USHGA Paragliding September/October 1998 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

PARAGLIDING • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1998

AIR MAIL

RATINGS

USHGA Directors

CLASSIFIEDS

TRIBUTE To WILU MULLER by Bernard Winkelmann

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

TEX MEX '98: A NEW U.S. ANDWoRID RECORD

Accident Reports

by Will Gadd

UPDATE

THE 1998 U.S. PARAGLIDlNG NATIONALS .• by Mike Steed

CONFESSIONS OF AN ENGINEER . by Mike Steed (with thanks. to Roy Haggard)

COVER: Randy Alfano launching at Rendezvous Mountain, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in a Pro Design Compact. Photo by Debra Webb Halbach.

A DIFFERENT AsPECT/SHRINK To. FIT by Zach Hoisington

DEMO DAYS1998

DISCLAIMER OF WAR, RANTlliS IN PUBLICATIONS: The. material pre· sented here is published as

part ofm infonnation dis•semlnatjon service for USHGA members. The USHGA makes nowar. ranties or representations and assumes no ·liability. concerning the validjty of . any advice, opinion or ree:ommendation expres!ied in• the material: AU individuals relying upon tht: material do · so atJheir own. risk. Copyright © l 998 United · States Ha.ng Gliding Assn., Inc. All tights reserv<,d to. Paragl(4tng and inclividqal

contributors.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

1998

Gil Dodgen, Managing Editor/Editor-in-Chief Steve Roti, Jon Goldberg-Hiller, Contributing Editors Dave Pounds, Art Director Will Gadd, Dennis Pagen Staff Writers Office Staff

Phil Bachman, Executive Director, phbachman@ushga.org Jeff Elgart, Advertising, jjelgart@ushga.org Karen Simon, Accounting, klsimon@ushga.org Elaine Elgart, Web Administrator, emelgart@ushga.org Natalie Hinsley, Merchandise Services, njhinsley@ushga.org John Halloran, Administrative Director jghalloran@ushga.org USHGA Officers and Executive Committee:

G.W. Meadows, President Bill Bryden, Vice President Russ Locke, Secretary Geoff Mumford, Treasurer REGION 1: llill Bolosky, Steve Roti. REGiON 2: ·Russ Locke, Ray Leonard, Scott Casparian. REGION 3: Ken llaier, Tammy llurcar, 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 1O: 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, Alan Chuculate, , Ken Brown, Sandy King, Mike Meier, Rob Kells, David Glover, Paul Klemond, Gregg McNamee, Michael Robertson, Greg DeWolf, Tracie Fifer-Welch. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS: Art Greenfield (NAA). The United States Hang Gliding Association lnc:i;;;,; 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 (949) 8887363, fax (949) 888-7464, e-mail: GilDodgen@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 full 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 1 089-1846) is published five times per year (Jan./Feb., March/April, May/June, Sept./Oct., Nov./Dec.) by the United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc., 559 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Suite 101, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903-3657 (719) 632-8300. FAX (719) 632-6417. PERIODICAL POSTAGE is paid at Colorado Springs, CO and at additional mailing offices.

JULY ISSUE COMMENTS Dear Editor, While I enjoyed the July issue of Hang Gliding magazine, I couldn't help but notice that many pilots appear to be choosing to fly without the benefit of battens or downtubes! Is this safe? But seriously, most of the issues concerning pilots are independent of whether they prefer flex wings, rigid wings, or paragliders. As far as I'm concerned it's all hang gliding. The more the merrier! Tyson Richmond

Dear Editor, When I heard that the USHGA magazine might combine hang gliding and paragliding, I thought, "Keep an open mind. It might not be so bad. You don't have to read the paragliding stuff." When the magazine arrived, I was aghast to see that the centerfold featured paragliders. I did a quick run-through to see how much the paraglider stuff had taken over our magazine, and I filled out the survey form that came with it. ("Need to add little icons on the feature stories so we know which sport it's referring to. Use both if both are featured. That way we can skip over what we don't want to read - e.g., the paragliding stuff.") I didn't really start reading the magazine until I was on the train for my morning commute from Harpers Ferry, WV to Rockville, MD. I normally sleep half the way, but this morning I spent the entire 55 minutes with my nose buried in the magazine. And, SURPRISE, I found the paragliding "stuff' just as interesting as the hang gliding articles. I was even grateful for the pictures later on when one of the women in the office wanted to know more about "what she had seen in the sky" near her house. So, from me, congratulations on a job well done. Keep up the good work. My vote, by the way, is for Free Flight as the new name for the combined magazine. Christy Huddle Harpers Ferry, WV

POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: PARAGLIDING, P.O. BOX 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

1998

VOLUME

9, ISSUE #4

Dear Editor, I'm an American hang glider pilot living overseas. I recently received the July issue of the proposed new Hang/Para Gliding magazine and have mixed opinions about the infusion of the two sports. I'm somewhat resistant to the combination of the two, not because I dislike paragliders, but because I've seen first hand what has happened to another publication which tried to combine the two sports. I'm also a member of the BHPA (British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Assn.), who's publication Skywings has left the hang gliding community on the ground. After its infusion of the two sports into the magazine, the paragliding community took over the publication, with some issues not even addressing any hang gliding concerns except for the accident reports. As a result, the hang gliding community is considering starting its own publication. Hang glider pilots sent letters to Skywings regarding this subject, and a few articles started to appear addressing the hang gliding community, but after a couple of months it was back to the norm. The USHGA publishes a top-notch magazine for the hang gliding community and I'm sure the same is true for the paragliding community. I would like to see this tradition continue. I don't want to see the same thing happen to our magazine that has happened to the British publicarion. I'm not totally opposed to the combining of the two sports; I just don't want to see either sport's representation sacrificed in favor of the other's. Warren Groom Island of Cyprus

Dear Editor, After receiving the July "test" issue I'd have to say that I don't think the combined magazine is a good idea. As a Regional Director I did think the test issue was worth trying. As both a hang glider and paraglider pilot (and instructor of both), I look forward to each sport's magazine as they have been coming - separately. It seems clear to me that a combined-format publication will have readers skipping over the half of the magazine that does not pertain to their discipline (ads, accident reports, "how to" articles, equipment evaluations, and half of the Airmail). This greatly reduces the appeal of the magazine to a readership that (I PARAGLIDING

REGION 5 Frank Gillette (R - 99) Rt 1 Watercyn 8 Declo ID 83323 (208) 654-2615 Watercyn@cyberhighway.net Tracie Fifer-Welch (H - 99) PO Box 8225 Jackson WY 83001 (307) 733-6823 di_wyo@compuserve.com

USHGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGION 1 Bill BoloskK,, (R - 98) 24622 SE irrormont Dr Issaquah WA 98027 (425) 557-7981 bolosky@microsoft.com Steve Roti ~R - 99) 3024 NE 18 Ave Portland OR 97212 (503) 284-0995 paragliding@compuserve.com Bob Hannah (H - 98) 9920 51• 1 Ave S Seattle WA 98118 (206) 328-1104 paraskr@aol.com Paul Klemond (H - 99) (PG Accident Chair) 3612 NE 43rd St Seattle WA 98105 (206) 525-5765 paul@kurious.org

Sandy King (H - 98) 1425 Dunbar Ln Carson Cit~ NV 89704 (702) 849- 851 slark@worldnet.att.net REGION 3 Ken Baier (R - 98) 253 Rodney Ave Encinitas CA 92024 (760) 753-2664 airjunkies@worldnet. att. net Tammy Burcar (R - 99) PO Box 3274 Santa Barbara CA 93130 (805) 692-9908 tburcar@juno.com

Mike Meier (H - 98) 500 Blueridge Ave Orange CA 92665 (714) 998-6359 mike@willswing.com

REGION 9 Pete Lehmann (R - 99) 5811 Elgin St Pittsburgh PA 15206 (412) 661-3474 LPLehmann@compuserve.com

REGION 2 Ray Leonard (R - 98) 3650 Research Wy #22 Carson City NV 89706 (702) 883-7070 advspts@pyramid.net

Alan Chuculate (H - 99) 6709 Salizar St San Diego CA 92111 (619) 292-1552 g_achucu@qualcomm.com

Russ Locke (R - 99) 868 S Mary Ave Sunnyvale CA 94087 (408) 737-8745 rsslok@aol.com

Gil Dod~en (Editor) 31441 anta Margarita Pkwy Ste A-256 Reho Sta Marg CA 92688 (714) 888-7363 gildodgen@aol.com

Ken Brown (H - 99) 1795 401h Ave San Francisco CA 94122 (415) 7 53-9534 kennyb2u@aol.com

Dan Johnson (L - 98) 8 Dorset St St Paul MN 55118 (612) 450-0930 CumulusMan@aol.com REGION 8 Randy Adams (R - 98) PO Box 369 Claremont NH 03743 (603) 543-1760 randyadams@cyberportal.net

Rob Kells (H - 98) 500 Blueridge Ave Orange CA 92665 (71~ 998-6359 rob willswing.com

Ed Pitman (L - 98) PO Box 188 Shasta CA 96087 (916) 359-2392 epitman@c-zone.net

REGION 1 Bill Bryden (R - 98) (HG Accident Chair) 6608 North 100 East Rd Seymour IN 47274 (812) 497-2327 hm bbryden@hsonline.net

Gregg Lawless (R - 99) 9127 Bittercreek Ln San Diego CA 92129 (619) 484-2056 gelawles@enova.com

Gene Matthews (H - 98) 15308 111 1h Ave NE Bothell WA 98011 (206) 488-1443 skydog@gte.net

Scott Gasparian (R- 99) c/o LWHS 755 Ocean Ave San Francisco CA 94112 (415) 282-2753 gaspo@igi.org

REGION 6 Jeff Sinason (R - 99) 12954 Ballantine Ct Saint Louis MO 63146 (314) 542-2473 jsinason@itdcomm.com

REGION 4 Mark Ferguson (R - 98) 1173 Ridgeview Cir Broomfield CO 80020 (303) 931-8075 mark@ballvarios.com Jim Zeiset (R - 99) 13154 County Rd 140 Salida CO 81201 (719) 539-3335 jimzgreen@aol.com

Geoffrey Mumford (R - 98) APNPPO 750 First St NE Washington DC 20002 (202) 336-6067 gkm.apa@email.apa.org Dennis Pagen (L - 98) 368 Dunkle Rd Bellefonte PA 16823 (814) 383-2569 pagenbks@lazerlink.com Chris DuPaul (H - 98) PO Box 801 Gloucester Pt VA 23062 (804) 693-6742 skigolfnut@aol.com Art Greenfield (X) 1815 N Ft Meyer Dr Ste 700 Arlington VA 22209 (703) 527-0226 NM@ids2.idsonline.com REGION 10 G.W. Meadows (R - 98) 1125 Harbor View Dr Kill Devil Hills NC 27948 (919) 480-3552 justfly@interpath.com

Matt Taber (R - 99) 7201 Scenic Hwy 189 Rising Fawn GA 30738 (706) 398-3433 airwave@voy.net David Glover (H - 99) 1696 Creek Rd Wildwood GA 30757 (706) 675-8485 airwave@voy.net Gregg McNamee (H - 98) 14141 SE 51'1 Ave Summerfield FL 34491 (352) 245-8263 graybird@praxis.net Greg De Wolf (H - 99) PO Box 607 Corolla NC 27927 (919) 453-4800 DeWolf7@aol.com REGION 11 Dave Brobles (R - 99) 211 Ellis r Allen TX 75002 (972) 727-3588 broyles@psuedospace.com REGION 12 Paul Voight (R - 98) 5163 Searsville Rd Pine Bush NY 12566 (914) 744-3317 ryanv1 OO@aol.com Jan Johnson (L - 98) 585 E Frank Applegate Jackson NJ 08527 (908) 928-8370 fec@frontiernet.net Paul Rikert (L - 98) 101 N Broadway# 28-3 White Plains NY 10603 (914) 946-9386 hm Lars Linde (H - 98) 954 W Front St Red Bank NJ 07701 (732) 747-7845 !arslinde@compuserve.com REGION 13 (lnt'I) Jan Johnson (L - 98) See Reg 12 Michael Robertson (H - 98) RR 5 865 Con 7 Claremont Ontario Canada L1Y 1A2 wo5) 294-2536 yhigh@inforamp.net USHGA Executive Director Phili~ Bachman PO ox 1330 Colo Sprin~s CO 80901 · (719) 632- 300 wk (719) 632-6417 fax phbachman@ushga.org ushga@ushga.org

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President-G.W. Meadows Vice President-Bill Bryden Secretary-Russ Locke Treasurer-Geoff Mumford KEY: (R)-Regional (L)-At Large (H)-Honorary (X)-Ex Officio

believe) normally enjoys devouring each issue from cover to cover. The reactions I've received from members of both disciplines in my area have run from marginally negative to vehemently negative. I'll bet the survey response turns out similarly. In my opinion, this combined magazine concept may have seemed like a good idea, but in reality turns out to be a bad idea. Paul Voight Pine Bush, NY

Dear Editor, Change is a funny thing. No one likes change, but if you don't change you sometimes get left behind. Do you have a problem with paraglider pilots? Then you have a problem with more than a third of the membership of this organization, the fastest growing part ofUSHGA. You don't care that paraglider pilots are being discriminated against by getting just six magazines per year?

::.MRI

Then you should have no problem paying increased dues and subscription rates if the paras break off from USHGA and form a separate organization. You think this can't happen? Look at the advertising pages in the combined magazine. What do you think the para advertising revenue will be in 10 years? The point is, we represent different forms of the same form of flight: same sites, same concerns, same love of the air. If you have a problem with that, then you do have a problem. Fly high, think hard. Tony Lynn Pacific Palisades, CA

"UNREALISTIC IMAGES" REPLY Dear Editor, As a female pilot I would like to respond to Marina Gerson's letter to the editor entitled "Unrealistic Images" in the July 1998

issue. That she was offended by an opinion of one pilot is ridiculous! I would also like to know what she's referring to as advertisements geared toward men. Ads featuring new wings? Or new helmets that don't have pretty flowers on them? Not enough pink flight suits? I personally haven't seen any ads featuring models in bikinis. As far as I can tell, this is a magazine geared toward pilots. If she wants a positive image of women in the magazine, she should spend less time obsessing on looks and more time flying. Then she could write an article about our sport, perhaps concentrating on the strengths of our top-ranked female pilots. I think the editor of our magazine has more important things to do than "remove offensive material" that only upsets people looking for attention. Please keep the speeches about "objectifying women" out of our sport. I'm here to fly. Martina Lang Vancouver, BC

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October 30th 31st &November 1st

USHGA certification & thermal sign-off upon successful completion. Breakfast included. Custom accommodations package available upon request. Spouses - Come along, we'll have fun! Study materials, hand-outs & personalized Instruction. Clinic sponsored by

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PARAGLIDING

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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 event. We request two months lead time for regional and national meets.

COMPETITION SEPT. 25-27: West Coast Paragliding Regionals. $100 until Aug. 31, $125 after. Contact: Adventure Sports (702) 883-7070, advspts@pyramid.net, registration form at http://www.pyramid.net/advspts. FEB. 1-12, 1999: Brazilian Paragliding Tour, Governador Valadares. Consistent X-C flying, 3,000-ft. mountain launchable in any direction with easy retrieval and accommodations. See May/June Paragliding magazine. $1,195 includes room, meals, transportation to launch, retrieval. Contact: Adventure Sports (702) 8837070, advspts@pyramid.net, www.pyramid.net/advspts. FEB. 27-MARCH 5, 1999: 1999 New

Zealand Paragliding Open Champiomhips, Mt. Borah, Manilla, NSW, Australia. Entry $85 includes limited transport to launch, awards dinner, prizes. 75 pilots max, first come, first served. Cloudbase usually over 3,000 meters, flights over 100 km are common. Faxed credit card entries acceptable. Contact: ph. Ol 1-64-3384-9687, fax Ol l-64-3-384-9644.

FUN FLYING UNTIL SEPT. 30: 1998 Official Lakeview, OR flying season. $100 each month for the longest flight registered from an official Lakeview flying site. $1,000 to the pilot with the greatest four-month cumulative total for the season (paraglider miles doubled). $50 per month random drawing just for showing up and registering! Beautiful and

plentiful flying sites, friendly landowners, good retrieval roads, and flying great enough to set all the current Oregon State distance records for HG and PG. Contact: Lake Co. Chamber of Commerce (541) 9476040. OCT. 2-4: October's Best Fly-In. Come to North Carolina's Sauratown Mountain for excellent cliff launching and, this year, aerotowing. Sponsored by SMHGC. Show up Friday or earlier in the week. Low-key competition features X-C, duration and spot-landing, with trophies, cash and prizes. $35 entry includes T-shirt. Novice to Advanced. Contact: Doug Rice (336) 994-4377, Mike Nester (336) 9222111, Vic Lewellen 70272.531@compuserve.com. OCT. 31-NOV. 1: Annual Halloween Women's Fly-In, for HG and PG pilots. Men and women invited. Costumes, camping, flying, beer, potluck. The country's largest fly-in. Saddle Mountain is a 2,000-foot-high, 30mile ridge offering consistently good ridge and thermal flying. Contact: Kristin Janosky (509) 925-2190, or Kristin Armstrong (509) 624-5856.

CLINICS/MEETINGS/TOURS UNTIL OCT: Exxtacy clinics presented by Dave Sharp and Mike Eberle in various locations throughout North America. Contact (509) 925-5565 for scheduling information for your home site. SEPT.-NOV.: "Owem 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. SEPT. 16-18, 18-20: Maneuvers Clinics, by Parasoft Paragliding School at Lake McConaughy, Nebraska, for those

who wish to experience how their gliders perform and learn how to make them behave. Cost: $375 (16-18), $425 (18-20). Contact: Granger Banks, parasoft@csd.net. SEPT. 19: Ground Handling Clinic. Learn ground-handling techniques in various conditions. Obstacle course. All PG ratings. $25. OCT. 17-18: Tow Clinic Sign-off USHGA instructional clinic and towing certification. $99. P2 rated and above. OCT. 30-NOV. 1: Baja Thermal Clinic, La Salina, 40 mins. south of San Diego. Instruction, soaring, fun. $19 5 includes transportation to LZ, campsite, handouts, more. P2 rated and above. DEC. 5:

Restricted Landing Field Sign-off. Enhance spot-landing skills. $50. P2 rated and above. Contact: David Jebb, Torrey Pines Gliderport, 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Dr., La Jolla/San Diego, CA 92037 (619) 452-9858, aircal@netcom.com. SEPT. 11-13: Skytimes Paragliding/john Kites fall maneuvers clinics. Sept. 18-20 rain dates. Eight years of experience, two tow boats, two rescue boats. Learn recovery technique for asymmetrical collapse, recognize constant stall and negative tendency for spin. Lake Shasta in Northern California. Cost: $350. Clinics traditionally fill quickly. Contact: (415) 868-1330, switzer@hooked.net. SEPT. 12-13: Sky Hook Sports 8th Annual Paragliding Thermal Clinic, with Phil Pohl. $150. Includes camping, transportation, dinner. 30 mins. to motels. Contact: Phil Pohl (541) 389-4086. OCT. 3-4: Paragliding Mountain Flying Clinic. OCT. 17-18: Paragliding Tandem Clinic. NOV. 6-8: Basic and Advanced Paragliding ICP. NOV. 14-15: Paragliding Instructor Testing Program. Cost: Thermal clinic, powered paragliding and instructor training, $300; X-C $500; Mountain Flying and Tandem $200. Location: Point of the Mountain, Draper, UT PARAGLIDING

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, Twocan Fly Paragliding, 474 E. Tonya Dr., Sandy, UT 84070 (801) 572-3414. OCT. 10-12: Basic/Advanced Paragliding JCP, at Pine Mountain, near Bend, OR Contact: Phil Pohl, Sky Hook Sports (541) 389-4086. OCT. 23-25: AOPA EXPO '98, Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, CA. Contact: Warren

Morningstar (301) 695-2162, warren. mo rningstar@ao pa. org.

