USHPA Pilot Vol52-Iss1 Winter/Jan-Mar 2022

W I N T E R 20 22 VOL UME 52 #1 $6.95

HANG GLIDING + PARAGLIDING + SPEEDFLYING

Pilot: Thomas Jeanniot

PA P I LPI O TLOT US HPA 2 2U SH

Photo: Olivier Laugero

USHPA PILOT

“It was halfway through our circumnavigation of the Mt Blanc Massif that I began to realize how impressive the performance of this wing really is. It was no struggle to stay with the Zeolite and other EN D wings we glided with. After each transition, we were almost at the same level! I was blown away by the performance compared to 2-line wings.

Our flight took us from France to Switzerland and around the south side of the massif in Italy, then back into France where our glide from cloudbase on the south side meant that we flew over the tops of the clouds on the north side back into the valley. The Rush 6 was an incredible companion for this tour – it was stable and reliable and easy in the climbs, with all of the glide performance needed for the most committing XC.”

- OLIVIER LAUGERO

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WINTER 2022

Editor > 7 Association > 8 Ratings > 60 Calendar > 64 Classified > 65 Final > 66

12 Accident Review Committee Speedflying with discipline: a case study

by John Hovey & Misha Banks

16 Ozone Chelan Open A "beginner" EN-C/EN-B competition

by Sarah Lockwood

Weather 38 Glass-off Mechanics

by Honza Rejmanek

Finally Free 40 Unpacking My Fear Injury

by Julia Knowles

22 Finding Nirvana in the Bighorns

US Open of Paragliding 48

Earth, wind and fire: where it all comes together

A Recap of the 2021 Event in Chelan

by Jenna Lyons

32 Green Swamp Sport Klassic Catalyst A pilot's beginnings to XC flying

by Ric Caylor

by Donizete Lemos

Testimony of a Wing Nut 56 A Former renegade Pilot makes A Case for Ratings

by Johnny Lydic

HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING ARE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES

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

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.

4

U SH PA P I L O T

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.

Obtain a copy by emailing advertising@ushpa.org. ©2022 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.

For change of address or other USHPA business +1 (719) 632-8300 info@ushpa.org

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Photo Sepp Inniger – Gasterntal, Schweiz

5

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U SH PA P I L O T

USHPA PILOT

ERRATA Last issue the cover shot was taken by Kubi Jacisin. Kubi, thanks again for the awesome shot of Mark The Beard. Apologies for the misprint.

EDITOR

> Liz Dengler

: Happy New Year! As this issue hits your mailbox, I hope that either you have found someplace warm to get in the air or you are embracing winter and everything that means

for where you live. This time of year boasts great opportunities to ski launch, speedride, enjoy thick winter air, travel to warmer climes, or, if you want to get really outside the box, do things other than fly! As I write this, I am prepping for a scuba diving trip to an island off Mexico; I’m not even bringing wings!

This past November, I attended the Annual USHPA Board Meeting. Though I generally avoid meetings whenever possible, watching how much consideration goes into each decision USHPA makes on pilots’ behalf was eye-opening. The board is genuinely concerned about making the right call. Yes, this means that sometimes progress feels slow; but, as they say, go slow to move fast, and you can be sure that the board and committees are putting in the work to make the most informed decisions.

One thing that was abundantly clear was how hard the committees and board work to help the free flight community, whether that is in the Chapter and Site Committee supporting site access, the Accident Review Committee diligently investigating accidents, or the Training and Certification committees finding new ways to improve resources and keep pilots and instructors safe. If you’ve been looking for ways to support your community, consider volunteering for one of the committees—it is the most effective way you can work to promote progress!

As for takeaways from this particular meeting, there is one big piece of news that relates to you, me, and these pages. As part of the budget vote, the board voted to change the frequency of print publication of the magazine from six issues a year to quarterly. The vote was approved with a caveat—we will begin working on a digital platform to keep you connected! The benefit of this platform would be bringing the stories you love to

cover photo by

SETH WARREN Brad Gordon’s shadow chases him down the lip of one of the most prominent features in the Bighorns' snowkiting and speedriding zones.

Martin Palmaz > Publisher executivedirector@ushpa.org

your screens. With a digital platform, we can better curate content, make it searchable,

Liz Dengler > Editor editor@ushpa.org

and sort it by category. This means if you want to find all articles that pertain to, say,

Kristen Arendt > Copy Editor

hang gliding skills, you’ll be able to find them!

Erika Klein > Copy Editor copy@ushpa.org

Keep in mind that curating and digitizing this content will take a bit of time. In the long run, the goal is to provide you with a better magazine experience both in print and digitally and for the community to have better control over the content they want to access.

As you flip through the pages, you'll notice the magazine has a new look. The team has worked hard to incorporate a fresh design for the new direction! We will, of course, endeavor to maintain the same quality that you’ve come to expect of the magazine and I will continue to work with everyone who wishes to contribute. As always, please reach out to editor@ushpa.aero if you have a story to share."

Good luck in the new year. I look forward to sharing the skies with you!

Greg Gillam > Art Director Beth Van Eaton > Advertising advertising@ushpa.org WRITERS Dennis Pagen Lisa Verzella Jeff Shapiro P H OTO G R A P H E R S Ben White Audray Luck

7

ASSOCIATION

> Martin Palmaz, Executive Director

: One of our initiatives at USHPA is

the USHPA 2021 annual board meeting

promoting the growth and sustainability

and are summarized below.

of our sports. An important part of this

Question 7: How were you first introduced to

goal involves encouraging participation

hang gliding/paragliding?

from underrepresented groups, such as

Possible answer choices included seeing

Do you have questions

women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and peo-

an advertisement, having previous air-

about USHPA policies,

ple with disabilities. In May 2021, we

craft experience, and watching pilots fly-

programs, or other areas?

conducted a survey to assess the barri-

ing. The analysis revealed that for women,

EM A IL U S AT:

ers facing pilots in our sports and ways

being in a network of people who already

USHPA can better support underrepre-

participate in or have knowledge of the

sented pilots. This year we chose to focus

sport is more significant than other fac-

on analyzing responses from women in

tors. For men, the most important factor

the sport, though we will always work to

is a combination of being in a network

improve support and representation for

and seeing other pilots flying.

communications@ushpa.org

Let us know what questions or topics you’d like to hear more about!

all groups.

In total, 1,901 members participated Interested in a more active

in the survey (if you were one of them,

Question 9: What primary hesitation(s) (if any) did you have at first about learning to hang glide or paraglide?

role supporting our national

thank you!), which was one of our high-

Up to three responses could be selected

organization? USHPA needs

est response rates. Notably, over one-

for this question. Both men and women

you! Have a skill or interest

third of female members participated

selected “cost to learn (lessons, equip-

(currently, women make up just under

ment, etc.)” as the primary issue. (This

11% of USHPA’s total membership). We

did not include “cost of USHPA mem-

chose to include all members to allow

bership,” which was a separate answer

the comparison of responses between

choice.) In fact, both groups selected

genders.

the same top five responses, though in

and some time available?

VOLUNTEER! ushpa.org/volunteer

We’re grateful to USHPA member and

a slightly different order: cost to learn,

volunteer Amy Le for her help analyzing

fear of injury, no hesitations, distance to

the survey. The results were presented at

school or flying site, and not knowing

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.

8

U SH PA P I L O T

USHPA PILOT

any other pilots. Additionally, written

the top suggestions from women includ-

responses from women that weren’t

ed:

reflected in the available choices includ-

· Offer grants to females pursuing their

ed: an unsupportive community (such as

instructor or tandem rating

sexual or size discrimination), poor qual- · Improve marketing to women ity instruction, and lack of mentorship.

Question 10: Which, if any, are current barriers that affect your ability to fly, or that may lead you to stop flying?

· Facilitate networking and outreach opportunities for female pilots · Increase visibility/exposure of women in the magazine

As with the previous question, partici-

Question 20: How should USHPA increase

pants could select up to three responses.

support for female pilots to help them remain

The answers were again similar, with

in the sport long term?

both groups indicating “not enough time

This free-response question sought

to fly” as their top current barrier. “Fear

input on retaining female pilots in our

or risk of injury from flying” came in sec-

sports. Primary responses from women

ond for women, though very few selected included: the answer choice of being previously injured from flying.

Question 13: What are your current freeflight goals?

Respondents could select all answers that applied to them. “Fly for fun” came in first for both men and women, and both groups also shared the same top four responses (though in a slightly

· Encourage all-female learning environments · Offer grants to females for getting over the financial activation barrier into the sport · Increase visibility/exposure of women in the magazine · Establish new norms around sexism and harassment at flying sites

Steve Pearson (TBD in Jan) President president@ushpa.org Matt Taber (TBD in Jan) Vice President vicepresident@ushpa.org Jamie Shelden (TBD in Jan) Secretary secretary@ushpa.org Bill Hughes (TBD in Jan) Treasurer treasurer@ushpa.org 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 B OA R D M E M B E R S (Terms End in 2023) Nelissa Milfeld (region 3) Steve Pearson (region 3) Julia Knowles (region 1)

varied order): fly in other countries, fly

Pamela Kinnaird (region 3)

cross-country, and fly specific sites.

B OA R D M E M B E R S

Additional goals that women expressed

: The results and analysis of the survey

(Terms End in 2022)

in their written responses included:

will be sent to chapters and instructors

Bill Hughes (region 1)

acro, improving their skills, learning to

and will be available online for members.

tow, becoming a mentor for women, and

Access to this data should help us ad-

improving their weather knowledge.

dress specific factors affecting women’s

Question 19: How can USHPA help bring more

participation in our sports, from first-day

women into the free-flight community?

training up through broader policies

For this free-response question, a few of

implemented at USHPA.

Tiki Mashy (region 4) Paul Voight (region 5) Matt Taber (region 4) Dale Covington (TBD in Jan) Jamie Shelden (TBD in Jan) What's your region? See page 66.

9

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US HP A P I L O T

ACCIDENT REVIEW COMMITTEE

> John Hovey, feat. Misha Banks

Speedflying With Discipline : A Case Study

: “Who is that?” I asked, approaching the small group of

wait a while. I frowned at the Tyvek streamer wagging

pilots and students milling around in the Nelson’s Butte

in a gentle downslope breeze and hoped it wasn’t one of

LZ. It was a gray evening in Jackson, Wyoming, with

my students or some visiting P2 trying to learn about the

switchy winds and no possibility of soaring. But some-

hazards of Rocky Mountain flying the hard way.

one had ignored the ample cues that flying might not be

“I think it’s The Colonel*,” someone said.

advisable and hiked up the Butte anyway. I couldn’t tell

Oh, great. The Colonel. Of course, it’s him.

who, but clearly, someone was up there laying out a wing

Migratory thrill-seeker, skydiver, carnival producer,

in preparation to fly.

On most summer nights, the whole gang, myself

and self-exiled social outcast, The Colonel was that archetypical anti-authority guy. That guy who takes on

included, would plod the 600 feet up our west-facing,

fun, adventure, and free flight as his life’s missions and

sagebrush-covered slope just to bag one more sled ride

cannot understand anyone else’s point of view. His real

for the day. Jackson doesn’t have much of a “ground

12

suck” problem, so it seemed wrong for just one pilot to

Misha Banks and another pilot take to the skies.

be on launch when everyone else thought it prudent to

Photo by John Quinn.

US HP A P I L O T

US HPA PILOT

*The Colonel is not this pilot’s real name.

“I SAW HIM MOW DOWN A SAGE BUSH WITH HIS LEGS AND SORT OF BOUNCE BACK INTO FLIGHT, AND I FELT AN URGE TO VOMIT.”

name was not The Colonel, of course, military precision

Another split second passed, and he flew out from the

being precisely not what he was all about, but he intro-

hill ten more feet and barrel rolled again, this time to

duced himself as ‘The Colonel’ and spoke of himself that

the left, again grazing the terrain. Ten seconds later, he

way, in the third person.

swooped and landed and let out an ecstatic whoop of

Enthusiasm and endless stoke were his strengths.

celebration.

Patience and attention to detail were weaknesses. He

I breathed deep and tried to bring my heart rate back

grudgingly earned a pilot rating in order to gain site

into the double digits while the pilot group erupted into

access, but he still struggled to launch his EN-B glider

chatter and gossip. We began a predictable scene of wor-

gracefully, even in ideal conditions. The Colonel believed

ship mixed with horror, which I have seen enough times

that his alleged thousands of (unlogged) skydives fast-

now at enough different flying sites around the world

tracked him to elite status in paragliding, whatever that

that I guess it is pretty much commonplace everywhere.

means.

“Awesome!” someone said.

From my few conversations with The Colonel, I knew

“Oh, man, that was so sick!”

that even if he gave the impression that he was listening

“Dude, two barrel rolls off of Nelbo’s? The Colonel

to you, his mind was always miles away, focused on the

knows how to throw down!”

next jump, the next flight, the next big ride. The hardest

“I don’t know … that looked kind of dangerous to me.”

thing in the world for him was to just sit still. The Colo-

“What’s your problem, bro? That was effing awesome!”

nel was always on the move, always stoked, and he would

And there it was. Just another evening at a small hike-

do exactly what he wanted to do.

Suddenly, The Colonel was launching. Everyone looked

and-fly site in North America and, because The Colonel got away with it and didn’t hurt himself, no accident

up to watch. The Colonel began running down the

reports were written, and the lessons learned were that

scraggly summit ridge, and there was the unmistakable

everyone’s pre-established biases got strengthened.

snapping up of no more than nine square meters of fabric behind him.

Oh, man, who gave that guy a speedwing?

