USHGA Hang Gliding August 1984 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

AUGUST 1984 $2.00

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PROMOTING HANG GLIDING IN AMERICA FOR OVER 10 YEARS I

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Volume 14

CONTENTS

Issue No. B

(USPS O17-970)

Features

Columns

18 The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Fund Raising

10 The Right Stuff by Dennis Pagen By Dennis Pagen? This month guest author Dennis enlightens us on a subject dear to eastern pilots - the tree landing.

by Erik Fair Although your Association managed to survive the recent financial crisis its reserves are drained ... and the slow season will soon be here.

17 Safety Forum

22 Thunder Surfing by Pete Bonifay The exciting story of a 35-mile flight on the leading edge of a storm.

Page22

33 Medicina A vi bus

26 Soaring In Thermal Lift (Continued)

by Fred Leonard, M.D. The role of stress in accidents is the topic of this month's column.

by Rich Pfeiffer with Maggie Rowe illustrations by Rod Stafford Rich and Maggie discuss more details on thermal formation and dissipation as well as techniques for locating and staying in the rising air.

Departments 4 Airmail 7 Update 7 Milestones

34 Good Day, Eh?

8 Calendar

article and photos by Mark Bourbonnais The story of a record-breaking 107-mile flight on the East Coast.

8 USHGA Reports 14 Competition Corner 38 Ratings And Appointments 43 Classified Advertising 46 Stolen Wings 46 Index To Advertisers

40 Hang Gliding InterviewsCarol V elderrain interview conducted by Gil Dodgen photo by Bettina Gray The USHGA's recently retired office manager talks about the history of the Association and its future. Page40 COVER: Robert Gillisse makes a pass over the point at Lookout Mt., Tennessee. Along the winding Tennessee River lies Chattanooga. Photo taken freehand by Erik Ringnes. CENTERSPREAD: Twenty-five miles from takeoff, Gary Brown soars over beautiful Sedona, Arizona. Photo by Gerald Whelpley. CONSUMER ADVISORY: Hang Gliding Magazine and USHGA, Inc., do not endorse or take any responsibility for the products advertised or mentioned editorially within these pages. Unless specifically explained, performance figures quoted in advertising are only estimates. Persons considering the purchase of a glider are urged to study HOMA standards. Copyright © United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc. 1984. All rights reserved to Hang Gliding Magazine and individual contributors. AUGUST 1984

by Russ Locke Russ kicks off a new feature for Hang Gliding by discussing a little-publicized danger - drowning in a hang glider.

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In an era when most 'gliders are so similar that it is often difficult to tell them apart, it's UP's attention to detail that makes the difference between the best and the also rans. Top test pilots, like Paul Robinson, spend hours refining details that show up on the UP production gliders so you can be sure of the best when you order a new wing. The UP COMET series by Ultralite

Products reflect those careful considerations that the UP design team incorporates in every 'glider that we build. At UP we know that the demands of competition are as varied as the conditions that our gliders are designed to fly in. That is why the new UP COMET 2 in three sizes, offers more tuning capability and performance options than any other 'glider in the world. The C-2's tip tensioners,

for example, allow the perceptive pilot to adjust his wing to compensate for the days flying. Whether it be a ridge soaring speed run, an XC task in crankin' midday thermals or asmooth evening glass-off, the COMET 2 beats them all. Need Speed? The C-2's optional fairings, trench connection, and insulated speedbar are the answer for the serious competition pilot.

More? Check with your UP dealer for the complete line of foot-launched soaring equipment, accessories and special flying hardware. Ultralite Products offers more value per dollar than any other wing in the skyt

SEND $2.00 FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON THE UP PRODUCT LINE

UP. INC. 28011 FRONT ST. , P. 0. BOX 659 TEMECULA , CA 92390 (714) 676 -5652

Gil Dodgen, Editor Janie Dodgen, Associate Editor, Production David Pounds, Design Consu//(fnt Leroy Grannis, Bettina Gray Staff Photographers

Erik Fair, Staff Writer Harry Marlin, Rod Stafford, !llt1strators Gretchen Niver, East Coast Correspondent

Office StaJJ: Amy Gray, Manager Majda Kassaseya, Ratings Mary Marks, Me1J1bership USHGA Officers: Steve Hawxhurst, President Dick Heckman, Vice President Hardy Snyman, Secretary Gary Hodges, Treasurer Executive Committee: Steve Hawxhurst Dick Heckman Hardy Snyman Gary Hodges USHGA Regional Directors: REGION I: Doug Hildreth, T. Michael Boyle. REGION 2: Russ Locke. Gary Hodges. REGION 3: Steve }lawxhurst. Bettina Gray. REGION 4: Jim ZeisL llob Thompson. REGION 5: Mike King. REGION 6: Ted Gilmore. REGION 7: Dean Batman.

REGION 8: Charles La Versa. REGION 9: William Richards. Vic: Ayers. REGlON 10: Dan Johnson.

Steve Coan. REGION 11: Hardy Snyman. REGION 12: Ken Zachara. Paul Rikert. 1984 DIRECTORSAT-LARGE: Dennis Pagen, Dick Heckman. Elinbclh Sharp. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTOR: (Wirh Vore) NATIONAL AERONAUTIC ASSOCIATION Evcrell Langworthy. HONORARY DIRECTORS (Without Vore) elected to 12/31184: llill Renne1t, Hugh Morton, Vic Powell, Mike Meier. The United States Hang

Gliding Association Inc., i.'i" a divi.~ion of 1he Nalional Aeronautic As,;ociation (NAA} which is the official U.S. representative of the Federation Aeronau1ique Jmrrnalionale (FA!), the world governing body for

sport aviation, The NAA, which represents Lhe U.S. al FAI Meetings, ha.s delegated to the USJ-IGA .;,upervisfon of FAl-related hang gliding aclivities such as re-cord attempts and compet'ttion sanctions. HANG GLIDING magazine is published for hang gliding sporl enthusiasts co creme further in1crcs1 in the sport, by a means of open communication and to advance hang gliding melllods and safet}'. Contributions are welcome. Anyone is invited to contribute articles, photos, and illustrations concerning

hang gliding ar.:civittes. If the materiaJ i.,: to he returned, a stamped, self-addressed return envelope must be enclosed. Notincalion must be made or submission to other hang gliding publicatiom. HANG GLIDING magazine reserves the right to edil contributions where necessary. The Association and publication do not assume responsibility for [he material or opinions of contributors. IIANG 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 localed a, 11423 Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90066; telephone (213) 390-3065. Second-class postage is paid at Los Angeles, Calif. HANG GLIDING magazine is printed by Sinclair Printing and Lithographers. The typesetting is provided by lsc fmprcssion-Typesctring Service, Buena Park, Calif. Color Separations are provided by Scanner House of Studio City, Calif. The · USHOA 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 nlglll, Dues for full membership are $29.50 per year ($32.50 for foreign addrc.5ses}: subscription rates arc $22.50 for one year, $40.00 for two years, $57.50 for three years. Changes of address should be sent six weeks in ad":ancc, including name, USHGA membership number, previous rind new address, and a mailing label from a recent issue.

POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: USHGA, P.O. llOX 66306, LOS ANGELES, CA 90066.

AUGUST 1984

AJRMAIL NIGHTMARE

Dear Editor, I had a nightmare the other clay that I want to share as it may help others be extra careful. I am a novice-rated pilot who has been flying Northern Idaho sites for two years now and I consider myself a careful pilot. I fly a 229 Raven, supine in a harness I made to withstand the worst punishment. Well, Thursday was a beautiful day. Wind was 10-15 mph out of the southwest which is perfect for our local 1,000' ridge. My wife and little girl came along to retrieve. I set up, did I my preflight and hooked in before walking clown to launch. I pulled on my strap to be sure I was hooked in, then I leveled wings and made a good takeoff. The lift was solid and I was going up nicely. I began a pass, felt a thermal and then it happened! All of a sudden my harness straps went slack. I had time to hug the belly bar to my chest but I was speeding toward some very tall trees. I knew I didn't have more than a minute and no room to throw my chute. I moved to the right side of the bar and put her into a turn. I knew my only chance was to try to hit a very steep clearing below launch. I lowered myself to arms length, straightened out and sped toward that beautiful clear spot of mountain. I let go when about 15' up and going about 20 mph. I hit hard when I hit! My wife came running and helped me up. The first thing on my mind was what happened? We discovered that my secondary strap had come apart and that the main one was intact. I thought back and clearly remember putting both in the carabiner but somehow the main strap had come out before I lockeel the gate. That was my first mistake. The second was not looking to be doubly sure I was hooked in properly. My third mistake was to trust my life to someone else's knot. A pilot friend had tied my secondary tubular webbing in a grape vine knot a year before. When I found it all that was left was

an overhand knot on one side. I had snapped one plastic buckle from my leg strap on impact along with spraining both ankles, both knees and one hip. It's now a week later and I am getting around alright but I feel lucky to be alive. I know I'll be much more careful in the future and I hope my experience can inspire others to make extra sure, because it can happen to anyone.

makes more sense therefore to study the data for the 1974 to 1978 period. Notwithstanding the above mentioned qualifications, if one uses the data providecl by Metropolitan Life, the following accident rates can be calculated for that period:

Harold Holloway Bonners Ferry, ID

Rank Sport

ACCIDENT ST A TISTICS

Dear Editor, Richard Cobb asks whether someone could provide safety statistics for hang gliding which show that is safer than rock climbing or skydiving. (Letter to the Editor, June 1984.) One source I can direct him to is the Statistical Bulletin of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Volume 60, No. 3, dated July-September 1979. To the best of my knowledge these arc the best data that are available on the subject, and if anyone knows of more recent data or data from other sources I would much appreciate their letting me know, either through this column or direct to me at the address below. Although these are the best data available they have significant shortcomings for a variety of reasons. First, they are estimates, although they are based on the best information available. Second, they are out of date. Much has changed in hang gliding safety, and presumably for the better, since the period covered by these data. The data provided are the number of deaths in the sports covered during the years 1970 to 1978, along with an estimate of the number of participants in each sport as of 1978. There were very few hang gliding fatalities before 1974 because hardly anyone was doing it, so the data for that period are meaningless in the absence of some data for the number of participants. It

Sports Fatalities in the United States - 1974 to 1978 Deaths per 100,000 participants/year

l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Rate

Professional stunting ........ 500 Air show, air racing, aerobatics ................. 429 Flying home built aircraft .... 381 Thoroughbred horse racing ... 190 Sport parachuting ........... l 79 Ballooning ................. 142 Professional acrobats ........ 111 Power boat racing ........... 83 Hang gliding ................ 77 Mountaineering ............. 57 Amateur scuba diving ........ 47 Professional boxing ......... .45 Soaring ..................... 37 Spelunking .................. 6 Ice yachting .................. 4 Bicycle racing ................ 3 Ski racing .................... 2 Football (high school college pro) .................. 1 Rodeo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Professional free-style skiing ... 0 Bob-sledding ................. 0

Those are the data for 1974 to 1978. However, of all the sports included above it is doubtful that the safety record of any other sport has improved as much as hang gliding. Hang gliding was new in 1974. Technological clevelopments of which we are all well aware should have made our sport much safer now than in the days of "2 by 4's and plastic, only worth launching in 40 mph plus". We do know that United States fatalities have dropped from around 40 per year in 1974 to 1976 to about ten per year in the past two years. The number of participants has declined also, however. The number in the table showing a hang gliding fatali-

HANG GLIDING

AIRMAIL ty rate of 77 is derived using the midpoint of Metropolitan Life's estimate of the number of participants in 1978 (20,000 to 60,000). If we calculate the current fatality rate by assuming, to take a number, 20,000 active hang glider pilots then it comes out at 50. I hope that these data go some way to assist your correspondent in assessing the relative safety of hang gliding. But perhaps the most illuminating number to consider is the fatality rate to which everyone, willingly and without a thought, exposes themselves when they get into their automobile and drive it out of the driveway. If we suppose that about half of the U.S. population drives a car (almost half are too young and there are some others who are old enough but choose not to); let's say 100 million, when we combine this with the 50,000 highway fatalities each year we come out with a fatality rate of 50. What should we conclude from this? Maybe we should conclude that we should take as much care about the way we drive as we do about the way we fly. Rodney Nicholson Safety Director Ontario Hang Gliding Association 225 Davisville Ave., Apt. 2217 Toronto M4S 169 Ontario Canada CLOUDS AND VERTIGO

Dear Editor, I read Carl Down's article on vertigo with great interest (May issue). I am not altogether surprised that he was surprised. I have found that many hang glider pilots are very skeptical when told that flying in clouds without proper instruments is dangerous. They simply do not believe that it can be so bad. I have written articles in Wings! and a book "Air Medical Notes for Hang Glider Pilots," in which I have carefully explained the hazards. One piece of advice I would offer is not to rely on a magnetic compass for cloud flying. There is only one instrument that will AUGUST 1984

get you out of real trouble in a cloud and that is a turn and slip indicator a gyro instrument. Unless you have a glider that will get itself out of a mess when you let go, no other instrument will do. If you still are in doubt try this. Sit in a revolving chair and close your eyes. Turn yourself around with your feet for about half a minute, then stop. You know that you are stationary but you will feel that you are turning in the opposite direction. Open your eyes. Even with your eyes open you will still feel that you are turning. Try the experiment again with your head resting sideways on one shoulder. When the rotation stops lift your head upright. Be careful, you may fall off the chair. Dustan Hadley Medical Advisor British Hang Gliding Assn.

HANG GLIDING HISTORY

Dear Editor, I enjoyed the article by Bill Liscomb, "The First Hang Gliding Meet" very much. It brought back many happy memories to this "old timer" who is still lurking on the fringes of hang gliding and searching the sky everytime I drive past a flying site. I think Bill is correct when he says he is the only person still actively flying hang gliders who was present at that first meet. I have been flying my "hang balloon" (Hangstat) for as many years now as I flew hang gliders before (six years each). But I have maintained my USHGA membership #7 and I'm always surprised every time I see a high membership number and I can't help but remember the club's beginning in the sail loft Dick Eipper worked for. Long live the Peninsula Hang Glider club! The first hang gliding meet was something which can never be repeated again and all of the people who came into the sport afterwards missed out on an experience they can never obtain.

Bill mentions the truck they rented to transport their Hang Loose to the flying site, but what I remember was the laughter that rippled across the hillside when we saw the fullyassembled "Imperial Engine Works Special" bi plane being unloaded from a large truck. I'm glad we didn't have to stay with that method of transportation! I agree that Richard Miller's "Conduit Condor" pointed the way to the future of hang gliding. It served as the inspiration for my Sky Sail which as far as I know was destroyed in the San Diego Aerospace Museum fire. The Sky Sail had the planform of today's gliders but I made the mistake of designing it as a rigid wing. If I had had the foresight to make it semi-rigid the present day designs could have moved forward four or five years. Another factor in design acceptance in those days was that most people loved the simplicity and light weight (35-40 lbs.) of the standard Rogallo. It was great, except we eventually found out that the disadvantages far outnumbered the advantages. Some day all of us who still have a "standard" lurking in the garage should meet at a 100-foot hill, fly, and drink a toast to all of those who have helped advance the technology of hang gliding. What will the next thirteen years bring. So Bill, I'm glad you're still racking up the soaring hours and giving vicarious enjoyment to those of us who have dropped out along the way. While I'm on this nostalgia kick I want to wish Carol Velderrain all the best and thank her for a job well done. Carol did a lot to help the efforts of the infant USHGA and its predecessors. Carol and Russ were also welcome additions to many of the early flying meets. Every once in a while I still meet someone who learned to fly in a Velderrain "kite." Frank Colver USHGA #7 Costa Mesa, CA

1985 REGIONAL DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS SOLICITED USHGA is issuing its ninth annual call for nominations to the National Board of Directors. Eleven positions are open for election in November, 1984 for a two-year term beginning January 1, 1985. USHGA members seeking a position on the ballot should send to headquarters for receipt no later than September 15, 1984 the following information: name and USHGA number, photo and resume (one page containing the candidate's hang gliding activities and viewpoints, written consent to be nominated and that they will serve if elected). Candidates must be nominated by at least three USHGA members residing in the candidate's region. Nominations are needed in the following regions. The current Directors are listed and their term expires December 31, 1984. Ballots will-be distributed with the November issue of Hang Gliding magazine. USHGA needs the very best volunteers to help guide the safe development and growth of the sport. Forward candidate material for receipt no later than September 15 to: USHGA, P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

REG.#

1 2 3 4 7

CURRENT DIRECTOR

STATES WITHIN REGION

8 9

Doug Hildreth Gary Hodges Bettina Gray Bob Thompson Dean Batman Bob Collins Vic Ayers

Oregon, Washington, Alsaska Northern California, Nevada Southern California, Hawaii Arizona, Colorado, El Paso, Texas, New Mexico, Utah Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont Washington, D.C., Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia

Steve Coan

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands

Paul Rikert

New York, New Jersey

The following form is for your convenience.

REGIONAL DIRECTOR ELECTION, NOMIN.ATION FORM

I hereby n o m i n a t e - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (Please print name, address and phone number)

as a candidate for Regional Director for Region # ___ . I understand that his/her name will be placed on the Official Ballot for the 1984 Regional Director Election, if three nominations are received by September 15, 1984.

I have notified the above person and he/she has accepted the nomination. N a m e - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - USHGA # _ _ _ _ _ _ Region# _ _ _ _ __ Mail to: Elections, c/o USHGA, P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

Got any old around your garage or back seven or years or older? you do, now's your chance to it out of mothballs and spruce it up.

in ends at the ocean, then turn

mote historical <H'1FWf'•f'1~ lion of our sport; fun social! We'd really like to who have been involved in

al $1 and one,year warranty. Contact: Don 6433 Karlen Road, Rome, NY 13440.

