USHGA Hang Gliding January 1986 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

January 1986 $2.50

FULLMEMBERllllllllllllllllll. .1111. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. NAME

ANNUAL DUES: $39.00 ($42.00 foreign). This accords me full membership in the United States Hang Gliding A D D R E S S - - - - - - - - - - - - - Assn., Inc., 12 issues of Hang Gliding magazine, effecCITY _ _ _ _ _ _ _ S T A T E - - - - - - - tive with current issue, liability and property damage insurance, and voting privileges. I need not be a rated ZIP PHONE ( pilot to be a member. 0 NEW MEMBER O RENEW/USHGA # (Please Print)

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

FAMILYMEMBERIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 1. NAME - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 NEW MEMBER O RENEW/USHGA # - - 2. NAME - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 NEW MEMBER

ANNUAL DUES: $19.50 for each family Member, everywhere, who resides in my household. Each will receive all Full Member privileges EXCEPT a subscription to Hang Gliding magazine.

D RENEW/USHGA # - - -

SUBSCRIPTION O N L Y - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CJ $29.00 SUBSCRIPTION ($32.00 foreign)

NAME

for one year.

(Please Print)

:::J $53.00 SUBSCRIPTION ($59.00 foreign)

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

u $77.00 SUBSCRIPTION ($86.00 foreign)

ZIP

=:J $14.50 TRIAL SUBSCRIPT/ON ($17.50 foreign)

for two years. for three years.

PHONE (

for six months.

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 U.S. funds (U.S. dollars or International Money Order). Allow 4 to 6 weeks

for processing. I got this form from

::::J FULL MEMBER ($39.00, $42.00 foreign) 0 FAMILY MEMBER(S) ($19.50 each) 0 SUBSCRIPTION, one year ($29.00, $32.00 foreign) D SUBSCRIPTION, two years ($53.00, $59.00 foreign) 0 SUBSCRIPTION, three years ($77.00, $86.00 foreign) 0 TRIAL SUBSCRIPTION, six months ( $14.50, $16.00) fa.reign) TOTAL 0 Two-year membership ($78.00) 0 Three-year membership ($11ZOO) Charge my C MasterCard

C VISA

Card N o . - - - - - - - - - - - Ex. Date _ _ __

Signature

e z 0

IA.

::c

I I

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

Revised 12/85

(213) 390-3065

(USPS 017-970-20)

Features 16 An Unsung Hero John J. Montgomery

Columns 4 USHGA President by Russ Locke Russ discusses the issue of negativity.

by Louis S. Schafer This tum of the century aviation pioneer was one of the first hang glider pilots and designers.

28 The Right Stuff by Mitch McA/eer Guest columnist and aero super star McA!eer talks flying inverted.

18 1985 Glider Evaluation Recap by Paul Bums, photos by WA. Roecker

Departments

20 The Second Annual Northern California Silent Airshow

4 Airmail 6 Competition Corner 8 USHGA Reports 10 Milestones 14 Update 25 Ratings and Appointments 41 Classified Advertising

by Dave Stubbs, photos by Anthony Cox The one-day event draws 6,000 spectators and raises $5,000 for Jerry's kids.

Page 32

34 The 1985 Arizona XC Contest by Bob Thompson Arizona has a new XC champion, Hans Heydrich.

38 Lithuanian Hang Gliding ... A Photo Essay by Andrius Kontrimas Flying behind the Iron Curtain.

Page 34

COVER: Aerobatic pilot Mitch McAleer with a king post-mounted view of Dan Racanelli. See page 28. Photo by Mitch McAleer. 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. 1986. All rights reserved to Hang Gliding Magazine and individual contributors.

JANUARY

1986

44 Stolen Wings 44 HGMA Certified Gliders 44 Index To Advertisers

The Joy of Sensor

Pilot: Bill McKellar

THE RECORD of the Sensor 510 speaks for

TASK OF THE DAY: Fly 100 miles above 12,000 feet, outclimb competition in marginal lift, display state-of-theart design with light and precise handling, race ahead of the rest of the field, core the tightest thermal with flat turns, perform high-speed maneuvers, pass all strength and safety tests with flying colors, return with least wear and highest resale value.

itself. Seedwings doesn't inflate claims or repeat them under different titles. Sensors have been winning for over five years, no matter what the task or condition. Whether you fly for competition or just for fun, the 510-B will give you the confidence that comes only with a superior machine. Get out of the pack and soar to the top with a Sensor.

THE WINNER: Sensor 510-8, the versatile glider for

'85 Masters of Hang Gliding at Grandfather Mt.: 1st Rich Pfeiffer, 2nd - Stew Smith, 3rd - Mike Degtoff

all serious tasks, the one that's built better to last longer. The kingpost suspension system (KSS) which comes on all new Sensors makes for lighter handling than was previously thought possible. KSS is an example of how Seedwings makes innovation become standard production, to the benefit of the pilot. The new B model will put you on top and keep you there, no matter where you fly. Mountains, ridges, coastal cliffs, dunes or flatlands, all fall away like the competition under the wings of a Sensor.

'85 U.S. World Team: 1st Mark Bennett '85 Manufacturers Meet: 1st - Stew Smith, 2nd - Rich Pfeiffer 510 B-160VG Available with variable geometry, calendered trailing edge sail cloth and kevlar band, 8 extra half ribs, faired kingpost and faired 66" or 70" downtubes. Order yours early and you will be flying by spring.

Call one of our dealers and Seedwings today! Dealer inquiries invited.

SEEDWINGS

Photo: Bob 1rampenau

•

5760 THORNWOOD DR. #3 SANTA BARBARA CA 93117 (805) 967-4848

Gil Dodgen, Editor/Art Director Janie Dodgen, Production David Pounds, Design Consultant Leroy Grannis, Bettina Gray, John Heiney, Staff Photographers Erik Fair, Staff Writer Harry Martin, Illustrator Office Staff: Amy Gray, Manager Joyce Isles, Ratings Lars Jacobsen, Membership

USHGA Officers: Russ Locke, President Dick Heckman, Vice President Bob Collins, Secretary Dan Johnson, Treasurer Executive Committee: Russ Locke Dick Heckman Bob Collins Dan Johnson REGION l: Ken Godwin, T. Michael Boyle. REGION 2: Russ Locke, Gary Hodges. REGION 3: Steve Hawxhurst, Ken deRussy. REGION 4: Jim Zeise!,

Bob Thompson. REGION 5: Mike King. REGION 6: Ted Gilmore. REGION 7: Dean Batman, John Woiwode. REGION 8: Robert Collins. REGION 9: Bill Criste, W.W. Richards. REGION 10: Dan Johnson, Steve Coan. REGION 11: Hardy Snyman. REGION 12: Ken Zachara, Paul Rikert. 1984 DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE: Dennis Pagen, Dick Heckman, Elizabeth Sharp, Vic Powell, Mark Bennett. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTOR: (With Vote) NATIONAL AERONAUTIC ASSOCIATION Everett Langworthy. HONORARY DIRECTORS (Without Vote) elected to 12/31185: Bill Bennett, Mike Meier, Doug Hildreth, Bettina Gray, Erik Fair. The United States

Hang Gliding Association Inc .• is a division of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which is the official

US. representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA, which represents the U.S. at FAI Meetings, has delegated to the USHGA supervision of PAI-related hang gliding activities such as record attempts and competition sanctions.

HANG GLIDING magazine is published for hang gliding sport enthusiasts to create further interest in the sport, by a means of open communication and to advance hang gliding methods and safety. Contributions are welcome. Anyone is invited to contribute articles, photos, and illustrations concerning hang gliding activities. If the material is to be returnedt a stamped, self-addressed return envelope must be enclosed. Notification must be made of submission lo other hang gliding publications. HANG GLIDING magazine reserves the right to edit contributions where necessary. The Association and publication do not assume responsibility for the material or opinions of contributors. HANG GLIDING magazine is published monthly by the United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc. whose mailing address is P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, Calif. 90066 and whose offices are located at 11423 Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90066; telephone (213) 390-3065. Second-class postage is paid at Los Angeles, Calif. and at additional mailing offices. The typesetting is provided by lst Impression Typesetting Service, Buena Park, Calif. The USHGA is a member-controlled educational and scientific organization dedicated lo exploring all facets of ultralight flight. Membership is open to anyone interested in this realm of flight. Dues for full membership are $39.00 per year ($42.00 for foreign addresses); subscription rates are $29.00 for one year, $53.00 for tl'.o years, !i/7.00 for three years. Changes of address should be sent six weeks in advance. including name, USHGA membership number, previous and new address, and a mailing label from a recent issue. POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: USHGA, P.O. BOX 66306, LOS ANGELES, CA 90066.

JANUARY 1986

USHGA PRESIDENT

Negativity by Russ Locke

A t the October Board meeting several of us were discussing all the negative comments that have been appearing in the magazine. It was felt that some sort of positive discussion was in order. While looking at the letters to the editor column in the last dozen issues, one of the first subjects that popped up was a series of letters about World and sporting Class pilots. It's funny (not funny?) how we categorize groups of people by the actions of a few. Competition pilots are people (just like hang glider pilots, scuba divers, republicans, etc.) and criticism or praise of them should be done on an individual basis. In fact, competition in general has been an emotional subject for many years. A question like, "Should a contest measure which pilot beats all other pilots, or should it measure how well a pilot does against a given task?" can commence hours of discussion. I think it's part of the beauty and diversity of this sport that there can be so many different legitimate opinions about a subject. The next subject we bantered around in our letters was whether or not flying long distances in the Owens Valley was really scaring the sheep. There are an infinite number of opinions on this subject; however, a couple of comments are in order. Every site has its own personality and site rules. At this time, in the Owens Valley it happens to be flying silent. I'm not convinced that normal hang gliding activities could have any permanent effect on the wild sheep, but a) since I love flying the Owens Valley, b) since I wasn't absolutely sure that my vario and CB weren't scaring the hell out of the sheep, and c) since I believe in going along with the customs of the local peopie wherever I am a visitor, I went ahead and rigged my gear with earphones. What started out to be an extra hassle turned out to be an asset. I found that this arrangement did not decrease my ability to feel and hear the air going by. It did significantly increase my ability to hear my radio and vario clearly and at a lower volume. Several of the people I fly with had similar findings. Since that time, I have rigged the cables permanently on my glider

and fixed my earphones so that they snap in and out of my helmet easily. I now fly silent whenever I fly with both a radio and a vario. I still think that this issue of scaring the sheep is a little silly but as far as flying silent, you did me a favor - thanks, Rick. We had (have?) an exchange of letters between a glider manufacturer and a manufacturer's rep about similarities in their products. I know and like both of the individuals involved, but I was somewhat disenchanted with the repartee. One of my fellow directors wrote a letter a few months ago about all the horse manure we, as officials of the USHGA, have had to put up with the least few years. I was bothered a great deal by the tone of the letter and I'm sure that the individual who wrote it didn't mean to come across as moany/groany as he did. Complaining to the general pilot population about the actions of a few individuals is a form of sniveling. My initial response to the letter was, "Yes, all of those things did happen, but so what? Being an elected official means being a target for the frustrations of your constituants. It goes with the territory." The gist of all this is that bitching and moaning is OK, but defining problems and offering solutions is much better. Letters to the editor are a valuable part of the magazine. Help keep it that way.•

KUDOS TO MIKE Dear Editor, Absolutely loved Mike Meier's Telluride artide! You have a fine "hand" Mike. I'm 42, started hang gliding in 1975, at Stowe, Vermoot. Thank you for expressing so beautifully and humorously the unique trip through life that each hard core pilot is taking. I started out as secretary of our club, the Vermont Hang Gliding Assn., was President twice and am secretary again now. I've read about every word written in the USA for 11 years now. It's a great sport with fun people. John Armstrong Montpelier, VT

CONTRADICTIONS Dear Editor, I would like to respond to the continual negative harassment of local and other organized hang gliding associations implicit in the diatribes by candidate Tommy Thompson

AIRMAIL of Region 10. First and foremost, considering his admitted antagonism towards the Region's established clubs, which represent the majority of hang glider pilots in N.C., S.C. and Tn., in particular (the NCHGA represents over 100 pilots, alone), Tommy's perennial aspiration towards the post of Region 10 Director is ludicrous. He could no more represent the pilots of this region than I could represent the pilots of France. Tommy's attitude is full of contradictions; in talking and writing to landowners, he has taken every possible opportunity to badmouth, libel and otherwise malign his fellow hang glider pilots. In last year's spiel as a candidate for USHGA Regional Director, Tommy pretty much spoke out against the organization of the USHGA itself. He continually promotes his 'unregulated sites', but persists in handing out ratings. This is the person who wants to represent the very pilots whom he repeatedly speaks against. By his own words and actions he has ostracized himself from the majority of the hang gliding community. Tommy's election as a Regional Director would only serve his ego and not Region JO. In fact, his contentious attitude towards his fellow pilots is detrimental not only to the NC and USHGA, but to the sport of hang gliding itself. Gretchen Niver 'Air Times' Editor NCHGA Treasurer

MORE ON WIND DIRECTION Dear Editor, In regard to Fred Wilson's letter in the November issue of Hang Gliding: On light and variable wind days when an incoming pilot is most in need of signals to indicate wind direction I believe it is impossible to accurately judge wind direction with one's back to the wind as Mr. Wilson states we should do. Such a procedure may work well for helicopters but is inadequate for hang gliders which are much more sensitive to wind direction and velocity. Light, changing wind direction can far more accurately be felt with one's face to the wind. In the Rogue Valley to signal wind direction to an approaching pilot we face the wind, place our palms together, and point both arms into the wind, the direction the pilot should land. Then any wind changes (which are frequent in our LZ's) can be instantly felt and inunediately relayed to the pilot. I believe such a motion as I described could also be

HANG GLIDING

AIRMAIL considered "Problem Specific Behavior" (a unique signal, instantly recognized), especially when combined with a repeated bending of the elbows (bringing the hands to the head) and re-pointing. Rodger Hoyt Rogue River, OR. (J75Yl

SPOT LANDING POINT SYSTEM Dear Editor, I'm writing to heap accolades on our former President Steve Hawxhurst, our equally illustrious, imaginative and open-minded Board of Directors, and my supportive and creative Regional Director, Russ Locke. These individuals took to heart my suggestions regarding a spot landing point system (HG Feb., 1984), which I am happy to report was, for me, a challenging yet enjoyable way to satisfy the spot landing requirement. Russ came up with a method superior to the specifics I originally suggested; one must attain 48 points in the ten most recent declared flights, receiving eight points for landing within 25' of a spot, 5 points for landing within 10', and no points for missing (crashing or landing out of the park costs you five to 10 points). Using this "moving window" method was actually fun as a miss was never so devastating to the goal, and some interesting patterns of scores and "ending" requirements developed - like a game. I hope a lot of people try this procedure and that Observers and Instructors determine how it stacks up against the three-in-a-row method in terms of pilot landing skills. A note to Observers: be sure those zeroes get entered and signed off! Chuck Rebert Menlo Park, CA

SUNSIDNE UPDATE Dear Editor, Recently you published my letter about "Sunshine Soaring" at Whitetop Mtn. in Virginia. We have had some trouble with several pilots and the landing area owner. Now the landing zone is closed to the public. A few of us have permission to land in one area. Since this is a private field, there are no places for visiting pilots to land. Our leased property does not allow but a few to land. This is the only landing zone nearby and is now posted. Tom Thompson King, NC

JANUARY 1986

X-RATED FILM Dear Editor, Recently, I had occasion to view the movie "UP". Although it won an Oscar for "Best Action Short" and contained some spectacular photography, I feel that's where its value to this sport ends. The most disturbing thing for me was that all the flying was done without a helmet, including a tandem flight. The gliders used were antiques, much of the flying was reckless, no back-up system was used and an equipment failure was portrayed. All this may imply, and in some cases has implied, to the non-pilot, that hang gliding is an unpredictably dangerous sport. Regardless of the artistic merit I would rate it "X" for the general public. Joseph Bova, Flight Director Rogue Valley Hang Gliding Association Ashland, Oregon

THANKS DELTA WING Dear Editor, About five months ago I visited the Delta Wing factory to get some parts for my Light Dream. Being a new pilot and therefore a real wuffo, I was real impressed with how friendly and helpful they all were. I left feeling even better about flying one of their gliders. Well, after reading the article in your magazine about how they helped the kids at Camp Ronald McDonald I'm even more im·pressed. The guys at Delta Wing are downright good folks.

I think we're the luckiest people alive to live in this age of hang gliding and be almost unrestricted in our love and pursuit of soaring. We're even luckier to have our own organization to defend, protect, and inform us of all things related to our incredible sport. Basically I just about live for flying and can't imagine life without it. So we all really have to pull together and support each other and our association. Keep up the superb work USHGA, and thanks for everything. Dennis Bowman Chico, CA

BUYING AMERICAN Dear Editor, The U.S. hang glider manufacturing industry is responsible for nearly every major advance in glider safety and performance in the last 12 years. Most of the gliders produced overseas are copies or near copies of landmark U.S. designs (specifically the Comet, Sensor, and HP). Our country was the first to develop design and testing criteria and to establish airworthiness standards. HOMA certification remains the toughest in the world, and U.S. gliders have the best safety record. If we as pilots want to continue to enjoy the benefits of a healthy and innovative U.S. hang glider building industry, we have the responsibility to buy and fly U.S. built equipment.

J.C. Brown

Jordy Margid Davis, CA

PULLING TOGETHER Dear Editor, I've been a pilot and member for a little over four years now. Throughout this time I've always enjoyed the (our) magazine very much. I'm mainly writing just to thank you and to say that in the past six months I think that the magazine has gotten even better. I especially enjoy the color photos and the stories of new (to me) sites from around the country and the world! I also want to add how truly shocked I (and the rest of our club, The Cloud Street Gang) was when we read that a pilot was actually causing legal hassles with the USHGA.

