USHGA Ground Skimmer September 1976 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

I ONE :)OLLAR

GRO

U.S.A.

MASSACHUSETTS Blanchard Sc. of Hang Gliding Dunstable, M/\SS.

(617) 649·6137 East Wind Han~J Gliders Randolph, MASS. (61 l) 96.::H:1107 Ellison l:::nterprises Williamstown, MASS. (802) 82:J,7879 MICHIGAN

Easy Traveling

Richl<1nd, Ml (GJ6) 629-4481 UP Hanggllding Corp.

Marquette, Ml (906) 228·6270

D DISTRIBUTORS

ISSUE NO. 44 SEPTEMBER, 1976

Guest Editor: Carol Price EDITOR: Rich Grigsby LAYO UT & DESIGN: Ma rk All ison EDITORIAL ASSISTAN I : Sharon Grigsby OFFICE STA FF MANAGER: Ca ro l Velderra ,n Susan Bischof, Hedy Kleyweg, J<1net Meye r

GROUAD ,HlfflffllR fflAGA'.ZIRI

CONTENTS

USHGA OFFICFRS PRESIDENT: Vern Roundtree VI CE PR ES IDENT: John Lake SECRETARY : John H,irro s TREASU RER: Lloyd Licher USHGA REGIONAL D IRECTORS RE GION I : Vern Roundtree, Gi l Dodgen. REGION 2. Lee S1erios, John Grace. REGION J: Lloyd l icher, Dan Poynter. lohn lake, Chr i, W ills. REGION 4 : Don Bench . REGION 5: Ga ry Osaba. REGION 6: Darryl Smith. RE GION 7: Mike Zias kas . RE G ION 8: T om Peghrny, D an Chapman. REGION 9: .Vic Pow el l , Chuck Sl u,arczyk. REG ION I 0 : Harry Rob.b, John H.irri,. REG ION 11: Dave Broy les. D IRE CTORS -AT- LA RGE : REG ION l : Bi l l John son. REGION 6 : A l Mu lJZ7 i. RE GION 9: Denn is Pagen . REGION 1 1: John Wh i l(•. HONORARY D IRECTOR: Hugh Morton. EX OFFICIO DIRECTOR o f USH GA as we are a div ision of NAA: Genera l Broo ke Allen. CONSUMER ADV I SORY : GROUND SKIMMER and USHGA, Inc. do not endorse or take any responsibility for the products advertised or mentioned w ithin the se pages . Please consult the HMA or pilots and dealers in your area .

U LTRALI G HT CONVERSATION

ULTRALI G HT NEWS

CA LENDAR

13.

BADWA TER BAILOUT

14.

TOW ING FRO M A HANG GLIDER PILO T'S POINT OF VIEW by Jo hn Dunham

17.

FEDERATIO N AERO NAUT IQUE INTER N ATIONALE: SPO RTIN G CODE FOR HANG GLIDING

----20. USING THE W EAT HER by Peter F. Lester 23.

HAVING TROUBLE GETTING RATED? by Dennis Pagen

24.

ON E FLEW OVER T HE I JAN G TWO AND THREE

25.

ELECTIO NS UPCOMING: NOM INATIONS NEEDED by D ave Broyles

28.

welc.onw Anyo,w ,., 11w1tNJ 10 t.ontribl11t' ,llltc., lc\, pho10-,, ,rnd 1lh,.,11.1t ion!> t.onc.e rninK lh.Hl).t glid 1n~ o1c: 11v1tu•s . If the m,:1te1iJ I t) 10 b<' rf'lurne<I. ,, -,tamp4..•(I, ~t:.11- M ld(('\'\l.:'d r("turn <·nvelope mu~t he t:•ndo,i:-cl.

38. 40.

GROUN I) ~KIMMER reserve, the roghl 10 edrt wn· Inbutmn, where r'lece~'>itry , 1 ht• A~,or,.11,on .,ncl puh·

44.

WHO'S WHO! DAVE CRONK ALIAS "MR. SMOOTH" by W . A. A ll en KEIT l-1 N ICHOLS D ICK STER N STEVE MOYES TRIP M ELLINGER DEAN TANJI

l1L.u1on do no1 a,HmH' ,e.,pon, ib1f, 1v ior th,• 01.:ttN1,\I

53.

CLASSIFI ED ADVERTISING

G KOUND SKIMMER" published 101 h,rn~ Rlid,nR :-.~>Ort e n1 h u ,;iasts 10<'r(',1 1P f un hcr 1ntere)I ,11 1he ,pu n,

be J me,m" of Opl.'n ·commun,catmn ,ind 10 ,1dv,1nn• h,,njt Klldrng ,ne1 hofl , ,111d ,a1e1y (oru,1bu1mn, .ire

01 o pu1io 1h Hf contribu lor-,.

'.\2. 36.

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C.d d . 9 00bb and who,e o tl ice'- ,1ff' lora tcd .11 1 I l I 2 v, Venier) lll vd ., Los An8eles, Calil. qoo6o, 1nlt?phone f21 ) l )90 3065 . Sec:o n<l -rl,1.:;s post;, gc 1:. p,od al Los Angele,, C.ol,f GROUND ~KIMMER " prin ted hy Sind,u, Pwui ng & Lllho, 1\ lh,:1mhrd , Cdl1i. Suh'J>u1p1t1>11 i, ,1v..-Ht..1hk· only .h p,.HI of mcmbt>"hip 1111hc USHGA., a m ernl.JN·loOt1o lled ,,d uca11onal c111d ~cien 1di<. o rg,,n,1Mion dccl,c,·1tcd to t?xpl0 11 llg ,,11 1,1rr.ts of luelle.,.,, ::,~11-1.iunc. herl ulu,1l1~ ht ll iHhl Me111be1\hi 1• 1i. <>1wn to an~•o nt- rnter6 ted 1n lh,, ,calm of illHhl. n u~-. ,11 e \ 10 per yt'M (1, 1 1 lor fore1><1n addre0:.M!,) oi vlhich $4 J 1e dcs,~nJ led for ~ub,;( 11J)·

lion to G ROUND SKIMMCR. Changes 01 ;1ddrcs, shou ld be ) ent !tlX weeh rn advan(r,, mcludrng ndme , U~HCA mcmlwr$h1p number, prev1ou-, and ,,t'w addrC's~. ;ind a matltnH l.sbel from 11 recenl , c, ..uC' .

COVER : Paul Courtney "pouri ng it o n." Photograph er Stephen M cCarroll irc1 111cd Paul and hb Sky Sport~ Merl in in the moody afternoon ~ky of Torrey Pine~.

Doar Edilor, In regard lo tlw upcoming HM/\sanctioned Telluride World Invitational Hang Cliding Championship: I'd like to suggest that lht~ title of Telluride'\; little fw approp riatcly changed to the TPlluride World Invitational Kite Contest because this contest is definitely not ;1 championship, and hang gliding is definitely not the name of the game. The I IMA, in not allowing rigid to compete, is in my mind admitting lo something as ignorant ,is racial discrimin,1lio11 the same kind of co11serv;1tism that k•,1ds to the bureaucracies we have to fight in order to attain our rlying freedom. How is hang ing going to advance intelligently if it is not allowed to advance um•ncumbcred in all directions/ Who's to say what a hang glider should or shouldn't do? We're all !tying to accomplish the same basic things; we're all pilots of one sort or another; and we aII have to fly and brea1he the same air. Who should care as to the size, shape, and style? After all, a rnachine is a flying machine, and what is important is that it fl ics. If the I IMA is going to sanction a world invitational hang gliding championship, then let's do just that by assuring that all hang gliders are allowed to compete. 13rian Porter Eugene, Oregon

Dear Editor, For the sake of the record, I adapted a pellet variometer to helmet-backpack mounting for hang gliding use in October, I 97:i (Cround Skimmer, January 197:i). I had the bad judgment to demonstrate and brag about its success to Dave Mi lier of Makiki Electronics shortly thereafter. Understandably, Makiki then quickly developed a vario unit to sell to the hang gliding community, 4

Unlortur1zil1'!IV 110 glider pilots wc,rc• associated with their development or testing. Tfwrefore to ,uggest (Clicler {-;icier, June 1976) that 1he Morton Enlerprises helmet variometer unil is a copy of lhc M<1kiki unit is just a lillle humorous. Tile Makiki unit is ,wither sc,nsilivl! ,is our (SO fpm vs. IO fps) nor as f1T!C of pellet movemc11t artifacts (due to ;i insulated cannister). Dave, ;1s you know, the p(!llct variomPtcr was invented before either of us were born. If you ever happen to see rnw of ours, you will observe that it is substantially different (,ind we lhink better) than that sold by MakikL Dr. Bruce Morion Morion l·n•1,,rnric,HC

Dear Editor, With all the fl and high ;ii titudc I wondc'r if pilots are pn,p,H· themselves for the colder tl'mper,itures, thinner ;iir, and fotiguc. 011 crosscounlry flighls, pilots should carry waler with them when flying in tlw desert). You can get small cc1nteens that clip onto tfo, control bar. These ;ire handy after you land, as well. Small oxygen bottles wouldn't 1.w. a bad ide,1, either, when you fly for JO rn in utes or more over 10,000 feeL I know one pilot who can't remember the last half of a 1011g cross-country flight rncideat high altitudes. He apparently r<:•mc>rnherod enough to land hut this is an indication that oxygen is needed cit high altitudes. One guy I know makes sure' his driver has a rn,ip, well as carrying 011e hi rnsplf. Then he takes off, disappears over the mountains, flying into the desert to see how far he can go. When he lands, he finds a phone and calls a friend, leaving the phone number where he can be reached. The driver calls the same friend who tells him the pilot's nurnber. The driver calls the pilot, and with e,1eh consulting his own map, they d'1scuss the best route for the cfriver to take to reach the pi lot Rick Tomlin

DcZH I'd like' to congratulate l<endall f lopkins on his article, "The Crowckd " (lune CS). The part I enjoyed most was the su•11,irio of I lw two fl ofl Ml. S,111 Jacinto. This was ;111 excellent way to pres<:nt this vital rrutcrial by putting the rPadcr in very phusililc situ,11ions (now l'Vc•ryday occurr<'ncc•s), h,wing come up, .ind then explaining the proper solutio11s. 111,Hl no idea that ,111 .iircraft flying east flew al one altitude and c1ircraf1 flying wl'st flew at another IPVl'I. This Mticle was PxlrP11w1v illuminating. I would like lo see a copy oi !his articll' rc,1Ch the FAA. They would undoubtedly be impressed with the professional ;itlil ud(• oft lw author, and would re,1\ ill' that hang gliding's self regulation system is working. If glider pilots bPco111e ;1ware of the> basi( they ,.ire on the wc1y tow,mls avoiding conflict with tlw FAA, as wPII as mid-airs. Thank you, Kendall, for your excellent ,Hticle. Torn Ci bbons Madison, Wisconsin

V.iriorneters are the basic tool for modern sailplanes. Without them, sailplane pilots would havP a difficult tirne gather-information lo make long disflights possible. Hang glider pilots are beginning to realize the extra information a variometer puts out to make better soaring decisions. When one is in ridge lift and within 200 feet oft he ground, one can generally perceive changes in altitude quite readily. But when one is a thousand feet in the air in thermal condialtitude arc extremely Thus, variometers, in pressured ue to altitude, can an altitude change of as little as ,1 fooL 1-lzing gliding is rapidly rising above the

SEPTE:MBEFl, 1976

ride gliding andispn into !lie ,o,1ri11g er,1, 1 h,ivc· fou1Hl lh,1t tlic, li<1,ic rnlr· to follow in soc1ri11g in ordn to 111c1x, imi fl lim<' ,rnd di<;t,mr<', i<; to up i11 ,,ink ,rnd slow down in lifl I oo ollen inning pilot,, find tlw111s('IVh in ,l downdralt dlHI ,low the glider up to reduce their ,,ink ral<', /\cluallv, ,111 tl1t'y'rc doi11g i'> i11g mort' tinw in the ,1ir th,il i,, si11ki11g, lor i11<;t,111n•, wP'n, flying ,;ill' with ,1 300(),. foot vt'rtie,il rJp•,crnt ,111d d I glide to lht· l,111di11g ,W'd, 111 order to ll1dke the l,rnding M<'d, om' h;:s to 111<1xiinizc lift and minimi ,,ink 011 route· down !\ pilot is flyi11g kil(' willi ,1 sink r,1te of 'iO c1ft<'r takeoff his v.irio111ctcr rc',1ds up. I le slows down ,rnd makes "S" lurm in tlw lift. I le then f,1lls out of tlw lift ,rnd tlw vario111Clcr rec1cb (,()() down, I le then up Ii kile to minimize his ti1m· in the :,ink,/\, the variornelcr sLirts lo sl1ow ,i reducPd ',i11k rc1lc, lw sldrls lo slow up ,1 little flying c1 litll<' hit off cour,,c to I hP l('ft iit'(d llSP ht' SC'('S SOln(' hi rds ci cl Whn1 he gPl'i them, his )00 down which ml'dn, lifL I Jc slows tlH' kill' up .1s lly this timP he i,, withi11 c1 hunrlrPd iel·t of the he ii, following down to the l,111di11g ,irp,1,111d quits rp,iding lhe v,1rilH1iPler hec.i11se d visual rC'IPn'rH (' him i11fom1,1tio11 to tell if he'i, goi11g up or down, Renwmhcr, if you mz1ke thf' d('ci th,11 cn,1ble you lo stay out of th<' sink ;rnd rPrnilill in the lift, you will go your distann',

I I Pun:hasc ;Rent Re 11 ta I Date ."..'""""'"", .......,..- ............. .. Please Enclose Payment

TWO GREAT BOOKS ON ULTRALIGHT FLIGHT

200 on fool launching. 6th revision over sold. $/5 95 postpoid. (Cali fornions odd,36¢ soles tax)

OR, home. Kt!l)I lime,

s11aps,

16mm Film

is red cordura with twist Ashford (SO<I) )Bl I 4B4. June 30th from

a n·w,11d for glider or sci ii returned

!Javis (21 l)

C3flOUNll SKIMMr]l

or (21 l)

Write for Ff~EE hong gliding informotion kit Dan Poynter, Box Santa Barbara, CA 93103

The first snows of winter blocked the passes in the Andes, preventing c1 number of contestants from attending the May competition, But the en thusiasrn could not be dampened by a little wec11her; the meet wa re· scheduled for November (spring), and c1 Chile-Argentina competition began,

rnost identical to Southern California's. There are four small manufacturers in Santiago who are turning out gliders according to l<ilbo and Seagull Ill plans; the Seagull is the most popular. Chile has one imported second-generation kite, a Kestrel. The locally manufactured kites have nylon sails, as Dacron is impossible to obtain, and the complete unit costs less than $300. Many of the

URNAI.

Most o/ the l<iles were built with Seagull Ill pl.ins and hav(' nylon sail.1, <11 Dacron is impossible lo o/Jtain, ThC' locdl/y,.cfesigned harnesses ar<' a sem i)Jrom' sty le, The flying site' is on th<' edge of th(' capital Santiago, from here the city could be IDs and the terrain is very much like Southc'm

The flying in Chile may be the best in the world; the whole country is a flying site. The Club Juan Salvador Gaviota (Jonathan Livingston Seagull) is located of Santiago on a west· right on the facing 1,000' hill with ten launching points. It is backed up by another nearby mountain some ,3,000' high. Last Feb· ruary, Wilfredo Guzman helicoptered up to the top of Aconcagua, some 17,000' and flew to Argentin,i. In spring and summer, the soaring is incredibly good in the mountains and, of course, the coastal flying is always perfecl. Santiago looks very much like Los Angeles: a large spread-out city surrounded by mountains with tall buildings in the downtown area. Most of the hills are treeless and the weather is al6

will be hard to beat. They've mastered the duration event and are deadly accurate on landings. The Charnpionships have been rescheduled for mid-November and a number of US flyers are expected to compete. The flying is incredible and the Chilenos are the best hosts in the world. For more information, write Car., los Alcalde, Gerona 3409, Santiago 11, Chile. (Use a 31¢ air mail stamp.)

pilots are young and most weigh less than I 00 pounds. They fly very slowly, and fortunately lhe winds are smooth. Currently there are about 200 gliders and 225 flyers in Chile. The club owns 8 kites, enabling many youngsters to take part in the sport.

!:very flight ends with d target 1w1, The practice pays off as the local pilots rarPly miss,

Chile will be sending a team to comin the World Championships in Koessen, Austria, i 11 September and they

ERMA!.?

Q. Are there thermals during the night? A. Yes! 11 Due to the fact that cold fronts move over warmer ground as they move southw;ird over the United States east of the Rockies, soara· bit' lift even can be encountered at night." This and olfwr interesting facts are found in Soaring Meteorology for forecasters, a book originally pro· duced for the National Weather Ser· vice and now available to the public for the first time. It was designed to provide a better understanding of weather problems associated with soaring and techniques for forecasting and delivering weather information of the greatest interest to soaring pilots. Despite being written with sailplanes in mind (the authors, Charles V Lindsay and Stanley J. Lacy, being sailp., lane pilots as well as meteorologists), hang glider pilots interested in soaring cross-country flights should have little problem adapting the material to their own use. Soaring Meteorology for forecasters is available for .10from the Soaring Society of America, Box 66071-G, Los Angeles, California 90066. SEPTEMBEll 1976

Thunder tit ion

Meet came off contest was held 11 at Thunder in l oronto, d Minnesota. Pilots who were soar were able to see Lake in the distam<>. This was the first know of where "liPar ,Al:, rn"""'' · issued at the launch

the

!lWPl!