Midwest Motor Glider Supplies an· nounces of a new remote pressure gauge for The cylinder mounts on the rear of a vehicle and !he pressure gauge is hood·mountcd means of a base, The pressure gauge is 4.5 inches in diameter and comes calibrated for easy for recommended tow pressure. The remote pressure gauge is $130. Also offered is com·· hardware for the enthusiast. A free is available from: Midwest Motor Glider 2638 Roberts, Waukegan, Illinois 60087 (312) 244··0529 after 8:00 PM CST.

and "'~"'"'"" Energy its line of harness options. Thermal/R is elaimed to be the most efficient ther· ma! insulation available. to and government reports l /2" of Thinsulate is to achieve 1he sarne warmth value as 1/25" of Thcrmal/R. On to basis Thcrmal/R is twice as warm as thinsulatc. Contact: Energy W. 2nd St., Santa Ana, c:alifornia 92703 (714) 186.

or (818) 988,01 Don Boardman, 111:..,"""'' efforts of of voice switch for use with the Radio Shack five··Wat! hand held CB Radio. The

Come on out and The Annual held on March lO was another success of very was raised to benefit the Youth and Community

switched from receive to transmit. The voicc··activatcd operation of the CB radio a pilot to with full··timc hands-on control. The unit is compact and It fits conveniently on the left side of the radio and docs not interfere with any of the radio's standard features. for the VOX is pro·· mounted, vided 9-volt switch is

landed near Chestnut Mountain in flown 104 miles from I .ookont Mountain.

Mountains,

1984

landed near Gainesville.

said. closest to me flew about 50 miles and then ran out of lift. The New

ALIG. Meeting ol' the Ladies International Pilots Society, Morningside Flight Park, Claremont, New Hamp·

shire. SEPT. l<l. Seventh Annual 94 ROCK/Free Spirit !JC, Festival. Draht Hill, NY. $1,000 purse. Team and open classes, beginner to acf.

vanced, demos) tact: Free Spirit, Elmira, NY 14902.

ConBox 13,

SFPT. 1·9. U.S. Nationals, Crestline, World and

classes,

format.

Walt Dodge (714)

SEPT. 10·16. Telluride Hang Festival, 150 pilots. to: Tellnridc Air

Force, Box 456, Telluride, CO 81435 (303) 728-4759.

SEPT. 12, l 6. International Gliding Film Festival, St. du Touvet, FRAN('!'. Coutacl: 38720 Saint·Hilairc du Touvct, lei. (76) 08,33,99.

OCT. 29th Annual Air· craft Owucrs and Pilots Association (AOPA) convcn lion and exhibit, Hashvillc, TN. Contact: Stephen R. llasscll (301) 695 2160.

OCT. 6·8. Scvcuth Annual University of Lowell· Morningside Int ercollcgiatc llang Gliding Meet, Morn· ingside Park, Claremont, Beginner to ad·

vanced and open nlumni class. Camping. Contact: Bill Blood, of Lowell Haug Ciliding I University Avenue, Lowell, MA 018.54 (617) 452·5000, X 2477.

Smith's

NOV. in. DEC. 16,17: Never Fly

niversary of the Brothers first flight. Contact: Katherine Martin (919) 441 -4124 or (800) 334-4777 1011 free outside of North Carolina.

PM. Flying way of""""''"" Palm and Desert Hot Steve his 160 Streak at altitudes up to 16,000 feet to land Vi hours later near ,anders, north of Yucca Valley. still at 9,000 feet batteries went dead and rather than chance it miles of to lhe he came down. On his tail were Glen 180 Streak and 160 Palms.

Mountain cxhibi tion team rccen Ily took off on one of their and air gave them such a lift that each of the three landed in a dif fcrcnt stat c. father

miles when he launched at Mountain and flew to Rutherfordton, worldwide as an second in the World in Germany last

We have

received word from the

in and Stewart Smith flew furthest of all t ()

and

Memorial Day, May 28, 1984, rnembers Steve Glen Volk, Windsor set San

Airworthiness meet the cri· teria of Part 103 and have been of. ficially

by them. This is

HANG

JDJNG

UPDATE what we have been waiting to hear and it helps buttress our contention that self-regulation of hang gliding has been working all along and will continue to do so. By now many of you have probably heard of the Congressional hearings on ultralight regulation. There were many things said that we didn't like to hear. It appears that pressure is mounting within Congress to push FAA to increase the federal role in regulating ultralights. We are about to get crushed in this movement because, under Part 103, we are also ultralights. There are to be new hearings in October (which is the second anniversary of Part 103) to determine how well the present situation is working and what additional steps are needed, if any. We need to get working now to head off as much additional regulation as possible. The first thing that we need to do is to make sure that as many pilots as possible are participants in our pilot rating program. After all, which would your rather have, the existing rating program administered by pilots for pilots, or be required to earn a new FAA license, administered by a GADO that doesn't know what a hang glider is. The second thing we all need to do is be sure that we put our USHGA member number on the keel of our glider and send a description of the glider (including make, mode, year, and serial number) to the USHGA office. Our glider registration program is a very simple one. It will be of value to everyone in facilitating the location of stolen gliders. I guarantee that if, come October, we can't show a good number of gliders registered, somebody will be pushing the FAA to make us register them with some Government agency and put one-foot letters on the wing. Finally, we need to get off our respective duffs and write our congressmen and Senators and tell them that hang gliders should not be tarred with the same brush as powered ultralights. That we have excellent safety programs which have been in place for years. That hang gliders are operationally a

AUGUST l984

different animal than powered ultralights and never should have been included in the same category as powered ultralights. (After all sailplanes and single engine airplanes are recognized as different categories.) Explain that hang gliders are limited in range and are generally operated in fairly remote areas because of our topography requirements. Stress our recent safety record which shows internationally that hang gliding is one of the safest forms of sport aviation. The hearings this October will be held by the House Subcommittee on Transportation, Aviation and Materials, chaired by Dan Glickman, KS. He and the other members of the subcommittee should also get a copy of whatever you send to your individual

congressman. Here are the other members of the subcommittee: Tom Harkins, IA; Mervyn Dymally, CA; Albert Gore, TN; Richard Ottinger, NY; Michael Andrews, TX; William Carney, NY; Sherwood Boehlert, NY; Alfred McCandless, CA. Remember, the FAA was surprised at all the mail they got on Part I 03, and it made them screen what they were proposing pretty carefully. We are in potentially more trouble now because in a congressional hearing, emotionalism can play a greater part in the results. Don't wait for somebody else to do it. Remember, after the hearing is over may be too late. Get your licks in now and then hit them again if you don't like the result of the hearing.

WE WANT YOUR WINCS! DON'T WAIT TO SELL YOUR OLD GLIDER.

TRADE IN CLIDERS For New ones At

ALL MAJOR BRANDS AVAILABLE Call 919-441-4124 For Details P 0. BOX 340 • NAGS HEAD, N.C. 27959

THE ~GHT STUFF

Weu,

uhhh . .. I asked for it. Here it is: Please welcome Mr. Dennis Pagen to his first guest spot in this fine column. Clappa Clappa Clappa Clappa! Erik Fair Well folks, there I was, lying on a futon drinking pomegranate nectar, nibbling on birdseed and reading How To Improve Your Wingloading by Karen Carpenter while five diaphanously clad nubile nymphs administered my daily massage, when the phone rang. Needless to say, I resent being disturbed during such important moments, especially by crackpots. Nevertheless, I picked up the phone and answered as politely as possible, "Yeah, whattaya want?" The reply came long distance over a bad connection, but here's what I made out: "Uhhh ... this is Airwreck Fear calling from the Los Angeles area and I got a problem." "Of course you do," I replied, "which one is it, polluted lungs, earthquake nightmares, freeway dementia, or just plain cerebellum burnout?" "No, no, it's nothing like that," he objected, "You see, I write this monthly column called The Right Stuff. .. " Immediately I formed an image of a 5'4" swarthy little character in a Hawaiian shirt and art deco sunglasses with a dangling wrist and a cute walk who wrote articles on poultry preparation, sofa refurbishing or the John Birch Society. He assured me that none of the above was correct, then explained that The Right Stuff was a series of hang gliding articles. At that point I knew he was definitely a bit short-circuited, with a name that sounds like an aerial demolition derby and a monthly column about screaming through the sky with the control bar pulled to the knees.

"But I am interested in birches," he continued, "and pines and oaks and maples or whatever trees ya got. See, I want to write about tree landing but have never had the experience." "You mean you don't have trees in Southern California?" I questioned. "Oh we got trees, for sure, but they're all redwoods up to 200 feet tall and, well uh, that's kind of high and, um, I'm more of what you might call a terrain cruiser.'' That explained why he was such an expert on bar stuffing, but I didn't want to press the issue and embarrass the poor fellow, so I asked, "Why you calling me?" "Well," he said, "I hear you have experience in these matters." "What, me land in a tree?! How absurd." It was my turn to hem and haw around as he finally got me to admit that yes, I may have "eaten pine" once, a long time ago. Well, maybe twice ... OK, OK, three or was it four times? The

truth was out that I had gained considerable bushwacking experience in the early years and actually wrote my first article on tree landing in the May 1975 issue of Hang Gliding. At that point he got cagey as he said with an oily voice, "Now you wouldn't want the world to know that you logged so much tree time would you?" "What are you gettin' at, Mr. Fear?" I responded. Well, we struck a deal. I would teach him how to land in trees in turn for him keeping quiet about my past. Immediately I dismissed my eager maidens, grabbed a piece of foolscrap and set to the task. r delivered a ghost-written article on tree landing in two days. I also delivered this letter to the editor in case Mr. Fear decided to play dirty. If you, dear reader, are in fact reading this, you will know that he did me wrong. You may also conclude that I will be on my way to California to teach little ol' Airwreck a personal tree landing lesson from the ground up. THE ART OF NOT LANDING IN TREES Any budding pilot with a minimum amount of free ranging hormones in his or her system wants to be a complete birdman. To be a birdman you have to emulate the birds, right? Don't the birds land in trees 90% of the time? Unless you've been gluing too many model airplanes, you can already see where this argument is heading. But you 're forgetting one thing; even the scraggly old buzzard has a pair of effective clasping feet that put our human counterparts to shame when judged on the basis of branch-clingability. The above points out our major message: tree landing is dangerous for two

HANG GLIDING

reasons: First, a great number or tree are tree crashes. contact with tree can result in bruises, breaks, ruptures and punctures to both and tree branches present an elusive spot

sized and should not be underestimated. Even and secure scltle into the arms of a bushy can he most when you look down and realize that tcrra firma is 60 feet below, the branches that you pretty out here on the perthe whole sways uncombrccze and church since last assure you that tree is no place for Mrs. Airwreck.

Dav!' Stubbs' Durk stud .. in a tree. Photo by Dave Stubbs.

field so you don't get behind that last lone Do not scratch close when winds as the lift will wind strength (you and turaround, All of these items arc mat1crs of skill and that come with If you, my cager friend, do not have the necessary to make a valid assessment of the then leave even more slack. I can guarantee you that the one that you don't want is to land in tree. me restate the Contacting a tree, then continuing on is usually It often happens that the

can be into a tree can also be painful as little branches break and stab while big branches just sit there and bash your shins. , I rate In the order of second and any of these me insomnia. Trees would be my choice over the first two, lmt I'd rather fly with a little slack in my maintained. Head toward before you sink Practice a stall·· the of a

AUGUST 1984

LANDING IN TREES most of us arc human, You your mother assiduously and wear

your every time it rains so you don't catch cold, but then, one when the flow you kiss Susie down the street and catch the world's worst case of flu. You can't say that you regret your with Susie, but with little caution you could have walked on the wild side and still mom Now I ain't around to lecture you like your mom, so all I've writ ten here, you may still gel that one last thermal that peters out and leaves you you the tree: line If this is your fate, let me tell you what to do, When tree landing is in the cards you have been dealt, be aware or the situa1ion as soon as efficiently toward your nearest safe area, but be well ahead 1ime to land in the treetops, 1.oward the lowest you can find and be for turbulent conditions if wind is present. Note that what appears to be low trees from above turn out to be timbers once in their midst. Don't underestimate the precariousness of your situation the tree below you is occur in 1he tallest trees in the forest. This isn't hard to understand when you realize tht the tallest trees arc the first ones you meet in your unplanned descent. Hes ides for choose

THE ~GHT STUFF your brand of tree. The broader and bushier the tree, the better (again falling out is much worse than landing in). Maples, elms and certain white oaks (deciduous trees in general) are the first choice. Pines are the worst (!) for their branches break very easily and they don't grab as effectively as other species. Spruce and cedar are also less than ideal, but their cushioning effect makes them a distant second choice. Remember, in cold months trees are more brittle as the sap runs south, so be even more selective. Obviously, a little brush up on dendrology (tree identification) may be worthwhile. Now, a word on flying efficiently that shouldn't have to be too elaborate. I assure that speeds to fly and dolphin flight techniques (speeding up an exact amount in headwind and sink) are your well-known friends. If not, may I refer you to the book Hang Gliding Techniques for a refresher. You must under' stand these principles to fly most effectively when faced with a potential tree landing situation, for reaching a safe field means maximizing your glide over the ground. Rarely can you find useful thermals when cruising low over the trees, so it's all up to your glider and you to fly flatly. OK, so you're on your way in to the best tree you can find, what next? The only thing left to do is to aim at the top center of the tree and spot land. Flare as if you were landing on ground and settle gently in the top of the tree, minimizing damage to yourself and your glider. Ending up in the center of the tree will keep you from falling out and also makes a retrieve easier. Keep your feet together when coming in to avoid meeting a tree crotch with your own crotch (it's not safe to writhe with pain when you're 60 feet up). Grab furiously for branches. The object is to stop yourself from falling, so flare the glider hard, then grip whatever you can with both hands. Holding on to the control bar or a broken branch will do no good, so keep groping for solid support. This reaching for safety is especially important if you have landed on the

edge of a tree. Remember to land in the middle if possible. Again, just clipping a tree and getting knocked out of flying whack is the most dangerous situation. Choose a healthy tree rather than catch the borders of a tree line or land in a prohibitively small field. WHEN DOWN IS NOT So there you sit, looking every bit like a dejected chicken as your glider settles, your heart throbs and the quick-arriving gawkers pelt you with questions. Your problems are far from over, for you still must get yourself and your glider to the ground. Often you will have a hard time unhooking when your glider is hung up and you are suspended out of reach of solid footing. In this case, as long as the glider is not in danger of falling out, wait for a rope to tie you or your harness to the tree before you start struggling. There have been a number of cases where the pilot has fallen out of the tree once he was unhooked. A rope is a necessary safety feature in the event of a tree landing, Use it to secure the pilot as he climbs down. Learn proper knots and belaying techniques from an experienced rock climber for such an occurrence. I suggest using the harness as a sling if the pilot must be lowered a long way. Otherwise, if climbing down is in order, the harness should be removed to ease the struggle. Retrieving your glider will be your big problem. Usually, if it's hung up well enough to save the pilot from falling, it won't come out no matter how hard you tug and curse. The only workable technique is to use a rope to lower the glider as the tree is trimmed branch by branch. The rope should be passed over a branch above the glider then tied around one of the glider's side wires if possible. Lower the glider down gently as entangling branches are eliminated (letting it drop will assuredly cause damage). l have removed many gliders from trees in this manner without inflicting any additional damage. I have heard of tree rescues that consisted of cutting the tree down with a chain saw. Needless to say, the glider

was totalled along with the tree. Once you are safely grounded you must endure the questions of gawkers who invariably ask "what happened, did the wind quit?" as well as the ribbing from your fellow pilots. A tree landing is embarrassing, but not the end of the world. Use your experience to explore the error of your ways to assure that it never happens again. Also, inspect your glider by removing every tube and bolt to check for bends or dents (branches are hard on tubes, bolts and cables). Be sure to repair even minor rips in your sail. Expect some stretching of the sail that may cause flutter, but let that remind you to stay away from all that grasping green. Well Airwreck, there's your article. I hope it sufficiently prepares you if you ever come out East to fly. We have some 40-footers that shouldn't tax your altitude limitations. I'll even have one of my girls help you carry your equipment if the humidity gets to ya. May your takeoffs be well separated from your landings. Dennis

Thanks wise guy! JYow howza about an article on High Wind Cliff launching? Airwreck

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COMPETilf"ION CORNER 1984 U.S. NATIONALS The 1984 U.S. National Hang Gliding Championships will be held Sept. 1-9, 1984 at Crestline, California. It will be using both World and sporting class as outlined in the USHGA Competiton Manual. The Total Elapsed Time format will be used that was proven in the So Cal League Meet and various Regionals. For more information contact: Crestline Soaring Association, P.O. Box 2454, Crestline, CA 92325 (714) 887-9275, 585-3711 or 883-8488.

DENNIS P AGEN WINS THIRD CONSECUTIVE REGIONALS For the fifth time in seven years and the third time since 1982, Dennis Pagen won the Region 9 (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Kentucky) meet qualifying for the U.S. Nationals. Pagen's latest victory came over a field of 60 pilots registered for Part I of the meet, with 26 participating in Part II. Part I consisted of open distance cross country with the standings used to seed and determine one fourth of the final score of Part II which was a traditional oneon-one meet. Pagen won the meet on a 165 Sensor 510, (although this is a variable geometry design, the Meet Director required the pulley system to be tied off in the loosest position). Other placers (in order) were Steve Krichten, Hanover, PA on a Prostar II; Juan Sonen, Arlington, VA on a Sensor 510; Eric Logan, Arlington, VA on a Streak; and John Middleton, Arlington, VA on a Sensor 510. Rick Wade of Roanoke was first alternate. The meet was directed by Pete Osborne who set up a series of closed course pylon tasks and open window goal races. Three sites facing three different directions were used to take maximum advantage of conditions, but the two weekends of Part II did not provide good XC weather and pylon

courses had to suffice. However, most pilots enjoyed the new meet format. Pagen said that the two-part meet has great potential and will be even better with a few minor changes. When asked about the secret of his competition success, he just smiled and said, "I read good hang gliding books."

RESULTS - REGION 10 REGIONALS Place Pilot

Glider

I. 2. 3. 4.

Duck Streak Sensor Duck Comet Comet Sensor Comet Duck Sensor

HAWAIIAN REGIONALS Place Pilot

Glider

UP C-2 185 Attack Duck Comet 185 Magic 177 Vampyre 162 Gemini 184M Gemini 164M Comet 1850V Comet 165 C-2 165 UP

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Jeff Cotter Mike Benson Sam Nottage Don Clark Jerry Charlebois Jim Whaley Rodney Herzig David Neto Bob Allmon Darrell Williams

RESULTS - "HIGH COUNTRY" REGIONALS at Sand Turn, Wyoming May 25-28, 1984 Place Pilot

Glider

I. 2. 3.

177 Magic 3 165 C-2 185 C-2 165 C-2 180 Duck 165 C-2 165 Comet 165 C-2 180 Streak 165 C-2 155 Sensor VG

5. 6. 7. 8. 10.

