USHGA Hang Gliding April 2002

A Publication of the United States Hang Gliding Association • April 2002 • $3.95

04

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Coming in May! You've heard about it and it's nearly here.

The May issues of Hang Gliding and Paragliding wm be combined into a single, exciting, more robust magazine. THIS IS A TEST. Read it and let us know your thoughts. The results wm be published in a following issue.

For more information go to;

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http://www.ushga.org,

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BLUE SKY AVIONICS

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

Thanks to USA Flytec, Blue Sky Avionics, and Wills Wing for their generous donations to this test issue survey.

ntents (USPS 0 17-970-20 -

ISSN 0895-433X)

15 Continental Record Flight by Ofli,pri l. 0.

An incredible story of Aying in Ancarctica.

18 The FAA Sport Pilot NPRM by/oe Gregor An overview of this crirical new FAA No rice of Proposed Rulemaking, including a sidebar by Bill Bolosky on a meeting of the USHGA with che FAA.

24 Tuning A Modern Glider - Part N © 2002 by Dennis Pagen Dropping a wing and orher perplexing problems.

32 The National Sport Flight Conference

by Mike Vorhis

An in-depd1 look at d1e new competition system.

47 Hang Gliding Photo Gallery Th is month's featured photographer: Brian Porter.

Columns

Departments

WingTtps, by RodgerHoyt ..................6

Ainnail .............................. ................. ....4

Dixon's Notes ....... ........ .......... .............. 12

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

Ratings Update, by Paul Voight ..........30

Calendar of Events ...............................37

Product Lines, by Dan Johnson ......... 54

Classified Advertising ......................... .40 Index co Advertisers ............. ................53

APRIL 2002

Dear J want w comrncnd the editorial staff of as wdl as the Executive Director of our zation for the hard choice ro explore tbc very real possibility of mcldom· two into one.

As the editor of a monthly m,lg;i1z111c published by a non··pmflt rccre;itionist ori;:anm11U01.1, [ call r·N·1-,inh1 empath1:1.e

with the plight of the USHGA editorial staff in having to two m:1f;,1zi11c, each month. Bm the srorics in die issue of this adequately addressed the cdirorial reasons fi:n rlic merger. it as rhc Director of

Comm11nica1iom 1J11rec11orl of the publt,,hi11i~ org;1mr,i:at1ion

of my

that I want lO address this issue. I of!t:r these comments from more rhan 10 of in the fldd of publishing and marn1y

die

Washington Ti-ails /\ssm:1a1·1011, of a broad, diverse nH.:mbcrsr1ip Om members arc all over rhc pouuc1L economic and social map. But the rncmhas one common tic: a love of hiking. the equally diverse rncmbcrship ofUSHGA has a 11n1hn111n

love: the love of But USHGA has a

too, Its

membership isn't as unified as be exJ)cctcd and ;i r least on i rs face.

The prohlcm is this: The public face of any is its publication. l'n::scmiinti a unified from is difficult enough with a hut with two USHGA shows a personality. In the bcsr this creates problems, and these arc certainly not the best of times.

As we move into the 1st the sport of foot-launched

flight laces some substantial obstacles.

The that allow us to fly arc under review and it's sport might be before all is said and done.

APRIi

2002 VmUMI

lssur No. 4

that our altered ensure

To

that onr interests arc in the best possible manner, we must be unified. And that means a unified voice in the f<Jrrn of a our two into a great publication will he a step in this direction. 'The policy-makers at the FAA will sec a unified orga1111z.anon wr,rlcino for a single imcrcst. I land managers with the National Park rhc US Forest the Bureau of l ,and 1Vlan:1ge:m1::1J1, as well as die various state and local land will sec a unified group of and will greater credence to our desires for access to mate launch and sites on public lands.

Yet it is nor non·-lJSHGA ii.ilks who will learn and benefit from rhis new, unified fronr. the initial debate and the end result of the m:1rrazi11c rnergcr will he that the membership of our will become a more cohesive group. Why? Because we will learn more each other by cx1po1;cd to more of the details of pass1,ons. As relatively new I honestly know next 10 nothing about hang But I'd like to know more, and l'd like ro think I'm not alone in that desire to know more abou1 the folks who share rlic air with me. l don't fear losing space in the rnaga·· ziuc "to the other side" I look forward to more space to the other side so I can learn from them. Hang and pilots aren't d1lllc11·ent, and I have to believe that any pilor will ap1mx1atc a wcll-wrinen story about an flight or the As I sec it, the only real point in rhc merger debate comes down to this: What do we call it? I'll stick my neck on the block and offer up my to get the debate rnaga1;i11e of the United States ,._.,,c"' "I' Association.

What do you think?

Dan A. Nelson

Puyallup, WA HANG GUI JING

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/)11n is the editor o{W.1shington 'frails mtu:r11znie. published the Wr1shington Tniil, Associ11tion. Yrm c11n visit them onlinc at www.

Dear Editor, yes, and yes. h's about time!

Good idea. Ileen for this.

do it. We

Dear Editor, "Sec and I just read Joe /\void" article in the January issue. I would like to ;1dd two import:1111 points to this cxccllcm article. I was also t to in and outside of the cock-· pir while learning to fly "real" aircraft. lt was hammered int:o me rhat the responsibility of ;1void a collision is mine. I was taught the rnethod of con-centrating upon 1 ponions of for three seconds bcft>re moving to the next portion, and so on. Your eye can rhcrefcm: catch any movement. 'I 'his "I(). method is very common and is taught ar all Cessna Pilot Centers. other When it comes to being seen users, the color of' your wing makes a diffrrence. Yellow is highly

visible in most situations. Light blue is highly not-visible in many situations. 'fhis is clearly illustrated when compar-ing several pho1os in the photo gallery Perform a section of]anuary test the next rime you fly. Determine which color gliders arc the most visible: a) against blue b) against tcrra nrma, c) against clouds. You could do the same by a photo of the start a1 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, hut only pilots of brightly colored gliders will be seen.

Dave Calkins Anchorage, Alaska

Hoyt X.-C flight has been lengthy, in distance and time. Sunset falls across rhe dcsen as you coax your wing around omo your chase crew already awaiting your triumphant touchdown.

You unzip your harness, go upright ;md flare, only to have your legs collapse like a folding chair!

Sometimes, whc1her flying cross-coun·

try or just locally, we're aloft for several hours with our legs nestled snugly in our streamlined pod harnesses. Worse yet, most of us hang horizontally, or even head down not the best for blood circulation to the lower extremities. 'l<J make sure your landing gear will be ready to function after a long flight, open your lrnrness early, go upright and shake some circulation back into your legs, Otherwise, your landing might foci like Atlas holding up the weight of the world. on hasetubes have given hands all tbe comfort of slipping into warm blankets on a cold night. Not only do they insulate, they provide cushioning and a fr:arless grip when turbulence attacks. And those blisters and calluses on the inside of a pilots' 1bumbs, like ddlcxors, arc a thing oF the past. wear out, however, and periodi-cally need replacement. But new grips on can be like trying to get a square peg in a round hole, Ken Brown (FlyaMoyes@aol.com) bas a great solution, lrnmecliarcly before installing the new the hasctube and the inside of grips, the grips a liberal com of hairspray. Slide them on quickly (you'll he amazed how easily they slide) before the spray dries.

When the hairspray sets up, the grips will be as firmly set in place as Kenny's coiffure!

l111vc a hot E-rnttil rbhoyt@go.com, or m11il Roc{r,er l loyt; 956 Glengrove Ave., Centml Point; UR 97502. All contrihutors submitting 11 its11ble photo (print or slide) will receive set o/GateS11vers. II

HANG GL!DINC

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

They had just one thing in common:

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APRIL 2002

Service and Distribution in USA by Wills Wing, ph: 71 4-998-6359 fax 714-998-0647

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7

2003 USHGA HANG GLIDING CALENDAR PHOTOS SOLICITED t's that time again! T ime co check out your equipment and your hang gliding photography. As in years past, we turn co you, the membership, for your photo submissions for our world-renowned hang gliding calendar. Send us your horizontal 35-mm slides as potential candidates for this awesome project. Launching, landing, soaring, setting up, breaking down, etc. We wane co see chem all.

The deadline is May 31, so don't delay.

Send your best transparencies (horizontal format) co: USHGA Calendar, Attn: Jeff Elgart, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330. All contributors will receive confirmation of receipt, and photos will be dutifully returned.

Got questions? Call or e-mail Jeff at 1800-616-6888, jeff@ushga.org. The Hang Gliding Calendar Selection Committee is patiently waiting co see your outstanding photography.

I

SAFETY ADVISORY - FINSTERWALDER BROKEN A-FRAME CORNER

T

here was an incident of a broken inner sleeve of a Finsterwalder control bar corner and loss of a rear cable.

Fortunately, it was during a landing and there were no injuries. The glider had suffered several hard landings and a crash.

Analyse: Cracks can originate from tl1e milled holes in me inner sleeve after a very bad crash.

Advice: After experiencing hard landings or crashes a pilot should inspect me integrity of me entire A-frame, including me inner sleeve mat is not visible because of a plastic cover. Pilots should inspect me entire A-frame at least once a year even if mere have been no hard landings.

U.S. AIRBORNE NEWS .S. Airborne is highly involved in the U.S. sport aviation marketplace.

They pride themselves in providing pilots with the best powerpacks for soaring that modern technology can provide at rhe best prices possible. They have now started importing what they consider co be one of the best lines of light trikes and powered hang glider harnesses in the

U

8

world from Airtime Products in Oz. The Explorer foot-launched powered hang glider harness features: In-flight restart, propeller brake, front-entry harness, quick and easy setup, moutl1 mrottle tl1at adapts to hand mrottle, cruise control, centrifugal clutch, 47-kg mrust, 24-kg total weight plus fuel, retractable undercarriage. Options include: folding propeller available for an exaa charge, duel tank system, longer propeller shaft available for Floater or larger gliders at no extra charge, electric start option for an extra charge.

Much development has gone into me Explorer harness to ensure ease of entry and comfort for me pilot. The Explorer harness is a modern, from-entry design witl1 internal spreaders and flexible runners, parachute container, two radio pouches and two large storage pockets. Carry bag and propeller bag are included. You may choose between a custommade or medium- and large-size harness.

The price is $4,300, including delivery, in the U.S. Dealer inquiries are welcome.

Powerlice Trikes have been designed to fir a hang glider wing. They are extremely light and maneuverable co fly. The trikes offer che comfort and ease of law1ching a trike, with the soaring capabilities of a hang glider. The ability to carry camping gear gives crosscountry flights a new meaning.

Features include: quick and easy setup, centrifugal clutch, electric start, carbon-fiber prop, self-charging system, in-flight restart, intake silencer, 10-liter fuel tank, carry/storage bag included, Cordura seat with storage H ANG GLIDING

Yes, You -Can Affordr--aNew "State-of -the-Art" Harness --,

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• Faired Parachute Container

• Internal Zip Unes

AEROS Myth 2 .JUST

• Neoprene 'Gap Gasket' • Camera Pocket • Radio Pocket

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• Adjustable Knee Pads • Faired BridleCover

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• AMPLE Internal Storage

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Complete!

D ON'T MISS OUT ON YOUR MAGAZINE!

i

Renew O n , T ime!

If Your US HGA Membership Expires On 04/30/02 We Need To Receive Your Renewal

BY APRIL 20th Or you will miss the May Magazine. ~ ~

l f Your USHGA Membership Expires On 05/31/02 We Need To Receive Your Renewal BY MAY 20th Or you will miss the June Magazine.

RENEW ONLINE WWW.USHGA.ORG The Hall Airspeed Indicator™ ® Airspeed Ind icator ... $23.50 Long Bracket .... .. .. .. .. . $7 .00 Sho11 Bracket .. .. .. .. .. .. $6.50

A prec ision instrument for the serious pi lot.

Rugged, dependable and easy to read.

NEW! SMALL HALL G reat for hand-held wind meas urement or parag li der Airspeed Indica tor using Bracket.

Small Hall ........ ........ $23.50 Paraglider Bracket ..... $6.50

E fly@airborne .com.au W www.airborne .com .au

ow available: Small HaJI for hang gliders. 0 to 70 mph

5" Dia. ABS Pl astic Wheels $24.00/pair

A PRIL 2002

Hall Brothers. P.O. Box 1010-H. Morgan. UT 84050. USA • Mastercard/V ISA/C.0. D. Phope (801) 829-3232, Fax (801) 829-6349 hallbros@earthli nk.net

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and radio pocket. Options include: Tach, EGT, CHT, Stone Guard, electric start for Rl 3 5 model extra, covers.

The scare-of-the-art Radne and Cors-Air motors, both specifically designed for aviation, have proven to be low maintenance and extremely reliable. Importers of these motors provide a 12-month warranty. They also stock a full range of spare parts.

The chassis is made from aircraft-grade aluminum. The Powerlite Trike base is designed to be very robust to handle rough takeoff and landing sires. The quick-release, 10-liter fuel tank offers up to three hours of motoring depending on the wing and conditions. The abiliry to quickly remove the tank is a bonus for transportation and refueling when our-landing near a service station.

Prices range from $4,400 to $4,975.

Dealer inquiries are welcome.

Contact: U.S. Airborne Sport Aviation Center, Scott and Terri Johnson, P.O. Box 579, Asotin, WA 99402, (509) 243-4988, www.usairborne.com, info@usairborne.com.

TORREY PINES HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING AIR RACES, MAY 3-5, IN CONJUNCTION WITH MANUFACTURERS DEMO DAYS AND AIR EXPOSITION, MAYl-5

T

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 rhe birthplaces of both of these great sports.

Pilots from all over the United States and the world will meet together to participate in

Oiline Aviation St.f>er'Store

Soar over to the

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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. 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 rake 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. The Air Races will be held in conjunction with a Manufac-

1-800-664-1160 (U•• 24 hours a day!)

If<~ "' "Proven Performance" "Over 100 Satisfied Customers"

100 foot take off and landing 22 HP engine Attaches to most hang gliders Easy to set up, break down and transport Ready to Fly, Not a Kit SkyCycle Video Available

10

Fun, Convenient, Comfortable and Easy True Lightweight Soaring Trike 95 lbs.

Looko11t Mo11ntain Hana Glidina 800.688.5637 - www.l,an9lid£eCOtH

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anopp0rtuapa1;agHdingpro· grat.n.B!ll(Bad Bo11cs) A11demm,Ray Leonard and J9f:Sdtzcamc.t:o Florida and pmct1ed(:d to .set up a pai:agliding tow ,r.nd training prqgra1t1,wbich now The ·Graybircl Airul~:.,"1,uu. uic~ h.a~1g glide1:s 1 paraglidcrs I)unnpllon·Airp9rt inStimntedield;·.Florid.a.

FoJ'ti1<:irc j nformation .about flyi.ng at Mcf'ilatucc, 14141

KMG'~s1:<)rcgr,mdopcningi~May 25" Htmgglidingandparaglidlngpllors and ··.~·~v··w, Thete will be an contest, line and tr.ianglc a vollcyhall, hors.cshocs and 111(1rc.

•The$torcoffers•hat1ggliding it1stn1ctio11, h,i.n~gHdin~•and .. parngliding,wccssqries, p,irts, service, maps,.and authorized dealerships fot Wills Wing, Aems Pai•agfidcrs, Mtn.·Iligh, Energy Sports many In to ha11g gliding and

Competition; 13th Euro1,.ean fog Chan:ipionship DiscipHne; Hang Gliding Conti11ent.tlCharnpion~hip (liir{:;;ittei~ot•v:i Evcrit) Oate(s): 20,Q6,02:06,Q7.<fa Site: .Bled (Slovenia) · Orga11iz.cr: A¢r911autk,tl ~,,,,,,,..,,,H·'"'··" ,.n Sfovenfa

111ark@d.owsctt.ca Web: http://www,dowsctt.ca/cdnnats 11

by Dixon White

'

could make a huge difference! 'l\1kc a look and help us submittal of any areas.

Afrcr tremendous effort we have an opportunity to the rulings for foot·launched avi,11ion at National Parks. This is a huge deal. It's extremely imponant that everyone take a momcm to reflect on the possibilities. /( there somewhere in your National Parle area, or other public /tmds, that you'd lilce to Please be sure to check the USHGA website (www.ushga.org) for more derails.

I Jere's an excerpt: "The NPS has to help us streamline the flight authorization process with a single, broad rnlc concept covering many National Parks of our own choosing. 1f passed, this rule will make it easier fi)r managers of these parks 10 say yes instead of 110 by eliminating the existing park-by-park regulatory burden. It will also be a step toward hang gliding and paragliding being treated as a traditional and accepted IJSC or Federal lands."

Om current task is to review all of our National Park lands and formulate a lisr of parks rhar we consider to be "flight appro· priarc." 'fhese parks will then be reviewed by the NPS and if fiiund appropriate will be included in an NPRM (Notice: of Proposed Rulcmaking) that will apply to all listed parks.

This inpm frorr1 the foot··launcb flying comrmmity is critical, as it will affect the future of sire acquisition and preservation in the Federal land-managemcm system, with likely spillover to stare and local public lands. Even if you don't know of a dream launch or landing area in a NMional Park today, please consider the future. If adopted, this new rule will lessen the time and effcin required to open sites in these parks. ff we overlook a flight-appropriate park now, the approval process for that park will likely he er l:ncr on.

The Regulations Program at the NPS will be the list of"Fligbt Appropriate National Parks" and drafring rule beginning in April of 2002. fr has taken three years ofstrug· gling with the N PS to get this time slot 011 their agenda. Once the proposed rule has been written and published for public commenr we will be called to action in the form of a lencr writ· ing campaign in support of this rule.

'E1ke just one minute and list the areas that you would like to

12

have included in this discmsion. Get your friends to send in additional reqnests for the same areas to provide as much sup· port as possible. Please pass this information on to everyone.

Send your suggestions 10 Jack Eckert (jaccken(r;lptdprolog.nct). Jack is very proactive. You can write him and he'll forward w yo11 the latest rendition of the N PRM (NPRM0401.PDF) that was written almost entirely from the perspective oFthc bang gliding and paragliding community.

Jack comments, "We received input for it from many USHGAers around the country over a three-year period. It is spcci/-1cally aimed at unpowcred gliders weighing less than 155 lbs. (essentially the l;AA's definition of hang gliders and paragliders)."

We hope that whatever evcntu:1lly gets published in the Federal Register will help to remove the stigma attached to hang gliding and paragliding as a "Special Use" of public lands.

Unfortunately, the terms "Special Use," "Special Use Regulations" (SUR's) and "Special Use Permits" (SUP's) arc often embedded in the bureaucratic mindset as referring to activities that arc considered inappropriate, unintended or high·-irnpact uses or public lands (like large wedding parties, exhibitions that atnact hordes of uncontrolled spectators, commercial opera-tions, and utility riglns·ofway). This is one of the reasons that public bnd man· agers and park su perintcndents often find it and find themselves under less scrutiny, if they simply say no instead of yes. It means fewer beadacl1es and less red tape for them.

While we may nor achieve everything in NPRM0401.PDg we now have supporters in the Park Service Operations and Regulations Divisions who arc trying to incorporate its essence inro the Park Service regulations that is, a proposed rnlc that helps to promote unpowcrcd hang gliding or paragliding as traditional and acceptable recreational uses of public lands, essentially making it easier fc)r park super· intcndcnts ro say yes, and maybe a tad harder to say no. The first step in their own NPRM wriring process was to ask the hang gliding and paragliding conimunity to pick and choose the parks that we fed arc appropriate and go from there. That's what we're trying to do now. ff you have a little more time, please also try to get one of your congressional rcpresentarivcs ro support congressman Patrick Toomey's (R·PA, 15th) efforts to get the Park Service to publish as much oFNPRM04.0l.PDF as they can while recog· nizing the bureaucratic constraints they're working under. It would be nice if you could actually touch b,isc with his office and directly stir the pot a little on this issue. II

Hi\NC GIIDINC

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MMR 12-91

Continental Record Flight

by L. 0. Oflirpa

In the middle oflast August, an obese high hunkered over our corner ofNebraska. Flying was impossible as each day became progressively more stable and oppressive. Our tempers were short, the list ofoptions for fan shorter, and our air conditioners worked like accountants shredding documents. was sitting on the porch in a dull stupor, piling up empties and reading the local fish wrap. Suddenly I perked up at a small item announcing the upcoming expedition of the Scottsbluff College of Agriculture and Technology (SCAT) to Antarctica. What the hell was an Ag school doing going to Antarctica, I wondered? Then I began seriously dreaming and scheming. How wonderful it would be to escape this 90-90 weather - 90-degree heat and 90% humidity. But even more importantly, I recognized an ideal opportunity to achieve one of my long-term goals: flying on all seven continents. I had six in tl1e bag and only Antarctica remained. My dreams evolved into plans and then into action.

The first thing I did was to call the college and find out the nature of the expedition. It took a while to piece the story together, since it was somewhat embarrassing. Apparently some professors in the Ag department read about the research team out on the Ross lee Shelf studying the calving of glaciers. The SCAT Ag department takes great pride in its consummate knowledge of all things related to animal husbandry, so they figured they deserved a research expedition to Antarctica as much as anyone. It was part way through the grant and funding process that someone discovered that calving glaciers had nothing to do with calving cows. There were a few red faces around as they scrambled to come up with an alternate Antarctic project.

