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EDITOR: Gil Dodgen MANAGING EDITOR: Glenn Brinks ASSISTANT EDITOR LAYOUT & DESIGN: Janie Dodgen STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Leroy Grannis, Bettina Gray ILLUSTRATORS: Cathy Coleman, Harry Martin OFFICE STAFF: MANAGER: Carol Velderrain Cathy Coleman (Advertising) Arny Provin (Ratings) Janet Meyer (Memberships) Tina Gertsch (Accounting) USHGA OFFICERS: PRESIDENT: David Broyles VICE PRESIDENT: Lucky Campbell SECRETARY: Ewart Phillips TREASURER: Bill Bennett EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: David Broyles Doug Hildreth Dennis Pagen
ISSUE NO. 101
Hang Oliding CONTENTS FEATURES
13
HANG GLIDING magazine is published for hang gliding sport enthusiasts to create further interest in the sport, by a means of open cummunicotion and to advance hang gliding methods and safety. Contributions ore welcome. Anyone is invited ta contribute articles, photos, and illustrations concerning hong gliding activities. If the material is to be 1eturned. a stamped, self-addressed return envelope must be enclosed. Notification must be mode of submission to other hong gliding publications. HANG GLIDING magazine reserves the right to edit contributions where necessary. The Association and pub!icotion do not assume responsibility for the material or opinions of contributors. HANG GLIDING magazine is published monthly by the United States Hang Gliding Association. Inc. whose mailing address is P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, · Calif. 90066 and whose offices are located ht 11423 Washington Blvd., Los Angeles. Calif. 90066; telephone (213) 390-3065. Second.;:lass postage is paid at Los Angeles, Calif. HANG GLIDING magazine is printed by Sinclair Printing & Lilho, Alhambra, Calif. The typese!ling is provided by 1st Impression Typesetting Service, Bueno Pork, Calif. Color separations by Scanner House of Studio City, Calif. The USHGA is a member-controlled educational and scientific organization dedicated to exploring all facets of ultralight flight. Membership is open to anyone interested in this realm of flight. Dues for full membership ore $25 per year ($26 for foreign addresses); subscription rates ore $18 for one year, $31 for two years, 544 for three years. An Introductory six-month trial is available for $9.00. Changes of address should be sent six weeks in advance, including name. USHGA membership number, previous and new address, and a moiling label from a recent Issue.
1981 PORTERVILLE ULTRALIGHT RALLY
Article and photos by Glenn Brinks
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20
USHGA REGIONAL DIRECTORS REGION 1: Doug Hildreth. REGION 2: Pat Denevan, George Whitehill. REGION 3: Rob Kells, Mike Turchen. REGION 4: Lucky Campbell, Carol Droge. REGION 5: Steve Baran REGION 6: Dick Turner. REGION 7: David Anderson, Ron Christensen. REGION 8: Charles LaVersa. REGION 9: Les King, William Richards. REGION 10: Richard Heckman, Scott Lambert. REGION 11: Ewart Phillips. REGION 12: Paul Rikert. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTOR: Everett Langworthy. HONORARY DIRECTORS: John Lake, John Harris, Hugh Morton, Vic Powell. DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE: David Broyles, Jan Case, Phil Richards, Keith Nichols, Dennis Pagen. The United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc., is a division of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which is the official U.S. representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA, which represents the U.S. at FAI meetings, has delegated to the USHGA supervision of FAlrelated hang gliding activities such as record attempts and competition sanctions.
JUNE 1981
30 34
HOW TO LAUNCH A FLEX WING TWO FLIGHTS ULTRALIGHT OWNERS SURVEY
by Mike Meier
© by Dennis Pagen by Glenn Brinks
40 1980 FATALITIES UPDATED The Same Old Refrain DEPARTMENTS 4 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS 4 ULTRALIGHT CONVERSATION 7 CARTOON by Harry Martin 9 USHGA CHAPTER NEWS 10 BOOK REVIEW 10 USHGA REPORTS 11 CALENDAR 12 NEWS AND NEW PRODUCTS 16 DIRECTOR'S CORNER 24 POWER PILOT by Glenn Brinks 25 MILESTONES 32 MEMBERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT 37 LITTLE TIPS 44 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 50 STOLEN WINGS COVER: A 7 year old design thot was way ahead of its time. Eric Raymond pilots a newlyconstructed diffusor-tip Sunseed, designed by Bob Trampenau. Note cable in place of control bar base tube. Photo by Leroy Grannis . CENTERSPREAD: Photographer Leroy Grannis flies supine dual over-the-bar with Herb Fenner at Torrey Pines, CA Photo by Grannis. CONSUMER ADVISORY: Hang Gliding Magazine and USHGA Inc., do not endorse or toke any responsibility for the products advertised or mentioned editorially within these pages. Unless specifically explained, performance figures quoted in advertising ore only estimates. Persons considering the purchase of a glider are urged to study HGMA standards. Copyright © United States Hong Gliding Association, Inc. 1978. All rights reserved to Hang Gliding Magazine and Individual contributors.
by R.V. Wills
nia. Why is that? Ultralights are trying to do the same thing we foot-launch pilots are doing. , If we were truly "purists," we wouldn't use motors to get to the top of the mountain. Vehicles do have motors! Therefore, everytime you fly, motors supply the power. We foot-launch pilots use gasoline to prime the gravity motor. All of us in any form of sport aviation need to join together to protect each other from the turkeys who fly with us, as well as protect us from the turkeys who would keep us on the The Brazilians Are Coming ground. Most wuffos can't see much difDear Editor, ference between foot-launch and powered hang gliding. That fact, by itself, makes it Look out America (and the rest of the world) stupid if we do. the Brazilians are coming. In the six months I've lived and flown here in Brazil, I've come Ted Gilmore to know and respect the greatest group of Mission Hills, KS pilots maybe anywhere in the world. Shortly after arriving here I become inFWS Hang Gliding Ban volved in organizing the Brazilian Nationals. The situation eventually evolved into my The following letter was sent to the U.S. Fish and becoming the meet director. During this comWildlife Service concerning a ban on hang gliding petition I saw first hand the competitive spirit in all refuge areas.-Ed. and the skill that Brazilian pilots have. It was a very exciting competition. Dear Sirs, Look out Owens Valley. Look out America. Look out world. The Brazilians are coming! This letter is in response to the Fish and Wildlife Service news release of January 26, Rich Williams 1981 requesting public comments on the draft Rio De Janiero, Brazil manual for the national wildlife refuge system. I write this letter as a Director of the United States Hang Gliding Association (USHGA), a Give It Some Thought Division of the National Aeronautic AssociaDear Editor, tion (NAA). USHGA is recognized by the NAA as the official representative and If you're contemplating buying one of those spokesman for hang gliding activity in the beautiful looking ultralights, microlights or United States. fancy mini-sailplanes, you'd better give it I have read the news release and draft plenty of thought. Believe me, you'll be getmanual section on Other Recreation. I agree ting a lot less than you expected in flying abiliwith the guiding policy as given in paragraph ty. 9.1., I also agree with the objectives as stated In my eight years in this sport I've seen far in 9.2.A, and 9.2.B. I call to your attention too many of my friends end up in the hospital that hang gliding should be included in the list because they decided to become free test of wildlife/wildlands oriented recreation in pilots. Save your money and your time until paragraph 9.3.A, and should be removed from they're thoroughly tested. A finished product paragraph 9. 5E, non-wildlife/wildlands will not have add-ons. oriented recreation. I'm very hopeful that the SSA Foot launched hang gliding requires hilly or Homebuilder's Contest will produce a selfmountainous terrain that generates wind curlaunching design equal to those beloved little rents sufficient for soaring. Foot launched Schweizer aircraft which numbered in the hang gliding cannot be conducted on flat areas thousands during the mid 1960's. such as beaches because the craft are not motor powered and are incapable of rising from flat Brad White land. While all of the 89 million acres containAnaheim, CA ed in wildlife/wildlands are not mountainous, there are some excellent launching areas that Different Opinion would be closed to hang gliding under the Dear Editor, draft manual as now written. Hang gliding, therefore, is not capable of being conducted in We here in the Midwest seem to have a difall areas of the system. Further, hang gliding ferent opinion about ultralights than do the does not require constructed facilities for California pilots and a few others. Letters to either launching or landing, and its flight is the editor of Hang Gliding magazine opposing nonpolluting and noiseless. It can, however, ultralights mostly seem to come from Califorbe conducted in some regions of the system,
\ILTRALI<iftT CONVERJAT10N
4
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Aerial Techniques .............................................................. 44 Anabreeze ............................................................................ 33 Bennett Della Wing Gliders ..................................... 18, 23 Benson Aircraft .................................................................... 48 BJ Aircraft ................................................................................ 44
Crawford ................................................................................ 37 Eco Nautlcs ........................................................................... 48 Fly Right ................................................................................... 37 Glider Rider ............................................................................ 19 Goldwlng ................................................................................ 17 Gray Photo............................................................................. 5 Hall Brothers .......................................................................... 47 Hang Gliding Press ............................................................. 13 Hurst .......................................................................................... 45 Kitty Hawk Kites .................................................................... 49 Leaf ........................................................................................... 46 Lookout Mt ............................................................................. 17 Maklkl ...................................................................................... 46 Manta Products .................................................................. 43 NAA ........................................................................................... 52 Odyssey .................................................................................. 28 Pagan ...................................................................................... 33 Para Publishing .................................................................... 25 Pterodactyl ........................................................................... 47 Snyder Ent............................................................................. IBC Soarmaster ............................................................................ 49 Southern Propellers ............................................................ 17 Spectra Aircraft ................................................................. IFC Sprague Aviation................................................................ 8 Stratus ...................................................................................... 2 Ultralight Library ................................................................... 16 USHGA ............................................................ l, 29, 38, 47, 51 Western Flying ...................................................................... 33 Whole Air Magazine .......................................................... 38 WIiis Wing, Inc ....................................................................... 39
AD DEADLINES All ad copy, instructions, changes, additions and cancellations must be received in writing 1Yi months preceding the cover date, i.e. Mar. 20 for the May issue.
HANG GLIDING
THE 1981 GRAY PRIZE FOR JOURNALISM
$250.00 For the best story or article reporting hang gliding in the U.S. published in 1981. RULES:
1. Story should cover or deal with one of the fol lowing competitions: USHGA National Championships; any USHGA regional meet; Masters of Hang Gliding Tournament; The American Cup; Bishop, CA Cross Country Classic or Open; 1981 Southern California Cross Country Competition. Articles of general interest are also eligible. 2. Story must be printed and submitted in the form of its appearance. 3. Story must appear in a newspaper or magazine with 25,000 or greater circulation. 4. Deadline for entries: January 5, 1982.
Submissions to:
GRAY PHOTO & PRESS
P.O. Box 32 Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
Dates and locations for meets:
phone UNITED STATES HANG GLIDING ASSOC. (213) 390-3065
Regarding 1981 SC XC contact: Rich Grigsby, Meet Director
c/o SC Hang Gliding Schools 5219 Sepulveda Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91411
and with minimum impact on wildlife or the land. In this respect it can be regarded similarly as hiking, canoeing, or photography. Hang gliding is compatible with the expressed policy for Other Recreation - as given in paragraph 9.1 - in that it provides an excellent opportunity for observation of both land forms and birds in soaring flight. The United States Hang Gliding Association has a recognized flyer rating system that the National Park Service has found to be helpful for handling the activity in National Parks. I bring this fact, and the points mentioned above, to your attention so that the Fish and Wilcjlife Service can properly recognize hang gliding as an activity compatible with proposed policy, and list it as wildlife/wildlands oriented recreation. Vic Powell Honorary Director, USHGA
Dethroned Dear Editor,
Rose Bowl..." Now does that sound positive to you? It doesn't to me! No one thought it was a great flight and this included hang glider pilots. Just a stunt! The next point about "jamming certification down the throats of competition pilots." First of all, what makes you think the world of hang gliding revolves around competition? And is your memory so short that you can't look back to the early days of hang gliding and remember the unsafe (uncertified) gliders we were flying and crashing? Would you have those days back? I think not. The certification program is the single most important thing to come along yet. Now that's positive publicity. Thanks to USHGA/HGMA. The use of terms like quasi-police force, Nazi, big brother, etc. are out of order and very juvenile, Chris. I thought you had more class than that. In closing just let me say that if I were as unhappy and suspicious of USHGA as you seem to be, I would drop my membership and go fly my uncertified glider at some remote site where no one would care or see what goes on - or do you need an audience?
My second and last letter to the editor on the Rose Bowl incident:
Bob Lafay Tujunga, CA
DETHRONED I received my April Hang Gliding magazine And began to read with much esteem.
Some of what he says is true but most is fiction, He has much misdirected conviction. I have come down off my throne, And burned my Price Prone. Dean Batman Indianapolis, Indiana
Come On Chris Dear Editor, C'mon Chris, you're acting like someone who just stepped on this planet or out ofa cave and just discovered hang gliding. If you had paid more attention to flying the Pasadena area on more than an occasional "stunt flight" you would know we can and do fly "free" here 364 days a year. The one missing day is the day of the Rose Bowl Game. We feel that is fair and respect their wishes, be it an FAA ruling or local Pasadena request. On the point of positive publicity ... People who know I fly hang gliders and remarked about Rich's flight to me all, without excep· tion, said something like, "Did you hear about that crazy guy who flew a hang glider into the 6
want to sell them even to conventional airplane pilots, right? Then put a small inexpensive cross tube at the right place and correct the problem, so that pilots won't find an excuse to not give your product some further consideration. George Worthington San Diego, CA
New Logo Dear Editor, With all due respect I would like to second the proposal for a new USHGA logo for the l 980's. I personally like the logo with American Eagle gripping a control bar that Terry Ferrer sketched. I really enjoy your magazine. Keep up the good work. Brian Stevenson Saginaw, Mich.
Full Luff Dive? Backwards Controls Dear Editor,
Until I got to page six and the Price epistle, I knew old Chris would have to blow his whistle.
Please, designers, think about it. You want to sell as many units as possible, right? You
What is your reaction to a faucet handle that turns clockwise to open, or a nut you're trying to remove only to find, eventually, that it turns clockwise to remove (loosen). What if a friend loaned you his automobile but cautioned you that the steering wheel turns the opposite of all the other cars on the road. To turn right you turn it counterclockwise. You desire to drive his car because of its attractive gas mileage and other unique features. What would you do? Go out and practice in an empty parking lot until you could remember every time that it is opposite? Wouldn't you even then wonder whether you might revert to the habit-of-years and turn the steering wheel the wrong way in a tight, tense, fast situation on the highway? This is precisely what's happening with many new ultralight designs. Luckily, none have been found to have the rudders (in the case where they had rudders) hooked up backwards. But the nose steering is backwards, which is fine at 5 miles per hour if you goof, but not so fine immediately after landing at 18 or 25 mph. Not all of the ultralights have been checked to see if they have this particular "backwards" hook up. But enough of them do have it, including the Kasperwing, Soarmaster Trike, King Air Trike, Weedhopper, etc. to warrant a cry of concern.
A full luff dive in 1981 !? I just lost my best friend to one. You know. It is the kind where the glider points straight down and doesn't even try to pull out. My friend went in from 500'. His glider was a factory built, stock, state-of-the-art glider that came out on the market last summer. The glider was not certified, yet. The manufacturer personally assured my friend it was certifiable - five months ago. Simply put, the pilot was an expert - eight years experience, thorough and conservative. Don't take anything on faith. I don't care who the manufacturer is or how well you know him. My friend and his manufacturer were good friends. So when the manufacturer tells you, "The glider is basically certified ... " or "The certification package is complete, we just haven't presented it yet ... " or "The glider is so strong it makes the certification standards look foolish ... " don't believe him. Flying uncertified gliders is an unnecessary risk. You owe it to yourself, your family and your friends to fly the safest gliders as safely as possible. We don't know yet whether it was the glider or the design that killed my friend. It could even be a bit of both. We, as survivors, must learn from others' misfortunes. Certification and test-flown gliders are necessary for survival. Name withheld by request. HANG GLIDING
I WAN• "TO SHoVJ You A NE.W SEC,1\1;.T We:A'l'ON WHIGH WILL tNA&LE 0:AGH Jl,E(rlON D111.E.GTOR TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OVE.R 1!,E.6E.L
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Delhagen Rebuttal Dear Editor, Like Mr. Delhagen, I, too, saw and heard all the "hard evidence" during the Wills-Nolen trial. If Mr. Delhagen was so certain the jury would decide as it did, why did his frim offer Suzette Wills a quarter of a million dollars before the trial? As Mr. Delhagen (and all trial attorneys) know better than any of us, a jury verdict is about as reliable in determining facts as rolling dice. Even so, there was some real fighting going on in that jury room (as the jurors told me later) and there were four jurors who would not buy the majority view and held out. One was finally persuaded, and a hung jury avoided. If "falling victim to complacency" means you realize you're going to die a few seconds before the turbulence blasts you down, then Delhagen must be right, and Bob Wills died by his own hand. Come on, Mr. Delhagen, you were as surprised by that verdict as anyone!
Hydroplane Regatta. The gliders were 18' leading edge and keel "Jobe's," and were piloted by myself, my brother Dan Henderson, and a friend, Gordon Dick. The gliders had 80 degree nose-angles, with .035" spars throughout, and were towed to 900' AGL. During the previous day's testing, they were towed in a straight-line distance of nearly three miles. At the time, these gliders were considered reasonably safe to tow. The spars were factoryfilled with a polyurethane foam which provided flotation as well as stiffening the thinwalled spares. I'm sure your readers will now fully appreciate the safety standards and practices used for towing today after hearing about what was used back then. Always follow the direction of those who have already shown that they know and practice the use of safe towing equipment and techniques. Always try to surround yourself with the most competent, knowledgeable people while participating in this highly specialized aspect of flight. Don't allow those with little or no experience to drive your tow vehicle, use a top quality release mechanism, and always wear a helmet. I made it a point to follow these few guidelines when I was towing, and I never had an accident, and, obviously, I'm still around to tell the story.
