Hang Gliding & Paragliding Vol45/Iss05 May2015

Volume 45 Issue 5 $6.95

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

MEANWHILE, Cruising the point with a furry follower in

Draper, Utah | photo by Arakal (Ari) Cassella.

WARNING

ON THE COVER, Annecy, France | photo by Jerome Maupoint.

Hang gliding and paragliding are INHERENTLY DANGEROUS activities. USHPA recommends pilots complete a pilot training program under the direct supervision of a USHPA-certified instructor, using safe equipment suitable for your level of experience. Many of the articles and photographs in the magazine depict advanced maneuvers being performed by experienced, or expert, pilots. These maneuvers should not be attempted without the prerequisite instruction and experience.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING magazine is published for footlaunched air-sports enthusiasts to create further interest in the sports of hang gliding and paragliding and to provide an educational forum to advance hang gliding and paragliding methods and safety.

ADVERTISING ALL ADVERTISING AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES MUST BE

SUBMISSIONS HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING magazine welcomes

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING (ISSN 1543-5989) (USPS 17970) is

editorial submissions from our members and readers. All submissions of articles, artwork, photographs and or ideas for articles, artwork and photographs are made pursuant to and are subject to the USHPA Contributor's Agreement, a copy of which can be obtained from the USHPA by emailing the editor at editor@ushpa.aero or online at www.ushpa. aero. HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING magazine reserves the right to edit all contributions. We are always looking for well written articles and quality artwork. Feature stories generally run anywhere from 1500 to 3000 words.

News releases are welcomed, but please do not send brochures, dealer newsletters or other extremely lengthy items. Please edit news releases with our readership in mind, and keep them reasonably short without excessive sales hype. Calendar of events items may be sent via email to editor@ushpa.aero, as may letters to the editor. Please be concise and try to address a single topic in your letter. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. If you have an idea for an article you may discuss your topic with the editor either by email or telephone. Contact: Editor, Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine, editor@ushpa.aero, (516) 816-1333.

published monthly by the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc., 1685 W. Uintah St., Colorado Springs, CO 80904, (719) 6328300, FAX (719) 632-6417. PERIODICAL postage is paid at Colorado Springs, CO and at additional mailing offices.

SENT TO USHPA HEADQUARTERS IN COLORADO SPRINGS. All advertising is subject to the USHPA Advertising Policy, a copy of which may be obtained from the USHPA by emailing advertising@ushpa.aero.

POSTMASTER Send change of address to: Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine, P.O. BOX 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330. Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement #40065056.

Canadian Return Address: DP Global Mail, 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3

COPYRIGHT Copyright (c) 2014 United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc., All Rights Reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc.

Martin Palmaz, Publisher executivedirector@ushpa.aero Nick Greece, Editor editor@ushpa.aero Greg Gillam, Art Director art.director@ushpa.aero C.J. Sturtevant, Copy Editor copy@ushpa.aero Beth Van Eaton, Advertising advertising@ushpa.aero Staff Writers Christina Ammon, Dennis Pagen, C.J. Sturtevant Ryan Voight Staff Photographers John Heiney, Jeff Shapiro

CONTENTS FLIGHT PLAN

7

BRIEFINGS

8

FLYING YOGA

20

CENTERFOLD

34

FLYING GLOSSARY

58

RATINGS

60

CALENDAR

62

CLASSIFIED

64

THE 1

66

22 Worth Every Cent

12

by Dennis Pagen

Training makes all the difference

by Jeff Shapiro

Spreading Your Wings

16

What's in It for US? Talking points for USHPA membership

by C.J. Sturtevant 28

38 Fly Camping for You Over the river and over the woods to a nylon tent we go

photos by Krystle Wright and Antoine Bousselier 36

Traveling with Your Paraglider Pack tight and stay loose

by Pete Thompson

by Annette O'Neil 44

48 Wings at Work

Paradise Lost Roll of film found

by Fred Leonard

The Rogue Valley success story

by Christina Ammon

Eyes in the Skies

54

Late-Spring Flying Weather Rules to live by

by Rich Jesuroga

AdvAnce IotA: EASy PErFormANcE A High-level en B glider for ambitious crosscountry pilots. featuring an optimized, lowweight design, the Xc-intermediate ioTA is the most accommodating balance between performance and piloting ease.

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GTo 2 is the performance choice for experienced Xc pilots. certified in sizes s, m and l. Ambitious pilots transitioning from sports class, to competition pilots who wish to fly a more compact wing within a wider comfort zone, the GTo 2 fills the range between the carrera (performance) and Boomerang 10 (competition). new from Gin. only at super fly.

801. 255 . 9595 w w w. s u p e r f ly i n c . c o m i n f o @ s u p e r f ly i n c .c o m

Super Fly is North America’s Largest Full-Service Paragliding Equipment and Services Provider Since 1998

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

FLIGHT PLAN “Did you jump from a plane?”

A

s free-flight aviation enthusiasts, we get asked a number of questions from curious individuals attempting to understand what, exactly, it is that we do. Both hang gliding and paragliding are primarily foot-launched aviation where we, as pilots, are responsible for getting the aircraft—hang glider or paraglider—airborne. A paraglider is a ram-air elliptical canopy, under which the pilot sits in a harness; a hang glider is a rigid delta-shaped flying craft covered by a sail that forms a wing, under which the pilot lies supine.

Free-flight pilots use the wind, sun, and terrain to soar like birds. Yes, you read correctly: hang glider and paraglider pilots soar like birds! Francis Rogallo, NASA scientist and godfather of hang gliding and paragliding, predicted in March of 1951 in Ford Times magazine that in the future one would be able to go to the top of a mountain, unfurl equipment, and be able to fly down. That future is now.

Unlike the equipment and training available to aviation pioneers, we now have the opportunity to use tested aviation-grade equipment, under experienced tutelage from trained professional instructors, to give anyone who has the desire to learn the ability to fly like birds—safely, beautifully, and gracefully.

I reached out to a few pilots regarding their responses when the uninitiated ask them about our sports. Jeff Shapiro wrote, “Hang gliding is cooler than paragliding.” And continued with, “Hang gliding is the closest way for a human to fly like the soaring raptor you’ve seen circling up left "On tour" over Pouso Alegre

to the clouds in afternoon thermals. If you’ve ever been interested in flying like a bird, check out hang gliding. We drive up a mountain, take our aircraft off the top of the car, set it up in 10 minutes and, after clipping ourselves to it, run off the mountain to soar high enough to see that same mountain from cloudbase. Oftentimes, those soaring raptors are with us, flying head first and prone just like us.”

Nate Scales, longtime paragliding pilot and mentor, commented, “The sensation of flying a paraglider is like nothing else on earth. During all of the other games we play, the arc of the turn is below us, on a bike or skis, or even in a kayak or car— when you carve a turn, the arc is down below you. When carving a paraglider, that arc is 20 feet above your head. That, in combination with the fact that we are attached to a frameless aircraft by strings, flying through an invisible medium, results in the feeling of being like nothing else on earth.”

No matter whom I polled within our sports, the common denominator of their remarks was that once they took to the air in a hang glider and/or a paraglider, flying became life—an adventure filled with excitement, beauty and wonder, great friends, and beautiful scenery! Francis Rogallo was correct; the future is now!

So I have a couple of questions for those who wonder why we fly: Why wouldn’t you want to try it? What are you waiting for?

| photo by Dustin Martin.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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PILOT BRIEFINGS

Weather Flow Anemometer Price: $34.95 Available: Now

8

Aspect Sunsocket Generator Price: $1199 The Sunsocket ET-60 from Aspect

Garmin Fenix 3 Price: $499.95 Available: Now

The Weather Flow app and anemom-

Solar is a portable PV panel and

Forget those so called “smart

eter combo will read wind speeds

battery-bank combo that tracks the

watches”—the Fenix 3 will do just

up to 125 MPH, about the speed of

sun on an east/west axis. Depending

about everything that iWatch can’t.

free fall, but is perhaps more useful

on where you are, this east/west

This waterproof GPS wristwatch

while on the ground. The device is

tracking panel can speed up your

comes with ABC sensors (altimeter,

compatible with a handful of apps,

charge by 30%, meaning its 250 Wh

barometer, compass) and an optional

but the free WeatherFlow Wind Meter

internal battery would take five sun

shatterproof sapphire face. I played

companion app presents three sets

hours to charge versus six and a half

around with the 1.2-inch color display

of data: wind direction, velocity and

if using equivalent static panels. It

at CES and it’s fairly bright, making it

time left of reading. Simply pop it into

outputs power in both AC and DC al-

a potential replacement for an analog

your headphone jack, download the

lowing you to charge via USB, plug in

altimeter. It even has a Ski-board

app and get quick readings on wind

a car charger or use as a wall charger.

mode that highlights speed, distance

anywhere your phone is.

It will charge an iPhone a whopping

and vertical drop for you to review

40 times.

post flight.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

QUICKSTAND The company states that this is the only hang glider keel stand that really works, and it will not fall over. They promote “no more dirty tips and no more straining your back.” The Quickstand is simple, stable, light and affordable. Check out the video to order at fanaticstuff. com.

Martin Palmaz, Executive Director executivedirector@ushpa.aero Beth Van Eaton Operations Manager & Advertising office@ushpa.aero Ashley Miller, Membership Coordinator membership@ushpa.aero Julie Spiegler, Program Manager programs@ushpa.aero

USHPA OFFICERS & EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Pacsafe Z28 Price: $228

Victorinox Hunter XT Price: $65.00

From the outside, the metal mesh

The Hunter XT is one of the latest

wiring looks like a design element,

from Victorinox and includes two

and it is, but it also keeps thieves from

one-handed implements: a 3.5-inch

slashing the bag and getting hold

locking blade and a strap cutter

of valuables. The Z28’s entry way

(they call it a gut hook but it’s the

cinches down while a separate steel

same blade as the strap cutter in the

cable allows you to lock the pack to a

Rescue Tool). The knife itself is coated

structure, making it nearly impossible

with a rubbery material to keep it

to steal. It’s designed for travelers

from slipping, and the one-handed

who want peace of mind while travel-

operations are easily executed. Just

ing so they can focus on enjoying the

to be sure, I tested the strap cutter on

trip rather than worrying about their

some webbing material as well as on

stuff getting snatched.

a 9.8mm climbing rope and it sliced right through both like a hot knife in butter.

Morpho Elite 2P Tent Price: $599.95 NEMO Equipment first debuted the inflatable tent in 2004 using pressurized beams as a replacement for traditional poles. The Morpho Elite 2P is the latest evolution of this technology.

Its setup is faster (and easier) than a traditional tent while also being more wind-resistant and flexible. It packs down to a mere four pounds and

Rich Hass, President president@ushpa.aero Paul Murdoch, Vice President vicepresident@ushpa.aero Steve Rodrigues, Secretary secretary@ushpa.aero Mark Forbes, Treasurer treasurer@ushpa.aero

REGION 1: Rich Hass, Mark Forbes. REGION 2: Jugdeep Aggarwal, Josh Cohn, Jon James. REGION 3: Corey Caffrey, Pete Michelmore, Alan Crouse.

REGION 4: Bill Belcourt, Ken Grubbs. REGION 5: Josh Pierce. REGION 6: Tiki Mashy. REGION 7: Paul Olson. REGION 8: Michael Holmes. REGION 9: Felipe Amunategui, Larry Dennis. REGION 10: Bruce Weaver, Steve Kroop, Matt Taber. REGION 11: Tiki Mashy. REGION 12: Paul Voight. DIRECTORS AT LARGE: Ryan Voight, Paul Murdoch, Steve Rodrigues, Dennis Pagen, Jamie Shelden. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTOR: Art Greenfield (NAA).

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

For change of address or other USHPA business call (719) 632-8300, or email info@ushpa.aero.

The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, a division of the National Aeronautic Association, is a representative of the Fédération Aeronautique Internationale in the United States.

flattens down to the size of a stack of papers. And in case you were wondering, it comes with a foot pump.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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Free Flight

Film Festival

Date & Time

Location

�

ht FILMS & FUN JOIN US FOR A NIGHT OF Free flig � �

LIVE THE DREAM 500 MILES TO NOWHERE DREAMING AWAKE gliders from Wallaby to Montana A film about sara close learning to fly hang

Go into the heart of bivy flying, what it is

and what it takes

A beautiful cineflex shot short featuring

hang gliders in california

KEEN TO LEARN A higher point of view

unities where you fly dation focusing on working with the comm A film from Keen and the cloudbase foun the feeling of being in the saddle of a A POV only piece that wonderfully conveys

paraGLIder

PILOT BRIEFINGS Free Flight Film Festival Launches

U

SHPA presents their first ever Free Flight Film Festival showcasing five of the best films describing hang gliding, paragliding, and adventure travel in the United States. The festival is oriented both toward people who have never flown and members of USHPA. The one-hour showing will be held at locations across the country.

“The USHPA Free Flight Film Festival showcases the best hang gliding and paragliding has to offer, from imagery captured utilizing a Cineflex camera stabilization system mounted to a helicopter to a firstperson GoPro masterpiece shot by professional pilots,” said Martin Palmaz, Executive Director of USHPA. “This festival highlights the heart of hang gliding and paragliding, from projects working with communities, to flying and camping over vast mountain ranges, to aerobatics, to the journey of one woman to learn to hang glide. There is something for everyone.”

Photo by Timmy Morris

More information can be found at http://www.ushpa.aero/filmfestival

What is that black and white puzzle box?

T

he square graphic on the left is a Quick Response code, more commonly called a QR code. It's a type of barcode–like the ones they scan at the supermarket checkout, but this one can contain a lot more information. You don't need special device to read it–you can use any smartphone with a camera!

However, you do need to make sure you have a QR code-reader app on your phone. You may already have an app, or you might have to download it–just search for "QR code" on iTunes, Google Play, or Windows Phone.

Once you have an app on your phone, fire it up and follow the instructions.

Usually it's as simple as pointing your phone at the QR code (as if you were taking a picture), and once the camera has the code in focus it will automatically read it.

If it's a link to a website, the website might just pop right open. Simple as that!

USHPA is using QR codes on the new membership cards as a quick way to access your current membership status/information. It's a link to a website, and your member number is embedded in the QR code, so the browser opens directly on the page with your specific information. Many sites are already using this with visiting pilots. Give it a try.

The QR code in this magazine will show you the Trailer for the new USHPA Free Flight Film Festival. Enjoy!

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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Photo by Jerome Maupoint

Spreading Your Wings

by Dennis Pagen

Y

ou don’t have to admit it; we all know. You have dreamed of flight since you were old enough to hold an umbrella in the wind. Maybe you even took that umbrella to the garage roof. Maybe you used a rope swing to launch out over a pond for a split second of freefall. Or maybe you saved up for a parasail ride at the beach. We all know; we have been there. But even without our shared experience, anyone can tell that kids are born to fly. Look at any Disneyesque movie—Dumbo, How to Train Your Dragon, Harry Potter, The Invincibles—and you will see the hero flying, capturing the imagination of kids of all ages. The entertainment moguls know that the desire to be airborne is inborn in our species.

But somewhere along the way, people often lose their vision as they focus on job, family, and the day-to-

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

day. Yet at no other time in history has mankind been as blessed with the possibility of achieving their flying dreams.

A hundred years ago, hardly a person could muster the funds and gumption to fly in rickety old airplanes. Fifty years ago, if you accumulated enough cash, you could fly in a private airplane, but for some the cost was prohibitive and the necessity of using an engine to get airborne did not quite help realize the dream. But now we have lightweight personal aircraft, perfect for anyone wanting to be a kid again.

Before you spread your wings to realize your flying dream, you will want to know basic information about where to go, what to do, and what is possible.

