USHGA Ground Skimmer November 1975

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EDITOR: Rich Grigsby LAYOUT & DESIGN: Mark Allison EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Sharon Grigsby

OFFICE STAFF MANAGER: Carol Velderrain Chon Aranda, Susan Mann, Ronda Leggett

USHGA OFFICERS PRESIDENT: Vern Roundtree VICE PRESIDENT: John Lake

GROUnD ,HlfflffllR mnGnz1n1

SECRETARY: John Harris

CONTENTS

TREASURER: Lloyd Licher

ISSUE NO. 34

USHGA REGIONAL DIRECTORS REGION 1: Vern Roundtree, Gil Dodgen.

REGION 2: l!ee Sterios, John Grace.

REGION 3: Lloyd Licher, Dan Poynter, John Lake, Chris Wills. REGION 4: Don Beuch.

REGION 5: Gary Osaba. REGION 6: Darryl Smith. REGION 7: Mike Ziaskas. REGION 8: Tom Peghiny, Dan Chapman. REGION 9: Vic Powell, Chuck Slusarczyk. REGION 10: John Harris. REGION 11: Dave Broyles.

DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE: REGION 1: Bill Johnson. REGION 3: Kaz Delisse. REGION 8: Al Mulazzi. REGION 9: Dennis Pagen.

REGION 10: Harry Robb. REGION 11: John White.

CONSUMER ADVISORY: GROUND SKIMMER and USHGA, Inc. do not endorse or take any responsibility for the products advertised or mentioned within these pages.

Please consult the HMA or pilots and dealers in your area.

GROUND SKIMMER is published for hang gliding sport enthusiasts to create further interest in the sport. be a means of open communication and to advance hang gliding methods and salety. Contributions are welcome. Anyone is invited to contribute articles, photos, and illustrations concerning hang gliding activities. If lhe material is to be returned, a stamped, self-addressed return envelope must be enclosed. GROUND SKIMMER reserves the right to edit contributions where necessary. The Associations and publication do not assume responsibility for the material or opinions ol contributors. The only form of monetary payment is $5 for the photograph or illustration that is used on the front cover.

GROUND SKIMMER is published monthly by the United Slates Hang Gliding Associalion, Inc. whose mailing address is P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, Calif.

90066 and whose offices are located at 11312Y2 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90066; telephone (213) 390-3065. Second-class postage is paid at Los Angeles, Calif. GROUND SKIMMER is printed by Sinclair Printing & Litho, Alhambra, Calif. Subscription is available only as part of membership in USHGA. a non-profit. member-controlled educational and scientific organization dedicated to exploring. all facets of fuel-less, self-launched ultralight flight. Membership is open to anyone interested in this realm of flight. Dues are $10 per year ($11 for foreign addresses) of which $4 are designated for subscription to GROUND SKIMMER. Changes of address should be sent six weeks in advance. including name, USHGA membership number, previous and new address, and a mailing label from a recent issue.

NOVEMBER, 1975

2.

ULTRALIGHT CONVERSATION

12.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS by Dan Poynter

14.

KEEL LAUNCH TEACHING by Doug Weeks Jr.

18.

HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH THE NEWEST FORM OF BIRD

by Stephan Mccarroll

24.

MORE ON DIVE RECOVERY by Hewitt Phillips

26.

WHIP STALLS, MY MOST MEMORABLE FLIGHT

by Dennis Pagen

27.

RAINBOW FLIGHT PARK by Ernest Morgan

28.

TOWLINE by Harry Robb

32.

HANG RATING PROGRAM

40.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

40.

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Dear "We won!!"

I'm sure that is a typical reaction to be recent news that the Department of Interior rescinded its regulation to ban hang gliding throughout the National Park System. Certainly we must all agree that it is gratifying to see that "the does work for the it is to public opinion. But DON'T BE MISLED. This battle was not won because we yelled louder than the other side about our "rights". It was won because hang glider enthusiasts can show themselves to be worthy of trust and responsibility.

IT'S A FL YING IS NOT A RIGHT PRIVILEGE. Let's all the decision on flying in National Parks for what it is; a challenge to show tt1at hang glider pilots are mature, and of carrying the responsibilities of participating in a potentially dangerous activity. If we prove to be equal to the challenge, we will be confronted with fewer such and potentially disasterous confrontations in the future.

was computed using a U.S. Geologic Survey Map (available from Trans-Pacific In· strument 1406 Colburn Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 for $3.50), it was found to be only 25.9 miles. How frustrating!

Dr. Harris' flight actually measures 25.3 miles the shortest distance between his starting and finishing points. His was, ina daring flight into a violent area never before flown by man. It gave others of us the confidence to fly th(1re ourselves. the proof required for record flights by the F.A.I. or S.S.A. members isn't that extreme for us. Sealed barographs and cameras only weigh a couple of pounds.

Official observers would also be easy to obtain if they could also be drawn from USHGA members Ill and up?). And, to the point of this letter, these observers could simply enough locate the geographic coordinates of the flight in order to accurate I y determine the true distance traversed.

Bruce Morton Honolulu, Hawaii

Rick Anderson San Mateo, Calif.

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Dear Editor, In view of our corning of age as an international sport by linking with the Federation Aeronatique lntmnational (F.AI.), as is our sister organization the of supportAmerica (S.S.A.), I write this ing better documentation of our record flights. These excellent and exciting feats of skill, courage, and sometimes luck could become officially with only a little more care and planning.

As a case in point regarding why this is necessary, recently in Hawaii Bob Wills exceeded the 27 mile unofficial world distance mark of Bill Harris (Ground Skimmer, ,July, 1975) by 0.6 mile. Yet when Wills' distance

In the November issue of Illusthere an article on Hang Gliding which an inaccurate and slanted view of our sport. Robert V. Wills, chairman of the Accident Review wrote a letter to the editor of Illustrated his views about the article. He wanted us to share it with GS readers.

Ed. Gentlemen: The abbreviated on hang gliding by Bruce Newman in the November 24 issue comes as a bitter disappointment, not sb much because it condemns the as risky Newman is entitled to his opinion but because the article ror>rt><,t>nt<: tinny Journalism unworthy of Anyone near the will exactly what (continued on page 4)

NOVEMBER, 1975

ULTRALIGHT CONVERSATION (cont.)

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Newman did in putting his together: he gathered his basic theme from several and then critics on the periphery of the did all his research from the end of a phone on Manhattan Island. I as the of two long distance phone calls from both of which Newman and an were clearly a waste of time in terms of educating a to the I have no with anyone who wishes to hang gliding as a high risk sport. As Chairman of the Accident Review Board for the National I think I have seen as much evidence of its as anyone. But I cle in a of your stature where the author obviously learned nothing about his subject that he couldn't learn on the end of a telephone and where he includes only token rebuttal to his basic that the sport is both and the victim of careless manufacturers.

I personally wonder if Newman has ever even witnessed hang gliding or spoken to an expert flier. He advised me by phone last summer that his article would cover the Third U.S. Nationals in the which it did not. I supplied him with considerable rebuttal to the pot shots fired at the sport by such outsiders as Jack Haberstroh, an individual who teaches in a state college but crusades relentlessly hang gliding for reasons best known to him.

He quotes an accident victim as a critic of kite manufacturers, without uncovering the fact that his had and repaired his kite himself, prior to the accident.

Newman makes a t1eavy case kite manufacturers and their lack of nl"<>rtir,n that they have perhaps a selfish interest in accident abatement than anyone else except the fliers. Hi~ the published fact that no serious injury has occurred during thousands of flights under controlled conditions during the first three national tions in hang gliding ... Likewise the statis· tics I furnished him which tend to show a leveling off of fatalities in 1975.

On the technical side, Newman's lem is not so much bias as of kites staying up for hours in ther· mals, when he obviously should be talking

about ridge lift, a completely different conHe cites a critic who "worked on the Rogallo for NASA from 1960 to 1964," and who condemns "the ubiquitous Rogallo wing" as "inherently unstable, a death" Even that his source did checked work with Dr. rlogallo, a fact on Mr. Newman's handy telephone, there is practically no similarity between the current ,,,,,,a,cmrm of kites and the basic Rogallo tested by NASA in the early Sixties. Counting the bamboo and plastic home-built models as the first generation four or five years ago, the flying at the best flying sites all over the world today are (~ither fourth or fifth kites which most of the critics named by Newman would know nothing about. The descriptions of kite in the article betray Newman's sources as non-fliers.

In positioning his case against hang gliding, Newman could at least have read some of the ample literature available to him and talked to a few fliers. He could also have gotten authentic and objective information from the non flying, non· manufacturing President of the USHGA, Mr. Lloyd Licher. The contents of his article tell me that he almost certainly did none of these. His article indicates that he initially adopted the position of certain outside critics of the and then used HMA President, Peter Brock, as the sole spokesman for the and the kite manufacturers. In my journalism class he a good, solid "for both bias and of his submatter. His theme was worthy. His execution was shoddy. And t1is integrity was uc;;1Jc«ci"''"'· if my two interviews concerning the article were any indication. As far as I can tell, he used no data from within the unless it served his thesis.

Robert V. Wills

Dear Before we know it, the 1976 Nationals will be upon us. Here are some ideas to help make the contest fairer and run more smoothly: 1) There must be at least ten flights.

2) Th(~ task must be announced when the site is announced.

3) The results must be sent to every entrant within 30 4) The results must be sent to a list of (continued on page 6)

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ULTRALIGHT CONVERSATION Icont.) publications provided by the USHGA. 5) The results must include every flight of every contestant.

6) In order that the judges and contestants can get warmed up, the first day will be scored but will not count towards the championships.

7) No one will be eliminated from the contest; all flyers will make all ten flights.

8) The winner of each day or groups of flights will be awarded 1000 points.

9) Each group of flights must take place in one day.

10) There will be no more than 20 per class no more than three classes.

11) To qualify for entry into the Nationals, a flyer must have placed in the top 5 in the class the year before or have qualified in a USHGA sanctioned meet.

12) A grandfather clause will apply this year with USHGA recognizing certain meets in the but in the future only contests that meet the following requirements will be aca) The results must be sent out to every contestant and to a list of publications provided by USHGA. b) The results must include every

flight of the top 30 contestants. c) 5 flights must have counted to· wards the championships. d) USHGA will have nothing to do with the rules.

No more tnan 9 contests will count towards qualification, with no more than 3 being in the same year.

Points will be divided by the number of years are old.

14) Points will be awarded only for the first thme as following: 1st 5 points 2nd 3 points 3rd 1 point 15) Due to the fact that classes from y<:1ar to year, the qualification points will count for whatever class a pilot wishes to enter. But if a pilot who scored in the top 5 of last Nationals wishes to classes, his score will be computed as per #14 and his placement in the last Nationals will count as one contest. the top in all 3 clas(That ses from taking 15 spaC(?S in the Open 16) All entrants will be on a list according to their point totals, and will be to the class of their choice until that class is filled. Then 2nd choices will bf) filled. So, if the Unassisted Open in the most popu ..·

might not have to fly in it, but will have to fly in another class.

