USHGA Hang Gliding March 1978 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

Full floating

ISSUE NO. 62 MARCH 1978

EDITOR: GIi Dodgen ASSISTANT EDITOR LAYOUT & DESIGN: Jan,e Dodgen STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: WA Allen, Leroy Grannis, Bettina Gray, Stephen Mccarroll

HANG GllDING

OFFICE STAFF: MANAGER: Carol Velderrain, Janet Meyer, Donlelle Delio, Wendi Tuttle, Kit Skradski USHGA O FFICERS: PRESIDENT: Lloyd Llcher VICE PRESIDENT, Dennis Pogen SECRETARY: Koy Brake TREASURER: Alex Duncan USHGA REGIONAL DIRECTORS REGION 1. Vern Roundtree. Jeff .Johnson. REGION 2· Wolley Anderson. Jon Case. REGION 3 Trip Mellinger. Don Poynter. John Lake. Alex Duncan. REGION 4 stave Thorne. Lucky Campbell REGION 5: none. REGION 6: Jomes Cruce REGION 7: Mike Zloskos. REGION 8: Don McCabe. REGION 9· Vic Powell. Dennis Pogen. REGION 10: Sklp Smith. REGION 11: David Broyles. REGION 12 Jlm Aronson, DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE· REGION 2: Lloyd Ucher. REGION 6; Koy Broke. REGION 8: Bill Allen. REGION 10: John Harris. Horry Robb. HONORARY DIRECTOR: Hugh Morton. EX-OFFIOO DIRECTOR of USHGA OS we ore 0 division of NAA: General Brooke Allen The Unifed Stoles Hong Gliding Assoclatlon. Inc.• Is a divfslon of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which Is the offlclol U.S. representative ot the Federation Aeronautlque lntemottonale (FAIJ, the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA. which represents the U S. at FAI meetings. hos delegated to the USHGA supervls1on of FAI-related hong glldlng'ocllvilles such cs record attempts and competition soncttons. HANG GLIDING mogoztne is published for hong g1td1ng spor1 eothuslosts to create fur1her interest tn lhe sporl. by o means of open commun1cohon end to advance hong gilding methods ono sotetv Contnbutrons ore wetcome Anvone ts tn, vlled to contribute or11cles. photos. ond tllustrollons concerning hong gliding aclivllles If the mote11ol Is 10 be relurned o slomped, settoddressed return envelope must be enclosed HANG GLIDING mogozlne reserves lhe right to edl1 contnbutl0<1$ where necessary The Assoclo lion and publlcollon do nol ossunle responslbtlltv for lne mole,lol or op,n,ons of contributors HANG GLIDING magazine Is publlshed monlhly bv lhe United Stoles Hong Glldlng As!oOClallon Inc. Wh0$e moiling address Is PO Boll 66306. Los Angeles Colli 90066 and wh0&e otf,ces ore to, coted ct 113121/2 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles. Carll 90066. telephone (213) 390-3065. Seoond-cloS$ postage Is pofd at Los Angeles. Colll HANG GLIDING magazine is printed b\l Slnclolr P11nllng & utho Alhambra C-Ollf SubSC1lphon is ovolloble only as port of membership In the USHGA. o member-controlled educolfonal ond ac,entlftc organtzot,on dedi~ted lo exploring oil foceia or Ulltollghl fllghl Membersh,p ~ open to onvooe Interested tri lhlsteolmotfllght Dues fortul membership ore S20 peryeor (S21 for ro,eign oodresses). oues tor Assoc101e membersn,p ore S15 per yeor ot wt;,oh S7 ore designated lo, subscnpl,on to HANG GLIDING mogozlne Chonges ot address should be senl 1,x weeks In odvonce. 1nch.1d1ng name USHGA membersnlp nurr\oer p,ev,ous and new address. and a mo111ng label from o <ecent issue

CONTENTS FEATURES

20 23 24 26

VOLMER JENSEN Interview by Alex Duncan WILLS WING by Mike Meier by Larry Newman ELECTRA FLYER DELTA WING KITES & GLIDERS by Gary Patmor,

29 34 36

CHUCK'S GLIDER SUPPLY by Chuck Slusarczyk by Mark Schwlnge LET THERE BE LIFT ANOTHER LOOK AT LANDING IN by Dennis Pagen A WIND SHADOW BEWARE OF VOLATUS CORNEA by Gus Jochec by WA Roecker (Pork) "NIGHTHAWK" FORTY MILES IN WEST VIRGINIA by Don Walter

37 40 42

John Duthie and Dean Kupchanko

DEPARTMENTS 4 6 6 15 16 19 52 56 61 63

EDITORIAL ULTRALIGHT CONVERSATION INDEX TO ADVERTISERS NEWS AND NEW PRODUCTS USHGA CHAPTER NEWS edited by Bill Allen CALENDAR USHGA COMPETITION REPORT CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING STOLEN WINGS FLYING BULL by Bill Allen

COVER: Kevin Kernohon pilots Delta Wing's new Phoenix Mariah. Photo by BIii Bennett. CONSUMER ADVISORY: Hong Gliding Magazine ond USHGA. Inc., do not endorse or toke any responsibility for the products advertised or mentioned edltorlolly within these pages. Unless speclflcalty explained, performance figures quoted In advertising ore only estimates. Persons considering the purchase of o glider ore urged to study HGMA standards. Copyright ~ United States Hong Gliding Association, Inc. 1978. All rights reserved to Hong Gliding Magazine and individual contributors.

membership survey in an attempt to 1m1g:1z1nc co111 cnL a,rn'"'')~" will be made to move in the direction generally requested. The tlircc most commonly arc i11strm:tio11al and oriented articles, wilh local and new product reports running close behincL would appear that most rlycrs reluctant to write like to read about flying c:lscwhcre, but and in l'ormative articles ahout their own presumably for fear of the publicity and the ensuing exodus of Southern !'cars would fornians, or other foreigners, to their flying sites. seem to unfounded and it is hoped that contrilrntim1s will be made in this area. would like to have an indepcncnt Ideally, and flight lest all new products and submit reports. Unfortunately this is not currently within our mealls, and would not guarantee jectivity anyway, because most pilot., iu position to make the vcstigations and perform the associated with one business or another or arc, like most fly, many finc not an task

chines on the market suited to different types of rtying and pilots am! ii is not within the reach of many enthusiasts to test Cly every one. general interest or the hang gliding c:ommunily appears to be quite high, with most people requesting more factual information on which to decision, Our hopefully temporary alternativc to an independent agcncy has to request reports from the manufacturers themselves, Rather than running a issue as a glider which limits space sc',c1·cl'V. we will nm a series of with full-length articles describi11g the design evolution and testing background, cliaraclcristics or whatever other information might be useful to prospective buyer purpose of these articles is not 10 provide free but to inform the hang gliding community of the design and engineering efforts of the industry. solicited from anyone who feels he/she has a valuable contribution to make. Obviously manufacturers arc not going to criticize their own product. The rapidly of the industry is dictating that empirical data with docume11tatio11, rather than and claims, be the most influencial sales pitch. recommend that the look for the supported information and take the rest with a grain of salt. (G.D.)

