USHPA Pilot Vol51-Iss6 Nov/Dec 2021

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021

UNITED STATES HANG

GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 51 #6 $6.95

The Rush Six delivers the highest glide and XC performance in the EN B category. Derived directly from the Delta 4, it shares performance development features with the Enzo and Zeno series wings, and the performance of this glider must be experienced to be believed. We invite you to contact your local dealer to arrange a test flight today.

• Developed directly from Delta 4 • Absolutely top of class glide performance • Incredibly stable in turbulence and active air • Improved min-sink, climb, and launch characteristics • Active Control Riser system (ACR) from Delta series • Hybrid 3/2 line layout

Pilot: Horacio Lorens

Photo: Óscar Lagarrotxa

Location The Pyrenees, Spain

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USHPA PILOT 3

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Terms Ending in 2022 Martin Palmaz, Executive Director executivedirector@ushpa.org Beth Van Eaton, Operations Manager office@ushpa.org Erika Klein, Communications Manager communications@ushpa.org Chris Webster, Information Services Manager tech@ushpa.org Galen Anderson, Membership Coordinator membership@ushpa.org

Bill Hughes (region 1) Tiki Mashy (region 4) Paul Voight (region 5) Matt Taber (region 4) Terms Ending in 2021 Jugdeep Aggarwal (region 2) Steve Pearson (region 3) Kimberly Phinney (region 1) Sara Weaver (region 3) Jamie Shelden (region 3)

OFFICERS Steve Pearson, President president@ushpa.org Matt Taber, Vice President vicepresident@ushpa.org Jamie Shelden, Secretary secretary@ushpa.org Bill Hughes, Treasurer treasurer@ushpa.org For change of address or other USHPA business

+1 (719) 632-8300 info@ushpa.org

Dale Covington (region 2) REGION 1 NORTHWEST [ AK∙HI∙IA∙ID∙MN∙MT∙ND∙NE∙OR∙SD∙WA∙WY ] REGION 2 CENTRAL WEST [ Northern CA∙NV∙UT ] REGION 3 SOUTHWEST [ Southern CA∙AZ∙CO∙NM ] REGION 4 SOUTHEAST [ AL∙AR∙DC∙FL∙GA∙KS∙KY∙LA∙MO∙MS∙NC∙OK∙SC∙TN∙TX∙WV∙VA ] REGION 5 NORTHEAST & INTERNATIONAL [ CT∙DE∙IL∙IN∙MA∙MD∙ME∙MI∙NH∙NY∙NJ∙OH∙PA∙RI∙VT∙WI ]

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. 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.

HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING ARE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES

USHPA recommends pilots complete a pilot training program under the direct supervision of a USHPAcertified 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.

POSTMASTER USHPA Pilot ISSN 2689-6052 (USPS 17970) is published bimonthly by the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc., 1685 W.

Uintah St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80904 Phone: (719) 632-8300 Fax: (719) 632-6417 Periodicals Postage Paid in Colorado Springs and additional mailing offices. Send change of address to: USHPA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO, 80901-1330. Canadian Return Address: DP Global Mail, 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3.

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cover photo USHPA

by KUBI PILOT JACKSON 5

Flight Plan [ Editor > LIZ DENGLER ] Happy Second Annual Photo Issue!

For the second year in a row, I have worked with contributors to compile some of the best shots straight from the flying community! I hope this annual photo issue will fill whatever void the calendar may have left.

For me, this photo issue is a real treat to put together. Not only do I get to work on interesting stories, but I also get a first look at all the places pilots are flying—including places I didn’t even know about!! On top of that, since most people submit multiple shots, I get to see all of the photos they submit, not just the photos that make it into the issue. Jealous? You should be!

For this magazine to succeed, we rely on the stories members share, but we also heavily rely on photographers! This magazine is a tribute to all of the hard work every contributor has put in throughout the year. I have always appreciated your enthusiasm and look forward to working with each of you more.

We received so many submissions for this year’s photo issue. As much as we would love to highlight every single one, we quite literally ran out of room. If you don’t see your shot here, rest assured knowing it will likely pop up in a future issue. And remember, we always need more stories! I can only imagine the tales that accompany the photos you sent in. Our readers would love to hear them!

A single written page to accompany your epic shot makes for an amazing piece.

As we wrap up this year, I am excited about the stories to come.

We have more competition pieces coming back into the spread and will continue to feature the educational pieces and general adventure stories you love. As more and more pilots enter the skies, we will continue to grow our readership, and the stories from the community will undoubtedly evolve.

I look forward to continuing to work with all of you in the upcoming year!

Pilot Mark The Beard (Mark Malouin) surveys his kingdom at the South Side, Point of the Mountain, Utah.

Martin Palmaz, Publisher executivedirector@ushpa.org Liz Dengler, Editor editor@ushpa.org Kristen Arendt, Copy Editor Erika Klein, Copy Editor copy@ushpa.org Greg Gillam, Art Director Beth Van Eaton, Advertising advertising@ushpa.org STAFF WRITERS Dennis Pagen Lisa Verzella Jeff Shapiro

PHOTOGRAPHERS Ben White Audray Luck

SUBMISSIONS from our members and readers are welcome. All articles, artwork, photographs as well as ideas for articles, artwork and photographs are submitted 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.org or online at www.ushpa.org. We are always looking for great articles, photography and news. Your contributions are appreciated.

ADVERTISING is subject to the USHPA Advertising Policy, a copy of which may be obtained from the USHPA by emailing advertising@ushpa.org.

COPYRIGHT ©2020 US HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING ASSOC., 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 USHPA.

2021 November/December CONTENTS 14 WEATHER

5 FLIGHT PLAN

Downslope Winds

8 LAUNCHING

Assessing winds aloft

by HONZA REJMANEK

10 FINDING LIFT 60 RATINGS

54 SKILLS

Over the Falls

66 CALENDAR

18

66 CLASSIFIED

Surviving aerial cascades

by DENNIS PAGEN SPECIAL ISSUE

Member Photography

Throughout this issue!

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36

46 18 THE BLACK ROCKS OF BRAZIL

36 APPLEGATE OPENS!

by RICHARD PETHIGAL

by BART GARTON

Hike and fly adventures in Espirito Santo

Recap of the 2021 competition

30 SYLMAR HANG GLIDING ASSOC.

46 CASUAL VOL-BIV

by AMANDA WINTHER

by ERIC KLAMMER

Club feature

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Crafting and executing a night out

USHPA PILOT 7

Available from September 2021

Available Available from from September September 2021 2021

XENON –– Pure Pure racing racing spirit spirit XENON

EN/LTF D)

Two-liner | Cells: 65 | Aspect ratio: 6.7 | Weight: 3.15 kg (size 17) | (EN/LTF D)

e handlingTwo-liner and | Cells: 65 | Aspect ratio: 6.7 | Weight: 3.15 kg (size 17) | (EN/LTF D) oss-country Performance can be this ultralight! With excellent glide performance, simple handling and Performance can be this ultralight! With excellent glide performance, simple handling and high stability, our X-Alps tried and tested two-liner guarantees extensive cross-country high stability, our X-Alps tried and tested two-liner guarantees extensive cross-country flying without the risk of fatigue. flying without the risk of fatigue.

Performance Paragliders More info on the wing and your local NOVA dealer can be found here: www.nova.eu/xenon

801 255 9595 info@superflyinc.com www.superflyinc.com

Performance Paragliders Performance Paragliders

Launching

[ Latest Gear ]

GIN GLIDERS CLASSIC LIGHT RUCKSACK AND X-LITE RUCKSACK The new Classic lite rucksack is a 90L LIGHT RUCKSACK based on tried-and-true Classic rucksack, but it features lighter Dyneema fabric and a more compact 90L size (650g) — perfect for most modern light or semi-light packages. The ergonomic back and shoulder shape, optimal weight distribution and the original X-load transfer system makes hiking to take-off a joy. The X-Lite Rucksack comes in three sizes 50, 60 and 80 liters with weights of 530, 560 and 624 grams respectively. The single front zip and central compression strap makes for easy access and faster compression into a compact package with a stable loading and neat shape. Compared to its predecessor, the new X-lite rucksack has an improved helmet holder featuring stretchable fabric for a more secure fit. In addition, the critical wear points have been reinforced. Available through Super Fly, Inc. www.superflyinc.com 801.255.9595 or your local dealer.

NOVA MENTOR 7 The Nova Mentor 7, an EN-C for 2022, is the latest in the Mentor series with an all new riser system that makes it feel like flying a two liner according to sources. Latest and greatest materials along with a new inlet design make the Mentor 7 one to watch for the coming season. It will be available for demo and for sale through Super Fly, Inc. www.superflyinc.com 801.255.9595 or your local dealer.

SUPER FLY T-SHIRT The all new Super Fly Black Logo T is a 100% Cotton Fruit Of The Loom and is available in sizes S-XL. It is available through Super Fly, Inc. www.superflyinc.com 801.255.9595 ADVANCE BIKID The BIKID is the new tandem kids harness from ADVANCE. The BIKID completes their tandem product range and weighs only 0.55 kg. This new model is available in one size and is suitable for children with a body height from approximately 100 to 130 cm. The BIKID is approved according to EN/LTF up to a maximum weight of 100 kg (load test only). Its price is be $500 and it will be available through Super Fly, Inc. www. superflyinc.com 801.255.9595 or your local dealer.

PROJECT AIRTIME GEAR Project Airtime has a new purple and black summer collection which includes a Black Basic T-Shirt Purple Logo $20, Black Flat Brim Trucker Hat Purple Brim $30 and a Purple SPF Protection Hooded Long Sleeve Sun Shirt $40. Items are available at projectairtime.org.

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Finding Lift

[ Executive Director, USHPA > MARTIN PALMAZ ]

Online memberships USHPA is excited to announce a fully online membership application for first-time members, as well as a new, short-term Student Membership to benefit new pilots. We have added this ability to join the organization online as it was a common request we heard from new pilots, and will continue to improve this introductory system based on member and instructor feedback.