So face the breeze, and here you go:

GETTING STARTED The absolute first no-nonsense rule

is you must take lessons. Learning to fly a hang glider entails the same level of knowledge and skill as flying an airplane. You wouldn’t buy an airplane and try to learn to fly it on your own, would you? If the answer is anything other than an emphatic “No!” you should consider some other pursuit, like hitting the casinos, since you like risk. Lessons get you airborne as quickly as possible, but also in a safe, gradual progression.

You can find the accredited schools and certified instructors by contacting the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) at www.ushpa.aero. They will hook you up with the operations in your area.

You will typically start on flat ground and learn to handle the glider, after which you will gradually move up the hill. An alternate learning method

(common in flat areas) is to start by being towed behind a small vehicle (scooter) or winch, under the careful guidance of an instructor. Again, know that this phase is critical, and towing requires additional skills and knowledge. Never attempt to tow without expert guidance from a certified instructor.

At first, you will probably feel a bit awkward trying to move while balancing the wing sitting over your head.

But have you ever seen films of hawks or eagles in the nest? At first they are floundering, but they gradually become as balanced as a ballerina, even though they are still unable to fly. Soon, however, they are standing in the breeze, letting their outstretched wings float in the air. Finally, after venturing little hops into the wind, with one last bit of “moxie,” they break free and glide away on a warm air current. Soon they are arcing and soaring through the air with ease. This synopsis illustrates the progress of a hang glider student; it will no doubt closely reflect your experience.

A new pilot typically requires a few lessons to really feel comfortable ground handling the glider and taking simple, straight flights. During your early lessons, you will learn to perform well-controlled takeoffs, and level flight and landings. Even though the flights will be close to the ground, you will be overcome with exCITE!ment. Once you are clicking on these basics, it’s on to making higher flights and initiating turns. Again the progress is gradual, until you can perform continuous turns at will, fly from any height, and set up excellent landings. In the process you will add more wind and varied conditions to your repertoire, until eventually you learn to soar and join the birds in their milieu. At some point along the way, you will wake up and realize you have achieved the dream.

With flying, it is important to remember that there isn’t any rush.

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The experience is enjoyable at every level. No doubt, you will meet other students who are learning at the same time. And, typically, you will form a bond with them, for all of you are going through a life-changing experience together. These new friends and other more skilled pilots make up the community that you will fly with and continue to learn from. We are always learning more about how to perform better or more precisely, how our wings work, and how to observe the natural conditions, such as clouds and soaring birds, as well as a lot about weather and the wondrous sky we inhabit. But the learning is fun and opens our eyes to an entirely new world.

CONDITIONS When you begin, your school and instructor will tell you a bit about what you need to know about weather conditions. We need a few conditions to be ideal for our early learning. Naturally, we don’t want rain, but we do need a light-to-moderate wind blowing almost perfectly into the hill. (Of course, if you are learning by towing, the rig can usually be turned into any wind direction—a plus). It is possible to learn in calm wind, but a bit of breeze helps lift the glider.

Simply put, the less wind, the faster you have to run with the glider to reach flying speed. On the other hand, the more wind, the more possibility of turbulence that might compromise control (like driving on a bumpy road).

So your instructor will select the best days or times for your learning in the local area.

As mentioned above, we need wind into a hill to take off, mainly because we need to face the wind so it is blowing over our wings from nose to tail, or from front to rear. This airflow over the wing is what creates lift. We should be clear that once we are flying, we can fly in any direction with regards to the wind, and all we have to consider

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

is the terrain and how we position ourselves for landing. Like a boat in a flowing river, we can maneuver upwind, crosswind, and downwind. When we land, we always try to face into the wind, since landing with a headwind minimizes our speed over the ground.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS How much of a superman do you need to be to fly like Superman?

Training gliders typically weigh 40 to 50 pounds. That may seem like a lot, but in practice you learn to balance the glider on your shoulders and with the slightest bit of air movement, lift is created, which helps loft the glider.

Once you have the glider up and pointed into the wind, you will begin to run. As soon as you move the glider, additional lift is created, so within a step or three you are not supporting much weight; all you are doing is maintaining running speed (or flying if you have progressed to taking off) and control.

The control itself does not require a lot of strength at the beginning level, since you will be flying simple gliders designed for ease of control, and you will be flying in gentle conditions. To be sure, if you are learning at a hill, as opposed to towing, you will have to climb the hill to get repeated training flights. Your instructor will help pace you and keep the learning fun. And in the process, you may even get in a little better shape! Later, when you fly higher, you will probably reach the top by car, so you can revert to your former lazy self if you wish.

EQUIPMENT AND COSTS When you first begin to spread your wings, your school or instructor will supply the equipment appropriate for your skill level and size, including a glider, harness, and helmet. The harness is what hooks us securely to the glider. You may have an appropriate helmet you can use, but lightweight

helmets with good peripheral vision are optimal, so you may be asked to use a school helmet.

After you have progressed to flying higher and are ready to fly on your own, you will consider buying your own equipment. New pilots often consider buying used equipment, because as they progress, they may want a better performing glider or simply a new model in special colors. Whether you buy used or new, your school and instructor are the best sources of information. There are many things to consider when buying equipment, and only a professional knows what to look for. For example, you need a glider and harness appropriate for your skill level, weight, and price range. Also, a professional can judge the condition of the gear and equipment. There are plenty of earlier gliders that did not have the full safety or convenience features of today’s models, so expert guidance will keep you safe. Be very wary of buying a glider online without the advice of an expert. Of course, you can avoid all doubt by purchasing a new glider (most schools are also equipment dealers). No matter what you purchase, your school and instructor can help you transition into the new equipment.

FEAR AND LOFTING It is natural and proper to have some questions about the safety of this free form of flying. We are practicing an activity that is moving, which means if we don’t avoid solid objects—trees, buildings or the very earth itself—we can get hurt. Of course, we are maneuvering in three dimensions, so judgment is required, but it is all within the capability of most people of any age, background, condition, religion or sex. The two factors that determine your safety (as in many endeavors) are knowledge and attitude. In the early phases of learning, an instructor will be the guide who keeps you safe.

Then, when you develop control and

knowledge, you will gradually be given more decision-making responsibility.

Here’s where attitude comes in. If you have a reasonably safe approach to life decisions, you will not get into trouble with flying. The factors that contribute to accidents in most instances are carelessness and lack of foresight. In our sport, we learn as much as possible about the weather and constantly remind one another to pay attention to details and the maintenance of skills.

You may hear : “Flying is as safe as you want to make it.” This sentiment is essentially true. Bring to flying a safe attitude, and you can enjoy an accidentfree flying career.

Some people have a fear of heights.

You may be surprised to find out that some pilots do as well. But fear of heights is not generally a logical matter—it is often a confidence issue.

There are pilots who will not go to the edge of a hill without their glider, but once they are hooked in to the wing, their fear subsides and off they go, free as a bluebird. If you have a fear of heights, let your instructor know, and

he or she may progress a little more slowly with you. At any rate, nothing is more rewarding than conquering a fear.

You can do it with hang gliding, because you build confidence along with your skills at each stage of the process.

FEELINGS Everything we have been talking about to this point has been mostly factual, but now let’s launch together, so you can feel the essence of free flight. You begin on the hill with a good breeze blowing in your face. The smell of mown grass wafting up from the valley below adds to the pleasurable feelings. A butterfly flutters within your stomach, but you smile because she has been there before, and she’s only there to focus your attention. You lift and balance the glider, facing the wind.

Then, with little hesitation, you take long strides to begin your run down the slope. You are quickly airborne, you lean down to grasp the glider’s base tube, and you fly away from the hill. The swoop of the takeoff and the pure essence of flight fill you with joy.

You settle into a smooth glide, looking at the world from a perspective few humans can fathom. Everything moves as in a floating dream. The little houses, cars, and trees below look like toys.

You smile and initiate a swooping turn, wave back at launch, and watch another glider a bit below. Suddenly you realize where he is heading. A hawk has started turning out front, and you both aim to join him. You fly over to explore the hawk’s territory and find a smooth thermal updraft that you try to ride. The hawk has a bit more experience than you, and as he rises to your level, he looks you in the eye before passing by. You feel as if you could have reached out and touched him. You tell him in jest, “I see you little brother, and someday we will be tip-to-tip and exploring the sky together.” For now you are content to focus on how truly marvelous it is to fly like a dream. It is the reward for having the sense of adventure and purpose to learn how to spread your wings. It is a sense of absolute freedom. We know; we have all been there.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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USHPA What's in It for US? W

hy would anyone invest $99 for an annual USHPA membership, instead of spending it on, say, an extra latte every month that year? Calories and caffeine buzzes aside, you’ve already decided to join USHPA, so you most likely are aware of the big-ticket, obvious bennies.

“Liability insurance” is probably what comes to mind first, or perhaps “the magazine.” But being a member of a large, internationally recognized organization carries a variety of additional perks, including some you’ve probably never heard mentioned. The list below should help any active pilot, new or well-seasoned, realize that being a member of USHPA is worth considerably more than its dollar value in coffee and cream!

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE:

Twelve 66-page issues full of educational, entertaining, enlightening articles, plus page after page of flyingrelated eye candy. Even the ads feature fabulous photographs along with inter-

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

esting factoids! As a USHPA member, you can sign in to ushpa.aero with your member number and password and read the magazine online, a great benefit if you’re traveling and not picking up your snail mail.

THE LANDING ZONE: This membersonly e-newsletter is the association’s way of disseminating important and/or interesting info that might be past its pull date if subjected to the magazine’s print-publication lag time.

INSURANCE: Probably the most important reason for active pilots to belong to USHPA. For pilot members, there are two kinds, plus a third for instructors: *third-party liability insurance— If you’re involved in an accident or incident that causes injury or property damage to a non-pilot (think spectator, landowner, kids playing in the LZ), you’re covered. If you’re sued, USHPA will defend you. *site insurance—In this country’s litigious environment, many landowners would not consider allowing us to

by C.J. Sturtevant

launch from or land on their property without our ability to offer them freedom from liability under USHPA’s policy. When landowners require site insurance, one of the caveats is that all pilots flying the site must be members of USHPA, and thereby covered by the association’s third-party liability insurance. There are more than 200 sites around the country that, without USHPA’s insurance coverage, would be closed to hang gliding and paragliding, and without your membership in USHPA, would be closed to you. *instructor insurance—If you’re an instructor or are planning on becoming one, you’ll want to know the details of this program that protects you from liability while you’re teaching.

PROOF OF SKILLS/PROFICIENCY: At sites in the US and Canada, your USHPA card is accepted as proof that you have what it takes to fly a given site or participate in a comp or fly-in. If you travel abroad, your USHPA rating establishes your skill level for the internationally recognized FAI-sponsored

LEFT USHPA’s executive director Martin Palmaz (center) flanked by the 2015 elected volunteer officers (L to R): Mark Forbes, treasurer; Paul Murdoch, vice president; Steve Rodriguez, secretary; Rich Hass, president. RIGHT If you’re planning on flying while traveling outside the US, contact USHPA for an IPPI card, an internationally recognized pilot proficiency card. Photos by C.J. Sturtevant.

IPPI card, which in conjunction with your USHPA membership card is accepted at regulated sites around the world. More info on the IPPI card, and the countries that require it, is at http://www.ushpa.aero/ippi.asp.

HTTP://WWW.USHPA.AERO: Our website is loaded with useful information about all aspects of flying. Much of the site is accessible to anyone who visits, but as a member you can log in and access additional areas: online renewal, a roster of current members, minutes from the last USHPA BOD meeting, a list of the 200+ insured flying sites across the country with contact information, and more.

A VOICE IN ASSOCIATION BUSINESS:

As a member, you can vote for (or

even better, run for the position of) the USHPA director for your region.

The regional directors from all 12 regions meet face-to-face twice a year to conduct association business, and via email or phone or other “virtual” means year-round to address issues that come up between meetings or require further action after a BOD meeting. All members are welcome to attend a board meeting and participate in committee discussions. Since most of us don’t make the meetings, each regional director typically carries the concerns of his or her constituents to these meetings, and reports back to them on what was discussed or decided. Regional directors and other board members are trained to work

with new chapters, resolve conflicts, address safety concerns, provide site support, create and update policies that enrich our flying experiences (e.g., SOPs, Pilot Proficiency Program), and much more.

A “STRENGTH IN NUMBERS” VOICE IN GOVERNMENT DECISIONS THAT AFFECT OUR FLYING: USHPA is a national

non-profit with a significant presence and an excellent success record in obtaining FAA cooperation, FAI/ CIVL partnerships, national low-cost

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insurance rates, Department of the Interior and National Forest Service acceptance of our presence on public lands, and national public-relations ad support for hang gliding and paragliding in the US and Canada. Right now, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) have the potential to seriously impact our airspace; USHPA is actively involved in crafting UAV-related legislation that will limit that impact.

A NATION-WIDE “FAMILY” OF FLYING BUDDIES: We’re part of an association

with almost 10,000 members nationwide; many of these members belong to the more than 100 local USHPA chapters, or clubs. Chapters benefit from being under the umbrella of the much larger national organization, but each chapter is member-controlled, autonomous, self-governing, and financially independent from USHPA. Club members organize events, manage and insure sites, provide support for the new pilots in their area, and go flying together on a regular basis. Traveling pilots can easily connect with the flying scene anywhere in the country by contacting the local chapter (contact info is on http://www.ushpa.aero).

RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO IMPROVE YOUR FLYING: The USHPA online

store stocks a huge variety of books, videos, accessories and apparel.

Manufacturers, chapters and instructors offer clinics and forums, sometimes at amazing discounts. USHPA instructors and observers use the Pilot Proficiency Program to provide structure and focus for pilots working on advancing their skills at their local sites.

EASY ACCESS TO STRUCTURED PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW PILOTS TO “GIVE BACK” TO THE SPORT AND TO THE WORLD WE FLY IN: USHPA has a

structured mentor program that pairs skilled pilots with advancing pilots in their flying community. If you are recently fledged but are looking for some guidance in selecting new sites to

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fly, or you’re feeling ready to push the envelope of your newly acquired skills, USHPA can help connect you with a mentor in your area. Experienced pilots: Remember the amazing level of excitement and enthusiasm back in your early days of flying? Recapture that feeling vicariously through taking on a mentee. More information on the mentor program is at http://www. ushpa.aero/info_mentors.asp *USHPA members can financially support hang gliding and paragliding competition, site preservation, education and training by making a donation to the Foundation for Free Flight.

The FFF uses those funds to provide matching grants to chapters or pilots who submit a grant application that fits the FFF’s requirements. More information on donating, or applying for a grant, is at http://www.foundationforfreeflight.org/. *USHPA’s awards program allows members to identify those who have gone the extra mile—pilots, landowners, drivers, rescue teams, and more— and nominate these folks for one of USHPA’s many and varied awards.

A list of awards, and instructions on making a nomination, are here: http:// www.ushpa.aero/emailaward.asp.

Award recipients are selected at the fall USHPA BOD meeting in October, but nominations are accepted yearround. Now is a good time to make a nomination, while you’re thinking about it; put it off till later and you’ll probably forget to do it before the October deadline for this year’s selection. *Although not officially under USHPA’s umbrella, hang glider and paraglider pilots are generous supporters of fundraising drives that help needy children throughout the world.

One example: The annual scholarship drive at the paragliding Rat Race raises funds to support a college student in the southern Oregon area. And another: The Cloudbase Foundation, whose

motto is “hang glider and paraglider pilots helping communities wherever we fly,” has raised funds to build a classroom in Ecuador, provide access to clean drinking water in Africa and Haiti, buy school supplies for needy students in Nepal and Tennessee and Texas, and much more. Go to http:// www.thecloudbasefoundation.org/ and be inspired.