Maralys Wills Santa Ana, CA
Bob Henderson Seattle, WA
Recovered Glider Unlicensed Operation
Dear Editor, I am pleased to inform you of the recovery of my stolen Floater 230. It had been missing for over a year but luckily was returned by an honest soul who after purchasing the glider for a very modest amount soon realized it was stolen and returned it to me. I can't thank you enough for providing the free service of posting my glider in the Stolen Wings column of your magazine. I've met many pilots in my travels across the country who had recalled seeing the info about my glider posted in the magazine. Richard Hays Mt. Rainier, MD
In response to an article by three Kingsville, Texas pilots, I enjoyed the article about simultaneously towing three gliders over land. Just as a point of nostalgia, three gliders were simultaneously towed over Lake Washington in 1975 for Seattle's annual Seafair 8
Dear Editor, As a member of the microlight fraternity, you have responsibilities - not only to yourself, to other pilots around you and to people on the ground - but to the rest of us who would like to continue to fly our microlights in the relative freedom which we now enjoy. At present, both the MOT and FAA have adopted an almost hands-off policy regarding microlights. However, they are watching the development of the sport closely. New regulations are just around the corner and may be in effect by the time you read this. The regulations presently proposed appear to be much less restrictive than those proposed a year ago, and will allow the enjoyment of the sport to continue. However, anytime someone does something stupid, anytime someone attempts to fly an unsafe airplane, anytime someone flies too low over a farmhouse or a group of people, anytime someone flies in weather conditions beyond his ability, anytime someone antagonizes the pilot of a "real" airplane or an airport operator or controller, he will be providing justification for tightening the regulations. Contrary to popular belief, the future of the microlight movement is not just in the hands of the committee members in Ottawa or Washington - it's in the hands of the participants. Right now, we have a good thing going. Let's not mess it up! Gerry Pronovost Ottawa, Ont.
Dear Editor, I was quite surprised to see that you published "A Set of Ears" in the March issue. This article leads the reader to believe that by simply handing a few bucks to the local Radio Shack, one has obtained the right to operate a CB radio. In this country, all transmitters are regulated by the FCC, and anyone who operates a transmitter is answerable to the FCC for its proper operation. As I am sure you are well aware one of the basic USHGA rules states that a pilot should be aware of all applicable federal laws. You will find that they forbid operation of unlicensed transmitters in excess of one-tenth watt and require the use of FCC issued identification.
Three At Once Dear Editor,
In The Hands Of The Participants
Jim Westbrook New Britain, Conn. When you buy a CB set, ask for a copy of the "Temporary Permit," form 555B along with the regular license application form. Fill out the form 555B and you have temporary identification and authorization to operate while your application is being processed. G.B.
Hang Gliding welcomes your letter to the editor. Letters must be typed (or legible) and limited to 400 words. All letters are subject to editing. Send your contribution to: USHGA, Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.
HANG GLIDER OXYGEN SYSTEM
Here is the proven best system available for hang gliding. It consists of: a. A 7 cu. ft. cylinder (45 min.-2 hrs. depending on altitude) b. An attached, tested and certified constant flow ex· military regulator where the gauge simultaneously shows both tank pressure and flow rate vs. altitude. c. A regulator low pressure outlet tubing adapter fitting. d. 3 ft. clear PVC tubing for insertion into mouth for simple easy delivery method. The above complete 7 pound system for only $175.00. For optional Scolt constant flow mask add $25.00. d t . 2550 Pleasants Valley Rd. Send che k c or money or er o. Vacaville, CA 95688 (707)446-0152
HANG GLIDING
Edited by Glenn Brinks Sky Riders H.G. Club of New England (#81) 122 Stella Road Bellingham, MA 02019 Due to conflicts with the scheduled June 26 trip to Grandfather Mountain, this year's flyin at Groton Hill will take place on Saturday, July 11. This year's fly-in is to be a benefit, with all proceeds going to the Association for Retarded Citizens of Greater Lowell. Phil Vangel has been investigating the possibilities of a club blood drive. If a sufficient number of donors are available, the Red Cross may be able to set up facilities at one of the meetings. Also, if enough members donate, the Red Cross blood bank would be made available to all members in the event of an injury or accident of any kind.
Wings of Rogallo (#66) 4150 Normandie Drive San Jose, CA 95118 The bad news is: The Soda Springs takeoff has been closed by a resident next to the takeoff. Word has it he dug a ditch across the road so our vehicles can't get in and he bulldozed the ramp off at launch, after contacting the owner and getting permission. Seems he doesn't like us flying close to his house and told some of the pilots this. In turn, some a***** decided to make strafing runs on his house. Doing childish stunts such as this is not going to help us keep the few sites we have left. The good news is: Soda may be reopened. Pat Denevan contacted the land owner and for about $1,500/year, we can lease the takeoff. Split up among those of us who fly there should make the annual fee per person somewhere around $30.00.
Flocker Newsletter Rocky Mountain H.G. Association (#50) P.O. Box 1775 Boulder, CO 80306 Connally Keating said that Rep. Kathleen Sullivan may be asking some ofus for floor appearances on the vote (for a bill to absolve land owners of responsibility from hang gliding and similar accidents). Connally also reaffirmed the cross-country potential of Mt. Morrison and the site committee will be trying to secure the flying area. He warned that to fly the mountain now will do irreparable damage to efforts to obtain the site. JUNE 1981
Thanks to Ludwig Goppenharnrner, we are off to a good start with the new owner of the Mt. Zion landing area: Coors Industries. Ludi took the initiative to get with the new young director of Coors' Corporate Real Estate Department, and established a good footing for continued landing privileges. Next month's site report will detail the modus operandi Coors is expecting.
N.A.H.G.A. News North Alabama H.G. Association (#86) 6525 Chadwell Road Huntsville, AL 35802 Our new site at the north end of Keel Mountain is now open for flying. Dick Heckman had the honor of making the first "jump." The site is about 800 ft. vertical and a good 4.5:1 glide to the landing area. Dick said that the 20 plus mph headwind caused him to land a little short, but only after a half-hour flight. Not bad for the first one off the new hill. Jeff Fisher has a new patch on his sail thanks to a ground handling accident last month. He had it repaired by Leading Edge Air Foils. He reported excellent service and workmanship at a very reasonable price. Duane Ridenhour flew for what may be an Alabama duration record. He flew for 3 hours and 10 minutes at Green Mountain in Huntsville.
Marin County H.G. Association (#25) 20 Pamaron Way Ignacio, CA 94947 A discussion was held of two flying incidents at Mt. Tam. It was decided to suspend one of the pilots from flying Tarn for a period of one month, and the other pilot for four months. Similar action, not to exceed four months was recommended to be taken by the other area clubs at their sites in the case of the second pilot. Jake Skaer, a representative of the Stinson Beach Village Association, spoke on the concerns of the Stinson Beach homeowners regarding the regulation of the beach landing area. He was particularly concerned with educating the townspeople regarding hang gliding in general, as the hang gliding community has never done this. It was decided to close the Occidente landing area and restrict landing to Walla Vista only, where the beach is usually Jess crowded. In addition, the flying site was to remain closed for the time being on weekends and holidays.
Sky Riders H.G. Club of New England 6 Palermo St. Methuen, MA 01844 A trip to Grandfather Mtn. is being planned, leaving June 27 for one week. For more information contact Vin Mulligan.
High Points New Jersey H.G. Assn (#62) P .0. Box 1718 West Caldwell, N.J. 07006 Several members report they are flying Simmons Lake. It is open, although you should check with the owners before you fly. As of the last meeting, Jellystone was still open to fly. The word is that it is being sold as a quarry and will be closed in the near future.
Long Island Hang Gliding Association (#42) 187 Sherry Street E. Islip, NY 11730 The Stratos Dwellers Tow Team, Don Cooney, Richie Fazio and Kevin McCreedy just purchased a 19 ft. Grady White outboard. In the initial boat run, Kevin and Don were nearly thrown overboard by the acceleration when Richie opened it up. A tow session was held at a field in Coram and it was the best turnout of pilots that we've ever had and everyone who wanted to fly, flew. It was an outstanding day. Congratulations to all the new tow pilots.
Oklahoma Hang Gliding Association (#10) 6717 St. Clair Oklahoma City, OK 73116 Gus Mielitz, owner of the landing field at Buffalo Mountain, passed away suddenly. Jeff Skaggs and Chuck Hall had stopped by the Mielitz home for a brief visit, and they administered C.P.R. for about 20 or 30 minutes, while awaiting arrival of the ambulance, but it was to no avail. Gus Mielitz was a true friend of the hang gliding community and opened his heart and land to all of us over the past eight years. His lovely widow, Frances, plans on keeping the landing field open to all who wish to fly Buffalo Mountain, - "just as Gus would want it." Several of our pilots are progressing quite well in their flying. Jeff Skaggs has passed his 9
Hang 4 and Sonny White and Tim Saloga passed their Hang 3. Terry and Anita Duvall signed a contract to teach at the International School of Lusaka, which is in Zambia, South Africa! Chuck Hall said, "I always wanted to visit South Africa, so I am now taking reservations for a charter flight to Zambia next year. A sled ride off Mt. Kilimanjaro should be a thrill for any and all who wish to make the scene."
Monterey Bay Hang Gliding Association (#43) P.O. Box 385 Santa Cruz, CA 95061 Waddell has a new lock and combination. See a club member for the combination. The pilot with the white and blue Mega 2 has been trespassing for the last six months and we can't let it slide anymore. If anyone sees him, let him know that he must sign a permit every time he enters the property, or join the club and get one good for a year. Otherwise, he is trespassing. We have no way of knowing ifhe has insurance or not, therefore he is risking our site. Rod Jundquist is organizing several nine day excursions to the big time - the Owens Valley. The $160.00 fare includes the car ride to Bishop and back and transportation to the launches. Departure dates begin June 13. Ear· ly reservations are necessary. Lee Gardner launched his Fledge off the Sand Dollar cliff at Pacific Valley, then crossed the highway and climbed the mountain past takeoff to 3,200 ft! Wow!!
Newsletter Editors! Send us your newsletters so we can include you in USHGA Chapter News. Address con• tributions to USHGA headquarters.
BOOK REVIEW by Glenn Brinks In Search Of World Records, by George Worthington, Hang Gliding Press, San Diego, 1980, 334 pages, soft cover, $9.95. Why does he do it? Why does an over-60, retired naval aviator spend much of his time trying to fly hang gliders higher or farther than anyone else? With refreshing candor, George Worthington admits that it is because he has a compelling need for attention and acclaim. It's not a character flaw. It's just that George is more honest about his motivations than most of us. This honesty, a willingness to not only admit mistakes, but to describe them in detail, extends throughout the book. It makes In Search Of World Records useful to any pilot of 10
sailplanes or hang gliders as a reminder of how easy it is to get sucked into a dangerous situation. In his ten thousand plus hours of flying, George has been "sucked in" quite a few times. Once, he was stuck at 22,000 ft., inside a cloud with his spoilers frozen shut and his vision shut off by a quarter-inch layer of ice inside the canopy. His luck held out in this case and many others, and the stories make fascinating reading. Except for a brief biography and a section describing hang gliding and the Owens Valley, most of the book is made up of stories and excerpts from George's diary. It's no novel, but it's not supposed to be. What it is, is one man's account of some of his experiences, mostly in hang gliders, but also in sailplanes and in the military. Hang glider pilots will enjoy the descriptions of flying Cerro Gordo and the comments on strategy and tactical decisions during the cross-country competitions and the record flights. Worthington writes with a simple, down-to-earth style. He lets the reader feel the cold of the air at altitude, the sinking feeling of having too little altitude to cross a ridge and the exhilaration of hooking a boomer to cloudbase. In Search Of World Records is a book about George Worthington, and that's fine. He's good company.
control the tip vortex. He doesn't just make the claim, he shows a simple way to ac· complish this and points out several designs that prove his point. Miller goes on to describe other ways of treating the wing tip which give progressively greater effect, at the expense of greater complexity. Drawings of these alternate designs would help a lot, but at least Miller gives some of the sources for his research. End Play is a cross between a magazine article and a technical paper. It contains a lot of information, but it's very light on the math. For anyone interested in sailplanes, hang gliders or aircraft design, End Play makes interesting reading, and it should spark some more thinking on the subject. Miller's crea· tions (see Hang Gliding, May 1978, pg. 27) are wonderfully different. He says he is working on a new book - Ve1y End Play-ish. Those who appreciate free thinking can't read the book - yet, but End Play is available now, and it will get you thinking.
USHGA REPORTS
End Play, by Richard Miller, published by the author, 1368 Rock Springs Road, Escondido, CA 92026. 5 pages, $2.00 (cash, no checks) "The wing tip has not received the care it deserves. Quite the contrary in fact: while areas inconsequential by comparison have been worked over time and time again, the end of the wing has been left, so to speak, hanging in the wind. "In spite of the very high aspect ratios and correspondingly small chord dimensions of contemporary sailplanes, as much as two thirds of the total aircraft drag at low airspeeds may result from uncontrolled flow at the ends of the wings .... no other part of the aircraft pro· vides such an extraordinary potential for dissipating large amounts of energy into the al· mosphere if proper attention is not given to its design." Richard Miller hates wingtip vortices. He hates the way they compromise the aerodynamic cleanliness of sailplanes and other aircraft. So he did a lot of research and reading and came up with some alternatives to the design practice of just rounding off the end of the wing. (See cover this issue.) He contends that the dynamic pressure of the air blowing around the wing can be used to
COMPETITION REPORT by Keith Nichols At the present time, the only definition we have for a Class II hang glider is that it is a "foot-launched (foot·launchable) hang glider with no restrictions on control." This I'm sure was intended to accommodate any type of control surface without going into an elaborate definition. However, this does not exclude Class I, since the definition does not insist upon control surfaces. By opening the Class up in this manner, at the Nationals we will be having essentially an open class. It will not only provide an opportunity for Class II com· petitors to strut their stuff, but will also be another national demonstration of performance between Class I and Class II. This may partially answer the critics of the class system. HANG GLIDING
However, there will be one artificially established rule just for Class II qualifiers. To be as fair as possible to Regions that have Class II pilots who wish to compete nationally but may not be able to qualify through competition, anyone selected to fill the Regional quota through any fashion other than competing in the Regional Qualifying Meet, must fly a glider that cannot meet the definition of Class I. If the pilot qualifies through competition he may fly almost anything he wants at the Nationals. His main consideration at that point will be a safe craft. There will be a Safety Director at the Nationals and he will have the authority to disqualify any glider in -either class. The numbers in the parentheses indicate the order of preference that a Region may pick up any vacant slots. Thus if Region 11 fails to send a pilot to the Nationals, that slot would be open and available first to Region 9. If Region 9 doesn't pick it up or if there is more than one slot available, Region 8 would be next in line - and so on. If the Class II pilot from your Region qualifies through competition, he may be an intermediate (Hang 3) or better pilot. However, if he is selected through any other process besides competing in the Regional Qualifier, he must be rated Advanced (Hang 4) or better. A final note that you should be aware of: At the February USHGA Board of Directors meeting, the Board adopted a proposal from the HGMA that included the fact that HGMA Airworthiness Standards were primarily designed for Class I gliders and don't really apply to gliders with control surfaces.
JUNE 11-14. Elk Mtn., CA Class I and II plus experimental Region 2 qualifier. Entry fee $60 until June 1. USHGA member ship and Intermediate or better rating required. Contact: Bones Strickland, 3931 Primrose, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (707) 548-7088. JUNE 12·14. Elsinore ultralight fly-In. (Formerly the Perris fly. in.) Manufacturers display, contests, fun flying. Contact: Mike Miller (days) (714) 678-2050. Steve Grant (eves) (714) 968-6129. Write: Steve Grant, 9681 Bickley, Huntington Beach, CA 92646. JUNE 20: First Annual Space Rangers Fly-In at Dog Mt. BBQ, spot !anding. Contact: Wendy Gibson, 22106 Cedar View Drive East, Sumner WA 98390 (206) 897-8436. JUNE 20-28. The third annual X-C Open In the Owens Valley. Foot-launched gliders. Some
JUNE 1981
Therefore, the HGMA has dropped its Airworthiness Certification program for Class II until such standards can be designed. Therefore, Class II has no HGMA requirements for competition. In Class A Sanctioned Competition, effective January 1, 1981, all pilots are required to wear helmets as follows: Ch. 7, Para. 5, USHGA Rules, 1981 "HELMETS: Protective headgear shall be mandatory on all flights at a sanctioned meet site. After January, 1981, headgear shall meet ANSI Z90.l 1966 Specifications or better with proof of compliance attached for the U.S. Nationals and Regionals." This ruling has been in the Official Rules for four years now with this year to be the effective date. If anyone wished to object, they should have done so much earlier than now. However, it's typical. No one complains until it's too late. We're stuck with this ruling for this season but I imagine the flak it will generate will result in its being revised for 1982. The rule was devised for hockey and bicycle helmets. Unfortunately, it eliminates the very popular GP A helmet. Of course if the manufacturers and distributors wished to, they could supply the Snell Institute in San Francisco with helmets for testing and try to get them certified. After June 1, I will be in Reno setting up the Nationals and there will be a listed phone number, hopefully under Blue Stratos National Hang Gliding Championships. The original plan was to hold the Class II National Championships at a different time and place than Class I. This was primarily
spots still available. June 29-July 3: X-C Qualifier. July 4-12: X-C Classic. July 13-Aug. 2: Cerro Gordo Cup. Contact: Don Partridge, Star Route 4 Box 3a, Bishop, CA 93514 (714) 873-4434. JULY 3-5. Region 7 qualifier at Hagar City, WI. Contact: Northern Sky Pilots, P.O. Box 364, Minneapolis, MN 55440. JULY 6. Parachute riggers convention, USPA Nationals in Muskogee, OK. Contact: Elek Puskas, Para-FLite, 5801 Magnolia Ave., Pennsauken, NJ 08109. JULY 10-13. Starthistle meet at Walker Mt. just north of Grants Pass, Oregon. Pre-registration required. Contact Rogue Valley HGA, P.O. Box 621, Grants Pass, OR 97526. USHGA Intermediate rating and insurance required.
dependent upon finding someone qualified and willing to take on that burden. That hasn't been possible and time's running out, so I have decided to incorporate both Classes at the Blue Stratos Nationals at Slide Mt., Nevada. The system will be as follows. The total number of competitors in Class II will be 24; 21 will be selected through the quota system described below and the top three pilots in Class II from last year will be invited. Class II will use the same task as Class I and the same fomat and will be run concurrently. At a convenient point about halfway through the contest, the field will be cut to 16 or less; I have yet to work out the details. The quota comes from USHGA membership distribution. Because many Regions simply do not have the interest to warrant a Qualifying Meet in Class II but do have some pilots who wish to compete nationally, the selection process will be left up to the individual Region. If the Region includes Class II in their Qualifier, the quota shall come from there. Otherwise, any type of selection will suffice. Above all, however, make it as equitable as possible, no choosing your friends on that basis alone. This information will be made public in the next Hang Gliding magazine and Glider Rider. Region I Region 2 Region 3 Region 4 Region 5 Region 6 -
JULY 23·26. Grouse Mountain Hang Gliding Contest. Con· tact: A. Harvey Blackmore, c/o 1368 Burnside Road, West Vancouver, B.C. Canada V7S 2P5. AUGUST 5-9. Cypress Gardens eighth annual World Cup TowLaunch Championships. Practice Aug. 1·4. Contact: Matthew Bablitz, Box 1, Cypress Gardens, FLA 33880. AUGUST 19-30. Blue Stratos/USHGA National Championships at Slide Moun· tain, Nevada. SEPTEMBER 15·20. Masters of Hang Gliding Championships. Contact Joe Foster, Box 331, Linville, NC 28646. Contact Joe for Region 10 qualifier as well. SEPTEMBER 28-0CTOBER 4. 1981 Telluride Invitational. Contact: David Stanfield, P.O. Box 456, Telluride, CO 81435.
