you'll forget the data. Weigh when you begin and weigh when you first feel thirsty, so you'll know

MARCH

2002

where your thirst threshhold is. Weigh yourself when you feel weak, and see how dehydrated you are then.

After you think you have yourself figured out, on another day try to keep yourself hydrated just by paying attention to your body's signals, and then compare your weight at the beginning and end of the day to see how close you came. Always weigh with the same gear on, and weigh yourself with an empty bladder; the urine it holds is not "hydration."

WHERE DEHYDRATION OCCURS Most of our water losses happen on the ground, before we fly. The folks most in danger of dehydration are tow pilots, who work continually at low and therefore hot altitudes. Next are the pilots assembling gliders and friends who are running around helping everyone. The main reason pilots get in trouble with dehydration, I believe, is that they tal<e off dehydrated and then don't correct the problem sufficiently.

DEHYDRATION IN THE COLD Once we are in the air we work hard. We lose liquid with every breath. Sweat evaporates from our faces and exposed skin, but collects in our clothes under the harness.

But even when we get high, even if we stop sweating, it's important for pilots to know that in the cold they will become dehydrated for another reason. When we get cold, the blood vessels in our hands, feet, arms and legs constrict to conserve heat. This makes the blood vessels over-foll, and our kidneys, just doing their job, get rid of the extra. So, when we get cold, even if we're already dehydrated, we'll lose water and some salt.

Perhaps you've noticed that when you get cold you soon have to urinate. This is why.

There is no way to avoid this cold-induced dehydration except by staying warm. And if it's really, really cold up there, you're not going to be able to wear enough to stay toasty warm.

This dehydration is not a risk while high aloft. In fact, this tends to compensate for the dehydration that you developed before you launched. If you hydrated aggressively on the ground and early in the flight, you lose much of it when you get cold. There is nothing you can do about it. This is how your body works, so set up the peeing device and use it.

The risk is what happens when you come back down. You warm up. Your blood vessels dilate again. They dilate tremendously if you come back down to a hot LZ, especially if it's

humid. But if you've been cold, the water you need to fill these blood vessels is in your nappie, in your bladder, or vented out the tube. It's gone, and the warmer you get, the worse off you are. The consequence is low blood pressure, low G tolerance, and fuzzy thinking or uncoordinated flying. Any pilot flying the big air in the Owens Valley can tell you how fast thirst comes on after being flushed from the Sierra mountains. They always thought the dry mouth was from fear oflanding in the desert winds with all those thermals kicking off, but I can tell you that it comes from warming up!

The only solution to this is to rehydrate vigorously as you warm up. While you descend, drink a cup at a time, not a sip at a time, with the goal of drinking at least a quart and possibly two during the descent.

If you ride the escalator up and down, getting cold, then warm, then cold again and warm again, it's important to realize that the body's fluid volume contracts anew each time you go up, and you need to rehydrate each time you descend. Can you carry two Camelbal<S?

WHEN TO STOP REHYDRATING Finally, you can trust thirst to vanish before you're folly hydrated. When people are given free access to water, at rest, afrer dehydrating through physical activity, they reliably drink about two-thirds of what they need and mal<e up the deficit at the next meal. So, to rehydrate well, drink until you're satisfied, and then, when your stomach feels comfortable again, drink half again that much.

Enjoy your winter and summer soaring, and remember that thirst is a reliable idiot light. Use it wisely.

lo recap: 1)

2)

3)

4) 5)

When thirsty, your flying will be less fon and much more dangerous, especially when flying X-C. Understand your body! Test your thirst during activities on the ground in weather similar to that in which you fly.

Stay hydrated by drinking a quart before flying in typical conditions. Most pilots launch dehydrated.

Drink while flying. You need at least two cups per hour!

Expect to urinate when flying X-C, especially at varying altitudes and temperatures. Plan for it.

When you fly, hydrate or die! •

31

t

by Davis Straub

The question that is foremast on our minds ts, "Is it going to be soarable?" Tomorrow? Later today? In the next few minutes? While I'm not going to help you with the last version of this question, let's see about the longer-range forecasts. f your site is near an airport where the National Weather Service twice a day releases a balloon that will measure the air temperature, dew point temperature, wind speed and direction by altitude, then you can use the resultant temperature profile to forecast the future lift. All you have to do is call up Kevin Ford's soarcast website (http://csrp.tamu.edu/ soar/for.html) about an hour or hour and a half after the morning balloon goes up to find out the predicted thermal indices and trigger temperatures by altitude, as well as the height of cloud base.

The balloon you are interested in is released at noon Greenwich Mean Time (also known as 12 UTC, 12 Zulu, or 12Z). In the summer they release the balloon at 8:00 AM on the East Coast and at 5:00 AM on the West Coast. Conveniently for us, the balloons will measure the temperature profile of the air just before it begins to warm up from the rising sun.

Once you fill in Kevin's form and clicked the Submit button it will send your chosen parameters to a CGI script that will create a new web page for you with your soarcast.

You can make this new page one of your favorites. Later you can go back to chis favorite and you'll get your soarcast without MSL

*TI" Wdir@lctstrig

6000 5500 5000

-;> ;, -;> lj

140

J1

89 89

-2 6

155

12

g !,l)l)

-;c

88 IHl

9

moo

-3 2

3500

-3 6 -3 9

JUlJO

2500 2000 1500 1000 !,l)l)

-4 4 -4 g --5 4 -5 9 -6.9

155

;2

160

12

165

14

150 140

16

87 86 86 85 B4 83 82

ll

81

Figure 1: Kevin Ford's Soarcast ·························

32

VirT

60 63 65 6/ 69 /J

having to go through the standard interface.

For example, http://csrp.tamu.edu/soar/ti.cgi?SUB JECT =TI&Upperstation=TBW&Surfaces tation=GNV&Forecasthigh=&MaxAlti tude=8000 The values to the right of the "=" signs, when combined with the ti.cgi script, produce a soarcast using the Tampa Bay, Florida temperature profile and the National Weather Service's predicted maximum daily air (at ground level) temperature for Gainesville.

The balloon measures the temperatures of the air mass that it rises through, but it doesn't know anything about the predicted maximum daily air temperature at ground level, which in any case won't happen until much later. You have to add this piece of information to the balloon data to get a soarcast. You can have Kevin Ford's site do it by specifying a location for this temperature, or you can type in a value of your own choosing. See Figure 1 for what a portion of the soarcast looks like.

If it is a good soaring day you'll see the little apostrophes(') to the right of the temperature profile (:) line. These apostrophes represent the temperature change that

3 9 degt:"ees/o.lVlSlOn(" ":DryAo.iabdtlC

9 2 5

6 7 I

13 B 75 6 17 4 /9 J 80 9 Ill 8

a particle of dry air would go through as it rose from near the ground starting with the predicted air temperature at the ground (dry adiabatic).

As the air parcel rises it expands and therefor cools. As long as its temperature is greater than the surrounding air (approximately indicated by the temperature profile) then it will keep rising.

Sailplanes with their sink rates can climb up to about the level where the thermal index (TI) equals -3. We can usually get higher. So the thermal index gives you an idea of how high you can climb.