Many activities for non-flying family members. Tours led by local pilot guides with five years of experience. Tour sizes limited, early reservations recommended. Past participant referrals available. Contact: Thermal Tracker Paragliding and Aero-sports, P.O. Box 292, Wolf Creek, OR 97497, (541) 866-2529 (ph./fax), thermaltracker@bigfoot.com.

NOV. 12-29: African Paragliding Safari. 19 adventure-filled days in sunny South Africa. Fly the big sky, extraordinary scenery and wildlife. Contact: Pine Pienaar (970) 920-0248, climbfly@rof.net. NOV. 27-DEC. 6, DEC. 11-20: Chile '98 Tour, by Worldwide Adventure Tours, in the Atacama desert. Additional excursion to Patagonia. Contact: l800-727-2354, www.fun2fly.com. DEC. 28-JAN. 15, 1999: Yates/Pro-Design Fly Ecuador Tours, by Thermal Tracker Aero-Spons. Explore the high Andes, flying among some of the most beautiful peaks in South America. Fly miles of smooth coastal ridge sites.

JAN. 16-18, 1999: Inland Northwest Paragliding Club Winter Fly-In at Saddle Mountain. HG and PG welcome. Bring wings and skis. Contact: Denton Meier (509) 663-1460. FEB. 1999: New Zealand Tour by Worldwide Adventure Tours. Three types of trips from rugged to ritzy. Contact: 1-800-727-2354, www.fun2fly.com.

- Understanding the Sky - $19.95 + 2.50 shipping Small and large-scale weather for all pilots Order from:

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- Paragliding Flight- $19.95 + 2.50 shipping - NEW! Security in Flight- $35 + 3 shipping 32 mn video on SIV flying Learn to understand, recognize and recover from various maneuvers.

parag1I•d tng •

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

1998

POCKET-SIZED WEATHER STATION

EAST COAST VIDEO RELEASES "GREEN POINT FLYERS"

ayne Bergman has released a new video which was shot along the 300mile coast of Lake Michigan at eight different sites. The new film includes Lighcwave 3-D animation and contemporary computer morphing. The video includes 51 minutes of hang gliding, paragliding, motorized paragliding, static cow, tug cow, mosquito power-pack flying, a Swift, and a powered parachute. The video sells for $32. Wayne's ocher video, "Point ofThe Mountain," is also available for $29. Contact: (616) 739-5363 .

lyrec USA is pleased ro add yet another instrument to their product line, the new Flyrec Windwarch. The Windwarch is a pocket-sized, precision, hand-held weather station char indicates current, peak and average wind speed, as well as current temperature and wind-chill values. The Windwatch also features a configuration mode in which the user can program the instrument to suit the user's individual requirements. In chis mode the Windwarch can be set to display the wind speed in up to five different measurement units (mph, knots, kph, m/sec., Beaufort). The ocher parameters chat can be set are the rime interval (5 to 40 secs.) for the averaging functions, type of wind speed averaging (normal or peak wind), display interval for average values, and temperature correcnons. The Windwatch carries a two-year warranty and is powered by a three-volt, userreplaceable lithium battery (included), and will keep you checking weather conditions for four years or about 100,000 one-minute measurements. The Windwarch is accurate, compact and rugged, making it perfectly suited for the weather-dependent sports enthusiast. For more information contact your local Flyrec dealer or Flyrec USA at 1-800-662-2449, or (352) 332-8675, fax (352) 332-8676, usaflyrec@aol.com.

DK WHISPER ADVISORY

A APCO FLYING SUIT

pco is offering chis new paragliding flight suit designed and manufactured by Air Xtreme. Ifis made of breathable "microfiber" and is waterproof and windproof. The flight suit is also equipped with their exclusive "competition sleeves" for the arms and legs. They are made of Lycra and can be zipped up for racing or left unzipped for recreational flying. The suit features plenty of pockets and gadgets for carrying accessories and ocher equipment. Contact: Aerolighr USA (305) 639-3330, www.aerolighr.com, Apco Aviation Ltd., rel. Ol 1-972-6-6273727, fax 011-972-66273728, apco@nervision.net.il.

ny pilot who owns an early DK Bear Whisper paragliding power system should check the following Web page for information pertaining to a potential problem which may result in injury to the pilot or people on the ground: http://www.skyroy.com/DKBear.hcm.

USHGA AWARD NOMINATIONS SOLICITED

SHGA is soliciting award nominations in the following categories. Keep in mind char there is no limit to the number of Commendations and Special Commendations given each year. Send your written nominations to the USHGA office (P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330, or e-mail ushga@ushga.org) or to your Regional Director by October 31 .

Presidential Citation - This is the USHGA's highest award, and may be awarded to members and non-members who have made a significant contribution to the sport. The contributions need not have been made during the previous year. Chapter ofthe Year- This award provides an opportunity for the Association to recognize the USHGA Chapter club chat has conducted successful programs which reflect positively upon the Chapter and the sport. Activities include, but are not limited to: site procurement, development and retention, safety, membership development, and beginner and novice programs. Newsletter ofthe Year- This award recognizes an outstanding club publication chat has been supportive of the sport and the sponsoring Chapter's activities. The award is based on service to members, layout, article variety, safety promotion, and promoting the sport. Special Commendations- Special Commendations are awarded co non-members and organizations who have done exceptional volunteer work chat has significantly enhanced and promoted the sport in the United States. The Special Commendation is a way for our organization to recognize landowners, drivers, restaurant owners, government officials and ocher good ole boys and gals who have contributed in a nonmember capacity during the year. Commendatiom- Commendations are awards to USHGA members who have contributed to paragliding and/or hang gliding on a volunteer basis in any number of areas, including site development and retention, competition organization, public relations, heroic rescue efforts, and/or basically getting off their duffs and doing something for someone else's enjoyment of flying and the promotion of the sport. NAA Safety Award & USHGA Exceptional Service Award- The NAA Safety Award is given to an individual who has contributed to safety promotion. The USHGA Exceptional Service Award is different from the Presidential Citation in chat this award recognizes outstanding service to the Association.

1998 USHGA MEMBERSHIP SURVEY SUMMARY: Compared to last year's survey, our age and income went up. The number of

PARAGLIDING

!.Jil Y !J;!,;.l!.JE :!.

,;.}JI!iY,;. l YE, fiJE CIJOJ!:E !J.F ·r;JE iY!JU.!.!.J CiJ,;.l1Hr'J!J,J

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

hang gliding flights we've made went down, but the duration of the flights went up. The number of paragliding flights we've made went up, but the duration of the flights went down. We are towing more by aero, boat or other, and less by car. We had more respondents from the paragliding and rigid-wing contingent, and fewer responses from flexSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

wing pilots. There were 1,169 respondents, 12.5% ofUSHGA's membership. PROFILE

89.6% male, 10.4% female 54.5% married, 45.4% single Age: 42.7, No. of children: 1.1 Annual Salary. $59,604

1998

What is your level ofeducation? .8% some HS, 5.4% HS Grad, 0% Tech/Trade, 27.2% Some College, 66.7% College Grad How many gliders do you own? 2 What glider do you currently fly most often? Hang Gliders. 1) Wills Wing 46.6%, 2) Pacifi.cAirwave 24.9%, 3) Moyes 12.1%, 4) UP 3.9%, 5) Seedwings 3%

Paragliders. 1) Edel 29.6%, 2) Other 15.5%*, 3) Pro Design 12.5%, 4) Nova 9.5%, 5) Flight Design 6.3%. (*does not include Wills 5.6%, Firebird 5.6%, PacAir 4.9%, Apco 4.6%, I1V 3.3%, UP 2.3%, Ailes, Trekking, Airtek) When was the last time your glider was serviced

by a dealelf 1995

Was your accident reported to USHGA? 15.6%

4.4%

yes, 84.4% no

What type oftowing vehicle do you use? 41.8% aero, 11.2% boat, 37.1 % car/truck, 9.8% other

What type ofinjury resulted, ifanj. 5 .6% none, 6.5% head, 4.7% face, 3.7% neck, 6.5% chest, 4.7% abdomen, 11.2% back, 7.5% pelvis, 5.6% shoulder, 7.5% arm, 4.7% elbow

What type oftowline tension device do you use? 26.3% static line, 55.5% pay-out winch, 16.1 % stationary winch, 2.1 % other

What was the cause ofyour non-reported accident! 25.2% crash on launch, 32.4% crash

Do you use an observer/spotter, other than the vehicle operator, when towin:,j 69.2% yes, 30.8% no

How many flights did you make from 10101/96 to 09/30197? HG: 41.2, PG: 51.8 What was your total airtime (hours) from 10/01196 to 09130197? HG: 38.2, PG: 35.2 What is your total lifetime airtime (hours)?

on landing, 3.6% in-flight stall, 3.6% canopy collapse, 9.9% flew into something, 0% failure to hook in, 15.3% strong weather, 4.5% poor brake flare, 0% structural failure, 2.7% student/beginner, 1.8% new glider, .9% aerobatics, 0% other Were you hospitalized overnight! 15.9% yes, 84.1% no Did you deploy your chute? 2.1 % yes, 97.9% no What type ofparachute do you use? 85.1 % hand-deployed, 10.8% ballistic, 2% both, 3.9% neither Was it repacked in 199fft. 62.3% yes, 37.7% no

HG: 485.8, PG: 159.5

Did you have your ballistic rocket serviced in

Did you buy a glider in 1997? 22.7% yes/new, 14.2% yes/used, 63.1 % no

Are you pkmning to buy a glider in l 99fft. 18.2% yes/new, 8% yes/used, 52.4% no, 21.3% undecided

What is your current ratin:,j Hang Gliding. Hl 2.6%, H2 15.7%, H3 25.2%, H4 47.8%, H5 8.7% Paragliding. P 1 0%, P2 0%, P3 0%, P4 0%, P5 0% How many years have you been flyin:,j 10 .2

Did you compete in your Regionals? 4.6% yes,

199fft. 4.1 % yes, 95.9% no

83% no, 12.4% didn't have Regionals What type ofwing(s) do you flj. 70.5% Class 1-Flex, 4.6% Class 2-Rigid, 35.4 Class 3Paraglider

Ifnot, when was it last serviced? 1993

ACCIDENT REPORTING

TOWING

How many flights did you make from 10101196 to 09130/97, in each ofthe following categories? a. Free foot-!dunch (no towing involved): hang

Did you have an injury accident from 10/01196 to 09130197? 10.1 % yes, 89.9% no Was your accident in a hang glider or a paraglidelf 64.5% hang glider, 35.5%

gliding 73.8%, paragliding 94.6%

paraglider

gliding 8%, paragliding 1%

Was medical/professional treatment required?

d Tow - other (all foot-!dunch tow that is not aerotow): hang gliding 3.8%, paragliding

51.8% yes, 48.2% no

b. Aerotow (all towing by powered aircraft): hang gliding 14.4%

c. Tow -p!dtform !dunch (truck towing): hang

Do you use towing as an instructional tooP. 37.3% yes, 62.7% no Jfyes. 38.8% solo, 24% tandem, 37.2% both

FlY ECUADOR THIS WINTER

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This "one size fits all" radio harness instantly adjusts to hold any radio snugly to your chest without the use of multiple velcro straps or buckles found on lesser quality harnesses. The vertical orientation of the radio improves reception and extends antenna life. Our unique suspension system virtually guarantees that your harness will not bounce or swing. The Adjusta Pro radio harness features all Cordura construction, large bellow cargo pocket, pen pouch and twin elastic antenna keepers.

Phone I Fax (541) 86(Ml52 Thermal Tracker Aero-Sports RO. Box 292 Wolf Creek, OR 97497

PARAGLIDING

BRONZE SAFE PILOT AWARDS KARIE DANIEL PHIL NERI

SILVER SAFE PILOT AWARDS RICHARD SHALLMAN KIM GALVIN

1ST DIAMOND SAFE PILOT AWARDS STEVE AMY CARY MENDES KELLY DAVIS

BEGINNER RATINGS Region 1 ALLEN, STEVE: Mosier, OR; R. Higgins/Sunsports PG ARRIOLA, KENNETH: Ketchikan, AK; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG BINGHAM, DAVID: Issaquah, WA; M. Smith/Dixon's Airplay PG BOND, HAROLD: Shoreline, WA; M. Smith/Dixon's Airplay PG BRINCKERHOFF, JO: Vancouver, WA; H. Comfort/The Soaring Center BRINCKERHOFF, JOHN: Vancouver, WA; H. Comfort/The Soaring Center BRYAN, LARRY: Issaquah, WA; M. Smith/Dixon's Airplay PG CASSLEY,JOHN: Kirkland, WA; C. Mulack/Chelan PG CLEMENSON, HENNY: Portland, OR; J. Clemenson/HG PG School Oregon DE BILL, KARA: Mercer Island, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG DEVOE, MICHELLE: Port Orchard, WA; C. Mulack/Chelan PG DUNCAN, BRAD: Kirkland, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG EDSFORTH, JULIE: Seattle, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG EVANS, LISA: Bellevue, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG FREEMAN, MICHAEL: Seattle, WA; M. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School GUPTA, SANJAY: Seattle, WA; M. Smith/Dixon's Airplay PG HOUGHTON, STEPHEN: Yakima, WA; M. Smith/Dixon's Airplay PG JOHNSON, PAIGE: Des Moines, WA; E. Oman/Wild Wing's PG KELLY, JACK: Seattle, WA; M. Smith/Dixon's Airplay PG MADEOY, MIKE: Issaquah, WA; C. Mulack/Chelan PG MC DONNELL, LAWRENCE: Enumclaw, WA; KHudonjorgensen/Two Can Fly NEWHALL, GREG: Bellevue, WA; C. Mulack/Chelan PG NOSTRAND, FOSTER: Portland, OR; L. Pindar/Over the Hill PETERS, JIM: Seattle, WA; M. Smith/Dixon's Airplay PG SMITH, DAYID: Issaquah, WA; M. Smith/Dixon's Airplay PG THOMPSON, SUSAN: Newberg, OR; S. Roti/Mr Bachelor PG Region2 BID DISON, GILES: Sunnyvale, CA; J. Lucas/Glidell FLETCHER, JEFFREY: San Francisco, CA; J. Van Meter/Westcoast PG GRAYFORD, MIKE: Las Vegas, NV; K. Biernacki/Upper Limits GREENBLATT, JILL: San Francisco, CA; J. Van Meter/Westcoast PG HACK, ERIC: Atascadero, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky PG HOVIS, RICHARD: Windsor, CA; J. Hovis/Thermo Fly PG KIESLING, THOMAS: Morgan Hill, CA; J. Laos/Glidell KIAUS, MARTIN: Los Altos, CA; J. Van Meter/Westcoast PG LEE, RONALD: Vallejo, CA; R Ost/Blackwing PG NOTLIND, MATS: San Francisco, CA; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG STEUWER, BOB: Atascadero, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky PG WOO, EDDIE: San Francisco, CA; L. Love/UP San Diego Region3 AKERS, JUNE: Honolulu, HI; P. Michelmore/Paradise PG ALFREDSON, LENA: Los Angeles, CA; M. DeBarros/Atmosphere PG

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

1998

ANDERSEN, DOUG: San Diego, CA; B. Shook/Personal Flight BLUE, LINDEN: San Diego, CA; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderporr BOYER, TONY: San Diego, CA; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport CHO, JONGHOON: Torrance, CA; K. Hong/Torrey Pines Gliderport DUREE, TEDI: Los Angeles, CA; C. Santacroce/Super Fly Boyz FREEMAN, GARY: San Diego, CA; F. Lawley/Accelerated Flight Sys GIRARD, DANIEL: Santa Barbara, CA; C. Bastian/Fly Above All HOBSON, MARY: San Diego, CA; A. Chuculate/Air Apparent HURST, JOHN: San Diego, CA; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport KERCH, STEPHEN: San Diego, CA; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport KUZMINA, ALEXANDRA: Volcano, HI; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG LANGEMARK, FRED: Ventura, CA; C. Bastian/Fly Above All LYONS, TIMOTHY: San Diego, CA; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport MC ARTHUR, LIA: Cardiff, CA; L. Love/Torrey Pines Gliderport MC BRIDE, LORI: San Diego, CA; K. Baier/Airjunkies PG MONTGOMERY, THOMAS: Kailua, HI; P. Michelmore/Paradise PG PISAR, ROMAN: Pv Estates, CA; D. deRussy/HG Emporium REGENHARDT, SUSAN: Monticito, CA; C. Bastian/Fly Above All REID, RUTH: Santa Monica, CA; T. Nelson/Thermal Dynamics ROBERTS, JAMES: Honolulu, HI; P. Michelmore/Paradise PG SANCHEZ, MICHAEL: Culver City, CA; M. DeBarros/Atmosphere PG SOLANDT, ARNAUD: R.p.v., CA; K. deRussy/HG Emporium WOODSIDE, FERNANDO: Los Angeles, CA; D. Bridges/Aspen PG Region4 AVENDANO, ORLANDO: Salt Lake City, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG CHRISTENSON, ABRAHAM: Draper, UT; H. Comfort/The Soaring Center HECOCK, JERRY: Masonville, CO; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG HORNER, GARY: Salt Lake City, UT; F. Gillette/Magic Valley Gliders KREHBIEL, KURT: American Fork, UT; H. Comfort/The Soaring Center LEVINE, NOAH: Park City, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG MEANEA, DAVID: Central Valley, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG MEYER, SEAN: Orem, UT; H. Comfort/The Soaring Center NUTTMANN, SAM: Midvale, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG PETERSON,JAN: Logan, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG Region 5 ALBANO, BILL: Idaho Falls, ID; B. Bloxham/King Mtn PG DE LEON, RICHARD: Mountain Home, ID; F. Gillette/Magic Valley Gliders FANTIN 0, FRANK: Kalispell, MT; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG KAPLAN, BARBARA: Jackson, WY; T. Bartlett/Peak PG LAUDER, SCOTT: Pocatello, ID; B. Bloxham/King Mtn PG MAGER, JENNIFER: Viola, ID; M. Smith/Dixon's Airplay PG STOOTS, CARL: Idaho Falls, ID; B. Bloxham/King Mtn PG Region 6 WEST, STUART: Jasper, AR; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG Region 7 BUCK, TIMOTHY: Chicago, IL; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG HOFFMAN, MIKE: Stillman Valley, IL; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG RUMYANTSEV, ANDREY: Chicago, IL; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG Region8 KENEALY, JOHN: Randolph, VT; R. Sharp/Parafly PG RICHER, RENEE: Cambridge, MA; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP WHEELER, DAYID: Westbrook, CT; R. Leonard/Adventure Sports