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Dear hlitor, One of the expensive problems in learning how to fly the replacing of down tulles and control bars after those hard nose landings. Having replaced my tubes and bar l have begun to do the following with amazing results: -To discourage contortiom of your control bar and down tubes, inject ,1 piece of styrofoam in each bar. This has been used effectively for years in sailboat masts which offers resiliency to g11sty winds am! bend ing. Check your yellow pages for the slyrofoam which, by the , musl be injected in your bars in one piece. For those who don't remember what styrofoam it's that white flaky stuff molded around a radio or television preventing movement or tile merchandise during shipping. Another way yo11 can cut the cost or replacing bars and tubes when bent is to take thcrn to yom local auto body ancl fender man. For a few bucks hc will bring them back into shape with amazing 1csu Its. /\f'ler you have mastered your take-offs ancl landings, replace your dow1i tubes and control b:u before advancing to higher elevations. But since the styrofoam almml weightless it should become a permanent addition to your hang glider. Denis Duhancvich Billy D11bancvich

Dear Editor, l am writing I his letter in reply to Dennis Pagcn's article in the Dccrn1ber issue of Hanp; Dennis' opinions Glidinp; mi harncs,cs. I and give him due credit for all the informative articles and books Ire has written contributing to the sport of hang gliding, However, in his recent article on lie discusses some cont rover. sial issues which !'cl like to with the "other point of view." I have been flying supine for almost five years and am a st rung advocate oft his position. also own my own hang gliding school and have been instructing for more than four years. With these qualifications I'd like to present my point of view. Under "Visibility" Dennis that supine affords the expansive panoramic believe that the view is not less. It's simply different. Granted, you straight down well

but the view from the hmizon up is greater than in prone. This makes it easier to dear yom turns and Io where you' re Under "Takc .. of'I\" it for seated and supine that "The take-oil in any situation should begin with the straps tight." This is incorrect. There many situations that arise in which it safer begin the takc-·off with the straps loose and the control bar resting on the shoulders. For l. Dead air or down .. wind launches. µusty launches. Unassisted strong wind launches. In these and in many other situalions it is necessary to me this "loose strap technique." With practice this technique can he done with a smooth t rnnsition from Jome to tight straps and up ol'f lhe ground. Without the pilot is not the use of this technique the pilot is indeed vulnerable to pitch related problems during launch. Those the only points in the article that strongly with and I !'cit obligated to inform the flying public of my thoughts for the sake of safety and supine reputation. Dave Rodriguez Wasatch Wings Inc. Draper, !Jtah

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The 11(,M/\ 'crtil'ication Program is now or ficially going strong. /\s yo11 puhlishccl in las! 1110111 Ii 's i"11c of 111111!'. Ciliding, many of last vcar's 111odels h:1vc received official ·crtificatcs of ·ompliancc. This mcam that these 1\lidcrs have full docu111clltation proving compliance with tl1c 11(,M/\ \Jtility Cntcgory /\irworll1incss :111darch. The 111,rn11f:1c1 of these particul:u gliders arc adv:rntagcously advcrtis ing the f;1ct th:11 thcir gliders ccrlificd. I noticed, however, that Bill lknnctl Della Wing Kites is advertising ,,trncturnl and aerodynamic changes Io I heir Phoenix 8 glider !he Phoenix 8 lias a ( ·cr1irica1c of ( 'om pliancc, but I know of 110 re:1pplicatiou or ,nli 111bsio11 of doc11mc11tatio11 1howing lcsl data ot tllher proof 1h,11 1hcsc d1angcs do not alter the .sirnclmal or aerodynamic cl1aractcristics of the l'hocnix 8 as previomly dornmcntcd. If it i•, trn,: 1ha1 these allerntions J1avc Ileen made, then the Phoenix 8 no longer complies with i11 ori?illal doc111m'11tation a11d, therefore, is not in compliance witli the I !GM/\ /\irworthinc." 1hercl'orc, 1101 correct to S1andard1. II advertise thal this version of lhe Phoenix 8 h c·erl ified. I om Pri,:c HC,Mi\ Board Member

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The 11rl in the Felmmrv issue was an editorial oversight. !!owl'\11'1', ()(press date Valle, wcsidc>nr of the , has infimned 111 that a meeting (!/' the has rnm·idcred this case. Mr. Henne/I has completer/ ./iHther test in!'. and

s11hmit1cd 1111 addendum to the Phoenix 8 tfjicate q/Compli1111ce.

HAl'.JG GLIDING

208H

Walnut St., S:mrn

/iom the h•lm1un i1s111•, Mr, H//g11i'/''1 feller is reprinted here for vow, re/i>rence, lt 11'il! !w the er!itori11! /)()fin ol this maga::ine that incirlent.1 s11cil 111 1//i.1 require signer! 1/11/e, mc1111 ji'o111 the i11di,•id11a/1 direct Iv involver/ he

gliders is obviously than explaining prolL kms of one's own It also appears that, when manufactmcr problems of competitor's gliders, the tendency to cx,11u':cn1tc quite often the picture, This type of gossip dcfinit ely not

/ore /!11/J/ication ol anr co111111e111 i1 comiilercrJ,

To s11bstanliatc the evidence that there might be a problem with lhc Moyes l refer to the pitching moment docmncntation submitted by the Bradclocks 10 Tom before the Masters Competition at her Mountain, Graphing out lhc information submitted the Braddock, I hat pitching lllOlllCIII

product company 10 put down order to sell their that their product He continued, 110 matter IIOW flying, olk11 pctly and many limes to make an on the Well indeed I

Edilor,

(I lang Gliding 1156),

In his letter Newman writes, "The the meet ended (Nationals), or the Moyes from 400 gliders locked into a full Ju !Ting of

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for11111atc the meet directors did not know that the identical, hut similar incident," "and on May 8, Boris when his collapsed under normal towing conditions!' Not wishing to become another decided to my J\ustrnlian love and pack my in mothballs until more detailed facts were obtained surrounding the stated inci dents, phone calls a11d a views brought forth First the Nationals crash, stalled i11 turn am! side slipped inlo the trees with no immediate made by the piloL While some pilots the immediate pulling through and centering mi the bar would affect recovery with little altitude loss, suffice it to that the addition of interim truncs on the production gliders has precluded the problem, Remember, this an J\ustrnlian built pro101ypc, Next, one why th<: meet not know I ,cw Neilson (Canadian National Champion) killed on a Moyes that he wasn't flying Moyes it a glider built by Willie Mueller, The Mueller gliders arc an allt'lllplcd copy or Moyes but with "inferior quality or material and workmanship" (Dealers to sell them for under $1,()(X) and make $500 each), There arc also reported 10 be lwo major suits agai11s1 Mueller at this time resulting rrom injuries, Finally, on May 8, when Boris Popov "nearly killed", Boris was flying driving and glider Jerry pilot and fault had 1101 hing to do with the kite!' (Which, incidentally, old 19 x 16 Moyes tow kite), l pulled my "luffer" out of the mothballs, I suddenly remembered another I Newman letter printed in the Opinions column or Rider (VoL !I, #4), entitled "The Negative of Rumors," While defending mm ors "numerous Olympus crossbar failures", he explain probkms

Dear Editor,

am writing in response 10 Bugncr's lcllcr to the editor in the February issue of l'n111Y'l'lliiiP

fhC

was fact that the glider went and impacted the tree al evidenced by numerous do11b1l'til that he attempted no

assembling the ML Bugncr now has lips on it and indicates this has cmtailcd any dive problems 011 the Moyes MaxL I refer you r o Charlie Bauglm1m1 's 16 in the January of a well known professional pilot in hang gliding, fmthcr modified has indicated that he has the tips on his Pitching moment tests on om gliders have inclicatecl that tip setting changes or only several degrees be rathe1 also thal whatever I he criticaL configuration, the fixed washout should be least 20°, J\1 20° rather vague setting frn locking tips which arc reported to have cured all dive problems, In to Popov'stowingaccidcnl, I am the villain of my own defense about rumors since I rccerrlly found ir lruc that Boris no/ b111 a Moyes 19 16, towing a Moyes most humble apologies; lhat definitely am truly sorry, incorrect information, and mighl mention though, Phillips' structural failure on Moyes flying at Dunes, Brad reported that after a stall his Moyes

phone who had just rel urned from a I rip Io Sidney, J\uslralia, he spent some time Bill Mr, Mueller explained the Maxi unclcr a sail am! plans frnm ML Moyes for producing the glich:r in Canada, Talk to qualified pilots in Canada, they indicate that the Moyes that Mueller building was virtually identical to the Moye., glider made in ro discredit Mueller by calling their Moyes

on loca1io11 who full,Juff J,or more to Dean Kupchanko

and load testing the bar commonly used made it do11bl ful that it glider of this the int cntion of 111y original letter abo111 rumors to stop them since there was dangerous trend starting in which many manuracturcrs bacl mouthing each other in order 10 sell their own prod1Kts, My rnen1io11 or the Moyes accidcnl not an attempt to further our product, but 10 strongly point out that gliders from other co11111rics should not be flown in our contests, which require ccrtif'ica, lion, simply due 10 Ille loophole called reciprocity, 111 to my of the Oly bar failures, they quickly faded when the glider was certified, have scrn enough evidence and know enough about glider design to suspect there possibly something with the Maxi, I tainly don't claim to know everything about glider design, but I do know by doing certifica, tion tcsting thal there lot of prnblerns wilh hang p,liders that do show up. f,'ort1111atcly, through certification, they have better chance to show up before they out to the public The majority of the manufactmcrs who flew at the Nationals thi;; have had their gliders certified, The thing lhat surprises me the one glider that displayccl a serious problem at the Nationals still is not certified many months later, While talking to Willie Mueller upon his return

