USHGA Paragliding January/February 1998 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

January/February 1998 • $3.95

PARAGLIDING • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1998

AIR MAIL

UPDATE

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

RATINGS

PARAGLIDING MlNNESC>'tA

Executive Director's Corner

INDEPENDE~~E l)j)'." ·. ·, . ·. by Rick Higgins, sidebar 'by. '!fr;,rrJ1.fftiu1{~(:l;ff,

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·PARAGLIDING > by Bruce Tracy, sideq4t'b§!Jqy ~tfttqll.> . · ·.

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COVER: Bruce Tracy completes a three-hour flight in the upper Methow Valley in Washington State. Goat Wall is on the left. Photo by Craig Peterson. See story on page 28.

PARAGLIDING SOOT~~~¢~> ....... ·.·. by Steve Rott, sidebar. PJ!;.Ke.v11r't"41,fl( • ' · ·

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1998

CLASSIFIEDS

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Gil Dodgen, Managing Editor/Editor-in-Chief Steve Rot!, Jon Goldberg-Hiller, Contributing Editors Dave Pounds, Art Director Will Gadd, Dennis Pagen Staff Writers Office Staff Phil Bachman, Executive Dire(,'lor, phbachman@ushga.org Jeff Elgart, Advertising, jjelgart@ushga.org D. Dean Leyerle, Insurance, ddleyerle@ushga.org Karen Simon, Accounting, klsimon@ushga.org Elaine Elgart, Web Administrator, emelgart@ushga.org Natalie Hinsley, Merchandise Services, njhinsley@ushga.org USHGA Officers and Executive Committee: G.W. Meadows, President Bill Bryden, Vice President Russ Locke, Secretary Geoff Mumford, Treasurer

REGION 1: Bill Bolosky, Steve Roti. REGION 2: Russ Locke, Ray Leonard, Scott Gasparian. REGION 3: Ken Baier, Tammy Burcar, Gregg Lawless. REGION 4: Mark Ferguson, Jim Zeiset, REGION 5: frank Gillette. REGION 6: Jeff Sinason. REGION 7: Bill Bryden, REGION 8: Randy Adams. REGION 9: Pete Lehmann, Geoff Mumford. REGION I 0: G.W. Meadows, Matt Taber. REGION 11: Dave Broyles. REGION 12: Paul Voight. DIRECTORS AT LARGE: Ed Pitman, Paul Rikert, Dan Johnson, Jan Johnson, Dennis Pagen. HONORARY DIRECTORS: Chris Dupaul, Bob Hannah, Gene Matthews, Lars Linde, Arjan Ala, Barbara Flynn, Alan Chuculate, , Ken Brown, Sandy King, Mike Meier, Rob Kells, David .Glover, Paul Klemond, Gregg Mc:Namee, Michael Robertson, Greg DeWolf, Tracie Fifer-Welch. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS: Art Greenfield (NAA). The United States Hang Gliding Association Inc, is an air sports organization affiliated with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which is the official representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), of the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA, which represents the U.S. at FAI meetings, has delegated to the USHGA supervision of FAl-related paragliding activities such as record attempts and competition sanctions. PARAGLIDING magazine is published for paragliding sport enthusiasts to create further interest in the sport, and to provide an educational forum to advance paragliding methods and safety. Contributions are welcome. Anyone is invited to contribute articles, photos and. illustrations concerning paragliding activities. If the material is to be returned, a stamped, self-addressed return envelope must be enclosed. Notification must be made of submission to other paragliding publications. PARAGLIDING magazine reserves the right to edit contributions Where necessary, The Association and publication do not assume responsibility for the material or opinions of contributors, PARAGLIDING editorial offices: 31441 Santa Margarita Pkwy., Suite A-256, Rancho .Santa Margarita, CA 92688, phone (714) 8887363, fax (714) 888-7464, e-mail: G11Dodgen@aol.com. The. USHGA is a member-controlled sport organization dedicated to the exploration and promotion of all facets of unpowered ultralight flight, and to the education, training and safety of Its membership. Membership is open to anyone interested in this realm of flight. Dues for ful I membership are $54.00 per year (of which $15 goes to the publication of Paragliding), ($65 non-U.S.); subscription rates only are $26.00 ($32 non-U.S.). Changes of address should be sent six weeks in advance, including name, USHGA number, previous and new address, and a mailing label from a recent issue. PARAGLIDING (ISSN 1089-1846) is pub I ished bimonthly by the United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc., 559 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Suite 101, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903-3657 (719) 6328300. FAX (719) 632-6417. PERIODICAL POSTAGE is paid at Colorado Springs, CO and at additi.onal mailing offices. POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: PARAGLIDING, P.O. BOX 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

1998

NEW PARAGLIDING ACCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM Dear Editor, It has come to my attention that the current procedure for reporting paragliding accidents in the United States serves as a disincentive for accurate reporting. The purpose of reporting accidents is so that we can all learn from them; so that we may examine trends involving either equipment or procedures and head off problems before serious accidents occur. Unfortunately, only the most serious accidents are being reported. I believe that the flaw in our current system is that when accidents have been reported to the USHGA, a detailed report has appeared in Paragliding magazine identifying the people involved, with an attempt made to determine some type of fault. While we all want to know who has been seriously injured so we can send our best wishes, most people are embarrassed by this type of public review. The solution that I proposed to the USHGA during the last Board of Director's meeting in Kitty Hawk was to change the format to promote accurate reporting. As a result, the new paragliding accident reporting system will be modified in two substantive ways. First, and most importantly, there will be no identification by the USHGA of persons involved in accidents in the magazine, or in any other public manner. Accident reports that are submitted will be reviewed for trends and will be reported accordingly. Second, I have created clearly defined categories of accidents for easier reporting. The first category is INCIDENTS. The Incidents category is intended to cover accidents which result in minor cuts, bruises and other minor injuries to the pilot. The second category is ACCIDENTS I. This category will cover accidents which result in the pilot being treated at a medical facility without being admitted for an overnight stay. The third category is ACCIDENTS II. This category will govern accidents which result in the pilot being admitted to a medical facility for at least an overnight stay. The final category is FATALI1Y/PARAPLEGIC. If all pilots, instructors and observers take personal responsibility to ensure that all types of accidents are reported using this new sys-

VOLUME

9, ISSUE #l

tern we will be in a better position to learn from the less serious incidents and be in a position to avoid serious injuries. The new accident reporting forms will be available from the USHGA in January 1998. If you have any questions regarding these new procedures feel free to contact me at my office (732) 747-7845, or contact Alan Chuculate or Ed Pitman who will be assisting with the new accident-reporting program. Lars Linde Chair - Paragliding Accident Reports

GROWTH Dear Editor, The strengths and weaknesses of any organization lie solely in the qualities and contributions of its members. In that regard the USHGA is a very fortunate organization indeed. Our membership is composed of many dedicated and passionate individuals. You come from numerous, diverse backgrounds, and bring to our organization a wide variety of skills and experiences. Now is the time when we need to draw from this pool of talent to help our Association remain strong. We are faced with a steady decline in our hang gliding membership and a stagnation in overall growth. The Board of Directors has resolved to make promoting and growing our sport a priority in the upcoming years. In order to accomplish this we are seeking out professionals in marketing, advertising and other related fields. Our goal is to form a marketing advisory panel to assist the organization in the promotion of hang gliding and paragliding. If you would be willing to give some of your rime and talent to the Association it would be of great benefit to the membership as a whole, and will not go unappreciated. Those individuals wishing to be a part of this panel should contact me at the address below. Chris DuPaul Chairman, Sub-Committee on Marketing and Promotion P.O. Box 462 Nellysford, VA 22958 (804) 325-1133 skigolfnut@aol.com

PARAGLIDING

• Cordoba

Buenos Aires•

ARGENTINA

Calendar of events items Will NOT be listed if only tentative. Please include exact information (event, date, contact name and phone number). Items should be received no later than six weeks prior to the first of the cover month (i.e., January 20 for the March/April issue). UNTIL MARCH 1: Valle de Bravo flying, Mexico (three hours west of Mexico City). Hang gliding and paragliding services, rental wings, lodging, transportation, multiple sites, training and tandem flights. Awesome X-C flying. Contact: 1-800-861-7198, flymexico@aol.com. JAN.-FEB.: Exxtacy clinics throughout Texas and the Southwest. Contact Dave Sharp (505) 286-3871, dsharp@mci2000.com for more details and exact dates and locations. Check out www.fun2fly.com for a great slide show of the Exxtacy. MARCH 21-22: Exxtacy clinic in the Pacific Northwest. Contact North American Flight Design (509) 925-5565 to register. APRIL 1998: Exxtacy clinics throughout California and Nevada. Contact Mike Eberle (509) 925-5565, napi@eburg.com for exact dates and locations. MAY 9-10: Exxtacy

clinic at Raven Sky Sports in Whitewater, Wl Contact Mike Eberle (509) 925-5565, napi@eburg.com, or Brad Kushner (414) 473-8800 for details. JAN. 15-29: 7thAnnua!Mescalito, Mexico

Thermal and X-C Paragliding Clinic and Tour. Tropical southern Mexico offers delightful sunset glass-offs and world-class thermal conditions in a holiday setting. Instructor, guide and vehicle services for all skill levels. Free tandem flying for non-pilots. Individualized coaching. Contact: Mescalito Adventure Company Ltd., (604) 858-2300, fax (604) 858-3080, mesc@uniserve.com. JAN.18-25, JAN. 25-FEB. 1: Organized

instruction and X-Clthermal coaching in Mexico by Granger Banks, USHGA Advanced Tandem Instructor with six years experience taking paraglider pilots ro Mexico, and Will Gadd, Tandem Instructor, U.S. distance record holder (138 miles), competition pilot and Mexico veteran/fanatic. Location: Igualla, Mexico two hours from Mexico City, or Acapulco site. Igualla is famous for excellent X-C opportunities, consistently flyable

conditions, a perfect launch and easy drive-up access. Outstanding site for P2 or better pilots, very scenic. Cost: $900. Transportation, hotel and daily guide service included. Food, beer and everything else is cheap. Contact: Parasoft Paragliding School, 4445 Hastings Dr., Boulder, CO 803036614 (303) 494-2820, parasoft@csd.net. FEB. 5-6: Powered paragliding clinic by Hugh Murphy, on the California central coast. Syllabus will cover a smooth transition from non-powered to powered flight, with a safe learning curve. Bring your equipment or demo ours. Contact: Surf the Sky Paragliding (805) 544-8 l 90. FEB. 6-15: NewZeakmd '98. North American Paragliding, Inc. returns for their umpteenth annual trip to the beautiful Southern Pacific and some incredible flying. Great for pilots of any skill level. Accommodations, transport, retrieval, chopper (conditions permitting), etc. provided. Contact: (509) 925-5565, napi@eburg.com for reservations. FEB. 7: Paragliding Super Tow Clinic, Temecula, CA. Learn proper towing technique. Bring USHGA card, radio, glider, harness with hook knife, sun lotion, food and drinks. Limited number of participants. Cost: $150. Contact: Marcello (714) 407-9575. FEB. 12-13: California coast ridge-soaring clinic by Hugh Murphy. Soar the Golden State's beautiful coastal sites from Big Sur to Santa Barbara. Earn your Ridge Soaring signoff with a USHGA-certified advanced instructor. Contact: Surf the Sky Paragliding (805) 544-8190. FEB 21-MARCH 7: Brazil Paragliding Tour. Warm weather, X-C flying in Brazil at Governador Valadares. Tour led by U.S. instructors with lodging, meals, transportation and retrieval provided in Brazil. $1,150 price does not include airfare. Special instructor rates. Contact: Adventure Sports (702) 883-7070, advspts@pyramid.net. MARCH 6-14: 1998 Mani/IA, Paragliding Open, Manilla, NSW, Australia. $2,000 in prizes plus trophies. Entry $140 before Feb.

6, $160 after. Includes info pack, transport, T-shirt, dinner. Flying at Mt. Borah with four large launch areas for nearly every wind direction and 2WD access. Phone/fax payment by credit card accepted. Contact: Godfrey Wennes, phone Ol l-61-2-67856545, fax Ol l-61-2-6785-6546. MARCH 13-15: Powered Paragliding Clinic. APRIL 17-9: ICP. APRIL 25-26: Mountain Flying Clinic. MAY 2-3: Tandem Clinic. MAY 8-10: Thermal Clinic. MAY 22-29: X-C Clinic. AUG. 7-9: Thermal Clinic. OCT. 3-4: Mountain Flying Clinic. OCT. 17-18: Tandem Clinic. NOV. 6-8: JCP. Cost: Thermal clinic, powered paragliding and ICP, $300; X-C $500; Mountain Flying and Tandem $200. Location: Point of the Mountain, Draper, UT and Utah mountain sites. Ken Hudonjorgensen is the senior paragliding instructor at Point of the Mountain and has held the Utah X-C record. He is Master-rated, one of four Tandem and ICP Administrators in the U.S., and the first and only paraglider pilot to be awarded the highest Safe Pilot Award (Diamond - 5,000 consecutive safe flights). Contact: Ken Hudonjorgensen, Two-can Fly Paragliding, 474 E. Tonya Dr., Sandy, UT 84070 (801) 572-3414. APRIL-MAY: X-Clthermal guide to the Owens Valley, with Kari Castle. Call to schedule a clinic or tour. SEPT.-NOV.: "Owens at its

Best, "X-Clthermal guide to the Owens Valley, with Kari Castle. Two- to nine-day adventures. Private one-on-one flying, guide service and instruction also available. Contact: Kari Castle (760) 872-2087, karicastle@telis.org. JULY 17-27: Thermal Dynamics Paragliding Adventures, Golden, BC. Includes airfare from any major U.S. airport to Calgary, hotel room, all Canadian association and site fees, meals, transportation, retrieval, risk management and reserve clinic. Five pilots max. Contact: (310) 834-0769, thermic@pacbell.net. SEPT. 25-27: West Coast Paragliding Regionals. Contact: Adventure Sports (702) 883-7070, advspts@pyramid.net, www.pyramid.net/advspts.

PARAGLIDING

that we will have to print a test issue for the members to see, read, and think about. A suggestion was made that we should include an opinion survey in the test issue to assure an adequate avenue for member feedback. We will do this. The next step is to prepare an accurate cost analysis for the one-magazine concept. This will be completed before the spring BOD meeting. Also, prior to that meeting I will work with Gil Dodgen to develop a plan for a test issue. Once we confirm the anticipated cost benefits for combining the magazines, I will present it to the BOD along with a schedule for running a test issue. As soon as we know what those costs are and what the anticipated savings can be, I will publish them in this column.

by Phil Bachman, USHGA Executive Director

COMBINED MAGAZINE PROJECT

ne of the topics that I placed on the agenda for the Board of Director's meeting which was held November 6-9, 1997, was the discussion of combining Hang Gliding and Paragliding magazines at some point in the future. This has been bantered around for a long time but had not been made an official agenda item. My reasons for this are many, with the overriding concern being one of economics. However, in preparing for this discussion prior to the meeting, we began to realize that an accurate cost/benefit analysis is going to take some serious work. There are many not readily-apparent effects that contribute to the financial model for the project. I want to emphasize a couple of my remarks concerning this topic. First, l cautioned the BOD that, in my opinion, this project will take a year to 18 months before we actually make a decision. Second, we will be "messing with" one of the perceived primary benefits of membership in USHGA, the member's magazine. Therefore, we need to be sure they are in the communication loop all the way through. As part of this concern, I stated

RESULTS OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING PROXY VOTE A general membership meeting was held as announced in the magazines on Thursday, November 6, 1997, in conjunction with the BOD meeting in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Two matters had been presented in the magazines to be voted on at this meeting: 1) Reclassification of the current full and family USHGA membership categories into three classes of membership constituting Contributing, Pilot and Rogallo memberships. The matter passed by a vote of: 310 Approval, 67 Disapproval 2) Reclassification of the action of the Board of Directors limiting the class of life members to the current number of USHGA lifetime members. The matter passed by a vote of: 331 Approval, 52 Disapproval. ELECTIONS The following officers of the USHGA for 1998 were elected by the Board of Directors: President, G.W Meadows; Vice President, Bill Bryden; Secretary, Russ Locke; Treasurer, Geoffrey Mumford. Directors at Large: Jan Johnson, Dennis Pagen, Dan Johnson, Ed Pitman and Paul Rikert. Honorary Directors: Ken Brown, Alan Chuculate, Tracie Fifer-Welch, Greg

De Wolf, David Glover, and Paul Klemond. A NEW MEMBER BENEFIT ON THE HORIZON I, and our corporate counsel, Tim Herr, had breakfast with our insurance provider, First Flight Insurance, at the BOD meeting. We discussed their interest in providing the USHGA membership with an accidental death and dismemberment insurance policy. They presented initial concept numbers and asked for a consensus from the BOD that this would be a membership benefit worth pursuing. The insurance committee recommended approval by the BOD which was done. This means that First Flight will begin the process of negotiating with underwriters and reinsurers to create the program for USHGA. In a nutshell, the plan will provide the following. In the event that you lose your life while participating in the sports of hang gliding or paragliding, membership in USHGA will automatically provide a nominal amount of accidental death insurance to your family. The figure suggested was $2,500. All USHGA members will be given the opportunity to add additional individual coverages in suggested amounts of $100,000 and $250,000 for yearly premiums in the range of $200 to $400. Many life insurance programs contain aviation or specific participant sports exclusions. This program will allow USHGA members to plug a common gap in their estate planning for their families by covering them in the event of death while hang gliding or paragliding. We do not have a date as yet from First Flight as to when we can expect to offer this program. We will post it to the Web site as soon as it is effective and put it in the magazmes as soon as we can. THE USHGA WEB PAGE For those who are active on the Internet you are probably already aware that the USHGA Web page is up and changing almost daily. We have a super new person in the office, Elaine Elgart, who is our Web Master (or is it Mistress?). Elaine has PARAGLIDING

done a terrific job of upgrading and improving our Web page. She has added a "Hot News" page that we are using to get information out more quickly. We are also starting to link to other Web pages. If your club or business has a page and we have not contacted you about linking, please give us a call or e-mail to emelgart@ushga.org. Take a look at the USHGA Web page if you haven't already and give us your feedback and ideas: http://www.ushga.org. WINTER PARK SKI RESORT OPENS TO PARAGLIDING IN COLORADO After a long and very professional effort by the Rocky Mountain Hang Gliding Club through the efforts of Kevin McClure and his committee, an agreement has been reached with the Winter Park Recreation Association for a one-year trial period to permit paragliding from the slopes at Winter Park. The operational plan submitted to the association was accepted and a list of authorized advanced pilots was approved. During this trial period the club will be accumulating data on flying conditions and confirming their operational plan. A major contributor to the success of this effort was the newly acquired USHGA participant insurance. At the invitation of Kevin McClure, I attended an August 18th meeting with the management of Winter Park. The closing comments made by the Winter Park CEO hit home. He said, and I am paraphrasing here, "We have talked about paragliding at Winter Park and like the idea. If we can get comfortable with the liability issues, I think we can work something out." Our participant liability coverage, which had gone into effect 18 days earlier, handle this concern. One of the conditions of obtaining this new participant insurance coverage was a requirement to have a membership waiver in place. This story is one of hopefully many site-acquisition success stories we will see in the future as a result of the waiver which allowed us to expand our insurance coverage to participant pilots.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