A total fast round

but the numlier to

(JO% of each seem~ was dctcrrn360° turns and time from the sheer-cliff liikeoff lo thP gatei; The bull's eyP counted for 4()1)1,;. ined

I'd

Honolulu, HI

',0(,,7

Dave Arriirnhede David Baik·y llurkr· Fwing Tom Peghir1y Mike l\rrarnbeck· John Croble Phil Rav Barry ( ;ordon D,1v1• MuPhl

v,,ntur.1, Cl\

41\ I l 'I 'i') 'l) 4l(i.4

1\1111 !\rhrn, Ml

I ;i Joll,1, CA N1·wto11, Ml\ Ventur.i, CJ\ Mirnwapoli,, MN Dillon, CO Costd Mesa, Cl\ lnglr'Wood,

C11muli1s Sil

Sun Clidr r 1

$ (,()()

401)

!J21,,)

$ )C,() $ 100 $ :,()

41 '1Wi7 ,1() I . I

Ml<21l I lragonfly

$1000 $ 1\00

)'i

Al pin<' SSl IOOll Merlin lb() Cumulu,, :513 SSI IOOll Swift ll Cirrus Ill Fl1·xi :>

left.' !cl Ce.,ar rr'u·iVC'\ a ch('ck for$ I 000 lhi' I ,1-p/s1cr· lrop/111, "//,1nging In Thr•rr-," fm111 Mo/ion Mr1x Meki/ok,

l<ight column: Uchytil in hi1 fvlantil /'C'ga.rn, soarin/; rhunriN

/3ottom left:

of lwo

ing" a J(),()()IJ-1/J, rock dre,1 11Wl'L Crew being /er! liy Tom l'l'glriny l'opov.

Grandfather Mountain, with the backdrop of a dramatic autumn season in the beautiful Smokey Mountains, will be the location of the Masters Championship to be held tcmber 23-26. The annual hang gliding competition has been changed to a new invitational format with only 40 contestants those deemed by the Masters Invitation Committee to be the 40 top pilots in our nation. The winner of the Masters will receive the Mutual Broadcasting System Trophy, a new high performance hang glider, and a round-trip ticket with a week's hotel and meals for two at Acapulco, Mexico. All the details and the full prize list are not complete, but from pilots we have talked with, it has been determined that th is wi 11 probably be the most interesting hang glid-ing meet ever conducted from the standpoint of prestige and value the winner will receive. The Masters Championship is sanc-tioned by the United States Hang Gliding Association, and the three top meet officials are members of the Board of Directors of USHGA. They are Col. Harry Robb, Meet Director: John Harris, Assistant Meet Director and Chief Judge; and Dennis Pagen, Safety Director. These officials, as well as other members of the experienced Masters Committee, are determined that this wil I be the best run and most enjoyable meet in the United States.

WORLD OIFFICIAL

NOW

The Federation Aeronautique Internationale's (FAI) official sport code for hang gliding became effective August 1st, establishing for the first time rules for official world records. The rules (which closely parallel those used in the sailplane world) list three for hang glider flight world records: 1) dislance (to an unspecified landing place), 2) goal a) straight distance goal (to a specified landing place, b) out & return (with a single turnpoint), and 3) gain of 8

height (the difference in altitude bet-ween any low point and subsequent higher point by the barograph). Barographs, official observers, starting & finishing flight declarations, and photographic evidence are allowed and/or required according to the record attempted. Tandem (rnultiplace) and feminine records are classified separately, although ferninine records may also be submitted for general classification. Portions of the sporting code are re-printed within this issue. Copies of the obtained for 50¢ complete code may from USHGA, Box 66306 1 Los Angeles, CA 90066. Ask for Item #28.

a real kick. What wonders 750 acres of sand dunes can do for a person's inner peace. Al Waddill (BOS) 925-154B was instrumental in organizing the meet, providing rest morns and trans· portation on and around the beach and dunes.

SEPTEMBER by Al Waddill Otto Lilienthal will never know what he . But those of us who make foot-launched soaring flights owe him a word of thanks. Southern California's gratitude goes so far as to commemorate Otto's birthday with an Annual Lilienthal Meet (this year marked the 6th such occasion). We were bl with typical sunny surnmer weather and a mild onshore Guadalupe Dunes, this and last year's location, is ideal for beginners and intermediates. They can fly for a% mile down the dunes without getting more than 5 feet off the ground (I rnean soft sand!). Though not soarable for standards, the highperformance gliders (Sun bird Stratos, Wills and Bennett Phoenix Vi's) could stay up indefinitely. And, of course, Pt. , just a couple miles up the beach, a beautiful 1200' flight for the more advanced flyers. Volmer Jensen flew his powered Sun-Fun from the flat parking lot 1 Y2 mj to the dunes where he soared without the ne until ready for the return trip. Buckley showed what a couple of years of design, testing and sweat can produce with his fine homebuilt fixed-wing. Everyone a that the non-competitive fly--in at one of the most along the California beautiful coastline was inspiring, besides being

2, First World Hang Cliding Champ-ionships, Kossen, Austria. For further information, write USHCA, Box 66306, Los Angeles, California 90066. ·13, Observer Clinic at Glacier Point, Yosemite Nalional Park at :00 A.M. Purpose: to unify and upgrade the rating system, We would I ike to invite all Observers, Instructors and Di rectors. Contact: Dean Aldinger, (9Hi) 4tl9-4778. SFPTEM BER I B-19, Klickitat Op<'n at Pitt near Klickitat, Washington. Trophies for target land and duration. Sponsored by the Mid-Colurnbi;i Gorge Cliders. For further information, contact John Lyon, P.O. Box 247, Klickitat, WA 98628. (509) 369-3331. 24--26, Ha licfrng Meet at Crystal Caverns Flight Park, Chattanooga, TN. For further information call (615) 1321 --0097. 25,26, Crandfather Mountain Hang Cliding Championship, Linville, North Carolina. USHCA Sanctioned. Re-scheduled from May 1 and 2. SHCA Membership meeting, 7:30P.M. Dept. of Water and Power auditorium, 111 N. Hope St., Los Angeles.

Let Ground Skimmer help you to publicize your upcoming hang gliding events. Send in your calendar items at least tl weeks in advance. Calendar of Events Ground Skimmer Magazine Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066

SEF'TEMBEFl, 1976

hundred pi lots at Mt to celebrate the arrival of the fickle Mother Nature was

rnade it squeeze n however, entrants did gPI airbone off the

and spectators, most IOO-foot Starr Trail, the Hw 45(Hoot t.'ittle of some beautiful new gliders irn formJtion everyone sPemed of whJt Stowe has to offer in the WJY of

As with the first two on Sunday restricted flying from the higher elevations and flying was continued on Little up to six flights each although several times rr,mnp.f ,_ tion had to be called to a hall due to gusty winds and showers. But when the rain clouds it was still Brooks Ellison sitting high and dry with a score of 288.86 and $ 300 of the $1000 purse in his Jim Fi nkowski piloted his Dragonfly to second with his total of edging out Dou ka Kaknes and his Cirrus 111 who collected I .BO points. Many thanks go to meet Curtis of the Stowe School for a low-key competition and a fitting celebration of the arrival of surmner and warm weather hang gliding to Verrnont, and the Green Mountains. NO.

10 II I) 11 14

1::i 1(,

17 1fl 19 20

ADDRESS

GU DER

SCORE

Williams.town, MA rr,rnco11ic1, Nl·l

Seagull IV

Oragonily

Jim rinkowski J>ouk<1 KLikne~ ! Lirry T.1ylor Al CopPrlino

Monroe, NY

Cirrus J/J

2/l8.llf, /5L4B 251.IJ/l

Milford. Cl Am/wrst, Nil

Bohc<1\ Ki'r,trel ll

LVJ 250./lO

Jim Al'On~on

Monroe>, NY

CirrtVi Iii

24b.~)U

Don Md :c1be

North Co11w<1y, NII So. IJP<>rfi<'ld, MA CllillNHil'n, VI

Bobcat ll Drilgonfly Bol,c.il I H,1ng Clye-r

244.(,2 244.00

Chuck l ,iVN\.t 9

found the k of Vermont's srn:i<(•c1 in with stiff southwest breeze tumbl Trail, rendering the 100-foot takeoff Meet organ Chris Curtis and Don Post from the 4SO-foot Little the the contest rules to altitude fl would make aerial maneuvers ,1:1,nrwr·n,tc. ble. As to fly from Little s(,rrowfully at Mt. Mansfield's summit while local fliers commiserated and uu,u,,:u old Ya : "Hell, well if you don't like stick around a minute." welcome to for as many fl the best two would count 1owards the

NAME Brooks f 111<,on

f~ay Coughlin J,1kob Sc hw,ugP1 f{ob Poul ins

lloh Allmght Enc McNPt! Johr1thd11 Winsor

W,ilt r,,,Ji( 1 mi John SillNo

Cl,H'Pndon, VI Vernon, Cl Stow, MA

Jampi.,vi\le, NY Mt. Vernon, NI l I unC'nburg, MA

C.nl IJl.iisd,,JI LP(' Kec,Jc,1 PPlP 11 ill

Steve Couze!1,;

Cli'nr. f,;II•,. NY No. I lawrhill. NI I l ondond(!rry, Vf No. Conw,1y, NI! W<1terbury, VT

?34.02 2 H>.14

Kc!strel

2l(Uf,

Swifl 13 100 II Kestrel Wind Cyp•sy

?21.7.1

l<e<,trel

VUB 2 19. I b 214.92 1.70

Ke':>trcl

Se,1gull IV

706,)H

Kei;trel

104.lb

Sun Stnd

)02.6(,

I FOR

The bull's

new and scal-,,..,,0,"cr duration

PAID FOR BY THE DICI< STERN FOR PRESIDr:NT FLYINC COMMITTEE.

GFKJUND SKIMMr::ri

','

"•

877 W. J<AT[LLA /\VE OFlANCE:, CA. 92GG7 TPlepho,w ( 1141997 0/01 Memher

or Nanylirler

Ma1111fact11rers Assoc:iatio,,

Manufacturers of OUALITY kites and components DEALEH INOUIHIES INVITED

!ls a 11w1111fac1urer of q11alirr 1;/ir/cr lwrd1\'(/rl' anrl 10/i 11·an' W<' ll'il/ hi'

lia/J/1.1' to r11101c qua111i11· 11ri('('\ of

an,· .\/Ji'ci/irntions. ll'c rn1F1· O:V //.11:Vf) a large i11,·,,111on· o/ sra11r/· rm/ /Jar/s /Ji/(/ 1111111/in. lt'ri/1' or

• Sanctions meets for local, national, and int!:!rnational championships. • outstanding flying with the Otto Lilienthal Awards. • Provides a medium for discussion via its monthly publication, Cround Skimmer Magazine. • you internationally through the National Aeronautic Assn. (NAA), a division of the Federal Aeronautique International (FAI). • Implements the Hang Rating Program and Instructors Certification Program. • Acts as a liaison between pilot and the public representing hang gliding at government levels. • pilot liability insurance (available soon). Dear Hang Gliding Enthusiast, Our sport is experiencing a phenomenal growth rate which is focusing the attention of the public and administrative upon us. It is most important that he have proper representation, regulation and We need the United States Hang Gliding Association organization to cope with the problems of a growing working for us. However, the H.C.A. can only be as strong and effective as its membership. It can only be of service to you and hang glidingifthere are enough members to support it. Do your sport and yourself a service. The next time you fly, find someone who is not a member and tell them about the U.S.H.G.A. Get them to join and pass the word ... "every member get a member'' ... and support the organization that supports you. Trip Mellinger, Chairman Membership Committee

your

rnr money

to the U.S.H.G.A.

P.O. Box

ng with tr;:idi, cu residdecided to make her

up with Rich Piccirilli in both diving and hang gliding) in a t ndem X Phoenix loaded with three trate ically cameras. Launching at sunDante's thei

p;:irachute. The she wore for this jump was a "Paradactyle with a total (2 parachutes) of only I pounds. This entire seriuence was filmed in the 1 heat of Death Valley's hottest month by three gun carneras on the glider and a 1200 rnrn lens on the ground. Carn ras, kite, and utes were all up by :00 A.M. Riding back to the airitioned hotel, Sylvia was if do it one more time for addifrorn different camera "Of course," she replied with a big smile. The next morning all went well des-· a downwind takeoff. This time the jurnp was made frorn 3000 feet ACL with via (via and Rich landin for the k none of these

ClnOUND SKIMMFR

ventures was hassled or by the infamous park rangers who have issued tickets and ties for "air deliveries" in the Maybe they couldn't hand le the heat! Foot.note: a year previous, flew a glider jumped out, freefalling for 7000 feet before ing to a landing. (unfortunately even the camera crew) assum that the kite would float about in the air currents for minutes before gently touching down on the valley floor. Not sol The once abandoned by its pilot, dove straight down, wh over th cameraman h by inches a into the parking Jot, m1ssmg a car. The kite not only beat Rich down (he to out of its way in the air), but so bedaz .. the gawking photographer he forgot to turn his camera on.

If you are a veteran tow pilot, you rnay take all these things for granted in this story If you are a veteran hang gl idcr pilot who is contemplating learning how to tow someday, this story, I hope, will be of some help to you. I certainly am not a vderan tow pilot. After 4 years of free flight, I was finally initiated into the towing corn· munity the hard way. After flying and competing in the three tow meets in the country in August my eyes have been opened to a totally new and exciting pa rt of the ultra I ight rnovement. Your first towing rnay have been, or will be, a totally alien It was for me ... Larry Newman, owner of Electra Flyer Corp., Jones, Charles Baughman, and I were returning from the Kitty Hawk Tactile Meet in June of 1 75. Stopping in at Butterfly Industries in Knoxville, Tennessee, we were of. fored the chance to try out towing for our first time. There I was, completely green with rny shaking like crazy 14,

getting ready to jerked off the heach of a local lc1ke by a boat which happened to be underpowered. With about 50 feet of rope coiled in front of me on the grass, and another 400 feet behind the boat, the signal was given to 11 hit it. 11 There I was with my swimming trunks I I i(e vest, and helmet, ting the scare of my life. Don't even to run/' says. "Just hold back as the rope becomes taut and it will ... 11 Just then with a scream I'm gone! It feels like the kile i going to break in half. My body is thrown back and I can barely pull it up to the bar to the nose down. I kick my apart like a cowboy on a bronc to signal the boatto slow down. After finally slowing down a little, I adjusted myself to the situation and n to look around Following the tow rope with my eyes down to the below me, I feel a little boat 350 bit queezy to think my life is depend· i ng on that boat driver and He could up and overstress this kite without the proper pilot-boat corn· rnunication It was hard for a free-

flight pilot like myself to stomach. I couldn 1 l wait to come back to the 11 ta area to release and 11 float gently down to a soft landing in the water close to the beach. There I was, a pilot just off a flying trip of jumping off mountains and gently soaring my high performance kite with the of easE!, signaling a tow boat 400 feet below me, to stop so that I could my tow line and gently glide down. I figured on doing a few 360 1 s, a few 180's and 11 511 turns, and landing on a next to the beach. Like hell! Nobody told me what a hog most tow kites are to fly because of their heavy control bars and beefy construction. The boat stopped and I pulled the mechanism, and was free at last! Here goes my first 360! Here comes the water Splash!! What a rude awakening. Well, so much for my first towing lesson. It didn't impress me very rnuch. In it almost made me swear off ever trying it again. The next thing I knew, though, we had acquired SEPTEMBER, i 976

Three weeks later we arrivc,d in rloricl.i, lo

practiccfmfour h;rng gliders with Newman and few otrwr Albu· qucrque locals. What a This tirne we towed h kites which lowed like a dream. We had switched to prone and had a Ii control r .ind s1reamlined floats. oricc we~ relvasl)d we could actually alt the gl idcrs stillseemed,1littlcsl because of the extrr1 In two of towing, we l<!arned ;1 lot about ,rnd had a glim psc of the real of most nrn,n,,fl Oil a

I in<!. towed I miles when the ided to pu 11 whal seemed like to rne a hairpin turn without reducing . nwre I was about to pull the number one boo·l)oo in I had drifted too for lo thP outside, of the turn instead of ng on of the wake. I felt morP and more prPSSLJrP on the kite I was wung fu th r to the out id lshifl would no help rne 11 out of this ituation called lock oul." Is franl ical ly for the boat to slow down and rcleasP the ropP ten· sion I could back on !rack. It was hope I I to

quick release and pulled and flew qu lo the· water, c:r1,k",no

like a leaf When kite released under ten· look out! It is essential lo have slack low linP whenever or else you rnay violent of your nose (the kite nose, too). Accord a premature releasE! can be handled the energy of the to pu 11 into a This viol· ent brc!ak stall which can even go inlo half resulting in corning down invPrted It takes very quick reaction tirneandalotofrnuscle. It also if you ng prone so that you have rnore pitch control lo bring the nose down. much for the techn part of this gt:t down to the fun

part. GF10UND SKIMMER

hdorl'1hcWmld

rowing Championships. It was ou1 first morn andwewalkcdoutofour air···Conditioned rooms into ai1· as thick as Willer. Coming from Aluuqu, "''" where: t hP 1·e is no rno i st u re i 11 th c air, lo where th('re is no air in the moisturl: (9()<){, humidity, I 0% en,,,,..,,.,,,,, was like a we,:k in ,, saun,1 h;,th only this sauna had mosquitoes which only went after oul.-of-slate blood. The local,, didn'I have ,rny blood left to time I cornpl,iirwd to locals, they looked al me ancl "What seemed I ike you could doing 360's ;if!er you hit the water and 110! notice too much difference. All kidding Ciardc11s was great once we lost all of our blood lo the mosquitoes and bcca111c w;c·d lo the weather. AflPr over ;1 week of actual cornpetition, we witnessed 11 1 11 1 numerous "do s and 11 don ls while watching and competing. There were pilots who would release a little hit too hot (ful I us the force to propel them up through their first lCiO tum. The j would mark off points for this. Some pilots would spi11 their kites out of control until ii was time to sel up for the bull's eye. flying i1 ful1v·1J,111,·1 would find pocl<ets of thermal lift over the water, rnany c1s twelve 3()() 0 turns with versa!. Other people to fol· low the old landing mies and crash on the no matter what. Maxirnurn points were awarded for a landing that would have been safe if ii were on land. During this time, there were no seri· ous m but I did witness some pilots close. Once in a wh a pilot would try off the beach not hooked in. It's a funny seeing pilot by his hands from the bottom of the control bar and then dropping 20 fept to the water when he ly a dangerous lets go. This is situation. One pilot was peaking out over th boat when his rel a Carl Boc,nish just beforP and after n'leaw.