17) All entrants must enter 60 days before the meet and must be informed of their class and number 30 before the me<:)t. There will be no kind of list or substitute 18) The reference date will be the first

that scomd flying is to begin.

Chris Price Tustin, California

Dear Editor, Don Dedera's article in the Se1pte1mb,er '75 issue, "Watching the World's Newest Bird," was outstanding! His keen observa .. lions the reluctance to this because of it's "non·traditional" nature is hopefully falling by the wa,ts1c1e with the national park decision. of casualties ... it As for the should be noted that the of hang gliding has a helluva better track record than a more 'traditional' American endeavor running for President! ,John C. ,Jr. Randolph, Mass.

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While the present generation of hanggliders are offering a new dimension in there is one thing most of them don't give you much of - SPEED. If you have ever been caught in a strong headwind and as up you see your glider still hovering over an undesirable area you must agree that an abundance mean added safety. - --------The Electra Flyer Cirrus offers an abundance of because it has an abundance of speed. We have heard claims of incredible speeds made by some manufacturers and found them to be largely in error, but the Cirrus does: have the we claim - 50 plus. Not only will the Cirrus go amazingly fast but also go slow. and landing speeds are slow and with its super sink rate and hig,.11 ratio the Cirrus can soar in very light winds. Without the tip inertia by squared off truncated) tips, the pitch and roll response of the Cirrus is quick and nimble.

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This is a rnagazino quote about Chuck Nyland and his Paciiic Gull HA-19 glider at the USHGA Nationals '74 in December. Chuck has been flyinq only u year and half, yet he placed 4th over a field of 150 of tho nation's top pilots. Chuck said his glider ullowed him to be the only production glider to rnake the rnaxirnurn distance pylon and back to tbe bull's··OYO. For beginner m· expert, the HA Series (HA-18, HA-19, HA .. 20) is dosigned to provide oasy docile flight, excoptional maneuverability, soarability in minimal conditions, a glido rntio of 6: 1, and the fastest set-up glider available, utilizing our exclusive pat. pend frame configuration. The most beautiful trouble free glider made--ask our customers!

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I Herbert Sfollinger of Salzburg has modified a reserve pi:!1·c1t;r1u1Lt: measuring 48 square meters (about 516 sq ft or 26' in dia.). It is worn on the back and the riser leads to the heart bolt area of the altitude glider. Total weight is 4.5 Kg (just under 1O lbs). requirements depend upon speed and direction of the glider at the time of activation but Stollinger recommends 50m (1 It is interesting to note that the parachute the glider nose down initially but that the glider begins flying trailing the canopy; the remainder of the flight is at 45 de!Jrees.

HelJert Stollinger

1.

2.

5.

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12

photos by Fritz Kurz

It has been mentioned on occasion that keel launching new flyers constitutes surrogate teach· ing; though generally instructors place great value on the keel launch as a means of preserv· ing safety and "instructor control" during first lessons.

The keel launch, as most are aware, is an assisted kite launch involving two people: the pilot and a companion, or "keel man". Basically the pilot does his regular job of supporting and guiding the kite during take-off, while the "keel man" runs behind holding the tip of the keel, directing and/or adding energy lo the launch. I say "directing and/or adding energy" because this type of assist is useful for both, and some· times in combination. In the typical instructional sense, a teacher can use his arm and body movements to insure that during the take-off run, the nose of the kite remains at the proper angle of attack and facing into the wind. This, of course, is particularly useful during first lessons in which

14

students are not yet used to the control movements needed to manage the large and unwieldly hang glider. A keel launch instructor can launch and float a student a few feet:olf Ille ground while compensating for student errors and shifts in wind direction and velocity. The aware instructor can, at the same time, observe the students' control movements and give in· structions right through to a sale stand-up land· ing; all under complete control of the instructor.

Adding energy (speecl) to a launch is sometimes necessary with recalcitrant students who haven't quite developed the faith that the kite will support itself after a few running steps. This aspect will be covered to a greater extent further on.

Although this discussion is oriented toward instruction, it is only fair to mention that the "energy adding keel launch" Is a real aide for seasoned flyers launching from difficult spots (not unusual in New England). An keel man can slingshot a buddy into the upper component

when he otherwise would have ended up in the trees in front of a semi-conveniently placed clearing.

Let's take a first day lesson with your student of typical ability and drive. Here we will look particularly at some methods and techniques which can: 1) give the instructor superior control over the critical points of the first flights, thus insuring safety.

2) allow the student to become familiar with the phenomenon of flights without subjecting himself to the consequences of his own errors.

In the interests of brevity, it is necessary to avoid any large discussions of familiarizing the student with the dynamics of handling the kite and becoming accustomed to its bulk and weight; except to say that a ground handling session is important and that one should start on an incline rather than the flat in

NOVEMBER, 1975

order to more easily imbue the student with the idea of running downhill After a sufficient ground and kite float· session, there comes a point at which the student must be hooked into the kite in order to progress further. It is at this juncture that the physical control which an instructor can ext,rcise over the lesson becomes important The student is attm:hed to his flying machine and because he doesn't yet know much about control, he can put himself in some pre0tty compromising situations.

From now on the instructor should never be so far away from the kite that he can't get to it if something should go wrong. we will assumB two For the sake of things.

1) We are teaching seated flying.

2) The student has one hand on the lower (control bar) and the other on one of the This is based on the con· is is better to hold the kite higl1 and "fly it" through the take-off and that it eliminates the incidence lracturns of the arms which seem to occur when students are taught to both hands on the upright become as accustomed as possible to the "feel" of the kite and therefore once he learns to lift and hold it properly he should be allowed to do it on his own. To this end, when preparing for the first "hooked in" run allow the flyer to lilt and position the machine himself.

While holding it on his shoulders he should be checking the wind conditions and compensating for changes in direction, velocity, etc. Whc~n take-off time is at hand the instructor should grasp the keel tip firmly but without throwing things out of balance. His hand (on the keel) should be positioned off to !he side of his head and slightly above shoulder level. This is in consideration of the instructor's health as I almost lost an eye when a keel, which was directly in front of my face stopped suddenly. By this time have explained ex· the instructor should actly what they are going to do and what he is abl,i to do in terms of controlling the kite.

cretion as well as raise and lower the nose enough to achieve proper flight trim. HH should float the student a good way down the hill and land him gently either by slowing down (such will be the case in a 5-1 0 mph breew) or by pushing down hard on the tail and stalling the kite.

Example, "What we to do is very simple and l<ite as you are, (i.e. one the upright and one on the lower bar and the l<ite the thehill. We

to be on the /<eel altitude proper and the wind.

We'll float few feet down the hill, land you get ready for another shot."

This of course is not very coloquial but it serves the purpose as an example. As the run begins and the kite floats its weight the instructor may "jack" Hu~ nose up and add the energy required to get the student off the ground. (In the case of the back-pedaling student it will be necessary to push fairly hard to gain the speed for take-off). Once the student is off the ground the instructor can add or bleed off at his dis..

GROUND SKIMMEF~

good kool launch instructor can launch and float student a few feet off the ground while cornpens11t..

Ing !or student errors and shifts In wind direction and velocity.

runs will be more aggressive as the student recognizes the fact that the kite will carry his weight and that he need not worry about falling.

Therein lies the reason for using this method of slow start keel launching. Non-flyers are not

generally accustomed to running fast down a hill with or without a kite (try it without one) but they can by gradual progression become used to the idea. RE1member that an instructor's job is also to build confidence. Fewer students are acquainted with the three-dimensional situation called flight so the sooner and morn frequently the phenomenon is felt the more rapidly he will settlH down and bHgin to think his way through flights.

NHedless to say the beginning of !hougr1t heralds the beginning of control.

So we've gotten things off the ground; let's take a look at some of the things which could, and will, happen on the first and subsequent runs and discuss the types of control the instructor has and what he can do to achieve a safe and prog .. ressive first lesson.

When dealing with a student who balks or back .. pedals there are two things to remember; one, his confidence must be built up; and two, he needs to be pushed. As previously mentioned, a keel launching instructor can push the student, literally and figuratively, into the air. Once th(, and the teacher notices this take .. off run back pedaling tendency he should increase his speed and push firmly forward on the keel forcing the student to increase his own speed. A few loudly shouted orders provide good additional stimulus. Occasionally you will encounter one who at this point will just drag his feet (either giving up or not being able to maintain even this low In this case the instructor's work is cut out because he will literally have to "jack" the student into the sky by pushing down (increasing angle of attack) on the keel and forward as hard as he can. He must continue this until the student is clear of the ground and an efli· cient flight Now he can decrease the angle of attack by allowing the tail to rise and begin to float the student down the rest of the incline. "Nothing succeeds like success" and flight, however short or wobbly, on the first at· tempt will help increase confidence and the de· sire to succeed further.

Once in a while a student will retract his gear just as he reaches the steepest part of the after an aggressive initial run. I find that this usually happens when the student feels a tug of "lift" as he crests the incline. This "lift" can be called false,lift as it is not sufficient to induce flight; rather it is a manifestation of the more vertical air encountered at this point on the hill and an indication that with tile increase in down· ward motion the sink rate of the machine is being reached. When this occurs, again push down and forward on the keel until flight speed is reached. If an instructor doesn't add this energy and direction more often than not the student will sink rapidly into butt-first, sliding landing at fractions of a mile an This can be injurious and frustrating (mostly the latter). The first time this happens should be the last; help things out by explaining "false lift" and telling the student to read that tug as a signal which says "Run faster and you're off!"

Then there is the student who will "stiff.arm" or push the bar all the way out This appears to be nervous reaction more than anything else and is fairly easily dealt with. When an instructor ob· serves this phenomena his job is to cause flight

15

by !or the student·induced stall condition, A stalled kite needs to be pushed through the air in order to stay aloft so adding energy by pushing is the first step, After making sure that fligtl! speed is attained he should ele· vale the keeL This will take some strength be· cause he will be lifting a portion of the flyer's weight As all this is going on the instructor can make things easier on yelling "Pull in!"