I IANG GLIDING

from J\ustrnlia, he told me \iloycs Maxis m,wu,, r:icturcd in Sidney still arc not hci11g made with tips, This forced response 10 ML Bugncr's lcllcr is not meant to he an attack on Moyes hang gliders but simply a defense for mysc!L I think the facts l have given arc trnc or l wouldn't have written them, Mr, Bugncr's letter certainly demanded reply, J\t the same time, don't feel that belittling the Moyes hang gliders will make our gliders sell any better, The point am making, though, and the point I tried to make in my initial letter about certification and it•; purpose, It docs stop rumors because glider that is certified least has passed basic tcsling criteria which dictate glider Any design that a problem which is questionable in the of the public should find certification even more valuable since it is the one way to prnvc through documentation the air worthiness of the glider, If the Maxis that have seen can be certified, l would be happy to cat my words, Larry Newman

llear Fditor, A few q1H'stiom Mr, llugncr: Were you there at Ilic Nationals at to watch "hat you so lightly call my lack or "proper immediate action" to recover from 1ha1 terminal dive with the Moves Maxi glider, or a1c you basinp your criticism 011 hcrc,ay'' I have hccu flying fort lirec year\ now and have model glider there i\ to fly in flown :!1111011 this co11111ry, I've been in SOllll' p1Ttly tigl,t situ:1 1iom of comsc, hut then aµain, who ha111'1'1 If you would bothn to look at the rcsulh of tile National,, in Ilic August issue, of llm1K Gliding and Glider Rider, yo11'll what kind of flying I did d111i11g lh:11 compctitio1L Si11ce I con,,idcr my life, mid the lives of other pilot, very import,ml, l sl1all give you an exact account of what actuallv did happen that day, After a first succes•,lul flight with the glider, I wenl up for a second try, I took off, flew straiglil to the landing field, near the beginner's hill, •,tarted a left ;160, at about a 4'i" bank it hap, 1w11cd; the glider sidc,slippccl to the ldt, and I p1illcd in, to rcg:lin speed and contrnl, I wonld usually do when I get into that kind of si111atio1L Only this time, it didn't work, the glider went into a full lull dive, and try I did, I could not cover from it L11ckily for me, and maybe came of the n1omc11111m gained by the 111m, I was able to crash land 011 that oak tree, saving my life, I low i, it 1ha1 I got into the side-slip in the first place'> Well, J,ow do you furlher familiari1c yourself with a glider you've 1101 flown before'! You stall it, you dive it, you do .l60's and fi11d 0111 what its recovery capabilities arc, clc Why was 1hc recovery capability oftliis glider so poor? One las! question; Did it occur to you that I 111ay have known what I was doin{? Sleep on it llugner!

illllflprint,; Now /\vailnlllo

Dear Edit or, A letler in your January issue expressed the opinion that dealer that cut prices was hclpinµ pilots, He further suggcslcd that dealers, per, haps, should make less money, l would like to atlitude to answer the a\k all people with following q11cstions: from a dealer do you When you buy a to be in good trim? Whom do expect the yo11 blame if it not'! If you need parts, do you 10 wait a have them in slOck, arc shipped from the week or so 1111til factory? edge do you If you want a precision job that is a11 exact replacement or do holes anywhere suit your fancy? i\ stock or parts costs momT (As dealers we have more than the profit of ten gliders tied up we sell), Precisio11 in spare parts ror the work takes time, anrl even cl1aritics need money to alive, so someone 111m1cy, What would yon have 11s do 1101 tcs1 fly the glider that we sell yo11? ()uit stock inµ parts? Not be available when you want help? Nothing brings dealer closer lo murder (speaking only for myself) than for some guy to ask for parts or help for the glider that lte got "cheap" from another dealer If any ol' us (dealers) arc gel ting rich it news 10 rne, few, in fact, arc making living apart from the sport buy it cheap, just don't cxpccl us to be around when you need help. We'll be out of business aml 0111 rJyi11g, I whal day 111aki11g this "0111, am I doing 011 tliis house <Jx" cross tube? ( iood flying to all.

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USIW/\ MFHCIIANDISI OHIJFrl 1011M (1114!

Ill M 1110111 Sl 1011M

lJSHGA 111 ILNTH/\L AWAHD r OHM (111?1 llASIC S/\IFTY 11[GU!J\TIONS (l'All I I OD)

USIIGA 11/\N(; HA l ING 1'110GHAM (fl/\H I 104 I Consumer advisory· Op1rucms nur drrns

nutt101s o! listed hooks do not necussarily rr. 1 1ec1 LJ~)!!G/\ pulley me1,clr;11Hl1se constitute endorsnrnent

I JC

control ba1 Future models cordless .boom mike, and arc

nm on 10 uicad lrnllcrics. built in, and unil can lw J .ock loop circuitry,

'll)

cirs:uif

appr()ximalely

?O !lie ~io111hern California based So111hlaml l1as 1rn1 11p $50 in pri;c money for an I crn1l1",I al a m i\11gclc1 s11c. Ilic com pc1i1ion will be OJ)Cll lO IWO rl:t"CS ot glider.,, wi111•s rrnd open. J11dgi11p will lw h;11cd solely on di,tanc,· from take oil poillt rn1 a 110 foot l1ill lhow i111crc,,1cd ill competing 111;1y ',Clldillg $2.00 rntry fee lo: So11tilla11cl l lang (iliding ;\•,sociri1io11

I B.l :l9 Bassel I :,1 reel

MIN

Ml'll

alifmnia 91 lJpo111Tu:ip1 of e111rv !'cc ;111 i11lor111:1tio11 p:1cke1 and m:1p 10 Ilic ,i1c will l>c ,c111 JI' i11clc111rn1 weather frncc, canccll:11ion 01· the i\pril 1,1 cvrnl all cnl ry will he rclrnHlcd.

!he Mi11i

, Y, i11cl1c1 ill 1011g, ;rnd the canister flying

,itc 111s11rnncv

·0,1

availabk frn $100 year pc1

lll1\'i

,i1e and COVl'IS llEIII)' Jami O\l'llCI\ may be involved. ·overage is np 10 $50,()()(J. Wrirc l ISi fm copy or tile p,ilicy ;111cl Ilic 11cccs,my lorm,.

and pilot\ co11fidrncc s;imilar In flying

/,() Vr··Joci!y

in MPH

onto Wing instrumcnl really compacl uni I model has a boom mike filled lo

rl1c Thomp,011 lloxmolh i, co11'1n1cll'll lircly of al111ni1111m 111hi11g with nylon vinyl ,ail, which c.111 he furled ur gathcrcli into th,· inboard lo111;crn11, frn over nw,ht parking or when the wimh hcurn1c too ,tro1111. lakc·oll ,peed is lo .lO mpl1. With winp, loadinp of le" 1l1c1111wo pm1nrh per ,quarc l'oor ih sirnilarirv to :1 powered k11112 gliclcr i, a,1011i•,\1i111z. Ille object simple, ,low flving, slowablc, pcr,onal ;1ircrafl that ran be llown al1110,1 a11vwhc1 !1 would ;1ppr\1r I liat avi;11io11 en! IHl"liaq (' may he converging on a co1n1non ide:1

l'rom two din:cl ion',.