I ( 3) 3 ( 5) 3 ( 9) 2 ( 6) 1 (12) I ( 8)
Region 7 Region 8 Region 9 Region 10 Region 11 Region 12 -
2 ( 4) I ( 2) 2 ( I) 2 ( 7) I (10) 2 (11)
OCT. 1·11. Third World Hang Gliding Championships. Beppu, Japan. CANADA HGA JUNE 6-7. Hinton Competition, Hinton, Alberta. JUNE 20·21. 9th Annual Coch· rane Meet, Cochrane, Alta. JULY 23,26. Grouse Mountain Invitational Meet, Vancouver, B.C. JUNE 3-5. USHGA Instructor Certification Program. Contact Randy Cobb. JUNE 13. Tow clinic and fly-in. JUNE 27·28. Hang Ill mountain clinic. JULY 25,26. Hang Ill mountain clinic. AUGUST 15. 33rd anniversary of invention of Rogallo wing. Francis Rogallo to speak.
11
Milchcll Aircrafi Corporation has developed what they call a "poduk," a cross between a hanging pod and module. specifically for their Mitchell Wing H· 10, this option will provide a more protected environ· mcnt for cold climate or high altitude opera· tions, as well as giving cowl reference points which most nltralights are now without. "Our ground· and flight·lcsting data con· firm a 15% immediate improvement in such parameters as fuel economy, cruise and top .. end and ratio," quoted Steve Pat· mont, head of Mitchell's research and development "That's quite an achievement, when most lightweight pilot/owners are only after cosmetic styling
and good looks." you can hang 320 pounds from the so . pound Mitchell Wing B.. Jo. That's 3'5 pounds for tricycle gear, 70 pounds for power plam, 200 po11nds for pilot and 15 for the podule. The podulc kit includes premoldcd fiberglass fairing, Lcxan wind screen, match·· ing wheel pants and noscwhcel brake Application to other tri-gearecl ultralights is now being investigated. The poclulc is available now at $'500. For further information contact: Mitchell Aircraft Corporation, 1900 S. Newcomb, Porterville, CA 932'57; or telephone (209) 781-8100.
book, The Ultralight Flying is now available in a revised ninth edition. Initially published in 1973, it was the first book on the sport; now there are 12'5,000 in It is revised with each "This sport is so quickly," says "that what was true last year may not be valid covers the homebuilding
aspects of the sport with a complete list of materials, construction details and design criteria. It even has a special section on motorized flight. The manual covers basic to intermediate flying, history, the law and lists on the market with descriptions, photos, and source. Over 300 manufacturers, dealers, clubs and schools are listed. Contact: Para Publishing, P.O. Box 4232-300, Santa Barbara, CA 93103.
Dan
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Fm·numrf'. Inc., of San Marcos, CA will be an exhibitor at the 34th Annual Paris Air Show, June 4-14 in Paris, France. "To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time an American microlight aircraft manufacturer has ever at.tended the Paris show," said president Lyle Byrum. "In fact, we think this is the first real showing of any commercially available microlight at this landmark aviation event and we are excited about the prospects for cracking foreign markets." said that he, vice Cook, promotions manager John Lasko and product representative Tina Trefethen will attend the show. The company has reserved space both within the exhibition hall for its specially designed corporate display booth and in the outdoor tic-down exhibit area. Two per aircraft, the Doublequick and the silver MX, will be shown. In addition to the two static displays, the company has applied for permission to stage daily demonstration flights for guests at the show. "I think we'll be quite an interesting con· trast to the other aircraft shown there this year. This event usually is a showcase of medium to ultra-large aircraft. This year we'll be giving it a new perspective introducing microlights," Byrum said. Byrum said that special promotional materials, signage and other sales aids have been translated into French in keeping with the show site.
Dave Thorne, a member of USHGA, EAA and EAA Ultralight Division has published a new directory of ultralight aircrafi:. He has over 65 different powered ultralights listed. The directory contains photos and short descriptions of each ultralight, along with details on availability (plans, kits, complete, new and used aircraft:, information kits, etc.), complete with sources listed. There are five canard microlights, and many monoplane, biplane, bi-wing, and flying wing All but three arc rigid wing aircraft with movable control surfaces. They can fly from land, water, or snow, and most don't require FAA licenses or registration. HANG GLIDING
The lrns a section that a introduction to the sport, and lists 12 ways to gel your own powered the fastest ways, the easiest ways, and the ways. The is $6.95 from Aero·· Fun Publications, Box M (Dept. J), Salida, CA 95368. is I he author of a new book, Microlight Fly The New Powered Ultralights, lO be released later this ye:u, also by Aero-Fun Publications.
a Jomt venture of ofNcola and Tridcll, Utah, announce of the Trike. Features include suspension with l l inches of travel. Power is snpb fan-cooled snowmobile
Aclcqua·te pcrtonnai:1ce is claimed even with a 220 lb. pilot, sleeping bag, fishing and gear and ten gallons of gas, in rough fields a1 elevations. At 5,000 ft. MSL, the claimed climb rate is 60(J-800 Price for the kit is $2,199.00. In· formation is available from Sky Rte. 111, Box 53B, Roosevelt, Utah 84066.
Rack Inc. now offern a custombuilt, lightweight, auto roof rack for transporting surfboards, canoes, and other sporting equipment. Designed for strength, portability and convenience, the rack attaches to the rain gutters of any car, is padded for the protection of the cargo, and provides high roof clearnacc to prevent dama c to the vehicle.
The rack comes with easy-to-follow directions for quick assembly and is available for $85 from Superior Rack Inc., P.O. Box 65, Oceanside, NY 11572, (516) 766-8884.
USHGA would like to recogrtize those in the sport who for unselfish reasons have helped save a fellow pilot from the possibility of injury or have enhanced the and of a pilot. If you know of such a person, send USHGA the story. We can't use you submit but will stories that conform to the idea of the unsung hero. Some may be necessary for clari .. ty but the theme of the submitted item will not be altered. You don't have to be a writer or have a journalism background; we want first hand accounts of good deeds, so write in and tell of an incident or person that stands out in your mind. the USHGA recognize those who con· tribute quiet.ly to the sport through unselfish deeds. Be sure to mention his/her name, ad .. dress, the location and when the act took place. Send all stories to: Carol, c/o USHGA, P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066. If you want any material returned or have a question to be answered, enclose a SASE for our re 1 .
The lure of $1,000.00 in money, plus trophies, brought pilots of 108 aircrafr to the farm town of Porterville, north of Bakersfield, and home of Mitchell Wing. They came to compete in the Great Western Ultralight Rally, otherwise known as the Ponerville Flyin, on April 17-19, 1981. Cold and drizzling weather chilled the pilots and spectators, but didn't dampen their spirits, and the fly-in continued regardless. The superior organization of the meet, plus the number of pilots, made it probably the most successful ultralight fly-in to date. They actually had more ultralights at Porterville than at Oshkosh '80. Richard Avalon, of Mitchell Wing, organized the meet, which was officially sponsored by Chapter 11 of the EAA Ultralight Association. In keeping with the name "Great Western Ultralight Rally," Avalon came up with an interesting twist to the competition. Rather than stage an all-out race, he put on an aerial rally a bracket race. Competitors were given a choice of brackets, ranging from 12 min. to 21 min. The task was to fly the approximately 3.5 mile course three times, taking as close to the bracket time as possible, without going under it. For example, in Class I (12 min.), a time of 12 min. and 10
14
seconds would be good, while a time of 11 min. and 59 seconds would be too fast and would disqualify the pilot. A time of 12 min. flat would be perfect. The object was to allow all of' the ultralights to compete on an equal basis, and to encourage accurate and consistent flying. Jack McCornack, flying his Pterodactyl Ptraveler canard, took Class I honors with a time of 12 min. and 6 seconds (52.1 mph), but Lyle Byrum, on a Cuyuna-powered Quick· silver almost tied him with a time of 12:07. Class II (15 min.) went to Fred Weaver, on a Pterodactyl, at an incredibly accurate 15:02 (41. 9 mph). Ray Wilbur (Quicksilver) and Ray Morse (Mitchell Wing) were right behind and tied at 15:05 (41.8 mph). This was Wilbur's first fly-in. Rather than split the prize money, they decided to flip for the winnings. The winner got the money and the loser took home the trophy. A duplicate trophy was sent out later. Jack Britton, on a Yamaha-powered Quick, turned 18:05 (34.8 mph) to take Class III. Larry Newman (Xcnoah Eagle) and Julian Graham (Weedhopper) both turned 18:13 to tie for second. A time of 21: 16 (29.6 mph) brought the Class IV trophy to John Lasko, on a Yamaha Quick. Three seconds back was Ed Blcsz on a
HANG GLIDING
Yamaha Wizard, at 2l:l9. The Unlimited Class was the only one without a bracket time. It was imcnted ro be a showdown between the Mitchell B-10 and U-2 and the Catto Goldwings. The Goldwings didn't show up, but the Mitchell pilots and everyone else got a surprise from Larry Cook and the reduction-drive, Cuyuna-powered Quicksilver MX. No, the MX didn't win, bu1 it turned 11 :35, for an average of 54.4 mph, much faster than Quicksilvers are supposed to go. Without the Goldwings, the Unlimited race was really between the Steve Patmont's Honda 250-powered B-10 and Richard Avalon's Ffonda powered U·2. They launched side-by-side on the main runway, with the B-10 ge11ing in the air a little sooner than the U-2. Avalon quickly got inside the B-10 at one of the pylon turns and held a slight lead the rest of the way. The U-2 ended up with a time of 8:29 (74.3 mph), with the R-10 turning 8:41 (72.6 mph). Competition was equally intense in the other events. John Lasko put one of his three bombs only eight inches from the bullseye (from 100 ft.) to take the bomb drop. Newman's six-foot distance was good for second. Julian Graham spent a week practicing for the fly-in and the training paid off 01her pilots came very close in the spot landing contest. Jack Britton and Jack McCornack each touched down two feet from the target line to tie for third. Steve Patmont came within J 8 inches to take second, but Graham took undisputed possession of first when he landed exactly on the line and then went back and did it again. The overall champion wasn't decided by vote, but by the simple counting of money. The pilot with the most prize money obviously did the best job of flying. John Lasko, of Eipper, took that with $100.00 in winnings. Julian Graham and Richard Avalon each won $75.00 to tic for second and Jack Britton and Jack McCornack tied each other again, for third, with $70.00 in winnings. The competitors voted on the pilot who displayed "accuracy, consistency, cooperation and who was an asset to ultralight aviation." Lyle Byrum was voted this "Pilot's Pilot" award. If there was an overall winner at Porterville, it was the meet itself. The organization was exceptional. Preparations were started long in advance of the meet, and they even got the airport manager, the city council and the FAA to agree to shut down the airport several times during the fly-in, so the competitions could be held safely! For all of the flyers, this was more than a in, more than a rainy weekend in Porterville. 1t was a celebration of ultralight flying.
JUNE 1981
OPPOSITE PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT: An EF·5 trike pilot confers with meal director Richard Avalon before launch. Many of the Quicksilvers sported Iha new reduction drive Cuyuna package. Elppor's new reduction drive, Cuyuna, powered MX llnlshad out ol the running In !ho spot landings, bul lmprassad everyone with Its 50 + mph speed. (Noia Iha upraised elevator.) -- Jack McCorn11ck took tho Class I prize with his Plr1111eler and tied for second In tho spot land Ing conlasl by touch· ing down two leol lrom Iha largo! llna. TOP: The l\llilcholt Wing P-38 altrnclad a lot ol at· lanlion with Its 11irpl11na-lik11 appe11ram:e and conventional controls. CENTER: Larry When the engine Is removed, It doubles Newman uses II scoop to aid engine 11s 11n engine stand. ABOVE: This slick helped Steve Palmont's Mitchell El,10 11chl11v0 11 speed nearly equal lo Richard Avalon's U-2 (both ware Honda 250 powered).
15
tains, probably break more laws flying hang gliders than the ultralight pilots in their area. I keep reading articles about hang glider pilots going to cloudbasc. How many of you know how far you arc supposed to stay from clouds? Many of our great flights couldn't have hap· pened if we obeyed the same rules that apply to airplanes. Here in the flatlands we have our own problems, like any place else, and we have our own purists. We have our workers, and we have our loafers. The ultralights irritate the ,, hang gliders and vice versa. But we try to work • together. Peer pressure, we have found, works ~ on the ultralights, just like it does on the hang gliders. The uneducated listen and learn, the " crazies ignore us, like they would if they flew a Harrier or a Quicksilver. The problem in the USHGJ\ is being blown out of proportion by a bunch of mountain pilots who get so much airtime that they have time to just sit arouud and be rabble rousers. The ultralight pilots in our area listen to our but remember they just want to be left in peace to fly like us. We notice most of the bitching coming from the west coast pilots, but we have also noticed west coast pilots bitching in the past. We have noticed that west coast pilots in the past have heen leaders in against the USHGA, about fledgling pilots at the Nationals, the hang rating system, glider design, price of beer, price of parts, of gliders get the point? Many people in the USHGA have spent so much time griping that apparently either they don't care about airtime, or they are overdosed on it. In case you think I am a pro ultralight pilot, late· ly I have logged less than one hour of ultralight time but have logged fifteen hours of by foot launch. So don't get the idea I am not a foot launch pilot. The main thing in our own I am to have this opportunity to is the joy of flight, not how you get write this column during this dark period of there, just that you do. USHGA history. All the hang glider pilots in 6 are concerned about the Before all of you mountain pilots give me a growing rift in USHGA. We have talked to lot of flack about this column, you should other regions about this problem, and we all think about where those big mountains come are in agreement. We must move our from. But I'll tell you we grow them in Region main office out of California before it falls into 6. The seeds are planted in western Kansas; the ocean. We know there has been much con· we have a soarable one-hundred foot hill in trovcrsy on this but all our records are Wilson, Kansas. It has been trained to throw in California, including our hang ratings and hang gliders five hundred feet high and to our magazine. These would be much safer in hold them up for four hours at a time. From Kansas. Also, we would get our the seed farm they are sent to Kansas City or more qnickly. We must get the offices out St. Louis for farther training and nurturing. before it is too late. day some wuffo is go· In the Missouri River Valley we train them to to go out and a hole and the entire direct thermals to be used for cross country western United States is going cross country, travel. When you can get two to three thou· the hard way. The rest of the United States' sand feet over a two to three hundred foot hill, hang pilots have brought this problem we send them to Oklahoma feedlots for fatten· up many times to the California pilots, but Buffalo is a twelve-hundred foot moun .. they just us and bitch about powered tain, and they are getting over six thousand ultralights. foot and eight hour flights. Next, they In the rest of the country it is a problem are sent to Arkansas for hardening and season· also, but not that big a problem. Ultralights ing. So the next time you run across a Region have their crazies, but so do we. Hang glider 6 pilot flying around the country, be nice to pilots, those around moun· him. He is just out checking our work.
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ULTRALIGHT PILOT FUGHT MANUAL & LOG (1 OOp/500) g0163 ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT DESIGN (113f>/47U) 110917 SMALL GASOLINE ENGtNES (392p/25111) ....... . 10105 SNOWMOBILE ENGINES (35-0p/21611) ....... .
10144 POWERED ULTflAUGHT AlnCRAFT (110p/9011) 2267 LOW HORSEPOWER FUN AIRCRAFT (116p/861\)
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10145 REACH FOR THE SKY-MANG GUDE TECHNIQUE (21 Gp/12811)
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THE USED AIRCRAFT GUIDE (150p/14711)
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12274 ENCVCLOPEotA Of GENERAL AVIATION (352p/35511) ~~:NVE~;F{;~::~:o~t .. NU.A ... L(.'..2.4. p ../11 .. 3..II.). >
1:::: :::~~: :~~:~: ~:~;~;=~~;i1\1::1r{1~~'.I~.:: ... 12227 THE PIPER CUB STORY (112p/6811)
10131 NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE t.ljUSEUM (504p/25511) Color
1 ·~~;: ~:~~~~~l~~i~~l~~~~G~~ :~6s~~g~l~r(389p/11811) 10110 'FOCKE-WULF FW·100 (48.p/6111) Deluxe Color 1h13 ...... 515.950
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a FOR INURMEOIAJE OR i\DVI\NCEO l'llOTS ror years our Flight Park on Lookout Mountain has bN'n rpcognized J<, the lt•adlng soaring site in the eastern United States, And now 11's possibl<• to Hy Lookout at no cost. )ust bring thrPe friends (together ur onp at a tirnp) for beginning hang gliding lessons, and you'll rcceivp a !--RU onf'~yPar rlight Pass a $65 value. Call or write for more information.