However, it usually takes about seconds for the sound to travel the 8 or so feet from the instructor's mouth to the student's agitated brain, So in spite of the shouted orders the teacher must still do his keel work, On the end of this spectrum is the student who clutches the bar to him, pulling his weight forward, If this is allowed to freely it will end in ttiat severe nose·down "stunch" we are all familiar with, It seems that this "clutching" is reaction to; shall we call it fear of falling? At any rate it must be compensated !or by downward pressure on the keel; so as the instructor runs down the incline he must pull the keel down (increase angle of attack) and continue forward pressure in order to maintain As always, shouted orders, in this case "Push out!", will help the situation, to see how By this time you are judiciously applied influence on the keel will aid in safely getting students off the ground and keeping them there for short flight primarily to increase confidence and accustom them to !htJ idea of being airborne, With this confidence stu" d~mts will become more aggressive in their take, offs and consequently sustain flight !or greater periods of time, However, the fact that a can get off the ground fairly well doesn't necessarily mean he is in full control of his flight On U1e contrary, there are many who will b(e immediately :am1rA,~;:a11m and co"operative on take off but once up will space out and consequently require 1t1e instructor's help to keep thEim airborne and saf~,, This allows us to enter more complicated realm of keel launch practice, In places where instructors don't have the advantage of flawless sea breezes it seems that no matter how carefully we observe and check our conditions occasionly something funky will pen while is in the air on one of his first attempts at flight A straight on increase in wind velocity (therefore lift) will lift a student to al· titudes to which our arms will not grow, while a change in direction will roll them into a 20°.:30'' banking turn, Both of these can (and most prob" ably will) end in a healthy crash followed by an awkward silence during which the instructor hopes the student is merely resting, in health, under the kite, In the case of the former there is no easy solution, If the student has reached take-off vel· ocity and is airborne and he is struck by a straight up increase in wind velocity he will go up, ence shows that if the instructor holds on to the keel the kite will enter high or deep stall (even if the instructor stops and one of two things can of this nature are at times short-lived in which case the whole affair will rapidly to the ground, or they sustain in which case the student and kite will be blown backwards over the instructor who numbly

16

watches and maintains his grasp on tbe keeL It may be difficult to accept but again experience has shown that is is better to let go of the keel before the stall point is reached, This allows the kite to remain in a controllable flight profile (albeit with a bit more than the desired altitude) and more effectively frees the instructor to run di· rectly under the flyer, match speeds, and get ready to catc:h falling students or regain the keel for continued control once the altitude is again reasonable, Yes, tl1at did say "catch falling stu· dc:ints" for more than once this instructor has actually caught students parachuting, diving or sliding in from i 5 feet or so. This may seem a little wild but nobody has been hurt in tbis situation and that is part of the instructor's job, A little less radical situation is that in which tbe student, either during take-,off, in flight or a landing, is rolled out into a turn by a change in wind direction, In cases of small ct1anges only a sbarp movement of the "keel arm" to one side or the other will correct the rolL When a bank of about 10"-15° is precipitated it will be necessary to run

We have discussed some of the techniques by which have been employed very tr1e keel launch metbod, These, instructors however, serve only as an example of what can be accomplished when the method is used effec" lively by an active, aware teacher, A couple of other thougt1ts exist wl1ich should be brought up, Keel launching can become a surrogate method if an instructor constantly exerts total pbysical control over the glider. In fact he can control it to the point that the student never really gets the feel of the kite, Thus it is extremely important to allow thfl student to take more and more control over the kite so that he continues to progress, As the lesson goes on less time will be spent bolding the keel, less pressure will be exerted and finally no pressure at all when the student finally and naturally grasps take off and flight dynamics, Th(~re is an exercise which will help instructor~ new to keel launching get the feel of the sub" tleties and special touches required by this method,

to the side, tt1us turning the nose into the wimt In more extreme casc,s it will be necessary to throw the keel to the sid,, with force, This requires letting go, The result will be rapid skidding turn into the wind which should correct the situation, Instructors must keep in mind that if the left wing rises he must take the keel to the if the right wing rises the keel must go to the left, This and only this will keep the nose into the wind and the kite leveL The student will generbecause he is not yet versed in lateral control, pendulum to the low side of the control bar thus aggravating the situation, If the instructor does not take corrective action the result will be a leading edge crash, Need more be said?

Final notes concerning landing should stress that the student must land on his feet Once in a while a student will choose lo "jackknife" his into a straight-legged siting position, This exposes the coccyx (tail bone) to possible injury if it is a landing, The instructor should stop forward motion and try to increase altitude minutely by pushing down hard on the keel, even throwing it down in the of no wind in the LZ, during this process This should the yell "On your feet!" student the opportunity to get his feet under him; at the very least it will slow things down enough to minimize the risk of injury,

Face an empty into the wind on the control bar. Grasp the tail of the keel and raise the nose until the sail is exactly parallel to the flow of air, When ready to launch simply thrust the tail down and forward, This rapid change of angle of attack combined with the forward movement will levitate the kite a couple of inches, When the kite lifts move forward more until it is floating with the bar several feet off the trot or walk along ground, Once it in wind di· behind It rection and velocity, Try to land it softly on the control bar. You will find that it is a lot like balanc" ing a broom stick on your index finger. Re· member that an unloaded kite will fly with about 5 mph airspeed so don't make the mistake of run· ning into breeze ancl it flip over back· wards, A little bit qi practice at this will not only show an instructor just how much control can be achieved but also how to achieve this control.

Be it surrogate or not in the eyes of some, properly used keel launch techniques can rnirnimize and increase progress during wbicb the student is at the for mercy of an instructor's experience, the sport, and desire to properly introduce the student lo flight This writer wishes he bad bad the advantage of being taught by good keel launching instructor,

1975

I

Photo by Carol Prico

NOVEMBER, 1975

for national The ups and downs of his career have included three years of

him to camera stations far out on the steel skeletons of He once the mast of a schooner to shoot a bikini-clad model on deck. To illustrate some 20 books for Time·Life and he has traveled the nation from coast to coast. with a cardboard boy, McCarroll went on to <,l',fl/111,/1/AJ:IY.<, at

Barbara.

McCarroll's latest in the new book Northland Press.

Don Dec/era

GROUND SKIMMER

gliding photography has a lot in common with bird photography, and the results often are similar: there are an awful lot of with birds in them, but rc~latively From my point of view, few gliding photos are as and beautiful as the itself. In four years of literally tens of thousands of I've kept 5,000 color cies in my file, but only 2,000 are what I'd class as quality. Maybe my professional would throw out some of those!

Anyway, I've really been into the both as a pilot and as a sometimes simultaneously. To me the combination is more than making a living.

It's become a way of life: kites and Nikons.

So from my dual involvement, for what it's worth, here's some advice to the advanced amateur or uninitiated commercial who wants to take better flying.

Of course, camera choice often

on a pocketbook, but since I'm pro, 1 tell myself I can afford the 35 mm Nikon It's relatively heavy, but quality, dependable and super versatile.

The lenses are of the quickly important for fast action.

Mostly I shoot the 20 mm, 200 mm and 500 mm mirror telephoto lenses. My next choices in sameras would be the new Olympus OM 1, or Canon. Whatever the viewfinder camera, it should have a that displays the action in the direction it actually occurs. Those twin lens reflexes with the backward on the ground will leave you pointing one way, while a kite goes For format (which editors sometimes demand) I carry Mamiya RB67 2V4 X 31/4.

Since kite photography intimately explores the sky, sunshades are essential to control flare. I equip all my lenses with dust off Nikon A2 nearly clear filters to the lens and lend a slight warming 19

or U·V filters also are to the color. recommended and remember to brust1 away dust that can rob your lens of ness. all my career I've gone for Since in the unusual, I'm often to camera stations. Instead of the crowd, I might put the crowd in the background. A deal of far-out

The workhorse black-and-white film for action is Kodak's plenty fast at ASA 400. But usual, film means For results for big blow-ups, Plus-X and Panatomic-X can be useful with ASA's of 125 and :12. When I want the effects of extreme I shoot film, available at with film of ASA ·1,000 to 10,000.

work wonders witt1 black-andfilter will somewhat darken a

Another excellent color film is the new Kodachrom<~ which I find tends to enhance red tones.

High Ektachrome is a definite no-no, unless you like sort of When color, for I use a screen filter which nn1,u,·,oc light It can a blue enrich the tones of and reduce rEiflections. Since this lens lot of light, you lose so you must open your about two f. or shoot slower. In such condi· tions, a tripod might let you choose a shutter slower than that which can be held by hand.

an ultra-slow shutter to 1/30th of a second with f.

When this is your game, the closer you are to the the more radical the effects will be. Wild can be created in the darkroom, too, but that's another Light is the basis of many fail to study light. From 10 a.m. to p.m. most are taken weather. when the sun is higt1 in n1at's when I stash my gear. The light for most colorful exists from sunrise to midmorning and from midafternoon to sunset. A lot of believe they the sun at their back; my rule is should to avoid that I'll the sun in the center a kite for a "sunburst" effect (if the to tell him to a route that will his shadow right on you).

Less extreme will brighten sails more than flat, direct lighting. And don't do what your built-in light meter tells you about exposure. iment with a half or whole over or under You might ruin some the meter but the may be your own with There's another rule I break. When bad weather sends most for cover, that's when I head for or Palomar or Saddleback. Rain seems to make nn,~T~~VM

me anticior wait for swirl of dust to indicate the action of a land-

20

1975

fusion. This is best shootwith thE~ action at a right you. It's one artistic effect that can be achieved with almost any camera···· even those with fixed lenses.

Nothing much as a r.n11ni:1rnl111A pilot. prearrangement I had Burke whipstalls, wir1nn11t>1·~ and other advanced maneuvers right in front of me. I knew where he was to bEl and when, so I could pre-set all the data of focus. That's to do with blinds and feeders. We're The world's newest bird can talk.

That's how, with much conservation, I obtained some series of formation flying at Palomar all the way down from launch to motor·

and installation. Adding a no:se~ila1:e or wingtip clar1qe,roL1s1y out of balance.

With the camera on the nose, you need a in order to put the nose down. The adds more at My rnett10d has beEm a the or keel. This is no business for mounting and electric control wires. Remember that nA1rtn1-rm4nr,A of kite can be altered by and All the factors to into the camera launch, which means tt1at some frames will suffer from poor exposure when the light is too much too little.

What sport attracts more spectators and friends? To fill out my slide shows and I tum my cameras on Uie followers of gliding.

in and assistants can relieve flying sequ· ences, and interest to

walk away from a bad or even dented camera. But I've seen some inconsiderate of in up the GROUND SKIMMEF~

areas where

concentration is

Ph,oto,gr11p~1y should never add a hazard to the span, and sometimes it can reveal aspects of l<ite deOnce I made series of an mental kite in flight tests. Later the p1c1turEis showed uns and sail creases manufacturer's his Here, I refer to still photography.

Movies are useful for sm"1"~1r,n flight test of new models.

Whatever your photographic interest in glidin\J, try to have fun at it, because ""'"c:nn,,1 satisfaction likely will be your only reward. The markets for of our nor wedH:tevelo,ped. sport am neither I've sold some to a few national m,1qEtzir1es and such as San Francisco sp1ree1ds in Smithsonian, Time, P/;1vhr,v and the AMA Journal, but the consumer will use one story about a activity sud1 as and not want another for sev-· eral years.

So if I had to solely upon hang photography for an income, I'd have starved long ago. It's said that financially, is chicken one week, and feathers the next. But I'm afraid at this stage of gliding, the photography pays in feathers.