MATCHING SUPPORT FOR OUR NATIONAL TEAMS TRAVELING TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: These guys and

gals are our sports’ equivalent of an Olympic team. When you renew your USHPA membership, you can make a donation to the US National Hang Gliding, Paragliding, or Women’s Hang Gliding team. USHPA will match your donation, up to $500. You can make a donation to the national teams at any time, but only those made with your USHPA renewal will be matched.

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THESE USHPA-SPONSORED PERKS:

*UMB offers USHPA members a Visa® Platinum Rewards credit card

ABOVE Beth Van Eaton, USHPA’s operations

manager, pays close attention to the discussions at the March 2015 BOD meeting | photo by C.J. Sturtevant.

with no annual fee and an option to personalize the card with your photo. (http://www.cardpartner.com/app/ ushpa) *Pilots traveling to a distant flying site, or traveling for any active endeavor, can receive a significant discount—$45 individual/$60 family— on MedJetAssist emergency medical evacuation insurance (http://www. medjetassist.com/).

U

SHPA’s office staff manages to keep up with the association’s day-to-day operations plus provide all these services with a paid staff of four: That’d be executive director Martin Palmaz, operations manager Beth Van Eaton, programs manager Julie Spiegler, and member services coordinator Ashley Miller. (The magazine production is contracted to Nick Greece, editor, and Greg Gillam, art director, both of whom work remotely, from home or on the road. Nick also provides public relations support.)

It’s a small, efficient office, located in Colorado Springs; when you call USHPA, one of these four will answer the phone and direct you to whoever can best attend to your needs. A small staff means less of your dues goes toward office/personnel expenses and more to the programs that support your flying.

The above list is only an outline of what’s included in your membership, and by the time you’re reading this article, chances are good it’s already out of date. This spring and summer the office staff is working on a number of programs to enhance services to instructors, traveling pilots, chapters and schools. Look for updates in the Landing Zone e-newsletter or in this magazine. And the next time you hear somebody question the value of USHPA membership, fill them in on how far their dollars go toward supporting, enriching and enabling their airtime addiction.

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Flying Yoga

by Sofia Puerta Webber, photos by Fabio Arciniegas

W

elcome to Flying Yoga. I will help you create a healthy routine and incorporate endurance, strength, balance and flexibility into your flights by sharing with you simple yoga postures, exercises and tips which can become an important part of your flying lifestyle.

Pilots may get some tightness in their muscles after a great “Flying Feast” (meaning “I have been flying for four hours”) or a long “Flying Fast” (meaning “I haven’t flown for a while”).

Either way, flying can cause tension, especially in the shoulders and neck. This tension may lead into very unpleasant headaches.

Headaches of different intensity may also be caused by too much sun, bad sleeping and eating habits, lack of water, smoking, stress, fatigue, allergies, cold viruses, lack of oxygen and stroke. Some pilots blame their helmet; others incriminate their pillow. Most people blame issues or circumstances that are happening in the flying zones, at home, at work or in their personal lives.

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Some pilots take painkillers and other drugs to relax the muscles and “cure” their headaches. However, with yoga you learn how to cure yourself by connecting with your body in such a way that you can identify the cause of the pain before it occurs. Yogis use their practice as a wonderful medicine, not only to cure but also to prevent.

With yoga, we gain awareness of the way we use and relate to our bodies.

We learn how to maintain a good physical posture and stable emotional bearing while achieving the relaxation we need to avoid tension. The sanskrit word “yoga” means “union.”

Allow me to explain this by comparing the connection we have with our bodies with the connection we get with our wings. Our gliders move, sound, act and react when we maneuver in certain ways. The same with our neck and shoulders: Our muscles scrunch, relax or tighten when we do some moves or need to be extra alert or focused.

Have you noticed? Perhaps when you are sinking? Maybe when you are approaching for landing?

43rd ANNUAL Yoga makes you aware of every single aspect of your body. In the same way you can identify the causes for disturbances in your glider, through the practice of yoga you learn to listen to your body and develop the ability to communicate with it. You may have spoken to your glider out loud saying: “Relax, all is good.” With your body you can do the same! Therefore, the connection and the relaxation you gain through the practice of yoga allow you to cure and prevent headaches and neck pains and experience complete relaxation to be able to fly with grace into the sky and into your life.

To avoid headaches and neck pain, before or after your flying fast or feast, practice Swan Pose I and II along with Downward Facing Dog.

Swan Pose I Sit on the ground in a comfortable position. Bring one hand over your head to cover the opposite ear and gently lean your head towards the elbow.

Close your eyes. Take five deep breaths.

Change sides.

Swan Pose II Sit on the ground in a comfortable position. Place one hand on the ground and push gently. Raise the opposite arm to the sky. Make sure your shoulders are back and away from your ears.

Tilt your head softly towards the hand on the ground and look up. Close your eyes. Take five deep breaths. Change sides.

Benefits: Swan Poses relax your neck and shoulders and help you release tension in the upper body and chest.

Downward Facing Dog Place your hands on the ground in

front of you. Walk your feet back.

Stretch your arms and legs as much as possible. Keep your feet flat on the ground. Feel the weight of your body distribute between your legs, arms and abdomen. Relax your head between your upper arms. Move your head side to side a couple of times and then take five deep breaths. Enjoy the stillness of you body and mind.

Modification: Place your elbows on the ground if leaning on your wrists causes discomfort. If reaching to the ground is difficult, use the bumper of your car or a large rock to support your arms. Bend your knees slightly to keep your feet flat on the ground.

Benefits: Decreases tension by elongating the shoulders, shoulderblade area, cervical spine and neck.

Increases the relaxation of your head and promotes full-body circulation.

Deepens respiration. Removes anxiety.

TIPS Before or after you put your helmet on, move your head gently side to side, up and down, and in slow circles. Be aware of your posture and muscle tension when you are flying. Maintain hydration by drinking plenty of water.

Include a five-minutes silent relaxation session in your flying schedule and incorporate this relaxation into your daily life and every single flight.

Tell me how you feel. shiwido@ gmail.com Sofia Puerta Webber is a journalist, certified yoga therapist, fitness instructor and pilot in the San Diego area. She conducts Flying Yoga sessions on Fridays at 9:00 a.m. at Torrey Pines Gliderport, La Jolla, CA. www.shiwido.com. Contact Sofia for Paragliding and Yoga tours.

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Worth

Every Cent by

O

ne of the most frequent questions I hear when approached about how to become a hang glider or paraglider pilot is both practical and understandable: “How much does it cost?”

Generally, by the time this question is asked, a description of why “free flight is the most amazing thing a human can do” is unnecessary. Most genuinely interested people have already concluded that the risk, reward, and costs associated with learning to fly a glider will indeed be worth it. The logical next step is to find an instructor and begin the process. This brings said question to the forefront. How much? can sometimes make or break a potential student’s motivation and confidence toward making the dream a reality.

I like to think that everything in life is possible with strong motivation and the willingness to “do the work.” Simply put, if I want “it” badly enough, I will find a way. That stated, I also know (all too well) that life’s commitments can be a necessary priority. Learning to fly by sacrificing the mortgage payment or keeping the lights on, for most, is not an option.

What is important to point out to someone who passionately wants to experience flying in one of its purest forms is that, with patience and focus, his or her goal is achievable by breaking down the unavoidable expenses into stages.

In reality, learning to hang glide or paraglide is one of the least expensive forms of aviation. If it calls to you, flying is a skill, an opportunity for an extraordinary experience that continues to pay back long after lessons and equipment are purchased. For me, after the initial investment of effort,

J E FF S H A PI RO

time, and expense (and fun), a lifelong participation in footlaunch flight has ended up costing little more than fuel to get down the road and up to launch. Granted, endless costs are associated with additional goals: cross-country flights, competitions, new equipment, etc. But, for most, after the initial investment to learn is made (along with buying a safe wing, harness, and helmet), any pilot, coupled with the passion to get off the ground, can have a lifetime of epic flights resulting in endless smiles with little more than the arbitrary cost of time and fuel.

I’ll try to break down the expenses involved, the options you have for acquiring gear, and the timeline to be expected as a new student. It’s the purpose of this article to help “wouldbe students” understand how the expense involved is a hurdle that can be overcome, just like any other step in the process.

Before we focus on gear, let’s get on the same page about the expense and options regarding instructors and lessons.

It’s true that as an instructor, after being asked about the costs of learning, I usually state the painfully obvious: “You can’t be a hang glider pilot without a hang glider. You’ll definitely need equipment of your own.” But I always back that up with what I know to be true. Most people start by committing to take lessons and should first focus on that expense.

Contacting a hang or paragliding school or reaching out to a local pilot who has taken on the role of instructor and mentor for his or her local site and geographic area, generally costs a similar amount. Regardless of which you consider, do

LEFT Boyd Hartwig about to continue his progression toward free flight, with another launch and landing | photo by Jeff Shapiro.

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some research, learn as much as you can and pick someone you trust who has a good reputation and has earned the necessary skills and ratings to help you toward your goal of becoming a rated and certified pilot. Information regarding who is or what schools are currently providing lessons in your area can be found at www.ushpa.aero. Oftentimes, contacting your local club or chapter can also provide an avenue toward meeting the instructors in your community.

When I state instructors and schools, I differentiate the two by defining school as a business that employs multiple instructors to service the needs of a student. Conversely, reference to an instructor defines an individual who has also earned the rating with the intention of giving back to his or her local flying community. Both options could be thought of as having pros and cons but neither have cons that are typically anything more than simply “factors to consider.”

For instance, a “pro” of going the route of local instructor is that you often end up in a one-on-one learning environment.

Another “pro” would be that this would almost assuredly be someone with whom you will be spending time flying after you are rated and technically “on your own.” In this case, continued instruction in the form of advice and critique can evolve naturally, conveniently, and into the future. A perceivable “con” could be that many of these generous pilots don’t teach as a primary source of income, so they might be limited in terms of how much gear they are able to provide for you to learn on. In other words, your local instructor might not have a fleet of gliders and harnesses for you to try or use during your lessons. All should have safe gear that will allow a wide variety of body shapes and types to learn on, but multiple sizes of gliders, harnesses, and helmets relative to “try before you buy” aren’t practical for the amount of money a single instructor can make with a few students a year.

If you’re in an area that makes it reasonable to take a course at one of the many schools, there are some obvious benefits. When in a classroom environment or on the training hill, being paired with other students allows you to learn from each other’s questions, perspectives, and mistakes. Many schools will have a fleet of suitable gliders and harnesses to learn on and, perhaps even more important, gliders of multiple sizes. A perceivable “con” could be that schedules might be less flexible, because of the need to coordinate the schedules of a number of students and/or the expense involved with travel to the flight park to take your lesson package. To be totally honest, sitting here trying to think of any real “con” for either choice—instructor or school—is fairly difficult. Both are excellent ways to learn the basics and take it as far as you desire. I would say, by far, what’s most important is that you do your homework and find an instructor you trust who suits your learning style to teach

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you in the most effective, appropriately conservative, and comprehensive way. You can expect to pay from $1000 to $1800, depending on where and what ratings you are being trained to achieve.

Another factor to research is your chosen instructor’s tandem experience. As an instructor myself, I hold high value in using tandem flight as an instructive tool. Important, even crucial, lessons can be learned, even with the student as “passenger” and the instructor as “pilot in command.”

For example, the way a stall feels and the procedure to recover from it, and what an appropriate speed “sounds like”

during a landing approach can both be experienced during an instructional tandem. I find, more than anything, the exposure to an altitude flight before my student is ready to solo helps diminish the “sensory overload” that can occur. Tandems are such a useful and complementary tool to training-hill work, theory, and risk management that I would highly recommend picking an instructor with tandem experience. This may or may not affect the cost of the lesson package but, in the end, will be more than worth it.

The next question worth discussing is: “What gear will I need?” Let’s start with the glider.

LEFT An instructional tandem is a good way to teach practical lessons and to diminish “sensory overload.” | photo by Chris Gibisch. ABOVE Jeff Shapiro takes a student for a first tandem, aiding the process toward becoming a safe pilot.

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The first decision to make is whether to go with a new or used wing. Again, there are “pros” and “cons” with each. Some feel that buying a used glider for a first wing is a good idea to keep overall expense lower. With the help of your instructor, a used glider found within your local club or venues, such as the OZ Report classifieds, can be a great way to go—if the wing is in good shape and has a history of being taken care of. Appropriate used hang gliders are consistently found from $1600 to $3000 and used paragliders, designed to learn on, range from $1000 to $1500. Lower prices can be found, but these are good averages to consider.

One important factor to consider is that the gliders I learned on in the early ‘90s, relative to the development of the newest beginner gliders—ones specifically designed to create a forgiving platform to learn on—are two completely different animals. It’s still quite doable to learn on an older model wing of varying brands, but the newest single-surface hang glider designs and the newest entry-level DHV1/EN-A paragliders have added a forgiveness and ease of flight that give a student the best chance to learn with an unarguable decrease in consequence. A mistake will have a result but, in my humble opinion, more mistakes can be made and corrected that don’t result in broken parts than was possible before recent developments in this type of glider. What to take from this? If you decide to look for a used wing, it might be important to choose a modern design and, with the help of your instructor, to inspect it pre-purchase, to get one that hasn’t been hammered.

If you decide you want to buy new, the initial inspection part is obviously unnecessary. You will know the glider’s history because it’ll start with you. Another benefit is that if taken care of, a new glider will hold much of its value. If and when you’re ready to “trade up” in performance, most of the value of your next wing can come from the sale of your first glider. Most instructors and flight parks are certified dealers for one of the reputable manufacturers and can work with you on a package to be included with your lessons. New beginner hang gliders are around $3500 to $4200, new beginner paragliders about $2450 to $3450. Either way, searching for the most appropriate model wing in the best condition that you can afford will serve you well. And regardless of new or used, any glider that allows you to learn and get off the ground, as long as it’s safe, will put the same smile on your face and create life highlights. The lesson: Get a glider and learn to fly it.

When considering a harness, I would argue that this piece

of your kit will generally be something you use for years to come, so find one that fits your needs the first time; you won’t be sorry. Like a pair of ski boots, you might buy new skis from season to season, but a good pair of boots that fit well will stay with you season after season. A paragliding harness or hang gliding harness is very similar. Again, new or used isn’t nearly as important as fit and comfort, function, and the life left in the harness. If new, the advantage is you can have one built for your dimensions and, most likely, that fit will be right the first time and will be “yours” from the get-go. That doesn’t mean you can’t find a harness on the used market, especially if you’re on the “standard” side of size. If you’re “uniquely shaped,” patience might be required if you decide to buy used. New and used harnesses for either can be found in a wide price range from $400 to $1200.

The one piece of equipment I believe buying new should be seriously considered is the reserve parachute. It’s true that very well kept, never deployed, modern parachutes equipped with swivels can be found and occasionally have been sold with a harness as a used package. But consider that the reserve is an important safety component to your kit and will last forever, if taken care of and repacked appropriately. If purchased new, there will be no reason, other than damage caused by you, to ever buy another. Just my humble opinion.

Used could range from $500 to $600 and new, around $700 to $800.

So if you know you want to fly and you’ve chosen the type of wing you want to start with, you’re ready to take the next step. I hope this article can be used as a good reference (for both potential students and instructors) to provide a general idea of what to expect regarding the components one needs to begin the process of becoming a rated pilot who will be able to enjoy what free flight has to offer.

Break the process down into doable steps. Find an instructor and take lessons. Have him or her help you find safe and appropriate gear. Devote the time and focus to read, practice, and learn the skill, and believe me, you won’t be sorry.