Well, The Colonel was airborne now, and less than a

The Colonel may have concluded that he was an even more skilled pilot than he previously thought. His admirers probably adjusted their estimations of what was “sick” (and even what was possible) on a speedwing a

second after his feet left earth, he yarded on one toggle

little bit further towards the extreme, and his detractors

and flipped upside-down into a barrel roll to the right. I

probably assured themselves that speedfliers were even

gasped. He’d only been about ten feet in the air, flying

more reckless than they had assumed. But, who is right?

maybe 20 miles per hour, still accelerating to trim speed.

And who’s to say? Is speedflying super sick or super dan-

He plummeted, losing altitude just as quickly as the hill

gerous? Or neither? Or both?

dropped away from him, and as his body completed its arc, swinging back under the tiny canopy, he continued

: Over the past two years, USHPA’s Accident Review

to dive.

Committee has noted an increase in the number of

I saw him mow down a sage bush with his legs and sort of bounce back into flight, and I felt an urge to vomit.

speedwing accidents involving barrel rolls into terrain and barrel rolls resulting in uncontrollable spins. Our

13

USHPA community has been saddened by several fatal

sions leading to accidents. Things that weren’t part of the

barrel rolls and accidents that left pilots suffering severe

pilot’s plan and just seemed like a good idea at the time.

and permanent disabilities. Some of these injuries

And then it results in something bad.

involved, tragically, pilots who had little experience with

Banks: The big thing I’ve seen with speedflying is a lack

the maneuver, and some were even attempting a barrel

of emphasis on discipline in progression and falling back

roll for the first time.

on impulsive decision-making. I’ve fallen into this trap

I sat down with USHPA Advanced Paragliding Instructor and speedwing pilot Misha Banks of Red Tail

Speedflying is incredibly engaging in the way that it forc-

Paragliding in Boulder, Colorado, to learn more about

es you to be present, creative, and responsive throughout

the barrel roll issue. We hope our conversation will help

an entire flight. Obeying your intuition from moment to

you make your speedwing flights and your speedflying

moment is essential and filtering out half-baked impuls-

community a little safer.

es is critical. For me, that means trying to fly for myself

Hovey: Let’s talk barrel rolls.

and no one else—ignoring any impulses to try to im-

Banks: Yeah, I definitely have a lot of thoughts about

press. Being too self-conscious takes me out of the flow I

this. The barrel roll is the one maneuver that many pilots strive towards in speedflying and it seems to be a regular source of trouble. There is a lot of knowledge out there that should be more accessible for people learning it.

need to tap into to make sound decisions.

Hovey: You wrote about your own barrel roll accident in Boulder, Colorado last year. Can you talk about that?

Banks: I had a specific flight plan in mind, one that I

There are quality speedwing instructors out there, so if

had already done, that included two rolls. (Two rolls

you want to do it right, instruction is accessible.

in Boulder is tough; it’s pretty close to terrain, and you

Hovey: Maybe YouTube is a problem? I mean, some

don’t have much altitude, so you have to be diligent.)

of those lines are so cool, and a speedwing video that

The wind was a bit cross to the north on launch when I

doesn’t have multiple barrel rolls just wouldn’t be cool

got up there—when it’s north in Boulder, it’s usually a

enough to post.

bit sinky out front. Anticipating finding sink, I called off

Banks: That’s part of it—we don’t see the work that

the rolls in my mind. The day was starting to turn on, so

goes into it. Of course, you don’t just huck yourself into

I decided just to fly straight out to the LZ and go get my

a slot canyon and get away with it over and over again.

big wing.

You have to follow the progression. The problem is that

It turned out that the air wasn’t as sinky as expected so

speedflying is not like paragliding. In paragliding, usu-

I recommitted to the original flight plan. And then I just

ally, it’s a chain of bad decisions that leads to an actual

went into it—impulsively. I did the first roll, and it went

accident or incident. All it can take is one good decision

fine, then hesitated recognizing I was quite low, then

to break the chain of poor decisions and avert danger.

pulled the second roll anyways. That was all it took—one

However, almost the inverse is true with speedflying. In

bad decision, one impulse.

speedflying, we need to understand that we’re doing

This was my first accident on any wing. I had made bad

something that has a higher risk than paragliding. A

piloting decisions in my career up until that point but

series of sound decisions can be deemed irrelevant by a

this was the only one of consequence. All the naive and

single bad decision that might pass in the blink of an eye.

uninformed decision-making of my early paragliding

Hovey: Chris Santacroce is on the USHPA Accident

14

myself and I’ve seen several of my peers do the same.

career had led only to scratches and scuffs. The first time

Review Committee, and he says that a pattern he sees is

I pull a total blank on a speedwing, and I’m suddenly

spur-of-the-moment, “Oh, I’m just gonna try this,” deci-

rocking a back brace for a couple of months. Reflecting

US HP A P I L O T

US HPA PILOT

on the accident, it became apparent that my inability

tor or mentor should step in to make sure the pilot is set

to filter out the impulse to pull the low roll was fed by a

up for success.

need to get some attention, as well as a lack of focus after

Hovey: What do you think about back protection?

making an impulsive decision to change the flight plan.

Banks: I opt for an airbag most of the time. I’m not

Hovey: I’ve only done probably five barrel rolls in my

aware of any performance loss from having an airbag on

life. I had the thought each time afterward that I had

a split leg harness. I figure, might as well have the extra

no idea how much height that just took. It seems like it

bit of protection. Just don’t let it fool you into thinking

doesn’t necessarily take a lot. But some barrel rolls are

it’ll save you. It’ll certainly dampen any blows but don’t

almost like carving into a dive to get into the canyon and

fly extra aggressively because you feel like you’re safer. I

then finishing the roll. I mean, it’s super technical flying.

think reserves make sense if you’re practicing maneuvers

How do you learn that?

or you’re flying high over terrain.

Banks: For learning barrel rolls, the best thing you can do is to give yourself excessively wide margins. Laminar air, tons of terrain clearance behind and below, and a

Hovey: Well, thank you for your thoughts today and for helping to be a voice for safety.

Banks: Speedflying is a pretty incredible experience.

front mount reserve would all be sensible. Professional

The sensation and creativity it brings out are tough to

instruction and a strong understanding of the progres-

find elsewhere. I’d encourage those seriously interested

sion towards barrel rolls are also a must. It’s important

in learning to go for it, but to seek quality instruction, re-

that pilots take into consideration their wing loading and

spect the progression, and only push it as far as it offers

the roll stability of their gliders. This is where an instruc-

genuine value to your life.

15

16

US HP A P I L O T

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | COMPETITION

US HPA PILOT

2021 Ozone Chelan Open A “beginner” EN-C/EN-B competition

by Sarah Lockwood photos by Patrick Switzer

:

It’s just you and your trusty C-wing. Well, it’s just you, your trusty C-wing, and 120 of your closest

friends, racing through the mountains and flats of Chelan, Washington. You’re somewhere in the middle of the pack. The lead gaggle left you behind at the first turn point. You’re used to this; after all, the next leg is upwind, and although you can glide and climb with the best when you’re going downwind, you can’t touch the two-liners on an into-the-wind push. And then you remember: you’re only racing B and C wings.

I’m in my second season of competing in paragliding competitions, and at this point, I’m completely hooked. I heard a fellow pilot call competitions “summer camp” for paragliders, and what an apt analogy that is! There is something special about a group of athletes coming together for a week to push themselves and fly as much as possible. There’s this delicious rhythm that happens when all you have to do is eat well, sleep well, and fly your best.

I’m a believer that a competition is an amazing training ground and an incredible learning opportunity to fly with the best pilots in the country. I flew my first two competitions (in Pemberton, British Columbia and Valle de Bravo, Mexico), and I’ve been competing in our local Santa Barbara “Hoedown” all on a B-wing. My goal has always been to stay in the air as long as I safely can. With this mindset, in any given week of competition, I’ll fly upwards of 25 hours in a week. I’m not winning any prizes, but I come away from a competition inspired and challenged.

Not all competitions are created equal. One of the biggest benefits of flying in a comp is the feedback you get by flying with 100 other pilots who are marking the lift and sink. The feedback is often instantaneous, allowing you to adjust and iterate quickly on your technique and decisions. In the Monarca, most pilots were very experienced and flying two-liners, so the relative feedback flying on my B-wing was … less than helpful. It’s not surprising I found myself flying on my own for seven days straight!

When I heard about the new Ozone Chelan Open race format, I was immediately sold. The race would follow other FAI Cat 2 events but only be open to A, B, and C wings. Plus, there would be an extensive mentorship component with some of the top pilots in the country, pilots like Matt Henzi, Mitch Riley, Nick Greece, Austin Cox, and Anneka Herndon. Unlike a “sprint” race format, the competition promised to have big tasks focused on optimizing each day (and the task committee delivered on this promise!).

A pilot searches for lift in front of launch.

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When I arrived in Chelan, the forecast for the foreseeable future looked very promising. After a solid practice day, the first of the planned six task days started. We shuttled to launch early, giving us plenty of time for the first of many mentorship sessions. The mentorship sessions were fantastic and included a detailed weather briefing and task strategy, as well as general pointers and tips for flying well. There was an opportunity for questions, which allowed us to get feedback on things like gaggle etiquette and speed-to-fly theory.

The first task was a 70km triangle out on the flats, taking advantage of good heights and light wind. The last into-the-wind leg proved challenging, but those that stayed high made a satisfying goal back to the soccer fields. The forecast for the second day was stellar, and the task committee created a 100km task that took us deep into the mountains and then out onto the flats. More than a few pilots had PRs on both the first and second days! The third task was a 118km task, with pilots coming into goal all the way through goal closing at 7:30 p.m. The safety committee canceled day four’s task due to concerns about wind and group exhaustion. Day five was a classic 118km “downwind” task to Creston. The last day, day six, was canceled prior to the start due to increasing winds.

On the canceled day four, the mentors hosted a four-hour coaching session, making use of everyone’s valuable time. It was a fabulous opportunity to break up into small groups and really process and learn from the previous days together. I’ve never been to a cross-country clinic, but I imagine it was similar to that experience.

A view of the Butte from town.

Get high over the Butte before crossing to the flats.

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There are ample places to land once you cross to the flats.

:

It was one of the most jammed-packed weeks of learning I’ve ever experienced in paragliding. It felt

like fast-tracking my way towards becoming a faster, smarter, and overall better pilot. Beyond flying, I also believe this event contributes to increasing the proficiency of a wider range of pilots. There is very little structure in the U.S. that targets the zone between P3 and Comp Pilot, and it’s in this zone where we see the biggest attrition of female pilots. This may help us understand why typically only 5-10% of competition pilots are women. The proof is in the pudding: over 20% of competitors in the Ozone Chelan Open were women!

As far as recommendations for next year: it’d be nice to have a break in between the Ozone Chelan Open and the U.S. Open for competitors who would like to race both weeks. Please also remember the female pilots when providing support, such as having both pee-tubes and diapers on launch!

Lastly, I want to give a shoutout to Nick Greece and Matty Senior. They put extra effort into creating a welcoming and grounded environment that focused on safety and fun. The atmosphere in the van rides, on launch, and even in camp was positive and encouraging, a stark contrast to most competitions’ typical intense and competitive nature.

2 0 2 1 O Z O N E C H E L A N O P E N R E S U LT S EN-B ROOKIE LADIES

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EN-B OPEN LADIES

EN-C ROOKIE LADIES

EN-C OPEN LADIES

Jessi Laird

Pamela Kinnaird

Nogah Bregman

Galen Kirkpatrick

Yvette Aguayo

Lisa Dickinson

Jessi Laird

Alexia Fischer

Yvette Aguayo

Anneka Herndon

Marissa Olberding

Jessi Laird

EN-B ROOKIE

EN-B OPEN

EN-C ROOKIE

Chad Kossar

Chad Kossar

Randy Hughes

Mitch Riley

Josiah Brubaker

George Barta

Chris Lorimer

Josh Cohn

Todd Crowley

Josiah Brubaker

Keith Forsyth

Nicholas Greece

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EN-C OPEN

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FINDING NIRVANA

IN THE BIGHORNS sto ry by Jenn a Lyo ns ph oto s by Seth Warren

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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | E X P L O R AT I O N

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Earth, wind and fire: Where it all comes together

Earth As one drives from Montana to Wyoming, the Bighorn Mountains rise suddenly and dramatically from the sage-covered plains. These mountains span from northern Wyoming to southern Montana, and to put it simply, the Bighorns are replete with both mystery and magic.

The Bighorns have been inhabited by multiple groups of Indigenous peoples. The Crow Nation continues to manage bison in the Bighorns, and a portion of the Bighorns are completely off-limits to non-tribal members, as this area is sacred. A Medicine Wheel in the northern section of the Bighorns is an ancient site that is still used today for ceremonies. When I first visited the Bighorns, originally for an ultramarathon I was running, I could feel a vast amount of energy pulsing through my feet and blowing on the wind. But I had never experienced the Bighorns in winter.

The Bighorns are full of life, and the landscape runs the gamut from subalpine juniper and conifer to Newly engaged Brian and Michelle, bringing smiles and aloha spirit.

Pascal Joubert soars below a knife-edge cornice during the Bighorn Snowkite Summit.

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A group, including a rare cameo appearance of photographer Seth Warren (bottom right), loaded up and cozy in the snowcat and headed out to shred the goods on kites and wings.

desert prairie—mainly grass and sage. A landscape could not be more full of drama, with Jurassic cliffs and intriguing, ancient formations rising out of the ground and breaking up the vast skyline.

The Powder, Tongue, and Little Bighorn rivers are fed by the snowfall from the Bighorns. And most importantly for snowkiting, snowmobiling, and skiing, the Bighorns are high in elevation, which allows the blessing of an abundance of snow.

I came to discover that it is during winter that the magic truly happens. After a long journey from

The snowcat and a happy group blissed out during golden hour.