In a previous wind-tunnel data on the longitudinal characteristics of a conventional Rogallo configuration were used to pre· diet the during recovery from a vertical dive. HP.,r:nw11rv from a zero-lift vertical dive with no initial pitching velocity was shown to start in the correct direction. The possibility was pointed out, however, that a nose··down, or pitching velocity dur·· ing the dive would cause the to pitch over onto its back.

Since the article several accident as well comments by have indicated that the condition of nose-down pitching velocity may well be more common than originally anticipated. Such a situation may readily occur followin~J whip-stall, which is one of the maneuvers likely to lead to a steep dive. In order to investigate this condition, some have been calculated, using the same and computer program as were used previously, but with various values of nose-down pitching velocity at the start of the maneuver. The previous article presents the characteristics of the that were assumed and discusses the variation of center-of-gravity position with pitch angle that was to simulate the pilot's action in providin!J a pullout from a dive into a glide.

Although the computer prooram is based on the assumption that the distance of the pilot below the keel remains constant throu(Jh· out the maneuver, any existing type of tlarness will allow ttle body to be thrown into the canopy wit1"1 the onset of ne!::iat1ve acceleration. Such a condition would result in loss of control as well as probable of the g condition. Some accident reports state also that the of the pilot's body buckled the keel, resulting in structural failure. The variation of acceleration must therefore be examined in any recovery tory. The appearance of a value of g means an unsuc· cessful at recovery, even though the subsequent trajectory assumin!J the pilot's body to be fixf)d in its normal location may indicate a pullout Typical from a vertical dive, with a velocity of 20 feet per second, an and various values of pitctling velocity, are shown in 1, 2, and 3. In 1, the damping in pitch parameter, is assumed to tlave its normal value througtiout the t11ou!Jh the canopy may be in a luffing condition when the of attack is near zeiro.

Little enough is known about the value of Cmq for a Rogallo wing in the inflated condition, but nothing is known about this parameter in the luffing condition. SincE, the fabric cannot sustain much air load in this condition, however, the value of would be exr)ected to be reduced. In figure the value of Crnq was assumed to be one-half its normal value between of attack of -15° and 15°. In 3, the value of Crnq was assumed to be zero between these same limits. As stiown on the the initial pitching velocity to cause ttle !)lider to go over onto its back was ·30 per second with the normal value of but only -15 per second with the ·1alue of zero in the luffing range.

An insioht into these results may be obtained by the variations of of attack with time during ttlese pullouts, shown in figure 4. A few of attack is to develop the pitching moment that causes the over onto its back. With a normal value of pitching velocity may damp out before unstable region. With the value of C,rnq reduced to one-half or zero, however, the same pitching velocity may carry the !Jlider through onto its back.

24

Finally, on ttle variations of acceleration normal to the flight path are plotted. To a close this is also equal to ttle component of acceleration normal to the keel. This fioure stiows that every case in whictl ttle !Jlidc1r goes ttirougti ttle vertical with some pitching results in a of ne1::iat1ve g. As a rc:.isult, all such cases must be considered to represent unsuccessful recoveries.

These calculations further of any maneuver, such as a wt1ip-stall, which may the !Jlicfor in a nearvertical attitude. Further information on suct1 maneuvers would certainly be desirable, but it should not be obtained by flight exmu·irrn:rnt.Rtir1n on full-scale Some additional static and dynamic wind-tunnel tests by calculations, or tests of radio-controlled models, would be desirable means for studying tt1ese maneuvers.

IIOR. OISTIIHtr, Ff

INITIAL PLTCIHNG VELOCITY, DEG/SIC

Div,e-re,co11ery trajiictories with various initial pitching velocities. analo··ot-atitacK range.

rr

HUR. 0I5TRNC£,

PITCHING VELOCITY, DEG/SEC

Dive-recovery trajectories with various'initial its normal value for angles of attack betwe1~n

llllll.

Ff

PITCHING VELOCITY, DEG/SEC

IO

PITCHING V[LOCITY, DEG/SfC

Cor

lctl

< ·1 r;o lO

TIME,

We also ofter personal on sand dunes. guide you into the sky with care and teach you as much can from our combined flying experience. Please write or call us for more information.

< I

FLIGHT REAL.IT! ES

298-1962

1945-CAdarns Avenue San CA 92116 Figure

Variations of angle of attack witll limn.

El

1. 11EIAIIV[WD1ll<

? 21iMAN STAil

J SWISSJ\LPS

B SKY SAl[OllS

U. EINAr APPROACH

11 SIJAHING Ill & WI

11 S[(JIJENTIAf llW

PITCHING VELOCITY, DEG/SEC

TIME,

4 la[ <

TIME,

Variations of nonnal acceleration with timn.

GROUND SKIMMER

JO. INfOTH[SUN

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MY MOST M is Unfortunately, the memory isn't a ant one. However, I would like to share my that it experience with the reader in will prevent others from a similar fate. It started with a whip stall and deteriorated into a certain death dive. I'm still t1ere to write about it, so let's explore the details and find out why.

It all several months ago, when full of confidence in my glider and my ability, I tried my first intentional stall. What a rush as the air got dead then the glider nosed down and picked up The pull out was positive and exhilarating as the forces built up. Naturally, the first few were gentle with plenty of altitude, but soon I was going more radical, with more initial and more push out, until I reached quite angles of attack with tail slide. Everything was fine I felt, the kite always responded immediately with no problem. I must have tried close to fifty stalls of varying de11reE~s before the last impressive one.

My impression was left at Mittersill Ski Area, New Hampshire, late July, 1975. I was competing in the World Cup qualifying meet and had done reasonably well in the first day duration/spot event. I had accumulated the third highest time, but although I hit the bullseye, I had dropped my control bar and received no spot points. Hence, I was determined to do well in the next day's event It is with this attitude that I rode up the chair lift with Jim Hutchins at 6:00 for a practice flight. We discussed what we would do, and I thought that since everyone would be doing 360's, a wingover or whip stall would perhaps catch the judges eye. I then planned to go from a whip stall into a combination of 360's, to the spot landing.

Several pilots were at the top when we arrived and we set up in line. Jim was before me, so when it was his tum to go he negotiated the tricky launch and flew out of sight (the take off was narrow, tree lined with a crosswind and the landing was around the mountain). When it was my turn quite a while since the to go, I conditions worse and the last thing I wanted to do was bend a tube in the middle of competition. Finally things mellowed out, and I scrambled out of the slot. I had carefully planned my flight, and since the leg to the landing was downwind, I did about a 45 degree tum to head into the wind just the landing zone. I remember having plenty of altitude, and thought I would do a whip stall then perhaps a couple of 360's

26

before up my I pulled in on the control bar. The dive was normal and I pushed full out (prone position). The nose rose sharply. I was on my way up, nArnaris 3/4 vertical when I knew something was wrong. In an instant, I was nose up vertical and starting to tail slide. My reaction was to pull in quickly (actually, I was in the process of doing this before I was vertical, but it happened so suddenly that my pull in wasn't effective until I was tail sliding). The glider immediately whipped 180 to a nose down dive and I was just going for the ride. Observers estimate that I accelerated to about 60 mph in the distance of about 100 ft. I have a couple of distinct memories from that instance. and incap~lble First I recall how was any control in that situation.

I could feel no bar pressure and am convinced that my full out push was useless. My second thought was one of curious detachment, realizing I was dead and thinking how strange it was to end this way. Suddenly, the nose tucked under, and the thought raced through my mind that I could pull it on around, but the tremendous forces created by the sudden inversion buckled the king post and ::;u1J::;t14ut:1r11Jy snapped the cross bar (the king .049 I now use .083). I was on kite in sail and watching the clouds spin. I was on my back and my arms and legs to help slow the descent.

I remember hoping to hit the trees (I was a couple hundred feet up), but I bounced off the hard parking lot.

Jim and many others ran to help me anti I had an agonizing wait for the ambulance as I took stock of my injuries. My upper was hardly bruised (I had no head injuries was wearing a helmet).

My hips and both were in pain, but only the right upper femur, coccyx and left ischium were broken. The most in subsequent recuperation was from internal and muscular bruises, as my seat hit first. I feel my bikini harness which I had well tightened may have been a factor in ing my hips from I'm still on crutches, and probably won't be flying for another month (Nov.), so I have had plenty of time to reflect on some of the important points. Let me review them.

I didn't tiavei time to do any radical movements while in full luff vertical dive, but no forces could be felt up to the time of inversion. Very few pilots live through them to tell their so be aware that

n1ere is probably little you can do. The forces coupling a pilot to his wing while both are falling vertical are negligible compared to the forces on each element of the One factor that may have affected amount of reflex I had in the kite. The keel had over two inches of reflex and the sail had flutter even at low "'fJ''"'"'"'· I had the reflex to about 11/4 inches two weeks before the accident and had tested it in pulling out of the steep stall dives. The sail cleaned up, but I could definitely feel a difference in how quick it would pull out of the dives. Let the reader consider how greatly reflex affects the handling of the glider. it was entered and conAs for the tinued the same as always, and it was an unknown factor outside of my control movements that made the kite stand upright. contributes this to a gust of wind, but although there were many viewers, no one can say for sure. The wind was over 10 mph and unstable. The main point is that if unknown factors are present (when aren't they?) one should leave plenty of room for error. I no longer feel radical stalls this margin. I considered myself a in that I carefully planned every flight, new maneuvers and inspected my glider However, I didn't take into account the vulnerability of the kite when in a radical stall (although I was well aware are shaky). Only since that stalls in my accident and others like it in recent re· po1rtar1e have I realized the full in .. volved, and I hope this article brings the realization to any other pilot planning to add whip stalls to their We hear through the grape vine (and in one case the media) glowing accounts of pilots doing radical maneuvers, but rarely do we any information on how they are done, how to prevent mistakes, and how to learn them.

PArh~m<:: if certain maneuvers were prohibited at at the last nationthere would be no impetus for the pilot to risk his life to learn them.

All of the above rlAi,r.rintirin own in-flight 1mr)rfJ15sicms many This discussion may differ somewhat from the accident report published in GS (Aug.), but that emph,:isi;rns the importance of interviewing all witnesses and the data correct.

Only then can we all learn from our mistakes. Here's hoping that all your flights are A<:.\t~Arliriir1n Qr Willfully rli:,,o,r,,:,nrlinn

NOVEMBER, 1975

If the of the Ancient Mariner were written by the Eastern flier, it would read; my Mountains, mountains, gas tank's and Mountains, mountains, not a to fly!

How many times has the cry gone out . but "Wow, look at that takeoff to land? If it wasn't for where are you those trees, that that fence, those ditches, etc. etc." So you put the VW in gear and The members of tl1e Mnrn~mtrm less Co. decided to quit c:1:i:~r,,hir,,, and start mere thirty··five miles from Grandfather Mountain wasn't we could go after work and make a of flights.