You may think that attaining your goal—flying—will be your reward, but if you have the right mindset, the process of lessons and acquiring gear can be just as much fun. The real rewards of flying are the never-ending “firsts.” Your first wing, your first lesson, and the first time your feet leave the ground will leave you forever changed. Have fun, be safe, and pay attention. This type of fun will change your life.

LEFT Last-minute advice and good energy right before a first high flight; the instructor/student relationship should be one of trust and confidence | photo by Kara Shapiro.

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EYES IN THE SKIES 28

ABOUT KRYSTLE WRIGHT Driven by a passion to capture the most unique perspective not yet thought of, Krystle Wright is a pioneering photographer from Australia who is accelerating the awareness and visibility of the most extreme sports and their athletes of the world. On a continual quest to challenge herself and others mentally and physically, Krystle consistently brings attention to the demanding adventures and landscapes that the public is rarely fortunate enough to be exposed to.

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Tom De Dorlodot soars above the glaciers on Rakaposhi (7788m) near Hunza in northern Pakistan | photo by Krystle Wright.

Mario Richard launches his speedwing off Castleton Tower in Utah in the last moments of daylight, circling the tower before landing in the valley | photo by Krystle Wright.

South of the city of Medellin in Colombia, Tom De Dorlodot flies above a series of waterfalls while exploring the local flying areas | photo by Krystle Wright.

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Hernan Pitocco performs a series of wingovers high above the Karakoram Range in northern Pakistan | photo by Krystle Wright.

Horacio Llorens and Tom De Dorlodot walk beside the highway in Colombia somewhere in between Cali and Medellin. They needed to walk some 20km before allowing themselves to rest up and be close to the take off area the following day | photo by Krystle Wright.

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Horacio Llorens flies at the high altitudes near Rakaposhi (7788m) near Hunza in northern Pakistan | photo by Krystle Wright.

A group of speedwing pilots race down Treble Cone near Wanaka, New Zealand | photo by Krystle Wright.

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Wolfgang Siess performing a wing-over at Santa Barbara, California.

Cranking up in the 2015 Hang Gliding World Championships | photo by Antoine Boisselier.

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ABOUT WOLFGANG SIESS Austrian Wolfgang Siess is a second generation and an accomplished competition pilot and member of the Austrian National team, but perhaps best known for extraordinary glidermounted photos and videos.

Wolfgang Siess crossing Lake Annecy, France | photo by Antoine Boisellier.

ABOUT ANTOINE BOISSELIER Antoine Boisselier is a French National Team member who has captured hang gliding and paragliding in a way unlike any other. He continues to push the boundaries, bringing all of us along with him on glorious flights from the Alps to Mexico to Turkey.

Icaro pilots on glide at the 2015 Hang Gliding World Championships | photo by Antoine Boisellier.

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ABOUT DUSTIN MARTIN Dustin Martin began his flying career in sailplanes at the age of 14 and made the transition to hang gliders at age 16. In 2008, Dustin cracked off the third longest XC flight ever–410 miles, narrowly missing the world-record mark. Dustin returned to Zapata four years later on July 3, 2012 to set the current World Open Distance Record with a flight of 475 miles. He now runs hang gliding tours in Columbia and Brazil between competitions Dustin Martin taking a "selfie" in Brazil.

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and his design contributions at Wills Wing.

TRAVELING

with your Paraglider by

A

h, the paragliding vacation: thermal factories all day, hammocks all afternoon, beverages and conversation all evening. Daydreams of far-flung free flight are starting to look better and better, no? Your paraglider wants to go out and play. And you’re starting to chew your fingernails. Traveling with a paraglider, after all, is something of a stressful proposition. How do you pick a destination from the thousands of options, sort out the necessary documentation, and safely ferry your gear from your gear room to the great unknown?

Don’t sweat it. Here’s the beta.

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A N NE T TE O' NEI L

Pre-Flight Checks Traveling domestically? Check out the sites that have received grants from The Foundation for Free Flight (ushgf. org). To see the list, look at the Foundation’s “Success Stories” page. The Foundation works to preserve American flying sites for future generations of pilots, using tax-deductible donations and the tireless efforts of an all-volunteer staff to make it happen. USHGF makes land purchases, upgrades facilities, grooms launch and landing zones and generally comes to the rescue of wonderful sites—some, on the brink of extinction— that you otherwise might not have the opportunity to fly.

Ready for an overseas adventure, but not ready for a high-stress slog? Peek at the USHPA calendar. USHPA comprises over 100 local chapters and clubs, so, naturally, the calendar lists events that span the planet. At these events, the biggest pressures of overseas flying adventures are minimized.

Namely: There will certainly be other English-speaking pilots around to hang out with, review site details, and explore launches alongside.

If you already have your vacation tickets booked but want to add PG to the mix, browse Paragliding Earth. Look for flying sites close to your destination. If you’re accustomed to using the site solely to check out the conditions at your local haunts, you’ll be delighted to discover how comprehensive and wide-ranging the information is for the rest of the world. Of course, lots of the listed sites require more in-depth orientation than Paragliding Earth presents. Many, however, do not. The map pins offer excellent reference points for experienced pilots to do their own exploring.

Bring your USHPA card. No matter where you’re headed, developed sites around the world require the level of insurance protection USHPA members in good standing enjoy. Even if nobody asks, you’ll know that you’re doing your part to help protect the site from shutdown, if you make a mistake. An important note: USHPA membership may not be everything you need to fly. Before you travel, check to see if you'll need to purchase a local club membership or sign a waiver before you land at your destination site. In a great many cases, local clubs rely on these fees to keep their sites open and flyable. It's disrespectful and irresponsible to dodge them.

Keep a backup. Scan the front and back of your air-sports membership cards. Snag a legible scan of your USHPA membership card, your US Parachute Association card, and any others you may carry. Upload them to your preferred cloudstorage solution, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, alongside a scan of your health insurance ID card. This will provide you with an alternate verification copy if (heaven forbid) your wallet is stolen. It’ll also give you and your travel buddies easy access to emergency numbers and insurance information.

Get in-date. If you need an inspection or a repack, make plans to do so before you leave your trusted rigger behind.

While many big, developed sites have rigger access—especially those that draw a steady stream of acro pilots—the service, style and timeline may not be what you’re used to. If you’re not headed to a major PG destination, you’ll probably be entirely out of luck. In that case, be sure to bring along a patch kit (and make sure you how to use the contents).

Travel Smart With Your Equipment Don't put a note on your reserve handle that says “do not pull.” If you do, you're begging airport security to yank it as hard as they can. They will likely oblige you.

Double-bag your paragliding backpack. Throw your expensive, custom paragliding backpack in a cheap duffel bag.

The “outer shell” of inexpensive fabric will prevent the fancy bag’s straps from being ripped off by a conveyor belt or luggage truck.

Make your luggage as waterproof as possible. It’s not your own wayward shampoo you need to worry about. More than a few paragliding holidays in France, Spain, and Italy have ended in nylon tragedy when a red wine bottle in someone else’s bag broke, soaking through the stack of luggage and right into an innocent wing. To shore up, use a contractor-grade trash bag or two. Bonus: they’re perfect laundry bags, and they can function as a handy tarp if it rains.

Take your helmet as a carry-on. If you check it in your soft-sided paragliding backpack, it may be crushed in transit.

Sort the rest of your equipment by checked/non-checked status long before you arrive at the airport. As much as possible, stash valuable electronic gadgets in your hand luggage.

However, don’t forget to remove tools like your Swiss Army knife, hook knife, Leatherman, or multitool from your gear bag and stash them in your checked luggage. If you decide to carry your 2-meter radio on the plane, keep your radio license handy to demonstrate to security, or it may be confiscated.

Think about international customs taxes, before they sneak up and surprise you. International paragliding expeditions should begin at the airport customs office before check-in. Have the office register your gear, accessories and electronics. If you are not provided with a matching registration card, ask for a printout of the file copy. That paperwork will bear your equipment’s serial numbers, which might just save you from paying tax–again–on all your gear. (See help. cbp.gov for more detail.)

Don’t forget your sense of humor. If this is your first nylon adventure, you’re in for a treat. Remember, however, to stay flexible. Expect unfamiliar logistics, alien launch etiquette, and new conditions to throw you for a loop. And even though you’ll have burned lots of money and effort to reach your destination, know that one thing is as true there as it is at home: No day of flying is a guarantee. Don’t white-knuckle the experience. You’ll enjoy it so much more.

LEFT HG & PG editor Nick Greece en route to a competition | photo by William Barue.

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Fly Camping FOR YOU

by

I

n paragliding circles the idea of fly camping, or vol biv, is often discussed, but rarely performed. I have heard people talk about it time and again, but have seldom witnessed these dreams turn into reality. That’s fine by me; I love to talk about future possibilities and dream big, but getting out there and doing it is what life is all about. While there are legitimate reasons many pilots don’t partake in this activity, I feel that fly camping is more approachable than most pilots perceive it to be, and also can be an incredibly unique and rewarding activity that most remember forever. This article will show you how approachable vol biv can be and give you some helpful tips to make your first fly-camping experience an exciting, comfortable, and safe adventure.

For most pilots the words vol biv evoke the image of vast mountain ranges with committing lines being flown by worldclass pilots for days or weeks on end. We picture special ultralight gear and epic objectives. This makes total sense, since it’s what we read about in articles and see on our screens.

The routes that have been flown over the last 10 years are simply incredible. Amazing pilots have gone huge, flying and camping their way through a number of the largest mountain

PE TE T HO M P SO N

chains on the planet. This grand scale adventureseeking is the ultimate test for a few and an inspiration to all.

As a fledgling pilot, this is how I pictured this specialized aspect of paragliding, and it inspired me in a major way. Seeing what people were doing in Europe and in the Himalayas made me want to fly the big lines and have epic sky-camping adventures. It seemed so awesome and committing. But those flights were out of reach for my skill set at the time.

For a number of years, I simply let my experience with fly camping remain a dream on the horizon, and I focused on improving my XC flying so I could one day go huge.

Although I was fantasizing about how far the possibilities could be pushed, I wasn’t getting out there doing it, because it still seemed so unobtainable. I was missing out.

If I became inspired watching the Tour de France and decided to go on a bike ride that resembled what I had just watched, it would never happen. If I watched a video of climbing guru Alex Honnold performing super strong and tried to replicate him, I wouldn’t get 10 feet off the ground. I can’t begin to do these sports at that level; I do them at my level. I ride my bike around town and rock climb on moderately dif-

LEFT The author having a ball over Castleton Tower after camping at the base. ABOVE Fly camping with friends adds safety and camaraderie in Nepal.

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ficult routes with my girlfriend and feel exhilarated. If I were to allow myself to partake in these sports only at the highest level, I would never do them. I think many take this approach with some aspects of paragliding. When it comes to vol biv paragliding, people like me see what the big guns are doing and dispel the idea of this activity’s being possible for them.

This mindset develops alongside plenty of excuses: I am not an expert XC pilot, I can’t hike for hours on end up big mountains, I don’t know how to plan such an adventure, I only get weekends off from work, I don’t have the special equipment required. However, most pilots don’t realize that fly/camp can be done without flying XC, without much hiking, at an established site, on your current paragliding equipment and with about as much planning and special equipment as it takes for a night of backpacking.

Fly camping can be whatever you want. If you are camping, hiking and flying, you are doing it. The options are limitless, from one-night outings to month-long adventures.

The tactic for accomplishing your first fly-camping adventure is to pick an experience that is right for your skill set and desires. Plan to complete a trip well within your abilities.

Be completely honest with yourself and set your sights on a safe, practical adventure. For example, if your longest flight is

10km, and you are not experienced with top landings, don’t picture yourself flying 50km and landing on top of some huge mountain. That scenario sounds unrealistic and dangerous.

Just because you are trying a new adventure does not mean you need to drastically expand your skill set at the same time.

Stay within your limits, just as you do on any other day at the hill. If the conditions are not right for you in the middle of the day, wait for the evening. If you can’t hike big distances with all of your gear, stay close to roads. Land in places you are comfortable hiking out of to keep the commitment level low. Start small, have fun, and progress.

The simplest scenario for a fly-camping trip would be to hike and fly at a familiar site, with a night of camping thrown in the mix. A bit of exercise, a night under the stars, and a safe flight down. Voila! You are fly camping. Another simple scenario would be to fly from your local site to a cool spot, camp, and hike out the next day. These are mellow adventures that can be accomplished in a weekend by novice pilots. The flying skills needed are no different from a normal day of ridge soaring, but the uniqueness of the experience and the memories are completely next-level. Maybe you can go bigger than this, but sticking to familiar terrain where your local knowledge still applies will keep you in your comfort zone

ABOVE Dry, barren mountain tops add to decision-making in El Bolson, Argentina. OPPOSITE Landing high in Argentina, a career highlight. RIGHT Achieving our goals in Colorado.

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and boost the safety and fun factor.

Special considerations and planning extend beyond a normal day flying the local hill. Primarily, this involves dealing with the extended period of time away from your climatecontrolled home. Remember, fly camping is about having fun, not suffering. Being prepared will limit the “suffer factor” and make for a pleasant experience. If you are not experienced with backpacking in a wilderness environment, that’s fine, but you need to seek proper advice and work on those skills.

The most important things that will contribute to your comfort level are your ability to stay hydrated, nourished, warm and safe. If these requirements are not met, you will suffer, at best, and put yourself at serious risk, at worst. With them, you are much more likely to have a great time, even if you don’t fly.

Hydration For water, I plan to use a gallon of water per day. If your trip is going to be a one-night adventure, you may be able to bring all of the water you need with you. If not, you are going to need to find water to collect and a way to purify it. Check out the Steripen and Sawyer water filters for your best options. I

Food For one-night outings, I bring precooked food, so I won’t need to have a fire or bring a stove. A couple of heavy burritos and some energy bars will do the trick. For trips lasting longer than one night, I recommend bringing lightweight “boil-only” meals and a light canister stove and pot. Check out MSR products, like the popular Jetboil. Open-fire cooking sounds cool but has higher risks for burns, forest fires, and spilled food, not to mention it may be banned in certain areas.

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prefer to store my water in dromedary bags instead of water bottles, because they are lightweight and pack down when they are not full.

Warmth Bring a good-quality sleeping bag and pad, as well as a tent, if necessary. While you may have heard of pilots sleeping wrapped up in their gliders, I assure you this is more of a romantic idea than a comfortable scenario. Down sleeping bags are best for dry climates, as they are light and thermally efficient. Sleeping pads are absolutely necessary for warmth and comfort. A number of brands offer incredibly light inflatable pads that weigh a fraction of a pound. Tents are really an optional item for fly camping. If there is any chance of rain, bring a tent. With dry weather and a warm sleeping bag and pad, sleeping under the stars is a lovely option.

Safety You need to be extra safe and conservative in your decisionmaking when fly camping. From choosing your route to deciding when and where to launch, this activity is full of critical decisions. Partnering with another experienced pilot can help, as two brains are often better than one. If you do go out ABOVE A nice camp near a small village in Nepal.

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alone, make sure to tell a trusted friend your plans and check in with him or her as your adventure progresses. Studying maps and hiking parts of your route beforehand will give you that extra knowledge that could make a big difference.

Having numerous forms of communication to the outside world is another essential. Always fly with a cell phone plus an extra battery, a radio, and a live satellite-tracking device, such as a Spot or DeLorme inReach. None of these devices are fail-proof, and each has its own purpose. In the end, safety depends on good decision-making.

Test all of your gear before taking it to the mountaintop.