The trigger temperature is the air temperature at ground level that is required to produce rising air to the altitude shown to the left of the trigger temperature. In the case above, if the ground temperature gets to 85 degrees, packets of air warmed near the ground should rise to 4,500 feet.

The predicted air temperature near the ground for this day was 94 degrees, and cloud base was predicted to be 5,600 feet at that temperature. Of course, clouds would most likely form earlier and lower when the ground temperature was less and then rise during the day.

Looking at this chart we can see that the dry adiabatic line is quite a bit to the right of the temperature profile (the air temperatures of the surrounding air by altitude) so we can expect that this will be a good soaring day.

You can find out more about the soarcast at http://csrp.tamu.edu/soar/README.html.

What if your site isn't near one of the airports where they put up a weather balloon?

Well, you can instead use modeled data for the profile. The modeled data are not data taken by any instrument, but data created by an atmospheric model. It is a prediction about what the temperature and wind profile at a given site should be given what we know about atmospheric physics and all the measurements that we do have. You can find out more about the various models at http://maps.fsl.noaa.gov/.

The good thing about these modeled data is that you can get it for your site (or at least nearby). If the measured values from an airport are just too far away to be applicable, then this is your next-best option.

You can go to the site that plots the temperature and wind speeds and direction by altitude at: http://www-frd.fsl.noaa.gov/ mab/ soundings/java/. Read this web page carefully.

You'll then want to fill in the form in Figure 2 at the bottom of the page.

Type in the designator for a local airport or the latitude and longitude of your site and

PARAGLIDING

click the Java-based plots button to see the plotted modeled data. If you don't know the designator for your local airport just click "METARS," which opens up the list found on http://wwwfrd.fsl.noaa.gov/ mab/ soundings/java/ metar.shorr.

Ifl wanted the profile in Florida for the Wallaby Ranch, I would type in for latitude and longitude: 28.15,-81.41. This produces: http://www-frd.fsl.noaa.gov/mab/soundings/java/plot_soundings.cgi?airport=28. l5,81.41 &start=latest&n_hrs=3.0&data_source =MAPS. I could also use the Kissimmee airport designator - ISM. This would produce the following: http://www-frd.fsl.noaa.gov/ mab/ soundings/java/plot_soundings.cgi?airport=is m&start=latest&n_hrs=36&data_source=M

"MAPS" is the test version of the 20 km RUC model Latt;st MAPS analysis IS vahd at 23 :00 10-Jtm-Ul UTC. Latest RUC2 analysis is valid at 23:00 10-Jnn-Ol UTC. Select a time range and location: Initial data source:

r--:=

r RAOBs or r Profilers or r AGARS (restricted) IStart hour: ILe.test de.ta j (hour of day in UfC)

I J.um: ""ll;;"· INumber ofhours: ~ ~-----(site info: lvffiTARs, Profilers, RAOBs, ACARS).

Figure 2: ljpe in your airport designator and the number ofhours into the future you want plots for.

APS

MAPS 6h Forecast. 11.Jun- 200 · 13:00:00 (7 .7nm/118° from ISM)

You've now produced a plot of the predicted future temperature and wind profile that looks something like Figure 3.

If you produced your plot early in the morning on the day you were thinking about flying, you would have a prediction for the profile for the next few hours - just what you want. If you want to get a profile for the next day, while you work on the computer the night before, you would want to change the hours field shown in Figure 2 to 36. That way you'd be sure to get a plot for the next morning.

Now you've got a number of plots which you can choose from by clicking on one of the gray buttons at the bottom (see Figure 3).

These buttons are labeled with the hour that the plot is good for. Remember that Zulu time is displayed, so subtract between four and seven hours (East to West Coast, daylight savings time) to get your lod time.

Click a button that will display a profile for mid-morning.

While the plots display the temperature profile, in a manner similar to Kevin Ford's soarcast, what they aren't displaying is the line to the right, the dry adiabatic, the line showing the temperature of the rising air. To get this line to display you need to click on the plot to put in the maximum daily air temperature (at ground level).

You enter the predicted air temperature at ground level by moving your cursor over the plot to the right of the bottom of the thick red air temperature line. Your cursor will display values for temperature and ground altitude (above mean sea level). Move your cursor until the correct values are displayed next to your cursor. Then click to display the dry (and above cloud base wet) adiabatic line.

MARCH

r. MAPS (Test20krnRUC) or r RUC-2 or

2002

200

Ptu:sure (n ob)

100

Om scale 18M(l:!I) 06/11 /IJ1 1 0 ISM(.4) 081'1 flll10900

Figure 3: FSL interactive plot ofpredicted temperatures and wind speed and direction for Kissimmee.

The filled-in difference between the air mass's temperature profile and dry adiabatic gives you a visual clue as to the strength of the thermal. In addition, cloud base is displayed as a black horizontal line intersecting with the thick red air temperature line.

You'll need to find out the predicted maximum daily air temperature in order to enter its value on the plot. There are many places to get your local forecast. One is http://weather.noaa.gov/pd/. Just click on your state, then on your county.

Another site chat gives a definite value for the maximum daily air temperature, as well as predictions for air temperatures every

three hours, is http://weather.uwyo. edu/models/mos/mos.htm. Click on an airport site near you. You'll find the maximum temperature on the NIX line. You can find out more about this chart at http://www. nws.noaa.gov/ om/tpb/463body.htm.

You can get a much better view of your FSL plotted modeled data just by zooming in. Unless the plot indicates cu-nimb's, you are most likely not going to be interested in anything over 10,000 feet AGL. Drag a box around the lower portion of the plot by holding down the left mouse button. You'll get something that looks like Figure 4.

You can play or interact with these plots

33

1111

MAPS Gr f orecas1,

1-Jur-200·, 13:00 oo (7 i'nm11 ·, 8° from ISM) "10

/' \..::.___

-,I n

I

20

1c;M(t-bJ Ub/1 ,1u1

0

:,uu ,,,..,~ A

nv.,_.,_,

~1~::;:,,-,.11

'""'""'""'"

Forecast .':>'ysfems Labotd!ory

60 kts

100

Kft

Figure 4: Zoomed in FSL interactive plot.

to see how the cloud base rises with air temperature at the ground, which temperatures get you to what altitudes, and how winds vary with altitude and hour. Because they are fun and easy to play with, you can quickly learn a lot about rising air. You can find out more about these plots (known at Skew T diagrams) at http://www.geo.mtu.edu/ department/ class es/ge406/ cmriley/interpret.html and http://www.geo.mtu.edu/ department/ class es/ ge406/ cledlin/.

One thing that the plots don't produce are indices that describe or characterize the day's soarability. But you can use the modeled data that is used to produce these plots

34

to do just that.

Instead of producing these Java-based plots, you'll want to output the FSL modeled data in text form. On the web page shown in Figure 2, choose "Latest data'' in the "Start hour" field and Oin the Number of hours" field. Click "ASCII text (FSL format)," and a text web page will be displayed with one profile for one hour, the latest hour. You can then save this to a text (txt) file (click File, Save As) in a convenient location. I just use the defuult file name (get_soundings.txt).

If you want to use a profile from a later hour (called a forecast instead of an analysis), set the "Start hour" field at "Latest data" and

type in "36: in the "Number of hours" field, and click ''ASCII text (FSL format)." A text web page with many hours of data will be displayed.