FOR BEGINNERS ln addition to operating a full~fledg{~d Flight Park, WP teach lessons daily, yf"ar~round, Our 100~aue training C<>nter o(fors two ~upt~rh hills allowing you
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HOW TO LAUNCH A FLEX WING Copyright by Mike Meier This month The Right Stuff offers a revised and expanded republication of Mike Meier's article on launch technique. When I first read this article in the Janua1y, 1979 issue of Hang Gliding magazine it switched on this great big cartoon character-style light bulb inside my head. You know what I mean: the bulb that appears over Wiley Coyote's head when he finally stumbles upon the ultimate solution to the roadrunner problem. I had been having trouble with my launches and couldn't figure out why. Mike's article provided the information I needed to perfect my launch technique. Lauran Emerson, in one of her Bird's Eye View columns revealed that she had experienced the same light bulb effect after reading Mike's article. I've given countless photocopies of the article to pilots experiencing difficulty with their launches and the results are the same: light bulbs and clean launches. So if you're having takeoff problems, or are transitioning to a modern glider, or simply want to understand more about proper takeoff technique, read on. I think you'll find the information invaluable. -Erik Fair
The launch is probably the single most critical aspect of hang glider flight. During the first few seconds in the air, the pilot and glider are close to the ground, flying only slightly above stall speed, and are thus particularly vulnerable to a turbulence-induced loss of control. It is surprising, considering the im portance of a clean takeoff, how many "advanced" pilots demonstrate poor or marginal skills when launching. This is probably due to a number of factors. Most pilots consider the takeoff to be a "beginner level skill" and to work on perfecting their takeoff technique would thus be an admission that they are not as far advanced as they think they are. In addition, some instructors don't fully understand the complexities involved in teaching good launch techniques, or are unwilling to spend the amount of time necessary to develop good technique in their students. In this article I hope to present a clear and detailed explanation of one particular launch technique, developed over four and one-half years of flying and two years of teaching others to fly. In no way do I mean to suggest that this
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is the only proper way, but I have found it to be the most successful for myself and my students. Most basic training manuals contain the traditional explanation of "proper" takeoff technique: 1) Hold the glider, nose into the wind, wings level, with the nose neutral to the wind so that the sail is neither filled from beneath nor from above. 2) Lift the glider upwards until the harness straps are tight and begin to run down the hill, into the wind. 3) Accelerate quickly while smoothly pushing out on the control bar to raise the nose. 4) As you leave the ground, pull back slightly on the bar to gain airspeed. The problem with the method is that it doesn't work very well. In order to understand why it doesn't work, we need to examine some of the principles on which flex wings operate.
"A factor that has no effect at all on the airspeed of a flying glider is how fast the pilot who is attached to . . . zt zs trying to run with it." 1) A glider which is not flying is heavy, awkward, unstable and generally difficult to control. We all know what a pain it is to ground handle a glider. Some are worse than others, true, but all are bad. 2) A glider which is flying is weightless, stable and responsive. 3) The only factors which determine the airspeed of a flying glider, (assuming a given glider and a given air density) are wing loading and angle of attack. A factor that has no effect at all on the airspeed of a flying glider is how fast the pilot who is attached to it is trying to run with it. A consideration of principles (1) and (2)
leads us to the conclusion that it is to our advantage during takeoff to get the glider flying as early in the process as possible. In fact, with any wind at all, on even a shallow slope, this can be accomplished within the first three steps of the takeoff run, long before the pilot is in the air. A consideration of the above and principle (3) leads us to the conclusion that it makes no sense at all to tell the student to run fast, unless we first explain how he or she is to control the speed of the glider flying overhead. Consider the following takeoff method and how it takes into account these considerations: 1) Pilot lifts the glider and holds it nose into the wind, wings level, with the nose elevated at a slight positive angle of attack. 2) Pilot initiates a smooth, but rapid acceleration, maintaining the wings level balance and slight positive angle of attack. As the glider gains airspeed, the sail fills and forms an airfoil, begins to generate lift and the glider begins to carry its own weight. 3) As the glider's airspeed reaches six to eight mph, the glider is carrying its full weight and begins to rise until the pilot's harness straps go tight. Pilot feels a slight upward tug. All of this has happened within the first two or three steps of the run. 4) Pilot now leans forward aggressively into the run, grasping the uprights of the control bar and pulling down and back on the bar. This causes the glider to accelerate, both by loading the glider more heavily and by reducing the angle of attack (pulling forward through the control bar shifts the center of gravity forward, lowering the nose). 5) As the glider accelerates, the pilot accelerates his or her running speed, while smoothly pushing out on the control bar, raising the nose and increasing the angle of attack. As the angle of attack is increased, the glider develops enough lift to fly itself and the pilot smoothly away from the slope. 6) As the pilot leaves the ground, he or she stops pushing out and pulls in slightly to gain airspeed and retain maximum control. Let's take a look at what this method accomplishes in comparison to the traditional method. First, in the traditional method, a big deal is made about lifting the glider up high enough so that the harness straps are tight. HANG GLIDING
This is often diflicult with today's designs and is generally unnecessary. The reason that the traditional method calls for 1ight harness straps is that it has the pilot running down the hill at full speed with the glider at zero degrees angle of attack. This means that if you push out with the straps loose, all you accomplish is to push the glider out ahead of you, get the nose rotating down and produce a high speed nose-in. Only pushing up and out against tight harness straps can you get the nose up and produce a takeoff But this means that you have to carry the full weight of the glider throughout. the run, plus supply the necessary upward force to keep the straps right, plus somehow control the glider in pitch to keep it from nosing up into a stall or down into a nose-in. Secondly, in the traditional mc1hod, you pushing the bar ou1 almost as soon as you start running. This means that you're 1rying to accellcrate at the same time you're raisthe angle of attack! This just won't work. The angle of attack will cause continually increasing drag, which will prevent you from gaining sufTicient to fly. Unless you happen 10 time the push out just you'll either nose in or stall on takeoff. With the alternative method, you need only support the weigln of the glider during the first few steps of the takeoff run. Thereafter, the glider supports its own weight, and forthcrmorc, because it is flying, it takes on all the inherent stability, both pcndular and aerothat it has in the air, as well as assuming the same response characteristics it has in the air; both about the pitch and roll
axes. This combination of stability and response allows the pilot to precisely control pitch and roll during the run and makes a stalled takeoff or nose-in nearly impossible. This method also insures that the pilot does not leave the ground until maximum running speed has been attained, which insures that the pilo1 will always launch with the maximum possible forward momentum relative to the ground, and the maximum possible airspeed. This minimizes the pilot's vulnerability to any loss of control immediately afrer takeoff. Aside from pitch control during the takeoff nm, the most important aspect oflaunch technique is how you hold the control bar. The best method for a given pilot-glider combination depends on a number of factors, including the geometry of the control bar and the static balance of the glider. Reams have been written on this subject, a good deal of it worthless when applied to modern designs. Many of the basic training manuals still in use were written in the days of the now obsolete standards, with their much smalier control bars, and the methods discussed for holding the control bar refl eel th is. The trend in recent design has been wider control bars to provide greater roll authority in high-span designs. The traditional "one hand on the upright, one hand on the base tube" method of holding the control bar shown in l doesn't work very well with a wide control bar. The reason is that because of the lateral separation of the hands, it is impossible lo induce a pitch response without inducing an unwanted rotation in yaw at the same time. The other traditional "both hands on the base
Figure 1. The lradltlonal ono hand 011 !he upright, one hand on Iha baso tube method of holding Iha bar.
JUNE 1981
tube" method fails to provide any pitch control at all unless the harness straps arc quite tight a situation we have seen is neither necessary nor productive. Another trend in recent design has been towards larger and larger values of Cm 0 , the zero lifr pitching moment coefTicient. A large value of C 1110 makes a glider less likely to pitch over in turbulence. It also makes the glider feel extremely heavy and tail heavy when held with the nose at zero degrees angle of attack in even a light breeze. In some cases, new glider designs arc also statically tail heavy; i.e. there is more mass hehind the CG than ahead of it. Figure 3 shows a method for holding the bar which deals effectively with all of these problems. Wedge your upper arms inside the uprights as shown, so that the bar rests on the upper arms., just outside the shoulders. Wrap your arms around the outside of the downtubes, and grasp the downtubes as shown. This method provides you with the easiest way to support the weight of the glider and gives you good control authority in pitch and roll. If you're a relatively short person launching with a tall control bar, this will leave the base tube of the bar fairly close to the ground. This shouldn't be a problem, however, because as yon begin to nm and the glider begins to fly and carry its own weight, it will rise up until the harness straps go tight, at which point the base tube will be well off the ground. If you use this method of holding the bar to initiate your run, you should switch your hands to the position and grip shown in figure 4 as soon as the glider is carrying its own weight. This can
Figura 2. Both hands on !ha base tuba method.
21
be done without removing your hands from the uprights, and will allow you 10 maintain optimum control for the remainder of the launch sequence. (Note: There has been a lot written abont how the method described above should never be used by a beginner because it will result in serious arm injury in the event of a nose .. in. Actually, high nosc .. ins create the potcn .. tial for many serious injuries, and t!Je best way to avoid all of these is to avoid nosc .. ins. The above described takeoff method is designed specifically to minimize the possibilily of a nose .. in. Any pilot who is at a stage of the learning process where there is any significant chance that a nose .. in will occur should be working on a gentle training slope with a set of large, strong wheels on the control bar. A good set of wheels will prevent even a hard control bar landing from becoming a nosc .. in, and will offer excellent protection to pilot and glider during the initial learning stages.) The techniques described above arc de-· for launches on sloping terrain in winds of zero to 15 mph. Launches in winds above 15 mph should involve an assistant on the nose wires of the glider. Certain conditions may rc: .. quire the use of an additional assistant or assistants on the side wire(s) and/or rear wires. Any lannch with a wire assist is more difficult and more dangerous, as it requires coordination and explicit communication between everyone involved. All signals must be carefully agreed upon before the launch, and it must be understood by everyone that the pilot is calling the shots. The pilot can use the grip shown in fignre 4 during a wire assisted
launch, as the wind will fo.lly support the weight of the glider. Whenever launching from a cliff, any assisrnnt near the cliff edge should be attached to a safety restraint system. The most diflicult launch is a light wind launch from a shallow sloped cliff top or ramp, where running room at the top is severely re .. stricted. In this case the wind sprfd is insuf: ficicnt to provide the minimum required air .. speed to and the short run and shallow slope preclude the use of the techniques de .. scribed for slope launches. The most important thing in this type of launch is to leave the end of the ramp with as much fi:irward speed as possible. This not only gets you as close as possible to the required minimum flying airspeed, bnt maximizes your forward momentum, which means you arc less likely to hit the ground or the trees while you are falling. You will fall, if you leave the ramp with less than flying airspeed, until your airreaches flying airspeed. This is not a problem, as long as you're moving forward fast enough when you leave the ramp so that your trajectory doesn't intersect any solid ob .. There arc two things necessary to max .. imize your forward speed leaving the ramp. The first is to nm hard; this is no time for becool or casual. Short, digging steps seem to work best. No matter how hard you run, however, all of yom effort will be in vain if you don't precisely control the anitudc of the glider you're taking with you. You must keep the wings level and the nose near zero degrees angle of attack, and you must not let the nose come up as you run. Any significant angle of
Figure 3. Suggested method for llfllng glider.
22
attack will create so much lift and drag that you will be unable to attain any running speed in the short distance available. Unlike the slope launch w!Jcre you can make corrections throughout the duration of your run, there is no room at all for error in the light wind ramp or cliff launch. This is without question an ad .. vanced level skill. In some areas of the coun .. try, the mastery of this skill becomes necessary at the beginning intermediate level, because all sites other than training hills have ramJHype launches. There are several indicators you can use to judge your proficiency in this type of launch. First, when properly executed, your speed as you leave the ramp should be higher than at any earlier point in your launch run. Second, as you run, you should not foci the glider holding you back. Third, if you fall after you leave the ramp, you should not ex .. pcricnce more than a mild downward pitching of the nose of the glider. If you arc not meeting all of these criteria, you arc either allowing the nose to come up too high during the run, or you arc not running hard enough. A study of recent accident statistics data shows that the vast majority of serious hang gliding accidents are the result of a loss of con·· trol occurring at low altitude as a resnlt of fly .. ing too slowly. A serious accident results any time impact precedes recovery. There is one time in every flight when you arc forced to fly close to the ground at an airspeed just slightly above the minimum controllable airspeed during the launch/departure sequence. There is probably nothing you can do that will better enhance your safoty as a pilot than to develop complete mastery of launch technique ....-
Figure 4. Three steps into lakeoll run.
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nature, as well as the Aviation Associa· tion of Australia (SAAA) which is nationwide and which covers nil forms of homebuilt and sport aircraft (similar to the EAA). The SAAA formed an "ultralight section" and said all minimum aircraft groups should become affiliated with it. However, the minimum aircrafl: opted for independence and formed their own Minimum Aircratl Council. In the meantime, the Australian Department of is threatening 10 review Air Order (ANO) 95.10. This defines a minimum aircraft as having a maximum gross weight (loaded, with pilot) of 100 lbs. and a maximum loading of 1 lbs./sq. ft. As Kimberley says, "I must admit it is tempting to draw comparisons between the situation in Australia and that in America, but one must remember that the circumstances are quite different. The SAAA is not: the EAA. The DOT Australia is not the FAA and, in fact, the Australian minimum aircrafr is not: even 1he same type of flying machine as the American ultralight (or the British for that matter)."
As long as yon have to carry a tank full of foci, you might as well make it cam its keep in· stead of just dead Butch did that on his making
Movable lual lank/seal on Butch Hasllng's Easy Riser.
up a fuel tank in the of a scat. It's made up of welded sheet aluminum with four pulleys at the attach points. Instead of bolting it to the frame, Butch supports the scat on two cables underneath the hang tubes. To shifr his weight, he just rolls the seat back and forth. This way there is no of CG as the fuel and he has more pitch authority, level since he shifts the additional weight of the tank and the fuel.
Autralians Seek reports from Australia that are something of a power have several "minimum over ultralights. aircraft" groups which arc mostly local in 24
This did three things; it pulled all of my weight to the left (for any weight shift eflect it might have), it slackened the existing rudder rope so the rudder could straighten out, and it pulled down the lefr trailing a bit which started to drag the left wing around. At the speed I was flying, it provided drag rather than lift, and my Quick started to recover from the right Once the wings were level, I could look forward to a possible safo, but rough landing. I had made it! "Cause of this possible accident: The edge of the grommet eye in my harness (not an Eippcr harness) had not been properly set and it cut my rudder rope. Prevention: Check the condition of your rudder ropes frequently at all anchor points (harness and rudder) and all wear points (all pulleys). Worst possibility: Broken rudder rope could have whipped up and wrapped around prop hub giving instant full rudder with the resulting spiral dive that no amount of wing warping could save. So kill the engine immediately. (I didn't.)"
Ride:r Plans is selling plans for his minimum air· craft, the Kimberley Sky Rider. It is a high·
Even as sale and stable a glider as the can surprise its pilot once in a while. Bob Bowen has been flying a Quick as long as anyone and he wrote this account of a recent incident. "There I was at about 200 feet, in a steep left bank, chasing Jack Britton's Quicksilver, when I heard a dull pop and the rudder rope tug vanished from the right side of my harness. I immediately released the throttle to idle and started to consider my predicament. Meanwhile, my Quick recovered from the steep bank to the lefi: and started a slow, gentle spiral to the right, with all indications of getting steeper and faster ... "One maneuver I used to do quite frequent· ly was to let go of everything and just hang in my harness to sec what the glide trim speed was. During several of these times, I would reach out and pull on the middle trailing cable (I have three trailing edge cables on each ofmy Quick) to see the effect of warping first the right, then the left wing (ala the Bros.). I found that I could turn my slowly right or left, while keeping the rudder straight. At the time I thought that would be good info to remember. "Back to the emergency. I thought of trying to reach out and grab the end of the broken rope, but as I started to do this, my harness slightly pulled on the rope still attached to the left side of the harness, and this gave me more WRONG MOVE! Then like a bolt from the blue, it hit me, WING WARP! I wasn't sure which side I wanted to warp, but luckily, I grabbed the left side and pulled.
TOP: The Kimberley Sky Rider. BOTTOM: CIOSl!·IIP view ol the cockpit. Note the brake pedals
mounted on the side of Iha rudder pedals.
wing monoplane, with cable·braced, aluminum and dacron construction, and full 3·axis control with ailerons, rudder, elevator and elevator trim and even flaps for landing. I ,anding gear foatures sprung main wheels tail with independent brakes and a wheel. Currently, the plane is powered by a MAC 10 l, but is looking for an alternate engine. Plans are $35.00, plus $1.00 airmail postage from Kimberley, 255, Woniora Road, Blakehurst, N.S.W. 2221, Australia. HANG GLIDING
Ultralight Report Tom Smith's Ultralight Report purports to be "complete coverage of the 1981 Sun 'N Fun" EAA fly-in. It's actually a collection of mini-reviews of the ultralights at the Sun 'N Fun. Each plane gets a couple of paragraphs and there are a few photos of engines, floats and other details. The writing isn't bad, the photos are sharp and the production quality is first rate, but it's not enough. For $3.00, I expect more than eight pages. A better solution might have been to use ,cheaper paper and printing and expand the report to 20-25 pages. One or two paragraphs just isn't enough to give any kind of evaluation. I would be much happier with a longer, in-depth look at the different models, even ifit was xeroxed from typewritten sheets. In layout, the Ultralight Report looks like a monthly newsletter, but it is being sold as a one-shot, not a periodical. Perhaps Tom Smith is planning other issues in the future, after other fly-ins. In the meantime, the present Ultralight Report is available for $3.00 from Tom Smith, 30218 Fiddlers Green, Farmington Hills, MI 48018.