This could be done during a night of backpacking or in your backyard. This would be a good time to try sleeping wrapped in your paraglider and cooking on an open fire, if you are still stuck on that idea. After you have gathered and tested your equipment and supplies, make sure it will all fit into your rucksack and harness. Practice carrying it around and start planning your adventure with confidence.

Stack the odds in your favor. Seek advice from local instructors, buddy up with a friend, test your gear and plan the adventure with safety and fun as a priority. Wait for an ideal weather window and go for it. Look up at the stars, feel the freedom and live your adventure.

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PARADISE LOST by

M

y hands trembled as I ripped open the photo envelope. I knew that inside were the images that could be my ticket to a Hang Gliding magazine centerspread. Or cover! Or maybe both a centerspread and a cover! I had visions of full color, glossy pictures of me hang gliding over Pearl Harbor, over the USS Arizona Memorial, over tens of thousands of people craning their necks to watch me soar on aluminum and Dacron wings.

I understood that even on my best days I was just an average pilot, but this was

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F RE D LEON A R D

my big chance. My picture would be up there with the pictures of the Sky Gods—Larry Tudor soaring hundreds of miles across the American West and John Heiney doing endless loops over the most photogenic places on earth.

But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself.

Some of you may be wondering why I needed to rip open an envelope to see pictures. Why didn’t I just take out my GoPro or smartphone? Why didn’t I go to YouTube or Flickr or Facebook?

As difficult as this may be to compre-

hend by anyone for whom puberty isn’t a distant memory, this was before smartphones, before digital cameras, before social media, and, yes, even before Kim Kardashian. Well, not totally before Kim Kardashian. It was in the year 10 AK—in the period known

by Kardashian disciples as the missing years—before the Kardashians became front-page tabloid news and dominated social media and reality TV. For the rest of us, it was 1990, a year when hang gliding was still the preeminent form of foot-launched flight and para-

LEFT Duff King launches at Makapu’u.

The wire person has just ducked down below the launch platform. A safety rope prevents a potential 1200’ fall. Photo by Fred Leonard.

gliding was just beginning its awkward adolescence.

I was in Hawaii on an extended tropical sojourn, courtesy of the United States Air Force. All I had to do was work about 80 hours a week, wear a uniform, and comply with a lot of meaningless rules and regulations. If I did that and kept a low profile, I was allowed to join the locals on my few days off to fly in one of the most scenic places on earth. This would have been more than enough for a mere mortal such as me, but I was twice blessed.

I was in Hawaii just at the time Bill Fulton convinced Jerry Forburger to come to Oahu to help him open a flight park.

Bill was an airline pilot by vocation and, by avocation, a pilot of almost anything that could get airborne by avocation. Jerry, as any of us know who are old enough to remember when hang gliders were called kites, was a tall, smooth-talking Texas hang glider pilot, first-class instructor, and the inventor of the ATOL (Airtime of Lubbock) payout winch. It was Jerry’s ingenuity that opened up the vertically challenged middle section of this country to hang gliding. It was also his ingenuity and Bill’s vision and initiative that allowed us to expand our Oahu hang gliding activities from hurling ourselves off the infamous Makapu’u launch (and a couple of other less accessible and less well-known Oahu sites) to flying further north on the windward side of the island in the lush Ka’a’awa Valley. For folks not familiar with Oahu (or the fact that Hawaiian words often have apostrophes in them), you have most likely seen the Ka’a’awa Valley in films such as Jurassic Park and Godzilla, or in the TV series Hawaii Five-O or Magnum P.I. By what can only be described as a wondrous coincidence made possible by the beneficence of the Great Soaring Spirit, that same year (10 AK) the Navy decided to open up Pearl Harbor for their first ever Hydrofest—a hydroplane racing event that they hoped would raise money to help sailors and their families. It was also an opportunity for the Navy to entice impressionable young men and women to sign up for what the Navy euphemistically

referred to as “cruises” on a variety of Big Gray Boats.

The spectators were to be ferried to Ford Island in the middle of Pearl Harbor, where they could watch the races, and, also, where they could be more easily managed. However, because the Navy needed to keep those spectators occupied in the downtime between hydroplane heats, they arranged for a variety of other activities to go on simultaneously to reduce boredom and idle mischief.

To this day, I have no idea how Bill and Jerry did it, but they managed to convince the Navy that a perfect activity to entertain potentially bored spectators would be hang gliders flying overhead. When the spectators had nothing to watch down on the water, they could simply look up to the sky.

Ford Island had a 4000 foot runway from which we could launch, using Jerry’s Jeep mounted ATOL tow rig, and it had adequate grass aprons suitable for setup and landings. Our only major restriction was that we could not fly above 1000 feet, because Ford Island was smack in the middle of the approach path to Honolulu International Airport and Hickam Air Force Base.

On the Friday of the big weekend, the Navy ferried our gliders, Jerry’s tow rig, and our group of diver drivers to Ford Island. Hawaii’s usually present trade winds had taken a break that weekend, leaving us with light and variable breezes. The day was to be mostly practice before the arrival of the crowds on Saturday and Sunday, and the conditions made for quick flights in the stable marine air, with lots of no-wind landings. I had to marvel that I was

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d e e c x e ld u o h s h c a Ah, but a man’s re ? r o f n e v a e h a ’s his grasp, Or what – Robert Browning

allowed to join a group that included some of Hawaii’s best pilots, and I resolved that my goal for the weekend would be to avoid any major screw-ups.

Jerry’s wife Toni drove the tow rig, and her skill at yanking us into the air provided yet another reason to be forever grateful to anyone who has ever volunteered to drive a vehicle that allowed us to fly. With the light winds, we towed mostly toward the ocean (makai in Hawaiian), getting to about 900-1000 feet before releasing near the entrance to Pearl Harbor.

After release, it was a beautifully scenic but short sled ride to a landing back at the approach end of the runway.

Everything went well under the adult supervision of Bill, Toni, and Jerry, and we all looked forward to Saturday and Sunday, when we could fly for the weekend crowds.

The flying on Saturday turned out to be pretty much a repeat of what we had experienced on Friday. The only real difference was the tens-ofthousands of spectators who had come

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for the event. Also, some of the pilots had rigged smoke and streamers on their gliders to accentuate the visual impact of the wangs they cranked out between tow release and landing. I, on the other hand, simply floated gently above Ford Island and tried to avoid doing anything embarrassing, such as whacking so loud that it could be heard over the roar of the hydroplanes.

With everything going well and relatively whack-free, it occurred to me that this might be a chance to get some in-flight photos of Pearl Harbor. I had recently purchased a 35mm camera that I could operate with a remote, so I decided to try to mount it on my glider’s keel for our last day of flying.

The fact that I hadn’t done this before didn’t seem like a problem. After all, I thought, what could go wrong?

Sure enough, Sunday was another beautiful day in Paradise as well as another blissful day for flying. I mounted my newly purchased camera on the keel of my trusty Vision Eclipse and sighted it through the control bar so the resulting pictures would show me flying the

glider with Pearl Harbor below. I had a 36-exposure roll of slide film in the camera and figured this would be more than enough, given the short flights and the fact that I had no intention of messing with the camera while I was trying to do something challenging, such as launching or landing.

As expected, the day started with several short pattern flights. But the pilot who flew just before me caught some unexpected light lift, extending his flight for an extra few minutes.

Not wanting to miss what could be soarable conditions, we rushed to get my glider mounted on the back of the Jeep. Sure enough, right off tow, my previously silent vario serenaded me with some intermittent beeps. As I scratched around the makai end of the runway, barely maintaining altitude, I spotted an RC sailplane back toward the approach (mauka) end, and it looked as if it was going up. The local RC club had also convinced the Navy that they could provide some entertainment for the spectators, but this was the first time I had seen them flying at our altitudes, never mind soaring.

I decided to go for it and headed for the circling RC. As I closed in, my vario began to chirp steadily and I turned to follow the RC in light but steady lift. It wasn’t long before I had to bail out of the rising air, so I wouldn’t exceed the 1000-foot FAA altitude restriction. The RC, however, failed to observe that restriction (which is an additional tale involving some rather annoyed FAA personnel) and continued to mark the thermal location. So I flew away from the lift, until I had lost a hundred feet or so, and then came back to find it still working.

This magic thermal was almost directly over the USS Arizona Memorial, and I began snapping pictures, being sure to get views of the memorial, Pearl Harbor, and leeward Oahu. The thermal lasted long enough for me to repeat this process several times, until I had used up my entire roll of film. By the time I landed, I had managed to scratch out about a half-hour soaring over Pearl Harbor.

To say that I was stoked would be one of life’s understatements. I realize that a half-hour in light lift below 1000 feet wouldn’t be an epic flight for most people, but this was over a stunningly

beautiful and historic place no hang glider pilot had flown prior to that weekend. Further, I had the pictures to prove it—ones that would be a shoo-in for a magazine centerspread.

And while the rest of our flights that day included some extended glides in intermittent bubbles of light lift, none of us were lucky enough to repeat my thermal experience.

The following day I took my priceless roll of film to the most exclusive photo lab on the island of Oahu. There would be no drug-store developing for this roll of film—only the best would do. Twenty-four hours later, I picked up my slides, happily paying the tariff for premier and expedited service. I ripped open the envelope and spread the slides on the viewer provided by the lab, but in slide after slide all I saw were my harness straps, a small sliver of horizon, and the orange underside of my Vision Eclipse sail. Apparently, in our rush to launch, the camera had been pushed up, and I had neglected to realign it before hooking in.

Despondent, I gathered up my slides and drove home, planning to drown my sorrows in the warm Hawaiian surf, after consuming a suitable number of whatever those stupid

LEFT to right Soaring over the Ka’a’awa Valley, either velociraptors or hang gliders in the field below. Checking out the gliders and ATOL tow rig before the crowds arrive. Crowds lined up either to marvel at the author’s glider or catch the busses back to the Ford Island ferry. Airborne just after release. An unintended close-up of the underside of the author’s glider thermaling over Pearl Harbor.

Photos by Fred Leonard

rum drinks were that the tourist bars served with slices of pineapple and little paper umbrellas. I never did get as far as the surf, which was just as well, since the pounding of the waves could have terminally exacerbated the pounding I had in my head the next morning. And I have to admit I lost my interest in aerial photography after that—leaving it to the more skilled and competent, or at least the more detail-oriented and compulsive.

But I’ll never forget that epic soaring flight over Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial, and those thousands of spectators. And forever indelibly etched in my mind will be images of the most beautiful, most spectacular Hang Gliding magazine centerspread ever—of the pictures I almost took and the centerspread I almost got published.

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Wings at Work

What's good for the community is good for the club. by

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C h R IS T I N A A M M O N

“From those to whom much is given, much is expected.”

T

his familiar quotation best sums up the philosophy embraced by the Rogue Valley Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. The southern Oregon club, now in its fourth decade, is stronger than ever. The secret of its success lies in its response to the question: How can we give back? By embracing local projects, Rogue Valley pilots have graduated from being merely interesting, if unusual, guests flying overhead to becoming important members of the community.

Welcome banners overhang Jacksonville’s streets, announcing upcoming fly-ins. Local winery owners extend hospitality to visiting pilots. And a quarter-mile down the road from the main LZ, at Ruch Elementary, children have painted hang gliders and paragliding wings onto a mural that commemorates the school’s 100-year anniversary.

Principal Julie Barry says the club’s fundraisers and flight demonstrations at the school have made lasting impressions—as have frequent sightings of the wings overhead.

“When the kids were asked what it meant to live in the Applegate Valley, eight out of 10 said paragliders in the sky,” she said. “Any time any of us identifies the Applegate Valley, we mention paragliders.”

More Popularity, More Responsibility RVHPA (formerly RVHGA) was organized in 1977 by a small group of pioneering hang glider pilots. In those days, it was just a casual organization that primarily served a social function. As any pilot knows, part of the fun of flying is mingling with other pilots. After all, who else cares about your track log?

Since that time, Woodrat has surged in popularity, due largely to the Rat Race that started in 2003. This friendly competition that brings pilots from all over the USA “turns them on” to this area’s strong thermals and cross-country potential. While visiting, they come to appreciate the rich on-the-ground lifestyle that makes any good flying site truly great: the tasty food at Jacksonville’s restaurants and melodic summer evening concerts at the Britt Festival, the swimming holes of Applegate Lake and river. And they appreciate the valley’s many wineries—like LongSword Vineyards, Red Lily and Fiasco—that invite pilots to land on their property and quench their thirst.

“The developing wine-tourism ‘vibe’ gives us the feeling we are flying in a vacation landscape,” say Paul Murdoch, a former RVHPA president, a local business-owner, and a

LEFT “The developing wine tourism ‘vibe’ gives us the feeling we are flying in a vacation landscape,” says former RVHPA president Paul Murdoch | photo by Christina Ammon. ABOVE RVHPA is the current steward of The Whaleback flying site. In 2009, with the assistance of Klamath National Forest, volunteers enlarged the landing zone to make it safer for pilots of all skill levels. Photo by Don Fitch

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community-liaison.

Although it may feel as if we’re on vacation when we are at Woodrat, the last thing we want to do is behave like bad tourists. As Woodrat attracts more pilots, it requires more oversight.

“One can hop around from site to site thinking how wonderful it is, without realizing the work that goes into managing a flying site,” says Forrest Brault, RVHPA’s president. “It takes effort from USHPA, the Foundation for Free Flight, and each and every club in the United States to keep these free-flying sites open to us.” Brault cites hands-on efforts of participants—from cutting brush from launch, removing trees, and managing roads to completing more bureaucratic tasks, such as securing permits with the government, and managing insurance. There is also the issue of, as he nicely puts it, dealing with “irregular pilots.”

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1977: RVHGA is formed by hang glider pilots, who hold the first Starthistle Fly-in at nearby Mt. Baldy.

1980s: The Hunters grant pilots permission to land in their field. Starthistle Fly-in moves from Mt. Baldy to Woodrat.

1993: RVHGA embraces paragliding.

1995: RVHPA begins to work with the BLM to shape the takeoffs on the top launch.

2003: First Rat Race.

2009: RVHPA initiates The Whaleback site-improvement plan.

2013: Woodrat is established as a recreation area by the BLM.

2013: RVHPA secures nonprofit status.

Finding Symbiosis For the club, the key to fitting into the Woodrat “neighborhood” is identifying overlapping interests in the community. The club aims to build win-win relationships with private landowners and public agencies.

For example, pilots depend heavily on a ranch at the base of the mountain. If the lift isn’t “on,” the lavish 50-acre field is a welcomed sight. In the early days of free flight, the

2014: USHPA recognizes the RVHPA with the Chapter of the Year award.

arrangement with the owner, Tim Hunter, was informal; the kind cattleman had no problem letting a handful of pioneering pilots glide in among his grazing herd. But as the pilot numbers increased, Hunter—who enjoyed his simple ranch life—found himself in the middle of a bourgeoning flying scene.

“This caused a shift in our relationship with the landowner,” says local instructor Kevin Lee. “We had to start

TOP LEFT In addition to managing its flying site, RVHPA hosts education clinics. Here Rick Ray leads a class to help pilots understand the weather dynamics at Woodrat Mountain. Photo by Don Fitch. MIDDLE Hang glider pilot James Tibbs sets up for a landing at LongSword Vineyard. The vineyard owners have been allowing pilots to land on their property for over 10 years. Maintaining respectful relationships with landowners is crucial to securing the goodwill of the community and continuing use of landing zones | photo by Christina Ammon.

