Executive Reports, Safety Checks

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ceO Update on the Accident, incident Reporting System - AiRS

Over the past few months, the NZHGPa has had a team of very clever analysts overhaul the aIRs reporting system and according to the uK’s expert dr Matt Wilkes, leads the way in our sport of gathering important meaningful incident and accident data that will help to improve knowledge and Identify future trends to keep our pilots safer.

A very big thank you goes to pilots Hamish Dicker for his extraordinary analyst skills, (been able to mine the last five years of computerised NZHGPA AIRS data), Louis Tapper and Blake Round, for the hard yards in creating the new AIRS reporting system, launched on the 1st April 2021.

selected accident & Incident summaries – Focus on the Comp season

During this reporting period from the 1 Jan 2021 until 31 March 2021, (3 month Period) , there were 35 incidents or accidents. The list is to large to publish them all in Airborn, but all incidents or accidents can be viewed on the NZHGPA AIRS Public Summary at: www.nzhgpa.org.nz/safety.

The following selection of reports focuses on the busiest time of year when most of the competitions are held. Due to COVID travel restrictions, New Zealand held the most comps ever seen and they were extremely well supported, and in most cases oversubscribed. The competition organisers did a fantastic job with so many competitors. The following list of incidence or accidents and comments, are not in any way to lesson what has been for most an amazing experience, but food for thought when considering entering or running your next competition; spatial awareness - Right of way rules when thermalling in a gaggle or ridge running, reading ones instruments close to the terrain. Wear a helmet and glasses or goggles, that do not obscure your peripheral vision and physically look around more in a busy sky, acknowledge the pilots close to you, so they know and you know you have seen each other.

Mountain Flying - Pilots coming to comps with limited mountain flying experience on wings that they are more comfortable flying at the coast or over the flatlands, but suddenly find are more demanding for their skill set in strong mountainous conditions. Think Risk v Reward, never force the day or compromise on safety for a few extra points, if conditions for your skill set are not as expected, or ramp up during the flight, find a safe place to go land, there’s always tomorrow. task setting - A safe competition on the day of a race, starts with safe task setting. Always a difficult job with consideration of the days conditions, route over terrain and experience of pilots. Competition organisers may feel the pressure to task, especially towards the end of the week to get a valid comp. As pilots please respect the competition organisers decisions when a task is shortened, stopped, or cancelled, avoid putting undue stress or expectations on comp organisers. There is a big difference between what is safely taskable for a field of 80 plus pilots, and what is to some free flyable in a narrow window of opportunity in a growing wind forecast.

Thank you to all those that filed the following reports, so that we may all learn from each other’s mishaps;

21/2/2021 tasman Near Miss No Injury Paraglider

Almost hit powerline. Had to spin the glider to avoid. Its location was well briefed before flight and I had flown past it the day before. Focussing too much on instruments for competition. I would definitely be keen to donate money towards some orange markers on this single line to make it more visible.

27/2/2021 tasman Near Miss No Injury Paraglider

Task 3 of Nelson PG open 2021 competition at site Blowhard and close to 50 gliders in the air thermalling waiting for start gate to open. I was trying to stay in a core and focussed on my left turn looking down and was not aware of glider behind and above me. As I was climbing I heard a loud shout and found another pilot just meters away to my right side. Fortunately he was a few meters higher then me and we both took evasive action and turned away. I later discussed with the pilot who was more experienced and we agreed that it was a near miss and possible reason this near miss happened, could be : 1. I (red) glider should have been more aware of my surroundings and looking around to see the thermal drift as the wind was strong and we were being pushed to the hill and most gliders will converge at some point. Lesson learnt for me is to look above, behind, around and watching the glider drift as it can come in someone’s line of flight and not be just focused on my own thermal. 2. Other person (blue) glider a very experienced pilot was able to see me thermalling lower and he was already aware the potential of me drifting into his line of flight so took evasive action, but what surprised him was with the wind strengthening, my circles were very elongated and he was surprised with how close I came to him in spite of his effort to avoid me drifting into his path. Both of us agreed the wind factor played an important role in a near miss. The wind pushed our line of flight to merge but glad nothing happened and this is just a minor incident. The main reason for my reporting is for all pilots who will fly in a competition/gaggle to be aware and watch 360 degree for traffic, as on a strong wind day we can all be pushed into each others path.

Note: Of interest, this is the second near miss in a competition gaggle this year that has been reported.

