APA Paragliding Vol2/Iss1 January/February 1991 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

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Featuring news from the American Paragliding Association

VOL 2 NO. 1 JAN./FEB. '91

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Paragliding, The Magazine Editorial. subscription and advertising Information: 3314 West 11400 South South Jordan. Utah 84065 (801) 254-7455 FAX (801) 254-7701

Cover photo: Launching at 7990 Pre World ,St. Andre, France

FEATURES: 2 Winter Wonderland Flying in smooth winter air

by Robert Schick

B. Flys the Owens Valley 4 G. Patrick Sugrue's experiences in the

by Patrick Sugrue

Owens Valley

Mountain Fly-in 12 85Elkpilots gather in Northern California

by Fred Stockwell

Competitive Edge

16 New and updates on competitions Panic, Paranoia or; Practical Solutions

20 Paraglider nightmeres

by Claudia Stockwell

Photo by Fred Stockwell

Fly From Mt. Everest

Subscription rate for the USA : $26.00 Overseas subscription rate : $44.00 (postage included) PARAGUDING, The Magazine is published for members of the paragliding community as well as other interested parties. It is the official voice of the American Paragliding Association. (APA) Article submissions are welcome, however Paragliding, The Magazine, reseives the right to edit any contributions. Further, The magazine reseives the right to edit any advertising which may be deemed objectionable or damaging to the publication by the staff of the Association. The magazine and the Association do not assume any responsibility for the content of any published articles, advertising or for the opinions in the magazine by its contributors. P ARAG LlDING, The Magazine is published six times per year for a subscription priceof$26.00 per year by: PARAGLIDING PUB UC ATIONS, INC. 3314 West 1140 South, South Jordan, UT 84065. Absolutely no articles, advertising, photos or other published material of the magazine may be reproduced in any manner without express written permission of the publisher. ©Copyright 1990 PARAGLIDING PUBUCATIONS, INC. All rights reseived. POSTMASTER: lilld address changes to: Paragliding, The

Maaazioe 3314 West 11400 South Srnnb Iocdao l ltab 84965

24 The highest take-off

by Alain Desez

40 Paraglider Test Pilots College by Walter Newmark New Products and 1990 Pilot 42 Ranking

DEPARTMENTS:

28 APANews 36 Techniques

Preparing for thermal flight

48 Classifieds

by John Bouchard

Flying in smooth winter conditions gives you the rare opportunity to relax and enjoy the ride

WINTER WONDERLAND by Robert Schick

he sun is peeking over the Wasatch Mountains. The crunch of the snow under my feel is the only sound breaking the morning silence . As I perform my pre-flight, I cannot help but wonder "Am I crazy or do I enjoy flying enough to be out in below zero temperatures?" By below zero, I mean -20°F with a windchill factor dropping it to 40° . Yup, I am crazy! During an average flying season (May - November) in Utah, local pilots log anywhere from 100 to 200 hours of air time; flying sites from Southern Utah to the Idaho bord er and everywhere in between. Flights of over 100 miles have been logged as late in the year as September. But as soon as the snow begins to pile up, away goes the wing and out come the hoards. For the last few years, myself and a few other local crazies have been participating in the great experience of winter flying. Yes, this means enduring below zero temperatures and the hassle of getting to launch through all that white wet stuff. But the airtime is well worth it. The lack of air traffic is one nice b enefi t of winter flying. Generally, it is so cold out that most of th e locals are either in a warm house or a ski lodge, and the out-of-slaters

Point of the Mountain, Utah, January 1991

are usually at much warmer sites . Having the whole Point to yourself is great, and not having to watch out for the other guy who doesn't know the m eaning of eye contact is a rare treat. T he air in th e winter is so buoyant that a C-130 could soar. I am talking big, fat, smooth air with very few bumps. The thermals that wander through are just as smooth, unlike the freight train s th a t pound the Point in the summer. The air time which I have logged during the winter months is usually more than mos t pilots get a ll year long. With m y two gliders "Hang and Para" loaded 2

Photo : Fred Stockwell

on my truck, I am ready for the tiniest of puffs or the blustery north winds. The quiet solitude is unmatch ed during other seasons and the b eautiful white blanke t covering the ground is breathtaking. One word of caution: COVER ALL OF YOUR SKIN! Flying in such smooth winter condition s gives you the rare opportunity to r elax and enjoy th e ride, to hone your skills for summer, a nd to gain that all too precious commodity: "AIR TIME". Yeah, it is cold , but if you try it once, you will b e one of the crazies too! •

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26 26.7m2/290 sq ft 10.25m/33.6ft 3.92 2.57/8.5ft 23 70-95kg/ 155-21Dibs ACFP ULS Level 2 5.8 <1.4 275ft/m 37km/h 24mph

flys the by Patrick Sugrue

Patrick Sugrne's experiences in the mountains of the Owens Valley. possibly understand what I was taking on. It was decided that I should see the Site Monitor and he would decide whether or not I should be allowed to fly. The Site Monitor was wearing a hat with "Site Monitor" stamped across it and carrying a clip board. He was much more positive. He didn't want to stop me from flying; he just wanted to be sure that I was qualified. I showed him my log book and my American Paragliding Association membership card. He said I could fly if I wanted to, but only i£ I was sure that I could handle the conditions. I spent the next half hour talking to three or four pilots trying to glean as much information as I could about the site, the conditions and probable flight plans. Everybody was very friendly and helpful. For two hours I watched the hang gliders take off. They flew straight out for about 200 meters into a gully and started to thermal up, winding round and round in tight circles. One of two launched at the wrong time, missing the cycle, and went down. When they had nearly all gone and there was enough room, I laid out my canopy, got harnessed up and ready to go. Two of the pilots wing-tipped the canopy out for me. They did not need to be told what to do. I thought being hang glider pilots, they instinctively knew what had to be done. Ilater found out that more than one of them had done a little paragliding, but mostly top to bottom from foothill in smooth air at winter time. I had two abortive take offs; the canopy was not inflating properly. The wind seemed to be coming from behind even though handfuls of dust thrown over the edge showed that there was quite a strong breeze coming directly onto the ridge. The canopy was obviously in rota. So I walked over the edge four or five paces down a steep loose slope. The sand was soft and the rocks moved beneath my feet. This type oflaunch gave me practically no chance for aborting the takeoff if anything went wrong. I would probably slide 50 feet or so down the slope, before snagging on a tree stump or some scrub brush, but at least it meant the

can't remember when I first heard about Owens Valley. It has always been synonymous with hang gliding. I have not bothered to work out the statistics but it looks like 95 percent of hang gliding world records have been set there. I have read many articles about Owens Valley in "Skywings", the British hang gliding/paragliding magazine. Its reputation is twofold. On the positive side, the potential for increasing your personal flying skills and the potential for massive thermal cross country flights are legendary. On the down side the turbulent air, particularly found in June and July (also the world record breaking season), has been responsible for flipping hang gliders and many a reserve ride. I am told that even commercial passenger jets avoid the area at this time of year. After having moved over from hang gliding to paragliding, I have always felt paragliders to be a stronger and more stable aircraft. It was with this theory in mind, and against a lot of advice, that I arrived in Owens Valley with my paraglider on July 7, 1990 intending to break the world record for distance. The first thing I tried to do was contact Mark Axen, I had been chatting with my old paragliding buddy Fred Stockwell and he said that Mark was the main man in the area. Mark turned out to be an extremely hard man to find. I never did track him down. Luckily, I bumped into a couple of hang glider pilots who showed me where the launch point was.

Day One In Owens Valley: I arrived at Takeoff at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning. There must have been approximately 50 hang gliders rigged and ready to go in the car park, and more being unloaded. The first couple of guys I spoke to formed the opinion that I was mad. They said, "You can't possibly fly a paraglider from here." They took pains to explain to me that this was no ordinary site and that I couldn't 4

the time I get into canopy would be the middle of this launching into gully, I think to clean air. I myself morbidly. snapped the canopy above my Sureenough,5 head, it cracked seconds late all open - it was all hell breaks loose. there nice and The canopy colsquare. I applied lapses and I start the brakes to stop to drop. Looking it from overtaking up I can see the me. Two more proverbial paces and it "bundle of swooped away Patrick Sugrue flys off into the great unknown of the Owens Valley wash". This is a towards the spine big sink - not the that ran at 90 feet kind of sink I am from the takeoff used to. The kind of sink I can put up with goes someslope. The spine was sparsely populated wHh pine trees. thing like this: canopy shuts, canopy drops, canopy It was producing a nice solid 2/3 up. I banked my Free bangs open again. It takes about 3 seconds. But the sink Spirit over into a nice tight spiral and wound up. I am in now is: canopy shuts, canopy drops, drops, Two or three minutes late I found myself apdrops, drops, drops - all lines are loose, there is no rush, proximately 1,000 feet above takeoff. I was looking the air is going down with me, no sign of re-deployment. straight down at one or two hang gliders that had yet to I am looking at the reserve handle. It crosses my mind launch. I was feeling rather pleased with myself, so far that.there is a chance in this kind of air it might not open. so good! It was at this point I made a bad decision. I Anyway, it is a square and I haven't really got the height figured I could fly around the comer and head north, to cut away. The canopy bangs open. Thank God for that! soaring the anabatic coming off the mountain ridge. The canopy shuts, canopy drops, drops, (I don't believe With a nice stiff 15 mile per hour breeze behind me, it this) drops, cracks open again. I hit the brakes to stop it shouldn't be long before I made Bishop; my primary surging forward and tucking. I have just got time to look objective 60 miles away. down and assess my height. The digital altimeter is tellme I am approximately 6,000 feet above sea level. It ing I round the corner and start a downward dash along looks like I have dropped a thousand feet in this little the ridge at approximately 500 feet above the rocks. I am escapade, over the last 20 seconds. The canopy has now descending at 300 to 400 feet per minute; the standard been open for a full two seconds. Then the canopy shuts, sink rate at full drive, with no lift at all down to 200 feet. drops. This is my first time in the States and over the next StilJ no lift; at 100 feet I am getting worried, 50 feet noththree weeks I am Due to visit Las Vegas, Disneyland, and ing. 4,000 feet of bare rock baking in the sun and no lift. Hawaii. I wish I had done that first - what a waste of It was not like this was the Alps! The rock faces there money if I get killed now! Drops, drops, bang. I look up work like convection heaters. I had expected to be cruisand it's all there; we are flying again. I make sure I am ing at 200 to 300 feet and to have time to turn away out out into the middle of the valley. heading into the valley to gain some ground clearance. I fly out 50 feet or so and get a couple hundred feet of nothing The air is very rough. The Free Spirit keeps trying to below me. In front of me there is a spur that runs out tuck every ten seconds or so. I manage to anticipate the from the ridge towards the road. The road runs down tuck and damp it down with the brakes. It is not as bad the middle of the valley towards Bishop. It looks like I now, the big sinks gone and no more shutdowns. I'm will just clear it. The ridge slips away towards my right. down to 200 feet, I hope It doesn't shut now. I'm down I can easily make it by flyingoutaway from the ridge but to one hundred feet and the canopy is still bucking. I I don't want to do that. I am still trying to stay close, know: tum into the wind. I am looking down the valley hoping to pick something up. As I near the spur the vario back towards launch point, drifting backwards slowly. It beeps. I gain height, alternating between 1 up and Oas I must be pretty windy. No wonder I was getting so much go over the top. Then I can see the ridge is almost percrap from that spine. Fifty feet and I am still fighting the fectly razor-back. As I hit the sink the vario squeaks at canopy and have no penetration. If anything happens me. Damn! It was just a patch of dynamic and now I am right now I might get away with broken legs. Touch paying the price. I should hit some nice turbulence by down. I collapse the canopy and manage to run arow1d it. 6