hasn't i"lorida Flight the group with name cha11gcd from tile Sm11h Florida ll:mg (,tiding Asrn,, 'haptcr 1/20, go back later and calch up on some or thci1 Florida items, lrnl right now we have a direct rcporl special lo (i/irlin1: from newly clccled president Rich:ml lc11son ( !0250 SW 37th Miami, Fla, !he me111bers ol' 1:1orida Flight found 0111 lhal not only migratory birch fly sm11h for the winter but also a Clock or elidcr pilots landed South Florida. of the weJJ.know11 pilots lo our shores and to It)' om "Moun1ain" (winch ·eel,) Alameda, John We n'.,Jily kit honored lo have such experienced pilots come to Miami lo try !owing, Marty Alameda or Seagnll Aircraft lowecl for the firs! lime and rclurned lo (':Jiil'ornia f:ivornhly impressed, Joh11 a11d Jon Thompson of Killy! lawk i,penl a week and a lialf, hri11gi11g their families, and relueta111ly turned to the rro1c11 north aft et in depth look al towing in 11ew light Jell fames a11d Clil'I Wi1111,:y of (,rall(llathc1 Min, alsP spc111 some time with us, A11othe1 visitor, fin the second time, was I'd from Nevada, hi is dcvclopi11g power package for hang gliders that q11i1c different l'rom thing on 1he market 110w, On Jan. 8 most of the cluh members drove to a airfield outside or l11dian1ow11, about !00 miles north of Miami, to have a day or mo1ori1ed rlyi11g, Jeff JanH'S !line with l1is hcauliful and white powered Rider was there wilh of lih power packages which were tried on two i:lcdglings, a Wind and :1 Sirocco, At tile lai;t mccti11g of 1977 we had our clcc·tions and aw:mls presentations, Ralph I .incrn was voled the most improved flyer or the year. The best flye, award went lo Danny O'Neil, as expected. Richie lcnson rccciwd c11stody of the Mmr Outstanding Memlwr plaq11c and lo John Russell went the d11ltio11s dis1i11clim1 or bci11g named Turkey ot lhc was prescnti:d a helmet wilh ,1 siren ,rnd flashing red light So ended I he first year ol' Flmida Free Flight, Newly elected Richard Henson opened the first meeting of dent Ralph I .incro co,clrniring. Our was Jell James wilh some outstanding films he shot al Ihe Na: ionals and ll1c Ma:;lcrs, The tourists in town for the Orange Bowl '1okcd over the !lying put on by our members con, and om visitors from the north that low tournament hen: Bowl festivities, winter !11 closing, if vacation, don'I

tow bar and come on down am!

Tl" (Fall 1977 issue) financial rcporl J'or the Nalionals pre scnlccL The approxinwtcly $1,:iOO to pay ot'I' its Nationab dcbL It rnfflc ofl a Wills painted sail, to be 11urcl1a,,ccl (voted on and and medallions mc111bcrs to lrytosc!L Herbert 1978, :md depending on how things until tlicn, it nrny or may not he reopened later

by Troy Snllivan worked through the day could soarable ,11 Maga,im: Min, in central i\rb1is;is It l'inally came around to 4:30 and l to go, J wc111 hy the hmm' the flying Flatte brothers and picked up ot' lhc three. couple Russell, the micldlc friends accornpaniccl us lo the 2,200,l'I, launch. hour and a half laler we were i;tanding m1 top ol' lhc seven-mile ridge, with the winds coming straight in l 8 mplL sci up hurriedly, prcflighlcd aml l la1111cllcd into the smooth tlow. Wilh some l l:mncncd and lhc two of us had Ilic whole mountain lo omsclvcs, soared for the ridgr:, aboul 45 rni,rnlcs, 200 fl. From due thick haze approached and moved across the so111hward ridge line, The 1c111pcraturc dropped The were alm111 I 00 fl, apart, discussing the option of going down. Russell above and behind me. in 1rc111c11do11s lift which was Suddenly, I driving me up and to the ldt toward Russell. Pcnclralion was impossib/,:, collided, bol h Jocking and hovering in slow 1110° turn, My lefl ground wire rrnm kingpost 10 leading frayed, snapped and we ,eparatcd, I fell a dive, pushing oul 10 rcrnvcr I did hall' loop and fell into my in, vcrtcd kite, The snapped and I plum, meted lo earth, Forty ft, below take off, I landed on ledge which dropped JOO fl, to the mountain below, and from this va111agc Russell's Idle poinl he watched me fall helplessly, folded inside my glider, Recovering from this (distraclion),

he realizer! tlial had his own problems, Ile spit a led in left I urn inl o the above I he l:11111ch, It bent a dcfkxor post and !lent some lower Aside from thii,, he had no serious damage. glider nearly lolallcd, but with hunch of bucks aml a 101 of lime, I thi11k there's hope, Russell had only a sprained thumb, I was knocked goofy for a half hour or so, but I was alive and walking, lot or people can henel'it from om experience, Wind shears can and do occur anywhere. These co11cli1irms were sudden and unexpected, Be

(117)

"V,J." (1,7H iss11c) If you've around hang gliding !'or lcnglh of lime you have umloubtcdly heard a lot about Volmer Jensen, Allhough some to om sport "young" think of ii as crcatmc of lhc 1970's, Volmer a reminder that it's been around bit longc1 Volmer designed his first aircra n (I he VJ - I) back in It was a biplane, And it a hang glider. Later he wenl into business the propriclor of I he ''Production Model Shop,'' company that made dcu1iled models for 11sc in aircraft and other indusl ries, Perhaps his most well known creation is tile about 10 fl ,·long model or lhc "Enterprise" space vehicle of "Star Trek" fame, for which lhc government first space shuttle Lately have lnrncd to powered one of I he best I hough his cur, rent powered heads from Pines tu still finds plenty of other things to keep him busy, Like working 011 still another glider design, Amt flying his homebuilt seaplane, And, oh, just lo keep in shape he takes bicycle ride up the winding road al Griffith Park to the Obscrva-, t01y, "Prcsidcnl's Report" by Tom Milkic, (1·78 issue) The Regional Qualification meet for the 1978 (Nationals) will he held in conjunclion with the Palomar Open to be held the week of Easter mccl will last five days and also include cash Bill Armstrong from Diego running the meet, !'hen: will be another big at Pinc Flats sometime this spring, also. There arc also rumors of an L/D contest at the L/D hill in San Diego sometime in the next months, well om COIIICSI i111hc area,

HANCGUDINC

I " 111cdiurn for discu,,sion vi,1 ils monlhlv public;1linn, HAN(,< ;LJI )IN(; mc1qMine Hates pilots I instrnclms S,rnclions meets for loc,1L n<1lion<1I ,mrl inlern;11iom1I charnpiDn:ihips liernqni1cs flvinq will, Otto Lilie,,th,11 Aw,nds Represent<; vou ,md intemc1lior1,1llv lhrouqh lh<' N,1tioniil Aeronautic Assn (NAA), d division of llw Federill Acnm<1utiqu,, lntemc1!ionc1le (!'Al) /\cts dS li,1son bt'twn·11 pilol ,md lhe public repres<'nt i11q li,mq ,Jlidinq c1t 11ovc11rnncnl levels ,1pply for rnernlwrship in 11,c lJnited

PHONE(

NAME Al)DFUSS

I include my clwck or monev order frn ;1111n1,1l clues

' $20 HJ! MEMBU{ ($21 forei,Jn) LJSI JC;/\ n1,·rnbersh1p

indicated

full mcrnbPr you rcceiw

[] $1:, /\SSOCI/\TF MEMBF!~ ($!(1 fmei<Jn)

f'v; an

of H/\NC; (;I IDINC llid<Jillin<', pilot lic1bility insur,mu_', <1nd all

mcrnbcr you n'cr:ivc I

issues of ll/\NC, CLl[llNC m<1~Ji11im', and most

US! IC/\ mcmh,!rshtp benefits ,1vail,1ble ON! Y

Subscription to H/\NCi c;UDINCi

part of membnship in the Associ,1tio11

11 Olllll?S 1\1!1 11 YING Ill r;111 ri /\ND I Tll/\~I YOU /\IU, MAYlll YOU Nlfll IJITllf/ CO~IIIWL (" YOUI, All/ SPIIIJ. /\SK Y( 1 1JI! [111\111! /\[1()111 1111

Hall, Box Utah 84050,

7883

HANG GLIDING

those incrcdihil' yrn1 c;111 take those s;1me con1 rol ca111cr:.1 unit \Vitl1 om witlurnt tile need !',ir :1 $/iOOJ)O motm d ( pat ) ym1 :idv:lllCC t lie fi Im I o1:il the lrnlh I rorn

t1ram. Inquiries

I I

$J.OO fo, full inforrnotion ond brochure

Addnist;

City Phone-

M/\IK:H 1

inquiries

rnrplm pl;irn,, and Ilic liglil airplane market fell 100 ,111d ,rnnc

MN?CH

one on lilv SunlimL

lacl, ,old med

on t lie ground

the

don' I 1101 you'n: flying. ,11ppo,t: that if tmc helmet amt wo11 Id 11 'I

completed. (('(fll(,l/{(('(/f/('\(11/0ili/i)

11/\NC CL 11)11\JC

90 lbs. llO

IV1AIK:fl 19/ll

HAI\IG Gl.lDII\IG

fV1Ar« 1119/8

JJean direcr.1 Nc.11 hang g!idmg .1chool. fi!irling A 1·10,·ia1io11 Canada. com1wri1ive J!i/01 wirh more !lwn ))'ivonst'a

rerailer of hung glider equip un 111•id com;wtifor wilh rhan

mr rime in fwrh hang glider.\ the crearor ril II hang

,Riiding munrhs has co11ies, Jiwn which rhe/o//owing

i1 wker!'