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A COLUMN FOR UNUSUAL AND EXCITING FLIGHTS
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EVERYONE WAS AMAZED My instructor couldn't believe my progress and one of the flyers thought I was a hot pilot pretending to be a student. I could talk hang gliding like a pro and I flew better than any other novice on the hill. My secret? I read Dan Poynter's book before my first lesson. In just a few evenings at home, I breezed through Hang Gliding, The Basic Handbook Of Ultralight Flying and learned all about the sport. It made me an instant expert on weather, materials, design, construction, the principles offlight and I even picked up the basics of flying. It must be a good book, it was the first on our sport and it has been updated nine times; over 125,000 people have bought one. To get your copy of this fun, easy to read book, send $7.95 (includes shipping, Californians add 48¢ sales tax) to:
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JUNE 1981
NEW YORK: On April 26, 1981, George Emmerthal launched from Ellenville, New York and landed in Norwalk, Connecticut four and a quarter hours later for a total straight-line distance of 63.5 miles. George spent three hours working thermals in back of the ridge getting to 6,000 feet eight times, with a maximum of 6,500 feet which was cloudbase. His lowest altitude was 2,000 feet AGL. He landed one-half mile from his parent's house, spiraling down from 4,000 feet AGL. George previously held the record at Ellenville accomplishing a twenty-seven mile flight on June 4, 1977. NEV ADA: On April 8th two Tahoe area pilots, Steve Roderick and Erik Robinson launched from a 500 foot ridge northwest of Reno, Nevada, downwind from some spectacular dust devil activity. "Exhilarating" lift shot them to 12,600 feet MSL (7,000 feet over takeoff). They turned downwind for .a 38 mile journey to the Indian town of Nixon on the southern shore of Pyramid Lake. Crossing nearly 22 miles of flat desert in between mountain ranges, the two landed their Challengers three hours later in a delirious state of euphoria. Delightfully
enough, the entire flight was made less than half a mile apart. KANSAS: On a late March outing Bob Schoenen, flying a 172 Moyes Mega, set a new Metro Kansas City record by gaining 3,150 feet over a 250-foot (northeast face) Missouri River Bluff just north of Leavenworth, Kansas. Bob also became the first pilot to go cross country at our new 300-foot northwest Missouri River Bluff (Hardy's Hill) just south of St. Joseph, MO., by flying eight miles to Russville, MO. On the first weekend in April, several Kansas City pilots made notable cross country flights off Hardy's Hill. John Ray, flying a 165 Comet, flew eight miles to land at Russville, MO. Derrick Turner, flying a 185 Phoenix 6D, and Steve Smith, flying a 172 Moyes Mega, got shot down in the second quarter mile· gap to land three miles short of Russville to take five miles cross country. Earlier that day, Derrick Turner topped the pack with a 2,000-foot gain over Hardy's Hill. Derrick at the time was 14 years old and a Hang II pilot.
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My destination was Locke Mountain, a onethousand-foot, west-facing ridge 30 miles to the south. Several pilots were gathering at the site, for the forecast was 280° at ten knots on the surface. I knew the cool air would be unstable. I could barely maintain patience as traffic slowed for an Amish horse-drawn buggy. Normally I enjoy these glimpses of local color, but today my mind was racing ahead to high adventure. I finally reached the mountain road and pulled up the face. At the top I bumped along the crest trace and noted a steady breeze. When I reached the takeoff pipeline several pilots were setting up and the windsock looked good. I lugged my glider to the set-up area amid greetings and optomistic remarks. As I assembled my glider I concentrated on fastening each bolt, pin and batten, but took time out to note the increase in wind velocity as thermals rolled through. "Even though it is warm here on the ground, I'll need jacket and gloves at altitude," I thought. After a careful preflight, I fetched my harness and variometer. Wizen everyone was ready, we stood around discussing our prospects. I could see anticipation in each pilot's face, for conditions were building and already a pair of redshouldered hawks was thermalling in front of launch. I looked at my watch. It was 12:35. I was third in line for takeoff The first two pilots were off and up like giant butterflies while I steadied my glider and performed a harness check. Walking to launch position I could feel the slzmp air tugging at my wings. My wire man steadied the glider while I tasted the wind. When the flavor was right I yelled for clearance, took a step and met a thermal rolling up the chute. I climbed in a left bank, slowed to minimum sink and rose above the mountain. Lift was abundant and widespread.
I twisted the Easy Riser's left rudder, circled the field once and headed north up the long, green valley. A few cars were crawling below, but the sky was deserted. I held full throttle to continue a healthy climb. Over my right shoulder the sun gleamed on the silver strut fairings. In ten minutes my altimeter read 2,000 feet above sea level. Looking through the Riser's wings I could see ridge after rolling ridge face away to the horizon. Above was a crystal blue world, below a warm green carpet spread forever. The cool breeze caught my face as I continued climbing. At 4,500 feet I noticed a definite slowing of my forward progress. "A headwind," I thought. I throttled back and pulled in when the engine calmed. Back at 2,000 feet I was making good headway, so I held cruise power and floated along. After about an hour of sightseeing above the valley, I banked over to the mountain. I was running low on fuel and my flight plan called
JUNE 1981
for a stop at a gas station in the next valley. As I approached the mountain I noticed I was sinking. The wind was light, but I knew I was in the downdraft behind the ridge. "If I land in this valley I'm in for some walking," I mumbled. I hit up full power and hoped for the best. Aiming my Comet down the ridge, I searched for lift. I was not 500 feet up - above the ridge lift and in the realm of pure thermal flying. As I raced along I watched my fellow pilots working their own private bubbles. A sudden blow rocked my wing and I rolled to find the lift. I met nothing but nasty air eliciting only a mild peep from ny variometer. "Just spindnft from a washed out thermal," I gauged, and continued Oil.
In a pace, I stumbled into a boomer. This thermal had no warning turbulence, a whipped cream core and plenty of lift for my vario to crow about. I set a 25° bank to the right and pushed the bar to max out my climb. After five turns, I was behind the mountain with a thousand feet of clearance. I inreased the upwind leg of my circles and the thermal passed me by. I wasn't high enough to follow it downwind. Again I pulled in to search for another updraft, and saw my chance when a big vulture climbed in front of me. I shot over to play his game on my terms. He soon left me behind, but I didn't mind for I was well in front of the ridge and rising. The thermal was large, strong and comfortable; after a series of multiple circles I had 2,600 feet above the mountain and a decision to face. Should I follow this thermal or keep fishing for a bigger catch? I could see pilots below climbing to meet me. Would we· all drop out in the backside sink or rise above it? Glancing up, I saw a series of clouds running downwind. With a grin, I chose to follow the street behind the mountain.
The engine droned and groundspeed slowed as the Easy Riser climbed. I wanted another 300 feet before I dared attempt a crossing over the long mountain; a skirt of trees stretched for a mile on either side of the peak. I tried to make myself small in the cockpit to eliminate unnecessary drag. My fuel supply was critical, I prayed for it to last a few minutes longer. Suddenly, my engine choked as rattling fabric echoed through the wings. I cut the throttle and hit the kill switch to minimize vibration. I looked around and saw my landing field near the gas station in the next valley. I had the altitude. An easy five to one glide no doubt. I stretched out and cruised in a silent world. Soon, I was over the gas station in a lazy 360. My drift and movement in the trees gave me the wind direction. I cranked a tighter spiral, then set up a pattern for a gentle touchdown into the wind.
As I rolled to a stop, a few cars pulled off the highway alongside my landing field. I prepared myself for the assault of the curious and pulled my rocking wing over to the station. They could tell from my radiant smile that something special was going on. I answered a lot of questions while refilling my tank with a pint of oil I brought and the gas I purhcased. I paid the attendant $1.95 and waved good-by. The wind was picking up so without delay I hopped in the little craft, cleared my prop and pulled the engine to life. I rolled to the end of the field, turned around and roared into the air. Flying over the gathered crowd, I wagged my wings and followed the road north past a moving scene of woods, fields, villages, mountain passes and meandering streams. I stayed low to enjoy the traveling sensation, climbing up to cross a stretch of trees or powerlines, dropping down to skim the ground along open fields like a quartering hawk. I had plenty of fuel and only nine more miles to go.
The thermal grew and quieted some as I spiralled my Comet behind the mountain. I could see the cloud spreading like a blossom far above. With deft movements I worked to stay in the dying lift, concentrating on my instruments. A swell here and there would find me flat-turning and pushing out, kissing a stall, then working the bar to center in the lift. Before long I had peaked out at five grand. It was time to head downwind. I was traveling with the cloudstreet but there was no lift. Infact, my vario was deathly quiet as leeside sink engulfed me like a black veil. I increased speed to reach the next thermal, carefully watching my ground track to fly directly down wind. If the street was working, the next thermal had to be here soon. Down to 3,000 feet above the valley floor, I began having my doubts. I was four miles behind the launch site and still sinking. A patch of lift teased me, then dissolved in a wluff. With only 2,300 feet left I started considering my landing options. I approached a freshly-plowed field and suddenly the sink increased, then rockets exploded under my wings as I blundered into a rowdy thermal. I slowed my pace and banked into a worthy core with a little nudge on the control bar. Back and forth I sailed, taking the best from that brewing air. With vario pegged and wires singing, I inscribed my name in that thermal's heart. Up and up I traveled, working the bar with an artist's touch, not yielding a foot to the feisty turbulence. I had found my ticket to the sky. The ride smoothed out but roughened again as more thermals joined the upward journey. I continued to climb. I regained my lost altitude and then some. In another mile I reached Tussey Mountain, the next ridge in a parallel series. So much air was kicking over Tussey that I found myself playing at cloudbase - 6,000 feet above my launch
31
altitude. The street was looking better than ever and this time I found no sin!? as I passed behind the mountain. However, I peered ahead and saw a formidable barrier: the four-mile stretch of Raystown Dam. The town of Lock Haven, my destination, was directly ahead. The wind was stronger and I could feel the familiar hump of thermal turbulence. I met some lift and cased out the Riser's lefi: rudder. I was in a climb so I throttled back and tried to center. After a few turns, I lost the thermal but drifted closer to the mountain and found a band of light rising air. With this assistance under my wings, l rose to a thousand feet, then raced the last leg of my journey. I arrived over the outskirts of town in 11 minutes and played with wingovers and spins while I chose a suitable landing area. I saw a huge sports field and decided to land next to a baseball game in progress. I lined up with the wind and touched down on all three wheels. Then I noticed the baseball players were all young ladies from the local college. The inning ended and they gathered around to chat:. I answered their questions with enthusiasm and wrote down the phone numbers of a few girls interested in lessons. I was in town to visit a friend, but he could wait. It was not yet 11 a.m. and I had plcmy of time. Maybe I'd start lessons that very evening who knows. I couldn't think of a better ending to a perfect flight!
As l approached the dam the lift remained healthy. Hoping for the best, I ventured out 07;er the lake. l could see gusts whipping the water near shore, but further our the surface was dead~y calm. l flew on, worldng what I could, but in another mile the lift disappeared. I aimed my Comet at the mountain beyond the lake and settled into a steady glide. l gained the far shore and continued over-land through a corridor of sin!?. I was down to the mountain top level, but could see promising fields up ahead. If only I could reach the mountain's Ifft band, I could get up and o·ver. Without warning I lost 200 feet in a downdraft. l expected to hit a thermal nearby, but couldn't find it just more sink. The bottom was dropping out so I positioned myself into the wind over a field, and descended lilw a hovering kestrel. I had one last glimpse of the dam and Tussy Mountain before I sank below rree line and touched down near a road. I !oohed around and regretted the termination of my aerial adventure. Then a feeling of elation overcame me. I was definitely feeling high. Everything was wonderful. The flight was not spectacular by national standards (I had traveled .16 miles, not even the longest flight of the day, I found out), but at that moment, at that place, it was the world's greatest flight. That's all that mattered to me.
32
Rosko Kidwell looks like an ordinary person. Put him in a crowd and he'd disappear without a trace. But ordinary is a word that doesn't fit in Rosko's world. He jus1 doesn't do things the way others do. Who else, when called for jury duty, would commute lo the courthouse powered ultralight, landing on the front lawn? Rosko did, and got three judges to his logbook. Kidwell started flying back in the days of the srnndard Rogallos (he was the fourth person to earn a III) and in l 974, he set a record for the greatest number of flights in a year from Little Mountain (600). He's made 267 parachute jumps and holds the records for the most jumps in one day at Perris (16) and Elsinore (14). But he's not just another air addict. Five years ago, he underwent a colostomy operation in which a large portion of his colon was removed, and he has to wear an appliance to contain body wastes. Suicides are frequent in ostomy patients because they think they will have to give up their former activities. Rosko has given himself the job of staging demonstrations such as the jump records to prove those fears groundless. F!e entered an American Cancer Society bowling tournament and won it. He celebrated his 50th birthday by bowling 50 games in a day and rode 50 miles in a March of Dimes bike-a-thon. He plans to land his powered Quicksilver at an Orange County bowling alley to accept donations to the United Ostomy Association, and is looking forward to staging other events and flying at air shows. Rosko is also planning a combination of
ultralight flying, parachute jumping and radio control model flying. He wants to mount some heavy-duty servos and a weighted scat on his Quicksilver so he can fly the Quick up to about 2,000 ft., jump out and then fly the Quick down radio control. He's more than proven that he can do anything he wants to. The only question is what will he do next?
HANG GLIDING
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save time, gas & money with A GUIDE TO WESTERN FLYING includes maps &directions; local rules for sites; use fees; required hang ratings&more! for30 SITES in California,Nevada,Colorado,Arizonia, New Mexico &Utah send check or money order for $5.00 to: WESTERN FLYING;PO 57ilnverness,Ca 94937
DETAILS ON: CHOOSING THE RIGHT CRAFT-BUYING USED EQUIP· MENT-FOOT LAUNCHING-WHEEL LAUNCHING-CONTROLSAIRMANSH I P-AERODYNAMICS-M ICROMETEOROLOGY-ENGI NE CARE AND PLACEMENT-MEDICAL FACTORS AND MUCH MOREONLY $7.95 + 60¢ POSTAGE. ALSO BY THE AUTHOR:
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HOW FAST IS THE WIND BLOWING-REALLY? As a serious and safe hang glider pilot, you need to know. But you don't need to pay an arm and a leg to find out. Anabreeze has developed a portable anemometer that is all you want a wind sensor to be - accurate, reliable, and under forty dollars!
HERE IS WHAT YOU GET WITH THE ANABREEZE ANEMOMETER: • Wind-tunnel calibration of each unit • Design by a degreed Aeronautical Engineer • 60-foot power-transmission cable • Meter readings in mph and knots. in a range 10-70) speciiically tailored to hang gliding needs • Portable. self-contained instrumentation - no batteries or external power needed • A meter that works equally well in updrafts as it does on flat terrain. unlike most conventional wind meters • Unsurpassed accuracy, reliability, and convenience
• A price of $39.95 - far below comparable meters
NOW ... • You can wake up in the morning and glance at your meter display as readily as at your alarm clock. • You can wait at the launch site for those perfect conditions in the comfort of your van, without having to get out every few minutes to check the wind.
There's no longer a reason to wait! Contact us about your new Anabreeze anemometer. P.O. Box 66899 Seattle, Washington 98166
"Ask the man who owns one," is sound ad·· vice to anyone looking for an honest appraisal of a product. And it's especially good advice in the field of ultralights. Anyone who goes to a fly-in and takes a carefol look can't help but notice the huge variation in quality among the various ultralights being marketed. Some arc truly superb of workmanship and design, while others look like they were hacked out of scrap with a dull axe. Flying characteristics also vary widely. Differences can be in pitch sensitivity, ability to handle a crosswind, stall characteristics, altitude needed to recover from an failure (very important during a landing approach), performance at altitude (everyone doesn't live at sea level), control authority, etc. There arc other factors beyond the flying qualities that should interest the prospective ultralight buyer/pilot. How easy is it to build?
34
What quality are the parts and instructions? Does the factory back up its product? How reliable is the How convenient is transport and set-up? A flight test can't completely answer these questions because a test pilot is only exposed to a brand new machine for a short period of time, and a test pilot only reports on one viewpoint his own. Gliding magazine, Whole Air So Magazine, Ultralight (EAA) and Ultralight Flyer are cooperating on a series of owner surveys of ultralights. We want to get the honest, unbiased evaluations of the people who know best the owners. If you own or have owned any of the ultralights listed on the survey form, take a couple of minutes to fill it out and send it in (to Hang Gliding magazine, P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066). If you have more than one ultralight, xerox the
form. Tell your friends who fly, too. This is your chance to tell the world what these ultralights are like. If you have more answers than we have questions, great. Write your comments down on another piece of paper and send them in with your survey. We want your honest appraisal of all of the good points and the bad points. And whether they are complimentary or not, we will print the results all of them, no matter who gets upset. If there are any problems reported, we'll try to find some solutions. And if there aren't any solutions, we'll report that, too. We think it's time you, our readers, were given something more than manufacturers' press releases. So send in your survey form(s) and stay tuned. It's going to be interesting.
HANG GLIDING
ULTRALIGHT OWNER'S SURVEY D Weedhopper
D Pterodactyl
D Hummer
D Lazair
D Easy Riser
D Quicksilver
D Wizard
D Eagle
D Mitchell Wing
D Rotec Rally
D Other _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Did you buy it new or used? _ _ _ __ Who built i t ? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - How long did it take to build? _ _ _ _ __ Were there any problems in b u i l d i n g ~ ? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
How good were the instructions?
D Very good
How helpful was the factory?
D Good
D Fair
D Very helpful
D Poor
D Average
D Very Poor D No help at all
Howofiendoyouflyit? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ How many hours have you flown it? _ _ _ __ How long do you usually fly?
D 112 hour or less
D 112.1 hour
D over an hour
D Teach yourself
D Instructor
D Simulator
Do you fly from airports? _ _ _ __ How did you learn to fly it? Do you have a private pilot's license? _ _ __ How many hours of ultralight instruction did you get? _ _ _ __ How long does it take to completely set it up? _ _ __ How many people are needed for setup, including yourself? _ _ __ D Easy
How would you rate the workmanship?
D Outstanding
How easy is it to fly?
D Easy
D Difficult
D Average
How difficult is setup?
D Average
D Good
D Mediocre D A little tricky
D Poor D Very tricky
Does it have any handling problems? _ _ _ __ Ifso, what are they? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
What is your average fuel c o n s u m p t i o n ? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Have you ever had an accident or in-flight failure (including landings)? _ _ __ Ifso,whathappened? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
D Very good
How do you rate your local dealer?
D Fair
D Good
D Poor
D Very poor
Why?
Do you have any hints for building, flying or maintaining it?
What are its best f e a t u r e s ? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What are its worst features? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What engine do you use? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What prop? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
~
What reduction u n i t ? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Has theengineeverquitonyou? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~ Ifso,whathappened? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
D Very reliable
How reliable is the engine?
D Average
D Unreliable
Does it have any m~ntenance probkms? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~
Have you ever had a prop break? _ _ _ __ Ifso,whathappened? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
How would you rate your prop?
D Excellent
D Good
D Fair
D Poor
D Poor
D Very poor
Why?
Have you had any problems with your reduction u n i t ? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
How would you rate your reduction unit?
D Excellent
D Good
D Fair
D Poor
Would you buy another ultralight of the same brand or recommend that a friend buy one? _ _ _ __ Why or why n o t ? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Additional comments?
P.S.