photo by John Heiney

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I have the usual breakfast, the usual drive up the zigzag road to launch point. The hang glider pilots confirm my hunch that the clouds are indeed a good sign. They are getting bigger but they are still nice and white and fluffy. The rest of the sky is cobalt blue. The hang gliders seem to be having no trouble. They are all taking off rapidly, one after another, winding up and specking out. The hill is working early this morning. I take off. If I do screw up and go down, I will still have time to go back up and have another go before midday; by which time the hang gliders say it would be too rough to launch. I don't need my second chance, the lift is strong and smooth. Within minutes I am 2,000 feet above takeoff with a reasonable breeze blowing me up the valley. A few miles down wind from takeoff the peaks are rising up to me, but today the thermals are powerful and there are lots of them. I hook into one and spend a minute trying to core it. "Lift to sink; maintain turn. Sink to lift; fly straight for two seconds"' I chant to myself. With blind faith I maintain the regime, following the rules of the strategy, ignoring my instinct as to where the thermal is. Five or six turns later it pays off, four up, right the way round the 360 I lock my hands off against the harness and take it up a thousand feet to where it seems to dissipa~e: I turn down wind, hand up and fly up the valley wa1tmg for the next thermal. Two or three thermals later I hit the Big One. I am getting seven and a half up in the core; I am not going to drop out of the bottom of this one, I should pop out of the top. I look up and see where all the lift is coming from. Sure enough, there is a big cloud and it's blacker than I would have liked. I can see its misty tendrils hanging down to grab me. It's getting cold now and foggy. I look directly down to check vi?ibility, ~nd can still see the valley floor clear! y. The sand IS scorching in the sun and the snow-capped Rocky Mountains are thousands of feet below me. The next instant I see nothing; complete white-out. I look in every direction- nothing, just white. I am in the cloud. My altimeter reads 14,500 feet. There is only one peak around and it's also 14,500 feet. I am sure it is as least 4 miles away, off to the east, but I can't take the chance, and besides one or two of the hang glider pilots could be in here with me. I had noticed a few of them in the stack way below me before I entered. I fly straight out towards what I hope is the middle of the valley. I check my knife and the safety straps on the 3-ring in case the cloud does not want to let me go. I don't want to end the flight by having to free fall out and I don't want to. Whoosh, I fly out the side of the cloud into the blue sky. I was heading out into the valley, not that it makes much difference, as I am way above everything. I turn and fly down wind, clocking up those precious miles. Where there is lift there is sink and I am in it six down and vario squealing. Hands up full drive. I have got to get out of here; I'm wasting all this lovely height. A few miles later and a thousand feet above the ridge I contact another thermal. If I could see them the sky would be black with them today. I am getting tired now, have been

I was a bit worried about being dragged through some thorny, waist high scrub. The canopy got all snagged up. It took me half an hour to disentangle the lines before I could pack it away. I was relieved to be down in one piece. I had about a mile to walk out to the road. I was a bit worried about the Rattlesnakes I might run into (we don't get them in England) and thought, "When I do get to the road, I am going straight to Las Vegas to continue my vacation and I am never, ever going to fly here again". That evening in a bar in Lone Pine, after three cans of Bud, an argument is taking place. Not between me and my girlfriend, who is blissfully unaware of the trials and tribulations of the day; it is between Patrick Sugrue (the "I do not want to die, I want to go to Disneyland and Hawaii wimp") and Patrick Sugrue (the "We are talking world records here, it will be all right next time, barkingmad pilot").

Day 2 In Owens Valley: I'm back at launch point. It's another brilliant, sunny wall-to-wall blue sky morning. The hang glider pilots seem pleased to see me. I search out the Site Monitor and pay for my site fee again. I spend more time with the hang gliding pilots, picking their brains. I am very scared. As I clip in I am trembling, and feel slightly sick. Launch is uneventful. I fly out, hook, wind up. There doesn't seem to be much drift. I gain a thousand feet and I fly back over the top of the launch point. I fly back directly towards the mountain peaks that stretch out in front of me and form a ridge over 60 miles long. Today I am going to try to fly right down the center line of the ridge, thermalling up over the mountain peaks rather than running down the face like I did yesterday. It is hard work, the thermals are weak and there is hardly any tail wind blowing me up the valley. I never get more than a couple thousand feet above the few minor peaks. Eventually losing any found clearance I am forced back out into the valley, where the air is much smoother today. There is still hardly any wind, but I have avoided those spurs that caused my problems yesterday. I pick out and land near a dirt road and Jane comes to pick me up. I look at the map; I have managed to get nine miles down-range from takeoff. I have only lost about 3,500 feet. That is good because it means less penalty points for height loss. Not a bad flight, not the kind of thing I had in mind, but better than yesterday. I am getting there. I can't really work out what I have done wrong. I will have to think about it tonight and then we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Day 3 In Owens Valley: WM

t%¥iHN

I wake early and wander around the motel car park. It is only 6 a.m. but it is hot already. There are little puffs

of white Cumulus marking the tops of the peaks all the way along the mountain range,. I think that bodes well for the day. I hope it doesn't over develop. 8

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KATANA 25 9.85 M 24.2 Sq M 4.00 6 KG 65-85 KG 40+ KM/h 15 KMlh 7 1.2 MIS

KATANA 27 10.63 M 26.7 Sq M 4.23 6.7 KG 75-95 KG 40+KM/h 15 KMlh 7.1 1.1 MIS

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up for nearly two hours, and my arms are aching. I soar the next couple of thermals in a left hand spiral to give ny right arm a rest. I should have flown more economically earlier to save my strength. Getting lower now, scratching the ridge to extend the ffight, I spot a dirt track a few thousand feet below me - a good place to land. I line up and hit another thermal, too good to throw away, and I go with it gaining a couple of thousand feet up inside a gully. I have been on my final glide down wind for five minutes. Now in the distance I can make out a tarmac road that runs out of the bottom of the mountain range. I am not sure I am going to make it. It must be five or six miles away, but it's my best bet to get back to civilization. I am only a thousand feet above the desert now, sitting close to the rock face, and I am only losing height very slightly l's and 2's down and the odd 0. Another couple of thermals later I arrive over the top of the road with about 3,000 feet to spare!

Once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward; for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo da Vinci

There is what looks like a big blue rectangle to one side. It is water, like a swimming pool. As I get lower I can see it is surrounded by a chain link fence. There are no houses nearby and I can't work out what it is. Some sort of mini-reservoir perhaps? It's not important - I should be concentrating on checking out my landing area. I am facing into wind, just creeping forward in the strong breeze. I put in some tight spirals to lose some height. Sit into wind again. I blunder into another thermal and start to climb. I look over my shoulder and wonder if I should go out with it but there isn't another road. I know I can't guarantee making it to the next road and the Volkswagen Jetta that my recovery driver I girlfriend is driving isn't renowned for it's offroad capabilities. I wind off some more height, down to a hundred feet. I am tired of spending a half hour untangling canopies from thorn bushes, so I decide to land in the middle of the road. I can see a mile in front and a mile behind and there is no traffic. I'm descending very slowly, checking for power lines and cars. If one does come I can smile to myself as I realize the lines down the middle make it look like a runaway. I am like a little kid playing jump-jets - touch down! Bundle the canopy up, radio Jayne, "I'm in Onion Valley". By the time I'm packed she's there. I'm 25 miles down range of takeoff with only 3,000 feet of height loss. I am not even halfway to Bishop but it's a reasonable ffight to end on. When I get back to London I will be able to tell the guys in my club 1 gave it my best shot in Ownes Valley.

Patrick Sugrue has been running a paragliding school in the UK for the past four years. He has spent the last four seasons flying in the Alps. He has represented the British team on a number of occasions and is currently working with the BAPC on the British Airworthiness Programme as an official pilot. 10

•-

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Northern California fly-in attracts largest paragliding competition ever

ELK MOUNTAIN fLY·IN By Fred Stockwell DECEMBER 1ST- DAY ONE

It was a brisk, frosty Northern California winter morning. The winds were calm and a haze hung in the air holding the smell of fresh brewed coffee. We arrived at the campground after most of the pilots had left for launch. Luckily, we caught up with one of the stragglers, and within minutes we were hanging on the rear bumper, going up the mountain. On launch everyone was standing around kicking dirt, and shooting the breeze. Gregg Pujol (meet organizer) was setting up, to get things started. Elk Mountain is 2200 ft. vertical. The launch is a mostly clear steep slope, with trees 100 ft below. On a straight glide it is 6/1 to the LZ. The road up is good except the last 3 miles when it becomes a rock-and-roll four wheel drive trip. (I'm glad I'm a pilot, not a driver.) Very deter-mined, or very experienced pilots, launched periodically all day off the back side in strong conditions. Just before sunset it was do-able on the front side for the less experienced pilots. There were 85 pilots participating, making it the largest paragliding gathering to date in the US. Representatives of most of the major paragliding manufacturers were there, also many instructors and regional directors. At the end of the day, most of the group met in the LZ

Photo: Fred Stockwell

Liz Herm, right, and friends

and headed out for dinner. Camping was cold and only experienced Class II campers tuffed it out. Curtis Woodman had to cocoon himself in his canopy to stay warm.

APA Region Ill Fly-In

Elk Mountain,

DECEMBER 2ND - DAY Two

Today was an early start, too cold to sleep in. Mitch McAleer, world champion aerobatic hang glider pilot, was first up to launch in his 22 katana. He was followed be Dick Benoit in a Comet. Matsua, from UP International was the first of the day to hit the spot. Larry Bell on a Kestrel was the next in on the spot. Ken Brown showed us his skills to get his Class I rating. It was great to see so many new pilots having fun. I especially enjoyed the ladies, some of whom were pilots and some tandem passengers. Tim Leech, age 11, showed us there really are no age Jim.its on flying for fun. Even a dog took to the air, as a passenger with Scott Ami. The California Highway Patrol (CHiP's) arrived on Sunday afternoon to watch the festivities. We won't be surprised to see officer ·M.ikc Sunderman flying with us next year. The general mood of the meet was one of fun and fellowship. I am always glad to be a part of such a great bunch of people, and we enjoyed sharing the air with the hang glider pilots. Mitch amazed us with a display of loops, wingovers, and spins, to show us how he won his title. A good ti me was had by all.

California December 1·2, 1990 Pilots in Attendance Name Glider Flown Gregg Pujol Alec Gordon FredS tock well John Bouchard Greg Smith M.itch McAleer Etsuchi Matsuo Andrea Kuhn Curtis Woodman Jim Yates Ed Pitman Joe Gluzinski Pat Blackburn Jeff Greenbaum Bob Evans Chris Deenan Alex Gatti Steve Inch Brian Porter Colin Perry Wayne Davis Louella Davis

Landing at Elk Mountain

John Bente! Udo Strasilla Mani Depassier Eric Strasilla Gary Suplick Eric Wilcox Steve Pavon Paul Obester Tom Schmidt

Photo: Fred Stockwell

Airwaves Illack Magic 24 Pro Design Air bow 23 ITV Saphir '91 ITV Meteor '91 Gold, ITV Saphir '91 UP Katana 22 and 25 UP Comet III, UP Katana 25 UP Katana 25 Tandem, Vcntus Pro Design Air bow 25 Pro Design Air bow 25 Comet CX25 Excalibur 33 Cell and 39 Cell Pro Design Air bow 25 UP Katana 25

FXC Pro Design Corrado 1 Unknown Unknown

FXC Paraflite Ilirdwing III Comet CXA Student, Tandem and Tri-passenger Unknown Falhawk NEO Falhawk NEO Falhawk NEO Faraflite Birdwing III PacAir Formula APCO Hilite II Corrado 12 Pro Design Kestrel

Dan Meese Al Baldini Larry Vaile Tim McClement Sean Cowles Karen Pujol Bill Peppin Guido Landolt D. Benoit Todd Larsen John Wild Kathy Wild Chris Bolfing Klause Fiebig Diana Maestro Wim Vanderhorst John Yates Richard Brandt Tom Switzer Stan Depmsey Keith Hennessey Mike Bellik Chris Northcutt Liz Hern Jeff Smith Rosario Grcenlbmllm Jody Lucas Kenny Brown lztok Stajner Ed Stein Mike Colyar Scolt Amy Kayla Arnyhound Dave Sandergill James Thomas Jim Leech Tim Leech Roger Schlafl.y Tim Quigley Charly Hoisington Zack Hoisington Bernhard Steinimann Christina Stcffich Jean Antoine Scarpaci Pierre Leopold Jack Hodges Kent Grigg Urs Haari Aaron Bills Sam Nowling ScoH Waterman Stuart Rudick Jennifer Horstmeyer

Airwaves K2 Comet CX21 Pro Design Kestrel 262 Comet CX21 Pro Design Corrado Unknown Condor SP Unknown ITV Meteor Pro Design Airbow 23 APCO Speedstar Tri-passenger/student ABCO Hilite II Unknown Unknown Unknown Pro Design Airbow 23 Unknown Unknown Condor SP Pro Design Kestrel 248 Condor SPll Comet CXA 24 Pro Design Kestrel 204 Hilite I Excalibur 33 Impulse Spot PacAir K2, Airwaves Illack Magic 24 Comet CXA 24 ITV Saphir Unknown Condor SPll Condor SPll Hilite Unknown ITV Alnair 26 Pro Design Kestrel 204 Pro Design Corrado 13 Pro Design Kestrel 248 Pro Design Corrado Pro Design Corrado 12 Unknown CorveUe 22 Unknown Firebird Fl ITV Meteor Unknown Nova CXC Pro Design Corrado Birdwing III Unknown Unknown Birdwing II

NOW DISAPPEARING ATA LOCATION EAR YOU©

©Art Wolfe

Soaring eagles, ospreys, and falcons once ruled our skies. But today, many of these species hover on the brink of extinction. The primary cause: habitat loss. Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has protected millions of acres of wildlife habitat using a novel approach - we've bought it. But there's so much more to do. We need your help. So does our national symbol, the bald eagle. Write The Nature Conservancy, Box CD0021, 1815 N. Lynn Street, Arlington, VA 22209. Or call 1-800-628-6860.