We also wanted safe site that would be soarable. ,Joe Carswell the last mountain in the North Carolina mont and it all started. He became dent and founder of the Morganton Powerless Flight (which is a club, not a corn-

pany). He then the "vision" to the club treasurer, Peter Milne, and flight direc.. tor, Ernie Morgan. He would buy some land on Burkernount Mtn. We would clear ttie trees, ana ouild an aircraft carrier type launch platform. So Joe bought it and we and sawed, and hammered, and crnated Rainbow Flight Park. The first flights resulted in a few 1000' vertical des .. cents into trees, close calls with powerlines, and muddy landings. Tr1ese only served to make us more determined.

Another site was Luckily we have Dennis Walker, a bulldozer in the club. He pushed and scrapE1d and rnade space for platform #2.

This one is 800' above the landing area.

While landing fields abound, they are crossed by that could spell disaster.

We decided that $700 to put a line under .. ground was than a funeral and took out a loan. The line is now where it should have in the first place.

Thanks to tt,e owner of the landing area,

One of 3 platforms on Burkemount Mountain; the 600 tt. take-off provides good soaring In 15 MPH winds.

GROUND SKIMMER

open, Odis Carswell, we now have a grassy field that is powerline free to land in.

A third take-off site, west, was re .. cirntly The new site is 1560 ft above the landing area and is tree of power lines.

Joe and Ernie got to thinking what a stlarne it was to have such a handy site without a So they went to work and kiteshop Kitty Hawk Kites of Morganton. The hometown folks can now instruction, and a few minutes from a fine flying site. This is not to say that all the problems have been solved. But our work has resulted in flights, cross c::oun· try flights, safe landings, and beautiful rnilE3 long on still, sunny The soaring season is upon us and flights should be forthcoming. The face Northeast to Northwest and you must be Ill to fly "over the Rainbow". We are planning to have meet this winter or early spring, and will put a notice in GS. Rainbow Flight Park is controlled so be sure and call Joe Carswell (704) 437·5566, or Ernie Morgan (704) 584-3118 if you are planning on And drop by Kitty Hawk Kites of Morganton at 109 Magnolia Drive and see us. It's just off 1-40 on high .. way 64.

27

tournaments this summer Chicaao. and at Henderson· corr1petiitive operaticm of contestants familiar·

Green raised overhead for boat in gear.

Green circled and lowered rapidly for start.

Rm1 tt1rottle off and possible reverse.

--Nod head up and down, or shake to tow line and accelerate for start of tow.

If it reader reaction of requests for more de· tailed information on any to why another we will method or int,:,r"'""''"'" of kieas in The Line that will benefit every and served the purpose of this column.

A tho1rouclh n1·A-t11ririt insr)ecltion have been to Takeoff

nod head up and down, or shake Delta, to get flying for take-ofi while

Tow Faster move in

Seat

n;:,1fallinn motion for more

both move ence to normal standard. Altl'1rn1nh ufacturers should conform minimum standards for towed flight and outlined in tt1e Speciific.atic)ns of the Glider Manufacturers As·· the

Prone Harm,ss

Skis, fore and aft. down and up.

4 Tow Slower crossed and unfeet and i! no tow boat crossed slowly Ski action. Altc'lrnate: crossed and uncrossed slowly ··- repeat if no tow boat action. Alternate: outward. crossed over the other and unProne harness ---One crossed slowly repeat if no tow boat action. Alternate: One leg outward.

5 Cut Tow Power crew cornp,osE:d of four persons the tournament recruited from the contestants or kn<Jwled1:1e· sponsor, or able spectators. The Lineman and the Starters work with thEi launch to him in for launch the take-off. This aid, combined with the Meet Director's of r'.lA.Aririn the launch area of all non-essential persons and espeother contestants who may want to msmc,hi,," remarks intended to allow the to concentrate 11u1LJr;1.1µ, the of the launch take··off from the beach or land, or on watcH skis, and the elements of his These flying factors are some of the advan· su1:>erv1s1on available in In must be for this prep· sport of course, the aration on his own in order to rnrnnli::ito Prior to the launch prepa,·ati()n crew or Tournament Rules includes which have been for in tournaments. The standard here include all methods of starts, and flying cor1tiqurat1or1s used in to date.

FLAGMAN and SAFETY·RELEASEMAN:

Seat

foet and crossed for interval uncross and if no tow boat action. Ski crossed for interval uncross and repeat if no tow boat action.

Prone Harness ··-One moved out and swung inward across the hamc:Jss action.

6 Left Turn feet and turned 45 degrE)es to left. Skis, both turned 45 decirecis to left.

Prone Harness -·Left swung 45 to left Alternate: In addition, shake foot and Seat

Seat --Bare feet and turned 45 decireE~s to right Skis, both turned 45 decirm~s to right. to Prone Harness swung 45 Alternate: In addition, shake foot and

to SAFETY-RELEASE MAN FLAGMAN STARTER: to Start

GROUND SKIMMER

to FLYER or

attain sK1,1na-ra:rnn1a p,osi1tior1s or beact1 µc11J·u11.

One arm waved overllead.

Ready to Takeoff -One arm waved overhead.

3 No More Power

-Both arms

wide, palms up.

4 Trouble-Release --Both arms crossed overhead

5 Left Turn

-t11a1m arm extended horizontal, left

arm vertical.

6 Right Turn

--Left arm extended horizontal, right arm vertical.

The Lineman Starter must be familiar with Delta equipment and all methods of take-off starts. He also must be familiar with the take-off signals. When the flyer takes his place at the launch area, it is presumed that he has completed a pre .. flight inspection to assure that all rigging wires have been adjusted to provide the frame configuration desired, and that all lock nuts, wing nuts with devices are secure. In pins, and turnbuckles or other addition, the Lineman Starter will check the following items: 1. Water skis must have no fins to sliding on a beach or land start.

2. Flyer must have flotation device such as a life or wet suit.

3. Seat suspension line or must hang in front of both shoul .. ders. Harness or seat suspension line must hang free from a quick release device not wrapped around one side of the control bar frame.

4. Any sail adjustment lines are free of all other rigging.

5. A safety bridles longer line attaches to the top release mechanism. The shorter line attaches to the lower control bar safety release. Both line end attachment loops must be tested for secure attachment to the safety release mechanisms. If the flyer should place his control bar on the ground after hookup, the lower release may occasionally release on certain prior models, therefore it must be tested by jerking once to take .. off.

6. The tow line loop attachment must be secured to the bridle, or to the control bar lower release mechanism.

A screw pin shackle is most commonly used, and it normally requires a pair of pliers or wrench to loosen and retighten the screw pin.

This is not a casual responsibility, because most start and take· off aborts, which can lead to disqualification, start with a poor preparation for take-off. Foot launch hang glider pilots, accustomed to being set for launch after snapping the caribiner suspension attachment to the control bar frame may get too boat tow launch take-off after securing the tow line to the safety release mechanism on the control bar, or even more details of hooking the safety bridle to the tow line and then to two release points on one! Even the glider. How many hookups do you need? though a beach pop-off or water ski start with no flyer .::1 u~m,,m~inn hookup may produce more laughs than injuries, safety habits are vital. Don't do it!

The other two members of the ground crew, the tow boat Driver will normally pick up the glider end of and the the 500' tow line used in competition after the flyer releases it, secure the line to the towing pylon and return to the launch point.

Trailing only 250' of tow line provides some measure of protection from other boat traffic cutting the line. However, there are times when the driver will trail the entire 500' of two line to the launch area.

30

At this time, the Flagman Starter will receive instructions from the flyer for the start, take-off, and the flight course and these instructions to the tow boat crew, unless the flyer to impart them directly. He will coordinate with the Lineman Starteron chi3cl<ing the contestant's flight He shall be primarily· respor1sible for that the flight course and the Zone are clear of boats and other obstacles, and that tt1e flyer is for take-off start, to signalling the tow boat for start. His role is important in determining use of tow line slack for beach "pop-off" starts.

If the glider end of the tow line has been delivered to the Lineman he will pull in about 50' to 60' of line to arrange in a loose slack on the ground in front of the glider for a beach start.

As soon as the flyer is satisfied that the driver understands his instruictic>ns. the Starter can the tow boat to drive fairly rapidly in order to save time, in the direction of intended take-off to trail the tow line behind the boat for the launch.

Since the line will burn bare and even the Lineman Starter normally uses a boat hook modified with a pulley to avoid the line. Some check of the condition of the tow line can be made during this operation. Whenever the line has been lying slack in the water, boat wakes and swells can move the line into ;:,-11om>s which then sometimes float into a snarl or knot. Since no flight ever should be made with a knot in the tow line, which increases the and possibility of a break to an eliminating this problem is one of the more important responsibilities of the Lineman Starter, or any other observer concerned with hang glider flying. Judging the amount of slack needed for the Starter will the tow boat with the red out of gear. Only then should the tow release mechanism on the control bar frame of the glider. This has many aborted take-offs with to the flyer, due to confusion of to the boat driver. is physically and psychologically and the When the Lineman Starter is satisfied that the tow line is aligned and unob· the Starter will signal a structecj by any clear course and ready for launch by the green flag. The tow is circled or boat driver will shift in gear and as the green waved, he will accelerate to plan1ing towing the slack on the without the flyer. When the green flag is dropped by the sharply, he will accelerate to the take .. off If the desired climb is 30 mph and the headwind is 5 mph, the should leam boat should be 25 mph for take-off. All their best flying to inform the driver to avoid unnecessary excessive and pressure on the glider. Under ideal conditions of 5-10 mph head wind and a talented boat driver with just the will take off directly into a stable right touch and timing, the climb with adequate flying if he has balanced his glider in line with the tow line and at the as he must for foot launch, and has leaned back with one foot behind the other and lets the tow line pull him off the ground into the air. If the timing is right, to disturb the flyer's balance, or there will be no noticeable undo stress or strain on the glider due to excessive boat and tow line pull, nor will it be necessary to take any running before achieving lift and flying.speed forclimb.Notevery take-off is this but most are safe. With less than very extJenieni::ed and talented the water ski take-off allows for less timing and will allow a safe launch as described in Bill Bennett's article in the July 1975 Ground Skimmer, and in Handbook by Dan ~,n,;nt1~r With the increased popularity of prone

there is

t,:;,nn.,,ci"" for the flyerto divert his attention from control of the angle

NOVEMBER, 1975

of attack and directional level of the wings after takeoff to of his fe~,t in the stirrup. If he fumbles this task, he may forward on the control bar with his arms stiff to brace himself, allowing the of attack to increase for an rate of climb, and/or one wing tip to dip because t~1e that normally cause his mind and hands aren't the flyer to take some remedial control action. Sine(~ the new short keel models are more sensitive to gravity shift control movements on all the can slide and ap·· a "locked-in bank" normal control at a very critical interval of the flight During this same the tow boat driver may have the power for take-off and the flyer may need to for less tow The climb should very delinl1elv be stabilizeci before much effort is in settling into the prone The difference in sequence is only a few seconds if there is no turbulence. As with aircraft, take-off and initial climb the utmost concentration and attention from the pilot for safe flying.