Copy and paste the chunk of profile data that corresponds to the later hour that you wish to use into Microsoft Word (which correctly preserves the format) and save as a text file, say, get_soundings.txt.

Now this data can be used as input (along with a predicted maximum daily temperature for the day) into a soarcasting program.

You'll find just the soarcasting program that you need at the web addresses below: http://home.att.net/ ~doug.kathy/Soar cast_Home.htm http://acro.harvard.edu/SOARIN GI ssa_programs.html http://acro.harvard.edu/SOARIN GI soft ware/ soarcast_install.exe Download and install this soarcasting program. Start the program and choose Tools, Options and "NOM FSL Text File."

Also check "Suppress Parser Error Messages," as the FSL format used by the author of the program is somewhat different than the one put out by the FSL soundings. Click Save.

Click File, Open, and choose the get_soundings. txt file that you just created.

Click Tools, Set Max Temp/Elevation. Enter the value of the predicted maximum daily air temperature and the elevation at the ground for your site. You'll see something like Figure 5.

Don't worry that the date values are wrong. Again, this is due to problems the program has reading the FSL file.

The soarcasting programs use "empirical" values and equations to come up with the predictions for the thermal index, maximum lift, trigger temperature, etc. See if they work for you by doing your own empirical evaluations.

You'll find site-specific FSL soundings for the World Record Encampment in Texas at http://www.davisstraub.com/Glide/wreweath er.htm. And, for Wallaby Ranch at http://www.davisstraub.com/Glide/wal labyweather.htm. Feel free to copy these and change them to work for your site.

Most of this article originally appeared as a series of articles in the Oz Report.

Additional information is posted on line at http://www.davisstraub.com/OZ. Just look for Soarcast.

Thanks to Jim Keller (http://members.aol.com/ toweringqs/wx/ obs /index.html) and Dennis Hoverstott for help with this article. 111 PARAGLIDING

---------·------- ---- ---- ----

Calendar ofevents items WILL NOT be listed ifonly 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.

COMPETITION MARCH 16-MAY 27: 2002 Region Nine

Regionals and Region Nine Yearlong X-C Contest. The Regionals adds up a contestant's three best weekend flights between March 16 and May 27, inclusive. The yearlong contest is to honor longest individual flights of the year on any day between February 15 and November 15.

Classes for Rookies, Sixty Miles, Open, Rigids and Paragliders. En try fees $10 and $5 respectively. Contact: Pete Lehmann, lplehmann@aol.com, (412) 661-3474, 5811 Elgin St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206.

MAY 3-5: Ninth Annual World

Invitational Paragliding and Hang Gliding Air Races, Torrey Pines International Gliderport in San Diego, California. Race entry fee is $150 USD. Cash and prizes in sport and open-class elimination series.

The races will be held in conjunction with the West Coast Paragliding and Hang Gliding Exposition and Demo Days taking place from May l-5. Contact: aircal@ix.netcom.com or phone (858) 452-9858.

MAY 19-25: Canadian Paragliding Open Championships, Lumby, British Columbia (north of Chelan, Washington). Prize money. CIVL Class 2 sanctioning and U.S. NTSS Sanctioning. Visit www.dowsett.ca/cdnnats for more info.

MAY 23-27: So Cal Paragliding Open Meet. Format: GPS verification as used in the 2001 HG and PG Nationals. Meet Director/USHGA Meet Steward: Mitch McAleer. Scorekeeper: Jim Macklow.

Safety Director: Peter Swanson. Entry $225. May 22: Mandatory pilots meeting,

8:00 PM in Riverside. Complimentary dinner for pilots, sponsored by Von Zabern Surgical at the Old Spaghetti Factory Banquet Hall. May 23: First task.

May 26: Pilot dinner and party. May 27: Final task. Awards ceremony, 6:30 PM at Andy Jackson Air Park. The meet is USHGA Class A sanctioned, CIVL 2. All are welcome. Limit of 40 pilots. Thermal skills strongly recommended. See the website for details and registration online: http://www.socalpgopen.org. Register by mail: Send check payable to Mitch McAleer, 29120 Melby Dr., Lake Elsinore, CA 92532, (909) 674-8844.

JULY 6-7: Torrey Pines Paragliding And Hang Gliding Costume Fly-In. California's most extreme, fun costume fly-in. Dress up your paraglider and fly free. Games, contests and prizes for the most outrageous and original flying costumes. All pilots welcome to camp overnight on the property. Saturday night cookout and party for all attendees. Media and filming bluffs welcome. Contact: David Jebb, Director of Operations, Torrey Pines Gliderport, Air California Adventure, Inc., D&M Distributing, LLC, 1-858ZULU (9858), Toll Free: 1-877-FLYTEAM (359-8326), www.flytorrey.com.

AUG 31-SEPT. 7: USHGA-sanctioned Snowbird X-C competition. Register early; space is limited. Contact: Ken Hudonjorgensen, 474 E. Tonya Dr. Sandy, UT 84070, (801) 572-3414, khudonj@ qwest.net, www.twocanfly.com.

FUN FLYING MARCH 23: Eighth Annual Spring Fly-In. Fly at the Ranch in Tollhouse, CA, located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, east of Fresno. Hang glider and paraglider pilots welcome. Contact: Western Hangers (831) 384-2622, or Paul Splan (559) 449-0214, splan@mediaone.net.

MARCH 28-31: Annual Sun Valley

Paragliders "High Risin"' Fly-In and Dave Bridges Mountain Race. Over $3,200 in prize money in the Dave Bridges Mountain Race and Spot Landing Contest. Other highlights include aerobatic displays, DJ music and festivities, product expositions, kickoff party at Bigwood Bread, and awards ceremony.

Cost $65. Event schedule: Thursday, pilot registration, open flying from Bald Mountain; Friday, pilot registration, open flying from Bald Mountain, kickoff party at Bigwood Bread; Saturday, Dave Bridges Race and Spot Landing Contest, awards ceremony. Sunday, open flying from Bald Mountain. Contact; Chuck Smith, Fly Sun Valley, P.O. Box 6632, Ketchum, ID 83340, (208) 726-3332, info@flysunvalley.com, www.flysunvalley.com.

APRIL 6-7: Schweitzer Caribbean Carnival And Fly-In, at Schweitzer Resort (seven lifts, 2,400' vertical) overlooking Sandpoint, Idaho and beautiful Lake Pend Orielle. Fly from the top of a high-speed quad that takes you up 1,700' in just five minutes. Two-day fun competition.

Saturday, time aloft contest. Sunday spotlanding contest judged on accuracy, style and grace, bonus points for ski/snowboard landings. Annual event with a big party the last weekend of the ski season. Other festivities include: live music, downhill dummy races, the Rasta Relay (ski/snowboard slalom, 10 k X-C ski, mountain bike slalom on snow), costume contest, pifiatas, snow kayaking and more. P-3 and above only. Limited to 30 pilots, so reserve your place early. $80 entry fee includes two days of lift tickets, longsleeve T-shirt, and para-ski signoff.

Contact: Morgan Hollingsworth, (509) 927-7798, flytherockies@yahoo.com MAY 25-27: 26th Annual Starthist!e 2002 Fly-in for hang gliders/paragliders, at Woodrat Mm. in southern Oregon. Fun flying with pilots from all over the world.