Before permanently mounting the anemometer, it must be calibrated for windspeed. On a windless, calm day, mount the anemometer to the front of your car (use your ingenuity), and connect the meter to it. Head down the road at various speeds (5, 10, 15, 20, etc.) and etch the location of the meter's needle into the plastic protective window of the meter, labeling the subsequent speed changes.
Contributed by Craig "crash" Ponnequin Here is one handy item for the hang glider pilot to own. It's an anemometer: an instrument which everyone knows (?) measures wind speed. Being easy, fun, and cheap to build, you have no reason not to make one for yourself. Here's how to do it. First, the following items are needed: (I) Low-friction permanent magnet motor (Edmond Scientific Co., 8111 7180 Edscorb Bldg., Barrington, New Jersey 08807 - Stock #30,807 ($4.25). (4) Ping-pong balls. (!) Wooden block, !1/z" x !1/z" x 1/4'' thick. (4) Wires (coathanger), 3112'' long. (!) Suitable post for mounting unit. (!) Milliamp meter (mA) - (Radio Shack). Length of small diameter wire for connecting anemometer to the milliamp meter (telephone wire). Take the wooden block (Fig. !) and drill three holes: one hole through the block's center, to accommodate the motor shaft outside diameter, and two holes length-wise to match the coathanger wire O.D. Next, mount the block on the motor shaft, making sure the
block doesn't rub on motor. Insert the four 3 1/z" wires, one into each remaining hole, and epoxy into place. Take each of the four pingpong balls and slit them down the center, thus forming two halves. Epoxy these halved pingpong balls to the coathanger wires: one ball per wire (Fig. 2). After the epoxy sets, mount the entire motor unit to the post of your choosing (I used a wooden table leg) and epoxy that into place (Fig. 3). The meter, for measuring milliamp current, will be the most expensive component of the anemometer set-up; buy the cheapest one you can find. Mount the completed anemometer as high and as far away from obstructions (i.e., houses, trees, moving traffic) as possible. Run the length of wire from the anemometer to the remote milliamp meter. The unit is finished!
F~fl1NGS
CONVERT YOUR DIVER TO A GLIDER
Streamlining of exposed tubing will: • Reduce parasitic drag • Increase LID • Increase speed range Competition pilots get more out of their ships with fairings - you can too. Durable foam and dacron construction - unlike plastics - is not ruined by rough treatment. All crossbar, kingposts and downtube sizes available. Complete set with crossbar and kingpost is priced at $54.25. Write for information, or contact your local dealer.
COUNTERSUNK HOLE
FLY-RIGHT H/G ACCESSORIES 3024 BELMONT AVENUE SAN BERNARDINO, CA., 92407
POST MOTOR SHAFT 0.D.
II II II
FIG.3
FIG.1
,,
HOW TO ... START/CHECK/ANALYZE IMPROVE YOUR ULTRALIGHT DESIGN
FIG.2
Use A Practical Gulde to Airplane Performance and Design by Donald R. Crawtord to organize the planning ol your design. (8 1h"x11" page side, 224 pages, 102 illustrations, template, nomograms). $15.95 plus $1.00 postage and handling (CA: add $.96 tax.) (Overseas Airmail Charges - $8.00 MCNISA Accepted. (Include exp. date.) Crawford Aviation P.O. Box 1262, Dept. HG
JUNE 1981
Torrance, CA 90505 Phone: (213) 375-9227
37
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maJied v,a thud class uniess add,t10na1 postage and ,nsuucc,ons are ncluded We,ght-8 oz each SUPPL Y IS LIMI TED AND WILL NO T BE DUPLICATED. GE T YOURS WHIL E THE SUPPLY L AS TS.
- - - - - - - - - - -...Lip_ _ _ _ __
O Money enclosed
0 Bill me
Mail to:
Box 144 Lookout Mtn., TN
37350
FLIGHT! FOR THE SIMPLE JOY OF IT
BRO UG HT TO YO U BY WILLS WING , INC. 147 NOW CERTIF IED A D IN PRODUCTION WILLS WING , INC. QUA LITY • SERVICE • IN TEGR ITY DEALER INQU IRI ES INVITED
1208 H. EAST WALNUT SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92701 (714) 547-1344
1980 FATALITIES UPDATED ..... The Same Old Refrain by R.V. Wills Our last summary of fatal accidents was published in September of last year, both in Hang Gliding and Glider Rider. At that time we tabulated fifteen ( 15) fatal accidents for 1980 and anticipated that this was only a down payment on the actual total for the year. Unfortunately, we were right. We now have another 36 fatalities to report for 1980, bringing the total in our records to 51, both U.S. and foreign. Interestingly, the breakdown between U.S. and foreign is 26 U.S., 25 foreign for 1980. After seven years of reviewing hang gliding fatalities, the categories look terribly familiar. We never seem to go a whole year without some experienced pilot failing to hook in or getting into a rotor or getting into fatal trouble with someone else's glider. Also, we don't run out of structural failures or low altitude stalls. Again, we find a vast majority of the accidents where a parachute would probably not have helped (although this time we have a parachute that opened, only to have the harness fail ... ). The total of 51 is down from the 63 reported for 1979, and would be down sharply ifit were not for a batch of 10 names and dates received from Christian Therville in Brest, France.
This toll of 10 people just between March and August in one country tells us rather clearly that we are not hearing about vast numbers of fatalities overseas. I have had letters from other countries in Europe indicating the same. About all we can say is that we are fairly confident ofour U.S. figures, and those for Canada and Australia and New Zealand, in the long run, but we are obviously low on the numbers in the other countries of the world. This being the case, and considering the state of the art in the U.S. versus overseas, I would guess that the true number of fatalities in countries outside the U.S. is at least double those within the U.S. in recent years. Although we can never prove it, I would also bet that the accident rate per thousand flights, or per thousand pilots, in the U.S. would be the lowest anywhere, because of advances in both equipment and training. One of the discouraging aspects of accident reporting is that you get letters of indignation and demands for retraction from people who made no report of an accident, then complain that we did not have all the facts straight. This is often the case with manufacturers, many of whom aren't terribly enthused about publishing accident reports in the first place. I
have run into a number of cases where a manufacturer demanded a retraction about the type of equiment reported in connection with a fatality, then supplied us with data which was never sent in originally. We have never represented that all of the data we receive is 100% accurate, just that we summarize it the best we can. Perhaps the best protection against erroneous data is more conscientious reporting by more people. The accident reports coming through the USHGA have recently been forwarded both to me and to Dr. Doug Hildreth of Eugene, Oregon, who has been asked by the Association to analyze non-fatal accident data along with the fatalities. I have now completed seven years of reviewing fatality accidents, covering the decade from 1971 through 1980, and think it is time for someone else to take on the job. I am therefore asking Carol Velderrain to forward all of the correspondence to Doug Hildreth in the future. He is a very fine surgeon up in Oregon who has long been concerned about safety in hang gliding, and the Association is fortunate to have the benefit of his expertise and dedication. I wish him well in what I regard as a rather sad but vital function for the beautiful sport of hang gliding.
1980 FATALITIES (ADDITIONAL) Date
Place
Pilot
March 3
France
Alain Blin
April 4
Horse Ridge, Alamo Richard Marryho Gordo, New Mexico
May 3
France
May 18
Crestline, CA
May 28
France
Pierre Quai
June 15
France
Claude Gerbi
June 29
Lamoni, Iowa
Mike Percell
40
Age Equipment
23
Apparent or Probable Cause
Bob Craft saw a report of this fatality in a telephone company safety report. The pilot was a Mountain Bell technician, cliff-launched, turned left into the cliff 100' below. Helmet shattered. No mention of parachute.
Guillaume Papet
25
Cumulus 10
Accident during the last day of regional competition, not reported by anyone until Don Betts, after seeing my Sept. '80 table ... Pilot flew into a rock face while doing 360's. Betts doing the same nearby, didn't see the impact.
Easy Riser with power
Pilot skimming treetops in a "reckless manner," pulled out of a full power dive and stalled downwind at about 50' altitude, dived in at 68 degrees (calculated from frame deformation.) HANG GLIDING
Apparent or Probable Cause
Date
Place
Pilot
Age Equipment
July 5
Vestmannaeyjar Airport, Iceland
Runar Bjarnason
22
"Scot Kite Cirrus 3"
Truck tow with winch. Low ceiling, winch problems, and turbulence all contributed to a fold-up of the right wing as the winch jerked the glider up after it went into a dive. Complex report about numerous mechanical problems.
July 9
Point of the Mountain, Southside, Draper, Utah
James Rowley
31
ASG 21
300' hill. Two reports. Sounds like Rowley lost his lift, tried to work back up the hill, stalled a tip, spun in from 75-100'.
July 13
France
Francois Lombart
July 13
Pirenopolis, Brazil
Jose Maria Caixeta
23
"Asa Delta"
Articles and death certificate appear to be in Portuguese, submitted by Jose's sister. The glider looks like an old standard. Details of flight unknown.
July 20
France
Bernard Ledoux
July 21
Daly City, CA
Craig Bomont
23
"Small Bowsprit Stratus V"
Very experienced pilot practicing flat "helicopter" spins above the beach. Did several left spins from 500' down to 300', then couldn't get a right spin going. Lost 100' more in a stalled condition, pitched down and yawed right. Craig lost hold, was struggling when he impacted the cliff at 175'.
July 27
France
Eric Buidin
July 28
Wichita, Kansas
Andy Hoban
August?
Balzano, Italy
Franz Felderer Jim Whitmore
August 9
Indiantown, FL
August 10
France
Maurice Travert
August 15
France
Patrick Guillaume
August 21
France
Laurence Hery
August 23
Cochrane Hill, Alberta
Byron Buchanan
August 23
Lily Pons Hill, Buckeyestown, MD
Ronald Higgs
August 30
Sylmar, CA
Sept. ?
Sept. 7
JUNE 1981
25 ? 40-45 Fledgling II B, Soarmaster powered
Stalled by gust while climbing, never cut power, dove in from 20-30'.
Raven 209
Byron was a four-year veteran with 200 + flights. While Byron was up above the hill the wind picked up to 35 mph and became westerly. He made a long downwind leg to the east, crossed over the crest, then turned back into the hill, downwind. Possible stall in a "wind-shadow."
30
Raven 209
Hang IV flyer. Ron was getting "people tows," with his brother and others slinging him along with a pulley/bridle system. On his last launch, he got better wind, rose at 45 ° to 100', got into a right hand lockout, then a wingover and dive back into the hill. No defined tips or anti-luff lines on the glider at the time.
Robert Breyde
37
Nova 190
Preparing to land after a good flight. Sharp left turn and probable tip stall, then a near-vertical dive from 100'. Hang II pilot.
Brinnon, Olympic Peninsula, WA
Katherine Kollman
28
Wasp - Oregonbuilt
Female passenger on the lap (!) of a male pilot, who was injured. Glider described as a "glorified standard." Woman tied in with a piece ofrope ... helicopter rescue crew also had an injury accident.
Dog Mountain, WA
David Stupp
34
Lancer
David failed to hook in. He hung onto the "base tube" for a couple of seconds, then reached up for the right down tube. Fearing a dive back into the hill, he let go of the down tube and hung from below until out of view. His body was found near the bottom, short of some young trees that might have saved him. 41
Date
Place
Pilot
Age
Equipment
Sept. 21
Lower Providence, PA
Robert Hutchinson
23
Weedhopper ("Home-built oneseat plane")
Sept. 28
Crestline, CA
Scott Cohee
29
All we have is newspaper clippings and a note from the pilot's mother. No details regarding the final flight of "Captain Crestline," who crashed in Devil's Canyon, "4200 feet up." Scott always signed off his letters, "Live to fly, fly until I die."
October ?
Kossen, West Germany
Friedhelm Kuttig
?
Another case of failure to hook in. Friedhelm hung onto the control bar for 45 seconds, then fell. After 600' of fall, he three his parachute. The harness failed as it opened. Reporter feels he could have survived by letting go early, above bushes, throwing the parachute earlier, or having an adequate parachute.
October 25 Home Weir, New South Wales, Australia
Colin Campbell
October 25 La Serena, Chile
Mario Mettifogo
October 26 Healdsburg Airport, Pennsylvania
Nov. 2
Apparent or Probable Cause Just a newspaper article, Hutchinson and a friend had completed several successful flights. From an altitude of 40', "the plane ... got caught in a crosswind and tumbled into a line of trees just off the highway."
Moyes Midi
Unrated pilot. Boat tow. Pilot released under power at 390', went into a spin, then several barrel rolls. No structural failure. No parachute.
21
Seagull IV
A borrowed glider; pilot owned a Sky Sports Merlin. Wind at 18-20 mph was strong for this location. Wire-assisted launch, then a couple of passes along the ridge line, in close. Stalled in a 180, then a sail-flapping dive into the hill crosswind. Pilot pushing out for 3-4 seconds. The Chilean club warned pilots not to do close-tolerance flying with borrowed equipment.
Rick Antkowiak
29
U.F.M. Easy Riser with home-built engine and gear
Pilot had two months of taxi and low, slow flight experience with the glider. Made three flights this day. On the final one, he climbed out steep at full power to 100', levelled out then dived in at 45 °. Ignition switch was off at impact. Larry Mauro reports that a thorough investigation established that the wing fabric was both unauthorized and improperly attached to the wings.
Thomas Furrow
34
Powered Easy Riser
Sketchy info. The wings folded up at 200-600'. No chute.
Nov. 8
Rutland Township, Grand Rapids, MI Mountain View, CA
Andy Kopol
25
Pterodactyl
After 5 minutes of level flight, right wing sagged, folded back into the prop, then both wings folded up. The glider "spun like a top into ground 400-600 feet." Suspicion that the pilot forgot to engage the inboard compression struts.
Nov. 28
Grand Prairie, TX
Stew Anthur
29
Easy Riser with power
After a 30 min. flight out of view, pilot returned with 300' of altitude, unexpectedly landed downwind. Landing gear hit a steel post and glider tumbled. Pilot alive, described a sudden sink without sufficient power to climb. He died sixteen days later.
Nov. 29
Mt. Talbingo, New South Wales, Australia
Paul Van Hoff
29
Moyes Mega 2
Pilot approached sheer cliff takeoff point where 25-30 mph wind created strong vertical draft. One wing picked up the lift first, tilting the glider into a wingover mode, then the glider was smashed back on top. Paul was a Hang 5 who had competed in the U.S.
Dec. 14
Marina Beach, CA
David Wallace
27
Phoenix 6C
The pilot was one of three brothers trying to learn hang gliding at a State beach. He landed in the water and drowned after his borthers couldn't untangle him from the wreckage. His body was found five hours later separated from the kite remains. No knowledgable observer of the flight itself. ~
42
HANG GLIDING
SEAGULLS - New and used, beginner to advanced, includes 10 & 11 meters. Clearance at good prices. Call (914) 967- 7826. Rye, NY. --~ ','-
--· ,: -
CL/tSS1flEJ5
#tl)VCRTIS.INCr - _-
SENSOR 210E - $695. Alpha 245, $575 or make offer. Got to sell. (714) 789-3103. SKYSPORTS OSPREY - 175 sq., wt. 125-170. Red center and keel pocket, black double surface, rest yellow. 220 fpm, LID 8: l. Bog & more, $950. Also, Bobcat ll, 205 sq. Both exc. condition. N.J. (201) 835-2566. SPYDER 180 - Wt. range 156-192. Spectrum sail. Can ship anywhere in rugged container. $595. Others available - call! (801) 572-1537 evenings. SUPER LANCER 200 - New $1150. Tuned perfect. PHOENIX 12 205, custom sail, windows, near new, $395. Bennett Mark JIB chute, $250. (805) 581-1713, message.
CONSUMER ADVISORY: Used hang gliders always should be disassembled before flying for the first time and inspected carefully for fatigue - bent or dented tubes, ruined bushings, bent bolts (especially the heart bolt), reused Nyloc nuts, loose thimbles, frayed or rusted cables, tangs with non-circular holes, and on Rogallos, sails badly torn or torn loose from their anchor points front and back on the keel and leading edges. If in doubt, many hang gliding businesses will be happy to give an objective opinion on the condition of equipment you bring them to inspect.
THE ULTIMATE X COUNTRY GLIDER! - Plus the ultimate accessories. New travelling job means no flying time, so ... AS NEW (3 training hops only) British "Cyclone 180" rainbow sail, droop tips, 35 ft. span, cross-boom aerofoils, 7.2 aspect ratio, 130° nose angle - outrageous glide angle and speed (remember Chattanooga/World Cup?). Plus NEW "Sky-Deck" pod with Thommen 2000 Altimeter, Ball 600 visual and 405 audio Variometers: 11
\'Vindcraft" apron Harness and "Helpu parachute; "DynasoarH helmet; spares, etc., etc. Cost over $2500.,
yours for $1250. Terry (314) 278-4367.
Rogallos ALPHA 215 - 79 model. Beautiful glider, excellent condition. $600. (208) 467-3277. ANT 19' 964-1204.
Good cond. Must sell. $495. Call Bill (805)
ASG 218 - 160 sq. Good condition. White sail, orange LE. $400. (80 l) 566-2633. CAN'T AFFORD A NEW OR USED GLIDER? With only 10% down we will finance the balance or take anything in trade. 10% off of any new glider, power pack or parachute with this ad! Contact LEADING EDGE AIR FOILS, INC. (303) 632-4959. CAN WE HELP YOU GET INTO THE AIR? Do you want to fly, but are short of funds? We will trade anything to help you fly. Contact Delta Wing Kites & Gliders, (213) 787-6600. CIRRUS 50 - Excellent for small pilot (85-110 lbs.)! Steel deflexors. $750. or best offer. Call Betty (714) 831-6138 or (714) 542-7444. CONDOR 178 - Beautiful rainbow sail, 33 hrs. airtime, excellent. $750/best offer (213) 545-0289. CONDOR 194 - Wt. range 145-210. Rainbow sail. Unsurpassed beginner-intermiedate glider. Can ship anywhere in rugged container. $795. Others available-call! UP/UTAH (801) 572-1537 evenings. EIPPER FLEX! II - 18' Good condition. Rigged prone with Sunbird prone harness. Good trainer, $350. Call after 6:00 p.m. (805) 522-8610. HARRIER 177 - with fairings. New in January. Too big for me! No. Calif. (415) 964-9146.