The perfect substitute was a study of the herding instincts of cetaceans and pinnipeds (whales and seals) in comparison with those of cows. For purposes of publicity, the expedition ended up being called the International Bovine Equine Apian Cetacean Ovine Pinniped Porcine Project

I

APRIL 2002

or IBEACOPPP. Professors of other departments called it derisively the International Police, no doubt out of jealousy.

But academic politics aside, I saw a golden opportunity for me.

Afrer scores of phone calls and meetings, I finally convinced the principals that the best bet for spotting herds of animals in the sea is from the air. Since they couldn't afford to rranspon a helicopter, clearly a hang glider was the next best choice. I explained how we soar aloft, climb on thermals and fly distances. I figured any lack of thermals would be best explained when we were there, surrounded by snow and ice. Besides, I knew I could tow up with a snowmobile or even fly from 12,500-foor Erebus near the McMurdo Research Station. The clincher came when I offered to pay my own way. From that point on I was in like Flynn.

The expedition was scheduled to leave December 7 and return just before the winter session began on January 5. In the

three months I had to prepare, I went on a buying spree for incidentals: hand warmers, long underwear, goggles, helmet face shield, ethylene glycol-soaked toilet paper, etc. Much of the clothing was sponsored by the expedition funding and came coordinated in the purple and green school colors, embossed with the IBEACOPPP logo. On the back was displayed the school mascot, the cowperson (which was changed from the original cowboy through the efforts of politically correct zealots in 1995).

In late September we had a reception to help publicize our expedition, raise additional funds and get everyone acquainted with one another. I felt a bit out of place in my Air Thugs T-shirt, surrounded by a sea of polyester suits, Banlon shirts, string ties and cowboy (person) boots, but afrer a few drinks, everyone loosened up. These denizens of academia tended to be identified by their departments. So I met our expedition leader, Earl "Hog Genetics" Shire, our snowmobile musher, Vinnie "Beef Production" Vian di, our cook, Larry "Bovine Waste" McFunkle and others.

For safety reasons, each of the expeditionaries was assigned a tent buddy. I was introduced to mine: Melvin "Poultry Science" Leghorn. No doubt someone figured that birds of a feather should be stuffed together. I got to know Melvin a bit that night and he told me how much he was into poultry. I told him I was into birds myself, but mostly soaring birds, like hawks. He immediately pulled in his neck, and for the rest of the night he kept a wary eye on me. It must have been especially tough on him in Antarctica, because he was assigned to assist me since there wasn't much for him to study except pen-

The day came and we ho;irded charter buses in front of the college union building in the wee homs. We were headed to Denver for a I 0:00 am flight. The bus drivers loved our huge pile of equipment, and were fond of my 12-fom glider pack. We had to slip it in through the window and lay ic in the aisle. Alter a few rousing cheers, hugs and kisses From loved ones to send us on our way, we embarked on an adventure of a lifetime.

As 1he sruflcd bus i 11 to Colorado, I reflected on our upcoming itincr· ary and tried to stave off my old nemesis, seasickness. We were raking a non··srnp to Samiago, Chile, rhcn boarding another commercial flight to that country's south .. c:rnmost airport, Puerto Willi:ims at the: rip of Pau1gonia. From there we would jump a charter plane across the Stn1its of Magellan and hmd at the Palmer lee Station. That's locarcd on the lie: /\nvcrs along the /\nrarcric Pc:ninsula that separates the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. We would he: just south of the Antarctic Circle.

Our original intentions were ro hang our at 1hc McMurdo Sr,Hion on the: Ross lee Shelf, bur there's a real hierarchy of who gets to use McMurdo's limited facilities.

Our cow college, SCAT; just didn't have the name recognition of SCRIPS or UC! .A. So we sc1tlcd !t)r Palmer. Even rbo11gh it was some 700 miles fonhcr away from the South Pole than McMurdo, it secs plenty of harsh conditions since it juts up into the edge of the circumpolar strong airflow known as rhe roaring 40's.

IN THE LAND or urrLE ""'"'L'V•'lt was with bk:ary eyes that we awoke on the dawn of our second day of travel to sec a hazy sun skipping along the rim of a white, white world. We with awe at the srark vision of frmhy wmcr, ice floes and snow-lmrdc:ncd landscape. The mo1111t,1ins were silenr, luminous sentinels over a seemingly lifolcss world.

When we deplaned at Palmer we were struck with the brutal cold, bm had little time to worry since we had to unload cquiprnent, meet fdlow researchers and sci up our shelters. Mel hc:lpccl me pry my Lite· speed out of the cargo hold and carry it to a shed. Then we set up our little mounrain tent, home for a couple of fortnights. We all shared a common mess hall, hlll spent the nighrs huddled in expedition down with uothing but thin Nylon separating us from wind chill and slow death.

16

Afrcr two of orientation and orga· nizarion I began to reconnoiter the area.

We went on several snowmobile: cxCtlr·· sions to the of the ice shelf; and there I found 250- ro 300 .. foor ice dills drop .. ping to the sea. They foccd the prevailing winds. 1n the whole time I was in Antarctica, the winds were: west, and boy did they prevail. No matter how strong it got, though, ir was always smooth as a politician's pitch. [ couldn't wait to fly.

On the fourth day, Mel and I ventured to the cliffs with my He helped me set it up with a hit of coacl1ing and I did a care/iii Down hdow, a Zodiac and a two-man crew waited in case I didn't soar, bm l had no doubts. Afrc:r giving Md a wire crew I hooked in and crept to rhc edge. The "ramp" suck was strong, so l just yelled "dear!" and climbed.

Oh what I was buoyed up in the solid, prisrinc air higher and higher. I could sec the down below whooping :md waving, 1ny attention was mostly focused on the surreal land and seascape. I could sec many Hoes dot the hofrwn ;md there was founa There were numerous \Xlcddel seals and Frnpc:ror pen· guins 011 the low shelves. There were petrels with me in the :1ir and I thonght I saw a pod <>f' whales breaching in the distance. A voice on the: radio inrcrruptcd my hypnotic mcnrnl state and I excitedly com· municatccl all 1hat I could sec. They were as gratified ;1s I to know that I was going robe of some use as a terrain spot:t:cr and fauna finder.

After an hour in d1c air, flo:ning on gentle: buoyancy, [ popped over rl1c back and landed on one foot in the laminar flow. I had reached 1,000 feet over takeoff in whar sometimes felt like giant soft-cushion rlierrnals, probably caused hy the summer surfocc water. Bur the air was silky smood1 the cmirc time I flew in Amarctica, except for a brief ripple that I shall describe soon.

From rl1M rirnc 011 I went ro soar the cliffs every it was flyable. When I spotted animal herds I directed rhc boars ot11 w them. While were practicing ani mal husbandry, I would soar along the ice face for mile afrcr mile, confident that the ceaseless wind would sustain me: wirhour fail. Oh, l could talk for hours of the wonders as I passed over liluc crevasses, yawnchasms and Jurassic ltssmcs in the glacier. I watched the penguins squabble for ,,,rnr,,n, and the seals liasking in die "ror·

rid" smi. I dove down to glimpse sci whales and flush kelp gulls from their roosts. At night I would huddle: in my bag and dream of floating on a vast white cloud.

NO MAN'S ISLAND These ethereal experiences went on for two weeks when die fateful event happened. By rhcn we were confldcnt that I didn't need rhe standby Zodi,1c below me, so we had scnr them all about two miles to the: south· west to a herd of blowing belugas. I was doing my usual /loming along the cliff; abom 700 feet up and a few miles north of rhc staging area.

All ar onct: the world seemed to go topsy-turvy. 1 heard a roar and a rush and lost orientation. I felt heart-stopping sink, then a turbulent sbm (i·om below as I climbed again. When my whitc·lrnuckling abated, l looked around and rc::1lizc:d rhar I was soaring a huge berg that had jusr broken off rhc ice slidfaud was drifring fonhcr and farther out to sc,1.

I was still aloft, so I there to maintain better radio contact. My frantic calling bnrngln the return of bad news: the Zodiacs had to go back to base to refuel before they could come after me. I tried to remain calm and suss out the situation. \Xlhcn l hovered over one spot on the berg, my GPS indicated that l was drifting with the: general pack ice over six mph toward the norrhcasr. The Zodiacs should be able to catch me, so I sctdcd down to soar back and forth while conserving energy and heal. I wan red ro remain alofr as long as possible for hcttcr radio reception.

Time passed slowly. After an hour I had heard nothing from my compatriots. Then in rhc second hour I heard a scratchy voice calling my name. I was filled with hope as I relayed my CPS position. I didn't get a clear reply; bu I l thought I heard rhem say they were about an hour away. An hour? I realized with my drift and starring poim several miles north of the hoar launch that they were right. I decided to bang on another hour and amused myself with lazy circles and spindrift and cat's paws sprouting like rime-lapse springtime flowers. It was then that I realized that the wind was getting stronger as r moved fort her north into the open sea.

Still it was smooth and I resolved to remain as high as l could until I could spot my rescue. But they were fashionably late.

Only once did I hear a peep our of my radio. Ir was g;irblccl stai-ic, bm it HANC CLIDINC

offered some hope. Eventually my patience waned, hunger peaked and my spirits sank as I moved back on the berg to land. I had been in the air for over six hours, moving with the iceberg. I checked my ( ;ps and found the berg was averaging a good G.3-mph clip. I had flown 40.3 miles from takeoff in those six hours, no doubt a cominemal record. Funny, I didn't take much joy in that fact. l busied myself with my emergency rations pemmican and Power Bars then set up a shelter. I set the glider tail into the wind, then dug a hollow in its lee.

I rook my cover out of my harness for a ground cloth and blanket, then crawled back inro the harness to wait out the short night. I remember wishing for some comforting beddme reading something like Henry Miller's '!J·opic ofC:ancer or Maugham's 'Edes of rhe South Pacific.

I must have dozed, since I awoke to an anemic sun gleaming ofF my glider's uprights. I did a GPS check and saw that my drift had increased. Where I was, I hadn't a clue. G PS coordinates arc mean· inglcss if you've nothing to relate them to.

After a breakfosr of my last Power Bar that lefr me as dissatisfied as a 40-year-old virgin, I decide to launch ,lg:1in and reconnoiter.

The launch was easy since I found a slight .,lope. I climbed up and looked around. That's when I received the second major shock in 2.4 hours. I realized that the dream l had during the night, ofhold-ing my child in a rocking chair, was actu· ally the: berg itself swaying as it lost por-tions of itself: It now appeared to be half its original size and capable of much more erosion cine to all its clefts and crevices. I figured my goose was frozen.

APRIi. 2002

THE DANCE 'Then, as if to lift my spirits, a wonderful apparition came sliding over the waves in a slow balkt. It was a huge, wandering alba-tross soaring the dynamic lifr in the gradient. She saw me from afor and came to investigate. As soon as she neared my berg (how quickly we become possessive), she shol up to look me in the eye. She appeared puzzled indeed, bur cerrninly not intimidated. Figuring that I wouldn't be an easy meal, she decided to play. She traversed the ridge lifr above, below, behind and in front of me and seemed ro want me to follow. Emboldened by her lead, l went to the end of the berg, then farther and farther pasr it. I discovered what she knew.

The strong flow beside the berg created a venturi rhat could be used to gain altitude in a fimn of dynamic soaring. By diving into rhis flow, then slowing abruptly, I would climb above my original height.

With repetitive attempts, l could get well above the ridge lifr maximum.

BUI my sleek friend soon tired of her clumsy playmate and passed off the end of the lifr, then downwind to resume her cir-· cum navigation of the globe. She lcfr like a nighttime succubus and gradually disappeared behind the growing waves. I was lci"t wirho11t hope, but somehow f realized that my Ii fc had been cmiched beyond compare to have danced with such a perfect crcatmc.

Afrcr that I tried the radio a few more times, then gave up when response was nil. l landed and worked on despair control.

Another night cased in and I found myself dozing fitfully. A loud crack awakened me and I jumped up to find that another episode of tooth decay had attacked my floating molar. Was I going ro drown before I froze or died of starvation?

But then, l saw the light. No, make that two or three lights. It was hard to tell because Twas now rocking a bit in rhe waves and there was fog here and there. I became uncomrollably jubibm, then radically depressed when I realized that f had no source oflight to return. Coing bipolar in rhe Polar Regions is 110 way ro so I hatched a plan.

THE RISING SUN While it was still dark I lifted the glider's nose up unril it was vertical and jammed the keel as deep into the snow as l could.

With the glider held vertical in this manner it acted like a sail with the keel as a mast. lt worked perfectly. I could pull on one wing and rotate rhe glider so that I was sailing the berg on a broad reach ro rhc north. My goal was the Straits of Magellan shipping channel, which was surely the source of the lights.

Ali:er a frw hours of this l hacl made good headway, but lost my earlier lights. I persevered and held course until fatigue and hunger overcame me. I was out of food and down on my knees grazing on snow to quench rny thirst when I glanced into rhc morning twilight and saw a huge at ir for boat on the horizon. After 15 minutes to discount the mirage and wishfi.tl thinking I realized it was getting closer (here I danced a jig with my rernaining strength). But would it sec rne?

Probably not. So I set :1bout foriously dcmasting my ship and curring the that holds the keel kickstand tube to the keel. I took that fi:mr--foot bright rube and started waving ir over my head. The cylinder gave off a glint in a 180° arc so l knew it was my best hope. The light was dim, and the ship sailed on. But in an hour

Continued on page 31.

17

by Joe Gregor n February 5, 2002 the FAA

released a Notice of Proposed Ruic Making (NPRM) for rhe new Sport Pilot proposed rule, marking the beginning or a 90-day comment period. At the end of this period the FAA will consider and respond to comments concerning the impact and structure of the proposed changes to Federal Regulation.

This article presents a summary of the proposed new certification structure, out .. lines the specifics of the method proposed for transitioning pilots and aircrafr, and discusses some or the implications of the rules for our sports. Much of this material may seem peripheral to you, especially if you arc a mountain pilot, but trust me when [ tell you that it is relevant. This proposal would affect our sports, possibly significantly, and especially with regard to our flight parks. This is nor a "fon" article, nnd for that I apologi1,e, but some knowl· edge of the whole is required in order to understand both how we fit in and what the likely effect will be on our sports.

Please make an effort to slog through this as best you can 111s 1mportant.

What we once referred to as Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR's) is now con .. rained within Chapter 14 of the Code of Federal Regulation (14 CFR). The old PAR Part l 0:3 is now known as 14 CFR I 03. The "Certification of Aircraft and Airmen for Operation of Light Spon Air .. craft, Proposed Rule" (Sport Pilot) is not merely a modification of existing regulation. It is a wcll--thought..out system designed to govern the certification and regulation of 11011 .. Part 103 compliant ultralight aircrafr ;ind pilots. In addition to creating a new category of aircrafr airwonhiness certificate and a new pilot cer· tificatc (via tbe Sport Pilot Special Pcdcrnl Aviation Regulation), the NPRM propos-es ro change existing regulations governing private pilots, and aims to eliminate the need for exemptions to Part 10:3.

Some of these promise to have a significant impact on the sports of hang gliding and paragliding.

OVERVIEW OF THE NPRM The Sport Pilot SFAR is designed to address th rec issues of special importa nee to the FAA: l) safety and rules enfr>rcemcnt problems related w the operation of powered 11hralighrs, 2) rhc continued health and growth of the lJ.S. general aviation sector, and 3) the elimination of long-term exemptions to Part I 0:3. [n order to address these issues the FAA pro·· poses a comprehensive and well-thought .. out revision to several sections of 14 CFR. The proposed include the creation of a new category of airworthiness certificate and a new pilot certificate.

Overweight and two-place ultralight aircraft, which exceed the speciflcations for operation under Pan 103, could be issued a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) airworthiness certificate. These aircrafr would be limited to rwo occupants, pounds takeoff weight, 39· to 44-knot stall speed (depending on configuration), 115-lrnot Vmax, single reciprocating engine, fixed-pitch propeller, and fixed landing gear. A new pilot certificate with requirements and privileges below those of a private pilot, the Sport Pilot ccrtift.catc, would permit pilots l:O fly I.SA with a minimum amount of training com men-· suratc with safety. Sport pilot certificate holders would be restricted to claytirne VFR operations below 10,000' MSL (or 2,000' AGL, whichever is higher), would not be permitted to carry passengers for compensation or and would nor be permitted to tow any object. Additional training would be required to fly LSA with a maximum level-flight cruising speed greater than 87 knots, or to fly in Class B/C/D airspace.

LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAl:<T The PAA proposes ro create a new "spc-cial light sport aircraft" airworrhiness certificate, intended for new-built aircraft, designed, constructed and sold under the new rule. A new "experimental light sport aircraft" airworthiness certificate will be created for certifying existing non· Part l 0:3 com pliant: ultralights, as well as those newly built and sold before the final rule is in place. Aircraft manufactur-ers would be required to meet certain conditions in order for their products to qualify for cerrification as special category I.SA. First and foremost, manufacturers would liave to develop and adhere to a set of industry "consensus standards" die-· tating aircrafr design and maintenance, manufacturing quality assurance, and production acceptance and testing. Some of these functions are already being performed in one sense or another, but compliance would require exrra effort on the part of manufacturers. One manufacrurcr estimates that it would add $6,000 10 the cost of the aircraft they produce. The consensus standards would also require manufacturers to develop and implement a system to monitor and ensure the opcr· arional safety of the aircraft that they have produced. This means that manu .. factllrcrs will be tasked with taking on some of the duties currently performed by the FAA for the general aviation sector to investigate incidents and accidents and to issue advisories designed to maintain ;:mcl improve aviation safety. Manufacturers would be required to monitor the use and accident history of the aircrafr they have produced, and take action 10 maintain the safety of their "fleet."

This could impose a significant financial and legal burden on manufacturers. If a manufacturer fails under such a burden, responsibility for rnonitoring the aircraft must be transfr:rred l:O another entity.

Otherwise, those now unsupported aircr:ifr may (will) lose their special category certification and be cffe::ctively grounded unless the owner obtains an experimental certificate for bis aircraft.

Maintenance requircmems for I.SA would parallel those for the general aviation sector. Aircraft must be maintained to standards mandated by the manufacHANC CLIDINC

turer in accordance with the industry consensus standards and could not be substantially modified without losing certification. Annual condition inspections by cerrified maintenance personnel would be required. Aircraft used fr>r flight instruction would require inspection every 100 flying hours as well. Sport Pilot proposes to significantly reduce the burden on owners and pilots by permitting them co perform their own rourinc maintenance afrcr meeting modest training requirements.· l'hesc would include completion of a I G-hour maintenance course for the appropriate aircraft, make and model, to maintain an LSA with an "experimental" certificate that the maint,1incr owns, or an 80-hour course for an LSA with a "special" certificate. Ir sho11ld be noted that PAMA, the Professional Aviation Maintenance Organization, has already taken a negative position on this provision.

LIGHT' SPORT PILOT'S Tn order to qualify for a spon pilot certificate the prospective pilot would have to meet certain training, flight experience ;md evaluation requirements. These include completion of an approved ground--training program from a qualified instructor, 20 hours of total flight time including five hours solo, and passage of a written and practical test administered by an FAA-approved, dcsign;11ed pilot exam· iner (IWE). The required ground trnining would encompass a wide body of knowlincluding: rules and regulations, weather, the use of aeronamical resources (charts, NOTAMS, the Airmen's lnfor. marion M:mual, ere.), :iircraft preflight :md in.flight operation, weight and bal· anee, takeoff and landing data calculations, and NTSB accidcn1 reporting procedures. 'fraining from a certified instructor and a loghook endorsement would be required before rhc candidate could take the written and pracrical tests. The practical test (check ride) must be administered an instructor other than the one who gave the initial training and logbook endorsement.

The successful sport pilot certificate holder would he permitted to fly an I .SA of the same category/class, make and rnodel :L~ used in training. Pilots wishing Al'RII

2002

to transition to a different make and model wirhin rhe same category/class (to a Moyes Dragonfly from a Kolb FircStar, for example) would require additional training from an authorized instructor who could grant the new privileges via logbook endorsement. Pilots wishing to transition to an LSA of a different category/ class (to ;:i three-axis aircraft from a trike, for example) must first obtain training in the new category/class, make and model of aircraft they wish to fly from an authorized instructor. They would then be required to pass a practical test administered by a different authorized instructor. The new privileges would again be granted via logbook endorsement.

SPORT PILOT INSTRUCTORS Sport Pilot lnstructors, in addition to meeting all of the rcq11ircmems for the Sport Pilot certificate, must receive and log training in a broad range of categories, including: fundamentals of flight, preflight procedures, airport operations, inflight maneuvers (performance, ground reference, slow flight, stalls, spins, etc.), emergency procedures, and post-flight procedures. l nstructors must also receive and log ground training in the Fundamentals of Instruction.

Aeronautical experience requirements include 150 hours of flight time with l 00 hours as pilot-in·command, 50 hours sin-· gle·rnginc, 25 hours cross-country, I 0 hours cross-country in a single-engine airand 15 hours as pilot-in-command in an I .SA. Once all of these requirements are mer, the candidare is eligible to rake the written test and pr,1crical tests.

Instrucrors will be authorized to offer instruction for any make and model aircraft in which they have logged more than five hours of/light time. [n addition, they must have logged up to 150 hours of flight time (depending on type) in the same category/class as the aircraft in which rhcy wish to give instruction.