Region 9 DAUGHERTY, ROBERT: Yorktown, VA; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG LEETE, PHILIP: Virginia Beach, VA; R. Bachman/Kitty Hawk Kites O'BRIEN, KEVIN: Stroudsburg, PA; P. Voight/Fly High HG RICHARDS, LYNDA: Brookeville, MD; R. Sharp/Parafly PG Region 10 BRIGGS, ANDREW: Raleigh, NC; T. Bowles/Southern Skies PG FULLOM, C.K.: Marathon, FL; T. Bowles/Southern Skies PG HIGH, JOHN: Rocky Mount, NC; T. Bowles/Southern Skies PG PAGLIA, PETER: Chapel Hill, NC; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG Region 11 BAGGETT, GARY: Deer Park, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG BAGGETT, MARK: Deer Park, TX; M. Osowski/Hill Country PG BODAK, STEVE: Rockport, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG COOMER, PHILLIP: Springtown, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG HERITSCH, SCOTT: Wichita Falls, TX; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG HILL, MARK: Austin, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG MEIER, MANDY: San Antonio, TX; M. Osowski/Hill Country PG TRAVIS, JAMES: Plano, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG WEAVER, LEIF: Austin, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG WILLIAMSON, BROOK: Azle, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG Region 12 DAE LEE, KYOO: Flushing, NY; L. Linde/Easrcoast PG DAVENPORT, THOMAS: Highmount, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG KOTECHA, JAYE.SH: Stony Brook, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG LEAVITT, MERRELL: Schuyler Falls, NY; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP VAN BELLEN, KLAUS: New York, NY; P. Renaudin/GMI PG Region 13 CHAPMAN, GREG: Canada; P. Hajek/First Ascent HANATSUKA, TORAO: Japan; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport JENKINS, WILFRED: Canada; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport LOCKLEY, MARK: England; K.Hudonjorgensen/Two Can Fly PRATT-JOHNSON, BETTY: Canada; R. McKenzie/High Adventure THIBAULT, STEVE: Indonesia 15811; B. Hannah/PG Washingron

NOVICE RATINGS Region 1 ALLEN, STEVE: Mosier, OR; R. Higgins/Sunsports PG AMEND, MATTHEW: Seattle, WA; M. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School ARRIOLA, KENNETH: Ketchikan, AK; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG BRINCKERHOFF, JOHN: Vancouver, WA; H. Comfort/The Soaring Center DAVIDSON, DAVID: Union Gap, WA; M. DeVietti HOLZGROVE, BILL: Maple Valley, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG HUGHES, MURDOCH: Marysville, WA; M. Smith/Dixon's Airplay PG LILLARD, HARVEY: Bend, OR; P. Pohl/Sky Hook Sports MC DONNELL, IAWRENCE: Enumclaw, WA:, KHudonjorgensen!fwo Can Fly ROBINSON, MONTY: Eugene, OR; P. Pohl/Sky Hook Sports RUSSEL, M MADELINE: Portland, OR; D.B. Hill/Paradventures THOMPSON, SUSAN: Newberg, OR; S. Rori/Mt Bachelor PG TOLNAS, BARRY: Steilacoom, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG WALLMAN, LAWRENCE: Seattle, WA; M. Eberle/North American PG

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

1998

Region2 BADARACCO, PATRICIO: Stinson Beach, CA; J. Van Meter/Westcoast PG BIDDISON, GILES: Sunnyvale, CA; J. Lucas/Glidell BOSTIC, JOE: Las Vegas, NV; K. Biernacki/Upper Limits CARLSON, ROBERT: Union City, CA; J. Laos/Glidell CERAGIOLI, HENRY: San Mateo, CA; J. Van Meter/Westcoast PG DIETZ, DOUG: San Francisco, CA; J. Van Meter/Westcoast PG CRAYFORD, MIKE: Las Vegas, NV; K. Biernacki/Upper Limits HOVIS, RICHARD: Windsor, CA; J. Hovis/Thermo Fly PG HUNTER, ANDREW: San Jose, CA; J. Van Meter/Westcoast PG JENKS, JESSE: Las Vegas, NV; K. Biernacki/Upper Limits KAWAKAMI, GW'YNN: San Francisco, CA; K. Schluter/Altus PG KIESLING, THOMAS: Morgan Hill, CA; J. Laos/Glidell KLAUS, MARTIN: Los Altos, CA; J. Van Meter/Westcoast PG KUCAN, JOSEPH: Las Vegas, NV; K. Biernacki/Upper Limits MC GURRIN, MATT: Cambria, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky PG MURRAY, COLIN: San Francisco, CA; J. Van Meter/Westcoast PG NELSON, MICHAEL: Watsonville, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky PG NOTLIND, MATS: San Francisco, CA; L. Llnde/Eastcoast PG RICE, JAMES: Incline Village, NV; R. Leonard/Adventure Sports SHEPPARD, HAYNES: Berkeley, CA; J. Van Meter/Westcoast PG STEUWER, BOB: Atascadero, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky PG SULPRIZIO, KEITH: Carson City, NV; K. Munn/Adventure Sports SULPRIZIO, SCOTT: Gardnerville, NV; K. Munn/Adventure Sports TRAUGHBER, JEFF: Incline Vlg, NV; K. Munn/Adventure Sports WOO, EDDIE: San Francisco, CA; L. Love/UP San Diego Region 3 ANDERSEN, DOUG: San Diego, CA; B. Shook/Personal Flight ANTHIS, STEPHEN: Riverside, CA; S. Hassell/Airtek PG BLUE, LINDEN: San Diego, CA; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport BOYER, TONY: San Diego, CA:, M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport CHO, JONGHOON: Torrance, CA; K. Hong/Torrey Pines Gliderport CONSTANTINO, ANGELO: Lahaina, HI; D. Stevens/Alto Skysports DERBES, BILLY: Fountain Valley, CA; K. Baier/Airjunkies PG DUREE, TEDI: Los Angeles, CA; K.Hudonjorgensen/Two Can Fly FREEMAN, GARY: San Diego, CA; F. Lawley/Accelerated Flight Sys GIRARD, DANIEL: Santa Barbara, CA; C. Bastian/Fly Above All HURST, JOHN: San Diego, CA; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport KAMOCSAY, LAJOS: N Hollywood, CA; M. DeBarros/Atmosphere PG KERCH, STEPHEN: San Diego, CA; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport KROGH, JEFF: Huntington Bch, CA; S. Hassell/Airtek PG KUZMINA, ALEXANDRA: Volcano, HI; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG LANGEMARK, FRED: Ventura, CA; C. Bastian/Fly Above All LYONS, TIMOTHY: San Diego, CA; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport MC BRIDE, LORI: San Diego, CA; K. Baier/Airjunkies PG OH, YUNG-KUEN: Torrance, CA; K Hong/Torrey Pines Gliderport ORRICK, ALEC: Lakewood, CA; T. Nelson/Thermal Dynamics PETTERMANN, SZIMONETTA: N Hollywood, CA; M. DeBarros/Atrnosphere PG PHILPOTT, NIGEL: Coronado, CA; K. Baier/Airjunkies PG PISAR, ROMAN: Pv Estates, CA; D. deRussy/HG Emporium RAO, NAVEEN: La Jolla, CA; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport REID, RUTH: Santa Monica, CA; T. Nelson/Thermal Dynamics SOLANDT, ARNAUD: R.p.v., CA; K. deRussy/HG Emporium SPRINKLE, STEVE: Newport Beach, CA; K. Hong/Angel PG TUSTISON, STEVE: Huntington Bch, CA; K. Baier/Airjunkies VAN'T RIET, ROBERT: Santa Barbara, CA; T. Truax/Sky Sports WARD, MICHAEL: Visalia, CA; H. Murphy/Surf the Sky PG

WHITE, RON: San Diego, CA; J. Ryan/Torrey Pines Gliderport WOODSIDE, FERNANDO: Los Angeles, CA; D. Bridges/Aspen PG

TRAVIS, JAMES: Plano, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG VADEN, FRED: Gatesville, TX; M. Osowski/Hill Country PG

Region 4 AVENDANO, ORLANDO: Salt Lake City, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG CHARMONNEAU, SETH: Denver, CO; K. Knapp/Parasoft CRANE, TILLMAN: Sandy, UT; H. Comfort/The Soaring Center DE LUCINGES, ANDRE: Avon, CO; K. Husted/Vail Valley PG FISHER, RICHARD: Littleton, CO; G. Banks/Parasoft HAYENS, GREG: Aspen, CO; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG HECOCK, JERRY: Masonville, CO; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG KREHBIEL, KURT: American Fork, UT; H. Comfort/The Soaring Center LEVINE, NOAH: Park City, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG MCCONATHY, JASON: Denver, CO; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG MEANEA, DAVID: Central Valley, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG NEIBAUER, CHRIS: Aurora, CO; G. Banks/Parasoft NUTTMANN, SAM: Midvale, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG PETERSON, JAN: Logan, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG

Region 12 DAE LEE, KYOO: Flushing, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG DAVENPORT, THOMAS: Highmount, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG KOTECHA, JAYESH: Stony Brook, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG KUPEC, DANIEL: Brooklyn, NY; P. Franco/NY PG Center LEAVITT, MERRELL: Schuyler Falls, NY; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP 0 HEARN, JOHN: Gouverneur, NY; T. Bowles/Southern Skies PG SCHALLER FRANCO, PATRICIA: Ellenville, NY; P. Franco/NY PG Center SOMMER, JAN: Brooklyn, NY; P. Franco/NY PG Center VAN BELLEN, KLAUS: New York, NY; P. Renaudin/GMI PG

Region 5 DE LEON, RICHARD: Mountain Home, ID; F. Gillette/Magic Valley Gliders KAPLAN, BARBARA: Jackson, WY; T. Bartlett/Peak PG POOLE, GARY: Ketchum, ID; C. Santacroce/Super Fly Boyz Region 7 BUCK, TIMOTHY: Chicago, IL; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG HOFFMAN, MIKE: Stillman Valley, IL; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG NEUWIRTH, TOMAS: Chicago, IL; P. Franco/NY PG Center RUMYANTSEV, ANDREY: Chicago, IL; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG SVOBODA, PETR: Chicago, IL; P. Franco/NY PG Center VYROUBAL, ALES: Chicago, IL; P. Franco/NY PG Center ZBACNIK, TED: Traverse City, MI; B. Fifer/Traverse City HG PG Region 8 BASKETTE, GEORGE: Mystic, CT; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP FRANTZ, L SCOTT: Riverside, CT; R. Sharp/Parafly PG Region 9 DAUGHERTY, ROBERT: Yorktown, VA; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG DISHEROON, DAVID: Pittsburgh, PA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG GIZARD, CORALINE: Woodbridge, VA; M. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School O'BRIEN, KEVIN: Stroudsburg, PA; P. Voight/Fly High HG RICHARDS, LYNDA: Brookeville, MD; R. Sharp/Parafly PG Region 10 ALFORD, J TERRY: Bradenton, FL; F. Desantis/U Can Fly 2 COUNCE, MIKE: Cordova, TN; S. Hassell/Airtek PG FULLOM, C.K.: Marathon, FL; T. Bowles/Southern Skies PG HIGH, JOHN: Rocky Mount, NC; T. Bowles/Southern Skies PG HOCKER, WILLIAM: Bradenton, FL; F. Desantis/U Can Fly 2 Region 11 CARVACHO, JR, ELMO: San Antonio, TX; M. Osowski/Hill Country PG FERGUSON, MIKE: New Waverly, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG HERITSCH, SCOTT: Wichita Falls, TX; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG JAASKELAINEN, MIKKO: Austin, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG PETTY, DAVID: Leander, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG SMITH, DENEAN: Taylor Lk Villg, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG

Region 13 GIBSON, J.R.: Hong Kong; K.Hudonjorgensen/Two Can Fly GNEHM, OKSANA: Switzerland; Steve Amy/Pro Flyght HI GNEHM, VICTOR: Smitzerland4312; Steve Amy/Pro Flyght HI HANATSUKA, TORAO: Japan; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport JENKINS, WILFRED: Canada; M. Raviv/Torrey Pines Gliderport LOCKLEY, MARK: England; K.Hudonjorgensen/Two Can Fly PRATT-JOHNSON, BETTY: Canada; R. McKenzie/High Adventure THIBAULT, STEVE: Indonesia 15811; B. Hannah/PG Washington TIRADO, PEDRO: ; T. Lavictoire/Kitty Hawk Kites

INTERMEDIATE RATINGS Region l ENDICOTT, ERIC: Clarkston, WA; F.S. Johnson/US Airborne GILDER, MARILYN: Talent, OR; E. Hern/Skyn4hi PG GRICE, GORDON: Mukilteo, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG PICKETT, BRUCE: Federal Way, WA; B. Hannah/PG Washington SCOTT, GREG: Juneau, AK; J. Kreinheder/Alaska PG SIMMONS, DON: Seatte, WA; M. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School SMITH, GREGORYO D: West Richland, WA; M. DeVietti SPECKER, CHRIS: Everett, WA; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG SWAN, RYAN: Skykomish, WA; M. DeVietti Region 2 CHAUMONT, CHAD: Daly City, CA; H. Rejmanek/Westcoast PG HUG, MARKLEY: Las Vegas, NV; K. Biernacki/Upper Limits KRAKAU, PERNILLA: Los Altos, CA; H. Rejmanek/Westcoast PG MARBLE, DAYID: El Cerrito, CA; W. Anderson/Merlin Flight School MASSOUD I, ARASH: San Mateo, CA; H. Rejmanek!Westcoast PG MONTOYA,JANENE: Redding, CA; P. Blackburn/Ultimate High NERI, PHIL: S San Francisco, CA; H. Rejmanek/Westcoast PG NOTLIND, MATS: San Francisco, CA; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG 0 CONNOR, ENLEAU: Oal( Run, CA; P. Blackborn/Ultimate High Region 3 BLUE, LINDEN: San Diego, CA; D. Jebb/Torrey Pines Gliderport BREMER, JR, CURTIS: San Diego, CA; S. Hassell/Airtek PG DUREE, TOBY: Hollywood, CA; C. Santacroce/Super Fly Boyz FISCHER, MICHAEL: Valley Center, CA; K. Baier/Airjunkies PG GALLOWAY, LAYNE: San Diego, CA; S. Hassell/Airtek PG HURLEY, DOREEN: Oceanside, CA; K. Baier/Airjunkies PG JUCKER, MARKUS: Poway, CA; S. Hassell/Aircek PG KAMOCSAY, LAJOS: N Hollywood, CA; M. DeBarros/Atmosphere PG LENDARO, VAL: San Diego, CA; S. Hassell/Aircek PG MARTYN, GEOFFREY: San Diego, CA; A. Chuculate/Air Apparent

PARAGLIDING

PERHAM, ARMIN: San Diego, CA; L. Love/Torrey Pines Gliderport PETTERMANN, SZIMONETTA: N Hollywood, CA; M. DeBarros/Atmosphere PG ROCK, JOANNE: San Diego, CA; D. Jebb/Torrey Pines Gliderport

Region 3 DAVIS, BILLY: Kailua, HI;J. Hiller/Observer LIPPERT, CARL: San Diego, CA; M. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School RODGERS, CASEY: Santa Barbara, CA; T. Truax/Sky Sports

Region4 CHRISTENSEN, DON: Orem, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG ELLETT, WADE: Evergreen, CO; G. Banks/Parasoft PG ENGQUIST, SUSAN: Denver, CO; W. Laurence/Fly Away PG JOHNSON, KENNETH: Vail, CO; G. Kelley/Vail Valley PG LITINSKY, EFIM: Denver, CO; T. Nelson/Thermal Dynamics PAYNE, SHARON: Provo, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG PROUlY, ERIC: Edwards, CO; G. Kelley/Vail Valley PG RIGGINS, TOM: Breckenridge, CO; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG SASAKI, TOSHIO: Boulder, CO; G. Banks/Parasoft THOMPSON, RANKIN: Colorado Spgs, CO; M. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School TRUSS, TOM: Sandy, UT; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG WRIGHT, RONALD: Glenwood Spgs, CO; D. Jackson/Aspen PG

Region4 MAY, BURIS: Flagstaff, AZ; D. White/Dixon's Airplay PG PATTERSON, ROBERT: Lyons, CO; R. Leonard/Adventure Sports SILVERA, CHERIE: Aspen, CO; D. Bridges/Aspen PG

Region 5 HILDEBRAND, CHIP: Jackson, WY; T. Bartlett/Peak PG LAURIE, LISA: Jackson, WY; C. Warren/Wind Dance ONUFER, CHRIS: Teran Village, WY; C. Warren/Wind Dance

Region 10 HOFFMAN, FREDERICK: Del Ray Beach, FL; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG KRUG-BASSE, PHILLIPE: Hypoluxo, FL; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG Region 11 YOUNG, HEIDI: Livingston, TX; R. Higgins/Sunsports PG Region 12 MORGAN, GARRETT: West Islip, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG Region 13 EMMANUEL, DEPALLENS: Switzerland; D. Bridges/Aspen PG

MASTER RATINGS Region 8 GREIS, PETER: Arlington, MA; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG KAYE,JONATHAN: Boston, MA; S. Berk THOMAS, STEVE: Essex Jct, VT; R. Sharp/Parafly

Region3 AMY, STEVE: Kula, HI;

TANDEM ONE RATINGS Region 9 O'BRIEN, KEVIN: Stroudsburg, PA; P. Voight/Fly High HG SNAZLIAN, MARK Willoughby, OH; C. Pechmann/Sylmar HGA SLICK, GLENN: Carbondale, PA; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG Region 10 KOVACS, ILDIKO: Charlotte, NC; C. Bowles/Southern Skies PG LAPORTE, STEPHANE: Hypoluxo, FL; H. Rejmanek/Westcoast PG Region 11 LEVINE, RF BERT: Houston, TX; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG LIMA, ANDRE: Austin, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG SANDS, MARK Taylor Lk Vig, TX; N. Stanford/Hill Country PG Region 12 BUKAUSKAS, NARUNAS: Brooklyn, NY; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG MAKRINOS, STEPHANOS: Asroria, NY; S. Mayer/Cloud 9 PG