27/2/2021 tasman Minor Incident - significant damage to glider Paraglider

Experienced collapse & spin while thermalling in lee of spine at base of mountain. Deployed reserve & glider was damaged upon landing in pine forest “slash”, or the debris left behind by tree fellers. Pilot sustained minor cuts and bruising

29/1/2021 tasman accident with damage to glider Hang glider

There was a catabatic wind above ground but the strong possibility of anabatic direction on landing. I was low on approach and was indecisive about landing options. Finally, I picked up a wind direction from a pond and opted for a downwind turn to lose height. Unfortunately I sunk more than anticipated and had to opt for a very confined landing spot. Still sinking, I failed to clear the fence and was pulled abruptly onto ground, suffering damage to airframe but no injury to myself. 30/1/2021 tasman serious Injury (medical treatment or aCC Claim) Hang glider

Pilot set up an approach land in the middle of a large paddock at Tutaki North Road, Murchison. Due to buoyant conditions glider flew the full length of the landing field. Nearing the fence at the far end of the field pilot slowed glider down in order to clear the fence and land in the next paddock. At 10ft from the ground, glider stalled and rolled to the right and contacted the ground. Pilot hit the ground and sustained a broken shoulder. Pilot walked to nearby farmhouse and called for assistance. Damage to hang glider.

Incident and Accident Reporting

Please note the paper Form OPMF7 AIRS created duplication and a barrier to reporting in a timely manner and so has been removed, all reporting is now done online. Please refer to the NZHGPA OPM for further information on incident and accident reporting procedures. All incident and accident reports are automatically sent to the CAA under the pilot protection of a Just Culture, explained by CAA as: If an aviation participant reports their involvement in an incident or Rules omission/breach in a complete, accurate and timely fashion then the CAA will apply just culture principles in its response. Where there’s no self-reporting, or there is evidence of repeated at-risk behaviours or recklessness, then the protections of Just Culture will not apply.

Visit the CAA website for more info at: www.aviation.govt.nz/about-us/what-we-do/operationalpolicies/just-culture-what-it-means-to-the-caa/

A just culture is not about trying to catch pilots out or appoint blame, but learn from mistakes and try to identify trends through procedural or system failures, so others may avoid the same incidents and accidents. There is no embarrassment in reporting, asking for further assistance or simply chatting it over with your club safety Officer or a flying buddy, or if you prefer more centrally in confidence with Nick the CEO. It is appreciated that not everyone wants to return to flight after an accident, but if you do, then the NZHGPA is here to help work through what’s happened and assist where we can to get you airborne again.

If your wellbeing has been affected as a pilot or as a witness to an accident, then there is some useful information on the CAA Website for family and friends after an accident at; www.aviation. govt.nz/safety/safety-reporting/for-family-and-friends-after-an-accident/ .

Updates on the nZHGPA ‘global’ concession for public conservation (dOc) land

the NZHGPa is affiliated to the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand, who advocate on our behalf for amateur recreation on public conservation land.

In early 2020, NZHGPA and FMC jointly authored and submitted an application to DOC for a ‘global concession’ for NZHGPA Members. After much shadow boxing and deferring the task of actually processing it, we can finally report that DOC has assigned a senior staff member to get the process moving again. It was always going to be a long wait, but the ball is moving again. Thank you to FMC special-vice president Peter Wilson, who has been doing much of the legwork and follow up.

But why do we need a ‘global concession’? Technically, the Conservation Act requires the pilot of any aircraft to hold a ‘concession’ (permit) to take off or land on public conservation land. We’ve successfully argued that the black-andwhite definition of non-motorised hang gliders and paragliders as ‘aircraft’ is at odds with the guiding principles of the laws and management plans which encourage low-impact recreation.

So we’ve been taking off and landing without problems for decades, why does it matter now? When the Aoraki-National Park management plan came up for review in 2018, the draft document clearly signalled the intention to enforce that old, unworkable rule on free flight pilots. As other plans get updated, holding a global concession would stop us getting shut out of some of the most beautiful flying sites in NZ. Also, as pressure on sites and access continues to build, holding the concession gives us extra credibility as legitimate users of a place, and makes it that much harder to argue us away or restrict our sport. The NZHGPA’s affiliation to FMC has enabled us to access the expertise needed to apply for the global concession, and the political influence to ensure it keeps being processed, rather than remaining forever in the ‘too-hard basket’.