New pilots who apply online for membership will immediately gain the insurance coverage and resources they need as they progress, Annual Members & without waiting for paper applications to be Fall Board Meeting mailed and processed. With the online system, November 11-13, 2021 new members can now join USHPA instantly by having their instructor verify their identity and Online (Remote) activate their membership.

Visit the website for For those who prefer not to join as annual further details and members at first but still want to earn ratings, pre-registration: we’re also now offering a digital 60-day Student Membership. This includes:

ushpa.org/boardmeeting

• $35 for 60 days of membership • $25 discount on their first renewal of an annual Pilot Membership (normally $150) • Insurance coverage • Access to H1/P1 online tests and H1/P1 ratings • Access to USHPA’s online resources, including the digital USHPA Pilot magazine

Interested in a more active role supporting our national organization?

USHPA needs you!

Have a skill or New pilots aren’t required to use the online interest and some Student Membership if it doesn’t fit their time available?

progression. All students are welcome to join USHPA with an annual Pilot Membership, skipping the Student Membership. As an alternative, ushpa.org/volunteer they may train using their instructors’ 30-day Student Membership forms. This option may be useful for students who can only take lessons Do you have questions about USHPA policies, pro- occasionally or who take a break in their traingrams, or other areas? Email ing before returning to it. The 30-day memberus at: ship forms are also still available, of course, for communications@ushpa.org tandem students and those trying out a one-day lesson.

Let us know what questions We’re pleased to make joining USHPA easier or topics you’d like to hear more about! than ever with an online membership application and our new Student Membership. This effort had been stalled in the past due to the importance of confirming a participant’s identity when they join. Having an instructor aid in an online verification process to activate new memberships now accomplishes this, and we

VOLUNTEER!

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PHOTO BY CHRIS BOLFING > Flying a Bautek Astir at Blossom Valley, California.

look forward to further simplifying the process as we receive user feedback.. The paper application forms will still be available for those who prefer to use them and for members rejoining after being expired for more than three years.

Understandably, tandem instructors are also eager to use an online system, and that is being evaluated to see how it could be best implemented. Processing online memberships for tandem participants presents unique parameters that require further consideration to best meet this use case.

The new online membership option integrates with our recently implemented online rating system to allow access to membership and ratings in real-time. We hope these developments simplify the membership process for students and instructors alike. This will let students enjoy and focus more on the important task at hand: learning to fly.

- Blue skies, Martin Palmaz Executive Director, USHPA

NOTE: By the time of publication, instructors should have received information and/or a tutorial on the membership activation process.

PHOTO BY JULIE STANLEY > Pilots getting ready for the start of the Hurricane Open 2020 near Whitwell, Tennessee.

PHOTO BY ALEX COLBY > Jorge Atramiz and crew enjoy the sunset view of Waikiki, Honolulu from over Diamond Head.

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PHOTO BY MIKE HARTSON > Ian Brubaker making a low pass over the South Side, Point of the Mountain, Utah.

PHOTO BY GARRET SCURR > Paul Andrews grabs the last bits of sun over Torrey Pines, California.

Downslope Winds

[ contributed by HONZA REJMANEK ]

Assessing winds aloft

On a crisp, cool late autumn morning, you note that the air outside is quite still. The weak, low-angle sun is just starting to warm the land. Soon the temperature should climb to above freezing. It’s the weekend, and you contemplate setting out for a nice hike-andfly. Or perhaps you consider firing up the paramotor to take advantage of the calm conditions. You load up the kit for a short drive to your flying site. As your local mountains come into view, you notice a scene similar to the one presented in this photo.

The photo was taken on a December morning in the Mojave Desert of California. The sun is at our back and slightly to the left. We are looking west. The mountain crest is approximately 1,000 m above our location. Clouds BELOW A December cover the top third of the mountain. Despite morning in the Mojave a lack of wind where we are standing, the Desert of California. movement of the clouds makes it evident that there is strong west wind at crest level, and it is rushing down the lee slopes. In contrast to a nice flat cloud base that would be expected on the upwind side of the mountain, the base of this cloud undulates in altitude and is lowest in the gullies.

This type of flow is sometimes referred to as hydraulic flow. This is just a fancy way of saying that this stable airmass driven

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against a topographical feature by strong wind exhibits some characteristics that are similar to how water behaves in a fast river.

The mountain is analogous to a large boulder that lies perpendicular to a strong current in the river. This causes the water to pile up on the upstream side. The kinetic energy of the fast-moving stream transitions into potential energy as the flow slows and the water level rises slightly. As soon as enough water has slowed and piled up on the upstream side of the boulder, it will spill over and quickly accelerate as a relatively thin layer on the lee, or downstream, side.

In this photo, the cloudy layer is capped by a dry layer that is very stable. This prevents the cloud from having any major vertical development. It was forced over the mountains by a strong wind. The wind made this cloudy layer rise to a level where it was cooler than its surroundings. This means that reaching the crest, it was negatively buoyant. Therefore, it was heavier than the surrounding air at the same level. As soon as it reached the crest, it was free to accelerate down the lee side.

Another way of thinking about the scenario presented in this photo is to try and imagine what happens if a river current slows as it would during a dry spell. The water no longer crests the large boulders; rather, it meanders slowly through the gaps among them. In the air, the strength of the wind is dictated by the pressure gradient over the region. This pressure gradient can develop daily in the summer months due to a difference in the heating rates of various surfaces. An example would be a sea breeze. However, very intense pressure gradients are found near the centers of synoptic-scale lows and associated with frontal systems. When a frontal system approaches your region, the local pressure gradient intensifies. As it leaves, the local pressure gradient relaxes.

Had the pressure gradient been weaker, this photo would look a lot different. Cloud would probably not be present at the crest level. Instead, it would be blocked lower down on the upwind side. Some cloud might spill through at lower passes in the range, which do not

USH PA PILOT 15

appear in this photo.

Watching this waterfall of cloud, we see that it is constantly dissipating at its lower edges.

This is because the fast descent results in warming. This warming quickly evaporates any remaining water droplets. At this point, we lose sight of what the air is doing, and we must try to make an educated guess as to how this flow continues to behave even though it is no longer visible.

One thing we know is that this fast downslope wind continues downward past the level where the cloud dissipates. However, we know that the wind is not reaching down to the base of the mountain where we are standing. There are two possible reasons for this. The first is that the morning surface inversion is quite strong. It behaves like a cold air pool and is decoupled from the air flowing above. In this case, burning the inversion layer off later in the day might allow this downslope flow to reach the base of the mountain. If the pressure gradient is strengthening, then the inversion might be eroded away regardless of any heating of the ground by the sun. In some cases, this

erosion is temporary, and the cool, dense air sloshes back into the base of the slope. Standing outside, one would notice pronounced swings in the air temperature at the surface.

The second reason wind might not be felt at the surface is that the downslope flow eventually overshoots its equilibrium point, becomes positively buoyant, and rebounds upward and continues downwind in a wavelike pattern. It might also be crashing onto itself as it starts to rebound. This hydraulic jump scenario is often seen in fast rivers, and it looks like a perpetually crashing wave. The cloud on the far left-hand side of the photo hints at the possibility of this scenario. If a hydraulic jump is occurring, one can expect very turbulent conditions.

Regardless of the exact fate of the wind in the lee side, it is safe to assume that strong wind and turbulence will be encountered at some level within a few hundred meters of the ground. This might be a day to take a slow drive up to a pass in the mountains and take note of the altitude where the wind becomes pronounced. A lot can be learned about flying, even on a non-flyable day.

PHOTO BY CALEF LETORNEY > Tom Lanning above West Rutland, Vermont.

PHOTO BY JON BARSTOW > Flying over Elk Mountain Range near Aspen, Colorado.

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PHOTO BY JOSH LAUFER > Andy Beem soars the Condor 330 backwards, using the rear wires, at Dockweiler State Beach in California.

USH PA PILOT 17

THE

BLACK ROCKS OF BRAZIL

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HERE Tandem at Pedra Agulha, Pancas.

Hike and fly adventures in Espirito Santo

by RICHARD PETHIGAL The most famous pilot from Brazil, Frank Brown, once told me about unique black rock formations scattered across Espirito Santo (ES), a state on the east coast of Brazil. These large monoliths of pure granite (some mixed with marble) are blackened by a combination of surface fungus and sun.

Not only do these unique geologic features offer up some stunning visuals, but they also line up with possible launches across the entire state—something you don’t find very much in Brazil with all its jungle-covered mountains. Learning of this unique terrain, I wondered if it would be possible to do a vol-biv across ES.

I

n April of 2006, I formulated a plan—to vol-biv north to south across ES. After a long bus ride, I reached the border and began a 20+ km hike through the night with a 20 kg pack to reach my start point. After a few hours of sleep wrapped in my wing, I worked my way to the base of my first climb—a 250-meter-high black rock, the most northern black rock launchable in ES. Unfortunately, though I was able to vol-biv for a couple of days, I cut my trip short due to a heavy pack and a tumble in the rotor of one of the hills.

Fast forward to 2020. I’m in ES with my partner Anna for the Pan-Americans and the PWC Super Final. Enter ABOVE Launching at Pedra Bothela.

RIGHT Tandem off of Pedra de Elefante.

OPPOSITE During this 65 km XC flight is when I discovered the possibility of launching from the Black Rock next to Three Pontoes. INSET Launching for Pedra de Bunda's first ever XC flight.

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COVID-19. Since I was planning on competing in ES for March and April then leaving for tandem work outside of Brazil, I had already rented out my house in Brazil for the whole winter. As a result, Anna and I found ourselves with no home during the pandemic. We decided to stay in ES and attempt the ES vol-biv trip again.

The most challenging part of the traverse is the northern part of the state, where the rocks are spaced out. There aren’t many places where you can hike up a rock and discover an open area to launch. When you get into the central and southern parts of the state, there are multiple rocks with suitable launches, but the northern part was always the crux of the bivy route through ES. This time I wanted to be smarter.