Conservation Through Private Action Origmal concept courtesy of Lewts & Partnt:>rs, San Francisco

Paragliding Race & Chase The hot place to be this spring is Torrey Pines, CA. They are holding the World Paragliding Races April l8 - 21. Entry fee is $150 and you must be a Class II pilot or equivalent. The race will be a oncon-one competition with pilots launching simul Laneously sidc-byside. One pilot will fly left, the other right, reach a turn point, head back towards the other pilot's turn point, then fly for the finish line. If you didn't understand any of that, call Torrey Flight Park at (619) 4523203. Either way, be sure Lo be there. Torrey Pines is one of the premiere flying sites in the country and this event will be almost as much fun to watch as it will be Lo compete in! The sponsorship list is very impressive and some of the top pilots will be there competing, so come join the fun! Fly with These Pilots: John Dou.chard Fred Stockwell Claudia Stockwell Ed Pitman Greg Smith Mark Excn Dana Ellinger Sponsors will Include: Delta Wing

enough to cause the death of one \op French pilot. The tasks we flew ranged from l8 - 30 miles usu.ally with more than half the field finishing. We will be holding a training camp next May in Digne, France for anyone who flew in either the Salt Lake or Saboba meets, or who has flown a paraglidcr more than 35 km. This will give us the chance to learn the site. This means familiarizing ourselves with the turn points, roads, areas to avoid, bail out points, routes across valleys, etc. Dignc is is a very big area, for very real and serious cross country flying. The second reason for the training camp is that May conditions are much like September, which means strong. It would be a pity for someone on the team to discover during the meet that they did not what to fly here. We will also have mock competition flights using cameras to photograph the turn points and review each others photos in the evening. We will practice flying in pairs or threes linked by radios Lo negotiate difficult transitions. Meeting together like this will give us time Lo work out a team strategy so that

U .P. International Wills Wings Pacific Airwave Second Chance Ball Vario Torrey Pines Inn Sheraton Grande T.P.H.G.A. & T.P.G. Magic 102

Be a Team

Player We have to pick a team for the 1991 World Meet to be held in Digne Les Bains, France. We also need at least two drivers and a non-flying leader. Jn the last two years, we have had three contests which have been invaluable in providing American paraglider pilots with introductory level competition experience. Those who competed in the '89 and '90 Salt Lake Contests, or the October Saboba Meet will tell you how much they learned about paragliding and that just plain flying skills arc not enough to win a meet! Conditions in the Dignc area of France are quite different from anywhere I have flown in the US. When I flew there in the Pre World Meet last September, my vario pegged a 1500 f pm up several times per flight. Valley Winds often exceeded 20 mph and the venturi effects in the passes were strong 16

we can win as a team. It will be far more important for two US pilots to help each other go as far as possible in the same task and both place 15th rather than for one to place 12th and the other 35th. Enclosed are the standings based on APA sanctioned competitions since the last World Meet. We will base the pilot selection on the performance shown du.ring this training session weighted against the results of the last three competitions. The results from the camp will be normalized to have equal weight with the cumulative results. The team members will be selected according to rank. We also need a strong ground crew familiar with the site for two reasons. First we'll need efficient transportation and pilot retrieval and second we'll need the maximum information delivered Lo the pilots in the air. In other words the ground crew will relay information on the ground conditions, and transmit other pilot's information on local conditions. So, not only will the ground crew have to be able to navigate the French roads, but they will also have to be able to collect

If you 1re a sport aviation enthusiast, French meteorological and geographic information. We hope that the alternate team members will serve as Lhe ground crew. Budget for 15 days: Airfare from New York to Nice, France $725 Car Rental $200 Food & lodging $40/day Film $100 Total $1625 I'll need a deposit of $600.00 for the hotel by March 1.

John Bouchard

Andre Versus the Volcano ASO, JAPAN -A dozen of the top European pilots competed for the Teijin Cup this past November. Andre Bucher stole the show as he swept the field on his new ZX-27 by Edel. Andre took the trophy and the purse of 1.5 million Yen ($11,700 US). Aso National Park, the site and active volcano which attracts many visiLors, is located on the southern most of the 4 major island of Japan. The thcrmaling was very light and productive for only a few hours in the early afternoon. Tasks that were judges were all cross country and no one was able to complete a foll course, so distance gathered the points. The launch hill was

you should join NAA, "the National Aero Club of the United States."

restricted by soaring size in that is was a volcanic cinder cone. The departure point was on this hill which had the launch area sky full and chaotic. The turn pointed were typically more than 9KM across flat lands of rice fields. I discovered how hard flat land thermals can be to find and work. The Japanese people are so very friendly. The Hotel had a nalural mineral spring housie bath downstairs and the beds were futons laid out on the floor. The meals were traditional and served in the hotel, except for box lunches which were handed out in the morning complete with chop sticks.

Soaring

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Hang Gliding

NAA is the umbrella organization for all major airsportorganizations, and represents U.S. sport aviation internationally. It is the nation's oldest and most prestigious aviation organization. Supported by thousands of individuals, aero clubs and corporations, NAA is also the nation's official aviation record keeper, as well as the custodian of many of the most prestigious aviation awards. Gain access to information on all air sports by joining Chuck Yeager, Dick Rutan and thousands of other air sport enthusiasts. Become a memberof the National Aero Club of the United States.

-Ed Pitman

Help is a Phone Cail Away This is one of the best times of year to be organizing your own compeLition at your local flying sites. Don't wait for someone else to get the ball rolling, it might not happen. If you need help or assistance contact me at 303-6700301. I will point you in the right direction and help you get started. Great flying meets don't happen overnight, so start today and we'll have some great fun this summer. -Circ Toepel

I wish to apply for membership in the National Aeronautic Association. I have enclosed mycheckfor$22 ( please enclose $37 for foreign mailing). Name

Address City

State

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Signature

National Aeronautic Association 1815 N. Ft. Myer Dr. - suite 700 Arlington, VA 22209 ° 703-527-0226

y "•',,-",/ ,/

,,,J APA 1991 XC Challenge

World Championship, Parasol '91 We II Underway Dates Sept. 7 - 22, 1991 Location Alpes de Haute-Provence, France Flying sites Moustiers Ste-Marie, Digne-LesBains, St.-Jean-Montclar, St-Andre-Les-Alpes. Number of pilots authorized per country 7 with a maximum of 6 of the same sex. Admission terms FAI license, one Silver Eagle or 30 km certified by the Aero Club or Federation. Format Pilots will be divided into two pools for the preliminaries. After three tasks the best 50 of each pool will be chosen to compete in the finals, All cut points will he cancelled and the final competition will begin with the top 100 pilots To validate the championship a minimum of three completed tasks is required. Three Titles will be awarded Men's World Champion, Women's World Champion, Team

We've all heard about competitions we'd like to have. Competitions are still a rarity in the US. It is very hard to find an organizer, suitable location, judges and personnel to compute the results. The APA Board demanded its competition chairperson to find organizers-I . thought I'd start the ball rolling, so here goes: APA 1991 XC Challenge Dates March 1Septembcr 30, 1991 Place The United States of America Tasks Free Distance, Declared Goal, Triangle Course - actual distance multiplied by task factor. Up to three (3) flights count. Registration Fee $25 per submitted flight. Prizes: 50% of registration fee will be distributed to top Len pilots. Requirements Class II pilot rating or 200 paraglider flights, one year logged air time and task requirements completed. The goals of the APA XC Challenge are to build experience, skill, comradeship and discover new US flying sites. The rules and

World Champion. For more information contact Parasol '91 (Association for the organization of the World Parapente Championship) Hotel du Departement BP 21604003 Digne Cedex Tel: 92 32 25 32/92 32 15 24. Fax: 92 32 0607/92 35 30 81. In the United States contact: Fred Stockwell (801) 254-7455 or John Bouchard (603) 3563538.

Winter Exposure Utah Paraforce has planned this year's Winter Carnival for February 16 &17 at the Point of the Mountain. Lots of your friends will be there! First, second and third place awards will go to the best pilots. There will also be a new entry for the prize hounds - wildest helmet design takes it! The entry fee, which will be under $40, includes your T-Shirt. Contact Claudia Stockwell for additional information or to be part of the organizing committee.

structure are very simple. You fly at your choice of site, task, date and time. You pay the registration fee only when you submit a flight. Detailed rules will be ready the beginning of February as well as official takeoff and landing protocols. The rating requirements are as necessary as XC flights are demanding; pilots will need experience and decision making abilities, as you will fly mostly over unknown terrain. You will also have to know and fly by FAR 103. Flying the selfdeclared tasks is one of the harder parts in this competition. But there isn't the pressure of flying against another pilot. The other hard part is providing the flight documentation. If you have achieved the set goals, that work should be very satisfying. All submitted and valid flights will be listed in the magazine. Your three besl flights count. You can submit one or twenty flights, but only the three best flights will count. For further information contact headquarters. Now it is your turn: I am waiting patently for the first entry. - Peter Zimmerli

" ... Perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away ..." St Exupery

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~ Speed (f<rn> Speed <kmlSJnk <rots>

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30 245 33 255 265 285

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(Meteor 1990) 1991 Meteor

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(Saphlr 1989) 1991 Saphlr

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Winter is just the excuse you've been needing to inspect and repair your wing

By Claudia Stockwell

an you say structural failure? Can you say New Year's resolution? Well, now that I have your attention, may I suggest that this winter down time is just the excuse you've been needing to inspect and repair your wing. Remember, this is your own personal aircraft, and all airworthy aircraft need to have their annual check-up and maintenance. So, get that pack out of your closet and have a look. To begin, you need a fairly large, clean area to unroll the canopy. Check the feel of the fabric overall. If it is still fairly crisp it is most likely ok, and you can go on. If it feels soft or flimsy you need to check it further by grabbing hold of the fabric firmly in both hands, about one foot apart, and pulling sharply as if trying to stretch the fabric. When it is stretched tight try to poke your finger through it. If you can't it's still strong enough. You should also try the blowing technique. If you can blow through the fabric it may be too porous, and should be checked by your dealer. Some one-year-old high performance gliders have gone porous on the top surface. This is due to the coating degrading from lN exposure well before the fabric 1oses its integrity. As a result the paraglider becomes difficult to launch, flies al a

slower airspeed than normal, and develops a stall problem of becoming stable in a deep stall. In researching this problem we've found that it is not unique to any one glider, manufacturer, or type of fabric. All materials will deteriorate when exposed to UV. The 1.1 ounce coated rip-stop nylon, which is widely used in manufacturing paragliders, is known to degrade more quickly when it is dyed with fluorescent colors. lN damage of fabric is a well known problem, but this specific problem is not the deterioration of the nylon, but damage to the coating, causing porosity. ITV and Falhawk offer a recoating treatment which replaces the original coating. This new coating seems to have Lhe same durability as the original coating and can be reapplied. Owners of all fluorescent canopies, with one year or 80-100 hours use, arc strongly advised to examine their wing, or have your dealer check it. It can be difficult to notice gradual deterioration on a canopy you fly regularly. Besides lN damage, canopies that are used in a lot of dirt or sand will wear out quicker than ones used on grass.