1998

SUCCESSFUL WHISKEY PEAK NEGOTIATIONS At the beginning of 1996 I got a call from Kevin Christopherson asking for some support in his efforts to resolve an access problem involving the BLM and Whiskey Peak in Wyoming. Kevin lives in Casper, Wyoming, and has probably accumulated more airtime flying at this site than any other hang glider pilot. He also holds three World Records, all of which were set with flights originating at Whiskey Peak. After exchanging correspondence with Kevin and the BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner, Mr. Ray Hanson, I was invited to attend an all-day Sun Stewardship committee meeting in late April of 1996. Part of the agenda was a proposed Recreation Project Plan for a Whiskey Peak Hang Gliding Recreation Site. After attending this meeting I can honestly say I have a new-found, healthy respect for land management and the challenges faced by those tasked with this responsibility. The BLM staff I met that day were really nice people. I also met members of the Sun family which is one of the largest leasers of public lands in the United States. To my pleasant surprise I was asked to continue attending the stewardship meetings. We had a field-trip meeting in August 1996. We drove out to Whiskey Peak with stops along the way for briefings from Ray and other BLM staffers on various aspects of the proposed solutions to the access problem. When we reached the top, Kevin launched from Whiskey Peak. This was the first time many had ever seen a hang glider fly. Kevin shot some pictures which appeared in a fullpage story in the Casper Star Tribune about the stewardship activities. After more correspondence and comments, the BLM issued a Decision Record for the Whiskey Peak Hang Gliding Site Development Plan and Road Access in September of 1997. This report was very fair and supportive of continued hang gliding activities at Whiskey Peak. Here is one excerpt from the report as an example: "With direction and assistance from BLM personnel, allow hang glider pilot representatives to ... Place hang glider tie-

downs (one-inch re-bar bent into a U-shape, inverted) ... Remove trees which present a hazard below the three existing launch sites ... " Getting involved with the BLM personnel, learning the scope of their responsibilities, and working with them to arrive at solutions to the Whiskey Peak access problems has been personally very rewarding. It feels good to arrive at a workable resolution to a problem and make new friends in the process. This story also underscores the importance of becoming involved and sticking with the process, usually for long periods of time, to arrive at solutions. In addition, it illustrates one of the growing areas of effort put forth on behalf of the membership by the USHGA office that you do not normally hear about. E-MAIL ADDRESSES

If you have comments or want to alert the office to late-breaking news, here are our e-mail addresses. Please don't expect a return reply. I can promise that I will read your messages, but time does not permit me to respond to all of them. If you want to get a comment or position to the Board of Directors, you can send it to the office or address it to me and I will forward it. In addition, we have a page in this magazine with Regional Director contact information. You can also find this information on the USHGA Web Page. Addresses: general stuff ushga@ushga.org; Web page stuff emelgart@ushga.org; comments to the Executive Director and/or Board of Directors - phbachman@ushga.org. READER'S DIGEST ARTICLE There is a great article in the December 1997 issue of the Reader's Digest about USHGA member John Stokes and Osceola, his bald eagle. For those of you who missed the story in Hang Gliding, Osceola lost a wing when someone shot him. The Digest article has a large color picture of John flying his hang glider with Osceola riding tandem. Pick up a copy. It is great reading and good exposure for our sport.•

UPDATE ~ '

.. enthusiastic permission after a review of the USHGA insurance and waiver program and subsequent individual pilot registration. With 1,000 feet AGL, Timberline has the highest vertical of the Mid-Atlantic ski resons and offers the potential for many great flights to come. For further information call (301) 926-2104.

SOL NEWS

T IKAROS SPORT AVIATION AND SPARTAN MICROLIGHT MANUFACTURING SHIPS FIRST COMPOSITE PARAGILDING TRIKE

karos Sport Aviation has announced the DFS, a lightweight trike designed for a wide range of uses. The aerodynamic, space-age-looking DFS, or Double Face Single, can power a hang glider or paraglider using the patent-pending Spartan Double Face System. The DFS paragliding version comes with a Shuttle Double paraglider made by Custom Sails, which is capable oflifting up to 200 kilos and is AFNOR certified. Many different engines are available to meet customer requirements. The suggested U.S. introductory list price is $5,600 (wing not included), and $7,900 with the Shuttle Double an a Zenoa 22 engine. Contact: Ikaros Sport Aviation (718) 777-7000, fax (718) 777-3621, ikarosll@aol.com, http:/I members.aol.com/ dfspartan/ fly.hrm.

Pterodactyl Paragliding is attempting to fly from the summits of all primary 14,000foot peaks in Colorado (approximately 40 of them) within the next few years. He has already logged several first descents including Elbert, Uncompaghre, Wetterhorn, Democrat and Yale (shown in the photo). For more information call Pterodactyl Paragliding at (970) 349-2836.

TIMBERLINE SKI AREA ALLOWS PARAGLIDING

CRESTED BUTIE, COLORADO UPDATE

he ski area at Crested Butte, Colorado is now open to P4 pilots, and they are hoping to include sponsored P3 pilots by the spring of 1998. Supported by Sector Sport Watches, Douglas Hase of

en and L.E. Herrick have been flying from Timberline Ski Resort, located in the Canaan Valley, high in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia. Timberline Ski Area managers have given their

he Axion has arrived in the States. The new glider was designed by Nova's Hannes Papesh and has received DHV 2 certification as well as AFNOR Standard in the smaller sizes and Performance in the two larger sizes. The Sol Axion was designed with a combination of performance and safety in mind. Demo gliders are available from your local dealer or Sol. Also new for 1998 are harness designs from Charly. The Zoom is a "racer" model, and the Elite and Novum are top-of-theline harnesses with either side- or rearmounted reserve containers. Sol continues to offer double-cap reserves as well as standard PDA reserves. This spring they will offer a new helmet line to complement their popular Peel helmets. The new helmets are of carbon fiber construction and have a new racy look. For more information on Sol Paragliding products see your dealer or contact Sol at (801) 553-1834, www.paragliders.com.

1998 ELLENVILLE NY SITE INFO

he Southern New York Hang Glider Pilots Association is currently in negotiations with Ellenville Mtn. flying site owner, Tony Covelli, regarding the purchase of the site. This process will take several months, and as a result the SNYHGPA will be managing the site during the 1998 season in much the same way as it has in the past. Dues have gone up $20 to cover escalating costs, to $180 for the season. An "early bird" incentive is again offered, with a $20 discount for pilots signing up by Feb. 28 , 1998. There is an additional $20 discount for pilots who participated in 1997 site work parties. You know who you are, as does the club. "Cohabiting" pilots can also

PARAGLIDING

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deduct $20 (the newsletter cost) from their combined fee. Example: husband/wife pilots, who participated in a work party, signing up before Feb. 28, pay $300. Daily flight passes will be $10, with a strict limit of only three passes per pilot during the season. To receive a 1998 club application in the mail call (914) 7 44331 7. For day passes see Tony in the LZ.

ALPINE HARNESS FROM MESCALITO

he "Alpine 700" is a new ultra-hightech paragliding mountain harness manufactured by Mescalito. Born of

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FLY CASTELLUCCIO MOTOR UNITS Fly Castelluccio presents a new version of their Mach 3 powered paragliding unit which can be dismantled into two (or four) parts in seconds, and has a completely new, reinforced frame. The fuel tank has an eight-liter capacity and the new frame is designed to accommodate a second 5.5-liter tank for long flights. The Mach 2, the smallest model in the Mach line, is suitable for pilots up to 70 kilos and has been redesigned. It is lighter and accommodates the eight-liter tank It can also be dismantled for transport. The New Mach 1 Light also sports new features. Contact: Aerolight USA, Inc., 1355 N.W 93 Ct. Unit A-105, Miami, FL 33172, (305) 639-3330, fax (305) 6393055, paragliding@aerolight.com,http://www.aerolight.com.

exhaustive R&D and design work, and meticulously crafted from 15 specialty fabrics and webbing, the Alpine 700 offers full-size harness comfort, a total weight of only 1.5 pounds, and 5,500-lb.

breaking strength in each of the two riser clip-in points. For casual hiker-pilots and high-altitude extremists alike, the Alpine 700 includes a "cargo yoke" complete with anchor straps for skis, packs and

AEROLIGHT USA, 1355 N.W. 93 Ct. Unit A-105, Miami, FL 33172 U.S.A., Tel: (305) 639-3330, Fax: (305) 639-3055,paragliding@aerolight.com,http://www.aerollght.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1998

climbing gear. Contact: Mescalito Adventure Company Ltd., (604) 858-2300, fax (604) 858-3080, mesc@uniserve.com, http://www.mescalito.com.

newly expanded Web site "www.paraglide.com" or by phone at (509) 782-5543. Glidell may be reached by phone at (415) 424-9704.

PARA!BORNE NEWS EXXTACY NEWS

s the Flight Design Exxtacy enters its second season of full production there are nearly 300 gliders flying worldwide. Almost 30 of these are in North America alone. Flight Design has boosted production to over 30 gliders per month, an incredible quantity for a composite rigid wing. "We are very pleased with the positive response we have received from pilots around the world," states Matthias Betsch, CEO of Flight Design in Germany. He further states, "The Exxtacy is the first rigid wing to be accepted so well, and now even competition directors, such as G.W Meadows and Mark Mocho, are welcoming the Exxtacy and similar gliders to participate in their meets. Nineteen ninety-eight should prove to be a very interesting year." It should also be noted that a few Exxtacies will be flying during the competition in Australia this February. By this spring Flight Design will be offering a harness specifically designed for the Exxtacy. This harness should be available by March when the spring demo/clinic tour begins with Dave Sharp and Mike Eberle. Clinics are planned for all western states, the Great Lakes region, Florida, and the northeast during the spring of 1998. If you are interested in a clinic at your site please call for arrangements. For more detailed information on dates and locations contact Mike Eberle at North American Flight Design (509) 925-5565, napi@eburg.com, or browse their Web page at http://www.fun2fly.com.

AIRPLAY/GUD1Ell

ixon's Airplay Paragliding and Glidell will be expanding the availability of Advance Paragliders in the United States. You may now make inquiries, demo or purchase Advance products by contacting Dixon's Airplay Paragliding through their

aiichi Kosho is pleased to announce the formal appointment of Paraborne Aviation as its sole distributor for motorized paraglider products in the United States. Paraborne has been successfully filling this role for many months, and most all dealers surveyed seem more than satisfied with its service. Previous sales policies remain in force, with Paraborne usually offering stock from its U.S. warehouses at FOB Tokyo prices. Paraborne offers a new three-gallon tank for a variety of uses. The rectangular, translucent white (see-through) polycell has rounded corners and edges and a practical, low-CG shape for onboard mounting. The long carry grip is flushmounted on the top to allow a low profile and is also contoured to double as a strap-down point. The tank comes with a complete fuel withdrawal pickup line with a coarse screen on the end. The line terminates at the main cap in a 90° elbow, threaded for a standard fuel line barb (nipple). The main cap also holds down a dualuse funnel in the tank. The funnel may be pulled out slightly to receive fuel more easily or it can be totally inverted to double as a pour spout. A separate vent cap is also dual-purpose. The cap is designed to allow the user to bore a custom-size hole through it easily, for accepting a fuel-return (overflow) line. Total tank capacity is over 3.25 gallons, and the complete package with accessories weighs in at only two pounds. Tank dimensions are 14.5" long by 8.5" wide by 10" high. Add one inch to height for cap clearance. The custom tank assembly retails for $39, including S&H. Paraborne, located in Kissimmee (Orlando), Florida, is operated by Scott Alan, proprietor. Contact: (407) 935-9912 (phone/fax), info@paraborne.com, www.paraborne.com.

ALPINE MARINE UPDATE istribution of the FreeX line of paragliders is being restructured to support growth of the FreeX network. Importation of the company's products will be handled by West Coast Paragliding. This will allow Alpine Marine to focus on local needs and concentrate on their distribution efforts in the Northwest. Contact: Alpine Marine, Christian Mulack (425) 432-8900.

NEW INSTRUCTORS IN UTAH

tah has recently acquired two new instructors. Mary Anne Karren, number-one ranked woman in the U.S. and Advanced-rated T3 Instructor, recently moved to Salt Lake City from Cashmere, Washington where she worked with Dixon's Airplay Paragliding. Dale Covington, Master-rated T3 Instructor with seven years of teaching experience, moved to the Salt Lake area last fall from Missoula, Montana and will continue to operate his school, Big Sky Paragliding. Both pilots are enthusiastic about contributing to the solid instructor base in the Salt Lake City area. Contact: bigskypara@aol.com.

NEW PARAGLIDING VIDEO

n a new video, "Le Triangle," champion paraglider pilot Pierre Bouilloux recreates his world triangle record in the Alps. Pierre has broken his original record twice since the film was released. The award-winning video features spectacular scenery, cross-country flying tips and humor. It is narrated in-flight by Pierre. The video is 100% paragliding and runs for 30 minutes. The price is $34.95 plus $4 shipping/handling from Paul Hamilton, Adventure Productions, 4750 Townsite Road, Reno, NV 89511 (702) 849-9672 (phone/fax), www.adventurep.com.

PARAGLIDING

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BEGINNER RATINGS Region l ALLEN, CHRIS: Mosier, OR; R. Higgins/Sunsports AMEND, MATTHEW: Seattle, WA; L. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School CHESNUT, TOM: Springfield, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG DIAZ, MICHAEL: Portland, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG EADES, CHRIS: Marcola, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG FRIZZELL, AARON: Clarkston, WA; F.S. Johnson/US Airborne GRADDON, GAIL: Beaverton, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG HORINE, LISA: Seattle, WA; M. Eberle/North American PG HUGHES, BILL: Beaverton, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon HULL, JOHN: Salem, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon HUSE, TIM: Issaquah, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG JONES, JEFFERY: Saettle, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG KNIPERS, CAROL: Woodinville, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG KNIPERS, RON: Woodinville, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG LEIMBACH, LEONARD: Olympia, WA; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG LESTER, TROY: Portland, OR; S. Rori/Observer LUDWIG, MAREN: Lake Oswego, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon MCALLISTER, PETER: Aloha, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon MIKUS, JEFFREY: Tukwila, WA; M. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School NOBLE, FRED: Portland, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG OLSON, CHARLES: Renton, WA; L. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School REUTTER, HANS: Kirkland, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG RUMBLE, JOE: Monitor, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG SANZONE, MARK: Hollsboro, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG SEGHERS, JOHN: Woodinville, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG SHORB, IANCE: Portland, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon TAYLOR, TODD: Clackamas, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG TIBBETTS, JEFFI: Seattle, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG ZIETZ, JERRY: Banks, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon Region2 BISHOP, ROSS: Sunnyvale, CA; J. Laos/Glidell EAGLE, JODY: Reno, NV; R. Leonard/Adventure Sports GLAJCHEN, DEON: San Jose, CA; K. Schluter/Altus Parasports GRAYSON, BOB: San Luis Obispo, CA; K. Wong/Big Air PG HADIAND, NICK: Santa Clara, CA; J. Laos/Glidell KENNA, LEE: Atherton, CA; J. Lucas/Glidell

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

1998

KUGELMAS, TANYA: San Francisco, CA; H. Rejmanek/Wesrcoast PG LUCAS, JOELLE: Palo Alto, CA;]. Lucas/Glidell MC GURRIN, MATT: Cambria, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky PG MC KENNA, JOEY: Reno, NV; R. Leonard/Adventure Sports MOLHO, JOSH: Stanford, CA; J. Lucas/Glidell MORFORD, GEORGE: Walnut Creek, CA; W. Anderson/Chandelle NARAYANASWAMY, SHANKAR: Sunnyvale, CA; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG SCHOENE, HERBERT: Sunnyvale, CA; K. Schluyer/Altus Parasports SHOULDERS, STEVEN: Bodega, CA; A. Whitehill/Chandelle SINGH, BALRAJ: Fremont, CA; J. Laos/Glidell SINGH, RAMANPREET: Fremont, CA; J. Laos/Glidell SMITH, DAVID: San Luis Obispo, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky STAUMAN, JON: Forest Knolls, CA; G. Sternik/Skytimes PG WOOD, HELEN: Belmont, CA; J. Lucas/Glidell Region3 BLACK, GREGORY: Honolulu, HI; J. Hagemann/PG Hawaii DRUMMOND, VAL: El Cajon, CA; L. Love/UP San Diego GODDARD, MATTHEW: Ventura, CA; S. McGarva/Sky'n Out PG JONES, JOHNA: Costa Mesa, CA; L. Love/UP San Diego SENN, ANDRI: Honolulu, HI; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG STAVRINIDIS, SOPHIE: Marina Del Rey, CA; M. DeBarros/Armosphere PG Region4 ALTHOFF, KEN: Mesa, AZ; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG FINLEY, ELLIOT: Huntington, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG JONES, JESSICA: Vail, CO; G. KelleyNail Valley PG KRUEGER, JON: Breckenridge, CO; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG PINKNEY, DONN: Telluride, CO; S. MacLowry/PG Telluride PRICE, BRIAN: Littleton, CO; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG RATLIFT, MIKE: Conifer, CO; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG RIGGINS, TOM: Breckenridge, CO; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG SEFFS, BLAINE: Hilaale, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG STAPLES, PETER: Aspen, CO; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG TRUSS, TOM: Sandy, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG WILSON, MAHLON: Los Alamos, NM; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG Region 5 ALFANO, RANDY: Teton Village, WY; S. Harris LEDYARD, JOHN: Missoula, MT; T. Arnot/Airworks PG MAYES, BRETT: Meridian, ID; M. Bell/Discover Flight MCCARTHY, KEVIN: Missoula, MT; T. Arnot/Airworks PG WILCOX, JIM: Jackson, WY; T. Bartlett/Peak PG WILCOX, ROSS: Jackson, WY; T. Bartlett/Peak PG Region 7 ZBACNIK, TED: Traverse City, MI; B. Fifer/Traverse City HG PG Region 8 BROWN, STEVEN: Raymond, NH; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP HARTMAN, MIKE: Walrharn, MA; R. Sharp/Parafly HERNANDEZ, ANDRES: Allston, MA;]. Nicolay/Morningside FP LAURENZANO, JAMES: Longmeadow, MA; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP MILLER, NIECE: Beverly, MA; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP ROWELL, SIMON: North Uxbridge, MA; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP RYAN, JEFFREY: Vernon, CT;]. Nicolay/Morningside FP SHARAPOV, SERGEI: Pittsfield, MA; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG SOCQUET, ALEX: Plantsville, CT;]. Nicolay/Morningside FP