A myriad of wings playing on the wingtips of sunset winds.

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“The sun kissed everything in sight and the wind blew in a way that could only be interpreted as a call to adventure.”

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Missoula, with an overnight stop in Livingston to stay with a good friend, we arrived at the Wyoming High Country Lodge via snowmobile. My partner and friends, and all the other kiters along for the journey, disappeared into a vortex of time and space.

Upon arrival, we all received a warm welcome from the owners of the lodge. This particular trip was led by Brad Gordon, founder of the Thermal Foundation. Brad’s objective is to help people go on adventures and explore new places while they are snowkiting. As a new snowkiter, I was excited to meet other kiters and go on an adventure with my partner (a seasoned kiter) and my newfound kiting friends.

The sun kissed everything in sight and the wind blew in a way that could only be interpreted as a call to adventure.

Wind Pascal Joubert is one of the pioneers of snowkiting in the United States. I was somewhat starstruck when I asked him to answer some questions about speedflying and kiting because he is a legend in our community of mountain wind sports. It was difficult to track him down because he is so passionate about the outdoors that he is always out doing what he loves.

Originally from Vercors (France) and now located in Briancon, Pascal started kiting in 1998 (when I was six) and paragliding in 2000. He then started “gliding,” which is basically flying a kite like a paraglider, in 2000 or 2001. According to Pascal, gliding just came naturally and was dictated by the playground Kaleidoscope of kites parked and landing in the base camp of Brad Gordon’s Thermal Foundation snowkite adventure.

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Jenna Lyons and Sara Newgard (how about that vintage North Face!) getting ready for a session.

During a brief interlude in the snowkite adventures, Brad Gordon is always shredding the hardest in all disciplines and putting on a show for clients.

where he lives. He is privileged to live in a landscape that is completely mountainous, with no flatlands.

Pascal discovered the Bighorns and expanded his playground in 2011. He recognized the potential for snowkiting when he learned the Bighorns receive snow very early in the fall and late in the spring.

He specifically noted Mount Baldy, a small ridge rising out of the forest, as a favorite kiting spot due to its ability to catch wind in all directions. For Pascal, the small to medium hills which are flat at the bottom and graduate to steep up high, offer endless possibilities on a spectrum from snowkiting and gliding using kites to kiting speedwings both up and down the terrain and even launching and soaring full-sized paragliders.

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“The visual panorama was almost overwhelming to take in...

And the play continued, for hours on end.”

The Bighorns are prime territory for speedflying and flying miniwings when conditions are right— which is often. The ridges and rims of the Bighorns create perfect compression zones, allowing one to soar until their heart is content.

Pascal and others have created and inspired a community of paragliders, speedflyers, and snowkiters who are only limited by their creativity in moving across, up, and down the features of the landscape.

I never dreamed of being able to kite up a hill and have endless powder turns down the hill, nor did I ever believe it was possible to ski so fast on flat ground, propelled only by a kite.

As a beginner snowkiter, I was happy to improve my own skills and go on smaller adventures, following my partner, Seth, who would watch over me and make sure I didn’t get into trouble. The journeys became a little longer for me on each outing, and with each day in the Bighorns, we traveled a little farther and discovered new features.

I watched more experienced kiters haul across the flats, hanging off the kite bar with one arm, and Naish kites designer Brian Dennis is all smiles after surfing a giant white wave.

Pascal and Andrew Muse team riding in the Bighorns.

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edging their skis against the wind and snow with perfect style. Meanwhile, in the distance, I saw Gordon and others kiting their miniwings up the hill in a matter of seconds, only to turn around and fly down. Others stay on the flats, occasionally boosting and jumping 20-30 feet in the air. The visual panorama was almost overwhelming to take in, with so much life and movement bustling around. And the play continued, for hours on end.

The days concluded with cold beer, laughter, and a snowmobile ride back to the lodge. Some people simply kited cross country, all the way back to the lodge where a home-cooked meal awaited.

Fire On one particular evening, after one of my longest kiting adventures yet, I went outside while our group was inside the lodge having an epic disco dance party. I walked out to the middle of a field, past the reaches of the light and sound from the lodge. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in, then exhaled, releasing all of the pressures and stresses of normal life.

Glittery snow fell on my eyelashes and the stars glimmered like diamonds in the black velvet sky. I listened to a coyote howl in the distance and an owl hoot just overhead. I felt the wind move across the landscape, and I saw my breath in front of me. The fingers of the cold penetrated through my long wool coat, through my ribs and all of my bones, and into my lungs.

Windburned with rosy cheeks and tired from kiting, I felt my very being stripped down to the core, and in a rare moment of tranquility, I felt inner peace and unity with the world around me. It was in this moment that I felt nirvana and the magic that only comes from the union of earth, wind, and fire—and from our greater community of those who love to play on the wind.

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Brad Gordon's shadow chases him down the lip of one of the most prominent features in the Bighorns' snowkiting and speedriding zones.

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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | COMPETITION

The Green Swamp Sport Klassic Catalyst A pilot's beginnings to XC flying

by Ric Caylor

: My dream was to pilot my hang glider as far and long as I wanted to fly. I never could have imagined all that I would need to learn for that seemingly simple dream to become a reality.

Attending the 2018 Green Swamp Sport Klassic (GSSK) turned out to be the biggest step toward achieving that dream. The GSSK is an annual mentored hang gliding event designed to improve cross-country skills and introduce pilots to competition flying. Since then, my life has never been the same.

In March 2017, I visited what is now Paradise Air Sports in Groveland, Florida, just a few days before the 2017 GSSK. I was a new H-3 pilot and had an unquenchable desire to fly cross country (XC) when I met Tom Lanning. He was a sage pilot who was working with two other pilots, reviewing a video that Lanning had taken while flying above them. They were analyzing their ICG track logs with a software

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program while discussing how their flights could have had a different/better outcome. They talked about their thought process during those flights and why they had made the decisions that they did.

Lanning was careful to offer only suggestions and hints. He emphasized that he did not want to tell pilots how or where to fly. Those pilots were Sara Weaver and Richard Westmoreland, both now highly ranked USA Sport Class competition pilots.

The analytical detail and the tools they were utilizing to evaluate performance excited me. I thought that was exactly what I needed to help me reach my XC goals. I was green with envy because I wanted that kind of training. I knew at once that I wanted to participate, but I wasn’t ready for the 2017 GSSK. Lanning sensed my desire to break the bonds that chained me to home LZs. He shared several key elements of flying XC. He had me drive around and visit possible fields where I could land. I surveyed several possible goal LZs, and I marked them on Google Maps. This tactic alone reassured me that I could “leave my home field bubble.” Thanks to his advice, just a few days later, I headed off to fly my first cross-country, a mere six miles downwind. I had flown my first XC and landed out!

Later that year, back home in central Pennsylvania, I started to push my XC distances. I desperately wanted to attend the next GSSK in 2018, and to be best prepared, I wanted to earn the following LEFT TO RIGHT | Jon Irebeck & Ric | Zac (Zippy) Majors | 2018 mentor Larry Bunner with team and my

daughter Kelsey Caylor as driver | Making goal with John Simon

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special skill endorsements: turbulence (TUR), restricted landing field (RLF), and cross country (XC).

The GSSK organizers recommend acquiring these endorsements before attending; however, the only “must-have” is the aero-tow (AT) rating.

Fun, fun, and more fun was my experience when I returned the following year with a few of my flying buddies. We still talk about how important the 2018 GSSK event was for us. I have fond memories of the accomplishments we shared. We also made new friends who came from the far reaches of the United States and overseas. I never expected to develop the incredible relationships that continue to this day.

Not only did we meet pilots who were of a skill level similar to ours, but we also learned from world-renowned pilots. Among them were Zac (Zippy) Majors (U.S. National Champion), Christian Ciech (World Champion), and Jonny Durand (Red Bull hang gliding athlete). In addition, other top open class pilots mentored and shared their time and energy to help participants who wanted to improve their skills.

There was no lack of talented mentors and fun times. The primary purpose of the GSSK was to learn from and fly with accomplished mentoring pilots. Each mentor and his or her mentees would try to fly as a team while attempting to make the daily task goal. The mentee teams were made up of, at most, four pilots who would remain together for the week.

I was blown away by what we experienced at our first GSSK. It was like a university for hang glider Mick Howard with Ric.

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pilots as the mentoring pilots patiently shared their knowledge. I am still in awe of those who, to this day, continue to advise me and others. One of my hang gliding mentors once said to me, “I could never quit this sport because all of my best friends are hang glider pilots. The fun times we share have no rival.” I couldn’t agree more. My life is incredibly rich thanks to the hang glider pilots who have become some of my closest friends.

Every day of the 2018 GSSK was full of fun; from early morning to late at night, the focus was on everything pertaining to hang gliding. Every day offered something a little different too. Our mornings were busy with setting up gliders, packing harnesses, readying gear, and loading tasks in our computers. We participated in an elective activity such as a “launching and landing clinic,” which was video recorded. In the evening, pilots would gather at the clubhouse to watch (and critique) the morning’s videos while enjoying pizza and adult beverages. Other fun social times were spent in enjoying the swimming pool or the lake, playing volleyball, flying RC planes, shooting pool, or shamelessly singing karaoke until late at night.

Our days were full of activity. We had group pilot briefings about the weather, task, launch order, and location, as well as launch and start times. Any safety issues were discussed before flying each day.

Following the general meeting, we had smaller team meetings with our mentors to discuss strategies, tactics, and any questions or concerns about the assigned task.

On days we did not fly due to poor weather, the afternoons offered clinics and mini-seminars cover-

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An evening spent reviewing videos with Mitch Shipley.

ing any topic related to hang gliding. World-class pilots led question and answer sessions during which we learned an enormous range of things, big and small. We learned how to read Skew-T atmospheric charts, how to improve thermaling, and how to fly safely in gaggles. We learned launching and towing best practices and how to plan glides to the next source of lift, as well as how to improve our odds of having a safe landing in a field without a windsock. We discussed the importance of landing near easily accessible roads, gates, and shade trees after landing (and how to deal with irate landowners after landing on their property). The list is almost endless: We learned to program and better understand our flight instruments; we encountered new equipment; and we learned effective use of radio communication. We would also discover better ways to pack our harnesses, stow gear, manage inflight resources, and prearrange retrievals.

I geeked out on becoming a more efficient and better-prepared pilot. Taken together, the mentors, teams, clinics, and other activities were an incredibly enriching experience.

The GSSK, with all its vast and cumulative knowledge, is a safer environment to learn cross-country skills. Central Florida is typically non-threatening with lots of landing options and a multitude of huge fields with good road access. It also has typically reliable soaring weather. The daily routine of flying allows pilots to rapidly absorb, utilize, and refine what is being taught. This was a huge improvement over my earlier attempts to learn cross-country flying at my home site with my local club, where XC learning opportunities had been infrequent and often attempted in less-than-ideal conditions. So, when I discovered the GSSK, it was like nirvana for me. It addressed all those problems.

Having the whole week at the GSSK to fly, learn more, mess with my gear, tweak my instruments, and become more familiar with things that I never had time to do at home was great. This was time just for me—dedicated time to focus on hang gliding. It has been said that attending one week at the GSSK is equivalent to a year’s worth of recreational flying due to the concentrated learning that takes place. I found it a richly rewarding experience.

Even though this was a competitive event, winning a day or the GSSK was not of major importance to me. My goals were to have fun, cultivate relationships, learn more, be safe, and beat my personal bests.

Competition flying is tough for many reasons, but it is the best way to measure one’s performance.

Everyone is trying to achieve the same goal in the same weather conditions. The results are a yardstick against which to evaluate one’s strengths and weaknesses.

My intention was not to become a competition pilot. Rather, I yearned to become a more skilled, knowledgeable, and safer XC pilot. I have now attended two GSSKs and numerous other competitions.

My progression has taken me from barely being able to thermal well to being selected as a U.S. Team member at the 2020 World Sport Class Championship (which was unfortunately canceled). The education I received at the GSSK was the catalyst that enabled my dreams to become a reality.

Please visit https://airtribune.com/2022-green-swamp-sport-klassic/info/details for more information and to sign up for the 2022 event.

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SCHOLARSHIP opportunities available.

Does attending the Green Swamp Sport Klassic sound like fun? Does attending also sound expensive? We would like to see you there this year and maybe the scholarship fund could help. The target candidate would be a pilot with little or no competition experience and someone who would benefit from a mentored introduction to competition flying. Our goal is to provide funds to cover the cost of entry and/or tow fees depending on the number of requests made and funding available. If you would like to attend and find yourself with extra enthusiasm but limited funds, consider requesting a scholarship.

Send a brief email to greenswampscholarship@gmail.com and tell us about your hang gliding experience and something about yourself. Generosity opportunities available.

GENEROSITY opportunities available.