Rick Altig Russ Kidder (tie) Ross Henson Jeff Mazer Joe Brakefield Dan Gravage Greg Seder berg Paul Lundquist (tie) Jim Bowman (tie) Jeff Gildehaus Chuck Bright

RESULTS - "TREASURE VALLEY REGIONALS" at Boise, Idaho June 7-10, 1984 Place Pilot

Glider

I. 2. 3. 4.

185 C-2 180 Streak 180 Esprit 180 Duck 166 Magic 3 185 Comet 1.5 OVR 180 Duck 165 C-2 165 C-2 165 Comet

5. 6. 7.

8. 9. IO.

Mike King Kevin Christopherson Howard Osterlund Joe Brakefield Kenny Brown Lou Heinonen Frank Gillette Russ Kidder Paul Clarke Joe DeCleur

6. 7. 8. 9. IO.

Tom Phillips Ric Jacobs Bubba Goodman Eddie Andrews Frank Stroman Corly Donn Jim Coan Jeff Poplin Steve Coan Ken Haney

RF~ULTSSO.NEVADA CHAMPIONSHIPS Pilot

Distance

Glider

Ken Ostrander Allen Spar ks Phil Sherrett

30 miles 13 miles 9 miles

Streak 160 Streak 160 Comet 135

FORT FUNSTON AIR RACE By Debbi Renshaw With a $1,000 first prize and only 27 pilots entered, odds were good and pilots were hopeful. Almost every glider had some sort of C.G. shifter and most had fairings and speed bars. Steve Hawks, third place finisher, had the upper portion of his control bar split to accommodate his double French Connection; Dan Racanelli had a faired helmet; most of the sails were made of mylar cloth. Progressive Aircraft introduced the Pro Dawn, a glider with no kingpost or wires. Almost every device used to affect speed could be found at this race. Ft. Funston is located just south of San Francisco where ocean cliffs offer a spectacular view of gliders in flight. Spectators abound: not only is this a flying site but a National Park as well. Rangers and pilots work together to enforce site rules. Two and one-half miles south of the Funston cliff launch is a higher, flatter cliff face referred to as Westland. The pylon is located on the furthest of two peaks and is easily obtainable in soarable conditions. In between are

HANG GLIDING

COMPETITION CORNER some small cliff faces which generally provide enough lift to get you across. Experienced pilots fly low and close on the entire course getting only high enough to nab the pylon before diving back down. The first day greeted us with clouds low enough to obscure the 500' MSL pylon. If pilots could be seen through the mist they could get a score but most were only whistles in the wind as they tried to get close enough to be seen. Meet Director Walt Neilsen stated he would only count the day if we got no other flying in the meet. By 10:00 AM at our second pilots' meeting, all the competition gliders were ready to go. A soarable west wind started the round but within an hour the north flow slowed the time on the return from Westlake. Each pilot had the chance to fly many times and the day produced a new record time for the course - Dan Racanelli with 8:50. He was followed closely by Chris Bulger with 9:05 and 1984 Steeple Chase winner Ken Brown with 9: 19. Saturday morning pilots were ready to race. From early in the day the wind was north. It was easy to get to Westlake but the trip back was another matter. Rotors forced the pilots to use the front low range where hanging in close was essential. Good control could make the difference between finishing the course or walking up from the beach. By mid-day many unlucky pilots had gone to the beach. Conditions got worse and the launch window was closed when the winds picked up to 30 mph. Only 51 % of the pilots were smiling the next day when it was announced that enough pilots made the course to make it valid. Ken Brown dropped from third place to 14th but was encouraged by the fact that next year would offer course variations to accommodate undesirable weather conditions. That night Alice Stapleton prepared a home-cooked dinner that sent everyone to bed with a smile. Sunday was a beautiful, sunny day with no north wind. In fact, there was no wind at all for most of the day. Four PM started to look promising as AUGUST 1984

a shear set up to the north. The contest window was closed at 5:00 to signal the end of the Ft. Funston Air Race. By 5:05 the wind picked up and pilots were launching. At least 30 gliders were able to partake of the "shear" ecstasy that followed: 1,500' above the sea offers a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco Bay. The awards ceremony featured San Miguel beer donated by Albert Mendoza's sponsor. Walt's Hawaiian dancers presented the trophies and made sure all the winners got leid. If you're interested in having a good time while in competition, try the '85 Air Race. Kevin Kernohan, this year's Sportsmanship Award Winner, recommends it. RESULTS Place Pilot

Glider

1st Dan Racanelli 2nd Chris Bulger 3rd Steve Hawks 4th Jeff Huey 5th John Minnick 6th Rob Kells 7th Ken Rouselle 8th John Beebe 9th Porter 10th Rick Rawlings

Magic Magic Magic Attack Duck Pro Dawn Attack Duck Pro Dawn Faus hawk Attack Duck Attack Duck

ARIZONA XC The first weekend in June was a real milestone for Arizona cross country flying. Three pilots attempted XC flights and all three exceeded 100 miles. What appears to be the longest flight in the world for 1984 thus far was flown (161.21 miles, measured great circle), and all three flights originated from Arizona's major training area, Sheba Crater, which is a smaller volcanic hill next to Merriam Crater. Saturday, June 2 Bob Thompson - CII 165 161.25 miles, Sheba Crater to Shiprock, New Mexico Bruce Ruefer - err 165 136.91 miles, Sheba Crater to Lukachukai, Arizona

Sunday, June 3 Hans Heydrich - err 165 100.62 miles, Sheba Crater to Cottonwood, Arizona Light winds aloft allowed Bob and Bruce to zig-zag and follow roads through the sparse Indian reservation areas, utilizing thermals to keep most of their 6 + hour flights between 13,000 and 17,600 MSL. Strong winds on Sunday kept Hans low (mostly below 12,000 feet MSL, and once as low as 100 feet AGL), and forced a landing just past the 100-mile point when the roads turned east.

SPECTACULAR SOARS FOR 12TH YEAR Nags Head, N.C. - It was indeed spectacular: the 12th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular, May 11-13, at Jockey's Ridge in Nags Head. Thirty hang glider pilots from six states journeyed to the highest sand dune on the East Coast to compete in the oldest continuously held hang gliding competition in the United States. The three-day competition consisted of three types of events. On Friday, a target pylon task required pilots to round two pylons and land in a 50' diameter circle. Points were scored according to number of pylons rounded and landing distance away from the center of the circle. On Saturday, pilots competed in a duration target event. One point was scored for each five seconds aloft, with a three-minute limit. Pilots were also awarded points for distance from the target. Sunday's final rounds were held on a gorgeous day for flying. The task: a pylon target event with five possible pylons to be rounded. Five points were awarded for each pylon rounded in addition to target landing points. The meet was divided into two classes: Hang I and II, and Hang III and IV. This division allowed less experienced pilots to compete without 15

•-

SAFETY FORUM by Russ Locke

some of you may have noticed over the past few years, we have fairly consistently included one fatal drowning per year of a hang glider pilot who lands in the swf The awesome power of the surf is unappreciated by the vast majority of hang glider pilots. Although the knowledge and techniques of avoiding surf landings, as well as the skills for extricating oneself from a swf landing are well known, they are not well publicized. Another drowning in 1984 prompted Russ Locke, an excellent salt water scuba diver, and Wally Anderson, an expert surfer, to convey the attention and respect the swj demands in the foil owing article. h e scene was the local clubhouse where the monthly meeting of the Flocked Feathers had turned into a spaghetti feed prepared by Alice All body. As the site committee huddled around the keg, the club Prez, Kelly Dearhunter, belched and called the meeting to order. '' Are there any items we should add to the agenda?" he said. Walt Speedrun replied, "I have a safety issue we should discuss." "We've got to talk about water landings and in particular, landing in the surf," said Walt. "We've had another accident and it's obvious some of you guys don't take this thing serious enough.'' Rick Ridgesor, standing in the corner quickly replied, "That's why I carry a hook knife shroud cutter. It only takes a second for me to cut a pilot loose from his glider." Norm Novice quickly retorted, "Hell, your damn hook knife isn't any help if you don't get out from under the glider. The undertow will take the glider and anything under it out to sea whether it's attached or not. I carry a straight bla_de knife that allows me to slice the sail and release the pressure on the glider." Macho Mark, who up to this point had been more interested in Alice than the conversation, butted in, "Wait a minute gang, if people were more careful when they landed in the surf, we wouldn't have these problems.

AUGUST 1984

The key is to keep the glider out of the waves. Just hold it up high enough and you save the glider and the pilot." Barry Bong who had been waving his arm for some time finally jumped in. "You guys got it all wrong. You shouldn't mess with the surf at all. If I thought I was going to land in the surf, I'd turn downwind and crash my glider. I'd rather be out a glider and walking around with a couple broken arms than not be walking around at all." Things were really heating up and as everyone pondered the last remark, Wally Wuffo drawled, "Yeah, that surf's not to mess with. Back when I was surfin', I saw water break surf boards in half. You could drive a truck over those same boards and they wouldn't break." Walt, trying to calm things down a bit said, "Guys, there are some little things we can do to help ourselves. I, for one, don't lock my biner when I'm flying around water.'' Someone in the back piped up, "They got some new carabiners that have slides and you can lock and unlock them real easy. Maybe we should switch to them." Al Aerobatic commented "I always lock my biner. I don't want the gate coming open when I'm flying. You all know how I fly. Besides, locked or unlocked you can't unhook when there's pressure on your harness." "Yeah, that's why I still say carry a hook knife," threw in Rick. The discussion continued on about downwind landings, hook knifes, carabiners and the like. Now that I have your attention, let's put some things in perpsective. The discussion above was real (with a few exaggerations and cheap shots at some of my friends thrown in). We have had these discussions before; however, surf landings and losing pilots to the ocean continues to happen. We only make a big deal about it when we lose a pilot, not the many times someone just loses a glider. Both are just as serious. Too many pilots still do not acknowledge the total danger of landing in or near the surf. This includes coastal pilots and inland pilots who may find themselves flying a coastal site. The bottom line is this. If you are 10 to 20 feet above the ground and within a

hundred feet or so of the surf, you are in a life and death situation. Whatever you decide to do (turn and crash downwind, try to stall ahead of the surf, land in the surf keeping the glider as high as possible, etc.), don't kid yourself about the severity of the situation. We have learned to respect Mother Nature in this sport of ours. She provides us with a great variety of enjoyment, but if we push her too far, she is swift and merciless. Most of us do not intentionally fly on the edge of thunderstorms, however we do fly on the surf line at some of our coastal sites. We need to think of the surf as a big hungry cumie. If we get too close, the result is the same. If we devoted a little more periodic discussion to this subject and started reporting those times we just lose the glider in the ocean, maybe we wouldn't be reporting the loss of any pilots. II

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The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit Of Fund Raising A Call For Help by Erik Fair

just ain't right. We all work like freaking madmen to support the '83 USHGA World Team to the tune of $24,000. The team goes over to Tegelberg and makes its best showing ever in world meet history. Lotsa momentum exists to kick off a world team "Drive for '85." And what happens? I'll tell you what happens! The USHGA starts sucking for air and threatening to go belly up like a stinking dead fish in a draining swamp. Makes it kinda hard to get fired up about some fool competition when the whole organization is surviving on smelling salts, heart zappers, and guts. Just in case you haven't been reading the mag lately let me quickly bring you up to date. For well over a year now declining membership has mired the USHGA in the same sort of financial crisis that set old Joe Dee to thinking about drugs. Heroic effort and a substantial cash reserve were all that got us through last winter. The cash reserve, for all practical purposes, is now gone and we stand facing the future armed only with heroic effort and whatever revenue that dribbles in via the daily mail. For the past few months that has been enough. This week's bucks have been paying last week's bills and we're managing to ''meek out an eager existence'' at our current level of service. Of course the last few months have constituted our traditional strong season, the season which typically produces hordes of new members and substantial cash reserves. 18

You don't have to be an Einstein to turn the above information into the following formula: NCR + OW x MA = D(ushga). Where NCR = no cash reserves, OW = onset of winter, MA = membership apathy, and D = disaster. What does D(ushga) mean in practical terms? That's easy! No this, less that, and no blah blah blah. You've read all the yapping "chihuahua" articles about it in this and other publications. For starters, use your imagination to conjure up a vision of newsletters instead of magazines, and no insurance policy to wave in the faces of nervous land owners. Why are we in this fix? That's easy too! Because of yahdidah dih dah and hoop de doop de doo. What the hell difference does it make? The fact is the USHGA is in big trouble and will not make it through the winter in one piece unless WE (the entire membership and whoever else can be convinced to give a damn) make like the cavalry and come to the rescue just like we did for the '83 USHGA World Team. Hold that thought while we examine and dismiss some of the classic arguments AGAINST coming to the rescue of any organization as seemingly doomed to diminishment as today's USHGA. The Laissez Faire Alternative: Also known as the Que Sera, Sera option, the laissez faire alternative is basically this: Let the chips fall where they may. If the USHGA can't support itself at its cur-

rent level then we might as well face it now. Why force some candy ass view of how things should be onto a situation already clearly defined by the normal workings of our marvelous free enterprise system. A bunch this size has a class magazine, a bunch that size has a bi-monthly newsletter. Simple! What's the problem? The only way to "rebuttalize free enterprise" is this: GIMMEE A BREAK! We're not talking Amalgamated Matter, Intergalactic Transport, or any other such "Big Board" type nonsense. The USHGA is a club - a gathering of dreamers and human otters who enjoy a special relationship with the blessed sky itself. What in the name of Rogallo is wrong with coming to the rescue of a spiritual entity like the USHGA especially if we can have some FUN in the process!? The Welfare State Argument: Can be summarized in one oh so righteous rhetorical question: "Yeah, well, assuming for the moment that some big breasted grass roots fund raising effort results in enough cash to get the USHGA through the coming winter in one piece, aren't we in danger of becoming an organization that is forever dependent on the dole, a microcosm of the dreaded 'welfare state'?" The "welfare state counter debate" is this: HEY! If we're in the same boat next winter we can always laissez faire ourselves off the dole and into "newsletterland" then. Who said anything HANG GLIDING

about forever? It's just that RIGHT NOW we need to keep the patient alive and treading water long enough to allow the sport's leaders, the manufacturers, the dealers, and the concerned consumers a chance to turn this thing around. Well-publicized efforts to develop better equipment, easier training techniques, more sophisticated advertising and marketing, etc. must be given a chance to work before we embrace the realities involved in returning a weakened USHGA to the kitchen table from whence it came. A dramatic reduction in the scope and breadth of USHGA services may very well be in the cards. My belief is that we can't really know whether or not major cutbacks are necessary or appropriate until we've given all the efforts mentioned above another season (1985) to stimulate enough growth to at least sustain USHGA at its current level. My point is that, unless the membership comes to the rescue, starting right now, the organization will be forced during the coming winter to cut back drastically before all the cards are on the table. Any fool can see that our club - the USHGA - needs and deserves a helping hand. The question is how do we work up the motivation and enthusiasm necessary to mount a "Winter of '85" fund drive for the USHGA? I suppose the first step is to "get inspired" and the second step is to establish some goals. INSPlRATION: THE PROTESTANT ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF FU~D RAISING One of the daddies of modern sociology, Max Weber, wrote a major piece entitled "The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism." He had no idea, of course, that a gross misinterpretation of his work would one day be used to "inspire" a gang of hang glider pilots to give up hard earned bread to support their national organization. Believe me, it's a good thing Max is no longer with us. At any rate, we're all familiar with at least one part of the Protestant Ethic as it exists in this country, namely, the part that says: "So-uhhh-this life ain't nothin' compared to the hereafter so the thing to do is work like a dog, forsake all pleasurable experience and hope for a set of wings rather than a pitchfork when it comes time to check out." Suffer (with a vengeance) now - fly later. We don't need this piece of the protestant ethic. It's not inspirational. Let's throw it out. What we need is the part of the protestant ethic that is inextricably entwined AUGUST 1984

with our American cultural prediliction for winners, for worthy causes, and for those who are willing and able to pull

themselves up by their own bootstraps. Let's look at winners. We all like to feel like winners, be represented by winners, and be identified with winners. Why else would we have supported the '83 USHGA world team like we did? Let's do it again in '85 ! Let's look at worthy causes: We all like to support worthy causes. The national organization that represents us in ways that most of us do not even appreciate is a worthy cause. Making sure that organization gets through the coming winter in one piece is an especially worthy cause. Let's make sure we support USHGA in its hour of need! Let's look at our own bootstraps: Don't we all thrust our chests out and feel extremely proud when we get up off our backs and pull ourselves out of the gutter by our freaking bootstraps? Let's do that this winter! And, hey, let's not forget that havin' fun is what it's all about! Getting together for parties is FUN. Fund raisers are just parties and are therefore FUN! And let's not forget that sponsoring winners and rescuing worthy causes are FUN too! You can have FUN without going to a party just by sending some of your MONEY to the USHGA. Giving MONEY is FUN! Uhhhh-maybe it's time to talk goals. After all there is some truth to the rumor that giving money is only fun in very small doses. GOALS: THE 4-2-WHATEVER PLAN There are approximately 7,000 full members in the USHGA. If each and every one of us gave up $4.00 to the USHGA the $28,000 in cash reserves that we went through last year would be completely replenished. Four stinking dollars each and we' re into the spring/summer of '85 with no sweat whatsoever. The '85 USHGA world team is going to Austria in June of '85. If each and every one of us coughs up a paltry $2.00 to the world team fund, the resultant $14,000 will at least get the team over there to represent us in the manner to which we've become accustomed - with a full-out effort by the best pilots available. Of course not everyone is willing to give up even $6.00 unless there is something directly in it for them. Great! Use your local fund raising events to raise money for local causes as well. Kari Schaffner, last year's master blaster in Region 9, has set up an August fund

raiser to generate bucks not only for the '85 world team but also for a Region 9 competition fund which will be used to send the winner of their regionals to this year's nationals. Bootstraps, man bootstraps. SUMMIN I IT UP The USHGA is facing the very real prospect of having to make drastic cutbacks in services some time this winter. The magazine and the insurance policy, being the most expensive items in the USHGA budget, are likely first targets for any drastic reduction in expenses. A paltry $4.00 each will replenish the $28,000 in cash reserves that the organization used last winter and this spring to maintain its current level of services to members. Replenishment of the cash reserves to the tune of $28,000 will get us through the winter and into the hot season of '85 intact. Current efforts to revitalize the industry will be given vital additional time to take effect. An additional $2.00 each will get the '85 world team to Austria and give them a shot at winning some gold. As Gil Dodgen, Stew Smith, and others have pointed out there is great potential for positive media exposure involved in a United States win at the world meet. The whole country, not just us, loves winners. Finally, local events can be used to raise funds for local projects and stiU allow $6.00 per head worth of ''juice'' to the national cause. Most importantly, as proved by the '83 world team fund drive, the whole project can be an enormous amount of fun and can serve to unify us as a special interest national community of rollicking sky puppies. Commitment, involvement, and good times is what the USHGA is all about. For $6.00 plus change you can be part of the save rather than part of the problem. Now is the time, as Mr. T might say, to: BE THERE!! SEND ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE USHGA, P .0. BOX 66306, LOS ANGELES, CA 90066. PLEASE SPECIFY: A) CASH RESERVE FUND B) WORLD TEAM FUND P.S. As difficult as it may be for you to believe this some people may not be willing or able to give up $6.00 for the cause. You can cover for them by sending as many multiples of $6.00 as you can spare. Don't wait! Do it now! And thanks for the support! • 19

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Ducks Sweep So. Cal. Regionals! 1st: Kevin Kernohan 2nd: Steve Pearson

5th: Rob Kells

4th: Gene Blythe

6th: Rick Rawlings

Each year, the Southern California Regional Championships is one of the most competitive meets on the circuit. It is the only meet other than the XC Classic to have earned more than 400 USHGA cor:npetition points in each of the last four years. This year was no exception; eight of the top 16 nationally ranked pilots flew in the So. Cal. Regionals. Seven of those eight chose to fly WILLS WING DUCKS in the meet. Six DUCKS finished in the top ten, and five DUCKS finished in the top six, including a sweep of first and second place by Kevin Kernohan and Steve Pearson . WILLS WING DUCKS have now finished at the top of every major meet held thus far in 1984.