Para Publishing Books by Dan Poynter Post Off ice Box 4232-314 Santa Barbara, Ca 93103 Telephone: (805) 968- 7277

Send For FREE Brochure '--~~~~~~~~~~~ 5

COMPETITION COR.NER

The 1985 King Of The Air Competition The 1985 King of the Air competition was held Oct. 26-'1:l in Cumberland, Maryland. It was sponsored by the Mountaineer Hang Gliding Association of West Virginia and Maryland. Hopes were high for booming XC conditions for at least one of the days but it never materialized. Saturday was characterized by stable air and an almost nonexistent southwest breeze. Eleven gliders and pilots were crammed into the set-up area at the Cumberland Fairground site. For lack of a better option, meet director Jim Rowan called for a duration task. Dennis Pagen gambled by heading straight for an old railroad yard and maintained in wispy lift to outdurate Bill Bennett and Dave Denuning by a couple of minutes. Sunday's forecast was for light northwest so we headed for Zirks, a 900-foot northwest facing cliff. It began to appear that Sunday would be a repeat of Saturday as light winds crossing from the west had even the butterflies taking sled runs. Neil "Nimbus Chaser" Dirst declared his own goal of a reuben sandwich and hot German potato salad and made it to his truck in the landing zone in only three minutes! Within 15 minutes of Neil's valiant sacrifice, trigger temperature was reached and the consensus was that it might be marginally soarable. A speed run to the Fairground launch, 41h miles to the North across a broken ridge was announced as the primary task. Duration and spotlanding was the back up task for those unable to make the Fairground goal. Once Dan Demaree scratched his way above launch there was a flurry of activity and the air was full of gliders trying to avoid each other in the limited space and yet outlast the weak cycles. Dennis Pagen's skill and experience was again evident as he cored an obscure patch of 6

lift and was soon looking down on everyone else from 1,500' above. As Dennis cruised to the Fairground high and behind the ridge, Dan pulled in the bar on his Attack Duck and raced down the front side unnoticed by Dennis. Dennis arrived first and lazily thermalled even higher above the Fairground thinking that everyone else was still at Zirks. He was surprised to see Dan come cruising in over a thousand feet lower over the goal. Due to all of the last minute confusion at launch Dennis was not sure whether the finish time was taken as he had flown by the Fairground or if they actually had to land first to win. With a rush of adrenalin he augured his Sensor down like a corkscrew gone beserk. Upon seeing this Dan yelled, "Relax, you already won!" John Crockett in his rainbow Comet was the only other pilot to make the Fairground goal. He then crossed the gaps back to Zirks and landed two feet from the center of the bullseye for the best spot landing of the day. In typical fashion, Neil Dirst had hurried back to launch for a second flight. When he overshot the bullseye (a coiled glider bag) he tried to hook it with his toe and drag the target with him. He then got on the walkie talkies and proclaimed victory to anyone who would listen. The last minute changes in the tasks and lack of communication took its toll. A few of the pilots thought that the originally planned XC task was primary and the speed run to the Fairground was a back up. Tony Smolder and Bill Bennett went over the back and flew 11 miles and 5 miles respectively in dying conditions. At the German restaurant that evening, meet director Jim Rowan ruled that the speed run to the Fairground was the

primary goal, however in a compromise move awarded Tony and Bill 4th and 5th for the day since they at least got away from the ridge. Either pilot could have easily made the Fairground goal had they chosen to fly in that direction. The meet was purposely laid back, however it was unanimously agreed to have the rules in writing prior to next year's contest. In celebration of a fun, safe, and confusing contest, John Crockett and Jim Wilson downed a bottle of wine, Nimbus Chaser pigged out, and everyone toasted meet officials Jim Rowan and Susan Smolder. After all, everyone had lots of fun ... and that is what it is all about! Final Results 1985 King of the Air Competition Pilot's name Glider flown 1) Dennis Pagen ..... Sensor 510 V. G. 2) Bill Bennett ...... Sensor 510 V.G. 3) Dan Demaree ......... Attack Duck 4) Tony Smolder ............... Duck 5) Jim Wilson ................. Duck 6) John Crockett .............. Comet 7) Dave Demming ............... HP (flew only first day) 8) Scott Conklin ............. Harrier 9) Dale Rexroad .............. Javelin 10) Neil Dirst ............ Attack Duck 11) Cecil Springer ............. Vision

ADVENTURE BOUND! ACHIM J. HAGEMAN USHGA Certilied !ns\rnc\cr

RIO DE JANEIRO CARNAVAL Feb. 7 - Feb. 14, 1986

S1095.00

NEW ZEALAND Jan. 20 - Feb. 10, 1986

$1,995.00

HAWAII

S 779.00

Jan. 28 -

Feb. 4, 1986

EUROPE 5 COUNTRIES May 20 - June 10, 1986

$1,795.00

,o,

INFUti~~END SANTA BARBARA HANG GLIDING CENTER 486 Alan Ad., Santa Barbara, California 93109

(805) 687-3119

HANG GLIDING

On February 15th, 1986, Wills Wing will release a new glider; the 167 SPORT

High performance hang gliding will never be the same

See your Wills Wing dealer for details, and to arrange a demo flight. Call (714) 547-1344 for the Wills Wing dealer nearest you.

USHGA REPORTS

1985 Accident Review

National Coordinating Committee Report

by Doug Hildreth

by Dick Heckman

There have been no significant changes in the causes of hang glider accidents in 1985. The good news is that there are no new problems; the bad news is we are still making the same old mistakes! Crashes on launch and landing continue to predominate with equal incidence. Strong weather remains an important factor, although it is my impression that thermal-caused accidents have increased and strong wind accidents have decreased slightly. There were nine tumbles, most of which were thermal-induced. Three of these gliders did not sustain structural failure. There were nine successful parachute deployments. There were four failures to hook-in reported. A suggestion from Australia encouraged us to follow their example of leaving the harness attached to the glider, climbing into the harness when we are ready to launch. There were four reports of problems involving French connections (speed rails). I think there are more. At least one involved improper assembly, several others have either tangled, hung up, or failed under stress. Several pilots crashed either on launch or landing secondary to difficulties with their harnesses. Occasional reports of deformity and failure of aluminum carabiners continue to trickle in. A locking steel carabiner is unquestionably the best. Windy cliff launches still provide problems, including miscommunications with wiremen. Landing in thermally active fields, landing in rotors and landing out are still causing injuries. There was only one mid-air collision reported. I want to again express my appreciation to all of you who continue to send in accident reports. It is the backbone of our system and I am deeply indebted to all of you for making this all possible!

There is still time for those of you who have had a mishap or incident in 1985 to send in an accident report and have it included in our statistics. This can be done either with a formal accident report or by filling out the USHGA questionnaire attached to your ballot for Regional Director. Lastly, if you know of any fatalities other than the ones listed below, please let me know and please fly safely for the rest of the year - we have enough already!•

It appears that our work in getting our programs approved by the FAA, our discussions with them on the issues that affect us, and their participation at our Board of Directors meeting several years ago have paid off. In response to the National Transportation Safety Board's study of ultralight safety, the FAA will propose new regulations governing powered ultralights. These will include mandatory vehicle registration, pilot licensing, and vehicle certification stan(continued on page 12)

FREE-FLYING FATALITIES 1985 Name

Location

Hang Glider

Description of Accident

Ron Bothwick

California

Moyes Mega

"Practicing stalls'!.._tumbled?

Carolyn Gaudoin

Connecticut

UP Gemini

Stall on launch, snagged control bar, recovered, hit tree, slid to ground.

Greg Knutson

Wisconsin

WW Raven

First "altitude" flight. Trouble with stirrup, turned back into hill after launch.

Keith Davis

California

Pro Air Dawn

Improperly mounted speed rail-crash on launch.

"Two deaths in Colorado."

TANDEM FATALITIES 1985 Rusty Laminach

Nevada

"Scratching, got turned into hill."

Mike Rusho

Nevada

"Scratching, got turned into hill."

TOWING FATALITY 1985 Chris Bulger

Chelan, Washington

Like many experienced hang glider pilots before him, was lost while flying a powered ultralight.

HANG GLIDING

ACCIDENT STATISTICS FORM Please complete and forward to USHGA, P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066 Pilot's N a m e - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Date of Accident _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Time _ _ _ __

Pilot's Address - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Site of Accident (Nearest City and State)

Phone - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Age ____ USHGA Member? Yes __ No __ Experience of Pilot

Hang Rating

Student _ _ __

# of Flight

Years

Months

Glider Prone _____ Supine _ _ _ __

Size

Model

Make

Power System

Free Fly _____ Power _____ Tow _____ Tandem _ _ _ __

Helmet ___ Boots ___ Parachute Worn ___ Attempt to Deploy? Injuries: Fatal ___ Non-Fatal _ __

Hospitalized Overnight? Yes ___ No _ __

Head ____ Face ____ Neck ____ Chest ____ Abdomen ____ Pelvis Arms _ _ _ _ _ Legs _ _ _ _ _ Paralyzed: Neck Down ______ Waist Down Minor Cuts and Bruises ___ Other Describe flight, accident and apparent causes: (include winds and weather, structural failure, emotional state of pilot, drugs or alcohol used, your opinion of cause and suggestion for prevention). Please include sketch or diagram. Use reverse side as needed.

Condition of G l i d e r - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Reporter's Name Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Zip

Date of Report _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Phone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Cl4J Kakish lawyer who has been flying hrm{; r:liders since .first rrlidcr was ri the plastic and aluminum variety taped together. Cliff' has represented Canada at 1hc H1irld lop trophy named the Cochrane which is in commcmomtion (d' 1hc birth rd hang gliding in Canada and its dcve/opme/11 in the direction of ('ross country flight. current top Hach year ten of pilots in $JOO each lo compete fiir

the cup $1,000. 771e winner fi:Jr /984 was Willi Muller. 711c leader for 1985 is Cliff' Kakish. a desaip lion of' his flight. I should realized that June going to an exceptional clay when Willi Muller phoned me at work and said lhat he would up my new if came right away; he that

1985

it was looking like JOO mile day. rounded the corner on two wheels onto Willi's property, r was spurred on because Willi was already soaring the ridge. True to his word, Willi had sci up my so after quick l}"v''""'"' joined him. We got away from the hill, as half a dozen others sank out, and settled into fairly routine that took us 50 miles through Crossfield and Bciscker. Cloud base was about 9,000 foet and the going was quite slow as drift was gible. Willi took straight cast towards Drumheller and decided to go northeast the street in that direction was a li!tlc closer. As Jell the first cloud past Heisckcr noticed that the next one was turning quite dark but it wasn't that developed flew in under it, didn't worry about getting out quickly, as [ fly the fringe for while. Then, within minute or two, ! was up at rate of over 1,500 feet per minut(, and was totally socked in.

going up at over 1,000 limi all succeeded in doing was all over the sky almost out of control. At one thought ! had better slow down. pushed out what 1 thought was very little when suddenly the wind stopped whistling in my cars and there was nothing but ab· solute silence. l knew was in trouble and as [ my bar to brace myself, the over onto its back. In so the con-trol bar was ripped out of my hands and hit the apex of the control bar so hard with the back of my helmet that (as later discovered) l had a lump on my head all around the rear helmet rim. The glider then tumbled back right side up but before I could do anything, it went over a second time. This time it went and as it itself I right was able to grab onto !he control bar and get the glider again. l looked around to sec if there was any The seemed okay and few mi1m1es later I popped out of the side of the cloud al just over 13,000 foet. At this point I about landing but as the seemed I clccidfour cd to continue on. r flew hours for a total of seven hours, and for a distance of 128 miles. ! landed just cast of Richdalc where Willi landed the before on his fligh1 for the Cochrane Cup. On this particular day Willi went down at Drumheller for distance of 84 miles. As caution to other pilots who intentionally or carelessly end up in clouds, I can only stress that until this incident I myself believed that with a compass you could fly yourself out of a situation such as the one got into. I now know that while often you sooner or later you're going lo get caught because stability in an absolute whitc-·out is almost impossible for any length or time. would like lo thank the boys at Wills for building a glider that can take what mine did that day in the cloud. don't know that like that kind of foith in my glider first hand, but it's nice to have.•

PM from had launched at l, 100-foot Buffalo Mountain in Oklahoma. I went west down the to was the first local house thermal. home as usual and bounced me to 1,000' over. I then moved west toward the 2,000' and said, 'Tm on my way. Let me know when you get to the I started at 4,800' and Morton started to get up. I left for the next cumi and found that there was lots of sink between the thermals as there had been the before. Down to 3,300' [ found Lhe next thermal and was back up Dave was a fow miles back. Cloud base was now up to 5,200'. left my thermal and flew toward massive cumi west of Cavanal Hill, to be drilled clown to 800'. While I had to alter course to be in range of landablc terrain. I a convergence below in the trees, so cm isc<l down wind of it. Back up to 2,000' found that the convergence had shifted over about 100 and had to 800-1,000 up. At 5,400' [4, 1985.

% chance of call to

both time and distance,

MILESTONES

USHGA REPORTS (continued from page 8)

to the next one. Back down to 2,200' there was nothing but sink with the Arkansas River ahead, but I found another convergence zone over a big farm, and down wind of it was another 1,000 fpm thermal, so I was back up to 5,500' and on my way again. Crosssing I-40, that little ribbon that runs to Grandfather Mountain, the CB cracked its last faint squelch. I hopped a few more cus and was over the south edge of the Ozark Mountains - small hills, lots of trees and a barrier for many XC flights. There I was, no clouds in range and down to 1,100' when I spotted another "thermal wind convergence zone" crossing a river. I was going up again, now somewhere over Arkansas. At 5:12 PM I hit my highest at 6,550' and played between that altitude and 6,200' until 6:15. At this point I knew I had the local record (102 miles) and ecstasy set in between the shivers at cloud base. There were a few mini cus about five miles ahead and a five-mile-long building street about 20 miles ahead to the east. The lift was only 50-100 fpm, however, and after working it for ten minutes I had lost 50', so I drove on for the final glide. As I flew past a small airport I yelled and looked for a landing witness but saw none. A half mile farther I picked a good field along Highway 62, between two houses, hoping for a witness. With a perfect no-step landing I touched down at 6:40 PM having flown 141.202 miles great circle distance. I had landed just west of Berryville Arkansas. Out came Joe Parkhill who yelled from his house, ''Are you alright?" to which I responded, "Yes." I used his phone to call my folks back in Tulsa. Susan was about four hours away. I stood for some photos and answered a local reporter's questions. Joe gave me some water. Susan finally showed up at 11:30 PM and by 3:00 AM we were home. Special thanks to Susan for chasing me, to Joe Parkhill for his hospitality and to Wills Wing for my '82 180 Duck. Congratulations as well to Dave Morton who flew 103. 111 miles that day. •

(National Coordinating) dards. As it stands now, they do not apply to hang gliders. We will continue to operate under Part 103 as we have been doing. This will have the effect of separating us from powered ultralights since for all intents and purposes they won't be operating under Part 103 with its self regulatory provisions any longer. If we can keep this approach on track, it will be what we have been working for. It is a victory for all the responsible, conscientious pilots, instructors, and observers who have been instrumental in maintaining a good safety record. It also reflects well on the manufacturers who have provided us with safe equipment through the HGMA. To provide support to the approach that is being taken we are in the process of preparing a letter to the Administrator of the FAA, commenting on the NTSB report. We will point out that all of the

recommendations contained in that report deal with powered ultralights and that no changes in the regulatory provisions for hang gliders are required. Our request for an extension of our tandem exemption was returned by the FAA with a request for further information. We will be complying with their request and resubmitting it as soon as possible.•

US Airwave Offers: • Dealer SeN/ce • • Atter Sales Seivice • • Complete Pans Inventory • , S\oc, Gt\<le< lis\iog ,

for the M Ill & IV featurina • Revolutionary Hardware • • Proven Competilfon Record • • Recreational &Comp. Options, • UST ubing Sizes ,

..,

• European Certilicatlon • Write for info Pack to: Airwave Glider P.O. Box t 153 • Mercer Island. WA 98040

206-622-8132 • 537-2297 • Telex 296585 BOO Me,cer • Sealtle. WA 98109 Dealers Inquire

HANG GLIDING

We feature GM cars like this Oldsmobile Cu/lass

As a US. Hang Gliding Association member, now you can get the National attention you deserve ... and save money too. Just call our easy-to-remember, toll-free reservation number the next time you need a car. As an association member, you'll receive a special discount off our already low, unlimited-free-mileage daily rates. Plus we offer low weekend, vacation and other promotional rates that are not discountable, but could save you even more. Simply show your membership card when you rent from us and we'll make sure you get the lowest

available rate. You'll enjoy unlimited free mileage on local rentals, top-condition cars and the convenience of over 2,500 worldwide locations, including locations at most major airports. There is a difference between car rental companies. It's called National attention. Try it. Call toll-free BOO-CAR-RENT for reservations.

You deserve National affention~

Hang Gliding According to Pfeiffer: Skills For the Advancing Pilot Now available ... the most comprehensive guide around for pilots seeking to expand their knowledge and skills. With 244 pages, 125 illustrations and photographs, loads of TRUE stories, and a complete subject index. You'll learn . About soaring: Ridge, thermal. wave and other types of lift. Locating likely lift sources. "Reading" clouds. Soaring techniques for various kinds of lift. About cross-country flying: XC potential of your area. Training and supplies for your ground crew. Advance planning. When THE day arrives. During the flight. About competition flying: Competition formats and scoring systems. Psych-out techniques. Evaluating opponents. Strategies. Specific flying techniques. About equipment: Choosing, caring for. and making best use of a glider, harness, parachute. instruments, and other equipment. Sail cloth tips. About speed-to-fly calculations: Dolphin vs. classic flight. Your glider's polar. Techniques for gliding furthest, fastest. Speed rings. Please rush me _ _ _ copies of Hang Gilding According to Pfeiffer: Skills For the Advancing Pilot at $9.95 each, plus shipping and handling: $1.00 first copy. S.25 each additional (airmail $2.50 first copy, $1.00 each additional). Californians please add $.60 sales tax per copy. Total enclosed:$ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Name: Street: City: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ State/Zip _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Make check payable to Publitec and mail with form to: Publitec Editions. P.O. Box 4342. Laguna Beach. CA 92652, USA.