If hang gliding has been rewarding for you and you would like to give back in a way that might encourage the next generation of pilots, this is your chance. Visit https://gofund.me/bf118098

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W E A T H E R > Honza Rejmanek

Glass-off Mechanics Originally published in Cross Country Magazine : Numerous flying sites are known for their glass-off the same amount of air move in from elsewhere. There conditions. Glass-off is characterized by widespread,

are no air pockets. In the case of glass-off, sustaining a

gentle lift that is just barely stronger than the sink rate of

wide area of air rising at 1-2m/s will, by its very nature,

the glider. Within the wide area of lift, there are slightly

require a significant amount of surface convergence.

more buoyant patches. These weakening thermals can

This will need to persist for half an hour or more to claim

justify turning circles for those pilots that are eking out

that the site really glasses-off.

the last miles of a cross-country flight and are hoping to

It is worth pondering the simple and often repeated ex-

top off for one final crossing. For less ambitious pilots, it

planation that a slope falling in the shade starts to pro-

is fun to just boat around and enjoy the scenery. Glass- duce a katabatic, downslope flow, resulting in glass-off off is also sometimes referred to as magic-air or won- conditions on the opposite sunny slope. The shortfall of der-wind. In French, it is called “restitution.”

this explanation is that the depth of this late afternoon

Soaring textbooks and ground school courses often of- downslope flow is fairly shallow, and even as it begins to fer very simple explanations for this phenomenon. This

fill in and stabilize the valley floor, it alone cannot make

might be because no one truly understands the complex

up for the large volume of air rising out over the sunny

dynamics of this late afternoon transition. Research me- slopes. teorologists are only beginning to decipher the dynam-

It is worth considering what else has happened over

ics of late afternoon and evening transitions that occur

the shady slope. The layer of air next to the surface is

in the boundary layer. Discussions on soaring forums

stable and negatively buoyant. This is why it starts to

regarding glass-off also present a diverse mix of specu- flow downslope. It also means that the shady slope (and lation, theory, and lore. One reason why a sound expla- eventually the valley floor) is no longer a region that is nation remains elusive is that this soaring marvel that

producing thermals. The stable surface air is decoupling

pilots call glass-off is not necessarily a single phenome- from the air above it. All the rising air in the area that non in all locations.

The evolution of gentle, widespread evening lift at a

is glassing-off eventually approaches the capping inversion and has to diverge and eventually sink. A large, cool

particular flying site depends very much on the topog- region that is decoupled and no longer producing therraphy and surface characteristics of the site. However,

mals is an optimal region for receiving this return flow.

regardless of the flying site, certain basic meteorolog-

Next time you are making porridge on the stove, take

ical principles have to be considered when attempting

a moment to study the rising and sinking areas in the

to elucidate the cause of widespread, gentle lift in the

pot. Now move the pot so that it is well off-center. Please

evening.

take care not to spill hot porridge on yourself. You might

Most importantly, the concept of mass continuity has

notice that this allows more clustered convection in the

to be considered when pondering the plausibility of a

corner that is left over the burner. The part shifted away

mental model. Mass continuity is just a fancy way of say- from the flame is now more accepting of the widespread ing that we cannot create a vacuum in the atmosphere.

Any amount of air that leaves one location has to have

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return flow.

A complementary mechanism for widespread, gentle

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“No one truly understands the complex dynamics of this late afternoon transition.” lift might be a convergence of valley winds that sets up

to sink over these regions. This might not have been the

late in the day. Topography that channels branches of

case earlier in the afternoon while they were still sunlit.

valley winds toward each other can make certain flying

Lastly, it should be noted that glass-off conditions are

sites prime for such convergence. If the day has been

not always limited to a valley system. A region of higher

thermally active, then the temperature profile of the air

ground such as a table mountain or a mesa can have a

within the valleys will be very close to dry neutral be- rim that faces west. If dry, rocky terrain intercepts the cause convection does a good job mixing the air in the

rays of the afternoon sun, then it can act as a source of

boundary layer. Dry neutral refers to a lapse rate of 1

buoyancy later than the surrounding flats. Out over the

degree Celcius cooling per 100m elevation gain. This is

flats, a west wind can start to decouple from the surface

the same cooling rate as that of air that is being lifted.

as stable, cool air pools start to form. The wind can hit

This means that converging valley winds or those im- the west-facing rim and be deflected upward for quite a peding the back of a box canyon will be happy to rise

ways. With a neutral lapse rate, wind that is given an up-

and provide areas of widespread lift. Of course, just as

ward tilt is happy to continue upwards. This works best

the thermals throughout the day eventually reached the

when the wind is fairly light.

capping inversion, the same vertical restriction will ap-

The exact dynamics of late afternoon transition in the

ply to dynamically lifted or converging valley winds. The

convective boundary layer are still an area of active

capping inversion is a soft celling. The underlying terrain

research. Late afternoon is a time of day when certain

is a hard floor. All that goes up must come down in be- regions fall in the shade, and the surface air decouples tween these two surfaces. All that converges below a lift- from the flow above. Thermals get weaker and, in some ing region has to diverge at the capping inversion. This

cases, broader, especially if there is a supply of converg-

is where this ties into the discussed idea of providing for

ing air to keep them going. Some fortunate flying sites

return flow. If large shaded and stabilizing surface areas

glass-off! Even if glass-off is a phenomenon that is hard

develop in the late afternoon, then the return flow is free

to pin down, it is certainly worth enjoying!

Parting is such . sweet sorrow

We know that it can be hard to toss your old issues of USHPA Pilot in the recycle bin. Instead, give them a second life and help grow interest in our sports!

Consider donating old magazines to your local community.

Toss them on the table at work, or donate to doctor’s offices, auto repair shops, libraries, or other local businesses.

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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PSYCHOLOGY

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Finally Free Unpacking my fear injury

by Julia Knowles

:

Free flight is a wonderful hobby that has enriched my

were light and <almost> all of the sky was a friendly, wel-

life in countless ways, but the fact remains that it can be

coming blue. One dark cell lurked off to the east, but I

high-consequence. Spend enough time in the communi- found multiple reasons to rationalize flying regardless: it ty, and you or your airborne friends may witness or suffer

was miles downwind of me; it was late and diurnal heat-

a traumatic event. As a pilot who has experienced both

ing was subsiding, meaning the cell was not building;

sides of the coin, I feel compelled to share my story in

others were flying, and the local school was at the hill

hopes of encouraging a productive dialogue within our

with students. In addition, I felt current and confident,

community around incidents. So, here are some words

eager to continue my progression after a stellar week at

on how I have unpacked my traumatic experience, draw- my first competition. ing upon it to become a better pilot and person.

I enjoyed 20 minutes of smooth ridge lift before all hell broke loose. Then, at roughly 7:30 p.m., that one dark

My Incident

cloud dropped out. A microburst hit, gusting 40mph

In July 2017, I chose to fly on an evening where winds

from the direction opposite the smooth base wind. I

Color in the sky at the Red Rocks Fall Fly-In. Sunset hike-and-fly above Utah Lake. Photo by Bridger Henriksen.

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fought to maintain my position over the open valley floor

fer no consequences while I got stuck with such a hefty

while two pilots were blown into and through town.

bill. I have cycled back through this stage a few times

After 20 minutes of sky battle, my glider and I found an extremely turbulent layer a few hundred feet AGL, and I took a large collapse. My wing locked into a spiral upon

upon re-entering the sport, finding myself with limited tolerance for perceived recklessness from other pilots.

BARGAINING: The bargaining phase reared its head

recovery and, without time to troubleshoot or success- around the time I eased back into flying. Still struggling fully deploy my reserve, I spiraled into the ground, sus- to accept responsibility for my actions, I instead ran taining severe injuries that required a life flight, extend- through countless what-ifs: What if I hadn’t been fresh ed hospitalization, and multiple rounds of surgeries over

off that comp, feeling like I had something to prove?

the next three years.

What if I hadn’t seen students out that evening—would

The Road Back

as I subconsciously struggled to justify my return to the

Nearly four years later, I am just now reaching a place of

sport to myself and concerned friends and family. “Why

physical and mental recovery. My injuries have been the

am I doing this right now?” a tiny voice would ask in my

defining factor in my life until very recently. As a result, it has taken me time to face the psychological aspect of my recovery. My experience has followed the five stages of grief quite closely.

DENIAL: I spent my time in the ICU planning my comeback trip to Colombia for that winter. Of course, that trip still hasn’t happened. It took me over a year to realize the gravity of my injuries and how life-changing this experience was. It also took time for me to accept full responsibility as the “pilot in command” who decided to fly that night. I am grateful that my friends and loved ones accepted my out-of-touch attitude. No one tried to correct me; all were patient and supportive as this phase ran its course.

ANGER: There were many times throughout my journey when it just didn’t seem fair. Why did this happen to me? I was generally the conservative pilot—staying current with my kiting, hiking down more often than other pilots, and pursuing a more gradual progression than those around me. I would never wish my situation upon others, but I found it frustrating to watch others “get away with” what I considered risky decisions and sufLearning to teach in Super Fly’s Instructor Clinic, August 2019, undeterred by a leg cast. Photo by Steve Mammano.

42

I have hesitated? Bargaining and guilt also affected me

US HP A P I L O T

US HPA PILOT

head every time I flew in even the friendliest conditions

were no longer options. I was unable to socialize with

at the training hill. “Is it worth the stress it would cause

friends on the trail or at launch. And it felt like every

your family if they knew you were up here now?” Some- time I started to get close again, another major physical times, the answer was no, and I would sit it out. Oth- setback would rear its head. At times, the only thing that erwise, I always felt that I had to arm myself with 100

I found reassuring was that nothing lasts forever, and

reasons why my choice to fly was justified.

this too must somehow pass.

DEPRESSION: My accident utterly changed my world,

ACCEPTANCE: The depression phase, although long and

closing a chapter of my relatively carefree and, let’s be

challenging, spurred some valuable personal growth

honest, selfish pursuit of outdoor adventure as the driv- once I chose to embrace the journey. I tried focusing on ing force in my life. The entire culture of Jackson Hole,

how far I had come rather than how far I still had to go

where I live, is based on outdoor recreation. My social

to get back to “the new 100%.” Through counseling and

life and job are both built around my identity as an ac- conversations with friends, I began unpacking the emotive, healthy individual. Without my health, I felt robbed,

tional scars from my accident. After so many medical

betrayed, and aimless. My usual methods of coping with

complications, I found myself constantly preparing for

mental challenges, such as trail running or ski touring,

the worst-case outcomes to occur in my personal and

Julia Knowles and Alex Bogner enjoy a Cove glass-off in Monroe, UT. Photo by John Hovey.

43

The author and Patrick Greene soar Nelson’s Butte in Jackson, WY. Photo by Richard Grove.

professional life as well as at the hill. It has taken a conscious effort to shift my inner dialogue away from this paranoia. However, it has become easier with practice and time. Catastrophe no longer feels as if it constantly lurks in waiting at every corner.

:

Like physical injuries, damage to one’s psychologi-

cal well-being can take a long time to mend. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs states that we need safety and security as one of our most basic human needs, and my accident robbed me of this. My fear injury is still healing, and sometimes I need to step away from the flight park or community to nurse it along. In my stubborn fight to “get back on the horse,” this has perhaps taken the longest to embrace: walking away can be necessary to gain perspective and tackle the next hurdle.

However, the more I embrace the gradual process of recovery, the more smoothly it seems to go.

nature of bottled-up negative thoughts.

I found benefits to using a wide range of methods to acknowledge and face my fears head-on as I felt ready.

Lessons Learned

Meditation, therapy, friends, writing, and learning new

Although it hasn’t been all rainbows and sunshine, my

skills all helped me process my fear and push past it. Af-

journey has certainly offered plenty of silver linings in

ter a few years, I even felt ready to recreate the maneuver

the form of gratitude and heightened empathy for others.

that caused my injury in a controlled setting over wa-

I hope the following insights help support other victims

ter with a coach, something I never thought I would do.

of traumatic events, as well as community members who

Talking through my experience, especially with others

wish to comprehend what a friend may have experienced

who have experienced trauma, has been the most im-

after a fear injury.

portant tool for me to heal and grow.

1. Fear injuries take time and work to heal. The dura- 2. When returning to the sport, consider going all tion can vary wildly from person to person, but across the

board, it tends to take longer than anticipated. Sweeping

44

the way back to square one. Taking a step back certainly helps with re-entry, but sometimes even flights

your demons under the rug doesn’t make them vanish; in

from the training hill can overwhelm the senses and

fact, not listening to your fear might simply feed it. Chris

the mind. After stubbornly fighting to pick up where I

Santacroce has often been known to say, “Don’t make a

had left off, I was fortunate to share a conversation with

mountain of it in your mind” when helping his students

John Wolfe, an accomplished XC pilot from southern

face their doubts, a testament to the self-perpetuating

Arizona. When returning from his own major injury, he

US HP A P I L O T

US HPA PILOT

set out to practice some kiting only to find that having

ery little drill has a purpose, or two or three, that will

his 2-liner overhead felt quite daunting. Taking time to

continue to pay off throughout our flying careers. Take

re-familiarize oneself with building a wall (feeling the tug

the time to perfect them!

of the lines, hearing the sound of the canopy filling with

Going through the entire progression again has helped

air, and seeing the wing respond as one moves relative

me bounce back higher than where I had left off before

to even a grounded wing) can be sufficiently exhilarating

my injury. I found the same to be true when I returned

after a traumatic experience. No step is too small when

to skiing, hitting the bunny slopes for the first time since

making your comeback.

childhood. Weakened from injury, I no longer could simply power through variable conditions and was forced to

3. Re-learning the sport has made me a fundamental- re-learn the most basic techniques. These basics have ly better pilot as well. Remember how confusing the

made me confident skiing even more technical terrain

much more you could absorb if you could go back to your

This process has also fostered empathy, helping me re-

line set looked the first time you clipped in? Imagine how

than before my injury!

basic course with the experience you have now. Re-ex- late better to new students and their perspectives in both amining the basics after years of experience has given me a more meaningful perspective on their importance.

Kiting drills aren’t just a way for your instructor to keep you busy: they can prevent you from getting plucked and dragged at launch. Smooth exits from small s-turns scale

sports.

4. One CAN regain self-trust and joy in flight. Returning to the air was not even a question throughout

my recovery. When I finally did get back under the

up into smooth exits from big aerobatic maneuvers. Ev- canopy, however, self-doubt and guilt overtook my

45

Bundled up for a brisk autumn flight. Photo by Julia Knowles.

friend was dragging her along but was, in fact, capable of making my own decisions. Additionally, as I returned to the sport, I was trying to chase the pilot I had been instead of embracing the pilot I was now.