Competition successes I ike these are a lot of fun for us, and they are a nice tribute to the unsurpassed total performance package of the WILLS WING DUCK, but they are not what we have in mind when we refer to Wills Wing pilots as " WINNERS ." Whether or not you ever end up with a first place trophy in your hands, you ' re a winner every day when you fly a Wills Wing glider. You ' re flying the highest quality footlaunched aircraft ever produced , and you ' re backed by a company of dedicated professionals who have made an unprecedented commitment to safety, customer service, and consistent support of the USHGA, the HGMA, and the professional , full service retail dealership . We' re doing everything we can to make this sport and this industry everything they can be. We want you on the team . Join us . Be a WINNER!

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THUNDER SURFING by Pete Bonifay

happened on a Sunday afternoon. My friend Larry Love and I were flying about 750 feet of line on Crooked Lake in Florida. After we each had about twelve flights, none over five minutes, we took a short break. Suddenly we noticed a front moving in. The wind had picked up about JO mph and the front didn't appear to be very mean. I had often heard about the lift band ahead of these fronts so I asked Larry what he thought. He said if I 22

wanted to go for it that he would give me a serve up. I took a dime and a ten dollar bill (for a phone call and some beer) and told my friends I would see them later. This is a lesson I learned from my good friend Steve Moyes. The storm was moving in fast and I was anxious to go. Larry wanted me to wait a few minutes, but I told him. "If I'm going, I'm going now!" I had a nice tow up in about a JO

mph wind and clipped off at about 700 feet. I could see now that the storm was much bigger than it appeared from the ground. I searched for the magic lift for about three minutes and found nothing. At around 250 feet I assumed I had missed it as usual and began to head for the landing area. At the last minute I noticed some darkies on the water off to my right. The wind had picked up to about 15 mph and I had just enough time to check it out before HANG GLIDING

I had to return to the landing area. As I reached my destination I started to go up. I didn't have to turn as in thermal lift because it was everywhere and very smooth. I made a few passes over a tree line that is sometimes soarable in strong wind. I now had to decide whether to head for the landing area or follow the lift. I thought I might follow the lift to the other side of the lake, about a mile away; then I would decide on whether to go on my first cross country flight. I went in a zig zag pattern for approximately three minutes and was sitting at about 2,500 feet by the time I reached the end of the lake. I turned to make up my mind about what to do and for the first time I was really frightened. The storm now looked like a huge black tornado chasing me. It had covered the area where my friends were and I was alone. I told myself, "Well, Bonifay, here's your chance, but if you let this monster catch you you 're dead." The air was getting a little turbulent so I turned and ran. When I located smoother air I realized I was going up even though I was headed downwind. At this point I think I was at about 3,000 feet. It's hard to tell because the only instruments I had with me were my tennis shoes. I continued to run away from the storm until I outran the lift band. When I noticed I was coming down I would turn and look at the storm for about two minutes. Then the air would get turbulent again so I would turn and run with it. This went on for almost an hour and a half. I wasn't at all tired because it was the smoothest air I have ever flown in, except when I was close to the storm. I remember at one point I turned to wait for the storm to catch up to me again and I noticed a small plane about l, 500 feet below me and flying very close to the storm. I thought, "My God, is he stupid flying so close to that monster!" It turned out to be a Sheriff's plane. My friends had become worried when they noticed I wasn't circling and they were frightened by the length and strength of the storm. They called the Sheriff's Department to tell them there might be a flier in distress. After almost two hours had gone by I started down the falls again. I then noticed some large cumulus clouds about two or three miles ahead. I turned to let the storm catch up with me again and I started to get cold for AUGUST 1984

the first time. I assume I was still at about 3,000 feet when I came back around and what I saw almost made me flip out. The big cumulus clouds that had seemed so far away were suddenly only about 100 yards ahead of me, and I was about to enter them. I couldn't see any way around them so I pulled the bar in past my knees. I knew the middle of those clouds was no place to be. I was managing to stay just below the cloud where things were a little hazy, but I could still see land. I was about to find out what cloud suck was first hand. As I got beneath the center of the cloud things began to disappear and soon the earth below was gone. I know that being in a cloud with a monster storm on your rear is a terrifying situation, and suddenly I felt that I might not come out of this alive without some real help from above. It was very comforting to know that I had been to church that morning.

"When I noticed I was coming down I would turn and look at the storm for about two minutes . .. it was the smoothest air I have ever flown in, except when I was close to the storm. " I wasn't cold anymore because I was too scared. I think I was in the cloud for at least five minutes. I was sure the storm was going to eat the cloud with me in it. I just tried to stay out of the dark spots and began to have death flashes like: who would find me, who would run my business and what would my wife do? As I looked around in this beautiful white haze I also remembered reading about people's thoughts who have been close to death. They describe how they were floating in a beautiful cloud and could see people on earth, but had no desire to return. I remember thinking that this must be it, but I looked over my shoulder and saw my big red Moyes Maxi with white lightning bolts still in one piece and I knew I was still alive. I wasn't sure how long I had left though, because I had made so many turns I thought I could be headed back into the storm. I had also heard of turbulence at the fop of a cloud that

could destroy even a Moyes glider, and I feared I must be getting near the top. About this time I was elated to pop out of the cloud. I was still at about 3,000 feet but the lift was gone, the storm was gone and I was happy to feel that I would be coming out of this alive. I had no idea where I was and could see only three houses within my reach. I quickly found out that two of them were upwind and therefore out of range. If I couldn't make it to the last one I would be landing in a large swamp. I was forced to fly at almost a stall downwind to reach the house and as I grew close I noticed an elderly couple who were about to get into their car. I was still 150 feet up so I yelled to them. They looked all around and saw no one. I screamed, "Up here!" to get their attention. I was glad to see that they saw me because if things didn't get a lot better when I turned into the wind it was going to be a hell of a crash landing. I knew I was somewhere near Rotor City as I landed. I kissed the ground and thanked the Lord. I then ran over to the old folks who were really frightened and retreating toward their house. I later found out they had never seen a kite before and thought I was a U.F.0. I asked them where I was and the lady said, "Do you think we should tell him, George?" George told me I was in Gardner. I then had to ask where Gardner was as I had never heard of it. I also asked him if I could use his phone to call someone to come and get me. The lady must have gotten a little braver now because she said, "Son, you are crazy! We don't have phones way out here, and you better get on that red thing and get back out of here quick or you will have to come back late tonight when the boys get home" George offered to give me a lift with my kite to a pay phone and the lady followed shortly with enough food to feed an army. She said, "You must be hungry and I know the restaurant is closed, it's been closed for years." I called my friends who were elated to hear that I had not been overtaken by what they described as a really long and mean storm. It took them about two hours and 62 miles to reach me. As the crow flies we assume it was about 37-38 miles. It was a great experience but I must admit it was a lot more than I bargained for.• 23

ind Shears Whenever two of air involve winds blowing in different direc> lions or at different speeds, a wind shear exists. (The terms "shear" and "conver·· gence'' are sometimes used interchangably by hang glider and sailplane pilots.) When a thermal encounters a wind shear, it either leans or drifts with the newly-encountered wind or becomes disrupted, depending on the relative strength of the shear and the thermal. In a shear of 3-4 mph is sufficient to totally disrupt a thermal, al least in terms of soaring in a hang glider.

Rndgcr Hnyl al Dog Mnunluin, Washington.

with Rowe illustrations by Rod Stafford

Rate (Stability) The lapse rate measures the in the air's temperature with altitude. As such, the lapse rate is also a measure of the air's stability, and the stability·of the air has a major influence on a thermal rising from the ground. l'hermal Climb Rate. the thermal 's rate of climb i.e., its strength is in direct relation to the degree of insla· bility. The greater the instability, the greater the temperature contrasts which (along with moisture content) determine how fast the thermal rises. That is, a

HANO C,LJDJNG

thermal generally rises faster at those altitudes where the temperature decreases rapidly than at altitudes with less drastic changes in temperature. Visualize the phenomenon like this: When the air aloft is markedly colder and heavier than the air at the current altitude, it effectively "draws" thermals up at a faster pace. Thermal climb rates of over 8,000 feet per minute (fpm) have been recorded, and it's more than likely that even higher rates exist but simply haven't been recorded. Among hang glider pilots, stories of varios "pegged" at 1,000 or 1,500 fpm are common. Many of these stories, however, involve the dreaded "cloud suck" (discussed later) and often begin with the sky diver's classic opening: "No shit, there I was - thought I was gonna die!" Most pilots are more comfortable climbing at a somewhat more leisurely pace. Thermal Height. Second, the depth of the unstable (convective) layer normally determines how high the thermal goes. Thermals normally continue to climb until they reach a sufficiently strong inversion layer, as discussed below. In the Mohave desert, thermals commonly reach 10,000 to 14,000 feet; in the Owens Valley, they often climb to 15,000 to 20,000 feet. Thermals have been known to reach into the stratosphere at 60,000 to 70,000 feet. Most thermals used by hang glider pilots, however, reach altitudes in the range of 3,000 to 8,000 feet. Inversions An inversion occurs when the air temperature increases with altitude. As such, an inversion can slow or halt thermal strength of the inversion. Since an inversion tends to "trap" the lower layers, it often can be seen from above as a hazy or "dirty" layer below cleaner air. The shear associated with an inversion usually creates horizontal gusts and turbulence.

tors determine the destiny of an individual thermal. Disruption Some thermals are simply blown apart by strong winds or severed by severe shears, as discussed earlier. Inversions: Stratocumulus Clouds Also mentioned earlier was the fact that an inversion can halt a thermal's ascent if it is stronger than the thermal. Turbulence commonly found with the shear at the base of the inversion layer tends to break thermals apart and spread their heat throughout the layer. As time goes on, the inversion layer gets progressively thicker and the maximum thermal height progressively lower. Stratocumulus clouds form in the inversion layer if the thermals contain sufficient moisture. As this layer of clouds gets thicker, surface heating gradually diminishes; eventually, thermal activity ceases altogether, These conditions, described as "over developed" or "OD," can persist for hours until the clouds eventually dissipate via solar heating and/or wind, or by sinking to a warmer altitude.

CONDENSATION: CUMULUS, STRATOCUMULUS, CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS Assuming that it isn't first blown apart, severed, or stopped by a strong inversion, a moist thermal usually ends its career in the form of a cloud which eventually dissipates. Cumulus Clouds. These are the most common clouds formed by thermals. Several steps are involved in the development of a cumulus cloud, sometimes called simply a Q. As the thermal rises, it cools due to some amount of mixing with the surrounding air. When the water vapor contained within the thermal is cooled to its "dew point," it condenses, forming small droplets first seen as wisps of cloud. The process of condensation releases energy which adds to the climb rate of the thermal and creates turbulence within it. (This turbulence varies from light to moderate depending on how unstable the air is.) The sudden increase in climb rate causes the thermal to mix rapidly with the surrounding air, diluting the light rising air. This sudden dilution of the rising air and the condensa-

FACTORS AFFECTING A THERMAL'S DISSIPATION The fate of some thermals can be witnessed from the ground since many thermals assume the forms of clouds before they finally dissipate and disappear. Other thermals - known as "blue thermals" - disappear without ever becoming visible. A number of facAUGUST 1984

tion of water vapor combine to halt the thermal's climb. The cloud continues to "feed" it with light air. Cumulus clouds typically reach heights of 2,000-14,000 feet. The initial wisps form separate irregular clumps which become thicker and coalesce. The cloud becomes increasingly compact and its edges more clearly defined. A dome-like formation appears over the area of strongest lift; directly below, the base is often domed upward (because the rising air is warmer) and/or dark (because it's more moist). Wisps hanging below the cloud also indicate higher moisture and stronger lift. The area of best lift is usually toward the upwind side of the cloud, especially if this side receives additional heat from the sun. When the thermal stops (perhaps because the cloud has blocked the sun from heating the original source), the cloud enters its final stages. The base becomes convex and its edges start to disintegrate, beginning along the downwind edge. The dome stays rounded and may even grow a bit; eventually, the base becomes smaller than the dome's horizontal area. The cloud's contours become less distinct as the cloud falls apart and mixes with surrounding air. As the cloud's moisture evaporates, the air is cooled and sink develops. The remaining scraps of cloud dissipate in this sink, which persists for a short period of time after all visible traces of the cloud have vanished. The drier the air, the more rapidly this process occurs. Numerous clouds in one area indicate that the humidity of the surrounding air is high, slowing the decay of the clouds. Stratocumulus Clouds. If the air above the base of a cumulus cloud is moist, the lifting air may initiate a chain reaction which adds to the cloud's growth. The updraft causes some surrounding moisture to condense. Condensation releases heat, creating instability and adding to the rising air which in turn causes more condensation, and so on. This process continues as long as air continues to condense, which can occur even after the thermal has ceased. If the moist layer is accompanied by an inversion (as they often are), the cloud may flatten and spread laterally, forming a stratocumulus cover as described earlier. Cumulonimbus Clouds. A cumulus AUGUST 1984

"1979, Owens Valley California: I'm about 500 feet off the ground when 1 spot a puff coming off a patch of dirt - the only sign of lift anywhere around. As I approach the area, I see a big dust devil coming off that same patch of dirt. By the time I reach it, I'm down to about 300 feet. I enter the dust devil and immediately find myself heading straight down. My glider is making sounds that I've never heard before (and have never heard since). Not sail noise; structural-type noises. I pull in and push out. Nothing happens I'm still plummeting. I pull in and push out again. Still nothing. Finally, I'm able to initiate enough sideways momentum to spiral into the core, suddenly finding myself in some of the smoothest lift I've ever experienced. In no time at all, 1 climb to JO, 000 feet. " cloud sometimes becomes a cumulonimbus (or Q-nim) cloud which continues to grow even after the original thermal has stopped, reaching altitudes up to 75,000 feet. A Q-nim forms when there is a strong thermal source, moist unstable air, and no strong inversion to halt its growth. If heavier air outside the thermal is drawn into the upward flow, condenses, and becomes unstable, energy is added to the thermal. Strong updrafts develop, drawing in air from the bottom and sides, including nearby thermals and the occasional unwary hang glider pilot. (Such updrafts are known as "cloud suck.'') The cloud grows larger and more complex: it may contain multiple cores with strong adjacent sink and is almost certainly turbulent, usually violently so. Strong downdrafts occur near the cumulonimbus; further away, slow smooth sink replaces the rising air. Around the cloud, the air is stabilized by the sinking air, suppressing thermal activity. The size of this area varies according to the size of the cloud. The area of sinking air downwind of the cloud is always larger than the upwind area of sink. Precipitation ranging from light showers to heavy rain (or, at freezing altitude, from snow to hail) may occur in portions of the cloud, depending on the strength of the updraft and the cloud's size and internal structure. In a large cloud with strong lift and internal turbulence, precipitation is recycled through the cloud, resulting in heavy rain or hail. Heavy rain and hail carry surrounding air with them as they fall, creating strong sink within and/or below the cloud. When all or most of the unstable air in the area has been carried aloft, more and

more portions of the cloud begin to dissipate and the cloud base starts to disintegrate. In areas of weak inversion and sufficiently moist surrounding air, remnants of the cloud remain even after all visible traces of the cloud have vanished. These remnants can cut off thermal activity, perhaps for hours, depending on how much sunlight is available to reheat the ground. A pilot entering this area encounters smooth, strong sink or, at best, air with no vertical motion. A cumulonimbus cloud, then, often curtails thermal activity in the area for an extended period of time. Immediately below the cloud, the sun is blocked from heating the surface. Because of the cloud's massive size, it resists the wind's attempts to move it, so the area usually remains shaded throughout the life of the cloud. Precipitation further discourages thermal actvity, first by creating sink and second by adding moisture to the surface. Around the cloud, the stabilized air created by downdrafts extends the area of suppressed thermal activity. Thunderstorms. When the air is unstable because of differences in moisture content rather than temperature, and that instability reaches high altitudes, thunderstorms can result within the cumulonimbus. Thunderstorms involve violent turbulence with powerful updrafts, strong gusts, lightning, hail, and extremely heavy rain. Their bases can drop thousands of feet in seconds. Avoid thunderstorms in all cases. Expansion, Mixing, Cooling As it rises, a thermal expands. As it expands, increased friction slows its climb. It also mixes with the surrounding air, gradually becoming cooler. If the thermal lacks sufficient moisture for cloud formation, it simply erodes away without ever becoming visible. 29