HANG

!DING

h:11 S1all wi1J1 mi11i1m1111 lo,;, or al1i1udc followinr 1111001h break int! 11:tll1.

inp.

prn1Jlem1 c11cm111tercd lhc fir11 common 10 all do11hlc

Ill

performance, app1oxi111a1cly 20 11/o lwllcr 1ha11 tl1c K loading.

tlrnt

glider will

f()rm.rncc rrn Ali hough

system

high

tile

Marial1 will val11c.

ground al11mugli the ifoatinr crm.1 i1 a little \1ari,1h lire

11ndouil1cdlv d11c to materi,ds :111d p:1111. A11otlic1 slight di1adval\\a)\t' am\ clown 1i111c couple or mi1111tc.1 lo111>.c1 than for the Altho111d1 the Phoenix li1d11c1 II II ii I

MAIK'.111

Note extn'111elF low n,·isl m11J minimal mid .1Jw11 w111hm11

i,i11k below I 'JO

•

• lock into both 11ppe1 am! lowc1 ,ail 1cmion. •

•

Velcro lo help sail. Double pulky

billow.

unit.

Various

1\/lN/CH

will then yaw to the not roll to the left as

for this response. altlhm1gl1 Ihe virtual of attack is mc:re:ase:tl on the the airspeed is lift is barely affected. Lift

The sudden on the left and righl difference of wings is what tilt~ action. This the normal response yaw»stable in skid. changes in the horiwntal component of the wind drag more than lift since reduced I he wind rolJ. smaller than in plan form. The second reason that the does not roll to the left of its own accord is that is rolled, the crosswind component than the (lower) left wing. This can be seen in the bottmn in .John's article. Here the is shown with the upper in wind. The action indicated in the dn1.wing: harder than usual to roll the

nh,~nc>m<mc,n in My effort gradient discontinuous from some finite problem at hand is that wind velocity can be fastc1 of the

field. the first to agree unknowns concerning gliding aerodynamics. tried

HANG GLIDING

M/\l<Cli 1

The first thing

remember aboul !lying

It was 1943 lived in Truax Field, over om horn;c, rnttling dishes, making chairs hop. The sound or !heir motors like lhc bass section in in· finite Chinese orchestra of chain Man1a~" l said,

oom!"

When l could walk l tried jumping off the door of my grandmother's root cellar with an umbrella. II didn't work, so I wenl higher, to lhc from porch rnili11g. I broke Ille 11111hrclla. Through my childlrnod in those 1ai1rns1cs, flying. flew pcllcd by had that dream or1cn, and when I was ii spiced up by lhc abilily to hover invisibly before the second story windows young girls. , Judy Ciani, Stuart and l .ola night, ccrl cd to know watching them prepare !heir pubcscelll beds. had plenty of flying loys, lost my rirsl nick le balsa glider out the window of my father's I927 Chevrolet, Brenda, Angered by my he wouldn't tum back for 1ny face into lhc mus1y mohair cushion:; ! .atcr there was long of balsa gliders in my life. The two rubber ancl the Interceptor, which folded its to catapnlicd from burly rubber band 011 stick. I used to sail can lids. They had to held carefully or I he sharp edges would cut your I threw the lids off a hill near the clump where I found them, with a forehand ·sidearm molion, thumb on top and index finger 1rndcr, ncaliJ, inside the sharp edge. lids would sail in a great long curve unlil they tipped hit something, When I became permanently i11falua1cd with the frisbcc in my l adopted the coffee lid throw for the plastic disc,

my frisbce threw one 1111dcr the lights in a U11ivcr,,ily ot Arizona parking lot for 8 Y, l1011rs, until s11n came up. But 1!1c l>csl toy of all was somc1liing called the Hying Saucer The parl 1ha1 lkw was a wire ring end ming ,r Ihrec hladcd prop made of light mcud, possibly from coffee can lids. The prop's center was punclured several limes, and those holes accommodalcd on the launcher. The laund1cr thread spool sliclc Yo11 pul Ilic saucer over Ilic pins on the spool, wo11nd around the spool, 111om11cd the spool rnr

the stick and pulled !he string, 1lic you'd pull the string on top. lhing, would fly sometimes slraighl up, and couple hundred you could make ii back to you in the wind, or till it to turn in l chased one around and halfway up the next block to it roof. They don'I make 1:Jying Sa11cers anymore, probably or lhc sharp metal prop. I was quick wil tcd; I only had to do ii to remember I read the vol11111ino11s Red Kni[;ht <ilGrrmany, about Richlofcn, J so many boob about airplanes when sclmol I though! I could identify sil.houcttcs better than a !mined ahoul 11 fighter pilot. l wrnlc my own fighlcr pilots, Ilic pirated 1·ro111 popular and patriotic novels boys from lhc previous decade. he grnhbed stick of his Corsair and steep bank to gel I he lwislcd Ihe plane rncmy /,cro in " I didn't know any11ti11g abo111 of flying an airplane, I made up 1'01 it wi1 h incredibly and nu111crous kills for the The dream of dream flying is the world below enjoy the floating scnsalio11 J'hc hang glider may lhc lot al rcalizalion or close, closer limn anything Famo11s men from when l I last i1's possible fm man to launch himself and mid solitude. Da11. fly with the prospect of lhcrc 100, b11t w;1.sn'1 ii ;ilways? Wasn'J tlicrc danger, cvcll in 1hc drca1117

Bob Wills,

of perfect

at an

dcmm1· mile away in the landing area, were horrified lo his glider crash 011 the hillside below lhc l:rnnch. He wasn't hurl, but Bob had made misrnke. I le had forgotten to hook himself into his glider Tom winningest rlycr, forgot Pines, fell about lhirty lucky cno11gh to be 1rnhurt, but the lovely expensive pro1otype glickr he using severely damaged I Ile clifL My friend Richard to disas now dead he scmblc and two nuts on two bolls, forgo! to hook in Mountain. He had hairy draped over his control bar the ship dived through five hundred of saguarn-infcslcd hill011 the vol to