BOTTOM RVHPA pilots give a flight demonstration at Ruch Elementary School | photo by Dave Palmer ABOVE As the popularity of Woodrat has increased, so has the need for oversight | photo by Tim Daw

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giving more consideration to his needs.” Hunter, whose overriding impulse is to share his land, won’t accept rent, but will accept the club’s donations to charitable organizations of his family’s choice. Among them are Magdalene Home, a shelter for pregnant and homeless women, as well as a local agricultural college fund. The club has also raised money to buy car seats for a premature baby center in nearby Medford.

The club has made a few small improvements to Hunter’s property as well by installing fences, pulling invasive weeds, and helping build a barn. Of course, the best efforts pilots can make is respecting Hunter’s land by adhering to a simple set of rules: Don’t loiter in the LZ, don’t let all the cattle out, don’t allow dogs or alcohol on the property, and don’t obstruct the access road.

The local wineries, such as LongSword, Red Lily, and Fiasco have also been generous with their land, allowing pilots to touch down in their open fields. In return, the pilots provide good entertainment for wine-tasting guests, buy their product, and demonstrate their appreciation by

helping pick grapes in the fall.

RVHPA has also earned the trust of public agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management, who, in the spirit of their charter to provide access to public lands, has financed site improvements. Their most recent project involved broadening and recontouring the two launches on Woodrat Mountain. Also, roads were graded and a toilet installed.

A natural symbiosis evolved. “There is a great deal of overlap in our interest,” Murdoch explains. “As our presence increased, mischievous activities such as trash dumping, illegal shooting, and drug growing ceased. Given BLM’s very limited patrol resources, they welcome our help in monitoring a large chunk of land they now do not need to patrol.” He adds, “Since completion of the project in 2013, problem activity has almost disappeared.”

It is, no doubt, in RVHPA’s political interest to become an asset to the valley. After all, we depend on the cooperation of public agencies and private landowners for our launch and landing zones. And many members find that

ABOVE “Over the years, BLM began to allow RVHPA work parties to conduct site improvements with moderate oversight,” says Paul Murdoch. “They allow us to determine what improvements need to be made for safety, risk mitigation, and to accommodate other uses.” Photo by Deb Vosevich

52

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

getting involved is personally satisfying, leading to a richer sense of place and connectedness. Don Fitch explains, “I have never liked litter, so it is satisfying to participate in roadside cleanup along Highway 238. During part of the cleanup, we also remove litter from the Hunter’s highway frontage, making it doubly rewarding.”

Member Mike Hancock says he is not really a “club kind of guy,” but feels differently about RVHPA. “From picking grapes at one of our landing zones to donating money to the local elementary school, the RVHPA has its heart focused on supporting the community. As an active member of the club, I am more than just a paraglider pilot: I have the honor and personal satisfaction of being part of something bigger than myself.”

Securing the Future Increased interest in the site has put some stress on Woodrat at times but has had a good effect on the club overall, forcing it to get organized and keep pace with the growth. In 2011, the club restructured its membership status in order to finance improvements to the site.

Up until then, the club was often in debt, trying to cover work projects without outside assistance. “We were overly dependent on the financial largesse of a few club members,” Murdoch says. “Now, we have begun an effort to be

financially stable… to create a budget and savings plan that can meet our obligations without passing the hat for every need.”

In order to make increased membership fees and contributions tax-deductible, the club secured 501c3 nonprofit status in 2013—an effort that can be largely credited to local pilot Kelley Johnson, who spent countless hours navigating IRS paperwork.

RVHPA is still exploring how to make the most of their nonprofit status. The club was recently listed on Amazon Smile, which gives buyers the option to donate one-half percent of their order to the club.

The club has also applied for a Keen Effect grant to place a weather station and live video feed on top of Woodrat Mountain. This would allow pilots to access wind and sky conditions before driving up to launch.

There was a time when local pilots feared that Woodrat’s popularity would compromise the site. It just might be what will save it. Paul Murdoch is encouraged: “Now the club is larger, more organized, better prepared for the future.”

Christina Ammon lives at Woodrat Mountain in southern Oregon. She can be reached at: woodratcrashpad@gmail.com

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

53

Late Spring Flying Weather by Rich Jesuroga I n many cultures, spring has been celebrated with rites and festivals revolving around its importance to food production. For those of us in the US who experience the continental climate of four seasons a year, it means warmer weather, greening deciduous trees, blooming flowers, and, of course, the arrival of the flying season. But there’s more to spring than just the beginning of warmer weather. We need to think about our connection to spring meteorology in a manner different from our awareness of summertime weather.

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

Understanding the transitional nature from winter to summer, along with the volatile weather it can bring, may be the difference between a safe or a forbidding flight.

Spring Temperatures & The Sun Let’s begin by describing the impact of the “seasonal delay” of warming air mass temperatures in relation to the sun’s arc across the sky. Consider this: The sun is as high in the sky on May 10 as it is on August 3. (In 2015 the summer solstice occurs on June 21.)

Yet the ambient air mass temperature on May 10, on average, is much cooler than it is on August 3. Let’s pick Denver as an example. The average high temperature in Denver on May 10 is 69°F, but on August 3, the average high temperature is 89°F. Yet both May 10 and August 3 receive the exact same amount of sunshine.

This means the thermal trigger at your favorite site is absorbing the same amount of solar gain on May 10 as it does on August 3. But the thermal that is generated on May 10 might rise

in contact with warmer maritime air.

As the polar jet stream, which dips down slowly over the US during the winter, migrates northward, it opens the way for the sub-tropical jet stream to move northward as well. This, in turn, can bring warmer maritime air from the Gulf of Mexico and even the Atlantic Ocean to move into the South, Midwest and Southeastern US (see map, next page). Short waves, which in spring are associated with a cold pool of air aloft imbedded in the polar jet stream, often bring continental polar air southward into the US during this period. When the cool, dry polar air from the north and warm, moist air from the south collide, thunderstorms form, with some turning severe.

However, there is a marked difference between early spring weather that tends to be more benevolent and late spring weather that gives rise to strong convective activity.

through cooler air and, thus, ascend much more rapidly than it could on August 3. This, of course, is a generalization; what actually happens on May 10 and August 3 respectively is dependent on the actual temperatures and other factors. But this example clearly illustrates how spring season convection and the thermals we seek to climb aloft can be more dynamic than we might normally expect. It also helps us understand why late spring is the season when the US experiences its most severe convective weather.

Polar & Sub-Tropical Jet Stream Generally, we can say that the most violent weather in the US occurs in the spring, when cold polar air comes

D

uring the early months of spring, it is fairly normal for the predominant westerly flow aloft to mix down into the boundary layer (that layer of air from the surface up to several thousand feet above ground level) and clear out low-level moisture that would normally be crucial for convective storm development. On these days, we typically see nice, pleasant weather with perhaps a westerly or northwesterly breeze.

In late spring, however, a deep layer of warm moist air typically moves northward into the US and provides the fuel to generate large severe thunderstorms, like the one shown above.

In fact, on average, the month of May brings with it the highest occurrence of tornados in the US, followed by

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June (see chart below). Knowing this, it is important at that time of year for hang glider and paraglider pilots to pay special attention to the forecast, particularly on days with high relative humidity.

Changing Phase Of Water In spring, other factors to consider that can rapidly change our weather are the changing phases of water on the surface and the atmosphere. We often hear about carbon dioxide (CO2) being a greenhouse gas. However, what we don’t hear a lot about is that water vapor is also a heat-trapping greenhouse gas. Water vapor only constitutes up to 4% of the total volume of the

atmosphere. Yet it is one of the most important elements affecting weather.

During the winter, snow cover reflects the sun’s energy back out to space. The cumulative effect of this action, along with longer night hours vs. daylight hours, plunges us into winter.

In the spring, however, as the sun begins to rise higher in the sky and the number of daylight hours increases, the snow melts (changes phase) and the reflective capacity of snow diminishes.

As the snow turns to liquid and the increasing sunshine turns the potential for the liquid to evaporate into water vapor, it becomes an active absorber and emitter of infrared radiation. So instead of reflecting the sun’s energy

away from the atmosphere, it begins trapping it. As the sun’s increasing angle of incidence on the earth warms the ground, thermals develop and carry the water vapor aloft. If carried high enough, colder temperatures aloft and other processes combine to cause the water vapor to change phase again and become visible moisture, or the first convective clouds that are the visible manifestation of rising air.

Be Safe Late spring season is more than just a transitional period between winter and summer. It presents a complex set of variables and atmospheric processes that can rapidly change the environment. When looking at your local forecasts, also look at weather forecasts upstream from where you will be flying to determine the chance for changing conditions. Convective clouds in the late spring have the potential to grow more rapidly than we might otherwise see in the middle of summer. Be particularly alert for gust fronts (particularly in dry climates) and large-scale air mass frontal passages. If you’re a newer pilot, or are new to an area that you haven’t flown before, consult with more experienced pilots when you are unsure of the conditions at hand. Be safe.

Contact the author at rich@jesuroga.com

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GLOSSARY

core up: To fly circles in the center of

hang driving/paradriving: An off-shoot of

Compiled by Paul Villinski

a thermal where the lift is strongest.

hang gliding/paragliding, practiced

Results in a rapid climb.

en route to hangwaiting/parawaiting

Hang glider and paraglider pilots, like any group gathered around a common passion, cement their identity with a unique lexicon. Surfers speak of “point breaks” and “entering the green room”; motorcycle racers talk about “high sides,” “apexing early” or “taking a soil sample.” The patois of free-flight is an equally arcane one, and like the pilots who created it, it’s colorful, humorous, at times even poetic. I have a friend who jokes that he wants to learn to fly just so he can insert jargon like “glassoff” and “cloud street” into his cocktailparty conversations. In an effort to save him some time, I’ve assembled the following unofficial, incomplete and highly biased glossary.

crispy: The stiff, crinkly fabric of a new

sites.

hang waiting/parawaiting: An ancillary

after you got it, you’re not flying

sport to hang/paragliding, practiced

enough.

while sitting on launch hour after hour

cycle: Like sets of waves, thermals

until the narrow window of flyable

and the wind they produce seem to

conditions finally opens. If it does.

occur in cycles. Pilots wait to launch

honkin’: Really strong wind conditions.

into either a strong or weak cycle,

“It’s not too bad in the LZ, but it’s

depending on their bump tolerance.

honkin’ on launch.”

death spiral: Paragliders only. An ag-

LZ: Landing zone. It’s a good idea to

gressive spiral dive maintained till just

get there before landing.

above the ground, then exited at the

launch potato: Ever notice how there’s

last second for a showy spot landing.

always someone at the head of the

Exited an instant too late, results in a

line taking forever and holding up

sizable health-insurance claim.

everyone else–putting down roots?

down cycle: A period when the thermal

When it’s a line of pilots ready to

activity ebbs, and pilots begin to sink

launch, that person becomes a launch

out. See: flushed.

potato.

big ears: A descent maneuver in which

flushed: What goes up must, unfortu-

a paraglider’s wingtips are intention-

nately, come down, especially if it has

ally collapsed, reducing the surface

a glide ratio of 8 (or 12, or 15):1. The

area, and lift, of the wing. The deflat-

sky may be full of gliders, then the lift

ed tips hanging below the wing may

mysteriously shuts off, flushing every-

suggest ears to the anthropomorphic-

one back down.

ally-minded. There is no comparable

foamie: A five-inch-thick foam back

technique for hang gliders.

protector built into a paragliding har-

biwingual: Competent in flying both

ness, which will become your spine’s

hang gliders and paragliders.

new best friend in the event of a

blown out: Too damn much wind. Since

bounce.

a paraglider flies incredibly slowly,

gift-wrapped: My personal choice for

locals: The resident avian life, especial-

winds of 25 mph can result in a para-

most nightmarish paragliding sce-

ly birds capable of soaring. Generally,

glider going nowhere, with a hang

nario. The wing over-flies the pilot

if these guys are flying without

glider being able to handle winds only

with such energy that it winds up in

flapping, it will be soarable for their

slightly stronger. Better just hike back

front of and below him. As the sus-

clumsy human counterparts as well.

down if it’s really honkin’.

pension lines go slack, the pilot falls

When pilots spot the locals soaring

bounce: A very hard landing in a para-

into his wing, and, enveloped in nylon,

near launch, they unpack their gliders

glider. For related hang glider term

is unable to deploy the emergency

in a hurry.

see: whack.

parachute. This is a very bad thing.

plucked: A launch in which the pilot is

bump tolerance: An acquired ability to fly

glass-off: Lovely, glassy-smooth lift.

yanked into the air by a thermal, often

in and withstand rough, thermic air.

Occurs in the early evening at moun-

before he cares to be, sometimes

huck off the hill: Technical term used by

tain sites as warm air collected in the

(for a paraglider) while still facing

instructors to describe assisting new

valleys lifts off and gently rises into

backwards.

students in launching.

the cooling upper atmosphere. In

pucker factor: The degree of anxiety ex-

cloud street: A line of clouds stretching

the dinner menu of flying conditions,

perienced by the pilot. See: spanked;

for many miles, under which a good

glass-off is crème brûlée.

tossed.

pilot may fly a great distance.

58

wing. If your wing is still crispy a year

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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rotor: Turbulence produced by a large

speck out: To climb to great altitude.

whack: An inelegant landing in a hang

obstacle (such as mountain or ridge)

From the ground the glider looks like

glider, where the nose of the glider

in the path of the airflow, causing a

a little speck in the sky.

impacts the ground with an audible

swirling effect on the lee side. You

tossing the laundry: Throwing the re-

“whack!” sound.

don’t want to go there. Really.

serve parachute.

white room: The interior of a cloud.

scratching: Flying very close to the

tossed: Tossed about in turbulent air.

Venturing up into a cloud is “entering

terrain.

Also: worked, as in “worked over.”

the white room,” and is as dangerous

sled ride: A short flight directly to the

trashy: Turbulent, inconsistent air, pro-

as you’re imagining, as well as being

landing zone, with no hope of finding

ducing little lift. Not much fun, either.

illegal.

lift to extend the flight. At least you

tree landing: You guessed it. Popular

get your feet into the air.

with paraglider pilots in the heavily-

sink: The opposite of lift. As masses of

wooded Northeast and Northwest,

air rise in thermals, nearby air sinks to

feared by hang glider pilots in gen-

occupy the space left behind. Nature

eral. Also known as “making friends

abhors a vacuum. Soaring pilots

with your local hook-and-ladder

loathe sink.

operators.”

sink out: Taking the express elevator

turn on: Pilots wait in calm air for the

Paul Villinski is a New York City visual artist whose work deals with the poetics and metaphors of flight. His artwork can be seen at www.paulvillinski.com and www.morganlehmangallery.com.

A paraglider and sailplane pilot, his favorite view is from above.

back to the ground.

wind to turn on, creating soarable

This article is excerpted from a side-

spanked: To be punished by flying in

conditions, which is, of course, a

bar to an article in the June 2005

violently turbulent air. Often results

“turn-on.”

issue of Hang Gliding & Paragliding

from a bad decision to fly in the first

magazine.

place.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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CALENDAR & CLASSIFIED

CALENDAR clinics & tours

CALENDAR, CLINIC & TOUR LISTINGS

can be submitted online at http://www.ushpa.aero/email _ events.asp. A minimum 3-month lead time is required on all submissions and tentative events will not be published. For more details on submissions, as well as complete information on the events listed, see our Calendar of Events at www.ushpa.aero CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES - The rate for classified advertising is $10.00 for 25 words and $1.00 per word after 25. MINIMUM AD CHARGE $10.00. AD DEADLINES: All ad copy, instructions, changes, additions & cancellations must be received in writing 2 months preceding the cover date, i.e. September 15th is the deadline for the November issue. All classifieds are prepaid. If paying by check, please include the following with your payment: name, address, phone, category, how many months you want the ad to run and the classified ad. Please make checks payable to USHPA, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330. If paying with credit card, you may email the previous information and classified to info@ushpa.aero. For security reasons, please call your Visa/MC or Amex info to the office. No refunds will be given on ads cancelled that are scheduled to run multiple months.