1:i

rnechanism sheared off frorn the pres· sure this sending hirn into ii straight up straight down whip stall. Another pilot's release malfunctioned and he couldn't release his rope. When this happens, one should fly circles until coming down. This pilot didn't know that. I le flew straight until the tow line became taut on the other side of the then-stopped boat. H kite looked like a lassoed steer as it comes to the end of a taut rope. It jerked around 180 degrees and fell to the water from about 50 feet. No darnage done, though.

boat, make the kite on top of the wake, never ng outside of a turn. Remember, if you are towing down0 wind, a turn into the wind will put a lot of stn?ss on your kite unless the boat to compen· sate. Think ahead. 6. If you should happen to have a premature use the energy of !he pitch-up in c1 wingover, getting your nose down as quickly as possible. If you are flying in gusty or lhermal conditions, do not pec1k ouf 011 your tow line until the las1 moment before you release. If you are on a tight

rno

high stresss tow with no room to go up in case a gust or thermal hits you, it can overstress your kite. EL Make sure the kite you are flying is of towing quality. Some adapted hang gliders are not suitable for towi 11g. 9. I towed with a single release at the bottom of my control bar this sumrner. With a double Moyes type release; take towing, and everything else are a lot easier·. fhis type of release prevents violent pitch ups after takeoff. l Cl. Never learn how lo tow without an experienced tow pilot and driver to instruct you Towing can be as safe as you make it. As in free fight, 10% is ski 11 and 90 1Yr) is judgment. Some of the judgmenl is on your part as pilot, and some rests on the spotter and driver. 11. Do nol tow 011 dry land unless you are an expert tow pilot. The ground is no plc1ce to rnakP mistakes. I'm sure there are a hundred more "do's" and "don'ts" in towing. These are just basic ones that were the most outstanding in rny last surnrner. Carl demonstrates a Jami tow on U Mirage Dry L:1ke .. Note• Moyes.type "V" bridle and release mechanism. !\II photos are hy Carl R. /3oenish <111cf the towing portion of his soon·tolJC'·rE'/1•as1•c/ feature length movie, "Playground in the Sky."

Here are some basic rules for towing that we learned last summer: 1. Make sure you have excel lent pi loHo·spotteHo-driver com mun ication. There should he 110 radical c1,""''"'~ while under tow. 2. Mc1ke sure your tow line is of required strength and without frays or poor splices. 3. Always take off into the wind un· less you have a very driver. 4. When the boat is heading out to pull you off the beach (as in a standing pop start), it is essential to have your nose pointed direc!ly c1t the boat. Otherwise, you will lake off in a slight turn, sorneti mes resulting in a lock ouL 5. When towing behind a turning 16

SEPTEMBER, 1976

I I I l.4.2

A flight to a single turning point and return along the reciprocal course to the departure nt.

I .S

definitions Place of take oH lhe place lrom which the hang glider leaves the ground.

2 The crossing of the start line in free flight.

l ..'d

A gatcw;:iy not exceeding 100 meters high and :JOO meters wide whose base is indicated on the ground.

I. until the hang new have lost contact with the I au11ch assistant I. 2)

t lw if any person leaves the aircraft in fl that the FAI may at its sole discretion confirm record if it i satisfied that the performance constituting tfw record was combefore the accident or abandonment.

for world

1.3

Start time The time at the departure point. A or A point on the ground which before a is precisely indicated by unique ground feature or by geographical coordinates, in writing by the pilot. The turning point must be declared A is achic,ved when the glider lands within mo meter~ radius of the center of the goal or crosses a finish line at the goal.

of the

The start line

1.S.6 The finish line OR the landing

nt (I

2) to an

IS 7

The finish line not exce<!ding I 00 meters high is indicated on the ground. lor out--&-retum, the start and finish lines will be the same line. The finish line is crossed when the nose of the hang glider cuts the line in the direction under its own momentum. No part of the or body may have touched the to the crossing of the line. A

:mo meters wide whose

from the declcired departure landing

nt to a

J. re poi nl with thl' landing a1 the sarne or another pl for the achievement of altitude follows: The difference in alti1ucfr, between nt nt the The following are official courses for 1 I nts. without C,FJOUND SKIMMl.fi

I .5.8 A landing is when any pa1i of the pilol first touches the ground

1.ri.9 at which the hang glider comes to land. 17

1.5.'IO

time The ti me at which i1 glider crosses the finish line OR the time at which the hang glider lands.

11 The

flown

The length of the arc of the great circle at sea level joining the departure point and the finish point, or, if there is a turning point, the sum of the circle arcs at sea level of each of the course.

1he finish line, any distance flown prior to the crossing rnay not count towards any subsequent performance.

2.5

The turning point is reached when the pilot presents a satisfactory photograph of the turning point from the observation zone. The observation zone is quadrant (90° sector) on the ground with ils apex at the turning point and orientated symmetrically to and remote from the reciprocal course from the start lo the turning poin1. The radius of the observation zone' shall not exceed 2 krn.

2.5.1

HIGHT CONTROL MEASUREMENTS

AND

2 . ·1 Personnel 2.1.1

Observers Official control of flights shall be effected by observers approved by or acting on behalf of a NAeC [National Aero Club, i.e., USHCAJ, Certification from air traffic controllers on duty are valid for observation of take off, start & finish lines, and landing places only. Out land may be certified by two independent witnesses who give their addresses and state precisely the location of the landing place. Certificates are valid only from official observers and approved persons present at the event for which certification i required. An official observer may not act in such capacity (or any record attempt in which he is pilot or passenger.

2.1.

launch Assistant One "anchor man" at ih.! front of the glider, one "wing tip man 11 <it a wing tip rnay assist in balancing the aircraft up to the moment of take off. This assistant may not acl as an official observer.

2 Declaration of the pilot of departure, turning point and goal shall be written on a single sheet or board and include the date, the time and type of hang glider, and the signature of the pilot and of the official observer. For a flight with a turning point, photogra evidence of the declaration shall appear on the film immediately preceeding the photograph of the turning point.

2.6. 1

3 category, the weight other than that of the designated pilot-in charge with his flying equipment, and if necessary, ballast, shall not be than 60 !approximately I 32 pounds J. Only the pilot-inneed hold an FAI sporting license. 2.4 Evidence of start finish lines Only the evidence of an official observer on the ground at the line in question is After

rements

All the photographs concerning a flight shall be mi a single uncut length of film, and there shall be proof that they were taken· a) By the pilot of the hang glider or his passenger on the flight in question. b) Of the declared turning point from the correct location and in the correct sequence. c) Between the time of the last crossing of the start line! and the crossing of the finish line. A new film must be used for each flight or task. Obscuration of the turning point by the wing, another aircraft or patch of cloud will not invalidate the evidence, provided that the photograph shows related ground feature that prove it to have been otherwise correctly taken of the turning point. No other means of verification is permitted. 5.2 control methods The following method sha 11 be used: a) The camera is loaded with an unused film and sealed by an official observer who shall take or observe the pi lot to take a photograph of the declaration board before each take off. The camera and the observer's seal must be marked to aid identification. Following the landing, an official observer shall lake charge of the sealed camera and have the filrn developed and kept uncut. of measurements 2.6 Units The official units o( measurement shall be used in the publication of flight performances.

2.6.2 2.6.3

Distance Unit. The kilometer. 1=or the purposes of calculation, the terrestrial globe shall be considered as a sphere of radius r whose value shall be equal to 245 km. Precision measurement c 0.5 km The differericP in altitude between the starting altitude and the altitude of the finish point rnust not exceed 2% of the distance flown for not than I 00 km. Time Unit: the hour, minute and second. Altitude Unit: the meter. Precision of measurement:

SEfYTEMBER, 1976

the total error in the altitude must not exceed 1(fl,, Tlw method below shall be used, The altitudes reached ;i fl shall be deduced from the record of a t<~stcd by an NAcC laborafollows: a) The pressure at characteristic on the pressure curve including lowest and shall be converted into standard allitll(ies by tables and in the manual of the standard ICAD atmoNo, 74BB), b) These values sh al I be a rithrnet ical ly obta i ncd from the difforPncc between the standard altitudC> to the pn~ssurc at the at the tinw of tc1kc off and altitude of the of cfo.

DAVE KILBORNE

source of stc1tic pressure,

must be used on record

""'n,,,,,.111,1 substc1ntiale glider should is indicated on the h'""'""'"''h lir1 1rr•n·ni1'1ino the stJr!i ng altitudes, The rnust not be accc'ssiblc in fligh! to pilot or passenger, nor n1ust it be to alter the level of the pen without the seal, The must be sealed and unscaled ;rn official observer

DAVID CRONK

GARY THOMPSON

STEVE WILSON

JOHN McVEY

calibration

ror record fl

have

calibrated to the fl for altitude records it must be re-calibrated within one month 1 "''"'"'r",

the fl The almvc is of the may be obtained for from 90066. !\sf< for llern #28.

THE BELL SOARING HELMET IS AVAILABLE THROUGH

YOUR LOCAL BELL DEALER, Distributed world wide by E ipper-Formance, Inc, Torrance, CA 90501

I This article is reprinted from the March, I issue of Soaring Magazine which in turn reprinted it from the January, l 97S, issue of Westwind newsleuer. To quote John Aldrich· "Not only does it have value for any· one who soars in the San Francisco Bay Area, but it is a rnodel for persons or groups who rnight well apply the format Lo other parts of the country. It is innovative, in· formative, and shows a rare understanding ol both meteorology and soaring needs a tough act to follow but would be a valuable help to pilots in other reg ions if only a portion of its features are adopted. We urge you to tackle it, and would be pleased to reprint any areas elsewhere." Remember similar reports on when you read the about waves, that l.ee Wilson, Kent Trimble, and others have wave-soared their hang gliders in the San Francisco area. 1

In the San Francisco Bay area there exists a comple)( variety of small-scale weather patterns caused by the interaction of the atmosphere, the ocean, the bay, and the local terrain. Even in surnrner, a variety of thermal, wave, and convergence zones may be found in this relatively small area ... A study of the S.F. Bay area should be done with thP basic types of lift in mind thermal, convergence, and wave. Mountains and hills can mean ridge or wave soaring or enhanced thermal activity. Valleys or gaps in the terrain are often areas for convergence zone genera· lion. The presence of large water bodies irnplies the possibility of convergence along a sea-breeze front. A corn· parison of the adjacent char! with the table and a topO·· graphical rnap reveals the following important features:

1. The roughly northwest/southeast orientations of the coast line, the bay, the valleys, and the mountains. 2. The two major mountain ranges have the greatest heights in the southern part of the region. (Two excep· tions: Mt. Diablo and Ml. Tamalpais.) 3 The decrease in width of Santa Clara Valley toward the southeast. 4. Several gaps in the terrain between Springs Reservoir and Half Moon Bay along Highway the Golden between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz along Highway 17; near Morgan Hill; at Niles Canyon, and at Hayward.) An ,iccurate assessment of the potential of the local area rnust also include the macroclirnatology. It is not enough simply to know the mean winds, etc., but we rnust also be aware of the climatology of pressure systems where and when they occur, how they move, and whal their wind patterns are. The position and orientation of these relative to the terrain 20

~WAVE RIDGE

MARINE WEATHER MAJOR

features noted earlier are very important. There is not enough space here to give a complete review of the climate, so I will just try to cite the relevant highlights. We can divide the weather year into two seasons: warm and dry (May .. Qctober), and cool and wet (November· April). In the warm and dry season there are three irnporlant climatic controls ·-the quasi-stationary Pacific High, the Thermal Low, and the Marine Inversion. The best soaring conditions occur when the inversion, which is normally based below 1000 feet ASL, is weakened and raised. This usually occurs with the approach of an upper level disturbance. The pressure gradient between the ocean and the Central Valley causes cool marine air to pour in through the gaps and over the lower portions of the Coast The result is that some ridge, wave, and convergence zones are activated. If the upper level dis· turbance is strong (a well-defined trough), convective activity will occur. When the inversion is low, soaring potential is bad because of the stability of the air and the inability of the marine air to through any of the gaps except the Golden Cate and the southern end of the Santa Clara Valley. Because the average height of the marine inversion tends to be lower towards the end of the warm season, the soaring potential deteriorates at that time. In the cool season, frontal activity becomes important as the storm track slips southward. The area is affected by transient highs and lows and lift increase esr,ec:1a1ly for thermal and wave activity. Although there is always an underlying for the stable marine inversion to re-establish it is typically higher and SEf'TEMBER, 1976

IAVORED SEASON

REMARKS

idf(' WilltC'r, Pdrly

(2)

M<1y occur over· the entire Mca, but hills, PSIJC'C:i,illy sun ,;lopl'S, MC l,lV· orr,d. Stronger in convergence' 1oncs (sec 10). M,1y exist two lo tlm·c days ,ifter fro11t;1I p,1ssage (but Sl'C 0). Not shown Oil the rn,1p licc,1t1,c of tlw widC' ,HC\l of OCCLIITCllC('.

Missio11 lift

Strong onshore flow i.e., strong l',H ific high with strong therrnal low i11 San Jo,iquin valley.

irl'S .i perpl'ndin1l,1r wind co111pone11t ,it l11c IPvel of the th.i11 IS knots. M,1y iiC' with tlwm1,1l/upslope activity. When wind spP('d (i of di reel ion) rc,,ichcs ,ibout l'i knoti,, flow lwcomcs too turbu lent.

Niles

SI ightly sC'a level pressure in San Jo,1qt1in/ Livt'rlll(JrC' valleys, wc,1k I/ow

I l,1s /Jel'n observl'd to occur wlw11 str,itus hums off earlier in the ll,1y ,11-c;1 th,rn 111 interior vall('ys. May he enhanced by we,1k thermal activity.

< overgencc /()I)('

c1 Ioft.

(4)

North w.ivc

Wi11tp1· pl;r 111onth

('i)

South wave

(6)

summer·

(B)

co1ivergenc:e /011('

('))

Post frontal whP11 d lobt' ol tll<' l'acific high builds into Oregon, Idaho, ,ind Mor1t,1n<1. Strong N-NE flow <iloft.

I\ v,iri;ition Oil 1>ost fro11t,i/ thermal ;ictivity due to strong ridging aloft Just off the mast. If low level winds c1rc too strong, flow is very chaotic WdV() is ill-defined. If flow shifts to NW ,dolt, WdVC"i will be cut oil The ,1ir i,; dry so tl1c, charactc'ristic clouds dl'l' not prl!sent. It is that these w,WC", also SW of the S,rnt,1 Cruz exist r,rngc.

l're-front,11, strong SW flow aloft.

M,1v be inacccssililc due to hc',lVY clo~1dim'ss in moist SW flow.

c1pproaching in upper flow (SW flow), ,trong ori,hon• flow in lowt'r dt~ep m,ninc l,1yer.

Limited V('1·tic,1I extent to W,lVC"i. V,ui,1tions due· to therrn,11 ,1ctivily (whC'n str,1t11'; dot's not exist) ,rnd loc,d co11vcrgence zones.

Same a, (6) except it is better defined whc!11 the inversion liasc ii, below 1000 feet /\SL.