With a decent forecast on the horizon, we drove up to the state of Bahia

just north of the ES border. Instead of walking the first 20 km into ES, I decided to launch north of ES and fly into the state. It would require a 40+ km flight to make the first hill in Montanha (where I launched back in 2006), but flying conditions were so good that I was able to climb to cloudbase and fly 85 km. I passed the first two launchable hills in ES and made it to the third option (Pedra da Botelha) near a small town called Boa Esperanca.

Unfortunately, after a day or two, the long-range forecast began to deteriorate. Again, I abandoned the bivy trip to explore some of the many rocks in the region. I figured I could find some new places for launching paragliders that I could incorporate in my upcoming Black Rock Fly Tours.

We rented a house on a coffee plan-

tation near Pancas to use as a home base. Besides scouting for the tour, I wanted to find multiple places that I could launch during another ES volbiv attempt. With this in mind, we decided to first check out Pedra do Elefante (Elephant Rock) near Nova Venecia. I had heard many people had taken off from this rock before, but I wanted to check it out for myself.

Anna and I decided to go tandem and get some good images. Elephant Rock is quite a tourist attraction, so we were able to drive partway up, and a well-worn track made easy work of the rest of the climb. The views from the flight were incredible.

There aren’t any words to describe the sensation of launching off of these black rocks. As the surface disappears below you, you’re staring at a 300+ meter vertical black wall. It’s TOP Hiking the backside of Pedra de Marimbondo.

FAR LEFT Hiking the trail up Pedra da Botelha. NEAR LEFT Via ferrata at Five Pontoes. OPPOSITE Pedra Camelo.

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quite impressive.

With the weather improving for the next day, we decided to make a run at Pedra da Bunda (Butt Crack Rock). The year before while flying some of the rocks in ES and investigating a possible takeoff near Vila Pavao, I met a local pilot named Divino. He explained how he learned the basics of flying a paraglider and decided to open up an area on top of a black rock above his house. He and a friend carried two big rolls of carpet up a 450-meter black rock and took the inaugural flight off of Pedra da Bunda—a pretty scary concept for someone with only a few flights under his wing.

We found Divino at his home, and he decided to join our hike. He was excited to have some pilots in the area who wanted to fly his rock since no one had ever sent an XC flight from it before. He said I would be the

first non-local pilot to ever fly from Pedra da Bunda. We enjoyed a beautiful 45-minute hike with some great views of other huge black monoliths surrounding us. Once on top, it blew my mind that no one outside of the local community had flown this place. Divino and I unrolled the two big carpets, creating a perfect takeoff area. Even though the black rocks look smooth, they’re actually a

were light enough to push forward. I ended up flying about 65 km, landing at Lajinha near Pancas. About 30 kms into the flight, I passed over a group of rocks called Three Pontoes. Right next to them was a large black rock with an open area on top—it looked like it wasn’t too steep to climb. I marked it and made a note to check it out as a possible launch. Landing in Lajinha, the president of the local

󲢫 Once on top, it blew my mind that no one outside of the local community had flown this place. 󲢻 bit rough and easily grab lines. The carpets were a great addition. Right off of launch, I caught a nice, smooth 4 m/s thermal that took me up to cloudbase.

Anna told me over the radio that back on launch, Divino was loving it. The winds were blowing a bit cross for my intended route, but they

club in Pancas (Arilson) came out to hear about my flight. It was great to be greeted by a local pilot. When I told him about Pedra de Bunda, he was blown away that he had never heard of it before.

The next day we decided to check out the rock 30 km south of Pedra da Bunda. After about an hour’s drive

from Pancas, we got to the base of the rock and stopped at a coffee farm to ask whether there was a trail going up to the rock. The local farmer

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said people used to take the goats up to the top of the rock, but folks didn’t use it often anymore. He also confirmed that no one had flown para-

gliders off the top, so we were excited to potentially do the first descent. He called it Pedra de Marimbondo (Wasp Rock).

Anna and I decided to do a tandem.

The way up was a little bit difficult—a few sections we had to get on all fours to climb up the rock surface.

It was about a 425-meter ascent on the backside of the rock. Once we got to the top, the views were amazing and we even met a pack of about 20 now-wild goats.

We got fortunate with some good wind cycles coming through launch, and we were able to take off fairly quickly. The air was a little floaty, but there was a front with some rain headed our direction, so we spiraled

USH PA PILOT 25

down. The flight was short, but it was an amazing feeling to be the first people to fly off this rock with a paraglider. On the hike back, some locals came out to greet us—we had fun telling the story about flying off of Pedra do Marimbondo, and they seemed interested when I explained that I would be bringing flying tours through this region. They couldn’t imagine crazy people hiking these rocks to fly off of them.

We ended up spending a few more weeks exploring more rocks and regions in central and southern ES. Though ES, along with Governador Valadares, have become the capitals of PWC events in the past ten years, in my opinion, the hike-and-fly po-

ABOVE Five Pontoes, what a place to launch your paraglider.

OPPOSITE TOP First time ever that a paraglider flies from Pedra de Marimbondo. BOTTOM Camping on top of Pedra da Lajinha for the meteor shower.

tential is the hidden treasure of this region. The extreme heat around the summer season can make it nearly impossible for hiking, but April and October offer more moderate temperatures for getting out on the trail.

I look forward to exploring more areas of this great state and showing it to the world through hike-and-fly tours. Hopefully, we will have many pilots discovering new routes for future bivy trips.

Richard Pethigal was born in California but Santa Catarina, Brazil, has been his home since 1993. After working 20 years as a whitewater raft guide in Cusco, Peru, he started paragliding in Peru and Brazil in 1999. He has done around 7,000 commercial tandems including 1,000 plus paramotor tandems, and has worked in 12 different countries around the world and speaks, English, Portuguese, and Spanish. He represented Brazil in the Red Bull X-Alps 2011, was the first Brazilian to win a PWC event (PWC Argentina 2014), and was the 2014 Brazilian Paragliding Champion. Currently, Pethigal organizes XC Tours and Black Rock Hike & Fly Tours in Brazil and works tandems at Jackson Hole Paragliding.

PHOTO BY RICHARD PETHIGAL > Three Pontoes, Espirito Santo, Brazil.

PHOTO BY BRIAN KELLOGG > Over Mt. Rose, Nevada with Lake Tahoe in the background.

PHOTO BY CLINT BLASZAK > Two-yearold Sayla Blaszak, helping dad check lines and pack up wing in Anchorage, Alaska.

PHOTO BY JAMES HARRIS > January flying along the California coast.

PHOTO BY LEAH CATULLO > Pilots launching Malcesine, Italy.

From reckless renegades to self-regulated community stewards

SYLMAR HANG GLIDING ASSOCIATION

by AMANDA WINTHER “We’re in trouble,” thought Joe Greblo, representative of the newly-formed US Hang Gliding Association (USHGA, what is now USHPA). The year was 1983—Joe was at a Los Angeles city council meeting, and the question at hand was what to do about the hang gliding “problem.”

In the 1970s, California saw hang gliding explode in popularity. To many outsiders (and some insiders), the hang gliding community seemed like a band of uncontrollable, reckless youths inspired by the free spirit, escape, and rebellion of the hippie movement. In 1975, there were roughly 40 hang gliding fatalities in the U.S. alone.1 One of the most popular landing zones in LA county was in front of a row of houses, and residents had become increasingly frustrated with the 30 US H PA P I LOT

growing numbers of spectators parking in front of their homes, setting up lawn chairs, and even changing their baby’s

diapers on their lawns. Not to mention the pilots who crashed into their homes and power lines, leading the local utility company to shut down power for residents on multiple occasions.

“There were a lot of problems … lots of horror stories. Everything from paralysis and fatalities to lawsuits and trespassing, you name it. It was crazy times,” recounted Greblo.

It all came to a flaming halt (quite literally) in 1983 when a pilot crashed into the power lines and caught fire. As he ABOVE Hang gliders and booths set up in the Sylmar LZ for the club's 20th Anniversary Fly-In in 2003. Photo by Michael Helms. LEFT Sign at the drive-in entrance to the Sylmar Flight Park. Photo by Rob Burgis. RIGHT Sylmar Hang Gliding Association members posing for a group shot at the 20th Anniversary (2003). Photo by Michael Helms.

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[1] https://vault.si.com/vault/1975/11/24/the-soaring-risk-of-flying-high

dangled from the electrical lines, homeowners ran from door to door trying to link together enough hoses to put him out. With this incident, the homeowners had enough and asked the city and local law enforcement what could be done. How could they stop these bad-boy renegades from continuing to cause a ruckus in their community?

This high-profile incident led to that LA city council meeting, and 30 or more different constituents, including the FAA, local utilities, police department, and homeowner’s associations, trying

󲢫 Being such a small club, the cash outlay required to complete the project was a bit of a roadblock. 󲢻 to ban hang gliding from LA county. It was clear that if changes weren’t made to the sport, community, and culture— and made quickly—hang gliding was at risk of getting legislated out of existence.

USHGA had been created in the early 1970s, but without local chapters, its ability to regulate free flight and enact major changes at the local level was

limited. Some pilots preferred it that way. Others felt that the sport could not continue on in the same, disorganized manner and had started meeting and forming clubs to represent local interests.

One such club was the Southland Hang Gliding Association, a group of pilots who had been meeting monthly in the Department of Water and Power

building in LA since the ‘70s. When they heard about the imminent threat to the sport in 1983, the group changed their name to Sylmar Hang Gliding Association and took on the role of serving as the local LA-based club. Both Sylmar and USHGA showed up to the city council’s ad hoc committee on hang gliding armed with the belief that they could find a solution to the problems without banning the sport.

At first, things did not look promising. No one on the council or board had a strong interest in saving hang gliding. At one point, the FAA even suggested changing the definition of a “flight park,” which would have had implications for free flight far beyond LA. Finally, one city councilman, who heard something compelling in what the pilots said, suggested tabling the decision for a year. The city would give the pilots one last chance to reform the renegades. If nothing improved, they could ban the sport. Luckily, the other committee members agreed.