The i11tcrmcllia1c syndrome, some people call truth is anyone can make mis1ake, any

time. J>n.rn,,11,nn hang glidincurring a debt may invoke Newton's Nancy S1ahl is no one can afford 10 covering from two broken the result of rly · ing nose-heavy glider into Ilic ground. She might have all right had she kt go of 1hc up rights on the co111rol baro Then the glider would have su!Tcrcd the shock instead of Nancy's fore, mms, Thal incident happened al Cantamar, per· haps 1hc most forgiving site or a IL One day I watched Jim Baker, au1hor or book aboul Arizona flying launch inlo a slrnng wind from the :l()().fL cliff on Mou111ain's south side, flying an old glider with swing scaL seal bell opened and Jim slid down 11111il tile scat ropes caughl under his armpits, lhe seal ii·· sdf lodged his shouldcrbladcs. shit," he shouled, a11d those of m w:rtching from the cliff man who would to climb up into lhc bar, wa,1 able lo keep the glider pointed i1110 the wind, 1hough, and he descended parachute s1yle to gentle landing 30 yd,;. from his waiting My firs! 19-fl slandard, flapped badly ii threatened 10 dcs1roy the fun of flying. i11s1allcd a of dcflexors, outrigger wires and posts on ils leading lo keep the sail flat. J didn't know tlrnt one small change would affccl ccnlcr of gravity, and after crashing the firs! time l landed Moun1ain I look the kilc Country lo test iL I though! the wind had sncldenly at Mountain, that had landed in Wrong. two liltle flights l"rnm lhc bunny hill I flew my kilc from 111c five. into the l:rnding area wilh good speed, about mph, l pushed 0111 to No· lhing happened. bellied i11, wilh 110 change speed, the co111rol bar, brnising scraping myself first I thankfnl to be alive. rhcn, aftc1 [ found oul why I'd crnslicd, l Recently I made a lcssc1 prnnc while lhc lower hooked up for lhc seated posilimL The ship felt l couldn't understand why it was flying so slowly, why had to pull the bar in sn far to make ii go . Conditions were mild l landed without mishap, but if the wind had been lllowing hard Jeff Anderson, who 1aught aboul 2,5(XJ stmknls to fly, made tough l1imsclf a beginner. didn't run hard enough to off, landed running and withou1 slopping. wan1cd to be lhe first one off the training hill th al day," he tells of it. The rcsuli s of his second failure to launch two missing teeth and a stitched lip, "II 1augh1 me rc1pcct for the ground," Jeff grinning with the replaced lceth. my friend Tolly DeRosa topside landing at TorPines wilh too liltlc altitude. He started tl1c lip of the cliff with less than 50 fL, and by the time he'd made 180 lo around facing into the wind he had no altitude, bul plenty or HANG GLIDING

condiliom lie'd have

!J n for11m,ll cly, 1he

his compclilivc cxpc1·ier1cc inq11iri11g why he's never pla,:cd highc1 than I hi rd al

and lie look a playful

rcspondccl in kind () f ()llf

wriling and Ddnck ic, pbcin:', and rnds around the sprinklc1 heads lining Ille road along Ilic he finishei, I his aflcrnoon we'll

Ml\1:;c1 I Fl! fl

I I

1hc had

the main hill, which in strong winds, could rotor tmbulcncc. had create good t henna l

this gap, sinn: ridge lift alone wmild put 0111.· too low to avoid bci thr,1,lwd bvhind the fat 11at bottomed hirtunatcly, I noticed cumulus new right into the lift, about 500 ft. above the 600 l had, and didn't lose any of it cross just pulled in the bar am! the gap. screamed to the other ,idc. hit the other side about top, worked what turned out to be a pcrlcct lift for I hrc:c or to

altit11(k the of the mo1mtai1L am! Rod had gotten too lost tile turlmlcncc, and where it for some 500 rt

the nrnuntain, then to the mmmt ai11 it it about top. lift

1he l"L'Stcd my cruised. UnforlunatL'ly l was getting cold, my t hcrmal underwear, two l'lanncl shirt, t hcrmal hoots and gloves. !he and mid with

turning the tmlllllencc created by the

The wind still about I to I H what to while ,omc or the fog finally lifted and

tired from t'igliting

fairly get t bv

knots and found that if I turned into the wind could barely mnkc headway in my Phoenix l that the wind might didn't know of 011 the back side of down at Zenith

approached

in front new the: Janel

ncling down the valley and over t1pwi11d. wind turned ot1t to HANG GL \[)ING

MAI?( 111

L IN

~-ite.

HANG

) \

lnfor111at1on (;uanmtecd

O\JDB/\~'./v" ):> nwr cJ h;111 hour u1 \m1 (l 1<111q ql1d111q 111 10mm color 111()1:; (u1

M,Hh: hy

111(:r', mid 1110:;e wt10 dppn,c1cile

i,tay1nq 11p t11HJ q(:tt11HJ tnqlwr f-(;;i1urr,:; mo:;t or ttw rww 11wny of H1(' cou11t1y ') h(;'.;\ p,lol'> I ly111q :1\ it:, lln:;\ n\ 1/) f·o11\ 1,1tn rnoun1r)d '.;iHJt'.; f1.000 fl above ;i

New f nqlancJ r1dqr: l() c1wl·:1oinn Pacilw :;o,iri11q f\rn:i;mq l,(n11p<H111rnl'J \D

')()cJIIIHJ, t1m,, lap'.i('

\1:1wh:, l andiT11

f110V()ll\l~i11

dlld (JI().}\ HHJlirJ

!rad;: 11H;lud( •; 011q111;l1 w11thc';i;1)1 No old !<1\('; ot u11::;;l1(! :ict1v1t1(''

f-x;:nll1ir1t r,u1Jl1(

nuti

rnlat1on', clu!l' ;i11tl dc<lim:; ;H1: al1(::idy 01dc1111q cop1(;:; Pnc1! to ltw !1;11HJ ql1rJ1nq cornrw1nily 1·,

or 1or

'JP(\1~1;11 .';h()winq'; conL1c1

Cl ntJDHMlf

,Joh1t McNC;uly

C'1r(1( 1 11 C\11rn11ey:; f ;1r1r1

nrcw'.;tr:1, NY 10'.)()('

(

I Ir

MAf<CH '19/8

,;,11

1!' J

'.J")( )( :(;

- -

man looked skyward, to fly Phoenix Vl,C " 1 And rightfully Phoenix VI-C"' with its docile but higl1ly ref;pcmse characteristics, the most unruly pilot into refined F1eco111n1Eir1de1d for the student well as the hang four pilot, 1:•rioenix Vl,C "is truly to grow witll.

All of the of Cambered Billow cut Triple tubular deflexe,,s Fully battened radials High FLJNI

ratio of the superships (5A8) Unique handling suitable for stu1dents The glider to grow on

angle air leading edges PhHnomenal dive recovery Stability rh."r~11,t,,ri<:tit1<,I

your les,som,1

In ,1dtl1t1on to 11:iv1n(J world' rnw,t cornp1d1er1s1vp COVClil{J()

,JC

t1v111e'.i the t1rw:;t cnllt:ct1011111 l1;1nq (Jl1d1nq c1111n ex1,;tunce Wnt)t!H:r :t lle r1y1nq t1qrni, 111 1naq1c c,11peh ou1 centtHSfJ11;,1tJ,; ,1lorw c1rn wnrth tl\l) price of d '.,Uk,(r1p t1or' !}011 t m ',S ,moHicr :~utJ,;c11he loil,iy

liti

Ilic comsc ol' dcvclopmcnl in mosl of standardized, but meaningful competition for not an individual hang glider pilots in predestined palh from the rirst casual weekend challenge in early clays to whose glider will fly the furlhcst" 10 thoroughly organized and respected national competition to produce a national champion whose skills all other pilols want lo match and lually smpass for widespread personal tion and glory. Where to start on discussion of the nn""""'tion of competition Perhaps with an identification of the major basic clements or any competition. First or all, if we assume that we have a number 01· pilots in the country, and llmmghout the world, who wish to compclc on some level with other hang glider pilots, establish a sufficient number or willi11g parlicipants one clement to justify scheduling number of compclilion meets or some lype by various clubs and other organizalions i11 lJSI ltiA. It is obvious I hat event open lo the public and to parlicipation by flyers outside the local site must have a group of persons who wish to burden themselves with the complexity of organ· izing the event for some personal, promotional, or economic reasons. Thus, we identify the second key element of any compctitio11, since someone mus! host the party, do all Ille work, and pay the the organizers. arc, of course, hosts who better par1ics than other hosts. Most of the time, it is a combination of knOW···how and money. Quite often, the list will help dctcnninc the success or parly. There arc good and bad guests just as there are differences in the hosts of parties. The lot of an organizer of a hang gliding com pct it ion is 1101 an one. In this instance, we refer 10 group of hers of the a relatively new national organization which has, so far, survived the guiding light and the spokesman for relatively new sport demanding its fair share of natural environment resources ·-some rcg11latcd by governmental competition with of the same resources. In well-established order to provide a normal outlet for this compc .. tition urge, the USHGA determined that it should sanction a Nationals for hang gliding with qualifying regional meet in each of the 11 regions of the lJSHGA. The req11iremcn1 for 11 regional meets designed to establish a more widespread in hang gliding competition and to insure that Nationals is truly representative of lhc