Region 9 MARLEY, STEPHEN: Silver Springs, MD; F.S. Johnson/US Airborne MIZRAHI, INNA: Hagertown, PA; R. Liggett/Eastcoast PG WICK, JOE: Long Green, MD; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG WILLEY, THOMAS: Norfolk, VA; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG Region 10 BRUNING N, CHRIS11AN: Greensboro, NC; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG CAVENESS, ROBERT: Clemmons, NC; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG NOVAK, ALEXANDER: Alpharetta, GA; K. Biernacki/Upper Limits PLESSER, RONEN: Chapel Hill, NC; A. Palmaz/Aspen PG TUCKER, THOMAS: Wilmington, NC; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG Region 11 BECK, JANET: Houston, TX; K. Mayforch/Paradox BRYAN, MARK: Amarillo, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG CLARK, RON: Austin, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG HENRY, JAMES: Breckenridge, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG MASON, CRAIG: Austin, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG MATTHEWS, STEVE: Houston, TX; K. Mayforch/Paradox MONTES, SAUL: Austin, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG O'HALLORAN, PARKER: Austin, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG OGLE, MICHELLE: Austin, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG ORDONEZ, GON?ALO: Austin, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG Region 12 BIERNACKI, STANISLAW: Elmhurst, NY; P. Voight/Fly High HG BURNSIDE, LUKE: Cottekill, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG DANIELS, WAYNE: New York, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG KASPRZYCKI, IGNACY: Woodside, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG KERR, KAREN: New York, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG MALINOWSKI, JACEK: White Plains, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG SHEl-<TER, DANIEL: New York, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG VIVERO, PABLO: Alfred, NY; P. Voight/Fly High HG WEEKS, CHRISTOPHER: Mountainside, NJ; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG Region 13 GIBSON, SHANE: S Africa; C. Santacroce/Sun Valley PG JOLUFFE, GARY: England; H. Rejmanek/Westcoast PG MATSUDA, TOSHIKO: Japan; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG SORENSON, PAUL: Australia; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG

NOVICE RATINGS Region l ALLEN, CHRIS: Mosier, OR; R. Higgins/Sunsporcs BATES, BRUCE: Ft Wainwright, AK; B. Hamler/Golden Eagle PG BROWN, KAREN: Selah, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG FOLLIARD, JOHN: Eugene, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG FREITAG, LESLIE: Winthrop, WA; S. Rori/Observer FRIZZELL, AARON: Clarkston, WA; F.S. Johnson/US Airborne HARRYMAN, STAN: Gresham, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG HEATHMAN, TOM: Asotin, WA; F.S. Johnson/US Airborne HORINE, LISA: Seattle, WA; M. Eberle/North American PG HUGHES, BILL: Beaverton, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon HULL, JOHN: Salem, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon JONES, JEFFERY: Saetde, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG KNIPERS, CAROL: Woodinville, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG KNIPERS, RON: Woodinville, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG LUCERO, RICHARD: Forest Grove, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG

LUDWIG, MAREN: Lake Oswego, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon MC ALLISTER, PETER: Aloha, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon MONTAGUE, CORT: Seattle, WA; L. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School NASSAR, KHALIL: Seattle, WA; L. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School NOBLE, FRED: Portland, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG REUTTER, HANS: Kirkland, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG RUMBLE, JOE: Monitor, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG SEGHERS, JOHN: Woodinville, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG SHORB, LANCE: Portland, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon TAYLOR, TODD: Clackamas, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PG ZIETZ, JERRY: Banks, OR; D. Raybourn/HG PG School of Oregon Region2 BISHOP, ROSS: Sunnyvale, CA;J. Laos/Glidell BROWNELL, TODD: Tahoe City, CA; S. Jalicoeur/Adventure Addicts DUNHAM, JOHN: Reno, NV; R. Leonard/Adventure Sports GLAJCHEN, DEON: San Jose, CA; K. Schluter/Altus Parasports HAAN, CINDY: San Francisco, CA; A. Whitehill/Chandelle HERBOLD, THERESA: Roseville, CA; P. Hirst/Westcoast PG KALANICK, RON: Union City, CA; R. Leonard/Adventure Sports LUCAS, JOELLE: Palo Alto, CA;]. Lucas/Glidell MOLHO, JOSH: Stanford, CA;]. Lucas/Glidell MORSE, HOWARD: Arroyo Grande, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky NARAYANASWAMY, SHANKAR: Sunnyvale, CA; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG SANCHEZ, ARNEL: Daly City, CA;]. VanMeter/Westcoast PG SCHOENE, HERBERT: Sunnyvale, CA; K. Schluter/Altus Parasports SMITH, DAVID: San Luis Obispo, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky STAUMAN,JON: Forest Knolls, CA; G. Sternik/Skytimes PG WASSENAAR, DIRK: San Francisco, CA;]. VanMeter/Westcoast PG Region3 DOWDALL, MICHAEL: San Diego, CA; K. Baier/Airjunkies DRUMMOND, VAL: El Cajon, CA; L. Love/UP San Diego FULTON, JEROME: Huntington Bch, CA; S. Hassell/Airtek San Deigo GODDARD, MATTHEW: Ventura, CA; S. McGarva/Sky'n Out PG JACOBSON, DANE: Goleta, CA; T. Truax/Sky Sports JAN CIC, CHARLIE: Escondido, CA; F. Lawley/Accelerated Flight Systems JONES, JOHNA: Costa Mesa, CA; L. Love/UP San Diego MEETER,JONATHAN: LaJolla, CA; S. Hassell/AirtekSan Diego SCHOT, GLENN: Hanalei, HI; P. Hirst/Westcoast PG SENN, ANDRI: Honolulu, HI; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG SUHR, SAM: San Diego, CA; K. Baier/Airjunkies VIKTORA, RIMAS: Redondo Beach, CA; S. Hassell/Aircek San Diego Region4 ALTHOFF, KEN: Mesa, AZ; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG FINLEY, ELLIOT: Huntington, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG FITZGERALD, MAITHEW: Vail, CO; K. HustedNail Valley PG HILEMAN, EDWARD: Tucson, AZ; J. Ala/Alazzurra KNIGHT, JOHN: Albuquerque, NM; W. Smith/Mountain Flyers PG KRUEGER, JON: Breckenridge, CO; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG MARSH, VICKI: Payson, AZ; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG MICHAELIS, NEAL: Telluride, CO; S. MacLowry/PG Telluride MORITZ, BRIAN: Crested Butte, CO; D. Hase/Pterodactyl PG PINKNEY, DONN: Telluride, CO; S. MacLowry/PG Telluride PRICE, BRIAN: Littleton, CO; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG RATLIFT, MIKE: Conifer, CO; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG RIGGINS, TOM: Breckenridge, CO; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG SEFFS, BLAINE: Hilaale, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG

PARAGLIDING

STAPLES, PETER: Aspen, CO; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG TRUSS, TOM: Sandy, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG WILSON, MAHLON: Los Alamos, NM; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG Region 5 ALFANO, RANDY: Teton Village, WY; S. Harris GERHARD, KEN: Missoula, MT; T. Arnot/Airworks PG MCCARTHY, KEVIN: Missoula, MT; T. Arnot/Airworks PG SAVER, DONALD: Ketchum, ID; M. Bell/Discover Flight TUBBS, STEVE: Helena, MT; D. Covington/Big Sky PG WILCOX, JIM: Jackson, WY; T. Bartlett/Peak PG WILCOX, ROSS: Jackson, WY; T. Bartlett/Peak PG Region 8 CHEVALIER, ROBERT: South Kent, CT; R. Liggett/Eastcoast PG HARTMAN, MIKE: Waltham, MA; R. Sharp/Parafly HERNANDEZ, ANDRES: Allston, MA; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP LAURENZANO, JAMES: Longmeadow, MA; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP MILLER, NIECE: Beverly, MA; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP OGILVY, COOKIE: Greenwich, CT; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG SHARAPOV, SERGEI: Pittsfield, MA; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG Region9 HAYS, BRETT: Dover, DE; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG LACK, JOHN: Erie, PA; B. Fifer/Traverse City HG PG MIZRAHI, INNA: Hagertown, PA; R. Liggett/Eastcoast PG WICK, JOE: Long Green, MD; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG Region 10 BROZO, GREGG: Charlotte, NC; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG FEDERZONI, EDMILSON: Winter Park, FL; J. Casaudoumecq/Aerolight USA GURLEY, WILLIAM: Cary, NC; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG HINKE, JR, OLAV: Miami, FL; M. deJong/Mescalito PG LAWLER, WENDY: Durham, NC; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG PINO, RAMONA: Miami, FL; J. Casaudoumecq/Aerolight USA SISLER, TOM: Durham, NC; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG TUCKER, THOMAS: Wilmington, NC; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG Region 11 BECK, JANET: Houston, TX; K. Mayforth/Paradox MATTHEWS, STEVE: Houston, TX; K. Mayforth/Paradox Region 12 BIERNACKI, STANISLAW: Elmhurst, NY; P. Voight/Fly High HG BURNSIDE, LUKE: Cottekill, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG DANIELS, WAYNE: New York, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG KASPRZYCKI, IGNACY: Woodside, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG KERR, KAREN: New York, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG LANDAU, JASON: Englewood, NJ; R. Liggett/Eastcoast PG MALINOWSKI, JACEK: White Plains, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG SHEFTER, DANIEL: New York, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG VIVERO, PABLO: Alfred, NY; P. Voight/Fly High HG WEEKS, CHRISTOPHER: Mountainside, NJ; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG

INTERMEDIATE RATINGS Region 1 JACOBSON, ROSS: Mukilieo, WA; M. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School MCCORMICK, THOMAS: Kent, WA; M. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School WHITE, T: Hood River, OR; R. Higgins/Sunsports Region2 HAAN, CINDY: San Francisco, CA; A. Whitehill/Chandelle HAAN, RON: San Francisco, CA; A. Whitehill/Chandelle KUMAZAWA, HIDETAKE: Santa Clara, CA; J. Lucas/Glidell LOCHMAN, JEAN-PIERRE: Sausalito, CA; J. Lucas/Glidell MORSE, HOWARD: Arroyo Grande, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky PELANT, FRANK: Bakersfield, CA; D. Jebb/UP San Diego WEAVER III, KENT: Redding, CA; R. Ost/Blackwing PG Region3 BISCHOF, DAVE: Van Nuys, CA; D. Jebb/UP San Diego COCKBURN, CHRISTOPHER: Temecula, CA; D. Jebb/UP San Deigo DARWIN, CHARLES: San Diego, CA; D. Jebb/UP San Diego DAVIS, BILLY: Kailua, HI; JGoldberg-Hiller/Observer HILL, MARC: Honolulu, HI; JGoldberg-Hiller/Observer HOFFMAN, DOUGLAS: Kailua, HI; JGoldberg-Hiller/Observer JEONG, SUNG HEON: San Bernardino, CA; D. Jebb/UP San Diego PLISKA, CHRIS: Honolulu, HI; JGoldberg-Hiller/Observer SCHNACKE, GARY: Ewa Beach, HI; JGoldberg-Hiller/Observer SCHOYEN, ROLF: Goleta, CA; T. Truax/Sky Sports SYLVAIN, FISSE: San Diego, CA; D. Jebb/UP San Diego WENIGER, DANA: Santa Barbara, CA; JGoldberg-Hiller/Observer Region4 DELMISSIER, PETER: Sandy, UT; K.Hudonjorgensen/Two Can Fly GAL, GONEN: Phoenix, AZ; A. Bendavid/Pelican Soaring Center MARION, SCOTTY: Sandy, UT; R. Leonard/Adventure Sports PANARISI, CRAIG: Sandy, UT; D. Jebb/UP San Diego PETTIT, JOSEPH: Boulder, CO; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG SMITH, BRAD: Salt Lake Ciry, UT; K.Hudonjorgensen/Two Can Fly WEINSTEIN, JOSH: Ophir, CO; T. Switzer/Skytimes PG Region5 SMITH, TED: Teton Village, WY; R. Kocurek/Observer Region8 WIEDENHEFT, DON: Moultonboro, NH; R. Sharp/Parafly PG Region 11 MIIKKULAINEN, RISTO: Austin, TX; J. Hodges/Observer Region 12 MACIAG, DARIUSZ: Brooklyn, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG MALINOWSKI, JACEK: White Plains, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG ROMAINE, JR, HENRY: New York, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG VIVERO, PABLO: Alfred, NY; P. Voight/Fly High HG

Region 13 JOLUFFE, GARY: England; H. Rejmanek/Westcoast PG ROCKMANN, ANNE: Germany; G. Banks/Patasoft SORENSON, PAUL: Australia; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

1998

1997 TOP 30 SCHOOL/CLUB LEADERS IN BEGINNER (PARA 1) RATINGS ISSUED

RANK 1 2

ADVANCED RATINGS Region l SMITH, MICHAEL: Issaquah, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG Region 2 CHANG, MARINA: Los Osos, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky PG KUENSTER, TIM: Santa Clara, CA; A. Whiiehill/Chandelle LADES, MARTIN: Livermore, CA; J. Lucas/Glidell LARSEN, ALLEN: Saratoga Vig, CA; J. Lucas/Glidell LOCHMAN, JEAN-PIERRE: Sausalito, CA; J. Lucas/Glidell NEPHEW, JILL: Sebastopol, CA; P. Hirst/Westcoast PG PUTNAM, DAVID: Arroyo Grande, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky PG Region 3 DE BARROS, MAGNO: Westminster, CA; J. Gluzinski/ Air America PG SCHILKE, TIM: Ventura, CA; R. Liggett/Superfly PG WENIGER, MARC: Santa Barbara, CA; JGoldberg-Hiller/Observer Region4 CRISTOL, JEFF: Telluride, CO; T. Switzer/Skytimes PG PACHECO, JR, RICHARD: Boulder, CO; G. Banks/Parasofi: ROBINSON, ROSS: Albuquerque, NM; K. Mayforth/Paradox RYAN, DONALD: Sandy, UT; T. Switzer/Skytimes PG SMITH, WILLIAM: Rio Rancho, NM; G. Kelley/Vail Valley PG Region 9 OKADA, SEijl: Vienna, VA; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG

3 3 3 6 7

8 8 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23

Region 10 SCHALLER FRANCO, PAUL: Miami, FL; J. Yates/Pro Design

1997 TOP 30 SCHOOL/CLUB LEADERS IN NOVICE (PARA 2) RATINGS ISSUED

Region 13 KARAM, JUAN: Mexico; P. Somerset/AT Sports

RANK

REICH, JAMES: Canada; P. Hirst/Westcoast PG WHEATON, BRUCE: Canada; P. Hirst/Westcoast PG

MASTER RATINGS Region l ROTI, STEVE: Portland, OR;

TANDEM ONE RATINGS CORY STEVENS DONALD RYAN WILLIAM SMITH SEIJIOKADA CHALONER HALE

TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATINGS BOB OSBORN DONALD RYAN

SCHOOL. ..................................................... BEGINNER Dixon's Airplay Paragliding ............................................. 12 Eastcoast Paragliding ........................................................ 11 Glidell.. .............................................................................. 8 Hill Country Paragliding ................................................... 8 Over The Hill Paragliding.................................................. 8 Morningside Flight Park .................................................... ? HG/PG School or Oregon ................................................. 6 Cloud 9 Paragliding ........................................................... 5 Southern Skies Paragliding ................................................. 5 Chirico's Fright School ...................................................... 3 Fly Away Paragliding ......................................................... 3 Adventure Sports ............................................................... 2 Airworks Paragliding .......................................................... 2 Altus Parasports ................................................................. 2 Chandelle ........................................................................... 2 Fly High Hang Gliding ...................................................... 2 Paradox .............................................................................. 2 Peak Paragliding ................................................................. 2 Surf The Sky Paragliding ................................................... 2 UP San Diego .................................................................... 2 US Airborne ....................................................................... 2 Westcoast Paragliding ........................................................ 2 Aspen Paragliding .............................................................. 1 Atmosphere Paragliding ..................................................... 1 Big Air Paragliding ............................................................. I Discover Flight .................................................................. 1 North American Paragliding .............................................. 1 Parafly ................................................................................ 1 Paraglide Telluride ............................................................. 1 Paraglide Hawaii ................................................................ 1 Sky'n Out Paragliding ........................................................ I Skytimes Paragliding .......................................................... 1 Sun ValleyParagliding ....................................................... 1 Suns ports ........................................................................... 1 Traverse Ciry HG & PG .................................................... 1 UpferLimits ..................................................................... 1 Vai Valley Paragliding ....................................................... 1

4 4

6 6 8 8 8 11 11

11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 25

SCHOOL .......................................................... NOVICE Eastcoast Paragliding ........................................................ 13 Dixon's Airplay Paragliding ............................................. 12 Southern Skies Paragliding ................................................. ? Cloud 9 Paragliding ........................................................... 6 HG/PG School or Oregon ................................................. 6 Over The Hill Paragliding .................................................. 5 Westcoast Paragliding ........................................................ 5 Airtek San Diego ................................................................ 3 Glidell ................................................................................ 3 Morningside Flight Park .................................................... 3 Adventure Sports ............................................................... 2 Aerolight USA ................................................................... 2 Airj unkies ........................................................................... 2 Airworks Paragliding .......................................................... 2 Altus Paras ports ................................................................. 2 Chirico's Flight School... .................................................... 2 Fly Away Paragliding ......................................................... 2 Fly High Hang Gliding ...................................................... 2 Paradox .............................................................................. 2 Paraglide Telluride ............................................................. 2 Peak Paragliding ................................................................. 2 Surf The Sky ...................................................................... 2 UP San Diego .................................................................... 2 US Airborne ....................................................................... 2 18 schools tied with .......................................................... 1

Rankings were compiled from ratings published in the January/February 1998 issue ofParagliding magazine.

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by Paul Lundquist

Paragliding

Or, Yes, There are Thermals i: Sunday, June 15, 1997, Spring Hill tow site.