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The next year was what Greblo described as a “marvelous campaign of resurrection.” The club built relationships with the local community, got involved in charity work, and learned about local issues. They met with homeowners adjacent to the launch

site, who asked for small concessions in behavior, like for the pilots to keep the noise down and not fly over their homes. They also made improvements to the area, like adding fences, landscaping, and formal parking lots to control dust.

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The campaign was a major political and safety effort—and it worked.

The homeowners eventually became friends and advocates of free flight.

During the 40 years that followed, the Sylmar club has navigated other major obstacles including negotiating a major land donation (which led to the non-profit club owning five acres of titled land and 10 acres of guaranteed land use in what is the current LZ), repairing the LZ after mudslides and wildfires turned it into an almost unusable boulder field, and navigating the complexities that come with flying in one of the busiest, most crowded airspaces in the country.

The club credits its success to civic and political responsibility and a deep relationship with the community that the board of directors has consistently fostered. “The community asked nothing in return but for us to be good neighbors. That’s the least we could do,” Greblo stressed.

If you visited Sylmar today, you’d have no idea about its long and rocky history or the pilots' incredible campaign to save free flight in Southern California (and, by extension, the nation).

You’d find not only a hang gliding and paragliding site and LZ but also an incredible, five-acre park that the entire neighborhood and community enjoys, funded without any taxpayer dollars.

Current Sylmar president, Rob Burgis, who has been involved in hang gliding since the days of the standard, lives nearby and has taken it upon himself to spearhead major improvements to the LZ over the last 15+ years. These improvements included constructing a shaded pavilion, ADA-certified bathrooms, hang glider storage, a grass runway, a breakdown/ground handling area over 7,000 square feet, planting new trees, blackberry, and raspberry bushes, and even building a small air-conditioned indoor retreat area for friends and family to watch from in the 100-degree summers. Every weekend in the summer, the club hosts movie

The club hosts two annual competitions, the Dahlsten Cup and the Spring Air Competition, and the winners get their names memorialized on plaques by the pavilion in the LZ. Club members also take trips together during the year, including to Big Sur, Valle de Bravo, and the ultra-coveted H4 Yosemite trip, which rewards pilots who can manage nights and BBQs with incredible food, a zero wind cliff launch with a flight which members enjoy as part of their from Glacier Point, past Yosemite Falls, dues. and through the Yosemite Valley.

The Sylmar LZ and community center Although Sylmar is less popular with sound like a dream, and so does the fly- paragliding pilots, both because of its ing. The main site, Kagel Mountain, is a proximity to nearby Andy Jackson Flight Park and its being a P3+ site, thermalling site with a launch at 3,500 paragliding pilot and Sylmar memfeet. It flies (almost) every single day for seven months out of the year, and ber Juan Arambula assured me that no full week goes by without at least paragliding is growing at the site one flyable day. and that paragliding pilots are very Thanks to both the plush LZ and welcome and encouraged. “Everyone the 45-minute ride to launch, Sylmar is more than welcome to come visit club members are an extremely tightanytime. We always want more people knit group. Newer hang gliding pilot to come over—especially paragliders,” and Sylmar member Hector Realubit he said. “And of course absolutely describes the culture at Sylmar as innothing against hang gliders. I love this community!” credibly welcoming. “Whenever I land “It really is a success story,” Greblo said. there’s always a drink or taco laid out “But it’s not like it came on a silver platnext to me,” he said. When he landed on his first tandem he did not expect to ter. It’s not like it came easy. This club have so many bystanders and spechad obstacles. Big ones. And each one of these potential disasters has turned tators. “Family, friends, even the local into opportunities.” community comes out,” said Realubit.

OPPOSITE TOP Photograph taken from the air above the beautiful, grassy Sylmar LZ. Photo by Jonathan Dietch. BOTTOM Historical photo from the 1986 Sylmar Doo Dah Parade, 1986. Photo by Katherine Yardley. ABOVE A Sylmar pilot set up on launch overlooking Half Dome during the Yosemite trip, 2007. Photo by Andrew Tang and provided by Grant Hoag.

PHOTO BY JOHN HEINEY > Soaring the North Side, Point of the Mountain, Utah.

PHOTO BY DEXTER HALE > Jacob Glass above Marcum Mountain, Montana.

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PHOTO BY KEITA SAKON > After three months of lockdown in rainy Oregon in the spring of 2020, some ridge flying in Pacifica, California.

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PHOTO BY GARY WATERMAN > Andrew Zoechbauer flying the Green Wall, Hawaii.

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APPLEGATE OPENS! A recap of the 2021 competition

by BART GARTON

BART’S SUPPLICATION

(A little something to bring you luck)

Oh great mother of wind and thermals, caress my wing and take me places unknown as I soar into the vast azure. Let my harness hold my supine body firmly and react instantly to weight shift as I move from one cheek to the other. And as I descend from this extended adventure aloft, deliver my body gently back to Earth, ready to plot my next foray into the sky.

O

n a blistering hot Oregon day in June, about 15 pilots from the Sprint Race formed a nice cylinder above launch well before start time. As they eventually fell into sync in the thermal, they whooped and hollered in celebration of the perfect gaggle. “This is going to be the day,” they all thought. They’d been maintaining above launch for half an hour, and confidence was in the air. Others launched before the start time. When the countdown clock reached its end, though, so did the lift.

In all, 41 of 45 pilots promptly sank out before hitting the first waypoint.

Misery loves company, so the usual FOMO in seeing their cohorts outfly them disappeared as paragliders peppered the bailout LZ and shaded areas became choked with repacks. Wails of frustration gave way to hysterical laughter as the absurdity of it all came to the forefront, and everyone realized that this was really more about a glorious return to big group flying (or even not flying) in what we hoped was a post-COVID world. Egos were dusted off and cooled down with cold

beverages.

In June 2021, the Rogue Valley welcomed 180 fully-vaccinated pilots back to the fray of the Applegate Open to resume the Series Race for the National Championship. Many of the pilots who were more casual about racing

ran in the Sprint Race while the less experienced pilots honed their skills in the ever popular Super Clinic. This was the third anniversary of the fly-in (sorely missed in 2020), which replaced the fabled Rat Race after its 15-year run.

Globetrotting pilots had come from

ABOVE Cedar Wright (pointing) discusses task strategy with other Open pilots.

Photo by Patrick Penoyar. OPPOSITE A gaggle begins to form off launch on Woodrat Mountain, Oregon. Photo by Patrick Penoyar.

󲢫 In this environment, pilots could tell people about their entire flight, waypoint by waypoint, and their audience was actually interested. 󲢻 every corner of the world to fly this big air convergence of three valleys.

“This is one of two sanctioned races [that count] towards our national championship,” said Dan Wells, treasurer of the Rogue Valley Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. Wells, aided by a very talented team, served as the organizer for this event.

“While you’ll see longer and bigger flights in Washington’s Chelan race, these valleys require a more strategic approach to winning the tasks,” he said.

At this year’s event, temperatures reached over 100 degrees on some days, but few complained as the air improved after the initial stable days to great lift, reaching over 10,000 feet on some days. Over the course of the event, gaggles were built, great flights were had, sink-outs happened, a few reserves were thrown (all ended well), goals were made, and stories were told over cold beers while wading in the cool waters of the Applegate River.

Pilots got back in the groove of multiday camping and flying. They struggled with their instruments to mark waypoints and set tasks, preset LOK and PUP messages, and upload .igc files for scoring. They worked on their rusty gaggling skills to stay safe in traffic.

They did their best not to use the official Telegram chat for actual chatting (there’s another chat group for chatting, as this was a chatty group). They set aside 10 minutes at the end of each LEFT Open pilot Krista Auchenbach assesses conditions while in line for launch. Photo by Bart Garton.

OPPOSITE TOP Sprint pilots celebrate making goal. Photo by Kat Kirsch.

BOTTOM Vaccinated pilots play it safe, seated one to a bench with their kits.

Photo by Bart Garton.

day for picking foxtails out of their socks and shoes. They remembered that a sparkly new Porta Potty, though not nearly as gross as it will be in a few days, was still problematic as the blue water splashes freely onto your butt.

But mostly, they enjoyed revisiting the community aspect of this crazy obsession. Bus rides to launch invariably ended in making two or three new friends, connections that usually proved to be mutually beneficial. Launch was a fantastic mix of newbies and legends going through their preflight routines. Team flying, group land-outs, and retrieve shuttles illustrated camaraderie at its finest. In this environment, pilots could tell people about their entire flight, waypoint by waypoint, and their audience was actually interested. Only here was the evening conversation completely devoid of politics and current events, talk instead drifting to task strategies, new paragliding equipment, or the status of the X-Alps competition in Europe (which coincided with the Applegate Open).

This was an opportunity to dramatically increase knowledge and skill by just being around so many pilots—and listening. Through osmosis, everyone came away from this competition a better pilot. You could hear Matt Henzi and Francisco Mantaras, the top two pilots this year, discussing subtle and not-so-subtle strategies for tearing through a task. Or, if you listened even more carefully, you’d discover 74-yearold CJ Sturtevant’s secret to such a long and storied life of flying (“My goal today is to enjoy my flight and land safely!”). And through these stories and connections, the addiction became stronger—and safer.

Pilots flying at Applegate returned home as re-energized ambassadors for the sport, sharing their experiences with their local flying groups and spreading the word to those considering diving in. The 2021 Applegate Open was a reminder that our obsession is indeed a beautiful, life-affirming, and vital one.

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Applegate Open Results to see a full list, visit flyxc.org RACE OVERALL 1 Francisco Mantaras 2 Matt Henzi 3 Donizete Lemos RACE WOMEN 1 Galen Kirkpatrick 2 Violeta Jimenez 3 Bianca Heinrich RACE MASTERS 1 Frank Henriquez 2 Jeffrey Wishnie 3 Bill Hughes SPRINT OVERALL 1 Mert Kacmaz 2 Blake Hanson 3 Kristian Hansen SPRINT WOMEN 1 Julie Spiegler 2 Emily Reinys 3 Zoe Sheehan Saldana SPRINT MASTERS 1 David Blacklock 2 Neil McGarry 3 Charles Bedell SUPER CLINIC WINNERS Every single student

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Septuagenarian C.J. Sturtevant demonstrates a perfect reverse.