mnional membership. 11 also provides project for a cooperalive venture to help develop the identity of the improve flying sites expand personal relationships between the dircclor(s) and tl1c Competition in sport on a national basis also has the residual ellcct of upgrading the skills and or all compctilors, especially when there may he com:cnlration of more cxpcr· icnccd flyers in any area in the beginning. rapid improvement 01· skills can lhcn be lransfcrrcd to the home of each flyer, contributing to the improvement of all flyers in his region. Tl1c is therefore fulfilling one or its objectives the sport of hang gliding. l 9T/ was the firsl or major new program for competition established by the com. prehcnsive USHC,A Official Competition Rules adopted by the Board Directors. Since there is instant commm1ication system hetwccn lJSH(iA and the lmndreds of pilots interested in competition, the of dist rilmt ion of new and requirement,; must somclimcs be accomplished initially the dircctor(s) in caclr region by means of club bulletins, and word or moulh. initial announcement of tire availability of the new rules was made in Ha111; Glidi111; informing all interested pilots that they could ob1m11 the mies from US! Unfortunalcly, not enough pilots accepted the responsibility of informing themselves oft he new system. Apparently it assumed that the should provide this organizers or the Each or the currently existing 11 regions did respond lo Ilic new requirement for pro· viding competition to qualify pilots of the region for their entry quota in tile 1977 Nationals with varying degrees of speed and success. No new program can work smoothly the first time around, but the syslem did gel cstab· lishcd. Nearly has now passed with more than enough lime for organizers and competitors both to obtain official comrH:lition rules from to avoid confusion based on lack of knowledge of the rcquircmcnLI. The system continues this year wilh no major changes. The mies for flighl tnsks were, and are-with a frw minor changcs---·flcxihle enough to enable each of 11 regional organizers to schedule flight tasks interesting enough to prove the challenges of each site. With a variety of flight tasks planned for the 1978 U.S. Nationals at Hyncr regional meets 10 be be unwise for any based 011 only flight tasks. Other portions of the mies protection of the competitors from other and from problems

arising within the system. "Order of flighl" assignments in small groups, and a simplified scoring this attempt to protect the competitors from the inevitable and inequitable changes of weather and flight conditions which seem to be guaranteed factor in every hang gliding competition. Some competitors may assume that since there had been no basic sci of rnles or stability in Ilic pasl, everything will be changed this year. llowcvcr, it is a fact of life that stability, with only justified change, is the basis for orderly growth of safe and equitable competition. recurring problems arc defined, and as lhc evolution or hang glider design influences l'light techniques, improvements thal can be fairly applied to all competition can and should be relkcted in amendments to the standard mies Before adding the third basic element of compelition to our organization-the evaluation of the flight performance of the competitors by lhc orficials ... a discussion of the philosophy of formal competition and how the system develops may be or some value. Competition can right .. fully be anything thal a group of "competitors" decides to do when they gather at a flying site. However, ii usually is difficult for a small group to agree on how to organize, compete and judge the flights all the same time. Luckily, for reasons known ouly lo themselves, certain people will volunteer to "work" organi1crs or as officials and lcmporarily up "playing" as competitors in sport. compel it ion is well known for its tendency to develop an nonr,>cciw• and spirited will··lll-win among otherwise relatively agreeable sports participanl s, standard set of rules aud regulations is the first step in an attempl to forestall the insoluble differences of opinion tlrnl always occur in competition. The clements of competition detailed in the rules normally include as many ideas 011 the use of the sports equipment as arc practical 10 accomplish, including the administration and scoring evaluation of the activity. Even with an organi.wr and a of rules, it costs money to be a good host. The organizers then usually try to earn some money to reimburse their costs by attempting to attract sponsors who may be willing to pay an admission fee and spend money at concessions. H the competitors dislike the type of competition being planned, possibly 10 attract spectators, they have the privilege of not entering that particular competition. We may now criticize organi1crs and cmnplain that they are putting on a show for spectators rather than planning particular phase of competition based on particular capability of the sports HANG GLIDIN(:;

1hc development of the sport outside inf111cnccs which may 1101 lw

meeting rcr111cstc:cl bv the administ ral ivc

1'0111mi11ccs llll'llll)(:1,S011iy then· on what to schedule in for 1lic oppo11m1ity competition and how to

on otl1cr in1po1

tall\ objectives nf tl1c sport of hang gliding, a11rl

that

pcrccnta 1:c of tl1c membership intensely

minority, mcmhcrs, however, probably the mml vocal porlio11 or rile member ship for compc1i1io11 certainly Ilic .,,,,,,.,,,,,lino of our flight Ilic entire range of the sporl sncccssl'ully ,;o that prestige in hang glider competitors in

fornwtivc of han 1,

:iccomplishcd by wan1011 1:mnp\ai111s stupidity ol Ilic rl1c rncll1v1du,al

cornpcti11m1 the ITS! of lhc wmld may s11rvivc ,rnccessfully. dircc\lll your voice and your influence made by Ilic yom money for travel, ancl reprorlucl ion of for mailing to cslablish one of you, you mw,,I crm1111rmicate wilh him 10 express your ideas, IH1rllc·n--· 1I is 11mmal in the of Directors expander! from one lo lwo to three llrc needs of the problems on the 1hc cost

, Ile 11111s1 pay :md lodging for 11cl1evc-·as some flyers docs 1101 you foul! entirely, or 11111s1 you bc:.u smm· or the blame') your dircclor know Son1c regions hear a1 of the direclm's

mcml>t'rs rnosl i111e1cslcd in competition have rcspomibilily ol' attcmpling lo educate their viewpoint a11d ci<lSC 10 I his

his meet so ,Iha! he l1as an opport1111ity ID talk personally with the compcli tors, till' and Ilic officials, rn11sl all contri\itilc 10 the operation of the system so tha! will I lie besl intcre,ls of all 1hat

"1,cinm,,n welcomes inpul from !he

by tdcphom: or by let tcr, of his and monvy developing the programs for which he i<, responsible. Yon help, You inflr1cncc, of the Whal lhc lhird MAl<Cll 19711

lion of cmnpctiton'?

Dfficials who evaluate

Ilic flight pcrform:rncc of the compclilms

each

rc,,:o,11:r11,!co i11 any official program i11 preliminary program prcscnled al I he lasl of 1n1n1u1:, meeting but there to ,tdequatdy di":uss lhe program support for it:, initiation, believe lhal Ilic n:q11in:mcn1 rccogni1cd l'rom orn ey1,er,et"''' competilion, ,rncl the proposal prcscnlerl al tlris 1i111c from I his arl iclc, c1n111mm mission, a common obje<' live of the mission work. do so, we musl work logcthcr with each of the elcme111, of compclilion, witlr each t:lcr11c111 recognizing the value of !he other two, mu'1 umlcrsland Ilic rnle each must play in Ilic sncccssfnl implerncn!alion of our objective ol interc,sting and rnmpetilion which will reflected a\ \he n:uional levvl and a1 tire world championships, l'l78, preliminary scl1cdu!l' of cmnpclilion has been prepared for tile time, individually scheduled

or on I lie regional incl11clt:cl I ilc c\1airm:1n of 11\c competition commiltcc, pallcrn of planned meets from West lo lo be developing will1ou1 conf'licling so that llmse l'lycrs who have the lime to compete drive from one rnccl lo Ilic 11ex1 to n1:11x11111,,.c their parlicipa1ic111 in competilioll. will also enable l'lycr;, from other co1111tries to 111,,,,1,1,u'v their co111pc1i1ion wl1ilc visiling Ilic lJ,S, schcd1ilc c,mnot he perfect ii was developed ill Jan11ary and you ill rnic!-Marcl1, lrns IJccu confirmed by the 1ir1,a11w,r, bul ii is being coordmatcrl with known organi1crs for unconrirrncd It is to i111'l11c11cc schedule !alcr lo schcclulc wilhout nrnjor conflicls, ol coordinal J'ltis scheduling by US! can help tile orderly devclopmcnl of compr'tition ill one ol' Ihe ncccs,sary ,,11pport elc1m:11h, II is expected thal the normal cnlrics in the calendar will supply I he details of Iire mecl wi\li \he 1011\a(:I information and included in this hvc atlernpl being nwck to ,scl1cduk informalion m1 open competition in oilier 1ries lhrnugliout the world lo include in lite cdi1im1 of 1hc schcduk fo1 Ilic hcncl'il ol 1