HOW TO SOAR IN THERMAL LIFT Like soaring in ridge lift, soaring in thermal lift is a two-step process. First, you must locate a usable thermal. Then you need to make the best possible use of the lift the thermal provides. Locating Usable Thermals Use your thermal knowledge, reasoning powers, and all available evidence to find those thermals that will help you achieve your soaring goals. Logical Deduction. Draw on your learning and experience to find usable thermals. The better you understand the process of thermal formation, how thermals are structured, what forces cause them to be triggered, and how they develop as they rise and eventually die, the better you can analyze a given situation and figure out where thermal lift is likely to be found. Ask yourself: Where might warm air be accumulating? Where are the trigger spots? (Trigger spots are just as important as heat sources, especially in light winds.) How moist is the air? Is it moving? How fast? In which direction? Your answers and a bit of logic will direct you to any nearby thermals. Visual Clues. Sometimes you'll see signs that either confirm or contradict your logical conclusions. Some signs indicate thermals breaking free. For example, if you spot dust, flags, or smoke from different sources converging on a spot rather than drifting with the wind, it's extremely likely that air is rising from that spot. (Conversely, if they diverge from the spot, chances are the air above it is sinking.) In areas with vegetation you may see tall grass or trees moving independently of any wind; such movement may indicate a thermal breaking loose. (Unfortunately, you have to be fairly low to be able to spot movement in vegetation.) Haze domes - rounded protrusions in the top of inversion layers - are created by thermals attempting to break through. Haze domes disappear quickly after the thermal ceases, so they are virtually certain signs of an existing thermal. You '11 be able to spot haze domes more easily through sunglasses with a brown or yellow tint than through a blue tint. Polaroid lenses are the very best; you can spot haze domes about twice as easily through Polaroids as you can with naked eyes. They also allow you to see 30

haze and dust in the air more readily. About Clouds. Clouds are the single most fertile source of clues about the location of thermals. Cumulus clouds are like great big signposts in the sky, signalling lift very reliably in their formative stages, less so as they mature. (Remember that there's a significant lag time between the development of a thermal and the development of the cumulus cloud it produces.) If you're some distance from a group of clouds, select the smallest one with the most clearly-defined base. If you can't tell what stage a given cloud is in, take advantage of the time lapse effect of circling to determine whether it's forming or decaying. If you're near cloud base altitude, select the cloud with the most sharply edged dome from among those with domes clearly smaller than their bases. At lower altitudes, select the one with the darkest area, u·sually domed upward, in its base. If you find as you approach that the base is actually convex, the cloud is decaying and you'll need to select another cloud. Cumulonimbus and thunderstorm clouds, with their violent turbulence, powerful updrafts, and strong sink, are to be avoided at all costs. Mid- or high-level clouds indicate that thermals will be weak and few in numbers. Look for thermals upwind of any holes in a stratocumulus cover. Visual Indicators. Some signs eliminate the need for logical deduction altogether because they give you concrete evidence of where thermal lift is, not where it should be. Strong thermals sometimes carry leaves, dust, paper scraps, and other debris aloft and thus become "visible." In areas of dry sand or dust, strong turbulent formations resembling small tornadoes and commonly called "dust devils" often carry particles aloft as they rise, creating visible lift. Dust devils are found most commonly near the surface, although they have been known to reach up to two miles above ground and their lift goes considerably higher. (So what's the difference between a dust devil and a thermal, you ask? There have been any number of answers to this question, but the only point of common agreement seems to be that a dust devil is not a thermal. Personally, I see both as forms of lift that produce the same basic

results and don't think the names matter all that much. I'll use "thermal" to refer to either one except where it's necessary to differentiate.) Air pressure is greatly reduced at the center of a dust devil and extreme turbulence can exist along the wall of this center, especially close to the ground. In fact, dust devil activity dictates that setup gliders be securely tied down. Many a pilot (including me) has learned this lesson the hard way: watching a dust devil totally thrash an unsecured glider. Some sailplane pilots believe that the lift is stronger outside the dusty portion of a dust devil; I've been unable to verify this claim, personally. Another visual indicator is smoke rising from a chimney, signaling a manmade thermal which may or may not be usable. Chimney smoke can also indicate thermals: if you see smoke from a chimney suddenly turning upwind, a thermal has probably passed by in that direction. Finally, if you spot other thermal users (sailplanes, hang gliders, or birds such as hawks and ravens who aren't flapping their wings circling and gaining altitude, there's no doubt about where that thermal is. Any thermal being used by a sailplane is suitable for a hang glider, with very rare exceptions: a sailplane can gain altitude in a marginal thermal such as those occurring at the end of the day that would be too large and slow to be useful to a hang glider, but you rarely see sailplanes in such thermals because with their performance, they can easily fly to better thermals. Birds, in contrast, can use thermals that are entirely too small to be of help to hang glider pilots. On the other hand, birds have an uncanny knack for finding lift; they seem to have some type of internal varios. (It's been theorized that birds are blessed with infrared vision which allows them to actually see thermals. This theory has not yet been proven. Personally, I suspect that it's a case of sour grapes on the part of jealous pilots.) When used in combination with other methods for estimating thermal size, birds make excellent thermal scouts. Assessing the Thermal's Size and Strength Suppose that you've located a likely or sure-bet thermal but have no idea HANG GLIDING

how large or strong it is. Or, imagine that you're flying along and one of your wings suddenly lifts: you've encountered a thermal and either the air Jacks sufficient moisture for condensation or you've reached the thermal in its early, pre-condensation stage. In any of these cases, once you've encountered lift, continue to fly straight and keep your eyes on your vario. If the vario continues to register lift as you slowly count to three, the thermal is large enough to accommodate you. (Counting to three is a good method if you're just learning to thermal. Competition pilots use about half that amount of time to assess a thermal's size. With practice, you'll be able to recognize a thermal that's big enough without counting.} If the vario registers at least the minimum amount of lift you've decided is efficient to use, the thermal is also strong enough for you. (Chapter 5, "Speed to Fly Calculations," provides some guidelines for determining minimum efficient climb rates.) If the lift is ragged or too small or weak to warrant circling, continue on course at your calculated best speed.

Entering the Thermal Assuming that you have enough altitude to turn, the next step is to get into the rising air offered by the thermal. Be prepared for sink around the thermal and some amount of turbulence at the thermal's edge; fly through these areas as swiftly as feasible. Be prepared also for the sudden lifting of your nose as you enter the lift. The most common method for entering a thermal in a hang glider is to turn toward the lift, i.e., to make a 90-degree turn toward the lifting wing. (Some pilots, however, believe that it's simpler to continue the turn initiated by the lifted wing, making a 270-degree turn to enter the thermal. These pilots maintain that an insignificant amount of time is lost with this maneuver.) If possible, enter the thermal above any birds, sailplanes, or other hang gliders already using it. If you enter below them, you might also enter below the bottom of a detached thermal and miss the lift altogether. As you enter the thermal, it doesn't matter which direction you choose for circling. In fact, it's a good idea to pracAUGUST 1984

GlO- DE6K'.EE TUl2J.J

270- DEGREE

TU12.N

tice circling in both directions since you don't always have a choice: If other pilots are already working the thermal, established etiquette dictates that you circle in the same direction. (More on thermal etiquette later.)

Special Tips On Entering II Dust Devil Due to their often severe turbulence at triggering, dust devils should be avoided close to the ground. If you decide to use lift provided by a dust devil, be sure that you have enough altitude to escape the turbulence, if necessary. To enter a dust devil, you should be at least 700 feet above the ground. Aim for the dust devil as you would a thermal. Determine the direction of the dust devil's rotation and enter it in the opposite direction, i.e., against the rotation. Be prepared for strong turbulence as you enter the lift. You may be amazed, both by the violence of the turbulence at the edge of the dust devil and also by the smoothness of the lift once inside. Flying in the Thermal After entering the thermal (or dust devil), concentrate on getting the most out of the available lift. Center the Lift. As soon as you enter the lift (and continuously thereafter), try to position yourself so that the core is in the center of your circles. In a dust devil, circle against its rotation. When your vario registers no change for a full circle, you have perfectly centered the lift. (This happens very seldom.) There are a number of methods for centering a thermal. M9st look fine on paper but are very difficult to put into practice in the air. My method is to simply continue circling, varying the center of my circles by increasing or decreasing my bank angle only when I 31

suspect that there is better lift elsewhere. If you're flying in lift that's "tilted" by the wind, you'll need to shift your circles upwind as you climb. Otherwise, the wind and your sink rate can combine to spit you out the backside. If you Fall Out. Falling out of a thermal is a common enough experience. If you can't find the thermal after you've fallen out, it may have been a detached thermal that has risen above your altitude. Or, it may have drifted with the wind; try looking for it downwind. Fly at the "Best" Speed and Bank Angle. The best speed to fly as you circle in the thermal is your glider's minimum sink speed. (Chapter 5 offers guidelines on pinpointing your glider's precise minimum sink speed.) The best bank angle is.less straightforward. The strongest lift is found in the center of a thermal, so it would seem logical to fly in the tightest circles possible to stay as close to the core as possible. However, tight circles mean increased bank angles and increased bank angles mean increased sink rates. If the core is significantly stronger than the rest of the thermal, tight circles are justified despite this inefficiency. If the difference in climb rates within the thermal is less drastic, fly in larger circles to achieve a better sink rate. There's an optimal bank angle for each individual thermal. Verify Net Altitude Gain. Periodically check your altimeter for net altitude gain or loss. In marginal lift, it's entirely possible to lose altitude and not be aware of it if you're high and far from a visual reference. Average scale varios are ideal for this purpose; see Chapter 4, "Equipment," for details. Beware of Hypoxia at High Altitudes. If you get high, conserve oxygen by making only necessary movements; you need oxygen to warm yourself. Beware of hypoxia, a condition resulting from insufficient oxygen. (More on hypoxia in Chapter 4.) Always Have a Landing Area in Mind. Whenever you're in the air, be sure that a landing area of some sort is within a two-to-one glide. Leaving the Thermal Before leaving a thermal, have a plan for your next step; don't wait until you reach cloud base to figure out where you '11 go next. Assess nearby clouds as 32

KeOSS-THE·CoRE

OFF-T~E-OLITSIDE

EXIT

you climb, using the time lapse of circling to determine which are developing, which decaying. As a general rule, leave a thermal when your climb rate equals the estimated rate of the next lift source. Some pilots leave a thermal by simply straightening out when they're headed in the desired direction. Other pilots elect to get one final "boost" before they leave. Starting from the side of the thermal opposite their chosen direction, they fly straight through the thermal, slowing clown as they pass through the core. With either technique, be prepared to speed up to get through the sinking air outside the thermal as quickly as possible. In addition, be prepared for "going over the falls" - the sudden (and often severe) pitching down of your nose when it enters the sink outside the thermal while your tail is still in the thermal, being lifted. About Thermal Streets If you locate a thermal street and are content to fly in the direction it takes, you need to circle in lift only occasionally if at all. Instead, use dolphin flight:

SINK

f I

./ LJ!=T I

straight-line flight with speed adjustments according to speed to fly principles. If you need to fly directly across a series of thermal streets, circle in the lift provided by the thermals and fly quickly through the sink between the streets. If your course is at an angle to a series of thermal streets, it's more efficient to fly straight under one street for a time, turn and clash across the sink to the next street, fly straight under that street for a time, and so on, than it is to attempt a flight directly to your goal. For example, either of the two routes illustrated by dashed lines is more efficient than the route shown by a solid line. (The two clashed line routes are equally efficient, given equal amounts of lift and sinK.) In crossing to another thermal street, select a thermal that looks promising, as discussed earlier, and head straight for it. As a margin of safety, be sure that there are at least one or two thermals beyond your target thermal.

(continued on page 42)

HANG GLIDING

MEDICINA AVIBUS

How To Stay Healthy Though Hang Gliding by Fred Leonard, M.D. Stress - along with birth, death and taxes, it seems to be one of the inescapable realities of modern life. So, what can you do about it? And what can it do to you? This month we'll take a look at those questions, and we'll try and provide some answers.

CHANGE, STRESS, AND ILLNESS For a long time physicians have known that stress can be a significant factor in certain illnesses. Ulcers, for example, are often precipitated or worsened by stress, and they often improve upon its removal. Further, we know that stress also causes predictable physiologic changes. For example, with stress, heart rate and blood pressure increase, respiratory rate increases, and there is an increase in muscle tension. What we didn't realize until relatively recently, however, is that not only is excessive stress involved in specific illnesses, but it can also increase a person's susceptibility to illness in general. About a decade ago, two investigators by the names of Holmes and Rahe developed a measure of stress they called a Life Changes Questionnaire. It consisted of a list of 43 changes that could occur in anyone's life. Each change was assigned a numerical point value, with higher numbers being assigned to changes that were considered more disruptive or stressful. Examples of changes that were assigned a high value were death of a spouse (100), divorce (73), death of a close family member (63), getting married (50), or becoming pregnant (40). Examples of changes assigned lower values were a change in work hours (20), a change in social activities (18), or minor violations of the law (11). Note that these changes are not necessarily good or bad, they simply imply a need to adjust to new stresses or life situations. What Dr. Holmes and Dr. Rahe AUGUST 1984

found was that people who had experienced a lot of recent life changes (those who totalled a lot of points called life change units) were much more likely to subsequently become ill than those who experienced fewer life changes. In fact, those people who totalled over 300 points had almost an 80% chance of becoming ill within the next year. In short, a lot of recent life change or stress seems to put people at risk for subsequent illness.

STRESS OVERLOAD AND ACCIDENTS Just as stress seems to be a risk factor for subsequent illness, it may also be a risk factor for subsequent accidents. In a recent article in Approach, a Navy magazine devoted to aviation safety, research psychologists reported the results of a study that evaluated over 700 aviators involved in flightrelated accidents that occurred over a four-year period. They divided these aviators into two groups - those whose actions might have contributed to their accident, and those whose actions did not. When they compared the two groups, they found that the group whose actions contributed to their accidents were more likely to have shown previous symptoms of stress overload

- the inability to adequately deal with the ongoing stresses in their lives. They were more likely to have recently become engaged to be married, to be having financial problems, or to be making a major career decision. Additionally, they were more likely to have shown a recent change in personality, to be having problems with interpersonal relationships, and to have changed their alcohol intake or to have started drinking excessively. Further, they seemed less mature and stable, they seemed to lack an adequate sense of their own limitations, and they seemed to lack the ability to assess potentially troublesome situations. The researchers felt that the personality characteristics of these aviators reflected a lack of introspection, insight, and self-knowledge. They displayed poor coping abilities, and they were prone to blame others for their problems when faced with stress and failure. The researchers concluded that these types of individuals, when faced with life stresses, were more likely to be involved in and contribute to an aircraft accident. They suggested that these problems of stress overload, and possibly some of the ensuing accidents, could have been avoided by establishing a program of life stress management.

STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES So what are some ways of managing stress? One is to avoid it. Now I know you didn't need me or a research psychologist to tell you that; but dumb as it may be, we all sometimes unnecessarily invite stress. We take on tasks or obligations when we're already overloaded. We overextend ourselves financially when it really isn't necessary (buying a new glider, of course, is necessary), and we make decisions without really considering the con(continued on page 42)

best time of the year to go New York is that t::u1-:L;ctu1c:. Last year two weeks in May and go1 rained out. This year booked off the third to try to avoid the rain, since one week off work this time. Well, sure enough, the first few were full of rain. John and Dick were down for the whole rnonth and so far had no to of. 17, the

winds and flew out of in the direction of the west bowl. The five of us

and I grabbed our stumbled to launch, and waited. . and waited. hapIt would come in about eight with a cross from the northeast and then die. What on earth was Herb in? If that was for this out. After about 15 minutes Andy offered if wanted to chance it.

to go in no time. Herb was little desthrew himself off in 34

altitude to venture to the I got there below the top l

started to meet Herb.

relief,''

thought. about the radio tower when it's crossed l'rom the north. I left llerb and vcntmed over the launch and down ,000 feel over. Better head back 1o the west go! back low and saw Andy real low, for all he was worth. It had to be the lowest I make it seen anybody scratch back up. As usual Canadians ouHrnmbered the locals ten to one. was the American there that Well couldn't wait around 1o how the 01 hers the cross country was but it was still loo HAN(,

Left: Author and pilot Mark Bourbonnais flying tandem with five-year-old son Steven at Mossy Banks Park, Bath, New York.