Now that you've checked the condition of the canopy overall, you're ready to move to the individual parts of the paraglider. Start at one wing tip and work from the leading edge to the trailing edge. Check the stitching to make sure there are no broken stitches, small gaps tend to get larger. Check the top and bottom surface for small tears, if you find a tear you can probably fix it yourself (if it is smaller than a couple inches) with rip-stop nylon tape available in sporting goods stores or from a dealer. For small tears clean the fabric around the damaged area so it is dry and free of grit then sandwich the tear between two pieces of the repair tape. If you have a larger rip, or if it is in an awkward area, have your dealer look at it. Larger tears of ripped seams may need to be repaired with patches. Don't forget to check the ribs, especially if you've had the leading edge hit the ground. I repaired a few gliders last year that had serious split ribs. Most commonly this will happen on the ends of the wing, and the split will be on or between the first or second crossport vents. Split ribs need to be repaired with sewed on patches. Moving right along, you will check the line attachment points. Look down each line looking for fraying or splitting of the outer sheath. Under normal use you shouldn't worry about the lines changing length. Modern line

materials (i.e., kevlar) won't shrink or stretch, but in some cases the outer sheath has shrunk. If your glider isn't flying like it used to, have it test flown. Most manufacturers suggest replacing the lines each year. I don't recommend trying to check the line lengths yourself, it's a difficult job and needs exact measurements. Many manufacturers offer a free annual inspection. At the factory they can check the line lengths with the specs, replacing them as needed, and test fly the wing. The lines that often show wear are the lbrake or steering lines, and sometimes wear to the keeper or "D" rings also evident. Either of these parts can be easily replaced by your dealer. I have seen "D" rings rings worn nearly all the way through, while

there was only minimal wear on the brake lines. The quick links that attach the lines to the risers should be checked for corrosion, especially in areas where they are exposed to salt. The links should he tightened enough to stay, lbut lbe careful not to over tighten and strip the threads. The risers are next, if they are showing wear or have broken stitches, they should be replaced. Some webbing can stretch under strain, if they look stretched consult the manufacturer for the correct measurements. Risers set the pitch of your wing, it is important that they are right. Harnesses are pretty durable and will probably last longer than the paraglider. Inspect the harness for UV damage (it will look faded), stretched or

damaged webbing, and broken or loose stitches. Harnesses can be cleaned with a small brush and mild detergent. Do not soak the harness, instead wet the brush and scrub the soiled areas. Wipe off the soap with a cloth dampened with clean water, and let dry thoroughly in the shade before repacking it. The paraglider itself should never be washed. If it gets exceptionally dirty it can be spread out in a shady, grassy spot and wiped off with a damp cloth. Grease comes off quite easily with a bit of mild dish washing soap. Never soak the fabric and avoid getting the lines and risers wet. This type of cleaning every so often will get the fine grit out of the fibers and minimize the damage caused by abrasion. With regular maintenance your paraglider will

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last longer, and fly better. (It also stays newer looking). I firmly believe that if you take care of your equipment it will take care of you. Some tips to make it last longer: 1. In between flights lay the canopy in the shade. If this is not possible, lay it with the under surface up to cut down the UV exposure to the top surface. 2. Don't pack the canopy if it is wet. Braid the lines and bunch it up loosely, put it indoors until it's dry. Packing it wet can cause the fabric to mildew.3. Before packing shake out all the dirt, sand, and gravel that may be inside the cells. If this is allowed to build up ( especially damp sand) it can change the way your glider flies by adding weight at the trailing edge and changing the pitch.

4. Brush off as much grit as possible when rolling up your canopy. Dirt and grit act like sand paper on the coated fabric. 5. Always take the time to properly fold and pack your canopy, at the end of each flying day. Leaving your wing bunched up in the back or your car or truck is inexcusable, as it can be exposed to all sort of hazards like grease, oil, gasoline, dogs, kids, and careless geeks. As long as you 're doing maintenance, when was the last time your reserve chute was repacked? If it's been longer than six months you'd better have a look at that as well. It would sure be a bummer if you needed it and it failed. If you plan to have it repacked, that's a good time to to try a practice deployment. To do this you will

need to hang up in your harness, as if flying. Then go over the deployment sequence: look at the handle - grasp the handle pull the handle; look for clear air - throw (hard) to dear air pull back on the bridle line. Practicing the whole sequence will put it in your subconscious so it will be there if you ever need it. Now that you've tried throwing your reserve, you can check it over in the same way you just inspected your paraglider. Then take it to a certified rigger for repacking. Because reserves are packed so tight for so long they need to he hung up to "breathe" and air out for a while before being repacked. A rigger wiU charge you about $20 to inspect and repack your chute, probably more for rocket deploy systems .•

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Ball Proudly Announces The Model M22. The new standard for paragliding. Whether you compete or not, we'll help you be a soar winner. Comes with our standard 1 year warranty (void if submerged). See your local Ball dealer for details.

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FLIGHT FROM Mt. EVEREST by Alain Desez

n October 7th, 1990, Alain Desez, a mountaineering guide and photographer, reached the top of Mount Everest, 8,848 meters high. In his backpack he carried a paraglider, an Advance sigma in light texture of 21m2, specially built for the expedition. Unfortunately, the wind blew too strongly; he waited for an hour, hoping for less rough winds, but Eole blew too hard. Alain decided to go down to the South Saddle, 8,000 meters, to take advantage of being able to get sunset photos on the highest mountain in the world. On the South Saddle, launching seemed possible but there was not enough light to take photos. All things considered, Alain preferred to wait until the following day to launch and take the photos he had in mind. Here is how Alain tells his flight story of October 8, 1990. In the morning the weather is beautiful, it is cold, the wind is blowing at 40 kilometers an hour. It is possible to launch from a few meters down. Only a few clouds hide the western dell that leads to Base Camp at 5,300 meters. I unfold my paraglider on to the snow; it has been more than a month that it has been tightly folded and I feel happy that it can breathe and will fly again. Denis Pivot is with me and helps to hold the paraglider so that it doesn't glide on to the slope. He tells me not to hurry, because he thinks I am too anxious to go. Once the harness ison, (a Why Not Everest weighing 980 grams) I check the brakes, verifying that everything is all right, and that there are no knots. At that altitude, it's a greater effort to move and more difficult to concentrate, and so I follow the elementary safety rules one by one. Denis helps me to put the paraglider into the wind. The paraglider inflates, it is as impatient as I to go. All I have to do is steady it above me and go down a few steps; I look around to see if everything is all right, but I am already flying. It is beyond words: for weeks I had been fighting that bloody gravity to climb the last few meters, and then suddenly, I don't know by what miracle, my shoes are no longer on the snow! I see Camp 3, down at 7,300 meters, that had been so hard to reach. A few minutes later, I am above Camp 2, at 6,400 meters. I feel I am reliving my climbing efforts in flashback and accelerated motion. Camps 2 and 3 seem so near to one another but it actually took hours to walk from one to the other. It was a bit rough over the Western

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Saddle, but nothing very bad. Then I see Camp 1, the tents seem as little as pin heads. The Ice Fall, which was so dangerous to climb, seems harmless from the air. I am no longer afraid of the ice falls nor the huge bottomless crevasses we had crossed earlier on unbalanced and crazily-repaired ladders. I am still very high. I could land closeby on Lho La Saddle, or I consider a fling over to Garek Shep, an hour and a half walk from the Base Camp, where I could land easily. Instead I decide to land under the Lho La Col, a few minutes from Base Camp at 5,300 meters. Getting close is not easy; there are no good landmarks as the air is less dense and there are only non-descript crevasses and big rocks around. The Col comes quite quickly. I have the feeling I landed harshly on the ground, maybe rolling over myself. Anyway, I end up standing near my paraglider without having felt anything. Zeb Roche comes towards me. He too had launched that day, in a tandem paraglider, with his father. I fold my paraglider and go back to the Base Camp where Dambadour, the cook, brings me a cup of tea. I learn with pleasure that Yves Salina, a moutaineering guide and the tenth Frenchman to have climbed Everest, has filmed my flight and landing. /3.lain concludes: "I'll come back one day to launch from the summit. Meanwhile I am preparing an expedition to Argentina to launch from the Aconcagua, 7,012 meters, the highest summit on the Western Hemisphere. I dedicate this expedition, and my unforgettable flight, to the SARI company andthe4,000 men and women who belong to the 150 firms that rebuilt, in twelve months, the CNIT in Paris Las DefEmse."

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The two Winglets reduce the size of the vortices created by the wingtips resulting in less induced drag. Additionally, the Winglets improve spanwise shaping and add lifting area to the canopy. The very smooth and flat spanwise shape of the canopy leads to higher lift performance. The quadruple cascading of the suspension lines results in the use of the minimum number of lines and reduces line drag while it maintains shape, chordwise and spanwise. The use of the best available materials combined with parachute construction techniques adds tot performance and durability of the Birdwing 300 series. Flying a Birdwing 323 or 325 will convince you of the performance and handling advantages these canopies have. Please contact Para-Flite or the nearest authorized Para-Flite dealer for additional information.

PA~E Incorporated 5800 Magnolia Avenue • Pennsauken, NJ 08109 U.S.A. (609) 663-1275 • TUC 831355 • FAX (609) 663-3028

NEWS

Class II Requirements, Accident Reports and a New Competition Our first election is underway and I am looking forward to the results and hoping for a really good turnout. For a membership organization, it is essential to be actively involved. Vote for the best candidate. Express your opinion by voting and returning your ballot. It is your organization, so vote. At the last BOD meeting we spent a lot of time covering the "STALL" and "SPIN" requirements for the CLass II rating. The result is that there are a lot of opposing views and opinions on the whole subject. The discussion ranged form a definition to what those recovery maneuvers are, to how to instruct and execute them. Even instructors can not agree on one term. But the conclusion was as follows: Those recovery maneuvers are necessary, even if they involve some danger and shall be instructed and required for the Class II rating. The reason is that canopies, even Level 1 canopies, can experience a temporary fold, roll under, or something that results in a spin or stall. Those conditions can be induced by pilot error or weather conditions such as entering or exiting a thermal. Many other conditions can induce such a canopy condition. The pilot must be aware of how to return the canopy into controllable and safe flying conditions immediately. He must use not only his knowledge and experience, but also his constant awareness of how his particular canopy reacts to it. Atmospheric conditions constantly change by altitude, temperature and pressure. In addition, a different wing, model or size, will add to how your canopy handles. Changing of the stall point is one indication and if you read Ed Pitman's article in the Nov /Dec issue you will see the connection I'm trying to make. Pilots that have flown for a longer time period experienced the necessity of being alert at all times to this kind of canopy collapse. The danger in those recovery maneuvers lies not only ignoring; but merely not being aware of the different characteristics of the different models. It is our responsibility to encourage pilots to practice those recovering maneuvers with proper instruction and supervision. You must repeat those recovery maneuvers periodically. Especially with a new canopy, further instruction must be obtained to get familiarized with characteristics of those recovery maneuvers. We found that the pilots as well as the instructors have different views as to what the definition of a stall and spin are. It will become necessary to require and update certified instructors with respect to addressing these problems. It is just a start

and I am looking forward to a lot of discussion and constructive comments on the subject. Another subject we must address is accidents. Paragliding is an aviation sport and therefore certain risks and dangers are involved. -Tell me an activity that has no inherent risk - . Paragliding has one of the lowest risk ratios in aviation sports. To keep it that way we must track accidents and occurrences to learn from them and make necessary improvements and changes. Accident reports are primarily a tool to investigate the cause of the accident and not to point a finger a someone. It is true that accident reports can, but must not result in license revocation or similar actions. If such actions are necessary it is not the result of that accident, just the trigger for it. It is fairly important that all facts of the accident are collected and compiled. The hard part is being objective and impartial about the accident, the person and the conclusion. Compiling and completing an accident report is one of the most depressing and frustrating tasks. It would be more harmful not to report an accident to make our sport look better. Accident reports are in fact a very helpful tool to improve our sport and guide it to being the most accident-free aviation sport. Properly used, they will provide us with information to improve our safety records and help determine the proper action to reduce these accidents. It will also pinpoint specific areas such as experience levels or flight tasks that cause accidents. Occurrence reports also can provide any paragliding , operation (schools and sites etc.) with information on: improving safety and satisfaction in their operation to the highest level possible. It was also suggested and demanded that we have more competitions in 1991. If you feel qualified to run a fly-in or competition, please contact Circ Toepel (303) 670-0301. The APA 1991 XC Challenge is my contribution. You will find more information in this magazine. Fly-ins and competitions are a way of meeting other pilots, and expanding your knowledge through the exchange of information, improving skills and making new friends. It is very easy to participate, though much, much harder to organize a fly-in or competition. I wish you a very happy new year and a successful 1991 flying season. See you out (and up) there.