Unpacking those expectations took a long time, and facing the root causes of them was not always comfortable. Most were self-imposed and silly; my fear injury forced me to face them all. After leaning into some personal growth and giving things time, I have found a deeper level of joy and gratitude for flying than I ever experienced before. My old attitude of “what do I have to prove to my peers?” has been replaced with “what do I have to offer to my community?” Mentoring, sharing knowledge, and learning from others have become as rewarding as big flights and new milestones. I have come mind. How could I trust the universe not to smack

to appreciate that, for me, free flight is at least as much

me down “out of the blue” again? Could I trust myself

about the community as the airtime.

not to freak out in the air and do something irrational? And how upset would my family be if they knew I

Supporting Others with Fear Injuries

was back at it? I had already put them through enough.

How can we all be supportive towards those who have

Making flying fun again took concerted efforts. Re-learn- suffered trauma? Well, I’m glad you asked. I will offer a ing my fundamentals gave me an extra confidence boost.

few of my suggestions below, but these are merely the

I shrank the window of conditions I deemed flyable, only

perspective of one individual with one specific experi-

launching on absolutely perfect days. I studied weather

ence. Providing a listening ear and a supportive environ-

in-depth, reading forecast discussions and publications

ment for a victim of trauma, without pushing him or her

such as “Understanding the Sky” by Dennis Pagan. I

to divulge things before she/he is ready, is a great start-

checked out lectures and articles on risk assessment and

ing point in any scenario.

emergency preparedness. Any potential tool I could find

One of my instructors told me when I was an aspiring

went into my mental kit. Despite all this, flying was still

P2 to “always make it look good!” Keeping your launches

not quite fun.

and landings super clean and your flight pattern deliberate inspires confidence in other pilots and bystanders

5. Introspection was the key for me to enjoy flight again. as they watch you. This alleviates anxiety for people like Before my injury, I always felt like I had a lot to prove. As

me who know too well the consequences when things

often the only female at a site, I felt I had to earn my

go wrong. Erratic and risky flying can trigger uneasiness

place hanging out with the guys. I learned to fly with my

or even PTSD for those still grappling with a fear injury.

partner at the time, and it seemed I constantly had to

Sometimes I choose to leave a flying site rather than anx-

demonstrate that I was not just a sidepiece whose boy- iously watch. Make it look good and deliberate, and it’s

46

US HP A P I L O T

US HPA PILOT

more fun for us all!

We can all get awfully excited to fly, and sometimes this

47

fort and respect them, even if the pilot cannot verbalize them yet. Provide space for processing the progression—

enthusiasm may feel like pressure to a pilot on a come- debriefing after a flying session is an excellent opportuback mission. Positive words of support are great, but

nity for this and generally provides nuggets of wisdom

avoid pressuring others into flying. I certainly placed

for everyone involved. Promote small stepping stones on

enough unnecessary expectations on myself. Whenever

the road back, and celebrate even the minor accomplish-

a fellow pilot asked me why I wasn’t launching or why I

ments along the way.

hadn’t done [x] yet, it highlighted the gap between my

The road back to free flight after a fear injury is often

expectations and reality. This led to feelings of disap- like the ocean tide which advances one wave after anpointment. Avoid placing any expectations on others,

other, barely perceptible to an observer. Sets of smaller

even those whose level of competence was high before

waves (setbacks) inevitably intersperse it, yet the tide is

a traumatic event. Comparisons to the past are less con- an unstoppable force over time. Give your fellow pilot structive than embracing the present status quo.

room to embrace such a gradual approach if they so de-

As a pilot returns to the air, help them to embrace pa- sire. Those with a passion for returning to the skies will tience. Look for and acknowledge subtle cues of discom- find their way back in due time!

EN B

FREE YOUR MIND

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

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US HP A P I L O T

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | COMPETITION

US HPA PILOT

US Open of Paragliding

A recap of the event in Chelan

Story and photos by Donizete Lemos

: For me, Chelan, Washington, is the best place in the world for racing paragliders. Nestled between the Cascade mountain range and the flat desert of central Washington, we can play in both, enjoying peaks and valleys, endless fields with dust devils, and beautiful landscapes. In Chelan, we get strong but smooth thermals above wheat fields and can also find amazing convergence lines allowing us just to fly straight.

It is truly an amazing place and a fitting spot to host the U.S. Open!

After being canceled in 2020, the 2021 U.S. Open took place the second to last week of July. Finally, after a year of comp after comp being canceled, we were able to get together as a community and compete!

Chelan hosted two weeks of competitions this year, and the PG Open came on the heels of the Ozone Chelan Comp (the C-wing competition) the week before. Though the weather wasn’t classic, we still had amazing tasks and flights for the comp. Every day was blue sky, but smoke filled the air. However, I was impressed by how well the Chelan flatlands worked in those smoky conditions.

Top of the stack looking down at the Butte.

A pilot searching for that save.

49

Day 1 / Task 1 [126.4km] The first day was tricky because the flatlands worked very well, but the Okanagan Valley had weak thermals and a low ceiling. The task committee set the start as 3km from Chelan Butte (launch), jumping us to the flats straight into the Okanagan Valley, with two control turn points to keep pilots in the valley because the wind was expected to be strong.

After crossing the river at the Brewster turn point, everything changed. We went from strong and consistent thermals to weak and sparse bubbles. The lead gaggle spread out in the valley, and the pace dialed all the way back to survival mode, just drifting to goal. Only 40 pilots made it to goal that day.

Congratulations to Bianca Heinrich, who won for the women, and Evan Bouchier, the overall winner.

Day 2 / Task 2 [80.1km] We were experiencing a different weather pattern from the competition the week before, with strong southwest winds dominating the beginning of the week. Because of the wind directions, the task force set Task 2 to avoid the Okanogan Valley. Not only was there a large fire nearby in Cascades, but also the forecast indicated a windy day in the valley.

The task start was the Butte (launch) and included a 12km exit radius. Though the large radius allowed us to cross the river and get positioned in the flatlands prior to the start, it was a committing move to jump across and stay high when you were limited with how far you could venture out. We had two big gaggles waiting for the start, both in very good positions.

The first turn point kept the pilots on the flatland, and the second, a return west down the same leg, made this part of the task difficult due to a strong southwest wind. Around this time, we saw many dust devils drifting downwind—it was frightening to watch! The first gaggle got a strong thermal from those dust Competitors and wind techs share the skies early in the day. | A dusty in the flats.

A pilot searches for lift at the start of the day.

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51

devils. Pilot after pilot worked to keep their wings open in

that turbulent thermal! Many pilots landed while trying to Day 4 Canceled due to expected strong winds.

reach this turn point. However, those who managed to tag

it received a gift—the last leg was an “easy” downwinder Day 5 / Task 4 [120.3km] This task was a challenge. to the ESS at 31km from Okanogan, Washington. To our When the window was open, pilots were trying to get surprise, there was a good convergence line and clouds to high to cross the river, but Butte wasn’t working properguide us to the goal. With decent lift and a tailwind, when ly that day. The maximum altitude at the start was 7,000 on full speed, we sometimes flew over 90 km/h!

feet; crossing the river that low, pilots had no guarantees

Only 46 pilots completed the task—it wasn’t a 1,000 they would reach the other side with sufficient altitude points day because many pilots landed before the to climb on flatlands. Many pilots landed on the rim, and half-nominal distance.

a few were able to climb out off the rim. Those who had

Congratulations to the ladies' winner, Galen Kirkpatrick, patience and waited on Butte got an easy crossing over and the overall winner of the day, Andy Macrae.

the river. Once across and established, the flatlands didn’t fail—it worked very well and gave us chances to recover

Day 3 / Task 3 [102.8km] On the third day, the weath- the time spent on the rim. er continued to show south to southwest wind and get-

After the first turn point south of the Butte, we flew west,

ting stronger along the task course line throughout the downwind to the second turn point near Banks Lake. We day. The task force made a great task considering the con- were cruising! At times, I reached 85km/h with great glide. ditions and the smoke coming from a bigger fire nearby. However, to go along with the interesting start, the day Even with the task heading far into the flats, there was wasn’t going to make it easy. Before Banks Lake, a dense abundant smoke on the task course line.

and low cloud of smoke made it difficult to complete

The start was the same as the day before, a 12km radius the task. I remember being roughly 4,000 feet above the from the Butte. Once more, they gave us a big window to ground, and I couldn’t see it. We were flying like a plane permit all pilots to be at the start line in good conditions. flying IFR. After the lake, the thermals were weak because At the start, we had two big gaggles ready to start racing.

of the dense smoke, and the ceiling was no more than

The first turn point had a large 20km radius around 4,000 feet. Because of that, it was a slower last leg, flying a point 50km to the southeast. The (current) light wind southeast toward Odessa, but 48 pilots still made goal. helped the majority of pilots make the point. From there

The ladies’ winner was Violeta Jimenez, and the overall

to the goal was a hard task for everybody; the wind was winner once more was Josh Cohn. getting strong from the south, and with goal to the north-

east well past Banks Lake, many pilots drifted away from Day 6 / Task 5 [104.5km] When I saw the task board the course line. Even before reaching the lake, pilots were on day six, I thought, “It is impossible to make this.” The spread everywhere. The few that were early in passing task set was a big zigzag, and the weather looked no good

Banks Lake formed a small gaggle. Working together, they for flying. I was wrong (and I was right). Ninety pilots managed to avoid the strong drift and made for a great made it to goal, but I didn’t! race to goal. By the time we tagged the goal cylinder, the

As I said, it was a big zigzag task, first southeast, then

wind was blowing quite strong; so much so that some pi- to the northeast, and so on. The start was a small 3km lots who reached the ESS didn’t make goal.

exit cylinder from the Butte southeast toward the second

The ladies’ winner for the day was Bianca Heinrich and point. In this part of the task, many pilots pushed hard the overall win went to Josh Cohn.

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US HP A P I L O T

and a bit lower than the big gaggle. But once again, the

US HPA PILOT

flatlands worked, and we got amazing lines to tag the sec- task committee: Galen Kirkpatrick, Brian Fletcher, Evan ond turn point.

Bouchier, and Owen Shoemaker. They worked hard to

As the day continued, Mansfield to Banks Lake, then

pick the right task for each day's conditions. Reavis Sut-

north to Leahy, the ceiling was close to 10,000 feet, and

phin-Gray did a great job with the weather and as DJ at

the task was running very fast. The first gaggle spread

the party!

wide, with many pilots searching for lift. This made it

In all, the 2021 U.S. Open of Paragliding competition

quite easy to find good thermals and excellent climbs. The

was an amazing event. With fun tasks, interesting condi-

whole first gaggle arrived low at this turn point, and it

tions, and great camaraderie, it was certainly a fun time.

took a long time to climb again. In a break from the zig

We owe a big thanks to all of the volunteers who made the

(or the zag), the goal was to the northeast. Despite the

competition happen. They were amazing, very friendly,

challenging climbs, 90 pilots made it to goal. It was an

and ready to help us all the time. THANK YOU!

amazing task!

Day 7 Canceled due to a potential for helicopter traffic at the Butte.

: Congratulations to the winners of day six: for the women, Galen Kirkpatrick and overall winner Zion Susanno

And, of course, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Matt Senior for his tireless efforts to bring the U.S. Championship to Chelan. When it comes to planning and hosting an event, this guy knows what he’s doing. And lastly, thanks to all of my pilot friends, who warmly include me, and all the other international pilots, as a member of the U.S. paragliding family!

(10 feet inside of 400 meters cylinder).

One more time, congratulations and thank you to the

The start gaggle working together to get up at the Butte.

53

U S O P E N O F P A R A G L I D I N G R E S U LT S

OVERALL

OVERALL WOMEN

EN-C

MASTERS (M50)

REYNOLDS

Josh Cohn

Galen Kirkpatrick

Colin Rathbun

Mike Steed

Mark Simpson

Matthew Henzi

Bianca Heinrich

Mark Simpson

Bill Belcourt

Mike Lester

Brad Gunnuscio

Violeta Jimenez

Mike Lester

Stefan Mitrovich

Bianca Heinrich

HP H A PA P I LPOITLOT 5454USUS

USsky.

HPA Looking south from the Butte during the start gaggle. Colorful wings brighten up the

PILOT

55

Testimony of

a Wing Nut

A former renegade pilot’s case for ratings

by Johnny Lydic

: Most of you reading this article have spent ample time

ter part of eight years. I live in southern Oregon, and

on the training hill and shelled out plenty of money from

Woodrat Mountain is my backyard. My desire to fly was

your wallet as well. Was it worth it? Of course, it was.

ignited in 1996 at Cave Junction when my dad arranged

All of our flying credentials, whether they are mighty

a demo flight for me in an ultralight with Sharon Klauss-

or meager, are fraught with our desperate desire to fly

er. The nuts and bolts of that love were further tightened

no matter the cost. The intention of this article is to

in 1998 while watching my dear friend, Tim Tworog,

dissuade any rebels who may be entertaining the idea of

launch his hang glider off the top launch at Woodrat

learning to fly outside the box.

Mountain. I remember that day and how it made me

My name is Johnny, and I was that rebel for the bet-

feel—instantly saturated with envy. I was on a mission to delve into this sport from that moment on, and my fervor for free flight has never relinquished.

The exact date escapes me, but one day in 1999, I was reading through the Nifty Nickel classified ads, and one, in particular, caught my attention. It read: “Hang glider for sale w/harness. $500.” I responded to the ad and, soon after, became the proud owner of a U.P. Gemini 184 single surface delta wing hang glider. To be quite honest, having an aircraft sitting in my garage made me feel like a “somebody.” Soon I realized that the man who sold it to me hadn’t equipped me with an instruction manual on how to use it. So for one year, the gem in my eye, my Gemini, sat in my garage and became the temporary home to a family of daddy long leg spiders.