]ABE BLUMENTHAL JIM LORENZ MARK SHIPMAN BRUCE TRACY DAYID SONDERGELD CHAD BASTIAN LARRY LOVE JAN PFEIFFER ROLF SCHOYEN ROBSPORRER ROSSTRNAS TERRY YOUNG DEPALLENS EMMANUEL

TANDEM TWO RATINGS BRUCE WILSON

ADVANCED RATINGS Region l CALVERT, GAYLE: Canby, OR; S. Roti/Mt Bachelor PG MAY, RICK: Seattle, WA; M. Chirico/Chirico's Fright School Region2 COMPTON, SONNY JIM: Redding, CA; P. Blackburn/Ultimate High LICERIO, TRACEY: Round Mountain, CA; P. Blackburn/Ultimate High NOTLIND, MATS: San Francisco, CA; L. Linde/Eastcoast PG OWENS, GENE: Watsonville, CA; T. Switzer/Skytimes PG REED, ERIC: San Francisco, CA; D. Bridges/Aspen PG THOMAS, GREG: Richmond, CA; H. Rejmanek!Westcoast PG

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

1998

TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATINGS JEFF CLEMENSON JOHN VAN METER MARC WENIGER CHAD BASTIAN JAMES MADDOX CHALONER HALE

1998 TOP 30 SCHOOL/CLUB LEADERS IN BEGINNER (PARA 1) RATINGS ISSUED

1998 TOP 30 SCHOOL/CLUB LEADERS IN NOVICE (PARA 2) RATINGS ISSUED

RANK SCHOOL ................................................... BEGINNER 1 Dixon's Airplay Paragliding ........................................... 55 2 Cloud 9 Paragliding ...................................................... 27 2 Torrey Pines Gliderport/UP San Diego ......................... 27 3 Eastcoast Paragliding ..................................................... 25 3 Hill Country Paragliding ............................................... 25 4 Southern Skies Paragliding ............................................ 22 5 Morningside Flight Park ............................................... 15 6 Glidell ........................................................................... 13 7 Over The Hill ............................................................... 12 8 Surf The Sky Paragliding ............................................... 11 9 Hang Glider Emporium ................................................ 10 10 Adventure Sports ............................................................. 9 11 Fly Away Paragliding ....................................................... 8 11 Two Can Fly ................................................................... 8 12 HG/PG School of Oregon .............................................. 7 13 Atmosphere Paragliding .................................................. 6 13 Chelan Paragliding .......................................................... 6 13 The Soaring Center ......................................................... 6 13 US Airborne .................................................................... 6 13 Westcoast Paragliding ..................................................... 6 14 Magic Valley Gliders ...................................................... .5 14 Personal Flight ................................................................ 5 15 Chirico's Fright School .................................................. .4 15 GMI Paragliding ............................................................. 4 15 High Adventure ............................................................. .4 15 North American Paragliding .......................................... .4 15 Traverse City HG PG ..................................................... 4 15 Upper Limits .................................................................. .4 16 Above & Beyond Paragliding .......................................... 3 16 Airplay Paragliding ....................... ,.................................. 3 16 Big Sky Paragliding ......................................................... 3 16 Chandelle ........................................................................ 3 16 Paradox ........................................................................... 3 16 Pro Flyght Hawaii ........................................................... 3

RANK SCHOOL ....................................................... NOVICE Dixon's Airplay Paragliding ........................................... 34 2 Cloud 9 Paragliding ...................................................... 30 3 Eastcoast Paragliding ..................................................... 26 4 Southern Skies Paragliding ............................................ 25 5 Torrey Pines Gliderport/UP San Diego ......................... 23 6 Westcoast Paragliding ................................................... 17 7 Adventure Sports ........................................................... 12 8 Airtek Paragliding ......................................................... 11 9 Hill Country Paragliding ............................................... 10 Glidell ............................................................................. 9 10 10 Hang Glider Emporium .................................................. 9 10 Morningside Flight Park ................................................. 9 10 Surf the Sky Paragliding .................................................. 9 11 Over The Hill Paragliding ............................................... 8 11 Pro Flyght Hawaii ........................................................... 8 11 Two Can Fly ................................................................... 8 12 Fly Away Paragliding ....................................................... ? 12 North American Paragliding ........................................... 7 13 Airjunkies Paragliding ..................................................... 6 13 Chirico's Fright School ................................................... 6 13 HG/PG School of Oregon .............................................. 6 13 New York Paragliding Center .......................................... 6 13 Parasoft Paragliding ......................................................... 6 14 Atmosphere Paragliding .................................................. 5 14 Big Sky Paragliding ......................................................... 5 14 Magic Valley Gliders ....................................................... 5 14 Personal Flight ................................................................ 5 15 Accelerated Flight Systems ............................................. .4 15 Aerolight USA ................................................................. 4 15 GMI Paragliding ............................................................ .4 15 High Adventure .............................................................. 4 15 Paraglide Washington ..................................................... 4 15 Peak Paragliding ............................................................ .4 15 Sky Hook Sports ............................................................. 4 15 Sky Sports ...................................................................... .4 15 The Soaring Center ........................................................ .4 15 Upper Limits ................................................................... 4

Rankings were compiled.from ratings published in January/February-September/October 1998 issues of Paragliding magazine.

PARAGLIDING

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A TRIBUTE TO

•

by Bernard Winkelmann There are not many words to express what Willi Muller meant to me and others in the Canadian hang gliding and paragliding community. As many ofyou know, he is considered the "Father ofHang Gliding" in Canada, and had been flying for more years that I have lived He was a special person and will be dearly missed

Willi and Chris Muller at Grouse Mountain, Vtzncouver, BC Chris was 5.

Willi Muller at Cochrane.

don't remember when I first met Willi, but we spent a lot of time together during the last five years. Chris, his son, and I used to be on the same swim team. When that phase of my life was over I looked for a sport in which I could excel. I asked Chris if I could try paragliding, and he said that I should come out to the hill. Whether it was the fact that I was Chris' friend or not, Willi did not charge me for lessons. This was just the beginning of his immense generosiry toward me. I found paragliding to be fun, but I could not justify the cost. About a year later I ran into Chris after his trip to Europe, and he invited me back to Cochrane. About a week later I made my first soaring flight, about 20 minutes, and I was hooked! The following spring I bought my first glider, and that was when Willi took me under his wing. I was out on the hill flying at every opportunity, even if it meant skipping a class. Thoroughly enthused about the sport, I soon accumulated enough airtime and experience to begin teaching. On my first cross-country flight I went ~ 50 km and Willi was very happy and proud. I quickly made the national team and went to Spain last year. This year I went to Austria where I met up with Chris, who placed second at the Pre-Worlds, and had my best showing in international competition, placing 12th in that meet. Everything I have mentioned so far I owe to Willi's "investment" in me; he gave me so many opportunities to improve my skills. He was a great teacher and salesman. I couldn't afford my first comp wing, so Willi ran a tab and I was able to work off my equipment instructing for him. When the flying was not good, or if it was the off-season, he would always find something fun to do. If it wasn't smashing go-carts or getting kicked out of the waterslide pack, it was snowboarding trips and towing behind a truck on a frozen lake. Willi always found something new to do. This year he bought a traction kite and we began to use the wind instead of a truck to tow ourselves across che lake. I will never forget his smile. During the week after his death I looked through numerous photo albums, and it was nearly impossible to find a picture of him in which he was not smiling. I'll never forget his playful sense of humor. If Willi found out something about you that you didn't

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Willi Muller at GoUen, BC.

What Happened? by Paul Klemond, USHGA Paragliding Accident Chair Here is a summary of Willi Muller's fatal accident. An official report is in progress but has not yet been submitted. The accident occurred on Wednesday, July 8, 1998, at Chelan Butte in Washington state. Willi Muller, age 53, of Cochrane, Alberta, Canada, launched off the "Ants" launch into mid-afternoon thermal conditions. Other paraglider pilots were in the air and did not report any unusual difficulty. Small "dust devils" had been observed on launch. Willi chose to fly an Apco "Zen II" competition-level paraglider. Competition wings such as this sacrifice stability in return for higher performance, and are characterized by "potentially very violent reactions to turbulence or pilot input error." Several minutes after launching, Willi lost control of the wing and lost altitude. He was less than I 00 feet below launch altitude, flying near "The Rocks" on the Butte's southeast corner. Estimates of his terrain clearance vary. Specific details surrounding Willi's loss of control of the wing are unclear. Willi did not throw a reserve early after losing control. It is not clear whether or not he attempted deployment late. Willi impacted the rocks at a significant speed, possibly in a pendulum motion beneath the surging wing. Competent medical aid was present within one minute but was not successful. One report indicates that one of the wing's trim riser settings was different than the other, though it is not clear when this might have occurred (before, during or after the accident) . want anyone to know, he would tell ~verybody, making jokes and one-liners, but you always knew that it was in good fun and soon enough he would move on to someone else. Willi loved to laugh. I don't think I have met anyone who laughed as much as he did. I was traveling with Willi to the U.S. Paragliding Nationals this year when we decided to stop in Chelan for a day of fly-

1998

ing, as we hadn't flown in the previous five days. On Wednesday, July 8, 1998, we drove up the butte. We stood around, shot the breeze, and decided to fly. Willi was Willi right to the end. At one point the Chelan Classic meet director announced that he wanted to talk to anyone who was not in the meet. His purpose was to inform everyone that it was a left-turn day. Willi was being playfully difficult and the

meet director became irate. Then Willi stuck out his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Willi Muller!" The meet director became a little sheepish, told Willi that he could turn any direction he wished, and invited him to a party that night. Willi loved it and began to laugh and smile. I will always remember that moment; he was in his element. About 20 minutes later I became restless and wanted to take off I spread my glider out on the bushes on the "antsin-the-pants" launch and then took off without a hitch. About 10 minutes later I topped out and began to cross the gorge. I did not see what happened to Willi, but I saw him take off and begin to thermal. I was flying with someone else and needed to pay attention to my flying, so I quit looking down. When I topped out I could not find him anywhere. I'm consoled by the fact that I had one last flight with Willi, and that I was there. It also makes me feel better that Vincene was there and was able to hold his hand and say good-bye. I'm also glad he had the opportunity to see that his investment in me paid off Without Willi, I would never have done as well as I have in any competition. I'm very grateful and hope he was proud. To tell you the truth, the specifics of the accident don't matter. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I flew earlier in the same spot that he flew through, there was a woman thermaling with him, and many flew in the same spot after he did. He always said that you shouldn't fly a paraglider in Chelan in July, that it is simply too rough. He broke his own rule because we were going to Lakeview for rhP P,m,glirling N ,:ition"ls "nrl hP h"rl flown hi.~ h"ng glirler

the day before. I don't know what lesson is to be learned from this accident, but I do know that he was a very skilled pilot and that it was too soon for him to leave us. I feel sorry for all those who never had a chance to meet him. Willi Muller was the happiest guy I have ever known. He would always say to me that I was too young to be stressed out, and that having fun was the most important thing. I think there is a lesson to be learned from the manner in which Willi lived his life: Don't take things too seriously and enjoy life, since it is very short. Whatever it is that makes you happy - whether it be flying, sports, or, God forbid, even work - have fun doing it. I know that compared to Vincene and Chris I have not lost much, but I did lose a lot that day: a mentor, a sponsor, a teacher, an adopted father (he treated me like his own son), and most of all a friend. I will dearly miss the big guy. The entire flying community has lost a living legend. •

PARAGLIDING

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RIEllEASE, WAIVER AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT In consideration of being granted membership in the USHGA, I, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ for myself, my personal representatives, heirs, executors, next of kin, spouse and assigns, do agree as follows: A. DIEF INITIONS - The following definitions apply to terms used in this Agreement: I. "PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT means launching (and/or assisting another in launching), flying (whether as pilot in command or otherwise) and/or landing (including, but not limited to, crashing) a hang glider or paraglider. 2. "MY SPORTS INJURIES' means my personal injury, my bodily injury, my death, my property damage and/or any other personal or finan.dal injury sustained by me as a result of my PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORTand/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System). 3. "RELEASED PARTIES' means the following, including their owners, officers, directors, agents, spouses, employees, officials (elected or otherwise), members, contractors, sub-contractors, lessors and lessees: a) The United States Hang Gliding Association, a California Non-profit Corporation (USHGA); b) Each of the person(s) sponsoring and/or participating in the administration of my proficiency rating(s); c) Each of the hang gliding and/or paragliding organizations which are chapters of the USHGA; d) The United States Of America and each of the city(ies), town(s), county(ies), State(s) and/or other political subdivisions or governmental agencies within whose jurisdictions I launch, fly and/or land; e) Each of the property owners on or over whose property I may launch, fly and/or land; D All persons involved, in any manner, in the sports of hang gliding and/or paragliding at the site(s) where I PARTICIPATE IN THE SPORT. "All persons involved 11 include, but are not limited to, spectators, hang glider and/or paraglider pilots, assistants, drivers, instructors, observers, and owners of hang gliding and/or paragliding equipment; and g) All other persons lawfully present at the site(s) during my PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT. 18. I RELEASE, WAIVE AND DISCHARGE the RELEASED PARTIES from any and all claims and liability for HY SPORTS INJURIES, however caused, even if caused by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the RELEASED PARTIES, to the fullest extent allowed by law. C. I Will NOT SUE OR MAKE A CLAIM against any of the RELEASED PARTIES for loss or damage on account of MY SPORTS INJl!RIES. If I violate this agreement by filing such a suit or making such a claim, I will pay all attorneys' fees and costs of the RELEASED PARTIES. D. I AGREE THAT this AGREEMENT shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California. A.Ii disputes and matters whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this Agreement shall be litigated, if at all, in and before a Court located in the State of California, U.S.A. to the exclusion of the Courts of any other State or Country. IE. SEVIERABUUTY. If any part, article, paragraph, sentence or clause of this Agreement is not enforceable, the affected provision shall be curtailed and limited only to the extent necessary to bring it within the requirements of the law, and the remainder of the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.

F. I VOLUNTARILY ASSUME ALL RISKS, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, Of MY SPORTS UR/ES, HOWEVER CAUSED, EVEN IF CAUSED IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY THE ACTION, INACTION, OR NEGLIGENCE Of THE RELEASED PARTIES, TO THE f UllEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW. I have read, understand, and agree to the above RELEASE, WAIVER A.ND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT.

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Date MR-8/97

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much, but you need wind to fly far on a paraglider. In my mind the math is simple: With no wind you could go maybe 120 miles in a six- or seven-hour flight, but with a 10-20 mph tailwind it's possible to A NEW U.S. AND WORLD RECORD DISTANCE FLIGHT average 30 or more, meaning that flights of 160 to 300+ miles are theoretically possiFROM HOBBS, NEW MEXICO ble. Armed with lots of real enthusiasm for by Will Gadd the theory, we'd committed to three weeks in Hobbs. that if we committed enough n West Texas the dirt is On May 20 we arrived in Hobbs, time, we could potentially red and heavy, almost which was fairly underwhelming from an tap into some of the best sandy. It makes walking aesthetic perspective. Hobbs lives and dies long-distance X-C condion the price of oil as the thousands of oil difficult, and it takes a really tions on the planet as the rigs scattered around town reflect, but the monster dust devil to lift any hangs and sailplane pilots of it skyward, unlike Chelan price of oil has been dismal for the last 10 have done for years. Scott is or other light-dirt sites. I years. Much of the town is vacant and a very experienced X-C hang decaying; 100+ degree heat will make any regard myself as something pilot who has taken to of an expert on west -Texas place look harsh, but the vacant buildings paragliding with a vengeance didn't help the picture much. But the real dirt, as I spent most of my in the last five years, and his problem was the sky. Normally warm, first week of flying in Texas thinking mirrored mine. on the dirt, not in the sky. moist air flows north from the Gulf, where Josh is always up for a flying it meets the hot, dry plains air and forms Scott Johnson, Josh Cohn adventure, plus he had more an awesome cumulus line known as the and I went to Hobbs, New Author self-portrait. flatland paragliding experiMexico, located just on the dryline. Previous record flights had basicalence than either Scott or I. border between New Mexico and Texas, to ly been done by getting under this line of Last year I went to the Owens Valley clouds and following it try to set U.S. and world paragliding distwice, the first time with Josh and Othar tance records, but flatland flying is differnorth from Hobbs. Lawrence, and I ultimately set a new unofUnfortunately, half of ent. Different is not always good. Mexico was on fire, It might seem arrogant to simply set up ficial U.S. record of 138 miles. Bue my thinking camp somewhere in search of records, but and that smoke was had changed a I'd looked at every site with record-breakkeeping thermal fair amount since activity to a miniing potential I could think of anywhere in then. For starters, the world, and Hobbs was by far the best. mum. No dust it's fairly inevitable devils, no cumu(It was also cheap and relatively local, that you will throw lus clouds, just a which helped in qualifying it as the best.) your reserve sooner horrible gray Larry Tudor set the hang gliding declared or later while flying distance-to-goal record of 303 miles there, ""5· overcast comparagliders, and the and many other hangs have also had long aiicing do pounding an already 1,ift-P10 bleak-looking environment. Our rocky spines of the flights. Paraglider pilots have generally had Sierras are absolutely no first two days of towing resulted in flights lousy luck there, despite several attempts. place to ride a reserve Tales from the early nineties focused priof only 30 miles (actually, I went less than onto. The fun could just be starting when 10 both days, as flatland flying is somemarily on backwards landings, tornadoes you hit a rock wall 2,000 feet high. The thing I obviously didn't know jack about). and desperate dashes away from super cells. winds in the Owens also leave little room However, Scott and I convinced each other Then our luck changed. John Baber, a for error; if the winds pick local powered paragliding pilot, showed us up suddenly, you could be some awesome Hobbs hospitality and let rocored into an early grave us stay at his house, in addition to showing fairly suddenly. A good tailus the better bars in the area. I'm sure we wind is also critical to fly would have left without his good energy. long distance X-C on a Soon we were at least having fun hanging paraglider, and in Hobbs with the locals, but there were no scars at you can literally go any night due to the smoke. We went so far as direction and remain over co break out maps of the U.S., figuring driflat fields, reducing a lot of ving distances to every possible X-C site, dangers except that of the but everything was at lease 20 hours away. ----· initial tow. Our record attempt was literally going Josh and the sheriff I don't like towing very down in choking smoke, so we drank in

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the western bars and flew short distances in the haze. The smoke was so bad that the Texas Health Authority advised everyone to stay inside, and even the hawks seem to have flapped somewhere else with better thermals. Day four dawned clearer, and we were back at the airport towing up behind Curt Graham's indescribable tow vehicle. While I generally dislike towing, Curt is extremely competent. We'd brought two winches and thought we'd do our own towing, but it's very comforting to know that the tow operator has seen it all happen before. It took some time to educate one another on how to tow our relatively awkward paragliders, but Curt helped us dial in while we figured out towing basics. The Hobbs Industrial airport is great for towing because it has runways facing every possible direction; we'd just line up with the wind and have at it! I was initially nervous about towing over a concrete runway because you can't see dust devils, but my Cult feels so pressurized under tow that I finally relaxed a bit, although I kept releasing in nothing. Towing is a very different game than foot-launching! Scott climbed out and drifted off on his first tow, but Josh and I each re-towed twice before climbing out at a measly 200 fpm. After gaining a few thousand feet I got aggravated at the slow climb rate and headed off in search of a real thermal. Josh hung with it, slowly climbing behind me while I glided ever lower. There were small cues just starting to pop on the dryline to the east of me, so I figured it was happening. I was wrong, and hit the dirt after only 30 miles while Josh frisbeed over my head. It was hotter than hell on the ground, but our driver, Brandon, soon showed up and collected me. I couldn't figure out what I'd done wrong; there should have been lift over the brown fields, but I didn't get anything after my initial thermal. Scott dirted it after about 50 miles, and we lost contact with Josh while looking for Scott. Cell phones are critical to retrieval out here; radio range is fairly limited once you're on the deck Brandon is good with a GPS; we just called him on the cell phone with coordinates and he hunted us down rapidly. We tried radioing Josh as we followed the wind to Lubbock, but only got occasional smatterings of static in response. Later we learned that Josh's radio was on the fritz.