.. • Dealer inquiries invited - 714/497-6100 .. ·

DON"T MISS THE LATEST ISSUE BY FAILING TO NOTIFY USHGA OF YOUR CHANGE OF ADDRESS! NAME _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ USHGA # _ _ __ OLD ADDRESS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ CITY _ _ _ _ _ _ _ STATE _ _ ZIP _ __ NEW ADDRESS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ CITY

ST ATE _ _ ZIP _ __

LAST ISSUE RECEIVED _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ (Please allow four weeks for Processing)

Notify USHGA Early! Please Note: You must notify your post office that you will pay forwarding postage on your second class mail or you may miss an issue .

USHGA, Box 6,6306, Los Angeles, CA 90066

l:<'IREIURU KG with a

and ki1111umst, s:oec:cHtJac lateral French connection and to the nearest The manufacturer claims that the is vc1y easy to launch, and land with a second roll rate in the loose mode and 4.5 second 1:01! A better than a 180 sink rate is claimed. The is manufactured by Firebird KG of West and distributed International of Salt Lake Olah, and Firebird-USA of Midlothian, Texas. For more information or dealer contact: Mark at (214) 775-37'l7, TELEX 62898495. Parts are guarnmt<!ed and in 1m1c,11,tm"v in the U..S.

after introduced to the idea by Yeager himself when she met him at a party in 1981. Hahn was an anchorman and host of the KNBC Sunday Show for two years in the '80s before embarking on a free-lance career as broadcast journalist and This is her first major produetion, and it took her two years to mount the show. Hahn researched the show herself in Paris and Washington, D.C. for several months in 1984 and '85. the first man to break the sound barrier and the nation's foremost "test pilot, is 011--camera narrator and host of the show. This is the first such presentation he has allowed himself to be used in since his notoriety boomed with the advent of the film "The Right Stuff," and most recently with the publication of his autobiography this year.

NEW COMBINATION INSTRUMENT

CHUCK YEAGER AT THE PARIS AIR SHOW

AFRO Electronics USA, Advanced Air Technology announces the introdnetion of a new high quality combination instmment. The instrument measures 5" x 2 \4" x 114" and weighs 12 ounces. It features a digital altimeter in 10-foot increments and an analog variometer with two different response times. Price: $298.00. For more information call (805)

687-3ll9.

Susan Halm has post· production at Pacific Video on her onehour "Chuck At The Paris Air Show." It is the first documentary to cover the event, taped live last in Paris. Hahn, a former news anchor at KNBC, worked on the concept

pany. The contents will be: product news, Airwave gossip, technical section, maintenance and modifications, tuning, news from dealers, dealer spotlight, interviews, travel section, events, letters. Some of Airwaves will be written by the company but to encourage contributions the magazine is offering free hats, Tshirts, sweatshirts, and even a free glider. We have engaged the services of Simon Murphy, a well-known scribe and Air-wave's hest U.K. dealer to be editor. Airwaves will start as a A4, 2-color, quarterly magazine. Subscription rates: U. K. 3, Europe fo 4, rest of the world l, 5 or $7 U.S. Contact: Airwavc Gliders Limited, Elm Lane, Shalflcct, Newport, Isle of Wight P030 4JY England.

FLY AMERICA A TRANSAMERICAN HANG GUDING ODYSSEY De Wolf and Raoul Mazonni have planned a hang gliding expedition that will take them from one side of the nation to the other. They'll start atop the mountains overlooking the Pacific and barnstorm through the heartland, linking the flights by starting each flight at least five miles west of the last landing zone. Towing will be used extensively but launches will be made from mountains and available flying sites when possible. The planned expedition will be a promotional event for the sport with stops along the way for airshows, seminars and the like. is soliciting help in planning the cross country routes to be used. Interested parties or potential sponsors may contact De Wolf at: (818) 367-3656.

AIRWAVES MAGAZINE

NEW COMPETITION CONCEPT l<'ROM DELTA WING

publishing "Airwaves" and giving away a

Delta has three new this year and has decided that they cannot market all three in three sizes each. So they will be sponsoring a competition to select the model to produce for 1986.

Airwaves is intended to communicate to owners of Airwave news and information about their glider (new or old), their dealer and the Airwave com-

HANG GLIDING

UPDATE The manufacturer will provide two of each model to the six highest ranking pilots in the Competition Points System who will be flying for $1,000 prize money. Each pilot will fly each glider once and then will move on to the next flight and a new glider. It will be a sixflight same-task competition with at least five hours air time. Tasks will remain the same but the gliders and pilots will rotate. Each pilot will fill out a detailed flight report after each task. These reports will be used by Delta Wing in deciding which glider to produce. It should be interesting since the losers won't be able to claim that the winner had superior equipment. For more details contact Delta Wing.

AERIAL VIDEO

Microflight Products announces the new Panasonic model WV-F2 video camera for remote, in-flight video on ultralights and hang gliders. The tiny F2 camera measures only 9" x 5" x 4" and weighs two pounds. The camera has a built-in microphone and duel stereo jacks. Accessories include a character generator with direct access keypad, telephoto and wide angle lens, special effects kit and a 33' extension cable. Price $789. 95. Contact: Microflight Products, 1109 Copperwood Rd. SW, Hixson, TN 37343 (615) 843-1761.

Eliminator flying site near Santa Barbara, CA. The copy reads, "Reach for the exceptional." The ad has appeared in Penthouse, Playboy, Cosmo, TV Guide and Esquire.

''Airtime of Lubbock" will host Rob Kells, January 25 and 26; and will hold cross country and chute packing seminars. However, the primary objective will be to get lots of hands-on experience "Truck Towing." Pilots interested in participating in this weekend with Rob Kells should RSVP after 6 PM to either Mike Halye (806) 794-4596, or Jerry Forburger (806) 745-6039. Pilots wanting information on line payout and retrieval winches, tow bridles, and/or video tapes featuring "Truck Towing" should contact Mike or Jerry at the above numbers, or write: Airtime of Lubbock, c/o 2013 68th St., Lubbock, Texas 79412. Photo by Jerry Forburger. Pilot: Mike Haley. Glider: Wills Wing HP.

SOAR THE FLATLANDS

Imagine yourself consistently having safe, smooth launches, 1,500-ft. plus altitude gains, flying almost every day of the year, and all within minutes of your home. Impossible? Not any more. "Airtime of Lubbock" announces their ability to provide the flatland pilot with the necessary equipment and instruction to get all the air time wanted (well, almost all). To introduce the fun and reliability of "Truck Towing" to interested pilots,

Time to renew your USHGA Membership? A phone call and a credit card number is all it takes! Call our office at:

(213) 390-3065

:fM

AP 303 CLEANER & PROTECTANT COMPLETE PROTECTION FROM SUNLIGHT DEGRADATION -RESTORES COLOR & WSTER TO FADED DACRON ·ONE STEP APPLICATION ·NO PRECLEANING NECCESSARY

-W.UER REPEUANT

- DETERGENT RESISTANT • WILL NOT ATTRACT DUST

L--

f:J

c;;_-S,, ~...-. -

-/~

~.'

.£/It

~,-.

I '/,,1.1,··\. ' ~.,', J/

~ ~

800· AIRWOl F · orders H&wJ<lnrnnA!rSupply

5191/ort~ '.'lsta~.i

•.•·a,c,1,.•i-JC,t 59331 (000) 3~1-6~19

PROTECTS ANYTHING THAT FADES IN THE SUNLIGHTI

JANUARY 1986

'fa,"?<'

Co,1ac1 Yu_, i;ea•e;: O.ser,:,:c· Callfornl1Po,.erS~s!tms 7;{) 139:~A,~ San Laa,c,v.Ca· f 9~S7a (415JJ57·2~03 -info

MORE PR A magazine ad for Sterling cigarettes features Mike Ararnbide of Ventura, CA flying a UP Comet II 185 from the

11"\~~~"h,

MAKE THE SMART INVESTMENT MORE & MORE EXPERIENCED PILOTS ARE MAKING

DOUBLE THE LIFE OF YOUR SAIL!!

Boz.SPRAY QUART

'12.56

GALLON

'37.68

'3.95

An Unsung Hero

John Montgomery by Louis S. Schafer

August 28, 1883, John Joseph Montgomery became the first man in American history to make a controlled winged flight. He, along with his brother, James, had constructed the odd-looking apparatus within the confines of the hayloft of their barn, located just outside of San Diego, California. Made from spruce, ash, and muslin, it hoisted a pair of wings which stretched 22 feet in span with a four-foot cord. In the rear was a huge semicircular tail, making the entire contraption look like a giant seagull. As a youngster, growing up in Yuba City, John had been immensely fascinated with the idea of flight. He would spend hours studying the habits of wild birds, constructed dozens of homemade kites, and fashioned ingenious models of every type imaginable. Some flew and some didn't. At the age of eleven, his father, Zackariah, took young John to see Frederich Marriott's steampropelled airship, known as the Aviator. After witnessing such a flying marvel, he could hardly contain himself. He rushed directly home and constructed a scale model 16

of the ingenious dirigible. As John grew older and wiser, he trapped, weighed, and measured a variety of birds. He concluded that a set of wings could be designed which would support the weight of a human. Turning a small corner of the family barn into a private workshop, John soon completed work on his initial man-sized winged vehicle. Transporting the 40-pound glider on a mule-drawn wagon, he and his brother made the early morning journey to a place called Wheeler Hill, on the Otay Mesa, which overlooked the ocean a few miles south of San Diego. John had visited this particular spot quite often, studying the wind currents, and he knew that a steady breeze would soon sweep up from the open sea. While the two brothers waited patiently, John moved the craft into position, with the nose pointed downhill. He attached a 40-foot tow rope to the delicate frame, and checked the glider's control lever. Cords ran from the hand-held device back along the craft's wooden hull to the tail section. By simply moving the lever

back and forth, John would be able to adjust his attitude in flight. Other than this singular control, the glider would fly at will. By ten o'clock in the morning, the sun had come up over the horizon, and the steady wind was rocking the untested wings. John knew that the time had arrived. He handed the free end of the tow rope to James, hoisted the glider up on his shoulders, and held tightly to the control lever. He gave the signal, and James pulled the rope taut, galloping full speed down the sloping hillside. Suddenly, James realized that the rope had gone slack, and he looked back to see brother John soaring through the air "like the biggest bird you ever saw ..." James later recalled it in the following way: "I was so excited that for a few seconds I just stood there. Then I began running after him, shouting as I ran. Through clumps of brush and around patches of cactus I went, my flying eyes on John and the machine.

HANG GLIDING

John was flying! The nearer he got to the ground the more he kicked his feet and swayed his body to keep balance. Toward the very end of his flight he veered to miss a clump of brush, and when he landed he came down so lightly that he hardly bent his knees." Walking off the distance from takeoff to where he landed, the brothers measured 600 paces. Time after time, over the course of the day, the pair returned to the crest of the hill and conducted successful flights. Their experiments ended abrnptly, however. when James failed to let go of the rope soon enough, forcing the glider to tilt and ground loop, cracking one of the wings. John walked away unharmed, yet the first clay of successful winged aviation had come to an end. The brothers placed the damaged craft back on the wagon, and carefully covered it beneath a mound of straw. Secrecy was of the utmost importance: after all, grown men were not supposed to toy with the unlikely prospect of gliding through the air like an eagle. And, if anyone suspected or found out, the pair was quite certain that they would be made the laughing stock of the entire county. John's experiments did not encl on that fateful August morning, however, for he was never one to be completely satisfied. For the next ten years, he designed and constructed new innovative models, yet none flew as well as his first. He had no interest in fame or fortune: he simply wished to further his ambitious experiments concerning the basic principals behind winged flight. In the course of his work he uncovered one very startling fact~ that a partial vacuum formed above a curved wing as it spill the air molecules, thus providing his gliders with the ability to create lift and fly. While visiting the Columbia Exposition in Chicago in 1893, John chanced to meet Octave Chanute, a wealthy, retired civil engineer, who was also fascinated with aeronautics. John showed Chanute his welldocumented manuscript, which outlined his aYiation experiments in detail. At Chanute's offering, John agreed to speak at the International Conference on Aerial Navigation, and he was received favorably. Everyone seemed interested in the young scientist's expertise on the subject. John was later mentioned in Chanute's manuscript, entitled ··Progress in Flying Machines," which was published the following year. In it he spoke

JANUARY 1986

of Montgomery's eary glider, along with his flying experiments. For the next several years, John Montgomery attempted to perfect the control and stability of his flying craft. When he had reached this goal, he began to construct a full-sized, man-carrying machine, which would be drastically different from his initial model. It possessed twin tandem wings, one behind the other. They consisted of cu1-ved spruce ribs attached to one another with long strips of hickory, and they were completely covered with oiled muslin. Each wing span measured 20 feet, and they were joined by two lengths of ash known as longerons. The tail section was made up of of two flat semicircular pieces of stretched cloth, intersecting at right angles. The entire weight of the craft was 32 pounds. After months of finish work, Montgomery decided to test his tandem winged glider. In June of 1904 he transported it to the hills overlooking the Mission San Juan Bautista. He located a windy section of the slopes, where he suspended a cable between two high points, facing the breeze. With the assistance of his brother, he hoisted his craft up to the heigh th of the cable, where he tried numerous different control techniques. Catching a strong wind, John let the craft drop toward the earth, and "glided down the mountain side, meeting most erratic gusts of wind." John had installed a new control system in his most recent glider. It was an extremely sophisticated automatic system to cope with these "erratic winds." Wires interconnected the opposing halves of the wings in a criss-cross fashion. Whenever one side was stressed by a heavy gust, the opposite side would instantly "warp," enabling Montgomery to maintain stability. These same control wires extended down to foot-stirrups which he could operate if the need should arise. An overhead lever was stationed in the frame in order to raise or lower the tail section. This set-up was very similar to the one installed in his first model nearly 20 years earlier. After making minor adjustments on the craft. John applied for a patent of his design, which he received in April of 1905. He called his entire machine an "aeroplane," making him the first to refer to an aircraft with this term. Prior to this the term had only applied to the winged section of a craft. As the months continued to go by, Montgomery proceeded to work at perfecting his machine. Then, in December of 1910, he

contracted with Victor Lougheed, a Chicago entrepreneur ad aviation buff, to build a motorized version of his invention. John would provide the ingenuity, while Lougheed would contribute the money for the engine. Lougheed, who would later change his name to the more famous "Lockheed", looked on as Montgomery designed and constructed the aeroplane, and the craft was finally completed in October of 1911. It was a highwinged monoplane, which sported wheels for landing gear. It had a wing span of 26 feet, and a cord of 79 inches. The pilot could sit comfortably, nestled in a shallow bucket seat below the frame. The initial test rnns of Montgomery's new machine were conducted without employing the craft's engine. They began on October 17, 1911, upon the hills which overlooked Evergreen Valley, located just southeast of San Jose. John, accompanied by his wife, Regina, and his two assistants, slept in tents set up in the valley below. By the end of the month, the crew had successfully completed a series of 55 flights, and they were almost ready to attempt one with power. One member of the team, Cornelius Reinhardt, suggested that they make a few minor adjustments before continuing their experiments. One such request dealt with trimming the ends off of protruding stove bolts, which were located just behind the pilot's head. Montgomery declined, however, feeling that the additional length might be needed to loosen the nuts at some later date. On what was scheduled to be their final unpowered test rnn, tragedy struck. As Montgomery ran steadily down the slope, he pulled a bit too hard on the elevator lever, and the monoplane lifted off at a 60° angle. He hugged his craft, hoping to avoid a tail slide, but the machine stalled and rolled to one side. One of the wing tips struck the ground, and Montgomery crashed fiercely against the rugged hillside. During the frightening accident Montgomery's head had been jerked back, smashing into one of the protruding stove bolts. He died just two hours later. It is interesting to realize that a young, West Coast scientist managed to take to the air at least 20 years before Orville and Wilbur Wright gained fame at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Though few people today know his name, a monument still marks the spot just south of San Diego. It reads: "John J. Montgomery made man's first controlled winged flights from this hilltop in August, 1883." •

1985 Glider Evaluation Recap

own personal testing and observation have convinced me that performance levels between comparable designs are keenly competitive. And, I believe no one design displays an unquestionable superiority in all areas of operation. I find it refreshing to conclude that pilot skill is still the determining factor in overall soaring performance. Manufacturer: WILLS WING Model: HP

by Paul Burns photos by W.A. Roecker

Over the past several months I've been pleased to offer a series of hang glider evaluation articles. Hopefully you readers h~ve found these offerings informative, and somewhat enjoyable. My thanks to the participating manufacturers for their cooperation, and to Hang Gliding Magazine editor, Gil Dodgen, for his support. Thanks also to my friend, W.A. "Pork" Roecker whose photographic talents have been featured with these articles. A very special thanks goes out to Beverly Mitchell who has been my editor, critic, grammar and spelling teacher, secretary, and best friend. I am happy to announce that the glider evaluation series will continue through 1986. Readers may notice a few changes for 1986, most noticeably the new ten-point box scoring system. This system will allow greater accuracy in exposing subtle differences among competing designs. As always, the goal for these reports is to offer as much information pertaining to each individual design as possible. Toward that end it is my personal goal to fly each model a total of 15 hours at as many different sites, under as wide a variety of conditions as is safely possible. This kind of research represents a considerable investment in time and effort, but is necessary in determining overall operational effectiveness for each glider tested. Regardless of how broad the range of scores used, the values assigned to each glider originated from one source, the 18

author. Due to the individualistic nature of our sport, these scores unavoidably reflect an opinion. The design that best fits my own personal flying "style," therefore, will certainly achieve high scores. For this reason, I feel it is worth noting that I am a recreational pilot. Although I especially enjoy flying mountain thermals, and although I like to engage in cross country soaring whenever the opportunity presents itself, I'm basically lazy as pilots go. I don't like to work real hard to fly a glider, and would gladly give up some performance in favor of easy handling qualities. With this in mind, it is conceivable that some of the qualities that I find undesireable may be attractive to a pilot of a more competitive persuasion. Scores appearing for glide angle and sink rate performance are values which are basically educated guesses. Although some performance comparisons were conducted between various designs, it was impossible to compare all models simultaneously. even if all the designs were available for this type of testing on the same day, results might remain inconclusive due to conditions, pilot skill, or both. Only through repeated testing under controlled conditions could we begin to compile enough information to accurately define performance levels. Testing of this type would surely be interesting, but logistics, man hours and cost would prove prohibitive. I'm afraid, therefore, that scores appearing for performance levels will remain largely judgmental. Impressions from my

Plus: Excellent glide, speed range, sink rate and landing qualities. Light control bar pressures. Minus: Lengthy set-up procedure. Long span makes ground handling difficult. Wing becomes yaw sensitive at higher airspeeds. Some adverse yaw apparent during roll reversals. Roll stability may necessitate "high-siding" to maintain constant bank angles. Manufacturer: SEEDWINGS Model: SENSOR 160 V.G. "A'' Model

Plus: Broadest speed range of any model tested in 1985. Excellent performance in both sink rate and glide angle. Top frame and sail quality and craftsmanship. Light control bar pressure in pitch. Impressive high speed handling qualities. Minus: Lengthy set-up procedure. Long span makes ground handling difficult. Roll stability may necessitate "highsiding" to maintain constant bank angles. Some adverse yaw apparent in roll reversals. Flare timing is fairly critical on landing. HANG GLIDING

Manufacturer: PROGRESSIVE AIRCRAFT Model: DAWN COMP

BOX SCORES GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS:

H.P.