Given rhe large number of available makes and models, this could represent a signi/1cant burden on instructors, and/or dilute the range of choices a prospective pilot has for obtaining instruction in any particular aircrafr. The FAA recognizes this, and the NPRM 1mkes some mention of working with the

industry to lump together similar aircraft to mitigate this problem. No specifics arc given, however, and this compromise may never materialize.

Sport pilots and sport pilot instructors will be required to meet many of the pro-visions of 14 CFR 61, just like any other cerrificatecl pilot. These include medical certification and currency rcquircmcms.

The medical will he handled fairly painlessly by requiring that the pilot hold a valid driver's license or FAA medical. [fa pilot chooses the driver's-license method he would be limited by any restrictions on that license (such as wearing glasses), and ifhe lost the license, either physically or by court order, he would be grounded until he got it back again.

Currency requirements include, hut arc not limited to, the standard three offs and landings per quarter in order 10 carry passengers, along with a biannual flight rcvi ew. l nstructo rs wi II be rcq u ired to demonstrate a certain minimum level of activity in terms of students trained successfully granted sport pilot ccrt1t11c;11tes.

Instructors falling below the spcciflcd of activity will be required to take and pass a biannual instructor check ride. l nsrrucrors will be required to log all ground instruction, flight instruction, rificatcs, ratings and endorsements they give in the course of their duties.

This has been a quick and dirty omline describing the basic features of the new system, as proposed. l r is neither exhaustive nor comprehensive; rhcre is a great deal more to digest. l lopcfolly, it gives you some idea of rhe final result the FAA h;is in mind. I-low we get from here ro there is the next quest ion. There is cur-rcnrly a large community of ultralight pilots operating aircr;:ift that will be required to transition to this new system more than 9,000 according ro FAA estimates. A great deal of thought has been given to how this transition should be accomplished, and l will discuss that aspect of the N PRM next.

IMPLEMENTING SPORT PILOT' Some provision must be made for obtaining the initial cadre of instructors and DPE's needed to train and certify new sporr pilot candidates. The FAA plans to 19

leverage the existing infrastructure within the ultralight community to provide these services. Advanced instructors who arc registered with the three FAA-recognized the US Ultra·· ultralight organizations light Association (USUA), the Aero Sports Connection (ASC), and the imental Aircraft Association (EAA) will he given standard FAA-"dcsignatcd examiner training and "blessed" under J 4 CFR Part l 83 as representatives of' the FAA. (Note that the USl{GA is specifically not included here.) This initial cadre of DPE's will train and certify a pool of flight instructors who will, in turn, train and certify new spon pilots. The FAA realizes that this process will rake rime.

Ultralight pilots currently operating under Part 103 may continue to do so for 24 to 36 months after final publication of tbis rule. After this time, the FAA expects to begin enforcement: of all Part I 03 provisions.

TRANSJTIONING PILOTS AND INSTRUCTORS Ultralight pilots who are currem, rated members ofrhe USLJA, ASC, or FAA would be given credit for having met the ground training, flight training and flighr experience requirements for the sport pilot certificate. They would still be required to pass a written and practical test. Application must be made within 24 months (and completed within 36 months) of publication of the final rule.

Ultralight instructors who arc members of the "big three" and have passed the Pun .. damcntals oflnstrucrion rest would be given credit for having met the aeronautical knowledge, ground training and flight experience requirements /or the sport pilot instructor certificate. Tn order to get their sport pilot instructor certificarcs they would first have ro obtain a sport pilot or private pilot certificate. They would then have to pass a written and practical test for sport pilot instructors. '] 'hey would still have to meet the 150-hour toral flight time in category/class experience requirement, bm this could be done using time logged previously as a certi/Jed ulrralight pilot.

TRANSITIONING AIRCRAFT There is a large fleet of existing ultralight

20

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SPORTS OF HANG GI JDING AND PARAGLIDING

aircrafr that are not legal under Part l 03 and faJl within rhc parameters ofLSA. In order to permit continued operation of these aircraft, once the 36-month window closes, tbc FAA proposes to create an "experimental light sport aircraft" airworthiness certificate. 'The "experimental" certificate is imcnded for those existing aircraft that meet the requirements to be certified as an LSA, but were built before the agrecd .. upon industry consensus stall·· dards took effect. Application to register tbesc aircraft must be made within 24 months of the efi<::ctive date of the Sport Pilo1 SFAR, and certification must be completed within 36 months of this date.

During tltis transition period, owners may continue to operate these aircrafr for compensation or birc while conducting flight training. Afrer this time, they may still be used for training, but not for compensation or hire. Owners of "experimental" LSA may apply to the FAA for a "letter of deviation" to continue to operate their air·· craft for cornpcnsation or hire after the transition period, but only for the con-" duct of training. J\ letter of deviation is similar to an exemption, only the decision authority in this case is the Administrator, and letters of deviation do nor necessarily expire as do most exemptions. A letter of deviation is normally granted for a specif. ic event or type of event, and must he requested at least 60 days ahead of time.

The long-term implications of Sport Pilot on the hang gliding and paragliding community arc impossible to predic1 witb accuracy. 'The new rule, as currently proposed, would no doubt have some effect on the continued availability of tugs capable of towing hang gliders alofr.

It can be expected to increase operating costs as well. Much will depend upon the increased understanding the FAA gains, and tbc adjustments made, as a result of the NPRM comment process.

The near-term effects of rhe Sport Pilot initiative, as proposed, are rnore easily deduced. fn this regard the ultralight soaring community can be roughly divida• cd into two carnps. Mountain pilots who dearly and legally operate under Part 103 (without the need frir exemption) can expect business as usual, al' leasl for the near term. Part l 03 remains untouched for now. Flatland pilots who utilize aerotowing will sec some changes, however.

EFFECT ON FLIGHT PARKS For reasons of safety and efficiency, many of the tugs used at our flight parks fall outside the parameters of Part l 03. The power needed to safely and efficiently tow a hang glider aloft, mgcthcr with safety devices like ballistic chutes and sturdy airframes, make these tugs overweight in many cases. The need to train new rug pilots makes two-place capability important. Under Sport Pilot these tugs will be required to register and operate as light sport ,1ircrafr. Owners will have to register their aircraft with the PAA within 24 months of publication of the final rule. The aircrafr must then be inspected by a qualified PAA representative and an airworthiness certificate issued within 36 months of that date. If the aircraft was imported, there arc additional conditions involving agreements between the civil aviation authorities of the two countries that are beyond the scope of this article, but which may affect some of our operations.

Once the tug is made legal LO fly, flight park operators will need to maintain their aircrafr in accordance with Fed .. cral Regulation. Someone at the shop will HANG GIIDINC

~

r

probably need to obrain a mainrenance certification, so rhar rhe flighr park can economically maimain its tugs and satisfy rhe periodic inspection requirements. Presumably, rhe rug manufacturers will be rhe ones designing and delivering rhese rraining programs. Maintainers will be required to attend a separate training course of the specified number of hours for each make and model aircraft that is owned and operared by the flight park.

Flighr park operators would initially have to contend with restrictions on the allowable uses of an "experimental" LSA. The new proposed rule would allow for the use of rhese aircrafr for compensation or hire, bur only while conducring flighr training, and only during rhe 36-month transition period. After this transition period, an experimenral LSA may no longer be operated for compensation or hire, for any purpose. While the proposed rule does stare that a letter of deviation can be requesred permirting such use, rhe NPRM also specifically srates: "This provision would not be intended to allow commercial operators to establish training schools using experimental aircraft." Given this, we should not expect to obtain blanket permission allowing our aerotowing operations to continue as before.

Expect existing ultralight tugs, as well as any produced and sold before industry consensus standards are developed and implemented, to be restricted in usefulness after the 36-monrh rransirion period.

Flight park operarors would also need co make provisions for obraining pilors who can legally fly LSA for the purpose of cowing hang gliders aloft. While rhere is no explicit prohibirion against using LSA to row hang gliders, a sport pilot would be explicitly prohibited from towing any object. The FAA believes that a level of experience and training above that of sporr pilot should be required for rhis rype of acriviry. The NPRM points our rhat the holder of a Private Pilot cerrificare may, with proper training and experience, conducr cowing operations. This new rule would amend tl1e Private Pilot cerrificare co include a weighr-shift caregory/class raring, so thar privare pilors could, with rhe proper training and endorsements, fly trikes as well as tl1reeaxis aircraft. The implications are clear: APRIL 2002

, flighr park owners would be required to have rheir rug drivers cerrified to rhe privare pilot level with a glider towing endorsement wirhin 36 monrhs of publicarion of rhe Sporr Pilor SFAR. Resrrictions on borh the sport pilot and privare pilor cerrificares will require rhar all operations remain on a cosr-sharing basis unless the tug driver has a commercial or higher certificare.

One change thar directly impacrs upon Part 103 is not a part of rhe Sport Pilot SFAR proper. Rather, it is one of the srared goals of the NPRM: to eliminate the need for Part 103 exemptions. Key among rhese, from our perspeccive, are the USHGA exemptions for cowing and tandem operations. Loss of rhese exemptions would prerty much shut down many of our flighr parks, which rely on tandem operations and aerocowing to perform their funcrions. This has been broughr up wirh FAA officials working on rhe Sporr Pilor issue, and we have been assured thar their intention is not ro strangle the sporr of hang gliding. At the same time, the perpetual-exemption issue must be addressed. Among the proposed solutions is a letter of deviation (as discussed earlier in the context of operating LSA for compensation or hire). There is one wrinkle in this plan: The regulation in question must specifically state that deviations may be authorized. This means that an amendment must be made ro Part 103 before we can even apply for a lerrer ro deviate from Part 103.

POTENTIAL LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON PART 103 The following is largely speculation, but the porential long-term effects of this NPRM on Part 103 - the regulation upon which we rely for our prin1ary operarion - are too important co ignore entirely. In that spirit I will highlighr rwo obvious concerns. No doubt others will come co light in tl1e course of rime.

There are several provisions within the NPRM tl1ar don'r affecr us directly, bur ser up conditions rhar may adversely affect ilie future incegriry of Parr 103. One example is the 10,000' MSL alrirude restriction on sporr pilor cerrificare holders. This creates a siruarion in which w1certificared pilots flying unregistered

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21

aircraft enjoy greater privileges than certificated pilots flying proven designs. It is easy to sec how, in the fi1turc, the absurdi· ry of this situation is likely to prornpt a call for future amendments to Pan 103.

Our chief concern, however, rnay he for the continued viability of Part 103 itself once the Sport Pilot SPAR becomes law. ln addition to scrviee and support, our flight parks serve as an important source of' new pilots. Depending on its final form, Sport Pilot may have the effect of reducing our abiliry to recruit and train these new pilots. In addition, FAA estimates indicate tliat approximately 9,000 pilots will initially seek sport pilot certifr. . cation. The vast majority will do so, because they must, in order to continue flying their fat or two·place ultrnlights.

The flying membership of the USUA is approximately 11,000. ·rhe numbers seem to indicate that a large percentage, perhaps even a majority, of pilots will be leaving Pan l 03 ro operate under the new Spon Pilot Sl•AR. Legal users ,mcl advocates ofl>an l 03 will be diluted signifi-

22

crafr maintenance, and by providing for better enforcement. Sport pilots and light spon aircrafr, unlike pilots and aircrafr operating under Pan l 03, will have certificates that can be yanked in the event of 103. non·compliance.

Sport Pilot is SUMMARY also designed to The Sport Pilot acr as a low-cost NPRM lays out entry point for a comprehensive .Ocsi.g11atedPilot prospective system to begin l1xp~drnental Aitcrafr .fe\S:SOCtaCIOil pilots who, it is reguh1ting those Peder11lAvfation Administration hoped, will three-axis, trike, l~cdcr,11 Avhrdon Regulation move on to and poweredSport Aircraft higher-level ccr· parachute type of Propo1;,ed Rulemaki ng rificatcs. With ultralights that Special .Pede ml Aviation Regu ladon the downsizing currently fail to You know of the military meet the US 1Jlttal ight As.sociation and the gradual merns to operate contraction of legally under the aviation sector, the pipeline Pan l 03, for reasons of gross weight, fuel for new pilots coming up through the capacity, top speed and payload capability ranks is shrinking. The maintenance of (narnely, the ability to carry passengers). rhis pipeline is ofgrear importance to the By certifying these pilots and their aircrali U.S. aviation industry and the cconorny the IiAA believes that it can improve safeas a whole. The N PRM proposes to add ty by enhancing training, improving air-

canrly, both in nurnbers and in clout.

'Those remaining may be ill equipped to fend off potential future regulatory acdon aimed at changing or eliminating Parr

HANC GLIDINC

two new ai rcralt category/ class rntings powered parachme and weight-shift control (land/sea) to the Private Pilot ccr-· tiflcarc. Airtime logged while operating as a Sport Pilot may be applied toward the requirements ofa higher-level certificate.

Sport Pilot is carefiilly designed to help rejuvenate the aviation sector and refill that pipeline.

and economic sccurit y arc big issues. It is dear that, barring some unforeseen event, Sport Pilot will not go aw;1y. Nm is it likely to undergo s11hstanti1l modification due ro the protests of a few users of the national airspace system. Given this, what can or should we do?

First, our best intelligence is that the

kY Bill Bolosky 9, people from had the opportunity to .meet with three senior-level people from the PAA to the implications for hang gliding and paragliding operations of the new Pilot proposed rule. nuciu1.PAA were I·knry; FAA Sue Gard·

con,, Sport Pilot and rule, if implemented, Sport would limit our ,ibility to acrotow to

fly conducted under Part 103 that

years. The NPRM Ruic Making) states that it is the intention of the FAA to the is not worded in a w,1y wou Id allow Pilots to planes. 'l'his is source tbis niay serious qucnces.

The essence of the message r"'"'"'"''" the FAA in no way

ty record and a quality program, and that they do not want to stop us. The cmrcnt Pilot propositl would not allow aero· but the FAA representatives options for accommodating aerotowing that from a new cxcmprion to altering the proposed rules to permit 'They also indicated that completion of the Sport Pilot and [ ,ight Sport Aircrafr mies they wanted to then address "Hmitcd-commcrdal" opera.. tions in light sport aircraft. ,. is a difforem issue. There is no intention by the FAA to Part J 0:3.

NPRM states that to dimirrnte long-term however., the PAA representadcady do not to our two-place exemption. They did discuss the possibility tbat it could be to a "Letter of Deviation or possibly handled in some A Letter Authority is approved by (and by) the Plight Standards group at the FAA, rather than through the process which is handled by wider array of people, friendly toward some whom rnay be us. will be a follow-up

USJ·IGA and the FAA at the details of the necessary legal requests to have tbc new and We will continnc to to membership on the progress this process.

APRii 2002

FAA is not out to shut down our llighr parks or otherwise cornprornisc hang glid-· ing and paragliding in the U.S. Any negative c/Tccts or· the Sport Pilot initiative arc unintcnde<L (;ivcn this, we can expect offlcials in Washington to do their best 10 accommodate our needs, within certain limits. These limits will be scr hy rhc Continued on pr,ge 30.

Many came away from our mul·tiple sessions with the FAA with cbe opti .. mistic viewpoint that our ctu:rent opera. tions will not only be but final·· ly be made legal in all pbascs. llowcver, the ARAC process in which we have par.. ticipated since 1993 indicates that the final results FAA produces arc not always what was envisioned. The process of flnal mlcmaking will take several years.

It could well be that the personnel rcspon .. sible for the rule will changt:, along with the attitude and intentions of the FAA T'herefore, we arc convinced that we can,. not be lulled into inaction at this point.

We believe that it will appropriate for USHGA members to send in formal comments to the problems with the proposed rule. How<..'Ver, the com .. m.ents that the membership will be more usefol if they're made in light of the results of the USHGA/FAA scheduled to in April. There· fcH·c, we snggest that you wait to send in your final, frmnal comments until you h<:ar from us in mid,April. 'The comment: period until May 6, 2002, so there w.ill still several lefr to do a good job with the final versions. comse, the sooner you read the NPRM, the more time you'll have to mull over exactly wha.t's been proposed and what you'd like to s<::c happen in the final rule.

When the final version of the USHGA comments are ready, we will make them widely availab.le to pilots posting them on our and provkl· ing links ill all of the usual c,-mail lists. We hope to have them ready shortly the April meeting. If any members have that they would like to sec in the com,. ments from send them to us at ushga@ushga.org. II

Tuning A Modern Glider PARTN copyright © 2002 by Dennis Pagen

We are now well into the meat ofthe tuning matter. We began tuning for turns last month. Now we'll continue that discussion by looking at wings that drop on landing, then solve some perplexing problems.

0

nee again, let's remind ourselves to keep our eye on the ball. We are aiming to finesse and massage our wings into a stare of perfect balance in the air. Both sides of the glider must produce lift and drag in equal proportions for this desired balance to be realized. Here's how we proceed: We test, we sight, we adjust, then we test and continue until perfection.

DROPPING A WING When you come in to land and stop your forward progress with a flare, you increase the glider's angle of attack dramatically. Ideally, the glider stalls and you drop to your feet at the san1e instant. The success of such an act depends on timing, of course, but also on a very important aspect of the glider: It must stall at the same rime in an equal manner on both sides. If one side stalls sooner than the other does, that side will drop first, contact the ground and cause you to turn as it drags, if you have any forward motion. The end result is usually a whack since you can't follow the glider's path and hold the nose up. In a bad ground loop of this sort you may swing into the upright and end up with two more broken upright pieces to add to your growing pile.

Some pilots suffer from a chronic case of a disease known as groundloopitis. Often they cry to cure it by not flaring and running in. But such an approach prevents them from being comfortable with going cross-cowmy if there is a prospect of landing anywhere other than in a groomed field.

Frequently the source of the problem is their wing, not their original technique.

Not all landing problems are attributable to miss-tuned gliders, of course, bur a large number are. It behooves all of us to have our gliders in perfect tune if we hope to produce consistent landings no matter what

24

technique we choose. And while we are being hooved, we probably should remind ourselves tl1at sometimes one thing can lead to another. A mild wing dropping or ground-looping problem can result in an overall rum tendency if a wing gets slightly bent in the process.

The effect of a wing stalling on one side before the ocher is caused by the earliest stalling side having less twist (washout) than the other, so it has a higher angle of arrack (see Figure 1). You may recall from lase monm's discussion char this is exactly me reason we gave for in-flight, low-speed rurns. We did mention previously that mese types of turns are related. But make no mistake about it, a wing dropping on landing is a more subtle effect to test for and correct. The reason is that ground effect exaggerates any slight imbalance by increasing the loading coward me tip in close proximity to me ground. You can often nme our a straight-and-level flight turn tendency, yet still have a wing drop on landing.

Nore: Never attempt to test a glider for equal stall by performing a flare high off the ground. That's a really good way to rumble yo ur glider, no matter how stable ic is. The only way to rest a glider in this case is ro land ir. Have a friend watch for a dropping wing if you find yo urself coo occupied during me flare process to pay attention to the levelness of me wings.

For our understanding, let's asswne mat yo ur right wing is dropping consistently when you land. Nore mac yo u must detect a consistent drop on one side before you should consider making an adjustment.

Wayward turbulence on landing can cause wings to drop.

Once you have discerned a pattern, note what side is dropping and proceed.

How? Ir's very similar to the memod dis-

cussed last month, bur there's not much to sight, since the outboard part of the wing is very twisted in a landing flare due to its extra loading, and you have no way to simulate chis. But you should w1derstand that the stalling wing is less twisted than me oilier one, so we have to do someming to balance me twist.

Before we proceed we should look at the possibilities. The classic case is the glider tending to turn ro one side in hands-off flight, and dropping a wing during landing on me opposite side. This makes sense. If one side has less twist than me other does, it should develop more lift and turn to che oilier side while it stalls first due to the higher angle of attack. In this case, me solution is simple: Increase me twist (washout) on the stalling side until both rum and drop tendencies are removed.

Wim chis classic case, I prefer rouse me wing twist adjustment feature (see lase monm's article) to make the necessary changes in wing balance. Make your changes very slight, since a wing stall tendency is very sensitive to small adjustments. When solving the dropping-wing syndrome you must take multiple fligh ts between adj ustments because of me effects of me air as mentioned above. The operative word is syndrome, which means a repetitive set of symptoms. Don't proceed too rashly or you'll chase me effects all over me place.

Remember, all this tuning isn't too difficult but you must keep a record of your changes and proceed methodically.

ON THE OTHER HAND Occasionally we come across gliders mac seal! during a landing flare on the same side mat mey turn toward in flight. If, for example, a glider cums right in flight and also drops me right wing when landing, it means the left side is developing more lift while me right side stalls first. How can mis be? The answer is found in me way airfoi ls caress me airflow. The camber or curve of an airfoil is a factor in how broad me angle of attack operating range is. With more camber in the banens (and mus rhe airfoil), mere is less tendency to srall during a landing flare, yet more lift is developed at a given angle of attack (up to a given point). Therefore, if a glider exhibits this contrary symptom of scalling on the same side it turns coward, the best approach is to use batten profile changes to fix it. Try a bit of change on one side co work on me in-flight turn (see last monm's piece for the correct mecl1od) and HANG GLIDING

!

see if that doesn't help the wing dropping as well. If it does, continue with tuning in the same manner until the landing stall is equalized.

If your initial change doesn't produce the desired effect, use a combination of wing twist and camber-changing and keep a record, for you will probably be making a number of changes before you get it right.

When you make a change, if things get worse, go the other way. If one type of problem gets better while the other one gets worse, try a different sort of adjustment.