back my lost altitude. I decided to fly across town to Mossy Banks. It would surely be less cross there since it faces only 10 degrees off north. To my surprise it was blowing in nice and smooth and no one was there. Where was everybody'! After all, the only reason we were at Hammondsport that day was that it's a walk in and our gliders were still there from the previous day. We figured if it was too cross there, we would fly the gliders down early and rush over to Mossy. I caught another thermal upon arriving and took it up to about 5,000 feet. I looked at my watch only to find out it was still pretty early for cross country. I had never left at 12:00 before and I was a bit leary, but I'm sometimes known as a bit of a "go-for-it" so I headed on for the next cloud downwind, only to see its shadow breaking up as I got there. I headed crosswind to the east and caught a little lift from this cloud before it too started to break up. I continued south to a couple of familiar lakes where I had landed once before. Knowing I wouldn't get much there l headed further east, AUGUST 1984

getting constantly lower. At last here was a new shadow starting to form. I caught this one and maxed out a little over 5,000 feet. I continued south only to find nothing, no new clouds for a long way. Now what? I was really beginning to get low and noticed a field that had given me a lucky save once before, but to no avail. I continued south in the direction that the thermal had drifted me, but still nothing. As I got to the shallow ridge where it had gained in strength it still failed to show so much as a beep on my vario. The town of Addison was now just slightly to the east. With only 500 or 600 feet to spare I headed toward town, thinking it was all over, when my vario beeped slightly. After cautiously combing the area I was able to center in 300 to 400 fpm up. My saviour thermal was still there, only it had drifted a little farther east. "Boy that was close, only about 20 miles and almost blew it," I sighed. Well, after topping out at about six grand I continued south. One o'clock was approaching and the

thermals were really starting to cook now. I crossed the Pennsylvania border with lots of altitude and continued to cloud hop. The thermals were now pegging my vario and topping out close to seven grand. No need to get low now. As I crossed Hammond Reservoir near Tioga I looked back to see it totally overcast. Things were starting to O.D. early; I decided to step on it. I crossed over Mansfield overlooking a beautiful riverside golf course with 6000 feet. I followed the river down to Canoe Camp where it turns into a splendid aqua blue color. The view was gorgeous, not unlike the glacial rivers of British Columbia. Now along the eastern edge of Canoe Camp I was lower than I'd been for the last hour. As I watched my shadow going past the tennis courts I noticed another shadow beginning to form over a field to my left. I quickly dashed over and found the beginnings of a boomer. As I drifted past Covington I reached 7,300 feet, my best altitude of the flight. By now my toes had lost all feeling. I rubbed them together continuously in a hopeless attempt to get the circulation going. l knew this was it, Covington, Pennsylvania, the place that had stopped further progress on Dave's record flight of 46 miles from Hammondsport. Now I could see why - trees, nothing but trees for miles. This was the moment of truth, the chance to break the barrier. I was now a couple of miles east of Covington and drifting south over the trees. I was loosing precious altitude but still had the opportunity to bail out. But then I noticed it, ·a small mining operation in the middle of the bush. It wasn't much but it was a place to land if I had to. I nashed my teeth together and tried to calm the butterflies as I decided to continue. As I got closer I could see a small cloud starting to form. As I neared the small excavation area all I could think was "Please, don't let me loose it now." It would be a long hike out from here. Sure enough it was producing lift, just 35

All could do south to whatever blue re·

Chester

in front

of my life, from five hours of celebrate nonetheless. call back home Club

The next day J while as T tried but inside

believe l went that far yet still dream of how far it could have been if it hadn't totally

The autlrnr flying Hammondsport. his 110int of departure for an East

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RATINGS AND;APPOINTMENTS I

BEGINNER RATINGS Name, City State

Patrick Banta, Beverly Hills, CA ..... 3 Greg L. Baron, Granada Hills, CA .... 3 Paulo Castillo, Thousand Oaks, CA .. 3 Ben Easton, Venice, CA ............. 3 Alan G. Fay, Palmdale, CA .......... 3 Toby Fazio, Sherman Oaks, CA ...... 3 Denny Mallett, Brea, CA ............ 3 John F. Preston, Hermosa Beach, CA. 3 Dan Shotthafer, Wrightwood, CA .... 3

Region

Eduardo Garci-Aguirre, King City, CA ..................... 2 Frank Gutierrez, Fremont, CA ....... 2 Charles W. Schultz, Diamond Springs, CA ............ 2 Kris Tucker, Mt. View, CA .......... 2

Todd Garrod, Tempe, AZ ........... 4 Erik Kaye, Boulder, CO ............. 4 James Mickelson, Tijeras, NM ....... 4 Ralph McCullough, Tucson, AZ .... .4 Lloyd Wayne Priddy, Mahtomedi, MN4 Greg Seder berg, Arvada, CO ......... 4 Sid White, W. Jordan, UT ........... 4

Dean Bernal, Goleta, CA ............ 3 Mike Hopkins, Oxnard, CA ......... 3 Ward Gilbert, Tempe, AZ ........... 4 James E. Stover, Jr. Little Rock, AZ .................. 4 Greg Wetz, Phoenix, AZ ............ 4 Mike Woodward, Mesa, AZ ......... 4

David M. Anthony, Lombard, IL ..... 7 Doug Beal, Noblesville, IN .......... 7 Rodney R. Hauser, Cashton, WI ..... 7

Robert G. Hubbard, Kalispell, MO ... 5

Randal K. Austin, Sacramento, CA ... 2 Karen Bacon, Walnut Creek, CA ..... 2 William B. Baringer, Berkeley, CA .... 2 Joe Desira, S. San Francisco, CA ..... 2 William Firth, Oakland, CA ......... 2 Pat Harrison, Campbell, CA ......... 2 Grant Loban, Seaside, CA ........... 2 Janet Murdock, Oakland, CA ........ 2 Allan McCarthy, Lafayette, CA ...... 2 Paul Ogne, Santa Rosa, CA .......... 2 Kevin Puliatch, Walnut Creek, CA ... 2 Mary Rodigou, San Francisco, CA .... 2 David J. Ross, Mountain View, CA ... 2 Jeffrey W. Simpson, Union City, CA.2 Bruce Thompson, San Jose, CA ...... 2 Bill Vogel, Petaluma, CA ............ 2 Bryan D. Anderson, Loma Linda, CA. 3 John Flick, Granada Hills, CA ....... 3 Tim Huff, Riverside, CA ............ 3 Jim Manning, Orange, CA .......... 3 Bob Trautz, Goleta, CA ............. 3

Joseph E. Gorrie, Ridley Park, PA ... 91 Cindy Black, Washington, DC ....... 9 Jeffrey Hostler, PGH, PA ........... 9 Glenn M. Brewer, Fayetteville, PA .... 9 Gregory Kilpatrick, Rockville, MD ... 9 Edgar W. Jones, Vinton, VA ......... 9 Michael C. Kilpatrick, Rockville, MD. 9 Ira H. Kerschner II, William A. Shotwell, Fairfax, VA .... 9 Kinkletown, PA ................. 9 Dale Southam, Wilmington, DE ...... 9 James Rowan, Nutterfort, WV ....... 9 Jeffrey D. Smith, Norristown, PA .... 9 Donald L. Foster, Statesville, NC .... 10 James R. Strube, Arlington, VA ...... 9 James P. Wilson, Leon, WV ......... 9 Thomas B. Curbishley, Trenton, NJ .12

Kevin Christopherson, Casper, WY ... 5 Lyle R. Deobald, Moscow, ID ........ 5 Steven T. Marsh, Geneva, NE ........ 5

Arnold D. Morse, Whitestone, NY ... 12 Wilhad M. Reuter, Wappingers Falls, NY ........... 12

Keth Harold Murray, Nashua, NH .... 8

William F. Garrison, Waxhaw, NC .. 10 Robert C. Hagewood, Nashville, TN. 10 Greg Alan Wojnowski, Knoxville, TNIO

NOVICE RATINGS Name, City, State

Region

Robert R. Gillisse, Redstone Ars., AL .1 Gordon C. Landers, Springfield, OR .. I Ben Wolff, Cullman, AL ............ I Brink Duffy, Sacramento, CA ....... 2 Harriett Frederick, Movato, CA ...... 2 Howard Gillis, San Francisco, CA .... 2 Jim Goebl, Oroville, CA ............ 2 James R. Harris, Watsonville, CA .... 2 Diane E. Miller, Sunnyvale, CA ...... 2 Terry R. Miller, Sunnyvale, CA ...... 2 George Ortiz, Napa, CA ............ 2 Rick Owen, S. Lake Tahoe, CA ...... 2 Don Ratty, Bakersfield, CA ......... 2 Steve Sybeldon, Bakersfield, CA ..... 2 Karsten Uhde, Mountain View, CA ... 2 Steven Wertheimer, Novato, CA ..... 2 38

Michael Evans, Rowlett, TX ........ 11 Kevin S. O'Neil, Ft. Hood, TX ...... 11 John R. Shepard, Austin, TX ....... 11 Lloyd A. Combs III, APO, NY ...... 12 Robert Kerns, Clifton, NJ .......... 12 Randy Lee, Cedar Grove, NJ ....... 12 Stephen Schnall, Middletown, NJ ... 12 INTERMEDIATE RATINGS Name, City, State

Lisa Jensen, Snowbird, UT .......... 4

Craig S. Austin, Duluth, MN ........ 7 John F. Del Campo, Chicago, IL ..... 7

Dave W. Deming, Pittsburgh, PA .... 9 Mark Dooley, Montvale, VA ......... 9 Markland E. Dunn, State College, PA. 9 Dale Fortner, Stow, OH ............. 9 Neil Fortner, Newbury, OH .......... 9 Bouvard Hosticka, Charlottesville, VA9 Andy Johnson, Bradford, PA ........ 9 Chris Thompson, Afton, VA ......... 9 Mitch Keebler, Ringcold, GA ....... 10 Jeffery L. Sprinkle, Winston-Salem, NC ............. 10 David Van Noppen, Boone, NC ..... 10

Region

Michael S. Gerdes, Federal Way, WA. I Richard Lee Gilmore, Seattle, WA .... I Bradley L. Hill, Monroe, WA ........ 1 Kenneth W. Johnson, Seattle, WA .... I Thomas E. Obrien, Sumner, WA ..... I John Schaefer, Seattle, WA .......... I

Donn Martin Baumgartner, Austin, TX ..................... 11 Vincent L. Collins, Austin, TX ...... 11 Brett W. Schenk, Austin, TX ....... II Erik Paul Eklund, NY City, NY ..... 12 Johnny R. Jones, APO, NY ........ 12 Manfred Mohnssen, Manchester, NY12

HANG GLIDING

RATINGS AND APPOINTMENTS ADVANCED RATINGS Name, City, State

3rd of a Series

MASTER RATINGS Region

Name, City, State

Region

Byron L. Jones, Pendleton, OR ...... I

Phil Sergent, Redding, CA ........... 2

Tom Haselwood, Carmichael, CA .... 2 John H. LaTorre, Salinas, CA ....... 2 Sergio Magistri, San Francisco, CA ... 2 Brian Melot, Aptos, CA ............. 2 Frank Tucker Ill, Los Altos, CA ..... 2

Walter D. Dodge, Big Bear Lake, CA. 3

Randy Buell, San Diego, CA ......... 3 David E. Cleve, Fontana, CA ........ 3 James J. Davis, Jr., San Diego, CA ... 3 Daniel C. Dresser, San Diego, CA .... 3 William J. Hall, Van Nuys, CA ....... 3 Ward Lambert, Ventura, CA ........ 3 Richard F. Lanes, San Diego, CA ..... 3 Michael John Mixer, San Diego, CA .. 3 Ron Ober, Santa Barbara, CA ....... 3 Tom Sanders, San Diego, CA ........ 3 Daniel H. Sutherlin, El Cajon, CA .... 3 Anthony C. Barton, Tucson, AZ ...... 4 Doug Knowlton, Albuquerque, AZ ... 4 Val Stephens, Sandy, UT ............ 4 Mark Stockwell, Tucson, AZ ........ 4 Jack A. MacKenzie, Jackson, WY .... 5 Robert P. Kreske, New Carlisle, IN ... 7 Garland G. Craig, Montvale, VA ..... 9 John Joseph Pattison, Westernport, MD ................ 9 Don Riley, Hillsvale, VA ............ 9 Ken Swarm, Cleveland, OH .......... 9 G.W. Meadows, Winston-Salem, NCIO Butch Pritchett, Finley, TN ......... 10

Gary Engelhardt, Wildwood, GA .... 10 Paul Voight, Pine Bush, NY ........ 12

BRONZE AW ARDS ISSUED WITH NOVICE RATING

CRYSTAL

Name, City, State

Karen Meder, Scarborough, Canada ....... Foreign

10th NO. 1 -

Name, City, State

Region

Crystal is centrally located to the finest flying in the eastern USA.

NO. 2 - Crystalstocksallthewinningestgliders ... the Wills Wing Attack Duck; the Delta Wing Streak; and now, the Airwave Magic Ill.

Observers Michael Boyle, Anchorage, AK ....... I Gordon L. Gibbs, Colton, OR ....... I

FINGER FAIRINGS

NO.

Crystal maintains a full line of accessories.

NO. 4 - Crystal offers nearby Motel, Flyer's Bunkhouse, and Pool facilites (at the Crystal Air Sport Motel) that is run by and caters to pilots ... including in·house hang gliding movies. NO. 5 - Crystal is the leader in the Aero Towing movement ... 2-Seat Cosmos tug on·hand, NOWI NO. 6

• Always there when you need them • Warm, comfortable, durable, slide easily across control bar • Instant bare hand dexterity for launch, CB, chute, camera • Quality construction, V4·in. neoprene, nylon inside and out • Available in red or black S, M, or L only $32.50

- Crystal is the home of the full environment "Simulator," where you can introduce your friends and loved ones to the thrill of hang gliding ... SAFELY!

NO. 7- Crystaliscelebratingits lOthAnniversary in 1984. For all those years, Crystal has been a leading innovator in delivering flight and gear to pilots and student pilots. Don't you want to fly with a leader?

dealer inquiries invited

THE AIRWORKS

3900 Van Buren NE Albuquerque, NM 87110 (505)

AUGUST 1984

SPORTS

OFFICIALS

Paul Basil, Austin, TX ............. 11 Charlie 0. Rodriguez, Austin, TX ... 11 Richard A. Wilson, Fredericksburg, TX ............. 11 Richard Maley, DeRuyter, NY ...... 12 Eric S. Miluk, Eggert ville, NY ....... 12

AIR

Philip T. Paris, Jr., Flagstaff, AZ Michael Tilton, Amarillo, TX Rodney J. Lu sch, La Palma, CA Ken Wight, Oberweier, W. Germany J. Dee Theobald, Provo, Utah Brad Stewart, Long Beach, CA Shirley Greve, Venice, CA Jim Coughlin, Venice, CA Gary Brunell, Worcester, Mass

884·6851

Call TOM today! Phone 615/825, 1995, or write Rt. 4, Cummings Hwy.,

Chattanooga, TN 37409

photo by Bettina Gray

Why don't you tell us how got involved in

Southern Assoeiat ion'/ My husband Russell got involved with the sport his with friends Pat McDonald

Miller,

held at 1he Department of and Power in Angeles. would mainly watch movies of entlm. siasts into the sand at Playa Del and other places. In those everyone built his own with no pcricncc or plans to speak oL

My l'irst don't you business?

Velderrain us

about

kit Why Russell's

parts and accessories and taught lessons, but he got out of it because you 't pay rent and eat on $30 got into it 1oo I how did you involved an of the Association? meetings of the 40

Ci!IDIN(i

the secretary was not there, so someone asked me to take the minutes. We soon started getting involved with the officers and administrators of the club and attending the board meetings. I soon became the permanent secretary of the club and stayed with that until I was offered the job of office manager, which became available through Clara Allen who wanted to go back to nursing. This was May of 1974. HG: At that time they were still the Southern California Hang Gliding Association? CV: Yes, but by this time they had so many members that they needed a fulltime staff. Two other girls and I were working full time just keeping the memberships under control. We were earning minimum wage at the time. The membership was growing fast by late '74 and early '75 as the result of articles in Popular Science, Readers Digest, and other magazines that said you could build a hang glider for $35. They gave the address of the Southern California Hang Gliding Association to contact for more information. We were inundated with requests for information and people would actually join because the dues at that time were only ten dollars. HG: They were three dollars when I joined in '73. CV: Yes, and then they grew to $5 and $10. We had 10,000 members in 1974 right after I started. Of course a lot of those people dropped out after one year's membership since they were only casually interested. Soon we became the United States Hang Gliding Association since most of our membership was from outside the state. We had even picked up a lot of international members. We felt that we were the natural group to represent hang glider pilots nation-wide, since there was a need for that representation. The five directors decided to expand our role originally even to the international level, but it soon became apparent that that would not be practical. The first meeting of the national board of directors was held in Denver, Colorado at a boat shop. We met around a table made of saw-horses and planks and I remember that John Lake slept in one of the boats. He came out to Denver on a shoestring in typical hang glider pilot fashion and couldn't afford a motel. AUGUST 1984

HG: What were your primary functions as office manager? CV: Well, it would be difficult to describe everything since it's a catch-all job, but my primary duties were to do taxes, payroll, all the bookkeeping and handle merchandise inventory. At first I even opened the mail but eventually that became too time-consuming since there were 200-300 pieces a day. Soon we acquired insurance which became another duty. HG: Tell us about the early days of Hang Gliding magazine. CV: Originally, of course it was Ground Skimmer, which was the newsletter of the SCH GA. As we grew it grew and eventually became Hang Gliding. It was on a very shaky schedule at first. At one point it got so far behind that we had to publish one issue for two months in order to catch up. This meant

"I don't think the members need to worry about the Association going under, but we need to realize that if membership continues to drop a lot of services will have to be cut, or the burden on the remaining members will be huge. " prorating everyone's membership so they would get their full 12 issues before the membership expired. Basically the whole operation of the office is based on the publication schedule of the magazine. HG: Recently a consortium of hang glider dealers got together and ran an ad in Outside magazine. The last I heard they had 14 responses. What is your experience with general inquiries from the public? CV: Memberships via general inquiries are very slim. The response from information sent them, in the form of a sold membership, is virtually nil. Usually they are just casually interested but don't join, as they did in the old days, because the dues are so much higher. HG: How well do you think the Association is run and what do you think could be improved? CV: With no reflection on the management of the Association, because I

would be attacking myself as much as anyone, we're up against the difficulty of not being able to afford real professional management. The office manager must run the office so the real management of the Association's business is done on a part-time basis by volunteers. HG: Then you feel that the volunteer director program has not been all that successful? CV: It's been very successful considering what we've had to work with. What has been accomplished has been tremendous, but in order to grow into a totally professional organization we need to pay for the services we need. HG: Are you talking about an executive director? CV: Yes, I certainly think an executive director would save the Association from the mediocre kind of management that we've had to survive under. But so far we've done as well as we have because of the enthusiasm of the participants in the sport and their desire to keep the sport self-regulated. HG: Where do you think the sport and the Association are headed? CV: The sport and our organization will always remain, but we need a board as good or better than what we have now. This board is the best we've ever had and I'd like to give Steve Hawxhurst a lot of credit. He has been one of the most active and constructive Presidents in the history of the Association. I also have a soft spot in my heart for people like Lloyd Licher, Dan Poynter, Vic Powell, John Lake and Dennis Pagen who have worked so hard for us since the beginning. I don't think the members need to worry about the Association going under, but we need to realize that if membership continues to drop a lot of services will have to be cut, or the burden on the remaining members will be huge. HG: Why did you finally leave? CV: Well, Russell is in a new line of work and I was helping out by working evenings. Essentially I was holding down two jobs and it got to be very burdensome. The future in our business was looking good and of course the Association's future was not looking so promising. In addition I needed the change. Something the organization needs to look at is benefits for its employees. I was with the company for 10 years and walked away with nothing. If they want 41

to keep good people over the long haul they need to look at a retirement program of some kind. I'm at the point in life where I need to think about that kind of thing. We need more incentive to keep good people with us. HG: Some time ago when it was clear that the sport and the Association were on a down hill slide, you and I heard rumors of finger pointing and accusations about poor office management, along with a lot of other things. I kind of had the feeling that that may have provided the original incentive for you to start looking elsewhere. What do you have to say about that? CV: There were some questions about my competency that not only made me angry but upset me to the point where I started thinking about making a change. When the opportunity to work for Vehicle Maintenance Service came along I took it. However, I did feel that I should stay with the USHGA through the financial crisis because a change in personnel at that time would have made a difficult situation much worse. Even if this position had not become available I would have left some time in 1984. HG: When the decline began last year I noticed that everyone was blaming everyone else. I guess everyone felt that someone had to be at fault. CV: Yes, people should be very careful with what they say in a situation like that. We had a group of dedicated people doing everything they could to keep the USHGA afloat. We took pay cuts, moved into a smaller office, ceased buying things and in general did everything we could. It really hurts when you 're doing your best and then you hear people saying nasty things about you. HG: What did you like best about working for the USHGA? CV: I enjoyed the people I worked with. I enjoyed talking to people and being involved with all the enthusiasm for the sport. I even liked the bookkeeping although I hated doing inventory. I'm not an accountant but I feel I kept very orderly books. This is one area where the Association could use more professional help. We need a financial advisor. HG: Well, thanks for taking the time to chat with me. It has been my privilege and pleasure to work with you over the years and we'll all certainly miss you. CV: I'll miss the USHGA too. Best wishes and good luck in the future.• 42

(continued from page 32)

(Thermaling)

Following Established Etiquette As with ridge soaring, a set of generally accepted rules has evolved to govern situations when pilots hare an airspace:

• If you enter a thermal already occupied by another pilot, enter it at a different level and circle in the same direction as that pilot. • Adjust your circles so that they are more or less concentric with those of the other pilots in the thermal. • If another pilot is climbing through your level, give way; that pilot's range of vision is more limited than yours.