SENSOR

DAWN COMP

MAGIC IV

G.T.R.

MYSTIC

Set-up lime/ease Ground handling Static balance Frame/hardware Sail qualily/craftsmanship

FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS: Handling - low airspeeds Handling - high airspeeds Bar pressure - roll

Bar pressure - pitch Roll control initiation

Plus: Comparatively rapid set-up time. Above average ground handling qualities. Nicely finished frame and quality sail construction. Impressive high speed glide performance. Comfortable landing qualities. Minus: Roll stability may necessitate "highsiding" to maintain constant bank angles. Some adverse yaw apparent in roll reversals. Moderate bar pressure in roll control. Modest speed range.

Roll reversal (45~5°) 1aw stability Tum coordination Speed range

7.9 8

17-48

17-49

7.5

Sink rage performance Glide angle performance LANDING CHARACTERISTICS: Flare authority

P-arachuteability Directional control at mush speed

SPEED RANGE (mph)

16-50

16-55

18-47

Pilot Weight 170 Lbs.

PILOT RATING SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE

$2,500

$2,800

S2,59S

$2,500

$2,200

$2,495

(Approximate)

Manufacturer: AIRWAVE Model: MAGIC IV W/V.G.

IF YOU WANT YOUR PARACHUTE TO HAVE .. FLAT CIRCULAR SOLID GORE CONST. • High Drag Benefits • Low Volume • Faster Openings

VENT CAP COVERING APEX HOLE • Quicker Openings • Slower Descent Rates • Reduced Risk of Apex Line Entanglement

'h'' TUBULAR NYLON REINFORCEMENT AT APEX

• Adds strength to area of greatest stress during opening shock

Minus: V.G. could use more mechanical advantage. Steve made me give it back. Plus: Relatively rapid set-up time. Comfortable static balance and ground handling. Outstanding sail craftsmanship. Impressive in-flight handling qualities. Outstanding sink rate and impressive glide performance. Above average speed range. Comfortable landing characteristics. Minus: Does not meet HGMA certification standards. Manufacturer: MOYES Model: G.T.R. 162 V.G. Plus: Excellent static balance and in-flight handling qualities. Excellent sail quality throughout the speed range. Impressive performance in both sink rate and glide. Best landing qualities of any glider flown in 1985. Articulating luff lines provide optimum setting throughout the range of variable geometry travel. JANUARY

1986

Manufacturer: DELTA WING Model: MYSTIC 155 W/V.G.

ALL SEAMS REINFORCED WITH TYPE Ill WEBBING • Necessary for strength in the event of a high speed opening

V·TABS AT EACH LINE ATTACHMENT • Helps to distribute opening shock load • Important in the event of a high speed opening

400 LB. TUBULAR NYLON SUSPENSION LINES • Stretch characteristics help reduce opening shock load on canopy, harnessj and pilot

TYPE XVIII BRIDLE

• Sewn with 5 cord thread • Strength rated al 6000 lbs.

DROP TESTS TO FAA C23 B TSO STANDARDS

Plus: Relatively rapid set-up. Impressive ground handling. Above average frame construction and finish. Comfortable inflight control response. Impressive sink rate performance. Above average landing qualities. Minus: Some adverse yaw in roll and roll reversals. Modest speed range. Below average sail cleanliness (on glider tested).

COMFORT PACK DEPLOYMENT BAG • Safety locks • Protective side line cover • UV resistant material

, , , THEN YOU WANT A HIGH ENERGY SPORTS PARACHUTE! For complete information on all High Energy Sports Products, conlact your local High Energy Sports Df!aler or:

z~~:g~

2236 W. 2nd St. • Santa Ana, CA 92703 (714) 972-8186

/ photos by Anthony Cox

by Dave Stubbs

Twelve months of planning, preparation and praying were to culminate in an airshow more successful than anyone anticipated. Thousands of phone calls, hours, and dollars were pumped into the cause, plus hundreds of announcements to newspapers, radio and television. A local billboard company even donated three of its "prime" locations for Greg Shaw's poster artwork (installation not included). With all of this work put into the airshow, nothing could go wrong, right? Guess again. On show day, September 22, 1985, at 9 a.m. the 1700' launch conditions were: 30 mph winds, cross and backside. Arggghh! Two tethered hot air balloons piloted by Charlie Conklin and Mike Waldwin were floating testimony to the dead conditions in the landing area where 2,000 people had already entered Ed Levin Park's gates anticipating a day's fun. What a contrast! After a hasty discussion, we decided to make the morning assault from the 600' hill, crossing our fingers that conditions on top would improve for the afternoon acts. David West started it all by flying with the American Flag snapping on his kingpost, with the Star Spangled Banner playing over the PA. Falconry was next with Gary Beeman, Dave Knutson and Kevin Corttrell putting their six assorted hawks through an aerial demo. Now if they can just teach 'em 20

to bring in the morning paper ... Joe Findley pushed his smoke-trailing Schweitzer 1-26 through gut-wrenching turns and a whip stall to the delight of some 4,000 spectators. He then performed a dazzling landing by rolling to a hault just two wingspans from the announcement booth. Next up. A hillside landing demo by pilots Pat Denevan, Joe Grebb, Dirk Olson, Wayne Ashby, Stan Boehm and Howard "Cone Stomper" Betts, proving that hang gliders can land practically anywhere. They leapfrogged down the ridge, some landing four times. To keep the crowd informed, Brian Heuckroth and Skip "Mr. Adenoids" Walde provided non-stop commentary over the PA. Humility prevents this writer from mentioning the name of the next performer. .. well, if you insist ... Dave Stubbs successfully squeezed his act into the available 600' of airspace, dropping 75 streamer candies, catching two released streamers and for his finale - nailing ten tethered balloons on the landing approach. Not an easy task. Without the breathing space provided by 1700 vertical feet and a half-mile glide out from the top launch, the show pilots were "on stage" from the moment they hooked in - hard on the nervous pilots, but a plus for the crowd. Everything from launch to landing was in close and not overlooked the way "high acts" were the year before. And 50 gliders spread

across the nearby slopes provided a colorful backdrrop. Karl Allmendinger lead the aerotowing demonstration, presenting our latest innovation to the sport: two ultralights towing two "passengers." Later in the day, the ultralights would land dead stick at the park. By now, the parking facilities were maxed out with some 6,000 people in attendance and the temperature was in the high 90's. Evidence of this was the loooong beer lines. John Thoe and Dave Bakke were running the Kids' Kite Kontest while the W.O.R. flight simulator was treating hundreds to a glimpse of glory. The hang gliding contest was in full swing with 40 pilots testing their duration, bomb dropping and spot landing skills while Tom Schotz and company put on a spectacular frisbee demo. Mike Heer ran a crowdpleasing radio control sailplane show while Tom Gill sold our last airshow T-Shirt (gotta get Keith Melot to make hundreds next year - a big seller). By 12:30 the top launch conditions became favorable. First off were Tom Low and Dan Racanelli looking down at the sky during most of their aerobatic routine. They fly with a nonchalance that makes radical maneuvers appear easy. Closely following, Terry Finch's Square Chuters Skydiving Team awed us all with their spinning and stacking. For the kiddies, Le Merlot Brothers HANG GLIDING

LEI<'T: Author Dave Stubbs trails streamers. See sidebar on page BELOW: Smoke-tnlillng aerobatic hang glider flights were the high point of the event CENTER.SPREAD: Dave Stubbs takes out some bulloons 011 l1111di11g.

taclc World class aerobatics and Mitch MeAleer, in routine number two, then to woo everyone with their do. At the end of the of Airshow Trophy for his smooth loops. Debbie Hearth and West's Drop· fn pulled all the stops in their show. Ken Rohrbach and Mike Mello, with chutes linked ankles nr>rlnrmmo their down both plumuneting down, umrachute~ a time Brett Willat, beautiful routine I've ever wit· more nessed, put his Grob G·l03 and rolls than any of us could count. to hang in midair The 17-metcr at the i.:rest of every loop SC('.m1mg1y no altitude after eai.:h maneuver. By now the winds were up the face of lhc sulTicicr1tlv strong to soar a real boon to Martinez, with pas· sengcr that two can as one. gave the crowd long of his upper surface, slow on top of his loops to create the illu·· sion of inverted was the The last routine of the Streamer Screamer, performed by your humble writer, who that his first flight wasn't a fluke by streamers, (continued on page 24)

JANUARY 1986

dropping 150 candies (cheers from the children) and releasing ten balloons just prior to flaring. The beer ran out and the crowd thinned as the day came to a close. Static displays on the green were being dismantled as the not-so-static belly dancers demonstrated that aerobatics existed B.F. (before Fonda). The last of the pilots floated in by 4 PM and after some tallying, contest director, Jeffrey Simpson had determined the results: first place went to "Marginal Mark" Lilledahl with an el perfecto 90 point score, Wes Witte got sec-

ond with 79 points and defending champion Kari "honest, there I was at 10,000 feet" Castle took third with 77 points. Ran D. St. Clair, winner of last year's Woody Allen lookalike contest, notified all that the day had been a great shot in the arm for "natural" air sports and the recipient of the show profits, Muscular Dystrophy. The numbers are in and we made just under $5,000 for Jerry's kids. Not bad for a one-day event. Kirk Knight's professional video equipment was on hand to record the day's events. His thirty-minute production video may be

Streamer Screaming~ Made Easy Last year, when Ran D. St. Claire announced the First Annual Silent Airshow, my imagination went absolutely berserk. I wanted to create a nonaerobatic routine but a gimmick was needed, an illusion of difficulty which would enhance the beauty and grace inherent in the sport of hang gliding. I had hundreds of yards of streamers left over from my wedding reception decorations so I decided to put an act together using them. "Easy," I thought. Countless hours of preparation and practice later, I had the experience to build up a colorful show. I first tried to catch the end of a long trailing streamer. Varying lengths and weights, the closest I ever got was within ten feet. Skip that approach. Moving on, I started experimenting with catching loose streamers. As it turns out, the big trick to catching streamers is putting the correct weight at one end. Using a 1-7/8" x 'l:l yard crepe paper streamer, I roll up two feet at one end and tape it. This gives a streameer that closely matches the glider's descent rate and makes an easy target by falling in a vertical line.

For easy deployment, press the rolled streamer flat and mount it to the glider's downtube with a standard No. 32 rubber band (see drawing). To deploy, just grab the whole thing in your hand and yank it off the tube. Hold one end until it is completely unfurled, then release. Catching the streamer again is the easy part. Watching parades as a large child, I got the biggest thrill from floats that threw candy to the crowd. So I incorporated candy weighted streamers into the act. The simplest container for carrying sugar-laced projectiles on a glider is a coffee can with a plastic lid. Fill the can with hard, wrapped candies, each taped to a three-foot streamer rolled up tight. Seventy-five candies easily fit a large coffee can. Duct tape the can, upside down, to the downtube. The can's plastic lid will hold secure until pulled off. After that, the candies and kids take care of themselves. I'm a big believer in putting· music to all airshow routines. It really sets the mood of the show and enhances the overall effect. For synchronization, I drop a

purchased for $25 by calling (415) 563-2020. In closing, it must be mentioned that the prime motivator for this year's airshow was the Wings of Rogallo's untiring ball of energy, Janet Murdock. She was the event coordinator who made it all happen. Ran D. St. Clair has a 10-page technical manual on "How to Create your own Airshow." Mail a self-addrressed envelope to Ran D. St. Clair, 742 San Rafael Street, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. •

streamer to signal the start of the music on the PA system. Immediately, I start my airborne walkman cassette player which contains timed voice commands for my maneuvers. For a classy finale, flying through balloons tethered by streamers between two bamboo poles works great. The balloon strings tangle nicely in the flying wires. I tried helium balloons on a streamer secured to the ground, but any wind blows them down. This year's airshow routine consisted of: trailing three streamers from the glider with fishing line (deploy them in the air), catching eight dropped streamers, sweeping through them with fancy turns, dropping 150 candy streamers and hitting ten helium balloons on final. The control bar got a little crowded with cans and streamers. Remember to leave an inch or two for your hands during takeoff. Preparation and practice was somewhat grueling, but the crowd's approval made it all worthwhile. If you would like to try an act like this yourself, my last advice is to build up your routine slowly and keep it simple at first. Imagination, finally, will be the only limiting factor.•

HANG GLIDING

RATINGS AND APPOINTMENTS BEGINNER RATINGS NAME

CITY, STATE

INSTRUCIDR

Steve Moberg

Bellingham, WA

Chris Thompson

James Cassidy Vern J. Elliott Ronny Gaal Gary A. Kish Thomas Kirstek Annette Kroll George Mattinger Maxine Kevin Mepharn Anne Palota's William Prescott Richard Read Carol Smith Rod Walter

Milpitas, CA Berkeley, CA Berkeley, CA San Luis Obispo, CA Santa Clara, CA Berkeley, CA Berkeley, CA Carmel, CA Belmont, CA Oakland, CA Palo Alto, CA San Jose, CA San Jose, CA Reno, NV

Dan Murphy Rob Engorn Pat Denevan Pat Denevan Rob Engorn Ron Hess Dan Murphy Paul Eikens Rob Engom Rob Engom Charlie Whitehill Pat Denevan Dan Murphy Gary Wood

Brooke Knapp

Los Angeles, CA

Jim Woods

Christie Briggs Bruce Candiano Gilbert Dean Terry Gorman Torn Morgan Andrew Oxman Jeffrey Porter Christina Rudis Bill Simpson Stephen D. Strader Jef Strother

Grand Isle, VT Gales Ferry, CT Nashua, NH Southboro, MA Burlington, MA Amherst, MA No. Easton, MA Boston, MA Mustic, CT Norwich, CT Gales Ferry, CT

Steve Wendt Rob Bicknell T.C. Searle T.C. Searle T.C. Searle Rob Bicknell T.C. Searle Bill Blood Rob Bicknell Rob Bicknell Rob Bicknell

Bruce Claremont Stan Cobb Ray Daly Steven S. Edson Jock Embry Stephen Fultz Robert O'Connell Zacharia J. Powers Dean Rodgers Raymond J. Sauro Brian Simonson Dan E. Tourgee Jason Vourlekis

Richmond, VA Reston, VA Vienna, VA Elkridge, MD McLean, VA Akron, OH Sagamore Hills, OH Virginia Beach, VA Centreville, VA Glen Bernie, MD Hampton, VA Riesterstown, MD Bethesda, MD

Lawrence Battaile Eric Logan Chris Crescioli Chris Crescioli Steve Wendt Mike DelSignore Mike De!Signore Steve Wendt Chris Thompson Chris Thompson Chris Thompson Chris Crescioli Chris Thompson

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

Jay F. Fosdick Hilda Holcombe Bill Jones Deborah Lemmon H. Steven Wilson

Rocky Mountain, NC Raleigh, NC Buford, GA Sarasota, FL Orlando, FL

Steve Wendt Chris Crescioli Chris Thompson Chris Crescioli Chris Thompson

10 10 10 10 10

Michael Apgar Richard Bodary Patrick Burk Ernest Butler David Cartwright Gred Greth Charles Hartman Mark Hickox William K. King Eugene Linden John Mirtich

Endicott, NY Thornwood, NY APO, NY APO, NY New Hartford, NY Kingston, NY Oswego, NY Westmoreland, NY APO, NY New York, NY Long Valley, NJ

Bob Murphy Rob Bicknell Gary Elhart Gary Elhart Dan Guido Steve Wendt Dan Guido Dan Guido Gary Elhart Chris Thompson Rob Bicknell

12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

REGION

Kristin Raubenheirner Wallace Raubenheirner Terry Sammon Paul A. Smith

New l'altz, NY New l'altz, NY Pennsville, NJ APO, NY

Chris Thompson Chris Thompson Steve Wendt Gary Elhart

12 12 12 12

NOVICE RATINGS NAME 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

8 8

CITY, STATE

INSTRUCIDR

Robert Allard Richard A. Keating Michael Lipscomb Gregg McMurtrie Pattie Montchalin

Seattle, WA McChord AFB, WA Bellingham, WA Portland, OR Cave Junction, OR

Larry ]kola Gary Elhart Michael Daily Richard Bailey Terry Tibbens

Zvi Alon Anton Bayer Josef Bohrn Nikki Driver Mary Ann Ferguson Paul H. Fogelsong Louise S. Funke Michael Gottlieb Greg Grether Carl Gronberg Harvey L. James Robert Keech Gary A. Kish Roy Kombluh Annette Kroll Mark Laherty Robert Markert Mark Nunnally George Pilcher Charles Rabaut Larry L. Roberts Allen Sparks Sharon Stanaway Ron Stein Phil Stuber Joseph Vanden Wyrnelernberg Louie Ward

Monterey, CA Novato, CA San Francisco, CA San Francisco, CA Marina, CA Martinez, CA Fremont, CA San Francisco, CA Berkeley, CA Novato, CA Stinson Beach, CA Tracy, CA San Luis Obispo, CA l'alo Alto, CA Berkeley. CA Pacifica, CA Berkeley, CA Newark, CA Bakersfield, CA Pacific Grove, CA Rohnert Park, CA Las Vegas, NV Mt. View, CA San Jose, CA Mill Valley, CA