Nc)ver flown, but it cldinitcly exiots. M,1x. lift is prob,1bly only weak lo rnod erate below 100(1' /\SL. Loc,ited NW-SI: Ii r1e over intersection of 11 ighway 91 ,rnd Reservoir. ic,ile turbuAssoci,11ed cloud forrns lence west and e,1st of 11<11Tow zone of 111,ixirnurn lilt. [xists simultaneously with wave (7). One f.W zo11e has bec11 observed I miles south of I lighw,iy 91 very likely ,1 "twin" can i)p found (i.C'., no documPnlation yet) to the north. Nc;ver flown. Not much information her(' from the soaring point of view, but records from Sf() and /\larnpcJa indicatl' OCCUr· rc11G· of tfw front which ly surges soutlw;islward from the area indicated to San Jose. Probably stronger on the east side of the f3ay. enhances thermal activity in this region.

GROUND SKIMMF.R

(11)

Los Catos

Spring,summer

S;1111c as (6)

Not flown yc•t, but well,,defined NF limit to strong gust winds narrow, strong lift zone over v;il!:·y <1! lewis below lOOO' ASL,

Same (2) but acid strong in· version and strong wind variation (shear) through i1we1·sio11,

Has not hc<·n flown in sailplanes, Meteorological conditions usually promote dense stratus with tops dl base of m,irinc inversion, Best in tlw inver·sion, These arc gravity" waves and arc much shorter than lee wave,,,

co nve rgt.'11ec' ZOil('

waves

great v,iri ations of WilV('

and arnpl it wJp

stable than in the warm season, The winter and early spring are particularly ac1ive because lhe soaring is en,, hanced by increasing solar heating, Cool,,season lift types follow a "typical" sequence, With the approach of a front and its trailing uppehiir trough, southwesterly flow causes wave activity in the lee of the Santa Diablo, and even the Sierra ranges which are oriented perpendicular to the air flow, After the passage of the front, wave activity is replaced by convec, tive activity which gradually dies out over the next two or three days, A variation of this pattern occurs when the winds aloft shift to a north-northeast direction rather than north-west following a frontal passage. These conditions rise to a wave off the Diablo Range, One should realize there is a wide range of other variation to this sequence of events, depending on the strength and speed of movement of the large-scale weather sys,, terns, My suggestion is for the pilot to use what I have presented for and expand ii on the basis of his own experience. In the accompanying table, I have tried to summarize the) observations of pilots and meteorologists to give an overall picture of the climatology of potential lift areas around San Francisco Bay. In an effort to be cone some detail has been sacrificecL However, the map and table are "open ended" a pilot can make his own n10difications and additions, using a larger map when detail is required, There are some qualifications that should be made concerning the table. The "Favored Seasons" column implies the period of the most frequent and occurrences. Any of these phenomena can occur at anytime of the year. uency has been estimated where it was feltthere was some of confidence. These are just ballpark figures, and in some years a 0-100% varia,, tion is certainly possible. The reader should also be aware that the frequency of most lift types decreases gradually toward the end of the "favored season." Also, ,rny type of lift occurring in the presence of the marine inversion will usually be limited in vertical extent to 1000,4000 depending on the location of the inversion base. Finally, item 12 in the table, upstream waves, was added only as a matter of interest. I doubt if these waves will ever be flown, but if you'd like to see some fantastic cloud forms, go "cloud watching" up near ML Tamalpais early some summer morning when the inversion base is low.

Im Pl11Lt Owver Winrl Meler Co11110J 8ar flurcK Pin Mellil Air S1rneu Inn. Cliandelle Prone llarness Bell S0a1111ij Helmet

M[MHIRS PAY

5.~J

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hairrnan of the and Training Commi I h n~cently re ce ral letters from u pilot:; in the MidwcsL The complaints concern the fact that of July I all USI instructor cards wc·rc invali dated and new rds issued only to lly corn ccrti ficat ion program those instructors who did not attend certification program n! no certificd 1 and therefore arc i ue I and II ngs. nning pilots in the reas tlwsc instructors re the ulti mate sufferers. Let us look into the reasons for this unfair LJSH pol and utions. The course of was set at the Directors' Denver and uary' was the consensus that one of the rnost ng the organi w,1s the train·· ing of new enthusiasts with.consistent of To remain self ve that

instructor's manual was written made available uidelines drawn up for Directors to administer a progrc1m that would include an exchange of teach" ing as well extensive testing of all faccl of glid instruction. The I Directors were cho-

every an instructor, so was made for him to GROUND SKIMMER

ificd individual to run the show. This pol was an aftcrthcDallas meeting ,rnd the first such certification program look place March 2Blh in Pt:'n vania. Since then, four prog·" rams have been prescntc'.d throughout the , and several more! completed west of the Rockies. An instructor from t hcsc areas Ii as had am pie opportunity to ifiecl. Fwryorn, attending these intensive seminars has come away with amount of addi tional and appreciation of how important such a program i What about the left out in the> The problem stems frorn uncornrnitted onal Directors. It certainly shouldn't be too much to ask a DirPctor to write a letter lo a wellA nornin,11 fee ive inslructor would cover costs. It is unfortunate that certain pilots relish the title of USHCA Director, do no" th to service the area they reprcs cnt. This situation is apparent at 13oard of Directors meetings which some Di" rectors have never attended. The irnporta nee of these mecti ngs to our cannot be overemphasized. solution to this problem, I ug. that every instructor who wishes and every pilot who wishes to be rated f--"lang I and 11, write his or her Directorandfirnily cert program or Perhaps these lax indi· viduals will find it easier to organize a program than attend to all their angry mail. As a Director myself, let me say in defense of those Directors who find themselves de·· above. We all ran for with little or no idea of what the onal Director entailed. lion of

Many of us were to drive that we would be across the co u at our own pcnsc every few months to attend rnccting! It is obvious Iha! everyone elected w;.1s not prepared for such a commitment. This being so, ii seems that the appropriate thing to do is to res ,rnd let ,mother person do the job. Observers and examiners a also in the sarr1c situation. All work is done or1 a volunteer and it is rig how much is requir('d just in rating fellow pilots. It i at on obviou ihat ou burgeoning organization is ing growing pains. Recall that a year ago we were not yet nationally represented. The main problem is molH'Y" To anyone who has sat th views of the USHCA budget, it is ap· parent that we 111101 afford to pay individuals to do most of lhe required work. In a new organizatio11 of this nature, the amount of work is tre· rnendous, and volu11 teer help must be enlisted. We are all indebted to those individual who up tlwir valuabl tirne lo further the sport. Too many pilots are ng hassle-free with no sPnse of appreciation for the behind the-scerH:,s work that i being done. In tru all pilots in area are n'sponsible for the that arise within that area. The USHCA i upof like yo and the lems that flourish in the> organization are the ems that individuals help create. can take part in solv" ingthesc prob!Prns at some level. commendable thing you can do raise money to send your rector lo the next meeting. With this manner ground I support, how could he ever fail lo do his

My instructor's really going to be proud of me. I just made my very first flight off a high mountain, and wow!, it was fantastic! He just won't believe it! lfore's how it happened: Cruising along down towards the beach on my way to my favorite sand dune, I passed Mount Enormous. I figured I had already learned everything I was going to from a 30-foot sand dune, and by making a long flight, I'd probably learn a lot faster. I skidded to a halt along the freeway shoulder and backed down an onramp. I was really anxious to get to the site. I bypassed the landing area and raced to the top. I never have figured out why rny instructor said to inspect the landing area before driving to the takeoff. Probably just another unnecessary formality. When I reached the launch the conditions looked There were quite a few clouds to the wesl, butthey were several miles away. It was blowing downwind around 7 mph with gusts up to 12, but that would pose no problem as the takeoff was a sheer cliff. Everyone knows cliff launches are a of cake. All you have to do isdiveitalittleto your a up. I wonder why no one else is flying here today? A friend of rnine had left his variometer in my car, so I decided to try it out. I clipped it to my control bar and set the glider up facing the wind. It was a little tricky turning it around for takeoff. I hooked in and lifted it up. There was a strange pressure on the

tail. Oh, yeah. . it's wings were tilted a little and a gust must have grabbed the lefttip, sending me into a mild ground loop. The left leading edge looked a little bit crooked, but I couldn't see how that would make any difference. These things are built so darn strong. One of the left wing wires had come un-hooked, but heck!, I've got two on each side anyway. I tried again and this time got off the cliff. It seemed like the kite dove straight down for ages, but it finally picked up ai and pulled out. What an exhilarating feeling to be up in the air! Soon after takeoff I felt a bump and began circling in the lift. I had heard how important it was to watch your varion1t~ter, so I riveted my eyes on it. I got sucked up by what must have been some thermal. re I knew it, I was over .500 feet takeoff and still climbing.I then the m and peace only soaring pilots know. However, it didn't last very long. I soon became conscious of a humming that grew into a roar in only a few moments. It was quited istracting, but I was determined not to let it take my concentration away from the vario. Al I of a sudden I hit quite a bit of turbul ence. It was so that my head hit the times. The variometer went wild; its needle bounced up and down several times. I kept my attention on the vario, but out of the corner of my eye I making a climbing saw a light a right turn barely a few from my wingtip. Some pilots are such

anything to attract your attention. I looked down and saw that the clouds to the west had spread and were now moving in on the launch site. I was hitting heavy ink now, so I decided I'd better head for the landing area to get a glimpse of it before it got socked in I was too late. Oh well, it didn't really matter. I vaguely remembered seeing a large green spot several miles away from the mountain, probably a golf course. I headed over that way. The clouds were pretty thick by the time I got to them. I plunged through them without losing my sense of direction. The kite did seem to want to turn to the right, though, so I kept turning to the left to compensate. The fog was so thick it was almost impossible to see through thE'm. But everybody knows you can still sec down, and that's much more important, anyway. Suddenly a power line appeared out of nowhere, and I had to stal I the glider over it. Lucky for me, I stalled right into someone's backyard swimming pool. Good thing I was used to holding my breath because my D-ring wouldn't unhook (shoddy workmanship is typical these days), and it took a couple of minutes to wiggle out of my harness underwater. The pool's owner was quite ind ignant when I him to help me retrieve my glider out of his pool. Another typical property owner who has no for flying. Anyway, I can't wait to tell my instructor all about my flight. He'll probably be so proud of me, he'll skip Hang 2 and 3, and issue me a 4! ! SEPTEMBER, 1976

The terms of Directors i on December I. Listed below the which need to nominate the na111es of the directors whose terms their attendance and rious ac-· ishrncnts while in office. ·1 Gil attended attended

;it!ended attended

Bo«rd those whose terms will ""'"""'~'" which will !Jc clEicl1i11g IT~CtOl'S, ,Hld therefore should nncc,11,1" be considered for nomination. These

are listed below. Bill

repres<~nHXI USHGA served and Train Committee besides also serving on the tion and Committee. He also did much important work on comr1et1t1crn rules. To nominate someone for Director of your region, pll•ase fill in the coupon below and mail it to Box Los Ca I iforn ia 90066. For a nominee's name to be on the ballot, he rnust receive nominations frorn three peoand send a letter of verification to USHCA stating that he will serve it elected. It is important to realize that a Director is a heavy financial burden. Travel to and from Directors' meetings and other obi lions are for out of thP Di rector's unless the region he rPr1rp,;p1·11 nri>\m"lnC financial support He must attend most of the Directors mE,etJnp\S to his region.If he he limits the USHGA's rm business due to quorum requirements.

"The affairs and business of the Association sh al I be""""'"''"'" of Directors /'f1ncic,1no

tors will sPrve two-year terms and will be nominated ;:ind elected by the membership in the in which reside. The Oin~c:tors-atshall serve for ,1 term of one calendar year and be elected the Directors of the year anheir last n,r-.,,hinn for that year. "The Board of Directors shall divide the United Stales and other are;:is at its discretion inlo for the purpose of the election of the I Direcwill be delineated so as to to tion density of the Association's members and h,mg gliding operational p;:ittcrns, and the number of I Directors for each will be allocated in such a way as lo each region as equitable possible representation in proportion to its membership population. "Regional Directors shall be nomi· nated and elected for those regions where a vacancy is scheduled to occur. No Regional Din•ctor shall be re-elected until he has les,; than one year of his term to serve. At the time of nomination, and during hie, IHm in each Director must be a voting rnernber of the Association in standing. Any member can nominate us rnany nwmbers a he wi hes for scheduled vacancy in his Votthree or more members nominations will have their narnes on the election ballot unless they so decline. Annual elections under this section shall be conducted by mail at such time as to be cornprior to each For your conven use coupon below.

MFMBEWS NAME··-··----··-··--·attended

USHGA

ADDRESS

NOMINEE'

mm I Instructor's wrote the Instructor's m;rnual He also conducted the lnstn.ictor's attended

HAS NOMINH BHN TOFD HE I BEINC NC)MINATED AND VERIFIED THAT HL IS WIFLING TO SERVE? IF CHECK SPACE.

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NK byW, 11

Mr. Smooth" was the name of a song about Dave Cronk written by his friend, the late Anthony Matthews. Indeed, the winner of the 1975 world meet at Koes. sen, Austria, is noted for a seemingly effortless flying technique. I have watched Dave for almost his entire involvement in the sport, since late 1971. But it was not unti I early 1973 at a meet in Northern California that his unpretentious style was pointed out to me as something special. Said Chris Price, 11 Nobody notices Cronk, but watch that guy, ,man. He's the smoothest flyer out there." Considering that he was being compared wi1h Dave Kilbourne, Bob Wills, and others including the un·self.. affacing Price himself, that was quite a compliment. To do this article, I tracked Dave Cronk down to the R&D room at Eipper .. Formance's factory in Torrance, California. The cubicle's windows were covered as if nst prying eyes. And the door identified this as the office of Dr. Flexi Jerkov, a distant relative of Flash Cordon's sidekick, Dr. Zarkov. Dave Wi:JS laboring over a scale drawing of yet another prototype in !he long Cumulus line. He says that today he finds his most satisfaction in the sport while designing, more so than flying. has been designing for all of his almost five years in hang gliding. In 1971 you had to design and build if you wanted to fly. Our 2 r-old native Southern ifornian set out from junior col Lo be a professional illustrator. He at· 28

1 DJve and his rtexi soar with a Quicksilver at Torrance Beach. f'lioto by Carl f<. 13oenish

tended the prestigious Los Angles Art Center College of Design forthree years, but dropped out for lack of funds only a dozen units short of a He was working as an illustrator for the City of Torrance Planning Department when he found out about hang gliding. In the fall of 1971 Dave Cronk saw Dan Heflinger, joined by Dick Eipper, Steve Wi Ison, and Terry Voorhees, fly. i ng large 90° nose bamboo gliders with polyethyl,ene sails from a 100-ft. cliff at Torrance Beach. As they graduated lo aluminum tubing, Dave made "millions of models" before settling on his own unique design. The Cronkite I had a 110° nose, hang tube pilot suspension, 17 x1 aluminum structure, and plastic sail. Later he would add spoilers to the wingtips. "When I that the spoilers worked, I built the Cronkite II. The first glider to fly but I figured the more span the and the spoilers would turn it." He didn't fool around about that span bit. N urnbertwo was a 20 x 15 with 150° nose (only 30° short of straight) and a very flat sail. The Cronkite Ill was the same glider with new leading bowed by (cylindricalized) for better penetration. Instead of plain hang tubes, our

signer now used a cage type of suspension. In flight he would kick his feet up to a bar in front (a la Icarus gliders). To control the spoilers tually drag plates), he would Jean against a lever next to each shoulder. With models two and three, Dave did some of the first local soaring. I can rernernber the excitement at a club meeting when movies were shown of a three-minute flight. Dave was cruising majestically over a 60 .. ft. beachside road embankment, weaving his way around street lamps. Watching one unbelievable pass after another, we all thought "Hang gliding has arrived at last." That was probably in November or December of 1971. The IV was Cronk's only truly unsuccessful design. The 20 x 8, with cable-controlled trailing edge, was supposed to behave like a Princeton sailwing. Actually, it proved better as tent and rain shelter at the May, 1 Lilienthal Meet where it was unveiled. It was finally made to fly with a trim adjustment. A ten-pound Scotch Tape dispenser was taped to the keel's end. Alas, the glide angle was only a closely measured 2: 1 (measured closely against a low cliff). The Cronkite V was a return to the proven number three gn, but repSEPTEMBER. 1976

new in rcraft materials from the

most glider to have its faces connected to the pilot's swing seat for no--hands Wright Brothers and also tried

of in about nine months "''··'"rn~,u five different gliders. One

on national the Walter program. Another of sorts was offer from Dick Eipper and Steve Wilson al Dave left illustrator "Ever since I've a lot more and lot less to eat." Atthis

and the glider was marketed just the "Cronkite" the nee first manufactured lo L/D6:1,sink250fpm).

Jim f)iffenderfer gt'IS a launch assist from Dave Cronic Photo /Jy W. A Allen.