It was almost 2:00 pm and by the looks of things we should have been there a couple of hours earlier. The morning had starred out looking like ir would be too windy; but conditions mellowed to southwest at zero to 10 on the tow road. Radio communication with hang glider pilots already in the air over the Cosmos tow site, 45 miles to the south, confirmed the good conditions. Only paraglider pilots Dick Merz and Tim Dieterichs were there. Noticeably absent were the Six:tas, an

entire family of paraglider pilots from the area. After tying a fresh weak link to the tow rope and hooking up my release, I rowed up. At 1,200' AGL and towing through a thermal I yanked the row release and rook it up to cloud base at over 7,000' AGL, all the time drifring to the northeast several miles. With !ors of good cumies downwind, I got pointy and headed our. Eight miles or so and about 4,200' lower I arrived just outside Albany, Minnesota, under a cloud. All I

could find was light, broken lift that would keep me at about 3,800' AGL. The next rwo and a half hours were spent scratching along under 3,800' AGL, constantly going round and round, drifting over rhe farm towns of Holdingford and Bowlus with greatlooking thermal generators - plowed fields, cut alfalfa fields and gravel pits - all over. The consistent lift kept me busy, bur never paid off with a ride back ro cloud base. Approaching the Mississippi River and down to 1,800' AGL, I was in communication

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of the cross-country flights in the U.S. take place in the western states, but in the last few years there have been more reports of distance flights in the midwestern and eastern states. Here is Paul Lundquist's story of a 53-miler in Minnesota, currently the longest reported straight-line distance flight east of the Rockies. Paul launched at the Spring Hill tow site (despite the name, there are no hills in the area) and flew over the town of Little Falls, the home of pioneer aviator Charles Lindbergh.

71/,

Minnesota with chase driver Tim, telling him that I might be landing shortly. Just then I spotted a small dust devil behind a tractor only a quarter mile downwind of me. Diving downwind of the tractor left me with little altitude, but I found the core and it took me up to the coldness of cloud base about 6,800' AGL. Exploring the lift, I found that I could boat around downwind even with the absence of cumies most of the way north to Little Falls, Minnesota, the home of pioneer aviator Charles Lindbergh. Talking with Tim about my location, he said that he would be able to catch up to me in half an

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1998

RIGHT just after tow release, thermaling up to cloud base. Photo by Paul Lundquist.

RIGHT Tim Dieterichs and Paul Lundquist with pay-out winch in back oftruck. Photo by Julie Bennett.

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hour. Shifting my heading a little more eastward to avoid Highway 10 and the airplanes following it, I continued to find good lateafternoon wide areas of glassy lift to cloud base height even though the cumies weren't forming anymore, just humid domes now. Soon my chase was below me with sodas and food. After a long afternoon with no lunch or liquids, these luxuries won me over. Clicking into final glide mode from about 5,500' AGL was a relief, and I indulged in hands-off flying and picture taking. I had a beautiful view of huge Lake Mille Lacs to the east and Brainerd, Minnesota, with its chain of lakes to the north, all the while flying through wide glass-off type thermals. I landed at 5:35 pm next to the chase vehicle and an open soda - it doesn't get any better. Ill Flight Statistics Date: June 15, 1997 Launch Site: Spring Hill tow site, Minnesota Landing Zone: Northeast of Little Falls, Minnesota Distance: 53 miles, 85.3 km Duration: 3 hrs. 30 min. Aircraft: Edel Saber

here have been other good cross-country flights in Min;nesota this year. For example, I made a three-hour · . flight just days after the snow melted in early April, with muddy fields, ·ke still on the lakes, no wind, and the sky packedwithA,000' AGL cotton balls. I flew about 23 miles and landed.a half hour before sunset; The 53-mile flight was my second on a Saber; the first flight was tWO weeks earlierlate in the afternoon. I released off tow and found one to over 7,100' AGL. Drifting due north brought me under a cirrus. cloud deck blocking out the sun. Slowly going down with occasional light lift still got me about 23 miles, landing by alakesider¢Staurant at about 5:45 pm. A 27.5-miler in early August involved thermaling in early afternoon lift with a pelican and butterflies, up and out over Lake Koronis which afforded a spectacular view of its three islands. I landed only to start heading back home, with good lift still happening. Once again I landed next to the chase vehicle with my fiancee Julie Bennett riding shotgun. Later that same afternoon from the same tow site, newly-rated novice pilot Tim Sixta took his Edel Atlas to over 5,000' AGL and went 25 miles in late afternoon lift. This was his first cross-country flight ever. Towing paragliders and cross-country flying is just getting started in Minnesota. I've only heard of a tip collapse or tWo,

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1998

never. e:iq1erienced <;me myself. This is user-friendly air - lift usually l 50~:I50 fpm, not much more. The people you meet here are honest, frien:dly folks who seem interested in paragliding. Ifyou 4uid ne,xt to a farm house you won't get away until you're full of coffee and food and have been given a handshake. April through October is our soaring season. Mid-summer months, lfhot andht1mid, may not yield great flights. Very high tows in winter help us get through those periods, and a winter thermal is not unheard 0£ Towing up on the frozen Mississippi and dropping back on river bluffs to ridge soar with bald eagles is a delight in January through early March. Paragliders and hang gliders even get along here in Minnesota. Hang gliders going well over 100 miles this spring give promise that maybe a paraglider will break the 100-mile mark in the .Midwest one day. See you in Minnesota!

Paul Lundquist began flying home-made hang gliders made by his neighbor Mike Schildt in 1970, when he was a 14-year-old growing up in Minnesota. Since then he has lived and flown in Wyoming, Utah and California. Larry Tudor introduced him to paragliding in Santa Barbara during early 1990. On Paul's most recent cross-country flight, a 34-miler on September 6, he landed at the site ofthe largest ball ofstring in the world (weight: seven tonsO.

During one week in Lakeview, Oregon, Rick Higgins made 12 flights, spent almost 19 hours in the air, got up to 15,049' MSL, and flew a total o/252.4 miles cross-country. On June 29, 1997, he was able to fly 14. 8 miles north ftom Lakeview for a new Oregon state paragliding distance record On July 4, he flew 75. 4 miles and broke the record again.

he Eighth Annual Lakeview Fourth ofJuly Hang Gliding (and now Paragliding) Festival of Footlaunched Flight Fun Family Fly-In saw 139 pilots enter to vie for $3,200 in prizes donated by Lake and Modoc County merchants. This was double rhe 1996 purse, due to the Lake County Fly-In Committee's decision to attract an equal number ofUSHGA paragliding pilots. I decided to head down to Lakeview and participate in the Fly-In. This is the story of my flight on July 4, 1997. The day started out about the same as the rest of the week - a few clouds and a south winds-aloft forecast. My girlfriend Mel and I drove up to the top of Black Cap (elevation 6,420' MSL), which overlooks the town of Lakeview. There were about 20 hang glider pilots getting ready at launch. We watched rhree paragliders get up and fly off to the north. I waited until 1:30 pm to launch, to make sure the lift would be strong enough to stay up. I couldn't really get above launch, so I headed out front and to the north to either land or find a good thermal. I crossed over Hammersley Canyon and was getting lower rhan I wanted to be. I headed to where I had found a thermal on an earlier flight. It was there, but not very good.

I stayed with it and slowly made my way to the top of the mountain behind me. About 200' above the top of the mountain, my nice weak thermal decided to turn into a dust devil, without the dust. I looked up to watch as my Apco Futura 32 twisted into a wad of fabric. I was thinking that maybe it wasn't a good day to be in the air and I considered grabbing rhat orange handle on my harness and throwing out some more fabric, since I didn't seem to have very much above me at the time. I was dropping, but still had enough height, since I had drifted behind the mountain. I had flown over this peak twice before and had worked thermals rising from it with no problem. About two seconds later my wing reinflated and looked more like the aircraft that I had grown to know and love. The Futura is a very nice wing. With no input

it reinflated and went back to normal flying, and I flew off to the norrh looking for a more user-friendly thermal. Crossing over Highway 140 I was getting low so I flew toward a big pile of gravel that had produced lift on previous flights. I was about 200' AGL when I got there and thought that I might be landing. Mel thought so too; she had the tailgate up and was making room to load my gear. Fortunately I found a weak thermal and stayed with it and slowly got up to 10,000'. I have found that the difference between a long cross-country flight and a short one is being able to work very light lift until it gets better or you can find something else. Now it was time to get some miles. On glide toward Tagues Butte I saw a nice cloud street along Abert Rim, the 19-

P AR AG LID ING

mile-long west-facing escarpment above Lake Abert. I would follow the Rim only if I could get high enough, because during my flight on June 29 I almost sank out at the north end of Lake Abert. Unable to get more than 1,000' over the Rim this time, I decided to head west, away from the Rim and the lake. I found a nice, smooth thermal in the middle of the valley and took it past 12,000', then decided to head northwest for Coglan Butte. I got low on the way, but found some lift up to 14,000' rising from Coglan Butte. I radioed down to Mel that I wanted to head for Christmas Valley to the north. I checked the map that I had strapped onto my leg. She had the same map in the Jeep. It really helps to be looking at the same landmarks when going cross-country. I could see a dirt road going to the north. I

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1998

told Mel to drive on that dirt road below me, just in case I sank out. Luckily, Mel stopped in Paisley and asked the locals for information about the road. She radioed back up to me that it was a five- or six-hour drive because the road was rutted out. I checked the GPS and found that Christmas Valley was 36 miles away and Wagontire was 35 miles away. Highway 395 was visible about 15 miles to the east. I made a strategic decision and told Mel to go back to Valley Falls and drive north on Highway 395 toward Wagontire. She wasn't thrilled with the idea, bur at 14,000' you have the luxury of being able to change your flight plan. I worked lift and was on the speed bar on the way to Alkali Lake. At one point I was down to 8,000' and had lost radio contact with Mel. I ran into a nice thermal under a cloud and went happily back up to 14,000'. By now it was getting late in the day, almost 5:00 pm, and the clouds were starting to overdevelop. I kept going north and still had a south tailwind. At North Alkali Lake I was low again and found what was to be my last thermal of the day. I took it almost up to cloud base and turned north toward Alkali Lake Airfield. When I started to leave the thermal I looked down at my vario - it read 14,980'. I had never been to 15,000' before, so I went back to the thermal and made one more 360. The vario clicked over to 15,000'. Now it was time to glide. The GPS said that I was 13 miles from Wagontire. I was on full speed bar and trim heading north away from the clouds and toward a big, sunny area that I thought would have some better lift and extend my flight. As I got closer, however, I watched my ground speed drop. Having a GPS is useful for cross-country. What I thought were better conditions ahead was actually a different weather system and probably higher pressure. Now I was flying into a north wind and going down at 1,500 fpm. This was the same "Wagontire Wall" that I had flown into on June 29. When I landed around 6:00 pm it was blowing about 10 mph from the north. I landed just short ofWagontire and 0.6 miles past where I had been sucked to the ground five days earlier. I had been up for four hours and 30 minutes, and had flown 75.4 miles for another new Oregon distance record. I was glad to be down safely and Mel was happy

to see me. We walked to the Wagontire store to buy sodas. I later found out that I had flown farther than all the hang glider pilots that day. I left Lakeview with $600 in prize money. Thanks to Mel for driving, I couldn't have done it without her, and thanks to volunteer fly-in director Dave Baleria for a great event. The locals in Lakeview were wonderful. They really want pilots to come to town and fly the local sites. Lakeview has been a hang gliding mecca for years with many different launch sites in the area. The Oregon hang gliding distance record is 157.5 miles, set from the Black Cap launch in Lakeview. On July 5, the day after my flight to Wagontire, Mike Barber launched his hang glider at Black Cap and flew 152 miles north along the same route and landed past Burns, so longer paraglider flights will be had. The U.S. Hang Gliding National Championships were held in Lakeview this year. I believe that Lakeview would be an excellent location for the U.S. Paragliding Nationals in the future. Flight Statistics Date: July 4, 1997 Launch Site: Black Cap, Lakeview, Oregon Landing Zone: Just south ofWagontire on Highway 395 Distance: 75.4 miles, 121.4 km Duration: 4 hrs. 30 mins. Aircraft: Apco Futura 32

Rick Higgins is owner ofSunSports Paragliding in Hood River, Oregon and has been paraglidingfor three years with more than 800 flights and over 500 hours. He is an Advanced Instructor and a Tandem Instructor.•

Rick Higgins in Lakeview. Photo by Steve Roti.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT

il by Harry Kauffman

July 4 was good not only at Black Cap, but also at another flying site in the Lakeview area: Sugar Hill Cumulus clouds started forming about 1:00 pm and by 1:45 paragliders were getting to 13,000' MSL and crossing Fandango Pass on their way north. Seventy-one year-old Harry Kauffman, the senior paraglider pilot in Oregon, flew 23. 8 miles from Sugar Hill that day to set a new site record. arrived at Sugar Hill before midday on July 4, 1997 along with a flock of hang glider and paraglider pilots only to find it blowing easterly over the back. When the wind finally switched southwest and launchable cycles started coming up in the early afternoon, Gene Orth was first off but unfortunately he slowly sank out. While other pilots were waiting for stronger reversible cycles, John Jurrius and Steve Roti launched next and had to scratch around the westerly edge of the ridge before they slowly but surely got up. Seeing this indicated that it was time to get up and in the air now. With Bill Gordon, John Saltveit and Tim Pfeiffer all launching and others waiting their turn, I moved down to the unused lower part of the launch area. With stronger cycles I thought it was going to be easy to open the glider up, build a wall and launch. Wrong! Big sticks and line-grabbing roots foiled every attempt to pull it up. Fortunately, T. White came to my rescue by throwing out the wood and unhooking the lines. Wet with sweat, I finally got a dean inflation. Lift and thermals were good over most of the ridge and especially over launch and the Forest Service lookout. The other pilots were already getting high, in the 11,000' to 13,000' MSL range, judging by their radio comments. While still working up, they were heading north across the Fandango

Pass gap. With each turn I made in a thermal it was getting harder to visually locate the other pilots, especially when they were below the horizon. I wanted to stay and get higher, but at 12,500' I decided to leave before losing sight of them. Crossing the gap, there were ar@-as of lift that allowed me to maintain my altitude. Arriving quite .high on the north side of the gap, I tried to stay at the upper end of the ridges and draws coming up from the valley floor by turning in everything that felt like a thermal. Unfortunately, I was getting further behind the others and I would lose sight of them at times. At one point I spotted Steve, way out in front, getting low and gliding out toward the valley, when he suddenly hit a thermal a thousand feet or more below me and climbed to a thousand feet above me all in a matter of five or six turns. Being behind has some real advantages

since you can see the lift.as well as the.sink they are encountering. At another point I spotted Bill working a group of small draws and ridges that came together at a ridge line. From my viewpoindt looked like an ideal place to find lift and I kept expecting him to go up as he made multiple passes over the whole area, but nothing happened and I lost sight of him shortly after that. After seeing what happened to Bill, I held back and stayed in dose to another group of draws and ridges that combined in a bowl with light and smooth lift. I spent time there gaining enough altitude to see Lakeview and the sloping terrain south and east of town. It appeared to be mostly rolling sagebrush hillsides sloping up to the east and not a good thermalgenerating area. I needed more height or some lift-producing areas to the north in order to make it to Lakeview. I gained all the height I could and headed north at best glide, passing through small, sustaining areas of lift but nothing that was going up. Then, up al1ead I could see a rock quarry that contained an asphalt plant. With all the iron, rock stockpiles, quarry faces, and hopefully a fired-up rock drying drum, I figured I should be able to thermal up there and glide to Lakeview. I arrived low over what I was sure would be the downwind thermal area and found almost nothing - only one little bump. With power lines, the highway, houses on both sides and horses in the fields, safety dictated that I should glide out across the highway to a large open field with no animals in it. I landed after more than two hours of flying, packed up, and had started walking along the highway toward Lakeview when driver Cheryl Casey picked me up. The next day we went back and measured the flight at 23.8 miles with a GPS. It was the last flight on my now-retired Apco Supra 30, which has been a good glider for more than three years. Ill PARAGLIDING

Paragliding In

TheMethowValley Of North-Central Washington State -A Local Brags About Home by Bruce Tracy

"You 're from north-central Washington? You must fly Cheltin Butte all the time!" How often have I heard that f - - - - --

ome is Omak, 1.25 hours norch of che Butte, and che same driving distance east of the Mechow. On my precious days off to fly, why do I almost always head west racher chan souch to fly? To comprehend, read on. I'll be discussing some lovely, never-crowded, accessible paragliding sites one hour norchwest of che Butte. You'll have to hike to reach some of chem, but that just makes a flying day more worthwhile, don't you chink?

water, and if you plan to when visiting distant pltices and telling someone where I live. go X-C, do bring extra food and a tree-landing self-rescue kit. Be prepared At 8, 000 ' climbing toward 11,000 '.from the Big Craggy Lower for a substantial hike out if launch. Copper Glance Lake below. Photo by Bruce Tracy. you head sou ch to the Mechow Valley or soucheast toward Lost River and land short. If you head north you'll be in the Pasayten Wilderness, possibly for days, but at least you'll have been there first from chis mountain la unch. Good luck. Access: A half-mile west of Winchrop, drive norch on west Chewuch Rd., then rake a left on Eighrmile Creek Rd. Go BIG CRAGGY PEAK norch to Copper Glance -8,400' Lake rrailhead, 3,900'. The Imagine chis scenario. After a vigorous stares straight up from one mile below, landing zone (LZ) is a small meadow a hour's trail hike gaining 2,000 feet on the watching your indecision. Will you play quarter-mile souch of che rrailhead, and here until sated, or shall you find adventure sou ch slope of Big Craggy Peak, you opt nearly two miles south of launch. Watch for che 5,900' "lower" launch today. You in a cross-country flight souch or southyour drift, avoid che tall, sharp snags, and nestle your wing onto che Alpine garden of west? come in with "ears." If you overshoot a bit, Having experienced chis exact scenario wild flowers and grass. The improbablyche road gives you another 200- or 300stunning panorama from chis sloped mead- on consecutive visits to Big Craggy Peak, foor option. ow demands long, contemplative gazes, this site is one of my favorites. Seldom Are you not che hiking sort of pilot? while che sweat from your climb gently dis- flown, it rewards che hiker with at least a Don't worry, you can fly high in che glorious sledder well worch che effort. sipates in che zephyrs wafting invitingly up Mechow from your car, or nearly so. Here this Cascade Range mountain. Shortly Instead of launching at the meadow, one are some choices from a by-no-meansafter launch you fly a little east to enter a can continue up an open alpine ridge for inclusive list. mellow chermal, ascend well above the anocher 1.5 hours to a nice, gentle screeslope launch just above tree line at 7,900'. I upper launch at 7,900', chen play in the BOWAN MOUNTAIN - 3,700' cirque's broad and gentle lift. Now che haven't found che upper launch to confer First flown in 1988, chis is che main site splendor of these crags is surpassed by che much greater opportunities for a thermal for paragliding in the Twisp-Winthrop vistas chey can no longer hide: the white flight than the lower launch. Any X-Cs part of the Mechow Valley. This hill rises hulks of Glacier Peak and Mount Baker from Big Craggy entail passages over 1,500' above a lovely, open half-mile-wide amidst a sea of granite and glaciers. At expanses of sparsely roaded forest. valley adjacent to and just east of the 11 ,000' you now share cheir chill domain . Try to choose a light and variable wind Mechow River. The main slope faces due The azure eye of Copper Glance Lake day for this flight. Carry two quarts of

PARAGLIDING

Bruce Tracy completes a three-hour flight from lower Goat Peak by soaring Scramble Point, Lost River. Photo by Craig Peterson.