A good place to test your skills. Camping facilities. Close to Ruch, Oregon for all

~------------ - - - -·---··-·---------------------

MARCH

2002

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

35

your shopping needs. Reconditioned mid and top launches making this site first class. Enjoy the historic city of Jacksonville. Contact: http://rvhga.org/Starthistle2002.htm, or President@RVHGA.org.

JULY 3-7: Lakeview Umpteenth Annual Festival ofFreeflight, Lakeview, Oregon.

Lots of fun flying with your buddies from a great selection of sites and a few friendly contests with cash prizes for the winners.

Registration ($10) Wednesday, July 3, fly July 4-6, awards at 10:00 AM on the 7th.

Pilot's meeting July 4, 9:30 AM at the Chamber HQ. Cumulative distance contest for paragliders. Annual Sugar HillLakeview trophy dash on Saturday for hang gliders. Spot-landing contests Saturday afternoon. Adult beverage party at Jules and Mary's July 4, Chamber barbecue on Saturday at Geyser Hot Springs (formerly Hunter's). Contact: Jules, (541) 947-3330, freeflite@centurytel.net, or Lake County Chamber of Commerce, (541) 947-6040.

records. Utah X-C sites. $300 or $100 per day. MAY 24-26: Thermal, $300. JUNE 1-2: Mountain flying, $200. JUNE 2-8: Lake Powell maneuvers clinic (deluxe with houseboat), $1500. JUNE 29-JULY 1: Aerobatics clinic with Chris Santacroce.

Learn how to prepare your routine for an aerobatics competition. Learn and practice new aerobatics. Find out what judges look for when scoring, and much more. $550.

JULY 5-7: Thermal, $300. AUG. 9-11: Three-day maneuvers (safety) clinic, $550.

AUG. 13-15: Three-day maneuvers (safety) clinic, $550. AUG. 17-19: Three-day maneuvers (safety) clinic, $550. AUG. 31SEPT. 7: Snowbird Cross-Country Competition, $330. SEPT. 28-29: Mountain flying, $200. OCT. 4-7: Instructor training, $400. OCT. 5-6: Instructor recertification, $200. OCT. 12-13: Tandem (T2 & T3), $200. OCT. 17-19: Lake Powell maneuvers camping clinic, $550. OCT. 20-26: Lake Powell maneuvers clinic (deluxe with Houseboat), $1500. Contact: 1wo-can Fly Paragliding, 474 East Tonya Dr., Sandy, UT 84070, phone/fax (801) 572-3414, hudonj@qwest.net,www.twocanfly.com.

CLINICS/MEETINGS/TOURS UNTIL OCT.: Two-can Fly Clinics/Competitions, Point of the Mountain and Utah mountain sites.

MARCH 21-24: Four-day maneuvers SIV clinic (camping at Lake Powell). MARCH 25-28: Four-day maneuvers SIV clinic (camping at Lake Powell). APRIL 14-20: Lake Powell maneuvers clinic (deluxe with houseboat), $1,500. APRIL 21-23: Lake Powell maneuvers camping clinic, $550.

APRIL 26-29: Instructor training, $400.

APRIL 27-28: Instructor recertification, $200. MAY 11-12: Tandem (T2 &T3), $200. MAY 17-20: Cross-country competition clinic. A friendly introduction to cross-country flying with instruction from U.S. and North American X-C record-setters Bill Belcourt and Todd Bibler, U.S. and PWC champion Scotty Marion, and Dale Covington and Ken Hudonjorgensen, who both held Utah

36

THROUGH OCT.: Dixon's Airplay Washington, a.k.a. the "Ranch" (near Wenatchee) will reopen April 20 for the summer season through October.

Specializing in new pilot instruction. Each instructor works with only one or two new students. Excellence in instruction with complete training in weather, flight dynamics, kiting and much more. Learn at a private flight park, no crowds, perfect grassy slopes, drive-up 360° launches from 20 to 1,800 feet. Limited weekday and weekend space available. Make reservations early. Complete paragliding store and service center. Contact: dixon@paraglide.com, www.paraglide.com, (928) 526-4579.

THROUGH DEC.: Dixon's Airplay Arizona open all year (near Flagstaff).

Specializing in new pilot instruction. Start out right with thorough training in meteorology, kiting, flight dynamics and much

more. Only one or two new students per instructor. Wide-open, 360° drive-up launch sites from 20 to 1,200 feet.

Limited weekday and weekend space available. Make reservations early. Complete paragliding store and service center.

Contact: dixon@paraglide.com, www.paraglide.com, (928) 526-4579.

THURSDAYS: Torrey Pines Gliderport paragliding talk show on Internet radio, airing weekly on wsradio, Thursdays from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Hosted by Gabriel and David Jebb, open to a worldwide audience. Call in toll-free at 1-800-327-0061 (U.S. and Canada) or l-760-476-4111 for the world audience. Surf to www.wsRadio.ws and click under the "live" section. Contact: David Jebb, Director of Operations, 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, San Diego, CA 92037, (858) 452-ZULU (9858), www.flytorrey.com APRIL 1-8: First-ever Super Fly Powered Paraglider Conversion Session, Tampa, FL. This session is designed to introduce pilots to the new lightweight, clutch-equipped, weight-shift and super-reliable paramotors. Most participants will have no motor experience. No minimum experience level.

The session will enable participants to learn to fly powered paragliders just in time to enjoy the largest paramotor fly-in of the year. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in record attempts, attend informative sessions, and test-fly gliders and motor units. Plan on bringing your reserve and your glider.

Attend the whole week or only a few days.

Bring the family, as Disneyworld, the beach, etc. are close by. Contact: Super Fly, info@4superfly.com, (801) 255-9595.

APRIL 11-14: Second annual Parastars World 2002 Convention at the Fantasy of Flight Museum between Orlando and Lakeland, Florida. Largest gathering of powered paraglider pilots to be assembled in the U.S. and possibly the world. There were 130 pilots last year and an additional 600 spectators. A record of 53 pilots in the PARAGLIDING

air at one time was achieved, and this year it is hoped to extend that record to 80-100 pilots. Instructional clinics, competitions, demonstrations, banquet, and raffle drawing for paragliding equipment prizes.

Information on entering and accommodations at the Parastars club website: www.parastars.com, or contact Bill Hocker at hocker@gte.net.

APRIL 13-14: ITP with Dixon White.

Comprehensive Instructor Training Program for first-time instructors and recertification. Flagstaff, AZ. APRIL 15: Tandem Clinic for T3 ratingwith Dixon White. Contact: dixon@paraglide.com, www.paraglide.com, (928) 526-4579.

APRIL 18-21, 25-28: Texas Towing, From Tandems to Tumbles with Jackson Hole Paragliding. The Wyoming Cowboys are heading south to sunny Austin to do maneuvers training courses. Train with the Jackson Hole Aerobatic Team, featuring world-class aero pilots Matt Combs and Ranyon D'Arge. Let us coach you to a breakthrough in your flying skills. Progress at your own pace and gain confidence in a safe and fun atmosphere. Clinics begin Thursday evening with syllabus and simulator work. Towing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Weather day Monday.