Paul Eikens Peter Lloyd Eric Beckman Brian Smith Paul Eikens Wayne Ostiguy Pat Denevan Rob Engorn Pat Denevan Eric Beckman Mark Bennett Pat Denevan Pat Denevan Pat Denevan Pat Denevan Rick Canham Mark Bennett Dan Murphy Dennis Yeomans Paul Eikens Jeff Mott Phil Sherrett Charlie Whitehill Paul Eikens Wally Anderson

San Jose, CA Menlo Park, CA

Paul Eikens Rob Engorn

Kenneth Ames Ron Walker Anderson Dan Conners David P. Dorfman Sharon Duensing Kevin Fisbeck Mike Floyd Pedro Goujon Kathy Guyer Jeff Locke William E. Mayo Erwin McDavid Julie McDowell Steve Moeller Sylvia Najera Ron Payseur Dennis Phillips Glenn Rasmusson Richard Schleicher John Zeagler Gary J. Zirnont

Newport Beach, CA Culver City, CA Mammoth Lakes, CA Redondo Beach, CA Culver City, CA No. Hollywood, CA Temecula, CA Redondo Beach, CA San Diego, CA No. Hollywood, CA San Diego, CA No. Hollywood, CA Diamond Bar, CA Tujunga, CA Monterey Park, CA Hesperia, CA Mammoth Lakes, CA Fullerton, CA Hermosa Beach, CA La Jolla, CA Ventura, CA

Debbi Renshaw Greg De Wolf John Reilley Joe Greblo Greg De Wolf Michael Sandlin Paul Bums Debbi Renshaw John Ryan Larry Mace John Ryan Joe Greblo Dan Skadal Joe Greblo Dan Skadal Debbi Renshaw John Reilly Dan Skadal Debbi Renshaw Steve Hawxhurst Jim Woods

REGION

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

2 2

3 3

- I JANUARY 1986

RATINGS AND APPOINTMENTS Steve Anderson Brandon Chancelor Randy Esparza James R. Lersch Robert Millman Al Myers Scott Peralta Bill Poore Barb Scheidegger Steve M. Spina James R. Stevens Jeff Taylor

Evergreen, CO Denver, CO Chandler, AZ Tucson, AZ Salt Lake City, UT Las Cruces, NM Glendale, AZ Glendale, AZ Telluride, CO Las Cruces, NM Scottsdale, AZ Alamogordo, NM

Gary Lagrone Dana Byerley Bob Thompson Doug Gordon Dan Sutherlin Robin Hastings Doug Gordon Bob Thompson Gary Lagrone Paul Michaud John Ryan George Woodcock

Darrell Newsom Carlin P. Onstad Terry Lynn Wilde

Pocatello, ID Carter, MT Pocatello, ID

Jack MacKenzie Larry Mace Dave Rodriguez

Chip Dohnerty Tim Duncan Ralph M. Ledger Jacob Pierce

S. Chelmsford, MA Williamstown, MA Tolland, MA Needham, MA

Bill Blood Rob Bicknell Alegra Davidson Rob Bicknell

Craig J. Beason Tim Daube Dan Folta Tom Lewis Thomas A. Linder Preston S Morrisey Chuck Rempes Dean A. Rogers

Dayton, OH Newport News, VA Blacksburg, VA Richmond, VA Butler, PA Gaithersburg, MD Youngstown, OH Centerville, VA

Gary Elhart Steve Wendt P.C. Covington Sam Nonage Pat Brooks Eric Logan Chris Crescioli Eric Logan

James Digh George L. Griffin Greg Heckman Michael Howman Kevin Ingram Neal Montgomery George Newsome Gred Ohlrich Jeffrey K. Perry Rick Powers David Sengstock Dwayne Smith Paul C. Thornbury Paul Turner

Charlotte, NC Clarkston, GA Atlanta, GA Atlanta, GA Dora, AL Boone, NC Pisgah, AL Del Ray Beach, FL Dunwoody, GA Cary, NC Lithia Springs, GA Conover, NC Kill Devil Hills, NC Hampton, FL

P.C. Covington Man Taber Tom Phillips Man Taber Tom Phillips Joe Foster Man Taber Man Taber Man Taber P.C. Covington Tom Phillips Ben Burrill Chris Thomson Man Taber

Stuart Beggs John A. Bennett James A. Bransom Timothy Clapp Robert Christner George Duprat Rodney Farrar Ken Featherling Sisto T. Flores Millen Gerow Matt C. Hoffman Gary Irland Byuna Y. Kim Reiner Krondorff Karen L. Moore James Norton Phillip 0. Painter Ken E. Roberts Bill Robison Jose A. Romeu

Tenafly, NJ APO, NY APO, NY Oneonta, NY APO, NY APO, NY Potsdam, NY APO,NY APO, NY APO, NY APO, NY Martville, NY Riverdale, NY APO, NY APO, NY APO, NY New York, NY APO, NY APO, NY APO,NY

Paul Voight Gary Elhart Gary Elhart Dan Guido Gary Elhart Gary Elhart Paul Voight Gary Elhart Gary Elhart Gary Elhart Gary Elhart Dan Guido Thomas Aguero Gary Elhart Gary Bihari Gary Elhart Gary Elhart Gary Elhart Gary Elhart Gary Elhart

4 4

Robert Schreiber Hugo Steemers Daniel Strobel Steven E. Turner Daniel Walter Paul A. Yelk

APO, NY Wehester, NY APO,NY APO, NY Elmira, NY APO, NY

Gary Elhart Pete Fournia Gary Elhart Gary Elhart James Kolynich Gary Elhart

12 12 12 12 12 12

INTERMEDIATE RATINGS Name 4

9 9

IO IO IO

IO IO IO 10 10 10 10 10 10 IO IO

12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

City, State

Observer

Region

Philip H. Garvey

Ft. Lewis, WA

Al Gibson

Chester Chen Michael Espenlaub John Filighera Jim Allen Higley Gary Honan Dwight F. Price Frank A. Romero C. Schoenenberger Jim Spears David Thomason

Brisbane, CA San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Oakland, CA Biggs, CA Livermore, CA Gilroy, CA Hayward, CA Palo Alto, CA Novato, CA

Rick Canham Walt Nielsen David Shelton Wally Anderson James Crosley Dan Murphy Connie Bowen Gary Wood Dan Murphy Rick Canham

Patrick Banta Myron DoneskY Rick Horvath Kevin Klinefelter Eric Schoen Brian Shook Curt Trimble

Beverly Hills, CA Loma Linda, CA Santa Ana, CA Mammoth Lakes, CA Mammoth Lakes, CA Ventura, CA Corona de! Mar, CA

Greg DeWolf Paul Burns Dan SKadal John Reilley John Reilley Tom Truax Craig Baker

Dave Sharp

Albuquerque, NM

Chuck Woods

Don McGinnis

Billings, MT

Greg Huizenga

Wayne Hobbs Kevin Peters Jim Steele

Little Rock, AR Kansas City, MO Batesville, AR

Dave Dunning Robert Black Lyle Cogbill

Patrick Barry Anthony Manacini John McAward Richard C. Tenan

Quincy, MA Derry, NH Needham, MA Unionville, CT

Thomas Searles Thomas Searles Jeff Nicolay Gary Pozzato

Joseph Gorrie William Loomis, Jr. Michael Norman William Pattison IV.

Glenolden, PA Newburg, MD Washington, D.C. Cumberland, MD

Marty Dodge Matt Tuber Santos Mendoza Dan Demaree

Ben de Garis Craig McMillan

Carrollton, GA Boone, NC

Mat Tuber Steve Coan

10 IO

Wolfgang Natter Grigorios Katidiotis Peter L. Peckham William Perez

El Paso, TX New York, NY Madison, NY APO, NY

Riker Davis Thomas Aguero Charles Murray Gary Elhart

12 12 12

2 2 2 2 2

8 8

ADVANCED RATINGS Name Ken Merrill Von Jay Snodgrass Carol Sturtevant

City, State Greenacres, WA Chehalis, WA North Bend, WA

Observer

Region

George Alexander Dan Skadal Mark Kenworthy

HANG GLIDING

RATINGS AND APPOINTMENTS John J. Davis Elizabeth Jackson Manhew Gillis

Oakland, CA Saratoga, CA San Luis Obispo, CA

OBSERVERS

Rick Canham Jim Zeise! Randy Cobb

Name

City, State

Karen Schenk Brian Smith

Greg Baron Brian Campbell Marcy Carreras Dino Dinaso Brad Fowler Daniel Gray

Granada Hills, CA Redlands, CA Encinitas, CA Sylmar, CA Costa Mesa, CA Simi Valley, CA

Craig Baker Paul Bums Steve Hawxhurst Larry Mace Dan Skadal Jim Woods

Mark Fuge Andrew Mullat Antonio Salemo

Phoenix, AZ USAF Academy, CO Denver, CO

Bob Thompson Jim Zeiset Richard Kemp

David F. Jones

Boise, Idaho

Lou Heinonen

David Bash John E. Phillips, Jr.

St. Charles, MO Raytown, MO

B.J. Schulte Mike Russell

William Van de Water

Claremont, NH

Rcb Bicknell

Bruce H. Hummer

Mt. Bethel, PA

Paul Golas

W.C. Overton Thomas D. Zurcher

Roanoke Rapids, NC Dunwoody, GA

Matt Taber Matt Taber

10 10

Melvin B. Asher

Houston, TX

Charlie Porter

H. Alfred Worsfold

Wayne, NJ

Greg Black

Examiner

Berkeley, CA Berkeley, CA

Region

Walt Nielsen Walt Nielsen

LILIENTHAL AWARDS BRONZE

Douglas Addington Robert W. Allard Charles Anderson Gary S. Anderson Patrick Banta Joel A. Bednarz Randy Bergum Gary Campbell Charlie Conklin Ramon Counsman, Jr. Walt Dodge Timothy Duncan

Mike Floyd Dan Folta Louise S. Funke Mark Francis Terry Gardner Steve Johnson Bob Kral John Kummer Bil Lewis Tom Lewis Pattie Montchalin Richard Neuberger

John Nuzzo Lorren K. Ozaki William Perez Kenneth Pine Rick Powers Dean A. Rcgers, Sr. Clinton Scott Steve Shaffer Robert Spiczka Dave Thomason

SILVER AWARDS Randy Bergum Robert Bunner

UTEK'S

Walt Dodge Terry Gardner

/IE-12

Mel Glantz John Watson

IIAfUO/rlETE!(

MASTER RATINGS

Name

City, State

Director

James W. Graham

Santa Barbara, CA

Ken deRussy

Dusty Buckler

Crested Butte, CO

James Zeiset

Chris Smith

Wildwood, GA

Dan Johnson

Region

fi~.~-~-~ ~ _ __L ----'-·- ~- ___ ~"'--":cc -· ,~- --. Our time proven Instrument Is now In a miniature package. The VE12 has the following features: Price is only $169.00 Available with the -OV option (earphone jack) at $179.00 Adjustable sink alarm trip point. Large easy to read meter face (we are known for that already) with the same dial face as before. The zero setting, sink alarm trip point, sensitivity calibration and volume of optional earphone jack are all adjustable from outside of the unil. There is never a need to disassemble ii. Body of unit is 3'h'' x 2'h'' x tV,". Can be upgraded to -OV option at later date. Wrist mounting back plate to be announced. Long battery life as before Uses the same proven circuitry we have used tor many years so it responds as quick and stable as previous models. VE12 variometer. . 169.00 VE12-0V variometer. . . t 79.00 VE? variometer. . t 69.00 VE35 variometer. . 198.00 -OV Earphone Jack relrofit kit. t 6.75 The Earphone Jack can be inslalled by you (needs a soldering iron) or by us on any variometer we made. It consists of a postage stamp size PC board with parts and 2 wires on ii. We charge $5.00 for 24 hour installation. LITEK, 4326 Fish Hatchery Road, Grants Pass, OR 97527

INSTRUC1DRS Name, 'I)'pe

City, State

Jake Alspaugh (B)

Winston-Salem, NC

Chris Crescioli (B)

Kill Devil Hills, NC

Gregory Natke (B)

Jamesville, NY

Jon Thompson (B)

Kill Devil Hills, NC

John V. West (B)

Conifer, CO

Administrator/ Director

s. Wendt/ s. Coan s. Wendt/ S. Coan D. Pagenl D. Pagen S. Wendt/ S. Coan J. Shaw/ B. Thompson

Region 10 lO

12 10

;;;

(503) 479-6633

~M~M»Jm.,WNNNMWWWJvWNN.mMi\'W; JANUARY 1986

mative years wafr:ti;mi> son, Eric and Ron Yi1ww dive and loop their re.1pective ways around the skies l 11ke Flsinore/Hidden complex. An im,pn·:ssim1af1/e ured that aerobatic was norn111! and commenced to "mess around" with winK· own on his Raven as early as mid 1982. /are 1982, sporting the nickname "Boy miser! by vlhlves ·: he had secured a full time job as a sail1m1ker at Wills Wing, a position which has allowed him to pursue his increasserious interest in aerobatic hang Mitch entered

aerobatic competi-

tirm at the /984 'felluride meel where he per well but /985 was won the Gmuse Mountain aerobatic competition , and also""'''·'",,, in Vancouver, at 1elluride. In between, like a prize man Shepherd, was declared Show" at the Silent Air Show at Ed

Park near San francisco. Anyone who has watched Mitch can that he's the best at what he does. What he does is way down in his hang also got great rap when he'.1' ta/kin' Ladies and f(entlenwn adieu your Mitch Show.

someone from

Just your custom membrane wing around isn't the sport death adventure it used

GLIDING

to be, However, acrobatics is a little more than your run,oHhe,mill rock collec,, tor kind of to do. has the disaster for the most piddlingly small mistake. Not everyone can go out and even the current crop of hard fbr me to out what I get out It sure fun that's for sure, over and over and over down 2,000" and up to do it is hard work but it. leaves me with of power and exhilaration and '""''m""' the conditions that such

a my teeth and close my eyes and put into the hairiest dive then, when rm and out all the way. Got that OK? think someone tell you how done so you can nm out and try your first to meet Mr, D,:ath

act of God.

The first

you should know about well as the rest of your this: you don't maintain your arc had for aerobatics, However, none of them have been load tested to the that can be attained in a kids, can you say "test course everyone knows that the boys have modified materials and invi, and devices. Well, this is not true. The r flew to win Grouse and Telluride material on the so ncener, ueener, ncener. This not to say you can't have a time on your old that won't loop will roll to 180° without the aid powers. If you tune on ol'Bessie and put, say, five to ten ultraviolet hours per week on her, you won't eontorl her poor sail to death inside diver, 1986

is still like new and

never

here, In my ex,

I"""""''"" in material is the stiff look, If you make concessions for better handling and get a soft cloth on the it jnst won't do acrobatics as well or last as long as a ounce dacron saiL

clearance on my chute container so it doesn't on the basctubc in mancnvcrs. It's real stain your briefs time when you get all com· mitted to over real steep and the hasctubc gets on your clmtc container in the vertical climb. No ju I use mm with a hard sheath for my harness Ii nes; 505 leech line and

THE RIGHT STUFF the base tube sometimes. So now that you're sure you won't sky dive out of your harness or break up and come down in several loose fluttering bits of exwing you should figure a way to get from right side up to upside down without going through that magic door to Mr. Death's house.

LIFE AND LEARNING Remember that every 100 cubic feet of air is different. Every maneuver will be different just like every glider, state of tune, pilot's arm length, and harness adjustment is different. The best way I've experienced and the way I was told is this: Start with the best equipment, don't prematurely attempt maneuvers you've never done, and know where you are and what you're doing. For example, if you know you can do boss 70° banks, keep doing them until you're sick of them and can do 'em to both sides with your eyes shut and your hands tied behind your back. Then maybe go ahead if you think you can do a 90° bank. The most important thing is to always look good. Smoothness through the whole routine is more important in learning precise control than yanking the poor wing to another few degrees upside down. Smoothness, not yanking, is also what wins competitions. A final point I must make is that it is extremely useful to have someone who can tell a loop from a taco salad critiquing your routines. You can only tell so much about your routines by the the way they feel to you. The fact is it's very disorienting with the sky and earth whirling by in some demented slot machine fashion. It's easy to relate "how it felt" to a knowledgeable "how it looked" kind of input. LET'S FLIRT WITH DEATH Given if you've read this far, you're not the sedentary philatelist kind of person and you just wanna have fun. More is always better so one thing leads to another and we're flirting with death, OK? Let's take our fraillooking craft out and terrorize the sky and anyone who's dumb enough to stand around looking up with his mouth open. Terror is as good as a lot of real expensive drugs. Terror can also be used as a rubber bumper stop

to check runaway intermediate syndrome. You can learn from terror. For instance, in my dim early career I had a couple of family-sized doses of the fear drug. One was at Elsinore, mid day (twothreeish), and in rough air. I start down, up and over and over and over again until I'm 800' over launch. I'm kinda tuckered out so I rest a bit while diving straight out to the LZ. Having climbed 400-500' on the way out I start making loopers again. My poor little arms just say "no way" and near the bottom of the pullout I do a big rapid fatigueinduced bar movement. The result is the "oops" position, pointed straight up with that calm quiet look. When I put in my best "I better roll out now, pal" the modified glider I'm flying at the time says "What?" So I assume the fetal crouch, gripping the base tube with my best imitation of a fusion weld and watch the batten strings (all 28 of them) lazily tum around. Then a million people in some hidden location nearby say "WOP" and I'm in a past-vertical dive. "Yow,'' I think to myself, "I'm still here." I land to offerings of toilet paper from the watchers and I promise myself I'll never again attempt that kind of stunt in that kind of air while that tired. So months later with a new highly modified glider I'm styling around the '84 Telluride meet at 16,500'. I say to myself, "I'm freaking cold." So I drive out of lift that was going into the clouds at 19,000'. At approximately 14,500' I pull into the biggest, hairiest, highest up dive I've ever done. I continue down with a vague sensation of "Gee whiz Batman, the Batmobile runs kinda different at these altitudes." So I decide enough is enough and pull up into another (#2) wonderful world of tailsliding. That time I was as smooth as could be. It was that tricky thin air they got in Colorado that got me. There is a point in relating these two experiences. In both instances I stopped, pointing straight up or a little over. I did not tumble, I believe, because I pulled my knees up to my chest and went full forward through the bar and didn't let go. I know of two pilots who stopped in similar circumstances, stayed prone, pushed out, held on, tumbled and broke. True facts hubba. Decide for yourself.