Trial and error is your last resort when you can't figure out the logic to solve a problem.

Exercise patience and you will evemually stumble on the correct tuning as long as yo ur glider doesn't have some inherent manufacturing error. Note that I have never encountered any serious problem in flight from making normal, reasonable (small) adjustments while tuning a wing. O n page 74 of our book Performance Flyingwe present a chart showing the different tuning effects.

TROUBLESHOOTING TURNS In order to solve all sorts of turn tuning problems yo u should be aware of all the possible sources of problems. I have come across quite a few over the years, partially because I tune so many gliders of different designs, and partially because pilots communicate these matters to me since they know my interest. I'll try to list them all here with comments where appropriate. I'm sure this list isn't exhaustive, bur it is a good start. Use it as a troubleshooting guide. It is arranged in the approximate order of the frequency with which these problems occur.

We begin with the assumption that the normal adjustment factors (all four of them - batten tension, tip tension, tip twist and batten camber) are set properly and are not the source of the turn. Let's start with turns that appear gradually, or may appear all of a sudden, but are very slight. Here's our list:

1) Bent leading edges.

We have mentioned this matter previously, but it bears repeating since it has been a common problem. A landing on which one tip contacts the ground first often results in a nose-in that puts quite a bending load on the leading edge that hits first. A hard whack can bend it. It seems thar this is a less common problem with 7075 tubing which is stiffer than 6061, but I have still seen bent leading edges. I've known gliders APRIL 2002

,7-IJS WING- I-IAS LJ:SS --,WIST, SC., STAJ...J...,S rl~AND

DR.<>~.

Figure 1. Uneven stall duringjlare.

• ,Rl=AR. Vlt=W OF 'F'!L.OT FLARING-

with slight leading edge bends that have been tuned to fly straight, buc this type of cross-tuning results in the glider slightly sidling through the air and a bit of performance is lost (more on this next month). If you've ever noticed a change in your glider's tuning, yo u should suspect a bent leading edge and take steps to correct it.

2) Stretched sail.

In the same way, a leading edge gets loaded

up in a ground loop-type whack. T he opposite side sail gets jerked. Wirh repetitive abuse of this type, the sail can stretch on one side and thus lead to a turn. You can perhaps detect this stretch by noting more flutter on one side, bur often rhat effect is a symptom of swinging the trailing edge into a tree or pole. Anyway, you can't do much to affect rhe sail stretch once it has occurred, so yo u must tune out the turn and recognize that you may have a slight cross-tune.

3) Switched battens or tip wands. T here should be no reason for it, but on at least one glider I had, if I switched rhe battens from left to right, I had a turn. I tried switching rhem several times and the turn showed up consistently when they were swapped. I checked rheir lengrhs and shape against one anorher as well as the pattern, but found no difference. I switched just the wands, but rhat didn't cause the turn. I wrote this down as one of the mysteries of life, and resolved ro never switch batten sides on a glider if performance is critical (like in a meet). This is not a bad policy and I would recommend rhat all pilots carefully keep the blacks and whites (or reds and greens) on their proper sides. Tip wands on curved-tip gliders may have a slight difference in flex or lengrh, so even more than battens, it is recommended rhat

tip wands never be switched as long as things are in balance.

4) Weakening wands. On occasion there have been tip wands produced rhat weaken with age or exposure to a very hot sun. In one incident, a batch of weak wands were mixed with good ones, so some gliders developed turns in hot conditions that weren't there in cooler days. The result was a mysterious rum rhat would come and go.

To make matters worse, some of the pilots of rhese gliders switched wands from side to side so the turn would change sides (of course, that gave a good clue to the source of tl1e problem). You can detect such a possibility in the same way, and by noting if rhe amount of heating affects the turn tendency.

5) Miss-mounted sail I have come across sails that have been shifted to me side at the nose because the mounting system was too right on one side. Nowadays, many sails are mounted wirh leech line that goes from one side, hooks on the nose plate and then ties to the other side. The purpose of this line is ro keep the sail from sliding rearward when yo u fold the leading edges. If this line is too loose or missing, the sail will move back, rhen rip at the front as you open the leading edges. On rhe orher hand, if mis line is too tight or hung up to one side, the sail can't sear properly or equalize left and right.

I always check for how rhe sail is balanced at clie nose whenever I am tuning for lowspeed turns. If it's not perfectly centered at the nose, I want to know why. Of course, if dLfferem sail tensions are applied to the two sides (shims at the leading edge ends), the sail will be shifted toward the tighter side.

This shift should agree with the adjustment you are trying to effect, and if not, start with rhe sail centered. It should be noted

25

preflights don'r include inspect ing the sail position, although they should.

For our pmposes here it is important to be aware of S11ch occurrences and add them to your detective flies.

that in the old days sails were mounted with screws at the nose. This prncticc (still used on some gliders) reduces the effoct of adding shims since the sail doesn't shifr, but the ten· sion just works against sail stretch. Por this reason I alw:1ys check the type of' mouming system when deciding how much tension adjustment to make.

Now we will catalog the turn effi.:cts that 1my happen very suddenly and be quite radical.

Ci) Bent let1ding ed,_v,e.

We have to repeat this problem here, since a greatly bent leading edge can lead to a benr flight path. Whenever you have a hard land· ing you should inspect your glider fcir sym merry. A leading edge with a significant bend will ofren be noticeable by sighting from the nose.

7) Folded Mylar.

When you insert battens carelessly, it is pos· sible for the batten end to push on the rear edge of the leading edge Mylar insert and fold it under (see Figure ·rhis folding can happen even though a layer oF sailcloth sep· arates the banen and rhc Mylar. The only place I've seen it occur is at the second and third bancns 0111 from the roor. Ir can most readily occur when the glider is being set up in a tailwind of IO mph or more.

Several ye,irs ago a pilot c;nne to me at: a meet and said he had just flown a demo glider he inrcndcd to buy, and it had a strange turn effect in it. He couldn't turn in one direction without rhc glider stalling on that side and losing lots of altitude. On landing he had to nm it in to avoid a severe drop. Yet the day before when he flew it, the glider was pcrfoct. I had a suspicion right away and looked directly at the Mylar.

There it was, frllded under one barren only, on the lefr It was barely perceptible, but still significant in the air. It never ceases to amaze me how just a small disruption of rhe leading edge shape in a very small area,

26

way inboard, can have such a dramatic cffoct. Bm it docs. You should suspect fold .. cd Mylar whenever a sudden, strange han· dling effect occurs. I've never come across Mylar folded on both sides at the same bur I im:iginc the glider would be very hard to steer except with the shallowest of banks.

8) Sail or crossbar I recently received an e-mail from a Litcspeed pilot who reported that twice he took off with a hor·· rcnclous turn rl1.1t nearly sent him into the rocks and rrecs near launch. l fc expected crossing wind at flrsr since the turn was gone as soon as he was away from the hill.

I lowevcr, on the next setup he discovered a rear in the seam that holds the internal keel pocket near the rop of the uprights. He realized that rhc pocket was getting caught on die swinging arm (Gerolf connection or dingle-dangle) that holds the hang strap.

I le believes this w,1s happening hccausc he was removing the protective cover befrirc he Whatever the reason, a opened the caught sail of this natme can cause a severe rurn since the sail is being held over ro one side significantly.

Some of the early topless gliders also suffered from the possibility that the crossbar could get way over to one side and stuck rhere. I've also heard of nose battens tha1 stop halfway back, cmght 01) tit· along the 'I 'he same goes for the crossbar holdback cable. In conjunction with this matter we should mention that the effect is similar if' a glider is assembled wrong so that the holdback cable is rnisroutcd. In the quoted above, the tnrn wcnr away as soon ;is the pilot made a orous turn, prob,1bly because of rhc additional loading. Bu1 it's quite possible it won'1 go away. l have ro wonder how many launch accidents in which a pilot turned back into the hill were the result of such a glider problem. Of comsc, we can repeat prcflighr, bm many the need /cir a

9) Misplaced dive sticks, Jprogs and ref!.ex hri· dies. When the Pusion flrst came out I flew it in a rnect at King Mountain. The flrst rime I se1 it up was 011 a slippery slope without good fcloting (no excuse). I had a hard time looking in the tip area to insert the srraighr tip batten (I know, no excuse). I got the lcfr one under the dive stick and couldn't sec it during my normal inspec· tion. In flight it had a curio11s turn that was most disconcerring. Fortunatc:ly, it was a practice rmmcl, and the landing was uneventful. Also fortunately, the Fusion's dive sticks were set rather high, so that left tip was only held down a few degrees from the normal flight position. Unfortunatc:ly, [ had pulled the tip battens before l suspected thar to he the problem, so you c;rn bet the next day l set np very carefully and sighted everything three or four times before flying. The glider flew perfectly straight.

This experience demonstrates how a set· up mistake cm induce a sudden turn and should be the first thing you suspect when a sudden, strong turn appears. Tn this categci.· ry yon can include the older glider problem of captured reflex bridles. I've noticed that this latter problem occurs when setting up in a tailwind that blows them forward when the sail is slack. In a similar manner, sprogs can sometimes be twisted around their sup· port cable or caught in the sail. These items arc listed as a point of information, so you have a complete set of clues ro work with.

In passing we should note that one or two batten tics lefr undone (especially inboard) will not produce a noticcnble turn.

On two occasions I have come across gl iclcrs that had rhc sail attached improperly at the tip. Both times these were curved-tip gliders. · f'hese types of designs have a strap wirh a pin that holds the sail from riding forward when the tip wand is removed.

This strap is 1101 particularly tight, hut if it's wound around the lead edge, it tightens up nicely and pnlls sail down.

T'lic is very noticeable in the air because the miss-attached side cannot twist up and ;1 strong, upright-hug· turn occurs. You mighr wonder why

I JANG CLIDINC

anyone would be so stupid. Well, in hoth cases I have witnessed, the person who replaced the leading edge and attached 1he snap improperly were intelligent, worldclass pilots.

The fact is, it is very easy to make this misrnke, becm1se when the glider is folded on its back ir looks like the improper l'Ollt· ing is the correct one. That's because when the glider is folded, the sail twists around the leading edge a good deal. Now, whenever f mtach this strap in a curved-tip glider [ always open the glider to check the attachment. Even being totally aware of the problem, [ found T did one wrong once.

You should be aware that when the glider is set up on the ground you can hardy detect the problem because the tip area is sagging well below normal flight position. 'fhe only evidence is usually a few small wrinkles at the leading edge where 1bc strap :machcs lo the sail. Add 1his potcnrial selllp malady to your notebook for completeness. h's one of the first things J check on a curved-tip glider when a pilot complains of a severe turn.

the most perplexing was with a glider that would develop a turn to one side that would go away only to appear later on the other side. The glider in question was a Klassic, and this design was susceptible to the problem because of its particular sail anadunent method at the tip. The Klassic has a tip fluing that goes inside the leading edge wi1h two screws that pull on an internal wedge to force the walls of the fitting outward, thereby holding it firmly in place.

The problem was, the Phillips-head screws were prone to stripping, and the plastic wedge was prone to binding. So, even if you use severe muscle power, the lightness of the fitting could be a mere illusion. This tip fitting holds the sail at the desired twist setting, so you can imagine what would happen if the fining weren't tight. If your imagination is incisive you will realize that a strong gust in flight could twist a slipping wing 1ip fitting up, and a hard landing would drop ir down. Thus, changes in the turn direction and amount would occur.

File that case away under "things to note when all else fails."

11) tips. I have come across some very curious tuning problems, but one of

12) Leading edge surprises.

For completeness we must add the fc:w cas-

es I know of in which something was trapped in the leading-edge pocket. fn one case it was a spare upright that the manufacturer had thrown in upon delivery. Tha1 glider stumped the cxpens until the sail was pulled off and the culprit was found. I've also heard of battens, batten patterns, gloves, and in one c;1se two Mylar inserts stuffed in one side. All of these errant items caused turns in the respective gliders.

This list is no doubt incomplete and the combined forces of fate, carelessness, bad luck and Murphy the lawgiver will probably conspire to come up with some new ones. I'd like to hear about them when they occur, but hopefully I won't be the victim. I also hope that this review of turn causes will help yon solve them in your glider, or at the very least help you avoid the problems in the first place.

Next month we present the final episode of" How the Glider Thrns." We will look at the w.:iys you can use tuning ro enhance your glider's tllrn performance.

That's the payoff for reading through months of sere techniGtl blather. II

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27

available to work on the proband constraints set hy the "needs of many," which this new rule is designed meet. We will enjoy the grearest likcliof success if we seek minimal modi·· of tbe rule consistent with our needs. Rights--based arguments will cerrninly fail. Arguments based on ;md economic impact bold the promise for success. Quantitative (numbers) will carry far more

by Paul Voight original purpose of this article was to inform members of some they arc going to see on membership cards, mostly regarding sign-offs (foot-launch and vari forms of towing). However, l realized it will be necessary to take the time review the "big picture" to have it all sense.

The basic concept is this. lJnril now; could be a "designation" on a pilot's known as "TL" Tbis (vaguely) stood 'T<)w Launch. This goes back to the days when Jerry Forburgcr was a dude, building ATOL winches. At spring Board of Directors' meeting, lJSHGA Tow Committee decided to away with TL, and fairly soon cards be going out withour that designa-Don't p:.mic; nothing is being taken from you.

Instead of the old TL there arc three launch special shill.,. Therefore, there now four launch special skills that you pursue in your hang gliding career.

I) "PL" is as it always was: Foot It means you can run off the proficiently.

2) "PL" is as it always was (but now it make it onto your card), and is Plat·iowing. 'Jh1ck rowing and boat arc examples of this. is the moniker for Aero'ri)W·· which oddly enough would indicate a at aerotowing (which includes launches). is the new one, and accom-thc Surface Towing disciplines.

30

weight than qualitative ones.

We should strive to obtain as much as we possibly can in rhe regulation itself Promises of future exemptions and approval for letters of deviation are Anc, but both arc less certain and less durable than being blessed under regulation. The lJSHGA Sport Pilot 'fosk Force is working on an official statcmcm and a set of recommendations. These should be out by the rime you read this article. Read them and consider them carefully before

taking any action on your own. We must act as a team if we arc to obtain a good result for ourselves and the future.

Stationary winch towing, scooter towing and static-line towing fall into this group.

Basically, this special skill indicates profiat launching via some contraption stationed on the ground.

That's the layout in a nutshell. Your card can now have FL, PL, AT and ST' on it if you arc checked out in them all, or it can have any combination of the four.

The purpose of this specificity is to allow a tow operator to discern, from an individual's card, what launch proficiencies they arc checked out for.

If you show up at an acrotow park and don't have KI; you'll need to be trained. Tf you show up where a static winch is the source of a launcb, and you don't have s·i: you will need to be trained. Similarly, a boaHow or truck-tow operation will be looking for PL. And obviously, if you show up at a mountain site where they don't know you, they'll need to see the FL sign-ofl; minimum. (You might also need CL or AWCL, indicating cliff-launcb special skills.)

The big question you probably have now is bow to get the special skills you now possess onto your card. This mainly applies to pilots who had the general and now defunct: TL removed from their latest care!. New cards that need to he printed to add launch special skills will not cost $15! [ n a perfoc:t world, you should only have to contact your tow..opcrat:or, who should be able to fill out a rating form for you, adding that special skill. If that tow operator is not a 'Iciw Administrator, however, he needs to go to the list ofTbw Supervisors on the Web and find one who can comfortably grant him an administratorship (this may require actual review of the tow operation, possibly via video). Tf you operate a tow system you need to

become an Administrator so you can give the special skills ratings. Pilots will be coming to you for rhem.

Any USHGA Instructor who has a tow special skill can easily expect to obtain a tow adminisrratorship. However, you do not have to be an instructor to he a tow adminisrrator. You only need to be a safe and proficient tow operator in your discipline.

Tf you don't find a Supervisor on the list who is geographically close to you, but know a towing experr who would be appropriate (or if you arc a towing expert), contact your Regional Director m have that person or yourself made a Supervisor.

Tcan make the analogy that these appointments arc the towing version of Examiners and Observers in the raring system. They are not hard to get. They need to exist so that unqualified pilots can seek out qualified individuals to their launch special skills.

'J"bis concludes the basic explanation. l would expect a flurry of activity to result from this article. For many years now the aerotowing discipline has been operating in an organized manner. Other forms of towing, however, have been less structllred to the point of total vagueness. Ir's time to play catch-up. ft will take about one year (one membership for all of this to become normal everyday lifo. Until then, seek out and obtain the launch special skills you deserve. If those are the launches you reg·· ularly utilize, obtaining the sign-off, will be easy. ff you need to become an Administrator or Supervisor, chase those appointments down as well. If you opcr· pilots arc going to be asking you to off their special skills! II

DTSCUJJMER: I want to emphasize that this article is intended as tt primer. There has been insufficient time thus far to con-duct ttn exhaustive or comprehensive studp.

Tn addition, I cannot gurmmtee 100% accura~y. I encourage you to use this wor/;: as a starting point{or your own investigations.•

HANC CLJDINC

page 17. another one appeared and l did my frantic semaphore wave. The joy when the ship altered course was indcscrih:1hle.

As it neared I saw the red rising sun on the white background flapping over the conning deck. The Japanese flag. At that point I would have hccn happy ro sec Blackbeard himself. /\s they neared and stopped, I could sec little figures on board scurrying arollnd. I watched patiently, then saw a strange gun aimed my way and heard a loud retort. The next thing [ knew, a huge harpoon had snaked out and impaled iLsclfinro the iceberg. I saw the trailing line tighten, then inexorably the berg and ship drew slowly together.

When they were within hailing distance I waved and yelled, and they answered unintelligibly. Soon a man came sliding down the line in a bosun's chair. I went to meet him at the harpoon and he greeted me with a great smile and a torrent of exclamatory sentences. He signaled that he wanted me in the bosun's chair and I w;1s soon hauled on board with a rope attached to rhc chair suspended from rhc harpoon line. When 1 reached the deck, they whisked me off to a hot Japanese bath to stave off my hypothermia. The IJst thing I remember hcforc I sank into a stupor of bliss was the captain saying ro me, "No gridcl, no gridcl." I couldn't be bothered to fig me our what he was 10 say then, since I had an appointment in dreamland.

I awoke 12 hours later and crawled on deck to scope out my situation. By means of the captain's rudimentary English I discovered that l was on a .Japanese whaler, bound for a refueling srop in Chile, then Japan. I also discovered the captain's commem of "no gridel" incant "no glider," and my l.itcspccd was bound 10 circle the globe like a slow albatross while its icy rafr dwindled. I imagined its last flight as a long, slow glide to the cold, dark ocean floor. My chagrin wasn't complete, how· ever, until I rc:1lizcd that my CPS and all vcrifkation of my continental record flighr went with it, firmly attached to the basetube.

Another source of anguish was the dis-covcry that indeed l was still prone to seasickness. green complexion was heightened by the fact that for three meals a day all we had to cat was rice and whale sushi. I lost 12 pounds in the fourAPRIL 2002

day journey to Valparaiso on the Chilean coast. There l bid a gracious goodbye lo my bowing rescuers. They certainly saved my lifo, burl was deeply disturbed by their gruesome cargo.

They all were convinced Twas a goner after that flrst night. lt was generally agreed that without my aerial rccon they would not have been able to find a fraction of the aquatic herds they had before. 'fhen they floored me. 'I 'hey s;1id that nearly all of them wanted to learn to hang glide after watching me float in peace for so many days.

Some of them even talked about going hack next year, or trying a new place like the Congo.

After a while I just slipped out the door to a snowy Nebraska landscape. Looking cast across the plains, l could almost imagine that I was back in Antarctica where l nearly lost it all, but ended up setting my goal of scoring every continent.

As I watched the snowflakes set· tic, I wondered how m:my more snowfalls would pass befc_irc I could afford to buy a replacement lclr my lost glider and equipment.

POSTSCRIPT Within hours of hitting the shore [ was feeling better and began LO chow down on any semi-recognizable sncet food I came across. I must have looked pretty strange in my expedition clorhes, which were way too hot for the climate. I traded the purple and green jump suit for more food since my Chilean escudos had nm our. I heard the guy exclaim something about "ropas for Mardi Gras." ·rhe wonder of plastic bought me a ticket lo then back to the Unit .. eel Stales. I arrived home to a joy/id, tear .. fol had received the report that I was lost at sea and I could never get rhrough to her on the woeful Chilean phone system.) l had ro do the obligato· ry interview with the local press, then settled down in a black mood to await the return of the rest of the expedition.

They arrived in high spirits a week and a half later. I met them ar the airport and the cheers they gave rne made me realize that [ had been wirh some mighty nice follows. Melvin came shuffling up to me, and I swear he had a rear in his eye when he told me how he felt when he thought I was lost. lie had gone out wirh the and told how they searched ice floe afrcr ice floe for me to no avail.

Three weeks Luer I answered a knock at my door. There swod Melvin looking sheepish. He son of hemmed and hawed, then came our with an offer I couldn'r rcfosc. 'Tel like to help you out flying ... uh ... driving and stLJff; when you gcr another glider." "Gee Mel, that's replied. Then he pulled ot1t a large package from the back oC his car and handed it to me. It was wrapped in brown paper and ir weighed about 20 pounds.

"I just gor it out of qu;irantinc," he said. "I hroughr ir back for the poultry departmem, bm I rhink you shoLJld have it. We didn't kill it; it ran imo a station antenna and we found it dead."