Tuesday and Wednesday are team practice days, inventing new tricks and perfecting routines. Space is limited to provide the best possible learning experience. Contact: Scott Harris, scharris@wyoming.com, (307) 6908726, www.jhvisionquest.com.

APRIL 19-21: Tandem !Pwith Steve Stackable, Torrey Pines Gliderport, La Jolla, CA. Contact: Steve (858) 452-9858, aircal@ix.netcom.com.

MAY 3-6: Third Tow X-C Clinic with Chris Santacroce and Granger Banks.

Learn the ease of X-C flying in the flatlands where participants have had flights up to 35 miles. Pilots who have not towed should come on Thursday to be introduced to an easy way to get high. Clinic starts each morning with breakfast and MARCH

2002

thermaling and X-C hints before the day's X-C task is set. Details at http:/ /parasoft.boulder.net/XCClinic.html . APRIL 27-29: Safe-ty Aerobatics Clinic the weekend before the X-C clinic. Chris and Granger will coach you through B-line stalls, active flying, spiral dives, wingovers and SAT's. Clinic structured around each pilot's individual needs. Clinic will be held over Jackson Reservoir, one hour north of Denver, next to Pawnee Grass Lands where the X-C Clinic takes place. Details at http:/ I parasoft.boulder.ner/safety.html.

MAY-JUNE: Swiss/French Alps, Chamonix, Mont Blanc/Annecy/Verbier. Fly with Acme Paragliding to the awesome northern French Alps and Swiss Alps. Week- or two week-long tours to suit requirements of the big sites, with all-inclusive transport in country, retrieves, lodging/food in classic Alpine chalets, top-quality flying with a great atmosphere. Introduction to high mountain flying for newer pilots, WX, thermal and X-C strategy for more advanced pilots. Day guiding to all sites available. Maximum of six pilots per group, three instructors plus drivers and local X-C professionals. Incredible X-C opportunities for pilots of all skill levels.

Over 45 years combined instructional experience with USHGAlBHPAlFFVL advanced instructors, all resident in France. Relaxed and informal atmosphere with an emphasis on safety and fun. Deals on flights and insurance available.

Contact: Paul Pearce, Acme Paragliding, (803) 448-7254, www.acmeparagliding.com.

JUNE 13-AUGUST 28: Paraglide in France, 10-day tours, $499. Sites such as Chamonix, Megeve, La Clusaz, St. Andre and many more. Details at: www.skyingout.web.worldonline.cz/home.htm.

Contact: skying.out@tiscali.cz or call Ladio Novotny O11 420 606406952.

OCT 25-27: Fall 2002 USHGA Board of Director's meeting, in the Orlando, Florida area. Contact: www.ushga.org, (719) 6328300. II

SKY TREK The easy way to hike.

An innovative backpack design with a removeable frame that transfers the weight to your hips. The suspension system frame can still be carried in almost every modern harness.

D I R T B A G Protect your paraglider from damaging dirt and harmful UV damage. Our Dirt Bag is an innovative backpack that unzips on each corner to become a tarp.

TRUl!I! 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.

INNOVATIVl!I! DESIGN 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.

QUALITY MAHIIUAU Each Critter backpack is built to the highest standards with carefully selected materials including Cordura, large YKK zippers and military spec webbing. We take the extra time to tape and double stitch every seam for added durablity.

100% Guaranteed. Order yours today.

MOUNTAIN WEAR

1-800-686-9327 fax 978-389-5900 critter@crestedbutte.net www .crittermoun tainwear .com

37

PARAGLIDING ADVISORY: Used paragliders should always be rhoroughly inspected before flying for the first time. If in doubt, many paragliding businesses will be happy ro give an objective opinion on the condition of equipment you bring chem ro 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. PARA GLIDERS ADVANCE EPSILON 3 - 30m, DHV 1-2, 105122kg., red w/black trim, Woody Valley airbag harness, reserve, radio and backpack. Under 5 hours on all. Will sell entire package for $2,355 OBO. Steve (570) 326-3120, smc@suscom.net ADVANCE EPSILON 3M - Excellent condition, 65-82kg, <7 hours $2,300 OBO. Windtech harness, (360) 385-5338, small w/reserve $500. ericablewis@netscape.net

APCO SIMBA - Medium, 35 hours, several small repairs, new line set $1,900. APCO BAGHEERAmedium, 250+ hours $500. GIN BONANZA-large, good condition, <200 hours $1,000. (970) 728-6843, neal@da wn treaderfilms. com EDEL RESPONSE L --- Good performance, very friendly, 100 hours, great condition, just inspected $900. Nate (208) 788-8455.

EDEL SABRE - Excellent condition, 90-125kg, 10 hours, military cammo colors $800 OBO. Shop demo equipment: like new 2 XIX wings. Inter L 28M, 80l 04kg $1,500. Form 28M, 80-104kg $1,500. Pro Design Compact 33M, fair condition $600. La Monette motors: 250 with tandem gear $3,000; 210 with extra prop $2,500. (509) 886-4605, skypilotbrian@yahoo.com

TANDEM - Pro Design Companion, great shape $1,200. Firebird Ignition XL, 50 hours $1,500. {801) 562-0471, info@kitehard.com UP GROOVE - Large, w/Advance harness, red, 15 hours $2,200. Advance Alpha II 24-small, red/white, 5 hours, with harness, flown once $2,200. (954) 3167786, jboganz@mediaone.net FIREBIRD FLAME XL blue and white low airtime, excellent condition $1,500 PRODESIGN CHALLENGER 27 TANDEM glider 200KG max, excellent condition $1,000 EDEL CORVETTE 22 M with harness $400 EDEL CORVETTE 25 M with harness $400 KITE ENTERPRISES, (972) 390-9090 POWERED PARAGLIDERS

GIN BANDIT -~ Small, 78-92kg., DHV-2, yellow top/white, red bottom, approx 60 hours $1,700 OBO. Kevin (801) 424-2380, k_hintze@hotmail.com

DK WHISPER GT - With large Symphony wing $3,500. DK Beat with medium Symphony wing $3,000. Both ready to fly. (321) 956-8943.

ADVANCE SIGMA 4-29 LARGE - White/purple leading edge, new A-lines, DHV2/3, perfect thermal glider, all-round serial class performer, great fun to fly, 100 hours, good condition, bag, manual etc. $850.(803) 448-7254, paul@acmeparagliding.com

ITV MERAK TANDEM 42 - White/yellow, very stable, easy launch, good flare and energy retention, trimmers, spreaders, bag. Excellent condition and full

OK WHISPER GT - Grear shape, <20 hours, XL Humming wing $3,500. (801) 523-8173.

inspection, low airtime hours, very good condition

APCO BAGHERA - Small $1,800. Octane M DHV 1-2, 05/01 $1,830. Nova Carbon M, 04/01 $1,995.

Booster M, 65-95kg $1,750. Super Space II, medium, reserve, harness $1,700. Bolero, small, like new $1,900.

(808) 968-6856, tofly@excite.com

PRO DESIGN RELAX -- Small (65-90kg) Crispy!

Less than 20 hours, includes Pro Design Jam harness wl side mounted reserve {never thrown), backpack & stuffsack, Kiwi helmet w/ installed radio earpiece and PTT system. Everything in excellent shape-$2,000 for the whole package. Erika (307)734-4450, erikaboggs@yahoo.com"

ONLY 2 ORIGINAL PARAMOTORS LEFT! Brand new, never used $4,000; 50 hours only $2,500.