Photo by Patrick Penoyar.

Paraglider in Paraglider, a.k.a. PinP. Photo by Kat Kirsch.

Mert Kacmaz about to stick his landing.

Photo by Kat Kirsch.

Launch Director David Blizzard monitors a pilot.

Photo by Patrick Penoyar.

Blizzard inspecting a pilot pre-launch.

Photo by Patrick Penoyar.

Pilots race toward the Rabies Ridge waypoint.

Photo by Patrick Penoyar.

Patience and hydration are key while waiting for launch, all bundled up in the hot sun.

Photo by Patrick Penoyar.

PHOTO BY PATRICK PENOYAR > Approximately 180 pilots converged on Oregon’s Rogue Valley to fly the (mostly) friendly skies.

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PHOTO BY JONATHAN DIETCH > Over San Bernardino, California, headed westward into the encroaching haze of the great Los Angeles Basin.

PHOTO BY MATTHIAS JENTSCH > Ofenthaler Berg near Hammelburg (Bavaria), Germany.

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ABOVE PHOTO BY JONNY THOMPSON > Nic Baack over the beach during a three-hour flight in Frisco, North Carolina. Prefrontal winds 25-30 mph, butter smooth.

TOP PHOTO BY PARKER LANDGREN > Chris Hunlow crusing the North Side, Point of the Mountain, Utah.

BOTTOM PHOTO BY JAMES KOLYNICH > Romano Almonte launching his Wills Wing S3 from Harris Hill In Elmira, New York.

Casual Vol-Biv Crafting and executing a night out

V

by ERIC KLAMMER

pilot, comfortably at home with the ol-biv. Fly-camp. The wonderful “weekend wanderer” title, I’m here to tell intersection of free flight and you that weekend, “out the back door” backpacking. For those looking to add more adventure (and maybe a lit- vol-biv trips can offer up plenty of fun and adventure. Great for the strong tle suffering) to their flying, this subset intermediate pilot, a short vol-biv trip of the sport provides ample opportunicomes packaged in a smaller and more ties for pilots to put their skills to the manageable format. test and discover the potential of an aircraft in a backpack.

For many paraglider pilots, the term It's Not About The Size... vol-biv brings to mind epic excursions Shorter, local vol-biv trips come with to distant mountain ranges, with pilots a lot of advantages. The unknowns at the top of the game hiking and flying of weather and unfamiliar terrain are their way through the Alps or going largely reduced. With a trip of one deep on weeks-long missions through to three days, it is far easier to find a the backlands of India and Pakistan. weather window that allows for safe These trips are an inspiration and a and fun flying and reduces the chances testament to what is possible for pilots you’ll be stuck on the ground experiencwith the right skills and gear. Howeving the less enjoyable aspects of vol-biv paragliding (namely staring at the wall er, they can also be expensive, require of your tent while it rains or discoverextensive planning and a significant time commitment, and carry more ing just how unpleasant it is to carry risk. As a decidedly non-professional camping gear and your paragliding kit 46 US H PA P I LOT

on long walks through the mountains).

Flying familiar terrain means more time enjoying the air, less time devoted to navigating new lines and learning conditions, and a greater chance of success at a given goal. Not to mention, you most likely already have a retrieve and support network in place.

Lastly, and my favorite part of the backyard vol-biv, you can comfortably get away with carrying far less gear (not to mention food) than would be needed on an extended trip. With a solid weather forecast and warmer summer nights on the menu, a confident pilot headed out for a quick overnight trip can carry a stripped-down kit that weighs in at only a few kilos heavier than what might be normally taken for a day of XC flying. Overall, the fun and fulfillment of a weekend vol-biv trip can be hard to beat!

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LEFT Enjoying the sunset while setting up camp. I hiked down to treeline to find this camp after side-hill landing high on a snow field.

Getting Started

What is vol-biv but the more adventurous, “backwoods” cousin of hike-andfly paragliding? You don’t need to be an XC sky god to enjoy vol-biv, but a strong foundation of mountain flying skills and experience with hike-andfly paragliding will ensure that your fly-camping adventure can reach its full potential.

How’s your spot landing? Can you comfortably take off or land in higher winds? How about no wind? No wind and a harness full of camping gear?

Are you able to accurately judge wind direction and strength from natural indicators? Can you comfortably top or sidehill land and judge when it’s safe to do so?

These skills may not be called upon in everyday flying, but they are instrumental as you move into more backcountry-oriented paragliding. The good news is that many of these skills are easy to incorporate and practice on most flights.

Make every landing a spot landing, and strive for intention and control with every launch. Fly an early lap while it’s calm to dial in that forward launch.

On the days when it’s strong, be the guy/gal who is out there kiting. When conditions are good, find a safe area to smooth out your side hill landings. Practice launching your wing from atypical configurations (balled up, tips folded over, etc.). Off the beaten path, you won’t always find the perfect launch or LZ. Launching your wing from a rosette balanced on a sage bush will feel a lot more casual if you’ve logged some recent practice time.

Having at least a moderate base level of fitness is helpful in several ways. While flying skills will keep you in the air, fitness is what gets you to the next launch (and back home if the before-mentioned flying skills fall short). Not only does good fitness allow you to hike-and-fly larger and farther objectives, but it also brings confidence in pushing deeper while flying (knowing that if you bomb out and have to hike

for 5 to 10+ miles is not as big of a deal when you’re in good shape).

In a vol-biv situation, being able to go deeper may mean getting to fly terrain that is more conducive to landing and relaunching, not to mention more beautiful, more remote, and more likely to work well if you intend to fly XC. More fitness equals more fun and more opportunity, so join those early morning hike-and-fly missions, swap the car shuttle for a walk up the hill, and explore that launch you’ve always looked at from the valley. You may thank yourself later!

Gearing Up

All right, you’ve dialed in your paragliding skills and you’re feeling fit. Now it’s time to pack the gear and get ready to go!

Though a specialized, lightweight paragliding kit is certainly nice to have, it is by no means necessary when starting out. Many non-comp-oriented kits these days are trending towards lighter weight and more hike-able designs.

Some may be even further stripped down, leaving a rucksack that, while not competitive with those seen in the X-Alps, will be perfectly suitable for a weekend trip in your local mountains.

And just think about how strong you’ll be when you eventually upgrade to that shiny, new, ultralight harness and drop all of the “training weight”!

The Wing

When it comes to your wing, light is right; a lighter-weight wing is easier to hike up the hill and at times considerably simpler to launch. Use what you’ve got, though. Become a ninja at packing your wing. A well-packed standard wing can easily pack down smaller than a poorly packed lightweight model!

Also, be mindful of where you lie in the weight range of your wing. If you already fly at or over the top of the weight range, and you decide to pack everything plus the kitchen sink for your vol-biv adventure, you could be asking for trouble. Regardless, a few practice flights with your overnight kit weighing you down may be helpful, especially if you plan to attempt any tricky, higher altitude landings during your trip.

The Harness

A lighter-weight pod harness is preferable for most vol-biv outings. However, if your intended flight(s) are early morning or evening sledders, a more minimalist open harness could be a great way to drop some weight. For harnesses with removable back protection, many volbiv pilots pull this protection out and replace it with their sleeping pad and bag, saving weight and valuable packing volume.

Reversible harnesses rarely have much extra storage once the backpack has been filled with your wing. It is unlikely you will be able to fit overnight gear into the reversible backpack, necessitating the use of a second, larger rucksack.

Though there are lightweight rucksack options, this is still a relatively heavy and bulky, though feasible, workaround (remember, training weight).

The Bivy

Your choice of bivy comes down to comfort on the ground vs. comfort moving over it. For short trips with a promising weather forecast, it can be worth sacrificing camping comfort if it means carrying a lighter and more manageable kit. For me, this means leaving the stove and tent at home and carrying only a lightweight sleeping bag, a small inflatable camping pad, and a sheet of

󲢫 Flying familiar terrain means more time enjoying the air, less time devoted to navigating new lines and learning conditions, and a greater chance of success at a given goal. 󲢻

hardware store painter’s plastic that works as a ground cloth, tarp, and very classy poncho. This totals up to around 2.5 lbs and, for reference, is enough to make it through a Colorado or Utah summer night near treeline in moderate comfort.

With the ground cloth laid out, I’ll use my harness as a pillow and my sleeping pad and wing as a mattress. My water bottle and phone/battery pack go into the sleeping bag with me to protect them from the cold. This sleeping arrangement has the added benefit of making it quick and easy to add a little warmth on an extra chilly night by rolling up in your wing! It’s no five-star hotel, and there’s no guarantee you won’t wake up in a staring contest with some variety of curious animal, but it’s simple, light, and way more fun to lug up the hill.

Fuel and Water

I’ve found vol-biv trips (and most every48 US H PA P I LOT

thing, really) to be a whole lot more fun when I’m not dehydrated to the point of feeling like human jerky. When planning your trip, be sure to plot enough water sources along the way so that, ideally, you can stay well-hydrated while not having to ferry huge amounts of water over unpleasantly long distances.

This is less of a concern when flying in the spring and early summer, as snow is generally still abundant on the higher peaks and runoff is near peak at lower elevations. As the season wears on, planning ahead will be more important.

It’s not fun to land high on a perfect ridge after an epic flight only to discover that you’re nearly out of water and the nearest source is a couple thousand feet below you on the valley floor!

A short trip leaves your food options wide open. Refrigerated food won’t spoil over a couple of days, and you don’t need to worry as much about basing your food choices on prioritizing lower volume fuels. Grab a small assortment

ABOVE Settling in as the sun goes down for what would be a perfectly calm and clear night in Eastern California. OPPOSITE Day 1! Landing in a field of wildflowers after a pleasant evening XC. Central, Colorado.

of relatively energy-dense, durable, and, most importantly, appealing foods. For a short trip, it’s fine to swap out healthier foods you might want to eat for less healthy foods you’ll definitely want to eat. Variety is key (for me, at least).