The Methow Valley looking south from Scramble Point. Goat Wall on the left. Bruce Tracy in the air. Photo by Craig Peterson.

west, atop which are two launch sites. Only 100' -300' from these are decent southeast slope and south ridge launches. A sled ride from any of these will usually get you to the fifth fairway of the Bear Creek golf course, or the mowed-grass LZ just before it. Power lines beneath your glide path can easily be avoided. Please respect the golfers, and of course don't land on or near the greens. Landing options abound up and down valley. From April through September, thermal flights to 10,500' may be had between noon and 5:00 pm. Commonly, cloud base is only 7000'-9000', but getting 3,000'5,000' over Bowan means you're in for a delectable little X-C. You may drift north about 20 km up the Chewuch River until the LZ's vanish into uniform forest, or (more technically challenging) head across the Chewuch and northwest up the main

valley toward Mazama at 20 km. Less often, a northwest prevailing wind lets you fly south and down-valley to Twisp and beyond. Mid to late summer yields glassoffs above the north slope but requires a 45 ° crosswind launch in often gusty 12-22 mph conditions. You'll blow launches until you master the hill's tricks under these conditions. (Hint: The southeast launch has yielded the most X-Cs. The house thermal under prevailing south conditions tracks just south and west of the southeast launch. So, right after launch, promptly veer west to slip over the ridge, then find the thermal which will give you a 2001,000 fpm good time.) Access: From the steel bridge over the Mechow River at the south end of Winthrop, go 1.6 miles south on the Twisp-Winthrop East River Road to the Bear Creek Road. Turn left and go east on

chis 1.5 miles to leave your shuttle vehicle just next to the fifth hole green, then another 0.3 miles to the gravel road indicating Cougar Lake, Campbell Lake, etc. Head 1.2 miles east on this road, passing below and then just south of Bowan, to reach a fork. Take the left fork and go 0.9 miles, veering north until you're at the top of the grade where you'll find an obvious small clearing on the right. Park there, then hike 550' up the gentle slope on your left (to the west) which brings you in 1525 minutes to the launches. Even if blown out, the short hike is well worth the panorama of the Twisp River-Sawtooth Range, beyond and far below which lies Lake Chelan. FLAGG MOUNTAIN - 3,600' This friendly site is 1,400' above, and only a 20-minute drive from Mazama. After nice afternoon/evening soaring, land in a 100+ acre open grassy LZ as close to the beer in the Mazama store as you wish. The views ofMts. Gardner and Silver Star, and the peaks leading toward Washington Pass will charm you. Sometimes, May to August thermals allow access to the Lost River Valley which begins two miles to the northwest below Goat Peak. This is a sweet P2 site, with P3+ interest in mid-summer thermal conditions. Enjoy nice glass-offs July through September. With a southwest breeze, soar north and back again along the southwest slope of Flagg which becomes the impressive, craggy Goat Wall three miles north of launch. The site works only with south, southwest, or southeast prevailing winds, or light and variable conditions. You'll love this launch. Access: From the Mazama Store go south 1.8 miles on the Lost River Road to the Goat Creek Road (a.k.a. Forest Service Rd. 52). Head up chis 2.7 miles to reach the left-bearing Goat Peak Lookout Road. (After you've gone just 0.5 miles on F.S. Rd. 52, look straight ahead to see the launch area above.) Take the Goat Pk. L.O. Rd. just 0.08 miles to find a very narrow, nearly hidden road on your left, just as the LO. Rd. hairpins right. Descend on this little road a few hundred feet, then veer right to climb up a 4WD grade, negotiating two tight hairpins until you reach the south-facing, obvious grassy meadow and slope on your left. Park at very top of this grade. continues ...

PARAGLIDING

A MID-SUMMER'S FLIGHT DREAM

The North Cascades by jay Carro!l!GorgeAir Every morning started at the Coffee Depot in Chelan, Washington. Here, at the round tables, foot~launch pilots converged to share the previous day's flight reports and discuss the new day over a cup ofJava. The "Depot" is like a morning newspaper of flight reports and knowledge; if anyone had a good flight in the area it was the headline topic of conversation. I was there during my mid-summer flight foray to chase a dream, to make a 100-mile "buddy flight" with my friend Mark "Speck'' Telep. Earlier in August I had sunk out on a few flights with Speck that ended up being 100+ milers for him. I felt that I was so close, but after sinking out, so far away. The sink-out sulk factor had hit; I was there but not in the long-distance groove. It takes more than big air to get somewhere; you have to be ready to commit to it. Hucking your physical and psychological self into a

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1998

flight with just your spirit to count on takes practice. So, after a week of flying Chelan and a jaunt to Golden, BC, I was feeling much more comfortable sitting back at the round table in the Depot. The Depot topic of the day was escaping the inverted air over the Butte and our great flying the day before in the mountains. Dave Verbois and Bruce Tracy had invited Steve Rod, Seward Whitfield and me to Tyee, a mountain site up the Entiat Valley southeast of Chelan Butte. We all had great thermal flights. I had a wonderful flight to the north and tapped into a nice distance flight back to the Lake and onto the Butte, only to sink out after crossing to the flats. The flats were definitely not happening and the buzz word at the Depot this morning was Methow. Our luck with the mountains the day before was all the motivation we needed to

drive more than two hours to Mazama where we were to meetPaul Galliger, Dave Best and Davis Straub who would show us the launch. We waited a while and gobbled down the fresh baguettes at the Mazama store, where I found a place-mat map and begged a quarter from John Saltveit. The map revealed the potential for a great flight into the north Cascades following Route 20, a route I knew as a climber. It was nearing 11:00 am and there was no radio contact, so we ventured up the road to the Goat Wall overlook. As we approached the overlook we spied a few streamer tapes through the trees. Here we found a shallow clearing in the trees that was most likely the launch. It was spooky so we left it to hopefully find something better. After looking at several sketchy areas we decided to launch on a open shoulder next to the old hang glider cliff launch. The cycles were very energetic, whisking up through the singing trees as Mark launched. Turning right to the cliff he immediately went up. I launched 20 minutes later with difficulty, turned right to the cliff face and climbed rapidly. The air was energetic and bumpy, with small bullets ris-

ing within the seemingly compressed thermal column. Mark flew more to the east while I stuck with my thermal which drifted rapidly up the spine to the northwest, leading to the main south bowl of Goat Peak. Here I banged into a layer at 7,500' that crushed my lift and crinkled my canopy. I prowled the area expecting the next blast to take me through. I was comforted by someone waving to me from the fire lookout below, while my wing began to quiver as the next cycle engulfed me. This cycle was a boomer, and I quickly climbed to 12,400' where a wispy cloud began to form. After a quick survey I was on glide to the sea of mountains to the west. My glide was great as I crossed the valley to Route 20 and Delancy Ridge. I radioed back to Speck that I was maintaining well above 10,500' and there was a light westerly drift that seemed to be shifting into a headwind at times. I surveyed the landscape for sparse LZ's and found my best options to be the alpine meadows above tree line and pullouts along Route 20 thousands of feet below. Lured by the spires of Silver Star Mountain and Liberty Bell I crossed over Route 20. I was on an aerial tour, snapping photos and feeling quite elated to be flying over great rock spires that I had once dreamed of climbing. Focusing on the rock faces of Silver Star I searched for lift. Sinking to within a few hundred feet of the summit I crossed over to the sunny lee side of the peak and "poof," was off to cloud base in a joyous spiral climb. My drift, however, was taking me away from the road and the early-winter spires. I then went on glide and encountered a slight headwind from the northwest, completely opposite from the northeast/southeast wind that I had encountered previously. Above Copper Pass I encountered great lift and was able to climb up to a great glide over

Liberty Bell and Blue Lake to cross over Route 20 to Whistler and Cutthroat Peaks. The majority of the cloud development was here, swirling about. I climbed to my high point of 13,400' at this point, near a confusing, convergence-like development of clouds going in every direction. The radio crackled to life and it was Speck. He had crossed and was following Delancy Ridge to the Needles and Granite Pass, and was wondering if Route 20 turned north. It did indeed, and I was stoked that he was in sight and converging with my flight path at Mt. Hardy and Methow Pass. The glide to the northwest was slow and I was losing a lot of altitude in sink as I worked my way up the ridge to Mt. Mebee and Mebee Pass. Here I came in below peak level along a rock slab. I felt my wing accelerate toward the end of the ridge that formed Mebee Pass. This acceleration was an indicator to get ready for action, and I pushed lightly on the speed bar as my wing rocked back and the vario went into a highpitched monotone, pegged. My wing felt as if it was not flying and there was very little wind in my ears. A Sky-a-saurus had me blasting up over 4,000 feet in less than two minutes with no turns! Speck squawked on the radio, "Whoa! Nice thermal, save me some. " I needed the altitude in order to glide over the next big gap to McKay Ridge and Rowley's Chasm where Route 20 turned back westward to the Ruby arm of Ross Lake. During d1e flight we had been monitoring the radio and all the fun the rest of the gang was having back at Mazama. John Saltveit and all of the hangs had great multihour flights, and we were able to coerce Larry Larson, a visiting Bay Area pilot, to chase us in my van. He was in disbelief as we encouraged him to keep driving up over the pass and down the other side. I was pounding into a headwind and

sinking to the end of McKay Ridge while encountering some nasty turbulence, and radioed to Speck that it was no fun where I was. He was also getting worked back by the Sky-a-saurus but then climbed up high and crossed the valley to the west, south of me to Beebe Mountain. I was now at Treetops Ridge soaring in glass-off-like conditions but barely maintaining. I punched across the road and Allan in the van to the north slopes of Mt. Beebe, above Ruby Creek and a possible LZ. I was scratching into a headwind, crabbing my way upslope, avoiding the lee. I looked up to see Speck flying 2,500' overhead and reporting a tailwind, but could see the air that I was beating into on the surface of Ross Lake ahead. He flew ahead while I was able to ridge soar up and out of there to the western slopes over Panther Creek. Allan, meanwhile, had moved forward to a larger pullout on the other side of the Panther Creek bridge at the end of the Ruby arm of Ross lake. I watched Speck and snapped a shot as he spiraled down to the lot and landed. I glided out over the LZ with plenty of altitude and spiraled down to a nice gravel skidder next to Speck, and let out a big mid-summer scream. We had just completed my dream of a buddy-flight through the unknown. Sometimes you just have to let things happen. Man, I can't wait for my next mid-summer flight scream or to fly the unknown with a buddy. We piled into the van and thanked Allan for retrieving us and believing that, yes, we were over the Pass.

GOAT PEAK- 7,000' Until we opened the lower Goat Peak launch in June of 1997, the only good paragliding access to the Upper Methow Valley entailed a drive up the Goat Peak Lookout road to its end at 6,000'. Then a two-mile hike ensued, with a 1,000' gain up the north slope of Goat to reach the west launch near the summit. This launch is shallow, fairly short, and poses a threat of being treed at takeoff if cycles are not welltimed. (Launching an ITV Meteor in

1990 was quite interesting.) One can launch east on a thermally day with a light southerly prevailing wind, thermal up over the Peak, then fly north into an upper Methow Nirvana. You may pass over or just east of the spectacular Goat Wall and use some lively thermals collected by it. But like the cliffs of Golden, BC's Mt. Kapristo, be ready for "bullets" if you fly close to the Wall during thermally conditions. Goat Peak's summit yields exquisite Cascade views. Even if you just do a glori-

ous 4,500' sledder down to Mazama, you'll have lived a joyful day.

In the end, on August 11, 1997, Jay Carroll and Mark Telep crossed Rainy Pass in the North Cascades in three and a half hours, flying 28 miles on the GPS. We can only thank the pioneer pilots of the Methow for making this flight more than just a dream. Thanks, Downwind Dave. II

LOWER GOAT PEAK, DOWNWIND DAVE MEMORIAL LAUNCH -4,400' During five years of heading up to hike and fly Goat Peak, Downwind Dave Kruglinski, Dave Verbois and I often mused about the enticing possibilities of a paragliding launch right off the Goat Peak Lookout Road. A potential launch existed within a quarter-mile of the rocky view-

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point from which hang glider pilots had purportedly flown during the previous decade. We knew this could some day be the grand site in the area, with potential X-C access to the Cascades bordering the North Cross Highway. Finally, in late 1996, the three trees which thwarted any possible launch on our coveted slope were serendipitously damaged in a slash burning accident. Voila! This past spring, Dave Verbois secured a USFS permit to remove the "offending" trees, rocks and lots of slash debris. The very first flight on June 6, 1997 yielded a nine m./sec., 4,000' climb-out and a stunning 20-km tour of the Upper Methow to Scramble Point and back. My euphoria was tempered by wistful longing for the company of our comrade in so many Cascade adventures, Downwind Dave, who had died six weeks earlier flying his last X-C from Bowan. The first flight from Lower Goat should have been shared by him. Over the next two months the site proved itself to be a winner, with a house thermal typically coming up Spokane Gulch 0.25 miles right (north) of launch, to repeatedly carry one above and just north of Goat Peak. In late July, I managed to get 5,000' over launch, speed six km across the valley to a "halleluya" thermal leading up over Driveway Butte, then head north toward Silverstar Mountain and back. I realized then that the prize of crossing the Cascades was tantalizingly achievable with just a bit higher cloud base. I naively assumed the flight would soon be mine. On August 10, I freely bantered my enthusiasm for the project to Chelan pilot Mark Telep and Columbia Gorge pilot Jay Carroll who seized the opportunity and accomplished the magnificent flight just two days later on their first visit to the Methow! I was, of course, at work the Tuesday they flew it. See Jay's story in this issue. This launch has become a hang gliding favorite too. It pleases those of us who opened the site to return something to the hang gliding community which secured many sites in the Northwest where we bag-wingers may now fly. Access: After turning left onto the Goat Peak Lookout Road from Goat Creek Road, go 3.9 miles to the launch, which lies immediately left (west) of the road. Go up another 0.4 miles to turn the vehicle around. Here are few more favorite treasures for those willing to hike:

the back" before you launch, or the ride will be as wild as the scenery.

MAPLE PASS -

6,600'

At Rainy Pass, 4,800', take the Rainy Lake trail about .75 miles to a right-forking trail which climbs 1,800' up to Maple Pass. Your spirits will soar long before you do as you ascend the ridge separating Rainy Lake and Lake Ann. Choose the grass and heather meadow of your fancy to launch out over Rainy Lake. But first, savor the visual feast of crags, snow and glaciers displayed from Maple Pass. This is the shortest hike in the north Cascades that I know of to an indisputably world-class mountain panorama. Land on the broad shoulder of the north Cross Highway right at the trail head, or go X-C - "bonne chance!" There are other fine sites to share, but I shouldn't divulge all our secrets all at once!

About the author: Bruce C. Tracy, MD, age 49, is a busy family practitioner in Omak, Washington. A P4 pilot closing in on a P5, he has flown paragliders since 1987. His wift, Marie-Dominique, and sons Dominic, 17, and Julian, 13, have all tasted paragliding flight. Dominic flies his dad's previous wings, currently a Flight Design B-3, but he's hoping to inherit Bruce's current wing, an FD B-4. Visitors to the Methow may contact Bruce ifwishing to fly Thursdays, or weekends ifhe is not "on call," at (509) 826-5194, or may contact Dave Verbois at Davis Lake near Winthrop (509) 9963590. Bruce also flies a Laza.ir ultralight from his backyard airstrip, and is building a "real" airplane, a Glastar, in his home shop. The baggage compartment will often carry paragliders, ofcourse. II

BLUE PEAK- 7,300' From the Blue Lake trailhead 1.5 miles west of Washington Pass, head 1.5 miles up the Blue Lake trail. Then take the mountaineers' trail east passing below the west faces of Liberty Bell and Early Winters Spires to reach the scree/talus and snow field below the summit of Blue Peak. This lies just west of the top of Spire Gully, a great 2,000-foot, free-heel ski run in the spring. Launch west into a mountaineer's heaven of granite towers rasping the sky. Have a sensory-overloading flight down to the meadow at Washington Pass. Be reasonably sure the prevailing wind isn't "over Downwind Dave Kruglinski in February 1997, after flying to Guanajuato from El Cubilete, Mexico with Bruce fracJ'· Downwind was a highly imaginative, competitive paraglider pilot who made many first flights in the North Cascades. His last flight was in his beloved Methow Valley on April 17, 1997 from Bowan Mountain. He was going X-C on a highly unstable day and /Jad two climbs to 10,000' before he vanished from sight and radio contact.four miles south of launch. The crash site and autopsy evidence indicated that Dave died instantly from a high-velocity impact, the antecedents of which will never be known. Always eager for a paragliding adventure, his flying buddies chen'.~h the years enriched by great flights and trips we shared.