Extra props, canopies, trike. (302) 654-2498 or e-mail kadapo@aol.com

$1,350. (803) 448-7254, paul@acmeparagliding.com

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 0 Paragliders O Emergency Parachutes O Parts & Accessories O Business & Employment O Miscellaneous 0 Powered Paragliders O Videos

O Towing O Schools & Dealers 0 Ultralights 0 Publications & Organizations OWanted o Harnesses

Begin with ________ 2002 issue and run for _ _ _ __ consecutive issue(s). My J check, O money order is enclosed in the amount of$ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

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

NAME: ______________________ _ ADDRESS: _ _ _ __ CITY: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _STATE: ______ PHONE: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Number of words: _ _ _ _ __

@$.50= _ _ __

Number of words: _ _ _ __

@$1.00= _ _ __

38

USHGA, P.0 Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 (719) 632-8300 fax (719) 632-6417

PARAGLIDING

ay Carroll, 43, is an outstanding photographer from Bingen, Washington who lives near a 2,200-foot hill in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. Jay comments, "In photography, if I can capture others living their dreams, I will."

Chris Santacroce was his paragliding instructor and is a good friend. Jay has flown paragliders for eight years, has logged countless flights and soaring hours, and is a tandem Advanced Instructor. He also has about 20 hours in hang gliders. Although he loves the speed, and flying head first, he isn't too fond of the landings.

Jay loves flying cross-country and has logged numerous epic flights. In his own words he is a "kinetic play-oholic" who kayaks, windsurfs, teleskis, snowboards, climbs, rides, surfs and soars. Jay says that he "loves the power of gravity," because one day he "landed on'' a woman named Susan, fell in love, flew with her and married her.

His advice to other pilots: "Fly your own air for yourself."

-

PG POLO M, LG, XL $29.95 XXL $32.95

~

UIIHGA

1 Lb.

SHIPPING in the USA Up to 2 lbs add $5.00 3 - 4 lbs add $6.00 5 - 6 lbs add $6.50 Inn-email us for cost.

Ushga@ushga.org

USHGA PO Box 1330

olorado Spring:

co 80901-1331>

1-800-616-6888

www.ushga.org

G 41

EMERGENCY PARACHUTES AUTHORIZED CHUTE REPAIR - And service center for APCO, Elan, Chiron powered parachutes and UP /Perche/Independence paragliders and more!

We have a full-time loft available with quick turn around for small to huge repairs and annual inspections. Ship your chute to MoJo's Gear Ltd. Co., 1475 CR 220, Tow, TX 78672 Attn: REPAIR or INSPECTION. Include a note about the service(s) you require as well as a contact phone number and email. We will contact you with an estimate prior to starting the work.

Office: 915-379-1567, www.mojosgear.com HARNESSES ---------------------

EDEL HERO - Used harness $120. Reserve $270.

Uvex helmet $125. (206) 244-5122, redrisl@accbi.com SCHOOLS & DEALERS

FLY ABOVE ALL - Experience year-round paragliding instruction in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA! Our friendly, experienced staff offers hands-on, personalized, radio-controlled lessons. Enjoy soaring the best training hill in the Western US and when you land, shuttles will whisk you back to the top for your next scenic flight. USHGA certified, solo, tandem and powered paragliding instruction, equipment sales and tandem flights. Visit our Website at www.flyaboveall.com or call at (805) 965-3733.

More than 4,000 paragliding enthusiasts read our magazine every month. That's more than 8,000 eyes seeing your ad.

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". The perfect beginner training areas at both our Washington and Arizona locations. Arizona's "best" beginner season is September through May. Washington is open May through September. At both locations drive-up to 360 degree treeless and rockless launches. Land in wide open fields, enjoy many flights each day! Limited access to the Flight Parks reduce traffic and crowding. Excellent individualized instruction with state-of-the-art lesson plans and equipment.

Comprehensive ground schooling with an emphasis on micrometeorology. Great new/used inventory, specializing in Windtech Paragliding Gear and M2 Harnesses, repair center, and superb customer service. In ARIZONA or WASHINGTON appointments are required. PO Box 2626 Flagstaff, AZ 86003. (928) 526-4579 www.paraglide.com or dixon@paraglide.com CALIFORNIA AIRJUNKIES PARAGLIDING - Join KEN BAIER for your "Pursuit of Paragliding Excellence" in the land of year-round, excellent paragliding: Southern California and the Baja. Courses for Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Instructor ratings.

Powered paragliding, soaring and maneuvers clinics, guided tours, tandem and towing instruction and special events. USHGA certified. Handling the latest equipment. Call (760) 753-2664 for information, airjunkies@worldner.att.net

OJAI PARAGLIDING Ojai is Southern California's best kept secret. Year-round, great soaring in this beautiful valley surrounded by the Los Padres National Forest. Near Santa Barbara and Ventura.

Great cross-country possibilities. Courses for beginner to advanced pilots. Motorized paragliding, guided tour and tandems. New and used equipment, 12 years in the business! Tel# (805) 646-9660, info@flyojai.com, www.flyojai.com

THERMAL DYNAMICS PARAGLIDING - & FlyaGlider.com Visit Southern California's most consistent flying site 1 Marshal/Crestline! We can arrange complete vacation packages, combining the beaury of mountain living with some of the best paragliding in the country. Beginning and Advanced instruction as well as specialty clinics are available. Our Lead Instructor, Tim Nelson, has flown locally since 1993.

Currently, he is a Four Diamond Master Rated Advanced Instructor. With his local experience, we can make your flying vacation one to remember! Go to FlyaGlider.com for more information and to see the new live flycam 1 Or call us direct at 1-888-310-8998 and (909) 338-4099.

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

MARCH

2002

TORREY PINES GLIDERPORT - Come soar in San Diego! This family owned and operated flying site offers USHGA certified instruction, equipment sales, tandem flight instruction, motorized pg/hg instruction, parachute repacks, repairs, and site tours. We also have an extensive pg/hg outfitting shop and dining with a view when you eat at our own Cliffhanger Cafe.

Importers for ADVANCE, PARATECH, AVA Sport Accessories, Crispi boots, Center of Gravity helmets, Fly Mike flight suits, Gut Stuff gloves, and AustriAlpin carabiners and dealers for most ocher brands. Check us out online for sales and questions at: www.flytorrey.com, or call coll free at 1-877-FLYTEAM. Also, tune in to the Internet Paragliding Talk Show at www.wsradio.ws every Thursday 5-7:00 pm (PST).