Sweet and salty, fatty and “carby.” My favorites are energy or candy bars for hiking and in-flight snacks, and cheeses, crackers, and cured meats for bigger meals. It boils down to personal preference, but always bring a little more than you think you’ll need, and just keep snacking!

Everything Else

Most other useful items can already be found in a well-stocked XC kit but are worth mentioning just in case. A small glider repair and first aid kit are good to

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have tucked away, hopefully not needed.

Consider a tree rescue kit if you’re flying that kind of terrain. Hiking poles are your friends, well worth any associated dork factor. A headlamp is great for when something goes bump in the night, and a lighter or matches weigh almost nothing but are great insurance.

You can never have too much sunscreen.

And, lastly, fly with a tracker like a SPOT or InReach!

Putting it All Together

There’s only one way to eat an elephant.

One bite (flight) at a time.

If you’re new to the backcountry adventure flying scene, then starting off with smaller bites is a great way to ensure smiles and success. Pile up too many new things, like flying a new line, using different equipment, landing in an unseen area, etc., and you’re simply stacking the odds against yourself and increasing risk. There isn’t a minimum distance flown or vertical feet hiked to qualify as vol-biv. So if you’re less experienced, start tiny and enjoy the journey!

One of my earliest fly-camping trips took place on a small hill just outside of town. A five-minute hike from my camp on a lower bench took me to the summit from which I could look out and see my house. It wasn’t fodder for the next Red Bull documentary, but it was beautiful, educational, fun, and short enough that I could make it to work on time in the morning. Best of all, it gave me the confidence and foundational skills to push further, allowing for some more challenging and extremely memorable trips through my local peaks in the following years.

A great way to test the waters and make a quick escape to the mountains is via an overnight trip where you hike up to or near launch in the evening, enjoy a night under the stars, and fly down in the morning. Conditions are generally calm, and if you’re headed up to a known flying site, there most likely won’t be a lot of trickery needed to launch and land. This provides a

lower-consequence environment to test foot. As the day winds down and the out your equipment and dial in your lift tapers off, a gentle top landing on a technique. It can even be fit in between (hopefully) grassy ridge or wildflower workdays. It’s not a bad way to spend studded meadow awaits! time with your pilot friends either!

You’ve got the equipment to enjoy a Short trips like this are becoming night out, have spotted some possible increasingly popular at one of our local launches, and know the weather is mountain sites. As a reasonably accessi- looking good enough tomorrow for that ble flying site, it offers a relatively short XC flight back to civilization. Does it get any better!? With this game plan, you (but steep) approach, wonderful campcan avoid the washing machine-like ing areas around treeline, large grassyconditions that sometimes accompany ish take-offs, and regular morning sled rides or soaring along craggy 12,000-foot midday mountain flying, and you can avoid attempting to top land in these peaks. (Being a little tired at work the next day never felt so good!) Many new- stronger conditions, an aspect of full-on er pilots have been introduced to moun- vol-biv flying that requires the sharpest skills and a willingness to accept greater tain flying at this site, and it continues risk. Don’t worry though, a full helping to provide for the more experienced of unforgettable experiences and fulfillpilots wishing to develop their vol-biv skills and push their XC flying. ing flying is still all yours!

A next step up, and my personal Sites that offer higher evening flights favorite for a backyard fly-camping and bench back to bigger or more adventure, is the “evening magic” vol-biv. interesting terrain are excellent for this If your planning and execution are on type of outing. In one of my favorite point, this gem of free-flight-fueled adventures, I gained hypoxia-inducing adventure can offer it all! Take off from heights from a classic Central Colorado the right site in the late afternoon or glass-off, pointed it over the back, and evening, riding gentle thermals and landed an hour later in a meadow so evening glass, and you may quickly find far from the nearest roads and trails yourself alone and over terrain that that my only company was a herd of elk. might have taken all day to cover on This will never not be pure magic. Find

RIGHT Day 2! Crossing over the Gore Range near cloudbase.

your magic place.

Another evening magic vol-biv, one of my first and favorites, took place during the Red Rocks Fly-in a few years ago near Richfield, Utah. A site known for fantastic glass-offs, this evening was no different. Scores of brightly colored wings soared up the cliffs behind launch and traversed the range back and forth, high over the valley below. As the lift died off, pilots pushed out to go land and enjoy evening festivities. I stayed back, and, eventually, with nothing left to give, the evening let me land lightly near the top of Glenwood Mountain, the peak directly behind and a couple of thousand feet above the Cove launch.

Suddenly very alone, I had an incredible view of tiny pilots below me, landing in a seemingly toy-sized field as the sun finished setting.

After a chilly night (don’t leave your only water sitting out all night to freeze solid, lesson learned!), I was ready for

an early flight back down. One massive sledder later (bring your sagebrush launching skills if you want to make it off of Glenwood) I was back in town, with just enough time to grab a late breakfast before hopping on a shuttle headed back up Cove! One great adventure, lovely flying, a beautiful night out, and all of about 200 yards of hiking.

Pretty cool.

Once you’ve mastered the basics, the rest is up to your imagination, skill set, and the amount of time off from work you’re able to wrangle. Keep in mind that pushing farther and longer will quickly up the risks and the skills demanded of the pilot and can quickly surpass the limits of safe flying for strong intermediate pilots. Pilots wishing to link multiple XC days in a vol-biv style will need to be current, experienced, comfortable flying the big mountains in a wide range of conditions, and readily adaptable. I am working my way there.

I look forward to enjoying some longer vol-bivs in new places within the next couple of years. (Hopefully somewhere with a little more consistent conditions than Colorado.) However, this past season was a relatively paltry one for me, slowed to a crawl by COVID-19. For now, I just can’t wait to get out in my backyard again, brush off some rust, and see where I can find myself with some camping gear and an aircraft in a backpack. The trips won’t be huge, and I’ll be back in time for work, but you can bet I’ll be loving every minute.

So to the pilots itching to explore this corner of free flight, you don’t need to be a complete paragliding guru to experience the magic of vol-biv. Develop your skills and build the confidence to go out and test them. Get fit, gather the gear, and find some friends to share the experience. Start small and enjoy the journey. The adventure is out there. Go find it!

EN B

FREE YOUR MIND

801-699-1462 dale@flybgd.com #FlyBase2Lite www.flybgd.com

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PHOTO BY STEVEN CHEUVRONT > Coring a thermal in front of the White Mountains in the Owens Valley, California.

PHOTO BY CHERYL ERVIN > Scott Ervin cruising by outside of Fort Flagler, Washington.

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PHOTO BY PATRICK MATTES > Vinay Shah kiting his wing along the beach after a short flight from Bates Launch in Santa Barbara.

PHOTO BY MOISES ROMERO > Clear cold South Side morning. HG pilot and instructor Ian Brubaker, an unknown PG pilot, and an onlooker.

USH PA PILOT 53

Over the Falls

[ contributed by DENNIS PAGEN ]

Surviving aerial cascades in a hang glider It used to be that hang glider pilots would experience a heart-stopping episode of severe, involuntary pitch-down excursions several times a flying season. When your glider suddenly drops its nose and sheds altitude like a fat rock, it can be shocking, disconcerting, and downright scary.

Early on in our sport, such an event was named “going over the falls.” This name is appropriate because it feels exactly like you’ve just taken a ride over Niagara Falls without the barrel. Even though such pitch excursions are less common now, they still happen, and it is important for all pilots to know the safe procedures if caught up in a maelstrom or tsunami threatening to tumble you to perdition.

HEAD OVER HEELS

While going over the falls is a very apt name for the subject at hand, in aviation terms, we would call the event a pitchover, a tumble, or a severe post-stall recovery dive, depending on the cause and the curse. The causes of such events are: 1) Encountering a sudden thermal updraft that lifts your nose very high and leaves you stalled at a nose-high attitude (see Figure 1).

2) Exiting a very strong thermal with a sharp edge and plenty of sink just beyond its border.

3) Flying into a very large swirl, rotor, or eddy of air (see Figure 1).

When a “falls” experience happens, we usually don’t have the time or inclination to figure out what caused it, and only the first cause gives us much warning or time to react before the abrupt upset comes. In this case, most pilots know to pull in on the base bar immediately when they hit a moderate to strong thermal that lifts the glider’s nose. However, there still may be consequences, which we look at below.

SK ILLS

PREVENTING SERIOUS RESULTS

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In the opening paragraph, we noted that going over the falls is less common today than in the past. This positive outcome is due to four reasons, as near as I can figure. First, pilots are more aware of the possibility of pitchovers and fly more defensively (as we will describe shortly). Second—and this may be most important—we tend to fly in less strong wind

and turbulence than in earlier times. With the earliest gliders, I can say from experience that we needed 20 mph winds to soar in many cases, depending on hill height and buoyancy. Back in the dark ages, I personally soared a sand dune in wind measured over 35 mph (mea culpa, but I survived). With improved performance came safer flying in more gentle conditions.

Third, gliders are narrower in chord—from front to back. With less material behind us, swirls and coupled updrafts/downdrafts have less they can grab onto to upset our wings.

Finally, our gliders are more pitch stable, especially intermediate gliders. They resist severe pitchovers and act quicker to reestablish an even keel. This feature is brought to us by more stable airfoils, root reflex, reflex bridles, well-controlled wing washout, and dive sticks.

Designers gradually improved these features over the years.

But no amount of design cleverness can totally prevent pitchovers if the pilot does not make sane decisions or reacts reasonably. As Orville knows, even an airplane can experience a tumble or rollover in the most horrible air. So, we list the reasonable actions: 1) Choose to fly in safe conditions. This decision means we set an upper limit on the wind strength and gustiness, both of which we can greatly determine at launch. The abruptness of wind changes on launch gives clues to the gust strengths. A recent local multiple overthe-falls flight occurred in quite strong gusty winds.

2) Avoid flying downwind of solids, especially hills. I know several cases where pilots encountered rotors downwind of small hills and were thrown out of control.