Blue Skies, Peter

NEWS

OFFICERS AND REGIONAL DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Peter Zimmerli HEAD OFFICE: 25 Goller Place, Staten Island, NY 10314 VICE PRESIDENT

TREASURER

SECRETARY

Ken Baier 151 Tamarack Ave. Carlsbad, CA 92008 (619) 729-9775

Jay Hauth 1130 East 4045 South Salt Lake City, UT 84124 (801) 268-9369

Ed Pitman P.O. Box 188 Shasta, CA 96087 (916) 359-2392

REGIONAL DIRECTORS AK

Region 1 Clark Saunders P.O. Box 1887, Palmer, AK 99645 (907) 745-3097

Southern California, ID Region 2 Gregg Smith 560-4 Birch St., Lake Elsinor, CA 92330 (714) 674-7005

UT, ID, NM, MT Region 5

ME,NH,VT,MA,RI

Fred Stockwell 3314 W. 11400 So. South Jordan, UT 84065 (801) 254-7455

John Bouchard P.O. Box 400, North Conway, NH 038E (603) 356-6907

CO,WY,ND,SD Region 6 Vacant

TX,LA,OK,MO,KS,NE,IA

Region 10

CT,NY,NJ,PA,DE,MD Region 11 Peter Zimmerli 25 Goller Place, Staten Island, NY 10304 (718) 698-5738

Northern California Region3

Region 7

AZ,NV

Vacant

Region 12

Gregg Pujol 1384 Falcon Ct., Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408) 736-1222

OH,IL,IN,WI,MN,MI

Walter Benoit 4185 Christy Way, Reno, NV 89509 (702) 747-0683

Regions Vacant

OR,WA

Region4 Phil Pohl P.O. Box 812, Bend, OR 97709 (503) 389-4086

WY,VA,KY,TN,AL,MS, GA, FL,NC,SC

DIRECTOR AT LARGE elected Winter 1990/1991

Region 9 Vacant

COMMITTEES AND CHAIRPERSON-----Safety and Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tandem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Competition...................... World Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Promotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bylaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S()P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Claudia Stockwell .............................................. . Fred Stockwell ................................................. . Circ Toepel .................................................... . John Bouchard ................................................. . Scott Gressitt .................................................. . Mark Shipman ................................................ . Ken Baier ..................................................... . Ed Pitman .................................................... . Greg Pujol .................................................... . Peter Zimmerli ................................................ .

(801) 254-7455 (801) 254-7455 (303) 670-0301 (603) 356-6907 (619) 943-0274 (619) 663-5238 (619) 729-9504 (916) 359-2392 (408) 736-1222 (718) 698-5738

APA ICC= Bay Area April 11-14. Contact Gregg Pujol for information (408) 736-1222 STATEMENT OF MISSION - - - - - - - - - - - - The APA is a non-profit, self regulating, membership organization. DEveloped by paragliding pilots, for paragliding pilots, established to promote, maintain, and preserve the safe and healthy growth of the sport of paragliding in the U.S. Approved on April 4, 1990 BOD in Salt Lake City CHAIRMAN PETER ZIMMERLI

NEWS

It Means Advanced Pilot Skills Both of the A.PA. ratings, Class I and Class II are a recognition of a skill level. Class II means you have done a lot of work as a pilot to become proficient at your sport. A Class II pilot has a very thorough knowledge of weather conditions, which comes from much personal experience, and from studying meteorology. This pilot has flown in all seasons of the year, and at several geographically varied sites. An advanced pilot knows the difference between launching at sea level or at a high altitude mountain site. He or she can evaluate the conditions of the day, pick a good cycle to launch in and use the lift efficiently. A Class II pilot has flown several different types of canopy and understands the level rating system and also the performance and handling characteristics of different wings.

rating, you must be able to explain and demonstrate stall and recovery (read Technique page 36). Talk to an advanced pilot or instructor in your area. Have someone demonstrate a stall for you. Discuss with them what canopy you will use for your first stall. In France there is a very sensible method of classification given by ACFPULS, which we feel is the most thorough system at this time. Canopies are given a grade or level rating 1, 2, or 3. A level 1 canopy will recover on its own with no input from the pilot, no matter what has happened in terms of deflation. The canopy, after recovery, will fly on straight and level. Of course this is not to say that there should be no input from the pilot... pumping the brakes will still inflate a deflated wing quicker than leaving it to do it's own thing.

The A.P.A. safety and training committee is aware that some instructors are giving out Class II ratings without observing the required stall and spins. This is not optional. An advanced pilot must have a practical working knowledge of stalling. This is vital to advanced flying. A class II level pilot will be launching and flying in conditions which can stall the wing. If the pilot does not respond quickly and correctly the element of danger is increased.

On the other end a level 3 means that in a deflation the canopy definitely needs correct input from the pilot to recover level flight. Level 2 is obviously placed between the two, and the wing will sometimes need help to recover from a deflation. These categories do not represent all canopies. Many canopies fail altogether and many are never presented for rating in the first place. Generally speaking, all canopies can be put into these three brackets whether they have been formally classified or not. It is perfectly okay and encouraged to use a level 1 canopy to do your first stall, it will increase your confidence level incredibly. Eventually you will want to know where your wing stalls, what happens next, and what input is required to return to normal flight. As mentioned before this is vital knowledge to a Class n pilot. I have heard many pilots comment on their own skill in para.gliders and they tend to use the first stall as a dividing line, before stall and after stall, for knowledge, comfort level, and so on and so on... we keep advancing.

If you are working on getting your Class II

by Claudia Stockwell

In order to obtain the Class II rating the pilot has to spend many hours perfecting his flying skills. The observed tasks require demonstrating smooth controlled turns, spot landings, side hill landings, ridge soaring, and thermaling techniques. And let's not forget the full stall and spins.

NEWS

The following coml'anies are APA company members supporting the paraglidin~ community with their membership, While the APA takes no posit10n on the value of equipment offered by these members it is important to remember and recognize that they actively support and promote the sport of paragliding and the APA. FERAL CORPORATION

GUDEI..I..I..TD

PARAPENTE USA

P.O. Box 1100, North Conway, NH 03560 (603) 356-3538 Manufacturer, ITV Canopies, Harnesses, Fly Wear

555 Bryant St., Suite 256, Palo Alto, CA 94301 (415) 242-9639 Importer, Distributor, Sale, School, Canopies, Harnesses, Instruments, Fly Wear, Accessories, Media

2442 N.W. Market St. #31, Seattle, WA 98107

K & C HIGH TECH, INC. 6299-7 Powers Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32217 (904) 739-0042 Importer, Instruments

COMET USA P.O. Box 188, Shasta, CA 96087 (916) 359-2392 Importer, Loft Comet Canopies, Harnesses

KITTY HAWK KITES P.O. Box 1839, Nayes Head, NC 27959 (919) 441-4124 Sale, School, Canopies, Harnesses, Instruments, Accessories, Media

(206) GOSKYHI Importer, School, Distributor, Sale, Canopies, Harnesses, Instruments, Fly Wear, Accessories, Media, Travel

PERFORMANCE DESIGN PARAGLIDING 12650 Softwind Dr.

FIREBIRD USA P.O. Box 1234, Boulder, CO 80303 (303) 440-0803 Importer, Distributor, Firebird Canopies, Harnesses, Fly Wear, Accessories, Emergency Canopies

PRO DESIGN USA 2765 Bechelli Ln., Redding, CA 96002 (916) 222-4712 Importer, Distributor, Sale, School, Pro Design Canopies, Harnesses, Instruments, Fly Wear, Accessories

Moreno Valley, CA 92388 (714) 924-5229 Manufacturer, Distributor, Sale, School, Loft Excalibur Canopies, Harnesses, Instruments, Fly Wear, Acces.~ories, Media

PARA-FLITE, INC. 5800 Magnolia Ave., Pennsauken, NJ 08109 (609) 663-1275 Manufacturer, Birdwing Canopies

The following are certified APA instructars. They are more than happy to give you detaile.d information about paragliding and lessons, courses etc. l•NAME Chuculate Saunders Axen Baier Castle Lawley, Jr. Gress1tt Kaiser Bolling Hodges Salvelmini Smith Woodman Domenico Wright Heinzen Whitehill Yates Greenbaum Pitman England Anderson Jackson Stenstadvold Aubert Toepel Byers Banks Hub Smith Bouchard Zimmerli Arends Pohl Fontenot Branham Hauth Stockwell Stockwell Eberle Chirico Kleiner

F·NAME Alan Clark Mark D. Ken Kari Fred Scott Asher L. Chris Jack Marcus GreQ Curtis Anthony Mark Bradley J. Andrew James M. Jeff Ed Bob BillC. Dick Jan Regis Circ Steve Granger Hans Chuck John Peter Kevin Phil Charles Dr. Cory Jay Fred Claudia Michael E. Mark A. Kurt

ADDRESS Box 83305 P.O. Box 1887 P.O. Box 1632 151 Tamarack Star Rt. 1, Box 188 P.O. Box 1226 639 Camino El Dorado 64 7 Arden Dr. 2056 Bordeaux Ln 190 Coral Reef 425 Bonair Si., #4 560-4 Birch St. 332 Richardson Dr. 12650 Softwind Dr. 12650 Softwind Dr. P.O. Box 522 488 Manor Plaza 2765 Bechelli Ln 463 Silver Ave. P. 0. Box 188 12701 Gridlel St. P. 0. Box 10 14 Box 819 116 Free Silver 770 Morgan Dr. 29007 Richmond Hill Rd P. 0. Box 213 P. 0. Box 398 Box 1094 P. 0. Box 815 P. 0. Box 1100 25 Goller Place P. 0. Box 7002 P. 0. Box 812 1437Waseca 715 E. 3900 So., Suite 109 1130 East 4045 So. 3314 W. 11400 So. 3314 W. 11400 So. Box4 2442 N.W. Market St. #31 P. 0. Box 3707

CITY Fairbanks Palmer Bishop Carlsbad Crowley Lake Del Mar Encinitas Encinitas Half Moon Bay Half Moon Bay La Jolla Lake Elsinor Mill Valley Moreno Valley Moreno Valley Moss Beach Pacifica Redding San Francisco Shasta Sylmar Truckee Aspen Aspen Boulder Conifer Crested Butte Louisville Sun Valley Wellfleet North Conway Staten Island Bend Bend Houston Salt Lake City Salt Lake City South Jordan South Jordan Ellensburg Seattle Jackson

STATE AK AK CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA

co co co co co co

ID MA NH NY OR OR TX UT UT UT UT WA WA WY

ZIP 99708 99645 93515 92008 93546 92014 92024 92024 94019 94109 92037 92330 94941 92338 92338 94038 94044 96002 94112 96087 91342 95737 81612 81611 80303 80433 81224 80027 83353 02667 03860 10314 97708 97709 77055 84107 84124 84065 84065 98926 98107 83001