HAWAII MAUI WOW WEE - Proflyght Hawaii, first school in Hawaii, located on Maui, is now under new ownership. The best just got better. When it gets cold in the north, Maui is the place to fly, explore, relax and/ or learn to fly. Team Proflyght sports an incredible training facility, wonderful year-round weather, 1,000' training slope, 100' to 7'000 vertical descents off Haleakala Crater (10,023'). Toll Free 877-GO-FLYHI. Visit our website WWW.PARAGLIDEHAWAII.COM MEXICO MEXICO - Year-round, summer in Monterrey, winter in Valle de Bravo. 1-800-861-7198, www.flymexico.com

43

MICHIGAN

LEARN TO PARAGLIDE

SUPER FLY PARAGLIDING ACADEMY - The Paragliding Academy is the nation's foremost paragliding center offering comprehensive pilot training programs, powered paragliding instruction, tandem flights, maneuvers training, towing training/ certification, and tandem pilot training. The Paragliding Academy is the closest shop to Point of the Mountain, open year round and is supported by the Super Fly, Inc. distribu-

at Kitty Hawk Kites Outer Banks, NC Lessons Daily Towing & Foot Launch Year Round Sales & Service CALL TODAY! 800-334-4777 252-441-4124 L-Mail Address info@kittyhawk.com

TRAVERSE ClTY HANG GLIDERS/PARAGLIDERS -- Put your knees in our breeze and soar our 450' sand dunes. FULL-TIME SHOP. Certified instruction, beginner to advanced, foot launch and tow. Sales, service, accessories for ALL major brands. VISA/MAS-TERCARD. 1509 E 8th, Traverse City MI 49684.

Offering POWERED PARAGLIDING lessons & dealer for the Explorer & used units. Call Bill at (231) 922-2844, tchangglider@chartermi.net. Visit our paragliding school in Jackson, Wyoming. Call Tracie at (307) 739-8620.

tion and service center just 1ninutcs away. Instructors:

Ken Hudonjorgensen, Scotty Marion, Kevin Biernacki, Dale Covington, Bo Criss, Ryan Swan, Jeff Farrell and Chris Santacroce. (801) 816-1372 www.paraglidingacademy.com.

KITTY HA WK KITES -

See North Carolina.

DIXON'S AIRPLAY PARAGLIDING - Please sec our classified ad under Arizona. www.paraglide.com

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. (7751 http:/ !home.pyramid. nct/advspts

88.3-7070

OREGON

NEW YORK JACKSON HOLE PARAGLIDING - Come to Paragliding Paradise and enjoy alpine flying at its absolute best. Ten sites in a ten-mile radius including the 4, 1.39' aerial tram. Jackson Hole Paragliding offers scenic tandem flights, beginner through advanced

AIR SPORTS USA - Lessons, service, equi1,ment.

Paragliding, hang gliding, powered paragliding, trikes.

Phone (718) 7Tl-7000, WWW,FLYFORFUN.NET NORTH CAROLINA SUNSPORTS PARAGLIDING - Hood River, Oregon. Beginner lessons, sales, service, repacks, tandem /lights. APCO, SUP'AIR, FLYTEC, HANWAG, IN STOCK! We have a complete shop with EYERYTH ING that you need in stock! Rick Higgins, SunSportsPG@aol.com, (541) 387-2112; Mark Telep thatspec@hotmail.com, (54 1) 308-0 10 I Web: http:/ /homctown .aol .com/ rsunsports/ myhomcpage/ind ex.html TEXAS USHGA CERTIFIED [NSTRUCTION l'owercd Paraglidingo'lbwing•Footlaunch Tundem e EquipmcntoSales• Service

SOUTHERN SKIES - MOUNTAIN FLYING and POWERED PARAGLIDING instruction, sales and service with full-time shop, 1 hour north of Charlotte.

7 beautiful flying sites nearby. (828) 632-6000 WWW.SOUTHERNSIUES.NET

instruction, mountain thermal clinics, x-c clinics, 1naneuvcrs training, aerobatic demonstrations, scooter,

truck, and boat towing. The Jackson Hole Paragliding team features advanced instructors Scott Harris and Tom Bartlett, x-c masters Jon Hunt and Chip Hildebrandt, world class aero-pilots Matt Combs and Ranyon D'Arge, tow tech Randy Alfano, and videographer Demian McConnell. Call to set up a vacation package tailored to improve your flying skills and to build your confidence. (307) 690-TRAM (8726) flyrunt1Dwyoming.com www.jhvisionquest www.jacksonholeparagliding.com

HILL COUNTRY PARAGLIDING INC - Learn complete pilot skills. Personalized USHGA certified

PARTS & ACCESSORIES

training, ridge soaring, foot & tow launching in central

13RAUNIGER IQ BASIS VARIO - Never used, $300 0130. Kenwood TH-22AT Radio, like new $200 0130. Erika or Jeff (.307) 734-4450, erikaboggs@yahoo.com

Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. (915) 3791185. 1475CR220,TowTX78672.

KITE ENTERPRISES - Slope, stationary winch, payout winch training, sales, rentals and repair. Wills Wing, hrebird, Gin, Ozone. Dallas, fort Worth and north Texas area. (972) 390-9090, www.kite-cnterprises.com

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PARAGLIDING

VIDEOS

, ORDER ONLINE AND SAVE 'Water/Dust Resistant Push llutton ' held Replaceable Finger Switch 'Heavier Gauge Wire/Improved Plugs ' Increased Strain Relief at ALL Joints

MINI VARIO - World's smallest, simplest vario!

Clips to helmet or chinstrap. 200 hours on batteries, 018,000 fr., fast response and 2 year warranty. Great for hang gliding coo. ONLY $169, Mallettec, PO Box 15756, Santa Ana CA, 92735. ('714) 966-1240,

!'rice $119.95. Extra finger switch $19. 95 w/purchase.

Dealer inquiries welcome. Call (785) 84.'l-1842, mikedillon@flightconn.com. MC/Visa. Visit our website at www.fligbtconn.com FOR ALL YOUR FLYING NEEDS -

PUBLICATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

Check out the

Aviation Depot at www.mojosgear.co1n featuring over

1000 items for foot-launched and powered paragliding, hang gliding, stunt and power kiting, and powered parachutes. 24/7 secure online shopping. !looks, videos, KITES, gifts, engine parts, harness accessories, electronics, clothing, safety equipment, complete powered paragliding units with training from Hill Country Paragliding Inc. www.hillcountryparagliding.com 800664-1160 for orders only. Office (915) 379-1567.

HAVE EXTRA EQUIPMENT - That you don't know what to do with. Advertise in the Paragliding classifieds, $.50 per word, $5 minimum. Call USHCA for details (719) 632-8300, ushga@ushga.org or fax your ad with a Visa/MC, fax (719) 6.'l2-6417.

IS IT SOARABLE? - Be sure with a USHCA 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 (+$4.75 S/H). Send to USHGA Windsok, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1.'l30, (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417. VISA/MC accepted.

*NEW* SPEED TO FLY with Jockey Anderson. A complete video guide to cross country paragliding.

Great air-to-air and in-board footage with Jockey as he cakes you around the world, providing flying tips and interviewing the top pilots. Covers thermaling, decision making, competition flying and speed to fly. 70 minutes $39.95 *NEW* A HIGHER CALLING by Dawn Treader Productions. Winner "People's Choice Award" at the Ban ff Mountain film Festival 2000. A story of six friends attempting to fly cross country together as a group through western Nepal, where finding launches & landings becomes a daily routine. Become immersed inro the Nepal culture upon every landing. Superb editing. 45 minutes $32,95 *NEW* PARAGLIDER GROUND HANDLING & THE ART OF KITING, by Adventure Productions.