In Lubbock we gave up chasing Josh and headed to the Outback Steakhouse for frosty beers ~hile waiting to hear from Josh. It was a long wait, but we didn't want to assume that he had found a ride and headed back to Hobbs. The dryline was popping huge over us, with perfect flatbottomed cues lined up as far as the eye could see. If Josh was still up he was going big! Finally, I got a voice-mail: Josh had gone 173 miles, shattering my unofficial U.S. record and almost beating the official world record! I had hours of driving time while retrieving Josh to mentally kick myself in the butt for leaving that 200-fpm thermal, but I was psyched for Josh. We'd come here as a team, and having someone succeed was lots better than having nothing to show for our efforts! While Josh's flight was the longest in the U.S., his FAI paperwork most likely wasn't up to speed, so the unofficial U.S. record of less than 100 miles would still stand. Still, we were inspired: It is possible to fly far here! The next day was also relatively smoke free, so again we were towing by 12:00. Normally it's possible to launch at 10:30 or so according to Curt, but the smoke wasn't letting enough sun through. Josh opted to rest after his epic flight, so Scott and I were the only ones towing. Again, I climbed out in a weak 1-2 up, but this time I rode it until it got to zero at about 10,000 feet, more than 6,000 feet above the ground. Scott had to re-tow, so I was alone out front. I went on glide, and found a real world-class dust devil about 30 miles out that took me to 14,000 feet. A lone cloud popped just above me, and I copped a killer glide on the far side. This was more like it! I confidently went on glide toward the dryline clouds to the east with the GPS reading over 45, and confidently managed to glide all the way to the dirt at 70 miles without hitting so much as a one-up. The heat on the ground was absolutely mindaddling, but Brandon was again on-scene quickly, and I rapid-packed into the truck as Scott floated by about 10,000 feet above our sweating heads. There are few more conflictive feelings than watching someone succeed brilliantly while you're on the dirt. Brandon I played Scott some Korn over the radio to keep him motivated as he bounced from cloud to cloud on his

PARAGLIDING

Firebird Flame. Massive dust devils ripped the heavy Texas dirt into the air all around us, and Scott was soon sounding more than casually hypoxic as be bounced along at more than 12,000 feet above the ground. After 141 miles he landed near Nazareth, Texas, which was amazing to me. On a DHV-2 glider he had made the second-longest flight in U.S. paragliding history! Because Josh's barograph wasn't certified yet, Scott held the official U.S. record. We were psyched on the long drive back to Hobbs, although I was angry at myself for dirting it yet again. Scott told me that sink often sets up in long streets on the flats, which makes sense, but is hard to see without clouds. Typically, the dryline clouds had been forming to the east of us. Josh and Scott both managed to get to those clouds and fly them on their flights, while I had yet to be anywhere near a cloud. Scott told me he had drifted in zeros for almost an hour during the time I'd sunk out. I kicked myself in some old bruises thinking about those zeros I'd flown through. The next day the smoke was present but not too thick. I managed a nice 70miler before being forced out of the sky due to overdevelopment, but I was very happy with the flight. I was finally starting to really feel and see the flatland air. At one point I got down to within about 150 feet of the ground, but I could absolutely tell there would be a thermal off an oil well, and sure enough I locked on a barely-visi-

ble dusty and climbed out. The trick with dust devils to get absolutely, fully committed. If you don't believe in your ability to climb in a column of rising air about the size of a tennis court then you won't. I was starting to believe. That evening the weather news was full of tornado alerts. One actually touched down on the course I'd flown, so I felt good about my decision to spiral to the deck near a large cell that seemed to want my carcass more than usual. I'd never felt lift like that before, absolutely massive areas of 1,000+. Unfortunately, I landed fairly far from a road and had a dehydration epic staggering out. There are only a few places around Hobbs without roads, and as usual I'd found one. Fortunately, Brandon had cold beer in the retrieval truck or I might have died. Over the next two days I managed flights of 131 and then 145 miles, which was good enough for another new U.S. record. But more importantly, I felt like I'd crossed some sort of mental barrier in my flying. I somehow was sensing when to fly straight and when to turn, which way the thermals were drifting (often across or even against the very strong winds), and was generally feeling bird-like. Those with thousands of flying hours perhaps feel this way often, but for me it was a first. It might sound like hocus-pocus self-bull, but I swear I could tell what was happening in the air in a way I'd never experienced before. If nothing else, that feeling

was worth this trip. May 30 again looked good, although I was feeling a bit wasted from all the flying and long retrieves. We'd commonly get back to Hobbs well after midnight, then get to the airport early to prep all the gear. We'd all developed better systems for eating and drinking enough in flight. For example, Gummi Bears are a poor food choice (they tend to scatter when you rip the package open with cold hands), and it's better to put your beverage de choix (Red Bull cut with water for me) in a water bottle rather than trying to open the can - it gets messy in turbulence. I released at about 1,000' AGL, found a weak thermal and drifted north-northeast with it, the now-familiar oil fields slipping by slowly as the GPS was only reading 30-35 on the downwind glides. Scott towed shortly afterward, and chased me on our course toward Denver City. Conditions were relatively weak, with climbs ending at under 11,000 feet, but the winds picked up. Strangely, they were 30+ on the ground but only I 0-15 at altitude. Scott landed near Johnson, Texas, and had an epic with the strong ground winds. I heard him radio that he was landing by Brandon, and then nothing. I radioed Brandon to ask what was up, and he said Scott was lying in the field but seemed okay. Panicked, I shouted at Brandon to help Scott. A long few minutes later Scott radioed that he was okay, but had been unable to pack up his glider until

Continued on page 40.

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:~k~ mam llh:101ieati01i1s • 6511 mee~woocls tlrive Ro,1rn0ke, V/!A 24018 • 540-'7'72-4262~ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

1998

THE by Mike Steed

W 34

1998 LAKEVIEW PAR photos by Steve Roti and Pat Schlesinger

E'RE OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER, my wing and I, but here we are at another Nationals, our ourth. This one is hosted by the town of Lakeview, Oregon, long a Mecca for visiting hang pilots. There are only about three local pilots, all hangs, so the huge community support for free flight is a testimony to the charm of Jules Gilpatrick and the strength of the local chamber of commerce. The Black Cap launch is a short drive up a well-maintained gravel road, facing west directly over Lakeview. Jan and G.W Meadows are running d1e meet, as they did at King Mountain last year. This year the competition is broken into classes, with a "Sport" class for about 10 pilots on wings rated DHV-2 or below. There will be at least one tandem entry. And for

non-competitors, the "Fun Nationals" allows people to fly in any direction and just tally their miles. SATURDAY At me pilot's meeting we get to meet our company for the week. There are 42 comp pilots, plus six registered fun flyers and maybe a dozen oilier pilots. We have some colorful members, wim Fred in the Mad Hatter hat, Sebastian's parrot (well okay, Sebastian is kind of colorful too), and, of course, Chris Santacroce. Yoichi Miyagawa is here with several Japanese friends, Brian Duthiers came from Switzerland, but no Robbie Whittall, and sadly, no Canadians after Willi Muller's death a few days earlier. The rest of us are here with hopes of great flying. The school PARAGLIDING

AGLIDING NATIONALS Black Cap Launch and Lakeview "L" .from 2, 000' over Launch. Photo by Steve Roti.

1998 U.S. Paragliding Nationals Results Place

Jay Carroll heading for Abert Rim at 12,000 ' MSL. Photo by Steve Roti.

bus to launch is piled high, with pilots and gear in the aisle. A bag of Starbursts appears mysteriously and gets passed around. Charlie bets the driver five dollars that the bus won't make it to the launch - happily, the driver wms. The day is cool and sunny, but with a south wind and uncommonly stable air. As the afternoon wait goes on, several comp pilots take to the ridge, soaring and landing again at launch, an act of courage given the tremendous amount of "advice" offered by the crowd. Such flying would be folly on most mid-afternoons here, but today it turns out to be appropriate. Amy Yates has set up a deli in the back of her father's van, and is the big winner of the day. The race is finally canceled, replaced by a spot-land-

S E PT EMBER/ 0 CT OBER 1998

Flying over the town of Lakeview. Photo by Steve Roti.

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FLIGHT DESIGN North American Paragliding, Inc. Post Office Box 4 • 111 East Fourth Ave. Ellensburg, WA 98926 USA email: napi@eburg.com • www.fun2fly.com PH: 509.925.5565 Fax: 509.962.4827

1.800.727.2354

SUNDAY G.W gets off early for a rare "bag wing" flight, coaxed, coached and equipped by Chris Santacroce. Bus snacks today are fig newtons and fireballs, tunes are rap (the bus has a tape deck) , and the theme song is FIRED UP! The wings are in G.W 's trailer and we're stylin'. The wind is still southerly, but lighter, with light thermals coming up from th.e southwest. No clouds anywhere. A task is called east to the Plush Cutoff intersection, then northeast to the town of Plush, 28.45 miles total. Lift looks scarce, so the launch window slips a half-hour to 2:30, and a pilot is off soon after. The start tarp isn't scheduled to go out until 3:30, by which time many people have sunk out and some of the rest of us have been struggling. I'm all alone upwind, left of launch (I had balled up my wing there earlier and scared everyone off), when the gaggle that had been high and downwind comes my way for the start photo. Traffic gets heavy for a while until most of them outclimb me and glide east into the forests and green meadows. I catch up briefly at the next thermal (a bare slope) , then they pounce on my thermal and leave me behind again. Ar the turnpoint we snap some photos and turn downwind, with most staying high and along the road. I'm low, but find one good thermal and opt for a straight line to goal across the bare and nearly featureless plateau. (That point was 11 .4 miles from and 5,000 feet above goal; it wasn't supposed to be my final glide, but except for some desperate scratching it was.) I spill over the cliff into the Warner Valley with maybe 50 feet of clearance, feeling like a waterfall as it churns into the plunge pool. The last bit to goal is buoyant, so I arrive with more than a hundred feet to spare. Three pilots are on the ground already. I have no idea how many crossed the line ahead of and far above me, having been preoccupied with keeping my butt out of the brush. By the time I look up, there are six or eight up high. Everyone is having a hard rime getting down because the cliff is breaking loose a sea of rising air.

MONDAY In all, 18 made goal yesterday. The green meadows were a popular place to sink out, but pilots were scattered from end to end. Josh, Othar and Todd took the first three places and I'm in fourth. Yikes! There is nowhere to go from here but down. G .W lectures the finishers about crossing goal above the 1,000-foot maximum, struggling with how to be fair to those who lost time by spiraling down before the line. The wind is strong south, and lift is poor. Again, Amy is the big winner; the day is canceled late. Another spot-landing contest is held, but many pilots go off cross-country instead. Three wings ride the one-and-only trip t() rlrn111h~<e and head north. Five people make at least 39 miles to the end of Lake Abert, including a personal best 40+ for Nancy Stanford. This is the second big day for Jon Hunt, who has logged 71 miles in the fun competition. Fred wins the spot landing contest; I at least get inside the circle. TUESDAY We're obviously blown out today, so no one goes up until late. The last two hours of daylight turn magical, with more than 40 gliders in the air for a huge glass-off. It is a great change of pace for everyone, there are lots of spectators to impress, and a party atmosphere continues into the evening. WEDNESDAY Today Fred is resplendent in his "rasta dreads" hat. The weather forecast looks promising, so a task is called to Alkali Flats airport, 63.7 miles north. But as the start approaches, the wind is cross and thermals are few. I'm concerned about getting the start photo, since the tarp will only be visible from above the main launch. I hike up to the top and wait for the tarp in order to snap a photo from above. This makes the photo easy, but getting up from launch proves hard. No lift here, so try the next hill, and the next. I sink out five miles away after the last hill, along with everyone else who took this route. One group got high over the back and everyone makes at least nine miles, but thermals top out low and there is no favorable drift. Nine pilots make it to the rim, and seven scratch to the end of the rim (39 miles), including Brad Bloxham in the Sport Class. Later, Brad

PARAGLIDING

says he likes the Sport Class because, "It doesn't matter if you win or lose, they never mention you in the magazine anyway. " Those guys worked hard for four hours or more, but the day is only worth 738 points rather than 1,000 because oflow validity - no one came near goal, and several were under three miles. I've dropped to 11th in the overall standings; Todd and Othar have dropped even further. Josh Cohn is still in first, followed by Lee Kaiser who won the day with an extra mile up the hill past the rim. Oops, two people flunked the start photo, bringing the validity down to 688, and I'm in 10th. THURSDAY As usual the forecast sounds good, and as usual the wind is doing something else. Today the wind is strong northeast, over the back of launch. But it dies down in the afternoon, and we're on launch before 2:30. A few thermals are cycling up launch, and the task is called to Plush, same as our first day. But today only four make the turnpoint, and no one gets halfway to goal. I have lots of company as I sink out below launch twice. Minimum distance was set at five miles today, and the validity calculates to zero. The day will not be scored. Meanwhile, Jon Hunt has clocked another 40 miles, northeast past Plush to the antelope refuge. FRIDAY The validity distance is back to three miles, for purely technical reasons - the software doesn't support different numbers for different days. The soaring forecast calls for very stable air, but we don't believe forecasts by now and head up anyway. The task is called to the town of Adel, directly east. "Super Dave" McCutcheon launches just after the window opens at 3:00, and he and Yoichi ridge soar in high wind. Yoichi eventually lands at launch (no small feat) , leaving Dave alone. At 4:00 there is still lots of wind and no thermals, so the task is canceled. Dave stays up and gets rewarded when the thermals begin after 4:30. He goes far beyond goal, and three others also make goal. Seems like nothing much happens until 5:00 around here. Lots of high-wind launches without mishap, but one was way too scary to repeat. Paraglider pilots can be good at enterSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

taining themselves when things get slow. The air hockey table is busy late. The next morning there is one car up on blocks with no wheels , followed by another with tires low on air... SATURDAY Our final day, and the weather looks hopeful; there are even a few wisps of cloud above hills across the valley. The task is to Plush again. The start is at 4:00, and most of us head over the back in a weak, drifting thermal. A few top pilots get high and zoom off ahead. Later, that whole first gaggle sinks out. Those with extreme patience and a bit of luck continue on the course. The first day on this course I made goal and Bill Gordon sank out at the first meadow; it seems fair that this time I sink at the first meadow and Bill wins the day. Mark Ferguson is a close second, having been ahead until they both got hit by a booming thermal just before goal. Brett Zaenglein in the Sport Class is one of seven to make goal. Burgers and beer are underway as the stragglers arrive, and the awards ceremony follows. The final combined results are just as strange as this meet has been. There is a tie for first place, between two pilots who never won a day but who both flew consistently well - Russell Fretenburg and Gary Brock. Josh Cohn takes third. Mary Anne Karren wins the Women's Nationals ahead of Jolanta Wysocka, and takes 10th place overall. Right behind Mary Anne is the Sport Class winner, Brett Zaenglein, with Brad Bloxham and Mike Haley in second and third. Jon Hunt takes the Fun Nationals with 111 miles, followed by John Patterson (78), and Rick Higgins (67). G .W drags Othar

Harry Kaufman heading for Silver Lake at 10,000 ' MSL. Photo by Steve Roti. into the pool, apparently pay-back for an incident at Aspen. This has been a tease of a contest, with weather conditions barely adequate for a competition. But we've gotten a taste of Lakeview's potential for cross-country flying, even on those weak days. There were no injuries and no reserves thrown, a nice contrast with recent Euro meets. While any one day was a crap shoot, the three tasks combined tended to reward pilots who flew with patience and skill. As for me, I sank to the middle of the pack, about where I belong. Lots of the pilots are headed to King Mountain with hopes of sweeter things. I can't make it to King, but maybe next year. •

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Confessions Of An Engineer by Mike Steed (with thanks to Roy Haggard) We engineers can't leave well enough alone. We fiddle, we tweak, we redesign. When there's a perfectly good paraglider in the house, we "fix" it. So forget the warranty. Forget predictable behavior and no-worries flying. It's time to be chiefengineer and test pilot! inters are rainy around here, so I've gotten in the side, and begin to slide sideways through the air, but your tail habit of modifying equipment in the off-season, then (feet) resists the slide and puts you into a banked turn. Easy, huh? flying the results. The most radical project was last But notice that, at the moment you start the turn, your uphill year's harness that allows you to steer with your legs and leaves hand wants to slow down, and your downhill hand wants to your hands free. Instead of speed up. For a Figure 1: Current wing as steering with brake lines moment, until you roll modified. alone, it uses all the risers into the turn , this differto change the whole shape • • • • • • • • • • • • , • ence in wing speed causof the wing. I survived es adverse yaw; you two extended test flights, rotate opposite the but that harness is now intended direction. Now change from a filed away under "learning conventional aircraft to a experiences. " The most successful modification is paraglider. You have no my current project, a relatail, and your weight is tively simple riser change far below the wing. So that seems to improve my stand upright and turns. I'll tell you about it, stretch out your arms as but first, a little aerodybefore. Rotate your hands as before, but this namics background. Picture yourself as a time you turn in the TURNING A conventional airplane. opposite direction. You need to lie face down That's right, a paraglider B on a picnic bench for this. takes similar input and You can turn on any of produces opposite three axes - roll (too results. much and you'll fall off So what is going on? the bench), yaw (have You pull on one brake, someone move one end of 01 and that wing gets more the bench), or pitch lift and drag. The lift 02 makes you want to roll (someone lifts one end of the bench until you slide (we'll call it adverse roll), off face first) . With any of but your feet are heavy SPEED BAR these you experience down there; this low desirable motions (you center of gravity preturn in the direction vents the wing from intended) or adverse rolling much. motions (opposite what Meanwhile, the drag you intended). causes that wing to slow So, stick out your down and you start to 01 arms, and use your hands yaw in the desired direclike ailerons, so one flies tion. The slowing also 02 uphill and the other flies reduces lift, until the Figure 2: Proposed wing. downhill. You roll to one adverse roll is gone.