With New into Ei Inc., with Dave as one of then six (now five) Sixteen months later the Cron· out of ing technical problems, and citement over Bob icksilver." After Bob had hatched the de· and basically proven it, production nd further development respon sibilities fell upon Dave Cronk. He was a~ anyone over the simple and here is where he ans-

was your most

"Bob Lovejoy and I went down to Torrance without a thought of soaring. The wind was only blowing -12 or so. I took the first flight off the [about I 00 ft.Lex ng to go down I pass, and then several more, ng and finding myself 200 the with knees--awas screaming his head off and waving his arms like a wild man. 11

1 had never given a thought to the construction. I started looking around at the 1/1611 wires and clothesline control that Lfob' s

for

Dave in Cronl<itc at Torrance in early '73. Photo by W. A Allen.

GROUND SKIMMER

I remem clear and knees shaking. The only been flown al Playadel I had already done some soaring with the Ill, but only on hill for about five minutes at

most.

That was about the time that I rea I ized that we'd ing some thought to structural "The flight about ten minutes. Then Bob went up and did the same thing." While continuing of the and sometimes flying it in

rnccts, Dave has with other rigid wings simple and complex. Bui he continually has come back to flexible wings. As far back as fall, 1 he had a fully-battened, roached, 18 x8 Rogal lo with 0° billow what he now calls the Cronkite IV. And of course later came the very successful Cumulus series. (See Dec. '75 GS Direclo1y Issue for more information 011 Dave's design work.) Says Cronk, "I don't think that rigid wings as we know them today arc going to make up a large part of the sport. They' 11 conti nuc to be a novelty. What's going to predominate in the next few years is some kind of flexible or semirigid, collapsible type of design with LID performance up to 1S: 1 or so. We've got the sink rates. Now we need the range and glide angles to realize any ser'ious cross--country capability." Next I barraged Dave with a batch of stock questions from GS Cuest Editor Carol Price: About whether or not standard should be banned, he answered, "They arc going lo get rid of themselves. Nobody's buying thern." His Flcxi 2 is Eipper-Formance's strong contender in the new generation of trainers.

On "I'd be al I for aerobatics when gliders a re designed for it." Considering versus thermal ._n,;ni1nv the old ridge polisher feels that thermals are more of a challenge, but "Ridges are fun for relaxing and look-ing at the view. Also they're for feeling out different gliders." What goes into a "Originally trial and error. Now I've accurnulated a catalog of know-ledge and there's a lot less error." On the current World Champion says, "It's a job something I probably wouldn't do if it wasn't part of the job." This from someone who has placed in the top five of many regional, national, and world meets during the last three years. Having accomplished tha1 with both flexible and rigid wings, Dave probably is hang gliding's all--tirne "switch h ittcr." Does he any unusual 1m~p,m1tions? None. "I used to make a special glider for meets. For Europe (world championships) I made a new glider, the Cumulus IV, and took it afler one test flight at Torrance. Now I take production ones." What makes a He says equally a third each of luck (conditions), the glider, and skill. Dave would like to

/Jave at t.he 76 Escape Country World Meet.

Koess0•n World Champion, 797',.

sec the I uck factor reduced, perhaps by running contests in heats such as the ·1973 Nationals. (1-ieats minimize the in-fluence of weather variations of scores.) Being a pioneer has its burdens, and Dave Cronk is one of those who helped pioneer the transition from sand dunes to today's advanced flying. But not all his friends survived that, including three very close ones lost within only a year's lime. Thus his sensitive response to the question, "What most to you about "It has been challenging and fun. However, a couple of times after losing friends, it got kind of ugly. After each a big chunk went out of my life and I've liked the sport a little less. But, if you look at it lately, the sport has been get-ting safer. "The thing I enjoy most now is designing. I fly occasionally for fun and (going to meets) for the opportunity to travel." In conculsion, where does Dave think that hang gliding will go from here? Will it grow to be like skiing? "No, not like skiing, but maybe somewhere between soaring (sailplanes) and scuba diving in popularity." When it there, it will have done so of many individualities, including a huge contribution from "Mr. Smooth," Dave Cronic SEPTEMBER, 1976

N WHAT IS YOUR NAME? (ah, the touchie) Keith Nichols (whew!) YOUR AGE? I have too much fun with that to disclose it. Besides, I don't agree with physical chronology. (It's all in the mind, y'know!" Beatles, circa 1967) YOUR OCCUPATION? Sailmaker when I'm doing that, but that more and more intermittent WHERE DO YOU LIVE'? I live in the San Diego area, specifically Del Mar, which, coincidentally, I'm originally from, having been born and lived the first 6 months of rny life here. Military childhood kept me moving, though. WHAT KIND OF KITE DO VOU HY? ASG-21 made by Albatross Sails (of course), a truncated tip glider with an aspect ratio of 6.4. WHAT ARE SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND? Well, the fact that I'm still alive. No, actually, I've simply done a lot of things, been a lot of places, met a lot of people, all of which I remember as interesting, but probably only to me. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BHN HYING? My first flight was in January 1 1966 in a T-34 as part of my l\lavy flight training. My first time out with a hang gl icier was the summer of 1972 in a 20-foot version of the Batso, welded together out of steel conduit. After each 11 flight, 11 it had to be welded together again. HOW OFTEN DO YOU Fl Y? Hopefully at least 2-3 days a week right now, but that's because of summer chaos. With a moderately regular schedule like in winter, almost every day. We have a cliff that soarable often right across the street from the 32

kept me on. WHAT ABOUT INSTRUCTION? DO YOU THINK NEWCOMERS ARE BEING TAUGHT A ATHY? Since I don't teach, it's hard to comrnent first hand. Because I livecloseto one of the best teaching areas I've seen yet, Cantamar (Mexico), I find it difficult to condone initial instruction on hard ground. Sand dunes, such as at Cantarnar, where Flight Realities does all their instruction, and at Guadalupe and Dillon Beach, seem to offer such a or,:,c,hc,r margin of safety, both for the pilot and the glider, that I just can't the hard ground excuse of 11 Wel I, it's a 11 we got," which may be a Iittle ha rsh 1 but. . As far as the quality of teaching, it sti 11 goes both ways. The really good instructors are still learning more and getting better, but you still run into Joe Makeabuck who's been flying for 3 months and shoving classes of 50 at a time off hills, hoping they won't break too many of his trainers. I like the idea of standardizing teaching methods, but you'll still have exceptional instructors and they should be recognized.

Albatross loft. WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE FLIGHT? If, by most memorable, you mean the strongest, longest one, it would have to be in 1973 when Bob Keeler shoved me off that gargantuan sand dune at Playa del Rey. All I felt was pressure on the seat of my pants, and by the time I came out of shock and real I was flying, I also had to realize that I was on the sand, standing at the foot of the hil I. There were other flights that remain strong memories; first tirtie off Glacier Point, being 3 1 000 feet above the ground in less than 30 Dog Mountain, after being sure that it was only marginal and then gain 1,000 feet and ing up for two hours; Mammoth Slide in Telluride, of course, 50(70 because of the flight and 50% of the town and people digging it so much; and of course, all the secret spots that so many have so generously shared with me, most of which still remain little known.

WHY DOES HANG AP· PEAL TO YOU? Whew! This could be the subject of an entire book. Physic a 11 y, I enjoy working in a 3-dimensional environment, moving in all 3 dimensions at once. It's nice to ~- relate certain forces on your body to \J results in the air. Spiritually, it's basi·· ~ cally expansion. Just spreading out, being, really BEING, and in spaces E that very few others can or will ever appreciate. There's all kinds of sensa2 ~ tions, cairn, thrill, etc., that could be used, but they're not complete. Like Almond Joy, it's indescribably delicious. There's also the nonconforming pleasure in doing something crazy and weird. SHOULD STANDARDS BE OUTLAWED? Standard Rogallos HOW DID YOU GET INTO HANG should not be outlawed. NOTHING GLIDING? I saw the '1972 article in should be outlawed unless it can be National Magazine about proven to be:! totally unsafe. I do think, the 1st Otto Lilienthal Meet and dehowever, that the standard will fall by cided that that was what I wanted to the wayside as trainer designs are imdo. So I quit my job and went to work proved .. Education is the key here. I for Seagull, not for money but to earn a don't mind someone getting into glider. They I was a nice guy something dangerous as long as he and pleasant entertainment, so they

GROUND SKIMMEH

Photo /Jy /3(>1/ina Cray.

u been i 1110 organ com tic trips between you and another guy is fun, lly if you feel the other pilot is more ient than you I'm sure that bcca of the Nationals resu I'll be in few more meets, but the main reason I gone to meets in the to all the new hot stuff and I' not seen while. mmercially, meets sell gliders. force the manufacturers to im·· prove thei and also somewhat of a public proving

for HOW

SL'f'TEMBER, I

You win a meet, re cham that Therp's a lot of pilots whose flying abil I lot more than my nity can to

A WINNER you have to have a ual you must mac:him), be farniliar with it to be able to push it to

its limits. ivPn equal cond zissuming zill pilots know the limits of their gl the machine with the besl LID and ink rate will probably win. But, therP will be beltPr than average conditions and worse than average condit and if pilot pens to run of cond it hPlps. I think this influenced the Na tionals a!. Mountain. far attitude goes, I think that's one o( the

of the most finely controlled, precise flying that you can do. Being able to watch someone else fly from a constant position of 15 feet from them is a whole new aspect of spectatorship.

WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR BEGINNERS? Volunteer your driving

KUTH NICHOLS, 1976 National Open Class Champion,

most important things in this sport, whether at a meet or noL A pleasant, positive attitude always makes things mellow.

DO YOU UKE THE WAY MEETS IN GENERAL ARE RUN? ARE THEY FAIR? HOW WOULD YOU LIKE THEM TO CHANGE? I like meets that are run primarily with the pilots in mind, I do not like meets that are run with spectators as the primary con· cern, My main concern with spec· ta tors is that they stay out of the way. The idea of a meet is to test the ability of the pilots, notto provide a circus for people wil I ing to pay $5 a head so they can watch exciting things. Exciting to a spectator seems to be synonymous with dangerous to the pilot. I'd like to see some new events. A triangular timed course with vertical gates; maybe even a full.on cross-country run, where distance is the only factor. WHAT ABOUT ACROBATICS? Acrobatics are fun but they should be approached with extreme caution and knowledge. They shouldn't be done low or anywhere near other gliders. In powered aircraft, you generally do a shallow S·turn or a clearing turn im,, mediately prior to ent(-:ring any aerobatic maneuver, no matter how radical, just to be sure there's no one anywhere around. Acrobatics are bt~ing learned the same way flight was being learned 4 years ago, and 3 years from now, there will prob34

p/1oto by /Jett ina Cray,

ably be rdi7ed, acrobatic instruction methods. Until then, be conservative.

DO YOU PREFER RIDGE OR THERMAL SOARING? Silly question! That's like ing if I would prefer ing limited to a sand dune or a 3,000-foot mountain. After flying for over 3 years, the only reason I like being on sand is so I can go barefoot.

ability. One of the best ways to learn is to go flying (driving) with good flyers. Talk to them, watch them, learn from them. You won't have any trouble getting the job. There's a definite scarcity of drivers. Other than that, stay conservative. Fly that beginner hill until every tirne you see it, you get violently ill. Then move to a slightly better one and Ask questions and digest criticism.

WHAT DO YOU SH IN THE FUTURE OF HANG GUDING? Money hopefully, but more than that, some incredible cross-country flights.

WHAT GOES INTO DESIGNING A GLIDER? An incredible amount of knowl that's way above and beyond me, but with hang gliding there's also the hunch or gut feeling thattel Is you the feasibi Iity of a design. It's not concrete, but it helps. There are more and more aeronautical engineers getting into studying these things, and their results are greatly increasing the understanding needed to design.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE HYING SPOT? Too many to list and most of them are other people's secret dis· coveries that I'm sure they would just love to have I in Ground Skimmer.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO KEEP IN SHAPE? an occasional walk up the Torrey Pines cliffs from the beach and eat lots junk foods.

DO YOU MIND HYING IN FRONT or~ No. But that doesn't mean I prefer it.

WHAT ABOUT FORMATION Fl YING? I DIC /Tl!! It's got to be some GF!OUND SKIMMEF!

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Linville, N.

C/04) (704)

Willord Machine f\ichord Horris /~c,,,s,cv,hf'll'C\ N.

Howk KilE1s..,,l\ichmond Porr~ AshlancJ, Va. (504) 798 5729

MAI\YLAND Econ,O,Flighr Systems, Inc. Bob Mortin l\andallstown, Md. (:)01) 655,6818

(919) PENNSYLVANIA

SOUTH CAROLINA

Oil

Bob

Mike McMoins

Oil City, Po. (814) 645,5104 WASHINGTON, D.C

27959 Md. (:)01) 840-9284

Send ~2 for

Dealer inquiries invited.

Dick Stern is ,1 40-year-old business executive, President of Tennessee Truss Company, Inc., which is located near Chattanooga, Tennessee. His vocation is rnanufacturing building components for the housing industry; his avocation is flying hang gliders. He had the ironic privilege of living near several of the nation's super flying areas before he ever heard of a hang gl idcr. He has I ived near Warren Dunes; Boulder, Colorado; and Los Angeles. Lady Luck finally placed him by two of the nation's top soaring spots: Lookout Mountain and Mt. Aetna in Tennessee. He and his business partner, Don w,erc the first ones to own a kite in this area; in fact, they had been self..training for sewral months before they ever saw another hang glider.

llis love for flying has been so con· tagious that his whole family has become involved in one facet or another. His two teenage daughters have taken training (one is assislanl editor of Glider Rider), while his I 1-year-old son Ricky has been flying his own 16' standard for a year from small hills. Anyone wishing to visit the area is always welcome to write or call. Dick is happy for the chance to assist any. one in being able to Pnjoy this area.

Dick went wild over his new-found love for flying, always looking for higher and better hills. With the help of a group of friends that would soon become known world-wide as lhe Tennessee Tree Toppers, a launch site on Mt. Aetna was cleared with a 1 ,000-foot vertica I. Th is was enhanced by the cable car ride to the top which had heretofore only carried tourists. Next they discovered a northwest fdcing exposure on Lookout Mountain, just above Trenton, Ceo After hiring a bu IIdozer and doing a lot of hard shoveling 10 cover up an old lrash dump, they had another passable launch site which soon turned out to be a fantastic sit<!.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BHN HYING AND HOW OFTEN DO YOU HY? I've been flying about 2% years. I usually only get to fly on Sundays, but living so close to the mountain, t sometimes in some afternoon flights. WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE HIGHT? I've had many exciting flights but most memorable was one last winter at Lookout. I had been soaring with several friends when I lost the lift and had to head for the landing field. I was 1000 feet below takeoff and only 300 feet above the field when I discovered some lift on the small hills. I kept working this for about ·15 minutes, working my way back up the rnountain side until I reached the top, getting back into strong ridge lift. In another ·15 minutes, I had 2000 feet above the mountain. What a fantastic fee\ .. ing! WHY DOES HANG GUDING AP· PEAL TO YOU? I love the freedom; I need the release it affords from tbe pressures of a business career, and there's a I ittle bit of ham let's face it in all of us. It's fun to fly for a crowd. HOW DO YOU fEH ABOUT COMPETITION? You shouldn't have I've already written an article on this but I'll be brief. I think competition is great. Without it, we'd still be flying rag.mops; however, I think it's time we grow up a little and start trying to be more professional in the way our meets are run. When we adopt a certain set of rules for a con· test, let's stick by them and not cha ngP during the middle of the contest just because some unfortunate muffed his SEPTEMBER, 1976

WHAT ABOUT ACROBATICS? I think they are fun and t re certainly crowd but I think they should be forbidden lo standard llos du1·ing nwets. The old stanr!ard~ Me too dangerous for so if guy wants to commit suicide in one, lei's try to it from taking in front of a crowd WHAT TIPS TO YOU HAVE 1:oR lo BEGINNERS? Take it slow. Don't advance loo fast. Get to where each newly lea skill becomes an au-

Dick in 110" wing over. Notice shadow of feet on sail.

flighl and feelings hurt. I also think it's time we made th fairer

SOC/ii), ng that goes, "The harder I the luckier I ." It takes all of these things to win a meet but I must add cons . The pilots who win fly cons making land inside the foul line on I less if it cost them the making extra points they might jusl one more tum or one more rnan·· euver.

HOW MHHllike

U PREPARE FOR able to fly the course in the morning be· It sort

of loosens me up dence that I hundreds of fl off the same mountain, the first one in the me up after GROUND Sf<IMMEl'l

WHAT TASKS WOULD YOU UKE AT THE NEXT NATIONAtS? running with two kites launching at the same time, to race over a prescribed course with time ;ilso being factor? Some-· thing el lhat might be different for contests: let's have teams fly and do maneuvers in formation in groups of about three or four, the besl coordi .. naled team being the winners.

tornatic reaction rather than a conscious decision before going on to the next Never Jet anyone pressure you into so1T1<cthing you don't feel ready fm. I've found that whenever I've flown against rny better j I've usually wound up in trouble like at the of n BO-foot tree. WHAT YOU IN HIE FUTURE FOR HANG GLIDING? Great ts in rrnance and in Glide ratios in flexible win in the 12-1 to 1 ratio. More controls by the FAA because of competition for airspace with con-ventional aircraft The opening of more fl parks like ski resorts. available public ites will become over .. crowded. More and better training ilities will spring up around the country. The development of be1ter miniature nes will bring gliding to the flatlands. bly lhal We will would fly All in all, we neverd hang gliding is and will remain the in the world.