(719) 632-8300. Fax (719) 632-6417 HANG GLIDING ADVISORY: Used hang glid-

Ken Hudonjorgensen. Learn your wing’s language and what it is telling you about the parcel of air it is in.

More info: Phone 801- 971-3414, email twocanfly@ gmail.com, or www.twocanfly.com.

MAY 14-17 > Lake Berryessa. SIV Clinic. The Gli-

derport will be offering an SIV clinic starting Thursday at 3 p.m. and ending Sunday. The clinic will provide several hours of classroom theory and analytical discussion, personalized instruction on each tow, by the SIV coach, and several tows per day to practice the maneuvers, recoveries and aerobatics. Pre-requisites for the program are basic P-2 certification with at least 50 flights.

MAY 23-24 > Tandem Clinic with Ken Hudonjorgensen in Utah. More info: Phone 801-971-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly. com.

MAY 23-25 > Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Tandem Instructor Certification Clinic at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort presented by Scott Harris and Jackson Hole Paragliding. More info at www.jhparagliding.com

MAY 29-31 > Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Instructor Certification Clinic presented by Scott Harris and JH Paragliding. More info at www.jhparagliding.com JUNE 3-13, SEPTEMBER 21 - October 1, October 2-12> Paracrane European Tour. Aus-

JULY 3-5 > Thermal Clinic. Utah sites with Ken Hudonjorgensen. Learn your wing’s language and what it is telling you about the parcel of air it is in.

More info: Phone 801-971-3414, email twocanfly@ gmail.com, or www.twocanfly.com.

JULY 10-12 > Torrey Pines Gliderport Tandem Instructor Clinic. This clinic is the USHPA accredited Tandem Instructor Training Program. The clinic will include all your pre-requisites to attain your Tandem Pilot (T1) rating as well as your Tandem Instructor rating. Clinic is three days and begins promptly at 9 a.m. on Friday morning. All equipment and clinic materials will be supplied by the gliderport.

Requirements for clinic attendance: P-4, 250 hours, 500 flights, special skills (TUR & RLF). Please read and study the FOI book.

AUGUST 10-25 > 2015 Colombia. Paragliding

and Yoga tour Colombia. Paragliding and Yoga Tour Colombia. Explore SEVEN sites along the Cauca Valley and Antioquia region with the guidance and coaching of Colombian top pilot and instructor Ruben Montoya, "Rubenfly" and Sofia Puerta Webber, paraglider pilot and yoga therapist. $2100 including accommodation in hotels or traditional "fincas," breakfast, ground transportation, briefings and flying fees.

Contact us at (818)-572-6350 or via email: sepuerta@yahoo.com www.sofiapuerta.com.

ers should always be disassembled before flying for the first time and inspected carefully for fatigued, bent or dented downtubes, ruined bushings, bent bolts (especially the heart bolt), reused Nyloc nuts, loose thimbles, frayed or rusted cables, tangs with non-circular holes, and on flex wings, sails badly torn or torn loose from their anchor points front and back on the keel and leading edges.

tria, Slovenia, and Italy. "The Sound of Music" meets the X-Alps! Early summer and early fall are perfect times for flying in Austria, Slovenia and Italy. We’ll base in Zell am See, Austria, with tram access to excellent flying. Other great sites are close by. On to the Alps of Slovenia, plus a stop in Venice. After classic Meduno, we shift north to some of the most spectacular flying in the world, the Dolomites. More info: nick@paracrane.com, 541-840-8587, or http:// www.costaricaparagliding.com/europe.html.

PARAGLIDING ADVISORY: Used paragliders

June 6-7 > Site Pioneering in Utah with Ken

Hudonjorgensen. More info: Phone 801-971-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly. com.

SEPTEMBER 5-9 > Cross-country and open-distance competition clinic with mentoring. Paragliding Intensive with Ken Hudonjorgensen and other mentors. Inspiration Point, Jupiter, West Mt. and Monroe, Utah, wherever the weather tells us to go. More info: Phone 801- 971-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly.com.

JUNE 14-20 > Rat Race Super Clinic : Kari Castle,

SEPTEMBER 19-20 > Site Pioneering. Utah sites

should always be thoroughly inspected before flying for the first time. Annual inspections on paragliders should include sailcloth strength tests.

Simply performing a porosity check isn’t sufficient. Some gliders pass porosity yet have very weak sailcloth.

If in doubt, many hang gliding and paragliding businesses will be happy to give an objective opinion on the condition of equipment you bring them to inspect. BUYERS SHOULD SELECT EQUIPMENT THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SKILL LEVEL OR RATING. NEW PILOTS SHOULD SEEK PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION FROM A USHPA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR.

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MAY 1-3 > Thermal Clinic. Utah flying sites with

JUNE 26-28 > Torrey Pines Gliderport Basic / Advanced Instructor Clinic. This clinic is the USHPA accredited Instructor Training Program.

The clinic will include all your pre-requisites to attain your Basic Instructor rating or your Advanced Instructor rating. Torrey requirements for clinic attendance: Basic Instructors—P-3, 50 hours, 200 flights, special skills (FSL, TUR & RLF). Advanced Instructors—P-4, one year as a basic instructor, 100 hours, and 300 flights.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

Kay Taucher and Ken Hudonjorgensen will be helping Mike Haley at the Rat Race, training newer pilots with thermaling, launch-sequence proficiency, and restricted landing approaches, etc. All necessary skills for XC and competition. Contact: mphsports@ charter.net.

AUGUST 29, 30, 31 > Thermal Clinic. Utah sites with Ken Hudonjorgensen. Learn your wing’s language and what it is telling you about the parcel of air it is in. More info: Phone 801- 971-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly.com.

with Ken Hudonjorgensen. More info: Phone 801971-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www. twocanfly.com.

SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 3 > Red Rocks Fall Fly-in, Richfield Utah with Ken Hudonjorgensen and Stacy Whitmore. More info: Phone 801- 971-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly. com.

NOVEMBER > Iquique Chili paragliding tour: This year we have divided the tour into four different segments: Instructional Days, Iquique Days # 1, 2 and 3. Our Tour leaders are Todd Weigand, Luis Rosenkjer and Ken Hudonjorgensen. The entire tour will be packed with instruction for all levels of paragliding (including P-2 thru P-4). Check the web site for more details. For anyone wanting to fly, fly, fly... this is the tour to join. The last tour will focus more on XC. More info: Phone 801- 971-3414, email twocanfly@gmail. com, or www.twocanfly.com.

DECEMBER 7-16> Brazil. Paraglide Brazil with Paracrane Tour. We’ll start in magical Rio de Janeiro, flying over the tropical forest surrounded by granite domes and landing on the beach, or try a flight to the world-famous Christ statue! After 3 days we head to Governador Valadares, for incredible XC opportunities. Depending on conditions other sites we may visit include Pancas, Castelo and Alfredo Chavez in Espirito Santo. Brazil is a unique paragliding and cultural experience! Open to strong P-2’s and up. Please note, you will need a Brazilian Visa. More info: 541840-8587, or nick@paracrane.com.

COMPETITION - SANCTIONED MAY 9-15 > 2015 Quest Air Open National Cham-

pionships. "National competition comes back to Florida and to Quest Air. We'll be flying in the best time of the year for big cross-country triangle and out-and-return tasks up, down, and across the state.

Quest provides full flight-park services with plenty of Dragonflies on site, camping, clubhouse, kitchen, rental rooms, flyboarding, swimming, sun bathing, huge field for launching in any direction. More info: Belinda Boulter and Davis Straub, http://ozreport.com/2014QuestAirOpen.php, or belinda@davisstraub.com, or 836-206-7707.

MAY 17-23 > Flytec Race & Rally. The Flytec Race & Rally is back! We will follow the Quest Air Open, starting at Quest and flying (hopefully) north toward some of our favorite airfields in Georgia and South Carolina including Moultrie, Americus and Vidalia.

Late spring in the southeast generally brings southerly winds driving us toward the north and we plan on aggressive tasks between 80-200km each day. We have arranged to have goal and tow out of dozens of beautiful small airfields as well as a whole fleet of Dragonflies following pilots on course each day and then towing them all up again the following day. If you missed out on our last Rally in 2012, now's your chance to come join the traveling flying circus once again. More info: Jamie Shelden, www.flytecraceandrally.wordpress.com, or naughtylawyer@gmail. com, or 831-261-5444.

MAY 31 - JUne 6 > Ridgley, Maryland. East Coast Hang Gliding Championship. More info: Highland Aerosports, http://www.aerosports.net/ecc.html., hanglide@aerosports.net, or 410-634-2700.

JUNE 14-20 > Rat Race/Sprint Paragliding Competitions Woodrat Mt. Ruch, OR. Thirteenth annual Rat Race/Sprint Paragliding Competition 2015. Practice day June 13th. Two parties, daily lunches, retrieve and mentoring provided. Join the experience, travel southern Oregon, bring your family and see why the Rat Race is more than the largest paragliding festival in the USA. Go here to see what southern Oregon has to offer: http://southernoregon.org Registration opens February 15, 2015 $495.00 until April 15th, 2015. More info: mphsports.com, and 541-702-2111.

Sign up at MPHSports.com.

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JUNE 28 - July 3 > Chelan Butte, Chelan, WA. 2015 Chelan Cross-Country Classic and National Open-Distance Championships, Pilots will choose their own tasks to get the most our of each day and points will be awarded based on the distance they fly.

This will be a sanctioned event this year so pilots can earn points for national rankings. Go straight out on days with tail winds or complete a triangle on light winds. Then go for a swim in the lake and hit the town for dinner to finish the day. This competition is also for new cross-country pilots as a great way to learn the art of cross-country flying. Evening seminars and on-launch/LZ coaching programs are in planning. Individual scoring as well as team scoring and a para vs. hang rematch. Bring the family too! Chelan is great vacation destination and the meet dates are before the 4th of July to avoid the crowds. More Info: Lennard Baron, lennybaron@comcast.net, 425 275-2162.

AUGUST 2-8 > Big Spring Nationals. The Big Spring Nationals is the premier hang gliding competition in the US with the best and most consistent racing conditions.Tasks average 100 miles. Many days we are able to come back to the airport and your glider can rest the night in the hangar. We usually fly every day.

No other city supports a hang gliding competition like Big Spring, with use of their air-conditioned terminal, hangar, free water and ice cream, golf carts, runway, welcome dinner, prize money, and much more.

As a national competition, it will again be a high NTSS points meet and count toward the National Championship. More info: Belinda Boulter and Davis Straub, http://ozreport.com/2015BigSpringNationals.php, belinda@davisstraub.com, and 863-206-7707.

AUGUST 30 - SEPTEMBER 5 > DINOSAUR 2015 More info: Terry, and Chris Reynolds, rockymountainglider.com, terryreynolds2@gmail.com, 970245-7315.

SEPTEMBER 13-19 > Santa Cruz Flats Race Mark Knight Memorial Competition . The Francisco Grande Resort is once again welcoming us back for another week of great flying. If you're up for 7 out of 7 days of awesome technical flying conditions, come join us for the 9th Annual Santa Cruz Flats Race. Registration opens at noon eastern time on April 11th. More info: Jamie Shelden, www.santacruzflatsrace.blogspot.com, naughtylawyer@gmail. com, or 831-261-5444.

SEPTEMBER 20-26 > OVXCC - Owen's Valley Cross Country Classic 2015. More info: Kari Castle, KARICASTLE.COM, flytheowens@gmail.com, or 760-920-0748 .

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COMPETITION - NON-SANCTIONED MAY 3-9 > NeverLand flight park, La Belle, Florida. East Coast Paragliding Championships: The only east-coast PG event. Come race the world-class flats of Florida at the NeverLand flight park. We average 6 out of 7 tasks flown, with potential 100-mile tasks.

Epic cloud streets and strong, smooth lift are what Florida is world renowned for. P3 with ST sign-off required limit of 60 pilots. More info: David Prentice, earthcog@yahoo.com, www.earthcog.com, or 505720-5436.

June 27 - July 4> Lumby, BC, CANADA. 2015

Canadian Hang Gliding National Championships. Canadian hang gliding nationals will be held in Lumby, BC, about one hour drive from Kelowna and the international airport. Practice day June 27, task days June 28-July 4. Meet HQ is Raven Aviation Freedom Flight Park in Lumby. Organizer is Randy Rauck, meet head is Bruce Busby, safety director is Garth Hemming. Scoring TBD. Launch sites include Coopers, Vernon Mountain and Mara Lake. FAI Cat 2 sanctioning in progress. Check www.lumbyairforce. com soon for information regarding registration, fees, accommodations, etc.

JULY 15-19 > Cosmos, Minnesota. 2nd Midwest

Corn Alps XC continues this year at Cosmos, MN, organized by SDI paragliding. Dry camping at the field. ppg is allowed with limitations. For more info go to sdiparagliding.com or chicagoparagliding.com

AUGUST 16-22 > Dunlap, TN. Tennessee Tree Toppers Team Challenge is an instructional competition pioneered by the TTT for the cultivation of crosscountry and competition skills. The unique scoring format awards more points to less experienced team members for the same distance, encouraging their more experienced team members to assist them along course. Teams are led by some of the finest XC and comp pilots in the country! Nightly seminars explore the finer points in greater detail, covering topics from forecasts to landings. More info: www.tennesseetreetoppers.org FLY-INS APRIL 29 - May 4 > La Salina Flyng Ridge, Baja

California Norte . 9th ANNUAL FlyLaSalina.com Luna Llena Fiesta Del Cielo FLY- IN! Deemed “The Perfect Ridge” by ‘70s HG pilots, La Salina is known worldwide as Baja’s best air-sport venue. Launch from 700’ ridge less than a mile east of Pacific Ocean. Soar for hours, climb to above 3000 ft. in desert thermals, then land on big/beautiful sandy beach, OR XC into Baja’s world-class wine country. Fly PG, HG, PPG, and trikes. Sponsored by TEAM FlyLaSalina.com; Ejido La Mision; and BajaBrent (who handles accommodations at his beachfront B&B complete with beachfront astro-turf LZ). More Info: BajaBrent.@msn. com; 760-203-2658 (US); 646-155-8194 MX.

JUNE 20-28> King Mountain Glider Park Safari. Free Annual Idaho event. Fly the longest days of the year just east of famous Sun Valley. Paragliders, hang gliders, sailplanes, and self-launching sailplanes are all welcome. Awesome glass off and cloud bases up to 18,000’. Fly to Montana or Yellowstone.

Wave Window. Campfire, Potlucks, Star Gazing, Hiking, Mountain Biking and Fishing. Free camping at the Glider Park. Big Air and Big Country! For an outtake about King from Dave Aldrich’s awesome movie production see vimeo.com/104771241 Explore kingmountaingliderpark.com for directions and more info.

Spot Locator with tracking function or equivalent required. Call John at 208- 407-7174.

JULY 4> Lakeview, Oregon. Lake County Umpteenth Annual Festival of Free Flight. Save by Pre-Registering by June 18th 2015 for $30.00 after June 18th it’s $35.00 at our website: www.lakecountychamber.org 877-947-6040. We have been welcoming both Hang Glider and Paraglide Pilots since the early 1980’s.

Please visit our website and click the FFF tab for info and registration.

JULY 23-25 > Monroe Utah. Pioneer Days Fly In-

Spend three days with us in Central Utah, soaring Cove Mountain and flying in together at sunset, enjoying hamburgers at the park as we watch the fireworks. Enjoy the 6000-foot butter-smooth morning sledder from Monroe Peak, then the pancake breakfast at the park and the parade. The Pioneer Days Fly-in combines flying from world-class sites with a hometown celebration. Fun for the whole family.