..................

PARAGLIDING

Further slowing and loss of lift cause both roll and yaw to work in the desired direction. It takes a lot of drag to make all this happen, kind oflike steering a car by letting the air out of one tire. It doesn't seem ideal, but it works. So, could brakes be replaced with something better? Maybe, but brakes do lots of things for you. Did you ever stop to think about how many things that is? Let's make a list: • Direction control (in combination with weight shift), including: - Routine turns - Direction control during a collapse • Canopy control, including: - Swing control (prevent side-to-side pendulum) - Surge control (prevent forward pendulum, or "porpoise") - Collapse prevention (maintain a well-pressurized wing) - Spin prevention (limit rotation of a collapsed wing) - Collapse recovery (re-inflate a collapsed wing) - Stall recovery (re-inflation and surge control after a loss of forward speed) • Speed control, including: - Adjusting for optimum flying speed - Adjusting angle of approach for landing Now, doesn't that seem like a lot to do with just two lines? Could some of these be in conflict with each other? Additional controls have been invented for speed (speed bar, trim) and rate of descent (big ears, B-line stall), but these are less convenient to use and/or hard to use at the same time as your brakes. Your primary controls still need to do an awful lot. Here's the root of the problem. For best turning, you want to use only the outermost wing tips to turn; this gives you the most turning with the least drag and sink. But brakes must extend across the whole wing in order to provide canopy control, especially if a wing tip collapses. In addition, connecting brake lines to the rear of a narrow wing tip is dangerous - a steep turn with deep brakes will cause the tip to stall, and you can easily go into a spm. I've got a high-performance glider that does well in the canopy-control category, but is a bit sluggish in turns. Someone made a design tradeoff between crisp turning and doing well on the DHV test, and the DHV won. The trick now is to improve the turning without messing up its other good behaviors. My approach is based on the observation that pulling down the entire wing tip, not just the trailing edge, will also induce a turn, and with less risk of a stall. In fact, this works extremely well. Both wing tips always pull against each other to stretch the wing, but with one tip pulled down, the drooping tip pulls more strongly. The wing moves to one side of you; in effect, the wing rolls around you. The wing tips alone will cause a turn, but the turn can be improved with some yaw control. A bit of conventional brake will do it, but again, tips are better. Tightening lines near the rear and tip, in combination with some brake, causes the outer wing to slow. Brakes alone cause a sharp bend in the wing profile that generates lots of drag, but a smoother curve induces yaw without as much drag. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

1998

Referring to the illustration, you will see where the original bral(e lines are attached (red), and where the tip lines attach (orange). The conventional brakes are needed for canopy control; I always want to have them in hand. But I want to be able to use the tip lines for turning. The situation really cries out for dual controls. At some point my leg-steering harness may reemerge from the cabinet, but for now, I've attached both sets oflines to the brake handles. This would require Herculean strength to operate, except for two factors: 1) The tip lines are normally supported by a fixed riser, and exert force on the brake handle only in the bottom two-thirds of the stroke. 2) A pulley is used to reduce the tip line force (and motion) by half. This compromise limits the benefits of the tip lines, but retains the benefits of the brakes. When I'm at a safe altitude in relatively smooth air, I can get full benefit from the tip lines by pushing my hands through the brake loops and grabbing the tip connecting lines directly. Turns are quick and precise, with less of a sinking sensation. And you really feel every little twitch of your wing tips. Testing has included considerable ground handling, plus more than four hours of in-air testing, including large collapses. B-line stall and other stall behaviors have not yet been verified. So far, this year's modification looks like a keeper. At the risk of sounding hypocritical, I'll say, "don't try this at home" - every wing design is different and you're better off waiting for someone else to work the bugs out. Besides, I predict you'll see better systems on commercial gliders before too long. llll

for the 1998-99 winter season, Thermal Tracker Aero-Sports will be carrying on the Vales I Pro-Design tradition of Winter getaway tours to the beautiful, awe inspiring mountains and coastal regions of / Ecuador.

rt j'( lll'~'re portunmes will abound, with time

beauliful peaks in South America. We'll also spend time relaxing on the warm Ecuadorian oast: swimming, fishing smooth coastal ridge siles. For pilots and non-pilots alike, we have a strong commitment to exploring the ground based beauty of this country, from hiking to mountain biking, touring ruins to river rafting, exploring jungles to visiting indigenous markets full of crafts and textiles.

Continued from page 33. Brandon got there. He'd done a humanplow maneuver while landing backwards in the strong wind, but at least the ground was flat and he wasn't hurt. Shortly after 14:00 the day really turned on, and I reached my best altitude of over 15,000 feet. I headed slightly north from my previous course to make sure I wouldn't be blown into Reese Air Force Base or Lubbock Airport airspace. Curt Graham had informed me that the airspace was no longer a Military Operating Area since the base had been dosed, but I didn't want to take any chances! The air at this point was very good. I was able to crab a bit sideways to the wind under some nice clouds while not losing much altitude. Scott had a visual on me for part of this time, which was nice because if I had to land I wanted a ground crew there in the strong conditions. I loved this part of the flight, just dolphining under perfect clouds. This day wasn't just on, it was obviously epic. This was what I had come for! After making sure I was well north of the Lubbock Airport airspace I got very, very low near Arken. (Note: I wasted a lot of time going too far north of the Lubbock Airport. I could have flown much closer to the airport according to local pilots. The Class C airspace only extends five nautical miles out!) The smoke had returned, and the whole sky fell apart as the high-level smoke drifted in. Depressed, I glided toward a warm-looking brown field, arriving very low. Then God smiled. The dustie wasn't much - a pale shadow of the big rigs that cruise the Texas plains in search of loose mobile homes - but it was all I had. At 100 feet above the deck I squared off with it, already in the full spastic starfish position in preparation for the battle about to take place. As I hit it, my wing almost stalled, then tried to frontal, but there was a thin core of violent lift, so I leaned and pulled hard and instantly gained about 200 feet, only to lose 180 falling out the other side and then chasing it down for another round. As the dustie and I dueled across the field, a set of power lines loomed at the downwind edge. Because the winds on the ground were about 30, it was important to either gain some altitude before reaching the lines or abandon the effort in time to leave room for a dean backwards landing. My wing and I sparred with the dust

The author with his flight declaration.

devil, taking some hits and getting some dean half-circles in the violent lift, a delicate dance between stalling and keeping wing pressure until suddenly it was dear I wouldn't be landing in that field. At 1,000 feet above the ground the climb deaned up enough to actually get full circles in, so I was happy until it went to pieces at about 1,100 feet AGL. This sort of nonsense went on the for the next hour, as I bounced between telephone-pole height and 3,000' AGL repeatedly, slowly covering a good 30 miles of real estate barely high enough to see the towns around to know where I was. I was dressed in a full-insulated ski suit for highaltitude flying, but this low to the ground the temperatures were well over 100°, and I soon soaked my suit with sweat. I didn't think a record flight was possible, but I was determined to at least go down fighting. At one point a field worker yelled something up in Spanish about landing, but no gracias, another small, weak core saved me. I'd radio Scott at the top of the climbs to let him know I was still in the game, each time telling him I thought this would be the last climb of the day. Finally, at about mile 120, I managed to find a decent thermal and climb out to about 5,000' AGL, where I turned my radio back on and got in touch with Scott. Near Sterley Scott got a good visual on me again, and warned me that with my present drift I would be heading into Paloduro Canyon, which is known as the Grand Canyon ofTexas. With the wind on the ground blowing at near 50-K, it was terrifying to think of being in a canyon situation. Finally, I committed to the glide over the canyon, which was absolutely stellar. I crabbed a bit sideways to the wind just to get as dose to the road running to Brice as

I could, continually relaying my position to Scott, who kept a visual on me until I was very low on the far side of the canyon. It was comforting to know someone would find my wreckage if I had a poor landing in the high wind. I stretched my final as long as I could, skimming down the gently sloping terrain with the wind. Finally, almost to the Prairie Dog Town Fork River, I hooked a right turn and landed, with Scott yelling over the radio that he thought I'd broken the official record. I took plenty of landing pictures, then packed my gear. Scott arrived within minutes, having had to do battle with several dead-end dirt roads. Fortunately, he had seen me low enough to have a good visual on me, and I had radioed my GPS coordinates when I was less than 30M AGL. Our driver, Brandon and a friend also saw my landing spot. We celebrated with cold beer and more pictures before beginning the long drive back to Hobbs. I'd gone 179 miles, which beat the old record by about six miles. Other pilots have flown farther unofficially, for which they deserve full recognition. My flight is really only meaningful because of the memories I have from it, but I'm happy to have flown farther than I ever have, and happier still to have done it safely with a great team. Luck, patience and commitment overcame lousy conditions in the end, but it was very dose. That knowledge makes the memory sweeter. Any reasonably competent pilot could have done what we did; we just tried. Thanks to John Baber for his couch, Kurt Graham and Brian Nelson with Cross Roads for the dean tows and positive attitudes, Brandon for the driving, and Korn for making the epic retrieves bearable. 1111

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•

by Zach Hoisington There is a nice selection of beautifal high-performance paragliders with smooth top and bottom surfaces on the market today. These wings look as though they should have far better performance than intermediate

because the holes in the leading edge are positioned to give the wing the greatest pressure when flying at high angles of attack. When a paraglider pitches forward there is less internal pressure and a lower angle of attack, allowing something as trivial as a bird's wake to cause disaster. Many problems with high-performance gliders stem from asymmetric collapses. As mentioned above, a wing collapses when it is pushed downward from a change in angle of attack. This usually occurs when

gliders that have fewer cells, shorter lines, thicker airfoils and much

lower aspect ratios. emarkably, the difference in speed, glide and sink rate isn't very great, yet the handling and security is far from the same. There are many possible reasons why this is the case, and this article is an attempt to explain some of them. Usually the biggest difference in appearance between a high-performance and intermediate paraglider is aspect ratio. Aspect ratio is the span (wing tip to wing tip) divided by the average length of the chord (distance between the leading and trailing edge). A high-performance wing (DHV 2-3 or greater) will usually have a higher aspect ratio, shorter chord, and greater span than an intermediate wing (DHV 2 or less). Note that there are m.any exceptions to the classification of wings from the DHV system, and aspect ratio isn't the only factor which determines the stability and performance of a paraglider. The only thing that keeps us from flying as far as we want is drag. A high-performance paraglider is an aircraft with less drag than an intermediate one. We can separate the forces that hold us back into

J, induced drag and parasitic drag. Induced drag is simply a byproduct of the production of lift by the wing. Our wings don't pull us in exactly the direction we want them to. Energy is wasted producing trailing vortices. The wasted energy, induced drag, is roughly inversely proportional to the aspect ratio. Parasitic drag is an unwanted force that results from both skin friction and pressure caused by separation of the air as it tries to adhere to a curved surface. This can be felt when you put your hand out the window of a moving vehicle. If your hand produces lift, you are also creating induced drag, and further decreasing your vehicle's fuel economy. Collapses are a fairly common inconvenience when flying a paraglider. The main reason a wing collapses is that the angle of attack becomes too low. When the angle of attack (angle at which the air approaches the wing) becomes too low over a portion of the glider, the wing is pushed downward. Another problem with a low angle of attack is that the wing will have less internal pressure. This is simply

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Figure 2: A front view oftwo gliders near the edge ofa thermal. The high-aspect wing covers a wider section ofair and has more chance of one tip protruding out ofthe thermal which can cause an asymmetrical collapse. there is a rapid transition in the vertical velocity of the air. Take, for example, flying out of a thermal. If all of the wing slowly transitions from rising to descending air, there is no problem. On the other hand, if half of the wing is in rising air and

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Figure I: How a paraglider wing collapses from a change in angle ofattack.

PARAGLIDING

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half hits descending air, part of the wing is in danger of collapsing. A higher-aspect wing in straight flight has a greater span, allowing it to encounter a wider section of air. This means that on average there will be greater variation in the vertical velocity of the air across the span of the glider. This makes the change in angle of attack across the glider caused by turbulence more extreme. The final result is more collapses for the high-performance glider. One of the most important stability characteristics of a paraglider is how prone it is to pitch back and forth. Excessive pitching reduces performance while making the wing more prone to collapse. The pilot must compensate with the brakes, further reducing forward speed and glide. Although pitching characteristics are extremely difficult to predict, the general tendency is for pitching to be less severe for a lower-aspect-ratio paraglider. This may be due to the change in induced drag as the angle of attack varies. Since a higher-aspect paraglider produces less induced drag, there is less damping force from the wing, resulting in more surging. To compensate for this problem the line lengths are often increased, but this causes more problems with handling, turn-radius, line drag, etc. A problem with increasing the aspect ratio of a paraglider is that more lines are required to maintain the wing's shape. Simply changing the length of the chord doesn't significantly change the number of line attachment points (A, B, C, D, brakes) that is required from the nose to the tail. A greater span, however, does require more lines across the glider. A higher-aspect glider needs more thinner lines rather than fewer thicker ones to keep the wing from deforming. If a line is only twice as thick, it will be approximately four times stronger. Lines are one of the biggest creators of parasitic drag on a paraglider, and fewer, thicker lines offer a clear advantage. When the aspect ratio of a wing is increased, the length of each section of the airfoil is smaller. This makes it harder to keep the airfoil smooth. For example, a one-inch wrinkle will destroy the shape of a wing much more easily if the chord is very short. If the cell width is the same on a high- versus a low-aspect-ratio paraglider, the lower-aspect wing will actually be

smoother. The greater the length of the chord, the less significant (to the air) deformations become. This allows an intermediate wing to have a greater distance between the cells with an airfoil that is just as clean. Since the high-performance glider needs more cells, it will weigh more and have more barriers inside for the air to travel around. This is not a problem when the glider is inflated, but definitely bad in the event of a collapse. Once a heavy glider collapses, more weight must be lifted back up to put it in flying position. Most paragliders are built with thicker airfoils than what would produce the greatest efficiency. Thicker airfoils maintain a clean shape more easily and are usually more friendly when it comes to collapses. We know that if a beam is thicker it will have greater stiffness. Since the airfoil sections on a high-performance glider are smaller, the wing is more flexible, allowing the wing tips more freedom from the rest of the glider. Therefore, when a higher-aspect wing collapses, there is less stiffness from the internal pressure to get the collapse back open. This also makes the glider do inconvenient maneuvers in turbulence like the from-horseshoe. Another problem with a shorter chord length is that the Reynolds number is decreased. The Reynolds number is a relative measure of the strengths of the pressure and viscous forces in a flow. If the Reynolds number of a wing is changed, it behaves differently. The Reynolds number is directly proportional to the length of the chord and velocity. Comparing a high- and low-aspect-ratio paraglider, the high-aspect wing will have a lower Reynolds number because the chord is shorter. Most of the airfoils that are currently used on our paragliders would be more efficient if the Reynolds number were higher than what we experience in normal flight. Since the Reynolds number is a little higher on intermediate wings, they have a slight efficiency bonus over the high-performance ones. An elliptical lift distribution across the span of a wing reduces induced drag. To get a somewhat elliptical lift distribution, most paragliders are tapered so that the chord length at the tips is much shorter than the chord length at the center of the wing. Making a paraglider perfectly elliptical, however can present problems with

handling and stability. The loss of lift from a wing not being elliptical is more critical when the aspect ratio is higher. Since our wings never produce a perfectly elliptical lift distribution, there is an added performance bonus for the loweraspect-ratio wings. The difference in actual performance of today's gliders is very difficult to discern. When thermaling, an intermediate glider usually isn't at much of a disadvantage. Since the lines are shorter and the turn radius is usually smaller, it is easier to stay in the core of the thermal. This often makes up for any disadvantage resulting from a higher sink rate. The most noticeable performance contrast is the difference in glide ratio at high speed. In smooth air a high-performance glider usually has a noticeable advantage. If the air is bumpy, however, the higher-performance glider may have to slow down to avoid collapses, while an intermediate glider can keep going full speed. We have to ask ourselves, when selecting a glider, if we are willing to trade a minuscule increase in performance for a fairly big reduction in stability. Still, how we fly, not what we fly, is the most important factor determining our safety. There is, however, a lot to be said for the stability of the glider. Will your enjoyment of the sport be that much greater if the LID of your glider is a point higher? I don't think I enjoy paragliding any more now that my wing gets a 7/1 or 8/1 glide instead of the 5/1 of my first glider. But some people like stress, and the guy with the highest-aspect wing on the block is cool. I still think this way myself, and am embarrassed to fly my stubby glider. Maybe this is why many manufacturers are placing color patterns spanwise, to make their wings appear to have a higher aspect ratio. It seems that they know what we want to fly, and what we really should be flying.