PHONE (907) 455-6379 1907l 745-3097 619 873-8367 (619) 720-9775 (619) 935-4815 (619) 943-0274 (415) 726-6561 (415) 728-0938 (619) 454-0598 (702) 747-1896 (415) 381-4414 (714) 924-5229 (415) 726-7459 (415) 488-9531 (916) 222-4712 (415) SKY-1177 (916) 359-2392 (818) 367-7210 (916) 582-0527 (303) 925-7625 (303) 920-2449 (303) 444-7533 (303) 670-0301 (303) 349-5961 f303l 494-2820 208 726-4774 (508) 349-2561 (603) 356-6907 (718) 698-5738 (503) 389-5411 1503l 389-4086 713 973-9546 (801 ) 268-8090 (801) 268-9369 (801) 254-7455 (801) 254-7455 (509) 925-2190 (206) 467-5944 (307) 733-3896

NEWS

as of 12/31 /90 • Class I and Class II APA# 595 663 418 558 648 661 650 334 646 654 612 522 603 562 559 242 664 520 555 591 556 592 552 554 629 630 670 553 557 656 585 576 622 466 411 567 584 392 492 182 600 517 564 601 539 526 402 447 462 463 649 657 599 652 586 597

F•NAME Michael L. Charles E. James Peter Clayton Kari David Jack J.B. Karen Klaus Jeffrey G. Steven R. Michael S. Dana Bob George A. Harry Sylvie David W. Manuela Richard L. Dereck Nick Billy L. Ronald 0. Robert R. Bradley L. John Rick Douglas B. David D. Roger G. Jeffrey T. Marie Bradley W. Warren T. Ray Walter Jeff David David RobG. Richard Lonnie R. Charles H. Harald E. Marie K. Nancy Jo Ravi Curtis R. Michael E. Mark A. Jon Andreas

l·NAME Harney Garner Grossman Schoyon Wooley Castle Sondergeld Hodges Schag Bowling Fiebig Smith Pearson Bellik Grossman England Berlund Roberts Bruno Clark Fuchs Jones Shaw Janssen Offutt Wilkinson Wardlow Schuster Hubbard Moser Sharpe Nemitz Nityanando Coxon Nicolay Bouchard Whittemore Eichorn Leonard Benoit Dean LaPlante All and Anderson Harley Dunham Smith Guggenmos Osowski Stanford Pekara McIntyre Eberle Chirico Hunt Mersdorl

CITY Fairbanks Ketchikan Phoenix Agoura Hills Agoura Hills Crowley Lake Daly City Half Moon Bay Newport Beach Redding San Francisco San Francisco Santa Ana South Lake Tahoe South Lake Tahoe Sylmar Aspen Aspen Boulder Boulder Boulder Boulder Boulder Broomfield Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Crested Butte Denver Nederland Atlanta Bedford Birmingham Poona 411.001 Nags Head Claremont North Conway Mahwah Vincentown Carson City Reno Reno Reno New York Boring Elmira Portland Portland Summerville Austin Austin Houston Park City Ellensburg Seattle Wilson D-6940 Weinheim

STATE AK AK AZ CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA

co co co co co co co co co co co co co

GA MA Ml MS NC NH NH NJ NJ NY NY NY NY NY OR OR OR OR SC TX TX TX UT WA WA WY

RATING Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class i Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1 Class 1

RATED BY C. Saunders J. Greenbaum B. England M. Wright M. Wright M.Axen J. Greenbaum Axen/Stockwell M. Wright J. Yates J. Greenbaum J. Greenbaum C. Stockwell J. Yates J. Yates ICC D. Jackson J. Stenstadvold G. Banks G. Banks G. Banks G. Banks G. Banks G. Banks G. Banks G. Banks S. Byers G. Banks G. Banks C. Toepel C. Stockwell C. Fontenot M. Salvemini C. Smith J. Bouchard J. Bouchard C. Smith C. Fontenot B.Anderson G. Smith G. Smith B. Anderson C. Smith K. Arends K. Arends P. Pohl P.Pohl F. Snalam C. Fontenot C. Fontenot C. Fontenot C. Stockwell

ICC ICC K. Kleiner A. Whitehill

RATING DATE 10/22/90 12/9/90 11/11/90 9/20/90 12/1/90 3/9/90 12/2/90 8/8/90 12/1/90 12/4/90 10/31/90 12/2/90 10/30/90 9/30/90 9/30/90 8/14/90 10/11/90 9/20/90 9/24/90 10/17/90 8/16/90 9/15/90 9/24/90 9/24/90 11/14/90 11/14/90 12/19/90 9/1/90 9/24/90 11 /3/90 10/6/90 8/19/90 11/2/90 9/26/90 11/18/90 10/19/90 11/4/90 11/18/90 10/30/90 3/1/90 3/1/90 11 /4/90 10/28/90 10/20/90 9/3/90 11 /1 0/90 11/10/90 8/18/90 11/3/90 11/3/90 11/25/90 12/6/90 10/15/90 8/8/90 8/16/90 10/20/90

NEWS

as of 12/31/90 • Class I and Class II APA# 316 125 161 309 155 331 551 112 351 200 100

Kim Rudy S. Anthony John Marc Pete Regis Circ Granger David Terry

l•NAME

CITY

STATE

RATING

RATED BY

Taylor Visaya Jr. Domenico Yates Balzac Riddell Aubert Toepel Banks Karl Hawkins

Carlsbad Fremont moreno Valley Redding San Diego San diego Boulder Conifer Louisville Intervals South Jordan

CA CA CA CA CA CA

Class Class Class Class Class Class Class Class II Class II Class II Class fl

K. Baler C. Woodman G. Smith J. Yates M. Salvemini M. Salvemini G. Banks M. Salvelmini A. Aubert K. Baier C. Stockwell

co co co NH UT

RATING DATE 9/23/90 10/20/90 10/3/90 12/3/90 11/2/90 11/2/909 9/24190 10/4190 12/8/90 11/30/90 12/11/90

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Ma:r. 1- Sept. 30: Ma:r. 28 - Apll'. 8:

April 3 -4: April 5. 7: May15 -30: Sept 15 -30: Fall 1991: Fall 1991:

APA 1991 XC Challenge. Contact: APA, 25 Goller Place, Staten Island, NY 10314. (718) 698-5738. International Paragliding Friendly Tournament, Taiwan. Contact: Ed Pitman, P.O. Box 188, Shasta, CA. (916) 359-2392. APA BOD Meeting, Seattle. USHGA BOD Meeting, Seattle. Selection and Training Camp for World Team in France. Contact: John Bouchard, P.O. Box 400, north Conway, NH. (603)( 356-6907. Paragliding World Championship in France. APA BOD Meeting, Salt Lake City. USHGA BOD Metting, Salt Lake City.

HANCCUDINC & PARACUDINC

GLIDING • PfiRfiGLIDING

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INSTRUCTION • SALES • SERVICE

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SIERRA ToUR LAKE TAHOE • RENO

ONE DAY ADVENTURE (incl. glider) $75 CUSTOM GUIDED TRIPS AVAILABLE ALPS O ANDES O HIMALYAS

--------ADVENTURE SPORTS - - - 3680 Research Way #6, Carson City, NV 89706

(701) 883-7070

~~====-~~~~~~~

Puts you in the air and lets you feel the excitement of flying. Pilots say: "Now I can show mv friends

and familv what the ffVing experience is reallv like." "It's nice to tune up for flving on non-flving davs." VHS - 90 Minutes - send $29.95 plus S3 postage and handling INV res. add sales taxi check or money order to:

Adventure Video Paul Hamilton 10950 Silver Knolls Blvd. Reno, NV 89506

f702) 972~3518 CALL OR WRITE FOR OTHER ACTION VIDEOS

25 Goller Place, Staten Island, NY 10314 Office Hours: Tuesday and Friday 12:30 PM-2:30PM, Wednesday 9:00AM-3:00PM ET Weekday Evenings 8:00PM-9:00PM ET (708) 698-5738

Sponsor:

APA#:

Membership Form (Check One)

D New

Membership Dues

D Renewal

(To be completed by sponsor)

D Expired

LJ Individual $49.000 Instructor $49.00 Magazine Air Mail add: D Canada & Mexico $11.00

D Corporation or Company $200.00 D Europe $21.00

Make check or money orders payable to AP A Headquarters, Peter Zimmerli. Payments from outside USA only by international Money Order (Foreign bank checks with US bank name AND bank routing code printed on check or money order).

Member ship Information Company (For Company Membership Only) First and Middle Nama

Last Name

Mailing Address City

State

Zip

Country (Foreign membership only) Phone H

Phone W

Date of Birth

Sex

Flying Information Flying since (Year) ____ Total flights to date ____ Total flight hours to d a t e - - - - - ~ Injuries related to Paragliding in the last 12 m o n t h s : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 Current Canopy Flying (Model and Size, current canopy one only) - - - - - - - - - - - - Do you fly with an emergency (Backup) parachute:

Yes

If Yes what model, type and size: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 With which instruments do you fly?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ O~erAviationActivities:~---~--~--~-----~--~-----~ Other Activities:

Corporation or Company membership information Type of Business D Manufacturer D Importer D Distributor D Sale D School D Loft Others/Specialized in ________~ - - - - - ~ - - - - - - ~ - - - ~ Type of Products OCanopies D Harnesses D Instruments D Fly Wear D Accessories D Media Others ______________________________-1 I certify that all statements in this application are true and correct to the best of my knowledge. Signature _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ D a t e - - - - - - - © 1991 American Paragliding Association (Make copies of this form, do not tear out!!)

INTRODUCING

HUA Joy to Fly" The Skywalk Spirit FXC is a very stable and easy to launch paraglider. The Spirit FXC, because it has 46 chambers, retains a ridged profile on launch as wen as in flight.

Passenger Weight Min. Speed Max. Speed Min. Sink Rate (160 lb Pilot) Glide Rate Weight ot· W.ings No. Of Cells No. Of Chambers Wingspan Area DHV Classification DHV Giitesiegel No.

120/200 11mph 23mph 256 ft/min 6:1+ 12lbs 23 46

33 ft 273 sq ft 2-3 01-157-90

mr goal was to design a high performance glider that expert pilots would enjoy flying. It also had to be easy to operate so that APA 1 certified pilots would get the proper flying experience. We are pleased to bring to you one of todays most advanced paragliders the Spirit FXC .

For more information contact;

Voice I Fax (415) 493-3192

"The Spirit FXC is the most stable paraglider I've ever flown. It out performed my Fa/hawk competition glider." Brian Porter 1989 U.S. Nationals Hangliding Champion. 1976 World Open Hangliding Champion.

Dtsigned In

Gtrmany

INTRODUCTORY OFFER ... $2995. BRING THIS AD TO YOUR DEALER AND RECEIVE A FREE HARNESS AND BACKPACK WITH ANY SPIRIT FXC PURCHASE. A $375 EQUIPMENT VALUE .. FREE. HURRY, IT WON'T LAST LONG. Dealer Inquires Invited

TECHNIQ U......E________ By John Bouchard

here are three basic characteristics of paragliders: 1. They are easy to fly initially. 2. Most fly slower than a good sprinter can run. 3. They fold up in turbulence. It is the third feature, that they fold up, which has caused so many misconceptions and apprehensions. Lucky for us they do fold! At the very slow speed we fly, we would be subject to all sorts of aerodynamic mishaps far more serious than a collapse and reinflation! And besides, all this turbulence is greatly exaggerated in thermal flying. So as paraglider pilots, we have two rational choices: either to not fly in conditions that might cause a collapse (most of the time when it is soarable), or accept the folds and try to learn to recover from them quickly, ( or at least not make them worse). In the early days, collapses were much dreaded, probably with good reason! In fact, at the first meeting of the ACFPULS it Photo Fred Stockwell The pilot saved this launch by using correct input. was discovered that there were some paragliders sold producing the worst sorts of malfunctions, calling which had never been stalled by the factory! these "aerobatics". We now know if a glider has Studying unrecovered features unique to paragliders passed the ACPUL tests it will recover from any made the gliders safer. Test pilots also learned to malfunction, given enough altitude and the correct recover quickly from any malfunctions. Some pilots, input (doing nothing is an input!). Unfortunately, we enamored with the excitement, made a game of also know that if the malfunction is allowed to

3. The gradient causes changes in the angle of atlack!

continue to thrash around long enough, usually from incorrect pilot input, the fabric and lines will tangle and the malfunction will be unrecoverable. Correct input, appropriately timed, will fix most problems. The APA requires as part of the Class II requirements that the pilot have first hand experience recovering his glider from a total collapse. The causes of collapses are simple. The glider has either suddenly stalled (this has to be expected from a soaring aircraft whose flying speed has only a twelve to fifteen mile per hour range and whose minimum sink is no more than five miles per hour from stall!) or has encountered a gust wiLh enough force to overcome the air pressure airframe. A gust is a change in either the velocity or the direction of the air in which Lhc aircraft is flying. Currently, the big problem is cnlcring thermals too slowly; in other words going inlo a thermal wiLh too high an angle of attack. Equally nefarious is leaving the thermal with too low an angle of attack. The greatest difficulty is in determining the angle of allack in moving air. The concepts lo remember are: 1. The angle of attack is the angle between the chord and Lhe glide angle. 2. The air associated with the thermal is going up in the middle and down on the sides - there is a vertical gradient. There is also a considerable horizontal gradient which we are going lo ignore for simplicity.