I thanked him and opened the package wirh misgivings. And there on the floor lay a bcautifol, frill-grown, perfrcrly preserved wandering albatross rhc bird with the world's largest wingspan. I paid over $100 to have it stuffed professionally, and now it hangs with its 11-foot span in my living room. My hates it (it's her literal albatross), bm for me it's pure inspiration. Whenever I'm feeling down, I dim rhc lights, lie on the couch under my albatross, and there I am, floating on those Arlamic breezes with one of rhc most rnagnificcnr crcanircs in creation.•

31

The National Sport Flight Conference A NATIONWIDE COMPETITION SYSTEM IS LAUNCHED

by Mike Vorhis, Competition Enhancement Subcommittee, USHGA Competition Committee c year the Competition Committee, in an effort co address the interests of the larger membership, proposed a new system or recreational pilot competition called the ational Sport Flight Conference (NSFC). & it was born in the eleventh hour with respect co the two big April Florida meets, a write-up in Hang Gliding magazine would not have been published in time, so we cried co announce it via the Hang Gliding E-mail Forum. For several reaso ns (many of which boiled down co ineffective project management on my part), we got a false start in 2001, and nothing in the end was launched. T hat is to say, we potacoed.

However, we did gee vocal feedback from quite a few individuals who felt the description at the time was too complicated and did not address their particular competition interests. So we cook what commentary we'd received to heart, realized chat there is no percentage in deliberately aggravating the "math challenged" among us, and over the year slowly and subtly simplified and revamped the system.

We are launching the new and improved SFC this spring (2002). It will provide an America-wide sport ranking for all SFC competitors, using a relatively straightforward and uniformly applied points system (not co be confused with the National Team Selection System's NTSS-point system, which is a long-established and completely separate system).

There are tllfee ways the NSFC system can be applied in a meet: i) A meet can be rw1 using the SFC scoring system as the only scoring system of the meet; or ii) A meet can be run using its own local scoring system, but rwming the NSFC calculations on the side, so chat the competitors will get NSFC point credit for the meet; or iii) A meet can be run using the established GAPS scoring (such as the big C lass A sanctioned meets run), and can run the NSFC calculations on the side, so chat tl1e competitors will get NSFC credit for the meet.

This year, in the big Florida meets, SFC points will be calculated on tl1e side while the official GAPS point system is used per normal co score the meets. Ocher meets, hopefully all meets, will offer NSFC points as well. All pilots who accumulate SFC points in any meet will be ranked nationwide within this new system.

Here's your chance co compare your ranking with Jim Lee, Mike Barber, Kari Castle, Chris Arai, Brian Porter, Davis Straub and the ocher sky gods, in a system designed to give weekend warriors a fighting chance. More importantly, here's a chance co smoke your flying buddies and then gee national recognition for having done so.

U

ous local airspaces. le will make it straightforward to put together and score easy-co-run meets which are comparable in point value to ocher such meets across the country. le will attempt to incentivize experienced or burgeoning meet directors to step to the fore.

2) Because participation is the key to improvement, the NSFC will encourage participation by sUJ1lfning every competitor's total SFC points, rather than their average, for the year. If a pilot wants co improve either skill or standing, racking up another comp or two will move him or her further up chat range. (And, of course, a percomp-day SFC points average will be published too, so chat pilots who don't have access co lots of meets can still see their national ranking based on averaged performance.)

3) Because many (most?) pilots are relative novices when it comes co comp strategy, and because most pilots do not have the benefir of the latest factory equipment, and because most pilots' employment and fanuly conlfnitrnents keep chem more grow1db0Lmd than the semi-professional competirors, the handicapweighred NSFC scoring system compresses points for lower and intermediate experience levels upward coward the top, forcing top guns co keep looking over their shoulders, while giving Jo(e) Amateur a fighting chance in meets.

4) Because everyone would like co know where they stand for their efforts, the ranking will be natio nwide and will include a final yearly score fo r every participant who entered even one day of SFC competition. Want to beat your buddies or take on the big names head-co-head? This is the arena in which co do it.

·Personal Target" Base Points

WHAT THE SYSTEM SEEKS TO DO The National Sport Flight Conference (NSFC) intends co accomplish several fundamental things: 1) Because the single biggest motivation pilots have for attending events is tl1e convenient proximity of the event co their home town, the NSFC intends to encourage competitions of nearly any size, and nearly any complexity or simplicity, right there in the vari-

32

H ANG GLIDING

THE HEART OF IT At its heart, the NSFC amoLmts co a self-handicapping system.

After all, on a given day, with a given set of conditions, nobody knows better than the pilot what his or her combined gear, skills, knowledge and luck are likely to do. So with NSFC, a pilot essentially declares what kind of performance is his or her Personal Target for the day. The meet director and cask comrnjttee still sec a cask, but the pilot chews off what portion of it he or she wanes co shoot for. More on the math details below; just remember chat it is a handicap scheme wherein the entire pilor/wing/harness/brarn system is evaluated and handicapped by the pilot himself Nothing could be more fm. Yet selecting your Personal Target each day will cake some serious thought.

SIMPLICITY IS ELEGANCE

That's about it. Not too tough.

Meet Directors will record the daily prediction for each competitor in the morning, and the resulting distances and times at day's end. They'll plug chose into a spreadsheet (or in special cases e-mail chem co the SFC National Laboratories where the calculations are performed). They'll pose the results for the pilots chat night or the next morning.

AN INTERPOLATED QUARTER-HECTARE OF MATH The following description applies co the most common meet format - the X-C Race To Goal.

On a given valid day, a competitor can earn up co 100 NSFC points. To gee that number you must choose aggressively, fly great, and turn in a fast time.

There are four kinds of points:

When a pilot enters a meet, he or she is still competing for placement by whatever format or rules the Meet Director specifies. If the meet scoring system differs from the NSFC system (which is perfectly legal and allows meet directors, with their own ideas, full freedom to run the meet they wane co run), then NSFC points are calculated "on the side" to ensure chat competitors will gee their national system crerut, even though chose points would have nothing co do with the meet's scoring or placement. If the meet is using the NSFC points as its primary scoring sysrem, the NSFC calculations become the primary points used co determine meet place, as well as giving pilots the national system credit.

To participate in the NSFC, a pilot really need only concern himself with a couple of things besides flying: a) If the meet uses its own scoring, you muse pay attention co chose local scoring rules if you want to place well in chat meet. b) For NSFC purposes, you have to declare before launch how far you intend co go chat day (with respect to the day's full task). c) For NSFC purposes, you must provide an accurate location where you eventually landed. d) For NSFC purposes, you must provide an accurate time duration of your flight, afterward.

When the day's cask is declared, of course it has a length in kilometers or miles. With NSFC, eve1y competitor muse inspect chat cask and route, look at the sky, and decide what percentage of chat task he or she wanes to declare as a Personal Target. Declarations are in 10% increments (10%, 20%, .. .60% ... 90%, 100%). The pilot cells it co the Meer Director, who chisels it in scone. ow, if we were r~ng a straight-line, 1: 1 scoring system, declaring 50% and making it would give a pilot only 50 of the 100 max points for the day. Many pilots feel such a non-skewed system is superior because it lees novices flounder at the bottom where they belong. They like a scheme chat hugely rewards the mighty with

Base Points+ Extra Distance

Base P oil'lts + Extra Distance+ Speed

BASE POINTS for achieving Personal Target Stretch-for-EXTRA-DISTANCE POINTS (if Personal Tar gee is achieved) SPEED POINTS (if Personal Target is achieved) CONSOLATION POINTS for not achieving Personal Target

Adde: to Base

iaved"'

ase Poi s

Figure 2. Max Extra Points added to Base Points APRIL 2002

33

well--deserved honors far above the rank and file. We have good news for rhcsc sent imenrs: 'That system and h:is for years. It's sole purpose is to select a National '[cam, a job for which it is highly effective, and nothing is going to make fr go away.

Bur with declaring as low as 30lYr> of the day's task will you NSFC Base Points, as long as you make rhar target. Declaring 60%J (and making it) will earn you about 70 Base Points. Declaring I 00% will earn you max 90) Base Points. Everyone who makes his or her Per-sonnl 'forget gets accelerated somewhat toward the rop of the scoring range.

Figure 1 shows a diagram of Base Points as a fimction of Personal 'forget declared.

You can sec that rhe point awards arc crowded toward the top, narnrally amplifying the eH(irts of those who need it long as they earn it), while keeping competition keen.

Notice, however, that the pilot who declares more and makes ir will get more Base Points than someone who plays it safo.

So there is still plenty of incentive plen-ry of competitive advantage to declare higher on rhe chart. 'The rrick is to Know 'Thyself and Stretch Thyself at rhe s;imc time.

(A word about distances: Declaring and making 40%J of the goal actually means getting closer to the goal than 60% or the overall task distance. That is, the measurement that matters is not the twisted path you flew but what is left in "course distance" bet.ween you and the meet goal. So you might have gone a helluva long way, but if you're off course you could still come up short. ft's what's lefr ahead of you that determines whal percentage of the overall task you flew.)

A word abom valid days: Days declared invalid by an X--C Meet Director or Meet Steward arc scrapped in NSPC: as well. !JXFR1I DIST!lNC!i J>O!NTS

Once you have achieved your Persorn1! 'farget, keep going! 'fry to stretch ic)r more. Sec what you can do, hccausc for every coursemile more you get extra credit, added to the Base Points you earned by making your Personal 'l !irgct.

There is a catch though: Extra Distance Points arc awarded at a much lower payoff schedule than Base Points were. You can't declare at 60%J, Ay an extra I()<%, and

to earn whar yom buddy earned by declaring 70% and rrnking ir. Th:n is called and we know what you're thinking, so think twice.

For example, if Joe declares 7o<l1J and makes it, he will earn about out of90 possible Base Points. If Monique declares 50l)1J, yet flies a very impressive 70% and Base lands right beside Joe, she will earn Points and about six Extra Distance Poi ms, for a total or 60. Speed bonuses cxclnded, a whopping 14 Joe would bear her points for the even rhongh they flew the same 'fhar is, Joe would be rewarded nicely for setting his sights higher from the ourset, and for selecting a Personal 'I i1rgct nearer his foll potential. 1n a system in which competitors arc able to select their own handicap levels, ensuring some remaining incentive for self~challcnge (by keeping some slope in rhc Base Points curve) is necessary ro discourage excessive sandbagging.

A little of' the conservatism is probably warranted, however, as you'll sec larcr.

Extra Distance (XD) points are available for flying extra distance beyond yom Personal 'forget, up to a maxim11m or rhe distance ofrhe complete task "course miles"). Like Base Poims, XD poin1s are calculated based on what's lcfr in fronr of you, rather than on how for you fly. Figure 2 shows how yom maximum XD points making your Personal 'fargc1 and d1en stretching ;111 the way ro goal) can add to your Base Points.

It's not a bad deal, if you're cnced or hampered by low-performance gear. Single Surface Charlie can decbrc ar only 20%, and still do his best to make it all the way to and if he succeeds, he'll get 70 of a possible 90 distance points. lnstcad of being essentially out of the hum from the first day, disrance-poinrs-wisc he's only 20 points back of the frontTunners.

He has a fair chance of closing the gap in the next couple ifhc can learn the course and flying.

And yet, if a highly skilled pilot and declare at achieve) I00%, yoll're still 20 poiuts out in from of Charlie. not enough to Thar's a significant lead ignore him from then on, bm definitely enough to go inro Day 2 with a well-earned I. advantage from So lest you think you can sandbag for safety and then make it up by all the way to goal, think again, because you can

only rnakc up so much. This system promotes the of realistic hm ambitious personal targets, and then achieving them.

Ii' you're over-caurious you'll have to tighten things up in subsequent days. Chronic sandbaggers will find themselves down somewhere lower on the list.

SPF!iD PoINn;

Not·icc that Base Poims and Extra Distance Poinrs you an cifrcrivc ceiling at 90 NSFC: points for the day. This is because rhc top IO points arc reserved for distinguisbing 1he good from the good-and-fast.

A simple equation allows speed points to be awarded on the basis of average speed during rhe flight: The miles flown divided by the elapsed time produces an average miles-per-hour which the spreadsheet uses to award speed points. So for pilots landing om, in addition to pinning in their loc:ition at day's end, they will need 10 give an elapsed to the minute. [r's on the l Tonor System (that is, don't cheat or there will be hell to pay), and it ain't difficult; pretty much everybody these days has a watch.

Speed for goal· finishers can be measured however the Meet Director wants. A meet official timing the launch and goal crossing? A tarp-to-goal calculation, using cameras or CPS? Time yourself? Whatever the boss says, goes.

The NSJ:C Speed Points award schedule is as follows: An average speed of 30 mph or more will yield the max l O speed points; an average speed of less than 12 mph will yield none. Point increments occur every two mph within that range. 'fable 1 gives the Speed Point values.

Remember that anyone can earn Speed Points, as long as they make their own Per-sonal T\1rgcr. Even if you declare l 0%, if you make it you could add 10 additional points to your Base score. (Pilots declaring 0%, alas, will have to stretch for at least some positive Extra Distance if they want to earn Speed Points. We don't w:mt to cncomagc immediately sinking to rhc bail-out without a fight, and besides, dividing zero by anything gets you a goose egg in anyone's math.)

While it's true that big-air, downwind meets may favor higher average speeds than triangle New England events, and that rigids will generally out--spccd flex wings that will in turn paragliders, it's also true that the cxpecrations of higher speeds and greater range can tend to HANC Cl IDINC

lengthen daily tasks and aniplify mistakes in declaring Personal'] So-called accessto·Spccd·l\iints advantages will rend to even out in other ways. In rhe interests of simplicity, NSFC will maintain a single simple Poi ms table for all X-·C meets.

You cm sec that the only way ro get 100 points for rhc cby is to declare l OO<Xi of the task and then execute at 30 mph average or If several pilots accomplish it, and if rhe meet is on NSFC: points for its primary scoring system, then meet place· mcnt will he dccidecl by the faster times.

The addition of maximum possible Speed Points is illustrated in Figure CONSO!.AF!ON PO!NI:\'

In the discussion of Extra Distance points, we showed that sandhaggcrs would he exor·· cised by this system. Still, sandbagging is nor the worst d1ing you can do. The worst thing you can do is to declare a Personal too r;:ir your ahilities and then fail 10 it. If this happens, you will find yourself drnicd the Base Poi ms you lnstc;1d, you will get the lesser base poims associated with the distance you did fly, and no Extra Distance or Points, and a large penalty sulmactcd as well. The penalty is small frir pilots who declared low Personal and quite for pilots who dccbrcd high. The prnaltics for each class are prescmcd in

'I :1blc l ;or example, a pilot who declares ar the 90 1Ycl level expects to earn 85 Base l'oims.

(From 'fable 2, that pilot has a penalty risk of' So if he fails to get within I 0% of and instead goes only hctween li0% and 50% of the way, he is awarded 59 Base Points (which arc the Base Points oF the 40% and his :-\5 penalty points arc subtracted from that. I ]is mtal is only 24 points.

This penalty system is just a hit easier 011 a pilot who misses his or her Personal hy only a small margin. A pilor who declares at 90% and expects ro get her 85 points plus extras, but who only flies 2°A1 short of her mark, will earn 80 Base Points (for flying 88%) minus :15 penalty poi ms, for a total poinrs. Could be worse it sure beats the 2.li points of rhc example above bm the real answer is to let others make these mistakes while your own consistency skies you to the top ohhe ch,irt.

Note that a weak pilot declaring 0% of the task will still get 39 Base Poinrs for launching and om immccliatdy, bm Al'RIL 2002

a pilot declaring at 100% and making 0 miles will zero rbe hecausc of his :39poim penalty. Fly at the level you declare, or pay a price commensurate with that level.

(And you thought it was a Speed Gliding meet won'r he accepted as an excuse for sinking out.)

THE RAlNBOW'S END The NSFC: system will produce annual NSFC Champions, and an NSr:C Pilor of the Year. Thar pilot will star in a fcatme article in c;/idingandlor Paragliding magazine, and will, of course, get some hor gear. Other will enjoy notoriety and will win too. We also hope to something good to Meet I )ircctors, and maybe have a McetHcad of the Year article as well. Thus far, Wills Wing, Moyes AmerArai U.S. Acros, Flytcc, WallaRanch, Quest Air and Lookout Mountain Flight P,1rk have pledged support in the way of prizes for competitors of one kind or another, while others are not on rhc list yet through no foult of their own, bur mostly because we have yet to approach them. We will publish a full list of sponsors and their as soon as we cm compile it, but rest assured that the haul will be good.

OTHER TYPES OF MEETS X-C Meets: Paragliding meets arc an equal part of this. We arc working on a list of sponsors, and suggestions and volun teerism arc most welcome. /Vler:ts: Speed Meets also as NSFC:.sanoioncd events, and can cam points as well. The scoring is much simpler: A maximum of 2"i NSH: poi ms can be had per speed round. There is no Personal· forget ro declare. Firsr place for rhc round wins the ?.5-poinr max, second earns 2:3, rhird receives 21, fourth gets 19, down to a minimum of five points for the rmmd's 11th place ;md below. ( ]early, a pilot a pair of second-place rounds can equal a pilot who wins one round and places third rhc next. And although speed gliding meets generally throw our a pilot's fastest and slowest rounds, or sometimes all but two or three rounds, every valid round earns NSFC points regardless of whether it was your best or worst.

Speed Gliding Meets need only a minimum of frmr cornpctirors in a round to earn NSFC points.

Meets have typically been the bailiwick of Class 1 gliders, but we're trying that, and to get pylon/slalom

paragliding meets up and rnnning nationwide. These meets would also qualify as NSFC-sanctioned events, and hears could be run interleaved with hang gliding speed meets.

H1reiin 5J1er:d or X-C Mer:t:f. Canadian, Mexican, or other extra-national meet~ of most formats, as long as they have at least eight competitors for X·C meets or four competitors for Speed rounds, and as long as their Meet Director administers the NSFC concept mectwidc (primary or sec· ondary scoring), will earn points for the USHCA members entering in them too.

Prr·-Existing or Mavericle-Minded lntnt· USA Meets: Insidc-USA meets that prefor to score themselves in their own way can still earn d1eir cntrarns NSFC points if they run NSFC: scoring (with Personal· fargct declaration, fr.ir X-C in parallel wirh their own scoring system.

Wildry Diffi:ring Hmnats. Organizers of X-C meets tailored around the Open I )istance model, or organizers of meets using other extremely different non-rnce-to··goal formats, should contact us ASAP and we will do our best to design special scoring to allow these meets to offer NSFC points to their competitors. You want it and we'll do it, ifwc can figure a way that's foir.

Sr:t1son·long Challenieo: Season-long comps arc nor 1:echnic11ly "mec1s" because pilots don't come together. 'fhcy arc difllculr to integrate into NSFC, and classically need no participation encouragement any· way. Moreover, flights from other NSFC meets could qualify for inclusion in such challenges, and getring double benefit for a single flight would tend to skew rhe fairness of the new system. Therefore, at this point in time, :md for this first NSFC: season, we will not include these comps in the national sport ranking system. We will, however, accept advice on changing that in fomre, and may even succumb rn pressure w include them this year, if that pressure is universal and compelling, and if mathematically elegant solutions accompany such sentiments.

SfMPUClTY The NSFC is built around simplicity for meet directors and for pilots. Bring your favorite old blade or get a hot new ship; it's up to you. If you can't fly an entire meet, just fly the day or days you can; you'll still get NSFC points for those flights. Some very basic event announcement guidelines arc expected to be lcillowcd, to ensure that a

0-10

12+

14+

16+

18+

2o+

22+

24+

26+

28+

Jo+

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

IO

Table 1. Speed Points meet is an "open" event and that no deliberate exclusionaiy practices prevailed. But there are no provisions for protests or the like; the intent is to fly, a11d life is too shore for the rest.

A meet organizer can get nearly everything he or she needs from us, or as much as we cai1 provide with sufficient notice.

And anything you elect to put together that we could use, we'll make available to the next Meet Head, and so on. That includes score sheets, a menu of formats, registration advice, promotional a11d sponsor-finding tips, and good old, ever-lovin' Yankee hype.

If the scoring charts a11d equations boggle you, forget them. They're only presented here so that everyone knows how it works, and to provide assurance that a meet in Scranton is equal, more or less, to a meet in Spokane. Instead, hang onto the fact that a competitor need only remember two things at the day's start: 1) Declare a Personal Target, and 2) Note your start time on your watch, and two things at day's end: 3) Pin in your location (if you land out), a11d 4) Turn in your elapsed time (if you land out).

Nothing to it. It ain't exactly glider sci-

0

4

THE CONFERENCE IS BORN NSFC is fun. Different. A challenge. Clubs should throw the gaw1tlet at other clubs.

Areas with several clubs should create a regional comp "circuit," with events hosted by each club, and get on board. Individuals should seek to run meets small or large. As long as there are eight or more competitors for X-C (or four or more for Speed), the event qualifies for NSFC points. So far there is no sanctioning fee, but if that price tag has to change, it won't be by much.

(Maybe we'll just double it.) Most importantly, we want calls and e-mails armouncing intent to host a meet. Ask for the lcit; we'll deliver. Then fly, and send in the results.

The NSFC system promotes task evaluation, task definition, critical flight plan development and incremental improvement for every competitor. It provides an empirical measure of performance, looking back and going forward. It delineates between pilots of differing skills while keeping the pressure on the more accomplished, and still awards handicap-type advantages to those who need that extra mathematical tailwind.