About the author: Zach is a senior in college studying aeronautical/aerospace engineering. He is 21 years old and has been flying paragliders since the age of 12. Last summer he worked at Pro Design in Austria. Current projects include a CPS-guided recovery system for sounding rockets and an experimental speed mechanism for paragliders. II

PARAGLIDING

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wing, and then dash between thermals with it all shrunken up. Unfortunately, it hasn't been all that easy to shrink a paraglider. The first couple of prototypes didn't even speed up much. "Accordioning" the wing together was tried, but the double surface system shown seems a little cleaner. However, there is definitely

the extra foldedof together. .:', :,. where some excess dragfabric in theis center the wing There should be lots ofimprovementsin the future. The pictured system eliminates over nine square meters of projected wing area. Since the long cells in the center of the wing are pulled together, the change in aspect ratio is , : kept.to a minimum. The Pro Design Relax : works well with the device because the diagonal ribs allow more force to be applied to the wing without large deformations. Flight testing has shown fairly positive results. The reefing system accelerates the Now, a couple of years later, it seems like the wing more than twice as much as a speed idea is starting to work. bar does on the Relax. The wing is also very stable when pulled in. Stall occuts at a simiOur speed bars and trim risers work well, lar brake position and collapses snap right but there are some big drawbacks. Current speed systems reduce the angle of attack of open. The system can be pulled in and out the wing. We speed up, but our glide ratio is at any time, and it only takes a few seconds reduced and the wing is more prone rn col- , to transition. It could also be used for j launching in high winds, but if it's needed, lapse in turbulence. If our speed systems allowed us to go too fast, parts or all of our you probably shouldn't be flying! glider would collapse. In theory, our glide ratio doesn't change l. REFLECTIONS ON THE PROJECT much if we vary the size of our wing. This is :. I am afraid that people will use a similar syseasily shown when we fly a smaller-than-nor- tem to exceed the limits of paragliding. mal glider in no wind. We are faster, and we Although I haven't had any major problems l ! in all of the flight testing, I have no desire to can fly nearly as far. So, if we could shrink our wing in flight we could accelerate with try any extreme maneuvers with the apparavery little penalty. Since the angle of attack tus engaged. It would be possible to make a wouldn't have to be reduced, the wing would much more aggressive system that would be more stable. With less surface area, we shrink a paraglider even furthei: This would certainly increase the risks if anything went could fly faster without losing as much altitude. There would be many benefits flying !, wrong, not to mention possible structural cross-country with a variable-size wing. You problems. could have efficient climbs with the full-size DON'TTRYTHIS AT HOME! 11 1,,,

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here in the night, a hundredfeet in the air, Jonathan Livingston Seagull-blinked. His pain, his resolutions, vanished. Short wings. A falcon's short wings! Thais the answer! What afool I've been! All I need is a tiny little wing, all I need is to fold most ofmy wings andfly on just the tips alone! Short wings! He climbed two thousandfeet above the black sea, and without a momentfor thought offailure and death, he brought his forewings tightly in to his body, left only the narrow swept daggers ofhis wing tips extended into the wind, andfell into a vertical dive. - Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Richard Bach

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I was pretty sure it wasn't possible. When I told people that I wanted to make something that could vary the size of a paraglider in flight, I laughed as hard as they did.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

1998

he 1998 Demo Days at the Point of the Mountain, Utah couldn't have come at a better time: midspring and the tail end of an El Nino winter. It was like a perfect glass-off coming at the end of a not-so-perfect day. Spring at the Point is always beautiful with its summery days and wintry nights, but this year was even better. The semimoist earth, drying from the mid-May sun, gave back its energy ten fold in the form of some exceptionally sweet afternoon thermal bubbles. Just after one of those rare Point glass-offs I asked a visiting French pilot what they call this phenomenon in his country. "Restitution," he said, "It means to make things good again. " I know that each pilot who attended has his own take on what the '98 Demo Days meant to him, but for me it was this French notion of restitution - making things good again. The short days of winter make the winter months the longest ones for me, and while December through February were as cold, wet and blown out as they are supposed to be, March and April weren't much better. That seemed wrong to me. So, when May came with its promise of improving weather and a flying event at arguably the most consistent flying site in North America (with reps from almost every wing manufacturer in the world practically begging you to try out their hot new stuff), what was I supposed to do? Mow the lawn or go to the fly-in? That was an easy choice after five months of ice, wind and rain. The Demo Days aren't a fly-in per se, although pilots did "fly in'' from all four corners of the country -Alaska, Florida, Washington state and California. Pilots also came from France, Switzerland, Austria and Great Britain. Some bigname comp pilots were there as well, although the Demo Days aren't a competition either. Some of these pilots gave special classes and seminars on everything from safety to how to design and build a wing, and then put it through the DHV certification process. Have you ever wondered about the DHV process? Judging by the number of questions asked during one lecture by Firebird designer Matthew Whittall, it would appear that one could offer an entire clinic just on what a DHV rating is.

Chris Santacroce playing on the south ridge.

' by Richard Thompson Speaking of clinics, there were plenty of them, free for the taking and offered at the most opportune times - when para-waiting was in progress, usually during midday when neither the north nor south side were working. However, the main thing to remember about the Point is, it does work, some say just like a clock, from early morning to as late as you want. My log book tells the story. From December to midMay I logged less than 10 hours. During the Demo Days, however, I racked up that many hours by the middle of the second day after I arrived. And, I flew those 10 hours in only long pants and gloves, not the Arctic stuff I wore in January and

photos by Dave Olson February. By the end of those first 10 hours at the Point it was hard to even remember just how cold February had been in Oregon. One of the "demo" days was the best I have ever had flying. Epic is the word literally, "extending beyond the usual or ordinary." It all started at 5:30 in the morning with a low whisper. Someone, or something, was trying to wake me up. At first I thought it was Dave Olson in the tent next to me. He'd flown in the day before from Sarasota, Florida and he was hot to fly. I mumbled something into that void that exists halfway between awake and almost awake. Dave didn't respond. As it turned

PARAGLIDING

out, what was whispering to me was a gently-building wind coming from somewhere south. We were camped on the south ridge of the Point. Still half stuck in the void and swallowing all-night cotton I heard this loud voice yell, "It's south 10 and building!,, No less than 10 minutes later, Dave Olson, a guy either named or from Durango, and I were clipped in and building walls. The deal was, the first guy up gets free beer. I was licking my lips and pulled a little too hard on my Saber which overshot me and landed on Dave. Durango was off and up. Dave was waving his arms underneath the Saber, saying something about me buying for the rest of the trip. A minute later we were both up and into the early morning lift. The sound of three wings in the air brought other pilots out of their holes and our numbers started to grow. Soon we were flying in between each other, enjoying the smell of camp coffee and damp sage. Then the dealers showed up with their wings and gear. The new stuff. The stuff you think about all winter. After two and a half hours Dave and I landed not far from the Firebird tent. Chris Santacroce came over to see if we wanted to fly something red something fast. We replied, "Yeah, after our hands warm up and we get some coffee!" Then the morning show began. While Dave and I were warming up, Chris and a Swiss pilot named Danny Loritz (turns out he's the current world aerobatics champ) launched and immediately hooked into something thermally going up higher than any ridge lift. Within a few minutes they vvere doing things t.liat deft/ tl1e lav:s of physics: inside-out top-overs, half-hitch loops, maneuvers that don't even have names yet. Danny took a death spiral into a full stall and landed on his tippy toes. We broke into spontaneous whoops, clapping and shaking our heads. The south wind shut off just after midday, calmed for three or four hours, then switched to the north and came on again. This is pretty typical according to a "Point rat" named Josh. Josh is from Aspen, but he's been living at the Point for the past year which is how long he's been flying. He logged his 200th hour during the Demo Days. "The point is, the Point works," Josh says, "like a clock." A few days later Josh gave us a demonstration by landing on a small boulder, standing on it for about SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Danny Loritz giving a midday demomtration talk. three minutes while kiting his wing, then relaunching by simply relaxing a bit on his brakes. During the midday lull, Linda and Hartley from The Soaring Center scheduled the formal talks. Presentations were given on everything from overall safety (by the only paragliding Five Diamond Safety Award recipient Ken Hudonjorgensen) to how to begin doing aerobatics (by world champion Danny Loritz). Danny delivered his message while hanging in a full harness hooked up to a flight simulator, which allowed him to not only talk about his techniques but to demonstrate exact body positioning. Danny is very passionate about his sport, and there were times when his second language couldn't keep up. His labored, thoughtful English would suddenly break into unrestrained Swiss German. Durango asked him what his most memorable f1igh.t \Vas . o~".u.'1y responded slo\Jvly in English, "Of course, it was my last one," then added something in German. Gene from Alaska asked him where his favorite place to fly is. Danny gave this question a good bit of thought, started to say something in English, then, with a glint in his eyes, spoke deliberately in German, looking over at Matthew Whittall to interpret. Matthew, almost embarrassed, said, "Danny really likes this place, really likes you - all of us." A French pilot named Philip leaned over to me and said, in his own broken English, "No, what hee says ees, e luvs us. E luvs thees place." If there was such a thing as a defining moment, this was it for me - standing in the shade of an open tent next to pilots from everywhere, listening to world-class

1998

words of affection, coming from a pilot we had all just seen defy gravity. At this moment I knew that Demo Days '98 would be remembered as something special. It's more than Hartley and Linda's hospitality, their coffee and donuts in the morning, and Steve Mayer's cold soft drinks throughout the day, and Chris Santacroce's beer and pizza in the evening. It's more than the T-shirts from The Soaring Center and the hats from Firebird and the really cool calendars from Edel. It's more than all of those things. Philip the Frenchman summed it up best just after the last late-afternoon flight on the last day, when he asked me ifl'd be coming back next year. I said I thought I probably would, and asked him the same question. He said, with his best French accent, "Well, of course! It's like the restitution. Now that we know about eet, we

The author showing offhis Paragliding magazine contributor T-shirt in a 30 mph wind on the south ridge.

PARAGLIDING ADVJSORY: 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 - Small, excellent condition, less than 30 hours, Trace harness, reserve. Make offer. Becky (303) 786-9610. AIRTEK MIRAGE - Intermediate canopy with harness and bag, under 10 hours $1,350 for all. Jim (209) 897-3076. APCO FUTURA 42 TANDEM - New, never flown, 140-210kg., purple, new retail $4,275/sale price $3,200. Pro Design Profeel 35-performance intermediate, new never flown, 85-105kg., purple, new retail $3,275/sale price $1,900. Apco Futura 32 -performance intermediace, 70 hours, great condition, I00-120kg., yellow, new price $3,625/sale price $1,900. Apco Futura 30 -performance intermediate, 30 hours, excellent condition, 85105kg., hlue, new price $3,525/sale price $1,900. Edel Superspace II-intermediate, large 85-1 lOkg and medium 70-95kg., great condition, 95 hours, $1,000 each. ITV Merak 29-performance intermediate, 200 hours, good condition, 80-95kg., $500. Rick Higgins (541) 3872112.

APCO SUPRA 25 - $1,400. Edel ZX 75-1 lOkg & Wills harness $695. (619) 225-8720. BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE WING - $700. Trel<l<ing Ritmo, safe/reliable, pilot weight 130-175lbs., 50 hours, durable (full mylar top), great condition w/inspection report. Proven powered pg wing. Harness & reserve available cheap. Steve (510) 848-7335 California, basalt@ix.netcom.com EDEL ATLAS - Large, yellow, '97 wing and/or Hero harness, 23 hours, excellent condition. Best offer. Todd (541) 475-6935, weig7780@hmmail.com EDEL RAINBOW - Good condition, x-·tra large, Edel Prolite harness included $1,375. Must Sell!!! (805) 3842634. EDEL SABER - Large, excellent condition, low hours, recently inspected $1,800. (320) 743-4138, Minnesota glider~low UV.

EDEL QUANTUM - Small, bought Nov '96, low hours, almost new, not flown for 1 year. Dark purple top, dark blue bottom, w/Hero harness, Edel reserve $2,400. Kevin (702) 635-5703, (702) 635-5817. FLIGHT DESIGN A4 - 185-225lbs., 1 hour use, gathering dust. Deluxe harness & pack, never used. Reserve, Uvex XL helmet. Make Offer. Day (206) 3405995, bedek@cimetrix-cadcam.com PLIGHT DESIGN B3-29 - Excellent shape, <10 hours, great intermediate for - l 80lb pilot. Quitting flying due to health reasons, asking $975. (406) 25 l4336pm, (406) 721-9244 M-F days, ask for GM. HARMONY 27 - 10 hours, purple $2,500. (732) 246-7397 roddan@eden.rutgcrs.edu ITV JADE XL- Summer '96, Yellow/orange w/purple bat, <48 hours, great for powered pg, Edel Ptolite harness, all in excellent condition $1,800. (509) 943-9284, jesster@televar.com

EDEL SABER - Large, $1,400. Excellent imermediate wing, pilot weight I 75-200lbs., 45 hours, great condition w/inspection report. White top, blue/pink lower. Steve (510) 848-7335 California, basalt@ix.netcom.com

PERCHE SONIC - Medium, white, a great intermediate/advanced glider, in new condition $1,400. (303) 948-9273.

EDEL SPACE 27 - Excellent condition, 60 hours, backup chute, back brace $1,200. (562) 430-3746.

PRO DESIGN COMPACT LADY 22 - Blue, 10 hours, great condition $1,000. (530) 582-1846.

EDEL SUPERSPACE 29M - Purple/rainbow, recent line & porosity tested $1,000 OBO. Harness/reserve available. (956) 943-7327, ericsky@juno.com

PRO DESIGN COMPACT - XL, Supair xi harness w/reserve, xl Reflex full face, hook knife & all other accessories. Less than 10 hours on all, $2,500 or trade for? (254)-722--0792 days, (254) 694-3467 evenings.

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 NovJDec. 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: ______ SECTION O Paragliders O Emergency Parachutes O Parts & Accessories 0 Business & Employment O Miscellaneous O Powered Paragliders O Videos Begin with_ ___

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

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= ___ - -

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

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PARAGLIDING

PRO DESIGN RELAX 36 - Like new, Class 1-2, always a compliment green $2,650. Pro f'eel 35, excellent condition, 30 hours $1,500. Airwave Voodoo, like new, 55-75K, $1300 OHO. (303) 642-0849. SOL BALANCE 50 - Used less than 5 hours, l 2 ll 76lb., carry bag, incredible stability, perfect for new pilot. Medium Firebird "Tunle" harness. $1,100 package. (505) 275-1178. SUPERSPACE II 29M - 185-264lb excellent $1,200. Pro Design Compact 33m, 215-300lb, good $1,000. Trekking Ritmo tandem 43m, 3 hours, new $2,200. LaMouette 250 and 210 motors, good condition. 01152-615-50174. SWING MYTHOS 26 - Demo condition, great color combo. \'(fills Wing harness, steerable reserve chute. The whole package $2,800. (415) 682-3615. TANDEM - UP Pick-Up, white/green, -15 hours, 200kg., towing/motor ok $2,200. (907) 244-8721 www.girdwood.net/ chugach

SCHOOLS & DEALERS ARIZONA DIXON'S AIRPLAY PARAGLIDING - #1 for 1997 & 1998. 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 insrructor Dixon White has supervised over 14,000 student flights ro date, teaching pilots is his profession. Individualized training with state-of-the-art equipment, 2-way radios, comprehensive ground schooling with an emphasis on micrometeorology. Great new and used inventory. Specialized clinics including the CAGE, towing and BACKPACK MOTORS. Enjoy the Grand Canyon and other spectacular scenery. Great lodging bargains or luxury accommodations. Dave Bridges, US National Champion says, "Dixon's students are extremely well-trained and competent pilots." Dixon's Paragliding in ARIZONA and WASHINGTON (appointments recommended), PO Box 2626, f'lagstaff AZ 86004. (520) 526-4579. www.paraglide.com

TURBOS SLIGHTLY USED GLIDERS - fire Sale! Pro Design Max, Class 3, <20 hours (retail $4000) $995. Contest 50 $995. WW125/28M beginner $495. Several harnesses m choose from. Your Orange County Paramoror dealer/trikes. (714) 495-8051.

AIR TIME OF SAN FRANCISCO WEST COAST PARAGLIDING THIS PREMIER PARAGLIDING f'ACJLITY - ls 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 porosity tests. We stock all major brands of paragliding equipment available on the market. Enroll in our demo day-eve1yday program. SHOP (415) 759-1177, OFFICE (732) 747-7845. 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, www.eee.org/bus/high_adventure FLY ABOVE ALL - Best training hill in the west! foll service paragliding shop, established 197 4, San ta Barbara. (805) 965-3733, www.bodytrends.com/para.htm

\Xf!LLS \X'ING 123 - Very clean, -60 hours, harness, reserve $1,200 OBO. (719) 447-8678. And Firebird G-Sport, all mediXYON, PHILOU um and in excellent condition, inexpensive. (970) 9273258. POWERED PARAGLIDERS ADVENTURE f'4 - Backpack motor, electric start, new prop & cage, Tinitach, 18 hours $2,995. (770) 487-7595, email sewen I0688@aol.com

EMERGENCY PARACHUTES

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, Comer, Edel, Firebird, ITV, Pacific Ai1wave, Wills Wing and others. All skill levels welcome. PO Box 1226, Del Mar CA 92014. (619) 481-7400 Southern California.

ADVEl\'TURE SPORTS LOf'T - Experienced paragliding rigging center. Reserve repacks, repairs & modifications. Master Rigger Scott Christensen (909) 657-2676, fax (909) 657-3747. email asi@pe.net. Visit our web site: http://www.pe.net/-asi

A!RJUNKIES 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, Intermediate, Advanced and Instructor ratings. Powered paragliding,

CLOUD BASE ALTO - Electric start, 10 hours, $500 harness included, many extras, 1/2 price $2,495! Pro Design Eole 33, I hour, $2,300 with free Edel $450 reserve. (503) 690-3280.

L DERPORT 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive San Diego CA 9203 7 Since 1928

PARAGLIDING AND HANG GLIDING USHGA certified instruction, tandem flight instruction, sales, service, repairs, parachute repacks, n1otorized

pg/hg instruction and site tours. San Diego's exclusive dealers for AIREA, APCO and SOL. Visa and Mastercard accepted. Check us our at hrtp://www.flytorrey.com or call (619) 452-9858. CONNECTICUT EC!'- Look under New York.

soaring and maneuvers clinics, guided tours, tandem and

BRAND NEW - NAS PDA reserves, 37sq/m, 41 /m, 100% guaranteed $425. (303) 347-8995.

towing instruction and special events. USHGA certified. Handling the latest equipment. Call (760) 753-2664 for infr>rmation.

HARNESSES WOODY VALLEY MODFL- Is now introducing its full line of unique Italian paragliding and hang gliding harnesses in the United States. f'or info call Eastcoast Paragliding at (914) 647-337'7. Dealer inquires wcl-

AIRTEK PARACUDING - In sunny San Diego. Year-round thermal & ridge soaring, beginner thru advanced instruction, all major brands, 1-888-2SKYlc;o, phone/fax (619) 450-6696.

FLORIDA SOUTHERN SKIES - Serving tbe SOUTHEAST, nearest MOUNTAIN FLYING, also POWERED PARAGLIDING. (828) 632-6000 WWW.SO UTHERNSKI ES.NET

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

1998

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US Distribution West Coast Parag liding 3620 Wawona St. San Francisco CA 94116 Phone (415) 759-9011 Fax (415 ) 759 -1182 www. air-time.com/freeX

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Development , Manufacturing Internationa l Distribution freeX air sports GmbH 82544 Egling Germany www.freex.com

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Northwest Distributor Alpine Marine Phone (425) 432-8900 FAX (425) 432-2876 Email: alpmar@compuserve.com

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OREGON

SOUTHERN SKIES - Serving the SOUTHEAST, 4 hours from ATLANTA. MOUNTAIN FLYING, and POWERED PARAGLIDING. (828) 632-6000 WWW.SOUTHERNSKIES.NET

FCP -- Look under New York. NEW YORK

IDAHO KING MOUNTAIN PARAGLIDING - Guide service, mountain TOURS, site information, including world famous KING MOUNTAIN (1997 US Nationals), certified foll-time SCHOOL, major brands. Supplier/Mfg: The most comprehensive, educational INFO/LOGBOOK $24.95, RADIO HARNESSES $39.95, PG CARGO/DUFFEL BAG (hokls wing & eve,ything dse) $49.95. Satisfaction guaranteed. 10169 N 15 F, Idaho Falls, ID 83401. Phone or fax (208) 524-0039, email KingMt1'G@\10l.com. Visa/Mastercard/Discover. MEXICO

iiiMEXIC '''

Ill

HANG GLIDING

THE NUMBER 1 - Rated USHGA paragliding school in the United States 1995, 1996 and 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-rime 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.