The concept of other rules applying to particular sites is valid for thermal soaring as well as for ridge soaring. Check with local pilots for specifics.•

(Medicina Avibus)

sequences. For example, a promotion which requires a job transfer from Gabbs, Nevada to Los Angeles, California may not be such a good deal if one of your least favorite pastimes is sitting on the freeway during rush hour. So the next time you have to make a significant decision, ask yourself if it will increase the stress in your life, and if so, ask yourself if it's worth it. Another stress management strategy is to attempt to set realistic goals based on an assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. Then, keeping these goals in mind, try and organize your tasks and obligations into those you have to do, those that can wait, and those you really didn't need to do in the first place. However, if you find you have 93 things in the first category, four in the second, and none in the third, you might want to either start the process over or go on an extended vacation. Another weapon in the fight against stress that we've mentioned before is regular exercise. It can help you feel good, provide a constructive outlet for your pent up energy and frustrations, and help prevent a really significant cause of stress - poor health and poor physical condition. Finally, there are a variety of relaxation techniques that can be used to help lower stress levels and cut down on tension and the other ill effects of stress. They range from biofeedback, to meditation, to simply setting aside a "time out" period in an otherwise hectic daily schedule. I'd like to be able to close by telling you that reducing the stress in your life will make you fly higher and farther. I'd like to, but I can't. However, I can say that it may help you avoid illness or accidents, it may increase your longevity, and it may provide you the opportunity to reach new heights. In any case, it certainly should make your quest for new heights and new horizons a more enjoyable one.•

HANG GLIDING

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 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), re-used 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.

Rogallos Attention: MONEY$$ or trade in value for old, obsolete hang gliding stuff including magazines. Hang Glider Emporium (805) 965-3733. DELTA WING'S NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF DEALERS can help get you into the air. Alternative financing plans available. For further information and the address of your nearest dealer, contact: DELTA WING, P.O. Box 483, Van Nuys, CA 91408 (818) 787-6600.

ROGALLOS: Airwaves Magic Ill's 177 Demo #I $1975 177 Demo #2 $1975 177 Demo #3 $1975 177 NEW Stock $2112 166 NEW Stock $2070 155 NEW Stock $2070 San Francisco Windsports (415) 753-8828 185-C2 -

8 hrs. $1600.00 (415) 728-7709.

VERY CUSTOM 165 COMET - Sail & frame, big bar conversion, C-2 tip tensioners & base bar, half ribs, X-tra B.S. ribs. Under 100 hrs. $1300. Lake Elsinore (714) 678-3966. COMET 165 - Very low time, perfect condition. Spectrum colored sail with white trailing edges. Mike (312) 259-1600 day, (312) 934-3793 night. GREAT DEAL - Comet 2 165 Like new. Beautiful. (213) 287-9175. $1500.

PROSTAR 160 - New, custom sail, must sell, make offer (619) 743-2245. RA VEN 209 - lmmaculate, rainbow colors, 20 hours, $600. (206) 748-0335. SEAGULL 11 Meter - great condition, super performance, fun to fly, $495. Eipper Supine, $35. (602) 833-6017. SEAGULL METER - Yellow, red trim 194 squares. Very clean (419) 471-1621 $450. MUST SELL - SHADOW 185, excellent condition, 2 hours airtime Sl ,000; Super Lancer, good condition, includes wheels $450.; Flight Designs harness with chute and helmet $200. Prices negotiable (203) 629-5919.

160 STREAK - Tri-Ply sail Excellent condition, $ !000.00 G Len (619) 457-2900. STREAK 160 - New, less than 8 hours airtime. Must sell, baby on the way. 51400.00 (805) 238-3317. STREAK 180 - Excellent - rainbow lower surface, low airtime, steal at only $1195. (619) 286-5604. STREAK 160 - No. 206, low hours. Excellent condition Tel. Chris (213) 498-7613. VIPER 175 - 81-82 Bennett. Double surface harness $875./offer Tahoe (702) 831-6415. WANTED - Used Hang Gliding Equipment, Gliders, lnstruments, Harnesses and Parachutes. SAN FRANCISCO WINDSPORTS, 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116, (415) 753-8828.

Schools and Dealers ARIZONA

DEMON 175 - Like new, rainbow sail, $775.00 Carson City, NV (702) 882-6968

ARIZONA WINDSPORTS - Certified instruc-. tion utilizing the world's only man-made trainer hill. Skyting instruction in the advanced class. Full service shop: gliders, accessories, parts, repairs. Dealer for Progressive Aircraft and Delta Wlng. 5245 S. Kyrene, Unit #4, Tempe, AZ 85283 (602) 897-7121.

FLEDGE II B - 2 Fledges in very good condition. $700 takes both. (805) 644-2117. Steve.

DESERT HANG GLIDERS -4319 W. Larkspur, Glendale, AZ 85304 (602) 938-9550.

GEMINI 134 - Beautiful blue, purple, black, nown twice. $700. (206) 748-0335.

CALIFORNIA

165 COMET - Like new' $875.00 (Moved to Florida) (305) 295-7263 or (305) 851-0370 ext. 2599

GEM[Nl 184 - New with custom sail $900; Electra Floater 185, $600. Chuck (503) 296-9588. SUPER LANCER 200 - Ex. Cond. Picture Avail. Hour airtime will ship. Best offer (215) 362-3559 day. SMALL PILOTS - Colorful Super Lancer 155, excellent condition $700. [n Masssachusetts. Call collect (303) 925-5510 (Colorado). MOYES METEOR - Rainbow red plus black w/w cocoon harness - large - both like new condition (312) 485-8883. HANG GLIDER - Sunbird Nova 190. S600. (818) 355-1509 after 6 pm. PHOENIX 6D -

Rigged for hang gliding, towing

& triking. Includes Trike "A" frame, hang gliding & towing "A" frames. Complete float system plus

BRIGHT STAR HANG GLIDERS - Certified Personal instruction for all levels. Proudly representing Wills Wing, UP, Pacific Windcraft and most major manufacturers. Quality restorations, parts and accessories for Northern California. 3715 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95407. (707) 584-7088.

HANG GLIDER EMPORlUM - Quality instruction, service and sales since 1974. Full stock of new and used UP and Wills gliders, harnesses, helmets, instruments, accessories and spare parts. Located minutes from US 101 and flying sites. 613 N. !Vlilpas, Santa Barbara, California 93103. (805) 965-3733. HANG GLIDERS OF CALIFORNIA, lNC. 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 of call: Hang Gliders of California, [nc., 2410 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405. (213) 399-5315. HANG GLIDERS WEST - ULTRALIGHT FLIGHT CENTER - New and used gliders. SINCE 1973, CERTIFIED, FREE BROCHURE! 20-A Pamaron, Ignacio, CA 94947. (415) 883-3494. DEALER FOR EAGLE, XL, & FALCON UL TRALIGHTS 1 PINECREST AIR PARK service (714) 887-9275.

Instruction, sales,

SAN FRANCISCO WINDSPORTS - Gliders & equipment sales & rentals. Private & group instruction by U.S.H .G .A. certified instructors. Local site information and glider rental. 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116. (415) 753-8828. WINDSPORTS INT. since 1974 (formerly So. Cal. Hang Gliding Schools). Largest and most complete HANG GLIDING center in Southern California. Largest inventory of new and used gliders, ultralites, instruments, parts and accessories. Complete training program by USHGA certified instructors. 16145 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91406 (818) 988-0111.

COLORADO FOUR CORNERS ULTRALIGHTS - since 1974. Sales, service, instruction. Box 2997, Durango, CO 81301 - (303) 259-1033. CONNECTICUT CONNECTICUT COSM[C AVIATION - 14 Terp Rd., E. Hampton, CT 06424, c/o Bart Blau, Lynda Blau, (203) 267-8980. Hang glider dealer for Wills and UP. Ultralight also available. USHGA Certified Instructor. Been flying since 1975. Call me where to go in CONN. HAWAII FREE FLIGHT HANG GLIDING SCHOOL Certified instruction, sales, service and rentals. 684 Hao St., Hon., Hi 96821. (808) 373-2549. TRADEWINDS HANG GLIDING - USHGA Certified School. Rentals, tandems, Wills Wing. Box 543, Kailua, Hl 96734 (808) 396-8557. IDAHO

CHANDELLE SAN FRANCISCO, Hang Gliding Center. USHGA certified school. Stocking dealer for Wills Wing, UP, Progressive Aircraft, Pacific Windcraft, Delta Wing. Learn to fly with us! (415) 756-0650.

TREASURE VALLEY HANG GLIDERS - Service - USHGA Instruction - dealers for all major brands, accessories - site info, ratings - Box 746, Nampa, ID 83651 (208) 465-5593.

HANG FLIGHT SYSTEMS - Certified instruction program. Featuring Wills Wing and Ultralight Products gliders and accessories. Duck, Comet II, Skyhawk, Gemini demos available to qualified pilots. 1202 E. Walnut, Unit M, Santa Ana, CA 92701. (714) 542-7444.

ALPHA AIRCRAFT, INC. - Dealers for Airwave, Moyes and UP Hang Gliders, Challenger, Falcon, Flight Star and Shadow Ultralights. Accessories, sales, service and training. 145 E 14th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202 (317) 291-6406 or (317) 636-4891.

INDIANA

additional equipment. Ideal trainer (812) 945-1865.

AUGUST 1984

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Kurumayama Hang School 0266/68/2724 (April -November).

MINNESOTA

OREGON

NORTHERN SUN, 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. 9450 Hudson Blvd., Lake Elmo, MN 55042 (612) 738-8866.

EASTERN OREGON ULTRALIGHTS - Certified instruction. New and used. Wills Wing specialists, PO Box 362, Pendleton, OR 97801 (503) 276-2329.

NEW MEXICO SANDIA SOARING SERVICE Connection - (505) 298-8454.

Your Sandia

NEVADA

SWITZERLAND SWISS ALP HANG GLIDING SAFARI - For complete documentation of this high adventure alpine tour send S5.00 to cover airmail postage to: RON HURST, Kurfirstenstr. 61, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland, Airmail.

PENNSYLVANIA SKY SAILS LTD Hang Gliding School. USHGA certified instructors. 1630 Lincoln Ave., Williamsport, PA 17701. (717) 326-6686 or 322-8866.

Emergency Parachutes NEW RAPID DEPLOYMENT B.U.S. FLY AWAY CONTAINER SYSTEM is the world's newest, fastest and most reliable system. By the originator 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.

UTAH FLY UTAH WITH

HIGH SIERRA SPORTS, INC. - 286 E. Winnie, Carson City, NV 89701. (702) 885-1891. Northern Nevada's complete hang gliding, windsurfing & ultralight shop. All major brands available. USHGA Certified Instructor, Observer & Region II Examiner. Sales, service, rentals and lessons.

EMERGENCY PARACHUTES - All Brands Bought, sold and repacked. Inspection and repack $20.00 - Kevlar, nylon, s/s, bridles installed and replaced. S.F. Windsports (formerly H.G. Equip· ment Co.) 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116 (415) 753-8828.

NEW YORK MO"ITAINWINGS, INC. - 6 miles from Ellenville. Five training hills, five mountain sites, USHGA certified instruction and towing. We are now the area's only Wills Wing dealer, also Delta Wing, Pacific Windcraft, Scedwings and Manta. Sail, airframe repairs on all makes, R/C equipment. Main St., Kerhonkson, NY 12446 (914) 626-5555. NORTH CAROLINA KITTY HAWK KITES, INC., - P.O. Box 340, Nags Head, NC 27959 1-800-334-4777, in NC, 919-441-4124. Learn to fly over soft sand dunes just south of the site where the Wright Brothers learned to fly. Beginning & Advanced packages; complete inventory of new gliders, accessories & parts. Ultralight training & sales available as well as windsurfing sales & instruction. OKLAHOMA THE HANG GLIDER AND ULTRALIGHT SHOP - Lessons, sales, service both hang gliders and ultralights. 612 Hunter Hlll, OKC 73127 (405) 787-3125.

Delta Wing Products, certified instruction, 9173 Falcon Cr. Sandy Utah 84092 (801) 943-1005.

Business Opportunities

International Schools & Dealers

CRYSTAL AIR SPORTS MOTEL Male/Female HELP WANTED: 15 hrs.lwk. Exchange for lodging in Original Flyers Bunkhaus. Call or write Chuck or Shari, 4328 Cummings Hwy., Chattanooga, TN 37409 (615) 821-2546. Home of SKY GEAR, Apparel & Accessories. Also, vacationing? Private Rustic Rooms. Waterbeds, Video Movies, Color TV, Pool.

CHILE CONDOR ANDINO - Certified Instruction. UP, WW, Bennett dealerships. Fontananrosa 6649, Las Condes, Santiago. Tel. 2296463. JAPAN

TREMENDOUS INCOME OPPORTUNITY: Repair Dacron fabrics. New tape product. Requires no special tools. Box 1218 RD-I Tamaqua, PA 18252 (717) 668-2706.

SUN RISE COUNTRY /INC

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REPAIRS MANAGER - for Kitty Hawk Kites/Sports. Responsibilities include sail repair, sail making (hang gliders, windsurfers, ultralights,

Distributor major brands hang gliders (Airwave Magic), instruments, parachutes and ultralights. Tokyo 03/433/0063, Yugawara 0456/63/0173,

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I I USHGA CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING ORDER FORM I 35 cents par 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 tefore the cover date of th!I I issue in which you want your ad (i.e. March 20, for the May issue). I Bold face or caps 50¢ per word extra. (Does not include first few I words which are automatically caps). Special layouts or tabs $20' por I column inch. I Payment tor first Jhree months required In advance. I I Please enter my classified ad as follows: I I I I I

Number of words: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ @ .35 • _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Section (please circle)

Rogallos Schools and Dealers Emergency Chutes Ultralight Powered Flight

Parts & Accessories Rigid Wings Business & Employment Opportunities Publications & Organizations Miscellaneous

Begin with _ _ __ consecutive issue(s).

19 _ _ _ _ issue and run for _ _ __

My check _ _ money order _ _ is enclosed In the amount of

$------~-Name:----------------------Address:~~~~~~~-~~-~-~~~-~~~-

Phone Number:

P.O. BOX 88308, LOS ANGELES, CA 90088 / (213) 390.3095

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HANG GLIDING

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- -

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WARNING:

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING catamarans), airframe repair, rigging. Opportunity to develop a sail loft. Contact John Harris P .0. Box 340, Nags Head, NC 27959 (919) 441-4124.

Parts & Accessories

THIS SPECIAL OFFER EXPIRES ••.

Miscellaneous HANG GLIDING BUCKLES - Photoengraved, solid brass, depicting soaring birds of prey. Exceptional quality. Send for free brochure! iVlassachuserts Motorized, P.O. Box 542-G, Cotuit, MA 02635.

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PARTS AND ACCESSORIES - San Francisco Windsports (formerly H.G. Equipment Co.) For all your hang gliding needs. We are dealers for all major brands. Send $2.00 for price list - 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116 (415) 753-8828. Brand new - never been used' \\'W Flylite Harness w/chute container (fits 5'8" to 6' I"), S135. - 20 gore "Advanced Air" parachute, S295. Bullctman Harness (fits 5'8" to 6'1 "), S225 or less - one hour airtime. John Bautsch (715) 842-4103.

PATCHES & DECALS - USHGA sew-on emblems 3" dia. Full color - SI. Decals, 3 !/," dia. Inside or outside application. 25C each. Include I SC for postage and handling with each order. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

EXPIRES WITH 500th ORDER

TEE-SHIRTS with USHGA emblem S8.00 including postage and handling. Californians add 6"'o tax. \-!en's sizes in BLUE - S, M, L, XI.. Limited supply of ORANGE, sizes S, M, X-L. USHGA, P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

Now, today, you can sign up for two years ( 12 info packed issues) of WHOLE AIR for ONLY $14.971

HANG GI.IDER TO\\' \\'INCH - 4000 ft. of new top rope, automatic rope tension, and rewind. In perfect working order, S2000. (714) 887-9275.