This system is not perfect. Neither is it identical to each and every pilot's dream scheme, coincidentally weighted toward individual strengths as those schemes invariably are. Bur for every objection we will have a solution (or at least an excuse).

8

12

15

19

23

NSFC ca.11 flex as needed. We will launch it this year. Participate. Grow it with us. If you're a hot pilot with World Team aspirations, take this system seriously as well.

Compete head-to-head within it, and let it mean something to you; your attitude will go a long way toward validating the laurels that NSFC offers. If you're a recreational pilot, let dus new excitement be part of that recreation, get yow-self railked nationally, a11d go for some great prizes. If you're new to the sport, cut your competition teeth and gain some eai·ly notoriety in this system; it will lead you to really big dungs sooner tha.11 you'd otl1erwise have thought.

Go to Wallaby a11d Quest in April and declare your Personal Tai·get (if you don't declai·e, you ai·e auto-declared at 90%, so speak up). Attend the Speed Gliding Nationals at Lookout Mow1tain, or the Class A-sanctioned meets at Elsinore or Chelan. Hold other meets at your favorite sites. Make dus your competition conference, and let's all see what happens.

For more information call Mike at (51 O) 770-0544, or send an e-mail to mike@vorhis.com. And stay tuned via the USHGA website andHang Gliding and Paragliding magazines for farther improvements or extensions to the NSFC system.

PS.: Have you got a name for your meet yet? What's keepin'ya?•

27

31

35

39

Table 2. Penalty Points

36

HANG GLIDING

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

USHGA-SANCTTONED FVFN"J'.(, HANG GLIDINC X-C MEETS

Wallaby Open!U.S. HG Nationals, April l 3-19. Contact: Malcolm Jones, l 805

Dean Still Rd., Davenport, PL 800-WALLABY. Quest!Nytec Championships, April 21-28.

Contact: Steve Kroop, 6548 Groveland Airport Rd., Groveland, FL 429-8600.

Chelan XC Classic, Chelan, WA. July 1-6. Contact: www.cbcc.org, russlfboc(a)anbi.com.

PARAGUJ)]NC: XC MEETS

PG NationaMOwcn's Valley, Sept. l 0-16.

Snowbird XC Comp, Aug.31-Sept.

Contact: Ken Hudonjorgenson, 47 4 E. Tcmya Drive, Sandy, UT 84070, (801) 572-3414.

U.S. Mtts!Kari Castle Classic. Contact: Chad Bastian, (805) 89'i-21 33.

Southern Califi1rniri PG Open, May 23-27. Meet Director and Steward, Mitch McAlccr; Peter Swanson, Safety Director; Ken Howells, Safety Director.

Contact: Mitch McAlcer, 29120 Melby Dr., Lake Elsinore, CA 925:32, (909) 674--8844.

HANG GUDINC SPEFD GUDING MFFTS

Chelan 5;1eed Gliding Championships, Chelan, WA, May l-4. Contact: Steve Alford (42'i) 788-0308 or Aaron Swcpston 826-1 l 12.

Ed Levin Meet; Ed Levin, CA, June 7·9.

Contact: Meer Director Mike Vorhis, mikc@vorhis.com.

Aero-Extreme, Jackson Hole, WY, July 25-28. Meet Director: Scot 'frueblood.

U.S. Speed GlidinJ; National1, Aug. 29-Scpt. 1, I,ookont M tn., 'fN. Contact: Matt Taber, 1-800-688-5637.

Al'RIL 2002

APRIL 13-19: 2002 Wrillaby Open and U.S. Nationals.

Sanction: US! TCA Class A l,ocation: Wallaby Ranch, 1805 Dean Still Rd., Davenport, FL 33837, (863) 424-0070 $400, 50%J deposit required at rcgistrat ion. Docs not include towing.

Organizers: Malcolm Jones and I ,auric Croft Meet Directm~ J.C. Brown Safi:ty Director. Malcolm Jones Scorekeepei~ Peter C;ray USHGA Meet Stewards: Jim Zcisct: and J.C. Brown !lwmds and Prizes: A minimum of $5,000 prize money will be distributed as follows. Class I: A minimum of $3,500 will be awarded in Class I. First: $1,000, Second: $700, Third: $'JOO, Fourth: $300, Fifth: $250, Sixth: $200, Seventh: $175, Eighth: $150, Ninth: $125, "] ,:mh: $100. Class 2: A minimum of$ 1,500 will be awarded in Class 2.

First: $800, Second: $350, Third: $250, Fourth: $100. Mandatory pilot briefing: April 12, 2002, 7:00 PM ar meet head quarters.

APRIL 21-27: 2002 FJ:ytec Championships at Quest Air. Srmctirm: USHGA Class A and CIVL/WPRS points meet l,ocation: Quest Air Soaring Center, 6'i41l Groveland Airport Road, Crovcland, Florida, .347:36, 429· 0213, fax 429-4846, www.flytcc.com.

Entryjl:e: within 30 days of the meet). Docs not include towing.

Meet Steve Kroop and the Quest Air hunily Meet f>irector: David Glover Saf'ety Director. Russ Brown Scorekeeper. David Glover USHDA Meet Steward: John Borton Awards and Prizes: A minimum of $'i,OOO prize money will be split over at least 13 places throughom Class I and Class 2 based on registration breakdown.

Mandatory pilot briefing, Satmday, April 20, 2002, 5:00 PM a1 meet headquarters.

IMPORTANT TNFORMATION TO READ that applies to both meets: Registration begins on December 7,

2001 contact information above).

April 20 is a rest/transition day. No 0H1cial rest days arc planned during the meets. No offki,11 practice days arc planned. 'There ;ire no rain, weather, or conringency plans 10 extend or postpone the competition. Numher of pilots: ()0120 pilots, (i5<x1 of the available posi-· tions will be held for U.S. pilots for the first 30 days of" registration. Competitor entry requircrncnts include: USHGA membership, USl!GA (or fcircign equiv· alcnt) Advanced pilot rating (T ntcrmcdiatc at Flytcc) with Acrotow signoff. Glidcr/cquipmc111 entry require· mcnts include Class 1 ,rnd Class 2 hang gliders. CPS receivers arc required for flight documentation. The fiJllowing models of G PS receiver will be supported: Garmin models 38, 10, 45, l 12XL, 12 Map, ff, Ill and Ill+. (Others may also be supported. Please corwtct meet directors J.C. Brown at jcbfly@rnsn.com and David Glover at david@Ddavidglovcr.com for more info.)

The meet format is cross-·country race to goal with or without turnpoints. Rules: 2002 USHGA Competition Rulebook and the 2002 and Local Meet Rulebooks. Scoring: GAP/GAP modified.

UNTII, MAY 2002 Region Nine Regional, and Region Nine Yearlong XC 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 indi-· vidual flights of the year on any day between February 15 and November 15.

Classes fi:ir Rookies, Sixty Miles, Open, Rigids and Paragliders. Entry foes $10 and respectively. Contact: Pere Lehmann, lpld1mann@aol.com, (4 I 2) G61 5811 Elgin St, Pittsburgh, PA l',206.

MAY 3-5: Ninth Armwd World Invitational and Gliding Air Races, Tcmey Pines International Glidcrport in San Diego, California. Race entry foe is$ J 50 USD. Cash and prizes in sport and open -class elimination series. The races will be held in conjunction with the 1.Vr,st Coast Paragliding and !Jang h'xposition

and Demo Dt1ys taking place from May l 5. Contact: aircal@ix.nctcom.com or phone (858)

P.O. Box 907, Chelan, WA 9881 G, skydog@h1elevar.comhtt:p://www.chclan flyers.com/Chelan Worlds.

MAY 12- 18: Ct1mtdirm Hang Gliding (Class 1) Open Championships. Lumby, British Columbia (north of Chelan).

Prize money. CIVL Class 2 Sanctioning and U.S. NTSS Sanctioning. Comact: www.dowsett.ca/cd n nats.

19.. 21: Adventure SjJorts X-C Open 2002. Open Distance, Open Direction, Open Window. Open to all pilots. Pilots choose their comsc. The longest flights win. Launches will be from either Slide Mtn. or McClellan Peak, both in tlic: Washoe Valley 20 miles south of Reno, NV. Cameras required. Sponsored by Adventure Sports. Entry $100 until July l, $125 thereafter. Contact: Box 20066, NV 89721 883 ..

Carson 7()70, advsp1s(qlpyrm11id.net.

21-23: Wild Wild Wr,st Regionrlls, Carson City Nevada. 12rh annual X-C racing event. Pilots of all skill levels welcome. Intermediate through competi· tion-caliber pilots fly a proven course in the Sierras surrounding kat1tifril Lake ·rahoe out to the awesome desert.

T-shirts, party for all, and silver belt buckles for rhc rop live places. I\ no-pressure competition and race. Registration is $100 unril May I, $125 thereafi:er.

Contact: Adventure Sports, 8837070, advsprs@pyramid.net.

26--30: King Mountain Meet; King Mountain, Moore, Idaho. This year's meet will offer a different format from previous years. We will be scoring rhc: bc:sl three om orfive days, so if you can only make the weekend you still have rime to get your flights in. We will still have rhe hest world-class trophies, Open, Recreation, and Team classes, Driver Award, Staff Choice Award, barbecue Saturday night, handicap scoring wirh bonus I .Z's, Open Distance X-C, great scenery, flying, and fun! Entry includes a beautiful foll--color shirt designed hy renowned Montana Dan ( ;ravage. Contact: Meet or a pre-· Director/Organizer Lisa registration packer from 1171 G P,iirvicw Boise, Idaho 83713 (208) 37(i.

791 Ii or C>·mail to Zoolisa@aol.com.

Information also availahlc: at http:/ !hometown .aol.corn/zool isa/ myho me page:/ extrcme. l1tm I. 11-21: The First !ltos-C!ttss Wr1rld Championships, Chelan, Wasliington.

JULY l 1-21: The Fighth Wrnm:n's World C'f1t1mpionships, Chelan, Washington. l 1-2 l: The Ninth Swifi-C!ass Wr1rld Championships, Chelan, Washington. Contact: Chelan Flyers,

3B

MARCH 23: Fly. In. Fly at tbc Ranch in 'fo]lhouse, CA, located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, cast of Fresno. l lang glider and paraglider pilots welcome. Contact·: Western J-l angers I) or Paul Splan (559) 449-·02 I 4, spla 11@lmcdiaonc.net.

MARCH 22-24: South Florid11:S pre-sett· son fly-in ar Florida Ridge Flight Park.

Fun for all pilots, X-C prize, purse to he announced for Hang 4 competition, x .. c clinic for H3's, and other competitions including duration flights, bomb drops and spot landings for I-fang 2's. Entry fee plus :icrotows. Saturday and Sunday barbecue. Comacr: Florida Ridge (863) 805-0IJ40, or James 'Tindle (305) 28'5· 8978.

MAY 17-19: South Carolina 5jJringtime Fly-In, at Glassy Mountain near Greer, SC:. Come rnjoy flying and competing balloon toss, etc.) (spot, duration, at this beautiful south-facing moumain.

Plaqnes awarded to all first, second and third place finishers in all competitions entry foe fc)r (except ldloon competition flying, $IO for fun flying.

Fly-In T-shirrs ,ivailablc. Classy launch is 1,500' J\GL Contact: Paul Peeples, PO Box 12 J, Brevard, NC 28712, (828) pbranncnp@msn.com.

MAY 17: Kitty Hawk Kites Instructor !l!umni Neunion. All instructors past and present: who have taught for Kitty Hawk Kites arc welcome. Held in conjunction with the I·lang Gliding Spectacular and Air Games at Kitty J-lawk Kites, Nags Head, NC. Contact: Bruce Weaver, 41J l bruce@kittyhawk.com.

MAY 17-20: 30th !lnnua! Hang Gliding iJJJectaculrtr and Air Games, Kitty l !awk Nags Head, NC. Fun flying for pilots oF all skill levels (I-Jang 1 10 I-Jang h:stivitic:s include: two-day dune competition at Jockey's Ridge State Park, two-day aerotowing competition, instructor alurnni reunion, street dance, Rogallo Foundation /\wards Banquet.

Compere and/or demo equipment from major manufacturers. J\ll competitors receive prizes. Contact: Bmce Weaver, 41J 1 bruce@kittyhawk.com.

MAY 2517: Starthistle 2002, 26th Annual Hang Gliding/Paragliding Fly-In at Woodrat Mtn., Rueb, Oregon.

Contact: hnp://rvhga.org/Starrhisrlc2002.htm.

MAY 25-27: 22nd Annual Dry Canyon Memorial Day Fly-In. Competition and fun flying. entry fee includes awards dinner, drinks and good flying. 'T~shins and other apparel also available. Dry Canyon has been changed to a Hang 3 and above site wirh FL experience: and sign-off on USH GJ\ card, for the safety of all pilots. Contact: 'Tom or Cindy 16 Pecan Dr., Alamogordo, NM West, 88310, (505) IJ37-5213, cindy0htotacc.com, or George Woodcock ('505) 5854(>14.

AUG. 29-SEPT. 2: Region 9 Am Fly-ln.

Rain dares 13-15. Fairview J\irficld in Hyram 'fownship, OH. Camping available at the site witb no amenities, hut camping with amenities is available nearby. Call or e-mail for details and directions. J\crotow meet only. Pay as you row ($10/1 k, 2.k!tow limit). 'fasks include X-C (GPS required), ouHtnd· return (CPS required), duration tasks, bomb drops, c1nd spot-landings. Fee: $30 if registered by July 1'i, after. Fee covers porta-pntty rental and land use fee Hi\NC GUDINC

for owner. Register by sending check or money order Lo: J:dipe Amunategui, 3122 Huntington Rd., Shaker Heighrs, OH 44120, 6) 751 , dr.amu· nareguiv1\m.ner. fncludc name, address, phone, e··rnail and a copy of your USHCA card. AT administrators will he available ro sign off qualified partici. pants. AT sign-off required to compete.

SEPT 14·1

12th Amnutl Pim Mtn. Fly-In, Pinc Mtn., Bend, OR. Contact: Bill T1ylor, I) 408.2408, www.dcscrtairridcrs.org.

·roURS

-2: Second Annucd Cape Kiwttnda Antique llttng Glider 5,;1ectt1cult1r, Pacific C:iry, Oregon. Sponsored by the VallcyVillc Ifang c;Jiding Club. Dust off rhc old kite, round up the family, whip up your favorite dish and come relive the old days. Camping accommodarions for all, either on the beach or in one of the

close-by campgrounds equipped wirh foll RV hookups and tent sites. Gourmet potluck and party Saturday night. Cape Lookour and other flying sites nearby.

Sec photos and event information ar: hnp:// danirnal.ats.orst.cdu/antiqudly-· in.html.

Lakeview Umpteenth Annual Fcstivrtl of'Frccjl~r;:ht, Lakeview, Oregon. with your buddies Lors of fun from a great selection of sites and a fr:w friendly contests with cash prizes for the winners. Registration ($10) Wednesday, July 3, fly July 4-6, awards at I 0:00 AM on the 7th. Pilot's rneeting July 4, 9:30 AM ,U the Chamber HQ. Cumulative distance contest for paraglidcrs. Annual Hill-Lakeview trophy dash on Satmday for hang gliders. Spot·landing contests Satmday afrernoon. Adult hcv .. erage party ,ll Jules and Mary's July 4, Chamber barbecue on Samrday at Hot Springs (formerly llunrer's).

Contact: Jules, (541) 947.-:3330, frceflitevi>cenrurytcl.nct, or Lake County

Chamber of'Commercc, 6040.

I) 947.

Pines P11ragliding And Costume California's most extreme, fun costume fly-in. Dress up your paraglider and fly free. ( ;a mes, Hang

contests and prizes for the most outra· gcous and original flying costumes. All pilots welcome to camp overnight on the property. Saturday night cookout and party f;,)r all attendees. Media and film-· ing bluffs welcome. Contact: David Jebb, Pines Director of Opcrarions, '] Glidcrport, Air California Advcntme, Inc., D&M Distriburing, LI.C, 1-858 ZULU (9858), Toll Free: 1·877-RY. TEAM www. ll yto rrcy. com.

OCT

Fri!l 2002 USHG!I Board of' mtn1n;:., i 11 the Orlando,

Florida are;i. Contact: wv,1w.LL'1l).\a,u1~, (719) 632 8iJOO.

us. Amos• APRIL 2002

39

HANG GLIDING ADVISORY Used hang gliders should always be disassembled before /lying for the first rime and inspected carc!irlly for fatigued, bcnr or dent·· ed downtubes, ruined bushings, bent bolts (especially the heart bolt), rc--used Nyloc nuts, loose thimbles, frayed or rusted cables, tangs with non-circular holes, and on {Jex sails badly torn or torn loose from their anchor front and back on the keel and leading If in doubt, many hang gliding businesses will be to give an objective opinion on the condh-ion equipment you hring them to inspccr.

Buyers should select that is appropriate for their skill level or pilors should seek profesa l/SllGA CERTlFJEll INSTRUCf\)R. Fl.EXWTNGS AEROS STEALTH 129 Topless, easy handling, aerorows incredibly well $1,600, Call or email for digi ta! photos and details. ((,19) J7')8:l57, cspcrry3 I 8(,:1lyahoo,com AlRBORNF CLIMAX 13 01Jc nearly new $4,995; One demo, looks new $/i,595, 1-800-688 · 5637, fly(fllh:mp;lide.corn

AV8 !CARO Tlre MRX700 World Record Editions arc in stock. We can help you go RIGID if' you wanr to. (760) 1-070 J, indasky<iilyahoo.com and www.icarn2000,conr

FALCONS C:LFARANCF SALF School use, one season. All sizes $1,250-$2, 500. (262) 473-8800, info<illbanggliding.corn

DREAM 220 Excellrnt condition, very low hours $1,7,0() split shipping. (ltOl) 892-8072, dcb:l 1G:Wl:toLcom

hours,

n

Like new, 10 hours A!RWAVE SPORTSTFR 159 or less, w/cxtra downtuhc $3,liOO. (30:l) (,71t--2/i'j I. Rental gliders at Al:J'AIR SATURNS lii7, lCi"/ flight park, low hours, dean, priced to sdL (2Ci7,) It?:, 8800, info<iil\1anggliding.com

EVEN-UP TRADFS Looking to move up from Beginner or Novice glider, but can't put up cash? ltTl-8800, i11fo<iil)1:1nggliding,com l 40, l 70, l 95, 225 new and med.

WALLABY RANCH (863) /i2fi..0070.

New condition, <20 hours) $1,800. (805) 682-061t0, Free l'VC storage tuhe.

FALCON 170 Bl11c/whitc $1,500 OBO. (619) 71t9-7'>70, jrav8@yahoo.com FALCON 1')5 Only 1.5 hours of flight rirnc, year 2.000 model, black/red, exccllcnr condition $2,800 OllO, (:3 I 0) 822 5067 Los Angeles, ( '.aptainJoell'.vcG1laoLcom !'ALCON 195 l'crfocr condirion, bonglrr 5/99, 30 flights $2,000. (8(,'j) 882-36'>0, crf(almimlspring.corn

and harness in good condi1ion, lmg!ishn I (r1laol.com

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) $25.00, line art $15.00 (1.75" maximum) ui::1,1.11..,1m::; 20th of the month, six weeks before the cover date of the issue in which you want your ad to appear (i.e., June 20 for the

Pr1,payrnent required unless account established. No cancellations or refunds allowed on any advertising alter deadline. Ad insertions FAXed or made by telephone must be charged to a credit card.

Please enter my classified ad as follows:

Fxccllenr condition, like new, low (IJO?) 892-8072,

$1,100.

FREE PVC GLIDER STORAGE/TRANSPORT TUBE-· Wirh the of any new glider. (5 J 7) 22'.l-868:J, u,,wl'!c,IW'aol.c,,m. l.:1rgcst selection of new ,md used gliders in Michigan.

Fi\CLES 145, 164, park, low homs, clean, info<ihh:tnggliding.com

3 hours, yellow

AlRWAVE Sl'Oll: l'STFR I li8 Excellent condition, H(; review, 75 hours $:l,200.

FORMULA l Sit extras deb3163@aol.com

pod harness, wheels, trade for pa raglidcr 592-2922,

FUSION Crcy/black, 90 hours $2,000. xcarma11dovllaol.com FUSlON 150 Serial 11361'71, :-JO hours, pink LF with blue panels, great machine $2,000! Two Yacsu radios, like new 150 each. Z3 harness with chute $500. Mike: Days (60 I) 932Al250, home (60 I) 815-8503 HPAT llt5 Cone\ condition, new leading edge cloth and recent snpcrpref!ight $995.(262) 473-8800, info@l1anggliding.com

By Airwave, excellent condition, KLASSIC I lilt great climber, green/blue $1,050. (541) 501-5416.

Excellent condition, fluorescent LE, KLASSIC 155 rainbow undersurfacc, great sink rate and bandling $ I ,7'i0 OBO. ((,09) 199-301t'5. l ,i\MlNAR MRX 200 I Mylar 14, simply heamiful, whi1c/flouro Fmail for pixs, J old, babied. hiircd carbon ribs available Scott (:l JO) 5 59- 12:l I, clm1dbascG-ilmcdiaone.JJcr

Number of months:·--··- ............SECTION IJ Flex Wings IJ Emergency Parachutes IJ Parts & Accessories

Business & Employment IJ Miscellaneous IJ Paragliders IJ Videos

Towing l,J Schools &Dealers l,J Ultralights

IJ Rigid Wings

Publications & Organizations UWanted IJ Harnesses issue and run for

consecutive issue(s). My f,J check, IJ money order is enclosed in the amount of $. ---·-------·- ____ ··-··· ...___ .