FMC has a quarterly print magazine, detailing its current advocacy battles, as well as news and articles from around the outdoor community. It also offers a discount card, with over 50 discounts, including 30% of the DOC Annual Hut pass.. As an affiliated organisation, NZHGPA members can get both posted to their home, for $20 a year. Visit www. fmc.org.nz/D2U to sign up. - Dan Clearwater

national Safety Officer

The NZHGPA is delighted to announce that Nina Harrap has stepped up into the role of National Safety Officer and it just so happened that the CEO Nick Taber (shaking Nina’s hand), and our Vice President Ian Manton, were in Nelson to welcome Nina on board. Nina will bring a unique enthusiasm to the role and looks forward to working with you all to improve the safety of our pilots.

Nina can be contacted on tel: 027 844 3904 email: safety@nzhgpa.org.nz

Gin Genie lite 3 Rescue deck Zipper

Routine inspections have revealed a small number of these optional add-on units have issues with the zipper that may cause difficulty in extracting the parachute. Owners should inspect their rescue deck prior to their next flight.

If the parachute can be extracted without difficulty the rescue deck is safe to fly with. If it cannot be extracted without difficulty, or you are unsure, visually inspect the two zipper boxes. If there is burring or the part is thickened it is defective – contact your GIN dealer for instructions.

Gin’s Safety Notice can be found at www. gingliders.com/pdf/safety-notice-2021-0304-gl3-rescue-deck.pdf - Gin Gliders, March 4th 2021

Icaro Gravis 1 Paraglider line shortening

It has been found that older Gravis 1 wings can suffer from a shortening of C and D lines, adversely changing take-off and flight characteristics including entering deep stall when using big ears.

As a precautionary measure, Icaro is ordering a check on all Gravis 1 gliders last inspected more than 12 months ago, or that have been flown for over 75 hours, or are displaying unusual behaviour such as deep stall and hanging back on launching.

These gliders must be checked by the manufacturer for possible line replacement, before being flown again. The Icaro Safety Notice is at www.bhpa.co.uk/documents/ safety/manufacturer_safety_notices - Ascent Paragliding, February 2nd 2021

Gin Genie lite 3 Rescue Handle Issue

Critical rescue handle difficulty.

Some models of the Genie Lite 3 harness have been noticed to have issues with the rescue handle. The plastic rods may have become thickened due to the sealing process in production. This may cause difficulty to extract the rescue [parachute].

If the plastic rods of your rescue handle are thickened and do not easily pull through the fabric tunnel, please do not use this harness until the handle has been modified.

The full notice and instructions can be downloaded at; www.gingliders.com/pdf/ safety-notice-2021-02-03.pdf - Gin Gliders 02/02/2021

sup air evo lite Harness Wear

Premature wear on lumbar adjustment.

Harnesses concerned: Evolite index A1 to A9.

We noticed possible premature wear on the lumbar comfort adjustment of the Evolite harnesses. Our EVO XC3 harnesses have the same adjustment system and we recommend that you follow the instructions at www. supair.com/document/information/Evo-Lite/ information-Evolite-EN.pdf

The structural strength of the harness is not affected. The eyelet that serves as a deflection point for the lumbar comfort/seat depth adjustment can damage the strap. This is mainly due to a very tight adjustment that takes up all of the pilot’s weight on this adjustment strap.

We recommend that you take care to adjust the seat depth within the limit of keeping the main strap under tension. The main strap should be under tension even after adjusting the setting.

For pilots who notice a weakness in the eyelet’s hold, we propose to send you a reinforcement kit to be fixed on the links. - Sup Air January 8th, 2021

a-Frame top Connection Bolt

The following notice also applies to other manufacturers gliders which use a similar A-frame top. The same problem has happened here in NZ. Legendary hang glider acro pilot John Heiney has been flying – and looping – his UP International Predator for 21 years. The official Guinness world record holder for consecutive loops (52) from 1988 to 1998 and four-time world aerobatic hang gliding champion, he issued the following safety note for his favourite wing.

My student Shawn and I set up at the E (Lake Elsinore CA). We were the only pilots flying that day. After Shawn launched and got up 1000’ over, I was alone at launch. I was hooked into the “Trapezoid Predator” and standing at launch when I remembered that I had intended to put my pocket camera in the holster on my harness. I hesitated at launch because I was ready to go and if I delayed, it might blow down (a not-uncommon occurrence at this launch site). I decided I wanted the camera. I backed off launch and started rotating the glider left so it wouldn’t blow over while I got the camera out of my car. When it was about 45 degrees to the wind, I felt a pop and set the

defective Maillon Rapide 8mm

Standard zinc plated steel EN 362/EN 12275

Ref. MRNZ08.0 CE EN

Facts; Customer report March 2021 on batch “A.19.04” Crack on surface of the rod.

Description; Defect detected at the opening the packaging. New product, never used.