I

A HANG GLIDING

sly1c' 01

ntyl 0 02

p1us!i0cpostatie (por,hut)

09*

style 010

nty Lei 01?,

EXCELLJmr HANG Gf,lDING 1msrnm; 8ILK-SC'.REJmJm (not irnnNI on) ON llJGll QllALITY, HEAVY WEfGIIT, J 00% CUI'TON 'l'-8Jl fRTS. Cl;l1 1nfiSc, mnkr, TWO col<H' ehnicNJ, nnt\ send thom nlong wltli your nnd your

*ialyle on

The "V" bridle is used to preventthe nose from loads on lhe glider. After a partial climb, !he upper line

highG

bridle attached to a release mechanism of at the two the control bar frame to help control tr1e attack and rate of climb is a somewhat controversial does do what it was to do Although it the of attack of the which can be useful in to~,rh,nn the to control the in towed flight, it also masks the at any moment in towed flight conditions. true to Further, the use of more mechanical devices leads more malfunctions which in turn create new prcJbler11s tend to agree with Bernie in his letter in the issue of Ground Skimmer he states: "Thfl upper release is no substitute for safe flying conditions. The bridle may even increase the overall of towed flight because the pilot may be t~srnn1,Arl to use an driver, on an untrained observer, or to on the bridle to bring an fly in unsafe wind conditions, ints1An,mt111 unsafe towing situation within a reasonable limit."

An additional observation should be made that any model glider that seems to a bridle stable towed to climb shouldn't be towed until it has been center of tow pr·essure within the range of normal be able to control his shift control. The should attack with his control bar, Uncontrollable pressure on the sail and control bar, whether from incmased wind or gusts, or from the tow boat imrm:Jdiate signal(s) for decreased boat e1ut, 4 u,e1,tj control is In the final pilot 1ucllqement should bfJ tt1e controlling factors in safe 1auinche,r1. what will Wfl encounter There is more than enough to discuss about release proper release from the we tow line to warrant another article in Ground Skimmer. will have some from our readers that can be included.

GROUND SKIMMER

in printncl on ORANGE shirls only.

DAVE MEYERS BOX 1403 HAWTHORNE CALIF: 90250

FUN ---to build to fly to dis play A FINE CHRISTMAS GIFT! Realistic 1/6 scale model Rogallo hang glider with colorful polyvinyl wing. []Exclusive weight positioning system and adjustable reflex permits model 10 duplicate the flight characteristics of your big kite. Kit inst,·uctions all parts pre-cul and drilled with pictures and very for easy 2-hr. assembly.

Plus a compilation of for flying safely on your big $13. 95 plus /JS¢ mailing fee, ($5.00 Air Mail Postage overseas.)

.560

31

1

A hang rating is a letter of introduction which introduces a pilot to a new site. It tells concerned people that the holder has been witnessed flying compEitently in given conditions. A major exists today with hang Some observers are off ratings without actual flight demonstrations. All observers have pressure from friends and optimists to issue the higher rating. Thern is now an obsEirver who gave a friend an unearned rating. The friend used this rating and was allowed to fly an advanced site. The friend is now totally nnr"'''"n,r1 for the rest of his I ife.

will rating as of November 15, 1975. In addition to having the Hang-3 rat·· ing, all pilots wishing to fly this site MUST have their cards in their posses· sion. There will be no to this rule.

Anyone, either local or out-of-towner, who needs to obtain their rating may contact the Fellow Feathers, % Chandelle San Fran· cisco (415) 756-0650.

2. Torrey Pines now that you have a rating. In accordance with the terms of a "special use permit", with the city of San only members of the Ultralite Organization may use the Torrey Pines site. Club dues are $10/yr. For further information, contact Dave Hinds, President UFO, 2722, Murray Rd., San CA 92123.

John Kilgore, CA Loren Meck, CA Michael Meinharcjt, CA Irwin Livingston, WI Bill Smiles, WI Tom Nichols, WI David Beeman, WI Joe Denrnore, IL Harolcj Gisbrecht, WI Schoeder, WI Dan NM Lew Lawrence, NM Fred Tillen, NM Blane Emms, NM Don Briggs, NM Chip Roma, NM Jim Stevenson, Ml Jim Gibson, Ml Ron Damm, Ml Bob Dobb, Ml David Kimberling, NM Bruce Wilson, NM Robert Casaus, NM Tom Lewis, CA Hitchie Lewis, CA f'lobert Brown, Jr., CA ,Jeff Brock, CA Fred Coule, CA Kenneth Westfall, CA William Mauger, CA Mike Wallace, CA Cynthia Fitch, CA Martin Fitch, CA Eddie Cooke, AZ Keith Hayden, AZ Paul Burns, IL Mike Monogharn, IL Steve Streeter, IL Dave Briggs, MA Michael Hillson, GA Scott Pryor, CA Dan Owre, CA Yoshinori Kashita, Japan Takashi Yasuku, Toory Hamaguchi, Keisuke Muto, Japan Bill Baldasin, MT Shelly Baldasin, MT Bob Gibson, MT Jim Roony, MT Jim Summers, MT Tony Alfrey, CA Chuck Champlin, CA David Hamilton, CA Charles Ashford, CA Scott Detrich, CA Mike O'Connor, CA Warren Kirkwood, CA Dick Kennicutt, CA Joel Verhamme, CA Pheral Marshall, CA

Gene Tarlson, CA David CA David JonHs, Willard Collins, CA Packman, CA Dan NM Jim ,Juricko, IL Rick IL Lora IL Lou Anders, IL William Fiveash, IN Murray Thompson, AFl Bill Duggan, AR David Hord, AR Ted Groinlaw, AR Christa Knox, AK Jeffrey Roth, AK Craig Johnson, AK Al< Kenneth Jim Dickinson, Paul Yacurn, CA Dan CA Ken CA Mike FL Dave CA Allen Erickson, CA Larry Davis, CA Paul Filone, CA Judy Hopkins, PA Paige Farley, MA Paul Dennert, CA Dennis Tague, Ml ,John Munsch, Ml Wilbert Ondes, Ml Robin Ondes, Ml Alfred Maher, Ml John Norman, WI Floyd Byrun, CA Phil Merrell, CA Doug Clark, CA Bob Wakefield, CA Stewart Bodzin, CA Charles Brown, CA Sule, CA CA CA CA Gail Parlier, Mason Yeo, CA Peter Covitt, CA C.A. Parlier, CA John NC Charlie Cook, Dan Bright, NC David Pittman, NG Harold Caldwell, NC Steven Noetzel, CA Frank Barron, CA Gilbiirt Barron, CA Chris Gondringer, CA Joe Schafer, Ml Tim Riley, Ml

Delta Wing offers weekly classes for beginning flyers with all equipment furnished The fr:-)e is which is applied towarcJ the of Delta Wing kite or glidE>.r if after the course. You will be ln<:>rninn only from qualified, top notcri instructors and. of course, the equipment is the best available. Lessons with grouncJ school.

Ready?

32

Ron Anton, CA Kelsey, CA Jim CA Ron Corona, CA ,Jack McMillon, CA Buckley, CA Ken CA Mike CA Pat Manis, Mendij, CA Terry Cummings, CA George DeMarco, CA David Newman, CA Bob Milligan, CA John Brubaker, CA Bill Stoner, CA Parker CA Tyler Mccready, Nathan Waddill, CA Greg Hanson, Ml Bob Johnson, Ml Bill Dauser, Ml Lou Lawrence, NM Dan Lawrence, NM Dave NM Chuck CA Randy CA Mike Bradford, NM Mike Shepherd, NM Ray Tolman, NM Keith Kstesund, NM Flay Harbour, NM Billy Patton, NM Craig Bradley, NM Robert Brown ,Jr., NM Steve Harris, NM Jim Arroyo, GA Gene Blythe, CA Nils CA Bruce IL Mike Potvin, MN Thomas Fratzke, IA Ron Foss, IA Dale T. Frey, Ml John Holden, Ml Dennis Young, Ml Larry Wright, OH David Ramirez, Ml Carl Wiseman, TX Leamon Houston, NV Bill Schauder, WI Al Airey, IL Art Sevander, WI Tim Wuest, MN Larry Smith, MN David Rhodes, AZ Joe Shaw, AZ Torn Wall, IL Gary La Telle, IL NH NH

Dave Esielionis, MA Wayne Wright, NH Peter Judge, MA Michael Hittson, CA CA Steve Ed Weber, John Taylor, CA David Hamilton, CA Charles Ashford, CA Bill Romner, MT Mary Sullivan, MT Ellison, MT MT Fred Galloway, CA David Burnett, CA Dennis Galloway, CA Donald Underwood, CA Fred David, CA Joe Sorensen, CA CA Frank Steve CA Kirn Peters, CA Robert Mueller, CA David Jones, CA Steven Groat, CA Steve Germans, NM Jim IL Joanne IL Torn Ruzich, IL Scott IL Gil IL Dennis Walker, NC Daryl Carswell, NC Earl Whittington, TN Rich Boggan, TN Rod Turner, TN Bob Irons, WI Jim Hale, AK Robert Burns, AK John Pinarnont, AK Ronald Walker, AK PW. Miller, AK Jeff Bennet1, AK Jack Fyfe, AK Allen Noma, AK Daniel Walters, AK Mark Shelman, AK Larry Larson, AK Donald Kirkpatrick, AK Don Barnes, AK Garry Schriefer, AK Lanco Voorhees, AK Philip Kimmel, AK Kent Roth, AK David Vainner, AK Corbett Davidson, AK Kent Moore, AK Garry Russell, AK Marvin Duncan, AK Martin Adams, AK Robert Thall, AK Rick Downing, AK David Norton, AK

For more information and ri::><:Ar'l/~l·1nric: write or call The DE:Jlta Wing Flight School, PO Box Van Nuys, California 9140B. Phone (213) 7B5-24 74 or 7B7·6600.

After/"'"'""''''"' instructions on flight the student into the assisted by the instructor.

NOVEMBER, 1975

glider us in

1112

with 5/16"

rec-

.25 5.00 for learning.

2.00

10.00

all have

50.00 25.00 3.00 swages.

1.00 fits any 1 diameter

of the harness. It is one of comfortable and safe harnesses for or If

.50

send cashiers check or money to cover shipping. two 3/16" mount· mounting holes.. fits 1 V2" tubing.. steel 7

.20 .10

per

.10 .50

.50 .10 .05 alien head ...

•

Hawk Kites two··color

on

Size (circle 0110) Small, Medium, Largo, x.. Largo

T -Shirl Color and Visor Color

First choico: light bluo, yellow, beige (circle one) I enclose for f .. shirts or visors Second choice: rod, white, orange, tan, green, (circle one) I- $·1.00 postage and handling for each shirt and Design (circle one) 50¢ for each visor. NC residents add 4% tax.

Total enclosed (5 color Fly A Kite ...... $4.25 (5 color Surf the Sky .