Steve Moyes, 23, of Sydney, Au·· stral ia, has been flying kites for 10 years. His "old man," Bill Moyes, is the original "Austra I ian Bi rd man,' a pioneer of hang gliding who has designed, built and flown litterally thousands of fullscale hang gliders. Steve swept the World Towing Tournament in Gardens, Florida, three years in a row and is a heavy contender in free flight meets definilely Australia's hottest flyer!

fly into the Crand Canyon in Arizona, too. This was way before anyone had ever attempted foot-launching. ~-le towed up by car and released over the canyon. Myself, I've been flying for ten years. Me dad built me a 12'6" kite for towing when I was I 3. My sister flew a flat kite. So in '66 the three of us towed behind the boat together. I didn't fly a deal when I was small, but 4 years ago I got in a prone harness (which is much more like flying than sitting) and really got into flying. By the way, me dad, Bill, was the first to fly prone, and he developed the first prone bringing it to the States in '69."

DO YOU PREFER RIDGE SOARING OR THERMALING? 11

0h 1 I like free flight better than towing you more tirne in the air to fly. Ridge soaring's not possible in still air, so towing has its advantages. I just about only soar. That' why I like Hawaii; it's much like at home. "In ridge soaring you can see where

the lift is by the shape of the hill. Therrnal ing is rnore difficult and better. There's no wind drift and you can fly every direction at the same speed. With ridge soaring you have to always point into the wind, the wind's always there to push you back into the hill. "I first thermaled at Telluride (July, I couldn't believe doing 360's with no lateral movement! A freak out! Amazing! You know, ridges so s1m1lar. It so old. Hang gliding's like sailplanes; they started on ridges and now are all thermaling. "There's a 600-foot cliff near us in Sydney, but you have to tow to get up there. We tow up behind a beach buggy, and soar the cliff. I don't recommend anyone should tow over land. You a good driver, observer, release systems and conditions. You must have a I ight towing vehicle so the kite can slow the car up and not . If you' re getting too m ucli speed, a kite can't slow a heavy car down and that can tear a kite up.

***

Here we were, ing along in his sputtering I 952 van at an exhilarating 25 mph on the way to Country's world meet. Steve had picked up this ancient vehicle, overloaded with kites and other hang gliding paraphernal for next to nothing, using it for tation once a year when he comes to the States. As the van choked its way along the highway, Steve told some good stories, starting with the one of how his father became the "Bi rd man:" "An Australian by the name of John Dickenson, a real genious an electronic engineer, you know read about the Rogallo wing in the NASA reports. John took the Rogallo and put an A-frame under it. He invited five waterski to give it a go. [Bill Moyes was one of the first barefoot waterskiers in Australia.] After they had carted the fourth guy to the hospital I Bi 11 was still willing to t1y. He got up on his first try and towed for five miles around the lake. Three weeks later he had the I ODO-foot altitude record. Outrageous for the time 1966! Not much later, Bill towed up behind a Cherokee Cub to 14,000 feet (without a parachute) for an altitude drop record. l,e was the first to 38

Years before anyone ever foot-launched, Steve's father, Bill (Birdman) Moy0s tows up ov0r Torrancp BeJch with a V-pu/1.

SEl"TEMBER. i976

Steve and Stingf'r rnal<ing ii fool< easy dt //ang fen World ( Jpe11 Meet, /976.

Gardens Robb is best. The tenion i what to break.) Another thing is there a re 50 pi not like usually, in towing contests the h at some foot··launch contests. "When towing contests were first or-

hills. Prirno! We always attach a rope to the kite. The students first stand on the the nose of the kite rointed into the feel of the glider. to Then we let out a Iittle rore, ng thern always do wel I is one ways to teach hang gliding, I suprosc. You Arnericans ought to try it.

HOW YOU FEH ABOUT COMPETITION? Without it there is no aim. Unless with another corn-

pany. first tournament with two 360' s off a SOO--foot tow won it. In' I id four 360's and won it. In the guy who won did twelve 360's. Perhaps this year there'll distance well.

INSTRUCTION

nd and

soft

essential in learning to fly. is the most im· thing. Learning in still wind conditi ns i very diffi ult Every class in the SKIMMER

WHAT DETERMINES THE WINNER CONTEST? "Who wins? The person with the rnost nts. The best flyer of his faultless flights. ng so no mistakes arc If you make mistake, re out. That's because there usually or 3 flights. Until there are ten fl ii won't as as it be. "One th I've in the meets year is that you finally kites. That proves the

Australians have been all We've had them for years, everyone is Australia. Two years ago we Australians had an enormous advanThat' s why we won the Cardcns p. But now the Americans are up. The R&D in the States is up, and they're corning up with really de-

HU. U SOMETHING ABOU YOUR NEW CIJOER: "Bill designed the our newest kind. It's proving lo be a ly innovation. It's fully battened and has a subventral fin. The fin does two things: it works as a dive acts as a fin. When you're ingon a hill to takeoff and the wind switches the fin will automatically roint you into the wind. And you can have ;:i flatter sail the fin you ding. When ng turns with a sail, you have to be a The Stinger allows a margin of error so even confident. average pi lots can 39

MELLI

Trip has been involve>d in almost every sporting activity imaginable including rock climbing, scuba diving (15 years), skydiving (500 jumps), snow skiing, and speed water ski racing (6 years, 100 mph slraightaway/82 mph 2-mile oval lap), Combining 8 years of experience in the importingexporting business with 3 years of hang gliding makes Trip uniquely qualified forthe position he now holds of Vice-President of Marketing for Delta Wing Kites & Gliders located in Van Nuys, California. He's definitely heavy on hang gliding, for ides spending every spare mornent in the air, he serves as Chairman of the Membership and Development Commitlee, USHGA lnslruclor, Examiner, Observer, and Hang-4 pilot.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU Fl Y? I try to fly at least three times a week to keep in tune with flying. The more time one spends in the air, the more he becomes at one with that environment. WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE FLIGHT? If you had asked me last week I would have said the flight Rich 40

Trip waiting to take off at Dog Mountain during the 197/i Nationals. Photo by Bellina Cray,

Grigsby and I made to Palrndale from Sylmar (see May '76). We covered over 20 miles, with altitude gains of up to 5000 feet our low point using therrnal lift alone. That flight demonstrated to me the cross-country potential of hang gliders and opened up a new realm in my flying experience. But last Sunday, Cene Blythe and I flew from the 9, 128-foot summit of Sierra Gordo, just east of Owens Dry Lake, to i'ine, California, for a record flight of 47.29 rniles. The lift was just inc ible! At times we approached cloud base which was at 14,500 feet (bmr!) and I recorded an altitude gain of 6,500 feet on my barograph. Landing 2% hours after takeoff, we were exhausted but ecstatic about our flight! HOW DID YOU GET INTO HANG GUDNG? Before I became a hang glider pilot, all my spare time was spent skydiving. In fact, before I flew a hang glider, it impossible to me that there could be any better air port than jumping. I lived and breathed it. Then one day a jumping buddy talked me into flying his 17' standard that he had built in his garage from a kit. I figured if I could fly a Paraplane, I could fly a glider and so found myself gliding above the ground like I had never done before. I was immediately hooked and I took all neces-

sary rneasures to enter into hang gliding as fast as possible, fortunately surviving the "learning-the-hard-way" Cro-Magnon teaching technique, WHAT ABOUT INSTRUCTION? DO YOU THINK NEWCOMERS ARE BEING TAUGHT ADEQUATHY? Summarizing my views on this briefly, I think the teaching situation will probably be a controversial subject for a long time to come. In the beginning, when there were no hang gliding schools, we had what I call the first generation hang glider pilot, one who learned by his own experience, A lot of accidents occurred from this generation of flyer 1 and still do, ·occasionally. Now we are experiencing a new breed of pilot, the second generation flyer, who has attended a flight school and learned from a qua I ified i nstructor. This 2nd generation pilot and the sport of hang gliding a re a lot better off because he attended flight school, but atth is point in the growth of the sport, I do not feel we have developed all the proper regulations and teaching techniques that flight schools will be using in the future. Our sport is new and it takes time to gain It also takes time for people to accept or implement proper methods of instruction. Starting last July, USHGA began requiring that all instructors attend an Instructors Certification Course SEPTEMBER, 1976

to be certified. This is t ion th;_it we il re just ro;_id to fully responsible lo the new student. As for improvements are conUSHGA should clevotP more time to i ng the ICC ,rncl 1r1c1kc available to all inlercsted instructors a su1!tze•stc~c1 outline on how to run an ICC so that we cc1n have cl much more unified instruciion system. We should conw to agreement ,irnong ourselves and create ;i standard teachthen educate each inthe This has been successfully accomplished by our fri nd , the lJnited t te Parachute Associat and I feel WP have a great deal to IPa1T1 frorn them have !wen so rnuch nd work so with the !"AA. It is important that we a glid cornmunity become more in· dividually actiw in i mplemPnling proper programs like the ICC. There

arc• many ideas from many pen-pie, hut the workers are the ones that rnTDrclve the system. We need more wmkers and I feel it is up to USIICA to inspire, these to gel the job done.

WHY DOES HANG GLIDING APPEAL

YOU? With a hang glider, I can move freely in another environ· ment theair Thegliderbecornesan exlcnsion of my forming a flying unit guided hy rny mind. Then, mentally I become at one with the air and harness its unrenls to remain aloft and travel about. As I fly I can float around, r<:>laxing, or testing my courage, chal· ng the unknown. Hying is many to rnc, even a way oi life, and a gl idcr is rny tool or ticket to U FHL ABOU COMPETITION? To me there are two types of hang glider competitions. In n,,,·>r,,,,, "" flying, some pilots secn1 to lie corn ng against eJc:h h orgo farther. I go for

courages one to improve his flying techniques, learn more about the air, and better glid-ers. It is brotherly and everyone is flying in the sarnC' air or conditions. The second lype of competition is "the meet." Presently, nwets arc Cro-Magnon, fmcing the pilot to think "Ct!l down, get around the pylon. Get down, land on the ." This is lo-tally nst my n;ittm) of flying which is geared to gel up, stay up, live al peace, in the air. When competition becomes geared to soaring uoss· country, like sailplane mccls where everyone flies in the same air, the evol u lion oft lH: sport wi 11 have ta ken a big This gets back to what I said about workers. We need these to push tlw innovations to make meets the way they should be. I would someday like to fly in a meet where) everyone would smile and say, "Th,11 sure was lair. I really had fun." Or

lj.j

Over the bar on a speed run.

maybe someone would say, "We were in the sarne thermal together and did he ever outcl im b me!"

WHAT ABOUT ACROBATICS? I have always had reservations abou1 doing acrobatics in a hang glider. I do enough s1rangc maneuvers when in bad turbulence. Also, doing a wing·· over or some other radical acrobalic maneuver on a glider not stressed for the negative G's that might beencoun·· tered is not good flying sense. Smooth clean flying is beautiful acrobatics to me. On the other hand, just taking off to do acroba1ics in a properly con-· structed acrobatic glider would be fun the first few times, but I think I would get bored and try to soar after a while. DO YOU PREFER RIDGE OR THERMAL SOARING? Unless there are thermals to break away from the ridge with or 1he ridge is I 0+ miles long, ridge soaring becomes monotonous to me after lhe firs! few rninutes. Thermal soaring requires much more knowledge of meteorology and flying techniques and provides the pilot with a greater variety of flying. Thermals are pathways to high altitude gains and cross-country flights, so when I fly, I look for therrnals.

not only have to be at one with the air hu1 also with each other. I feel everyone should practice relative work because it teaches how to respond to other gliders in the air. J\ftcr practicing this type of flying, a pilot will be able to ridge or tlwrn1,il so,ir much more proficiently when another glider enters his airspace.

WHAT TIPS DO YOU HA VE FOR BEGINNERS? Learn to fly from a USHGA-certified flight school. Remember that overconfidence is a killer. Buy your glider from a reputable manufacturer. Join USE/GA and support it because it will fight for your flying rights. Attach yourself to a good group of flyers and learn from them; they will help you. Go to the library and read as many books on sJilplanes

DO YOU ENJOY fl YING IN FRONT OF CROWDS OR DO YOU PREFER FLYING ALONE? As long as the crowds are on the ground and not in the air, it makes no difference to me. I always wondered if one could catch a thermal off a large crowd. Think of 100,000 people looking up towards you and shouting "CROWD LIFT!"

WHAT ABOUT FORMATION

HYING? Formation flying (or relative work) is gr(~at because the glider pilots 42

Two more steps to "lake off"

as you can find. A few books on meteorology will Jlso be very helpful. Get a variometer as soon as you can. Watch out for downwind turns close to the ground and always think in terms of your air·speed, not your groundspeed. Study a stream running over rocks: the air does about the same thing over the terrain. Study the birds; they will be your friends and always help you find lift. Attach your glider to your mind.

WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE FUTURE FOR HANG GLIDING? I feel that the sport is at its beginning deVC)lopmental stages and that there is a long future ahead of us filled with administration and glider design improvements. USHGA and the manufacturers must be responsible toward the sport and make every effort to protect our flying rights in order for the sport to survive. There's a lot o( work to be done, and if nobody, or only a few, work towards the future, I don't think we will make it. Everyone must pitch in. We need to revitalize our HMA, double the membership in USHGJ\, show our strength and keep a foothold in the government Le1's start a membership program where every member brings in a new member, or something along these lines. Unfortu, nately, the beauty of flying must be accompanied hy some heavy-duty business work to keep us in the air. Let's educate everyone to this. J\s far as design goes, I feel we are in store for some real fantastic footlaunched sailplanes, along with incredible allitude gains and distance flights. The Mitchell Wing is the first indication. GROUND SKIMMEf=l

meets. down to aerial to land, it's DEAD CENTEFI on target.

and has proven it's excellent thermaling and is breeze because of it's excellent roll to another the Vl-8

DELTA WING KITES

and

Inc.

13620 Saticoy Va11 Nuys, California 91408 PHONE: (213) 785-2474

Njl

Dean i spends his weekdays dressed in contemporary business clothes, traveling around the Southern California are;:i n1e1king client calls in his Datsun 260Z, and reaping the rewards of Big Business California style. But come the weekend, Dean may be found at any one of the current hot Southern California flying sites, enjoying good flying, the good friendships that have developed through it, and relaxing for that one day a week away from the hectic

business world. Dean is Vice--President of PHOTOMATION, a full service commercial photographic laboratory and studio. He is responsible for the company's rnarketing and sales. He spent his first 17 years on a small ranch in the San Joaquin Valley, attended colat Cal Poly/San Luis Obispo, and

Stepping into prone over Ka/am/Jaka, Creecc. Notice cameramiln's courtesy MacCillivray-(reeman.

graduatc\d with a B.S. in Industrial Technology in 1967. He is currently the Presiden1 of the Orange County Chapter of the Business/Professional Advertising Association, a member of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, and active in the County Advertising Federa·· lion. Dean, his wife, and their two sons, Colin and Derek, live in Santa Ana. For a Sunday flyer, Dean has an impressive competition record. Flis first win was 1st place in the intermediate division at the 1974 Country on Christmas Meet. In January of I the first day of qualifying for the U.S. Nationals at Country, he was told by U.S.H.G.A. officials that he could not compete using his Chandelle Cornp because it had proven to be an unsafe kite. Hearing this, veteran flyer Jack Schroder offered the use of his personal Seagull 111. Dean recalls, "I didn't know Jack and I'm sure he didn't know of me or of my flying skills. I was really impressed with his friendliness and helpfulness, and came to admire him as

dangling from doorless helicopter as he films this sequence for "Sky Riders." Photo

SEf'Tl:ML'lER, 197G

a person." Dean never II and didn't think was the time to Another offer had been rnad<:> Wills Wings, a 11d Dc,m went on to wi 11 12th on Swallowtail he'd never flown before. Thi also marked the of close personal and p between Dean and Bob and /()!'· Dean /,rnd1 in herd of in "Sl<y f<icfer1" WC/llf'/JCI'. f'/wto /Jy (. /Jr/: ·1iri.1 /'rice tool< hi•, in /)ean's "mirror" /.UC/ I /i1ti11g the shear ,if the Dog Nation,1/1 r drJ ruin d /wt /)e,in m,111,1gC>c/ lo .1avP ,rnd /1i1 point•:. l'hoto hy Sue Tanji.

GIKllJND SKIMMEH

Chris Wills. In of 1975 Dean and Bob Wi.lls traveled to Kimberly, British Columbi,1 for the World Snow Kiting Ch ps. Bob took first, Dean second. At the most recent U.S. Nationals al Mountain, Dean won 5th place in the Cl The highl of Dean' hang gliding career c:ime when he was chosen to be

one of the stunt for the feature movie Riders." "I'm normally pretty conservative flyer, bul I did things for those movie c;1mer;is that I'd never do for free. Flying conditions wert! treacherous whal with the mountain terrain and unce1·t,1in wind conditions, hut add to that hel .SO' -HJO' away with or 4

kites in a 150 wide gap between two pinnacles .. that's radical but chal·· lenging flying."