Incident on people: none unique case.

Investigation in progress by us; Product accidentally cracked at the end of manufacture & not discarded.

Additional investigation to be carried out after receipt by Peguet Maillon Rapide of the part concerned.

How to proceed

Check the general aspect of any product corresponding to the above criteria.

Visual inspection before use, in accordance with the user’s instructions point N.2:

The user must perform before every use, visual checks (for corrosion, wearing, deformation), functional checks (of threads, etc.), along with checks for mark legibility. Extreme temperatures and the effects of chemical reagents, cuts and abrasions are all factors that could affect the performance of the equipment. Care should be taken during use, transport and storage. While in use, the nut must be correctly and completely screwed onto the thread with the appropriate tightening torque: no thread must be showing.

Notify us IMMEDIATELY of any product with a similar defect: peguet@peguet.fr, www. peguet.com

Peguet, the manufacturer of the famous Maillons Rapides, is committed to your safety.

We will be sure to keep you informed of the progress of this investigation.

At “apex” while looping down to the landing zone in the Lost River Valley after a thermalling flight off King

Mountain near Moore ID. Photo/pilot: John Heiney

glider down. It felt as though the left downtube had popped off the keel. How could this be? I looked and confirmed visually that indeed the top DT fitting had come off the control bar apex bolt and was pushing up against the sail!!!

I had believed since the TRX days that the control bar apex bolt was secure (once installed properly), since the top DT fittings were designed to “cage” the head of the bolt and the nut. There is no conceivable way that the nut could unscrew without rotating one of the fittings. It had just been demonstrated to me that I was wrong about this. I had been (just seconds before) standing at launch, ready to fly a glider that was about to fall apart. My desire to have the camera with me had delayed my flight just long enough to save me from a significant in-flight failure. It’s good to be lucky.

I opened my car, got out some tools and replaced the DT fitting and nut. As I tried to tighten the nut an extra turn, I found that the bolt was indeed rotating in the other DT fitting. As it turns out, during the 21 years I’ve flown this glider, the steel bolt head had worn the aluminium fitting enough to allow rotation. I put the downtube back on, put the camera in the holster (which incidentally, I did not use on this flight) and went flying.

I got up about 1500’ over in the recalcitrant thermals of the day, flew about 50 minutes, visited Bedrock and headed out to find Shawn in the LZ, who had soared an hour while I was repairing my glider and struggling to climb out. I had decided to play it conservative on this flight, so I did only one loop near the edge of the lake as I descended into the LZ. Shawn wondered why it had taken me a half hour to launch after he had departed the mountain. I told him my story as we folded our wings.

Hence forth, I shall check the control-bar apex nut during my pre-flight walk-around. One person foretold this issue. When Joe Greblo started selling Predators and Saturns some 20 years ago, one thing offended his sense of safety on our gliders. It was the fact that the control-bar apex bolt did not extend through the nylon insert in the nut. Joe was right. I was wrong.

Those of you who are still flying a TRX, XTR, XTC, Predator or Saturn, should check the apex nut in the left top downtube fitting during your pre-flight inspection to verify that the end of the bolt is in contact with the nylon insert in the nut. It need not be extending through the nut, just touching the nylon insert. No replacement of the fittings is necessary.

There is a simple fix that you can do to improve the security of your UP/Altair glider’s control bar apex bolt assembly. It is most easily done with the glider on the control bar, the wings spread and the nose lifted by a rope from above.

Procedure: Remove the left downtube from the top downtube fitting. Un-screw the nut by rotating the fitting. Remove the bolt from the keel while leaving it assembled in the right fitting. No need to disassemble the downtube, apex bolt or fitting on the right side. Reassemble without 2 of the 4 plastic washers (as shown in the diagram). This will allow enough space to tighten the nut 3 extra turns after the bolt end contacts the nylon insert in the lock-nut. Then, rotate the fitting (in either direction, whichever is shorter) until the fittings are aligned with each other and re-attach the downtube.

Even with this fix, I advise that we always check this nut in our pre-flight inspection.

I have always felt an obligation to continue to fly this glider regularly (in original configuration) so that if any problems with the design arise, they are likely to happen to me first. I am happy to report that I survived this issue. I have never replaced the bottom side wires on this glider because, I believe that the exceptional design of the corner fittings will allow no bending stress on the BS cables during set-up and fold-down. I have tested BS cables removed from our gliders after years of service. They all failed at higher than rated breaking strength.

If you have questions, call or E-mail me.

John Heiney 760-822-5667 hangglidingphotos@hotmail.com