At the behest of my better judgment, I convinced myself to hook up with a local hang gliding instructor, which led me to Mike Stevenson. However, I was working the graveyard shift, and for one reason or another, we always had conflicting schedules and were never able to hook up. Instead, much of my time was spent reading

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US HP A P I L O T

US HPA PILOT

“For eight years, I bobbed and weaved, skirting the locals, rules, regulations, USHPA, and, somehow, death.”

books (Peter Cheney’s “Hang Gliding for Beginner Pi-

I had worked hard for the money to buy my glider, and

lots”) and magazines, watching videos, and falling asleep

I was determined not to let it be in vain. One evening at

envisioning myself in the control frame of my recently

dinner, an ex-old friend of mine named Oatmeal Stout

acquired toy. I became obsessed with the desire to fly

assisted me in the realization that I possessed the three

like a bird.

main ingredients to become a free flyer: 1) A hang glider

: In the summer of 1999, I got tired of watching my Gemini 184 becoming enshrouded in cobwebs and dust.

and harness of my own; 2) A training hill and flying site close by; and 3) The unrelenting desire to fly.

So, in the summer of 2000, I took my wing to the train-

57

ing hill in Ashland, Oregon. With the wind in my face, I

from that moment until the present, I have been flying

gathered all the knowledge I had read in the magazines—

the entire topography of Woodrat Mountain.

digging deep within myself, I brought all of this to the forefront of my mind. Despite having no instructor to

: For eight years, I bobbed and weaved, skirting the

bestow knowledge upon my untrained efforts and under

locals, rules, regulations, USHPA, and, somehow, death.

the observation of some bystanders, I was somehow able

And in all that time, I adopted some bad flying habits,

to muster the courage to do my very first launch.

such as cross-controlling, pumping the control bar, and

After sticking my landing, it seemed that my confidence could not be overthrown. So I went right back up to try

I’ve made some very serious mistakes in my self-taught

it again. My second flight concluded with a mistimed

flying career, such as launching in a crosswind and

flare and a broken down tube—a $50 fix for a 13-second

landing in seven generations of starthistle. I’ve also been

flight. I vehemently disagreed with the proportion of

rotored 120 feet off the deck when I found myself too

these numbers, and my financial reasoning persuaded

low behind the treeline at the Hunter LZ at Woodrat. I

me that a five to eight-minute flight off of mid-launch at

smacked the ground about three feet from some very

Woodrat would be a much more reasonable risk for my

intimidating barbed wire fencing, resulting in a broken

$50 piece of aluminum.

hang glider. I came up coughing blood and couldn’t walk

So after I replaced my down tube, it was off to mid-

for two weeks. Perhaps all of my catastrophes might

launch at Woodrat with a flying resume that read like

have been avoided had I received the proper instruction

this:

in the first place.

• Zero instruction/lessons

58

landing on my wheels for fear of mistiming a flare again.

I would be remiss not to stress the absolute importance

• No parachute

of entering this sport with the sanctioned instruction

• Non-USHPA member

that I so haphazardly dismissed when I started. On the

• Third flight ever in a hang glider

heels of many avoidable accidents, the stark reality that I

That raises the hair on the back of my neck as I write

ought to get rated was one day etched in my conscience

it. Fortunately, my mid-launch flight was a success, and

by my girlfriend. She urged me to get my rating by wrap-

US HP A P I L O T

US HPA PILOT

ping it with a bow and presenting it as a birthday present.

So in 2008, I went to get my rating from John Matylonek in Cape Kiwanda, Oregon. It was only after getting rated and connecting with the community that a few local pilots brought to my attention that I had picked up some

skills and promote safe flying.

• Instead of ignoring or calling out the rebels, work to call them in and bring them into the community.

• Develop a welcoming mentorship program.

It is not lost on me that I am only walking, talking, and

bad habits. I hadn’t a clue before this, and knowing it

flying today because of God’s mercy. Knowing what I

allowed me to progress in my flying.

know now, I had no business being in the air during

Since getting rated, I have spent a considerable amount

those early years. If you are an aspiring hang glider or

of time grieving and contemplating the what-if factor.

paraglider pilot, please pay the homage this sport de-

What if I had had a really bad accident before getting my

serves by moving forward with adequate lessons/instruc-

rating? I had run the risk of potentially getting our flying

tion from a professional instructor. Be patient through

site shut down for good. Because Woodrat Mountain is a

the learning curve, diligently seek out an instructor who

world-class site and home to many competitions, I could

is suited to you, and don’t get ahead of your skill level.

have made many people extremely angry with me if that

This sport is so beautiful because we, as pilots, get to

had happened.

Looking back, I think I’m safe in saying that there are a

harness the elements of nature to create our very own carnival ride. But one wrong move can prove to be very

few things that communities can do to help call in rebels

unforgiving. Trust me, I know from experience. Do your-

like me:

self and everyone else a huge favor and get the appropri-

• More outreach and promotion for the sport.

ate instruction necessary to safely enjoy this sport.

• Free tandems for new or un-rated pilots to learn new

Pick up these hot titles by

DENNIS PAGEN

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

59

Ratings Issued September & October 2021 RTG RGN NAME

Take your ratings and expiration date everywhere you fly. Download from the Members Area section of the USHPA website. Print, trim, and store in your wallet. Great for areas without cell coverage. Always available at www.USHPA.org Save the PDF on your mobile device for easy reference.

60

US HP A P I L O T

H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H1 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H3 H3 H3 H3 H3 H3 H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1

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

Richard Beadle Paul Filin Jonathan Lathan Curtis Campbell Max Mansouri Shakeel Sorathia Cody Burnette Joshua MacFie Joelle Chorny Michael MacLauchlan John Poux Kent Wien Dan Tebbs Jason Bathrick Dan Harrison Ethan Kahn Jim Meador Matthew Corley Jennifer Mader Jonathan Manley Raphael Masters Gregory S. Olsen David A. Swift Kristen Zuraski Mark Wayne Bailey Ross Carroll John Dubnowski Luis Fontanez Mie Greenberg Douglas Guard Drake Henderson Maylee Holbrook Lucia Jackson Elizabeth Leach Allison Livengood Lee Myhan Dalton Nagel Rick Peckham Houman Samimi Steven Sanders Dustin Sims Gene Tarzetti Ty Tarzetti Matthew Twitty Max Berman Craig Rinder David Schechter Taylor Jackle Spriggs Dalton Burkhalter Joshua Solomin William Dickey Javier Z. Lopez Mikah Ackerman Noah Eikens Timothy Cayward Richard P. Christen Glenn J. Duval Joshua Harris Robert Petty Richard Thorp Chris Doyle Rachel Huettinger Joseph Neron Kitri Rowland Michael Schroder

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

CA CA CA CA CA CA NC TX NY NH NY NY WA CA CA CA CA CO CA AZ CA AZ CA CO TX GA VA GA NC VA TN NC TN TN NC TN AL GA VA TN GA LA LA TN IL VT MD NY MN OR CA CA NC NC WA OR WA CA NV TX WA OR OR HI WA

Michael Briganti Patrick J. Denevan Michael Briganti Josh Patrick Laufer Josh Patrick Laufer Bob Steven Bendetson William G. Vaughn Charles Schwab Robert J. Hastings Robert J. Hastings Greg Black Josh Patrick Laufer Aaron Swepston John Simpson John Simpson William C. Dydo Michael Briganti Theodore Hurley Andrew T. Beem William C. Dydo Andrew T. Beem Dan DeWeese John Heiney Andrew T. Beem David Miller Cj Giordano Steve A. Wendt Cj Giordano Cj Giordano Cj Giordano Cj Giordano Cj Giordano Timothy Glenshaw Cj Giordano Nic Baack Cj Giordano Cj Giordano Gordon Cayce Cj Giordano Cj Giordano Cj Giordano Gordon Cayce Gordon Cayce Cj Giordano Cj Giordano Robert J. Hastings Charles Schwab Ian Brubaker Andy Thompson Raymond C. Berger Richard Sibley Patrick J. Denevan Michael Pattishall Andy Thompson Eric Ollikainen Larry C. Jorgensen Larry C. Jorgensen Terry A. Strahl Paul Voight Tiki Mashy Brad Hill Kelly A. Kellar Maren Ludwig Pete Michelmore Maren Ludwig

RTG RGN NAME

P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2

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

David Revel Sheets Dave Creech John B. Dougherty Ed Korthof Robert W. Maccione Juan Vargas Denny Waters Sean Waters Sophia Yang Diane Anderson David Andrade Derik Cook Kerollos Halim Spencer Heinemann Kate Longcor Rebecca McKee Christian Nunnally Hallie Potthoff Adam Rampley Eric Roden William Rose Brandon Salazar Carter Wheeler William Zajac Michael Zhou Michael Echols Cj Giordano Francis Finigan William J. Foley III Sara Kerby Calvin Krieger Nolan Krieger Bob Krieger Christopher Nichols Dariusz Trojanowski Irvin Glenn Williams Jessica Zeta Justin Armer Brian Baker Holly Beale Bradley Justen Beck Nick Benoit Derek Berger Seth Brothers Steve Brown William Buchanan Jean Castillo Scott Cohen Jaime Curtis Garrett Davis Mark Dehn Shane Derizzo Michael DeRossett Logan Dobbe Julia Dramis Braden Duffin Paul Emery Jungwon Eom Taylor Everett Sean Fallon Matthew Farina Dianna Faulk Chris French Harsh Gaonkar Shaun Gonzalez

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

OR CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA AZ CA CO CA CA CA CO CA CA CA CA CO CA CA AR GA VT NH DE CT CT CT MA CT MA NY MT WA WA MT ID WA WA WA WA WA WA WA OR MT AK ID WA AK ID MT WA WA AK ID OR AK ID OR

Kimberly Phinney Jeffrey J. Greenbaum Jeffrey J. Greenbaum Jeffrey J. Greenbaum Wallace K. Anderson Jeffrey J. Greenbaum Jeffrey J. Greenbaum Jeffrey J. Greenbaum Robert Black Emily Wallace Jordan Neidinger Chandler Papas Jordan Neidinger Patrick Johnson Christopher Grantham Marcello M. DeBarros Emily Wallace Patrick Johnson Emily Wallace Emily Wallace Jordan Neidinger William Purden-Jr Patrick Johnson Jordan Neidinger William Purden-Jr Britton Shaw Kelly Myrkle John E. Dunn John E. Dunn Emily Wallace John E. Dunn John E. Dunn John E. Dunn John E. Dunn John E. Dunn John E. Dunn Rob Sporrer Andy Macrae Matt Cone Patrick Kelly Jennifer Bedell Nathan Alex Taylor Marc Chirico Denise Reed Denise Reed Patrick Kelly Denise Reed Matt Cone Chad Uchino Kelly A. Kellar Andy Macrae Chris Reynolds Randall Shane Chad Uchino Patrick Kelly Lane B. Lamoreaux Andy Macrae Matt Cone Denise Reed Patrick Kelly E. Scott Edwards Kelly A. Kellar Chris Reynolds E. Scott Edwards Kevin R. Lee

US HPA PILOT

RTG RGN NAME

P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2

Charlize Gordon Robert Grant Jonathan Michael Gregson Karah Herr Benjamin Hollies Ben Horan Ryan Kent John Kessler Aaron Kleinhelter Jared Knickmeyer Evan Koehler Serge Kozlov Sean George Lee Jade Lee Sung Lee Julia Lieberman Roy E. Massie Kevin McElroy Zachary McLeay Kevin Meffert Kyle Miller Larry Munoz Quinn Murphy Aaron Nash Ron Neely Mike Paul Marian Peloquin Jeremy Peyton Matthew Vernon Porter John Powell Hadi Rahal-Arabi Ashish Rawat James Regulinski Kendra Rehm-Dehn Jacob Rex Paul A. Richey Brian T. Roberts Enzo Roman Andrew Romerdahl Casey Schaefer Erik Schnelle Barukh Brian Schwadron Kyle Smitham Nick Stahler Krys Standley Louis Stitt Amos Swanson Stephen Teller Johanna Twiford Jason Uren Garret Van Swearingen Wouter Van Wageningen Donnie Wallis Shreekant Waphare Jon Wheeler Ray Williams Jason Wilson Alex Winch Joshua Wiseman Santiago Ahumada Tyson Anderson Baron Arnold Ryan Benson Zachariah Bolster David Castleton

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

HI WA OR OR WA MT WA MT WA WA MT WA HI OR OR WA WA OR WA OR ID AK WA WA OR AK ID WA OR OR OR WA WA MT MT ID AK OR AK MT WA OR MT MT MT HI AK WA MT WA WA WA WA WA WA OR AK WA WA CA UT CA CA NV UT

Charles Chuck E. Gordon Denise Reed Chris W. Santacroce Kimberly Phinney Andy Macrae Jennifer Bedell Denise Reed Andy Macrae Denise Reed Chad Uchino Andy Macrae Denise Reed Vito Michelangelo Samuel Crocker Kimberly Phinney Chris W. Santacroce Owen Shoemaker Kelly A. Kellar Chad Uchino Kelly A. Kellar Chris W. Santacroce Jeff Katz Marc Chirico Marc Chirico Randolph Ruffin Chris Reynolds Robert Peloquin Chad Uchino Randolph Ruffin Kimberly Phinney Kelly A. Kellar Matt Cone Chad Uchino Andy Macrae Andy Macrae Jonathan Jefferies Chris Reynolds Samuel Crocker Chris Reynolds Jennifer Bedell Marc Chirico Kevin R. Lee Andy Macrae Jennifer Bedell Jennifer Bedell Jonathan Jefferies Stacy Whitmore Patrick Johnson Andy Macrae Denise Reed Chad Uchino Marc Chirico Lane B. Lamoreaux Matt Cone Matt Cone Samuel Crocker Lisa Dickinson Matt Cone Marc Chirico Jesse L. Meyer Chris W. Santacroce Jesse L. Meyer Jesse L. Meyer Gary Begley Nathan Alex Taylor