U.P. COMET - $1280. 166 Mosquito, $600. Wills 185 X-C $400. Eipper Flcxi II, $350. Moving to Kansas. Must sacrifice kite inventory. All gliders excellent condition. Call Alba (509) 369-4892. WILLS IIOG - Good condition. Pilot wt. 200 +. Flies great, new bag. Dwyer tow bar - like new. $875. Jim (313) 554-1455. Must sell.
SALES
FLEDGE JIB - with rib bag, rudder bag, control bar wheels, auxiliary twist grips. Only flown three times. Immaculate condition. Cost $1957 new. Must sell - make offer. Contact the Hang Glider Emporium, 613 North Milpas, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. (805) 965-3733. Will ship anywhere. FLEDGLING JJB - Also Soarmaster power unit. MD. Phil (301) 270-3161. FLEDGE IIB - Good condition. Red, yellow & gold sail. Half battens and rib bungees. Aux. twist grips. $1,000. (805) 659-0674, after 5. !CARUS V - New fabric 3181. Airframe never used. Excellent for power, extra strong spars. Storage box included. (616) 875-7396. Grand Rapids, Mich.
INSTRUCTION • Personalized training program - beginner through advanced • USHGA Certified Instructors
ARIZONA DESERT HANG GLIDERS - 4319 W. Larkspur, Glendale, AZ 85304 (602) 942-4450.
llltrulite lti,isitt11 • Dealers f o r ~ • U.S.H.G.A. certified power instructor • Factory trained personnel
NOVA 190 - Just checked out by shop. $800 or best offer. (415) 549-0299.
44
SERVICE • Complete parts department & repair facility • 90 day free service warranty with every new glider purchase, excluding parts
Schools and Dealers
MOYES MEGA II, 1980 - White. Excellent condition. $1100, cheap. Charlie (801) 254-6141.
SEAGULL SEAHAWK 170 - Never flown. Cover and prone harness included, $900. Ron (406) 292-3249.
Largest, most complete Hang-glider Shop in the Northeast! • Distributors and Dealers for U.S. Moyes, Highster Aircraft, Wills Wing, Ultralite Products and Manta Products • Large selection of accessories, instruments, new and used gliders
MOSQUITO 166 - It's beautiful and flies GREAT! Excellent condition! Call (801) 572-1312.
RA VEN 179 - Flown once. Lt. blue/dk. blue LE. $1100. Wills Wing med. harness with UP chute, $300. (714) 559-0459.
'IC~l111J1H!!'S
Rigid Wings
LAZOR 190 - Excellent condition. A real skyer, $850. SEAGULL 10 meter, 10 hours airtime, perfect condition. $750. Call after 5:00 p.m. (702) 853-7825.
PACIFIC GULL ALPINE l wlartwork, prone harness, parachute & car rack. Owned by company employee, so, many custom features included. Sail in excellent condition. $950 or best. Bob, (714) 493-2505.
Ae1·i;1I
CALL OR WRITE:
Aerial 'lecl111i1111es • A beginneris comprehensive handbook of ultralighl design & construction I Complete prototype plans• Simple stress, load, & flight analysis• Epoxies~ polyesters~ foams• Engines •Props• Over 600 professional drawings , 102 pages, 81/2 x 14 size .$10.00
ROUTE 209, ELLENVILLE, N. Y. 12428 (914) 647-3344 Open Thursday thru Monday 9:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. *Dealer inquiries invited
BJ AIRCRAFT 422 12th AVE. N.W.
ARDMORE, OK 13401
HANG GLIDING
'(es\ arn interested in your safari to and would \\Ke to rece;ve your brochure v./i\n cornp\e\e de\ai\s.
C\ip and Airmail \o: Ron 11urs\, Oel\a Satoris l(urfas\ens\r. 6i c11-soo2 z.uricn $\(1/i\zer\and
Z.ip State
vanced instruction with USHGAcertified instructors. 5219 Sepulveda Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91411. (213) 789-0836.
FREE PILOT'S SUPPLIES AND HANG GLIDER CATALOG. Textbooks, kites and accessories. Weedhopper dealer, write: Pilot's Haven, P.O. Box 39287, Dept. G, Phoenix, AZ 85069.
THE HANG GLIDER SHOP - For the largest in stock inventory. USHGA certified flying instruction and much, much more! Call (213) 943-1074. 1351 Beach Blvd., La Habra, CA 90631.
CALIFORNIA ELSINORE VALLEY HANG GLIDING CENTER. Certified, experienced instruction, sales for all major manufacturers and repair facilities. Call (714) 678-2050.
ULTRASPORT, INC. is the only Southern California school dedicated 011/y to powered ultralights. We have a flight simulator which allows you to learn basic flight maneuvers before committing to free flight. Call or write for more free information. Ultra Sport, Inc., 12780 Pierce #14, Pacoima, CA 9133!. (213) 896-1805.
FREE FLIGHT OF SAN DIEGO. Expert instruction utilizing modern, safe equipment. (714) 560-0888. HANG FLIGHT SYSTEMS - Certified instruction program, beginning to advanced levels. Featuring Wills Wing and Ultralight Products gliders and accessories. Raven, Comet, Harrier demo flights available to qualified pilots. 1208 E. Walnut Unit K, Santa Ana, CA. (714) 542-7444.
COLORADO ASPEN HANG GLIDERS & ULTRALIGHTS Lessons, sales, service. Dealers for Manta, Bennett, Wills, U.P., Lancer. Also, Kasperwing & Soarmaster motorized ultralights. Box 7115, Aspen, CO 81611 (303) 963-1504.
HANG GLIDER EMPORIUM OF SANTA BARBARA/SAN BERNARDINO - ((ormerly Channel Islands Hang Glider Emporium) In business since 1974 representing all brands of gliders, instruments and accessories. Complete lesson program available. Demo Flights on stock gliders available to qualified pilots. Gliders in stock: New: Comet, Harrier, Raven. Used: Harrier, Comet, Condor (151, 194), Firefly (216), Seahawk (200), Alpha (185), Raven (149, 179, 209, 229), Fledge IIB (Demo-excellent condition), Mosquito (146, 166), SST (IOOB, Mini), Lazor, 10 Meter, Antares (19'). Motorized: Quicksilver, Pterodactyl, Easy Riser. Contact either shop for more information. Both shops located just minutes from major highways and flying sites. Santa Barbara - 613 N. Milpas, 93103 (805) 965-3733. San Bernardino - 4095 N. Sierra Way, 92407 (714) 886-6454.
FOUR CORNERS SCHOOL OF HANG GLIDING since 1974. Certified instruction. All major brands, including powered gliders. Repairs & accessories. Box 38, Hesperus, CO 81326. (303) 533-7550. GOLDEN SKY SAILS - USHGA certified school, foot launch, power and towing. Advanced mountain soaring, ground to air communiation and video replay. Distributing Wills, Electra, Odyssey and Golden Prone Harnesses. Dealing Lancer, Stratus, Manta, Highster, Sunbird and Bennett. We have complete airframe, sail repair and custom fabrication facilities with a huge inventory of parts and accessories. Seagull replacement parts. Call or write for free information: 572 Orchard, Golden, CO 8040 I (303) 278-9566. LEADING EDGE AIR FOILS, INC. - Write for our complete line of gliders, power packs, ultralight equipment and lessons, (powered, towed and free-flight). Enjoy our unbeatable prices and fast service. A MOST COMPLETE SHOP. 331 South 14th St., Colorado Springs, Colorado 80904.
HANG GLIDERS OF CALIFORNIA, INC. USHGA certified instruction from beginning to expert levels. All brands of gliders, a complete line of instruments & equipment are available! For information or catalog, write or call: Hang Gliders of California, Inc., 2410 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405. (213) 399-5315.
CONNECTICUT
HANG GLIDERS WEST-DILLON BEACH FLYING SCHOOL. We sell and service all major brands, parts, accessories. USHGA certified instructors, observers. Free lessons with purchase of a wing. After the sale, it's the SERVICE that counts! Hang Gliders West, 20-A Pamaron Way, Ignacio, CA 94947. (415) 883-3494. Hours 10:00-5:30.
Bennett, UFM with other brands available. Parts, accessories, repairs, ratings. 826 Mich. Ave., P.O. Box 188, Benzonia, Mich. 49616 (616) 882-5070. KITES IN FLITE - 5510 E. McNichols, Detroit, MI 48212. (313) 891-4922. USHGA certified instruction and Regional Observer. Featuring the Pterodactyl Fledge, Wills Wing, and Emerson tow equipment. We even own a 350' launch site up north for the foot launch purists. Full line of
accessories. SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN HANG GLIDERS - We have what you want! A 400-ft. soaring site, a 50-acre park for ultralights and a Yarnall skyhook for towing. Dealers for UP, Electra Flyer, Delta Wing, Weedhopper, Soarmaster and the incredible Eagle. Since 1975 - 24851 Murray, Mt. Clements, MI 48045. (313) 791-0614. MINNESOTA NORTHERN SUN HANG GLIDERS, INC. Dealer for all major non-powered and powered brands. USHGA certified instruction. Owners/managers of the Hang Gliding Preserve, soarable ridge with tramway lift. When in the North Country stop by and test our line of gliders and enjoy the sites. 628 W. Larpenteur Ave., St. Paul, MN 55113 (612) 489-8300. NEVADA HIGH SIERRA HANG GLIDERS - 1000 N. Plaza, P.O. Box 865, Carson City, NV 89701.(702) 885-1891. The complete hang gliding shop for northern Nevada. USHGA certified instructor/observer Gary Wood. Lessons beginner thru advanced - ratings. Featuring UP, Wills & Flight Designs gliders & accessories, plus Eipperformance "Quicksilver." Complete line of accessories. All major brands available. 30 miles from Reno and Lake Tahoe. Towing instruction also available. NEW MEXICO BUFFALO SKYRIDERS, INC. - Southwest's hang gliding headquarters. Instruction, sales and service for all types of gliders. Coronado Airport, P.O. Box 4512, Albuquerque, N.M. 87106. (505) 821-6842.
AJRWISE, INC. - Training programs for beginner to expert pilots by USHGA certified instructor/observer. Flight Designs distributor; UP dealer. Connecticut exclusives: Moyes, Sunbird. Complete accessory line. 15 Long Ridge Road, West Redding, CT 06896. (203) 938-9546.
MISSION SOARING CENTER - Test fly before you buy. Demos, new & used gliders in stock. All major brands available. At the base of Mission Ridge in the "Old School." 43551 Mission Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538. (415) 656-6656.
TRYING TO SELL YOUR GLIDER? Try
HAWAII TRADEWINDS HANG GLIDING - Open every good day. USHGA instructors, observers. Rental gliders. Moyes, Wills Wing. Box 543, Kailua, Hawaii 96734. Ph. (808) 396-8557.
THE PRICE CO. - The Price harness, recognized world over as "the quality" harness. Dealer inquiries invited. Dealer for UP and U.S. Moyes. Specializing in service to the advanced, foreign, out of state and competition pilot. Complete line of hang gliding accessories. Advanced instruction at the "E." Write for free catalog and information. 32970 Lillian Road, Elsinore, California 92330 (714) 678-1984.
ILLINOIS
Hang Gliding
FARSTER HARNESS - RR#3, Dixon, IL 62021 (815) 652-4589. Designer and builder of all types of harnesses. Write or call for size sheet and price list. Serving Region 7 since 1976'. Dealer for Stratus and U.S. Moyes. New, demo and used gliders in stock.
Classifieds. They get results!
MICHIGAN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HANG GLIDING SCHOOLS, since 1974. Largest and most complete hang gliding center in Southern California. Featuring Flight Designs, UP and Wills Wing. All other brands available. Large inventory of parts and accessories. Beginner to ad-
ECO-FLIGHT HANG GLIDERS - Visit our shop in the Frankfort area, hang gliding capital of Michigan. Learn in the safety of the dunes or soar the many coastal bluffs. USHGA certified instruction. Wills Wing, Seagull, Moyes,
*··············· * KITE ~:p TUBING~ )t **
BRIG ~T
Model 1 Vario Readout. ... $40.
MAIL ORDERS: Make payments via check, M.O.,
( Flask must be supplied by user)
Model 2 Control Bar Vario, $75, Complete & Ready to Mount
~na~\~~.\~~~~~ 6il°ii~;·~af; g:J~:~~ii~g U.S. Monies, include $5.00 extra for air shipment. COD charges $2.50 extra.
4" X 5Y:!:". weighs less than one pound
GUARANTEE: 60 days. Satisfaction or Refund
0
Model 2 & Tuffy Ext. Bar, .. $85. t year against manufacturers defects. Tufty 12" Extension Bar .... $15. DEALER INQUIRY INVITED ... MAKIKI ELECTRONICS• P.O. Box 629 • Hauula, Hawaii 96717, Phone {808) 293-9348
46
ANODIZED
TUBING
SEAMLESS:
1 5/8 1 x .058 x 12 1 (2·19 LENGTHS) ......... $1.38/FT. 1 3/4:: x .049:: x 12: (2-19 LENGTHS) ......... $1.40/FT. ....._ 1 7/8 x .058 x 12 (2-19 LENGTHS) ......... $1.73/FT. ~ ~ 2" x .049" x 12' (2-19 LENGTHS) ............ $1.79/FT. ~
* "-. ~ ""--
~
i(
WHOLESALE CATALOGUE $1.00 REFUNDABLE
• LEADING EDGE AIR FOILS INC.~ 331 S. 14TH ST. ~ ~ 9'c,~RAD0 SPRINGS, CO. 303·1132·49!19 ~
if
**************** HANG GLIDING
PTERODACTYLPTRAVELER l'he control, stability and stall resistance you expect from a canard with the performance, portability and dependability you expect from a Pl'ER OD ACl'YL. For information on our products, send $5 to: Pl'ERODAC-J'YL, L l'D., Box 191 H, \Vatsonville, CA 95076.
BROTHERS TAKE HANG GLIDING WITH YOU DON'T MISS THE LA TEST ISSUE BY FAILING TO NOTIFY USHGA OF YOUR CHANGE OF ADDRESS!! NAME
Fast and accurate air speed measurements can be made by
using !he Hall Wind Meter. A valuable instrument tor all hang glider pilols. S21.50
mounting for the
Wind Meter. Seated Bracket S5.00 Prone Bracket $6.00
USHGA # - - -
OLD ADDRESS CITY
STATE _ _ ZIP _ __
Our Control Bar Wheels protecl you and your glider on !hat occasional bad landing and during routine ground handling. The wheels lit 1" or
NEW ADDRESS CITY
STATE _ _ ZIP ____
1!:s" control bars. Specify size when ordering.
$20.00 pr.
LAST ISSUE RECEIVED (PLEASE ALLOW FOUR WEEKS FOR PROCESSING)
Notify USHGA Early! Please Note: You must notify your post office that you will pay forwarding postage on your second class mail or you may miss an issue. USHGA, Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.
Our Sealed and Prone Brackets shown here with the Wind Meter. provide an excellent lightweight
When ordering_ please specify the items ordered
and how many ol each are desired. Add
prevents vibration
S2.00 tor C 0.0. orders
from interfering with its operation on
and for orders to foreign countries. Telephoneorders welcome. Dealer Inquires invited.
motorized gliders. S6.50
MAKE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO HALL BROTHERS, BOX 771, MORGAN, UT 84050 (801) 829-3232
NEW YORK AERIAL TECHNIQUES - at Ellenville. The east coast's largest hang glider shop. USHGA Certified instruction, dealers for all manufacturers, most equipment in stock from our tremendous inventory. A.T. is where it's up ... Rt. 209 - in Ellenville, NY 12428 (914) 647-3344. EASTERN ULTRALIGHTS - Hang Gliders, Powered Ultralights. Sales, service, instruction. Route 54, Hammondsport, N.Y. 14840. (607) 569-2442.
Western distributors for: Electra Flyer Corp., UFM Products, Sky Sports, Seagull Aircraft. Now accepting dealership inquiries. Call or write: LONE STAR HANG GLIDERS, 2200 "C" South Smithbarry Rd., Arlington, TX 76013. Metro. (817) 469-9159.
Business Opportunities CRYSTAL AIR SPORTS MOTEL - Male/Female -HELP WANTED: 15 hrs./wk. Exchange for lodging. Call or write Chuck or Shari, 4328 Cummings Hwy., Chattanooga, Tenn. 37409. (615) 821-2546. Home of SKY GEAR, Apparel & Accessories.
LONE STAR HANG GLIDERS. Electra Flyer, Sky Sports, Seagull, Manta and UFM sales, repair, instruction. 2200 C South Smithbarry, Arlington, TX 76013 (817) 469-9159.
HELP WANTED - USHGA certified ultralight and hang glider instructors needed at East or West Coast facility. Opportunity for advancement and management positions. If well qualified but not certified we will train and certify. Send resume to: Kitty Hawk Kites, P.O. Box 340, Nagshead, NC 27957, Attn: Ralph Buxton.
UTAH
NORTH CAROLINA KITTY HAWK KITES, INC., - P.O. Box 386, Nags Head, N.C. 27959 (919) 441-6247. Learn to fly safely over soft sand dunes through gentle Atlantic breezes a few miles south of where the Wright Brothers learned to fly. Beginner/Novice packages and ratings available daily. Complete inventory of new gliders, accessories an parts in stock. SCOTT'S MARINE, INC. - Complete Ultralight certification program. Lessons, parts, repairs for Manta, Moyes, Wills Wing, Soarmaster, Pterodactyl, manufacturers of Pfledge Pfloats. Scott Lambert, 226 Old Statesville Ave., P.O. Box 339, Huntersville, NC 28078 (704) 875-9486.
INFINITY FLIGHT SYSTEMS, INC. - Utah's largest and most experienced Hang Gliding School. USHGA cer· tified instruction from first day to mountain thermalling using helmet radios and video tape. Complete accessories, repairs and rentals. 898 So. 900 E., SLC, Utah 84102. (80 I) 359-SOAR.
STARTING A HANG GLIDING BUSINESS!! For a complete line of gliders, parts and accessories contact: LEADING EDGE AIR FOILS, INC. 331 South 14th St., Colo. Spgs., Colo. 80904 (303) 632-4959.
WASATCH WINGS INC. - Salt Lake's Hang Gliding Center. Located minutes from the Point of the Mountain. Featuring a fully-stocked repair shop, USHGA Instructors, 2-way radios, lessons beginning to advanced, new training gliders, pilot accessories and glider sales and rentals. 700 East 12300 South, Draper, UT 84020 (801) 571-4044.