NAME: ________··-·--------·--··-··--·-·--------.........-......,,......_ ADDRESS: ---· --· ......... -----..- ...............___............ -------·-··--··-· CITY: ....................... ---... - ...............-·-····---·PHONE: Number of .. u,uu. ___ ,, ___, , - ............ .

Number of words:

40

@$.50

--... - . --..·---··- @$1.00

USHGA, P.O Box 1330, Colorado (719) 632-8300 • fax (719)

HANC Ci IDINC

M~ nih - 20th, 2002 fUN. f~lf.ND'5. fLYIN6 . ... AND TH£- e,£,AC.HH Dune C.ompetition at 'Joc.lee,(s F-id9e flight 'Parle C.ompetition C.\inic.s, Demos ~ '5pealeers '5treet Dana. \Z-09a\\o f oundationA\tlards ~ e,e,Q

C..ontad t(ittl Ha~I' t(ites

1-m-f V-THl'5 2,;2-441-4124

www. l'itt'fha~l'.lom

LooL:01.t Mo11ntain Hana Glidina

S00.6SS.5637 - www.han9lide.co1M

Fwe times as many students learn to fly at Lookout

Integrated Instruction of foot launch and aerotow tandem skills The Industry Leader for over 20 Years

Put Yourself in Expert Hands at Lookout Mountain Flight Park & Training Center Lookout Mountain, Georgia Since 1978

MOYES CSX4, SX/i, SX5, MAX Great condition, very low hours, priced to sell. (262) 473-8800, info@)l1anggliding.con1 MOYES LITESl'EED 3 136 Top condition, low hours, /lies srraighr and fast $4,000. (60ft) 128-35,l?, frccbirdspikcti"ill1otmail.con1 MOYES UTESPEED 4 New in April 2001, zoom &. fast control frames, low hours, exccllcnr condition.

Cheap-make olfor. (706) 398-21i67, bofusflyGilcompuservc.cotn MOYES LITFSPEED lli6 Red & white $/i,800.

RamAir lli6 w/tips $1,200 OBO. Hl'AT MS, green bottom $500. Mosquito, brand new $3,500. (303) 674-21t5l.

MOYES LITFSl'I<Jm 5 Perfect condition, all mylar, spccdhar, 50 hours, black/yellow/white $/i,000 OBO. (561) 2'i2-li007.

MOYES SX5 Very good condition, extra down· tube, batten prims, 20' pvc trnnsporr tnhc $1,000 OBO. (310) 97/i-5520, cranlmhank@aol.com MOYES XT PRO 16'i The Novice model before the SONIC, two avaihblc $1,500., $2,100 or nade for?

(262) 473-8800, iufo(rtll,anm;liding.com MOYES XTRALJTE 127 -~ Very good condition $1,900 or trade for l;alcon 140. (7(,0) 9:lii-2125, caldera(iilqnet.com MOYES XTRAI.JTE H7 Good condition $1,500 OHO. (760) 934-212'5, caldcra@lqner.com MOYES XTRAUTE 147 All white $1,l 00 or trade for? (262) li73-8800, info@hanggliding.com MRX 200] 1/i The Best. White/black/1,luc $/i,200.

(262) 783·77/i7, SurfAir(iilcxecpc.com PULSE 10 METER 20 hours, purple ,md yellow, airfoil dr's, clean. flyGilhanglide.com PULSE IT JOM Excellent condition, pmple/green $1,800. (423) 949-8678 Tennessee, tltetc11nisboy@l1otmail.com PULSE !OM :384- ]()89.

Excellcnr, extras $1,700. (970)

STlNC 2 XC fly~1)hanglidc.com

hours, red and yellow.

grecn/whirc/hlnc, ripsrop trailing Inc (847) 895 5B58 llliuois.

SUPFRSPORT 5°\ Mint condirion, 80 hours $999. High Energy harness, Quamnm chute w/swivcl & air rocker 6ft $900. (';30) Sli/i-6601, GAfrces11irits(r/Jcs.co1n SUPERS PORT 153 Supcmcm intricate custom sail, almost zero hours $1,700 or trade for? (262) 47:J.-8800, info(i1)hartggliding.co1n

SUPFRSPORT 163

Heavy trailing c:dgc $1,:J95.

(619) 286--5604 Picmrcs: wcbsitetralfichuil,lers.com/supcrsporr.htm

TALON1/i0&150 Demo any time. Kite Enterprises (')72) 390--9090.

TALONS 1'iO all mylar w/slipstrcam control frame; 140 w/dacron sail & folding hascwbe. Both new, not demos! Special pricing, immediate delivery. 1-800 688-5637, fly(,:t)Jrnnglidc.com

TR:3

Topless, white leading edge $2,000 or trade for dean 170 size Falcon or Target. Also Stealth 155, clean $2,900. (2'18) 39/i-1220 Michigan, tnl,olrglide~''a,,l.com

good condition, flies !\reat $B50.

Very low hours, clean, near new conWWXC: i/i7 dition $2,!iOO or trade for? (262) ,jTHl800, info~ilhangglidi,,g.com MOYES I.ITESPFED 5, All white, Dacron sail, airfoil basctnbe, cxccllcm shape, low hours $/i,000 AIR.WAVE Kl.ASSfC 155, Rcd/Whitc/Bl,re, Excellent shape, wingleis $ I ,500 PULSF. 11 MEl'F.R, l\luc/White, good shape $7.,000 PULSE IO METER, Wltite/Pink, very good shape $2,200 PULSE 9 MF.TER, good shape $2,000 VISION MKIJ-17,scvcral $1,200$1,500 DEMON 185, blue J,E, fair shape $500 COMET 185, fair shape $/iOO LEAF TAI.ON trainer $200 'g9 MAGIC KISS 15/i White/magenta/Cyan, Coby fins, excellent $1,000 Kite Fnrcrprises EMERGENCY PARACHUTES

20 GORE PDA whwivcl $J7'i. 20 gore $199. Used Quantum 3J0s, 550s. Many more available. Raven Sky Sports (262) liTl-8800, info!ihhanggliding.com J!ARNESSES

TRX Good condition $600. WW Sport 150-g,irnl condition $700. (727) 733-1450, koh7l 50@hotmail.com

AF.ROS CROSS COUNTRY 5'8" 6'l", High Energy 22 gore parachmc, swivel, excellent $850. (970) 728-3')05.

ULTRASPORT 135, 1/i7, 166 Rcnial gliders at flight park, low hours, dean, priced to sell. (262) 4738800, info~hhanggliding.com

DOODLE BUG Motor harness, sales, service, instruction. Dealers welcome. www.flyl01.com (702) 260-7050.

Ul.TRASPORT H7 Excellent condition, white magcr,ra/tcal bottom, folding basctubc, 70 hours 688-:1902, mJa(iilobcc.com

HIGH ENERCY TRACFH POD HARNESSES ~Sizes and siylcs momhly, $300-500. Cocoons others available. (262) /i7:l. $125-$200 caclt.

8800, info@)hanggliding.com

ULTRASPORT 166 Excellent condition, low hours, foldint, basctuhc, tail fin, red 1mdcrsurface, white top $2,600. (661) 822-8852, danannsuo(a)aol.com WlLLS WTNC SKYHAWK 188 Easy glider to fly $:'lOO OBO. (760) 93/i-2125, caldcra@lqncr.com

New l'rop, one hour airrime, su p,cr·prci!Jight $3,500 OBO. l 800-688-5637, l!y~"hangliclc.,:om PARA GLIDERS

<50 hours $1,700 OBO. lgor (81i7)

PULSES & V!SJONS Bonght-·SoldTradcd. Raven Sky Sporrs (262) 473-8800, info@hanggliding.com RAVEN 149 Great rrait1ing glider $::100 01\0.

(760) 934-2125, caldera@qnct.com SENSOR 610F 14/i Flaps, new wires, extra down· tubes, 70brs $1,600. John (511()) 989-1737, jtg757@juno.com SPECTRUM 14/i, 165 Rental gliders at low hours, dean, priced ro sell or trade for?

8800, info@hanggliding.com

42

STEAlTI 1 Tl 151 728-3905.

Excellent condition, 50hrs, WW FUSION 150 white IJ(, silver, black, red undersurfacc, 2 extra downtubes $2,000 OBO. HPAT J 58-good condition $300.

WWZ3 harness, IO" $125. (626) '332-3663 japarawlings@yal10,,.cotn EXCELLENT CONDIWW FUSION SP.150 TTON, w/only JOO homs, less than one year old, all white w/leading edge insert.,, spring tip battens, folding basctube, 2 spare dowmubcs, removable WW wheels $2,800 OBO. Ron (310) li7'H360, dcniron62@hormail.com WW PUSION J50, hrs, yellow T.F, red (large), ye!· low asymmetric, black WW, winglets, folding spcedbar $1,400 OBO. (509) 525-7281, lbbrowno'hbmi.nct

AIR SPORTS USA WWW.FLYFORFUN.NEf

RIGID WINGS ATOS Small, brand new, in stock Nor a demo.

Why wait? (262) 473-8800, info(iillianggliding.com $5,500. Small, 801bs, 70hrs, comes EXXTACY 1.35 with extras. MAXIMl/M HOOK-TN WEIGHT 230lbs (206) 244-517,2., rcdris1@mbi.com Sail, /laps, spoilers, ribs, hardware, wires, ev,,rything but the leading (970) 641-9207, skv,:rnti~0 ,'!cl)tv.net

HANC GurnNc;

CUSTOM RED & WHlTE SUNBURST SAIL, ALL TllE LATEST MODS, RUDDER PEDALS, SET UP FOR TOWfNG BUT FOOT LAUNCIIABLE, LIKE NEW, NO PARACHUTE, YOU PICK UP [N CARSON CITY,

MILLENIUM

NFVADA, $5,500, (775) 720-4 l 17 SEE CENTERH)LD HG MACAZINEJUl,Y 2001,

FLY AWAY I IANC CLI DJNC - S:rnta Barbara.

Pcr~uuali1.cd in~uuuion. (805) 957-91'1), www.flyaliovcall.com/llyaway.lrtm TIIF I IANC CLIDINC CFNTER -- 1'0 Box 1'i 15!\2, San l )iego C:An 175, (C 1'J) J.6'i-5320,

NFW STALKER From Acros, lornted in Somhcrn California $7,000 OBO. Marc (562) /,29-80:l:l,

marcwGhs1)rint1nai1.corn

Ul,'rRAIJGHTS

AlR SPORTS USA

WWW.l'LYFORFUN,NET

DRACONFLY T\JG Excellent condition, sec www,gcocii-ic&.con1/kimd<)llilClc111n:1n/1ug.J1t1n! f(ir details, Sl<Y CYC:l ,E With WWXC 155, only 3 homs /lying time, paid $9,000 sell $7,000, (803) 77,'S-1226 days, (IHU) 61i9--1 I 8'l evenings, ClllTis,/lctchcr(i'svs,gov

SCHOOLS & DEALERS

LARCFST l lANC CLlDINC SIIOP --- In the Wrnt Om deluxe retail shop showcases the latest equipment and has two virrnal reality hang gliding flight simuh 1,m. We stock new and uscd,,,Wills Wing, Altair and Moyes gliders, and all the hottest new harnesses. Tradeins arc wclcom('.

Our eomprehcnsive program, located at the San 1"ra11cisco Bay Arc,/s beginner sire features: sloped hills," Wills Wing hdcons of all and training harnesses! ''FIRST l'LICJJT"\5 minute video tour ofonr hegin ncr lesson program shows a student's skill progression $20 (shipping included).

11 I 6 Wrigley Milpitas CA ')5()35 (nem Srtn Jose}, (408) 262-1055, (li08) 262 1:388.

DON'T RlSK BAD WEATHFR B:icl i11stnrction or dangerous tr:tining hills. YSO llyahlc days each yc:tr.

Learn fc,ot launch flying skills saldy and Train with profrssional Cl'l's at world famo[Js I Jo,cl<wc1Jcr Beach training slopes (5 minutes from LA winter or summer in gentle coastal winds, in a thorough program with 011c of Amcric/.s mo.lit prestigious schools for over 2 years.

1 )

COLORADO AIRTIMF ABOVF l lANC: Cl.IDJNC: Full-time lessons, s~1lcs, service. Color,1do's most cxpnicnccd!

Wills Wing, Moyes, Altair, Acros, Airwavc, High Energy, Ball, Flytec, Connections and lll[Jcl1 more, C,,,11 (:,O:l) faeq;recn, Colorado Airtime! ICvilaoLrnm CONNFCl'JCUI' MOUNTAIN W\NCS

Look under New York

FJ,OIUDA

NATIONAL SCHOOL NETWORK RINCS I ,OCA I.LY, For informarion call David (119) 6303698, david(aldavidglover,com ALAllAMA LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLlC:llT PARK - - Sec ad under ( ;eorgia.

CAL!H)RNIA DREAM WEAVH{ 111\N(; GLIDING Train on statc-of:thc-art WIIJ,S WING FALCONS, LESSON PACKAGES: One four hour lesson $ I 00, Three rour hour lessons, plus tandem off 2,000ft, $.300, Five lessons for $/iO(L Ten lessons pins tandem $75CL Complete lesson programs. Year-round instr11ction.

Lannching and landing and thermal clinics available, Call for g,roup rares. Tired of hiking your I'll help Sports, you! Dealer for Wills Wing, Altair, I Iigh Ball v:irios, Camelbaks and morc We love J'm your northern California MOSQUITO HARNESS DEALER, ff you live in central through northern C,lifornia, give me :1 call or cn1ail to schedule Mosquito demonstration or clinic. C;;1!1 or email, ,ding lessons five days a week, hiday 1hro11gh Tuesdays, Ideal training hill, up to I 50fr,, GOOf'r. rnotllllain, 1,200ft, mour,r;1in, Tandem instnrctiorL USJ-J(;A Advanced Instructor DOUG PRATHER (209) 5560169 Modesto, CA drrnwvrhg@lsoftcom,net

Anm 2002

TORRIZY PINES CUDERPORT -- Come soar in San Diego' This owned and operated flying site olfrrs USHCA instnrction, equipment sales, tandem flighr instruction, motorized pg/l1g instrucrion, p:uachute repacks, repairs, and site tours. We :ilso haw· an extensive pg/hg outfitting shop and dining with :1 view when yon cat at our own Cliffhanger Caf(\ Importers for ADVANCE, l'ARATECH, AVA Sport Accessories, ( :rispi boots, Center of Cravity helmets, Fly Mike flight snits, Cnt Smff gloves, and AustriA\pin rnrabincrs and dealers for most other brands, Check us out ordinc f'or sales and q[Jestions ar: www.nytorrcy.com, or call toll free at 1-877--FLY TEAM, Also, tune in to the Internet Paragliding Talk Show at www,wsradio,ws every Thnrsday 5-/:00 pm

18265 F. State Road 80, Clewiston FL (B6:l) 80') 0110, www.thcll,,ridaridgc,,om LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIC:I IT l'AR[( Sec ad under Ccorgia. Nearest momH-ain training ccmc1 10 ( lrlando (only 8 hours),

(PST)

WE !!AVE --- The most advanced

known lo hang gliding, teaching you in

time it

takes on the training--BUNNY HILL, :md with more inOight air time. YES, WE CAN Tl•:ACI I YOU FASTER AND SAFER, For year-round training hm in the sun, call or write Miami l lang Cliding (:lO'j) 285-8')78. 2550 S B:iyshorc I )rive, ( :ocomn ( :rove, l'lorida 3:l 1:J_L

4l

HAWAll

The Acrotow r:light Park Satisfoct ion C;uaramecd JUST 8 MfLES FROM rnSNEY WORLD

• YEAR ROUND SOARING • OPEN 7 DAYS A WF.EK SIX TUGS, NO WAITING EVERY DIRFCl'ION

50, NlC:F demos to fly: Topless w Trniner Gliders: I .aminar, Moyes, Wills, Airborne, Airwave, Exxtacy, L, Mouettc, Sensor;

When you' absolutely have tofly with the best!

TH F BEST AFROTOW Instruction available.

The only U.S. hang gliding school with 'J'WO NATIONAL CHAMPION INSTRUCTORS and U.S. WORLD TEAM MEMBERS Bo llagcwood 201)() National Champion And Paris Williams 200 I National Champion, l'rom your Cirst tandem to adv:mced X-C instrnction. Open every day with hcamifi,I ')0-1 acre facilities. Plenty of' other activities like our screrned in pool, hot 111b, private lake, canoes, volleyball and minutes from Orlando attractions. [,r•ctm fi'om hes/ . .. ti! Qt((·stl Fm ail: questair~'1s11 ndial. net

IDAHO

alsn harnesses, varios, cic

Ages 13 To Tl have learned to fly here.

BIRDS JN PARADISE J lang gliding & ultrnlight flying on Krnai. C:ertilied tandem instruction. (808) 822-5:lO'l or (808) (,3'). I0(,7, birc\s~ilbinlsin1,aradisc.co1n www.l1irclsin1o;1radise.co1n

CEORGIA

KING MOUNTAIN GUDFRS Allming site pins your 11(;/Jl(; needs. Instruction,

No one comes dose to our level of experience and success with tandem acrotow instruction.

A GIU'.AT SCENE POR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ...

TIJJNO!S 10 morels lV. rcs1,rnrants within 5 mins., hot showers, shade trees, sales, moragc, ratings, 1ran1polinc, retrievals, grc:ll weather,

I JANC CUDE Cll!CACO hrll service aeropark, 2 tow planes. l'ull time ccrrificd instnrctors, ultralight instructms, brst Coast record ) I :l miles. (B 15) li95 ;,} I 2, www.h:mgglidechicago.com

DSS TV, ping pong, picnic tables, swimming pool, etc.

or

Flights over 200 miles and more tlrnn 7 hours.

J\nicb in l !t111g (,'/iding, Kitpltmts, Cross CrJur11'111 :md othcl's. J<'earnrcd on numerous shows, Dateline N llC, 'I 'he I)iscovery ( :hannel & l•:SPN.

Visit 11s on the Web: http://www.wallaby.com

I ,800-803,7"788

Please call 11s f,,r refrrences and video.

l'lJLL 11001<-UPS Laundry, propane, recTcation roD11L 1-800,803-T!BR,

1805 1)can Still IZoad, I )isney /\rca, l'I. '.rliFl7 (86.3) li24.-0070 phone & fox

fl y~i\va Ilaby.con 1 1-fWO-WJ\l ,l ./11\Y Conservative• Reliable State of' the Art F.11.C. !NC/FLYINC: PLO RI DA SJNCF 197/i Malcolm Jones, Lamie Croft, Carlos l\c:ssa, Rhen Radford, Tiki Mashy, Jeremie] Jill, Tom R:miscm, Roger Sherrod, Mike B,ubcr, Neal I larris, Ban Carolina de Castro, Fmily Boespflug

LOOKOUT MOUNT1\lN Fl.IC! IT !'ARI< Sec om display ad. Disrnvcr wl1y FOUR TIMES as many pilots earn their wings at Lookout than at any other school! We wrote \JSI ICA's Official '!'mining M,mual.

Onr specialty customer satisfaction and fi,n with the BEST FACILITIES, invcmory, camping, swim, ming) lesson

(312) 360-0700, (B15) RAVEN SKY SPORTS 489-9'100 or (262) liT,8800. 2 homs fron, 'JO minutes from Elgin, Palatine or Libertyville. best insrnrcrors, the best the best results in the Midwcsl. 7 March thrn November.

Training program combined/integrated FOOT LAUNCH AND AFROTOW certification. Apply 100(;/iJ of your intro lcssou costs to ccniftc:11ion pro gram upgrade! !'lease sec 0111 ad nnder WISCONSIN. info(,:li/wnggliding.cnm

INDIAN/\ RAVEN SKY SPORTS om ad 1111dcr Wisconsin. mlol<Il!Jan,'.f,11<:llllg.c:orn

rnorc! a trip, intro flight or Lookout Mountain, jusr 0111sidc

Chattanooga, your COMPLETE training/service center. Info? (800) 688 LMFP.

new

(719)

17.We

us 411

I IANC G1m1Nc

MARYLAND

TRAVERSE CITY !JANG CI.IDERS/PARAGUDERS FU I .!.-TIMI•: shop. ( :errilied instruction, foot btJ1H:h and tow. Sales, service, acccs.sorics for ALL majo, brands. VISA/MASTERCARD. ( :omc soar ou1 li'i(J' dnnesl l'iO<J I'. 8th, Traverse City Ml li%8/i.

Olfr·ring pDwcn·d p:uc;g\iding lessons & dc:iler for the Fxplorcr & used nnits. Call Bill at (2:i 1) <Jn-28/ili, Visit our paragliding in Jackson, Wyoming. Call Tracie at Cl07) TJ<J. 8620.

NOitTII CAROLIN/\

MINNESOTA Baltimore and De's !i,ll 1irnc lli?,ht park 'J\rnclcm in!itn1ctio11, solo al'rotows

and equipmcnl sales and service.

We carry i\cros, Airwavc;, l'ligh1 llesign, Moyes, Wills Winj\, 1ligh l'.nc,gy Sports, l'ly1cc and more.