3) When flying between thermals in all but the weakest thermal days, pull on extra speed between thermal lift. This practice makes good sense for performance as well as safety because optimum glide over the ground in sink is a faster airspeed than best glide airspeed in still air. You get to the next thermal higher by flying faster. And you get there intact and upright. This extra speed lets you blow through the turbulence and possible strong sink at the thermal boundary and lets you pay

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off for more altitude once you hit the lift in the thermal. If the thermal is extremely strong, you can use this extra speed to bank the glider faster and remain in the thermal. If you are knocked to the side or stalled, you will lose much altitude and may lose the thermal. Once in the thermal, it is important to bank steeply enough to avoid wandering to the turbulent thermal edge. I have witnessed two occasions when pilots rolled over next to me in a thermal because they were slow and flat-banked near the thermal edge. Steeper banked is more efficient and safer, especially in feisty thermals.

Rollovers are a special case we will visit below.

4) If you find yourself in general strong turbulence (perhaps due to a shear layer, low-level jet, or unexpected strong winds), keep your speed up. Most aircraft have an optimal maneuvering speed to fly in turbulence, but they are limited by structural considerations. With a hang glider, much of the loads are relieved due to the wing’s flexibility, so you can fly fairly fast in turbulence. In bad stuff, the base tube should be at least down to your belly button.

RECOVERY AND RELIEF

The first thing we should be aware of if we have a pitchover or rollover is to not make the situation worse. In brief, we should not push out when knocked into a dive but rather put the bar in a secure place and hang on until the glider recovers on its own.

In one tumble I witnessed, the pilot was pushed out the whole way, and the glider continued to tumble. On another tumble (in the strong thermals in front of Sandia Mountain), the pilot hung upside down grasping the bar, and as I flew over him, his glider suddenly righted itself in the same turbulence that tumbled him in the first place.

In four other over-the-falls, upside-down excursions—all in competition—the pilots were pushed out slowly in thermals, exiting thermals slowly, or entering a known rotor or strong turbulence area. In one case, the pilot had altered his dive stick settings in hopes of better performance (his performance was horrible the day he tumbled). So the only way to safely behave on strong thermal days is to fly

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defensively. Trust your glider and give it time to recover.

Of course, if you are upside down on your glider, it may never recover. Some pilots have moved to the side and actually got their gliders to flip upright, but this feat requires lots of altitude and may make matters worse if you end up tangled in the rigging. In almost all cases of an over-the-falls event turning into a tumble, it is parachute time.

When you exit a strong thermal, it is important to do it with ample speed. You can pull on this speed while still circling. Often, we also exit in a bank, aiming to flatten our circle when we are out of the turbulent border and pointing at our next destination (this trick takes a bit of practice to get the timing and heading precisely correct). It is almost always better to exit an extreme thermal in a bank, sidling out on a tangent. Imagine this: you point straight out of the thermal, then your nose enters in the sink surrounding the thermal while your tail is still in powerful lift. The nose-down dive is gripping, inefficient, and may be worse than a dive if you are near the thermal top, and the air is cascading over a waterfall.

Granted, there are some bogeys in the air that surprise you no matter your preparedness and defensive strategy. I was once flying fast towards a strong thermal, evidenced by other pilots banked steeply and auguring upwards.

Before I got to the expected surrounding turbulence, I was rocked and knocked by a blow from above. It pushed down so hard on my glider that it ripped my one hand off the bar.

Fortunately, the downward blast hit me nearly centered on the glider—I barely banked or

󲢫 In almost all cases of an over-the-falls event turning into a tumble, it is parachute time. 󲢻 56 US H PA P I LOT

pitched. I went into the thermal, climbed into its screaming lift, and went on to goal. When I landed, I found my base tube bent upward by my hands during the blast. Can you imagine the outcome if it had hit me to one side or in the back? I can. And this was in Florida, where conditions are always mellow, aren’t they?

ROLLOVERS

As shown in Figure 1 (previous page), a glider can turn upside down in strong swirls or thermals by rolling completely past 90 degrees and onto its back. We tend to call these incidents rollovers rather than going over the falls.

I have witnessed two rollovers up close, have seen film on others, and have twice nearly rolled upside down in what were supposedly moderate conditions.

In both of my cases, it was thermally but not too strong, and the wind was less than 10 mph.

I was flying wings level when one wing was lifted violently and I banked past 90 degrees nearly before I could react. I attribute these events to rogue powerful thermals (one was in Colorado and the other above a hot, recently burned-out area). So it should be clear that shift happens in the air, and preparedness saves.

I recovered from both potential rollovers because I have performed some aerobatics and knew how my glider would react. I simply moved to the low side of the bar, pulled in, and waited a pause. The glider reacted by slipping to the side, yawing to point the nose down then pulling up out of the resulting steep dive. It helped that I had ample speed when the brute updrafts hit.

Figure 2 (above) depicts what happens in a rollover caused by a strong updraft on one wing or a swirl (note that flying to an edge of a thermal is similar, but usually when this

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occurs, the pilot is flying slowly, so the flip-over may be sudden, exacerbated by the stalling of the outside wing). From the figure, we can see that a pilot’s normal reaction may be to pull themselves to the high side of the control bar to combat the air’s roll input. But once the glider gets near a vertical bank, such a body position is unstable and helps induce the glider to roll over since the pilot’s weight acts like an arrowhead placed at the wrong end of an arrow. The arrow and, likewise, the wing tends to flop ends. I learned how to react from wingover practice, but all pilots can learn to react safely by practicing spiral dives and paying attention to the glider’s behavior. When in doubt, go to the low side; don’t fight the roll.

Our best prevention of rollovers in a thermal is what we have already hinted at: Fly faster in strong thermals and bank more steeply. This procedure is the defensive flying we mentioned earlier. There were tumbles and rollovers in the Owens Valley—my early record and comp playground—until everyone learned to bank steeper in the strong stuff. A steep bank makes it harder for a thermal to turn you out, and you have a faster best sink rate speed, which lets you maneuver easier in the random turbulence.

Right after launch at Sandia Mountain, I have been in a thermal showing the vario’s max at 2,000 ft/min (10 m/s), but most assuredly, it was more like 3,000 ft/min (15 m/s). I was banked at least 60 degrees and holding on, afraid to leave it until I climbed about 5,000 feet and the thermal widened and mellowed out. Had I not known the importance of a steep bank to safe survival, I may have flipped and become a statistic.

All this drama may be a little over the top because most pilots fly in reasonable conditions and not in competitions where they are trying to max out the possibilities. In fact, most pilots will never encounter a pitchover or rollover event. Most of us will feel a thermal lift our nose and try to stall us, but normally we can counter with a pitch pull-in that keeps matters under control.

However, all of this material should be understood and thought about in order to be prepared with defense and correct recovery.

With preparation and reasonable choices, there is nothing to fear except fear itself. In the words of the bards, “I’ve got to admit it’s getting better”—“been a long time since I’ve rocked and rolled…”

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www.DENNISPAGEN.com Sport Aviation Publications PO Box 43, Spring Mills, PA 16875 pagenbks@lazerlink.com | 814-404-9446

PHOTO BY MARK HEALEY > The curious residents of the LZ at Brushy Mountain, Tennessee decided to check out Mark's flying machine following a satisfying April flight.

PHOTO BY KILEY HARTIGAN > Ari DeLashmutt flies around the iconic Fisher Towers near Moab, Utah.

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PHOTO BY GREGORY KRUTZIKOWSKY > On a perfect spring day, Michael Gregson enjoys his first flight in the allowed airspace at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area on the Oregon coast. There are restrictions to flying at this sensitive site. Michael is flying within the area that hang gliding and paragliding flight is allowed and is not actually flying over the lighthouse.

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1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3

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3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

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Paul Gurrieri Grayson Brown Kevin R. Lee Paul Gurrieri Elena Dmitrievskaya Paul Gurrieri Esau Diaz Guerrero Thomas McCormick Calef Letorney John E. Dunn Jordan Neidinger Calef Letorney Calef Letorney Miguel Rodas Calef Letorney Chris W. Santacroce Jordan Neidinger Calef Letorney Ben White Stephen J. Mayer Brent McCoy Jeremy Bishop Thomas McCormick John E. Dunn Thomas McCormick Rob Sporrer Jeremy Bishop Philippe Renaudin Nathan Alex Taylor Esau Diaz Guerrero Christopher Grantham Thomas McCormick Paul Gurrieri Jaro Krupa Chris W. Santacroce Rob Sporrer Stephen J. Mayer Calef Letorney Thomas McCormick Stephen Nowak Stephen Nowak Grayson Brown Jaro Krupa Jeremy Bishop Fred Morris Derek Baylor Paul Gurrieri Fred Morris Randall Shane Ben White Maren Ludwig Denise Reed Steve Roti Denise Reed Andy Macrae Scott C. Harris Jerome Daoust Jonathan Jefferies Cynthia Currie Mike Fifield Gary Begley Jerome Daoust Stephen J. Mayer Jason Shapiro Brian Kerr Christopher Garcia Nathan Alex Taylor Dale Covington

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2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Mickey Sensenbach David Shanks Travis Tung Francisco J. Acosta David Beckley Marc Blackwood Mimi BowQuay John Buterbaugh Xinnan Cheng Carmen DeVietti Nathan Dryer Dennis Dunn Garrett Eller Eric Froelicher Austin Kootz Isaac Lammers Anthony Le Michael Jay Lovely Siyun Luo Thomas Mahr Arash Mahmoud Majidi Alexander Malo Tanner McMullen Aaron Montemayor Cody Ramble Moxam Alexander Nekhaychik Shawn Nekonei Ben Pierce Christian E. Riley Abhi Sarkar Tyler Shuman Navjot Singh David Dwight Staples Thomas Van Buskirk Andrew West Ali Mahdavi Adeli Ric Aland Angela Blanch Raul Bravo Raja Hayat Edward Allen Brown Geylani Can Arthur Gay Gunnar Gronowski Ryszard Husiatynski Ray Salvatore Jennings Andrew Labedz John B. McGlade Steven Miller Carlos Rodriguez Jay C. Whitehair III David Foster Michael Gonsior Kevin Hutler John T. Jennings Kincaid Kawananakoa Tod Wooldridge Martin Zegers Garrett Aida Jessica Borowski Phaedra Caruso-Radin Justin Farrer Joseph Finkel Dmitrii Khairullin Jakub Mazur Walter Medlin Alejandro Pelaez Davis Daniel Redding