MEETS As far as I know there's some money put up for the '86 Grouse and Telluride aero meets. So if you've never been in an aero competition before, listen up. You need to qualify either now or before the meet. Also you need to know the scoring system. Roughly, here it is: You take the bank angle in degrees and divide by 10 plus a maximum of four points for smoothness, style, and execution. This is the subjective part. Does the routine look marvelous or like hell or what? You can also get up to two points for versatility, or simply 1h point for each of the four recognized maneuvers: 1) Spin. 2) Climbover (where apex heading is more than 90° from entry heading). 3) Rollover (where apex heading is less than 90 ° from entry heading). 4) That most awesome of critters, the loop (exit on the entry heading, and 180° at the top). You take all these numbers and mix'em up good and you get "da winnah." I recommend getting the full info from Rob Kells c/o Wills Wing if you're interested in competing. Aero competition is, in my opinion, way fun, eh? I'm hoping the spectator types will think so too.

ANYWAY When the summer season comes around again, the skying gets good and we all come out to play in the wild blue air. As the mid point of the summer brings a distant view of another cruel winter, some of us got to get together and race around. We got the Regionals, Nationals, Owens, Masters, XCountry ad nauseum. Me, I'm living in the 80's, the instant gratification era that spawned the leisure class. None of that "all alone into the dim, dusty sunset" for this boy. Nosiree, I'm plummeting into that little field at the bottom of the hill with all those teeny boppers, concession stands and green grass. If you aspire to do likewise you gotta be careful, know your capabilities, keep your equipment tuned up, practice regularly and know how to keep the terror out of your fun. And remember: If you can't call your bank angle before doing a clean wingover it's like you're playing slop pool. If you scratch, the game's over.•

HANG GLIDING

Contact your nearest dealer or Delta Wing today!

The Hall Airspeed Indicator A precision instrument for the serious pilot. Rugged , dependable and easy to read .

Airspeed Indicator. ... ... ..... .. ... $21 .50 Long Bracket .. 6.00

MODEL 651 VARIO/AUDIO/ DIGITAL ALTIMETER $495

MODEL 652 VARIO/AUDIO DIGITAL ALTIMETER/ AIRSPEED $590

·\:.·

--~:

MODEL M20 WRIST VARIO $200

STREAMLINED TUBE ADAPTER

Available from hang glider manufacturers and dealers

Airspeed Indicator with Long Bracket

Foreign & C.O.D. Orders add $2.00 Control Bar Protectors 5" diameter ABS plastic wheels. Specify 1" or 1-1 /8" control bar. Wheels - $20.00/pair Foreign & C.O.D. orders add $2.00

Control Bar Protectors

Hall Brothers P.O. Box 771-H , Morgan, UT 84050 C.0.D . Phone Orders (801) 829-3232

WOULD YOU PAY 30¢ FOR A MAGAZINE YOU DIDN'T RECEIVE? HELP US ELIMINATE COSTLY POST OFFICE RETURNS Your USHGA now pays 30¢ for every member who moves and doesn't report his or her address to the USHGA in time to make the change on the mailing list for the next issue of HANG GLIDING magazine. The Post Office returns undeliverable magazines to us and charges us 30¢. In the final analysis we are all paying for magazines that never get read. Please remember to let the USHGA know immediately when you move. Thank you for your cooperation .

The Litek

Most folks don't think in three dimensions. Unless you are an engineer, a sculptor or a pilot, you think in terms of here and there rather than up and down. As hang glider pilots we are obsessively concerned with up and down to the extent that we dally in lift, hightail it in sink, accumulate altitude and squander our paycheck on costly instruments that tell us when up or down occurs. The instrument that performs this function is called a variometer (vario for short). The subject of this article is a relatively new vario, the Litek VE-12, that combines small size and light weight with outright function. The idea here is to familiarize pilots with what's on the market so they can choose the vario that best suits their needs (note: in the October 1984 issue of Hang Gliding we reviewed the Systek II vario). Before we get specific, however, let's review varios in general.

VARIOS - HOW THEY WORK A vario is a device for measuring how fast you are going up or down. A vario performs its magic by taking advantage of the fact that air pressure varies with height above the earth. In fact, the pressure of the air above the observation point always decreases as you move upward and increases as you descend. The reason for this is that the pressure we detect at any point is due to the weight of the air above us. A good vario can detect the change in air pressure in less than a six-inch change in height.

Variometers vary in terms of how they detect the air's pressure changes. A common technique is to use a flask with a small bleed hole. When pressure drops outside the flask (as when ascending), air flows out of the bleed hole. Similarly, when descending, air flows in the hole. A sensitive thermistor (an electronic component that changes resistance with changing temperature) and bridge circuit detects the rate and direction of flow and thus the rate of climb or descent. The above system is used on the Litek VE-12. This system requires very simple circuitry and is quite rugged and insensitive to external effects (temperature extremes, vibration or knocks) but does require a flask which puts a lower limit on size. Another type of design uses a pressure transducer which directly converts a force to a voltage. By using this transducer in conjunction with a small cavity, we can detect pressure directly. The problem is that the change in output is only a few microvolts for a few feet of altitude change. This requires lots of amplification that introduces "noise" that must be filtered out resulting in lag and more complex electronics. Furthermore, the signal from the pressure transducer must be differentiated to indicate rate of change of altitude. In general, this type of vario is heavier (more electronic components) yet more compact (no flask is needed) than the previous type. Most varios deliver an audio and a visual signal. The audio output is a series of beeps when you are climbing. The visual signal

consists of a dial or LCD display which indicates the rate of climb or sink. When flying with a vario you learn to factor out short-lived gusts and any lag in the instrument so that you can get a reasonably accurate picture of the lift pattern. Since this pattern is changing, you must constantly update your data with the aid of your vario. A good vario will be accurate and responsive so that you get up-to-date, valid information.

THE LITEK VE-U FEATURES The new Litek variometer comes in a little black box measuring 1V2 x 3 Vi inches. The nice part about these dimensions is the smallest rectangle (1 Vi'' x 21/i'') is what meets the air in a normal installation, :;o only a little over four square inches of surface area is meeting the air directly (I added on a little to account for the protruding meter face). This amount of frontal area is 1h to 1h of that of the original Litek models. The VE-12 is the second smallest vario (in terms of total volume) available (the smallest is the Ball M20). The Litek VE-12 weighs in at about seven ounces without a battery, rendering it less than four-tenths the weight of the original Liteks. This makes it one of the lightest varios available. In addition, the retail price of $169.00 gives it the status as being the least expensive of all the audio-visual varios currently advertised. The face of the VE-12 displays a rectangular visual dial (see photo) that measures 1 x 2 14 inches. This dial is considerably HANG GLIDING

smaller than the original Litek dial, but has proven to be easily readable in flight. I have not yet placed speeds-to-fly or rather positions-to-fly numbers on this dial, but in my judgement I should be able to do this and still read the values. On the left side of the visual display is the audio output consisting of three holes in the face. Further left is the front mounted ninevolt battery. Easy access to this battery is a nice feature. On the right of the dial are all the switches, button and adjuster screws. The fact that all possible user adjustments can be made with screws on the outside of the vario is a convenience indeed. Here's a rundowm of the control panel. First, there is a zero adjust on the dial itself for setting the visual needle to any value you wish. I suggest setting this to zero when sitting still. Note that there is a slight parallax problem in that the needle is about l{ 6 -inch away from the number card so the dial reads low if you are above the level of the vario when you are reading it. Setting the dial a little above zero eliminates this problem. The next item is a black button just to the right of the visual dial. This is a battery check. Pushing it in gives a reading on the dial that can be used to monitor relative battery strength. Below this button is a toggle switch which serves a simple function: vario on or off. This switch is protected and oriented so that chances of an accidental turning on is slim. On the right edge of the vario face are three small screws and another switch. This switch, which is at the bottom of this stack, is the audio control with up being loud, middle being off and down being soft output. The adjuster screws from top to bottom are for sink alarm trip point, sensitivity and zero setting of the audio signal. The sink alarm can be set to any value you wish by turning the zero screw until the dial points to the desired amount, then turning the sink alarm screw until the sink alarm (beep-beep-beep) just quits. The sensitivity adjustment will be discussed below. The zero adjustment lets you set the audio turn-on point to any reading you desire. I choose to set mine just barely above zero sink so that I get an audio signal from the slightest puff of lift for those scratching days. All things considered, the combination of these adjustments provides great versatility and should satisfy any pilot's needs. An additional feature available for $10 is an audio system using an earphone so your beeps don't drive the sheep nuts (necessary in the Owens JANUARY 1986

valley and the Bo Peep Preserve of Patagonia). This addition consists of another set screw for adjusting volume and circuitry with an earphone jack. The final item I'll mention is the lag bolts on the rear of the vario for mounting. The factory in all candor recommends using a Ball clamp (Ball is their competitor) since it works well and "why reinvent the wheel" opines Chuck Kanavele, Litek's owner. I took matters into my own hands and designed a mount to suit my needs. I was tired of screwing hose clamps or Ball clamps so I fabricated a mount that fairs the vario neatly into my control bar and attaches quickly with a single shock chord. Total time of installation: three seconds. USING THE LITEK VE-U The real proof of a variometer is in the air. The questions are: does it read accurate values oflift and sink, does it respond quickly, does it detect small values of lift, is it insensitive to external factors not related to vertical velocity? The answer to all of these questions is yes, for the VE-12. Due to the adjustment capabilities of the VE-12, you can set any lift threshold and sensitivity you wish. Let's discuss this matter of sensitivity. The sensitivity screw on the VE-12 changes how much needle deflection occurs in a given value of lift or sink. Ideally, the needle should read exact. For example, if you are climbing at 200 FPM, the needle should read 200 FPM. The sensitivity comes preset from the factory. However, after a few flights I found out that every other pilot was experiencing a higher reading of lift on their varios than I had on mine. I checked the VE-12 against my old style Litek and sure enough, the VE-12 read low by about half the total reading. The only accurate way to calibrate a vario is to use an evacuation chamber. However, I made do with an elevator in which I did a series of timed runs after measuring the distance between floors. I now have the sensitivity in the ballpark, "lthough it may read a little high due to compressed air in the elevator shaft. The only thing I can do to improve my calibration is to find some smooth and steady lift and time my ascent between two levels, then comapre my rate of climb with the vario reading. It should be noted that exactness ofreading is not necessary for effective vario use. If your vario does not read true (my guess is that most don't) it doesn't affect speeds-to-fly as long as the same vario/glider combination is used.

In the previous variometer review we gave test results on lag times for starting and stopping of the audio and visual signals in both ascent and descent. However, since the VE-12 can be adjusted so widely, these parameters can take on any value. Instead of this cold, hard data, what follows is some personal impressions of the little implement. To begin, I found the VE-12 vario handy and convenient due to its small size and readily accessible functions. This vario is touted as a wrist-mount package, but I feel it's a little too bulky for this and besides, why would anyone want to walk around with a beeping wrist like Dick Tracy? My wrist mount altimeter now blithely rides with my vario on the control bar because it's actually easier to see it there. The audio sound of the VE-12, while not exactly soothing, at least doesn't drive you batty. (I'm still waiting for a vario with the audio output being a sultry, alluring voice repeating "you're getting it up ... you're getting it up ...") Of the four VE-12s I have tested, all of them produce less volume than the older Liteks. However, I still find the low audio setting to be ample which proves I haven't flown all that many ultralight hours. The only negative comment I have to make about the VE-12 is that the zero adjustment seems to alter somewhat with temperature. I've had to zero-adjust mine three times on launch, which isn't easy unless you have a very small screw driver. If this problem continues to surface I may attach a small arm to the adjusting screw. Note that I don't consider this to be a major fault and it may be brought on by my obsession with having the threshold right at zero. It should be apparent that I like the VE-12 very much. If your criteria are simplicity, light weight, sensitivity and convenience, you will too. I am well aware of the complex decks with oodles of dials available today. However, I'm not convinced we need a visual display of airspeed when we have a biotic analog instrument (our bodies) constantly giving us this information. Furthermore, I believe total energy compensation is superfluous for hang gliders and speedsto-fly rings are obsolete. I live by the statement "there's beauty in simplicity." I want my flying to be as simple as possible while remaining effective. I think the VE-12 vario fits in nicely with this scheme. However, I realize that my personal creed is far from universal so I leave you with the words of the late poet: "Whatever gets you through the flight ... it's alright. .. it's alright."• 33

has a new cross-country king He's been a top contender for several years now, but this was his year to be number one. Back in February l had the that the '85 contest would have a new winner, probably Hans or Bruce Ruefer. Both arc excellent pilots. Hans had going his way: having been a rum1er--t1p several times he was for win; an by trade, his mind helped him to constantly learn (and use what he had learned); he's pilot, and is probably in the best of all the pilots in the state. all the above with a great (although several years old) glider, a C-2 165, and the Mrnrnmh,Pr11C' conditions, and you've got yourself a winner. Although I flew a faster glider and still wanted to win, I wasn't as for the win as Hans. The best pilot won. A third finish will certainly fuel rny desire to my skills and work harder to win next year. In the August 1985 issue of Hang Gliding Hans and I shared our super flight 34

with you, and in previous years I've described my winning flights. Now it's time to tell you about his super flight that took all the marbles this year. Thursday night the wea-· ther forecast looked really great, particularly for as late in the season as it was, so Hans made arrangements to take a day of vacation leave from work Friday. Arriving at Mt. Elden about 10:30 AM, conditions looked strong, gorgeous, and a bit on the windy side. After completing safe launches from the path cut through the trees, we were soon both above 14,000 feet and near the to put the super whispy cloudbase. looking day to good use as soon as ble, I headed out first, quickly learning where the term wind dummy comes from. Often, just after exiting a thermal, strong sink is encountered for a short distance, so 1 wasn't immediately concerned. However, six minutes later and after trying everything imaginable, I was 7,000 feet lower, finally escaping the sink on the deck and ready to land. I still swear to this day there must have been a vacuum cleaner salesman's con-

forence below my flight path, with all the participants holding their machines upside-down as I plummeted by. Hans saw my demise and wisely skirted the area, flying past me with about 4,000 ft. of altitude. One filled with gorgeous white look at the puffy cumulus as far as the eye could sec, and I knew he was going to win the contest that day. Earthbound. It was my year to sit and squirm and watch someone else fly on and on and on and win the Arizona XC Contest. Lord knows I was overdue, as during the previous three years I had won the contest as other pilots ended up driving long distance chase for me. Although you wish your friends were with you in the air, when flyfor hours on end you are busy with the task at hand. I got to see the other side of the story this year, and all I've got to say about the is "EEEYUCK!!" No wonder Hans was so hungry to win this year! Soon, Meng, Hans' wife, came along, I loaded my glider on their van and we were off on the chase. What a day! Every time HANG GLIDING

OPPOSITE: Soaring over Monument Valley on the winning flight. Photo by Hans Heydrlch. ABOVE: Tom Fuller racing past Big Chino Wash on his longest XC flight. Photo by Bob Thompson. LEFT: Mom11mmt Valley after Hans' long flight. Photo by Hob Thompson.

JANUARY 1986

Enthusiastic Indian family who wel'e hmding witnesses fol' 146+ mile flight. Photo by Bob Thompson.