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN HANG GLIDING? "In October of 1973 I read a newspaper article about a guy who flew a hang glider off of a six story building at Cal State Fullerton. The guy was Bob Wills. I called his office and was told I could get a free introductory lesson. The next weekend close to 100 people'showed up. Out of 70 attempted flights, only six made it all the way down on the firsttry, myself being one of them. That was it. I was hooked! I took subsequent lessons from the now-extinct Chandelle West Sky School, which was a well structu led school. I ended up buying a Chandelle Competition Kite."

WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE FLIGHT? "I've had several flights that stand out in my mind. My first flight above 500 1 was at Mt. Palomar, 5322 1 with a 2690 into a snowstorm. I did my first 360° turns there. The first time I soared was in ridge I ift at Edwards Canyon, in my Chandelle Comp. My most memorable flight was the first time I thermal soared. It was at the May, 1974 Otto Lilienthal Meet at Sylmar. I was in line for takeoff al the 3080' with 20 or so kites in front of rne. Something was corning in and takeoffs were radical. Several of us decided to launch from the back, flying to the left of the ridge. I was last off and came around lowest, 200 feet below the others. Suddenly I cruised into what I thought might be ridge lift. I was ning altitude fast (500 fprn) but didn't understand why. Ten or more passes put rne level with lhe top of the Sylrna r May Mt. Peak, 3948'. With plenty of altitude to play with I decided to 360°s and just cruise around. This was the highest I had ever been, the drift rate was increasing and now I was approximately 1000' directly above the The smooth I ift began to turbulent and now for the first ti rne in my short gliding experience I had to figure out how to down, not how to stay up. I learned more on that one flight than in any other situation since then." 1

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS COMPETITION'? "I enjoy good, clean competition. It adds interest, excitement and progress to the sport. I enjoy the tournaments as much for the social as for the corn petition. It's one time when all the flyers can get together and enjoy the carna raderie that develops. I realize it involves a tre .. rnendous arnount of time, money and effort to put on any competition, and I try to remember this when I'm not happy with how a meet is being run. I would like to see a one-on-one double elimination Lournarnent. Chris Price and I have been discussing this approach and would like to try it on a small local level. It offers several things now missing in co1:11n,etrtloin.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEEH 11 1don't. As a Sunday flyer I can only reach a certain level of proficiency. All the rest is rnental and luck. At the 46

rneet, I watch the pros, the manufacturer-employed and sponsored full-time flyers. I observe where they go and how they do. Then I adj usl rny flights accordingly. I also make sure I have the rules and tasks rnernorized."

WHAT DETERMINES WHO WINS A CONTESH "Up to this point, consistency and luck seem to determine a winner. Or looking at it another way, I uck and consistency. Interpretation also plays a large part in winning, Rules say one thing but may often be taken another way. Who is making the judgement at what time also affects the standings."

WHAT KIND OF HYING DO YOU MOSH "Flying is an escape for rn~, an enjoyable way to relax frorn the pressures of rny work. Like so many sports, it has developed into a subculture, which I enjoy being a part of. At this point I have the most fun flying in close formation with friends Bob Wills, Chris Wills, Chris Price and Curt Kiefer. We developed a special trust and confi .. dence in each others flying abililies while filming the movie in Greece. We have made perfect five rnan victory "V's" with our wing tips as close as ·15' tip to tip. Like surfing, the graceful, fluid motion of hang gliding lends itself beautifu I ly to the motion picture rnediurn. It's a thrill to fly for a camera and then see the finished product set to some beautiful music. IL takes the thrill of the actual flying a step further. I've been lucky enough to be involved in a coupleoffilrn projects which turned out quite well, and were a great experience to be involved in."

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOU IN TERMS OF HANG GLIDING? "I feel I'm representative of the thousands of pilots who fly for fun occasionally rather than every day. Not being involved in the manufacturing side of it, I put my trust in the professionals who research and design new concepts in kites and flying. I try to stay in touch with the latest in kites and equiprny own abilities and ment. I lirnits, and try always to set a good example to others. As for the future, I'd love to get to Hawaii and try some of those beautiful spots I've seen so much of on film. I love hang gliding and plan to continue it for as long as I'm able."

and the the top ten were

entered the '1976 World Country among a field of over three hundred among the top one hundred When the field was cut to fifty, 8 SST's were still in to ten, there were still 4 SST's in contention, and when it was all over a WILLS WING SST was meet, as Dave Saffold finished second overall in a production SST 1OOC. The other three in the and Bob Wills, all in production SST 1OOB 's.

Meanwhile, Al Bartholomew was flying his I OOB in the U.S. Nationals qualifying meet at Mountain. Al took first over 1,000 im,,1rP,,1,"' ;i,·rn,mr,li,hm,Pnl, follow on the heels of Chris Price's incredible 33.6 mile world record cross·country flight in a production 11 OP. these feats. Don't just talk to a salesman. Test fly an SST and dis<:ov,er

I l 1208 H East Walnut Santa California 92701 (71 547.1344

rother 100

.~/-

as well as the famous Kitty Hawk Kites two-color design on high hi crew T-shirts. Size (circle one} Small, Medium, Large, X-Large T-Shirl Color and Visor Color First choice: light blue, yellow, beige (circle one) I enclose for T-shirts or visors Second choice: red, white, orange, tan, green,(circlo one) I $1.00 postage and handling for each shirt and 50¢ for each visor. NC residents add 4% tax. Design (circle one) Total enclosed $ .... ......... $4.25 (5 color design) Fly A Kite .... $4.25 (5 color design) Surf the Sky . ORDERS PROCESSED DAY OF RECEIPT ....... $4.25 (5 color design} Get High Fly A Kite ....... $3.75 (2 color design} Kitty Hawk Kites Send to: Kitty Hawk Kites P. 0. Box 386, Nags Head, NC 27959 Send $1 for poster I catalog

Hang gliding and tow kiting are brought together by the innovative Kite Enterprises tow system. This is the tow system engineered for your glider. No special cable set or expensive modifications required. Although on the market for only a short time, a Kite Enterprises tow system was used by Greg Mitchell on a Seagull Ill to win the 1975 Cypress Garden World Tow Kite Championship. The Kite Enterprises tow bar is made in many different sizes, each a direct substitute for the model of hang glider bar it replaces. Non-standard bars may be specially ordered at no extra charge. The tow system is of 606'1-T6 aluminum, with a FAA approved 1200 lb. rated tow release. The whole system is exceptionally strong. The Kite Enterprises Sys tern is suitable for all towing, but as we do not encourage land towing for any but experts, we will normally supply all systems with flotation. Kite Enterprises Tow System Complete ................ , .. $225 If larger than 5 ft. by 5 ft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... $250 Top release system complete . . . . . .................... $ 7.5 Boat release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. , ....................... $ 30 Texas residents add 5% state sales tax All orders require 50% deposit

Kite Enterprises 1403 Austin St. Irving, TX 75061

Telephone inquiries Dave Broyles (214) 438-1623 Nights and weekends.

Standard flotation system not depicted. Stan<fard flotation mounts on control bar.

CAR TOPPABLE

WITH2

HA HANG GLIDING

The

Thi

The Wind Gypsy Mark IV is created and designed by Larry Martin of California Gliders. The Mark IV is high performance, power and maneuverability, maintaininq excellent yaw, roll and pitch stability. A brilliant performer by reason of its elliptical tip"' and Ram Air double surface leading edge. Test pl\ofa Donald R. Cohen and Jack Mart\n conclude "The Wind Gypsy Mark IV definitely offers Hang IV performance with the ease and safety that the responsible Hang! llt:pilot can fly:' The Mini Mark IV designed by Larry Martin and piloted by Ray Hook was named Glider of the Month by Pacific Tradewinds of Hawaii. California Gliders a tradition that makes the Wind Gypsy Mark IV a reality. Wind Gypsy, the mark of things to come.

Developed by Malcolm Hawksworth especially hang gliding, the Hawksworth Hang Gliding Boot offers the kind of support, comfort, and protection that hang gliding demands. •

.. " ..

.. • ..

All English leather with ankle padding for support and comfort. shock absorbant sole to cushion hard landings. Rugged tread design for maximum traction. Special lace anchors that cannot hook in flying wires. One leather tongue boot waterto the very top. Sole des1grn~d to easily hook and hold harness stirrup. Completely lined with soft leather for a perfect flt. Complete selection of sizes for proper flt. Sold exclusively in the U.S. by WILLS WING, I NC. and their dealers.

Send American shoe size (English sizes are slightly different) to:

Will For information, pricing and brochure write California Gliders 11661-D Sorrento Valley Rd. San Diego, CA 92121. (714) 452·0351

INC.

1208-H East Walnut Street Santa Ana, CA 92701

$45.00

(714)547-1344

for hang r111,r1r,r·c Price Harness is the ultirnate in and minimum

lllll

Allows the

lowers the pilot to the proper seated no pressure

stress

Aids Floatation for Water La11dings.

• low

4111

• 411 1111

lightweight . With

Three Streamlined

Five sizes for proper Assorted colors to match Yellow.

check out these features: To Sail. way to learn sailing technique. If you don't know how to learn on Winjammer. Go as fast (up to 2.5 wind so1:1ed\ as you like. in excees of 60 mph ror,nr·t<>rl

r1 Convenient-sets up in 5 min. Sail on a local parkdirt field, or desert. Anywhere it's flat and the wind blows. weight only 70lbs. to store-on 5ft2 floor space . .C::h•r,r1,n, custom extrusions give unequalled toughness and dependabi I ity.

Fork Steerfor fast consistent turning

Foot

and

[J Fully color dacron sail.

Price:

for Harness & Helrne1 ·· $12.00.

two-

UNBEATABLE whether

racing or ball with

for more information about pure excitement and fun on three wheels, contact: 1'.108·11 Fas! Walnut Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701, (714) 547,1344

dealer inquiries invited

CONSUMEF1 ADVISOF1Y: Used hang gliders for should be disassembled before the time and carefully for bent or dented ruined bushings, bent bolts (especially the heart bolt), re-used Nyloc nuts, loose thimbles, or rusted cables, with non-circular and on Rogallos, badly torn or torn loose from their anchor points front and back on the keel and leading If in doubt, many gliding businesses happy to give an objective opinion on the condition them to

BILL BENNEH PHOENIX 6, 30', brand new. $675. Multi-colored. Includes harness and (213) 892-6889, only. BROCK I . Hot standarct Excellent condition. Excellent for beginner, Has dellexers, includes harness, helmet $300-$400, or best 4:39 .. 1646. offer. Susie, 90803.

CHANDELLE 1 standard. New condition, quiet saiL & narrow control bars with prone & sail, sail bag & helmet days, or (303)

AZ 85710. EIPPEFl CUMULUS 7. Double cleflexers, clean sail, throe battens pm side. Includes snap .. lock bag and seat or harness. $800. I will ship or deliver. 877-8832. LARK 16'. Reel, yellow, and blue sail. Cov€lr, harness, helmet, extra hardware. Flies well. condition. $525. Mike Trapp, 14 St. Andrews, Lincoln, Illinois 62656. (217) 732-3266. MANTA 19x18, with bag, seat, wing bars. ExcelifJnt condition. $450. (415) 531 -9688 evenings. NEW AND U D HANG GLIDERS. Hi nArtnnm::>1nf"<> 18'x16', new, $700. Now only $5,35. 18'x18', n€lw $655. Now $495, two months olcl. Write to: Ron Bays, 1045 N. Sheridan, Sh€lriclan, WY 82801. 674 .. 4276. NEW and USED inv€lntory in excellent conclition--..must sell: 18' standards with bag, seat, control bar, coated cable. $350. Used 19x16' Henco, in good condition, w/bag ancl prone harness. $425. New 20x18' I-Ienco, w/harness and bag. Flies $475. 2 new 21x20' Will's Swallowtails, and bag. P€lr-· feet condition. $600 each. New 21x13V2' Henco design, nose, 8 battens, coated cables, ancl excellent performance $650. Call 527 4569. 00

PHOENIX SIX 19x14'. Five color dacron sail. Almost new. $650. FREE ,FLIGHT 18'. $200. 498-0709. PLIABLE MOOSE 19'. Excellent condition, flies good. Light blue, green and yellow sail, seated harness. $400. (405) 256 .. 5833. F.W. 1523 6th, Woodward, OK 7'.'!801.

powder blue classic SeaHigg€lcL condition, all aircraft catecl in Pasadena, CUMULUS 58. Beautiful saiL Full battens, supine harness. 6 montt1s olcl, excellent tion. $790 offer, Hang 4 required. Sean. (213) 372-5872.

SEAGULL Ill. Blue, yellow, black. New condition. Not more than 1V2 hrs. air time. Must sell! Will ~"'"'"'""·' in U.S. $390. 969-4.135. justtuned. $425. Bird Builders, SEAGULL. Ill. New, hardly flown. Gold with black $500 or best offer. 843-2378.

CUMULUS 5B, 1 . Clean colored sail, with For 100-140 lb, pilot Good con cl it ion Why lour weeks for new one? offer. Dan Fitz:328.. 9100, CUMULUS 58, 19', with bag. Two months old. Perfect condition. White, gold, blue and purple sail. $750. Used SEAGULL Ill. One year old Includes bag and harmiss. (602) 298-2544, ()V€lnings. 962 Via Terrado, Tucson,

SEAGULL IV. Custom sail. Blue, yellow, gold. 454-5126. Excellent condition. $650. SKY SPORT 16' standard. Adjustable rigging, no tool s€lt-up, bag and harness. Sport throughout. $300. Call around 6:00. 5) 644-5301. 563 lewoocl Ln. Devon, 19333. SOLO 19.. 15 with custom flawless Henco 'Butterlly' sail, custom harness, bag and swing seat

Can be flown prone or s€lated. $490. (714) 847·4538 Pl/f0r\111fl<:\ SOLO 111·-.. NEW. Fully batten€lcl, 18'-10' truncatecl .. tip glider. (see photo-Sail Brush ad this issue!) Test flown at high altitudes. Must sell to $800. Bill Torell, 645 .. 7323. STANDARD 1 Exc€lllent. Built from plans. Poly wing, swing seat, $175. 865 8081. 00

STANDARD 20', flown 20 tim€ls (too big for me). Red and gold custom sail, adjustable for large "b€llly" control bar, harness. Good kit€l for big $550. message at (406) 252-6475. Baran, 1015 Broadwater /113, MT 59102. STANDARD 18'. Built by U.S. Hang Glicl€lrs. With swing seat, also for prone. $275. WOODS ALBATROSS, 106°/19--12/truncatecl $590. 524-3258. WOODS ALBAT20- 1 , 195 sq. It. Quick release cross bar. Includes storag€l cover. $475, firm. 649-1621. SUNBIF!D 17'. Excellent condition, n€lw hardware. lnclucl€ls sail bag, harness, and sail feather. $~,50. Pete, (213) 723-6777, €lXt. 3, days. (213) 649-0735, eves. U.P. DF!AGONFLY. New MK II. Excellent condition, perfectly trimmed, full battens. $875. (216) 237-5594.

WIND GYPSY MARK IV. $725. Dick Messina, (714) 452-0351. ZEPHYR 18 standard. Green and yellow. Seated clean sail. Factory built, extra 343-6418.

CONQUEST FIXED WING, lik€l rt€lW. Red, white and blue, with trailer and cover. $795. (602) 274-4032. ICARUS II. Exc€lll€lnt Y€lllow, with car top box. firm. 22~3-6213. !ly€lr. Plac€lcl 2nd Includes well mad() car-top towing wheels, 500 ft. 845 0802. 00

ICARUS V. Construct€lcl by Pacific Ultra lites from Frne Flight kit. Test flown, ready to go. harness included. $995. (714) ICARUS V Fre€l Flight kit. $595. (714) 560 .. 0888.

VJ-23. All aluminum, towable, 16hp engine and included. Best offer. 447-1074. VJ-23 glider and trailer. 9·1 glide ratio. $1810. Fred Williams, 305 South Lincoln, Santa Maria, CA 93454.

QUICKSILVER B, good condition. $600. Buffalo, N.Y. 668-4873. QUICKSILVER B. Painted sail. In good condi· lion, will send pictures. Incredible flyer. $500. 923-5581. QUICKSILVER B, red and yellow. Very good condition with dacron storage bag. New daughter forces sale. $500. (516) 277-0455: Ready for a more exciting glider? See my new QUICKSILVER C. Factory built. Two-toned blue, orange. Supine harness, cover. Check price of new one. This one's only been flown 3 times. discount. 884-3728. QUICKSILVER C with spoiler. Super clean, low time glider with multi-color sail, snap cover, supine harness, vir:iyl wires. Includes cradle. Performance is L/D· 7 +: 1 Min sink, F.P.M. Super stable and value at or make me an offer. 478·0347.