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Steve Roti and Kevin Ault both visited South Africa last year. Although they were there in different seasons and flew different sites, they both agree that South Africa has a lot to offer the visiting paraglider pilot.

by Steve Roti

of months before I visited South Africa in came to South Africa in search of a late March and early April of 1997. Of man named Richard Grant. Rumor course, the seasons are reversed in the southhad it that he had been doing remarkern hemisphere, so it was fall there and the able things with a paraglider on a thermal flying season was winding down. mountain named Bedford. I set out from Cape Town with three companions in a On this particular day, three of us Toyota Venture stocked with enough suplaunched from Bedford in moderate cycles and soon found ourselves therplies to last a month. We traveled for maling up 800'-1,000' over the top weeks (stopping, of course, to paraglide along the way) before arriving at the base of the mountain. From where I sat in my harness, I could see mountain of the mountain. The road came to an end and I had to shoulder my ranges runnmg away from me in three pack and continue on foot. I directions and flatlands walked along a narrow path out front in the fourth direcand eventually saw a tall, thin man with spectacles walking tion. All too soon the wind toward me. I approached him started to shift direction and and said, "Doctor Grant, I the lift began to diminish. presume?" He chuckled and Harry Kauffman, my 71-yearsaid, "Hello Steve, let's go flyold flying companion, deftly ing." executed a top-landing in order to avoid a hike. Richard, Richard is a physics proever the explorer, set off across fessor at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, located in the The Hermanus ridge from a valley toward a peak a few Eastern Cape province. the air. Photo by Steve Roti. miles away. I dawdled, searching among the last shards of (Rhodes University is named after the same wealthy South African phillift for the one that would take me back up anthropist as the Rhodes Scholarship.) over the mountain, and by the time I concluded my fruitless search it was too late to Although there are few paraglider pilots in follow Richard, so I landed by a farm house that area of the country, he has persevered 1,800' below launch. in the sport over the years and has pioRichard, it turned out, neered a number of exceptionally good flymade it to the distant peak ing sites. This day we were flying one of quite low, scratched around his newest finds, first flown just a couple

in a canyon for a while, and then found a Hallelujah thermal that took him up over the summit. Eventually, he tried to fly back to join us but ended up hiking part of the

One of the hard things about being a visiting pilot in South Africa is that, because there are so many attractive flying sites, it's hard to know which ones to visit. Fortunately, we were able to tag along with the dynamic duo, Bruce Mortimer and Lizette Preiss, and they took us to one of their favorites: Porterville, in the Western Cape province. It became one of our favorites too after two visits and five days of cross-country flying. The Porterville site is a roughly 60-milelong mountain range with a launch at Dasklip Pass, 14 miles north of the bottom end of the range. From launch, cross-country flights are possible in either direction along the range, as well as out front over flatlands which look similar to the part of eastern Washington near Chelan Butte. It has its surprises too; you have to be careful flying at Porterville or you may end up spending time in a South African prison like I did. The first day we were on launch at Dasklip Pass looked like a classic. In the early afternoon, cumulus clouds starting forming over the flats and drifting toward the

ley planted mostly in vineyards. Although ed us on the main highway I wasn't aware of it before going to South where we hitchhiked Africa, the Stellenbosch area near Cape back to launch. Town is renowned for its wines. The On the followmountains where we were town of Franschhoek is above ing days, longer waiting. From my log book: Stellenbosch in the mountains, with a flights were "Launched at 1:30 pm, made north paragliding launch at the pass where the 3,114' over in 700-fpm life, road goes over into the next valley. The flew 14 miles south, then along the range by our group, and we heard stories about sevscenety is alpine - large mountains and started back." On my way rock walls line the valley and continue in eral 60-mile open-distance back I followed my flying flights and a 73-mile out-andthe distance. Although the wind was light companion Rick Higgins return. Porterville has been che on launch, my wife Tina Pavelic flew out out over the flats, then I and found 500-fpm thermals that took sunk out while he found site of paragliding competiher 1,700' over launch and gave her the tions, and some of che comp another thermal and continopportunity to tour the valley before tasks have been as long as 50 ued on a few more miles. I landing near the base of the pass. When miles. What makes it a special landed in a large farm field Flying toward Cape Town the flying is over, wine tasting and dining and checked my GPS from Devil's Peak. Photo by place, though, is how accessible the cross-country flying is comin the outdoor cafes are favorite pastimes. total out-and-return distance Steve Roti. Sir Lowry's Pass is the first major pass pared to U.S. sites like the for the flight was 15.7 miles. heading east out of che Cape Town area. Owens Valley, Chelan Butte and King "Not bad for my first flight here," I Paraglider pilots launch below the viewMountain. The range is continuous, withthought. I noticed another paraglider pilot point where tourists park to look out over named Eric landing in the next field over, out large gaps and crossing, and there is the Cape, and soar above the road climbthen saw a white truck pulling up next to always a safe landing area within gliding dising up to the pass. Top-landing is tricky him. "This is great," I reasoned, "Eric must tance. When conditions were moderate, we because the viewpoint and have a chase driver." So I finished packing watched novice and interparking area are small, but up my glider and walked over to the truck. mediate pilots confidently I watched a number of I asked Eric if the man standing next to fly cross-country at him was his driver. He replied, "No, this local pilots do it successfulPorterville. (Keep in mind gentleman is here to escort us out of the ly and finally did it myself chat we visited Porterville in prison. " che fall - we also heard stoThis site seemed very popular with local pilots It was then chat I remembered the instiries of Owens Valley-like because of its proximity to tutional-looking building a half-mile away conditions during the sumfrom where I had landed, and it all made mertime.) Cape Town. Hermanus is a tandem sense. We had actually landed on che pilot's dream: a long, flatgrounds of che prison farm, not inside the OTHER FLYING SITF.S high-security area itself, but we were still INTHECAPE topped ridge above a scenic A giraffe in the game park near coastal community wich an inside a fenced-off PROVINCES area, so the truck Rather than list every flying Grahamstown, South Africa. easy drive up to launch. driver took us site we visited, I'll focus on a Photo by Steve Roti. The launch area itself is a wide, flat area with a gradthrough the gate, few chat should be of interually steepening slope off the front, while past the armed est to visiting pilots. guard, and depositthe rest of che ridge is cliff-like and proFranschhoek is at the head of a large val-

what the Karoo is like. Graaff-Reinet is a thermal flying site, with cross-country potential in almost any direction. We spent three days there and enjoyed the flying as well as the historic town, fourth oldest in South Africa.

THE REST OF THE COUNTRY

Bruce Mortimer launching at Porterville. Photo by Steve Roti.

vides an ample lift band for soaring. The day we were there, small cumulus clouds were forming over town and drifting toward the ridge. Every time one arrived we were able to spiral up to cloudbase 600' above launch. Top-landing was a piece of cake; just fly back behind the launch area and settle gently to eartl1. Graaff-Reinet is in the Karoo, an arid region described by one of our travel guides as a place that "epitomizes the essence of Africa: vast open spaces, sparse veld bushes, and distant brooding mountains. " The launch is situated on one of those mountaintops, overlooking the aptly-named Valley of Desolation. If you've flown in the high desert or basin and range country of the western U.S., you'll have a good idea

I wish I could say that we covered the whole country, but the reality is that South Africa is large and we were only able to cover two of the nine provinces. In our travels around the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces, we flew at a dozen different paragliding sites and there were many more we drove past without having the time or the appropriate conditions to fly. I'm certain that there are hundreds of other flying sites in the other provinces. Some of the ones we heard about were Machadadorp (Bambi) and Vaalkop in Mpumalanga, Bulwer and Arthur's Seat in KwaZulu-Natal, Hartebeestpoort Dam in the Northern Province, and Kuruman in the Northern Cape. pass above Speaking of Franschhoek, from Kuruman, because of the air. Photo by the numerous stories Steve Roti. published about recordsetting distance flights in Kuruman, many foreigners have the impression that all South African paraglider pilots tow launch in the desert and fly crosscountry in extreme conditions. That would be like stereotyping U.S. pilots by saying chat we all fly in the Owens Valley and go big like Will Gadd and Tom Truax. Most of the pilots we met foot launch and fly in recreational conditions, just like the average pilots back home. A few of chem had been towing in the desert, but that wasn't the staple of their paragliding diets. All in all, South Africa has many similarities to the U.S . in terms of paragliding - coastal ridge soaring, mountain thermal soaring, and big air in the desert - a little something for everybody. If you're looking for a winter paragliding vacation, I recommend it highly. •

PARAGLIDING

sidebar andphotos by Kevin Ault

Capetown pilot Dave Woodr launchingftom Lion's Head, Capetown. ast summer I was fortunate enough to spend 16 days in South Africa, primarily to visit my father, but as I traveled sans family on this trip I elected to bring my new Firebird Flame. Before leaving, I was able to make contact with two South African pilots via the Internet. Richard Grant of Grahamstown lives a mere 40 miles from Port Alfred, in the Eastern Cape, where my father lives. Richard's friendliness and enthusiasm were evident from the several e-mails he sent me prior to my trip. Bruce Mortimer from Cape Town also offered to host me for the final two days of my trip which I planned to spend in this city on the southern tip of Africa. Apart from establishing contact with two very hospitable local pilots, the paragliding mailing list on the Net also provided valuable advice on traveling with a wing which I will summarize. I) Pack your paraglider into an inconspicuous duffel bag and lock it so that at no point in the journey will it become an object of temptation for anyone. 2) Pack small electronics and other equipment, such as varios, radios and GPS into the hand luggage you carry with you throughout your trip. 3) To be really sure your equipment arrives with you at your final destination, recheck your baggage at every airport rather than checking it all the way through.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1998

Others may disagree with this advice, but my trip was completely successful in terms of keeping my gear secure and with me through the holiday. On to the flying. In August, South Africa is still deep into its winter. Both Richard and Bruce warned me not to expect too much in terms of good flying weather, and to a point they were right, but not in the way that I might expect as a resident of British Columbia. I spent the first part of my trip in the area around Port Alfred and flew the Bedford and Harnetts sites with local pilots. Harnetts (or Richard's Ridge as most know it) is a 12-mile-long, mostly grassy ridge a mere 500 feet high on average that faces perfectly southwest. On a good day, the ridge receives the geographically undisturbed flow of ocean air approaching from about 50 miles away. Harnetts provided a delightful three hours in the air for me that included two top-landings, one sink-out with a quick hike back up, and a total of four flights in perfectly smooth ridge lift with maximum lift of 400 fpm and an average of 100 fpm. The long ridge allowed us to stay well apart, although the bowl provided the best chance to get above launch, so this is where I spent most of my time. Richard ventured a couple of miles down-ridge and scratched back very easily. Sinking out anywhere along the ridge didn't seem to be a problem as there were landings virtually everywhere. Top-landing possibilities seemed limitless as well. When

this site is working in the spring andfall, significant elevation gains (3,000' + feet) and good X-C opportunities present. Richard has had many 10- to 20-mile flights here, including lots of out-and-returns. The amazing thing was that the ridge remained soarable even late into the day when the launch wind was peaking out at three mph - must be the perfect angle of the slope. The last part of my trip was spent in Cape Town. Bruce Mortimer kindly met me at the airport and housed me for my twoday stopover. I arrived on a Tuesday night to meet the South African winter I had thus far avoided: clouds, wind and rain. Bruce checked the forecast that night and told me not to get too hopeful about flying weather, as a series of storms were hitting the coast, one every few days. Imagine my surprise when I awoke the next day to clear skies with hints of development dotting Table Mountain at 9:00 am in the morning. "You must have brought some good luck with you," Bruce commented as he planned my day (unable to join me himself due to a heavy work load). The morning would be spent flying Devit's Peak on the east end of Table Mountain. In the afternoon, I would go to Lion's Head, hopefully for some ridge soaring. Devil's Peak is normally accessed by driving up the road that goes to the famous Table Mountain cable car. Ironically, we discovered this road to be dosed due to a major renovation of the cable car. I was unperturbed and suggested I hike to the site which Bruce was able to point out from downtown. Bruce drove me as far up as possible, stopping near a series of townhouses. He slipped some snacks and drinks into my pack as I set off for what I expected would be a bit of a bushwhack. My luck was holding. I immediately found myself on an old road that would have taken me to my destination in about 45 minutes ifI hadn't gone past the trail up to launch. No matter. I ended up hiking around a very scenic loop to one end of Devil's Peak and back to the proper launch, an extra 45 minutes of wandering through paradise with extraordinary views of the city, the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean below. The launch is undeveloped - a fairly steep, grassy hill with a lot of boulders. Bruce said, "Make sure you have a good cycle," and I could see why. In fact, it was thermaling quite nicely straight up the slope. I reversed into the air and began the hunt

for lift, which came rhrough in fairly small, punchy bubbles (800 fpm) rhat didn't last long enough for me to get up to the summit. As I was alone and had a dead radio battery, I decided to fly conservatively and work rhe lift toward Bruce's workplace, Cape Technikon. I bobbed up and down for about 20 minutes over the playing fields, highways and residential areas situated at the base of 3,000-foot Table Mountain, rhoroughly enjoying the view. I soon found myself circling over what must have been a school, because I could see hundreds of black faces staring up at me, arms waving, the school uniforms visible even from 1,000 feet up. I landed in a vacant field beside rhe 1echnikon and several blue-coveralled maintenance people came out to greet me. I invited rhem to join me and had one take a gtoup photo of us in front of my wing wirh Table Mountain in the background, one of my favorite photos of rhe trip. After lunching wirh Bruce I was picked up by Nigel, one of his ex-paragliding students, to try out Lion's Head. The day continued to be brilliant as we hiked up the 20minute trail around to rhe launch (1,500 feet MSL) which faces west wirh superb views of rhe ocean and the western sections of Cape Town. Lion's Head is anorher steep grass-and-dirt launch, but cleaner than Devil's Peak. The west wind was blowing at 6-10 mph upslope and I drooled at rhe possibility of a long afternoon of ridge soaring Lion's Head and, perhaps, even working my way south and up to Table Mountain. Strangely enough, rhe wind was not sufficient to sustain me and I was only able to make about five minutes worth of passes before I made my way out the LZ, a playing field perched several feet above the crashing waves on a scenic point between two stretch-

Here is a list of contacts submitted Bruce Mortimer for pilots visiting South Africa.

South African Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (SAHPA), SA+ (0) 11 805 5429 fax and phone (contact Louise Liversedge), All visitors are required to become temporary members of SAHPA ($20) or provide written proof to the SAHPA offices that they have insurance (third-party) that is valid in South Africa(> R 1,000,000). CONTACT INFORMATION:

Nationwide - Contact the SAHPA offices for details about competitions and schools. WWW information is on the HUNTERS GOLD site at: http://www.paragliding.co.za. Hang Gliding Nationwide: Dick Morkel, 082 572 1018 Dolf Pretorious, (0)113932668 (h/fax) Paragliding: CAPETOWN

Smirnoff Action Line, 021 481 2050 David Hartley (GLEN CLUB), 021 58 6758 Jaco Wolmerans (OVERBERG), 021 9131160, 021 9473679

es of beach. The good news: there is a restaurant overlooking the LZ and I enjoyed a pint while waiting for Nigel (who had fared a little better) to land. Soon we were both hitchhiking back up and my second flight was better; I managed to soar for about 10 minutes before heading out. After my second landing I observed that pilots who had launched after me were staying up, so at 5:00 pm I found myself hiking up for yet another flight. On the drive up, I observed one of the local tandem pilots ridge soaring the summit, an elevation gain of 300 or more feet above launch. I practically ran up the trail and arrived at launch to find the wind blowing slightly cross at 16-20 mph. Damn! After watching one fairly scary takeoff I decided to walk down to a lower launch which a local advised would be below the wind layer. This proved too true. It was blowing slightly tail-down on a launch that involved running down a flight of stairs bordered by trees on each side. No thanks! With three beautiful flights that day, and Welcoming committee after I landed at Cape 1echnicon from darkness rapidly descending, Devil's Peak, Capetown. it was no problem calling it a

Bruce Mortimer (B&B), (0)21 686 8008, bmort@norton.ac.za Wilderness Jan Minnaar (B&B), (0)44 877 1414 do udbase.paraglide@pixie.co.za Grahamstown Richard Grant, phrg@hippo.ru.ac.za Durban Don Hunter, 082 553 7546 Gauteng JJ Bass, 083 250 0092 Stuart McDermid, 083 268 8686 Bulwer Hans Fokkens (B&B), 0336 32 0224

day and beginning the hunt for a restaurant and a cold beer wirh Bruce who picked me up at the LZ. The next day was my last in South Africa. The storm had arrived overnight. It was rainy and windy all day. I couldn't even see Table Mountain. Five days later, Bruce informed me by e•mail that the weather had been foul ever since I left the country. Sweet Victory! I spent that last day doing the tourist thing which included touring the Wallendair paraglider factory which was most interesting. I boarded my plane that night with a duffel bag full of South African memories and a stomach full of South African red wine. The paragliding was exciting and indescribably beautiful, but it was meeting and getting to know Richard and Bruce that made the trip so memorable. Their friendliness and hospitality, coupled with a very healthy, safe approach to the sport of paragliding, were inspirational to me, and both of these guys know that my home and flying sites await them should one or both make it over here for their own flying holiday. I arrived home having spent only 16 days away, but it felt like I'd been gone for months - time with my dad, new friends, time with my wing - a perfect therapeutic combination. 1111 PARAGLIDING

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lends to ideal thermals, capturing, then et your sights high and prepare for a where stronger winds aloft also allow for long, smooth flight at one of hang gliding. Many of the local Le Grand lifting the warm air from town. During the ski season the launch site is often Europe's top-ranked, but often over- Bornand pilots have logged seven- and groomed for pilots, allowing easy skilooked sites: Le Grand Bornand. With eight-hour flights, heading to continuous thermals, light winds and Annecy, practicing maneuvers launches. Winter flying is rapidly increaseasy-to-access launch sites, aµd returning to Le Grand ing in popularity and many skiers/pilots Le Grand Bornand. spend the first part of the day flying over Bornand runs they will be skiing or boarding down According to local legin the afternoon. Mountain is a end, the unofficial longest pilot's best-kept In addition to offering top-landing, Le cross-country flight was Grand Bornand sports two landing zones secret in the 75 to 80 miles and nine often-crowded at the base of the mountain. One, which hours in duration. A skies of France. is visible from qualifying round for Located in the launch, is a designatthis year's European Savoy region of the ed area with cottne cows. Championships will Rhone Alps, the Le . up arnorig be held on this -----=::;;;;;;;~-tages and chalets packirig mountain in 1998. Grand Bornand bordering it. It is launch (4,100 meters Because thermal and X-C not uncommon above the town) is accessible by a highflying is so popular, Les to pack up speed gondola followed by a slow double Passagers Du Vent offers among the resichair lift, during winter and summer seaclinics in both. Novice dent bovine. sons. When the gondola is not running, pilots can fly at this site. The cows here stop by Les Passagers Du Vent (Wind are so accusThe views at 2,000 meters at Flyer) the local flying school at the base AGL are phenomenal. The J,erti ratirigstl er) tomed to of the mountain and hitch a ride to tiny town of Le Grand (all witn ta(fne 'JVirid y wings overBornand lies at your feet, Mont Jristructors s DU Verit 1 by Pierre launch with one of the pilots. head that . ager wrieu, Cross-country flights are common at one local Blanc 1s to the left of launch and Les Pas: J,iri ceriter, 0 claims, "Their milk this ski resort. A pilot can catch a thermal Annecy to the right._The geogra: para~li g phy of the surroundmg mountams I-.Javiffe. doesn't even curdle." In fact, the and fly to the nearby town of Annecy,

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Yes, those are sheep.