Diagram of trajectory with angles of attack showing a stall going into a thermal Going into a "big" thermal with too high an angle of attack is like inducing a dynamic stall. In other words it is like letting go of the brakes and accelerating to maximum speed, then hitting maximum brakes and climbing until the glider stalls. The worst thing a pilot can do after feeling Lhe line tight on the scat for a while is Lo yank furLhcr down on the brakes! Why should he be surprised when the lines go slack? Going over the falls is like jumping into your seat on talceoff, with no brakes, and having the leading edge fold.

l 1 I Diagram of trajectory with angles of attack showing a collapse exiling a thermal.

Diagram of vertical gradient around and inside a thermal. 37

were a number of crashes on the preceding model; in spite of its having been thoroughly tested. On several occasions, the glider was malfunctioned to the ground. The test pilots insisted the glider was predictable and safe, hut that it was the pilots who were incorrectly responding to collapses. Its reputation destroyed, the only solution was to pull the glider off the market and train the pilots for recoveries on a new model. As a result, the company saved itself untold headaches the rest of the year. Several US team members flying the company's new glider went through the clinic over Lake Annccy, near Geneva. During the clinic, one of the team members didn't do the maneuvers. He was the only one who had problems in turbulence that summer! We all agreed that going through the exercise of collapsing and recovering the glider was incredibly useful - both to build confidence and to learn the approximate limits of the glider. If the pilot knows what his glider will do and how he should react, a big collapse, coming out of a thermal, is less intimidating than flailing panic stricken at the controls, hoping that something will make the glider recover. Also, any pilot who has intentionally stalled a tip and knows what is involved in recovery, will think seriously before searching for thermals at minimum sink close to the hill. It was around this point that the APA required Class II pilots to induce a full stall and a spin; we felt it imperative that an advanced pilot know firsthand that stalling a Lip will set a paraglider spinning wildly, and that surge can he expected after a full stall. Even more important, having seen how fast some pilots have come down under a reserve, we can expect to he hurt, perhaps badly, after deploying one. It's best to know what kind of canopy craziness is OK and what needs throwing a reserve. How does one start? Slowly. My feeling is that most pilots need at least fifty hours of ridge soaring first. It is not possible to have the "feel" for the glider otherwise. Exceptionally skilled and gifted hang glider pilots ( like Mitch McAleer: World Aerobatics Champion and Kevin Kleinfcltcr: FAI Tandem Out And Return record holder) may get by with less. It is best to begin with "Big Ears", pulling in the wing tips. It is easy to recover from and an important maneuver to know. Next, collapse one third of the wing (it feels like one half) and practice controlling the trajectory with only part of the glider inflated. The most common error is to lose half the inside wing in a thermal, drop further into the turn, and flail on the collapsed side before over-correcting

Too much or too little angle of attack will either totally or partially collapse the glider. The amount of collapse depends on where the wing leaves the air stream it's flying in. If collapses are to he expected, we can react in one of two ways: l. Thermal flying seems dangerous and is not for me, or 2. I plan to fly thermals and would like to avoid collapses. But if I can't: a) How do I avoid making the situation worse? b) How do I react to improve it? Let's look at a relatively new pilot hugging the ridge at minimum sink. He flies into a small punchy thermal and mildly stalls since his angle of attack is just too high. He quickly releases the brakes and the glider surges forward to regain speed - also greatly decreasing the angle of attack. Unfortunately for the pilot, the glider crosses the line from lift to sink. There is too much pressure on the nose so it collapses. The pilot panics and over applies both brakes, rcinflates the glider hut induces a full stall. He knows enough to control the surge with brakes hut he applies them unevenly and sets the glider into a spinning surge into the hill. He hits especially hard because the glider is diving in front of him instead of fluttering above. The pilot's ignorance of conditions caused the accident and his inappropriate responses made it worse! Does the following seem too hard to believe? My nephew told me a story about a Japanese pilot in Chamonix, in a thermal induced spin, who was wildly oscillating between surge, spin, and stall, trying to recover the glider as he rapidly lost altitude. Finally, he released the controls to throw his reserve. As the reserve left his hand, the glider recovered, probably because he was no longer prolonging the malfunction with his incorrect inputs. When the reserve fully deployed, the glider began to down-plane, and, according to the witnesses (the Chamonix tandem pilots), he hit the trees faster than if he were just spinning! Kevin Kleinfelter had a similar experience in Bishop. While trying a full stall, he wildly oscillated from surge to stall for over 600 feet until he recognized he was over-controlling, eased up on the controls, and the glider righted itself. In 1989, when one particularly high performance glider was introduced, the company's management required anyone purchasing the glider to go through a malfunction clinic (stage d'acrohatie). In it, the pilots had to deliberately induce full stalls, spins, and full frontal collapses and go through the correct procedure to recover the glider as quickly as possible. The company made this decision after there 38

on the outside wing and folly stalling the glider. Then the pilot releases the controls instantly and induces a wild surge. Or worse, the pilot lets up unequally on the brakes and sets the glider into a spinning surge with all the associated entangled fabric and line. By flying around with the glider when it is half gone, half a wing is controllable and not usually cause for panic. It goes without saying that before trying this for the first time, the pilot should discuss with his dealer/instructor the appropriateness of his doing these maneuvers on that particular glider. The next maneuvers, the full stall and spin, are serious and require a serious approach. No pilot should attempt them on his own for the first time. He must seek guidance from a pilot/inslructor who has hoLh done them on other gliders and done them with the glider about to he used. I emphasize this because at the time of this article, Lhat group is extremely small. The Full Stall is best done over a lake. Ed Stein and Bill Anderson have used Walker Lake, near Reno. Sahoba or the North side of the Point of the Mountain, Utah have also been used with at least 1200 feet over ground, a rocket reserve, and a radio connected to an experienced observer who can say when Lo fire the reserve. It is not necessary to hold Lhe stall, but Lhe trailing edge should fold back. The exercise is to learn how to minimize the surge - the more uncontrolled the surge, the longer the recovery time. In real flying, the problem is in keeping the controls symmetrical on the surge, or if the surge itself is asymmetric, then straightening it out. Certainly for the first time, the pilot should use a Level I glider known for its docile reactions and must remember that a Level II or III reacts far more violently. The spin occurs when the pilot stalls a tip while flying at minimum sink. The wing will spin wildly overhead if there are not a lot of brakes. The pilot can force in a Lurn before his glider will sLall a tip to see how it will react - useful to know when thermaling close to the hill. There is also the shock of seeing the glider do something glider's surging recovery on releasing the control. This is the most dangerous of the maneuvers. Pilots must ease into it little by little: case the side into Lhe stall with no sudden movements and case it out of the stall as soon as it breaks back. The point is that all pilots flying in thermals can expect their glider to fold up and act crazy at some point. In real flying the problems arc always some combination of surge and spin as the glider tries to regain flight. There is no question that if the turbulence is extreme, the malfunction will be unusual. Real air is moving in all directions, not as

plum vertical or level horizontal; conditions arc never the same, so malfunctions arc all different. Undoubtedly it is better to experience the craziness in a controlled environment in mellow air with radio contact with an expert observer, than to wonder if the insanely flapping rag overhead will ever straighten out or; if it is time to throw the reserve. When is the Class I pilot ready, if ever, for this stuff? Each pilot will know when the time is right; if it seems too frightening, the pilot is not ready. We must all remember that the rating system is a safeguard, not a reward. The rating represents a consensus of the most experienced pilots as to what the minimum experiences arc for a pilot to fly in all situations. Doing without a rating is like going to a fight with one hand tied. Thermal flying an aircraft with a twelve mile per hour speed range over trees, cliffs, and rocks is serious flying and not just fun. We have to compensate for the feeble speed range with knowledge about conditions and maximum awareness of our glider. One hundred, two hundred, or even one thousand hours in ridge lift are good experience for getting a feel for Lhc glider, hut will never he adequate preparation for thermal flight. Ill

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European standards for pilot flight and ground tests

By Walter Neumark Reprinted from Sky Wings (U.K.), November 1990. n March 1990, the French and Swiss abandoned their own airworthiness protocols and agreed on new experimental European standards for paraglider pilot flight and ground tests. On the 20th of July at a meeting of all European National Standards Institutes, the French Institute and its working group chaired by Heniu Dyduch, President of ACFPULS, were appointed to progress the experimental European Standards. The purpose of the "College" was to train about 16 works test pilots from France, Switzerland and Great Britain in the practice and interpretation of the 12 Exercises, how to orientate oneself to the video camera and Lhe strict R/T discipline. For Category Level l the paraglidcr has to recover spontaneously within 4 seconds of the pilot raising both flap controls. For Category Level 2 deliberate pilot recovery action in accordance with the Pilot Manual (after waiting for 4 seconds for spontaneous recovery) should not be needed in more than 3 exercised. (Recovery must be achieved within a total of 8 seconds). For Category Level 3 deliberate pilot action is needed (after waiting for 4 seconds) and normal flight must be obtained

within a further 4 seconds in no more than 3 exercises. The writer was most grateful for ACFPULS' kind invitation to participate and was able to bring Jocky Sanderson (Eagle Quest), Irwyn Jehu (Sky Systems) Clive Barnes (Airwave), Mark Elliston (Harley) and Geoff Kirton. Michael Busby (Sportlite) was on the list bus was unable to get there.

The 12 Tests 1. Ease of inflation and take off. 2. Straight flight at max. and min. air speed. 3. Turns:360°,reverse,360° in 18 seconds. 4. Search for "Deep" Stall with flap controls. 5. Search for ''Deep" Stall using rear risers. 6. Symmetric Leading Edge Tuck. 7. Asymmetric Leading Edge Tuck (50-60% of the whole span!) 8. Full Stall - hands up quickly (for level 1: LIE may not pass horizontal; for level 2: UE may not exceed 45° below the horizon). 9. Spin (min. ASI one hand down, the other up, both up after on 360°). IO. Asymmetric Stall (min. ASI one hand fully down, when spin or stall occurs, both hands to neutral). 11. S turns: reversals from 45° bank to 45° bank. 12. Stand up landing.

Andre Rose, Secretary of ACFPULS and his colleague Pierre Dacron were the indefatigable tutors and in turn the video camera operator assisted by Heniu Dyduch, President of ACFPULS and Swiss Airworthiness officials. The video recorder, a Studio Standard FVH M 340, had a remarkable software programme permitting selective reframing and enlarging, mosaics for easy selection of the most significant still, for further reframing and enlarging. Pilots were often surprised to see that their hands in the video did not do what they thought they had done. The BAPC Airworthiness Panel had studied the French, Swiss and Gutesiegal protocols for several years but the present experimental European Standard is most objective of all. It is most encouraging that Cristoph Kirsch, Chief Test Pilot of DHV Gutcsicgal, participated on the last 2 days and highly praised the objectivity of the flights tests. All pilots used their emergency parachutes as a deliberate exercise over the lake and some had to use them when wings did not respond to recovery action. I believe that no participant of the course will be prepared to carry out test flying over land in the future unless there is an extraordinary improvement in emergency parachutes. Ill

Black Magic - hailed as the best of its type. It may be a recreational glider but it is a performance recreational! If you want a Class I paraglider that's easy to ground handle, easy and reassuring to fly and also very safe, then the Black Magic is the one for you. The Black Magic has undergone extensive flight tests passing the most stringent tests of the DHV and ACFPULS with flying colors. Thats a nice thought when you find yourself In some unexpected turbulence.