PARAGLIDING

BEAUTIFUL VAILE DF BRAVO-Open to all, rent or bring hg/pg. Basic packages: $100/day hg, $69/day pg. 1800-861-71 ')8, jefli!_ilflymexico.com, www.Aymexico.com

NORTH CAROLINA

LEARN TO PARAGLIDE at Kit1y Hr1wk Kites Outer Banks, NC Lessons Daily Towing & Foot Launch Year Round Sales & Service CALL TODAY! 800-334-4777 919-441-4 124

Ii-Mail Address

OVER THF HILL PARAGLIDING - Oregon/SW Washington. Sales, service, beginner-advanced US! ICA certified instruction. Nova, Firebird, Apco, AT, Pro Design, SOL, Ball, Flytec, HES Quantum parachutes. Service: full service shop, 1-'AA 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: od1para@telcport.com web: http://www.tcleport.com/-othpara/ ------------------- - -

TEXAS HILi. COUNTRY PARAGLIDING INC - Learn complete pilot skills. Personalized USHGA certified training, ridge soaring, foot & cow launching in central Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. (915) 3791 185. Rt 1, Box i 6F, Tow TX 78672. KITE ENTERPRISES -

Foot launch, payout winch

tow and powered paraglidcr instruction too. Training,

sales, rentals and repair. Edel, Airwave, Wills Wing, UP and [) K Whisper. Dallas, Fort Worth and north Texas area. 211 Ellis, Allen TX 75002. (972) .'190-9090 nights, wcckcn<ls. www.kitc-cntcrprisc.s.com

UTA!-l BIG SKY PARAGLIDING - Specializing in advanced training, tandems, clinics and tours, since 1990. Dale Covington 1-800-782-9204, (801) 474-2380.

hang-glide@outer-banks.com CLOUD 9 PARACLIDINC - Utah's largest paragliding school. We offer BOTH AM and PM training sessions at Point of the Mountain. Para 2 certification i.s

$650 for the unlimited lesson package which is 1OO'Vo applied toward the purchase of new paragliding gear. Call or email for information pack (801) 553-1834. \Xfcb .site is www.paragliJ.crs.com email at infoli_ilparaglidcrs.com

- 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 City Ml 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 Jackson, Wyoming. Call Tracie at (307) 7.09-8620. NEVADA ADVENTURF Sl'ORTS - Mountain tours for all levels. USHGA Certified school & ratings. Dealer for all major brands. 3650-22 Research Way, Carson City NV 89706. (702) 883-7070, email: advspts@pryarnid.ne, web site: http://www.pyramid.net/advspts

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

SOUTHERN SKIES - MOUNTAIN PLYING and POWERED PARAGLIDING instruction, sales and service with full-time shop, 1 hour north of Charlotte. 7 beautiful flying sites nearby. (828) (,32-6000 WWW.SOUTHERN SKIES.NET

1998

TI IF SOARING CFNTL\t - Utah's only foll service paragliding and hang gliding shop and school. We oiler AM and PM lessons seven days a week. We arc dealers for all manufacturers. Great new and used equipment. We teach at the famous "Point or the Mountain." Free camping right where you learn. Great discount bargain lodging or luxury accomodations. Guide services, mountain tours, site information. Affordable classes. f'or a free information package, call toll free 1-888-944-543.'\, email HBC3@laol.com, fax (801) 576-6482, 12665 S Minuteman Dr., Draper UT 84020.

VIRGINIA KITTY HA WK KITES -

See North Carolina.

SOUTHERN SKIES - Serving the SOUTHEAST, 1 hour from Virginia state line. MOUNTAIN FLYING and POWERED PARAGLIDING. (828) 632-6000 WWW.SOUTHERNSKIES.NET WASHINGTON DIXON'S AIRPLAY PARAGLIDING - #1 School for 1997 & I 998. 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 micrometeorology. Great new and used inventory. 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, mountain biking, etc. Dave Bridges, US National Champion says, "Dixon's students are 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

GIANT PARAGLIDING PACKS you can unzip to form a tarp to protect your glider from UV and dirt. $165 +$6 shipping, MC/Visa. Guaranteed. Critter Mountain Wear, PO Box 993, Gunnison CO 81230. Tel/fax (970) 641-1754, email critter@gunnison.com www.crittermtnwear.com In stock for immediate delivery. HAVE EXTRA EQUIPMENT - That you don'r know what to do with. Advertise in the Paragliding classifieds, $.SO per word, $5 minimum. Call USHGA for details (719) 632-8300, ushga@ushga.org or fax your ad with a Vi.sa/MC:, fax (/19) 632-641 /. KENTUC:KIANA SOARING

IS IT SOARABLE? - Be sure with a USHGA Windsok. Made of 1.5 oz. ripstop nylon, UV treated, 5'4" long w/11" throat. Available colors fluorescent pink/yellow or fluorescent pink/white. $39.95 (+$4.75 S/1-1). Send to USHGA Windsok, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330, (7 I 9) 6.32-8300, fax (719) 6.32-6417. VISA/MC accepted. KENTUCKIANA SOARING Communications Specialistl Best Prices & Best Service! Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed! VARIOS: FLIGHT DECKS NEW BALL GRAPHICS PI.US ........................ $C:AI.I. BALL Ml 9............. .. ............................ $375.00 FLYTEC:................. ................................... $CALL

WISCONSIN PELLE Full Face, a few left .. retail $160 ... C:learance $95

RAVEN SKY SPORTS- Largest and most popular in the Midwest. Training hills and winch towing for paragliders. Sales & Service! PO Box IO I, Whitewater WI 53190. (414) 47.3-8800, brad@hanggliding.com PARTS & ACCESSORIES

f'INGERSWITC:H RADIO HEADSET - lly 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 setvice available beyond warranty. Available for Yaesu, !com, Alinco, Kenwood & other compatible radios. Full face or open helmets. $89 +$3.50 shipping, MC/Visa, dealer inquires invited. I<entuckiana Soaring, 425 N Taggart Ave., Clarksville IN 47129. (812) 288-7111, fax (812) 284-4115. SPECIALIZING IN COMMUNICATIONS! BRAND NEW AIR.MIC: - $65. By NAS (the one that works.) Not for Kenwood. Talk and hear thru car, PTT switch. (303) 347-8995.

Be sure to check out USHGA's Web page: www.ushga.org 52

For just $25, a horizontal photo of your glider or product can be featured with your classified.

RADIOS-ALL MODELS AVAILABLE YAESU FT! IR ................ 5 watt ...................... $305.00 KENWOOD TH22 ........ 5 watt ....................... $CALL F/C Fingerswitch/Headset Heavy-Duty .............. $89.00 5/8 TELESCOPIC ANTENNA ......................... $20.95 5/8 GAIN DUCK ANTENNA .......................... $17.95 EARTALK Kenwood ........ Ciearance .................. $60.00 YAESU Mobile ................ 50 watt .................... $305.00 TUNE UP w/Warranty lntact ....................... $35-50.00 PARACHUTES WILLS WING LARA ...... w/Paraswivel ............. $CALL HIGH ENERGY QUANTUM ......................... $CALL

ARMADILLO Gliderbag. Regular & XC: ......... $105.00 WIND ADVISORY AIRSPEED W/C:Iamp ...... $23.00 HALL PG AIRSPEED ..... Clearance .................. $25.00 HOOK KNIFE.. ................................................. $14.95 KENTUC:KIANA SOARING 425 N Taggart Avenue Clarksville IN 47129 (812) 288-7111 fax (812) 284-4115 MACIC HELMETS - By Sol. Full face, kevlar with DuPont Cool Max interior make the Magic the top helmet on the market. Visit the Magic web site at www.bigairparagliding.com/solmagicreview.htm or contact Sol at (80 I) 553- I 834 for a catalogue.

PARAGLIDING

MINI VARIO- World's smallest, simplest vario! Clips to helmet or chinstrap, 200 hours on batteries, 0-18,000 ft., fast response and 2 ye,ir warranty, Crear for paragliding too. ONLY $169. Mallettec, PO Box 15756, Sama Ana CA, 92735. (714) 966-1240, www.rnallettec.com MC/Visa accepted.

No time to mail your ad? Fax it, 24 hours a day! (719) 632-6417

BUSINESS & EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

TOWING

PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTORS WANTED Eastcoast Paragliding Center is looking for paragliding instructor.s co join its team. For info call l ,ars Linde at (908) 747-7845. PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTOR WANTED - for growing paragliding program. Raven Sky Spores (414) 473-8800. TANDEM l'AltACLIDINC BUSINESS - For sale in tropical Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Boat tow-launched tandem PC, prime beach concession, permits. For a profitable lifescyle in paradise, call Derek: May-Oct (403) 270-7678 email: rainbow@cadvision.co111; NovApril O11-52-329-22742 email: rnariposa@pvnct.com.mx

QUIT YOUR DAY JOB! - Buy one of the nation's largest schools and get paid to fly! Rapidly growing turnkey operation, call for details. Established over 5 years in the booming Northwest. Earn/Learn. Terms. (503) 5247709, employees wanted. PUBLICATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

TBT TOW RIG - On trailer, modified for paraglider, with guillotine, 3000' spectra line. I Jome (816) 5870823, work (816) .091-6200. VIDEOS FLY HARD: Viking Films newest release. Rob Whittall, Chris Santacroce & a vintage Buick convertible full of paragliders. Outrageous flying at several west coast flying sites. Meet HG aerobatics champion Mitch McAlecr along rhc way. Excellent rock soundtrack, professionally filmed & edited $35.95. POINT OF THE MOUNTAIN by East Coast, hg/pg action at this Utah mecca $.J3. PARAGLIDE: THE MOVIE by Viking Films. Rock-n-roll world class competition at Owens Valley. Professionally filmed & edited $35.95. Call or fax USHGA (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417, please add +$4 domestic s/h (+$5 for two or more videos). Great to i1nprcss your friends or fOr those socke<l-in days. MISCELLANEOUS VIDEOS & BOOKS - Call USIIGA for your Merchandise order form (719) 6.12-8300, fox (719) 6326417, email: ushga@ushga.org, www.ushga.org DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN THE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS.

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. USHCA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 8090 I. (719) 632-8300, fax your MC/Visa ro (719) 6.02-6417, email: ushga@ushga.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 $5. SSA, P.O. Box F, Hobbs, NM 88241. (505) .0921177.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES The rate for classified advertising is $.50 per word (or group of characters) and $ I .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=} 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 to be in bold jmll.L. Special layouts of tabs are $25.00 per column inch. AD DEADLINES: September 20th is the deadline for the November/December issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA. Send to: PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE, Classified Advertising, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330 (719) 632-8300 or fax (719) 632-6417, email jjelgan@ushga.org with your Visa or Mastercard.

EDEL SABER M - Lost/stolen at KITTREDGE, CO on August 4, 1997. Gold top, white under, frayed brake line on lcfr side, also rainbow colored Ball vario. Mike Foster (305) 832-6716. STOLEN WINGS arc listed as a service to USHGA members. There is no charge for this service and lost and found wings or equipment may be called in (719) 6328300 or fax it in (719) 632-6417 for inclusion in Paragliding & Hang Gliding magazine. !'lease call to cancel the listing when gliders arc recovered. Periodically, this listing will be purged.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Adventure Productions ................ 25 Aerolight USA/APCO ................ , 19 Air California/Torrey Pines ........... 6 Airea ...... ,.............................. ,... ,.31 Airwave ................................ ,.... .. 11 Brauniger .................................... 22 Edel .... ,........... ,........................ 2,43 Firebird America .......... 26,27,28,29 Flight Design & NAPL .............. 36 Fly Castelluccio ........................... 11 Flytec ........................... ,................ 7 FreeX .............. ,........................... 50 Hall Brothers ., ............................ 12 Mojo's Gear ......... ,...................... .43 NAS ............................................ 32 Pro Design .................... Back Cover Sky Dog Publications ....... ,.......... 33 Sport Aviation Publications ........... 9 Sunrise Paragliding .......... ,.......... ,25 Sup' Air .............. ,.......................... 7 Thermal Tracker ..................... 12,39

STOLEN WINGS & THINGS

USHGA .......................... ,...... 37,41

US VOLES STORM 301 - Stolen from vehicle TIGER MOUNTAIN LZ, ISSAQUAH, WA on October 12th, 1997 weekend. Pink top, green/yellow undersurfacc, also AT harness, large green reserve. (206) 949-0519.

West Coast Paragliding ............... 14

1998

Wills Wing .... ,., .......... ,.......... ,..... 55

by Peter Reagan n rhe May issue of Skywings, the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association published its most recent accident statistics. They have about 4,000 paraglider pilots who average 30 or 40 hours per year in the air. This is about 30% more pilots than we have in the U.S. In the lasr two years they've had one fatal accident; during the same period we in the U.S. experienced eight. They also have had a steady downward trend in their fatality statistics over the last six years, while ours have not changed. There are probably many subtle differences in the way flying is practiced in the two countries, as well as the obvious differences in rhe sites and weather. They, however, appear to have made a lot of progress when it comes to safety, while we have not. Here are a few interesting, somewhat random observations about the Brits' success. First, accident reporting is vastly more complete there. Although we have fewer than I 00 accidents reported each year, they had 274 reported last year. This is the result of a concerted effort through the local chapters to get all accidents reported, and a system of postage-paid accident reporting cards that are very easy to file through the mail. Second, their equivalent of the FAA requires that they make an official inquiry into any deaths that occur, and that the details be reported to the government agency called the Air Accident Investigation Branch. This group has actually aided the BHPA with accident-inquiry training programs. Third, they have instituted a school-inspection program. Regardless of their institutional activities, they observe that by far the majority of accidents involve inappropriate decisions to fly, or continued flying as conditions deteriorate. Individual pilots making good decisions about launching and landing, both for rheir own safety and the example set for others, are central to improving an accident record. So the buck stops with each of us. Two examples of potentially dangerous decision-making follow. Remember that all victims are arbitrarily male.

APRIL, WESTERN WASHINGTON MOUNTAIN SITE A relatively inexperienced pilot launched into a 15+ mph gusty wind with a large towering cloud behind him. He got an exciting hour of high flight and also got cold. He decided to land, but LZ conditions were gusty and changeable, and he was unable to set up a successful landing pattern. A steep turn close to rhe ground caused him to hit a parked car without flaring, and he sustained fracrures in both ankles, right elbow and spine, requiring extended rehabilitation, temporary wheelchair use, etc. Was this preventable? An instructor at the site

noted the changing conditions and immediately launched to fly down. He did fine but feels what he did was risky. Other pilots were in the air at the rime and all struggled to the ground, luckily with no other injuries. Launching is these conditions was certainly questionable, bur others around the pilot were doing it. Once our pilot was in the air, pulling ears to reduce the glide and stabilize the wing may have helped, and over-flying the LZ into a swamp instead of uying a steep turn close to the ground would have been preferable. Flaring would have helped. Being warm enough, prepared enough and skilled enough might have compensated for the conditions, but then again, maybe not. To maintain proper humility I must report that two weeks later I was encouraging an inexperienced pilot to launch in changeable weather conditions at a different site. It got a little worse and we decided to pack it up about 10 minutes before we were hit by a gust docked at 62 mph.

OREGON DESERT, LATE SPRING An intermediate pilot was on launch later in the afternoon with thermals popping and the wind intermittently fairly crosswind. Two pilots were soaring as much as 1,500 feet over launch in strong conditions. He pulled up his wing but immediately lost control and was dragged off the launch and many yards across large, jagged rocks. People on launch lost sight of him but could hear his body banging on the rocks. His helmet was cracked and knocked off. He had multiple arm and leg injuries, as well as cracked ribs and lung damage, but no neurological inju1y. An ambulance was called and arrived roughly an hour later. The victim was carried on a stretcher about a quarter mile to a parking lot and evacuated to rhe nearest hospital, where he spent rime in intensive care. Stress was a factor in the accident, and alcohol use has been questioned. Paul Klemond comments that until we have gained a certain amount of experience we tend to "launch off the hill" instead of"launching into the wind." Thar means we focus on where we have been, instead of where we are going. It is critical ro be aware of where a crosswind will take you and your glider as soon as you are in it. The glider will typically come up wirh an asymmetrical collapse and be uncontrollable if the wind is strong. He also notes the tendency to unweight the A-lines during inflation, which will often cause a frontal collapse. This also can be difficult to manage in higher winds. More ground handling pracrice would benefit most of us. Many of us wirh a certain amount of experience rely on our current ground handling skills when we could really improve quite a bit with periodic practice. As we rack up airtime we actually do far fewer launches and landings than we did when we were starting out. Although it has very little to do with safety in the air or winning competitions, good ground handling can be the

deciding factor in many accidents. If a third of all accidents happen on launch and a third on landing, we should be able to improve our safety picture significantly through more experience on the ground. Ir's unromantic and maybe not as attractive as flying, bur it's important, and it can actually be fun. FAR I 03 makes it illegal to fly with any recent intake of alcohol or other mind-altering substance. Alcohol is routinely checked for during emergency room visits, and violations might risk our right to fly.

It is an interesting experience writing these reports, and obviously my main motivation for doing so is to try to decrease the carnage. In my other life I'm a doctor, and I'm forever seeking the boundary where my responsibility stops and my patient's begins. In flying I feel strongly that it is very much in our collective interest to make this pastime safer. Our numbers, sites, costs, equipment, and basically all aspects of what we do in the air are enhanced if our batting average improves. Every accident diminishes the quality of flying for all of us. To some degree this results in a kind of "group morality" or accountability when it comes ro accidents. We feel guilty if we get hurt, and I think a cerrain measure of this is actually useful. However, and unfortunately, this guilt will often prevent us from telling our sad tales. We are all human, and each of us is extremely vulnerable to lapses of judgment in a sport where subtle environmental factors can spell the difference between a fun afternoon and a tragedy. Please report your accidents, even though you feel bad about them. The only good that can come from any accident is what we all collectively learn from it. We need your stories, and we need your statistics. I am absolutely certain that we can improve our safety greatly as we learn more about the circumstances surrounding our mishaps. An accident is a mishap resulting in any injury chat would cause a prudent person to see a docror. Report forms are sent to all members when they renew their membership in USHGA. If you don't have a form they can be requested from the office, and an on-line version will be available on our Web page. It is also acceptable to mail a handwritten story ro rhe office without the form. If you do this, please include as many details as possible (e.g., pilot experience level, type of glider, conditions, some specifics about injuries, etc.). We will not publish any accounts that clearly reveal the site of the mishap or the identity of the pilot, except possibly in the case of a fatality. Anyone who is aware of an accident has the responsibility of seeing to it that it is reported. The intent is never to criticize or to blame, only to learn. If you made a mistake, you can absolutely count on other people making ir roo. We are a relatively small community. If the life or limb you save isn't your own, it will probably belong to a friend you know and like. lllll

PARAGLIDING

• The art of flying.

LLS~

Nti

Q uality aircraft for exceptiona l pe o ple .

YEA~~ N?;,~~!GHT

500 West Blue ridge Ave. Orange, CA 82865 ph 714.888.6358 • fx 714.888.0647

www.willswing.com

RELAX*

a worthy successor to the ·

world renowned , and

thousand times proven COMPACT.