Learn techniques and tips for easy ground handling with this instructional program. Get in tune with your glider and improve your flying skills while on the ground. Various wind conditions are covered with the

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 +$5.00 s/h. USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. (719) 632-8300, fax your (719) 632-6417, www.ushga.org, ushga@ushga.org *NEW* PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL - By Dennis Pagen, available through USHCA. Covers: Learning to teach/Teaching to learn; school organization; teaching beginners; teaching novice; weather considerations and much more. 140 pages packed with illustrations. $ I 5.00 +$5 s/h. USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 8090 I. (7 I 9) 632-8300, fax your MC/Visa/ Amex to (719) 63264I 7, v.ww.ushga.org, ushga@ushga.org SOARING - Monthly magazine of The Soaring Society of America, Inc. Covers all aspects of soaring flight. Full membership $55. Info. kit with sample copy $3. SSA, P.O. Box 2100, Hobbs, NM 88241.

(505) 392-1177.

successful and proven industry-standard techniques of Dixon White-Master rated pilot, USHGA Examiner and USHGA's PG Instructor of the Year. This is for the beginner, intermediate & advanced pilot who wants to do some brushing up on his skills. Be a master of your paraglider. 44 minutes $36,95 IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT MOUNTAIN By Adventure Productions. Searching for the perfect mountain, perfect flight, and the perfect experience that challenges our essence and satisfies our quest for adventure. This paragliding odyssey rakes you to St. Anton, Austria: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; Sun Valley, Idaho; Point of the Mountain, Utah; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Features in-air footage, aerial maneuvers, and local pilot tours. 44 minutes $36.95.

BALI HIGH, by Sea to Sky Productions. A paragliding adventure film. Crear flying and a great adventure on the exotic island of Bali, Indonesia. A result of wild imaginations, weeks of filming and three unsupervised pilots in a land of serious fun. Great flying footage. 38 min $29.95.

WEATHER TO FLY, by Adventure l'roducrions. A much needed instructional/educational video on

micrometeorology. Dixon White, Master pilot and USHGA Examiner, takes you through a simple stepby-step process showing where to acquire weather data and how to interpret it. For pilots of any aircraft. Learn about regional & local influences and how to determine winds aloft and stability. "Weather To fly" is an over-all view packed with useful details and includes

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MARCH

2002

45

great cloud footage. A straight-forward presentation that is easy to follow. 50 min. $39.95.

STARTING PARAGLIDING by Adventure Productions. Covers basic preparations, weather, proper attitude, ground handling & those first exciting launches. 30 min $29.95.

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

Call or fax USHGA (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 6326417, please add +$5 domestic s/h for 1-2 videos, add $6 for 3-4 videos (Inc'! orders, email us at ushga@ushga.org for shipping charges.) Great to impress your friends or for chose socked-in days. Order online at www.ushga.org!

MISCELLANEOUS

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

Phone number=2 words, PO Box=2 words, weight range i.e. 137-185lbs=2 words, web site or email address=3 words. MINIMUM AD CHARGE $5.00.

A fee of $15.00 is charged for each line art logo and $25.00 for each photo. LINEART & PHOTO SIZE NO LARGER THAN 1.75" X 2.25". Please underline words to be in bold print. Special layouts of tabs are $25.00 per column inch. AD DEADLINES: February 20th is the deadline for the April issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA. Send to: PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE, Classified Advertising, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330 (719) 632-8300 or fax (719) 632-6417, email jeff@ushga.org with your Visa, Amex or MasrerCard.

FLIGHT GUIDANCE AND XC -- In the Sierra Nevada, Spain: Horizonte Vertical, www.granadainfo.com/hv/, hv@granadainfo.com, Tel/Fax: 011 34 958763408 FLY BEAUTIFUL CHELAN BUTTE - - Furnished log home in Chelan, owned by P3 pilot, $800/wk or $2,400/mo. Up to 8 people. Call or write for details or rese1vations. (509) 682-4679 or specker5@aol.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 DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN THE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS.

46

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STOLEN WINGS are listed as a service to USHGA members. There is no charge for chis service and lost and found wings or equipment may be called in (719) 632-8300, faxed in (719) 632-6417, or emailed ushga@ushga.org for inclusion in Paragliding & Hang Gliding magazine. Please call to cancel the listing when gliders are recovered. Periodically, this listing will be purged.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

STOLEN WINGS & THINGS ADVANCE SIGMA 5 - Stolen January 29th from pickup truck at TORREY PINES GLIDERPORT, SAN DIEGO CA. Size 28, white w/blue leading edge, in black stuff sack, serial number 682p-2588 l. Contact Alan Chuculate, (858) 292-1552, alanc@san.rr.com.

GIN BANDIT - Small purple wired stripe and GIN BOLERO, medium white wired stripe STOLEN along with a car SALT LAKE CITY, UT around December 31, 200 I. Both slightly used. Also blue, medium Woody Valley Express air bag harness, reserve, and black open face Lazer Helmet. Contact Ryan Swan, (801) 255-9595, ryan@4superfly.com www.4superfly.com

BROKEN GLASS T SHIRTS - Back by popular demand. This is the actual X-Ray from the survivor, Don "Broken" Glass, after a wrong turn at a speed gliding contest back in '97. $20us+ $3 per shirt s/h. Profits benefit the Air Pirates Canadian World Hang Gliding Team. Send a cheque to: Mark Dowsett (mark@dowsett.ca), 353 East 19th Street, North Vancouver, BC, Canada V7L 2Z4. Black T, specify M, L, XL or Womens "Baby T" (tighter fitting) M, L, XL. Dealer/bulk enquiries are welcome.

ARCUS - Large, Stolen/lost in the MARSHALL PEAK/SAN BERNARDINO, CA area in early August, 200 I. Blue, serial #0764, w/blue SupAir harness.

Contact Matthew Sill (646)528-4569, mwsill@hotmail.com

ADVANCE EPSILON 3 - Lost along Hwy 395 just outside VICTORVILLE, CA on August 14, 2001. Has a gold leading edge with a small (3-4") patch near the center; also blue SupAir Evo top harness, helmet, vario, etc. Contact Jason Gilbert (530) 318-7288, jg l lben@hotmail.com FIREBIRD IGNITION - Large. Stolen in the BELLINGHAM, WA area in early August 2001.

Yellow, with black Edel Hero harness with RS2 rese1ve; black full-face Edel Helmet. All items were packed in a black Edel backpack. Contact Matias Rudback (360)647-8485, rudbacm@cc.wwu.edu

Adventure Productions ........................... 27 Aero light USA........................................ 11 Air Action .............................................. 21 Apco ...................................................... 21 Critter Mountain Wear .......................... 37 Dixon's Airplay ........................................ 7 Fex America ........................................... 26 Flytec .................................................... .47 Hall Brothers ......................................... 27 Sport Aviation Publications .................... I I Super Fly, lnc ........................ 2,Back Cover Torrey Pines Gliderport ......................... 17 USHGA .................. 5,8,10,16,23,26,41,46 Wills Wing ............................................... 9

a sng , e still have a few left, and we'll pass the savings onto you.

$5EACHI Send to: USHGA PG Calendar, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901, Call l -800-616-6888.

Or order on-line, Shipping cost: 1-2 calendars add $5 (USA

PARAGLIDING

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one way to go • • •

FlyTEC 352-429-8600 • 800-662-2449 • www.flytec.com