Yes ... you can save OVER 50% OFF the newsstand price for two full years of WHOLE AJR, widely acclaimed to be the most innovative American hang gliding magazine. WHOLE AJR also serves 41 foreign countries and carries more international articles than any english· speaking magazine. But the best evidence is from our current readers. When 93% keep their back issues ... when each reader passes his or her copy on to an average of 3 other pilots ... when over 64% of one-year subscribers renew for 2 or 3 years ... or when readers just write to applaud WHOLE A/R's approach ... you'll see why this OVER 50% OFF SPECIAL is a chance you should quickly accept. Don't wait till another issue passes you by ...

NEW CUSTO~I COCOON HARNESS - 5'10" to 6'2", large ballast, wallet, and parachute pouches, completely faired, sss carabiner, fully padded yet lightweight, finest in the Northwest, blue with silver/white stripe. S250.00 (206) 924-0107. CUSTOM - Hang gliding harness for sale with parachute & rnriometer, & altimeter & helmet. Used only twice. $475. for all. Will sell separatelv. (7 )4) 84]-0739. BALL MODEL - #652 vario-altimeter-airspeed - vario audio up and down. Altimeter, digital in I ft. increments, airspeed 10-70 mph, dual batteries ... usecl for 4 flights retail S615. Will sacrifice S530. Sea Drake 140 channel radio with external mike and helmet mount mike, all with charger. Retail over $300, yours for $220. Like new Attack Duck 160 Team White nown three times. Steal for S1990. New Hummer never had engine mounted S3500. Steve Coan (919) 385-671 I.

Publications & Organizations SOARING - Monthly magazine of The Soaring Society or America Inc. Covers all aspects of soaring flight. Full membership S28. Info kit with sample copy S3.00. SSA, P.O. Box 66071, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

Movies AOLI, COMET CLONES & POD PEOPLE Award winning film of Owens Valley hang gliding. 60 minutes. S64.95. THE SKY BLUE MOVIE Epic quest for true flight. 100 minutes. S74. 95 postpaid. PAL or foreign add S5. Free poster. COD call (619) 878-2255.Rick 1\fasters, P.O. Box 478, Independence, CA 93526.

Rigid Wings

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FLEDGE III, 83, Excellent condition. S1600. Larry (408) 688-7243. FLEDGE Ill - Custom sailwork and rudders. Excellent condition and looks great. \\'as centerfold in June 1983 HANG GLIDING. (The towed glider.) Can set up for hang gliding, towing, or

HANG GLIDING CHARM - 14K gold $48.00, Sterling Silver S38.00, plus S2.50 shipping and handling. Golden Glider, 1129 Turnbull Cyn., Hacienda Heights, CA 91745 (818) 333-3300. ---The rate for classified ad,-ertising i.s 35C per word (or group of characters). \linimum charge, $3.00. A fee of SID. is charged for each photograph or logo. Bold face or caps SOC per word extra. Underline words to be bold. Special layouts or tabs S20.00 per column inch. AD DEADLINES All ad copy, instructions, changes, additions and

cancellations must be recci\·ccl in writing I u~

WHOLE AIR

months preceding the cover elate, i.e., November 20 for the January issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA: Classified Advertising Dept .. HANG GLIDING ~tAGAZINE, Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

Para ~ - ! ~ Publishing ~

The Magazine of Hang Gliding and Ultralight Soaring D YES, i know a good deal when I see it .. Sign me up for 2 years ( 12 issues) of WHOLE AJR for just $\4.97 ... OVER 50% OFF newsstand cost

D I am a present subscriber; add these 2 years to my ,I current subscription(# _ _ _ - see mailing label).

Books by Dan Poynter Post Office Box 4232~314 Santa Barbara, Ca 93103

Name - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Address

sen d FOr

Telephone: (805) 968-7277

FREE Br OCh Ure

TODAY!

I I

Zipcode - - ~

Mall to: Box 144, Lookout Mtn,, TN 37350

ultralight Oying. Will consider --~-------------------~ reasonable offer. Must (916) sell. 345-2115 or (916) any 756-6554.

AUGUST 1984

CLASSIFIEID ADVERTISING USHGA CERTIFIED SCHOOLS

Stolen Wings TYPE: Sensor 510 180. SAIL: Blue LE, Bayberry double surface, white main body. Many rips in LE. Was not in bag when stolen. WHERE AND WHEN: Hart Park, Bakersfield CA May 6, 1985. Was seen leaving the bottom of the hill on a small red hatchback cart CONTACT: Larry Broad (209) 784-4618. TYPE: Orange Wills Wing Harness with blue bag, Advanced Air 26' chute. WHERE AND WHEN: Roadside, 20 miles SE of Dallas, TX June 3, 1984. CONTACT: Mark Wadsworth (817) 777-5174 or 292-1578. $100 reward. TYPE: Ball 651 vario, Robertson cocoon harness (red exterior, gold-black-gold chevron), parachute and Bell helmet. CONTACT: Robert Fullam, 551 Jean St. #302, Oakland, CA 94610. TYPE: 165 Demon. SAIL: Brown LE, orange TE. Disconnected nose batten, slightly ripped velcro on underside. CONTACT: Scott Nichols, Box 3035, Aspen, co, 920-1295. TYPE: UP Gemini 164, '81, #164053. Orange leading edge and keel pockets, white sail, no mylar. FROM: hangar at Morningside Recreation Area, Claremont, NH. WHEN: Sometime in November, 1983. CONTACT: Jamie Burnside, 12012 Broadway Terrace, Oakland, CA 94611, (415) 654-4539. TYPE: Comet ll 165 #1650 and Robert cocoon harness (red) with blue parachute container, and Litek vario (red) in blue bag. WHERE AND WHEN: Livingston, MT along highway, Feb. II, 1984. PATTERN: Red LE, spectrum dbl. surface, white main body, white keel pocket. CONTACT: Bill Snyder, 3751 S. 19th, Bozeman, Montana 59715 (406) 586-1840. TYPE: Comet 165. SAIL: Brown LE, red dlb. surface, gold main body w/small brown star left of center. $200 reward. CONTACT: Rob Brohaugh, 1703 10th Ave. S., Great Falls, MT 59405 (406) 761-0795

GOLDEN SCHOOL OF HANG GLIDING 15912 w. 5th Golden, CO 80401 FREEDOM WINGS, INC. 9235 S. 225th W. Sandy, UT 84070 FREE FLIGHT, INC. 7848 Convoy Ct. San Diego, CA 92111 KITTY HA IVK KITES (East) P.O. Box 340 Nags Head, NC 27959 SPORT FLIGHT 9040-B Comprint Gaithersburg, MD 20760 HANG GLIDERS WEST 20-A Pamaron Ignacio, CA 94947 WASATCH WINGS, INC. 700 E. 12300 S. Draper, UT 84020 HANG GLIDER EMPORIUM OF SANTA BARBARA 613 N. Milpas Santa Barbara, CA 93 I 03 HANG GLIDERS OF CALIFORNIA 2410 Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405

FRONT RANGE HANG GLIDERS 824 Maple Ft. Collins, CO 80521 (303) 482-5754 THE HANG GLIDING CENTER 4206-K Sorrento Valley Blvd. San Diego, CA 92121 (619) 450-9008 NORTHWIND HANG GLIDING SCHOOL 8 Strong Ave. Rockville, CT 06066 (203) 875-1964 DESERT HANG GLIDERS 4319 W. Larkspur Glenclale, AZ 85304 (602) 938-9550 SKY SAILORS SUPPLY 8266 Hwy. 238 Jacksonville, OR 97530 (503) 899-8064 WINDSPORTS INTERNATIONAL 16145 Victory Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91406

ROCHESTER HANG GLIDER, INC. 2440 Brickyard Rd. Canandaigua, NY 14424

BRIGHT STAR HANG GLIDERS/ FRESH AIR FLIGHT SCHOOL 3715 Santa Rosa Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95407 (707) 584-7088

JERRY NOLAND AND CREW 1415 Paciric Mall (P.O. Box 2118-95063) Santa Cruz, CA 95060

HANG FLIGHT SYSTEMS 1202-M E. Walnut Santa Ana, CA 9270 I (714) 542-7444

MISSION SOARING CENTER

SANTA BARBARA HANG GLIDING CENTER 486 Alan Road Santa Barbara, CA 93105 (805) 687-3119

43551 Mission Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538 CHANDEI.LE SAN FRANCISCO 198 Los Banos Daly City, CA 94014 W.W. HANG GLIDING SALES 3083 Woodway Road SE Roanoke, VA 24014 ULTIMATE HI SCHOOL Of HANG GLIDING 13951 Midland Road Poway, CA 92064 FLIGHT REALI Tl ES 1945 Adams Ave. San Diego, CA 92116 SAN FRANCISCO WINDSPORTS 3620 Wawona San Francisco, CA 94116 TRADEWINDS HANG GLIDING P.O. Box 543 Kailua, HI 96821 KITTY HA WK KITES WEST P.O. Box 828 138 Reservation Rd.) Marina, CA 93933 THE HANG GLIDING COMPANY 410 Leoni #I

Grover City, CA 93433

TYPE: High Energy Travelite harnesses. Silver cocoon, black and chrome chevron, experimental 15-foot chutes. UP helmet, vario, radios, altimeter. Also, aqua blue harness with racing boot, white bird with rainbow from wings. Chutes not safe. WHERE AND WHEN: Garage in Orange, CA Nov. II, 1983. CONTACT: Rich Pfeiffer, 2312 W. 2nd St., Santa Ana, CA 92703 (714) 972-8186.

HOLE IN THE SKY, INC. 5835 Main St., Box 368 Fogelsville, PA 18051 (215) 395-8492

FREE FLIGHT HANG GLIDING SCHOOi. 684 Hao St. Honolulu, HI 96821 AERO-SPORT ULTRALIGHT GLIDERS INC. 898 S. 900 E. Salt Lake City, UT 84102 MAUI SOARING SUPPLIES RR #2 Box 780 Kula, HI 96790 EASTERN ULTRALIGHTS 128 Richmond Ave. Lancaster, NY 14086 (716) 681-4951

Index To Advertisers Airworks ............................ 39 Ball ................................. 13 Bennett Delta Wing Gliders ......... 28, BC CB-Vox ............................ 13 Crystal .............................. 39 Glider Rider .......................... 20 Hall Brothers ......................... 13 High Energy .................. , ....... 17 Kitty Hawk Kites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Litek ................................ 37 Lookout Mt. ......................... 3 Manbirds ............................ 37 Midwest Motor Gliders ................. 13 Pagen Books ......................... 37 Para Publishing ...................... .45 Santa Barbara HG ................. 12, 20 Seedwings ............................ 47 South Coast Air ....................... 42 Speed Rail ........................... 13 Systems Tech ......................... 13 UP .................................. 2 USHGA .................... 48, IFC, IBC Whole Air ............................ 45 Wills Wing ........................ 20, 21 All ad copy, instructions, changes, additions and cancellations must be received in writing I Y, months preceding the cover date, i.e. Mar. 20 for the May issue.

HANG GLIDING

FULLMEMBERIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII NAME (Please Print)

ADDRESS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ CITY _ _ _ _ _ _ STATE _ _ _ _ __ ZIP

PHONE (

D NEW MEMBER

D RENEW/USHGA # _ __

ANNUAL DUES: $29.50 ($32.50 foreign) This accords me full membership in the United States Hang Gliding Assn., Inc., 12 issues of Hang Gliding magazine, effective with current issue, liability and property damage insurance, and voting privileges ($10.00 of the Member dues is designated for Hang Gliding magazine). I need not be a rated pilot to be a member.

INSURANCE PLANS AVAILABLE D Plan A: Single Foot-Launch Gliding Coverage (included in Full & Family Membership fee)

FAMILYMEMBERIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII. . . .IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII. 1. NAME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A N N U A L DUES: $14.75 for each family Member, everywherewho resides in my household. Each will receive all Full Member privileges EXCEPT a sub2· NAME scription to Hang Gliding magazine. D NEW MEMBER D RENEW/USHGA # _ __

o NEW MEMBER o RENEW/USHGA #

SUBSCRIPTION ONLY - - · . . . . . . . . . . .. NAME

$22.50 SUBSCRIPTION ($25.50 foreign) for one year.

ADDRESS - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

$40.00 SUBSCRIPTION ($46.00 foreign) for two years.

CITY - - - - - - - STATE _ _ _ _ _ __

$57.50 SUBSCRIPTION for three years.

$11 25 TRIAL SUBSCRIPTION ($12 75 foreign) for six months.

(Please Print)

ZIP

PHONE (

($66 50 foreign)

I HAVE ENCLOSED A CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO: USHGA, BOX 66306, LOS ANGELES, CA 90066 USHGA will ONLY accept foreign checks payable on a U S bank in US funds (US dollars or International Money Order.) Allow 4 to 6 weeks for processing.

I received this application form from·

D FULL MEMBER ($29.50. $32.50 foreign) D FAMILY MEMBER(S) ($14.75 each) D SUBSCRIPTION, one year ($22.50, $25.50 foreign) D SUBSCRIPTION, two years ($40.00, $46.00 foreign) D SUBSCRIPTION, three years ($57.50,$66.50foreign) D TRIAL SUBSCRIPTION, six months ($11.25, $12.75 foreign) _ _ __ D I would like $1.00 of my membership TOTAL dues to be used for WORLD TEAM expenses. Charge my C: MasterCard

D VISA

Card No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Ex. Date _ _ __ Signature

P.0.Box 66306, Los Angeles, California 90066 USHGA Item #4

Revised 9/81

(213) 390-3065

e z

s -:c A.

I I

I:I e

USHGA MERCHANDISE ORDER FORM

BOOKS

PRICE

MAHBIROS by Maralys Wills. Entertainingly takes Ille reader frnm hang gliding's past to its soaring present. 8 pg color, 150 Blk & Wht photos, 40 pg appendix. USHGA INSTRUCTORS CERTIFICATION MANUAL. Complete require

$17.95

QUANTITY B-1

B-2

AMOU HT

S 2.00

ments, syllabus, teaching methods.

B-3

HANG GLIOIHG by Dan Poynter. 8th Edition. Basic Handbook for skysurting. FLYING COHOITIONS by Dennis Pagen. Micromelerology for pilols. 90 illuslralions HANG GLIDING AHD FLYING SKILLS by Dennis Pagan. Beginners to experts instruction manual. HAHG GLIDING TECHNIQUES by Dennis Pagen. Tech-

B-5 8-6

B-7

S 7.50 S 7.50 S 7.50 $ 7.50

niques for cross-country, competition & powered flight.

B-8

POWERED ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT by Dennis Pagen. Complete instruction manual. POWERED ULTRALIGHT TRAINING COURSE By Dennis Pagen. A manual for self-training & training schools. 11 lessons, tests and FAA Regulations. MANNED KITIHG by Dan Poynte1. Handbook on tow launch flying MAH·POWERED AIRCRAFT by Don Dwiggins. 192 pg history ol flight. Features flight of Gossamer Condor. FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS FOR PILOTS. 1983 Edition. Hang gliding pertinent inlormation. FAI SPORTING CODE FOR HANG GLIOIHG. Requirements lor records, achievements & World Championships HAHG GLIDING MANUAL & LOG by Dan Poynte1. For beg,nners. An asset to instructors. 24 pgs. USHGA OFFICIAL FLIGHT LOG. 40 pgs. Pocket size, skills signofls (all levels), glossary of terms, awards.

B-9

B-10 B-11 B-12 8-13 B-15

8-16 I

S 8.50 S12.95

S 4.50 $ 6.50 $ 4.50

$ 1.00 S 1.50 $ 2.95

OfF!CIA~

USKG~ _ -1 l'\.ICll\l \.Oil' ITEMS 1-1

•

.. HEW" USHGA 'HANG GLIDING' T-SHIRT. 100% heavyweight cotton. WHITE or TAN. Men's sizes: SM L X-L (CIRCLE ONE). USHGA EMBLEM T-SHIRT. 100% heavyweight cotton. TAN or LIGHT BLUE. Men's sizes only. S M L X-L (CIRCLE SIZE & COLOR) USHGA EMBLEM CAP. One size fits all. Baseball type/USHGA emblem. NAVY ORANGE GOLD (CIRCLE ONE) .. NEW., USHGA BELT BUCKLE. Solid bronze. custom design, relief sculpture. 31/, x 21/,. USHGA SEW-OH EMBLEM. 3" dia .. lull color (red wings, sunburst w/black print). USHGA EMBLEM DECAL. 3W' dia., fuil color LICENSE PLATE FRAME. "I'd ralher be hang gliding." While on Blue.

1-2 1-3 .

1-4 1-5 1-6 1-8 1-9

WALLET. Ny/on, ve/cro closure, mach. washable, water resistant.

$ 8.00

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S 8.00 $ 5.00

$12.00 $ 1.00 .25 S 5.50 S 8.95

ROY AL BLUE color.

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HANG GLIOING/GROUHO SKIMMER BACK ISSUES '' 'SPECIFY BY CIRCLING ISSUE HUMBER'• 'ISSUES HOT HUMBER ED ARE SOLD OUT''' PRIHTEO COPIES:

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"HO TAX OH MAGAZINES ..

(Calilorrnans add 6°a tax on merchandise only)

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TOTAL USHGA BASIC SAFETY REGULATIONS (PART 100)

USHGA MEMBERSHIP APPUCA TION FORM (#4) USHGA MERCHAND>SE ORDER FORM (#14)

USHGA PILOT PROFICIENCY PROGRAM (PART 104)

USHGA LILIENTHAL AWARO FORM

ACCIDENT REPORT FOAM {#15)

Charge my :: MasterCard

:-- VISA

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MAGAZINE SUB TOTAL MERCHAHOISE SUB TOTAL

Foreign Orders USHGA will ONLY accept foreign checks payable on a U S bank in LJ_S_ funds

ADDRESS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

150

2.00

105 - Current Issue

Ordering Information: All pnces include postage and handling (Prices sub1ect to change without notice ) Enter quantity and price of each item ordered Allow 3~4 weeks delivery (8 weeks for Foreign) All orders are mailed by the cheapest available rate If you wish to receive your order raster. please include sJlf1c,enl poslage funds No COD ·s

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S 100

ST ATE _ _ _ ZI p _ _ __

Ex. Date--~--~-

Signature

MAIL WITH CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO:

USHGA, PO BOX 66306, LOS ANGELES, CA 90066

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