Hans left a cloud for a piece of blue the blue would haze up and another cloud would altitudes were never really form. His like we arc accustomed 10 during the season, but thermal lift seemed almost c\v1'irvwt1ere. North to Cameron, cut across and on to the northeast. Along of Black Mesa, over the fantastic eroded flatirons of the Rock antic! ine, short cut around and on to Monument Valley. There seemed no end to the TV Channel 10 was broadcasting their news from scenic locations all over the state in .July and today they were in Monument Numerous glider pilots happened to watch the live broadcast, and viewing t11e gorgtious cu--filled thought to them·· selves, "Does that look like great air?" A zoom lens could have easily panned past the news broadcasters and shown Hans thermall· in the distance. Their did fly below him just before the 6 PM news. Hans floated across this massive tribute to erosion, late thermals from the sun-bathed and finished the film off in his camera. All of the other 100+ mile nights this year were terminated several hours before sunset by at· m<JSJ:1henc ph<emm1,ena (storms or massive areas of air). Hans was to have no part of such a demise, using all his skills and whatever luck could be found he extended his flight later and farther. Finally, with in the west, he the final past the incised meanders of 36

the San Jnan River, over Mexican Hat rock, to a landing a fow hundred yards short of the int<:rsection of US 163 and Utah 261. One hundred miles, a new state record, and the first pilot to fly into Utah. If you are going to win, you might as well do it with class. Most of the other long flights of the Open Class were already described to some extent in the Milestones colmnn of the 85 Hang Gliding magazine. A quick review of that article will show that Hans had plenty of competition. There is another story to the '85 contest. Actually it is about another part of the contest. This year there were two classes: Open, and a 50-Mile class which was restricted to pilots who had yet to a 50+ mile flight. This allowed the new, up-and-coming hawks to flex their wings, test their skills, and spar among themselves, without having to foel overshadowed by the more ex1,er:1em~·· ed old time The newly inaugurated 50-mile Class was ve1y successful with fierce competition in its own right. Paul Hendricks survived massive airsickness, blasting his competitors with a 92+ mile flight on a venerable Comet l 165 which passed very close to the southwestern edge of the Grand Canyon. Paul didn't get out flying much, but, like Dana Roosevelt in the Open Class, one super flight showed his real potential. Early on in the season, a new up-and-coming charger, Chris Carlton on a C-2 165 looked to have the best chance of winning, and his 52-mile flight held the lead for over

l<'RONT ROW: Left to right Paul Little, Don Jo11es, Paul Hendricks, Bob Thompson. BACK ROW: Chris Carltm-1, Hans Heydrich, Jim Whitelaw, Dan!l Roosevelt. Photo by Elaine Hendricks. HANG GLIDING

2V2 months. Unfortunately for Chris, his job took him out of state for much of the season and third place will have to satisfy him until next year. Don Jones probably got in the most flights of any of the 50-mile pilots, and after changing gliders in mid-season, his constant efforts paid off with several flights over 50 miles and second place. As the top four placing pilots in the 50-Mile Class exceeded the 50-mile barrier this year, we automatically have at least four more pilots for the Open Class next year, a real tribute to the success of the new category. Except for the Grand Canyon flight, I would have to say that my most enjoyable times were working with and watching these newer pilots giving it their best and learning in the 50-Mile Class. Driving back with Paul Hendricks, Dana Roosevelt, Don Jones, and Joe Sztukowski after a great day of XC flying was a real high point in the summer. Listening to everyone hoot and holler, describe their flights, and celebrate the day brought back some fond memories of my own early XC experiences. Sharing their thrills and excitement of a new experience really added to the day. The 50-Mile Class (it could have been a 10- or 30- or 40-mile class, for that matter) was equally as important to the competing pilots as the Open Class was to its pilots. We need more of that in hang gliding. Once again, there were several pilots who, for various reasons, did not enter the contest(s), but had notable flights nonetheless. Russ Gelfan nailed several 100+ mile flights, Bob Buxton exceeded 90 miles, and Dana Fischer, whose previous best was 32 miles, landed in an exhausted state at 102 miles. Mark Fuge nailed a 30+ mile flight before entering the 50-Mile class. Down south, Jack Davis reportedly flew 80 miles from "A" Mountain. Unfortunately for visiting pilots, every time someone from out of state dropped by to taste some of our special air, Mother Nature managed to show her other cheek and most went away shaking their heads. Showing the real XC potential of the state, over a dozen 100+ mile flights were recorded in Arizona this year by a handfull of pilots. In fact, if the information we have gathered is correct, the Arizona XC Contest was second only to the famed Owens Valley contests in overall success this year. Come on next summer! All competitors were presented with classy high quality shirts with custom multi-color artwork, trophies were awarded to first through fifth places in both classes, and cash JANUARY 1986

prizes were split between the first three places in each class. On top of all that, manufacturer and dealer support was strong, as always, with some really super awards being presented: Hans garnered an $800 certificate towards a new glider from UP and a sharp, red flight suit from Desert Hang Gliders; Dana Roosevelt was presented a snazzy new "Zipperman" harness, the ultimate in streamlined comfort, by Wills Wing; Paul Hendricks received a $100 merchandise certificate from UP. Now, that's

what I call support! In talking with several manufacturers and with visiting out of state pilots it seems evident that many areas or states are now holding their own season-long XC contests. Great! Their contestants may fly shorter or longer distances than we do in Arizona, but I'll bet the real results are the same - hang glider pilots having fun while experiencing new thrills and attaining new goals. That's what the sport is all about. Best of lift and good air to you all. •

1985 ARIZONA XC CONTEST FINAL STANDINGS OPEN CLASS 1. Hans Heydrich 2. Dana Roosevelt 3. Bob Thompson 4. Bruce Ruefer 5. Jim Whitelaw 6. Larry Kovach 7. Jim Grissom 8. Tom Fuller 9. John Johnson

165.99 mi. 154.33 mi. 146.34 mi. 134.35 mi. 112.11 mi. 87.7 mi. 82.98 mi. 65.2 mi. 62.48 mi.

C-2 165 HP HP HP HP Attack Duck 160 Magic 177 Racer HP C2-165

92 .. 79 mi. 76.77 mi. 51.94 mi. 50.94 mi. 31.5 mi. 27.1 mi. 12.8 mi.

C-1 165

50-MILE CLASS 1. Paul Hendricks

2. Don Jones 3. Chris Carlton 4. Paul Hittle 5. Bob Isenhour 6. Ray Olroyd 7. Mark Fuge

Mystic 166 VG C-2 165 Sensor 160 VG C-2 185 Duck 180 C-2 165

--------------------------BETTER TAKE•OFFS & LANDINGS OR YOUR MONEY BACK! And that's a promise. We want to make flying MORE FUN. And tliat means confident, skilled take-offs and landings. We know you've got it in you; let us show you how. Mission Soaring Center offers regular Tak~-off and Landing Seminars. Intensive on-the-hill, videorecorded practice and classroom study. You will come out a better pilot or your money back. Give us a call for class dates and reservations.

n1tsS1DJ1 SOARlnG cenTER

.. '

by Andrius Kontrimas

Lithuania is a small co:untrv located across

::iV11edlen on the Baltic sea. Because it has been ton:ett1Hy occ:up1ect the Soviet since end of WW II, information and

interest in Most of the de'vei1opment in gliding occurred through trial and error (along with the sui:,sequent bruises) because of the lack of and current information. The pre·sident of the or~~ax111z.::1t1c1n has been receiving Hang Gliding m,1gazir1e since its inc:eption and as a result it has substituted as an "er1cyc:Io1pec1ia" for the 38

HANG GumNo

JANUARY 1986

S~steli Vario I Altimeter 0· 15,000 FT Altimeter

UP-Audio

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Dual Batteries

HANG GLIDING MANAGER Minimum requirements USHGA. Instructor Rating Basic Instructor Rating, Teaching. Management & Sales Experience Postion open now on East Coast SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY, INC.

HANG GLIDING. WINDSURFING & SAILING INSTRUCTORS

P.O. Box 585

Seymour, TN 37865 Chris Pyle

Certification preferred. Positions will begin open·1ng ·in March '86 at East Coast and West Coast locations

Lookingfor compact, simple, stowable pitch control ? Get a Speed Rail:M

SEND RESUME TO:

Reduced pull-in effort. Flat body attitude for less drag. Static load tested to IOG's.

KITTY HAWK KITES P.O. Box 340 Nags Head. N.C. 27959 ATTN: John Harris

$ 7800'c;omplete. Available from:

OR PO Box 828 Marina. CA 93333

#'ll5SlOJ1~ SOARlnG cenTER ~ 43551 MISSION BLVD.

FREMONT, CA

94539

(415)656-6656 'add$3 ,hipping &6\1%taxinCal.

IMPROVE YOUR FL YING! Learn the secrets of the pros from hang gliding's most widely read author.

Hang Gliding Books by Dermis Pagen • HANG GLIDING FL YING SKILLS-DETAILS ON: BEG INN ING FLIGHT * INTERMEDIATE SKILLS • AERODYNAMICS • GLIDER DESIGN • GLIDER REPAIR • SELECTING EQUIP· MENT * THERMALING • MORE. $6.95 •FLYING CONDITIONS-THE-ROAD MAP TO THE SKY-DE· TAILS ON: GENERAL WEATHER* TURBULENCE* ROTORS * WIND SHADOW * SEA BREEZES * WIND GRADIENT • RIDGE LIFT *THERMALS• MORE. $8.95 • HANG GLIDING TECHNIQUES THE Ul..TEST BOOK FROM SPORT AI/\AT\GN PUBL\CAT\ONS For the novice to adnnced pilot, this book continues the learning that began with Flying Skills. • Learn about thermal soaring - A full 31 pages on thermal techni· ques will have you soaring like an ace • Learn about speeds to fly - tlie key to efficient flying whether in competition or cross-country. • Learn about cross·country flying - How to fly further with safety. Also: Perfecting turns • Handling turbulence • Flying at altitude • Using ridge lift • Design concepts • Parachutes • Performance tuning • Cardinal speeds • Harness adjustment • Competition and much more!

- - - - - - - - ALSO AVAILABLE-..------POWERED ULTRALIGHT FLYING Powered Ultrallght Flying: will answer your questions and improve your flying. This book is written for beginners to advanced pilots with over 125 photos and drawings to clearly illustrate even the more complex subjects. All our books are written from an ultralight pilot's point of view so you get the facts you need, not rehashed information from general aviation.

' POWERED ULTRALIGHT TRAINING COURSE This is the only training course written by an ultralight instructor. Eleven lessons and eleven related groundschools (twenty-two chapters) make this an ideal text for self-teaching and train· ing schools. Learn to fly safely in a carefully designed siep-by-s1ep manner. This manual is us· ed by safety conscious schools internationally.

* DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED* *

r--------------------

1SEND CHECK OR CASH TO·

I I I

SPORT AVIATION PUBLICATIONS Dennis Pagen Dept. G, P.O. Box r;n1 I Stale Co11ege, PA. 16801 lPlease rush me the books listed below: 10U.N.JT1TY 1

t I I /

[J [J []

Flying Conditions ($6.95) Hang Gliding Flying Skills ($6.95) Hang Gliding Techniques ($6.95) Powered Ultralight Flying ($11.95)

[]Powered Ultralight Training Course ($9.95)

I Save 10% · order two or more books! I Save · all five books for only $35.95!

! Total amount for all books$ ________ / Postage and Handlir1g___ __ - - · - - - - - - 1.25 I Overseas airmai I if desired ($4.00/book) _____ _ I TOTAL ENCLOSED - - - - - ~ - - - · - - 1 SEND TO (P!ease Print):

I NAME - - - - - - - - - - - - -

IADDRESS

JCITY,STATE

!COUNTRY/ ZIP

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 tom or tom 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 to them to inspect.

Rogallos DELTA WING'S NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF DEALERS can help you get into the air. Alternative financing plans available. For further information and the address of your nearest dealec, contact: DELTA WING, P.O. Box 483, Van Nuys, CA 91408 (818) 787-6600. C2-135-Brand new with half ribs - must sell make offer. Dennis (404) 820-1962. COMET 185 UP-Like new. Real beauty, super condition. First place winner. Included is flotation & towing equip. Total value $1800. Must sell, make offer. Will ship. Tom. (904) 428-6548. COMET II 165-Speed bar & half ribs. $1,000 (805) 653-0587. C2 185-Good condition. $500. (303) m-7770 (evenings).

SENSOR 510-165-Black LE, blue undersurface, great flights, most performance per dollar-$650. 149 Raven-good for training and high altitude-$375. High Energy Sports harness for 5'8''5'9" pilot, carries folded glider bag, converts to backpack, black with accent, great harness in great condition-$165. Double French Connection, Owens proven-$100. Speed Rail-$40. Bennett pitch connection, $20. Call Galen 7-10 PM (714) 659-4225 So. Cal. STREAK 160-Must sell. Blue leading edge, red & yellow double surface, $1,000. (519) 344-3249, Pat. 180 STREAK-$1,000. 209 Raven $400. Both for $1300 shipped. (214) 382-3305. 2 177 MAGIC. .. . . . . . . . ..... 2 166 MAGIC. l 155 MAGIC ... 3 170 HP. I VIS VISION .... 2 V20 VISION .... . .. I Vl6 VISION ... ..... , , COCOON HARNESSES PARACHUTES .. . . . . . . .... .....

WE NEED YOUR USED EQUIP. THE HANG GLIDING CENTER (619) 450-9008. WANTED-Used hang gliding equipment. Gliders, instruments, harnesses and parachutes. San Francisco Windsports, 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116 (415) 753-8828.

DREAM 205-Super deal, need cash! With harness, parachute, helmet & wrist vario. Cost $3,775 sacrifice $2,400. Bob (805) 259-1784. UP GEMINI 134-Pink wired heart. Flys great $800. (307) 577-3011. GZ 155-$1900, excellent shape. (303) m-7770 (evenings). 177 HARRIER I-Blue leading edge, multicolored undersurface, white trailing edge. Excellent condition. $800. (805) 965-2447. HP 170-5 hours. New, $1500 OBO. (503) 256-5135. HP 170-Excellent condition. Dk blue LE, pacific blue Dbl surface, white 4.5 ounce top sail. $1600. Glen (619) 284-5206, or 457-2900. JAVELIN 208-Black with rainbow. Excellent condition, great performance. UP knee hanger. Both $500, delivered. (303) 534-5611. JETWING-Beautiful rainbow sail, custom trailer for trike, $500 spare parts, flown twice, first $1950 takes all. (206) 842-8961 after 6 PM (Seattle). MOYES MISSILE 190-1982, 21 hrs. $750.00. Moyes Mega 190 15 hrs. $400.00. Both VGC Lansing, MI (517) 339-2967. 1985 PRO DAWNS-Competition. 165 (white leading edge)-brand new, demo flown twice. All tubes streamlined, $1,800. 175 (red leading edge). Custom, 20 hours flown, great shape, $1,550. (213) 837-6586. Marcos, leave message. RAVEN 209-Good condition. In storage last four years. $400 0. B.O. Also, UP Dragonfly MK. II, harness, Hummingbird vario. Make offer. (805) 995-2142. '82 SENSOR 510-$950. COMET I 165, very good condition $650. COMET I 185, clean $700. (805) 687-3119.

JANUARY

1986

..... $1400 ..... $1300 .. ... $1600 . .... $1700 ..... $1400 . : ... $ 775 . ... .$1200 .... .s 150 ..... s 190

Schools and Dealers ARJZONA ARIZONA WINDSPORTS-Certified instruction utilizing skyting and the World's only man-made trainer hill. New & used gliders, accessories, parts & repairs. 1114 W. Cornell Drive, Tempe, AZ 85283 (602) 897-7121. DESERT HANG GLIDERS USHGA Certified School. Supine specialists. 4319 W. Larkspur, Glendale, AZ 85304 (602) 938-9550. CALIFORNIA BRIGHT STAR HANG GLIDERS Sales - service - restorations. All major brands represented. Santa Rosa, CA (707) 584-7088 CHANDELLE HANG GLIDING CENTERUSHGA certified school. "The best damn hang gliding shop in the world." Dealers for Wills Wing, Delta Wing. Five minutes from Fort Funston (415) 359-6800. HANG FLIGHT SYSTEMS - Certified instruction program. Featuring Wills Wing and Ultralight Products gliders and accessories. Duck, Comet II, Skyhawk, Gemini demos available to qualitied pilots. 1202 E. Walnut, Unit M, Santa Ana, CA 92701. (714) 542-7444. HANG GLIDER EMPORIUM-Quality instruction, service and sales since 1974. Full stock of new and used Wills Wing, Delta Wing, and UP gliders plus complete accessory line including harnesses, helmets, varios, and spare parts. Lccated minutes from US 101 and flying sites. 613 N. Milpas, Santa Barbara, California 93103 (805) 965-3733.

THE HANG GLIDING CENTER-Lccated in beautiful San Diego. USHGA certified instruction, equipment rentals, local flying tours. Spend your winter vacation flying with us. We proudly offer Wills Wing, Delta Wing, Pacific Windcraft, U.P. Airwave, High Energy, Ball and we need your used equipment. 4206-K Sorrento Valley Blvd., San Diego, CA 92121. 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 ULTRALIGHTS! MISSION SOARJNG CENTER-Serving the flying community since 1973. Complete lesson program with special attention to quality take-off and landing skills. All major brands of gliders, parachutes and instruments sold. Sail repair and air frame service available. 43551 Mission Blvd., Fremont, CA 94539. (415) 656-6656. MOYES CALIFORNIA - 22021 Covello St., Canoga Park, CA 91303 (818) 887-3361 or 173 Bronte Road, Waverley, 2024 N.S. W. Australia 61.2.387 .5114 PINECREST AIR PARK - Instruction, sales, service. (714) 887-9275. SAN FRANCISCO WINDSPORTS - Gliders and equipment, sales and rentals. Private and group instruction by USHGA certified instructors. Local site information and glider rental. 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116. (415) 753-8828. SANTA BARBARA HANG GLIDING CENTER Certified instruction, glider and equipment sale. 29 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. (805) 687-3119. 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. CONNECTICUT CONNECTICUT COSMIC AVIATION - 14 Terp. Rd., E. Hampton, CT 06424, c/o Bart Blau, Lynda Blau, (203) 267-8980. Hang glider dealer for Wills, UP, and Airwave. Ultralight also available. USHGA Certified Instructor. Been flying since 1975. Call me where to go in CONN. HAWAII MAUI SOARJNG SUPPLIES - Certified Instructors. Sales, service and rentals. R.R. 2, Box 780, Kula, HI 96790 (808) 878-1271. IDAHO TREASURE VALLEY HANG GLIDERS - Service - USHGA Instruction - dealers for all major brands, accessories - site info, ratings - Box 746, Nampa, ID 83651 (208) 362-1848. MINNESOTA NORTHERN SUN, INC. Dealer for all major nonpowered and powered brands. USHGA certified

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 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. NEW YORK ELMIRA AIR SPORTS-Instructors and dealers for the finest flying equipment: Wills Wing HP and Skyhawk and UP demo gliders available. Five free soaring sites and training slope within I 0 minutes of shop. Check in first. (607) 732-1490. FLY HIGH HANG GLIDING, INC.-Serving New York City/Albany, New Jersey, Connecticut area. (Ellenville Mtn.) Area's exclusive Wills Wing dealer/specialist. Also carry all other major brands. Certified Instruction, Certified Aero-towing. Featuring the most INEXPENSIVE prices on gliders, repairs, parts, and accessories available. F.H.H.G., Paul Voight, RD 2 Box 561, Pine Bush, NY 12566.

SAURATOWN KITES - Winston Salem (919) 760-1390 or 983-3570. Hang Gliding School w/certified instructor; dealer of Seedwings, Wills Wing & Delta; new and used equipment.

International Schools & Dealers JAPAN

OREGON EASTERN OREGON ULTRALIGHTS - Certified instruction. New and used. Wills Wing specialists. PO Box 362, Pendleton, OR 97801 (503) 276-7462. PENNSYLVANIA SKY SAILS LTD. Hang Gliding School. USHGA certified instructors. 1630 Lincoln Ave., Williamsport, PA 17701. (717) 326-6686 or 322-8866. UTAH

Distributor major brands hang gliders (Airwave Magic), instruments, parachutes and ultralights. Tokyo 03/433/0063, Yugaward 0456/63/0173, Kurumayama Hang School 0266/68/2724 (April-November).

FLY UT AH WITH

MOUNTAIN WINGS, INC. - 6 miles from Ellenville. Five training hills, five mountain sites, USHGA certified instruction and towing. Delta Wing, Pacific Windcraft, Seedwings, Wills Wing and Skylines and Manta. Sail, airframe repairs on all makes, R/C equipment. Main St., Kerhonkson, NY 12446 (914) 626-5555. THERMAL UP, INC.-Gliders and equipment, sales, rentals, instruction. USHGA certified instructor. Dealer for all major brands. One mile from Ellenville. P.O. Box 347, Cragsmoor, NY 12420 (914) 647-3489.