ORDERS PROCESSED DAY OF RECEIPT .... $4.25 (5 color Fly A Kite .

Get High (2 color Kitty Hawk Kites Send to: Kitty Hawk Kiles P. 0. Box 386, Nags Head, NC 27959 Send $1 for poster/catalog

LEADERSHIP

givc1 it the sarm, time? pro· ,dorrnancC:~ wi11~1s.

Ii Dan Poyn tor's 11A NU G L/JJl NG lrns 200 raet fi I led pagos n,nd :mo outstanding; photographs and drawings on foot lmmehod flying, Endornod by ovnr,y major dnaJer and sel!ool, over (i0,000 Jrnvn been so Id ;rncl now itJ; boon compJotoly rev iserL i\ vai lftble in Jrn,rd eover or soft, this JJOW·'/'O, Wl/1•,'HJ•;.'J'() encyclopedia is tmly "the basic lurndbook of skysurfi111,('.

Coven, lJm,ie to nrlvanced flying, design, materials, const.ruct.ion, l1istory, the law and list major kiLe ancl gliclor 011 I.ho urnrlrnL with its description, pl10Lo, perJ'orma.nco spucifications and s0111·cr,. Tile book.and iLs list of over :lOO manr1fa.ctun,s, doa.lorn, club;; a.ncl scl10ols,is 11pdated at ea.ell printing and its boon t.hrough tlw press six times! Whothor you ·re lm i Id i 111"·· dnsi gn i 11 g, flying, shop ping or ju st I ook inf!: i 11 to Urn fastest growing sport, this lirsL and only complute rnl'ornnce book on Urn subject. is a must.

SOWi' COVl•!ll: $fi.Hr, pm,Lpaid (Californians add :w<1, salm; tax) J!AHD COVI•:ll.: $U.H,, postpaid (Californi,ws add (HN rmlos tax)

I< ITI NU is a now book wi tl! 100 p,1goR and mo i I lustrat.ions on tow la.unchod hang gliding·. It was writl.en uspec:rnlly Jor tlw flat,Jand flyor and Uioso who find their hills covorod with lrees. J< IT! NG covurs tow I n.unclwd ultralight flight in depth: launnhing in shallow water. deep water jump starts and dock starts. Stop by step im:tructiorrn cn.rofully guide the novico tlirougll taxi praetieo, towed flight and relmtse to free flig·ll1,, Tlw history and legal olrnpters arn some of' U1l, most intornsting· while 1.lw book goos into a gnmt deta.il in tlrn design and con;;tr11ction of Lowod gliders n.s weJJ a.s the required t.owinf.>; equipment. Lilrn HANO GL/ J)J NU,}( /TIN(; is not just. a trn.in ing mt1mrnl but an encyclopedia, of rofornnco material. .JU ST: $:J.O:i postpaid (Cali fornictns add 24ll: sales tax) SATISFACTION GU/\H/\NT!•:J,:ll. Seo your nr)11.rnst doalcr 01· send today to: Dan f'oyn tor,

Box 42:32-(;, Santa Barba.ra. CA 0:310:l

PHOTO Pl

JOHN DOWD RICHARD ZADOROZNY

I

BOX

ADVANCED glider reg. price with prone harness local 4%tax total

swing seat

CA 95014

1st 750.00 65.00 32.00 847.00

same glider with prone harness with your choice of colors

able D mountain or sea h"r-ramrn D color and make of kite

D sizes M, L, EXL Send $10.00 + $1.00 for tax and post· age. discount for dealers.

~ ./

FIRST FLIGHT !=:r.Hno1 I breeze from is an which will be rernernbfJred. Thirteen stories high, it is the Coast. tallest sand dune on the Wilbur and Orville came t1ere to where they ch,rnc1ed the we conduct our

DAVE KILBOBNE

lesson, !Cln,n<>11f'1 Flight" and tr1e

the USHGA

your kite from us, the lessons are free. distributors of the finest in the worlcJ, Aircraft, Ultralite ProdEir)rn:irF,nrrnr111r:ci and Sun Sail. "'""""""PROFESSIONALS. Tee shirts, accessories, rental, repair and sto,rar;c for the

27959

HU UR ING EIPPEIH'OftMA!IICE

I STEVE WILSON

.JOHN McVEY

JACK BRITTON (213}

1074

E

THE BELL SOARING HELMET IS AVAILABLE TH BOUGH YOUR LOCAL BELL DEALE['l.

Distributed world wide by Eipper·Formance, Inc, Torrance, CA 90501

BEARD GLIDER Summerhill, Pa. (814) 495-4925

FOUR WINDS SPORTS 109 W. Prospect Ave. Mt. Ill. (312) 398-3451

FREEDOM SPORTS 738 Hendersonville Rd. Ashville, N. C. (704) 274-4060 WIND MACHINES

San Antonio, Texas Wayne Clemm (512) 658-3856 Steve Brinson (512) 675-0786 ERIC FISHER 13257 Dinuba

Selma, California (209) 896-4539 JOE PADUANO

R. D. No. 2 Dansville, N. Y. (716) 335.5554

DOC STOW MARINE 2341 Thompson Bridge Road Gainsville, Ga.

•

Pin" re-lease fasteners for faster assembly without tools.

111

New three

seat harness affords and comfort.

Maximum control and

(404) 534-4191

line of accessories is Bill TUCKER Old Buffalo Road Warsaw, N. Y. (716) 796-2842

Send Money Order or Cashiers Check. All

checks will be cleared

before uunm,mt

GREAT ESCAPE 1220 Laurens Road

Greenville, S. C.

will be C.O.D. Truck. Indiana residents add 4% sales tax.

(803) 243-4229

639 Logan Street Noblesville, IN 46060 @

713-2080

P.

I

E

INDIANA

I

I Phone

I

(

We're serious about our business and we're rious about Our record proves that The of our firm is the first individual living outside the of California who is classed to com· an at mecca of tt1at the purpose and our kites over others with and pinpoint control and

10 '

We feel that it shouldn't cost you an into the nation's arm and a Neitr1er sr1ould it fastest growing Consider these cost you quality features: firm using 4.5 ounce dacron on all models. Although ii costs us nearly twice as much as the 3.0 ounce sailcloth, ii !or lormance and .. Moose sails are "Traveling airfoil" •• square loot.

cul lo produce you more lilt per

A patented process used in sewing the sails gives varying stresses to each seam or pocket, on the various loads each area during flight. This smooth sails frames in the industry . con· 1 ·5/ll"x .058" 6061 T6 •· double and triple reinforced al all points receiving stress. ol. The special A finish you can be new control bar, and are black anodized in steel hardware plementing 11H:oated flying wires enable throughout. , while turnbuckles easier ground allow you to tune your on the lop sail lo your Materials and construction Hang Glider Manufacturers

I I I I DECEMBEFl 27-,JANUARY 4, "New Fly In", at Crystal Caverns Flight Park, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Competition Jan. 2-4. New Years Eve party at the world famous "Browns" Fun flyers also welcome competition not mandat· ory 10 fly.

JANUARY 16-18, New York State Hang Gliding Workshop and Instructor Certification. All regist· ration forms must be mailed no later than Jan. 5, 1976 to Hang Gliding Workshop, West Mountain Ski Center, Glens Falls, N.Y. 12801.

JANUARY17-18, USHGA Regional Director's Meeting, Dallas, Texas.

pos:sit)le materials used! Construction CONSUMER ADVISORY: Used ers always should be disass(:imbled flying for thci first time and inspec:ted fully for bent or ruined bent bolts (espec~ially heart bolt), re-used Nyloc nuts, tangs with bles, frayed or rusted non-circular holes, and on Rogallos, sails badly torn or torn loose from their anct1or points front and back on the keel and lead· ing If in doubt, many gliding businesses will be happy to give an tive opinion on the condition of "'ll'"' ~1, 11,:;:111, you bring them to ",of.Jt::l;L

<::::ir,ritir~~, tor $400. or will consider trade for

guns, camera, or anything else of value.

Mark Burns, 211 Center St., Princeton, Ind. 47670.

(812) 385-5061, 385-8373.

ICARUS II FOR SALE: In good to excellent r.n,mnilAtt:> ready to fly. Blue with Asking Write or Ga1ry l:Jallan:I, 82 Fremont, Battle Creek, 965-6455.

ICARUS V ·-Built from Free-Flight kit. Pro· FEBRUARY 27-29, Second Annual Maine Open L.·-·-·-..-········-···--···-··-······--·- - ......................................... ~ fessional Job. Mint condition, flies good, will demonstrate. Custom made. $800. All Winter Hang Gliding Championship and Fly-in aluminum Box included. $2200. takes it. held at Mt. Aram, Locke Mills, Me. The meet will 681-8738. be sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and CAL GLIDEFl--·18' x 16'/85°/3.75 A.R., Ex· is sanctioned by the NEHGA. There will be ICARUS V-New factory built, outstanding cellent condition. Very clean albatross sail, trophies and prizes for all classes. value, quality materials and yellow tips, custom cn,1ftsma.nslhip. Save time by purchasing al· $425. firm.

APRIL 10-18, 1976 World Open Hang Gliding ....: ......... : ................._, ........... ..... ..._ ......... Buy from the most exChampionships, Country, Trabuco Ca· Can we help you into the air? Do you rigid wing mfg. For info write nyon, Calif. 92678. more information call want to fly, but are short of funds? We will Box 59, Cupertino, CA. 95014. (408) (714) 586-7964. trade anything to help you Contact Delta 732 . . 5453, -·~·--·-····················-·· .. ··-·-···-· Kites & Gliders 787-6600.

JUNE, 1976, 4th Annual USHGA National ICARUS V--New, test flown only, with car .

Championships.

DRAGONFLY for sale Green and gold top box. Dark blue and white. If interested, with windows. UP redtail. White and blue, will send $1800. (805) 967-0346.

JUNE, 1976, The Albuquerque Invitational. For 19', call Dave: 548·1735.

Goleta, more information call (505) 256-9511 or (505) FL.EXI-FLI R 18' -Custom 821-6660.

FL YING FLEA MARKET-ICARUS formance, test flown, immaculate condiV-White old leading edge, rudders, AUGUST 12·15, 3rd World Delta Championtion .. 058, 13/4'' tubing, coated flying wires, box. $1500.

VARIOMETER .. ships, Boat Tow Launch Hang Gliding. Contact double buckles, seated harness. 9V2 ft.

--Standard $50. THOMMEN 19 Newel Pat Callan, Box #1, Cypress Gardens, Florida breakdown capability. Rick Perkins, 729 Altimeter--$75. W. Wakkinen, Box 5062, 33880. (813) 293-2111 M1115-k1n11111m Ave., Pacific Palisades, CA. Steamboat Village, Colorado 80499. (303) 454-2197.

879-3693.