Parts & Accessories CAR TOP HANG GLIDER RACK - Designed for strength, portability, convenience. Custom-built, attaches to rain gutters. Attractive weather resistant anodized aluminum frame. Foam rubber padded, high roof clearance. Easy assembly. Send $85 (postage included) to: Superior Rack Inc., P.O. Box 65, Oceanside, NY l 1572. Include name, address, and measurement distance between rain gutters. Allow 6-8 weeks delivery. New York residents add 7% sales tax.
WASHINGTON PENNSYLVANIA SKY SAILS LTD Hang Gliding School. USHGA certified instructors. 1630 Lincoln Ave., Williamsport, PA 17701. (717) 326-6686 or 322-8866. TENNESSEE AIR-POWER INC. - Dealer for most motorized ultralite aircraft. Certified instruction. 3832 Guernsey, Memphis, Tenn. 38122. (901) 324-8922. MID-SOUTH HANG GLIDERS - Mid South's only factory authorized representative for: Manta, UP, Bennett. Comet, Fledge II - in stock! Phil and Oliver. Shop: (901) 526-0790. 454-1706 anytime. 382 Washington, Memphis, TN 38 l 05. Dealerships available. TEXAS ELECTRA-FL YER
DISTRIBUTORS.
South
Mid-
CAPITOL CITY GLIDERS - New & used glider sales, accessories, service. Owner, instructor Jim Brown. (206) 786-9255, (206) 456-6333, Lacey, WA. FAIR WINDS INTERNATIONAL is the exclusive Ultralite Products dealer in the Northwest. Comet, Condor in stock. Some good used gliders also. l 302 Kings Place, Bainbridge ls., WA 98110. Call evenings, (206) 842-3971 Lyon McCandless, (206) 842-4970 Ken Godwin.
International Schools & Dealers SUNRISE COUNTRY INC. - Distributor Japan: Manta, Pacific Kites, Delta Wing, Flight Designs, Odyssey, Litek, Hall Bros., Ball Varies, Altimaster, Quick-N-Easy. l 104 Rekku Shibakoan 2/l l/13. Shibakoan Minatoku Tokyo 105 JAPAN. Tel. 03/433/0063.
~ 11de\ t£4di ;__,, "-':' _···_c_::-...:..--~-2
-----------------------------,
USHGA CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING ORDER FORM I I 30 cents per word, $3.00 minimum. I
(phone numbers -
2 words, P.O. Box -
1 word)
I
Photos - $10.00. I Deadline, 20th of the month six weeks before the cover date of the I issue in which you want your ad (i.e. March 20, for the May issue).I Payment for first three months required in advance. Please enter my classified ad as follows:
I I I I
-----------------------1 I -----------------------1 I
-.·@_·~_~.-
Which One For You ... Powered Hang Glider Or Gyrocopter? COMPARE
Powered Hing Glider
Bensen Gyrocopter
YES YES NO
Can II stall? NO Would ,t sp,n? NO Does 11 ma1nta1n control at zero YES airspeed? Is 11 sensitive lo wind gusts? NO YES NO Does 11 land comfortably crossYES wind and downwind? NO w,11 II lly comfortably ,n a strong YES wind? For more enioyable recreal1ona1 flying. your choice should be the Bensen Gyro
no doubl aboul 11 1 Not only 1s the gyro easy 10 fly
It's easy to build and maintain Send $10 for Specs
11 9 tv~:~y~ o~e1!~~h: 2f&{~1nRse~~ flying Manuals. then say .. gcxxtbye·
-ee:SEN- - . . - - - - -- - .__s_1oo_t_oo_ay._to--------'~ ~~~iEss-_-=-- - = ==-----==--_______....., to dull weekends Send $10 or
I
; .. AIRCRAFT CORP .. O.pt. HG-61- - """"-.-. PO BOX 31047 Ralergh. NC 27612
Number of words: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ @ .30 Section (please circle) Rogallos Schools and Dealers Emergency Chutes
Rigid Wings Business Opportunities Publications & Organizations
Ultralight Powered Flight Miscellaneous Begin with _ _ __ 19 _ _ _ _ issue and run for ____ consecutive issue(s). My check _ _ money order _ _ is enclosed in the amount of1
$
I I I
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HANG GLIDING
I
WHAT IS A TRll<E? A trike is a self-coniained motorized landin\J ucar that attaches to the keel of the glider. The primary advantage of this arrangement is that the cage is
THE STANDARD PP-106 IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR YOU PRONE FLYERS. THE PP-106 WEIGHS LESS THAN 30 LBS. AND HAS BEEN ATTACHED TO MOST U.S. GLIDERS, AS WELL AS MANY OVEF!SEAS MODELS. SOARMASTER SUPPLIES PROPELLERS FOR MANY POWER SYSTEMS. JUST SPECIFY YOUR FlEQUIREIVIENTS PF!OPS ARE ALUM.
IP I
connected just as a pilot would be,
IRI
allowing the conversion from hanq glider to qlidcr in a matter of minutes.
tlln cage moves abou1
the control bar as a pilot would in a standard hang glider harness, a rigid seating arrangement allows the pilot
to buckle . in securely . FEATURES OF THE Tf~IKE: Folds down for easy transport Easy hook-up to hang {Jlider 1 bolt
,. ,. O)l
,. e "
Sot up to glider takes only 3 mint1tes Steerablo nose wheel
IN
Largo 1U" whoels on roar axle Standard single Chrysler with 2 carburetors Standard 1.2 gallon uas tank Optional additional uas tanl< (1.2 yal.) Optional twin Chrysler enginos
P.O. BOX 4207 SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. 85258 TEL (602) 948-7494
* Wob seat with safoty belts
Leave it to l<.itty Howl, Kites to be the first to tohe the out of a new hong perform the woy I've beE..•n led to believe it will"> "Will thot new Does it predictobly to light control Does it hove the low sinl, rote and brood range I'm expecting> Are launch and landing chorocreristics docile or unnerving">" Worries lihe these con mol,e buying a new hong glider a nightmore. Gut not any more. Read the text of our new JO-day glider from us you hove JO o new will do everything we say it will, or you con for another model. We con offer this new l,ind of ,,,..··uni.,c, we hnow what our will do ond because of the of the bronds we stal,e our lt::"IJUIUIIUI For rnore information ond brochure write
J40HG HEAD, N.C 27959 441-6247 or 441-7575
PROPELLERS - All sizes. Wood, beech, birch, maple. Buy the best. Factory direct. Southern Propeller Corp., 1114 Hinson Ave., Haines City, FL (813) 422-2335.
PATCHES & DECALS - USHGA sew-on emblems 3" dia. Full color - $1. Decals, 3'h'' dia. Inside or outside application. 25~ each. Include 15~ for postage and handling with each order. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.
Emergency Parachutes
SECRETS OF THE KASPER WING REVEALED! Complete patent drawings and full details on the only wing capable of safe and controlled flight at zero airspeed. $7.00 to A.C.E. Press, Box 2785, Winston-Salem, NC 27102.
NEW RAPID DEPLOYMENT B.U.S. FLY AWAY CONTAINER SYSTEM is the world's newest, fastest and most reliable system. By the originators of hang gliding parachutes. Bill Bennett Delta Wing Kites & Gliders, Inc., P.O. Box 483, Van Nuys, CA 91408 (213) 787-6600, telex no. 65-1425. ODYSSEY has 24' & 26' emergency parachutes for the hang gliding pilot. Lightweight and inexpensive. Dealer inquiries welcome. Don't fly without us! Send for free details. Odyssey, Box 299, Amherst, MA O1002.
TEE-SHIRTS with USHGA emblem $5.50 including postage and handling. Californians add 6% tax. Men's sizes S,M,L,XL. BLUE/ORANGE. USHGA, P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066. TORREY PINES 1979. Text by Don Betts. Photos by Bettina Gray. Pictorial review of hang gliding at Torrey Pines.
TYPE: UP 149 Firefly 2B. SAIL PATTERN: White sail with yellow, orange, brown tips. WHERE AND WHEN: Potrero Hill at 18th and Connecticut in San Francisco, Oct. 26, 1980. CONTACT: Christina Walsh, 426 Bartlett #4, SF, CA 94110 (415) 285-4516.
NORTHERN SUN INC. The industry's most experienced rigid wing builders, offers all custom built rigid wings at discount prices. Also dealer for all major factory built powered ultra-lights. Our Powered Training Course is designed and taught by pilots experienced in both conventional aircraft and Powered Ultralights. This comprehensive course includes techniques in reading and understan-
ding sectionals, FAR's, micrometeorology, and even float
SOLO FLIGHT - Wisconsin's first Ultralight Airport/Campground, is now open. Fly the scenic \Xlisconsin Dells area. Campground has complete facilities. Group discounts. Solo Flight, Rt. 2 Box 127B, Lyndon Station, WI 53944. (608) 666-3261. THE HANG GLIDER SHOP - New & used powered Quicksilvers by Eipper. Lessons & complete parts and repairs. For more details contact us at 1351 S. Beach Blvd., La Habra, CA 90631 (213) 943-1074. ULTRASPORT, INC. - Dealers for Eipper, Quicksilver, and Pterodactyl fledglings. Our only business is power. Call or write for further free information. UltraSport, Inc., 12780 Pierce #14, Pacoima, CA 91331. (213) 896-1805.
Miscellaneous BUILD YOUR OWN GLIDER PLANFORM COLOR SCHEME, all colors in reusable and rearrangable adhesive strips. A must for custom color buyers. See what it looks like first with Delta Wing kit, $5.00. Bill Bennett, Delta Wing Kites & Gliders, Inc., P.O. Box 483, Van Nuys, CA 91408. (213) 787-6600. Bumper Stickers - "HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR HANG GLIDER TODAY?" White wlblue letters. $1.40 each (includes postage). P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066. CUSTOM EMBROIDERED PATCHES. Made to suit your design. Order as little as one piece. Any size, shape, colors. Hein Specialties, Inc., Dept. E205, 4202 N. Drake, Chicago, IL 60618. METAL LICENSE PLATE FRAMES- "I'D RATHER BE HANG GLIDING." White lettering on a blue background. $4.50 including postage and handling. Californians add 6% tax. USHGA, Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066. OUT-O'SIGHT SAIL-0-MATIC MIDNIGHT FLYER - The hottest new flying toy to come along since the frisbie! 20/1 L.D. 15 to 20" span, 15 minutes to build, hours of flying fun! Complete plans and drawings. $2.00. A.C.E. Press, Box 2785 Winston-Salem, NC 27102.
50
must be received in writing l 1/, months preceding the cover date, i.e., Jun. 20 for the Aug. issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA: Classified Advertising Dept., HANG GLIDING MAGAZINE, Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.
TYPE: 1978 Seagull Sehawk 190. WHERE AND WHEN: Carson City, NV. SAIL PATTERN: Keel out; white, It. blue, dk. blue, blue leading edge. CONTACT: High Sierra Hang Gliders, Box 865, Carson City, NV 89701.
Ultralight Powered Flight
69 POWERED ULTRALIGHTS - Directory with photos & details, $6.95. Aerofun, Box M-9, Salida, CA 95368.
copy, instructions, changes, additions and cancellations
TYPE: 190 Antares. SAIL PATTERN: Keel out - black, brown, gold, yellow, white, white, black tips. Black leading edges. DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Bow Sprit, silver down tubes, black base tube. WHERE AND WHEN: My yard, Elsinore, Sept. 20, 1980. CONTACT: Jesston Turner (714) 678-1612. Reward.
SOARING - Monthly magazine of The Soaring Society of America Inc. Covers all aspects of soaring flight. Full membership $20. Info kit with sample copy $2.00. SSA, P.O. Box 66071, Los Angeles, CA 90066.
certification cards. For more details, contact us at : 628 W. Larpe)lteur Ave., St. Paul, MN 55113 (612) 489-8300.
The rate for classified advertising is 30¢ per word (or group of characters). Minimum charge, $3.00. A fee of $5. is charged for each photograph. Art discount for display ads does not apply to classifieds. AD DEADLINES - All ad
center of sky blue panel. CONTACT: Jesston Turner (714) 678-1712.
Publications & Organizations
and ski use. Upon completion of course, students receive
40 pages of photos, maps, flying regulations, and history of the area. Excellent booklet for those who have only heard of Torrey Pines. Booklet can also be purchased at site. $2. 50 each (encl. pstg.). USHGA, P.O. Box 66306-HG, Los Angeles, Calif. 90066.
TYPE: Harrier #6227, White, blue leading edge. Novice Raven #4822. Red leading edge, center out: red, orange, gold, yellow, white. Comet #165463. White, yellow double surface on top, orange on bottom, Gold leading edge. WHERE AND WHEN: Wills Wing, March 1981. CONTACT: Wills Wing, 1208-H E. Walnut, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 547-1344. TYPE: 179 Raven. Purple keel and leading edge. Center out: Blue, green, yellow, orange, red, white. WHERE AND WHEN: Cerritos, CA March 14, 1981. $100 reward. CONTACT: William Rickles (415) 332-3992 or Lakewood Police Station (213) 866-9061 File #481-07950-1312-696. TYPE: Wills SST 100B. Center out: Dk. blue, It. blue, yellow, orange, white tips. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: No control bar, duck tape on left leading edge, Eipper quick releases. WHERE AND WHEN: March 19, 1981 at Motel 6 on 3100 block of SE Powell Blvd., Portland, OR. CONTACT: Jim Wiley, Redmond, WA (206) 883-4336 or (206) 258-3372. $100 reward. TYPE: Atlas less battens and washout tubes. WHERE AND WHEN: Home March 2, 1981. SAIL PATTERN: All red with white double surface and white leading edges. DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Spliced keel, mylar leading edges, resewn panels and trailing edge. CONTACT: Michael Skito, 8561-L Villa La Jolla Dr., La Jolla, CA (714) 452-7179. Reward. TYPE: 114 Olomana. White, one blue one black leading edge. TYPE: Hawaiian Puao. White sail, orange leading edges. Pentagon patch. TYPE: Black kite with gold leading edges. TYPE: Two bird kite prototypes. CONTACT: Ray Hook, 4190 Pompano Dr., St. Pete, FLA 33705 (813) 898-1891. Reward. TYPE: 215 Alpha. SAIL PATTERN: Keel out - sky blue, yellow, green, orange, red, white tips. Red leading edges. DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Big red star on
TYPE: Orange Cloudbase harness #118 with orange Odyssey chute. White bell helmet and instamatic camera. CONTACT: Gary Maddox, 2714 Murtresboro Rd. #118, Antioch, TN 37013. (615) 367-2441. TYPE: SST lOOB. WHERE AND WHEN: Sloan, Nevada, 15 miles south of Las Vegas. SAIL PATTERN: Dk. blue keel, It. blue, yellow, white tips. Yellow bag. CONTACT: Mark A. Sevilla, 1900 E. Tropicana #42, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109. (702) 798-7821. TYPE: Atlas. WHERE AND WHEN: July 15, 1980. Rutland, Vermont. SAIL PATTERN: White sail, blue tips. CONTACT: J.J. Lamarche, Box 644, Proctor, Vt. 05765. (802) 438-5789. TYPE: Raven. WHERE AND WHEN: Cantamar, Mexico. SAIL PATTERN: Center out: dk. blue, red, orange, yellow, white. CONTACT: Rod Newton, Box 3009, Chula Vista, CA 9201. TYPE: Eipper Quicksilver with Yamaha 100cc engine, #7F6 400813. SAIL PATTERN: dk. green, It. green, yellow, gold, blue, black. CONTACT: Ken Strong, 4875 Alondra Way, Carlsbad, CA 92008. (714) 729-7813. $1,000 reward. TYPE: Seagull 10.5 meter. WHERE AND WHEN: Fairfield, CA. July 1, 1980. SAIL PATTERN: From keel: white, yellow, orange, red. DISTINGUISHING PEA· TURES: Initials "M.S." on deflexor claws and battens. Base tube has clear PVC tubing on it. CONTACT: Solano County Sherill's Dept. TYPE: 1977 Seagull 10.5 Meter. WHERE AND WHEN: May 18, 1980, Dog Mt., WA. SAIL PATTERN: Black leading edges, black tips, black keel pocket. All other panels white. DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Two tubes had been replaced with new black anodized tubing. Bag was not stolen. CONTACT: John Elliott, 6549 24th Ave., NW, Seattle, WA 98117 (206) 783-4529.
TYPE: Seagull 10.5 Meter. SAIL PATTERN: Center out; light brown, dark brown, black, white, white leading edges. DISTINGUISHING PEA TURES: 1/8" side flying wires, yellow fairings. WHERE AND WHEN: April 26, 1980, Phoenix, AZ. CONTACT: U.S. Hang Gliders, 10250 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85021, 944-1655. $250 reward. As a service to the hang gliding community, HANG GLIDING Magazine publishes free information on stolen gliders. If your glider is missing, send us a complete description along with your address and phone number to: USHGA, Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066. New listings appear at the top of the column in bold.
HANG GLIDING
Altitude is • precious. Keep track of yours. Stop guessing your altitude. The Altimaster II will tell you at a glance, accurately and reliably. Knowing your altitude helps you make the right decisions; it makes your flying safer and more fun. Those are the real reasons to take an Altimaster II along with you.
Features • Lightweight, rugged and reliable Altimaster altimeters have been popular with hang glider pilots and skydivers for over 10 years.
• Mounts practically anywhere - on your wrist, your harness or your glider.
• Easy to read. Reads to 12,000 feet; needle sweeps second time around for higher altitudes. 1DO-foot increments below 1,000 feet. • Quickly adjusted to launch site elevation. • Compact. Actual size is 3 11 dia. x 1114 11 thick. • Resistant to dust and moisture.
·············~······················ Please send me an Altlmaster II. D Enclosed is my check or money order for $89.95. D Please charge my D Visa
D Mastercard Acct. H - - - - - c - c - ~ = - - - - c - Master Card Exp. Date _ _ _ Interbank H_ __ Signature - - - - - - - -
Name Address City _ _ _ _ State _ _ Zip _ _
Satisfaction Guaranteed. Return the Altimaster within two weeks of receipt for a complete refund .
...•••..•...........••••••••.•••••.• ,
{j){j){i) _______ ss_E_I_N_c_o_R_Po_RA __T_E_D______• ~ 5801 Magnolia Avenue • Pennsauken, NJ 08109 • (609) 663-2234