SWITZERLAND SWISS ALP HANG GLIDING SAFARI - For complete documentation of this high adventure alpine tour send $5 .00 to cover ainnail postage to RON HURST, Im Brunnli 10 CH-8152 Opifikon, Switzerland. Ainnail. Delta Wing Products, certified instruction, 9173 Falcon Cr., Sandy Utah 84092 (801) 943-1005. WASATCH WINGS, INC. - USHGA certified hang gliding school, dealers for Wills Wing. 12129 S. 2160 W. Riverton, UT 84065 (801) 254-2242.

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 and Advanced packages; complete inventory of new gliders, accessories and parts. Ultralight training and sales available as well as windsurfing sales and instruction.

San Francisco Windspons (fonnerly 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.

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. ALL BRANDS - Bought, sold, and repacked. Inspection and repack $20.00 - Kevlar, nylon, sis, bridles installed and replaced. S.FF. Windsports (fonnerly H.G. Equipment Co.) 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116 (415) 753-8828.

r;~;~~~;~~;;:o:;;~~~~:~;;;o~~---~~;~~;;;~~-----------------t

I 35 cents per word, $3.00 minimum. I (phone numbers - 2 words, P.O. Box -

Rogallos

1 word)

J Photos _ $10.00

Emergency Chutes

I Deadline, 20th of the month six weeks before the cover date of the I Issue In which you want your ad (I.e. March 20, for the May lssuo). I Bold face or caps 50e per word extra. (Does not Include first few I words which are aulomatlcally caps). Special layouts or tabs $20 per I column Inch.

Ultralight Powered Flight

Begin with 19 consecutive issue(s).

I Payment for first three months required In advance. II Please enter my classified ad as follows:

s- - - - - - - -

Name:

Address:

Parts & Accessories

Schools and Dealers

Rigid Wings Business & Employment Opportunities Publications & Organizations Miscellaneous

Issue and run for

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

.35 •

I I I I I

I I I

I :

t I Number of words:

I I

Phone Number: P.O. BOX H30e, LOS ANGELES, CA IIOOM I (213) 390,3085

1 :

L---------------------------------------------------------1 42

HANG GLIDING

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PATCHES & DECALS - USHGA sew-on emblems 3" dia. Full color - $1. Decals, 31/,'' dia. Inside or outside application. 25C each. Include l 5C for postage and handling with each order. P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

Business & Employment Opportunities Experienced USHGA Certified Instructors needed NOW! Lots of students ... not enough instructors. Send resume to: Mission Soaring Center, 43551 Mission Blvd., Fremont, CA 94539. School and dealer.

BUMPER STICKERS - "There's No Place Like Cloudbase" $2.00 postpaid. Flight Realities, c/o 1830 Clove St., San Diego, CA 92106 (619) 455-6036.

Publications & Organizations SOARING - Monthly magazine of The Soaring Society of America Inc. Covers all asJ}eCts of soaring flight. Full membership $28. Info kit with sample copy $3.00 SSA, P.O. Box 66071, Los angeles, CA 90066,

Designer has a few helmets used only for testing and sales demos. $49.00. Some short versions (30 cm) also available. Jack Lambie, 209 Adams, Orange, CA 92667 (714) 532-4908.

The rate for classified advertising is 35C per word (or group of characters). Minimum charge, $3.00. A fee of $10.00 is charged for each photograph or logo. Bold face or caps 50C per word extra. Underline words to be bold. Special layouts of tabs $20.00 per column inch. AD DEADLINES - All ad copy, instructions, changes, additions and cancellations must be received in writing 1 Yi months preceding the cover date, i.e., November 20 for the January issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA: Classified Advertising Dept., HANG GLIDING MAGAZINE, P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

MANBIRDS: Now really affordable! Authentic history of Hang Gliding. Over 100 photos and input from Hang Gliding's greats. Inside look at heydey of sport. By professional writer Maralys Wills, and first U.S. Champion, Chris Wills, M.D. Only $7.95 plus $1.00 shipping. 5 or more, $4.95 plus $1.00 each. Write "Manbirds," 1811 Beverly Glen Dr., Santa Ana, CA 92705.

Miscellaneous SAILMAKING SUPPLIES & hardware. All fabric types. Catalog and colorful samples $1. Massachusetts Motorized, P.O. Box 542-G, Cotuit, MA 02635. (413) 736-2426. CRYSTAL AIR SPORT MOTEL at Raccoon Mountain; Bunkhouse, private rustic rooms, regular & waterbeds, video in-room movies, private jacuzzi room, pool, sky gear gifts, fliers work program. FF! 4328 Cummings Hwy., Chattanooga, TN 37409 (615) 821-2546. Checi & Sheri Toth. RACCOON MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE PARK (fonnerly Crystal Flight Resort); TRAM NOW OPEN EVERY DAY. Simulator, Hang Gliding, tandem sky diving, hot-air ballooning, ultralighting lessons and rides; survival games, rappelling, towing, parachute packing and much more. FFI Rte. 4, Cummings Hwy., Chattanooga, TN 37419 (615) 825-0444, Chris & Leon Riche.

TEE-SHIRTS with USHGA emblem $8.00 including postage and handling. Californians add 6 % tax. Men's sizes in BLUE - S, M, L, XL. Limited supply of ORANGE, sizes S, XL. USHGA, P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

SOAR through "THE GRAND CANYON" right in your own living room! 2-hour spectacular helicopter exploration. Breathtaking music. Critically acclaimed. VHS or BETA. Details FREE. Beerger Productions, 3217-Y Arville, Las Vegas, NV 89102 (702) 876-2328. COMPUTER SIMULATION-WINDMASTER, a simulation of one cross country hang gliding, arcade style. Thennals, dust devils, clouds, and lightning. For the Commodore 64 (disk). $29.95 Ppd. Maui School of Hang Gliding, P.O. Box 1119, Paia, HI 96779. CASH FOR MAGS-I will pay cash for pre-1978 issues of HG magazine and Ground Skimmer. 3919 Turnagain #9, Anchorage, Alaska 99517 (907) 248-5909.

We Build Our Harnesses & Parachutes to the toughest standards we can find ... our own! /

_,,Heavily Padded Shoulders High Energy Sports Parachute

Continuous Webbing sewn with Five Cord Thread

..,,.-/ Safety Back Strap Faired Glove Box with ..,...-, Parachute Container_...--, ,.

-Adjustable Padded Leg Straps -Hidden Glider Bag Storage

FINGER FAIRINGS

Folds into full size Gear Bag with Adjustable Back Straps

CORDOURA~ Reinforced Boot

Two Week Delivery

across control bar

• Instant bare hand dexterity tor launch, CB, chute, camera • Quality construction, V(·in. neoprene,

nylon inside and out • Available in red or black S, M, or L only $32.50 dealer inquiries invited

THE AIRWORKS

3900 Van Buren NE Albuquerque, NM 87110 (505) 884·6851

JANUARY

[986

QUICK RELEASE CARABINER - Breaking 10,000 lbs. S24.95. Extra Yi 6 bail block pin $10. Thennal, 19431 Business Center Dr. 1141, Northridge, CA 91324. BOOMERANGS-Exciting RETURNS GUARANTEED! Many styles, teeshirts, fun. Write for your FREE CATALOG today. Boomerangs, 1482 East Valley B-226, Montecito, CA 93108.

* * * *

Va", %", or 1" Foam Racing Boot No Foam Steel Carabine, TH ERMA/R~ Insulation Radio Holder Ballast Boot Slash Pouch Extra Pockets Higgins Hinge Fly Flap Chevron Stripes You Name It! Two Week Delivery

OPTIONS:

• Always there when you need them • Warm, comfortable, durable, slide easily

* *

2236W.2ndStreet • SantaAna,CA92703

(714) 972-8186

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Stolen Wings TYPE: Magic IV 166 #341N. Purple LE, purple keel pocket, pacific blue lower surface, white upper surface. WHERE AND WHEN: San Francisco airport PSA air cargo. CONTACT: Wally Long (209) 532-0586 or U.S. Airwave (206) 537-2297 P.O. Box 1153 Mercer Island, WA 98040. TYPE: Harrier II 147 #6967 SAIL PATTERN: Royal blue LE, small spectrum inset with orange, red, blue, purple. White sail. Very clean. WHERE AND WHEN: Draper, Utah July, 1985. CONTACT: Mardi Bartholdt, P.O. Box 403, Draper Utah 84020 (801) 571-3746. TYPE: Olympus 160, red & yellow w/windows, black Litek vario, black harness w/blue chute container. WHERE AND WHEN: Roadside near Hwy. I, 30 miles south of Carmel, CA on 2/26/85. CONTACT: Peter Rosen, (408) 667-2345. TYPE: Sensor 510-180 #165. WHERE AND WHEN: Outside Galeana Mexico, near Saltillo, April 29, 1984. PATTERN: Reddish brown LE, orange undersurface, remainder dirty white. Logo on top right panel #3. CONTACT: Stephen Rudy, 5309 Roosevelt, Austin, TX (512) 467-8078. 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 car! 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. 44

GLIDERS CERTIFIED BY THE HANG GLIDER MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

Index To Advertisers Airwave .............................. 12 Airworks ............................. 43 Ball Varios ........................... 31

1981: Gemini 164, 184, 134 Sensor 510-180

Bennett Delta Wing Gliders ......... 31, BC Cal. Power Sys ....................... 15 Hall Brothers ......................... 31

1982: Duck 180, 160, 200 (and DHV) Prostar 160, 130 Streak 160 Moyes Missile 170 Breez 180 Sensor 510-165 Vision V-18

1983: Streak 180, 130 Duck 130 Comet II 165, 185 Attack Duck 180, 160 Missile GT 170, 190 Mars 170 Prostar 160

High Energy .......................... 19 Kitty Hawk ........................... 40

Litek ................................ 27 Lookout Mt. .......................... 3 Mission Soaring ....................... 40 Pagen Books ......................... .40 Para Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Publitek .............................. 13 Santa Barbara HG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Seedwings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Systems Tech ......................... 43 USHGA ........................ IBC, IFC Wills Wing ........................... 7

1984: Skyhawk 168, 188 Light Dream 161, 185 Comet II 135 (and 135, 165, 185 with 1/2 battens) Pro Dawn 155 HP 170 Sensor 510-160 VG Moyes GTR 162 VG

Ad Deadlines All ad copy, instructions, changes, additions and cancellations must be received in writing 1 'h months preceding the cover date, i.e., Mar. 20 for the May issue.

1985: Light Dream 205 Dawn Comp 160 GZ 155 Mystic 166 VG, 177 VG Sensor 510-B 160 V.G.

Para Publishing Books by Dan Poynter Post Off ice Box 4232-314 Santa Barbara, Ca 93103 Telephone: (805) 968-7277

Send For FREE Brochure HANG GLIDING

USHGA MERCHANDISE ORDER FORM QUAHTIH B-1

82 B-3 B-5 B·6 B7 8·10 8·11 B-12 8·13 8-15 B·16

y,.: ,•'

500KS

PRICE

MAHBlf!OS by Maralys Wills. Entertainingly lakes the reader from hang gfiding's pas! to its soaring present. 8 pg color. 150 Blk & Wht photos. 40 pg appendix. USHGA INSTRUCTORS CERTIRCA TION MANUAL. Comple1e require· ments, syllabus, teaching methods. HANG GLIDING by Dan Poynter. 8th Edition. Basic Handbook for skysurting FLYING COHDITIOHS by Dennis Pagen. Micrometerology for pilo1s. 90 illustrations HANG GLIDING AHO FLYING SKILLS by Dennis Pagen. Beginners to experts instruction manual. HANG GLIDIHG TECHNIQUES by Dennis Pagen. Tech· niques for cross-country, competition & powered flight. MAHHED KITING by Dan Poynter. Handbook on 1ow launch flying. MAH.POWERED AIRCRAFT by Don Dwiggins. 192 pg history of flight. Features flight of Gossamer Condor. FEDERAL AVIA TIOH REGULA TIO HS FOR PILOTS. 1983 Edition. Hang gliding pertinent information FAI SPORTING CODE FDR HANG GLIDING. Requirements for records, achievements & World Championships. HANG GLIDING MANUAL & LOG by Dan Poynter. For beginners An asset to instructors. 24 pgs. USHGA OFRCIAL FLIGllT LOG. 40 pgs. Pocket size, skills signoffs (all levels). glossary of terms, awards.

S17.95

AMOUNT

$ 2.00 S 7.50

$ 7.50

$ 7.50 $ 7.50

S 4.50 $ 6.50 S 4.50 S 1.00 $ 1.50 S 2.95

ITEMS "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 lype/USHGA emblem. NAVY ORANGE GOLD (CIRCLE ONE) .,HEW .. USHGA BELT BUCKLE. Solid bronze, custom design, celtel sculpture. 31/J; x 21/J.:. USHGA SEW·DH EMBLEM. 3" dia .. full color (red wings, sunburst w/black print). USHGA EMBLEM DECAL. 3W' dia., full color. LICENSE PLATE FRAME. "I'd rather be hang gliding." White on Blue. WALLET. Nylon. velcro closure, mach. washable, water resistant. ROYAL BLUE color.

H 1·2

•

1·3 H

,fo ~;:;; ~;:;~; ~

"e;,,,1,,11.~,l-tlff . . .

Ql><li#IG,...,*·

•

1·5 1·6 1·8 1·9

S 8.00

------

S 8.00 $ 5.00 $12.00 $ 1.00 $ .25 $ 5.50 $ 8.95

HANG GLIDIHG/GROUNO SKIMMER BACK ISSUES "'SPECIFY BY CIRCLING ISSUE NUMBER"'ISSUES HOT NUMBERED ARE SOLO OUT'"

PRINTED COPIES:

PAINTED COPIES: PRINTED COPIES:

20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 28, 29. 30. 32. 33, 34. 36. 37. 38. 41. 42. 43. 44, 45, 47, 56. 58, 59. 60. 61. 62, 63, 64. 65. 66. 67, 68, 69. 70, 71. 72 73, 76. 77, 78, 80, 82. 83, 86. 87, 88. 89, 90. 91 92. 93, 96. 98, 99. 100. 101,102.103 105 - 14·11 14-12

S 1.00

-----

$ 1.50

-~------

$ 2.00

--·----

S 2.50

Current Issue

"NO TAX OH MAGAZINES"

MAGAZINE SUB TOTAL

Ordering Information: All prices include postage and handhng (Prices sLJbJect lo change without notice ) Enler quantity and pnce 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 lo receive your order faster. p!ease include suff1c1ent postage funds No COO ·s

MERCHANDISE SUB TOTAL (Californians add 6% tax on merchandise only)

Foreign Orders USHGA wrll ONLY accept foreign checks payable on a U S bank in U.S funds

NAME _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ USHGA# _ _ __ (Please Print)

TOTAL

ND CHARGE ITEMS USHGA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM (#4)

USHGA BASIC SAFETY REGULATIONS (PART 100)

USHGA MERCHANDISE ORDER FORM (#14)

USHGA PILOT PROFICIENCY PROGRAM (PART 104)

USHGA LILIENTHAL AWARD FORM

ACCIDENT REPORT FORM (#15)

0 VISA Charge my :J MasterCard Card No. _________________

CITY

STATE _ _ _ ZIP _ _ __

Ex. Date _______

Signature

MAIL WITH CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO:

USHGA, PO BOX 66306, LOS ANGELES, CA 90066

MSll~1~NO~ROS. fUll'i CER Dear Bill , Hey you guys - you 've done it! There 's a high performance , great handling glider for small people on the market - and you 've created it! I've never flown a glider that has a great sink rate , good handling and good performance until my Mystic arrived. I love it. -Genny Farnsworth

Dear Bill , I finally got to fly the new Mystic and thought you might be interested in a short note on how it's going . My first flight on the Mystic was 122 miles ; the next day it took me 135. And it didn 't stop there - in nine flights the next ten days I averaged over ninety miles per day on the Mystic 177 with six flights over 100 miles. What impresses me more though , is that the glider goes so well without giving up handling - it 's an absolute joy to fly . In short you 're doing a great job on a great glider. Good go ing mate! -Woody Woodruff

Dear Bill , I received my Mystic two weeks before the '85 Nationals. My Mystic required no tuning to get it ready for competition , pulling the VG took care of that. Engaging the VG is like changing gliders in midair. It goes from an easy handling glider to a flat flying racer with the pull of a string . During the Nationals I flew over 500 miles . There were only three Mystics flying in the Nat'ls , and two of the three placed in the top ten. The third was flown by a first year rookie who already has a one hundred + mile flight and several seventy + mile flights in his Mystic . This says a lot about how easy the glider is to fly , and how well it performs. The Mystic has , without a doubt , proven itself to be a competitive , certified , state of the art , American made glider that is second to none. My choice for the '86 season will be a Mystic . -Kevin Christopherson

Dear Bill , The performance and flight characteristics on the Mystic are absolutely superb. Thank you Bill for offering the flying community a glider of this caliber. -John Minnick Mystic Owner Chandelle SF.

Dear Bill , Just a note with some thoughts on your new Mystic glider. Its mellow flight characteristics and ease of landing really appeal to our Hang 3 .customers . It's really nice to be able to sell a truly high performance glider to a Hang 3 and know that he can handle it! -Joe Greblo Windsports

MYSTIC SPECIFICATIONS MYSTIC Wing span Aspect ratio Sail area Optimum pilot weight

* 155

166

177

32 .8 ft 6.72

34 .1 ft 6.8

34 .8 ft 6.84

156

166

175

100-1 70 lbs 140-210 lbs 170-240 lbs

• certification in progress . Standard Features Include: Streamlined Downtubes & Kingpost ; Foam Leading Edge Inserts ; Enclosed Ball Tips ; 112' ' Center Ribs ; 4 Half Ribs ; 3 Undersurface Ribs Per Side . Options: Variable Geometry , Spectum Cloth .. .

MYSTIC PRICE (ALL SIZES) ....... . ONLY $2395

Delta Wing Gliders Box 483 Van Nuys, CA 91408 818/787 -6600 Telex 65-1425