SEPTEMBER 4-7 > Ellenville, NY. THE USHPA NATIONAL FLY-IN! Calling all hang gliders and paragliders. Come one, come all–let's gather and fly and celebrate the sky! More info: at www.SNYHGPA.org.

SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 3 > Richfield, Utah. Red Rocks Fall Fly-in. Fall colors and beautiful mountains and flying activities for all levels and interests. Clinics, ridge-soaring task competition, morning sledders, distance challenges. Low pressure, fun-flying activities to give everyone a chance to mingle and enjoy flying from Central Utah’s many world-class flying sites.

CLASSIFIED CLINICS & TOURS COSTA RICA - Grampa Ninja's Paragliders' B&B. Affordable rates include breakfast, pool, free wifi.

Guide service and/or transportation to all popular paragliding sites. Lessons available from USHPA certified instructors. Call USA: Mid April thru Dec: 908-454-3242. Call Costa Rica Jan thru mid April: (Country code, 011) House: 506-2200-4824, Cell: 506-8950-8676, or email fgrotenhuis@hotmail. com Website: www.paraglidecostarica.com ITALY - Fantastico! Great flying! Great food! Great

weather! ALL inclusive service suitable for all levels of pilots. Round topped grassy mountains and large flatlands. Flying with culture! www.flytaly.com

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

FLEX WINGS A GREAT SELECTION OF HG&PG GLIDERS (ss, ds, pg) -HARNESSES (trainer, cocoon, pod) -PARACHUTES (hg&pg) -WHEELS (new & used).

Phone for latest inventory 262-473-8800, www. hanggliding.com

HARNESSES FLY CENTER OF GRAVITY CG-1000 - The most

affordable single line suspension harness available.

Individually designed for a precise fit. Fly in comfort. www.flycenterofgravity.com; flycenterofgravity@ gmail.com; 315-256-1522

PARTS & ACCESSORIES GUNNISON GLIDERS - X-C, Factory, heavy PVC HG

gliderbags $149. Harness packs & zippers. New/ used parts, equipment, tubes. 1549 CR 17 Gunnison, CO 81230 970-641-9315

HALL WIND METER – Simple. Reliable. Accurate.

Mounting brackets, control-bar wheels. Hall Brothers, PO Box 1010, Morgan, Utah 84050. (801) 8293232, www.hallwindmeter.com.

SPECIALTY WHEELS for airfoil basetubes, round

basetubes, or tandem landing gear. 262-473-8800, www.hanggliding.com.

POWERED & TOWING Pilots: FREE Crossover Training when you purchase your Miniplane Paramotor! Instructors: Add PPG to your offerings and watch the fun begin! Visit our website for more info: www.Miniplane-USA.com/ USHPA

SCHOOLS & INSTRUCTORS ALABAMA LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK - The best facilities, largest inventory, camping, swimming, volleyball, more. Wide range of accommodations.

877-HANGLIDE, 877-426-4543, hanglide.com.

CALIFORNIA AIRJUNKIES PARAGLIDING - Year-round excellent instruction, Southern California & Baja. Powered paragliding, clinics, tours, tandem, towing. Ken Baier 760-213-0063, airjunkies.com.

EAGLE PARAGLIDING - SANTA BARBARA offers the best year round flying in the nation. Award-winning instruction, excellent mountain and ridge sites. www. flysantabarbara.com, 805-968-0980 FLY ABOVE ALL - Year-round instruction in Santa

Barbara & Ojai from the 2012 US Instructor of the Year! More students flying safely after 10 years than any other school in the nation. flyaboveall.com

Mission Soaring Center LLC - Largest hang gliding center in the West! Our deluxe retail shop showcases the latest equipment: Wills Wing, Moyes, AIR, High Energy, Flytec, Aeros, Northwing, Hero wide angle video camera. A.I.R. Atos rigid wingsdemo the VQ-45’ span, 85 Lbs! Parts in stock. We stock new and used equipment. Trade-ins welcome.

Complete lesson program. Best training park in the west, located just south of the San Francisco Bay Area. Pitman Hydraulic Winch System for Hang 1s and above. Launch and landing clinics for Hang 3s and Hang 4s. Wills Wing Falcons of all sizes and custom training harnesses. 1116 Wrigley Way, Milpitas, CA 95035. 408-262-1055, Fax 408-2621388, mission@hang-gliding.com, Mission Soaring Center LLC, leading the way since 1973. www.hanggliding.com WINDSPORTS - Train in sunny southern Cal. 325 flyable days each year. Learn modern flying skills safely and quickly. Train on sand with professionals at Dockweiler Beach training slopes (5 minutes from LA airport.) Fly any season in gentle coastal winds, soft sand and in a thorough program with 1 of the largest schools for over 40 years. 818-367-2430, www. windsports.com

COLORADO GUNNISON GLIDERS - X-C to heavy waterproof HG gliderbags. Accessories, parts, service, sewing. Instruction ratings, site-info. Rusty Whitley 1549 CR 17, Gunnison CO 81230. 970-641-9315.

FLORIDA FLORIDA RIDGE AEROTOW PARK - 18265 E State

Road 80, Clewiston, Florida 863-805-0440, www. thefloridaridge.com.

GRAYBIRD AIRSPORTS — Paraglider & hang

glider towing & training, Dragonfly aerotow training, XC, thermaling, instruction, equipment. Dunnellon Airport 352-245-8263, email fly@graybirdairsports. com, www.graybirdairsports.com.

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK - Nearest

mountain training center to Orlando. Two training hills, novice mountain launch, aerotowing, great accommodations. hanglide.com, 877-HANGLIDE, 877-426-4543.

MIAMI HANG GLIDING - For year-round training

fun in the sun. 305-285-8978, 2550 S Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, Florida 33133, www. miamihanggliding.com.

WALLABY RANCH – The original Aerotow flight park.

Best tandem instruction worldwide,7-days a week , 6 tugs, and equipment rental. Call:1-800-WALLABY wallaby.com 1805 Deen Still Road, Disney Area FL 33897

HAWAII

TENNESSEE

PROFLYGHT PARAGLIDING - Call Dexter for friendly information about flying on Maui. Full-service school offering beginner to advanced instruction every day, year round. 808-874-5433, paraglidehawaii.com.

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK - Just outside

MARYLAND

TEXAS

HIGHLAND AEROSPORTS - Baltimore and DC’s fulltime flight park: tandem instruction, solo aerotows and equipment sales and service. We carry Aeros, Airwave, Flight Design, Moyes, Wills Wing, High Energy Sports, Flytec and more. Two 115-HP Dragonfly tugs. Open fields as far as you can see.

Only 1 to 1.5 hours from Rehoboth Beach, Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia. Come Fly with US! 410-634-2700, Fax 410-634-2775, 24038 Race Track Rd, Ridgely, MD 21660, www.aerosports.net, hangglide@aerosports.net.

FLYTEXAS TEAM - training pilots in Central Texas for 25 years. Hang Gliding, Paragliding, Trikes. Hangar facilities Lake LBJ, Luling, Smithville www.flytexas. com 512-467-2529

MICHIGAN TRAVERSE CITY PARAGLIDERS - Soar our 450’

sand dunes. Full time shop. Certified instruction, all levels. Sales, service and accessories for all major brands. Call Bill at 231-922-2844 or email at tchangglider@chartermi.net Your USA & Canada Mosquito distributor, www.mosquitoamerica.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE MORNINGSIDE - A Kitty Hawk Kites flight park. The

Northeast's premier hang gliding and paragliding training center, teaching since 1974. Hang gliding foot launch and tandem aerowtow training. Paragliding foot launch and tandem training. Powered Paragliding instruction. Dealer for all major manufacturers.

Located in Charlestown, NH. Also visit our North Carolina location, Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School.

603-542-4416, www.flymorningside.com

NEW YORK AAA Mountain Wings Inc - New location at 77

Hang Glider Rd in Ellenville next to the LZ. We service all brands featuring AEROS and North Wing. 845647-3377 mtnwings@verizon.net, www.mtnwings. com

NORTH CAROLINA KITTY HAWK KITES - The largest hang gliding

school in the world, teaching since 1974. Learn to hang glide and paraglide on the East Coast's largest sand dune. Year-round instruction, foot launch and tandem aerotow. Powered paragliding instruction.

Dealer for all major manufacturers. Learn to fly where the Wright Brothers flew, located at the beach on NC's historic Outer Banks. Also visit our New Hampshire location, Morningside Flight Park. 252-441-2426, 1-877-FLY-THIS, www.kittyhawk.com

GEORGIA LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK - Discover

why 5 times as many pilots earn their wings at LMFP. Enjoy our 110 acre mountain resort. www.hanglide. com, 1-877-HANGLIDE, 1-877-426-4543.

PUERTO RICO FLY PUERTO RICO WITH TEAM SPIRIT HG! Flying tours, rentals, tandems, HG and PG classes, H-2 and P-2 intensive Novice courses, full sales. 787-8500508, flypuertorico@gmail.com

Chattanooga. Become a complete pilot -foot launch, aerotow, mountain launch, ridge soar, thermal soar. hanglide.com, 1-877-HANGLIDE, 877-426-4543.

UTAH CLOUD 9 PARAGLIDING - Come visit us and check out our huge selection of paragliding gear, traction kites, extreme toys, and any other fun things you can think of. If you aren’t near the Point of the Mountain, then head to http://www.paragliders.com for a full list of products and services. We are Utah’s only full time shop and repair facility, Give us a ring at 801-5766460 if you have any questions.

VIRGINIA BLUE SKY - Virginia's full time, year round HG School. Scooter, Platform and Aero Tow. Custom sewing, paragliding, powered harnesses, trikes, representing most major brands. 804-241-4324, www.blueskyhg.com

INTERNATIONAL BAJA MEXICO - La Salina Baja's BEST BEACHFRONT Airsport Venue: PG, HG, PPG: FlyLaSalina.com. by BajaBrent.com, He’ll hook you up! Site intros, tours, & rooms. bajabrent@bajabrent.com, 760-203-2658 EXOTIC THAILAND X/C CLINIC - Phu Thap Boek,Thailand's most awesome,highest flying site 5,200ASL.Open to P-2 and above.Come learn how to fly high and far! Very inexpensive! More info: pchumes@gmail.com FLYMEXICO - VALLE DE BRAVO and beyond for

HANG GLIDING and PARAGLIDING. Gear, guiding, instruction, transportation, lodging - www.flymexico. com 512-467-2529 / 1-800-861-7198 USA

SERVICE CLOUD 9 REPAIR DEPARTMENT - We staff and maintain a full service repair shop within Cloud 9 Paragliding; offering annual inspections, line replacement, sail repair of any kind (kites too!), harness repairs and reserve repacks. Our repair technicians are factory trained and certified to work on almost any paraglider or kite. Call today for an estimate 801-576-6460 or visit www.paragliders. com for more information.

RISING AIR GLIDER REPAIR SERVICES – A full-

service shop, specializing in all types of paragliding repairs, annual inspections, reserve repacks, harness repairs. Hang gliding reserve repacks and repair. For information or repair estimate, call 208-554-2243, pricing and service request form available at www. risingair.biz, billa@atcnet.net.

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The 1

by Larry Fleming

We know there was a day when it all worked for you. When your training clicked, the conditions were perfect, the stars aligned, and you soared to new heights (real or imagined.) Send in your tale of “The 1” flight you'll never forget, and we'll print it right here. You'll be entered into the annual drawing for a USHPA soft-shell jacket.

T

he very highest branches of the dry, poplar trees rustled occasionally, in the small gusts of a hot, mean breeze. Here I was, at the bottom of a dry bed at the San Joaquin River on a blistering July summer morning in 1974, looking up at the steep, scarred river bank. An occasional motorcycle dug in, spun out and threw streams of dirt and dust that just hung in the air and then, reluctantly, drifted up the 100-foot river bank. There was a slight movement of air at the top, but none at the bottom; just dust, heat, and us: a couple of teenage guys with a part-time instructor, who also had a real job selling insurance or used cars or something. We had all come to live out a dream: flight.

We began by setting up the kite, an 18-foot standard. “Boys, this here is NASA’s 40-million-dollar development,” John, the instructor/salesman, cried out, “Just look at it!”

We looked and saw a big triangular, looks-like-a-kid’s-kite, thingamajig; 82degree nose angle, 18-foot wing tubes, 18-foot keel, twisted downtubes that just couldn’t seem to be re-straightened, and a big droopy, billowing sail, hanging down in the back. It was beautiful. It represented a dream of flight way, way more advanced than jumping off my grandmother’s roof with out-stretched arms and a towel.

Our instruction began with loping through the dry, clumpy dust, learning how to keep the wings level and the nose high enough to “grab some air,” as John put it, but low enough to allow us to keep running forward. “Run, run, run!” shouted John, and then “keep running!”

And run we did, easily without a harness,

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wobbling and tripping with a harness, and haltingly down the slope at the bottom of the hill, feeling the kite and harness pull ever so slightly at our hips and shoulders.

Lunchtime, under the river trees, gave us some time to talk about this amazing new sport with our own expert pilot/instructor/salesman. John told us, between sandwich bites, that we were ready to fly from the very top of the riverbank. As lunch ended, John’s business partner, Jim, showed up from the shop. He promptly launched a glider and landed right in front of us with a nose-high, tippy-toe, mushy flare. “SMOOOth,” John cooed, as Jim unhooked and strutted away. I asked how long Jim had been flying. “Six months,” came the confident reply. I wondered and asked about our instructor’s experience. John, our instructor/ expert, lifted his head, straightened his back, hooked his thumbs in his belt, and proudly exclaimed, “One month.”

That gave me a lot to think about as I stood on top of that river bank and hooked into the glider, looking far down that little 100-foot slope at the landing area below; at John the expert and Doug the other student—two small stick figures swallowed up by a field of dust, with several dry, rustling trees lining the riverbank behind. John’s last instructions, the last words I had heard, flowed through my mind: “Run hard, grab some air, and throw yourself over the control bar to get ‘er flying. Push out to go up, pull in to go down.” This was it; a lifetime of leaping from playground swings, jumping off roofs, and dreaming was about to come together–I WAS GOING TO FLY!

My run was very strong; I’d had a morning of loud encouragement and lots of practice in the dust, (“Run, run, RUN”). I threw myself forward, over the control bar with gusto and a smile!

“Push out, go up; pull in, go down.”

Naturally, I planned to go up, so I shoved the control bar out. . .out and up, with all my might, dreaming of floating ever so gently into the sky above. The kite, however, came to a full stop, nose high and fell uncontrollably towards the ground.

“YOU ALL RIGHT,” sounded a far-away voice that was in reality yelling right beside me, “HEY, DUDE, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?” Although I was in one piece, I felt as bent and beat-up as the glider looked. “No worries, it happens all the time,” said John as he shoved his shoulder into the crumpled downtube and returned it back to its former, slightly bowed and twisted, shape, “You are a natural pilot, my man! Let’s try that again, but, this time, wait until you are closer to the ground before you flare.

Hey, we have a kite just your size in the shop window. Want to buy it?”

I wondered if it was normal for a “natural pilot” to feel as sore and beat-up as I did, but I made a couple of more flights that day; one “SMOOOth” and one “rough” (ouch), but it was enough to convince me that I wanted to fly for the rest of my life, even if it was just going to be gliding down a little hill. That afternoon, I bought that 17-foot Monarch Standard in the window, and I’ve never looked back.

1973-74 training video at https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=NW7TePn9Ay8