PACIFIC

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sa11nas, ca11rom1a 93912 USA 1408) 422-2299 fax, 758-3270

"Paragliders are a means to f u Ifill the original dream of flight, just like flex wings and rigid wings. Pacific Airwavc is dedicated to producing safe products and we will keep an open attitude towards change and evolu Lion." Ken says only one rule applies: Fly it if it's fun! The Black Magic

Good News for the Back

Pacific AJRWAVE Pacific Airwave Introduces Black Magic to the US The Black Magic is a medium performance wing with DHV level I rating in 22, 24 & 27 sizes and ACFPULS level I in the 24 size. Each Black Magic is sold complete with a Paradise harness, backpack, and owners manual and come in a wide selection of stock color patterns. The suggested retail price is $2895 . The Black Magic is being distributed in the

Paragliding pilot, Chiropractor Dr. Rico Provasoli of California has developed the Lift Back®. The spine protector is claimed Lo improve safety standard

US by Pacific Airwave, an established company with a claimed reputation for quality products. Pacific Airwave supports a network of dealers who supply the flying community with numerous products and services. Pacific Airwave claims to be the leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of flex wing aircraft (hand gliders). "Pac Air cannot ignore the needs of any person who wished to pursue the joy of soaring flight," says Ken Brown of Pacific Airwave.

and comfort for all level of paraglider pilots. As seen in the photo, the impact resistant material is molded to fit the exact shape of the human spine. The side wings offer complete support from the crushing pressure form front harness straps during extended flights. The Lift Back® reduced pressure from shoulder straps. The lower back muscles are given full support which reduces the fatigue that comes with hours of sitting a fabric harness. The manufacturer claims the superior comfort to the pilot and protection to the spinal column make this product as important as a helmet. For purchasing information contact Lift Back®, 9 Garden Way, Larkspur, CA, 94939, (115) 927-2831. Dealer inquiries are invited.

The Lift Back® fits the exact shape of the spine. 42

This state-of-the-art advertising medium creates a flying billboard with your business name and logo on it. Phillippe can put a design on any sail new or old. For more information call or write Phillippe Renaudin, 108 Glen Cove Ave, Glen Cove,

NY 11542, (516) 6767599.

Fred Stockwell

Great Getaways

The Flying Billboard

Show Your Colors I'd like to introduce Phillippe Renaudin. As I mentioned in the last issue, Phillippe is the artist who designed our new logo. He is also responsible for the cartoon page in this issue. Phillippe is the president of the GMI

corporation. They are the people who put the great logos on glider and other sails. The technique they use is called slow polymerization. It does not alter the quality of the sail. It is micro porous, elastic and light. This process offers the possibility for reproduction of all logos, graphic designs and great artwork in an infinite color range.

Curtis Woodman and Scott Gressitt are pleased to announce the formation of Skydance Paragliding Company. The company is currently specializing in paragliding instruction, adventure travel, and marketing, sales, importing & distribution of paragliders, accessories and flywear. The 1990-91 winter season will include adventure travel to Mexico, the Caribbean, and US ski resorts. Their Multi-sport Tours

feature diverse activities to keep travelers active when the weather is less than perfect for flying. The company will work closely with the APA and other paragliding organizations worldwide. Curtis Woodman of Northern California is the founder of the Skyschool Program and is a pioneer of paragliding in California. He is an APA Class II instructor rated pilot who flies internationally and is well known in the Bay area for his dedication to advancing the sport. Scott Gressitt, of Southern California, has been active in the promotion of paragliding in San Diego. Scott also managed a nine month, 30-state tour with Andre Bucher and UP International in 198990. For information about Skydance Paragliding Company call 1-800 8Glider.

1990 PILOT RANKING Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Pilot Bouchard Pitman Kaiser Axen Lawley Lentini Smith, Greg Goudeau Sten stadvold Toepel Jamison Hauth Baier Domenico Bibler Hawkins Smith, Chuck Whaley Kleiner Ande rson

SLC 1989 7800 6850 1500 7800 3650 6100 2464 4800 700 150 5400 5387 385 4900

Normalized 1000 878 192 1000 468 782 316 615 90 19 692 691 49 628

3685

472

3905

501

SLC 1990 870 1100 450 150 0 100 600 250 802

Normalized 791 1000 409 136 0 91 545 227 729

300 620 100 100

273 564 91 91

450

409

Saboba 153

Normalized 890

172

1000

104

605

129.5

753

102

593

50.5

294

442

Total 2680 1878 1601 1136 1073 873 861 843 819 772 692 691 642 628 566 564 563 533 501 409

By Donna Ford What? Fly off a mountain? With a parachute? But of course! Imagine you're a bird soaring through the air, the wind on your wings! Doesn't it sound beautiful?

PARATRAVEL 1991 Colorado Rockies: Hike and fly Colorado's high peaks; July 31-Aug. 4 & Sept. 4-8; $425 Southern California: Fly at 6 sunny sites: Feb. 16-23 & Oct. 19-26; $650. Rockies to the Pacific: Thirteen days of soaring at eight of the west's best sites; June 16-28, July 14-26, Sept. 8-20; $1,737. Switzerland: Fly the Swiss Alps, 7 different flying sites with over 3,000' vertical; July 8-13 & Aug. 26-31; $755 South of France: Fly the French Alps and Cote d'Azur, 8 different flying sites in all; March 10-17 & Oct. 20-27; $851 New Zealand: Fly 7 beautiful sites on the South Island; Feb. 24-Mar. 6; $1925.

Week-long certification courses: Learn to paraglide in the Rockies; start from gentle hills and progress to peaks, 7 days of A.P .A. certified instruction for $650. Prices include ground transportation, rides to the top, guide fees, hotel accomodations, and radios. Prices do not include airfare or meals, please call for complete packages.

Parasoft Inc@ Paragliding School AP.A. certified instruction Weekend introductory courses Complete sales

770 Morgan Dr. Boulder, CO 80303 (303) 494-2820

Take my husband, Ron, for example. Ron's one of those self-confident, sure-of-himself kind of people who seem unruffled about trying anything new. But Ron is extremely cautious and always does his homework before getting into anything. He did his homework an right! He practiced, studied, asked questions, and experimented with his paraglider. After having made approximately forty small flights, he was ready for a mountain adventure. He hiked up Yamnuska Mountain, with his pack on his back and an old pair of tennis shoes. No problem! When he got to the top, he couldn't believe the view. Spectacular! A bit nervous, but totally excited, Ron set up for his first mountain flight. But first, he relaxed a bit, had a picnic lunch, and enjoyed the serene, peaceful surroundings. Then he laid out his chute, put his helmet on and took another look around. Was he on top of the world? Before he knew it, he was in the air. He was flying above a 2500 foot mountain in the Rockies. No motor with noise to mar the quiet, no smoke to pollute the air, no awkward gadgets to get in the way; just him, the pilot, gently steering and controlling his colorful parachute. He was a huge, beautiful bird riding the skies above the rocks, trees and lakes. How could anything hold more excitement, more satisfaction, more sense of unity with nature? The majestic view around him was fascinating. When Ron gently landed at the bottom of the mountain, in an easily-spotted open field, he screamed for joy until he was weak. This was truly incredible! That was it; he had been struck with the fever and now he's hooked on flying. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. And me? Was I brave enough to try this crazy sport? You bet! And do you know what? It's not crazy at all. It's one of the most pleasurable sports I've ever tried. It's exhilarating. Every flight is different and each one more satisfying than the last. Certainly I was nervous at first, but anyone that lets fear stop them from trying paragliding doesn't know what they are missing. On my first mountain flight, I flew with two avid paraglider pilots - Ron Ford and Mike Waddington. By the time we reached our launch site and set up our chutes to fly, I wasn't quite as confident as I thought! But I knew what to do and knew that the conditions werJ right. Ron took off first; then I took off with Mike right behind me. Simple! A few steps and then I was in the air, high above the trees, looking down over Canmore. The panoramic view was fantastic! I saw the trees, the river, the mountains, and the town from an entirely different perspective. We graced the skies, and onlookers below were awestruck by the colorful beauty of three human birds in the air. When I landed, I was excited and quite pleased with myself; it felt like a dream. But would I do it again? Certainly! And I'll keep doing it. Paragliding, you say? Yes! Fresh air, outdoor activity, a little excersize, and a totally rewarding experience is my idea of recreation. Anyone can do it. You can too! It's called FLYING FOR THE FUN OF IT!

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Mountain High Equipment & Supply Co. Mountain High Equipment & Supply ComP.any proudly introduce.s the Sports Oxygen' personal supplemental breathing system for high altitude action sports. This small, light-weight unit holds 181itersofpureoxygen. Under normal use, one full cylinder can provide 2 to 6 hours of pure oxygen . It's like having a 126 liter tank without the bulk or weight because ambient air is mixed with pure oxygen at a ratio of about 7:1. Oxygen cylinders easily connect to the regulator in seconds by hand. The regulator is adjustable from offto full on delivering up to ! liter/minute max. of pure oxygen and can be shut off with a full bottle allowing segmented use and storage.

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Condor SP11 - With harness, back pack, F3 reserve and wind indicator. Reduced to $1,300 or best offer. Call Rudy (415) 487-3424 Meteor 100, 1989-50 hours. excellent condition. Orange, yellow, white. $1,800. Call Kory (801) 268-8090 Flreblrd Cobra - 24 cell with harness. Purple, pink, yellow. Very good condition. $1,000. Call (303) 925-8629 F-1 24 - Fly the wing that is winning competitions and just set the European distance record! Very responsive, no holes or tears. Perfect condition! $2,450. Flrebird Cobra 24 -Good condition. No large tears. Great beginner/intermediate canopy for lighter pilots (90160 lbs.) $1,200. Call Circ (303) 670-0301. Harley Elite 28 -with harness. taken care of, $1,000. Call Dale (406) 549-6025

Well

AILES DE K-Genair314 (Swiss) Glider, and Air Bulle (French) harness w/accelerator. Great condition, low hours, with pack. $3,165 new - $2,000 or best offer, slightly used. Call Ernie (503) 688-4262 DUCK 9 - just 15 flights. w/harness. excell. shape. Swiss made, safe paraglider $999. Call Christof (213) 833-4249 PARAGLIDER PARTNER· INSTRUCTOR WANTED Southern California's largest hang gliding center wishes to expand its services to include Paragliding. Talented and professional instructor/business partner wanted. Send resume to: Joe Greblo 16145 Victory Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91406

PATENTS I am a paraglider pilot (APA Class I, 1988) and a patent attorney - patent applications, patent licenses, infringement opinions and litigation. Call for resume and references: (206) 455-5575 - Jeff Haley, Seattle. PARAGLIDING is coming to Kitty Hawk Kites. We need certified instructors. Send resume to: Roger Coxon, PO Box 1839 Nags Head, NC 27959 ATTENTION SCHOOLS New training canopies starting at $800. Complete w/harness and pack. Also lots of used equipment and instruments: 2 Harley Elites 270 Excell. cond. Harley Elites 220 Excell. cond. Call (801) 254-7455 To Place a Classified ad, send text and $1 o per ad, per issue to: 3314 West 11400 South South Jordan, UT 84065

Air. jun ED kies n 1: person who loves to fly above all else 2: person seen hanging out at flying sites for long duration usually kicking rocks, telling stories and hoping to fly 3: professional, full time paragliding business dedicated to 'turn you on' to paragliding!

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DEMOS

.. SALES: ITV •Edel • Second Chance 'Pocket Rocket'• Brauniger and Ball Variometers .. GUIDED TOURS: San Diego• Southern California• Mexico• etc., etc.

Al J

JES • KEN BAIER

151 Tamarack Ave. • Carlsbad, CA (619) 720-9775 92008