The Le Grand Barnard LZ

cows do not take heed of the colorful canopies above their heads. During the summer this LZ is a popular spot where many families and curious onlookers stop to watch the pilots. It is only a four- or five-minute walk from this LZ to the gondola. The second LZ, about two miles away from the base of the gondola, is still within the town's area. Pilots wait here and shuttle each other to and from the gondola. This LZ is used when the winds are cross or stronger than average. Just how fanatic are the frequent flyers here? "When I'm not teaching or doing a tandem, I'm flying," says a local instructor. These guys love to share the sport as well as their homes with visiting pilots. While nearby camping and budget lodging is available (sans ski season) many pilots offer couch or floor space to their brethren pilots. At press time a one-way gondola/chair lift ticket is 38 francs (approximately $6.20 with an exchange rate of six francs to a dollar) . An all-day pass is 80 francs ($12.50). You can launch throughout the day during the winter, however, midday summer launches are not advised. The summer glass-off at about 5:00 PM offers optimal flying. There is perhaps only one best way to end a spectacular day of flying at Le Grand Bornand, and this will endear you to your fellow pi lots and make you a local: Offer to buy a shot of "viperina." This drink is not available in the stores or the mountain bars, but many of the local restaurants keep it tucked away for their best customers. Viperina is a brandy liqueur with a viper in the bottle. When the viper is placed in the bottle, the liquor kills the snake and it releases its venom into the liquor. Legend has it that whoever drinks viperina will be bestowed with supernatural powers. It's best not to describe the taste. There are some things (such as a shot of viperina) which one must experience for oneself Another, of course, is flying at Le Grand Bornand. Destination: Location: Expectations:

Le Grand Bornand Mountain Rhone Alps, France Set them high! This hidden jewel in the Alps offers some of the finest flying in Europe. Pilots from around the continent train here before the European Championships.

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Soaring over the town.

phone: (212) 838-7800 fax: (212) 838-7855 The tourist office has brochures devoted exclusively to hang gliding and paragliding in the Rhone region. In France: Tourist office of the Rhone Alps phone: 72 59 21 59 Tourist office of Le Grand Bornand phone: 50 02 78 00 Les Passagers Du Vent: The Wind Flyer, a local flying school. Check the latest conditions and get tips fro m the local pilots. phone: 50 02 32 62 •

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PARAGLIDING ADVISORY: Used paragliders should always be thoroughly inspected before flying for the first time. If in doubt, many paragliding businesses will be happy to give an objective opinion on the condition of equipment you bring them to inspect. BUYERS SHOULD SELECT EQUIPMENT THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SKILL LEVEL OR RATING. NEW PILOTS SHOULD SEEK PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION FROM A USHGA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR. PARAGLIDERS AIRTEK MIRAGE - '95, small, 70hrs, good condition $1,350. (307) 733-6354 dmgold@hotmail.com AIRWAVE JIVE 23 - 60-80kg, 25hrs, all A's $1,000 OBO. EDEL GALAXY: tandem, split A's, trimmers, spreaders $2,000 OBO. EDEL SUPERSPACE 25: 7090kg, 45hrs, great shape, w/harness, new RSII reserve, Uvex helmet $1,800. Dale (801) 582-2627. APCO SENTRA 28M - 1996, purple/blue, fast, intermediate, just serviced, new A&B's, new risers w/trim & split A's $1,500. FUN TO FLY Profile 27M, 1994, purple, similar ro Edel Space, Apco material, great 1st wing, recently serviced $500. SUPAIR "Race" harness (M) 1994, w/Edel steerable reserve 38 $500 (or will sell reserve separate). (307) 733-3417. APCO SPECTRA 27 - 15 hours, excellent intermediate glider $1,250. Apco Supra 28, 10 hours, great advanced glider $1,000. Apco Compaq harness with 16 gore reserve $380. (818) 782-0084.

APCO SUPRA 25 - 25 low hours $1,000. Edel ZX 75-110kg $500. Comet C:X-19 w/harness & reserve $400. Wills harness, large $150. Take all for $1,800. (619) 225-8720.

EDEL QUANTUM - Small, very low hours. Includes Hero harness, reserve, Peels helmet, backpack. All in new condition $2,300. Maxon radio $200., Ball vario $300. Call Karen (520) 774-0091.

AT TANDEM 40M - Great for motorized flight, <20 flights, tandem risers w/trim system, large tandem bag $2,000. Greg (714) 754-7041.

EDEL QUANTUM- Large, 12/96, 35 hours, recently inspected, perfect condition, Hero harness w/reserve $2,400. (561) 624-5034, cduc@compuserve.com

EDEL GALAXY ·- Performance tandem, low hours, purple & yellow batwing $3,000. (509) 243-4988.

FIREBIRD FLAME $2,600. (509) 243-4988.

EDEL SABER M - 45 hours, no rips or repairs, well cared for, 60-80kg., orange over white $2,200. Mike (530) 622-2932 mikefen@innercite.com

FLIGHT DESIGN A4 - Excellent shape, perfect for your first wing, only $999. Call Mike at (509) 9255565.

EDEL SABER - Large, Hero harness w/reservc, new late Summer '97. No time to fly it-still new $3,200 OBO. (320) ;43-4138.

NEW & USED GLIDERS - At affordable prices. Call The Soaring Center toll-free 1-888-944-5433.

EDEL SABER MEDIUM - Nov '96, excellent condition, purple top, white bottom, flawless, w/Hero harness and Edel reserve (also Nov '96), only $2,400! (303) 6519675. EDEL SUPERSPACE - Large, 30m, excellent condition, flies and handles great, 27 hours, light purple with rainbow stripes, recent annual $1,200. (805) 659-1982, So. Cal. EDEL SUPERSPACE II - Large l 55-200lbs and Medium l 20-l 75lbs. Each in excellent condition w/95 hours. Factory tested line strength & wing porosity as excellent $1,400 each. Call (909) 883-3726 or hampyoung@aol.com

'97, large, low hours, red

NOVA AXON 28 - Excellent condition, 100-130k total weight, including wing $1,995. Also have other gliders, harnesses and reserves. (541) 387-3106. NOVA PHILOU 26 - Beginner/intermediate, 165209lbs, AT harness w/reserve, excellent condition, <iOhrs $2,000 OBO. (787) 752-7836. NOVA SPHINX 29 ·- Speed, trimmers, racing lines, great inter/adv. glider $500 OBO. Factory line set for above $350. Tony (310) 459-2682. NOVA XYON - And Firebird Gsport, both medium and in excellent condition, inexpensive. (970) 925-1025.

r------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------, USHGA CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING ORDER FORM 50 cents per word, $5.00 minimum Boldface or caps: $1.00 per word. (Does not include first few words which are automatically caps.) Special layouts or tabs: $25 per column inch. (phone numbers: 2 words, P.O. Box: 1 word, E-mail or Web address: 3 words) photos: $25.00, line art logos: $15.00 (1.75" maximum) DEADLINE: 20th of the month, six weeks before the cover date of the issue in which you want your ad to appear (i.e., September 20 for the Nov./Dec. issue). Prepayment required unless account established. No cancellations or refunds allowed on any advertising after deadline. Ad insertions FAXed or made by telephone must be charged to a credit card. Please enter my classified ad as follows:

Number of months: __________

I I

SECTION 0 Paragliders O Emergency Parachutes 0 Parts & Accessories O Business & Employment o Miscellaneous 0 Powered Paragliders o Videos

I I I I I

0 Towing O Schools & Dealers O Ultralights 0 Publications & Organizations OWanted O Harnesses

Begin with ______ 19___ issue and run for _____ _ consecutive issue(s). My O check, O money order is enclosed in the amount of$ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . NAME: _ __ ADDRESS: CITY: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

STATE:

PHONE: Number of words: - - - - - - @$.50 =____ Number of words: _______ @$1.00 =_____

USHGA, P.O Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 (719) 632-8300 fax (719) 632-6417

I I I I I I

I I

L------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~ 48

PARAGLIDING

NOVA XYON 126 - Bought brand new in Feb '97, I 00 hours in Europe, excellent shape $2,500 OBO. Pro Design Compact 35 $500 OBO. Ladio (714) 768-2878. PRO DESJGN BIG TANDEM - 40.6/43.5M, w/trim, purple, I 50-220kgs, 36 flights/9 hours, excellent condition $2,400. (541) 387-2112.

EMERGENCY PARACHUTES ADVENTURE SPORTS LOFT - The repair center for Air America Paragliding. Reserve repacks, repairs, modifications. Master Rigger Scott Christensen (909) 657-2676. HARNESSES

PRO DESIGN CHALLENGER 31M - 150-230lbs, C:-risers, 4 hours, highly stable for mountain flying. Pro Design harness, helmet, reserve, backpack. $1,800 for all OBO. (208) 345-5117. SOL BALANCE 110 - Sol harness, less than 20 hours. Never used Quantum 440 reserve. $2,200. (80 I) 5836751. SWING MINOA 32C - New. Best turning glider ever built! Custom color, deluxe metal riser system, center flap system, absolutely pristine condition $3,000. Greg (714) 754-7041.

ASCEND AIR - w/Quantum 440 reserve by High Energy Sports. Dual riser system w/Spectra lines. Second Chantz air-rocket w/hand deploy option. The best of everything $1,000. Greg (714) 754-7041. WOODY VALLEY MODEL - ls now introducing its full line of unique Italian paragliding and hang gliding harnesses in the United States. For info call Eastcoast Paragliding at (914) 647-3377. Dealer inquires welcome.

WANTED

TREKKING MIURA XL - 32.5, very low time, intermediate, 210-280lbs, only 15 flights. Includes 22 gore rese1ve and Artwing harness $1,500.(505) 327-7851.

WANTED: - 2nd Chantz Air rocket without reserve canopy, all or pieces hardware of rocket unit. (541) 5633178 kcinc@pioneer.net

QUANTUM 21M - 1996, w/harness $1,600. Space 24M w/harness and vario $1,600. Both very good condirion. (619) 970-8085. J.P. Lloret/Mail Boxe Etc, 501 W Broadway Plaza A Ste-290, San Diego CA 92101.

SCHOOLS & DEALERS

POWERED PARAGLIDERS DEF! 210 - Powered paraglider $3,000. Apco 27, crispy $1,600. (909) 736-0533, (310) 608-9257. DK WHISPERS - From U.S. importer, 53 or 60 pounds for Plus or GT, respectively. Up to 130 pounds of static thrust, with lighter props available for beginner/small pilots. Absolutely the best value on the market! Dealerships available. Paraborne Aviation, POB 423217, Kissimmee FL 34742--3217, 1-888-636-9111. LA MOUETTE ZR250 - Bi w/Profile 38 tandem glider, trike, instruments, 10 hours TT $7,500. (801) 583-6751. LA MOUETTE ZR250- Like new, skybike w/electric start, silencer $4,500. l--888-636-9111.

ARIZONA DIXON'S AIRPLAY PARAGLIDING - The perfect beginner training areas! Year round temperate climate. DRIVE UP to 360 degree treeless and rockless launches. Land in wide open fields. Master rated tandem instructor Dixon White has supervised over 12,000 studenr flights to date, teaching pilots is his profession. Individualized training with state-of-the-art equipmenr, 2-way radios, comprehensive ground schooling with an emphasis on micrometeorology. Grear new and used invento1y. Specialized clinics including the CAGE, towing and BACKPACK MOTORS. Enjoy the Grand Canyon and other spectacular scenery. Grear lodging bargains or luxury accommodations. Dave Bridges, US National Champion says, "Dixon's studenrs are extremely well-trained and competent pilots." Dixon's Paragliding in ARIZONA and WASHINGTON (appointments recommended), PO Box 2626, Flagstaff AZ 86004. (520) 526-4579. www.paraglide.com CALIFORNIA

PAGOJET - w/glider, low hours, will demo $5,400 OBO. (910) 630-3588 NC. PAGOJET- Low hours, runs grear. Smooth, powerful and quiet, it is the "Lamborghini" of powered paragliders. Includes carrying case, cool kit, SupAir l'rotech Evolution $4,900 OBO. Call owner at (516) 624-7598. See photo on www.macconnect.com/-supair. See school page. USED POWERED PARAGL!DERS - We buy & sell all brands. Training available from USHGA certified advanced instructor Hugh Murphy. Contact Surf the Sky Paragliding (805) 544-8190.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

1998

FLY TORREY PINES GLIDERPORT 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Dr., San Diego, CA 92037 Since 1928 Hang gliding and paragliding USHGA certified instrucrion, tandem flight insrrucrion, sales, service, repairs,

parachute repacks, motorized PG/HG instruction and site tours. San Diego's exclusive dealers for AIREA, APCO and SOL. Visa and Master Card accepted. Check us out at http://www.flytorrey.com or call (619) 452-9858.

USHGA certified paragliding & hang gliding instruction. Courses are expertly run on a friendly, informative basis. We have been introducing people to the world of foot launched flight since 1976. New and used gliders and accessories. Ball, Comet, Edel, Firebird, ITV, Pacific Airwave, Wills Wing and orhcrs. All skill levels welcome. PO Box 1226, Del Mar CA 92014. (619) 481-7400 Southern California. AIRJUNKIES PARAGLIDING - Join KEN BAIER for your "Pursuit of Paragliding Excellence" in the land of year-round, excellent paragliding: Southern California and the Baja. Courses for Novice, lntermcdiatc, Advanced and Instructor ratings. Powered paragliding, soaring and maneuvers clinics, guided tours, tandem and towing instruction and special events. USHGA certified. Handling the latest equipment. Call (760) 753-2664 for information. AIRTEK PARAGLIDING - ln sunny San Diego. Year-round thermal & ridge soaring, beginner thru advanced instruction, all major brands, phone/fax (619) 450-6696.

AIR TIME OF SAN FRANCISCO WEST COAST PARAGLIDING THIS PREMIER PARAGUDING FACILITY - Is now under the management of LARS LINDE of East Coast Paragliding and GREG SMITH of Edel USA. We are qualified to issue all possible paragliding licenses pursuant to USHGA standards. THE BEST SHOP IN THE WEST! We offer a full spectrum of instruction, tandem, repairs and porosi ry tesrs. We stock all major brands of paragliding equipment available on the market. Enroll in our demo day-everyday program. SHOP (415) 759-1177, OFFICE (732) 747-7845.

Sell your unused equipment here. 49

A Guide to Powered Paragliding

Video & Magazine

This full color periodical covers current information about Powered Paragliding in North America. It contains over 30 color photos of the units. Articles include FAR's, weather, thru st tests and more. The video is a 46 minute documentary, covering the 3 day meet in Baja, Mexico. Showing low level formation flights, tandem, scooter towing, air to air photography and much more. This is not a subscription - ONE ISSUE ONLY!

Magazine - $7.95 ppd. Video - $25 . plus $3. s+h order both and SAVE $ 29.95 ppd VISA & Mastercard gladly accepted.

Thi s is the NEW 3rd edition of the acc laimed Touchin g Cloudbase book fo r paraglidin g pil ots. More than just a hi story lesson, T. C. has tons of use ful in fo rm ati on to help you progress. Many sc hools use this book for their student manual. $ 22.50 plu s $ 3. s+h

A GUIDE TO THE SKY

The one and only Cloud Chart Poster Still just $ 12.95 ppd . Learn abo ut clouds and weather with tbj s bea utiful full col or poster. Fu ll size 26' "x 38"poster makes a great di spl ay for home or offi ce. It also makes a great gift fo r your fl yin g f1i ends !!

Call for our FREE new Flight Gear Catalogue

Mojo's Gear

Rt.1 Box 16F Tow,TX 78672-9708 Ph. 915/379-1185 Fax 915/379-1478

HANG GLIDER EMPORIUM - Best training hill in the west! Full service hang gliding/paragliding shop, established 197 4. PO Box 41339, Santa Barbara CA 93140-1339, (805) 965-3733, email: weflyuniv@aol.com HIGH ADVENTURE - Paragliding, hang gliding school. Equipment, sales, service at world famous Marshal Peak. USHGA tandem instructor: Rob McKenzie. By appointment year round (909) 883-8488. MAGIC AIR - Located in Northern California. Lessons, sales, service. (707) 963-3455.

MONTANA

NORTH CAROLINA

AIRWORKS PARAGLIDING LTD - Located in Montana's "Flying Mecca" Missoula. Dealer for major brands. Instruction for all. I'm always trying-to keep pilots flying. 220 N. Higgins, Missoula MT 59802. (406) 5432850.

SOUTHERN SKIES - FULLY CERTIFIED full time school and shop. Group discounts Pl thru P4. TANDEM FLIGHTS. Towing clinics. POWERED PARAGLIDING instruction, equipment and service. Beautiful training hills and mountain sites in Virginia and North Carolina. No reservations necessary, START YOUR TRAINING TODAY! Call now (704) 6326000.

BIG SKY PARAGLIDING listing.

Has moved! See Utah

NEVADA ADVENTURE SPORTS - Mountain tours for all levels. USHGA Certified school & ratings. Dealer for all major brands. 3650-22 Research Way, Carson Ciry NV 89706. (702) 883-7070, email: advspcs@pryamid.net web site: http://www.pyramid.net/advspts

CONNECTICUT ECP- Look under New York. FLORIDA

NEW JERSEY CLOSEST CERTiflED SCHOOL - To Florida: SOUTHERN SKIES see North Carolina (l04) 6326000.

ECP -

Look under New York.