l!nrl ( 'ontincntal in the formal documcnl available well before \h\:

ticms" which govcm the operation of !he world champio11ship1 from Ihe will

available for study by lhc U world director should have a copy or the Seel ion a;; source or information on activilics and shoulcl oblain copy of the revised documcnl from USf This arl iclc in no way, propose lo solve all om problems in competition, but usually not composer! solely of brilliant Many small improvement in somehow set the for fm1l1cr have a basic documcnl for lJSHUJ\ Official Competition Rules ··Which be modified and improved When the three ekmcnls of competition; the compcti· trying the organi,ers and the officials all lo accomplish the same thing, and all know what om objectives will begin lo mature and lo produce a better product organization in and system for competition Willi pa1ticipatio11 in our syslcm, our system will work ror us. Harry Robb, Chairman US! Rules Commillcc Committee CIVL Vice l'rcsidcnl 2909 Gulf to Clearwater, Tel: Day 811/ 442,4846 81

1. (,ENLRAL timer, measurer, or any other competition performance evaluation tcrlrnician primarily state or mind. of all, an open mind required to learn the req11irc111c11ts of of lhc job assignments and to do the work con, sistcntly without for the identity of Ilic flyer who is competing. /\ c011scicnlio11s and concerned attilmk enables the official lo stick with his job for hours in the hot sun and slill eoncc111ratc on making critical readings and decisions that will affect the final standings or each competitor The most valuable officials arc not champion participants in competition, the sport. They may former competitors or flyers., but they may just well or other family,"or friends of tltc competitors. They all ltavc one charactcrislic in

AERONAUT HANC

lo the sport. tlicy arc willing lo spend the time lo learn lhc mks, and lo karn the "arl of by lalking lo other officials about lhc mechanics of doing the job. Their reward is comment such "This was a real good meet; rairly judged and

OFFICI

PROGRAM ·Shall be the senior 1. Fl.!UllT rating in the program. National and regional meets shall require this raling for J\11 management and technical supervision duty assignmcnls. Requires flight pcric11ce.

n1anngcd.';

of competition activity

two

he the mid. Jcvcl Fl !GI IT rnling in lhc program. National and regional mccls shall require this rating for all flight performance evaluation duly assignments. I locs 1101 require flighl

with diffcn:111 officials: TFCHNIU\I VISION (rlii.:h1 ,, ,·nf'i,."'''""" l<rquircd)

Meet Din:clor "hicf Judge Asst Direct or Sa !"cl y Director Launch Dircctm anding Director Fll(i!IT

CROlJND JUDGF-Shall be lhc basic rating in program be used in any mccl other 1han nal ional or regional in ull nigh! pcrfornmncc evaluation duty assignments. not require flight pcricm:c. R!,QU!RFMENTS l nitial appointments in all lhrec officials rnlings may be made by the Board of Directors, based on recommendations of the senior of cm:h region ,ts follows:

l V/\1.UATION

(fliglil

!'light Task Jiidgc.1 ("hid Official Timvrs 9. Target

MANJ\C,FM[N"l . SUPER· VISION The job descriptions and cliarnctcristics of these officials have been oullincd in a com11e tition manual fur these oili, dais clo decisions 1d"fcc1i11g the safety and welfare of the competitors, their lechnical background and shonld be suffi. cicnt to enable them to clemo11stratc the capability of making safe and valid decisions on launch conditions and interpret the flight traffic mies and weal her conditions for landings. The official compclition rules provide for some contestant i11volvcmc111 lite dccisio1Hnaking process on launch take.off lt t hcrcforc considered that flight for these 1ypcs of officials. FLl(HIT Although

officials, no particular experience is necessary. suggcslcc! in the first sec1irn1 of this dorn· mcnt, a conscientious altitude of service the most important charnc1cris1ic ror lhcse duties. It is not considered that night officials. prerequisite for

One or two flight directors who must have director or assislant director, or safety director experience. or three nigh! judges and two or Ihm: ground judges to get the rating program started. , appointments will be made on !It,: basis of service in the duties listed

in scclion of this document. The require· amount of service and the mcnt for record or the i.1 contained in the Official Rating J\pplication Fonm. 7.

program such being overnight. mally dcsignalcd and recognized officials for wcll,mam1gcd com pct ii ion. J\s their number and experience grow, they will be able 10 administer the modification of the official competition rules. We must start somewhere an official program to anr! US! atlrnct more conscientious people into the arlminislration of compctilion. Harry Robb, Chairman US! Competition Rules Commiltcc

INC.

LID roof

CALL US Pringle (206) ~56 560G l'odhola (206) 357·8106

·Snrving tl1c Great Northwest ·

$5.00 for info or $50.00 for construction to:

I IN.JG GLIDING

Invitational, Telluride, Colorado

Meets)

Britai11 Open 'hampion,;hip,;, Amtria Regions

Meets)

*Sept 12 .. 14

Annual

Austria Ci tiding

*.lulv

BishO\l,

Nationals, Hyner , Pc1111sylvania

J11lv 28.JO Motor ! Jang (ilidcr Open, Boris Popov, St. Paul, Minnesota rJy.Jn Motor Jiang Cilidcr Activities, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 4111 Annual Swansea, lnvcrmerc, British ( 'olumhia, Canada

'.Ith World lloat Tow Meet, ,;mkn',, Florida Cash Pri1cs 4th Arn1ual float Tow Meet, Chicago, Illinois Casi! 41h Annual Tcllmidv Manufacturers

Sept 14.17

Austria

*!978 ( '01(/irmed dares, or, same /Jeriod 1977 for 1111111ml meets not yi'/ confirmed Other dates wirhou! * pos.1ihle dales jiJr proposed mcers, or arc open dates. !'lease conrac/ Ro/J/J, Chairman Compclirion Com111i11ee 2909 G11/l 10 lJay Clear war er, other 4846,

(Check

in Hang (;Jiding, (,lidcr

f!ang (ilickr Weekly ror rurtlicr info.)

Inquiries lnvitE1d-

MAl<C::ll 1978

./i!r

uc1fonruu1c1• and mellow $850,'otl'er, Dan Bob, (:HHJ)

AHKANSAS

CALIFORNIA

New Best all arouncj yet Affords very docile t1a11dlinrJ cellent sink and LID, camber mediate,

(41 f,) 756,,,()6fi0,

HAI\JG GIIDING

1VIARCII

Mount ('t'f111H'd

M/\f<Cll 1

l!\)1rtKlil)!l

JO Continuous 360 ft 2

BO\lk •, av:iilablr Ilmrngh Compll'te Uouk ol Skvrniling, U11uk to /Jrizona, 10 Roga//o N1gh1 !fang Jli.~hr, !1111"·· l/1111g

the

keel 0111 /1 lllue Ellenv,111,, Marcil ~/ c,1111111 (?01) B91 lfl:JG 1

rerl learli11q miqe a 111 PhDur11x, Arrzona. 1tJ. 1977 $100 HewariJ Brll Iiams I Mo,e/all(I l'l111e111x. A1111Jna Bb008 Pl1one (602) B'.l:H»J31

AAAAAAAAAA A

A A A

AAAAAAAAAAA

MAr<CH 1

:Jrcf TEUURIDE

when

everyone them out enough allow cruisinr:i around Elut Point Five Meter

"llll11111111111non by IDEA• GRAl'IIICSflllllllflllllllllllllll111.,

finally

MANCE

HANDLING.

designed with fun f!yin,i in

t hi, recreational pilot

the superships to the pro pilots. who wants lo miles

up in rnost conditions and

time he

about flyinn 100

off

virtually the

performance

last has

ING TIPS tlrnt

, the

its RAISED

POCKET the glider

nnusually stable in pitch. With smooth in roll ,md

ma ling glider. high pe1rfrnm1,•uic:e

the

if you don't win, is

More Information

in itself.