AUGUST 19-21, 3rd Annual Chicago Lakefront HAWK HANG-GLIDER-·18' x 16', prone Festival, Delta Glider Championships. Contact Harry Robb, 2909 Gulf to Bay Apt. 0-203, harness. 5' x 5' control bar. 5 color highClearwater, Florida 33515. (813) 726-4042. performance sail, roof racks & helmet, evon,thir1n new. $600.

582-2346.

SEPTEMBER, 1976, First World Hang Gliding PLIABLE MOOSE-18& 19! Fly well, CALIFORNIA Championships, Kossen, Austria. For complete condition, complete $175. each. details write: WOK· KossEm, Klabensteinstrasse 354-A, A-6345, Kossen, Austria, Attn: Erick 892-0436.

HANG GLIDERS WEST-.. DILLON Lehnert.

BEACH FL YING SCHOOL--The most condition, SEAGULL 111·-··-and cover, Glider facility in Northern offer. (916) red and white. $425 or Free lessons with n11rl"r'"'"'"' 877-6618.

Let Ground Skimmer help you to publicize of a wing. USHGA rated instructors. upcoming hang gliding events. Send in SEAGULL Ill mo. old. vvvo,,""'''" BeginninQ to advanced lessons. ::;oanr10 calendar items at least 8 weeks in aavance. met.

(714) 327-3194. Palm Seminars at Fort Funston. Come Mail to: Call before 1 :00 check out the new Manta Windlord and Calendar of Events the Fledgling. Call at (415) 453-7664 TRUE FLIGHT-·17'. Perfect condition.

Ground Skimmer Magazine Box 66306, Los Angeles; CA. 90066 Used 3 times. Also have stainless steel or Banana at (415) 669-1162 . 906 Sir Francis Drake, Kentfield, CA. trapeze bar and aluminum one. Absolutely _,,

40

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NOVEMBER, 1975

LEARN TO FLY-With tors, California School of ing offers introductory flight coursEJ for only $25, for six hours of instruction, on sand dunEJs, Instruction man, ual and availablEJ, Call 789,6200, THE HANG GLIDEJ=l SHOP·-·1351 8EJacl1 Blv<t, La Habra, CA, 90631; 943,2174, ComEJ in, visit, and see our

Buffalo,

NY

14223,

6)

WIND AND SEA Glider Shop, New store, We carry and Moose Kites with a full line of Accessories, Also a fully school.

5419 Merrick 798,9887, UTAH

Glider parts, !ruction, Free lessons when you buy a Manta The Kite Shop at Nature's Way, 9th 9th St East, SLC, Utah 84"102, (801) 359-7913,

KANSAS PLIABLE

Blueprints Now Availablt,

VJ-24 Sunlun 1111 AirplantJ controls All metal, except fabric Easy to build 411 Serni·canlilcver, monoplane hang glider. ill Send for brocl1uru

MASSACHUSETTS MOUNTAINVIEW GLIDER 300 Pleasant StreEJt, Northhampton, MA 01060, 3) 584,7233, UP, Bennett, Sea, Pliable MoosEJ, New and and Flight School.

IIJ-23 Swingwing

MICHIGAN DELTA Kites of Indian 7844 Shaver Rd,, Michigan 49081, Tow Scr1ool, stock of parts, or custom work Call (616) 327·3075 ext 66, 8 a,m, to 5 p,m, or (616) 649,2066 MICHIGAN & MIDWEST ENTHUSIATS-t::co,1-,11rnm Stand"

State, Ann Arbor, Tel. Send 50¢ for information NEW YORK GLIDERS-Bennett the "Phoenix" Greenwood

SUPERFLOATER·-Build the highest formance hang Foot launclt1at)le, Can be landed on the pilots wheel and skid, Plans now av,,ulalble.

Mountain Green Sailwing, Box 771, gan, Utah 84050.

BACK ISSUES of GROUND SKIMMER Mimeo newsletters ti's 1 to issues, /l's 19·33, ea.

Box 66306, Los 1,u1,nr11Hs. California 90066. ............. ························

BOOKS: 205 review of the sport by $5,95. (Add $1.50 for airmail) Man Pnworc;rl Flight by Keith Sherwin, 176 $6,50.

Flight instructional 96 Simplified PerGliders Jack postpa1a from Cali· fornia 90066.

1 year (1 news and information on rnidwest states' H,(:L activities.

Ad rate: $16. for full page ad, Al <:::i11,nr,1·inf'\ 11959 Dr., Maryland Hts., MO. 63043, HANG GLIDER WEEKLY: Your subcription $12/52; issues, To: 1860, Santa Monica, CA.

GROUND SKIMMER

Has been sm,red for 42. min. on 34 -high hill, 2,l·slope, 17 mph wind • Takes off and larnjs in steps in n 15-mph wincJ. 1111 Fully controllable iii 3 axis.

411 World's first high performance hang glider lllll Sen(1 $2 tor literature, 3·vicw, nncl color pl1oto

VJ-11 So-lo Build the world's first fully controllable hang glider.

Standard aircraft controls. ill Fully engineered. e Can be built in 6 weeks spare tirne.

Material cost approximately $400 Send $2 for literature . specifications, and photo

Kits & Ma1ur1als

VOLMER AIRCRAFT BOX 5222 DEPT, G GLENDALE, CA. 91201

AIRCRAFT 14547 ARMINTA VAN NUYS, CA 91402

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HANG IN THERE: $6/yr. 6301 Knox Ave. South, MN. 55423. ··········••

SOARING MAGAZINE: Covers the sail· plane scene with some ultra-light cover· age. Available with membership. (Member $20.; Associate membership $12/yr.) Info kit with sample copy, $1.50. Soaring Society of America, Box 66071-G, Los Angeles, Calif. 90066.

FANTASTIC COLOR-·100 foot 8mm. hang gliding film memories 1973 Montgomery Meet; #B, 1974 Lili· enthal Meet; #C. Miscellaneous #D. 1974 Montgomery Meet; #E. Coastal Soaring; #F. 1975 World Icarus Flights. Only $13. or postpaid. Bill Rickson, 250 Elder Millbrae, Calif. 94030.

-- -·········- ..

HANG GLIDER STICKER·-For your window or a must for every enthusiast fine "Show them what you do" age and handling to: The way West Mall, Kalispell, Montana 59901. ,,-•,•

16MM HANG GLIDING IVIUVll:C:, withsound, of Golden.

For information write Mapleton Ave., #16, 80302.

HELP! I need n1e July, 1973 GROUND SKIMMER, #1 desperately. Can anyone send me one? Will Keith Nichols, Box 192, Solana CA. 92075.

CLEARANCE SALE PRIVATE PARTY wishes to quit hang-gliding. Must sell.

Manta kits $210. Seagull Ill kit Audio Vario Used kite also and misc.

Write 4468 Clairmont Mesa CA 92117 or call (714)

PATCHES & DECALS-·USHGA sew-on emblems 3" dia. Full color $1. Decals, 3112'' dia. inside or outside application, 25¢ each. Include 10¢ for and handl· ing with each order. Box 66306, Los An!]AIF!R CA. 90066.

SEWN DACRON HANG-GLIDER SAILS··-Standard Rn,ruilln Type, 90.5° keel 8' never been Bob 221 Bristol Rd., Mass. 02181 ·1968 VW BAJA 1835cc newly overhauled, street legal, and tires.

Glider Racks. $1200. (213) 831-6005.

WANTED: USED VARIOMETERS in condition. Steve Box acres, N.M. 880:33. i:;9•::i.71Clai;; 1975 HANG GLIDING CALENDAR 12 full-page black and white photographs, easy to read calendar format. A must for enthusiast!

Makes ~V'""'~" '"· Order from Box 66306, Calif. 90066. ..

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The rate for classified advertising is 15¢ per word (or of characters).

Minimum A fee of is for photograph. make checks payable to USHGA Classified Advertising Dept.

GROUND SKIMMER MAGAZINE Box 66:306, Los CA 90066

TEE-SHIRTS with USHGA emblem $5.50

14th Vear Nationally advertised S & f TOOL CO.

Send che9k or M.O. with II S-Box 1546 Costa Mesa Calif. 92626 Calif. residents add 6% ' Orders postpaid In U.S.A ... Foreign Orders Add 10%.

National

P.O. Box 836 Ca 92050

(Calif. residents add 6% sales tax.)

42

S & f TOOL CO. Send check or M.O. with order.

Calif. residents add 6% Sales Tax. #!Hlox 1546 Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626 Orders postpaid in U.S.A ... Foreign Orders Add 10%.

No Amount enclosed:

Name Address City _____________________________________ State

• Custom-colored sail stainless cahle wires • Vinyl-coated, 7 x areas sloevecl and dowoled for your

MANU FACTUf, I NG/SA I_FS

I

fl

I

~,

TI-IESE OUALIEIED SOLO lL/GffT OEALEl7S ARE AVAILABLE FOF! SALES AND SU-?VICE CALL Tl/EM ron ANSWERS TO YO/If? OUESTIONS. ESCAPE COUNTIW Jim l~obinson Flobinson Flanch

I

N

(

82? W. l<ATELLA AVL OFU\NC, , CA. 9?nG/ T(!il1pl101w(}14l997 Q'!(l'I MemlJer of l-la11glidcr

Anodized tubing • f?evolutionary now Sai/feather • Solid construction 7'I, o.d. x .058 main spars, 7 x .083 control bar

Trabuco (1141

California 92678

SAIL WING, INC. Al Wadr1ill ·1116 E iqhth Stree1 Manha1tan Beach, California !l0266 (2131 :)72-2119

EARBOB FEHRY MARINA Gilbnrt Pope 11/2 Box 74 Locust Oklahoma 74352 (9181

SOLO OF BROWNSVILLE Chuck Weilf,r 524 E:. :i8012

SOLO OF OREGON Sanders 643 Main Sheridan, Oreuon !)7378 ( 50:l) 843- 36()4

HANG GLIDER SHOP

Manufacturers Association UPHCO. Jan

Manufacturers of QUALITY kites and componerits DEALE!, INClUIRIES INVITED

400-B Pepper Lane San Clemente, California 92672 (714l 492!JB15 MISSISSIPPI VALLEY HANG GLIDER Richard 704 S. 2nd

Serimone

11

Cnrrv Pinet!

Philadelphia, PBnnsylvania

(2151 637 3484 SOLO OF HOUSTON Hobert 326[, w.

7 Houston, Texas 77006 (71 :,) 5218701

As a 111a1111fr1ct11rerofquality glider 111/rdware a!ld sof) ware we will he happy to quote quanlitv prices of am' S/)('Ci/icatio11s. We carry ON f!AN!) a large inFcntorF ofstandWrite or

For more information about the 19 x 17 Flexi the Quicksilver, and the unrivaled Cumulus, and a The Hann Glider Manual, with parts list of authorized dealers, send $1.00 for our for the Flexi Quicksilver and much more information $10.

CharHH member Hang Glider Manufacturers Association

UP P.O. Box 582 Ranoho, CA. 92390

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