NEW YORK MEXICO

LEARNTO~ PARAGLIDE~ at Kitty Hawk Kites Outer Banks, NC Lessons Daily Towing & Foot Launch Year Round Sales & Service CALL TODAY! 800-334-4777 919-441-4124

Ji-Mail Address hang-glide@outer-banks.com

iii MEXICO!!! HANG GLIDING

PARAGLIDING

BEAUTIFUL VALLE DE BRAVO - Experienced, Professional group. fabulous house, ala carte service. Open ro all skill levels, rem or bring hg/pg. Basic packages: $100/day hg, $69/day pg, equipment trade considered. J -800-861-7198, flymexico@aol.com http://members.aol.com/ flymexico/index. MICHIGAN

TRAVERSE CITY HANG GLIDERS/PARAGLIDERS - Put your knees in our breeze and soar our 450' sand dunes. FULL-TIME SHOP. Certified instruction, beginner to advanced, foot launch and cow. Sales, service, accessories for ALL major brands. VISA/MASTERCARD. 1509 E 8th, Traverse Ciry MI 49684. Offering POWERED PARAGLIDING lessons & dealer for new & used units, including the Whisper and the Fly. Call Bill at (616) 922-2844. Visit our paragliding school in Jackson, Wyoming. Call Tracie at (307) 739-8620.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

1998

EAST COAST PARAGLIDING THE NUMBER 1 - Rared USHGA paragliding school in the United States 1995, 1996 and tbe first quarter of 1997. Our premier school and "WORLD CLASS STORE" are conveniently located only 1.5 hours outside Manhattan in the Catskill mountain range. We offer a full spectrum of instruction including our famous TAKE OFF PROGRAM which allows you to learn at your own pace. We now also offer full-time towing at our airport, located only 5 minutes from the shop. Importer of WOODY VALLEY MODEL, AIRWAVE and NOCAL (the US Paragliding World Teams official helmet) products. 150 CANAL STREET, ELLENVILLE NY, SHOP (914) 647-3377, OFFICE (732) 747-7845. IKAROS SPORT AVIATION & Spartan Microlight Manufacruring. NYC's first and only certified school for hang gliding, paragliding and trikes. Distributors/dealers for all major brands. Manufacturer for the BEST microlights in the world, SPARTAN. New and used equipment at best prices. The most friendly service in NY. For catalog send $5 to: ISA, 3811 Ditmars Blvd #110, Astoria NY 11105. Store: 2931 Newtown Ave., Astoria NY. Phone/fax (718) 777-7000, Internet: http://members.aol.com/ikaros 11 /fly.htm email: ikarosl l@aol.com

OVER THE HILL PARAGLIDING - Oregon/SW Washington. Sales, service, beginner-advanced USHGA certified instruction. Nova, firebird, Apco, AT, Pro Design, SOL, Ball, flytec, HES Quantum parachutes. Se,vice: full service shop, FAA rigger repairs/mods. Out of state pilots: We have great thermal, coastal and Gorge sites. Call us for info. There is no sales tax in Oregon! New/used gear. Trades welcome. 22865 SE Yellowhammer, Gresham OR 97080. (503) 667-4557, fax (503) 666-6979. Email: orhpara@celeport.com web: http://www.teleport.com/-o ch para/

TEXAS

WASHINGTON

HILL COUNTRY PARAGLIDING INC - Learn complete pilot skills. Personalized USHGA certified training, ridge soaring, foot & tow launching in central Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. (915) 3791185. Rt 1, Box 16F, Tow DC 78672.

DIXON'S AIRPLAY PARAGLIDING - This Northwest training center is located on the Eastern side of the Cascades where the weather is good year round! This 1,600 acre private flight park is ideal for the beginner with drive-up open launches and large landing fields. Individualized training with state-of-the-art equipment, 2-way radios, comprehensive ground schooling with an emphasis on micromereorology. Great new and used invento1y. Specialized clinics including the CAGE and BACKPACK MOTORS. One hour from the CHELAN BUTTE. Ask about on-site lodging and camping. On-site climbing wall, skiing, mmmtain biking, etc. Dave Bridges, US National Champion says, "Dixon's students arc extremely well-trained and competent pilots." Dixon's Paragliding in Washington and Arizona (appointments recommended), 8101 Hay Canyon Road, Cashmere WA 98815. (509) 782-5543. www.paraglide.com

KITE ENTERPRISES - - foot launch, payout winch tow and powered paraglider instruction too. Training, sales, rentals and repair. Edel, Ai1wave, Wills Wing, UP and DK Whisper. Dallas, Fort Worth and north Texas area. 211 Ellis, Allen DC 75002. (972) 390-9090 nights, weekends. UTAH BIG SKY PARAGLIDING - Has moved! The highest quality training, sales and service is now available in Utah. Beginner thru advanced tandem instruction, clinics and tours. Call Dale Covington ar 1-800-782-9204 or (801) 582-2627. CLOUD 9 PARAGLIDING - Utah's largest paragliding school. We offer BOTH AM and PM training sessions at Point of the Mountain. Para 2 certification is $650 for rhc unlimited lesson package which is 100% applied toward the purchase of new paragliding gear. Call or email for information pack (801) 553-1834. Web sire is www.paraglider.com email at maycr@ucw.com

WISCONSIN RA VEN SKY SPORTS - Largest and most popular in the Midwest. Training hills and winch rowing for paragliders. Sales & Service! PO Box 101, Whitewater WI 53190. (414) 473-8800, brad@hanggliding.com.

FINGERSWITCH RADIO HEADSET - By Flight Connections. HEAVY-DUTY w/finger mounted switch, communicate with hands on control bar or brakes. Safer flying and more reliable communications. 90 day mfg warranty, w/repair service available beyond warranty. Available for Yaesu, !com, Alinco, Kenwood & other compatible radios. foll face or open helmets. $89 +$3.50 shipping, MC/Visa, dealer inquires invited. Kcntuckiana Soaring, 425 N Taggart Ave., Clarksville IN 47129. (812) 288-7111, fax (812) 284-4115. SPECIALIZING IN COMMUNICATIONS!

PARTS & ACCESSORIES ARE YOU LOOKING - For a larger paragliding pack for your new harness? Do you want to protect your glider from harmful UV exposure? Try a DirtBag, a unique dual-purpose hackpack, unzips to form a shelter from UV damage. Call (9'70) 641-1754 or email: critter@gunnison.com for a free brochure.

GARMIN GPS 38 - $149. Many other flying accessories available. Call Chad at (805) 569-1667 for more info or visit our web site:

http://www.bodytrends.com/paraacc.htm

LESSONS, SALES, SERVICE, TANDEMS 944-5433.

HAVE EXTRA EQUIPMENT - That you don't know what to do with. Advertise in the Paragliding classifieds, $.50 per word, $5 minimum. Call USHGA for details (719) 632-8300, ushga@ushga.org or fax your ad wirh a Visa/MC, fax (719) 632-6417.

1-888-

VIRGINIA CLOSEST CERTIFIED SCHOOL - To Virginia: SOUTHERN SKIES see North Carolina 1-800-8931555. KITTY HAWK KITES -

See North Carolina.

Your ad is read by more than 4,000 paragliding enthusiasts. Advertise with us today. 52

THE NEW INCREDlBLE EARMIKE 515, 575 Just plug ir into the speakcr/mic outlet in your car and press the ptt button from the control piece when transmitting. Can be fit through your sleeve and attach to your finger with velcro. The earpiece is washable. Earmike 515 is for lcom, Yaesu, Alinco and more. Earmike 575 is for Kenwood. Introductory price for the best mic in the market is $94.95. ISA ph/fax (718) 7777000.

FAX your classified ad, membership renewal or merchandise order:

(719) 632-6417. We gladly accept VISA and MasterCard.

PARAGLIDING

UVEX THE ULTRA LIGHT - Ultra strong fctll face protection you deserve. All sizes in stock. Only $279. Call NAPI/Flight Design at (509) 925-5565 to order your today! BUSINESS & EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

IS IT SOARABLE? - Be sure with a USI-IGA Windsok. Made of 1.5 oz. ripstop nylon, UV treated, 5'4" long w/1 I" throat. Available colors fluorescent pink/yellow or fluorescent pink/white. $39.95 (+$4.75 S/H). Send to USHGA Windsok, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330, (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417. VISA/MC accepted. KENTUCKIANA SOARING Communications Specialist! Best Prices & Best Service! Cusromer Sarisfaction Guaranteed!

MORE FLYING-MORE TIME-MORE MONEY Mark Yarnall, business mentor & SUCCESS MAGAZINE Contributing Editor, believes pilots would fly more, if they bad the time & money. Learn how to have more rime to fly and the money to take care of my fiances. Please contact (702) 884-4030. PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTOR- With tandem and tow ratings wanted to operate and manage school. Managemenr position includes health insurance and profit sharing. Help build the best school, fax resume to Bruce Weaver, Kitty Hawk Kites (919) 441-7597.

DUMBO - Static winch system for bang gliders and paragliders. Low operating cost, precise line-tension operation. Ideal for clubs, schools and resorts. Operates from a small field, allows step-rowing and foot launches. Training available by experienced trainers. for information: Distance Design, 725 Wiseman, Outremonr, Quebec, Canada I-12V 3K7, (514) 343-9611. Dealer inquires welcome. dumbowinch@aol.com VIDEOS & FILMS

VARIOS: FLIGHT DECKS NEW BALL GRAPHICS PLUS ....................... $CALL BALL Ml 9 ........................................................ $375.00 FLYTEC ........................................................... $CALL HELMETS PELLE Full Face, a few left .. retail $160 .. Clcarance ... $95 RADIOS-ALL MODELS AVAILABLE YAESU FT! IR ................... 5 watt ................... $305.00 KENWOOD TH22 ............ 5 watt .................... $CALL F/C 1-'ingerswitch/Headser ... Heavy-Duty ........... $89.00 5/8 TELESCOPIC ANTENNA ........................ $20.95 5/8 GAIN DUCKANTENNA .......................... $17.95 EARTALK Kenwood ........... Clearance ............... $60.00 YAESU Mobile ................... 50 watt ................ $305.00 TUI\E UP w/Warranty Incact ....................... $35-50.00

PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTORS WANTED Eastcoast Paragliding Cenrer is looking for paragliding instructors to join its team. For info call Lars Linde at (908) 747-7845. PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTOR WANTED - For growing paragliding program. Raven Sky Sports (414) 473-8800. QUIT YOUR DAY JOB! - Buy one of the nation's largest schools and get paid to fly! Rapidly growing turnkey operation, call for derails. Established over 5 years in the booming Northwest. Earn/Learn. Terms. (503) 5247709, employees wanted. PUBLICATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

FLY HARD: Viking Films newest release. Rob Whittall, Chris Santacroce & a vintage Buick convertible full of paragliders. Outrageous flying at several west coast flying sires. Meet HG aerobatics champion Mitch McAleer along the way. Excellent rock soundtrack, professionally filmed & edited $35.95. POINT OF THE MOUNTAIN by East Coast, hg/pg action at this Utal1 mecca $29. PARAGLIDE: THE MOVIE by Viking Films. Rock-n-roll world class competition at Owens Valley. Professionally filmed & edited $35.95. DAREDEVIL FLYER III by Tatum Communications. Paraglide with the Wills Wing team & friends in scenic Telluride, Colorado $24.95. Call or fax USHGA (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417, please add +$4 domestic s/b (+$5 for two or more videos). Grear to impress your friends or for those socked-in days. MISCELLANEOUS

PARACHUTES WILLS WING LARA .......... w/Paraswivel ......... $CALL HIGH ENERGY QUANTUM ........................ $CALL MISCELLANEOUS ARMADILLO Gliderbag ..... Regular & XC ..... $105.00 WIND ADVISORY AIRSPEED W/Clamp ...... $23.00 HALL PG AIRSPEED ......... Clcarance ............... $25.00 HOOK KNIFE .................................................. $14.95 KENTUCKJANA SOARING 425 N Taggart Avenue Clarksville IN 47129 (812) 288-7111 fax (812) 284-4115 MINI VARIO- World's smallest, simplest vario! Clips to helmet or chinstrap. 200 hours on batteries, 0-18,000 fr., fast response and 2 year warranty. Great for paragliding too. ONLY $169. Mallettec, PO Box 15756, Santa Ana CA, 927.35. ('714) 966-1240. MC/Visa accepted.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

1998

PARAGLIDING: THE COMPLETE GUIDE - By Noel Whittall. The most complete guide to paragliding on the market. Over I 00 color photographs & illustrations, 200 pages, $26.95 +$4.75 s/h. USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. (719) 632-8300, fax your MC/Visa to (719) 632-6417, email: ushga@usbga.org. SOARING - Monthly magazine of The Soaring Society of America, Inc. Covers all aspects of soaring flight. Full membership $55. Info. kit with sample copy $3. SSA, P.O. Box E, Hobbs, NM 88241. (505) 3921177.

CAL GLOVE Light-weight CABRETTA LEATHER GLOVES, world famocts in equestrian circles, are now gaining popularity in the hang gliding, paragliding & parachuting markets. Available in mens, womens & cbildrens sizes, 9 different colors and priced from $27.95-$39.95. For more info on these superior leather gloves contact: Cal-Glove, 2920 Auburn Blvd, Sacramento CA 95821. (916) 481-8701, fax (916) 4811168, email: cal-glove@juno.com

VIDEOS & ROOKS - Call USHGA for your Merchandise order form (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 6326417, email; ushga@ushga.org DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN THE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES The rate for classified advertising is $.50 per word (or group of characters) and $1.00 per word for bold or all caps. Phone number=2 words, PO Box=2 words, weight range i.e. 137-185lbs=2 words, web site or email address=3 words. MINIMUM AD CHARGE $5.00. A fee of $15.00 is charged for each line art logo and $25.00 for each photo. LINEART & PHOTO SIZE NO LARGER THAN 1.75" X 2.25". Please underline words tQ_ be in bold print. Special layouts of cabs arc $25.00 per column inch. AD DEADLINES: January 20th is the deadline for the March/April issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA. Send to: PARAGLIDING MA(;AZINE, Classified Advertising, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330 (719) 632-8300 or fax (719) 632-6417, email ushga@ushga.org with your Visa or Mastercard. STOLEN WINGS & THINGS US VOLES STORM 301 - Stolen from vehicle ar TIGER MOUNTAIN LZ, ISSAQUAH, WA on October 12th, 1997 weekend. Pink top, green/yellow undersurface, also AT harness, large green reserve. (206) 949-0519. BLACK FLEECE JACKET - Lost at POINT OF THE MOUNTAIN, UT. Windmeter in pocket. Eric Prouty (970) 926-7676. EDEL SABER M - Lost/stolen at KITTREDGE, CO on August 4, 1997. Gold top, white under, frayed brake line on left side, also rainbow colored Ball vario. Mike Foster (303) 832-6716. YAESU RADIO - Misplaced at TELLURIDE FLYIN, CO, on September 1996, serial number 4N201703. Dave Broyles (214) 727-3588.

NOVA PHILOU 21 PARAGLIDER - New, blue/purple, only one in the US (sin 6105). Also Kenwood TH-22 radio (sin 6050151 5). (714) 9792449.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Adventure Productions ................ 33 Aero light USA ........................... .43

LOO BOOK & HtlFORIMf!lTIOH GUIDE BY Paramerica. In corroboration

Airwave ....................................... 14

with and preface by lttlil!!.l:II IWIWll'Mt~OCI!.

Brauniger .................................... 13 Carlos Vega ................................... 5 Edel .............................................. 2 Flight Design & NAPI.. ............... .7 Fly Products ............................... .47 Fly Castelluccio ........................... 11 Flytec .......................................... 35

l'll11111ily an organized log book, find any flight instantly, even organizes your old log books.

«!Stl«HII rating requirements and check off lists. Instructors see at a glance students achievement level. ~1!1'111.UIIIH.11!, add important information like radio repeater frequencies maps etc. S'Mll'illll~IIU> log information plus weather details, thermal climbs, accumulated lift, mileage, glider hours and more (each Ill). "IFIIJt§Tii" section, first soaring flight, first 50 miler, first 10,000 foot climb & much more. ililtll:Ol'lli'll.l:lls;llllll!NT & mistake section each flight, seeks information otherwise missed. l'L'I' 1111 & meet schedule & address book. l'iliB<II.O«JIS worid para W!llll sites, weather, clubs, aviation, soaring forecast, sites & more. !!-mull lists and bulletin boards. tttili~T:11 01' Ull.lili!Bll.l'l"I' by Mike Robertson ,VfflOSll'tll!f!«lt CAI.C«lurffl!Jt William Dowell T«!Rllll«lll.1!1'1(1! Iii, ~(I( charts by John \Nypp. M1Em1c to English conversions & much more

PflRAMERICA IPAMGUDIING $24.95 (+3.50 s&h) VISNMC COD 10169 N 15 E, IDAHO FALLS, ID 83401 208-524-0039 Fax 208-522-4047.51 E-mail Flylogbook@AOL.COM

FreeX .......................................... 19 Hall Brothers .............................. 55 hhp-film ...................................... 46 Parafly ......................................... 43 Paragon Productions ................... 50 Paramerica Paragliding ................ 54 Pro Design .................... Back Cover Paratech ...................................... 13 SOL ............................................ 50 Sport Aviation Publications ......... 33 Sup' Air ....................................... 14 UP Paragliding ............................ 5 5 USHGA ............. 13,33,41 ,43,45,47 West Coast Paragliding ............... 27 Wills Wing ................................. .47

GLIDER MISSING: FLIGHT DESIGN AS SPORT 26 - Blue, #512091D. Please call (509) 925-5565 if you have seen/have this glider. IKAROS (KOREAN) PARAGLIDER - Stolen from SAN BERNARDINO, CA rental car on June 6th, 1996. Pink upper, white under with blue hawk design on right bottom, left brake line replaced with 505 hg cord. Contact MinHo Yoon (909) 887-4844 or Rob McKenzie, High Adventure (909) 883-8488. PACIFIC AIRWAVE RAVE 30 PARAGLIDER Stolen from the LAS VEGAS MAXIM, NV on April 6th, 1996. Solid white glider. Also purple/black "Paradise,, harness w/reserve & tnisc. gear (vario, camelbak, windmeter, etc.) $200 reward for information leading to the recovery of this equipment! Any help will be greatly appreciated. Contact collecr Eric or Sharon Chase (714) 587-1739 or (714) 255-5900, or contact the Brirish School of Paragliding (702) 896-6000.

HAND-HELD WlND METER Monitor changing wind conditions. Responsive to slightest variation In wind velocity. AIRSPEED INDICATOR use with optional PATENTED paraglider mounting bracket. Maximize your performance and skill. RUGGED & ACCURATE: Molded of super tough LEXAN ® resin. stainless steel rod. Calibration traceable to National Institute of standards and Technology.

HALL BROTHERS PO Box l 010-P Morgan UT 84050 (801) 829-3232 fax 829-6349 MC/Visa/COD

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PRO-DES IGI! USA, Shasta Air Inc. 2608 Hartnell Ave. #6 Redding, CA 96002 Phone: (916 ) 222-4606 Fax: (916 ) 222-4640 PH/FAX : 800-YATES-16 E-lliAIL: pro de sig@snowcre st, net HOlliEPAGE: http://members.ping.at/pro-d/

EAST COAST DElliO CENTER: East Coast Paragliding Elle nville, l!Y, Phone (914 ) 674-3377

ROCKY 1iOUI1TAU1 DE!liO CEUTER: Fly Away Paragliding Boulder, CO, Phone (303 ) 642-0849

WEST COAST DE!liO CEllTER: Skytimes Paragliding San Francisco Bay Area. Phone (415 ) 868-1330 E-lliAIL: switzer@hooked.net