RTG RGN NAME

P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2

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 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Aseem Chaudhary Stefano Corazza Erick Davidson Jake Dinsdale Meg Dowley Manuela Dramba Victor Dramba Enrico Dubach Guilhem Espuche Calvin Freeman Artur Friedhoff Alsu Gabdrakhimova Casey Gerstle Banks Hunter Avi Ilyaev Tammie Kim Ismail Kose Rhett Krieger Benjamin Larralde Brian Maddox Neil Manchon Pierre Maurer Paul Travis Millet Abbas Moosavi Barzin Moridian Thomas Neff Josh Neilson Carson Pavek Nir Rikovitch Luke Rome Sai Surya Shashanka Timmarajus Assis Silva Steel Templin Kali Turner Austen VanSchulz Robert James Marshall Walker Michael Ward Travis J. Williams Zachary R. Williams Cedrik Zemitis Scott Zimmerman Jackson Zoellner Assi Zvik Lucas Atchison Erik Bakken Andy Barber Jared Basile Dylan Beard Jacob Billett Erin Boodey Spencer Boucher Lukas Erik Bradshaw Andrew Braun Richard Browne Rik Bundey Benjamin Buren Andrew Chapman Sean M. Cole Nathan Cranson Madison Dahl Derek DeMuth Brian Dixon Josiah David Dryer Byron Encarnacion Chris Fabere

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

CA CA CA UT CA UT UT UT CA UT CA CA CA CA CA CA CA UT CA UT UT CA CA UT CA CA UT CA CA UT CA UT CA UT UT UT CA CA CA CA CA UT CA CO CO CO CO CA NM CO CO CO CO NM CA CO CO CO CO CO CO CO AZ CA CO

Jesse L. Meyer Robert Black Wallace K. Anderson Jonathan Jefferies Robert Black Stephen J. Mayer Stephen J. Mayer Nathan Alex Taylor Robert Black E. Scott Edwards Robert Black Jesse L. Meyer Robert Black Robert Black Jesse L. Meyer Abhay Okaraio Morrissey Jesse L. Meyer Patrick Kelly Robert Black Jonathan Jefferies Jeff Katz Robert Black Jesse L. Meyer Jonathan Jefferies Jesse L. Meyer Robert Black Stacy Whitmore Wallace K. Anderson Jeffrey J. Greenbaum Chris W. Santacroce Jeffrey J. Greenbaum Dale Covington Stephen Nowak Cynthia Currie Nathan Alex Taylor Nathan Alex Taylor Christopher Grantham Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Robert Black Jesse L. Meyer Chris W. Santacroce Jeffrey J. Greenbaum Misha Banks Mauricio Fleitas Gregory Kelley Dustin Miller Jordan Neidinger Ben White Dustin Miller Johannes Rath Misha Banks Dustin Miller Chris W. Santacroce Emily Wallace Misha Banks Misha Banks Misha Banks Stephen J. Mayer Gregory Kelley Dustin Miller Timothy D. Meehan Chandler Papas E. Scott Edwards Misha Banks

61

Ratings Issued September & October 2021 RTG RGN NAME

P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2

62

US HP A P I L O T

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 4 4 4 4 5 5 5

Alexandra Fenimore Victor Hefetz Stefani Henderson Ashley Henderson Kenneth Wayne Henderson Daniel Hiatt Daniel Hooper Jr Marc Horan Samuel Johnson Jennifer Kastner James Kelly Donald Knight Paige Nicole Koning Christian Lavery Marc Leatham Alexander Lim Steven Lindhult Becky Luckett Keenan McGuckin Jason Miller Aaron Morrissey Gavin Mugele Jim Murphy Joe Nesbitt Sebastian Nider Clinton Pearson Matthew Peres Rocky Pitto Blake Reusswig Elle Reynolds Eve Roden William Sayer Boyd Schwartz John Souther Josh Staples Austin Thomas Nathaniel Thompson Ramiz Toma Andrew Tombolato Eric Torgerson Patrick Walsh Mary Walters Drew Walters Brian Waltman Jeffrey Williams Jacob Winey Alex Wirth Jordan Barker Meghan Coffey Mark Costello Alexander Cote Darren Doyle John Green Mariel Grossman Joseph Tyler Hutton Elena Koci Tomas Koci Roy Traey Liggett Greg Lueck Sam Murray Calvin R. Pettit Matthew Sims Sara Lucia Aguilar Guerrero Romano Almonte Martin Anhalzer

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

CO CO CA CA CA CA CO CO CO CA CO CO CO CO AZ CA CO CO CA CO CO CO CA CA CO AZ CO CO CO CA CA CO CO CO CO CO CO AZ CO CO CA CO CO CO CO CO CO TN NC GA TN OK VA NC AL TN TN VA FL GA SC NC MA NJ PA

Misha Banks Misha Banks Rob Sporrer Vito Michelangelo Vito Michelangelo Marcello M. DeBarros Etienne Pienaar Lane B. Lamoreaux Jonathan Jefferies Emily Wallace Mauricio Fleitas Misha Banks Dustin Miller Mauricio Fleitas Chandler Papas Jordan Neidinger Mauricio Fleitas Gregory Kelley Christopher Grantham Gregory Kelley Gregory Kelley Misha Banks Jordan Neidinger Marcello M. DeBarros Misha Banks Jeremy Bishop Misha Banks Gregory Kelley Mauricio Fleitas Ben White Emily Wallace Misha Banks Dustin Miller Dustin Miller Mauricio Fleitas Douglas Brown Jonathan Jefferies Patrick Johnson Misha Banks Misha Banks Rob Sporrer Etienne Pienaar Etienne Pienaar Misha Banks Misha Banks Misha Banks Dustin Miller Grayson Brown Grayson Brown Christopher Grantham Grayson Brown Britton Shaw Steve Sirrine Patrick Kelly Grayson Brown Steven Taylor Couch Steven Taylor Couch Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Alejandro Albornoz Steven Taylor Couch Patrick Kelly Zion Susanno-Loddby Thomas McCormick Chris W. Santacroce

RTG RGN NAME

P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Reynaldo Aquino Thomas C. Atkins Rodrigo Bessa De Araujo Ankur Bhagat Olga Bogomolova Sylviana Buckley Michael Crouse Brian DAddario Marc Elrick Yauhen Fadzeyeu Aaron Goldstein John Goodwin Wesley Havens Daniel Iead Daniel Jazwinski Justin Jetmar Rufus Griffin Johnston Vineet Joseph Yuriy Kamenshchyk Max Krackow Bryan Lantz Scott Leland Andres Letelier Chris Mann Philip Marshall Noel Mateo Lynne Mattedi-Regan Maya Gratia McCoy Mauricio Mendez Arun Mirchandani Aleksey Panas Viacheslav Pavlov Ronald Podsiadlo Scott Powers Juan Rivera Eric Sargent Yasir Shah Robert Slebodnik Mike Sopyla Peter Tapolyai Declan Taylor Gregory Timmons Peter Vance Nathaniel Vance Alan Vance Karl Voskuil Austin Waclo Daniel Walsh Albert Whaples Kevin Zeininger Lukasz Zochowski Cole Abarr David Ballard Anthony Baylis Shirley Bevens Steve Clark Dylan Crossman Amanda Dumont Gus Dupuis Brock Fehler Jonah Greenberger Graeme Greenwood Kelsey Hasterlik Todd Higley Matthew Hoffman

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

NY NY MA NJ NY NY PA CT AB MA MD MI MI CT MA CT NY NY IL NH NH MA PA NH VT IL NH VT PA VT NH NH MA NH RI OH MD NY NH OH IN PA MA MA MA MA PA NH CT NY NJ AK AK WA WA MT ID WA WA WA WY MT MT WA WA

Joachim P. Roesler Marcus V. Santos John E. Dunn Thomas McCormick Ben White Marcus V. Santos Ben White John E. Dunn Jeff Hedlund John E. Dunn Kevin R. Lee Denise Reed Jonathan Jefferies John E. Dunn Calef Letorney John E. Dunn Christopher Grantham Ben White Alejandro Palmaz John E. Dunn John E. Dunn John E. Dunn Thomas McCormick John E. Dunn Calef Letorney Jaro Krupa John E. Dunn Brent McCoy Thomas McCormick John E. Dunn John E. Dunn Andrey Kuznetsov John E. Dunn John E. Dunn John E. Dunn Grayson Brown Max Leonard Marien Stephen J. Mayer Heath Woods Grayson Brown Jaro Krupa Stephen J. Mayer John E. Dunn John E. Dunn John E. Dunn John E. Dunn Patrick Kelly John E. Dunn Heath Woods John E. Dunn Thomas McCormick Evan Mathers Jake Schlapfer Marc Chirico Kelly A. Kellar Andy Macrae Jonathan Jefferies Mitchell Riley Mitchell Riley Marc Chirico Fred Morris Andy Macrae Jennifer Bedell Lane B. Lamoreaux Rob Sporrer

US HPA PILOT

RTG RGN NAME

P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3

1 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 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

Kevin Hogan Brice Johnson Josh Jorgensen Peter Kabai Luc Lachapelle Lucas LeMaire Anika Lofts James Marlow Ryan Mullen Steven Nichols Michael Niedrich Sebastiano Roattino Robert Rogoz Dave Schrall John Sperling Seth Tucker Benjamin Van Veen Caitlin Zeliff Omi Chandiramani Kenton Davis Dave Donnelly Steel Gardner Arno Grbac Gage Kazickas Jonathan Lang Sam Lendle Paul Pettross Brian Probst Steve Toney Max Xiaofeng Ye Slator Aplin Charles Bell Sheamus Croke Jay Drescher Mitchell Friedeman Jason Goodale Matt Guertin Miles Higgins Kevin Jones Mark Lambertsen Scott Larson Toni Leskela Hanna Letska Michael L. Madden William Marsh Christopher Edward Mendoza Travis Meuten Austin Monell Armand Nicholi Henry Palmaz Blake Rankin Eric Rasmuson Chad Reynolds Jackson Schall Bryan Sillorequez Angelo Sta Catalina Stacy Street Mohamad Tarakji Kesha Thompson Peter Tschannen Anthony Viton Richard Michael Viveros David Weaver Micah Weller Xu Xu

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

WA WA WA WA WA WY ID WA WA WA ID WA WA WY WA OR WA WY CA UT CA UT CA UT UT CA CA UT CA CA CO CO CO CO CO CA CO CO CO AZ CA CO CA CA CO CO CO CO CA CO CA CO CA CO CO CA CA CA CO CO CO CA NM CA CA

Roger Brock Mitchell Riley Denise Reed Mitchell Riley Derek Baylor Scott C. Harris Joshua Winstead Marc Chirico Marc Chirico Derek Baylor Jeremy Bishop Mitchell Riley Roger Brock Chris W. Santacroce Steven R. Wilson Kelly A. Kellar Lane B. Lamoreaux Ben White Wallace K. Anderson Jonathan Jefferies Mitchell B. Neary Jonathan Jefferies Wallace K. Anderson Ben White Cynthia Currie Robert Black Wallace K. Anderson Jonathan Jefferies Jesse L. Meyer Jesse L. Meyer Ryan J. Taylor Max Leonard Marien Ryan J. Taylor Christopher Grantham Johannes Rath Jeremy Bishop Ryan J. Taylor Johannes Rath Johannes Rath Christopher Grantham Emily Wallace Johannes Rath Emily Wallace Emily Wallace Ryan J. Taylor Patrick Johnson Misha Banks Johannes Rath William Purden-Jr Alejandro Palmaz Christopher Garcia Misha Banks Rob Sporrer Don Hillmuth Misha Banks Jordan Neidinger William Purden-Jr Marcello M. DeBarros Rob Sporrer Ryan J. Taylor Johannes Rath Marcello M. DeBarros T Lee Kortsch Marcello M. DeBarros William Purden-Jr

RTG RGN NAME

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 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

CA CA GA GA AL TN FL VI TN TX TX TN GA VA NJ MA NJ RI OH NY RI OH WY WA OR MN WA AK CA UT CA UT CA CO CO CO CA CA CA CO CO CO FL TX TN GA ME VT NJ NY

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

M Cory Young Xinghua Zhou Daniel Bell Michael Bradford Cal Breed Ty Clarke Gregory J. Cusick Dylan Fairfield Patrick Finnegan James Reid Lewis Joshua Schacter Derek Schujahn Stefan Seville Austin Wadsworth Gilberto Carlos Abreu Eli Chastek Volodymyr Hunko Ross A. Landy Joshua Nicholson Boris Paleyes Stacy Patterson David Schmaus Alex Bogner Alexia Fischer Nick Kedev Alex Peterson Michael Patrick Sweeney Sam Volk Bella Ely Loup Foussereau Elizabeth Gambel Mark Jason Malouin John Redding Matthew Goodrich Brian Greeson Logan Hulett Ciara Kamahele David Patterson Benjamin Peck Jared Scheid Vinay Shah Ernesto Vernabe Martinez Marc Angelo Nicholas Heller James Lepard Juan David Ochoa Pena Ryan Andrew Grimaldi Russell J. Kelley Walid Medawar Salvatore Scaringe

Jerome Daoust Emily Wallace Steven Taylor Couch Austin Kasserman Austin Kasserman Christopher Grantham David W. Prentice Heath Woods Austin Kasserman Nathan Alex Taylor Ryan J. Taylor Austin Kasserman Rob Sporrer Jaro Krupa Uziel De Souza Peter Williams Sebastien Kayrouz Calef Letorney Jaro Krupa Philippe Renaudin Calef Letorney Austin Kasserman Fred Morris Matt Henzi Mark D. Sanzone Chris W. Santacroce Matt Henzi Evan Mathers Rob Sporrer Stephen J. Mayer Fred Morris Chris W. Santacroce Robert Black Dale Covington Misha Banks Kevin McGinley Ken W. Hudonjorgensen Christopher Grantham Cynthia Currie Carl Marvin Dustin Miller Joshua Winstead Randall Shane Dale Covington Austin Kasserman Dale Covington Calef Letorney Calef Letorney Marcus V. Santos John Atwood

A I RS ACCIDENT INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM is standing by at airs.ushpa.org If you've been injured or experienced a close call, file a report today.