Two I 1 11 P Dragon lly rngs ( )pen lields as far as you can sec Only 110 1 hours from: Rehohmh !\each B"lti,norc Washington DC Philadelphia

RI\ VFN SJ<Y SPORTS (<, 12) )10-1800 or (262) ii7.l-B800. Pka,.e sec our ad under WISCONSIN.

NEVADA i\DVFNTURL SPORTS Sierra soaring at its liesi.

Toms and 1an,krns available-. Instruction from certified years experience. Sales, USH( ;A ins1rucwrs with service ;111d instruction hy appointmc:ut (:arson City/Lake Tahne NV. ("175) 88:l-7070 http://home.py1 am id .nel /advspt.s 1.i\S VFCi\S AIRSPOIZTS

USl!CJ\ ceniliccl hang

gliding ins1n1c1ion. S:1lcs and service, bo;ll tow, moun

Jain soaring, XC. (707.) 260-7950, www.llylOl.com ( :ome Fly with l JS! NEW JERSF.Y Ph Ii I 0.6:lli.2700 Fax Ii I O.(,:J/i.277\ 2li0.l8 Race Track Rd Ridgely, MD 21660 www.acrosports.11e:t

MOUNTAIN WINCS

l.ook under New York.

NEW YORK

1,anggl idcCt1\,erospo rt~. nc\ MEXICO MEXICO Year-round, sununer in Mon1crrey, win· ter in Valk de Bravo. 1-800-861-71 'lB, www.!1y1ncxil'(>.C<)t11

AAJ\ 1'11(;111 SCI 1001.

MOUNTAIN WINGS INC. Your full service Pro Shop serving the North East. We sell and service all the best brands. m1nwings(11catskill.net l 'iO Canal Street, New York l?A2B WOODY VAf...

LEY HARNESSES, V-MITTS $25.00 Paragliding, lJltr:dighJS,Towint•,. (81i'i) <i!iT.3:\77

, TAN DIM JNSTRlJC:TION , i\1'.ROTOWINC 1\01\T TOWJN(; ' Bl i\CJ I RE.\ORT , H)OT l.AUNCI I TRi\lNINC CAMPS • Pi\Ri\( ;ur )!NC , OPF.N Yl'.i\R RC lUND E(~lJll'MENT SAi.ES /\Nil SIRVIC:1'.

(800) 334~4777 NAGS HEAD, lniCTnet Address: http://www.ki1tyhawk.com !'.-Mail Address: i1dc,&ilkittyhawk.rnrn

MICIIIGAN CLOUD 9 SPORT i\VIATION Acro1ow spcci'11· isrs. We carry all m'1jo, brand hang gliders. FREF PVC glider 1nbe wiil1 new glider J>lll chase. Now in stock: TALON COMP!, XC 155, Falcons; Moyes l.itespced Ii, Sonic 165; Magic Kiss 15/i. Ont rigger wheels and other accessories in stock.

Call lor spring tandem lessons and flying appointmcnrs with the Dra:H:hrnl'liegen Soaring C:luh at Cloud 9 Field. 110811 Coon Lake Road West, Welilicrvillc, Ml li8892. (51 /) 2:1:,-86is:l. Cloud')saGilaol corn. !111 p:// rnemhers.aol.com/doud9sa

MIC! JlGAN SOARINC

Delivering VAl.lJF with the best combina1ion o( SERVICE, QUALITY & PRICE. ALL major brands ,ii" gliders and gear. Call Doug ( :osrcr (2.11) 882--li?lili, wingmanG1Jrravcrsc.com

NYC's first and only ceniliccl micmliglm (trikes), powered p:u·agll1d1n1~- l)i,:1rih,11ors for i\vian. Dealers for rnos1 n1;1jor hrands. hill .service and cquiprncllt at hcst prices.

The most {i·iendly service in the ;nca. Store address: 29 :$1 Newtown Ave., Astoria NY. Phom' (71B) T77"7000, WWW,FLYl'ORFlJN.NET l'IY J IICI I 111\Nc; C:l.JDINC, INC. ·-- Serving S. New York, C:onncnicn,, Jersey areas. Area's EXCLU SIVE Wills Wing dealer/specialist. Also all other rnajo1 hr:1 nds, :1Cccssorics. ( :cnificd scliool/i n.st rnct io11.

Teaching since 1979. Area's most JNEXPENSIVF

PENNSYI.Vi\NIA I !IC! II.AND J\J,J<OSl'ORTS

Sec Maryland.

MOUNTAIN TOP Rl-:CJUAIION - - Ccnified instruuion, Pit tsllllrgh. (Ii 12) 76/-li882. C' MON OUT AND Pl.A Y! MOUNTi\JN WINCS

Look under New York.

PUERTO RICO

Fl.Y PUERTO RICO

prices. Fxccllcnt secondary instniction, .. if' you've s1an-

HC classes daily) tandem i11srruction

c:d a program and wish 10 con1inuc. Hy the mountain' 51 (d l"andcm llights 1 Contact Paul Rd, Pinc Bush, NY 1256(,, (B1i5)

Wing dder. Clidcr rentals for qnalifled pilots. I'() !lnx ')/8, Punta Santiago, l'ucno Rico 007/i 1. (787) WiO O'i08, rshg~1\:oqui.ne1

SlJSQUEl !ANf~A FLICJ IT PARK. Cooperstown, NY. ( :ertill(·d Instruction, Sales and Service for all major manufocnmTs. fi() acre p'1rk, 5 trnining hills, jeep rides, bunk house, hot showers, 600' NW

TFNNF.SSFF

ridge. \Xie have the hcst

l.OOl(OlJT lvlO\INTi\lN l'LlCI IT PARK ,rd under Ccorgia.

Sec

in N. New York state

10 teach you how 10 fly. c/o llan c;uido, Box 2'J:l Shoemaker Rd, lvloh:1wk NY I :lli07, (l I 'i) 8(,6(, I 'i:l.

Af'RIL 2002

4S

TEXAS

Hf CHI.AND J\EROSPORTS KITTY HAWK KITES

• SEASONAL OPERATJONS (JUN-NOV) • EXCELLENT XC Fl.YING • TANDEM INSTRUCTION • AERO TOWING • DRAGONFLY /TRTKF INSTRUCTlON • INTRO FOOT LAUNCH CLASSES • FIYJNS AND CLINICS • SAi.ES AND SERVJC:E • C,00 ACRE FACTUTY • ALL FLYJNC BY RFSERVATION ONLY Steve Burns ')79.2,;9.9382 email: sburnsvilalpha I .net 800ll Pinc St., Ilcarnc TX T785'J Fred Burns 281.li71. I488 email: aus1inairv1laol.com 3810 ll,mita Lane, La Pone TX 77571 WWW.AUS'l'JNAIRSPORTS.COM CO .. HANG <;UDING!!! ··- Jeff Hunt. Austin ph/fax (512.) li67-2529 jefffrl{lytexas.com www.flytexas.com

HIJ.L COUNTRY PARAGl.fD!NG INC-~ I.earn pilot skills. Personalized USHCA certified training, ridge soaring, foot & low launching in cenrral Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. ('Jl'i) )791185. lli75 CR220, Tow TX 78672.

KITE ENTERPIUSFS Slope, stationary winch, platform launch and aerotow training, sales, rentals and repair. Wills Wing, Moyes, Northwings. Dallas, Fort Wonh and norrh Texas area. (972) 390-9090, www.kitc-cnt·crpriscs.com

UTAH Utah's only full service hang WASATCH WINGS gliding school, Point of the Mountain, regional mountain sites, fowing. l )c:1ler for Aeros) Ainvavc, A]rajr,

Moyes, Wills Wings and much more. Call Zac (801) 21ili--71i<J!i, wingsv1lwasatch.com www .wasatch.com/ ,,,wings

VIRGIN]/\

Sec Maryland.

Sec North Carolina.

FI.Y AT VJRGJNJA'S NEWEST TOTAL FLJG!/T PARK MANQUlN offers acrotowing, tandem lessons, platform tl"uck towing, training hill and scomcr rowing for beginner thru advanced pilors. Certified instruction, glider equipmenr sales, service and repair through "BLUE SKY" Virginia's leading hang gliding school.

Try 3--axis flying with ccnified ultraligh1 instruction through "FLY RAWLING", learn to fly and soar the Superl'lomer.

J11st 2 hours somh of Washington DC, minmcs NF of Richmond. Free camping and close w Em food, rcstaurnnts and Kings Dominion theme park.

Visir www.hlucskyhg.com.

(5iiO) li32-6557

SILVER WINCS, TNC:. ·-- Certified instruction and cquipmcm sales. (703) 5]3 .. J %5 Arlington VA, silvcrwingshanggliding.com WASHINGTON HANGTIME -· Dealer of the MOSQUITO powered harnesses. Call for Cl.lN[C dates. Right here in the pacific northwest. (509) 52'5-357ii, lbbrown(1)bmi.net WISCONSIN RAVEN SKY SPORTS HANG Cl.lDINC AND J>ARACUDJNC Tl,c Midwcsr's l'rc:micr acrorow flight park, founded in 1992. Fcarnring [NTEGRATED INSTRUCTION of foot-launch and acrotow tandem skills, at paclrngc p1ices ro beat any in the lJSA. Seven bcaurifttl, grassy m1i11ing hills focing all wind directions. Four Dragonfly tow planes, no waiting!

Four tandem gliders on wheeled undercarriages. WW F:1lcons for rraining from the very first lessons. USUJ\ nhralight and tug instruction. Free camping. Sales/service/accessories for all brands. Open 7 days a week, March thru November. ContaCI Brad Kushner, PO Box I 01, Whitewater WI 53190 (2.62) 473-8800 phone, (262) li7:l 880 I fox, www.hanggliding.com, infov,,banggliding.com PARTS & ACCESSORIES AMA/.JNCLY LOW PRICES Bobv,,l,rokerforyou.com

BLUE SKY l'ulltirnc instrucrion and service at Manquin Flight Park near Richmond. Wills Wing, Moyes, 1:ligh1 l )csign, Acros and Airwave gliders. MidArlamic Mosquiro dealer. Steve Wendt (5/iO) li32 G5'i7 or (80ii) 21t 1-li32!i, www.blueskyhg.com, l,l11cskyhg~''yal100.com

46

On ,111 Ball varios!

AV8 LAMINAR PARTS. We have what you need and we arc committed 10 same cfoy shipping. AV8. Call (760) 72.1-0701 or email at indaskyqilyal100.com

• ORDER ONLTNFAND SAVE • Water/Dust Resistant Push But.ton • Picld Replaceable Vinger Switch • I lcavier Gauge Wire/Improved Plugs • Increased Strain Relief at Al.1..Joims Price $119.95. Extra finger switch $19.95 w/pmchasc.

Dealer inquiries welcome. Call (785) 8ii:l-l 8/i2.

MC/Visa. Visit our website at www.flightconn.com, mil,cdillon~1l/lightconn.com Check om the FOR ALL YOUR FLYING Nrnms Aviation Dcpo1 at www.mojosgcar.com featuring over I 000 items for foot-launched and powered paragliding, hang gliding, stttnr and power kiting, and powered parachures. 24/7 secure online shopping. Books, videos, KITES, gifis, engine parts, harness accessories, electronics, clothing, safety equipment, complete powered paragliding units with training from Hill Cintntry Paragliding I ttc. www.hillcountryparagliding.com l800-664-1160 for orders only. Oflice (915) 379-1567.

CJ IOSTBUSTER PARTS Sail, flaps, spoilers, ribs, hardware, wires, everything bm the leading edges.

(970) 641-9207, skyout l@wcb1v.net

DOUBLE BAC! XC $60., heavy waterproof$ I00. l larncsscs, accessories, used parts. I.ow prices, fast delivery! Gunnison (;liders, I 5ii9 County Road 17, Cunnison CO 812;'\0. (970) 641 -9:l I 5, orders 1-866238--2305 http://gunnisonglidcrs.com/ HANC Cl.ll)]NC BOAT -- For sale, www.flylOl.com. (702) 260-7950.

sec a(

Kf.ASSIC OR CONCEPT WTNGLETS One pair left, brand new in box $350 OBO or trade for? (262) 473-8800, info<7hl1anggliding.com

HANC GIIDIN(;

built and flew my first hang glider in 1970. It was a variation of a plans-built glider called the Bamboo Butterfly. The Butterfly was constructed of bamboo, plastic sheet, and carton strapping tape.

Once every six months, on average, I would hike into the foothills with as many friends as I could "bribe" with McDonalds hamburgers to coax our • creation into the air. Eventually, a very bad crash in 1973 persuaded me to move on to a new rigid wing design.

The Icarus II was a wire-braced, rigid, all-flyingwing biplane with aerodynamic controls for turning, using weight shift for pitch. My first Icarus was purchased for $100 from three air force boys who had constructed it from plans using army surplus hardware, or so they said. This design, structurally sound, aerodynamically stable and easy to fly, would carry me into flight and into another world over the next five years.

In 1976 I entered and won the World Open Hang Gliding Championships, flying an Easy Riser (flying wing tailless biplane) with an unexpected come-from-behind victory. To my knowledge this meet was one of the largest hang gliding competitions of all time with 350 participants. I learned and developed my competition strategy as the result of this meet. Winning is a pilot/wing effort, and the most important decision a competition pilot makes is which glider he or she decides to fly.

It would be 13 years before I would duplicate a first-place win, which occurred at rhe 1989 U.S .

Nationals where I flew a one-off caged prototype called the Odyssey. Having a 43-foot wing span and a partially faired cage, the Odyssey, with its difficult handling qualities and irritating performance deficiencies, lead to the development of the Swift.

Development of the Swift resulted in a decade of unparalleled performance domination in hang gliding competition. Since 1989 I have spent the majority of my flying hours testing prototypes and flying in cross-country competitions. I choose to fly cross-country only in the competition arena.

There, I'm able to dedicate my attention , share the experience with other~, and vastly improve my flying skills through the example of becrer pilors.

I have always viewed hang gliding as an art form which has changed my career and altered my ambitions. To date I have flown in five World Meers and have managed one Gold Medal (1994), a Bronze (Team, 1999) and one "Gold World" (1976). Hang gliding has been the engine that's taken me all over the world- a three-decade journey chat has yielded momenrs of great disappoimmenr but also my greatest successes. •

!

Flying the voyager on Marina Beach during the Air Races, May 1986.

STARTING 111\NG GLIDING, by /\dventme Productions. Prod11ced especially to promote the sport.

Covers basic preparation, weather, proper attirndc, gro11nd handling, h11nching and those first flights. 30 min $29.95.

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Call USI JC/\ (719) 6:32-8300, fa~ (719) 6:\2 6/i 1 email: nshga(,tl1tshga.org, or order off our web page www.ushga.org. Please add +$Ii domestic s/11 ( 1·$5 for lwo or more videos). (; real to impress your friends or f<,r those socked-in days. Perfect gilt for the launch potato rnrned co11ch potato. Also, ask 11s about our paragliding videos!

C:1.J\SSJI'JFI) ADVER'J'ISJN(; RATES The rate for classified advertising is $.50 per word (or group of characters) and $1.00 per word for bold or all caps.

MINJMlJM J\D CHJ\RCF $5.00. J\ foe of $15.00 is for c,ich line an logo and $25.00 for each plwl!L I.JNF/\R'J' & PHOTO SIZE NO I.J\R(;trn.

Tl 11\N 1.75" X 2.2'5". Please underline words to be in hold pri111. Special layouts of tabs $25.00 per column inch. Phone nunil,er,7- words. Email or web addressc.'.lwonls. J\]) DEADLINES: /\II ad copy, instructions, changes, additions and cancellations mu.st be received in writing l. 5 monrhs preceding i-hc cover date, i.e. l'cbruary 20th fi,r the April issue. Please make checks payable to USH( ;A, P.O. Box I :olorado CO 80901-1330, (719) (i:l2·8.'l00. Fax (719) I'/ or em;til: ushga~'lushga.org your classified with your Visa/M(: or Amex.

:no, (

STOLEN WfNGS & THINGS

l'rom tlwTdlmide Festival in 1981, to the modem day freestyle competition. Follow the history of this dyn:unic gathering. $2/i.95 Call US! !CJ\ (/ 19) 652 8300, fox (71 ')) 6J2.(,li I'/, order from our wcl, site www.ushg:t.org. Please add +$Ii dotm:stic s/h.

M!SCFl.1./\NEOUS

1 BM; 01' CE/\R · Stolen November 25, 2001 111 C:ORV/\1.l.lS, ORECON. Conrained: older, smallish, purple I I igb Encrr;y pod harness with jmy·riggcd jam· cleat system under tape wrapping, yellow 2/i-gore High Fncrgy chute with swivel, white 3r)mm camera) llrnunigcr AV Comp vario sn. I 09931 Ii, several ,11111s11al home·m:tdc flight instruments (bubble level system and C meter). Steve Seibel, (51il) 757--8125, scihcl'J99Gtlhotmail.com Corvallis p.d. case II O 1· 11/;'J'i.

I.A MOlJF'ITE TOl'I.ESS U.SM

Srolen August

Ii, 7-00 I Crom W J\SJ JOE, NEV AD/\. Purple/green with pink I .F, missing (at the rime) 3 tip battens on each sick Two worn areas (patched with grey duct tape) on the green/purple undersurfacc, 2" worn spots :trc 3 feet from keel resulting around heart bolt. Contact l )ave Merriman (801) 91 }.(,560, asaccuGi>so/icom.net

"AEROBATICS" h,ll color 2.1"x 31" poster foatttr· ing John I !ciney doing wh;tt he docs best .l,()()J'INC! /\vailable through lJSI I( ;J\ I Iq for just $(,.95 ( 1$5.00 s/h). l'ill that void on your wall! Send to USHCJ\ /\crohatics Poster, PO Box I :100, Colorado Springs CO 809.1:l. (US/\ &. Canada only. Sony, posters arc NOT J\ V /\ILJ\BLF on international orders.) Sl'FCIJ\I..J\crobatics poster Iii. Frie Raymond poster BOT! l l'OR $IO (1$'i s/h). Check the merchandise section of our web site www.11shg,1.org for a color pic111re these hea111ifi1l posters.

or

NEW APPAREi., VIDEOS, BOOKS &. POSTERS Check 0111 our web page www.ushga.org DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING TN TIJE G/\RJ\GF. SEl.l.

IT IN TIIE 111\NG CUDING CLJ\SS!FmDS.

Adventure Product:ions ...................... 17 Airborne .............................................. 9 Angle of Attack ................................. 53 AV8 .................................................. 27 Dan Johnson .................................... .41 Fcx America ................................... 9, 17 Flytcc .................................. Back C:ovcr 1-lall Bros ............................................. 9 Kitty Hawk Kites ............................. .41 Lookout Mtn. flight Park ............ I 0,55 Mojo's Gear ...................................... I 0 Moyes ............................................... 11

Sport Aviation Pnhlications ............... 22 Traverse City Hang Gliders ............... 55 US Acros/Just Fly ................... 6,9,27,39 USIICA ...................... 2,5,8,9, 13,21,52 Wills 7

Phone: 209.543.7850 Toll-Free: 888.530.9940 E-Mail: custsvc@a ng leofattack. net Website: http://angleofattack.net

100% G111m111teed. If not satisfied, return unused tubes for l 00% money back. Major Credit Curds accepted.

OEM/Dealer inquiries encournged.

Ad b Poter Birren: 847.640.0171

Al'RIL 2002

51

ST'.

PAUi,,

inq

MJNN.

arc now in tho rnonU1 wlie;n l.wo rnd jor ccmlc,ol :c;

and

pac:kinq and cfoployrnc•nt 1Jil(J'3 I.ha! a " Whi I c· l hey il J.:30 sel l Dl!Vif i ed parachul fcom Cin and Firobi , they Ice, L "Mctamor Coe,:i .i:, l lic obv i our, d1oi cc for thorc;o Uwt dcma11cl whiJL irc; ab,iolulcly l.rw mm;t: higr1 ond ncc;c parachute' ava:\ i ab.I c. " More info: !J c:upor L y. com. 91111111 wro ell rnonl h about Davir, of a pilrac:l1ul.c whc"n hi CJ l\'l'O,; broke . ll (' concc,rn ovc r l: he ,l f I.er il rmddc'n di descent rate of J1\r; Iii LI,' 16··qorc 'chccLc· Tn n,;;pon;;c, hi 07. nc•porl. got i:cpJy from Met.arnorfoc;i borrn, /\nqclo Cr·,:1p,m!'.,rno. /\,; remarkfl t.o

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HANC GLIDINCi

USED GEAR

P,all M50 instrument $100. \Y/W l'lylite, Moyes Extreme, Tecma. lJvex Spccdslecvz, wheels. (206) 7,1[4 'i 122,

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TOWING

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SOARING Monthly magazine of The Soaring Society of America, Inc. Cover., all aspcus of soaring flight. Full membership $55. Info. kit with sample copy $3. SSA, P.O. Box 2100, Hobbs, NM 88211. (505) j')).. ] 177.

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Mountain Wings -Greg Black (845) 647-3377 mtnwings@catskill .net

Kim Jenner (250)453-9983

The Internet Era Virtually every reader of Hnng Clkting magazine is wired to the Internet. It's the way we find information ... 2'1 x 7, up-to-date, and hassle-free (well OK, pretty much hassle-free) The ByDan)ohnson.com Website will offer you over 20 years of "Product Lines" columns-for researching, or merely wandering through the history of hang gliding in the USA. You can also find 'flight reviews

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