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

CA Joseph B. Seitz UT Ken W. Hudonjorgensen NV Misha Banks CA Rob Sporrer AZ Chandler Papas CA Max Leonard Marien AZ Marcello M. DeBarros AZ Chandler Papas CA Max Leonard Marien CA Rob Sporrer CA Marcello M. DeBarros AZ T Lee Kortsch CO Ben White CO Peter Thompson CO Misha Banks CO Carl Marvin CA Max Leonard Marien CA Jeremy Bishop CA Max Leonard Marien CO Misha Banks CA William Purden-Jr CA Hadi Golian CO Misha Banks CO Misha Banks CO Misha Banks CA Marcello M. DeBarros CA Max Leonard Marien CA Max Leonard Marien CA Marcello M. DeBarros CA Mitchell Riley CA Jerome Daoust CA Jordan Neidinger AZ Chandler Papas CO Dale Covington CA Jeremy Bishop TN Hadley Robinson GA Ken W. Hudonjorgensen FL Chris W. Santacroce FL Max Leonard Marien VA Chris W. Santacroce Valle Del Cauca Dale Covington MA Calef Letorney NY Philippe Renaudin OH Misha Banks NY Sebastien Kayrouz ME Jonathan Jefferies OH Austin Kasserman NY Sebastien Kayrouz IL Max Leonard Marien NY Thomas McCormick VT Calef Letorney MN Randall Shane MT Paul Roys HI Paul Gurrieri WY Thomas Bartlett HI Pete Michelmore OR Steve Roti WY Scott C. Harris UT Hal Franklin CA Jesse L. Meyer CA Robert Black UT Hal Franklin CA Robert Black CA Robert Posey CA Jesse L. Meyer UT Stephen J. Mayer CA Zion Susanno-Loddby CA Robert Black

USH PA PILOT 63

RTG RGN NAME

P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3

2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Eric Rideout David Suder Jeremy Wilstein Alysia Borgman Giovanni Boyd-Bonanno Kevin Carter Christopher Gulden David Hunt Doug Lidiak Monte Lunacek Nick Wilder Ryan Patrick Kerschen Natalie McManus Ben Parker Max Kotchouro Matthew J. Waller Jaewon Song John Spires Sangwon Suh Matthew Swartz Nicolas Viennot Jay Brandon Whiteaker Amanda Winther Schorsch Sean Ahrens Lee Park Cunningham Megan Dodge W Michael Ford Stefan Katz Scott Paulson Shawn Carroll Daniel Connell Patrick Heal Mauricio Idalgo Clemente Meghan Kate John Kennelly Joshua Dominic Anthony Mangakahia

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

CA CA UT CA CO CO CA CA CO CO CO NC MO TX MA VT CA CO CA CO CA NM CO PR TN LA TX GA VA VT NY WI NJ NH CT NY

Brian Kerr Robert Black Stephen J. Mayer Marcello M. DeBarros Douglas Brown John Hovey Rob Sporrer Max Leonard Marien Gregory Kelley Chris W. Santacroce Misha Banks William Purden-Jr Marc Noel Radloff Jaro Krupa Calef Letorney Luis Ameglio Stanley-Kyon Ki-Hong Ryan J. Taylor Rob Sporrer Misha Banks Jordan Neidinger Max Leonard Marien Misha Banks Jeffrey J. Greenbaum Jeremy Bishop Vito Michelangelo Philippe Renaudin Christopher J. Pyse Chris W. Santacroce Calef Letorney Calef Letorney Thomas McCormick Marcus V. Santos Calef Letorney Steve Roti Max Leonard Marien

RTG RGN NAME

P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4 P4

5 5 5 5 5 5 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5

David Marthe David Park Ken Sober Jonathan Wagner Jacob Wilhelm Herbert Wootton Jr Kristian Hansen Quentin Kawananakoa Trevor MacMurray Mike Milliron Jr Timothy J. Barber Mondie Beier Mike Brown James Cooper Gregory Elsbecker Juan Fernando Molano Madrid Jake Nelson Jordan Porter Matt Renaud Josh Waldrop Mateo Caicedo Reilly Cooper Michal Gola Ben Graham Blake Thomas Hanson Marcos Rosenkjer Roberto Jose Andara Tagliaferro Marcelo Brosig Hernan Carreno Julian Carreno Josh McVeigh Joglin Vivas Ryan M. Reynolds Elisabeth Sillince Fernando Velasco

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

WI NH NY PA OH PA ID HI WA ND CA CA UT CA CA UT UT UT CA CA CA CO CA CO CA CO FL FL SC SC VA FL AE MD NY

Steven Taylor Couch John E. Dunn Calef Letorney Mert Kacmaz Chris W. Santacroce Marcus V. Santos Randall Shane Pete Michelmore Owen Shoemaker Steve Roti Jesse L. Meyer Juan A. Laos Patrick Johnson Jesse L. Meyer Jesse L. Meyer Christopher Hunlow Ben White Jonathan Jefferies Jesse L. Meyer Jeremy Bishop Philip D. Russman Johannes Rath Jerome Daoust Rick Damiani Rob Sporrer Kari L. Castle Thomas Mistretta Marcello M. DeBarros Jaro Krupa Jaro Krupa George R. Huffman Thomas Mistretta T Lee Kortsch Zion Susanno-Loddby Max Leonard Marien

PHOTO BY PAUL VOIGHT'S CAMERA > Paul Voight launching at Ellenville, New York.

PHOTO BY R.J. MCKEEHAN > Erika Klein launching Glacier Point in Yosemite, California.

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USH PA PILOT 65

2021 CALENDAR Submit listings

online at ushpa.org/page/calendar. A minimum 3-MONTH LEAD TIME is required on all submissions. Tentative events will not be published. COVID reminder: Please contact

event organizers regarding the status of events and any local COVID requirements.

NOV 12-14, DEC 10-12 > EAGLE PARAGLIDING SANTA BARBARA CLINIC Santa Barbara, CA. This clinic is aimed at getting pilots familiar with the thermal triggers, and lines to take to get from lift source to lift source moving down the range. After attending this clinic you will have a better understanding of the moves necessary to get down range, and the confidence to get through the pass and fly to Ojai and beyond. The Eagle Team will lead this 3 day clinic - cost is $895. Visit www.paragliding.com or call 805.968.0980.

APR 3-10 > 2022 GREEN SWAMP SPORT KLASSIC [non-sanctioned] Wilotree Airsports, Groveland FL. A super fun mentored race to goal event for Hang Glider pilots who want to improve their cross-country performances. “Personal Bests” yet to come. Sign up now, space is limited. Website: airtribune. com/2022-green-swamp-sport-klassic or email rmcaylor@gmail.com

CLASSIFIED Rates start at $10.00 for

up to 200 characters. ALL CLASSIFIEDS ARE PREPAID. No refunds given for cancellations.

More info: ushpa.org/page/magazine-classi-

fied-advertising

SCHOOLS & INSTRUCTORS GEORGIA > LMFP > provides unmatched service & attention to students & visitors. We have over 40 years of experience making dreams of flight come true on Lookout Mtn & can't wait to share our passion with you. Visit www.flylookout.com HAWAII > PARAGLIDE MAUI > Call Paul Gurrieri for friendly information about flying on Maui. Full service school offering beginner to advanced instruction, year round. 808-8745433 paraglidemaui.com NEW YORK > SUSQUEHANNA FLIGHT PARK > 40 acre park. Awesome training hills with rides up. 600 mountain take off. Best facility in NY to teach foot launch. New and used WW gliders in stock. www.cooperstownhanggliding.com

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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. 1902 Wright Glider Experience available. 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 NH location, Morningside Flight Park. (252) 441-2426, 1-877-FLY-THIS, kittyhawk.com/hang-gliding TENNESSEE > LMFP > provides unmatched service & attention to students & visitors. We have over 40 years of experience making dreams of flight come true on Lookout Mtn & can't wait to share our passion with you. Visit www.flylookout.com TEXAS > FLYTEXAS TEAM > Training pilots in Central Texas for over 30years. Hang Gliding, Paragliding, Trikes. Hangar facilities Granite Shoals/Lake LBJ, Smithville www.flytexas. com 512-467-2529 VIRGINIA > BLUE SKY > located near Richmond , year round instruction, all forms of towing, repairs, sewing , tuning... Wills Wing, Moyes, Icaro, Aeros PG, Mosquito, Flylight, Woody Valley. www.blueskyhg.com CLINICS & TOURS 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 PARACRANE Paragliding Tours 2021 > Fly Costa Rica and Europe with veteran tour guide Nick Crane. Small groups, flexible schedule, excellent flying | Costa Rica-Feb 15-25 & March 26-April 5 | Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Italy June 4-14 and Sept 5-15 | France,Coupe Icare, Italy Sept 17-27 | www. costaricaparagliding.com, contact: nick@ paracrane.com FLYMEXICO > Winter & year round flying tours & support for near 30 years. Hang Gliding, Paragliding. Guiding, gear, instruction, transportation, lodging. www.flymexico.com +1 512 656 5052 SERVICES / FOR SALE LMFP has a full glider shop and sew shop for all pilot needs. From annual inspections to bigger fixes, we have you covered. Visit www. flylookout.com or call 706-383-1292

LMFP has the largest fleet of new & used wings and is one of the largest Wills Wing dealers in the US. With GT Harnesses just next door, we deliver top quality custom orders on your trainer, pod, or cocoon. www. flylookout.com PKP SEATED & SUPINE HARNESSES For information call 719-471-8333 or email bowbell@hotmail.com. I will contact you back & can text you w/info or pictures. Kits for wheel configurations also available.

Super bright HD display Live over-the-air data, tracking and weather Super clean and easy to use user-interface Connectivity over WiFi, BTLE, and LTE Longer battery life (15+ hours)

Naviter. Enabling pilot excellence.

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flytec.com | 800.662.2449 | info@flytec.com