1945 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA 92116. (714) 298-1962. FREE FLIGHT OF SAN DIEGO, INC. Offers professional flight instruction at reasonable cost. Top quality gliders and accessories from Ultralite Products and Free Flight Systems. (714) 560-0888. GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE. New PHOENIX GB's, $795. each. Save $170. each. New 16x18 90° SKYTREK, $500. Tow, $650. Save $345. ADVANCED STD 18W $445. Save 40%. STANDARD 19W, $375. 50%. TRUE FLIGHT, 17x19, $275. SUNDANCE B 432-0522. HANG GLIDERS WEST-DILLON BEACH Ft. YING SCHOOL. For the most complete line ol Hang Gliders, parts, and accessories in the Bay Area, come see us. U.S.H.G.A. certified instructors and observers. Frne lessons with purchase of a wing. Visit our new open 10:00 to 6:00 Monday through Saturday. Ground School Fridays 7:30 P .M. Qualified pilots are welcome to come and try the latest high performance gliders. After the sale, it's the service that counts. Hang Gliders West, 1011 Lincoln Ave., San Rafael, CA 453-7664. 94901.

QUICKSILVER C, good condition. $800. David Childs. 889-1780.

THE HANG GLIDER SHOP 1351 E. Beach Blvd., La Habra, CA 90631; (213) 943-1074. Come in, visit, and see our displays featuring EinnAr·-Frirmanr~A Hang Gliders, parts, and other eqlJiprner1t. Hours 4.. 9 Tuesday through Friday, lessons.

ARIZONA

LEARN TO FLY with USHGA rated instructors. The SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF HANG GLIDING offers all levels of instruction. All training gliders are radio-equipped for novice to

ADVENTURE SPORTS FLIGHT UNLIMITED Northern Arizona's only complete hang glider shop. We offer basic, intermediate, and advanced flying lessons. U.S.H.G.A. hang rating certification. Flying lessons given at Merriam Crater, Arizona, nation's most versatile and safest flying area for all pilot skill levels. Complete glider sales, repair and service. Year round good flying. Chuck Rhodes, Adventure Sports, 134 W. Plaza Mall, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. (602) 774·2955.

DIICOUNT

S'~\JE

Blueprints Now Available

VJ-24 Sunlun

e Airplane controls • All metal, except fabric. • Easy to build. e Semi-cantllever, monoplane hang glider l!ll Send $2 for brochure

VJ-23 Swingwing • Has been soared for 42. min. on 34'-high l1ill, 23-slope, 17 mph wind. o Takes off and lands in 2 steps in a 15-mph wind. • Fully controllable in 3 axis. • World's first high performance hang glider. e Send $2 for literature, 3-view, and color photo

CALIFORNIA FLIGHT REALITIES, hang glider lessons and tours. U.S.H.G.A. ratings available. Local sites include sand dunes, ocean cliff soaring, mellow mountain flying, and them1al soaring on a 3000' vertical mountain. Kite tours throughout California and Northwestern Mexico also available. VJ-11 So-Lo 1111 Build the world's first fully controllable hang

450-A Reynolds Circle San Jose, California 95112 Telephone: (408) 275-1642

[]

Fits any 1" dia. control bar or your money back.

T'cJia.1%"wide

o 1.125" bore in wheel slides arounci bends in the trapeze. 2 1" I.D. bearing prevent wear. clamps in place

glider. • Standard aircraft controls. illl Fully engineered. • Can be built in 6 weeks spare time. tll Material cost approximately $400 • Send $2 for literature, specifications, and photo

P!a1\S & Brochures

Ki\s & Matena\s

VOLMER AIRCRAFT OSK AIRCRAFT BOX 5222 DEPT. G 14547 ARMINTA ST. GLENDALE, CA. 91201 VAN NUVS, CA. 91402

advanced training.Local dealer for all major brands of For the Hang 3-4 interested in high performance we ofter demonstration flights on: Seagull IV, Kestrel, Cumulus, Phoenix VI, Sunbird Strata. Learn how to thormal or semi private los789-6200. SEAGULL A IRC Fl AFT is now number of dealorsl1ip applications the U.S.A. Please address requests to: Seagull Aircraft, Inc. 3021 Airport Ave. Monica, CA 90405

struclors and observers, basic training with rnediurn performance gliders, intermediate and advanced trainin;J. Monarch gliders, Bill Bennett products, repairs, parts, accessories. Jim Wilson and Tim Emerson, 1043 Diversey, St. Louis, MO 63126. 4) 962-5735. NEW JERSEY SKY ACTION SPORTS INC , Authorized dealer Gliders and for Manta and cable and tubin/J. ComHelmets in stock. of information 16 Weir Place,

COL.ORA DO GOLDEN SAILS, featuring Sun and gliders. Our well equipped shop specializes in expert repair and custom work. Huge inventory of parts and accessories, including Chandelle replacciment parts. Fast service rnail order. Regular, advanced, and lessons. av· Mountain flights up to vertical. ailable. Located just west of Denver at the of Green Mountain. Call or write for free price list or Or· information: (303) 278-9566. Golden, Colo. 80401. IOWA Central Iowa dealer for Pliable IOWA Glider Moose, New and used gliders, lessons, parts, repairs. Boyd, Des Moines, Iowa 50317. 5) 262-5080 KANSAS and Blackhawk Kites. Weekly instruction. outfitting and sales for backpacking, canoe and kayak Stop by and Porand shoot the breeze' tage Shop, 5935 Merriam 262-6611 66203 MICHIGAN Michigan and Midwest Enthusiasts Systems, Inc. Eco-Flight Standard Wings, HighQuality. Kits Ready to fly $455-$57!3. distributor for Seagull. Complete stock of supplies, instruction, sailrnaking. State, Ann Arbor, Michi\Jan 48104. (31:3) 994··9020. Send $.50 for information packMISSOLml MONAF{CH FLYING MACHINES, your complete mid-west hang glider service. U.S.H.G.A. in-

NEW YOl=!K Hang Glider Shop, representing eight major manufacturers. instruction with USHGA and GSI certified featuring Bennett Phoenix training kites. hang gliding and towing accessories repairs including tube New and used kites. Mark 691 Englewood AvenuH, Buffalo, Flight 6) 836-3939. New York 14223 FiOCHESTEll HANG GLIDER, lessons, parts, nHw and used 91iders. Dealer for Eipper For381-0075. mancH and Sky Sports. (71 40 miles north of N.Y.C. Aerial Tectiniques GSI CHrtified Beginners School with advance trainer kites. Dealers for all Manufacturers. Everything for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced pilot. Dan Chapman, James Aronson, Douka Kaknc:Js, dedicated to the l1ang gliding move" rmmt. (914) 783-6751, F1D#1, 49 Mine Rd., Monroe, N.Y. 10950. WINDBORNE HANG GLIDEnS--Electra Flyer, California Gliders, Eipper, Manta, U.P., Zephyr, Parts, accessories, storage, flight instruction. 159" 11 Horace Harding Expwy., FlushN.Y. 11:-!65. 461-1314.

ville, PA 18829. (717) 744-2832. ROGER'S HANG GLIDER SHOP. Dealer for Eipper-Formance, Pliable Moose. Lessons, accessories. 222 Verbeke SI., Marysville, 957"3214. 17053. TEXAS LONE ST AR HANG GLIDEF!S Electra and U.F.M. Sales, repair, instruction. 2200 South Smithbarry, Arlington, Texas 76013. (817) 469-9159. UTAH THE KITE SHOP AT NATURE'S WAY, hang gliding shop featuring. certified instruction, a full line of and accessorios, demo and rental (Manta, Windlords, Cirrus Ill's and the collapsible fixod wing). Tho Kite Shop is found at 9th So. & 9th East and includes a great natural foods store and Salt Lako's best sand· wiches. We specialize in quality. 898 So. 900 Salt Lake Utah 84102. (801 359-7913. WASATCH WINGS, dealers for Sun Sail and Aircraft. Expert instruction at reasonable rates. $15 per lesson or $65 for 5. We also ofter complete glider maintenance and a full line ol accessories. Stop in and see us on your way through Utah and we'll show you the sites. Ask for Dave or Jerry at (801) 266-2922 or come by the shop at '.3998 So. 300 W. #66, SL.C, Utah 84107.

AIRCF1AFT ALTIMETERS with control bar mount $55.00. Mounts separately, $3.50 each. Sonoita Soaring Association, Box 261, Sonoita, Arizona 85637. (602) 455"5356.

OF1EGON SUPEFlFLY HANG GLIDERS Southern source for certified instruction and dealer for Sun Sail and U,P. B53 N.E. 8th, Grants Pass, 97526. 479"0826. PENNSYLVANIA ENDLESS MOUNTAINS HANG GLIDERS--Dealer for Zephyr, Electra-Flyer, California Glider, Manta, and U.P. Sales, instruction, ser" vice. Torn Delovicl1. Fld #1, Box 33A, LeRays-"

For more information ancJ reservations, write or call The Delta Wing PO [3ox 483. Van California 91408. Phone

IS the

with instructions on the stucJent into the the instructor

(Add $1.50 for airmail.) Man Powered Keith Sherwin, 176 $6.50; instruction al 96 Simplified Performance Gliders, by ,Jack Park, 17 pm;tpaticl from USHGA, Box

CABLE

NEW! The Hall Wind Meter. Accurate meter calibrated individually. Dependable not affected by dust or static. Rugged. to read in U.S. Cornes with denim $12.50 Dept. M, Foreign add $1.00. Larry Hall, Morgan, Utah 84050.

GUIDE TO ROGALLO FLIGHT BASIC. Simple, but effective. $2.50 Prepd. FLIGHT REALITIES, 1945 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA 92116. HANGING IN THERE, $6/yr. 6301 Knox Ave. South, Richfield, MN 55423. SOARING MAGAZINE Covers the sailplane scene with some ultralight Available with membership. (Membership Associate member, $12/year.) Info kit with sample copy $1.50. of America, Box 90066. ... , - . . . . . . . Los ... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SOUTHLAND FLYER Monthly publication of the Southland Hang Gliding Association, USHGA's $5. per year. Write S.H.G.A., Terrace, lny1u•;vuu,u, CA 90.3.o_..1-. .... -· ..

lnsid(, or outside 13¢ for Box

25¢ each. Include handling with each order. CA 90066. . . . .....

TEE-SHIRTS with USHGA emblem $5.50 including and handling. Californians add 6% tax. S, M, L, XL. only. USHGA, BOX 66306, Los 90066 SCHOOL BUS CAMPER, 33' converted. Looks versatile and roomy. good and runs $2800./of!er. 676·5652, days. (213) 335-9611, we1c1kemis. "WINGS OF THE WIND", an award winning 16mm Hang Gliding film, is ideal for showing at club for promotional use and entertainment. rental, information, contact GibCo 12814 Collins St., North Hollywood, CA 91607, or (21'.3) 766-3489. The rate for classified advertising is 15¢ per word (or of characters). Minimum charge, $1 of $5. is charged for each photograph. Please make checl<s payable to USHGA: Classified Advertising Dept. GROUND SKIMMER MAGAZINE Box 66306, Los Angelos, CA 90066

Box one, I n1Aflt·:f 11;1,1. SPECIAL SALE! PRONE HARNESSES: $35, regularly $50. 5,000 lb. nylon web construction. High density foam padding. Adjustable for or upright !lying. D-Ring included. SM, MD, XL NICO TOOL: $10.50 Small home size nico tool allows easy, safe cable repair and ment at home or at flying sites. INSTALLATION TOOL:$ 3.50 allows you to install perfectly finished bushings on kite Installs or aluminum ri11•sn111n;:: FLIGHT INC., 12424 Gladstcrne, CA 91342 ... .......•..........••. , . . . . . . . ,

SUPERFLOATEf'l---Build the 'highest be mance hang glider. Foot launchable. landed on the pilot's feet or the wheel and skid. Plans now available. $25. Mountain Green Sailwing, Box 771, Morgan, Utah 84050.

tell '1.m1 where it's happening. 1) I'd rather be flying. 2) Go fly a kite. 3) Hang gliding is free. 4) Get prone with a friend. 5) Fly like a bird-·Hang Glide. 6) Soaring is believing. Your choic!l in r!ld, orange, yellow, $1.00; 3 for $2.00; all 6 for $3.00. The Shop, 898 900 E., Salt Lake Utah 84102. .....

HANG GLIDING SAFARI TO AFRICA pmhensive tour of some of the best flying sites in the world, including site of the 1977 World Championships, with several in wildlife parks. For literature information GLIDERS FOR AFRICA 15 send $3. to Livingston Ave., Brakpan, 1540, Republic of South Africa. 'TD RATHE Fl BE LICENSE PLATE FRAMES HANG GLIDING" Send $2.50 plus .50¢ and handling to: THE HAPPY HP,NC'lElf'l 2028-B, Santa Cruz, CA 95063. Retailers: (408) 475·2526. PROTECTION For your glasses and sun glasses. Adhesive back sticks to all surfaces. A must for vans, boats, autos and R/Vs. PRr:ki,nA of two, $2.95. Check, M.O., or Master (include all numb!,rs). General Sales Co., 27105·C, Columbus, Ohio 43227.

o high-pArform· once srar,inn""''irh one tlys high(7S1 or to claims. If you confused just compare ads in really want to Ground Skimmer Magozine.

There's a better way . . Now you can go to one ploce rn,d fly just obout ony high-performonce glider that interests Our weekly High-Performance Glider Clinic you leorn first hond the difference in feel be· tween batten tip ond truncated tip gliders. Comome roll pitch response, yow inertial control pressures, ond charocterlstlcs - all irnportont We don't wont to sell you Just wont to sell you the one that's

glider, we you.

For more informotion coll or wri1e to:

Southern California School of Gliding

BACK ISSUES OF GROUND SKINNER MAGAZINE: Mimeo newsletters #'s HO, .50¢ each; printed issues #19-36, .75¢ each; current issues $1.00 each. USHGA, Box 66306, Los JC\IIIJHlr:;:,, CA 90066. BOOKS:J;h Hang Gliding, comprehensive review of the sport by Dan Poynter, 205 pages, $5.95

Box Van PATCHES & DECALS lems 3" dia. Full color

USHGA sew-on emb$1 Decals, 3W' dia.

500

TOG

TH[ B

f)UffORMANCf

FROM YOLJI< GLI DFR, YOU NEED ACCUf~A TE CONHWI. OF YOUR

/\SK YOUR IJEAIJR /\BOUT THE 0

INDICATOR

Ml'H Model

type of

MEHIL

PPI

(211) 648"'3710 doys

'.5900 Ccmterhury ,Al'.?l ,Culver (213)

FLIGHT

INSTRUCTION

Audio and visual for total flexibility. Dual sensitivity for even the most marginal extreme condi· tions. Super sensitive audio for the quickest possible response Damped visual for although it is still meter. Proven circuit in production for over 2% Entirely self contained with no exterior bottles or flasks. Visual may be separated and mounted separately to adapt to any design. Audio may be turned off for visual only. Simek resistant.. Streamlined for minimum drag. Extremely lightweight only weighs Built in mounts can be attached to Low power usage insures long battery life. Can be adapted for use with two visual Distributed exclusively by Wills Wing, Inc.

Visit your local dealer for

demonstration

write

Now you can add power to your life. Ge.t the engine eve.ryone wants at a very special price of 135. dollars, complete and ready to !'Un.

50 % "" C.QD. 6% Cali!. ,·esidel\ts for tax MC101M/C

D0alor1nqu1nesirwltrn:J

MIKE TURCHEN

1368 Max Chula Vista Ca. 92011

(714) 4278514

Hi Quality Chrome Plated

LICENSE

FRAMES

$ 0 plus SOC

Very sensitive (to 10 ft/min) Always visible No electronic lag $49.50 less 2-quart thermos liners (grocery)

Join the fast growing list of paid subscribers who receive GLIDER RIDER on a regular monthly basis. In it's first year of monthly publication, GLIDER RIDER has become the focal point of news, views, entertainment and information about the great international sport of hang gliding.

Mail Check or

frame

AIRSPEEDOMETEFl

,,, VARIOMETER ANO/OR

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ALUMINUM TUBING SEAMLESS DRAWN 1" x ,090 x 18' 6063 T832 2-5 lengths .80 per, ft. 1 ,049x 17', 6063T8322-51engths.70per.ft. 1 x .058 x 12' 6061 T6 lengths 1.00 per. ft. 1 x ,058x 12' 6061 T6 1.25 ft. CABI.E THIMBU'S NICOS

Back Issues Available: [J April [J May l] June Please check if you wish your.subscription to start with any of the earlier editions.

3/37" Nico,

LEADING EDGE AIR fOllS

.07 each

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Colorado Springs, Colorodo

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news

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will

than

MORE lNFO PLEASE SEND$U10 FOR OUR DETAILED BROCHUBE

order your·

or For more information write or call,

SIJHIIRD GLIDERS 111420 CHASE ST. \,A"IUUl"I

PARK,

91304

111111.un specify pilot height and weight when ordering by maiL A minimum $20.00 must accompany all mail orders. ONLY $65.50 f.o.b. Canoga Park. Californians add 6% sales tax. DEALERS INOUIRIES INVITED

audio and your hang precision or best in thermals smooth

WJ//J DiJVO Muehl, 1975

Eipper-.forrnance also manufactures Cumulus Vl1 Floqallo for shcc)ts, or information kit.