All AIRS reports are completely confidential.

63

2022 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.

JAN 28-FEB 5; FEB 5-13; FEB 13-21 > EAGLE PARAGLIDING COLOMBIA WINTER TOURS > Roldanillo, Colombia | 3 weeks of tours near Roldanillo Colombia. Pilots of all levels will get coaching on thermal and XC Flying, and Tandem XC. We’ve offered tours for over two decades all over the world. The number of high caliber staff members supporting pilots at Eagle clinics and tours is unprecedented. Let Austin Cox, Marty DeVietti, Chris Garcia, Brian Howell, Jeff Shapiro, Rob Sporrer, Reavis Sutphin-Gray, and Logan Walters support you in achieving your goals for the week. | www.paragliding.com or call 805.968.0980 MAR 3-6 > OPEN RIVAS ALEX LAUNCH > Rivas de Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica | For all those interested in learning more about flying. We’ve been doing an annual event for the past few years in beautiful Rivas de Pérez Zeledón in Costa Rica, which is experiencing a surge in in paragliding. Come take a few days to fly and have a good time with us. | https://airtribune.com/open-rivas-2022-alexlaunch/info MAR 4-6; APR 8-10; NOV 11-13; DEC 9-11 > EAGLE PARAGLIDING SANTA BARBARA CLINIC > Santa Barbara, CA | This clinic is aimed at getting pilots familiar with the fundamentals, techniques, and theory to excel at thermal flying, and making XC moves. Clinic discussions include reading terrain features, thermal triggers, with a goal of moving from lift source to lift source flying XC. After attending this clinic you will have a better understanding of the moves necessary to get down range. The Eagle Team will lead this 3 day clinic. Clinic cost is $895 | www.paragliding.com or call 805.968.0980 APR 3-10 > 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 APR 24-30 > 2022 PARADISE AIRSPORTS NATIONALS > Wilotree Airpark, Groveland, FL. USHPA Sanctioned HG Race To Goal Nationals Competition. Flatland aerotow competition: Open, Sport, Swift, and Rigid wing classes. Organizer: Stephan Mentler, team@hgrac.com | Website: TBD MAY 1-7 > 2022 WILOTREE PARK NATIONALS > Wilotree Airpark, Groveland, FL. USHPA Sanctioned HG Race To Goal Nationals Competition. Flatland aerotow competition: Open, Sport, Swift, and Rigid wing classes. Organizer: Stephan Mentler, team@hgrac.com | Website: TBD MAY 19-22 > 50TH ANNUAL HANG GLIDING SPECTACULAR > Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding School, Nags Head, NC | The Hang Gliding Spectacular is the longest-running hang gliding competition in the world! We are excited to be celebrating the 50th consecutive year of this event. In addition to the dune hang gliding competition at Jockey’s Ridge State Park and the aerotow competition at the Cotton Gin, we have many fun activities planned – retro glider display, video and photo exhibit, film festival, street dance, and more! | Megan Turner, (252) 4412426 , hangglide@kittyhawk.com, https://www.kittyhawk.com/event/ hang-gliding-spectacular/

64

US HP A P I L O T

JUN 5-10 > EAGLE PARAGLIDING WOODRAT MOUNTAIN CLINIC > Applegate Valley Oregon, Ruch, OR | Our 2021 Clinic at Woodrat was epic. This clinic is aimed at getting pilots familiar with the fundamentals, techniques, and theory to excel at thermal flying, and making XC moves. Clinic discussions include reading terrain features, thermal triggers, with a goal of moving from lift source to lift source flying XC. After attending this clinic you will have a better understanding of the moves necessary to get down range. The Eagle Team will lead this 6 day clinic.

Clinic cost is $1795 | www.paragliding.com or call 805.968.0980 JUN 10-20 > INKLER'S POINT FLY-IN > Back at it after a 2 year absence... this time for a 10 day event! Not only great HG/PG flying but this year we're planning to offer both HG and PG USHPA Basic Instructor clinics and a Quad-tow clinic during the 10 day period. Lots of planning and site work going on right now for a spiffy event in June. Fly-In offerings will be updated as they are firmed up. | gonehanggliding@gmail.com JUN 17-23 > 2022 APPLEGATE OPEN > Woodrat Mtn, Ruch, OR. USHPA Sanctioned PG Race To Goal Nationals Competition. This event includes two races: 1] Non-sanctioned Sprint Race for EN C wings and below; and 2] Sanctioned Open Race for EN C and higher wings as part of the national championship series. Organizer: Terri Stewart, AO-organizer@rvhpa.org | Website: www.wingsoverapplegate.org JUN 19-24 > 2022 OZONE CHELAN OPEN > Chelan Butte, Chelan, WA. USHPA Sanctioned PG Race To Goal Nationals Competition. The Ozone Chelan Open will be an EN-C and lower event where XC pilots new to competitions get to race alongside and learn from some of the best pilots in the USA. The competition will follow the same format as other FAI Cat 2 events and include daily briefings lead by US National Champion and Ozone team Pilot Nick Greece. Organizer: Matt Senior, mattysenior@yahoo.com | Website: www.airtribune.com/ozone-chelanopen-2022 JUN 26 – JUL 2 > 2022 US OPEN OF PARAGLIDING CHELAN > Chelan Butte, Chelan, WA. USHPA Sanctioned PG Race To Goal Nationals Competition. Organizer: Matt Senior, mattysenior@yahoo.com | Website: www.airtribune.com/us-open-paragliding-2022 SEP 18-24 > 2022 SANTA CRUZ FLATS RACE > Francisco Grande Golf Resort, Casa Grande, AZ. USHPA Sanctioned HG Race To Goal Nationals Competition. Come on out and join us for some unique technical flying and loads of fun in the desert. Organizer: Jamie Shelden, naughtylawyer@gmail.com | Website: www.airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flatsrace-2022 SEP 30 – OCT 2 > 2022 HSB ACCURACY CUP > Horseshoe Bend Flight Park, Horseshoe Bend, ID. USHPA Sanctioned PG Spot Landing Nationals Competition. Horseshoe Bend Flight Park is excited to be hosting our 4th annual international Accuracy competition. Visit our website for further details. Organizer: Scott Edwards, hsbflightpark@ gmail.com | Website: www.hsbflightpark.com OCT 7-9 > EAGLE PARAGLIDING OWENS VALLEY CLINIC > Bishop, CA | We fly the Owens in the spring and fall. The Owens Valley offers a variety of launch locations, and we will make a move to the launch which matches our forecast for the day. We can work as a group and team fly here as well. The area is world famous and worth a trip in the fall or spring for some classic flying, and XC opportunities. The Eagle Team will lead this 3 day clinic. Cost is $1195. | www.paragliding.com or call 805.968.0980

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

PARAGLIDING ADVISORY: Used paragliders should always be thoroughly inspected before flying for the first time. Annual inspections on paragliders should include sailcloth strength tests. Simply performing a porosity check isn't sufficient.

Some gliders pass porosity yet have very weak sailcloth.

BUYER BEWARE - If in doubt, many hang gliding and paragliding businesses will be happy to give an objective opinion on the condition of equipment you bring them to inspect.

BUYERS SHOULD SELECT EQUIPMENT THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SKILL LEVEL OR RATING. NEW PILOTS SHOULD SEEK PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION FROM A USHPA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR.

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-classified-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

TEXAS > FLYTEXAS TEAM > Training pilots in Central Texas for over 30years.

Hang Gliding, Paragliding, Trike CFI. Hangar facilities Granite Shoals/Lake LBJ, Smithville www.flytexas.com 512-467-2529 VIRGINIA > BLUE SKY > Open year round, lessons daily , weather permitting / Scooter tow instruction, platform towing, part time AT , powered harness training, repairs , custom sewing / Wills Wing, Moyes, Icaro, Aeros PG , Woody Valley, Swedish Aerosport / 804-241-4324 www.blueskyhg.com

CLINICS & TOURS

HAWAII > PARAGLIDE MAUI > Call Paul Gurrieri for information about flying on Maui. Our school offers beginner to advanced instruction, year round. It takes 10-14 days to get your P2 license. 808-874-5433 paraglidemaui.com

FLYMEXICO > VALLE DE BRAVO 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

NEW YORK > SUSQUEHANNA FLIGHT PARK > 40 acre park. Awesome training hills w/rides up. 600 mtn take off. Best facility in NY to learn foot launch.

New/used Wills Wing gliders in stock www.cooperstownhanggliding.com

PARACRANE Tours 2022 > Fly Costa Rica, Brasil, Europe with veteran tour guide Nick Crane. Small groups, flexible schedule, epic flying. | Costa Rica Jan 17-28 & Feb 1-12 | Brazil March 10-21 | Austria, Slovenia, Italy June 26-July 7 & Sept 3-14 | France, Switzerland and the Coupe Icare Sept 16-27 | www.costaricaparagliding.com, nick@paracrane.com

NORTH CAROLINA > KITTY HAWK KITES > The largest hang gliding school in the world, teaching since 1974. Learn to hang glide on the East Coast's largest sand dune. Year-round instruction, foot launch and tandem aerotow. 1902 Wright Glider Experience available. Dealer for Moyes, Wills Wing, and North Wing. 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 NEW HAMPSHIRE > MORNINGSIDE > A Kitty Hawk Kites flight park.

The Northeast's premier hang gliding and paragliding training center, teaching since 1974. Hang gliding foot launch and tandem aerotow training. Paragliding foot launch and tandem training. Powered Paragliding instruction. Dealer for Moyes, Wills Wing, and North Wing. Located in Charlestown, NH. Also visit our North Carolina location, Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School. (603) 542-4416, www.flymorningside.com 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

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

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.

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 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.

F I N A L > Eric Kriner

: I was first to launch on a beautiful spring day in Virginia, a day that showed good promise for a potential XC flight.

launch to tell them about the conditions.

As I reached to key my mic, I was distracted by a low-fre-

The steady NW wind made for an easy launch, but the quency thumping sound I was not familiar with. I swivsun’s energy had not quite yet heated Big Walker Moun- eled my head about but could not locate the origin of the tain enough for a guaranteed soaring flight. I scratched sound. I circled back toward the direction of launch, and back and forth, exploiting any bowl-shaped gulley in the my eye was drawn to movement on the mountain. A Chiridge that would tend to focus the marginal ridge lift. If nook military helicopter was cruising down the face of I could just focus my efforts for a little longer, I thought the ridge headed straight for me! surely conditions would improve into abundant thermal lift.

The helicopter’s altitude was the same as mine, and its speed was very fast despite its impressively large size. I

I decided to work my way to the southwest of launch estimated that it was one or two miles away and showing to attempt to take advantage of a rise on the mountain no signs of diverting from its vector buzzing along the of about 500 feet, where I concluded the wind’s velocity treetops. I could clearly see its twin 60-foot diameter rowas likely to have more intensity. The farther I ventured, tors spinning in a cadence harmonious with the low-frethe more confident I became that I was going to remain quency thump I was hearing. aloft. I decided to be a good sport and radio the pilots on

66

US HP A P I L O T

A rush of things came to my mind. I understood that

US HPA PILOT

“As I reached to key my mic, I was distracted by a low-frequency thumping sound I was not familiar with.”

the rotor wash anywhere near a helicopter is strong and

fourth or fifth spin. It went into the valley and provided

persists long after it departs. If this olive drab monster

me with a rare and close vantage point of its full side pro-

got anywhere near me, I would surely get pounded into

file—thoroughly exciting and horrifying at the same time.

the face of this mountain. I needed to do something now!

Still leery of the potential air disturbance, I stayed as far

Maybe I could quickly climb up to the top of the ridge

from the helicopter’s wake as I could for the next several

and dodge it by going over the back? No way. I didn’t have

minutes. I recalled the story of one of the Wills broth-

enough time and going over the mountain at this location

ers’ fatal accident when encountering helicopter rotor

was a guarantee of a landing in the trees.

wash while on a TV commercial shoot—I cringed at the

I decided to bank and spin to maximize the profile of

thought.

my wing with the hopes the pilot would see me. I pulled

Sure enough, the day did develop into the thermal bo-

in the bar hard and spun the wing at a 60-degree bank.

nanza I had hoped for. I managed a 38-mile out and re-

The spinning had the undesirable effect of rapidly scrub- turn and set a personal best for flight time of 5:43. It was bing altitude and putting me closer to the trees with ev- a flight that I will not easily forget. I am no longer envious ery rotation. I looked for any sign of a divergence of the

of the super cool see-through hang glider sails that are in

Chinook’s flight path each time I went round. Much to

vogue—I’ll keep my red and white glider that makes me

my relief, the chopper banked away from the ridge on my

quite visible to passersby.

Big Walker Ridge on the day of the Chinook encounter.

67

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)

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